She wiped her tears again with her free hand, knew that she wanted to tell him this wasn’t what she wanted; she wanted to explain how she felt right now. “For my whole like I thought I knew what I wanted. My childhood was good, my family supportive. And I fell in love, or thought I did, when I met Gerald. It seemed like it was going where it needed to.” She thought about the past, about how far she’d come. “When Gerald changed, when he turned out to be the man that wasn’t who I fell in love with, I knew my life wouldn’t be the same. I had to accept that or keep my courage and know that if I wanted things to change I had to keep that path clear in my head.”
“Alessandria—”
“No, please let me get this out, Zeke.”
He nodded and held her hand tighter.
“I was broken on the outside, ruined by Gerald, and didn’t think that things would be the way I’d always wanted. I thought my soul would crack in two, that the vile, ugliness of the world and what I’d allowed to happen to me would forever have me changed. And it did, to a point.” She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “But then I found my life on the same path as yours, and even though I was frightened, already broken, I still had that light inside of me that told me I wanted to survive, wanted to be free.”
“Baby,” he said that one word on a harsh whisper.
“I have never felt the freedom I do until I was with you. You’ve opened my eyes to not only the desires inside of me, the ones I’ve thought were wrong and dark, but to the fact that I don’t have to be afraid or ashamed.” She smiled. “You’re the man I want, and this is the life I want. I know you’ll let me go. I know you’ll let me experience the world as I see it, because you are giving me that, letting me be the person I really am, the woman I want to be.” She stared right in his eyes. “You’re the man I want in my life, standing right beside me. I am choosing you, this life.”
“Are you sure this is what you want? I am who you want?” Zeke was a powerful man, could have anything or anyone he wanted. He might he a monster to most, rule his empire with an iron fist, but the truth was that he wasn’t the devil. He’d given her the choice to leave; she needed him to give her the freedom to stay. He’d give that to her by giving her the choice, and that’s all she’d ever wanted.
“I know I want you in my life. I know that you’re the only man that’s ever made me feel like this.” She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, loving that he instantly held her. “You gave me the choice to leave, to have my own life, live it the way I want, and I’m choosing you, choosing us.” She felt his big body tense, heard him exhaling, and knew that he was happy. She felt that from him as clearly as if it was her own emotions.
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“It’s just you and me, Alessandria. It’ll only ever be us. You’re it for me. I hope you’re ready for that.”
She closed her eyes and smiled. “I’ve been ready for that my entire life.”
Epilogue
Six months later
Zeke watched as Alessandria flicked through the files and advertisements for the last five girls he’d taken off the streets. He’d taken them away from their piece of shit pimps, and although he’d love to have killed the fuckers, he couldn’t go around killing every lowdown pimp who pissed him off, even though he would love to try. The girls wrapped their arms around his woman, and he knew without a doubt that they were thanking her.
Alessandria loved to help these women, and he loved helping her. His mission had been to make her life perfect, and she’d set about giving him everything he ever wanted.
He stood by his bar, taking a sip of his water, watching as she made her way over to him. The sensual sway of her hips called to him, and his cock thickened. Before they left Dominion, he was bending her over his desk, and fucking that delectable ass. In the past six months, there was nothing they hadn’t tried. They had tested each other’s limits, and he knew exactly how hard to strike his belt or tighten the rope around her body. She was his pain slut, and he her master. No other man was allowed to touch her.
“Hey, baby,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest.
She had also made his relationship with Daniella easier. He’d been shocked when he came home to find the two women cooking in his kitchen. Daniella had given birth to a little boy, and with Alessandria’s help, he’d eased into the role of doting grandfather.