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It was a weak thought to have. I’d never depended on a man before, and I didn’t want to start now. But the truth was in my heart. It was undeniable. With these powerful walls surrounding the house, along with Carter’s presence, no one could touch me. He asked me to submit to him in return, and that seemed like a reasonable price to pay.
I kept the house in tip-top shape and prepared all of Carter’s meals. I’d learned what he liked and didn’t like, and I tried to make new things so he wouldn’t get tired of my cooking. The house was so big that I had to clean the other floors just so they wouldn’t get dusty.
My bedroom on the second floor had its own bathroom and a nice balcony that overlooked the yard. I had a private living room with a TV and a fireplace. It would be a perfect place for me to spend time with Luca. I sat on the couch and visualized my son playing with his toys on the ground.
I didn’t have any toys for him. I didn’t have any clothes. I didn’t have anything for my son. Without a penny to my name and no assets, I wasn’t sure how I would give him what he needed. I refused to ask Carter for money. I had more pride than that.
Carter tapped his knuckles against my bedroom door.
I lifted my chin to look at the door, to listen to the sound that shattered my eardrums. It was hard to believe I had so many rights. He didn’t just barge in here. He knocked, approaching my space with respect. The little things like that made me tear up. My life with Egor had been torture. I couldn’t even use the bathroom without someone watching me. Carter gave me a completely different life, one where I felt safe and respected.
He knocked again when I didn’t answer. “Sweetheart?”
“Come in, Carter.” I rose from the couch and slid my hands into my back pockets.
He stepped inside, wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. His muscular arms stretched out the fabric, and his powerful chest filled out the clothing well. His wide shoulders led to narrow hips, and just above that was his chiseled eight-pack. If I saw Carter across the room somewhere in public, I wouldn’t be able to leave without making a pass at him. He was beautiful, sexy with classic Italian features. I’d buy him a drink in the hope of getting his number. Now I was living with this beautiful man, and I was sleeping with him too. To the best of my knowledge, there hadn’t been another woman in his life in the meantime. I was the only one. It wasn’t exactly the way I wanted to start a romance, but if I had to be in this situation, I’m glad it was with him. If I had to do this for the rest of my life, never get married or have more children, it wouldn’t be so bad. At least the man I was bedding was the sexiest man I’d ever seen.
He stopped in front of me, his head tilted slightly as he regarded me. Concern came into his expression, his dark eyes flashing with intensity. “Everything alright, sweetheart?” He invaded my personal space, stepping toward me and sliding his fingers up my arm. His fingertips were callused from gripping a pen while he worked. They were probably also worn from typing on the keyboard all the time, maybe from working on cars too.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I cleared my throat. “It’s just…never mind.” My head tilted toward the floor, seeing his waistline and long legs.
His fingers moved under my chin, and he forced me to look at him. “No, not never mind. Tell me.” His brown eyes were comforting to look into, to see the pool of chocolate that was innately peaceful and intense at the same time. “I never want to hear you say never mind again.” The backs of his fingers brushed against my cheek before they moved into my hair.
My body warmed until it became so hot I started to melt. The tender affection reminded me of the lovers of my past, of being a participant in an intimate moment. But the touches Carter gave were different, packed with possession and a new level of desire. It made my fingers tingle, my stomach tighten. To top it off, it made me feel safe. When I first met him, I thought he was a monster like Egor. But he turned out to be quite different…in every good way possible. There was no confusion as to who he was. He was transparent, telling me he wanted to hurt me like Egor, but giving me freedom at the same time. There were lines he never crossed.
