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I tug on the ends of her hair and stare up at the ceiling. “We should just stay here forever. My men can handle the Bratva. Viktorov Industries obviously thinks they can operate without me. So I’ll just stay here with you, endlessly searching for new ways to make you tremble in my arms.”
She shivers. “Don’t tempt me. It wouldn’t take much to keep me in this bed forever.”
“Good.” I kiss her forehead. “Because that’s the plan. Fuck work. Fuck galas. Fuck—”
Piper gasps and sits up. “The gala! The gala is tonight. The important one. Right? Isn’t that what they said in the boardroom? It’s a big deal for the company.”
“The company that removed me as CEO,” I remind her. “I’m not going to that party.”
“But they’ll come to their senses and reinstate you. I know they will. Once everything about Kreshnik comes out, then they’ll—”
“They’ll still be a bunch ofmudakswho doubted me. They doubted my judgment and my leadership.” I hold her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “But you never did, Piper. Not once. You always had faith in me.”
She holds my wrist, resting her adorable chin in the palm of my head. “If you want to go, I’ll be right by your side. Not like this,” she says, gesturing to her sex hair and gloriously naked body. “I’ll do my hair and get dressed. But you know what I mean. I’ll be there for you and with you if you want to go.”
I sit up and kiss her full lips. Then I slide off the bed and stretch. “I don’t want to go. Viktorov Industries can burn for all I care.”
“But Timofey—”
“I’m going to shower.” I pad to the bathroom, but pause in the door frame to look back at her. “And to answer your question, I don’t like making you come, Piper. Iloveit.”
She flushes from head to toe. I know, because I can see every inch of her. I wink and step into the bathroom.
43
TIMOFEY
I meant what I said about Viktorov Industries. The place can fucking burn.
But as I climb out of the shower, I feel the gnawing urge todo something.I’ve never been good at sitting still, but that’s all I’ve been doing for the last twenty-four hours.
I don’t regret letting Piper rest. And I’ll never regret a single second spent buried in her silky vanilla skin and warmth. Still, none of that eases the restlessness in my bones.
Maybe I could go to the gala. Making a scene in front of all those know-nothing suits might make me feel better.
Then I step into the bedroom and find Piper balled in on herself, softly sobbing in bed.
“Piper?” I’m across the room in an instant, my hand on her back. “What is it?”
She sits up and swipes at her eyes. It almost seems like she’s surprised to see me. “It’s nothing. I’m being silly.”
“This doesn’t look silly, Piper. It looks sad. What happened? What—”
Then I see it. The pink and blue striped blanket from the hospital.
After Benjamin’s surgery, the hospital sent him home with us covered in that blanket. Piper swaddled him in it that night at the penthouse. She tucked him into his bassinet and cried happy tears over his tiny body.
“I can’t believe he’s going to be okay,” is what she said. “It’s a miracle.”
Now, there are teardrops on the empty blanket.
And no Benjamin in sight.
“Piper… where did you find this?”
Her chin wobbles, and a fresh wave of tears roll down her cheeks. “It was in the bottom drawer of the dresser. I was looking for a shirt to wear, and I… It still smells like him.”
She presses the blanket to her face and dissolves into a puddle.
