“Yes. Yes I’m sure.”
He doesn’t wait a moment longer as he enters me in one swift move. I gasp at how full he makes me and I buck against himwhen he doesn’t move right away. He wraps his hand around my throat, touching the collar that’s there.I don’t remember him putting it back on me after we got out of the shower.
“I put it back on you before I came down here.” He answers my thoughts like he can read my mind. “Open your eyes.” I open my eyes and come face to face with us in the mirror. Part of me wants to look away because it’s uncomfortable looking at myself completely on display, but when I see the look on Nix’s face, it makes me pause.
His eyes are heated with desire as he looks at us in the mirror. His other arm comes around my waist and his hand snakes down to cup my pussy. He pulls out and pushes back into me, his breathing hard in my ear. “So fucking sexy,” he murmurs in my ear as his middle finger circles my clit.
I’m still sensitive from the orgasm he gave me just a few minutes ago, but I already feel another one building. I buck against him, meeting each of his thrusts and begin to close my eyes, but he clicks his tongue at me. “Keep your eyes on the mirror, love.” I open my eyes and watch. Taking in the way he watches me, how he looks over my shoulder every once in a while to see how flushed I am.
His thrusts become choppy, and I know he’s close. He pushes me down again so I’m on all fours and grips my hips. “So beautiful.” Thrust. “So fucking sexy.” Thrust. “Mine.” Thrust. I watch him in the mirror and his eyes bore into mine as he speaks to me, reminding me who I am and whose I am. “I love everything about you.” Thrust. “Your mind.” Thrust. “Your body.” Thrust. “Your heart.”
Tears begin to stream down my face. “I will always choose you,” he promises, and I come again with a shout and a sob. He comes with me and after a few moments, we both collapse onto the mat. He rolls over onto his back and pulls me onto his chest.Kissing my forehead, my cheek, my shoulder, anything he can touch.
I look up at him and smile. “I love you and I’ll always choose you, too.” We seal our vows to each other with a kiss and he carries me back to our bed.
Chapter 32
Phoenix
Kenz’s head lays in my lap as I rock us on the swing in our gazebo. She told me the memory she had, and we settled into a comfortable silence after. Me mulling over what she told me. I comb my fingers through her hair.
“I need to start believing everything you tell me,” I say. She rolls over on her back and stares up at me. I gaze down at her and trace the contours of her face with my finger. “I’m suchan asshole. I was so sure you were remembering wrong.” She doesn’t respond, probably knowing I’m talking through this.
“I never got a text from you, so I don’t know if they were able to intercept it or something. And Clyde came rushing into my office and said you went into the Marketplace and he couldn’t find you.” I run my hands through my hair. “How the fuck did this happen? I ran every single one of my guys. I checked their background, everything.”
McKenzie sits up and climbs onto my lap. She takes my face in her hands. “Your mom has been one step ahead this entire time. She probably knew you’d do that and did something so you wouldn’t find anything.” Dropping her hands, she sighs and looks away for a moment before focusing back on me. “I think we need to go to my dad.”
Every muscle in my body tenses at the idea of going to her dad for help, but she might be right. “I’ll consider it.” She slumps a little, so I lift her chin with my thumb and forefinger. “I’ve considered him my enemy for years. Give me some time to come to terms with who the real villain turned out to be.”
“Okay,” she whispers and leans up to kiss me.
We’re both exhausted and emotionally drained, so I told her we were staying home today and dealing with everything tomorrow. But after she told me what she remembered, I need Rex to confirm the new guys we hired are trustworthy.
I pull his name up on my phone and call him. He’s in the house with Anna, so he answers immediately. “Kenz had a memory. Clyde helped take her the second time, and theydidtake her from the house.”
“What? How?” Rex barks. I give him the rundown and he curses. Anna asks him if everything is okay in the background, so he takes a minute to soothe her. “I trust these new guys with my life, but if you think—”
“No, I trust you. But she knows where we live.” Dread settles in my stomach. I have to deal with her and soon. “Let them know to be on guard until I get rid of her.” He agrees and I hang up.
“We’re not going to leave, are we?” Kenz asks.
“No. We moved out of the house downtown because it was my mother’s and I knew you weren’t comfortable there. You had a hand in everything about our house and this land. She will not take that from you.”
Kenz places her hand over my heart. “From us.”
“Valentine,” Victor answers on the second ring.
“Hey, this is Phoenix Stone.”
There’s a slight pause. “Phoenix, how are you?”
“That’s the question,” I reply.
I’ve met Victor a few times over the past year or so. He and his wife have come to a few of the auctions, but they never buy anyone or participate. It piqued my curiosity last year, and I looked into them. What I found is why I’m reaching out to him now.
“What can I do for you?” Victor asks. I tell him everything that has transpired over the past several years and he listens intently with an interjected question here or there. When I’m done, there’s silence on the other end for several moments.
“I’ll need to talk to Olivia, but I’m sure she’ll agree to help. I’m sorry you and McKenzie have gone through this. Let me get some things together and I’ll call you back in a few days.”
