Read Anywhere (BBW Romance) for Free Online Page B

Sam is my handler; I report to him. I trust him. He is the only one who knows about you, but he would never betray me. We think one of Jorin’s men saw us together on one of our visits.” It suddenly felt like my suit was suffocating me. I tugged at the top buttons, yanking the collar away from me.
    Running my fingers through my hair, I looked at her. She was innocent. She was never supposed to be in the crosshairs. “I am the reason you are hurt, Ari. ” My chest tightened. Each breath ached. The truth hurt. It was my fault.
    I wanted her anger, her hatred. I wanted her to yell at me, to throw punches. I deserved it. I had failed her. I was careless. She could have died because I was too enamored, too selfish to walk away from her.
    Again, she said nothing. She watched me, but revealed nothing.
    Anxiety had my flesh tingling. I nee ded to do something. I needed her to say something. “Shout at me. Curse me. Banish me, aşkım! ”
    Finally she cracked. Her features twisted in anguish, crushing my heart. Tears wet her eyes. “I can’t.” Her voice was a whisper, a broken admission.
    The same tears trickled down her round cheeks, and I could not stay away. Going to her, I pulled her up into my arms. My muscles flexed around her. I could no longer be gentle. I caused this.
    She shook in my arms. “I want to be mad, but I can’t be. I love you too much. Dammit, Rahmi!” She buried her face in my chest.
    I cradled her tightly. I relished her touch, her sweet curves against me. It had been hell keeping this from her, but it had been a worse hell not loving her the way I longed to. I wanted to show her how much she meant to me every time I saw her. Even now, my cock roused, wanting to know her thoroughly, wanting to love her with all of me.
    We stood together for a long while. It took a long while for her to calm down and to stop trembling.
    She leaned back, swiping at her cheeks. She smiled a little, easing my burden for one brief moment. Her eyes and nose were red. Even in the midst of despair, she was beautiful. “I love the house.”
    “It is yours, no strings. I will leave if you want.”
    She studied me. “How long did it take you?” She lightly nibbled her plump bottom lip.
    “Four years.” I had known I could not live without her for that long.
    “And that’s why I can’t hate you. You worked for four years to give me this. Before today, I knew you cared about me, but this-” Her teeth pressed harder into her lip, like she was working to control some emotion. “That level of love and dedication doesn’t deserve anger.”
    “You could have died, Ari .” Bitterness sharpened my tone. A fresh wave of hatred washed over me. I would never forgive Jorin.
    “I know.” Her gaze turned thoughtful. “But I didn’t.”
    The need to protect her had always been in me, long before I loved her. She could banish me from her life today, but I would always keep her safe from a distance. “My heart is in your hands, aşkım. It has been yours for a long time. I will love you no matter what you do with it.”
    Dammit. I could not change what was done. I could not erase my mistakes.
    The first day I met Ari in Miami, I was attracted to her curves. It had been a bit since I had satiated my physical needs, and she appeared to be the perfect candidate: a woman who could be discreet. She dressed in black, covered herself to not stand out. She wanted to be forgotten in the background.
    When she declined my drink, I was taken aback. Few women had refused me. When I spoke with her though, I found myself making an offer I never intended to. I never planned to take her to dinner, or to spend the weekend with her instead of tailing my target. I never expected to take a liking to her so quickly that I could not bring myself to disrespect her with a cheap tryst. There was something about her. I could have easily chosen another woman after she turned me down, but I wanted her. I ha ve always wanted her.
    She watched me for a