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Now, however, I am determined to keep her close to me. As much as I don’t want any intimacy, because I know myself well enough to know where we’ll probably end up if I give in to my desire, I’m a Kostanidis and, for now, she’s mine.
No one will hurt her.
“You are mine. What in the hell was going through your head when you didn’t tell me you were being stalked?”
“You never even came to see me again.”
I run a hand through my hair, irritated. “So that was it? I didn’t come to see you, so in retaliation, you hid something from me that could harm you or much worse?”
“Of course I didn’t . . . I didn’t need to call you. I have Otis!”
“And why didn’t he protect you? You could be dead, Serenity.” I’m not saying that to scare her; I need her to understand the gravity of the situation. But in the next moment, being who I am, I exempt her from any responsibility and put all the blame on myself. I run both hands over my face. “You are right. I shouldn’t have disappeared like I did.”
“You didn’t disappear. You have your own life. I’m not a child. I have my own life too.”
I ignore her dismissal. I failed her. Attending some of her performances around the world wasn’t nearly enough. This will never happen again.
“Change of plans. You will no longer live in the apartment I assigned to you.”
“What?”
“You heard me. You will live in a unit on the floor below mine. I own the entire building. The apartments are duplexes, so you will have all the comfort possible and I will be able to monitor you better.”
“Monitor me?I don’t need to be watched.”
“That’s what I thought, but here you are with scorpion venom in your bloodstream that could have been fatal.”
“But it wasn’t, Ares. I am fine.” Despite what she says, her lower lip trembles.
I’m not a sensitive guy—on the contrary, I’m a heartless bastard—but seeing her weakened puts something close to an iron ball in my stomach. “This is not a debate. You will move wherever I determine, Serenity.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“I will send an army after you. Or better yet, I will go on every trip you take.”
“You wouldn’t have time. You are a businessman and I’m a dancer. We have separate lives.”
“I just need a cell phone and a notebook, girl. Don’t test me. Don’t think you can win a wrestling match with me. You wouldn’t stand a chance.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but I shake my head.
I have never felt so divided in my life. I want to strangle her and at the same time pull her to me and protect her. I want to turn her over on her stomach and spank her ass for keeping such a serious secret from me for so long, and also swear to her that everything will be okay.
I want to lock her in a fucking tower, where only I can visit her, but also tell her to fight, not allow a sick person to steal her life.
I decide on a middle ground.
“You can argue all you want, Serenity. Until we catch whoever tried to hurt you, you will be under supervision.”
“I have shows coming up. Are you telling me you’ll follow me around the world?”
“Your next few shows are all here in the United States. I have your agenda,” I say, revealing a little of my obsession. “But, yes, when you go to other countries, I will go too.” In fact, I’ve only just made up my mind about it, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“You won’t be able to.”
“What?”
“You said you only need a notebook and a cell phone, but that’s not true. I read the papers, Ares. You own SIN nightcluband go there every night.”