I let Ciro and Phoenix know that I wanted the sonofabitch found immediately because, at the end of the day, I didn’t care about the facts of his life. I cared that he dared to threaten and touch what was mine. I cared that he frightened Remy. I cared that he thought he could say my fucking name and not pay the price for his stupidity. When I got done with the man, there’d be no question what would become of anyone stupid enough to approach Remy ever again.
The front door opened and, this time, Remy didn’t scream when she saw me. She simply let out a sigh and shut the door behind her. “How do you keep getting into my apartment?”
I stood up from the couch. “Do you honestly think that pathetic lock can actually keep anyone out?”
She dropped her purse on the little table next to the door. “Evidently not,” she grumbled.
I cocked my head. “Have you eaten dinner? Are you hungry?”
Remy huffed out a sad, little laugh. “No, Luca,” she said wearily. “I’m not hungry. I just want you to tell me what’s going on before I lose my shit for real. How long have you been here?”
She sounded exhausted, and my heart thumped in sympathy. “I searched your apartment for bugs,” I told her. “I’m not careless, Remy. No one should have known I’ve been here.” Remy crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow. I couldn’t fight the grin that took over my face. “Except Wednesday night,” I conceded.
“Then how did that man know who I was?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. “But I’ll find out.”
She glanced around her living room. “Did you find any bugs or anything?”
I shook my head. “No. Your apartment’s clean.”
She gave me a small nod and then walked towards her small kitchen. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” I replied as I followed her.
Silently, she grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator, uncapped it, and drank half of it down. She recapped it, and looking at me, asked, “What now?”
Her kitchen was small, so we were easily crowded when I stepped around the tiny kitchen table into her space. “What do you mean?”
Remy’s blue eyes looked tired, and I hated that. “You said you weren’t going to kill me, but…where does that leave me?” she asked. “Now, I have some asshole following me and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with that.”
“Rem-”
“No, Luca,” she said, stopping me. “I’m a social worker, for Christ’s sake. I can’t have dangerous people following me around. What if that guy decides to go after one of my kids?”
My hand came up to cup her beautiful, worried face. “Remy, nothing is going to happen to your kids,” I promised her. “He will be found before Monday.”
Her laugh was sad. “Of course, he will,” she muttered. “What was I thinking?” She shook her head and looked down. My hand still on her face, I forced her to look up at me again. “What?” she whispered.
“Nothing is going to happen to you, Remy,” I told her. “You have to know that.”
Her tired blue eyes flashed. “No, Luca,” she spat. “I don’t have to know that. How could I? You said you weren’t going to kill me, but that’s not the same as making sure I’m not killed by someone else. I don’t know what this is or what you want with me or what the hell I’m doing here. I know who you are, but…this doesn’t make any sense. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re…you’re…”
I stepped closer until she had to tilt her head back all the way. I stepped closer until I had her trapped between the kitchen counter and my body. “What am I?”
Her blue eyes danced back and forth searching for something in my gaze. “You’re Luca Benetti,” she blurted out. “You’re not supposed to be real. You’re supposed to just be a ghost story used to keep us mortals in line.” Her voice cracked, and I was surprised at the emotion she was displaying. I thought she was going to turn to rage earlier, but this was something else.
She sounded desperate.
“I’m not supposed to know you,” she continued a bit frantic. “I’m not supposed to have any part in any of this.” My other hand came up until they were both cradling her face and Remy’s hand latched onto my wrists. Her eyes were wide and imploring, and I knew I was going to break her heart with the truth. “My car wasn’t supposed to break down. Don’t you see that? It was never supposed to have broken down, Luca. You’re not supposed to be here with me.”
“I hate to break it to you,” I said, holding her gaze, “but I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, Remy.”
Her voice sounded like the live version of a heart breaking. “Luca, no,” she whispered. “Don’t do this to me.” Her hands tightened around my wrists. “Please, don’t do this to me.”
“Too late,” I said before my mouth crash down on hers. She wouldn’t open for me and that’s when I knew I was going to marry this woman. Remy Christian wanted nothing to do with me. She begged me to leave her alone. She basically told me she didn’t want to be a part of my world. She said she was never supposed to know me. Remy might be attracted to me, but she didn’t want whatever came with being with me. She wasn’t interested in money, power, status, or legacies.
And that fact was going to make her one of the most powerful women around.
My right hand snaked up her neck and twisted her hair around in a fist. I yanked her head back until she gasped. My tongue found its way inside her sweet mouth and my dick was rock hard with the fight.
The fight I knew I was going to win.
I could feel her hands pushing
