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Surely, I’m wrong, but could he mean… me?
There’s a noise outside and Tommy’s attention shifts, and he sighs. “I’m sorry I took so long last night. When I came back to bed, you were already asleep.”
“That’s alright,” I say lightly, wanting to distract from whatever intensity it was that just passed between us. “I was worn out.”
“I have some other things to deal with today,” he says and sighs again. “I tried to clear my schedule, but…”
“You run a business,” I say. “I understand. It’s not like I don’t have any experience in that, even if your business is very different from what I’m used to. I know how it can be.”
“Thank you,” Tommy says, leaning down to kiss me again. “You are just what I need. Did you know that?”
A warmth spreads through my body at his words. “I didn’t,” I say, smiling.
“Then you know it now,” he says, kissing me one final time. “Why don’t you shower and get changed? I’ll be back to join you as soon as I can. We can have breakfast together.”
I nod happily. “Alright.”
And I watch him go, his strong, half-naked body a sight for my eyes, feeling the lingering warmth and the squeeze of my heart. I’m just what he needs. And I hope against hope that I can stay that way.Chapter NineteenTommyI can’t help but picture Carina in my home as I walk through it, my mind full of what I have to take care of. I pass rooms and I swear I can almost hear the laughter of children coming out of them, followed by Carina’s voice, as if I already have a family here. It seems to fit so perfectly. I see her in my mind’s eye walking up the stairs with a baby in her arms, and I know I have to make it happen. My hands clench into fists involuntarily, thinking of the possibility that it might be taken away.
I always get what I want, and this is no exception. I won’t let anyone ruin this. I gave us a week – and I’ll take a week, no matter what.
“When did he call?” I ask Enzo, keeping my voice low even though I know there’s no way she can hear me down there.
“About an hour ago, boss,” Enzo says, handing me the phone with the call log displayed. “He said he’s ready to pay now. Early, too. Must be keen to get his daughter back.”
I pause for a moment, looking murderously at the phone. Damnit. Of all the things that could happen to throw a wrench in my plans, Donovan Bianco actually coming up with the money early was not one I had ever imagined.
“Alright,” I say. “I’ll talk to him. You wait here.”
I step outside of the room and into another space. I could go outside, but I’m worried she will hear me through the glass. No, I stand in the hall where, to the best of my knowledge, no one is around. I don’t want anyone to hear. I want to deal with this quietly and quickly and then go back upstairs to her.
“Hello?”
“Donovan Bianco,” I say his name flatly, wait for recognition to set in.
“T-Tommy? Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“I have the money… I can bring it to you today. As soon as you like. Anywhere you like. Please, send Carina back to me.”
“That wasn’t the deal,” I tell him, leaning back against the paneled wood of the walls. “Our deal was that I take your daughter for a week, and you pay me back at the end of it.”
“What? But…” Donovan seems to falter as he reaches some kind of mental leap about what that means. “What are you doing to her? She – she’s not part of the payment! You can’t touch her!”
I already have, I think, just not in the despicable way that Donovan is imagining. “Relax, Donovan. Your daughter is fine.” I grit my teeth a second, trying to walk the thin line between fighting to keep her here just a little bit longer and not riling her father any further. After all, if we’re going to be together, I’m sure she would like to have his approval. “I’m busy today. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I hear Donovan’s voice sink along with his mood. “Can’t I hand the money to one of your men?”
“No,” I tell him flatly. “I want to see you in person. Make the handover. We have things to discuss.”
“I’m paying back the loan in full,” Donovan protests. Damn, I just want him to shut up and go away, and leave me my last day. I don’t want to have to try to explain every single step of this to him. Not when I can’t even tell him the real reason. That I just want to have some more time with his daughter before she has to decide whether to stay with me for good or not. “There’s nothing else… is there?”
