“He is. I’d love to hear what you’d do to this place.”
She nods and then glances around the room. “Would you like me to focus on this office, specifically, or…”
“The entire house, Ms. Wright. I want it stripped down and redone.”
Her eyes widen slightly, but she quickly regains her composure. “Absolutely. We can do that.”
“After Christmas, of course. I don’t want that ruined for Neo.”
Neo blushes and leans into me. “I think Samson wouldn’t mind.”
“I’m not doing this for him, darling,” I say, and then I kiss his forehead just as the decorator pulls her phone out, and a moment later, two of her assistants appear, tablets in hand.
“I can get the designs up, and we can start renovations after the holidays. But right now, if you have time, let’s go over what colors you like, themes, and just general vibes. And then we can get started.”
I peer over at Neo, and he grins softly at me. I can’t believe he did this. And yet I can. He knows how much I hate this place, how much it’s always felt too much likehim.And now I have a chance to start over, to redo it all.
I can finally make this place my own.
I can purge my father from the walls of this place and finally live in peace. With Neo at my side.
30
WYLDER
“You sure you want me here?” Neo asks as we pull up to the gala.
I glance out of the limo window at the soft, glowing lights leading to the grand entrance of the building, the red carpet laid out for the attending guests. This is a gala for the scholarship program I run. It’s not something I enjoy hosting, but I realize many of my donors like to feel important. And this is one way for them to continue to give me money.
Besides, it’s not like I want to give up all my responsibilities as the head of the Buckingham family, just enough so that I don’t feel like I’m drowning. The fact that I’m here, with a neatly trimmed beard, is evidence of the compromise I’ve found.
“I do,” I reply. “I want you with me, by my side. I want to show you off.”
I mean it when I say that. He looks really good tonight, his blue hair perfectly styled, his suit something I had commissioned and gifted him for Christmas. The way his face lit up when he opened it. And when he tried it on for me later… Fuck. It fits him so well, and I have visions of peeling it off of him after this event.
I will.
With my teeth and tongue.
He looks at me questioningly. “All right, if you’re sure.”
“I am,” I reply, and then the car door opens. Brennan steps to the side, and I exit first, extending a hand to help Neo. He’s slightly pale as he steps out of the vehicle, no doubt because of the many flashbulbs going off. Everywhere we’ve been recently, the paparazzi have been there, wanting to get a picture of my partner and me. It’s not like I’ve kept him secret. Since Christmas, we’ve been out on the town more often than not. I have nothing to hide, and my affection for him in public is obvious to the casual observer.
I don’t mind these kinds of pictures. It’s not like when Umbra was catching secret moments between us. I’m happy for the world to see what I’ll allow them to at public events such as these.
And I’m thrilled that, in doing so, everyone knows that Neo is mine.
My hand slips to his back soothingly as he shudders. Neo hates being the center of attention. For all of the bratting he does with me, he doesn’t like being under this kind of scrutiny. But he understands the importance of tonight. I couldn’tnotcome.
And I refused to attend without Neo at my side.
Not wanting him uncomfortable for a second longer than necessary, I whisk him inside and straight over to the bar.
Neo exhales slowly. “That was…weird. Why do people care who shows up to this?”
“It’s something that sells. You’ll get used to it. I promise.”
He rolls his eyes. “Don’t think I will. I’d rather be snuck in the back by the guards.”
