Scandalous Heroes Box Set by Serenity King, Pepper Pace, Aliyah Burke, Erosa Knowles, Latrivia Nelson, Tianna Laveen, Bridget Midway, Yvette Hines

and then smiled.
    “I must go,” he informed her.
    “Go? Are you kidding?” she asked.
    “Order food if you like. A car awaits you,” he said.
    “What do you mean go? Are you tossing me out?” she asked not able to mask her surprise and hurt. He looked at her as if he didn’t understand English. She knew he struggled with it. But it was a simple question. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”
    He chuckled. “Marietta and Catalina intend to do shopping. Tour the city. It is my job to see to it. Keep safe,” he said.
    “Oh? Oh, okay,” Kyra sighed. She chewed on her bottom lip as he picked up his keys. Instead of fucking him all night she should have told him about how desperate she was for an interview with Catalina. She should have at least told him she needed his help or her dreams would not happen.
    “Renaldo?” she said as he headed to the door.
    “Can I see you again? Tonight?”
    He stared at her for a moment. Kyra never failed at what she set her mind to. And right now her mind was set.
    “No. I have to work,” he replied.
    “Tomorrow then? Brunch? Here, in your suite? What will Catalina and Marietta want to do on a Sunday?” she smiled.
    “Mass, they are Catholic,” he answered in that stone cold formal tone of his.
    “Oh? Really?” she asked.
    He smiled and she felt relief. He was teasing her. He did want to see her again. At the very least he should admit it.
    “I will call you. Leave a number,” he winked and was gone.
    Kyra dropped back on the headboard and closed her eyes. He’d call her? She should have offered to give the Battaglia women the tour. Why didn’t she think to offer? “Damn it!” she hit her pillow. Kyra scratched her brow. She cast her gaze to the left. Renaldo had laid her dress out flat and neatly folded her undergarments on top. Her shoes rested to the side. The presentation was so neat it felt odd.
    The man was more than tidy he was obsessed with order. She was chaos personified. They could never work as a couple. She dropped back on her pillow and grinned. But damn she sure wouldn’t mind trying.
    ***
    Kyra eased out of the back of the private car. The driver assisted. “Thank you,” she said. He tipped his hat and walked around the car to the front. She stood on the sidewalk and watched him drive away. The morning chill was brisk enough to keep her coat closed over her cocktail dress. Though she showered at Renaldo’s suite she felt the need to get clean and under her own covers. As she headed up the stairs she smiled to herself and thought about her wild night.
    “Kyra!” a man called her name.
    She glanced back. To her surprise it was Cezar.
    “Where have you been?” he frowned.
    “Cezar, what the hell are you doing here?” Kyra asked. He walked up to her with a hoodie over his head. He shoved his hands down into his pockets as he approached. She was shocked to see him in front of her place.
    “We need to talk. You said we could today,” Cezar said.
    “I did not! Are you stalking me?” she asked.
    He shook his head. “How can I stalk my girlfriend?”
    Kyra took a step toward him. “Cezar? I’m not your girlfriend. It’s over. Finished. Stop coming around here, stop calling. Just stop, okay?”
    “What the hell is your problem, Kyra? You decide that I don’t matter and then just like that we’re done!” He snapped his finger. “Well fuck you! We aren’t done. Do you hear me?”
    Kyra took a defensive step back.
    “Where were you all night? I was out here all fucking night in the cold waiting, and you weren’t here! Where were you?”
    Kyra turned and bolted up her stairs. She half expected him to run her down. But when she reached her door she looked back and he stood on the sidewalk fuming. She punched in her key code and then buzzed herself inside. She peeked out at him from behind the safety of the glass door. Cezar didn’t move. He didn’t blink. Shaken she backed away. She tried to recall the moment Cezar went from a goofy good