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She lays limply on my chest, trailing patterns on my arms, and she whispers, “I had this crazy dream in Florida. We had a baby girl, and she looked just like you. I didn’t care that your genes were stronger than mine when we created her, because the way you were with her, how you loved her . . . And she, she had her chubby little hands on your chin, both of you grinning. You were at peace, you were happy, and I never felt more loved by you than in that moment.”
“I thought you didn’t want my children.”
“Cato . . .”
Her eyes find me, the fight having left her, and what I now find in them rips me apart.
“I want my dream to become our reality. I want you and a lifetime together. I choose you.”
She wouldn’t say that if she knew the truth. The truth I’m still fucking incapable of uttering.
I carry her to bed. I am two seconds away from fucking some sense into her and a baby as well to give her what she wants, and what my heart aches to have.
Chapter 35
The next few days I have meetings with the stores interested in my jewelry and decide to go with the ones that accept I won’t produce the pieces in mass production. The sales’ team already brainstormed the idea of individuality, of finding what is uniquely yours.
I step inside the car, mouthing a thank-you and Lauren waves me off. Women helping women, my favorite thing in the world.
The penthouse is empty. Ever since Cato fucked me into mindlessness, he’s disappeared. But after that night, I know he doesn’t want to lose me. But this is a fight he has to win on his own. I’m patient. I owe him and our love that much. But something nags at me. It’s more than me betraying him, or my safety. And it scares me what could be powerful enough for him to stay away.
I spend the rest of the day in my small studio, looking at the check I received for my first order. I take a pic and send it to both Cato and Aurora. They both are my support system. My phone rings, and I pick up to Aurora squealing.
“This calls for a celebration. I’m so very proud and happy for you.”
We talk for a while, and I even consider enrolling in college with her.
I can hear the smile in her voice. “Tomorrow night, we’ll have a girls’ night.”
I call Lauren afterward for advice, knowing she helped Aurora enroll in college as well. “On it.”
They must pay her an awful lot to be at our beck and call. I’m glancing at my phone every now and then, hoping he replies. Stubborn mule. I send another one.Be home at seven. My mood threatens to flip, but I prepare a romantic dinner. I call Gianna, asking what’s his favorite food and she helps me cook it––lasagna. I even open a bottle of wine, waiting for him.
It’s eerily quiet in the penthouse, only the moon shines brightly over the city.
The elevator doors slide open, and Cato stumbles when he finds me drinking alone, the food already cold, and curses. He wobbles toward me, clearly drunk.
“Wife.” He approaches me, and I stare at the candle flickering dimly on the table.
“Exactly. Your wife. So stop being a dick.”
He cups my face in his palms and inhales my scent before closing his eyes. When he opens those red-rimmed eyes, they turn glassy.
“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,cara mia. I cannot breathe without you. But you will be fine . . . I’m so proud of you. Imagine your life without my name, without me attached to you . . . it would be so easy . . . you’ll have your freedom.” It hits me with the power of a lightning bolt. He pushes me away so he can give me freedom. Stupid, selfless man of mine I love with everything in me.
The dinner is forgotten. It’s too late to imagine a life without him. He should have thought about that before he made me fall for him.
I help him up the stairs, and three tumbles later, I place him on the bed. I undress him and sweat gathers at my forehead as he’s too heavy for me to lift. I heave him onto his ass and slip his jacket off.
Unbuttoning his shirt, I peel his pants down and get in bed with him.
When I blink awake, I find him propped on his elbow, his eyes on me.
He yanks me to him, his love in every fingertip, in every kiss. And that’s why I will never sign those damn papers. And nothing will change my mind.
He gets on top of me, and I am so wet and ready for him, I’m burning, and only he can soothe the raging fire. I open my legs wider, and he feeds me his hunger and passion.
He slips in and out of me. Our mouths never leaving the other’s, our hands interlaced, and we chase the pleasure wave together, riding it until we come, the name of the other on our lips.
