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“If I were a better man, I wouldn’t have touched you that first night after I learned you were Lucian’s sister. But you called to me on a level I never experienced. Then I fell in love with you. It was the worst thing that could possibly happen.
“I knew I would destroy your life. I not only came for the worst of humanity, but I’d engaged in things that I’d never wanted to touch you.”
She opened her mouth as if to remind me of the family she came from, but I covered her lips to stop her from talking.
“Your brothers shield you from the life. Your hands have never cleaned up any of their situations. Firsthand acts are far different than living in a family where someone may or may not have engaged in nefarious activities.”
She shrugged, accepting I was right.
“When the Randolph thing happened, I would have protected you through everything, sold all I had to keep the vultures away from you. That was when I knew I wanted a future and a family with you.”
“You ordered the ring around that time?”
I nodded. “But I let everything with the designers and the makeup artist get in my head. It added to the scale, saying I wasn’t good enough for you, and tipped it over. Or I thought.”
I glanced down at her, and she met my stare. “You were most definitely wrong.”
“I ruined what we had that night. I mistook your strength and trust for weakness. I took your choices from you, thinking I was doing the right thing by forcing you to walk away from a man like a man so much like my father and grandfather.”
“You do know you aren’t anything like them?” She asked. “I doubt they would have given up anything they wanted even if it meant it was better for the person they loved.”
“They never loved anyone but themselves. On the other hand, you are the definition of self-sacrifice and love. You’ll risk everything for those you love.” I frowned down at her. “You know there are consequences for some of your actions from the last twenty-four hours.”
“I don’t recall doing anything that wasn’t necessary.” She tapped her chin. “I do remember saving your life.”
“You could have died. Your life is more—” She covered my mouth with her palm.
“Don’t you say it. If I lost you, what do you think would happen to me?” She sat up. “It’s not like I’d just move on. I don’t work that way.”
“You are the most exasperating woman I have ever encountered.”
“And you still fell in love with me. What does that say about you?”
“That I finally did something right.”
* * *
Sophia
“We are a go in thirty-five minutes. I need all stagehands in position. Please direct all models to their makeup stations.”
I sighed, hearing the coordination manager’s voice coming over my headset as I stood backstage, watching the production crew finish the final lighting adjustments for the runway show.
We were in the middle of New York Fashion Week, and I would premiere my new collection to the world in half an hour.
I’d spent nearly every minute of the last two months since the fire at Violent Delights preparing for the event.
Now, the day was finally here, and all I wanted to do was puke.
“Breathe, you have this.” Damon kissed the top of my head as my heart pounded into my ears.
“I don’t know if I can do this. Walking a show is one thing, but this. What if it flops?”
“Look at me,” Damon’s voice grew firm, and immediately I met his emerald eyes. “You have nothing to worry about. You will shine today. I promise. Your collection represents you. Unconventional, edgy, boundary-pushing, and sexy.”
I smiled. “You know how to ground me when I’m about to lose it.”
“Isn’t that what husbands are supposed to do?”
