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“I’m only going to say this once, Tessa. If you or Joseph ever come near my kids again, I will take you to court and make sure you don’t ever see a dime of my money. Do you understand me?”
“Caleb—”
He snarled, “Do you understand me?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“I’m going to have my attorney’s draw up contracts for the both of you. You’re signing all your rights over to me. And, Joseph, you’re signing a non-disclosure agreement.”
The truth? What truth?
Joseph grumbled in pain, holding onto his ribs. “I already … told … you.” He wheezed for air. “I won’t … tell a … soul.”
“If you do, you’ll be planning your own fucking funeral. Am I making myself clear?”
“I … swear.”
“Your word means shit to me. Now get the fuck out of my face! Both of you. Leave!”
I’d never seen Caleb this furious before, and it was starting to scare me.
What happened?
The only thing I could do was be there for him.
For of all them.
They were my family.
Now more than ever before.
Chapter 33
Evie
I asked Caleb’s mom if they could stay with the kids, telling them that Caleb felt sick and we were heading back to their home.
Caleb was quiet the whole drive, quickly stepping out of the car as soon as I parked in their circular driveway. There was so much I wanted to ask him, but I knew it wasn’t the right time.
I left him to himself until he was ready to talk. He sat on the lounger on the balcony of his room for a few hours, until I finally walked out there to check on him.
“Are you coming to bed?”
He shook his head.
“Come on, Caleb. You can’t stay out here all night.”
Our eyes connected before he finally agreed. I grabbed his hand and led him inside.
When we passed his bed, he questioned, “Where are you going?”
“You’re covered in Joseph’s blood. We need to shower.”
“Evie—”
“Shhh, let me take care of you.”
He reluctantly sighed and followed me into the bathroom.
I turned on the shower, and within seconds the glass fogged up from the steam of the hot water. Clutching his hand tighter, I spun to face him.
His eyes never lied to me. They were currently filled with nothing but devastation. There was no indecision on my part as I began unbuttoning his shirt. One-by-one, my fingers moved down his torso before carefully pulling it down his arms.
I reached for his belt next, and I buttoned his slacks, stripping them off as well. He stepped out of them, never breaking our intense connection. In one quick move, I pulled off my dress, bra, and panties. Stepping into the shower, I brought him with me.
He closed the doors as I approached him with caution, terrified he’d push me away, but not caring if he did.
I needed to look at him.
Hold him.
Show him how much I truly loved him.
Delicately, I washed away the blood from his body before I kissed the cuts on his knuckles. I’d never seen him appear as vulnerable as he did in that moment, worrying me a little.
He shuddered when I touched him, but I didn’t stop. I wanted to get rid of all the hurt and pain he was feeling. The hot water cascaded above our heads, washing away the night of pure devastation.
I watched him, silently praying that what I’d express next would be enough to soothe him.
Wholeheartedly, I rasped, “I love you, Caleb. I never stopped loving you. From the second I first saw you, I was yours. I’ve always been yours. Mind. Body. Soul. I belong to you.”
For a moment, he was captivated by my words.
Leaning forward, he kissed my lips then whispered, “I never slept with Tessa.” Gripping the sides of his face, he added, “I was just a game.”
This was what I’d been waiting for this whole time. I just knew it in my heart which was pounding against my chest.
Harder.
Faster.
I lost myself in his eyes.
“I don’t understand.”
“They conned me,” he stated, looking deep into my gaze. “All they wanted was my money. I spent years away from you for nothing.”
I blew out a long breath, feeling emotions I couldn’t begin to understand.
“Joseph is my kids’ biological father,” he revealed, and all the blood drained from my face.
“Oh my God.”
In an instant, all the layers of our regrets.
Mistakes.
Lies.
Secrets.
Everything that kept us apart was stripped away, and all that was left was us.
I finally felt what I’d been waiting for.
Peace.
We gazed into each other’s eyes as he claimed my mouth the way I so desperately wanted him to. My breathing labored, waiting for the words that never came, so I said them instead.
“I’ll marry you, Caleb.”
Breathing life back into him again.
Caleb
“Say it again.”
“I’ll marry you, Caleb. Today, tomorrow, whenever you want. I want to be your wife and the mother to your kids. I’m so sorry this happened to you, but it doesn’t matter who biologically created Ethan and Ariel—they’re yours. Ours.”
