“What? You think I didn’t know that’s why you broke up with me?”
“I figured you thought it was Meghan.”
“No. I didn’t think you were that kind of guy.”
“I wasn’t.”
“I know. Hence the reason I didn’t egg your truck like my friends wanted me to.”
Dylan smiled into the dark. “And to answer your question earlier … about Meghan.” He sighed. “Yes, I did share her before we were married. She wasn’t into it, so I shut that side of myself down.”
“Did it bother you that you had to?”
“No. After a while, I never thought about it.”
“You loved her, Dylan. It makes sense that you did what you could to make her happy.” Sarah turned. “I want you to know you can talk about her with me. I’d like to be able to talk about Paul.”
He kissed her forehead again. “I’d like that. I want to be able to talk to you.”
“Good. And as long as you do, I won’t have to withhold sex from you.”
Dylan laughed, pulling her tighter to him. “Were you serious when you said you’d marry me?”
“Yes.” Her hand slid over his chest. “Were you serious when you asked?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to talk to your kids first?” she asked.
Dylan kissed her forehead. “I’ll talk to them. They’ll be thrilled, I’m sure. But the bigger question is, where are we gonna live? My place or yours?”
“Where do you wanna live?” she asked. “I’m not married to this house, just so you know. In a fit of rage, I sold my house because Paul had lived there, and like I said, I was mad at him for so long. So, I bought this one so I didn’t have to live with my mother.”
“Well, you’ve got one up on me then, because I live in the guest house on my grandfather’s ranch. I didn’t want the commitment of buying another house.”
“It looks like we’ve got options then.”
“Options.” Dylan rolled over so that he was hovering over Sarah. “I like options.”
chapter THIRTY
Tuesday, January 31
“I’M GETTING MARRIED,” SARAH BLURTED.
Elaine stared back, a small smile on her lips. Sarah waited patiently for her to say something. “I assume from the fact that you’re glowing that this is something that you want?”
Sarah clasped her hands together, fighting the urge to fidget. “It is.”
“You love him.”
It was obvious that wasn’t a question, but Elaine surely knew her well enough by now to know that Sarah wouldn’t even dream of getting married unless it was for love.
“This is happy news, Sarah. Are you having any second thoughts?”
“Not at all.”
“Have you told your mother?”
Sarah smiled. “I did. She was the first person I called.”
“And what did she say?”
Chuckling, Sarah looked up and met Elaine’s gaze. “She told me that I’m taking my New Year’s resolution rather seriously. And then she told me that I better bring Dylan by so she can talk to him. That should be interesting.”
“And have you talked to Jake?”
“No, not yet. I called and left him a message. He called me a little while ago and I asked him to meet me for lunch.”
“How do you think he’ll take it?”
“I think he wants me to be happy.”
“You think?”
“He’s going through some issues of his own right now.”
“Something you can help him with?”
Sarah knew that was a trick question. “No. And I haven’t been sticking my nose in. I told him I’m here to talk whenever he needs me. I’m not trying to fix him.”
Elaine smiled. “But you want to.”
“No,” Sarah admitted. “I don’t want to fix him. I wish I could make the situation better for him, but I can’t. And since he’s not in danger, I know I can’t project my feelings on him. So, I’ve offered an ear and when he’s ready, I know he’ll talk to me.”
“I’m proud of you, Sarah. I think you’ve come a long way over the years.”
“I think I have, too. It took some time, but I’ve made some progress.”
“And Dylan? How’s he doing?”
“He’s good. He’s in control of his life. He told me that was the reason he didn’t contact me after … you know.”
Elaine nodded.
“He said he had to fix himself in order to be worthy of me.” Her heart melted a little more as she said the words aloud.
“And you believe him?”
“I do.”
“It sounds like things are working out.”
“I think they are.” Sarah glanced at her watch.
“Well, I won’t keep you since you’ve got a lunch date.”
“Dylan’s joining us,” Sarah noted.
“He is?”
“Yes. And he’s asked his kids to come as well. So we can tell them together.”
“Are you nervous?”
Sarah shook her head but then laughed. “Of course I’m nervous. These are his children. I want them to like me.”
Elaine’s smile was so warm Sarah could practically feel it. “You’re a strong, independent, highly intelligent woman. You’ve got a good heart, Sarah. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Doesn’t mean you won’t.” Elaine chuckled. “But you’ve come through this stronger. I know you can handle anything that crosses your path.”
Sarah got to her feet when Elaine did. “That means a lot,” she told her therapist. “But I hope you know you’re not off the hook. I have every intention of continuing these sessions. Dylan even mentioned he’d like to come with me.”
“I’d like that,” Elaine said. “And I’ll still be here. Ready to listen whenever you need me.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” Elaine’s eyebrows slanted.
“For listening, for guiding me in the right direction.”
“Oh, honey, I might’ve listened, but your heart led you in the right direction. Now you have to simply follow it.”
Swallowing hard, Sarah hugged Elaine and then turned on her heel and headed for her car.
Now, if she could make it through lunch, she might just be all right.
DYLAN SHOULD’VE REALIZED THAT PUTTING Nate and Jake at the same table was going to cause some friction. Thankfully, they had Stacey to keep things moving. She hadn’t stopped talking since she took a seat between the boys.
“So, why’d you bring us here?” Nate asked, his forehead creased. He was clearly uncomfortable as he glanced between Dylan and Sarah.
“We wanted to tell you that we’re getting married.”
Yes, well, that was one way to get his children to be quiet. Even Stacey didn’t seem to know what to say. Granted, Dylan assumed by the smile on her face that she wasn’t completely horrified by the idea.
“You love him?” Jake asked Sarah.
“I do,” she confirmed without missing a beat.
Jake peered over at Dylan briefly, then back to his aunt. “Then I’m happy for you.” A small smile curved his mouth. “You deserve to be happy, Aunt Sarah.”
“Thank you.”
Dylan could see the tears forming in her eyes.
“Well, I had absolutely no idea you were in love,” Stacey announced. “But I only have one thing to say.”
Dylan waited and he felt Sarah stiffen beside him.
“It’s about damn time.”
They both choked out a laugh.
“Nate? Do you have any questions?” Dylan prompted his son.
Nate seemed to consider that for a moment, then met Dylan’s eyes. “Only one.”
“What’s that?”
A smile formed on his son’s face and Dylan’s chest constricted at the sight. It had been so long since he’d seen Nate smile.
“Does this mean that the guest house will be vacant?”
Dylan chuckled and Sarah squeezed
his hand. “It’s possible.”
“Cool.”
“Have you told Aunt Ashleigh yet?” Stacey asked.
“Not yet. But I’m sure she’ll know before the day is out.”
“She will,” Stacey confirmed. “Because I already texted her.”
Dylan shook his head. His daughter was something else. He glanced from one face to the next. Stacey, Nate, Jake. “Y’all are really okay with this?”
Nate nodded, Stacey said, “Of course,” and Jake smiled.
“Are you gonna tell them about the new job?” Sarah asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“New job? Where?” Stacey asked, her attention fully on Dylan now.
“I’m going to be working for … Trent Ramsey.”
Three pairs of eyes widened as all the kids stared back at him. Dylan was pretty sure they wouldn’t remember the part about him and Sarah getting married.
“Do we get to meet him?”
“Oh, my God! Trent Ramsey from the Dillon Chronicles. Are you serious?”
“Wow. That’s cool.”
And just like that, the three kids were now talking amongst themselves, chattering on about Trent freaking Ramsey.
Dylan glanced at Sarah.
“I told you we should’ve led with that,” she teased.
For the first time in his life, Dylan felt completely at peace with himself. It had taken a long time to get to this point, but as he stared at the woman he loved, he knew that this was a new beginning.
One he was definitely looking forward to.
EPILOGUE
Eleven months later
SARAH FELT AS THOUGH SHE was living on an entirely different plane than she had just a few months ago. Ever since the night she’d run into Dylan at the CISS party, her world had been turned upside down. And that had been only the beginning. These days, she felt … different.
She wasn’t sure what the difference was though. Aside from the fact that she was now married, living in a cute little four-bedroom house not too far from Trent Ramsey’s new BDSM club with her husband and her two cats. Okay, so maybe the fact she was working at a BDSM club was what felt so different. The very same BDSM club that was officially opening tonight.
And yes, all was in place. She’d assured Trent of that on the phone, when he called her for the tenth time this morning. That was another big thing that had changed. She talked to Trent freaking Ramsey damn near every single day on the phone or in person.
Seriously, how could she not? The man had offered her a job. A fantastic one making good money. But more importantly, she got to work alongside her husband. Trent hadn’t only wanted her to co-manage the place with Dylan—something she and Dylan had talked about long before she finally accepted the position—but he’d also wanted her to work with his designer, who just so happened to be married to Luke McCoy, the owner of Devotion.
Apparently, Trent had liked Sarah’s design ideas so much he had scrapped his own and implemented the changes. Needless to say, for the nine months it took for them to complete the club, Sarah hadn’t had much time to sit around and think.
Which was a good thing.
“Are you ready for this?” Dylan asked, moving up behind her as they stood near the main bar at … yes, you guessed it … Dichotomy.
Trent had loved the idea. Not only because it defined him so perfectly but because it also defined the club.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she told him, going on her toes to kiss him. “I mean, we are in a BDSM club, so who knows what’s gonna happen when those doors open.”
Dylan chuckled. “Good news is there aren’t people waiting on the other side of those doors. But they’ll be arriving soon.”
Through the garage, Sarah knew. The front doors were simply for show. If someone wandered up to that part of the building, they’d be greeted by a receptionist, who would handle their issue and send them on their way.
The paying clientele were given individual pass codes that would let them in through the underground parking garage. Their anonymity was of the utmost concern, and the club had been built with that in mind.
“So, maybe we can sneak off later?” Dylan suggested. “Try out one of those spanking benches.”
Sarah laughed. “Are Christian and Tristan gonna stop by?”
Dylan turned to face her fully. “I asked them to. Why?”
“Well, if they do show up, then maybe you’ll get your wish.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because they’ll be a good distraction, don’t you know?”
Dylan jerked her to him, making her giggle as he kissed her hard. “Woman, whatever am I gonna do with you?”
“Whatever you want. Don’t you know that by now?”
Trent Ramsey felt as though he’d been waiting for this night all his life. The grand opening of Dichotomy. He still had a hard time believing it was finally here. Everything was perfect. The place looked spectacular—far better than he’d ever imagined. He knew he owed his gratitude to Sarah and Dylan. They’d worked diligently getting it all in order, paying attention to every little detail.
Now, the only thing left to do was wait to see who showed up.
More importantly, he was waiting to see if she showed up.
She was a submissive looking for a Dom, after all.
And Trent was more than ready to fill the position.
Which was why he’d sent her an invitation. A personal one.
One he couldn’t imagine she could turn down.
♥▫▫▫▫♥▫▫▫▫♥
I hope you enjoyed Dylan and Sarah’s story. I’ve mentioned it before, but it took me 3 years to write this book. It all had to do with the frame of mind that Dylan was in. Early on, I found that his depression directly affected my own, therefore I had to put the book away. I’m so glad that his story has now been told. And yes, this is the final book in the Club Destiny series, HOWEVER, there will be a spin-off series for Trent. Something a little edgier, more BDSM related. So, stay tuned for more information.
Want to see some fun stuff related to the Club Destiny series? You can find extras on my website. Or how about what’s coming next? I keep my website updated with the books I’m working on, including the writing progression of what’s coming for all of my series.
Want a simple, fast way to get updates on new releases? If you’re in the U.S., you can also sign up for text messaging - just text NICOLE to 64600 or fill out the form here. I promise not to spam your phone. This is just my way of letting you know what’s happening because I know you’re busy, but if you’re anything like me, you always have your phone on you.
If you want to see what’s going on with me each week, sign up for my weekly Hot Sheet! It’s a short, entertaining weekly update of things going on in my life and that of the team that supports me. We’re a little crazy at times and this is a firsthand account of our antics.
And last but certainly not least, if you’re interested in getting monthly updates and announcements, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter.
And, as always, thank you so much for reading. I hope you’ll be able to leave an honest review as this is the best way to share your thoughts about the book with others.
♥▫▫▫▫♥▫▫▫▫♥
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing this book has been bittersweet. When I first started writing this book three years ago, I didn’t know where it would lead me. Never did I dream that it would take me to the end of the Club Destiny series, yet here we are. CONVICTION was the very first book that I published as Nicole Edwards back in 2012, and I have to thank all of the readers who took a chance on me. The fact that it has become such a beloved series has surpassed all of my wildest dreams
Okay, now on to the acknowledgments. I know that I will likely leave out someone important, but here goes.
First of all, I have to say thank you to my amazing husband who puts up with me every single day. If it wasn’t for him and his belief that I could do this, I wouldn’t be
writing this today. He has been my backbone.
I need to say a huge thank you to Jennifer Greeff. It is because you have stepped in to help me out as my assistant that I was even able to finish this book. Thank you. For everything.
I have to give a huge shout out to Carla Rogers. Carla, you were the very first person to ever email me in an author capacity and it so happened to be about the Club Destiny series. I had no idea what was in store for me at the time, but I thank you for opening my eyes and allowing me to see the great big Indie book world that is out there.
And Chancy Powley … you’ve been here with me since 2013. I’m pretty sure you were slightly disappointed (maybe more than slightly) with one of my books, and you wanted to offer feedback. Since then, you’ve beta read every single one of my books. I am grateful in ways I can never explain. And more importantly, I am honored to call you friend.
I have to thank my new beta readers – Amber Willis, Allison Holzapfel, and Karen DiGaetano. Ladies, I look forward to what the future has in store for us. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
A huge thank you to my proofreaders. Jenna Underwood, Annette Elens, Theresa Martin, and Sara Gross. It’s your attention to detail that has allowed this book to be the best that it can be.
I also have to thank my street team – Naughty (and nice) Girls – which has expanded in recent weeks. Traci Hyland and Maureen Ames, you have been with me for so long and I know there are times I don’t show you the appreciation you deserve, but I want you to know that your desire to get my name out there means everything. And a huge welcome to Cindy Rockey-Bocz, Michelle Nageldinger, Erin Lewis, Jackie Wright, Chris Geier, Kara Hildebrand, Shannon Thompson, Tracy Barbour, Nadine Hunter, Toni Thompson, and Rachelle Newham.
I can’t forget my copyeditor, Amy at Blue Otter Editing. Thank goodness I’ve got you to catch all my punctuation, grammar, and tense errors.
A huge shout out to Alfie Gordillo because, man, you’ve given me one seriously hot cover. The instant I saw that picture, I messaged you because I knew it was perfect for this book. It so happens that it took more than a year after that before I published the book, but I’m honored to have you on the cover. And a big thank you to Cassie Roop with Pink Ink Designs for making the picture possible. You’re a rock star behind the camera, and I hope you never stop doing what you’re doing.
Distraction (Club Destiny Book 8) Page 28
