“You need to be challenged.”
“Science challenges me.”
“And it will continue to do so in the Society. You can play in the lab between your missions.”
“It’s the right thing for me, isn’t it?”
“You tell me.”
I smile and kiss him again, because even though he knows the answer, he’s letting me say it. Letting me choose it, and I love him so much more for it.
“I’m going to text Reina in the morning.”
“Not now?”
“Nope. Now, I need to make love to you.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice.”
He stands, carrying me in his arms through the lobby. The guards all smile, while pretending to ignore us, and I duck my head, because it’s obvious what we’re about to do. I’m not exactly embarrassed, but I still feel a little shy.
Theo puts me down in the elevator, but scoops me back up when we get to his floor. I smile as he carries me over the threshold into his open loft, and then I’m covering my mouth. A sob escapes as I see my dining room table and chandelier where his old ones were.
“Theo.”
“I want this place to be ours, and I want us to decorate it together, and make it a home. That dining room table, and light, are the start of that.”
“You want us to live in sin?”
“Only until you marry me, but yes. Waking up with you every morning is something I’m not willing to negotiate.”
“I’ll have missions.”
“When you’re home, you’ll be with me.”
“Do I get a say?”
He puts me down, cupping my face with his hands, as he looks into my eyes. “Always.”
“Then I say yes. Yes, Theo, I want that too.”
He pulls me into his arms, and holds me. We stand there like that for minutes, or hours—I don’t know, and I don’t care. It’s perfect, and it’s us.
Theo
Kali dressed up for this meeting, even though she didn’t need to. The tiny straps on her bright pink dress would snap easily under my fingers, but I force myself to behave. This is important to her, which means it’s important to me, too.
As the elevator opens, she squeezes my hand tight, and I squeeze back. I know she has nothing to worry about, and that’s proven when we step out. Every member of the Society, including the founding five, are waiting to welcome her back.
“We missed you,” Alex says to her, and Kali bursts into tears.
I pull her to me, and smile at everyone over her head. They have tears in their eyes, too. It’s not the first time I’ve seen them like this, and it won’t be the last. They care so deeply for each other, and feel so much. It’s awe-inspiring, and makes a man glad he’s part of it.
Kali steps out of my embrace, and I rub her bare arms, above where the fabric of her dress drapes down over her elbows. “Go on, sweetheart.”
She leans up to kiss me, and then she’s gone, lost in a crowd of love. I feel like a voyeur, watching them come back together, but I can’t look away. I feel my friends come up to stand with me, and know they see what I’m seeing, too.
“I need your help with something,” I tell them.
“Anything,” all five of them say at once, proving that we’re just as much a family as our women and their friends are.
The woman I call, once I tear myself away, agrees to help me, too. I haven’t met her yet, but I’ve heard good things about her. Her willingness to help me lets me know they’re all true.
Kali
I feel like I was never gone from the Society, even though I know I was. I agreed to finish out the semester at UNLV, and I’m working on the fashion show this weekend, so I’ve stayed busy enough not to dwell on what happened. At least not all the time.
My therapy sessions have been going well, and Theo even agreed to go to one with me next week. I don’t have Society classes, so I’m not worried about having time for everything, but I am worried. The fashion show, and our final meeting has me terrified.
Things were tense after the Sheriff and Sean died, but now that the FBI has indicted Vanessa on human trafficking charges, I can only imagine what my welcome will be like.
“Kali, how are you? I won’t pry, but I saw the news,” Melinda says, pulling me into a hug. I’ve cried, and been hugged more this past month than I have in years, but I welcome another hug from a friend.
“I’m okay, but I’m not sure what anyone’s thinking about Vanessa.”
“No one knows what to think, but they won’t bother you about it, because they’re more worried about the fashion show being a success.”
“How could it not be with us working on it?”
“Exactly.”
She’s right about all the talk today being about the fashion show. Seating is finalized, music and colors are reviewed, and everything’s in place for it to be wonderful. I won the ticket bragging rights, with all of my friends coming, and I accepted gracefully, before sneaking away.
Quinn’s here for her final fitting with the models, and I love everything she did for me. The cosplay costumes are perfect, and the geeky chic she came up with for the rest of our part of the show are on point, too. We’re going to rock this.
“I know you said you wanted something more traditional to wear tomorrow, so check out the black dress I made for you,” she tells me.
I practically run to the rack she indicates, and pull open the bag with my name on it. “It’s beautiful,” I tell her. It’s sheer black with white embroidered flowers, over a strapless satin dress, and layers of black tulle.
“Try it on, and we’ll see.”
I do, and she makes a couple of minor adjustments, before getting back to the models. I can’t wait to be on Theo’s arm, especially because he’s always sexy in a suit. Maybe it’s not such a good idea for him to come, because I might jump him in a closet somewhere.
Chapter 22
Kali
Yum. That’s all I can think when I open my dressing room door to see Theo standing on the other side. He’s in a tux, and not just a suit, and damn. Just damn.
“You look stunning, Kal.”
“So do you.”
“You ready to go out front, and mingle.”
I look back at the empty room I was given to get ready in, and know I have to behave for now. “No, but yes.”
“Later.”
“It’ll have to do.”
I take his arm, and go out to meet the masses. Two hours later, I’m finally walking to my table with Theo. I stop short and smile when I see my parents already there.
“You look beautiful, Kali,” my dad tells me.
“Thanks. I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Theo called us, and told us how hard you worked on this show. How could we miss it?” my mom says.
“I love that you’re here. I wanted to invite you, but it’s so frivolous.”
“Nonsense. Our daughter doesn’t do frivolous.”
“Sometimes, I do Daddy.”
“It’s going to be amazing,” Theo says.
“How do you know?” I ask.
“Because you put it together, and you’re amazing.”
“Stop.”
“Nope.”
“It’s so good to see the two of you like this,” my mom tells us.
“Yeah, it is,” I agree.
We sit down with them, Jade, Nate, Quinn, and her husband, Zane, and Stella, and her husband, Kace, to eat dinner. Once the plates are all cleared, the fashion show starts. Everyone seems to be loving it all, including the portion Quinn and I put together. I’m feeling happy and accomplished, and loved.
“Kali, we have a problem,” Melinda says, coming to the table to whisper in my ear.
I jump up and follow her backstage. “What’s wrong.”
“The girl who was supposed to wear this for our alternate bridal section has come down with something.”
She holds up a white and cream dress, with circles all over it. It’s line
d from collarbone to thigh, but the fabric is sheer on the arms and bottom ruffle. It’s pretty, and was honestly a favorite of mine when we were choosing the dresses.
“Kali could fit into it,” Quinn says from behind me.
“What? Me?”
“Why not? You’d look beautiful in it,” Melinda adds.
I’m not loving the idea, but I want this dress included, so I’ll do it if there’s no choice. “Are you sure?”
“Definitely,” Quinn says.
They pull me into a dressing area, and help me change. Shoes appear, along with a flower that fits behind my ear, tied there with a thin blue ribbon Melinda grabs from one of the counters around us. A bracelet that looks like the one my mom always wears is slipped over my wrist, beautiful white shoes go on my feet, and I’m on my way.
I’m last in line because of the last-minute change, but when I get out to the runway, it’s not the other models I see before me, but my friends instead. All nineteen of them are lining the runway, but it’s what I see at the end that makes me stumble a little.
Theo’s there, in his tux, with his guys around him. There’s also an officiant there. I don’t believe what I’m seeing, but then my mom’s handing me a bouquet, and my dad’s taking my arm. This is crazy; he hasn’t even asked me.
As we reach the end of the runway, Theo drops to one knee, and opens the ring box. It’s my original ring, but it’s different, too. There are more diamonds, and the arrangement has changed, but I know at least part of it is the one I got all those years ago, from the man kneeling before me.
“Surprise, KASA,” he says, using my special nickname. “You said you didn’t need a wedding, so I’m taking a chance and asking you to be my wife, and hoping you’ll marry me right after.”
“No pressure,” I tell him, and everyone laughs.
“None at all. You say no, and I’ll just ask you again some other time when you’re ready.”
“I’ve been ready to marry you for a lot of years, Theo, so yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He slides the ring on my finger, and then we get married. It’s not fancy, and it’s not sentimental, but it’s perfect. All I need is the man before me, and now, all these years later, he’s officially mine. The dancing, the cake, and the pictures are all a blur, because all I can see is him.
Theo
She’s mine. Kalila Jackson is now Kalila Jordan, and I’m the luckiest man in the universe.
“I love you, Mrs. Jordan.”
“I love you too, Mr. Jordan. Now, are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Nope.”
I only had a few days to arrange our honeymoon, but it was enough. In the end, I knew it wouldn’t matter where we go, because we’ll be there together. Always and forever, we’ll be together. Sometimes, dreams really do come true—even if takes a few years for it to happen.
Epilogue
Ares
Another boring party, and another boring princess beside me as I drive back to my hotel. This is what my life’s been reduced to, but I brought it on myself. I wanted the fame, the money, and the women. Or at least I thought I did, until I met the woman who made me remember it was about the cars and the driving. The one woman who slips in and out of my grasp, no matter how hard I try to hold onto her.
As if she’s been conjured from my thoughts alone, I see Rose Murphy running down the sidewalk in front of me. Men in police uniforms are chasing her, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let them catch her.
“Hold on, darling,” I tell the woman in the passenger seat.
“What are you doing?” she screams, as I floor it, while taking down the top of the convertible we’re in.
“Rose,” I yell as we bear down on her.
She chances a glance back, and her eyes widen, but she doesn’t slow down. I pull up next to her, and hear the men behind us shouting. She dives into the car as I turn the corner in front of her, and we’re off.
“Who are you?” the woman with me asks her, but she doesn’t answer, and I choose to ignore her as well.
“Buckle in, and tell me where we’re going.”
Police cars rush into the street in front of me, so I bump into the curb hard enough to make it onto two wheels, sliding between them. When I get us flat again, the woman’s crying, and Rose is cursing me. I don’t care, because my only goal right now is to get my woman to safety. Rose may not accept that she’s my woman, but dammit if she isn’t.
I hear the helicopter before I see it, and as I pull up to it, I disengage my seatbelt. Following Rose out of the car, I blow a kiss to the princess, and climb onboard the copter as it starts to take off.
“I cannot believe you did that, asshole.”
“Excuse me? I just saved your fine ass.”
“It was my final mission test, and I would’ve gotten out on my own. I had to get out on my own. Now, I’m going to fail.”
“Shit,” I tell her as she looks away, but not before I see a tear sliding down her cheek. She doesn’t cry, but I just made it happen. “I’ll talk to Rei.”
“No need, Ares,” the woman herself says, her picture coming up on the screen in front of us.
“Reina, I didn’t know he’d be here. I swear.”
“I know that, Rose, but using his help doesn’t mean you failed. You took an opportunity that was offered to you, and passed your mission. Congratulations.”
She signs off, and I turn to Rose with a grin. “I deserve a kiss for helping you, don’t you think?”
“Ass.”
“Waiting.”
She leans over, and touches her lips to mine. It’s brief, and impersonal, but it lights me up more than any other woman’s passionate lip lock ever has. She’s the only one I want, the only one I’ve wanted since the day I met her. Now, I just have to prove it to her.
Acknowledgments
As always, my girls, Dominique and Gabi, are who I think of first. I’m so proud of the women they’ve become!
Helen knocks it out of the park with the covers EVERY time!
Marcus, who is on the cover of Matisse’s book as Kendrick, took the pic on this cover, and it’s perfect for Theo!
Yordan, who let me use the pic, and who I haven’t met yet, so I could think of as Theo as I wrote
To Mallory, Vicki, Jessica, Sabrina, and Natasha—thanks for reading it early, and letting me mess with your minds before everyone else.
To Marta, whose story helped shape part of this one. I’m so glad you’re my friend, and thanks again for letting me sleep on your couch for the night!
To all my readers—thank you for loving the books, and writing to tell me! It means so much to me
About the Author
Crystal Perkins has always been a big reader, but she never thought she would write her own book, until she sat down and did it one day. She lives in Las Vegas, where you can find her running author events and selling books at conventions when she isn’t reading, buying too many Sherlock t-shirts and LulaRoe leggings, or finding a place to put all of her Pop! figurines. In 2016, she won the Creative Initiatives Award from Romantic Times for encouraging literacy, and also the Community Advocate Award from the Clark County School Librarians Association. A mac and cheese connoisseur, she travels the country looking for the perfect version, while attending book conventions and signings as a cover for her research. The Griffin Brothers, Corrigan & Co., and the Society Girls series are all international best sellers, and she’s thankful to the readers who made that happen.
* * *
Find her here:
www.crystalperkinsauthor.com
facebook.com/crystalperkinsauthor
@wondermomlv
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Society Girls: Kalila Page 15
