I worry all the time she’ll cause harm to my child.
Add that to the sadness and pain I feel for the baby I never knew and the ordeal Sydney went through, and my head is a pretty fucked-up place these days.
I’m only sane ’cause Sydney is by my side. She moved into my house a couple of days after I asked her to. She has quit her job, but she hasn’t put her house on the market yet. She still needs a place to paint, and I walk her over to her house every morning before I go to work. I know she’s committed to me and neither of us have plans to ever walk away from one another, but I think she needs that safety net for a little while longer, and I won’t ever deny her anything she needs. It’s probably for the best anyway. We have paparazzi, fans, and nosy neighbors out in force in the neighborhood, so showing a house in those conditions wouldn’t be ideal.
I have hired contractors to build a massive art studio and storage warehouse for her at the rear of my house, and the work is already underway. She’ll have a stunning view and lots of natural light.
I’ve been in L.A. a lot. Between laying down tracks, doing media interviews, and meetings with my lawyer, PR people, and the label, my life has been hectic. But I make sure I’m home every night for dinner.
Returning to a home-cooked meal and the love of my life waiting for me is the stuff of dreams. We rarely go out, preferring to spend our time in our house, wrapped up in one another, and I’m content being a homebody. I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. When we’re in our little bubble, not even Toria and the other shit we’re dealing with can eradicate the happiness that radiates from deep inside me.
Sydney is my person.
My soul mate.
My life.
My love.
My forever.
Protecting her and what we’re building is the main reason we are en route to The Big Apple now. We need to face the demons of the past and finally draw a line under it.
My desire to beat the ever-loving shit out of Herman Shaw has not dissipated.
I was tempted to fly to New York and deal with her asshole father on the down-low, but I promised Syd I wouldn’t do it, and it’d be a shitty way of repaying her trust in me. She knows I need to confront him for my sanity. So when Sawyer called, we came up with a plan. I tricked Mom into traveling to New York, and we’ll be dropping into her Manhattan apartment after we finish with Herman.
It should be an interesting day.
“Why don’t you go back to bed?” I suggest when we’re up in the air and Sydney is yawning. It’s only four a.m., and both of us have had minimal sleep.
“I will if you come with me.” She stands, offering me her hand.
I take it and let her pull me to my feet. “To sleep, babe.” I press a kiss to her head before leading her to the back of the private plane. “As much as I’d love to lose myself in your body, we need to have our wits about us when dealing with that bastard you share DNA with.”
“I agree,” Syd says, sliding past me into the bedroom.
We strip out of our clothes in record time and climb under the covers in our birthday suits. We kiss for a few minutes, but I stop it when my dick hardens and need surges in my loins. I’m insatiable for Sydney and grateful she feels the same. We are fucking like rabbits, making up for lost time. “Sleep, darlin’,” I say, turning her around so I can spoon her from behind. “I love you.”
I tell her a lot. Compensating for all the times when I wasn’t able to.
“Love you too.” She curls her hand back around my neck and brings my mouth down to hers for a sleepy kiss. “To infinity and forever.”
The biggest smile graces my mouth. We used to say that to one another all the time as kids after we became a couple. I squeeze her tighter as I whisper, “Infinity and forever,” in her ear.
* * *
We land in New York at lunchtime. Sawyer Hunt and his business partner, Xavier Daniels, are waiting to greet us, as promised. They drove from their home in Boston last night and stayed at their Manhattan penthouse. I clasp Sydney’s hand tight as we walk toward her ex-husband and his new husband, subtly taking the measure of him.
He looks like the quintessential well-groomed billionaire businessman in an expensive black suit with a crisp white shirt and a black and silver tie. He shields his emotions behind a neutral expression as we approach, giving nothing away. There is something guarded in the way he holds himself and the way he looks at me. His husband appears to be the exact opposite. Xavier’s messy hair is dyed blue and green at the tips, he has an eyebrow piercing, obvious tattoos, and a wacky sense of style if the vibrant purple silk suit and red shirt he’s wearing is any indication. A wide smile crests his mouth as he waves at Sydney and…winks at me.
“Did he just wink at me?” I ask in a low voice as we close the gap between us.
“Remember what I told you. He’s a good guy. Just a little out there.”
I’ll say.
“Sydney, darling. You look amazing. Totally fuckable if I was into pussy,” Xavier says, enveloping my woman in a tight hug. “Wow, babe. You’re really rocking that outfit.” He waves his hands up and down her body, and he’s not wrong. My girl looks hot as fuck in her ripped jeans, silk blouse, blazer, and high heels. All that gorgeous hair falls in soft waves down her back, and she looks utterly stunning. I make a mental note to fuck her later in those heels.
