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Dominic
Iwake up at six, which is rare for me—I’m not a morning person, not in the slightest.
Carter’s already out of bed, of course, but Gabriella is still asleep. For a few seconds, I watch her. Her hair is tousled, her leg is wrapped around a pillow, and a sheet is madly tangled around her body.
She’d probably bristle if I tell her that she looks adorable.
Last night… Last night had been about more than sex. Last night had been intimate. Though I’ve only known her for a few days, I feel a connection with this woman. She’s special. Fiery and passionate, but with a sweetness that shines through, and a sense of humor that makes her irresistible to be around.
Seven months ago, she’d been memorable. Unforgettable.
Now, she’s more. She’s necessary.
The strength of my need shakes me. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this intense level of connection with another human being.
But our entanglement has an expiration date. Gabby will return to Manhattan in a few short weeks, and then what?
There are options, of course. Assuming she’s interested, that is. We could explore a long-distance relationship. She wants to start her own company, but she might not need to be in New York for that. Maybe she’d be interested in the idea of moving.
There are also barriers. The nature of our threesome, for one. My wealth shields me from having to care about what other people think, but Carter doesn’t have the same luxury, especially now, when he’s involved in a custody dispute. What would Judge Bass think of a ménage? Would she decide that Carter is setting a poor example for Noah? Would she grant Ed Wagner sole custody?
That would wreck Carter.
I get up, moving as quietly as I can so as not to disturb her, and tiptoe out of the room. I need to talk to Carter, find out what he wants. Because I know one thing. Seven months ago, Gabriella Alves walked out of my hotel room, and I hadn’t been able to forget her. This time, I don’t want to let her go without a fight. Life doesn’t offer too many second chances, and when one comes my way, I’m going to seize it and hold on.
I need a plan. And for that, I need coffee. Lots of it.
To my surprise,Carter is still in my apartment. He’s sitting at the dining table, his laptop open and a cup of coffee next to him. “There’s a fresh pot,” he tells me without looking up from his screen.
“Thanks.” I move into the kitchen, pour myself a mugful and gulp it down, then refill my mug and move back to join Carter. “I thought you’d be gone.”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“About last night?”
He looks up. “About Denton Mitchell. What about last night?”
I hold up my mug. “Let’s talk about Mitchell first. I need more than one cup of coffee for the other conversation.”
“Fair enough.” He tilts his laptop screen in my direction. “I had a friend research Mitchell’s finances.”
“You did?”
He grimaces. “Try not to look so surprised, Dominic, you might hurt my feelings. Look, I know I’ve been distracted by the Ed situation, but—”
“We’ve both been distracted.” I drink my coffee. “I didn’t mean to imply you weren’t doing your job. Who’s the friend, and when did you start looking into Mitchell’s finances?”
“You don’t want to know who my friend is,” he replies easily. “Let’s just say some of his methods are not exactly legal. I ordered the investigation the moment Mitchell approached you. It was the obvious thing to do. The man does have a reputation, after all.”
“What did your hacker find?” I could look at the screen, but Carter’s already reviewed it.
“Randy Paulson’s right. Mitchell’s broke. It’s not just his poker rooms and his strip clubs that aren’t bringing in money. You know the apartment building he owns? Seaview Towers?”
I nod. The optimistically named building—nowhere close to the ocean—is a glorified tenement. It’s a disaster. Mitchell has owned the building for more than fifteen years, and he’s spent no money on maintenance. The elevators haven’t worked in months. Last winter, the boilers stopped working for ten days. There are rumors of mold, faulty wiring, and so much more. Mitchell spends a good chunk of money bribing City Council to ignore the problems.
“After they lost heat last year, the council was forced to act. They appointed an administrator, who has ordered extensive repairs.”
“That sounds expensive.”
