Chapter 6

I never wanted to come out of whatever fantasy I was trapped in. Carina's scent filled my nostrils, her subtle perfume and the sweet smell of her skin. The last few days, I'd been a mess, every worry I had for her running through my head. She never left my mind, not even for a minute, and my fears had taken control of me, turning my thoughts of her into something that could never be.

I shifted on the bed, a noise pulling me out of my dream, and found reality weighing me down in a way that horrified me. I was surrounded in warmth and softness, a far cry from the grim coldness of my bedroom. When I blinked open my eyes, the star of my dreams became my nightmare.

Carina was wrapped around me, an arm thrown over my chest, a thigh over my leg. My aching cock didn't get the message that this woman wasn't mine—that she was the last person I should ever touch even though she was the only one I wanted.

Here I was, exactly where I never should have been, the press of her body against mine a stark reminder that I'd crossed the line. I'd taken advantage of my position over her and there was no forgiving my reckless behavior.

A low thump came from somewhere in the other room, and Carina moaned and tightened her arm around me before she snuggled closer and sent my mind racing toward exit strategies. There was no wiggling free from her, no way I could sneak out without her knowing. I was her hostage, and the noises in the living room were my firing squad.

"Quit thinking so much," Carina murmured against my chest, her mouth grazing my skin.

"I'm not—" I bit my tongue to keep from snapping.

She lifted her head, peering up at me. At some point while I slept, she'd washed her makeup off her face before curling up at my side again. Her bare cheek had lines across it from her pillow, and her dark brow rose as her pretty eyes caught on mine.

"Spit it out, Kingston."

I cringed. She only called me by my full name when she was ready to fight. "I shouldn't be here." She pursed her lips, and I rushed on before she could interrupt. "I'm your boss, Carina."

"I'm aware that you're my boss, Kingston," she snapped. She lifted herself off me, and I kept my eyes on her face so I wouldn't be distracted by her bare breasts. "I didn't hear you complaining last night when you fucked my brains out."

My nostrils flared as I sucked in a calming breath. I pushed myself off my back, my face coming close to hers as I sat up. "I made a mistake."

"A mistake?" Her voice was too loud in the quiet apartment. I touched my fingers to her lips to silence her, but it only made it worse. She batted my hand away. "So I'm a mistake now?"

"That's not what I said."

"You didn't have to say it. I know how to read between the lines." She rose from the bed, her blankets falling to the mattress and putting her naked body on full display. I closed my eyes, lifted my chin, and turned my face away.

"Don't make more out of this than it was."

"Oh, I know exactly what it was. You've had your fun with the whore and now you're ready to go back to high society and the vapid arm candy Mommy and Daddy would approve of."

"Carina, stop."

"Don't tell me to stop!" She tossed her arms out at her sides. "Do you think this is a game? That you can just come in here and fuck with my head before you toss me aside like I'm trash?"

"I'm not?—"

"Save me your bullshit, King. All you care about is your dick—just like every other man out there."

"That's not true." I scrambled off the bed, closing in on her as I tried to get her to quiet down.

"It is true. It is so obviously true, and I'm a fool for ever thinking you cared about anything other than yourself."

"I care about you, Carina. Do you not understand that?"

"Lies," she hissed. "All you ever do is lie."

I grabbed her arms, pulling her until her face was inches from mine. "I fucking care!" My voice boomed in the silence, and her eyes went wide as she stiffened in my grip. I grabbed her head, smashing her cheek to my chest as I pulled her against me.

Seeing her fear was enough to make me run out of here and never look back. But I couldn't. I couldn't let her believe I thought of her like that.

"I care, Carina." My voice cracked as my throat tried to close in. "So fucking much. You're all I think about. Keeping you safe. Keeping horrible"—it cracked again—"horrible things from happening to you. If you had any idea…" I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying more.

She pushed at my chest, struggling to get away, and I held on tighter. "You know what's horrible?" She freed herself, but I grabbed hold of her arm, unwilling to lose her. "Getting tossed out on the streets because your good for nothing boss won't let you earn a living wage. Or going back to stripping because getting pawed at by slimy men is better than picking your dinner out of a garbage can. That's what's horrible."

My lips curled. "Don't even joke about that."

"You think this is a joke?" She yanked her arm out of my grip, then gestured around the room. "This is my life, Kingston. This apartment costs money. The clothes I wear to work cost money. The food I put in my mouth costs money. Every fucking thing costs money. And that's money I don't have anymore because of you and this… whatever the hell it is. This vendetta against women."

I stepped closer, only for her to do the same, until she was glaring up into my face like she could stare me down. "It's no secret I've always hated this aspect of the club," I bit out, trying to control my tone so I didn't wake the entire building. Trying to control my body so I didn't touch her the way I so desperately wanted to. "Even though I see how much money you and the girls help bring in due to your"—I shook my head—"behaviors. But I am worried for your safety, Carina. What happened to Mr. Leonetti's daughter-in-law is proof of the dangers that are out there for women like you and the others at the club. I am trying to protect you from what happened to her or the thousands of others who fall victim and aren't lucky enough to get away. So yes, if taking a little money out of your pocket means you're safe, then it's worth it."

She gave a tight smile, her head tilted to one side. "That's nice. The next thing you'll be telling me is that you'd murder anyone who touches me."

She may as well have slapped me across the face. I jerked my head away, blinking at the wall as I tried to clear away the memories that flashed behind my eyelids. I wiped a hand down my face, then shook my head.

"I'm done fighting with you, Carina." I turned toward her vanity, where my pants and underwear were neatly folded and my shirt was hung on a hanger from the side of the mirror.

"You're done?" She followed after, watching as I pulled on my clothes as fast as I could. "You're just walking away?"

"Think what you will about me." I slipped on my shirt, not bothering to button it as I toed on my shoes. "Paint me as the devil if that's what makes you happy. It doesn't matter, as long as your death isn't on my conscience."

Without waiting for a reply, I brushed past her, storming through the quiet apartment and out the front door. The entire time, my heart was racing, my stomach churning as the past ate at me from the inside out.

I tried. I tried, and I would never stop.

There were some things you just couldn't back down from.