“Yes,” he choked out.

“Good, now get the fuck out of my sight before you leave with more than a broken wrist.”

He walked out and I flopped down into the couch in my office. I’d let anger control me again. I didn’t like the man I was without Elena and that bullshit kept me from seeing her before she left, pushing me over the edge.

* * *

At the stoplight, I glanced down at the clock. It was long after midnight. When I realized there was no way I’d be getting home at a reasonable hour, I’d called Miller and asked him to go over to my house and keep her company. After the bullshit with Palmer a few nights ago and now people coming to the restaurant to discuss business, I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone—even with all the security I had on the house. I’m sure she’d already noticed the fact that Brock or Lewis went with her everywhere she went. Unless I was there, obviously.

Hitting the button to connect the phone to the car, I called Miller.

“Yo, bro, you on your way finally?”

“No hello?”

“Hey, I spent the night hanging out with your woman, and since you won’t let me have a go at her I kind of want to go out and find one of my own.”

My fingers clenched around the wheel. “You son of a bitch, you better keep your hands to yourself. I hope she kicks you in the balls for saying that.”

He burst into laughter. “Do you think I’m stupid? I like her. I don’t want her to hate me. She fell asleep on the couch about an hour ago.”

I sighed. I’d missed my chance . . . again. The words had almost slipped out in the restaurant, until Pierre interrupted.

Fucking hell.

“All right. I’ll be home in ten.”

I hit the end button before he said anything else to piss me off. Elena had been through so much. I just wanted everything to be perfect. She deserved it. The sight of the garage door was like a weight off my shoulders.

I quickly found Miller and Elena in the great room; Elena curled up at one end of the couch, Miller reclining in one of the chairs. Even asleep she was the sexiest woman I’d ever had.

With a nod to Miller, I walked over and scooped Elena up into my arms. For a moment I thought she’d wake up, but she only cuddled closer to my chest. Warmth spread through me at the trust she showed me every day when, given her history, she’d be within her right to be afraid to trust anyone.

“I’ll be right back,” I whispered.

Elena was light as a feather and I had no trouble carrying her up the stairs. I quietly tucked her into our bed.

Our bed.

I fucking loved the way that sounded.

I went back downstairs to talk to Miller. The second I stepped into the room, he put a glass of scotch in my hand.

I dropped down into one of the recliners, too exhausted to bother taking off my jacket or tie, and sank the entire glass in one.

“That bad?” he asked, lifting his own glass to his lips.

“You could say that.” The liquor burned my throat and I felt its warmth spread through my body. Setting the tumbler on the side table, I took my glasses off to rub at my eyes. “Adam Thompson showed up during the lunch rush to talk about the money he owes me that he doesn’t have.”

Miller’s jaw clenched. “What is with these fuckers?” he said through gritted teeth.

“I have no idea, but I sent a very clear message. I still have to deal with the rest of the inventory mess in the morning.”

“Good. Hopefully after word gets out about Palmer and Thompson that will be the end of it.

“I hope so.” I put my glasses back on and looked at Miller. “Was she upset I got stuck at work?”

Miller sighed. “Yes and no. She would have been fine had you not got her all worked up about needing to talk to her.”

I sat up so fast, I thought I’d fall out of the chair. “Goddamn it.”

“What were you going to tell her anyway?”

“I’m going to ask her to stay. I know she plans on leaving that piece of shit and I want her to stay her with me.”

He chuckled. “I figured that was it. She’s afraid, you know?”

I ran a hand through my hair and got to my feet, pacing the floor. “How could she not be? Look at what she’s dealt with up until now. Anyone would have reservations jumping into something else so quickly, not to mention trusting someone.”

“I knew you were falling for her.” He smirked.

I stopped in my tracks. “Can you be serious for a moment?”

“Yes, and my serious answer is you need to tell her how you feel. She’s not going to trust it until she hears it from your lips.”

“I’ll tell her tomorrow.”

Miller rolled his eyes. “Good, because the both of you are driving me crazy with your lovesick ways.”

I glared at him. “Didn’t you say you had plans?”

“Yes, yes I did.” He drained his glass and turned toward the hall, looking back to say, “Seriously, big brother, tell her. She’s the first woman to make you smile in a long time.”

I felt that in my chest, because he was right. It was true that I’d had more than a few bed-partners, but none could compare to Elena. None had staying power. Until she’d come into my life I’d wondered if I would ever settle down; I’m sure my family had questioned the same. But being with her made me want different things. I wanted to give her the life she deserved.

“Thanks for staying with her tonight.”

“Anytime.” He nodded and left.

I sat back down, alone with my thoughts for the first time all day. No matter how crazy life got, I knew I needed to tell her what I wanted.

The sooner the better.



But the time was never right.

The next day came and went with no chance to speak. Then rehearsals got longer. Things at the restaurants just got busier and busier, requiring more and more of my time. Add in self-defense classes and there was no time for anything. We’d barely spent any time together; much less had a chance to talk.

Before I knew it, two weeks had passed. Time was almost up. And Elena still didn’t know I wanted her to stay; and not just until she got her feet on the ground.

Forever.

Miller gave me shit every time I saw him, but he conveniently forgot that not once in my whole life had I wanted a woman to move into my place and become a part of my life. It wouldn’t be something I jumped into lightly. There had to be a right time to tell her, and I was determined to find it.

“Ashton,” her soft voice called from down the hall.

“In here.”

A few seconds later, her head popped around the corner, her glossy dark hair falling to the side. “I’m getting ready to head over to the theater. Are you sure you want to come?”

Elena might want to play it off like she wasn’t nervous as hell about her opening night, but after so many weeks together, I could see it. The small fidgety things she did: wringing her hands, trying to make it look like she was cracking her knuckles, or continually tucking the same strand of hair behind her ear. They were like a bright flashing neon sign to me, even as she did everything in her power to hide them.

I moved from my desk and took her hand, pulling her into the room with me and cupping her face in my hands, I traced my thumb across her cheek. The words I love you almost slipped from my lips but I realized that if on the small chance she didn’t want to hear them, I’d ruin whatever calm she’d built up for the performance. Whatever my feelings, they could wait until afterward.

“I told you, I can’t wait to see you perform. Are you sure you want me there?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “It’ll be nice to have support in the audience, besides Gretchen.”

What she didn’t know was that I’d arranged for her parents to fly out and see the show, as well as my own. Mr. and Mrs. Brighton had been staying in a hotel for the last two days, doing everything they could to hide their presence from their daughter until later tonight at the party I’d arranged at La Tratoria.