“I don’t like this,” I say, voicing my fear out loud.

“Baby, you know this is what I do,” he says, coming to stand in front of me, his hands going under my jaw and tilting my head back. “I will be home before you know it, and we can get back to baby-making.” He gives me a naughty grin before getting closer to me.

“You’re crazy. Stop trying to distract me.” I bat his hands away from my br**sts, where his fingers started toying with my ni**les through his shirt.

“I can’t help it. I’m pissed I finally got you where I want you and now have to leave.”

“You don’t have to leave. You could stay home with me,” I say, sliding my hands up his chest and watching as his eyes darken with my touch.

“Don’t f**k around. You know I will have you bent over the side of the bed before you can say ‘Nico,’” he growls, kissing me.

My clit pulses at his words. I want him to do that, and I really don’t want him to leave.

“Yo! You ready or what?” is yelled from the living room, startling me and breaking the moment.

“Shut the f**k up and sit down!” Nico shouts back before placing his forehead against mine. “Be a good girl while I’m gone. Make sure to call me when you get home from work in the evenings, and don’t forget to set the alarm when you’re in the house.”

“I know, I know.” I roll my eyes. I get the same lecture every time he goes out of town.

“All right, baby. Come walk me out,” he says, picking up his bag and the pizza box.

I follow him out of the room carrying the rest of the mess to throw away. When we reach the living room, the guy who must be Sven stands and runs a hand through his dark hair. He’s pretty—like model-pretty—with dark hair, tan skin, brown eyes, and eyelashes any woman would be jealous of.

“Who do we have here?” he asks, his eyes doing a head-to-toe sweep, making me feel naked. I automatically grab the back of Nico’s shirt for comfort.

“She’s Sophie. She’s mine and none of your damn business, so take your eyes off her,” Nico growls, and the guy looks at him before smiling big and crossing his arms over his chest while rocking back onto the heels of his boots.

“Shit, you too, huh?” He shakes his head, laughing. I don’t know what he’s talking about, but he seems to think it’s funny.

“Shut the f**k up and go sit down,” Nico tells him again, shaking his own head.

I wonder if he talks to everyone like this. I have seen him talk to not only Kenton, but now Sven too.

“You’re not very nice to your friends,” I tell him when we reach the kitchen.

“What?” he asks, setting the pizza box on the counter before taking the garbage from my hand and putting it in the trash can.

“You’re mean to your friends. You told Kenton he’s stupid, and just now, you told that guy to shut up.”

“Kenton needs a wake-up call, and Sven is the biggest player this side of the Mississippi and was looking at you. Again, as I told you before, I don’t need to be nice to anyone but you.”

“What about your family? Are you nice to them?”

“I love my family. I also love Kenton and Sven, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hold my tongue. If someone pisses me off, I let them know.”

“Alrighty then,” I mumble, not wanting to piss him off. It suddenly dawns on me I have pissed him off a few times already, and he had never said anything mean to me, so maybe I’m the exception to the rule. “What about your mom?”

“What about her?”

“Do you hold your tongue with her?”

“Hell yes! My mom is the one person on the planet I’m afraid of,” he replies seriously.

“Really?” I ask, surprised.

“Really. She can put the fear of God in anyone.”

“Wow.” I bite the inside of my cheek, not very excited about meeting her.

“When I get back home, you will meet her,” he says, setting his bag down before crowding me against the island, “and when you meet her, she will love you.” His face goes soft.

“How do you know?” I look up into his eyes.

“It’s hard not to love you.” His soft words make my heart beat a little faster. His mouth touches mine in a soft kiss before he pulls his lips away, holding my face gently in his hands. “Now, be good while I’m gone.” He smiles, kissing my forehead.

“Always,” I tell him, getting up on my tiptoes to kiss him again. “But you be careful, and please don’t do anything stupid.”

“I’m always careful.”

This time when he kisses me, it takes my breath away, and I have to unwind myself from him before he can pick his bag up. I follow him to the door, wanting so badly to tell him that I love him but not wanting to sound like I’m saying it because I’m afraid. He kisses me once more before he pulls the door closed behind him.

“I love you,” I whisper, laying my forehead on the cool wood. I tried fighting what I’m feeling for him, and I tried to push him away even when I hurt myself in the process. He’s right; I need to start living again. I don’t want to push him away and one day have him finally give up on me. I know if I did, I would hate myself for the rest of my life.

Chapter 8

Nico

“So, you really done for, aren’t you?” Sven asks as we make our way onto his private plane. Sven is from old money—his father’s father’s father found oil in Texas on their family’s farm at the start of the oil rush. Since then, his family’s role in the oil industry has only grown.

“We’re not talking about Sophie”—I look over my shoulder—“ever.”

“Jesus, it never takes you guys long to get pu**y-whipped, does it?” He chuckles, sitting down across from me.

A stewardess in a small blue dress walks up the aisle towards us. Her eyes light up when she looks at me, and I shake my head. Chicks are all the f**king same. They all talk about how men only want one thing from them, but they are constantly throwing themselves at me, yet I never hit on them first. They want the bad-boy experience. Before Sophie, I would have been happy to take this chick into the bathroom to see what she could do with that mouth of hers—hell, I might have pulled out my c**k and let her take me right here—but now, the thought of her anywhere near my junk has my shit shriveling up.

“Hello. Welcome aboard. Can I get you anything?”