“Relieved. Sick.” His brow wrinkles as he looks at me. “Knowing it wasn’t me in the video is a relief.” He sighs. “But at the same time, I wish it was. Because now I know that it happened to at least two other people. It was only a few months before, same city, same blonde female. Same setup. The woman in that video is the same woman who assaulted me. And knowing that she did it to other men, it…”
I squeeze his hands as I stare at him, my chest heavy at the anguish on his face.
“… it makes me feel sick. Really fucking sick.”
I nod, as I listen. I would give anything to erase the worry and pain in his beautiful eyes.
“I can only imagine, Reed. It makes me feel sick knowing it happened to anyone. Especially you. But you’re living your life. It’s not stopping you. And you’re doing incredible things as a result. You’re the mayor. You’re going to fight for justice and truth. You’re going to help provide support for people who need it. I really am so proud of you.”
He smiles, stealing my breath as his smoky-quartz eyes stare into mine.
“Bottling it up almost made me implode, Harls. People, especially men, need to know they can talk about these things that happen to them. If me going through it makes a difference to someone else’s life, then…” He looks to the ceiling, blinking rapidly, his eyes shining. “Ah, fuck. I’m not going to…” He sniffs, squeezing his eyes shut before he opens them and looks at me again, the smile back on his lips.
“It’s okay if you do.” I smile back at him.
“I know.” His smile widens further, and he lets go of my hands and wraps his arms around my waist. “I know.” He breathes. “If I can help someone, then maybe I wasn’t meant to be a Rock God having women throwing their panties at me on stage after all.”
His sudden change of topic makes me laugh out loud. I rise on my toes and snake my arms around his neck. “I would have loved you, whatever you chose to do.”
“Would you be throwing your panties at me?” He smirks.
I shake my head as I laugh harder. This is Reed. He’s so serious and in control when he needs to be. But at the same time, he’s so happy to lighten any situation when he feels like smiling again.
When he wants to make others smile again.
Make me smile.
“You have plenty of mine already.” I grin, wiggling against his suit pants and the pocket he put today’s pair in before the others arrived. “I won’t have any left soon.”
“Sounds like the plan of a genius.” He slips his hands lower, filling his palms with the curve of my ass. “In fact, maybe I should pass a new bill as mayor. Harley Jacobs is never to wear panties again.”
“Oh.” I arch a brow as I look at his lips. “I’ll remember that for the next hotel management meeting Griffin asks me to take notes at.”
Reed stiffens instantly.
“Harley Jacobs is never to wear panties while in the presence of Mr. Walker. How about that?” He grins, sweeping his lips side to side so they dust slowly over mine, making my entire body tingle.
“In the presence ofMayorWalker, you mean?” I dart my tongue out so it runs over his bottom lip, drawing a deep groan from his chest.
“No, Angel,” he growls against my lips. “In the presence of your daddy.”
I laugh more as he squeezes my ass. Trapping me in his embrace.
A trap I would so gladly throw away the key for and stay inside for eternity.
I look into his eyes.
Then his lips are on mine.
Kissing me.
Loving me.
Being everything I need.
And so much more.
Chapter forty-one