That one hurt the most.

It was the last one I read before this new one, which blows my mind.

Father: I need to know where you are and that you’re safe. At least give me that. I sigh as I read his words. He’s worried. I can tell. The least I can do is let him know where I am. I quickly tap out a message in reply.

I’m safe. I’m in Atlanta. Working for a wrestler who’s on TV.

It’s not an exact location, but it should be enough information to appease him. As hard as it may be to believe, I do love my father, but he’s too controlling and I need distance from him.

I’m my own person with my own will—desperate to make my own choices. And the choices will be mine, and I will be happy making the wrong ones because at least the mistakes will be my own.

Speaking of wrong choices, I need to talk to my ‘possible wrong decision’ and apologize. Make him come back and get some sleep.

I scroll down through my contacts and my thumb hovers over Xavier’s name just as the door opens and he creeps through the door. I squint, as the light from the hallway fills in around him.

The second the door closes, we’re wrapped in darkness. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, but finally they do, and I see Xavier standing beside the bed, staring down at me frowning, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.

He’s quiet for a few long, torturous seconds, but finally he sighs and sits on the bed. “I’m sorry I kept you awake.”

I sit up and reach for his hand. “Don’t. It’s me who should be apologizing. We’ve had this talk before and I know you don’t like to—”

Xavier presses his index finger to my lips. “I’ve had some time to think about all that. It’s not fair of me to blow up when you ask simple questions about my family. You’re curious about me, I get that. Maybe someday I’ll be able to talk about them, but right now, I just can’t. I hope you can understand that.”

I nod.

“There are things about me, Anna, that I don’t want anyone to know—especially not you. My family…they weren’t good people, but they were all I knew. I thought the things they did were normal for so long. It wasn’t until I met Nettie and Carl that I discovered differently. I don’t want you to pity me. That would kill me more than anything. I have to be strong. Don’t you see?”

I stare into his eyes and trace the scruff along his jawline. “It’s okay to be vulnerable sometimes, Xavier. You can be that with me. The past is just that—the past. I base how I feel about you on the man I know you are today. You’re protective and strong, and above all else, you have an amazing heart.”

He closes his eyes and leans into my touch. “You don’t know what you’re asking for. I’m so fucked up, Anna.”

I bite my lip and cradle his face in my hands. “You’re not. I wish you could see what I do.”

I know we’ve had problems, and our relationship is nowhere near perfect, but right now I don’t care about any of that. Every inch of me craves him. I want him to know that he matters to me—that I’m not going anywhere.

I lean in closer to him, and he closes his eyes again before resting his forehead against mine, resisting my kiss. “If we smash these fucking friendship rules there’s no going back. Once I have you—that’s it, you’re mine. I won’t allow another man to take what’s mine. Do you understand?”

My mouth drifts open and I whisper, “Yes.”

He presses his lips lightly against mine, teasing me. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you, Anna. All this waiting has been driving me out of my fucking mind.”

Xavier’s hand slides up my stomach, teasing me with his slow touch. He continues going up until he reaches my breast. The thin fabric of my nightgown is all that separates his hand from my bare skin, and I’m tempted to tear it away myself, just to feel him.

His touch is so much better than I ever imagined. I close my eyes and get lost in how good it makes me feel. Never has a man turned me on like this before.

It’s almost like an out-of-body experience. Never have I been this wild and carefree. Never have I acted on something I’ve wanted so badly.

And it feels amazing.

My head falls back a bit, and I moan before he threads his fingers in my hair and pulls it back up. His mouth crushes into mine, and I throw my hands into that sexy hair of his.

“I’ll be a good man to you, Anna,” he says against my lips. “I swear it.”

“You’re already a good man,” I whisper.

He crushes his mouth against mine again. His tongue searching and probing my mouth like it’s too excited to behave. This kiss feels so different. It’s primal and demanding, like he’s marking me as his.

Xavier’s nose skims my cheek before he nips on my earlobe.

“I need to feel you.”

He pulls back the blanket and slides his hand up my thigh until his fingers reach the edge of my nightgown. With one quick swoop, it’s over my head, and my breasts are fully exposed. Goosebumps pepper my naked flesh, and I dip my head as he appraises me.

His index finger slides under my chin, and he lifts my head so he can gaze into my eyes. “So fucking beautiful.”

My heart pounds with excitement. All my daydreams about what this would be like are being surpassed already. I can’t even explain what I’m feeling. All I know is that I want him. My body actually aches for him to touch me more.

The warmth of his mouth, licking and teasing the sensitive skin below my ear, causes an ache between my legs so intense I actually squirm.

Xavier chuckles. “Patience, baby. I’m going to make you feel so good.”

My hand slips under the hem of his shirt and I run my nails across the deep ripples in his abdomen. I’m so ready to feel his body of perfection pressed against me. He grabs the back of his shirt and drags it over his head, making his hair wild and sexy.

His defined muscles tense as I lean in and kiss a trail along his broad shoulders. He closes his eyes when I reach his neck and press my lips against his flesh. The salty taste of his skin coats my tongue as taste him.

I pull back and his eyes flash down to mine. “Change your mind?”

I shake my head. “I want you.”

That simple phrase triggers something because I’m instantly on my back beneath him as he kisses his way down my chest, pausing to swirl his tongue around my taut nipple. He grazes his teeth against it, teasing me even more.

“Oh God,” is all I can manage to breath out.

He pushes himself up off the bed and makes quick work of unzipping his jeans and kicking off his boots. I watch openly as he shoves his boxers and pants down around his hips before allowing them to drop to the floor. His cock springs free, and my mouth drops open. It’s quite impressive.

Staring at his sizeable length, I have the desire to do something I’ve never done before. I crawl toward him and run my hands up his muscular thighs. His breath catches the moment I tease the tip of his length with my mouth.

“Christ,” he mumbles before tangling his fingers into my hair as I continue my assault on him. I gag a bit when his head touches the back of my throat and I pull back a bit but keep going.

Xavier moans. “Fuck. You keep that up, and I’ll come in that pretty mouth of yours.”

I don’t want that to happen—not today anyway. I want to feel him inside me, moving, pushing me to my limits. He emits a low growl, and I pull away.

His hooded eyes stare into mine. “Now it’s my turn to taste you.”

He bends down and flicks his tongue across my bottom lip as he grabs the waistband of my panties and tugs them off my body. Xavier kneels down at the edge of the bed and grabs my hips, flipping me onto my back and dragging my ass to the edge of the bed. A thrill of the unknown shoots through me as I lie here, stripped bare before him.

“Spread your legs,” he orders, and I comply without hesitation.

A rush of cold air hits my most sensitive flesh before it’s immediately replaced with warmth. Xavier’s dips his tongue and drags it between my folds. He licks rapid circles over my clit, and I cry out with the tingling build of pleasure I’ve never known before.

My entire body shakes as an orgasm rips through me, and I scream out his name.

Once I’ve calmed down, Xavier kisses the mound above my pussy and begins kissing a path up my stomach, chest, and neck. “That was so fucking hot. I nearly came just watching you get off.”

The weight of his body on top of mine feels heavenly as I stare into his eyes. “I’m going to fuck you now. I want to feel that tight little pussy around me, milking me.”

One of his hands grips my thigh and hooks it around his waist. “Is this pussy ready for me?”

I suck in a quick breath as he slides his cock against my wet folds. I don’t know how much more teasing I can take. “Yesssss.”

“Then I want to hear you say it.” He kisses my lips, and I taste myself on him. “Tell me, baby. I want to know you’re mine, and that you know you belong to me.”

I arch my back against him and run my hands down his back.

Every inch of me craves him, and usually I’d be too embarrassed to talk like this, but if I don’t voice what he wants to hear he’s not going to give me what I need. “I’m yours.”

“Don’t you fucking forget it, either,” he growls and pushes inside me.

I dig my nails into his back and whimper. I should’ve warned him that I’d only had sex one other time.

He furrows his brow. “Jesus. Are you all right?”

I relax around him, and the burn begins to fade away as I get used to his length. “I’m fine. It’s just been a while.”

He brushes my hair back from my face. “How long is a while?”