He leaned close, his head moving to the crook of my shoulder and neck, and he held me. His shirt stretched tight over his back, outlining his broad shoulders and tapered waistline. My arms had wrapped around his neck, and I slid one down the middle of his back. He sucked in his breath under my touch.

He murmured against my skin, “Why is it that your presence can calm me? Your touch can make me alive, and one little sigh from you makes me want to sleep for days in your embrace?”

I smiled, moving to press a kiss to his ear. “Because you love me.”

He pulled back, his eyes meeting mine with only a few centimeters between us. His forehead rested on mine, then one of his hands cupped the side of my face. His thumb brushed over my cheek and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I need to tell you what happened today, because it could affect us.”

He was torn. I could tell.

He added, “But not yet.”

Leaning back, I put my hands on his face and made sure he was looking right into my eyes. “Whatever it is, we’ll be fine,” I told him. And I believed that. “We’ve been through too goddamn much.”

“I know.”

I tilted my head. This wasn’t the Carter I knew. He took care of everything. He had declared war for me, and I knew he’d do it again. “Should I be worried?”

That same tortured look came to his eyes, but he said, “No.” Pulling me back into his arms, he nudged my legs farther apart, moving closer, and pressed his lips to the underside of my jaw. He whispered, “Never.” Another kiss to the corner of my lips. “Ever.” A third kiss, his lips resting atop mine and he murmured, “I promise. Nothing will ever happen to you.”

“To us.” My hands gripped his shoulders.

“To us,” he said.

Then his lips opened, and he took over, a command in his kiss. “Forget I said anything.”

With those words, he leaned me backward against the wall and kissed his way down my throat, over my chest, and all the way to my waist as his hands gripped my hips, holding me firmly on the desk. There he paused, and I arched my back, already knowing where he was going.

His tongue swept over me, and my hands went to his shoulders, holding on blindly. When he moved farther down, a deep, guttural groan came from within me.

My god.

I loved this man.

When my phone buzzed, I wasn’t sleeping, only holding Emma as she did. She’d curled into me, still naked, and I looked over at my phone. I was tempted to ignore it. I knew who was on the other end.

It was Gene, my old mentor from the Mauricio family. He’d been a pain in my ass then, and I knew he would be again. Unlike most of my men and the rest of the family, Gene didn’t adhere to my wishes for privacy. When he wanted to talk, he called. When he wanted a meeting, he demanded one. We had butted heads on more than one occasion, and I’d threatened him with bodily harm another time when he’d made his dislike for Emma too known.

He was calling now, and I didn’t want to hear whatever he had to say. I needed to protect Emma, no matter what happened, and I pulled her tighter into my arms as that damn phone beeped again.

It would keep going. He wouldn’t stop calling.

I let out a curse before I disentangled myself from her and slipped from the bed. Grabbing my phone, I pulled on some sweats and headed down to my office. Once I was there, I held the phone to my ear and went straight for the liquor cabinet.

Pouring myself some bourbon, I answered. “Gene, you are interrupting.”

He grunted from the other end. “No doubt. It took me six calls to get you on the phone.”

I gripped the phone tighter for a slight second. “So you heard?”

“Yeah, I heard. Everyone in the family has heard. Cole’s back?”

“Yes, he’s back.”

“Are you going to him?”

“I already did.”

“And?”

“And nothing. He says I’m out.”

“Fuck, Carter. You saved his life five years ago, and now he’s back. I know you. Yeah, he might say you’re out, but we both know you’re coming back in.”

“Gene,” I started.

“Don’t argue with me.”

“I’m staying out.”

He snorted again.

“It’s not me anymore.”

“I know.” His voice quieted. “For her, I hope you stay out, but I know you, Carter. At the first sign of trouble, you’ll be coming in. Listen to me. This is why I’m calling you. Stay. Out.”

“I am out.”

“I mean it, Carter. Stay out. Do it for the woman you love.”

“That’s the plan.” But even as I said those words, I gripped my glass so tightly that the side cracked. I was out. I had bought my way out for Emma. Everything was about Emma now, but…

“I know you loved him like a brother, but you love that woman more,” Gene said. “Just remember those words and you’ll be fine.”

“Gene.” He was right. Emma was everything.

“What?”

“It was the Bartels.”

He cursed on the other end, sighing into the phone. “We’ve had a year of peace. That’s one more year of peace than any other time. You gave that to us, Carter. Remember that and remember my words. I know you love him, but you love her more. She’s the reason for you to stay out.”

“I know.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get back to that woman now. Tell her hello for me.”

I laughed into the phone. “You and I both know you give her the creeps. She always makes sure she’s not around when you come for dinner.”

He barked out a laugh, a real one. “I know, but that’s good. Your woman has good instincts. Keep telling herself to trust her gut. She’s a strong one.”

“I know.” And I did.

Sitting behind my desk, I looked up to the ceiling as if I could see through the floors to where she lay. She was above me, sleeping. She was at peace. She would remain at peace. I’d promised her brother, AJ, that when we were kids, and I had kept my promise all these years.

Gene said his good-bye and hung up, but he’d gotten one thing wrong.

I didn’t want back in, but with Cole back, since the Bartel family had attacked him, I would have to wait and see. I was attached to the Mauricio family, even if I was in business with both families. But if they touched Emma, all bets were off.