“Where are you?” he asked. “Come home. Please.”
I shook my head and lounged back against my headboard, glancing down to make sure Andrés’ shirt wasn’t gaping open. I didn’t want to accidentally flash my best friend. I’d only covered myself with the shirt so I could video chat with him. Otherwise, I wasn’t really allowed clothes these days.
I didn’t mind at all. I liked being naked here. It was warm and humid on our little private island, far too hot to bother with clothes.
“I am home,” I told him firmly. “Andrés and I are perfectly happy and settled here.”
He scowled. “You shouldn’t be with him. He’s a criminal.”
“Not anymore,” I told him, repeating something I’d said another thousand times. “I’m starting to regret telling you we’re together. I want to share things with you. I don’t want to lose you as a friend. But if you keep interrogating me every time we talk, I can’t keep doing this. You already know you won’t find me. I’ve made sure of that. If I worked so hard to cover my tracks, do you really think I’m just going to tell you if you pester me often enough?”
He blew out a long sigh. “No, I don’t expect you to tell me. Even though I wish you would. I worry about you.”
“Don’t,” I insisted. “I’ve never been happier. Really. Now, if we’re not going to play a game, fill me in on what’s going on. Did you get all the dirt I sent you on Cristian Moreno? I want to make sure all his people get rounded up and the people they’ve hurt are saved.” I thought about Lauren, my heart squeezing. Dex had told me they’d recovered her and the other girls from Andrés’ building weeks ago. I hoped she was okay and able to get the help she needed to heal.
“Yes,” Dex confirmed, his lips still thin with disapproval. “Although there seems to be a key player missing in everything you’ve sent us. You know, the man who was actually running the organization.”
I waved him off. “Andrés was acting under duress. He’s squeaky clean now. And he’ll never hurt anyone else.”
Well, he might still whip me occasionally, but that was just for fun. And Dex definitely didn’t need to know about it.
“Tell Jason I haven’t given up on helping him, either,” I shifted topics. “I’m still trying to track Division 9-C for him. We’ll find them and trace them back to whatever organization they represent.”
I was in full-on hero mode these days, kicking ass and taking names. From behind the safety of my screen, of course. I was working on ensuring all Cristian’s people were arrested, tracking Division 9-C for Jason, and—although I hadn’t told Andrés—looking for any whispers that Valentina was still alive. I didn’t want to open up old wounds, only to let him down if I found something horrible about his sister’s fate.
“I’ll tell Jason,” Dex promised. “But I wish you weren’t going all vigilante on me. I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know where you are.”
“That’s not your job,” I told him. “Andrés is here to protect me. Trust me, he’s way scarier than you. He’ll keep me safe.”
“Always,” he swore, his accented voice rumbling over me. Even after spending nearly every waking moment with him for a month, I still got all shivery and blissed out in his presence. I didn’t think that would ever fade.
He crossed our bedroom, closing the distance between us. He took a moment to glance at my screen, shooting a warning glare at Dex before he tangled his fingers in my hair and crushed his lips to mine. It was an obvious display of ownership. He still wasn’t entirely happy that I’d maintained contact with Dex, even though I’d managed to convince him I only saw Dex as a friend.
He deepened the kiss, claiming my mouth in firm, dominant strokes of his tongue against mine. I moaned and brought my hands up to capture his face, pulling him closer.
Dex cleared his throat pointedly.
Refusing to break our kiss, Andrés reached out with his free hand and snapped the laptop closed. I giggled against him, giddy at his possessive instincts when it came to me. He loved me fiercely, to the point of obsession.
I was equally obsessed, so I didn’t mind at all. I couldn’t get enough of him, and I never would.
His hands fisted in the shirt that covered me, and the buttons popped free with a powerful jerk of his arms. He wore only a towel, his hair still wet from a shower. I tugged the soft fabric from his hips, revealing his hard desire for me.
His weight settled over me, pinning me down against the massive bed we shared. Andrés had spared no expense in selecting a home for us and furnishing it with all his favorite kinky gear. Other than three members of staff, we lived alone on our private little slice of paradise. No one was around to complain about my screams of tormented ecstasy that floated through the humid air.
I felt a little guilty at the extravagance, but after looking at Andrés’ financials, I decided we could keep a small piece for ourselves to ensure our safety and comfort. No one would find us here. I’d donated the rest of the money from his drug empire
to various charities, mostly organizations that supported women who’d suffered abuse. Andrés had approved, wanting to do what he could to atone for Cristian’s Bliss trafficking.
He was so good at his core, so kind and caring. He’d carry guilt for what he’d helped his brother do for the rest of his life, but I’d be here to help purge him of the dark moods that claimed him.
He wasn’t in a particularly dark mood at the moment, just possessive. Hungry.
He kissed his way down my neck, between my breasts, pausing to press his lips against the raised pink scar on my hip where the bullet had ripped through me. He’d managed to get his private physician to arrive at his penthouse in time to stop me from bleeding out. One of my ovaries had been damaged, but the doctor said I’d still be able to have children. My birth control shot would be effective for another three months, but I didn’t think Andrés was going to provide me with another one when it wore off.
I didn’t want him to, anyway. I wanted a child with him. Our lives would be unconventional, but we’d be a family.
He finished lavishing attention on the mark I’d gotten when I’d saved us, my wet pussy distracting him. He gripped my thighs with harsh hands and pinned them down, spreading me wide for him. My eyes closed on a groan when he licked me, his clever tongue knowing just how to caress and play to drive me wild. My fingers speared into his hair, pulling him closer. He growled against me and nipped at my clit. I shrieked as my pleasure spiked in response.