“What did we say about knocking?” I set the dress on the bed and returned the hanger to the closet.
“Not in the mood.” His jaw was harder than I’d ever seen it.
“You don’t say…” I knew he was truly pissed when he saw me stand in my thong and bra and did nothing about it. I pulled the white dress over my head and felt it fall to my knees. It was longer in the back, hitting the floor slightly.
He marched to me and got in my face, intimidating me with his towering height. “You aren’t going.”
“So, you suggest I stay locked up all the time?” I asked incredulously. “For the rest of my life?”
“No. You can go out, just not on a Saturday night with a bunch of pretty women in a dangerous city. Have them come over here.”
“No one is going to want to do that.”
“Why don’t you just ask?”
“I’m not changing the plans,” I snapped. “Conway, I can’t blow off your sister. She asked me to do something, and I want to go. I need more in my life than staying here all the time and working. Vanessa knows the city. I’m sure she knows to avoid the bad part of town.”
Now his eyes burned as they looked at me. “Vanessa is a fucking idiot. I don’t want her going out either.”
“There’s no other way around this. I’m going.”
“You do what I say—and you aren’t going.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What did we talk about?”
“This is different. I’m overriding you.”
“No, we can compromise on this like two adults. That’s how this works, remember?”
He inched closer to me, his face nearly touching mine. “We can compromise on a lot of things, but not this. This is about safety. I’m not letting you run around in Milan with a bunch of stupid women who think they’re untouchable. Of all people, you should understand why I’m not allowing you to leave.”
“Exactly,” I said. “And I still want to go. I don’t want to be afraid of the world, Conway. I’m not going to be sleeping by a dumpster this time.”
He somehow clenched his jaw tighter. “The answer is no.”
“I’m not asking for your permission.”
His hand shot out, and he gripped my neck.
I didn’t flinch, knowing he wouldn’t actually hurt me.
“You don’t even have the right to ask for permission—because I own you.”
My eyes shifted back and forth as I looked into his gaze. He was so close I could barely see his features. All I could feel was his anger as it swept over me. I knew his behavior didn’t stem from psychotic possessiveness, but terror. “Conway, there’s no possible explanation I could give to Vanessa without making it obvious.”
“Tell her you’re busy.”
“And the next time she asks?” I kept my voice steady even though I was the one being held by the throat.
“Same thing.”
“That’s not going to work, and you know it.” I wrapped my fingers around his wrist. “I’m going, Conway. You can grab me by the neck all you want, but it’s not going to change anything. I’ll be careful.”
“You’ve never been careful.”
“And that’s why I’ll be careful now.” I pushed his hand down.
He released me.
“I like your sister. She’s the only friend I have.”
“You don’t need friends. You have me.”
A soft smile crept onto my lips. “You’re my friend, huh?”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” he whispered.
“It is. So, why don’t you come with me?”
He tilted his head slightly, the anger slowly fading away. “I thought this was a girls’ thing.”
“It is. And I’m going. So if you’re really that worried about me, then you can come along. Or you can just get over it. But that’s your decision. All I know is, I’m going.” I moved into him and pressed my lips against his. I gave him a soft kiss, one that immediately made him close his eyes and respond to me. Then I stepped away, noticing the way his body went soft. “The decision is yours.”
* * *
Dante got me a silver dress that reached slightly past my thighs. It was skintight, short, and had small straps over the shoulders. A matching pair of silver heels went with it. I looked at myself in the mirror and fixed my lipstick before I walked downstairs.
Conway was in the entryway in dark jeans and a collared shirt. He watched me walk down the stairs with a dark expression, his eyes smoldering the closer I came to him. He was both annoyed and pleased by my outfit.
I had a black clutch with money and my phone tucked inside. I finally had my own phone, but unfortunately, I didn’t have anyone to call. I stopped in front of him, watching him look me over. “I’m ready.”
“Where are the rest of your clothes?” He raked his eyes across my body.