I’m stunned in the middle of the parking lot.She helps victims.
Cain’s palms come to rest against my cheeks. “Before you even think of asking to work with her, you need to understand. Salem sees the worst of our operations. What you witnessed on my computer, that’s her everyday job, Ezra.”
I wince, knowing Salem’s work would set me off. I’m so fucking pissed off over what was done to me to make me this fragile. Some days, I want to blame God. How could he sit back and watch the suffering of his creations?
But if there was a God, then wasn’t the devil real, too?
Cain guides me back to his car. As soon as we’re seated, I lean over the console to place a kiss on his warm cheek.
“Thank you.”
His hand tightens on the steering wheel. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you’re okay with him being here. I didn’t think he’d do well in an apartment at Sinro.”
“It’s perfect. He’s so happy. I’m happy, too.”
“Good. After stopping by to see Lenny’s wife, I’ll need to go into the office. Unfortunately, I’ll be home late tonight.”
“Thought you had the day off?”
He sighs. “The CEO never gets a day off. I have a few meetings this afternoon I need to attend.”
My heart sinks, but I can’t start being too needy with Cain. One orgasm and a few kisses doesn’t mean I have a right to demand more from him. He runs a huge company. I don’t want to push this and make him question taking me in.
But I do want him. In any way he’ll let me have him.
An afternoon of meetings turns into a solid week of Cain working overtime.
We’re long past my job due date with Gabriel, and I’m constantly nagging both Cain and Rev for updates on Jakey’s safety.
I can’t help but feel a bit unglued. I can’t just sit back and wait for others to deal with threats, hoping everything will work out for the best. Nothing ever does in my life.
In my time pacing his apartment, working out, and swimming laps in the heated pool on the balcony, I’ve noticed changes to Cain’s apartment. More food in the fridge, mostly protein. Cans of watermelon sparkling water, which makes me smile because that meant Rev talked to Cain about how much I loved it after buying me a can a few days ago.
But it’s the glass bottles of nail polish in the bathroom that really do me in. I clutch them to my chest as I sink down onto the cold tile floor, trying my best not to cry. The fact that Cain’s so attentive makes my chest ache like it's caving into a hollow part of my soul.
It makes me nervous, too. Eventually he’s going to figure out how blighted I am. I’m not worthy of this level of thoughtfulness. I don’t think I’m worthy of anything, really.
After coating my nails in a thick layer of black, I notice doubles of everything in the bathroom, fluffy blue towels included. And his closet keeps magically expanding with items in my size. Though I’ll never stop strutting around his apartment in my boxers. Not only do I get enjoyment out of it, I’m also hoping one day my body will be tempting enough for him to pounce on.
He can’t hide his stolen looks. I know his eyes follow me. It’s his self-control that’s driving me up a fricken wall. I want him to play with me. I thought maybe something would change between us when hedecided one night of sleeping in his bed wasn’t enough after finding me curled up on the floor in his guest bedroom again.
You sleep with me now. Unless you don’t want that.
No part of me wanted to argue and tell him he didn’t need to take pity on me. He pretends to be this callous businessman. Underneath, I think he really likes to take care of people.
That evening, I toss restlessly in his bed, surprised I haven’t woken him with my movement. I’ve never been one to sleep for too long, constantly in a state of survival on the streets. Before that, too, I was never certain when I would be in danger.
Rolling over, I scoot close enough to soak up Cain’s body heat and breathe in his scent. I spend far too long staring at his exposed back, trying to keep my gaze from dipping to the swell of his ass beneath the silk sheet. There are two scars that look like bullet wounds near his shoulder blades, and a four-inch scar near the dimples on his lower back.
His tattoos surprisingly only cover his arms. My fingers twitch with the urge to trace them, but I feel like he wouldn’t appreciate me touching him while he sleeps. He’s barely touched me when he’s awake, and I’m literally half-naked in bed with him every night.
Overcome with the need to run this energy out of my system, I creep out of bed and pull on comfy clothes. Then I sneak out the front door.
Quiet moans reach my ears before I make it to the common area, accompanied by the sound of slapping skin. My stomach dips.
I peek around the corner and spot Rev on the couch. His hands are buried in some guy’s dark locks. A guy who happens to be completely naked and rocking up and down on Rev’s lap.
Rev’s gaze flicks to me and he grins, slamming his hips up to make the guy riding him drop his head back and moan.
