“Sorry, boss. I was—”

“Checking the perimeter, yeah, I know.” I jerk my fist free of Kai’s hand, pulling her to my side and slipping my arm around her waist. “Maybe you should have started a little closer in.”

“He said he was sorry, Rhyson.” Kai gives me a look that tells me she thinks I’m mistreating the help.

What the fuck ever. Instead of being a harmless pap, it could have been a stalker. Someone packing real heat. For me, I’ve never worried about security much. I know it sounds reckless, but I always feel like I can protect myself if it comes down to it. But now that Kai is in the mix, it’s a different story. I need to make sure everyone on my team knows that.

“Get this trash out of here, Gep.” I glare at the red-faced photographer. “I’m sure you have insurance for your camera, right?”

The pap nods, glancing between Kai and me.

“What are you looking at?” I demand.

“This your new girl?” the pap has the nerve to ask.

“Are you kidding me?” I take a menacing step closer. “You’re still trying to get a story? Seriously?”

“Just thought you should know I wasn’t alone.”

“What do you mean?” Kai frowns. “There was someone else?”

“Yeah, he got away.” Pap shakes his head. “Never seen him, but he got shots of you guys. If you’re trying to keep whatever you got going a secret, just thought you should know it’s out. Those shots will fetch high dollar.”

“That’s enough.” Gep tightens his meaty fingers around pap’s arm, making him wince. “Time to go. You’re lucky we aren’t calling the cops.”

Under Gep’s escort, the pap leaves the way I assume he came, through the back fence that can be accessed from the sidewalk.

Kai turns worried eyes up to me, a frown crinkling her pretty face.

“If those pictures get out, everything could change.”

She’s right. If they got a clear shot of her face, she’ll have paps at her house maybe by the time she returns home. The intimacy between us was obvious. There’s no playing that off or spinning it. We could say we’re just friends, and she was comforting me because of my dad. That’s true, except I’m so tired of that. We’re not just friends. I can’t help but remember how Kai rushed down that tree, no thought for herself.

“What are you grinning about?” Kai asks, eyes suspicious.

“You should have seen yourself on that dude’s back.”

Despite the lingering worry about my dad, the close call with the pap, and the pictures probably releasing soon, I laugh. It starts as a chuckle, but it builds and gains steam until I can barely stand. Maybe it’s hysterics, and I’m finally cracking. Maybe it’s exhaustion. I don’t know, and I don’t care. All that really matters is that on one of the shittiest days of my life, I’m still laughing.

And I know it’s because of Kai.

She sees the humor in it too. Laughter lights her face up, stretching her mouth wide and squinting her eyes until tears run down her cheeks. We’re both caught up in this ridiculous day that has roller coastered me from exhaustion in Chicago, to fear at the hospital, to anger and frustration in these last few moments. There’s no one else I would want with me on the ride this day has been.

On the verge of a huge music video, the kind of opportunity she’s been waiting for, she dropped everything to be with me. She endured Bristol’s and my mother’s downright rudeness to stay by my side. She took off after that pap like her life depended on it because she thought I depended on it. Grady is the only person who has ever fought for me, ever put me first, and he has earned my undying gratitude. He’s earned my love.

And so has she.

The laughter drains away, leaving only that shake-me-to-the-core revelation and a rock solid resolve behind. A resolve to do something I should have done, should have said a long time ago.

“Pep, things are about to change.”

A grin lingers on her lips, fading slowly as she realizes the shift in my mood.

“You mean because of the pictures?” She nods, twisting her lips to one side. “I bet Bristol can spin it. Say we’re just friends, and that I was—”

“We’re not.”

She frowns up at me, slipping her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

“We’re not what?”

“Just friends. We’re not just friends.”

Caution takes over her face, and I can already see excuses and rationales lining up in her head.

“Rhyson, let’s talk about this. Listen to me.”

“No, you listen.” I stroke a finger over the curve of her cheekbone. “This all started with your ultimatum, but it’s ending with mine.”

“Ending?”

I wonder if she realizes she’s leaning into my hand or that her face softens when she looks up at me. Every touch between us, every look, tells me she wants this as much as I do, and I’m going to give it to her. It goes completely against my nature to allow anyone to control anything in my life. I’ve bucked my better judgment long enough.

“You have a decision to make, and you need to make it now. I’ve given you time. I’ve given you space, now I need you to decide.” I pull in and exhale a quick breath. “Either I’m yours, and you’re mine, or we’re nothing.”

“What?” She blinks her confusion.

“I said,” drawing out the word and giving her a few seconds to get accustomed to our new reality. “Either I’m yours and you’re mine, or we’re nothing. I don’t want to be your friend. I want to be . . . yours.”

“I think—”

“Rhyson.” Bristol’s voice cuts in from the patio where she stands at the edge of the yard.

Seriously? If we’re interrupted one more time . . .

“What, Bris?” I snap.

She lifts her brows before dropping them into a frown so like my mother’s it’s eerie.

“Your father is awake and wants to see you.” Her voice bites me even across the yard. “Forgive me for thinking that’s why you’re here.”

“I’m sorry.” I’m so twisted around right now. One minute all I can do is worry about my dad, and the next, I’m lost in Kai. “Of course.”

Kai walks with me across the yard. I shove my hands in my jeans pockets to keep myself from reaching for her. In my head, I keep hearing Grady harp on space. He’s forgotten more about life than I know, so maybe I’ll listen. I told her what I want. Now she has to tell me what she wants, and I have to let her.

“The car’s waiting out front.” Bristol looks between Kai and me, speculating or judging. I’m too tired to tell which. “We blocked off the street so no one can get down here. The neighbors aren’t happy, but they’ll be all right.”

“Great.” I step into the kitchen, grabbing one of Bertie’s still-steaming blueberry muffins from a basket on the counter, offering one to Kai. “Muffin?”

She doesn’t look me in my eyes, accepting the muffin and perching on one of the high bar stools at the marble island in the center of the kitchen.

“Picked up a few things for you, Kai.” Bristol sets a GAP and a Victoria’s Secret bag on the counter. “Everything you need to change before you leave should be there.”

“What time does her flight leave?” I bite into my muffin and take the stool beside Kai.

“In a couple of hours.” Bristol raises both brows at Kai. “That okay? Grady said you need to get back for a video or something.”

“Um, yeah.” Kai sets her unfinished muffin down on a napkin. “Thank you.”

“Sure.” Bristol nods briskly, returning her eyes to me. “The car’s still waiting.”

I flick a glance to Kai’s profile, hoping she’ll give me some sign of what she’s thinking, but her face is a blank page. I know she feels my eyes on her, but refuses to look up from the muffin she’s shredding on her napkin.

Fuck it.

Without even a good-bye, I follow Bristol out of the kitchen and to the SUV parked in the driveway.

I’m such a pussy. I’ve fully given Kai the reins since the first time we met. I’ve known what I want all along, but I compromised and took whatever she wanted to give. The one time I assert my will, which is what comes most naturally to me, I’m not even sure I’ll be able to stick to it. I gave her an ultimatum I’m not sure I can enforce. The thought of being without her strips away all my bravado. She has no idea how much power she has over me. I’m the famous one. The rich one. The one who has nothing left to prove, but she holds every card. Especially the ones with hearts.