“Knox—”
“I did ask you not to break my heart,” he reminded.
“That was about my not changing my mind about the two of us having dinner together.”
“No, as far as I was concerned, it was to do with any interactions we have, now or in the future.”
“You can’t just change the rules to suit your whim!”
“I don’t have whims,” he bit out.
She gave a shake of her head. “I never know whether to take you seriously or not.”
He shrugged. “For the sake of your sanity and mine, let’s assume that when I say something to you, I’m always being sincere.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color, her lashes lowering as she looked down to where he had finished rubbing his cum into her skin. “Are you happy now?”
“You smell like sex and me, so yes, I’m very happy,” he confirmed without apology. “Is this…” He gently touched the bruise visible on her hip. “If I had known about this, I would have given him one here too.” He bent to place his lips softly against the already colorful bruise.
“How did you know the other places he hurt me…?” she asked suspiciously.
“Please don’t get mad at me,” he cajoled. “I asked Linus Wynter to look into the situation with Andrew Day, and because Linus is very thorough in his investigations, your hospital visits became a part of it.”
She lowered her lashes. “I hate you knowing that he did those things to me. It makes me look so…weak.”
“It makes you look and sound the opposite of weak,” Knox insisted before kissing her lightly on the lips. “He will never touch you again.”
Ellie looked at him. “Why do I believe you actually mean that?”
“Because I’m never going to lie to you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” He kissed her deeply before pulling her skirt down and then putting his softening cock away and straightening and refastening his own clothing. “Can you leave for the day now, or do I have to wait until this evening to see you again?”
“I have an appointment at two o’clock that I can’t get out of. It’s with my lawyer,” she explained impatiently when Knox just looked at her, dark eyebrows raised questioningly. “I need to see if there is a way to stop Andrew from breaking into my properties whenever he feels like it, without going all legal on him.”
“I’ve warned him against coming anywhere near you again, but you really need to take out a legal injunction against him doing exactly that.”
Ellie winced. “I was trying to avoid him having that on his record.”
A nerve pulsed in Knox’s tightly clenched jaw. “Did he give a fuck about you when you had to go to the hospital and lie, twice, after he had beaten you up? Or when he broke into your apartment yesterday and pushed you? I’m sorry,” he apologized when she gave a pained groan. “But there is no way to pretty up what he’s done and is still doing to you.”
“I know you’re right,” she admitted shakily. “I just— A small part of me keeps hoping there’s still some goodness left inside him.”
“There isn’t,” Knox stated with finality. “I don’t believe there ever was.” He stood and reached out a hand for her to take so that he could pull her up beside him.
She shook her head. “It’s strange. I was thinking about this the other day,” she began to explain at his questioning look. “Andrew’s blond-haired, blue-eyed angelic looks make it seem as if he should be good, and yet inside, he is totally bad. You have the look of a bad boy but live your life and treat other people with a set of morals that provides safety and protection.”
“I will protect you,” he vowed evenly. “With my life, if I have to.”
She blinked, obviously surprised by his vehemence. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!”
“I’ve asked Linus to look into improving the security at your apartment. The fact I care about you gives me that right,” he bit out when she would have protested. “I would like you to stay with me at my apartment until Linus has assured me he has tightened security in your building and especially at your place. I want you to feel safe when you eventually return there.”
Ellie opened her mouth as if to protest and then closed it again, her shoulders dropping in defeat.
Knox stepped forward to kiss her lightly on her brow. “I want you safe, Ellie.”