Page 118 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

My future.

The biggest piece of which is towing me to the dance floor.

Something occurs to me as he takes me in his arms.

“Have you been reading my books?”

He glances down at me, his green eyes dancing as he starts moving us to the beat. “What do you think?”

My mouth hitches up as even more happiness wells up in me. “That you’d better have read the next chapter.”

He leans close, his lips brushing my ear. “I read every single word, little hen.”

Thirty-Five

Thorn

Our fingers are woven together as we step off the elevator, the soft bing greeting us along with?—

“Meow!”

Violet.

“Oh, baby,” River says, crouching down and scooping her up, cuddling her against her chest. “I missed you too.”

Violet’s purrs are ridiculously loud and they only intensify when I move to the kitchen and snag her bag of treats.

“Meow, meow, meow!”

“Silly girl,” River murmurs, setting her down and stroking her back as I dump a handful of treats in front of her.

We stand there, watching Violet chow down, silence settling between us.

It’s not uncomfortable, not this time.

It’s peace and patience and…for once, a future that doesn’t feel out of reach.

“Are you tired?” I ask when Violet finishes eating and pads over to curl up on her usual spot on the couch.

River shakes her head. “No.”

“You want to pick the movie?”

Her eyes go soft. “No,” she whispers.

My brows lift. “I thought you told me that my movie picks are subpar.”

“That’s because you’ve barely watched any.” She rounds the island, comes to stand beside me, settling her hand on my chest.

“Have I told you you’re absolutely stunning in that dress?”

A sweet smile, her hand flattening on my chest, “Yes, honey, you have.”

“Not nearly enough.” I bend, press my lips to the hinge of her jaw. “You are so fucking beautiful, you take my breath away.” She tilts her head to the side, giving me room to drag my mouth along the column of her throat.

“Thorn,” she murmurs.

“Hmm?” I ask, flicking my tongue out and tasting the dip of her collarbones.