Page 121 of Dangerous Intent

I held up my hand. “Don’t move! Don’t do anything but listen.”

She let out a frustrated breath, but then pressed her lips together and braced herself for my truth.

“There is a reason we don’t talk to the police,” I said. “Have you ever heard the part about anything you say can be used against you?”

She nodded.

“If I give them nothing, they have nothing. If Diego didn’t drop the charges, they would have inconvenienced me by hauling me downtown, but nothing would have come of it because they had nothing.” I stalked toward her. “They would have had something if you decided to confess in front of a room full of diners.”

“I get it.”

“What do you get?” I grabbed her face and made her look into my eyes. “Enlighten me.”

“You don’t have to be so harsh.”

“Don’t I?” I let go of her and dropped to my knees in front of her. “Have you forgotten who I am?”

“You don’t have to be that person with me.” Her eyes welled with tears.“You don’t.”

“I have explained the dire consequences of your actions to you every way possible, but nothing I say seems to get through to you.” I placed my hands on her thighs. “You and I will not survive.”

“I trust that you’ll keep us alive.”

“I’m not talking about death, although what I am saying would be a death sentence for me.”

“If you’re not talking about us getting killed, what do you mean?”

“I will cut you loose.” Just admitting that churned my stomach, and if I hadn’t already been on my knees, the sheer force of that statement would have brought me there.

“What?” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “No, you don’t… You can’t mean that.”

“It’s the only way you’re ever truly going to understand.” I wiped the hot tears from her face, my heart tearing. “It’s the only way I can protect both of us. I have to defend my family’s legacy.”

“I can’t accept that fate.” She slipped off the bed and joined me on the floor. “I won’t.”

“Then learn the goddamn rules,” I said firmly.

She gasped when I gripped her upper arm.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me,” I said. “I need you more than I need air, but I cannot let you be the reason my empire falls.”

“You’ll resent me for the rest of our lives.”

“I don’t want that.” I pressed my hand to the side of her face. “Neither of us do.”

“I can’t live without you.”

“I don’t want to live without you.” I brushed my lips along hers, tasting the salty tears. “But I need to know that when things start spiraling, you’ll save me like I would save you.”

“I will.” She stroked my cheek with her gentle touch. “That’s instinctual.”

“Protecting me doesn’t mean blurting out to a cop that you’re the reason I assaulted someone.” I took her face between my hands. “That also goes for Milo and my father. You can’t ever give us up or go against us, even if you think you’re helping.”

I kissed the corner of her mouth. She inched closer to me and draped her arms around my neck, opening her mouth, giving my tongue access. The more we kissed, the closer she got to me, not just physically. I could feel her on an emotional level, taking as much as I gave with each breath.

I leaned against the bed and spread my legs, pulling her between them. As much as I wanted to take her now, there wasn’t time. I had a job to do.

I grabbed her wrists when she reached for my tie. “No. Not now.”