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“Sure, though there’s not much to talk about. The Zeppelins are no longer a threat, and you can go back to your place. When I get back to the lodge later today, Joe will drive your car to your building. Just tell me where you’d like him to park it.”
“But…”
“But what?”
“Are you saying you’re ending things between us?” she asked, her voice almost a whisper.
He paused. “Steph, you could have been killed,” he said gravely. “Twice! You grew up in this life, you should have known better. Your actions don’t bode well.”
“But the first time I had no choice. You needed to know Stu had betrayed you, and I didn’t know who I could trust.”
“You can’t trust Max?”
“He wasn’t reachable.”
“All you had to do was tell Benny you needed to speak to Max urgently, and he would have put the two of you in touch.”
“Shit. That never occurred to me,” she muttered, dropping her eyes.
“Speaking of trust, the second time you didn’t trust me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t sure about Liam, and you knew that. Why would I be alone with a man I suspected might be working for the Zeppelins, especially last night? The answer is I wouldn’t. You not only put yourself in terrible danger marching into the lounge like that, you put your father and me at risk as well.”
“I’m so sorry. What can I do? Please, Marco, please let me make this right.”
“Early this afternoon I’ll be going back to the lodge for a week, maybe longer. That should give you time to decide what you really want.”
“But I already know,” she said urgently, leaning across the table and reaching for his hand. “I want you. Don’t you want me?”
“What I want,” he began, wrapping his fingers around hers, “is a strong, smart, sexy, and yes, challenging woman. A woman who’s willing to surrender herself to me just the way you do. What I don’t want,” he said earnestly, and taking a dramatic pause, “is a willful, stubborn brat who thinks she knows everything.”
Studying her expression, he saw the penny drop.
“Unfortunately, you’re both,” he continued. “Do you think you can lose the brat?”
“I can promise to try my best,” she replied, her eyes full of pleading. “If I fuck up, I’ll take what’s coming and try harder.”
Taking a breath, he squeezed her hands. “All right, Steph, these are the rules. If you don’t like them, tell me now. Clear?”
“Yes, Marco.”
“If you’re with me, you’re with me completely. If something’s bothering you, I want to hear about it. No secrets, no lies, no games. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“The day we get back from the lodge, you move out of that apartment and into my pool house.”
“Your pool house?”
“We won’t be together every night. I might be out on business, or have dinner meetings, whatever. You can come as you please, and you’re welcome to use the game room and the rest of my home, but the pool house is where you’ll live. Any questions?”
“None, and I would love that.”
“We’ll take this a day at a time, and see how things work out, but,” he said sternly, “but you’ll start every day with a morning spanking. If we didn’t spend the night together, you’ll come to the house and find me.”
“For how long?” she asked, staring at him with wide eyes, then hastily added, “Sorry, never mind. Forget I said that.”
