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Both his dealerships were closed down, and he was being audited. Last I heard, the new wife had gone back to her mother, and he was looking at losing his home. Yes, I work fast, and I’m dirty. He should’ve kept his fucking mother on a leash if he didn’t want me to destroy his shit.
Steph had no idea that any of this was going on since I’d kept her pretty much insulated. She didn’t even know that the old woman had tried coming to her office, but my guys had turned her away. I doubt she even noticed that their numbers had been blocked on her phone.
As much as the two of them tried to keep everything hushed, I made it a point to broadcast their shit every chance I got. Now the ones being whispered about by her neighbors were those two. I made sure the one living right next door to her knew what was going on by having the word spread at her local grocery store, where she seemed to spend a lot of time.
All the lies that had been told about Stephanie, were now being corrected. I’m still trying to find the perfect gift for Nat for filling me in on all of it behind Steph’s back and for always being there for my girl. She and her brother were of great help this past week, and from the way the two of them acted, it was obvious they’d been waiting for the day someone did something about the old woman and the asshole. I’m pretty sure my peacekeeper had tied their hands there. That’s one of the reasons I kept her in the dark about my doings. Nothing was going to stop me from stomping those two into dust.
The people who’d once believed that she was in the wrong about the divorce now knew the truth about what went on there and were singing a different tune. It was infantile as hell, but I’d turned the tables on the old woman and her son, and now they were the ones being ostracized and whispered about.
The fact that they were about to lose their business and their home added credence to the rumors I’d started, and I imagine they were reaping the same hell they’d unleashed on her after the divorce. Now might not be the best time for her to go back to her place because cornered rats can be vicious, but if the asshole ex has any sense, he’d stay away from her and warn his mama to do the same, since I’d already warned them both what would happen if either of them got in her face again.
I threw some clothes in an overnight bag, already missing her presence here in my home, in my bed, and scheming on how to keep her with me always. Now don’t ask me where the thought came from or how the idea was formed, but if I breed her, wouldn’t that for sure guarantee that she’d be with me forever?
That would answer the question as to who would live where since I’d be damned if I’m going to live away from my kid. Yeah, that just might work. If I was in my right mind, I’d have seen how fucked up that was, but I haven’t been sane since seeing her ass in that first pair of jeans, so she only has herself to blame.
“Mace, why are you looking at me like that?”
“How am I looking at you?” She didn’t answer right away, but the way she rubbed her thighs together told me all I needed to know.
“Like you’re imagining eating me up.” Her face blushed with her answer, and she drew in a harsh breath at the salacious smile I gave her. If she only knew. Having a kid at this point in my life doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all.
STEPH
I’m not gonna lie; it felt great to be back home. As much as I loved being at Mace’s penthouse apartment with its great views and no interference, this place was home. Not only that, it was one of the first things I did for myself after the hell of my divorce, the one thing that gave me any sense of stability at a time when my life was anything but.
I realized, though, as we lugged our things up the stairs, that it would never feel the same again without him there. I guess I’m at the point where as long as he’s with me, no matter where we are, I’ll be happy. That thought sent my mind on a whole new track, and I felt panicky inside about where my thoughts were heading.
As much talking as we’ve done over the last week, we still haven’t said much about the future. It may seem odd since we’d only known each other for a few short months, but something inside of me knew that this was it. Just the thought of being without him made me feel sick to my stomach, enough to bring tears to my eyes.
