NERO: Chapter 41

The ride to Payton’s apartment passes quickly, in silence.

I’m not sure if she’s quiet because of what I said, or from the discomfort of sitting with our combined cum clinging to her skin.

I shift in my seat, wishing that I hadn’t put my jacket on the seat, craving the mark of her when she’s not with me.

But I suppose if I’d let her leak all over my seat, I’d never let anyone else sit in my car ever again.

“Um.” Payton raises her hand, finger pointing toward her building’s front door as I drive past it.

“I know where you live, Baby.”

“Yeah, but…” she doesn’t finish the sentence, the implication obvious as we pass several empty parking spots.

“I’m not parking right in front of where you live. That’d be like painting a bullseye.” I can feel her gaze on me, more questions hovering in the air between us. “Inside,” I tell her.

Payton doesn’t say more, and I find a parking spot two blocks down.

If I were a gentleman, I’d’ve dropped her off at the door, but I’m not letting her out of my sight. Not giving her a chance to run.

Not that she’d get far.

“Wait for me,” I say, turning the car off.

She waits as I circle around the car and open her door for her. There’s no one around, as far as I can tell, but I haven’t forgotten the flash of thigh I saw when she climbed out of that Uber earlier, and I’ll be damned if I chance anyone getting a peek when she’s bare under that skirt.

Payton places her soft hand in mine and lets me help her out.

Leaving the suit coat behind, I twine our fingers together again, and we walk the empty sidewalk back to her place.

“Almost feels like I should make you climb in through the balcony,” she teases as we pass her unit, heading to the front steps.

“Cute.”

Payton tips her head up to me and I nearly stumble.

The smile on her face is the most genuine one I’ve ever seen on her. And there’s something so heartbreaking about that.

Probably because I’ve spent hours looking at her face, while she’s at home or work, and this is the first time she’s ever looked truly happy. And it makes me crave more.

More of her.

More of her smiles.

More of her happiness.

More of her everything.

I want to be the one to make her feel that way.

Whatever expression I’m making causes the smile to slip off her face. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” My voice is husky, but I act like it isn’t.

Her fingers tighten around mine like she’s trying to comfort me.

And for the second time in a matter of heartbeats, she tilts me off my axis.

Is she trying to comfort me?

Uneasiness rolls across my shoulders. And it’s not from the fact that she seems to be able to read me, I’m uneasy because it almost feels like she cares about me.

Could that even be possible?

I’ve been with women. Felt desire and being desired. I’ve had women that want to be with me, stay with me. But it wasn’t because of me. It was always about my bank account, or my position of power, or even the rebellion of being with a bad guy. It was always about what I could give them, nothing more.

It’s been… It’s been a long fucking time since anyone cared.

Distracted by thoughts of affection, I pull a key out of my pocket and use it to unlock the door to Payton’s building.

“Umm, Nero?”

I hold the door open and guide Payton though, with a hand on her back. “Yeah?”

“How’d you get a key to my building?”

My eyes drop to the key I just used.

Oh. Right.

I hadn’t meant to reveal that I had this, but deciding the cat’s out of the bag, I lift a shoulder in a shrug. “I have a security company.”

Payton’s eyebrows rise, disappearing behind her bangs. “You do?”

She somehow seems more impressed by that, then when I told her how much money I have. “I do.” I nod. “Elevator or stairs.”

The question deflates her shoulders. “Stairs.” She sighs the word. “I don’t trust the elevator in this building.”

A sound of distaste rolls around in my chest. I hate that she lives here. There’s so much room in my house, she should be there. Not here.

We step into the narrow stairwell, and the scent of poorly made pasta hangs thick in the air.

I need to get her out of here.

Payton starts up the steps ahead of me. “So, what does your security company do?”

“Everything,” I answer. But my attention is focused on the small streaks visible on the inside of her legs.

When she glances over her shoulder at me, I acquiesce. “We do everything from door locks to full security systems, to software development, to hired manpower.”

“That’s pretty cool.” She waits at the top step. “What’s it called.”

My lips tip up on one side, and I place my hand on her back to keep her moving. “Nero’s.”

She tries to stop but I keep pushing her to her door.

“Seriously?” She sounds annoyed.

I wait, pretending like I don’t have the key to her apartment, as Payton opens her door and steps inside.

“You don’t like the name?” I lock the door behind me.

Payton tries to shrug. “It’s obviously a good name. But you made me wait weeks to learn it, and now I find out there’s a whole freaking company with your name.” She bends down to unzip the sides of her little boots, and I don’t miss the slight wince on her face. “And I mean, it’s really neat that you have that. I guess I’m just feeling a little jealous that so many people already know who you are.” Jealous? Payton kicks her second shoe off. “Like the mayor,” she grumbles, before turning to face me. “I’m still mad at you, by the way.”

“Because I know the mayor?”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Because you acted like I was nothing.”

The sentence wraps around my ribs. “You’re not nothing.”

The sadness stays in her eyes, that smile nowhere to be found.

I step closer and frame her pretty face with my large hands. “You are not nothing, Payton.”

She blinks. Then she blinks some more.

“Okay.” Her whisper is hardly convincing.

“Go take a shower.” I press a gentle kiss on her forehead. “We’ll talk after.”

I can see her doubt, and I don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t believe me, or if she thinks I won’t be here when she gets out of the shower. But I plan to prove her wrong on both accounts.