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  “Then what is she after?”

  “Legacy.” It was something Titan understood all too well. “She wants to be recognized for her work. She wants to be a female powerhouse. She wants to change the world. And she either wants to do it with you or on her own…but she won’t sell her work to anyone.”

  Titan’s eyes shifted back and forth as she looked into mine.

  “She’s smart, Titan. One of the smartest people I’ve ever spoken to. Her brainwaves are on a different planet entirely. I know you don’t partner with anyone, but you’re going to have to make an exception this time. Because being her competitor isn’t going to be easy either. She’s got the skills to match you.”

  “You speak highly of her.”

  How could I not? “She earned my respect.”

  A slow smile stretched across her lips. “I think she earned something else too.”

  Diesel chuckled as he sat on the other couch. “You got it hard for this woman.”

  “I’m attracted to her.” I didn’t deny it. “But that’s it.”

  “And there’s no possibility of changing her mind?” Titan asked.

  I shook my head. “No. Not possible.”

  Titan leaned back against the couch and crossed her legs. “Maybe I should meet her in person…”

  “It’ll have to wait a few weeks until you’re back on your feet,” Diesel said.

  “I am back on my feet,” Titan countered.

  Diesel gave her a hard look. “You know what I mean, baby. If you wanna have this argument in front of Thorn, fine. But you know I’m going to win.”

  Titan rolled her eyes.

  “I’m on his side for this one too,” I said. “You were shot, Titan. You shouldn’t be working. I can handle it.”

  “But I can handle Ms. Alexander,” she countered.

  I shook my head. “Not even you could get her, Titan. Trust me when I say that. Diesel couldn’t make a dent in her armor either. Money won’t work with her. It doesn’t mean anything to her.”

  “Money means something to everyone,” Titan said. “You’re lying if you say otherwise.”

  “It does mean something to her,” I said. “But not as much as it means to us. She won’t sell. She’ll only partner. If I thought there were the possibility of making it work, I would tell you. But there’s not. She’s more stubborn than all three of us combined. So you’re going to have to consider her request if you really want to work with her.”

  Titan considered what I said in silence before she turned to Diesel. “What do you think?”

  “You’ve never asked me that before.” He drank his scotch before he set it on the table.

  “We’re going to spend our lives together. My success is your success. So I’m going to be asking you that a lot more often.” Titan stared at Diesel with that commanding gaze, stealing his entire focus with just her expression.

  He stared at her like I wasn’t even there. Slowly, a smile stretched across his face. “I like that.”

  “Then what do you think?” she asked.

  Diesel turned his gaze back on me. “If Thorn is right about this woman, then you don’t have a choice. You can either work with her and monopolize the market with someone who’s obviously a genius, or you can compete against her. You may have cash and the experience to market your company, but you can’t compete with her technology. She’ll always find a way to improve current products, to make them better and more affordable. So you’ll always be trailing behind her, constantly playing catch-up. I know you don’t like it when other people have more power over you, but that’s the situation. Alexander has the edge this time.”

  Diesel put it nicely, and I couldn’t have agreed more. “So, what do you want to do, Titan?”

  “I need to think about it for a little bit,” Titan said. “Sleep on it.”

  At least she didn’t reject the idea altogether. Titan was already invested in solar energy, and she would lose a lot more money walking away from it than acquiring a partner. I grabbed my drink and sipped it as I sat back. “Everything else at your offices is going well. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Titan said. “Thanks so much for helping me, Thorn.”

  “You’re welcome, Titan.”

  8

  Titan

  I laid out his suit and tie and made him a cup of coffee to-go.

  Diesel walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Water drops still clung to his powerful shoulders. When his body was chiseled and wet, it was nearly irresistible. I wanted to drag my tongue along the grooves and lick all the drops away. He stopped when he saw his clothes laid out on the bed. “Baby, what are you up to?” He pulled the towel from around his waist and tossed it in the laundry basket.

  I’d seen him naked hundreds of times, but I was never prepared for how delicious he looked. All hard muscle, masculine curves, and strong lines. He was absolutely beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous.

  “Baby?” He grinned, knowing exactly why I hadn’t said anything yet.

  I snapped myself out of it. “You’re going to work today.”

  His smile immediately dropped as he walked toward me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Diesel, I’m fine. I never took you as a man to ignore all of his responsibilities because of something like this. Life goes on.”

  “You’re right, and normally, I wouldn’t. But the second you put on that ring, you became the most important thing in my life.” His hand moved to my cheek, his long fingers reaching my hair. “Work is important, but it’ll never be more important than you.”

  Just like every other time he touched me, I melted right on the spot. I forgot my point because he erased all my thoughts with his handsome gaze. “I know. But I’m fine, Diesel. I don’t need you to stay here with me all day.”

  “I’m not leaving you.” He pulled his hand away and grabbed the suit off the bed. He returned it to the hanger and placed the navy blue suit back in the closet. “The second you’re back to normal, I’ll put a suit on—but not to go to work.” He came back to me, still naked and scorching.

  “Then why would you put one on?”

  His arms circled my waist, and he rubbed his nose against mine. “So I can marry you.”

  The buzzer from the elevator sounded.

  Diesel left the couch, shirtless in his sweatpants, and answered it. “Who’s there?” Even though Bruce Carol was gone, Diesel had become a million times more protective. He didn’t beat around the bush. He was suspicious—and he didn’t hide it.

  “Your father,” Vincent said over the speaker. “Thought I could stop by.”

  “Come up.” Diesel hit the button so the elevator would open. “Is it alright if my dad stops by?”

  “Of course. I’d love to see him.”

  Diesel walked into the bedroom and pulled on a shirt before he came back out.

  The elevator doors opened at the same time, and Vincent walked inside. He carried a clear vase of flowers, an arrangement of purple, blue, and white flowers.

  “Are those for me?” I met him by the door and immediately took the vase from his hands.

  He smiled. “Diesel told me you liked flowers.”

  Diesel snatched the vase from me before I could even carry the weight. “Did he also tell you that Titan isn’t allowed to carry anything?”

  “Diesel,” I said. “I can carry—”

  “No.” Like the conversation was over, he walked to one of the couch tables and set the vase down.

  Vincent slid his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “I’m glad you like them, Titan. He told me lilies are your favorite, but I thought I’d let him be the one to get those for you.”

  “Thank you, Vincent.” I hugged him, feeling his beefy size in my arms. It was like hugging Diesel, another brick wall. “Can I get you anything?”

  “I’ll get it.” Diesel still carried his brooding attitude, interfering with everything I tried to do. “Dad, what do you want?”


  “Water is fine.” He walked with me to the couches in the living room. Diesel was in the kitchen, out of earshot. “Has he driven you crazy yet?”

  “A long time ago,” I said with a laugh. “But he means well, so I let it slide.”

  “Yeah.” He sat on the other couch, his arms resting on his knees. “He does mean well. In fact, I’ve never seen him be more attentive in my life.”

  Diesel walked out a moment later and handed him the glass.

  Vincent took a drink before he set it on the table. “Thank you, son.”

  Diesel sat beside me on the couch, his arm resting over the back of the couch while his other hand rested on my arm. His fingers gently brushed against me, and he didn’t seem to care about our PDA in front of his father.

  “How are you?” Vincent only looked at me, removing Diesel from the conversation.

  “I feel great. Things are getting better every day.”

  “That’s good,” Vincent said. “You seem happier.”

  I was happy now that I was getting sex again, but I wasn’t going to say that to him. “I am.”

  “I know Thorn is handling your affairs right now, but I know we talked about us working together with Kyle. I was wondering if you wanted to get that going. All we need to do is get everything with the distributors and we’re good.”

  “She’s not working right now, Dad,” Diesel threatened. “I already said that.”

  He raised his hand. “I apologize. I was just going to ask if it was okay if I talked to Thorn about this.”

  Diesel turned into the protective bear that he’d become. “She’s not—”

  “Yes, you can pass that along to Thorn,” I said. “I think it’s a great idea, and he’ll handle it.”

  “Alright,” Vincent said. “That’s all I wanted to know.”

  Diesel released a heavy sigh that came off as a growl.

  Vincent ignored it like he didn’t hear it. “I’m going to the Founder’s Charity on Saturday night. Will you be attending, Diesel?”

  “No.” He didn’t provide a detailed explanation. If I wasn’t there beside him, then he obviously didn’t see the point. The only place he wanted to be was home with me. “I’m sure Thorn is going, though.”

  Vincent nodded. “I’ll see him there, then.”

  “Are you taking anyone?” I asked, wondering if he was still seeing that woman.

  Vincent rubbed his palms together. “I’m going alone. I broke it off with that woman I was seeing…just didn’t work out.”

  I wondered if that meant he took my words to heart, that he might try to find something more serious rather than young companions. “Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine,” Vincent said. “It was never serious.”

  Diesel didn’t ask him any questions about it. It must be awkward for him to listen to it.

  “Is there anything I can get you?” Vincent asked. “Some groceries?”

  “No thanks,” Diesel answered. “I have one of my guys get it.”

  Vincent leaned back into the couch then glanced at the TV. He wore an expensive black watch, a midnight color that matched his constant shadow. He was formidable without even trying to be. His silent hostility was similar to Diesel’s. Even at the happiest of times, they were brooding. “This must be hard for you, Titan. I know you aren’t the kind of woman who enjoys sitting around.”

  “It’s been hell,” I said with a sigh. “All I do is sit around and eat.”

  “Which is exactly what you should be doing,” Diesel said coldly.

  “How long will you be recovering for?” Vincent asked.

  “Maybe another week—”

  “At least a month,” Diesel answered.

  I’d go crazy if I were cooped up in this place for an entire month. I’d lose my mind. “Uh, I don’t think so.”

  “Until the doctor removes that gauze and clears you, you aren’t going anywhere.” Diesel didn’t look at me as he said it, staring forward at the TV. “That’s the end of the discussion.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Stop saying it’s the end of the discussion. You know it’s never the end when it comes to me.”

  Diesel didn’t rise to the humor. “She won’t be back at work for at least a month.” He repeated what he’d already said, as if he were carving it into stone.

  “Then you need to go back to work,” I said. “You can’t stay here with me for another month. You have a lot to take care of.”

  “I agree with her,” Vincent said. “Staying home with her has been the right thing to do, but you can’t do it forever. You have an empire to manage, and you need to check on hers as well. Even if your businesses seem to be thriving without your presence, you can’t trust all the people below you. Some will remain loyal, but most won’t. The second you turn your back, they’ll serve their best interests. She has Thorn, but you don’t have anyone.”

  Diesel didn’t say anything, his jaw tensing slightly.

  I turned to him, seeing the conflict in his eyes. “Go back to work, Diesel.”

  “We’ll talk about it later,” he said quietly.

  I knew he didn’t want to leave me even though I was getting around the house well. I could take my medication on my own and shower just fine. My independence was returning, and the pain was starting to dip even further. If I really needed something, he was just a phone call away.

  Vincent hung around for thirty minutes before he left. He gave me a hug by the door and a kiss on the cheek before he disappeared into the elevator. I knew he’d come to see me, not as an excuse to see his son. I felt like I had my own relationship with Diesel’s father, and he’d become more than just a father-in-law to me. He reminded me of my own father in a lot of ways.

  He looked at me the way my father used to.

  Diesel turned to me when we were alone again. “I’ll stay with you for another week. And then we’ll see how you feel before we decide if I should return to the office.”

  “Diesel, I’m fine right now. Go back.”

  He stared at me with the same reluctance in his eyes. The longer he stayed with me, the more work piled up. But his devotion to me outweighed all the stress waiting for him at the office.

  “Why don’t you go to work in the morning and come back every day for a long lunch?” I asked. “That way, you can check on me. After that, you can go back to work until the end of the day, then come home. Honestly, I just sit around all day and do nothing. If I’m going crazy, then you must be losing your mind too.”

  “I’m happy to be with you, baby.” He stared into my eyes with overwhelming sincerity. He never lied to me, so everything he said meant so much. There was always a layer of affection on the surface of his eyes, a look reserved only for me. He may have bedded hundreds of women before, some two at a time, but it felt like there’d never been anyone before me. I was the only thing that actually mattered to him. “The only reason I want to go back is because my father’s right. My presence is important. It keeps people in line.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “Thorn is doing you a huge favor, but I don’t have anyone who can do that for me.”

  “He would do it for you too, if you asked.”

  He shook his head slightly. “No offense to him, but I wouldn’t want him to. The only person I would trust is my father…but he’s busier than I am.”

  I couldn’t stop the smile from stretching across my face. Their relationship took a while to rebuild, but with every passing day, it became stronger. I saw their connection deepen once tragedy struck. Vincent was there for me because he cared about me, but he was also there for his son.

  Diesel smiled before he released a sigh. “Don’t look at me like that.”

  “What? I like to smile.”

  “But I know why you’re smiling.”

  “You do?” I moved into his chest and rose on my tiptoes. My hands pressed against his strong frame for balance, and I leaned in and kissed him.

  He kissed me back, his strong arms w
rapping tightly around my waist. His embrace was sensual and slow, but it held all of his longing and passion for me. His fingers gripped my body, but his pressure was full of restraint. He didn’t handle me as aggressively as he used to, purposely being gentle with me even when he didn’t want to. He used to grab the back of my hair and jerk my head into position so he could kiss me. Sometimes he would take me by the back of the neck and bend me over the bed when I least expected it. Then he would fuck me as hard as he wanted without warning.

  But now, only a gentle giant remained.

  When he pulled away, he looked me in the eye, his love obvious. “I’ll think it over for a while.”

  My fingers slipped underneath his t-shirt and up his muscular stomach. I felt the hard abs and the rivers in between as I moved to his chest. When I touched the flat slab of defined flesh, my fingers pressed into him even harder. He was warm, hard, and bursting with constant testosterone. “While you’re thinking about that, you want to please your woman?”

  The corner of his lips rose in a smile. “My woman doesn’t have to ask to be pleased.”

  9

  Thorn

  My dream jolted me awake.

  It was white-hot, sweaty, and sexy as hell. I didn’t want the vision to leave my gaze, but the jolt of pleasure sparked my body into consciousness. I sat up in bed and looked into the darkness of my bedroom. Light was shining through my blackout shutters, which told me morning had arrived.

  My chest was covered in sweat, and my dick was harder than a solid slab of stone.

  The vision of Ms. Alexander slowly faded away. She was on her knees in front of me, trying to suck my enormous dick with that big mouth of hers. Spit drooled from the corners of her lips, and tears fell from the corners of her eyes. She wanted to suck more of my dick, but her slender throat was simply too small.

  But that didn’t stop her from trying.

  I ran my fingers through my hair then rubbed the sleep from the inside edge of my eye. My clock showed the time, and I only had two minutes before my alarm went off. It’d been a long while since my last fling. The drama with Titan had put my personal life on hold, and after she was shot, I hadn’t been interested in sex.