Page 91 of Liberated By Sin

But I wrapped my arms around her in a bear hug.

I love you.

“That’s beautiful. That’s you and me.”

She rested her forehead on mine, curls fanning around us and giving the illusion that we, indeed, were in our own world. Maybe we’d stay another few days. What would be the harm? Work could wait.

“It is,” she whispered, kissing my chest.

My cell vibrated when I rolled us over, and Blaise’s name lit the screen.

Paranoia set in when I noted it had been his fourth attempt to reach me. Only an emergency would prompt repeated calls while I was out of the office.

Ice worked its way down my neck as I imagined the worst.

“Something wrong?” she asked, observing my expression.

“I think so.”

I swiped the cell from the nightstand, and he picked up on the second ring.

“They’re dead,” he exclaimed before I could get a word in.

“Who?”

“Two more dancers…and Ash.”

36

“Amara,this is about your safety.”

The elevator was taking its sweet fucking time to reach my floor. Not that it would matter since Santino hadn’t let up since his phone call from Blaise. The entire four-hour flight was spent arguing about my staying with him versus my apartment. One or two nights was one thing, but indefinitely? No.

I wasn’t ready to take that step yet, especially since it involved the notion that I’d besafer.

I’d been a helpless victim once, and I vowed never to be that woman again.

“How many ways do you need to hear me say I’m staying?”

“You’re being stubborn,preziosa. Three of our dancers are dead. This isn’t some coincidence.” Santino dropped my suitcase and circled my waist, caging me into a corner. “If something were to happen to you…I can’t have that.”

I clutched his collar. “Iunderstand. I do. But—”

“Please don’t give me that bullshit that you can take care of yourself.”

My face pinched into a grimace. “I can. I have!”

“You’re not bulletproof, Amara.” He gently held my face. “I know this is retaliation, but I can take anything. Fuck that business. Nothing matters to me except you. And the only way they can hurt me, destroy me is through you. But I would die before I'd let anything happen to you.”

This moment wasn’t the time for butterflies or the simmering heat that came with his sweet words and gestures, but even when I was aggravated, this man still affected me. Which only served to fuel my resolve.

“Hiding is not the solution.”

“You’ve been hiding for years.”

That was a low blow. He had a point, but throwing it in my face still stung.

I take back the goddamn butterflies.