“Baby, please. Just talk to me once. I know I’ve hurt you and I’m extremely sorry for that. Punish me if you want, I’d do anything. But just don’t shut me out. Please, baby.”

Baby?

My heart tugged at the pain in his voice and eyes, the edge in his stance. But then I made myself remember everything. Even though my eyes burned, I kept a stoic face.

“The only thing I would want you to do is leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. So please, just leave.”

“Don’t say that. We can talk. Baby, please…” He halted as he looked at something behind me. His pleading eyes suddenly turned hard as steel, his shoulders tensed, and fists clenched.

“So, this is the reason for your restlessness,” Warner said.

Looking over my shoulder, I found him standing right behind me. His unreadable gaze set on the man down on the road whose murderous glare was drilling holes into him.

“What’s he doing here?” he hissed in his deep Greek accent. With his stormy grays dark with fury, his nostrils flared. Achilles Valencian was back again.

I wanted to send Warner back inside, but instead, I held my chin high. “That’s none of your business.”

When his fierce eyes snapped to Warner again, I felt him stepping back behind me.

Taking a deep breath, he set his flaming, preying gaze on me. “Rosebud, if you want him to stay in one piece, tell him to leave right now. Don’t test my patience. You can punish me all you want, but I won’t tolerate this.”

I gaped at him. The nerve of this man!

“Is that a threat, Mr. Valencian? If it is, then I’m not scared of you.” Warner stepped forward again.

The muscle of Ace’s strong jaw ticked.

“He won’t go anywhere! He’s my friend, so he can stay here as long as he wants. The one who needs to go is you! So leave, Ace! I won’t say it twice! Otherwise, trust me, you won’t like the outcome.” I pointed my index finger at him.

What would I do if he didn’t leave? I didn’t know. I just hoped he wouldn’t barge into my house like a bull and do something rash.

With his fists clenched, eyes icy cold, he looked at Warner again. “Don’t get in my way, Mr. Wilson. Trust me, I’m not a person to mess with.”

This time, Warner stayed quiet.

Taking another deep breath, he turned to me. “I’ll give you another night, Rosebud. I want you in the office tomorrow. And believe me, if you don’t show up—” he cast a glance towards our front door, “—even your set lines wouldn’t be able to stop me from reaching you.”