“Don’t bring up Giada again.”

I pause mid-swipe. “How did you know I was going to talk about her?”

“Because I’m figuring out quickly that you don’t give up easily.”

“You can be a big brother to her.”

“See what I mean?”

“I’m serious, Kayden.”

“She has Adriel.”

“Who she resents.”

“She resents me.”

“Please—”

“No.”

I glower openly. “We’re back to ‘no’?”

“We never left it.”

“You’re being stubborn.”

“Yes. I am.”

I set down the razor I haven’t even used and scoot off the counter. “You need to shave yourself.”

“Because of Giada?”

“Because if I stay this is going to become our second fight,” I say, inching away from him.

“Second?”

I pause at the doorway. “The bar last night was number one. If I stay right now, we’ll be two for two, so I’m not staying right now. I’m going to shower. Alone.” I accent that statement by leaving, making a beeline for the door and exiting into the hallway, where cold stone meets my bare feet. I pass the stairwell and realize that Marabella could be here, and I start running. I enter my room and shut the door. I wait, half expecting Kayden to follow, but half not, his desire to avoid a Giada conversation powerfully evident.

Inhaling, I’m trying to figure out what sore spot she hits in him, and failing. After flipping on the fireplace switch I cross to the bathroom, undress, and turn on the shower, taking my new products with me when I enter. I step under the warm stream of water and quickly wash my hair and drench it in conditioner, returning to my prior dilemma. What is it with Kayden and Giada? And why do I feel so weird with Adriel? Actually, I felt kind of weird with Giada when we were here yesterday, so maybe being stalked by cops and gangsters has me feeling paranoid.

I’m deep in thought when the shower door opens and I turn to find a very naked, very sexy, clean-shaven Kayden stepping inside. “I said alone.”

He ignores my reprimand, advancing on me and wrapping me in his arms. “I’m not the influence I want her to have.”

“You are the exact influence she needs.”

“No. I’m not, and I have often regretted bringing her here.”

“You brought her here to protect her.”

“And that brought her into the fold of The Underground. I say it’s time for her to start a new life somewhere far away, like the States. But Adriel won’t send her away. He feels he can’t protect her from a distance.”

“Like you do me.”

“Yes. It’s a damned-if-we-do, damned-if-we-don’t situation you’re in, Ella. It’s not easy to get out.”

“I don’t want out.”

“Neither does Giada, and yet she now hates me, Adriel, and everyone in her life. There’s no win to that.”

“She hates The Underground.”

“She’s just plain angry.”

“If she could deal with her pain, maybe she wouldn’t be angry. Don’t make yourself someone for her to hate. Make yourself someone she can relate to.”

“What’s right for me is not right for her.”

“Let her decide what’s right for her, but give her the emotional tools to do it.”

“I’m pretty sure her emotional tools are exhausted.”

“I’m not giving up on her and I’m not letting you, either.”

His hands slide down my conditioner-slicked hair and he tilts my head back. “You don’t take no for an answer, do you?”

“That’s not true. I wouldn’t have gone to the tower if I’d known you didn’t want me there.”

“I believe you.” He kisses me. “Let’s finish this shower and go eat. Someone worked up my appetite.”

I laugh and we shower, really shower, together, and once we’re done he exits first, and we both dry off and bundle up in towels—well, I do. His is slung low and sexy at his hips as he disappears inside my closet.

“I don’t think anything in there will fit,” I call out.

He reappears with the clothes I’d had hanging up draped over one arm, and bags in the other. “That’s why we’re going to my room.”

“Now? We have no clothes on.”

“We’ll fix that when we get there. Grab some stuff.” He takes off walking.

“Who doesn’t take no for an answer?” I shout after him, gathering up bags and tossing toiletries in them before dashing for the hallway to find Kayden heading back in my direction to help me, his towel barely hanging on.

I laugh and hurry forward. “You’re about to lose your—”

Marabella appears at the top of the steps and I cringe, cheeks heating and all words lost. She starts laughing, and I hurry past her to call out, “I can’t explain this, so I’m not going to try.”

Her giggles follow me, and Kayden grabs my bags, barely containing a smile, far too amused by this turn of events. “I’m making pancakes, you two,” Marabella calls out, and Kayden outright laughs, disappearing inside the room.

I follow him and he heads to the bathroom, where I enter as he disappears in the closet. I charge after him. “She’s making pancakes. She told me while I was in a towel running after you.”

“I heard,” he says. “And let me tell you. She makes a hell of a pancake.”

“I’m mortified.”

He runs his thumb over my cheek. “I’ll talk to her about calling before she enters.”

“We could just not run around in towels.”

“What fun would that be?” he asks, emphasizing that statement by tugging mine away.

I yelp and find myself lying on top of some sort of wide leather stool, with Kayden leaning over me. “What are you doing?”

“I haven’t been inside you for far too long.”

“That’s because we never have a condom.”

“We do this time.” He reaches down and opens a drawer, producing one packaged condom. “I bought a box yesterday, but we really need to get you to a doctor for birth control.”

“Not Nathan. He’s your friend. That would just be weird.”

“Agreed. We’ll ask him who to go to.” He leans in to kiss me.

I cover his mouth and grab the condom. “We can’t do this now. We’re expected for pancakes. If we don’t show up she’ll think—”

“That I’m inside you, enjoying the hell out of myself.”

My eyes go wide. “Kayden!”

He laughs and presses his cheek to mine, whispering something oh so sexy and Italian in my ear.

My lips curve with what I am certain fits his definition of dirty. “What did you say?”

He nips my ear. “Learn Italian and you’ll know.”

“That’s not fair.”

He inches back, those blue eyes gleaming with wicked heat. “I never claimed to be fair.”

“Just dirty,” I tease.

“That’s right, sweetheart. Let me show you how it tastes.”

I laugh and he kisses me, his tongue licking seductively against mine, and it’s official. I forget all about pancakes.

An hour later, it is a surreal feeling to be lost and yet found in Kayden’s world, having claimed one of the two sinks in his bathroom—our bathroom, as he’s called it quite freely—where I’ve arranged various toiletries for my use. I blow-dry my hair while Kayden lets his dry on its own and dresses in faded jeans and a black tee. He looks absolutely yummy when he exits into the bedroom to answer a call. I dig around in my bags and choose a pair of comfy black leggings that I pair with a long-sleeved, light blue sweater, and I slip on a pair of UGG boots for warmth, since we aren’t going out today.

I head into the bedroom, and, finding the security door open, continue in that direction to find Kayden sitting at the desk and instant messaging with someone. “Hi,” I say.

“Ciao, beautiful,” he says, turning to me. “Did you take your medicine?”

“I did,” I say, charmed that he’s running The Underground and still manages to be concerned about me. “Thank you for reminding me, though.”

His eyes gleam with wicked heat. “It’s self-serving, sweetheart. I have plans for you when you’ve fully recovered.” He grabs my hips and drags me to him. “When you trust me.”