He rolls over and looks up at me. “I’ll hand in my re—”
“‘Christmas list’ better be the next two words out of your mouth,boy.”
He stares at me, finally focusing. “Chris—”
“No.” I cup his face in my hands andkisshim. I kiss him to remind him of the literaldecades of love between us, even if we weren’t together for most of it.
I kiss him to remind him of the perfection that is the three of us.
I kiss him to remind him that Ineedhim, and the only way I can do this is with him.
I kiss him to remind him that Shae loves and needs him in ways I can’t even begin to hope to fulfill for her now.
I kiss him to remind him that he’smine.
I end thekiss by pressing my forehead to his. “No,” I whisper. “You’renotgoing anywhere. You willnotresign. You’remine. You belong here, with me. Shae can’t do this without you, and neither can I.”
He finally nods. “Yes, Sir.”
We clean up and I change clothes. Shae sweeps into the bedroom, fury in her expression as she grabs Kev and hugs him tightly. He leaves to go talk to the kids while Shae watcheshim go.
“Can I order nukesnow?” she darkly mutters as she passes me on her way to the closet to change clothes.
“Don’t tempt me, honey,” I say after her.
There’s a knock. “Come.”
Leo slips in and closes the door behind him. “He’s in custody. Arraignment in the morning. They’re executing search warrants on his home and office now, as well as several more warrants against a couple of banks.”
“Send Angie up here, please,” I ask.
“I’m going to talk to the press,” Shae calls from the closet.
“Likehellyou are,” I call back. “Overruled, girl. I’m pulling rank. Angie’s handling it.”
She pokes her head through the doorway to glare at me. “I need to make a statement.”
“No, you’re going to let your press secretary handle this.” Thank god Kev is living here now. I don’t have to worryabout him getting swarmed by press. But I’m going to pull the kids out of school for a few days. The last thing I want is them getting hassled about this. Yasmine can get their assignments and work with them here in the residence. I hate to do it, but I have to protect them.
“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t make the statement?”
“You’re an attorney. How about tainting a jury?”
She scrunchesup her face and glares at me before letting out an aggravated scream. “Goddammit!” She turns to Leo. “Send Angie up here. Please.” Once he’s gone, she heads back into the closet. “I hate when you’re right!”
I follow and grab her by the hair, pulling her in for a kiss, holding her there until she goes pliant and responds.
“But you’re going to be my good girl, aren’t you?” I ask.
“Yes.” She glares.
I smack her ass, hard, making her yelp. “Yes?”
“Yes, Sir.”
She sticks her tongue out at me, but I let that go, because none of us are at our best.
Late that night, as all three of us are curled up in bed with Kev safely snuggled between us, I’m the last one awake. It’s been, no shit, a media firestorm.
The only consolation I take from this day is that I finally have answers about Charles andTory. I have an answer about Lauren.
I know the kids, Shae, and now Kev are all safe.
And it reaffirms Priest was right—it wasn’t a coincidence, and it was centered around our family.
Because Kev is our husband, and I can’t wait for the day I can finally publicly scream it to the whole goddamned world.
