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“You’re in… control.”
“Exactly.”
“What exactly are you in control of?”
“You.”
“Me?” I ask, not quite understanding.
“You.”
“Maybe you could tell me just how you are in control of me?”
“I have your confession. I own you now. You don’t give me what I want, exactly how I want it, then you can lose everything important to you. You don’t give me what I demand, I’ll take a fucking wrecking ball to your precious motel,” he growls.
I tap down the fear that begins to rise. I’m a Lucas. If he takes everything, I’ll regroup and survive. That’s what we do. That’s what Ida Sue has spent the last couple months pounding in my head.
“What is it you want?” I ask tentatively.
“You’ll be moving in with me.”
“I’ll be… but, what about Jack?”
“He’ll be moving in with us too.”
“I…and then what?”
“We’ll be renovating the motel.”
“But, I just had it renovated. There’s really not money to—”
“The living quarters are too fucking small. We’ll change those to a kitchen and dining facility and maybe a fucking laundry service.”
“I…You’re going to invest in the motel? I don’t think I understand.”
“We’ll build a house on that empty lot behind the motel, that way Jack can have a real yard,” he continues and that’s when it hits me and when it does, it’s sweet. It’s so fucking sweet it takes my breath away.
“Jack does need a real yard,” I whisper, tears sliding wet down my cheeks.
“And our fucking bedroom will be big enough that a king size bed fits in it.”
“Okay…”
“Your tin can car is gone. I will not be crawling in that damn thing ever again.”
“I kind of like my car,” I whisper, as Aden finally bends his head down. My hand comes up to cup the side of his face. His beard teases the palm of my hand and I take in a deep, shuddering breath.
“Babe, your car is shit. Jack needs something safe.”
“Whatever you say,” I tell him. “You’re in control.”
That’s when his hands come around me to pull me into him, his fingers flexing into my ass.
“We’ll have to come to California on business often. We’ll need a place here too.”
“You have a place here, Aden,” I answer, as he leans down, kissing my cheek—kissing my tears.
“I hate this place. It’s cold and lonely. It’s empty.”
“Is it?” I ask, tears falling harder.
“I’m dying here,” he answers simply.
“Then it’s good you’re demanding a new house,” I whisper.
“The new place here will need to be smaller, stairs are scary for kids. We want to keep Jack safe.”
“I like that idea.”
“It won’t be flashy, I’m not going to be working as much, so we shouldn’t waste money.”
“I really like that idea.”
“And when I do work, you and Jack will be with me.”
“But the motel—”
“I’ll be hiring staff. You won’t be working as much either.”
“I won’t?”
“No.”
“What will I be doing?”
“Making sure Jack and I are happy.”
“I see. What makes you happy?”
“Having you with us.”
“Well, you are the one in control,” I whisper, my heart so full it feels like it might be bursting.
“Exactly.”
“Can I make one small suggestion?” I ask him, holding his gaze with mine and getting lost in his dark eyes.
“I might be willing to allow that.”
“These new houses?”
“Those are non-negotiable.”
“Non-negotiable?”
“Definitely.”
“Well, it’s just, you said they would be smaller and I was wondering exactly how many rooms they would have?”
“The usual,” he murmurs, and he bends down to kiss the side of my neck. I decide to be a good prisoner and lean my head to the side to give him easier access. “Kitchen, dining, family room, maybe three bedrooms with bathrooms…”
“I don’t know, I was thinking four bedrooms,” I murmur, sighing as I feel his tongue slide along a muscle in my neck.
“I might be willing to negotiate on that, if you’re willing to hammer out the deal with me later.”
“I can do that,” I answer, as he nibbles along that same muscle sending warmth through my body.
“I warn you, I can be a very hard negotiator.”
“That sounds promising. I only have one more request, really,” I tell him, pulling my head back to look up at the man that I love so much it hurts.
“What’s that?” he asks, as I push my fingers into the hair at the back of his neck and push his head closer to me.
“Can we add a nursery near the master bedroom?” I ask, watching his eyes closely.
I can see the exact moment he processes my words, and there’s no mistaking the confusion and the hopeful look that flares in his eyes.
“A nursery?” he asks.
“Oh, Aden. You really, really should have read that letter,” I tell him, right before I press my lips to his and I let him take control of the kiss.
After all, I’m his to command.
And I couldn’t be happier.
epilogue one
Hope
“You look beautiful.”
I look up at Faith and the smile I give her has to be large because I can feel happiness exploding through me with each beat of my heart.
