I didn’t know this could get any harder, but in the last few minutes Patterson has shattered all my walls. I think I’m falling in love with him and I don’t know if it’s his kindness or his strength but I’m giving him my heart.

He pulls me closer to him and kisses the top of my head as the elevator doors open into the lobby. I don’t make it a few feet before I hear her in the distance.

"I’m really sorry," I tell Patterson as Cara comes into view. Her head snaps towards us and her eyes widen in surprise when she sees who I’m standing with. By the look on her face she knows who Patterson is. At the same time his hold on me tightens.

"Patterson?" Cara’s eyes bounce between him and me.

"Your roommate is Cara Rich? Jesus." He says a few more choice words under his breath and it’s clear from his tone he isn’t a fan of hers.

"Cara," he says in a dismissive tone with a hint of warning.

"That was you on the phone?" Her hands go to her hips. I can’t tell if she is about to explode or if she’s locking it up. Her moods are like a light switch, they go on and off so quick.

"I don’t appreciate you calling my girl and talking to her like that."

Patterson reaches into his pocket and takes out the keys I totally forgot to bring down. He tosses them to the man standing next to Cara that I hadn’t noticed before. He catches the keys then glances at me and I know the look. He recognizes me and he’s trying to figure out who I am.

"Don’t show up at my home acting fucking crazy. Keep your messy shit over on your side of town where your daddy put you." My mouth falls open and I’m rendered speechless. I’d laugh if I could get it out over the shock. Even better is the look on Cara’s face.

"What are you looking at, Luck?" The man takes his eyes off me and lifts his hands.

"Sorry, man, she looked familiar." He tries to hand Cara her keys, but she ignores him. Her head looks like it’s going to explode any second now.

"This is going to get bad," I whisper to Patterson, because Cara can be unpredictable.

"You’re kidding me, right?" She looks around the lobby of the building and I’m not sure what she’s searching for. Her head snaps back to us like she’s found her answer. "I didn’t think you were one of them." She narrows her eyes on Patterson.

"What’s she talking about?" I ask him.

"Who knows?" Patterson says, rolling his eyes.

"Don’t play dumb, Patterson. I’m seeing through the good old boy act now. You’re like my brother and the rest of them." She shakes her head and glares at me. "Have your dirty little secret. I thought you were smarter than that." Patterson tenses next to me. "They never settle down. He’ll use you up and toss you aside like the rest of them." She tries to look disgusted, but I’m not buying it. "Come on, Danielle, at least with me you know where you stand." She waits like I’m a lap dog and she expects me to come to her. Patterson’s hold on me tightens, but I’m not going anywhere.

"I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, Cara. The coke has apparently eaten up all the brain cells in your head, because you’ve lost your mind. Get out of here," Patterson tells her and confirms what I thought about her drug usage.

"Cut the shit," she snaps at him, and her true colors come out. "You’re just better at hiding what you are than the rest of those assholes. It took me this long to figure it out because you really have everyone fooled don’t you. In fact I think you’re worse. At least with the others we can see what’s coming, but you’ve probably got her all wrapped up in you. She’s been through enough shit as it is." Cara says it like she cares about me.

Cara has been through a shit storm of guys and she must assume that Patterson is just like the guys that run in her circle. The guys just like her brother, Lance. Maybe I’m naïve, but I don’t believe a word of it. Cara is a user, too, and though she might not want to fuck me she wants things from me.

"Don’t talk about him like that. He’s a good man, Cara. I gave you your keys and I think you should go," I tell her and pray she listens. Patterson doesn’t deserve her accusations.

She goes to open her mouth, but Patterson cuts her off. "I’m not stupid, Cara, and your games won’t work here. I don’t know why you want Danielle so bad, but it’s not happening. Take the con game you probably learned from your father and get the fuck out of my building. I will not say it again."

"Fuck you." She stomps her foot and nearly falls over when she does it in her five-inch heels. "My father’s not the con," she laughs. "Give me a fucking break, Patterson. You’re giving your dick to the daughter of the biggest con in this city." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

I let out a small gasp, unable to stop myself. "Danielle Sanchez," the man next to Cara says, putting together who I am and informing Patterson at the same time.

"Cara." Patterson raises his hand and it’s then I notice the doorman dressed in all black reaching for the phone.

"I’m leaving, no need to call the cops," she snips as the glares at me. "Get your shit out of my place."

"With pleasure," Patterson answers for me. "I’ll have someone there first thing in the morning." He says, and it pisses her off. She grabs the keys and stomps off, but Patterson says her name and she turns back around. "Tell your brother to stay the fuck away from my girl. I promise your family won’t like the fallout if things don’t go my way." She doesn’t seem to care about his threat and gives him the finger as she walks away.

Patterson looks at the guy who is still standing in the lobby. "Was Cara here tonight because she was with you?"

"Don’t insult me with that shit because you’re pissed, and I wasn’t checking out your girl." The man shakes his head as he goes over to a bank of elevators and gets in.

"Sorry about that, Allen," Patterson says to the doorman.

"No problem at all, sir," he says.

"I don’t want any of the Rich family entering this building. I don’t care who they are here to see."

"I’ll let the others know."

"Thank you. Have a good night," he tells the man before guiding me back to his private elevator.

"I might need a shower after dealing with that witch. She looks like her mother, but she acts like her father. They’re all users and I don’t just mean drugs." He pulls me into him as he presses his nose to the top of my head and he breathes me in.

"Say something about what you found out. About who I am," I whisper. The elevator doors slide open, but we don’t move as his hand comes to my chin. He makes me look up at him so I can’t hide for a second.

"I don’t care," he tells me simply.

"She was so wrong about you. I hate that she—"

"Sweetheart, don’t let her words touch you, because they mean nothing to me."

The weight of the world lifts off my shoulders as he holds me close. Before I know what’s happening, I’m in his arms and he’s carrying me off the elevator and back into his home. I bury my face into his neck and it’s my turn to breathe him in. A few moments later my back hits his bed and he comes down over me. My sweet, charming man is back and I reach up and touch his face, wanting to reassure myself that he’s real.

"Are you getting it now?" he asks before he kisses me deeply and begins to undress me. "I don’t care about any of that shit. I care about what it’s in here." He places his palm over my heart.

"You’re a good man, Patterson. I should have known you wouldn’t care. I just got scared," I admit. "I’m so afraid of losing everything again. I don’t let anyone close because I don’t want to lose them or see them not care when they lose me." In this moment I see that losing my parents hurt me more than I’ve ever admitted to myself.

"I’m already close, sweetheart." He leans in, brushing his mouth against mine. "There’s no way in hell I’m stupid enough to let you go, and anyone who did wasn’t worthy of you." My eyes start to water at his sweet words.

"None of that," he tells me as he gives me his perfect smile. "Let me show you how worthy I am to have you." He slips down my body and kisses me between my legs until he wrings every last ounce of pleasure from me and I drift off to sleep.