“I know, I should have called,” he said, and she didn’t mention that he did call, and she’d asked for space. For a moment neither spoke or moved, but then Gerald started messing with his keys in his hand, the jingling sound breaking up the silence, but also grating on her nerves a little. Going to the grocery store hadn’t cleared her head, and in fact she felt even more stressed out over it all. She was tired, sick of the crying, the pain in her chest, and wished things could go back to the way they were—well, not the sex part. She’d enjoyed that, felt something powerful during it. What happened afterward was what sucked.

  “I’m not feeling the greatest, Gerald. I think I just want to lie down. Maybe we can talk later?”

  Please, let’s just postpone this until things aren’t so fucked up.

  Gerald came closer. “Can I at least help you in with the bags?”

  Her first reaction was to tell him no thanks, that she had it, but she did feel a little bad that she was being like this. He might be pushy, but it wasn’t his fault shit had gone down the way it had.

  “Sure. Thank you.” She turned and unlocked the door, grabbed a bag, and looked back at Gerald. She caught him checking her ass out since she was partially bent over. It was kind of a dick move, given what she’d expressed about her emotions, and the situation Gerald knew about, but she brushed it aside and pushed the door open more fully. Once inside she stepped to the side and allowed Gerald to move past her.

  “Where would you like it?” he asked about the bag he carried.

  “You can just put it on the table, thanks.”

  Once the bags were on the table she smiled, hoping he’d just leave so she could be alone.

  “Have dinner with me tonight, or a drink, or hell, just talk.”

  She exhaled, her head starting to pound. “Thank you for the offer, but I really don’t feel well, Gerald. I mean when we spoke I thought I mentioned that.”

  “You shouldn’t be alone. You’re obviously going through shit.” He stepped closer to her, and she shook her head, not sure why he was being so insistent.

  “I want to be alone. I need to be alone. It doesn’t have anything to do with you, Gerald, and I’m sorry if I’m being rude about the whole thing.”

  He moved closer, but his expression still looked stoic, as if he wasn’t really hearing her. “I want to be there for you.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t want that right now. I can’t be that for you either, Gerald. I’m in love with someone, and I’m going through a lot because of all of it. I can’t be what you want.”

  He knitted his brows and shook his head. “I have never had to try to have fucking dinner or a drink with a woman before you. I swear to hell you make things so damn difficult.”

  It was her turn to knit her brows. “Gerald, please, I think it’s time for you to go—” Before she knew what he was doing he was right in front of her. She took a step back, but the wall stopped her. “What are you doing?” Gillian was getting increasingly nervous in this situation, for obvious reasons.

  “I’m tired of working so fucking hard to get you to do a simple damn thing with me.”

  “So, what, your feelings are hurt?” The look on his face had her closing her mouth so she didn’t say anything else.

  Probably not smart to say shit like that.

  He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed, but he was stronger than she was.

  She opened her mouth to tell him to leave her alone, hell, to fuck off, but he shushed her and shook his head. The look in his eyes had everything in her stilling. Her fear rose up even harder in her.

  With his body pressed to hers, keeping her immobile, she felt helpless. The past rose up, and for a second she felt frozen. Gillian remembered her time with Brian, his body pressed to hers, his grimy hands on her, holding her down, making her feel weak. But she also felt angry. She was not about to let a guy manhandle her. She was not going to be a victim again.

  “You’re so pretty. Why the hell do you have to play hard to get? Why can’t you just take a guy up on his offer?” He leaned forward and inhaled deeply right by her ear. “I shouldn’t have to try so hard to get a damn woman into my bed. I’m a renowned and famous artist. Women line up for a chance to be in my bed, for a second of my fucking attention.” He started working his mouth down her throat, and sucked at the base of her neck, his closeness and the sound of wetness from his mouth about to make her gag.

  “Get the hell off me, Gerald.” She tried to wedge her hands between their bodies further and push him away, but the awkward position, and the fact he used all his body weight to keep her pinned to the wall made it nearly impossible.

  “I don’t know what it is about you that makes me need you so badly. Hell, maybe it’s the fact I haven’t had you yet that makes me a fiend.” He ran his tongue up her throat and kissed the side of her mouth. She struggled against his hold, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to stay in the present and not get sucked into the past, where she was helpless.

  “I won’t do this again,” she whispered.

  He chuckled softly. “Won’t do what?” he murdered right beside her mouth.

  She opened her eyes and focused. “I won’t be a victim. She turned and looked at him then, smiled, and in that one second she felt his hold loosen just an inch. That was all she needed. Bringing her knee up, she brought it right between his legs. Gerald’s eyes widened and he grunted out. Stumbling back, he held his crotch, his eyes watering.

  “You fucking bitch,” he wheezed out, and she curled her hands into fists at her sides as she watched him.

  But his expression changed to something darker, and he charged forward. She made a sound of surprise and moved away from the wall, not wanting to get pinned again. The door was only feet from her, and she darted toward it. She needed to get out in the open. She had her hand wrapped around the handle, but before she could turn it and pull the door open Gerald grabbed her ponytail and jerked her back. She gasped out in pain from the sudden movement, and fell back on her ass.

  Her foot kicked the side table by the door, knocking over the lamp. It didn’t break, so she desperately grabbed for it. She had the neck in her hand, her fingers wrapped tightly around it. Just as he was pulling her up to stand she swung back and clocked him in the side of the head with the ceramic lamp base. It broke, the sound of it shattering and crashing into his skull loud in the small space.

  Gerald stumbled back, blood immediately starting to pool down his temple. “Fuck,” he said and lifted his hand to touch the side of his head. “You fucking cunt.” His voice was raised, his rage tangible.

  Just as he took a step toward her the front door was pushed open. And there, standing in the entryway looking pissed as fuck, was David. Gillian’s heart slammed hard against her ribs as she looked at the man she loved. He only took a second to take in the scene before he was letting out this deep, angry sound and charging toward Gerald.

  She was frozen against the wall, her focus on Gerald and David as they were in an active fight. The lighting was dim because the lamp had broken and the kitchen light was muted and around the corner, but she could see the beating David was giving to Gerald.

  It was like the scene before her was in slow motion, the violence filling the air, the rage coming from David so thick she felt it cover her skin. Gerald was now on his back on the ground while David stood over him, his hands at his sides, and blood on his knuckles from hitting Gerald so many times. The expression on David’s face was a mask of dark anger. She’d seen that look before … she’d seen it when David went after Brian, and also when he’d first hit Gerald for kissing her. This was the real man she was in love with, the man that would do anything to make sure she was protected. It was in that second that she realized that the “fault” she’d seen in what he’d done, in the fact he’d been following her, was his way of making sure she was protected. It may not have been the best way to go about it, but it was the only way he knew.

  Gerald groaned and held the side of his face, blood coming out everywhere, and smeared along his cheeks, even his forehead. And then Gerald tried to get up.

  “No, you stay down, fucker.” David punched Gerald in the side of the head, having the other man fall back onto the ground, groaning and still clutching his face. She knew her eyes were wide, felt her heart beating so hard it was painful. David leaned down so he was right over Gerald.

  “I should fucking kill you, you piece of shit,” David said, his voice sounding distorted. He started punching Gerald in the face repeatedly, the other man now begging for David to stop.

  “David,” she managed to say, and he stopped instantly. David turned and looked at her, not saying anything, but breathing hard, his eyes still appearing wild. “He’s not worth it. Just let him go.” She knew if this didn’t stop David would kill him. He looked that unhinged.

  David gave her one last long look before turning and facing Gerald again. “Get your sorry fucking ass up.”

  Gerald complied right away, but not without groans. “If you so much as breathe in Gillian’s direction I’ll hunt you down and slit your throat.” David took a menacing step toward Gerald, and the other man took one back. “I’ll fucking kill you and bury the body so no one will ever find you.” David took another step toward him. “Now, get the fuck out of here, and don’t you even think about looking at Gillian on your way out.”

  Gerald hauled ass out of there, kept his head low, and didn’t even look at her.

  David turned and faced Gillian, and slowly she watched the anger melt away.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice deep, low. All she could do was stand there, emotions coursing through her body, her hands shaking from the aftermath. He’d come to her rescue again, saved her from God knew what, and she didn’t know what to say.

  Gillian should have felt fear consuming her, just like it had all those years ago. But right now she didn’t feel that paralysis. She only felt the love she had for David, and she didn’t want him to leave.

  “Are you okay, sweetheart?” he asked and moved a step toward her, but stopped, as if worried she might reject him, maybe? He was looking her over, but it wasn’t heated or sexual. He was making sure she was okay.

  “I’m okay,” she whispered, and before she knew what she was doing she threw herself in his arms, needing his strength and love. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and all she could feel was that ever-present warmth in her, the need to just forget about anything and everything that didn’t have to do with them.

  “I could have killed him for touching you, Gillian. I could have broken every bone in his body.”

  “You just about did,” she whispered, shaken up, but thankful David was here.

  “I wanted to do so much more, baby.” He lifted his hand, about to touch her cheek, but curled his fingers into his palm and stopped touching her.

  “Thank you for being here. You’re always saving me, David.”

  He uncurled his hand and finally did touch her cheek then. “You never have to thank me.” He smoothed his thumb along her cheek, wiping away the tear she hadn’t even known she’d shed. No matter what had happened between them, she loved David, knew he’d always be there for her, and they needed to work this out.

  Gillian couldn’t have a life without David in it.

  ****

  He sat across from Gillian at her kitchen table, wanting to say a hell of a lot, but wanting to hold her, comfort her even more. It had been hours since all that shit with Gerald had gone down, and although he was pretty fucking sure that asshole would never show his face around her again, not if he wanted to live, David wouldn’t leave her alone.

  What she didn’t know, might never know, was how much power she actually held over him. He was a territorial and possessive bastard when it came to Gillian, but for her he’d fall to his knees and worship the ground she walked on. For her he’d kill without even a second thought.

  “I can leave if you want?” he asked, more for her benefit than an actual guarantee he would. He wanted her to have the space she needed, but he was a protective fucker concerning her.

  Thank fuck she shook her head.

  “I don’t want that. Even after everything that just happened, I want to talk about everything.”

  He knew what she meant.

  “You want to talk about the fact I followed you for this whole time.”

  She nodded and looked down at her hands. “I think I now understand why you did what you did, even if it wasn’t right.”

  “It wasn’t right, Gillian.” She looked up at him after he spoke. It may have been pretty insane, but David didn’t regret what he’d done. “But I can’t say I’d change any of it.” She didn’t change her expression, so he pressed on. “After Brian attacked you something changed in me. I became obsessed with the fact I needed you safe, and it was that obsession that had my love for you growing, had this possessive side rising up so strongly I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t want to.” He saw her throat work as she swallowed. “In my head, me following you was going to ensure you were safe, and that another Brian asshole wouldn’t hurt you.” He reached out and took her hand, hoping she didn’t shy away. His heart beat faster when she let him touch her.

  “I won’t lie and say what you did wasn’t wrong, David.”

  He nodded. He couldn’t deny that.

  “And you should have been honest with me.”

  Again, he couldn’t deny that. “I should have. You’re the most important person to me, and not having you in my life isn’t an option.” She wanted honesty? Well, he gave it to her. “I can’t walk away from you. You’re mine, and I’ll always look after you.” The silence stretched on, and he didn’t know where this conversation or situation was going. “What are you thinking? I want you to be honest.”

  It took her a second before she answered. “I know one thing,” she said and looked at him in the eyes. “I know I love you, and I want you in my life. I know no matter what, you’ve always had my best interest at heart.”

  He gave her hand a squeeze. “You’re my number one.”

  She squeezed his hand back. “But no more lies, David. No more sneaking around. If we do this we do it as a team, and out in the open. No hiding.”

  “Come here, baby.” He gave her hand a tug until she was off the seat and over by him. He pulled her onto his lap and just held her. “I’ll always be rough around the edges, but you’re right.” He pulled back and looked at her. “I love you, and I’ll try anything to make you happy.”

  She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder again.

  He didn’t know what in the fuck would happen from this point on, but right now he had the woman he was madly in love with by his side, and he wasn’t about to fuck that up again.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Fate had a funny way of making things work out when someone least expected it. That was what happened with Gillian when she fell in love with David. She never thought she’d have him in her life in the way she desperately wanted. But here she was, going to spend the rest of her life with him. He’d been such an integral part of her world for so long that she didn’t know what she’d do without him. Even after all the shit that had happened last year, Gillian’s heart had always belonged to David.

  How things had played out may not have been “right”, but that didn’t mean she could just walk away and ignore what she felt. They’d had to work through it, probably still were subconsciously, but she trusted him, and he trusted her. Over the last year it had taken a lot for David to pull back from his possessive and overprotective ways. Although Gillian did love that he had that side, there were times it was too much, and they’d had to work through it. His worry for her safety stemmed from the Brian incident, and she knew that feeling in him would probably never go away. They just had to work through it as a couple.

  She heard the shower shut off and lifted her head up from the book she was reading. It was getting late, but David had just gotten off work, and she wanted to spend a little time with him before they went to bed. Although she still had her place, she spent most of her time at David’s. But his apartment was threadbare, and they were talking about getting a place together, a house that they could call their own.

  The door finally opened, and steam billowed out before the light was turned off and David stepped out. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, and another one covering his head as he dried his hair. She set the book on the coffee table, got off the couch, and walked toward him, feeling especially aroused all of a sudden.

  Her nipples hardened, her pussy became wet, and she felt her entire body heat with arousal. His chest was a work of art. With bulging muscles, a six-pack that was so defined she could have probably bounced a coin off of it, and that delicious V of muscle that dipped down to disappear beneath his towel, all of it made Gillian feel like a woman in all senses of the word.

  But just as she was about to reach out and touch him, David tossed the towel aside, grabbed her around the waist, and pinned her against the wall. He pressed his lower half against her belly, and the feel of his erection had a soft sound escaping her.

  “You’re insatiable,” he said against her neck, and started running his tongue along her flesh.

  “Only with you.”

  He let out this low growl and thrust his cock against her again. “That’s how it better be.”

  She grinned even if he couldn’t see her.

  “You were going to sneak up on me, baby?” His mouth was still by her throat, the vibrations seeping into her body.

  “Maybe,” she said and grinned wider.

  “Hmmm,” he hummed and pulled back, looking at her mouth. In the next second he had her in his arms, was striding down the hallway, and went into the bedroom. He shut the door, set her on the bed, and tore the towel off. She looked down at his huge cock and felt her pussy muscles clench.

  “Come here,” she whispered. He was on the bed and had his body pressed to hers in the next second.

  Gillian tightened her fingers in David’s hair. He gave one last deep groan before removing her clothing and covering her left nipple with his hot, wet mouth and sucking long and hard. The blood rushed to the surface and swelled under his ministrations. For several agonizingly pleasure-filled seconds all he did was suck on her breasts. He alternated between them, drawing the tissue out with his teeth, and then dragging his tongue over the slight sting he caused. It felt so incredibly good, and she wanted it to last forever, but also for him to advance in what they were doing.