I WAKE UP TO THE SUN hitting my face from the open curtains. My eyes came open slowly until I realized Kade was not in bed beside me, and everything came rushing back.

Kade had brought me to his hotel, the one closest to the restaurant. I shivered with remembered pleasure from last night. I move my legs and sure enough there was an ache in my muscles. A quick glance at the clock proved that it was quarter to ten.

Tucking the sheet around my body, I was just about to look for him when I heard him coming. The sight of him blew me away, as usual, and my heart stuttered in my chest.

God...I never got used to the impact of that face. Those sculpted cheekbones and dark winged brows, the thickly lashed green eyes, and those lips...perfectly carved to be both sensual and wicked. He was freshly showered and was naked from the waist up with nothing but a pair of gray sweatpants, and obviously feeling energetic despite beginning the morning by screwing me into an orgasm that left me seeing stars.

Kade's gaze landed on me. He flashed me a heart-stopping smile as he continue talk to someone over the phone.

I lean back on my arms and stared unabashedly, drinking him in as he stood in front of me. There wasn't an ounce of excess flesh on him anywhere, just hard slabs of honed muscle. The play of muscles on his washboard abs along with the V of muscle on his pelvis and the inherent gracefulness in the way he moved sent a delicious sense of contentment sliding through me.

He was pure primal male.

"I'll meet you in the office." He finished and glanced up at me with a soft curve to his lips, and I knew he'd been aware of my staring.

"How did you sleep?" he rasp in that sexy as hell tone.

He leaned down and caught my jaw with his hands before placing a kiss on my cheek.

"Good," I breathed. Damn he smelled phenomenal.

Kade's mouth curved into a genuine smile that hit me hard. "I thought you'd sleep the whole day after last night,"

His words sent goose bumps racing up my arm and stirred memories of that sinful mouth of his on other parts of my body. I lost track of how many times I climaxed last night. I was instantly aroused. My throat suddenly felt dry.

He brushed the backs of his fingers over my cheek and murmured, "You're blushing."

I heard the amusement in his voice and swiftly changed topics. "You're going out?"

"There's something I need to settle in the company. I've been gone long enough." he said then stood and swept me up in his arms, and I held on to him tightly.

He carried me to the bathroom and proceed to run a bath for me. He's been doing it a lot lately and it still amaze me how he has this level of care in him but sometimes acts in an overbearing, almost oppressive kind of way.

"Why do you always run me baths?" I ask as he sat on the edge of the bathtub and pours in a rose vanilla scented bath bubble.

"Because I know you'll be sore."

A smile tugs on my lips. "That's a little presumptuous."

He stops, his eyes dark as they stare down at me. "I know I don't take it easy on you. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. I can't control myself with you, Butterfly. I tried and it's impossible." He grins. "I can, however, run you baths to ease the soreness."

I can feel my cheeks get flushed and I force myself to keep his stare. "Are you going to join me?"

He pulled me around and into his arms, his lips coming down on mine like he'd been starved for me. I don't think I'll ever get used to this feeling. I've never seen myself as a desirable being, but he sure does make me feel that way. "I'd love to but I have another phone call coming. I had someone brought you clothes. Come find me in the kitchen when you're done."

I looked at him with raise brows.

What am I gonna do while you're gone?

He must've sensed my worry as he tugged me close, then pressed his lips to my brow. His hands moved through my breasts and gave my nipple a soft pinch.

"You'll see."

I blinked at his retreating back as it disappeared into the bedroom. What does he mean?

After half an hour, I was showered and clothed in a light sundress that was laid out for me on the bed before making my way to the kitchen. I passed through Kade's spacious living room with its stunning slender arched windows that overlooked the city. The room was sleek and modern. It was filled with antiques and art anchored by gorgeous Persian rugs laid over gleaming hardwood floors. As much as the Presidential Suite screamed money, it managed to remain warm and welcoming, a comfortable place to relax and feel pampered.

I was almost at the kitchen when a knock came on the door.

"Can you get that, baby?" I heard Kade called out.

Frowning, I pushed to my feet and head to it. The door opened and my jaw dropped when I saw the person who walks in.

"Owen!" I squealed as I threw my arms around him, my grin wide from delight.

"Bitch I love you but you gotta stop choking me," Owen grumble in my ears and I immediately detangle my hold. I was grinning so wide at him I must've look deranged but I don't care.

"Well now, look at you," Owen says to me in a mischievous grin as he wags his perfect brows at me. "It must be the afterglow."

I flush in embarrassment. "I missed you! What are you doing here?" I change the topic. The last thing I want to do is have a discussion about my sex life with Kade in another room.

I took his arm and drag him to to the living room where we plop down on one of the couches.

"Kade called me last night and had his driver picked me up this morning." Owen says, then winks. "He doesn't said it directly but I had a feeling he just want me to babysit you."

I frown. "I don't need a babysitter."

Owen rolls his eyes. "I know right? You're not a baby. In fact, you do adult stuffs pretty well yourself."

I can feel myself blush. I smacked his shoulder and whispered furiously, "Cut it out!"

"To be honest," Owen continues, unaffected by the look on my face, "I don't mind because I fucking miss you. Where is he anyway?"

On instinct, my eyes searched the room and I realized I had a perfect view of the kitchen.

I found him standing with his back to the living room and a phone on his ear. His arms were crossed and he was staring out at the Manhattan skyline as the sun rose and shed light on the high-rises. He must've sensed my gaze because he pivoted, then went very still. Owen puts his hand on my leg and squeezes hard. He sees what I see. I ignore him. I took the opportunity to drink him in, my gaze sliding all over him.

He looked every inch the powerful magnate. So brutally handsome my eyes burned just from looking at him. His seriously addictive body was now dressed in an expensively tailored three-piece suit and the rakish fall of his dark blonde hair around his face made my fingers flex with the urge to touch it. And the way he looked at me...the effect was one of casual godliness. I had to remind myself to keep breathing.

Owen has a death grip on my leg, clutching it so tight that I think I'm losing circulation. "I don't think I have said this before but I believe that man is a shining example of what a sperm and an egg can come up with if they try really hard."

Kade muttered something on the phone, ended the call before striding forward, his long legs closing the distance between us with that measured steps. My gaze was locked to his, unable to look away, riveted by the fire that flared in his eyes.

"He's dressed like he got a business meeting at 6 and a life to ruin at 7," Owen the whispers. "Oh damn that's Tom Ford," he continued. "The man really does have impeccable taste."

I know.

Kade settled on the seat beside me, his arm draped behind me so that his fingertips could brush casually and possessively up and down my arm.

"Good to see you, Owen." Kade greeted. "I really appreciate you coming here in such a short notice."

Owen shrugged. "It's fine. I've been bugging her to meet for weeks anyway." Then he pinches his forefinger and thumb in front of him, "I'm this close to thinking that you actually kidnapped my best friend."

I suck in a breath. Good lord. He just hit the nail right on the head.

Kade laughed and tightened his arm around me. "That would be fun, isn't it?" Then he cleared his throat. "Silas will drive you both to anywhere you want in the city." he hand me my purse and I open it to find two private Metropolitan Museum tickets along with his black card. "I also took the liberty of booking the two of you a relaxation treatment in this hotel."

"That is so nice of you, Kade," Owen thanks him with a genuine smile. "I can't imagine a better way to spend the day."

Twisting at the waist, I faced him and whispered fiercely, "Your card is not necessary. I have cash."

"I insist." He caught up my hand and lifted it to his mouth. His gaze was intense—intensely hot, intensely focused. "I won't be back until tomorrow evening."

I peek at him through my eyelashes as I bit my lip nervously. I was unsettled at the thought of going the entire day without him. Most couples didn't spend every free moment together, but we weren't like most people. Kade was my drug, and I had no desire to kick the habit.

I mentally chastised myself when I realized that I'm becoming too dependent on him. Damn it.

Still, I managed to say, "Okay. I'll just ask Silas to take me back to the house."

"No. I want you closer. We'll go home together when I get back." He place a chaste kiss on my cheek before he bid goodbye and the look he gave me before he left the room spoke volumes—he wasn't comfortable with leaving me either.

**

"Are you sure I can pull off your clothes?" I ask, even though it's the third time I've inquired since we left the hotel.

Owen looks down and gives me a huge smile and doesn't make an issue out of it. "You look gorg babe. Aren't you glad I brought this for you?"

"I am." I tell him as I look down at the white bustier crop top and a knee length skirt with asymmetrical fan pleated belted waist that Owen made from his last recent workshop.

I look him over and admire how chic he looked in his lime green button down vest and navy blue cut off shorts that went really well with his dark hair and pale skin. Owen always dressed in bold colors and styles. I envied his ability to pull them off so well.

We're sitting in a quaint restaurant a few blocks from the hotel. It's a small establishment, but it had great charm. Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and by the time our food was served which consists of grilled vegetable-and-cheese panini with two pomegranate slush, and pasta bolognese, the aroma of the food was so tantalizing it made my mouth water.

"I am so excited about the start of classes." Owen's soft blue eyes were lit with anticipation.

I grinned. "Me too."

"So when are you going to move to your apartment?" He asked before taking a bite on his sandwich.

I groaned. "Thanks for the reminder. I haven't mentioned it yet."

His lips quirked. "Why do I have a feeling that he's not going to approve it?"

"Well, that's for me to decide." I don't know which is more surprised, me or Owen.

"Attagirl!" He laughs, before slurping up a hefty swallow of pomegranate slush.

We talked about his workshop, laughing over his encounter with a British exchange student that he cannot wait to hang out with as soon as school starts.

Then he ask, "So what have you been doing for the last month?"

I shrugged. "I just stayed in Kade's house." I tried not to let him see how guilty his question made me feel. I hadn't seen him in a month after my failed escape and school isn't for another two weeks which meant it would be a while before I hung out with Owen again.

"And with your situation, I'm glad that he did." he said quietly, studying me in that way he had that saw everything.

The reminder of my family was like a wet blanket, putting a dark cloud over what had been an almost perfect day. But I knew it will be brought up anyway. Still, I miss the easy friendship we share, the laughs, the endless conversations about simple things. But now there were secrets lurking under the surface. Things I could not tell him.

"How is Arabella?" I find myself asking.

"Last time I heard, she was about to leave town. Since all your parent's money and assets were freeze by the government, there's really not much for her there." Owen explained.

My stomach twisted and churned. "I should have reach out to her," I said regretfully. "I'll ask Kade to help—"

"No."

My head snapped.

Owen was staring hard at me. "They deserved to be in this mess, Ayla. Aside from the crimes they committed, for years, they mentally abuse you and got away with it. And your sister?" His scowl deepens even more, "She made your life a living hell in school when I wasn't around and I better not heard someone tell me that she's just a kid who don't know any better because that's fucking bullshit."

"But we both know I'm not a saint either..."

What if Kade and I didn't happened? What if I didn't let my emotions get the best of me? Will I wake up one day and find that I was never anything more to him that something to do to pass the time? Will I remind him of the people who destroyed his family? Did he see all of us the same—

"Jesus. Look at your face," Owen said as he grabbed my hand. "Let's get out of here. I'm not going to watch you beat yourself with these depressing thoughts that I'm fucking sure currently plaguing your head."

We paid the bill and my best friend all but drag me out of the restaurant and Silas was there waiting to drive us to our next destination.