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“It was a protective mechanism.” I brushed the hair away from her face. “You’re a danger to my heart, Kiera. I couldn’t stop thinking about you after that first time. So when I saw you here, I knew it was my second chance.” My hand slid to the back of her neck, massaging it.

Her body relaxed as her anxious expression softened.

“I thought keeping it casual with only sex would give me time and help me understand these feelings for you,” I said. “That maybe it was just infatuation, but I was wrong. The more time I spent with you, the more I wanted you.” I dropped a light kiss to her lips.

Her arms came around me in an embrace as she peered up at me. “It’s my second chance too. I turned down dates because I couldn’t stop thinking about you. My sex drive dipped for every man, but spiked when I saw you.”

I grinned like a fool. “You were born for me.”

Her face flushed with the adorable pink I could never get enough of. I didn’t know where our relationship would go, but it felt right to be with her. At first I’d wanted to keep a distance to protect her, but it seemed that decision created more pain for both of us. I’d do whatever I had to in order to protect her from the vicious world lurking around me.

The human heart wasn’t something that could be tested with logical variables for a specific outcome. Instead, it was ambiguous, powerful, and magical. Studies had shown that the heart was intelligent. That it emitted a magnetic frequency five thousand times stronger than that of the brain. No wonder emotions were life-changing.

I kissed her forehead. “You’re the electrical charge my heart needs to survive.”

Her lips slanted into a smirk. “You getting poetic on me again?”

She had inspired me to look at things differently. “Every cell in the body holds an electrical charge known as millivolts. A healthy charge is between seventy and ninety millivolts, whereas cancer cells hold a charge below twenty millivolts.” I tapped her heart. “Being with you enables my heart to stay healthy.”

Her expression warmed, and she chuckled. “I’m your recharging station, and you’re mine.”

I smiled at how she’d turned a science fact into poetry. “We’re dating, starting right now.”

“I don’t remember you asking.” She skipped her fingers along my ribs, tickling me.

“I thought it was understood.” I did the same to her, and she squirmed away with a squeak, but I caught her again.

“Women need clarity and not assumptions, Dr. Navarro.”

She was right. The same method applied to conversations with patients. Assumptions often led to miscommunication.

“Okay.” I tipped her back and scored her gorgeous neck. “I want to fuck you all day and night and have you scream out my name over and over again. I want you as my lover and my hot librarian, who will organize all the books in my office wearing nothing but a see-through thong and stilettos. I want to take boudoir photos of you for my personal collection. Wanna be my girlfriend and fulfill those requests for me?” I kissed her for a long moment. “Is that clear enough for you?”

She patted my butt and squeezed. “How can I refuse such an ass?”

“I appreciate a clear and concise woman too.”

Yawning, she said, “I need a shower, but I need to get new clothes.”

“Wild Flower boutique will have something you like.” I took her hand and led her out to the elevator. “You should sleep in my bed tonight. It would save me a trip from sneaking into yours.”

“Maybe,” she said, leaning her weight into me.

“Maybe is not a clear answer. And will only get you spanked.”

The boutique was busier than usual because of two banquets in the hotel. While Kiera browsed, I sat in the lounge area with two other men, probably waiting for their women. I sent a text message to the PI, who had been hired by Remi initially. But he’d proven his skills and integrity, so he now worked for all the boys. I’d given him an important project to work on, but I needed him to investigate the explosion at Holistic Farm first.

My fingers curled thinking about how my dad had died, how other families had been executed by the same people. Seeing that kind of violence had instilled fear in me as a kid. I understood how Kiera had developed her trauma, and I planned on helping her recover. I no longer had fear. Vengeance had replaced it.

Would Kiera see me differently if she knew the dark side of me? Would she still want me? I didn’t want to think about it. She was here with me now, and that was all that mattered.

PI:What do you need?

Forrest:Any video recordings of delivery trucks near Holistic Farm. I want all their info.

The PI used an encrypted number, which made our business transaction safe and untraceable.

Three women stood nearby chatting about missing people and other crimes on the news. The news was depressing. They include mass shootings, violent deaths of innocent citizens, political corruption, or some other shit that scared people. I understood these terrifying things were real. But the media could distort the truth and make someone believe the devil had been reincarnated as their neighbor.