“Let me know if I’m too heavy,” I whispered, feeling boneless on top of him.
He snorted. “Please, don’t insult me. I lift heavier than you at the gym.”
I snuggled contentedly on top of him and then kissed his neck. I wasn’t sure I could get Harris to change his ways. We were older now, and I didn’t exactly hate all of his overprotectiveness. I just needed limits that didn’t feel like personal violations. He needed to loosen the reins he had over everything, and the only way I could help him with that was to reconnect with him on a more than physical level. “Harris, are you happy? I mean, not thinking about the death curse and scary shadow thing, but assuming none of that was going on, are you happy? I know you’ve been watching me, but I haven’t watched you. I knew youhad a kid, and I heard about your club, but I don’t know your life since we stopped talking. When I left the restaurant a week ago, I got the feeling you weren’t happy. I thought it was because of seeing me. I know better now.”
He kissed my forehead and then began to stroke my back. “Happiness can be overrated.”
I rolled my eyes. “You were kind of happy when we were growing up.”
“Eh, I was happy with you. My homelife was different, you know that.”
I did know that his parents were hard on him. Even his grandfather. I knew it annoyed him, and I knew he didn’t want the life planned out for him, but he seemed to accept it. I always thought that was sad, but anytime I tried to talk to him about pursuing another direction, he would brush it off and say he was fine with it. He’d say he was the oldest, and he was looking forward to running things one day. I never believed him, but decided that when he was with me, I’d allow him to be as carefree as possible. That may or may not have led to us getting in trouble some days because of a little reckless behavior that I encouraged. However, he always seemed open to doing whatever I wanted to do. I loved him for that.
I loved him. Wow. Really? Was I in love? After all this time. I was kind of freaking out inside but also feeling a little lightheaded. In a good way.
“So, nothing makes you happy now?” I asked.
“I’m content. I have made good changes to my family’s business. My daughter, Nyla, is doing well. She’s twelve and can be a little brat. Although having a father who’s a crime boss can’t exactly help things. We spoil her too much, I think. Still, she’s doing well in school and stays out of trouble. She plays soccer and is really good at it. She’s like a mixture of me, Marcus, and Sam in one. Looks like her mother, though.”
I moved my hand to twirl a strand of his hair around my finger. It really was like black silk. He could sell shampoo with locks like that. “Did you love Nyla’s mother?”
He gave me a tender squeeze. “I cared for her, but I didn’t want to waste her time when you had my heart. Nyla wasn’t planned, but she’s a good mother. She’s remarried now, so everything’s good.”
My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest. I was still shocked. The patience and dedication he had to wait this long. To not open his heart to anyone else while I had married and dated, totally oblivious. It made me feel a little guilty. I’d wished I’d known. I wished he’d given me the chance to make the decision. I would have chosen him. I would have jumped at the chance to be more. I would have accepted the risk that came with his life to have the opportunity to love him.
I kissed his jawline. “Well, Nyla sounds like a cool kid. What else makes you happy?”
“Hmm, Sam is sticking to his recovery and being gainfully employed. Marcus got out of the life and is prospering with his tattoo business, even though it pissed me off at first. And now, I have you.”
“Well, you don’thaveme.” Okay, he totally did, but I had to keep the man on his toes before he got too cocky.
He gave me a quizzical frown. “That’s an odd thing to say while I’m still inside you.”
He had me there. “I’m just saying that I still have things to think about, and I need time. After all of this is resolved.” Yes, I loved him, but I still had to figure out what this meant for our lives.
His once playful eyes grew colder, neutral, and he looked away. I already knew he was in his head. Probably thinking of ways he could control the outcome. He was always so calculating. Even with the risks he took. Now he would have tofactor me into the decision when it came to any possibility of us being in a relationship and how it would look.
I placed a finger under his chin and moved his head so that he was looking at me again, his eyes still not happy. Wow, he really liked having control. Was he always like this? Yeah, he was. “I didn’t say I didn’t want a relationship. I just need to be as thoughtful as you have been about it. Well, not as long as you have.”
“I’d hope not,” he grumbled.
I giggled at his grouchiness, finding it cute as I always had, before kissing him on his nose. “I’m glad we reconnected. I know it wasn’t how you planned it, but at least we’re facing these things together. You make me feel safe and hopeful that we’ll get out of this alright.”
His face softened, and he lifted one of my hands to kiss. I really loved it when he was that tender with me. It made me feel precious to him.
“I’m glad you’re with me, too. I’m going to fix this. I’m going to find whoever’s behind this and keep you safe.”
He looked fierce and confident when he spoke, and I actually believed him. Harris had always been good at fixing things. Getting results. And so, I’d be just as strong. I liked the princess treatment, but I could be a warrior when needed. Especially by his side.
Chapter Nine
Camilla
The rest of the day and the next went smoothly. I got to enjoy the beach and a little shopping with Harris right by my side, and a great deal of time on his phone. I wasn’t annoyed. He was trying to save our lives. Talking to people and working through leads. Meanwhile, I got to pretend things were normal. And Harris had no trouble with encouraging that delusion, even taking me to dinner on the beach, and I cooked us a nice dinner the next night. At times, it really felt like we were on a romantic getaway. Especially with all the sex we were having. We were definitely making up for lost time. It was awesome.
However, it was three nights into the curse, and we had only a tiny lead. Harris’ people had narrowed it down to three enemy organizations, which either had witches who practiceddark magic on retainer or were affiliated with warlocks and dark mages. Harris also mentioned that he was looking into his own organization at those who didn’t agree with how he’d been running things and the alliances he’d formed. It all sounded complicated and stressful.
We’d also had some visitors come to help break the curse in the meantime. Nothing panned out. However, I held onto a tiny positive that I had no more entity visits, and we were hoping it was because either the stronger wards were working or my power was fully back. So, I took in this quiet time for all it could give. Dating Harris, because that is what it was, felt like a dream. The friendship was still there, but the romance was wonderful. I didn’t want it to end.
