by Leila James
“My aunt said my mother was hoping you’d come back for her.”
“By the time I finally got my ass in gear, the damage was done. I should have tried harder.” His gaze narrows, and he points at my wrist. I look down at it, confused. His voice hitches. “Is there a sun charm on that bracelet?”
My eyes widen. “Yes.”
“She must have added the other charms later.”
“What do you mean?” I’ve asked the question, but I already know the answer. I feel it deep down in all the twisted-up knots of my stomach.
“I gave that bracelet to her when we were dating. I used to call her my sunshine.”
I blink. I’ve been wearing this for nine months without ever realizing that it was a gift from my father to my mother—when they were in love. My heart melts a little. If she gave it to me, he had to have been important to her, even after their unfortunate history. Slowly, I rise from my seat and walk around the table to him so he can look at it. “She gave it to me last Christmas, shortly before she passed. When she did, she said that she’d been collecting charms for years. Reminders of all of the most important moments in her life. I do think she meant to include you.”
Sebastian stands up facing me, then cautiously takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. “I’m so proud of everything you are, Scarlett.” He sucks in a breath, looks quickly at Isabella, who gives him a teary-eyed smile. “I don’t know if it’s too soon, but I’d love it if you’d call me Dad.”
I drop his hand and walk right into his arms.
Chapter 36
Xander
I’ve got to say, I was a little concerned that Sebastian wasn’t going to say what he should, but I think he did himself and his daughter proud just now.
Once everyone’s calmed down and June has passed tissues around to those in need, Sebastian catches Scarlett’s eye. “I have something I want to run by you—and you can say no if you don’t want me to do this. I won’t be offended.”
Her brows draw together, uncertain. “What do you have in mind?”
“I’ve been thinking—I’d like to start a scholarship to be given out every year in honor of your mother. You could be in charge of choosing the recipient.”
Scarlett twitches a bit in her seat before she locks eyes with him. “I think that would be great. But … no more secrets. I don’t want to hide who is fronting the money. I don’t want to hide anything.” Her eyes flick to his, and I see hope there, lying in the depths. Her voice is rough when she adds, “I don’t want to hide whose daughter I am, either. It should be clear that it’s the two of us granting it—me and my dad.”
Sebastian’s gaze bounces between Scarlett and Mom.
Mom pats his hand. “You know she’s right, Sebastian.”
He nods. “It’s settled, then. I’ll call and discuss the Amelia Miller Scholarship with Headmaster Gilmore first thing Monday morning.”
I have no clue if my mother or Sebastian are going to notice that Scarlett isn’t in the pretty guest room that they’ve provided, but I’m not having it any other way. She’ll stay with me or me with her. There are no other options. I need her with me. I need to touch her, need to know she’s safe and whole and unharmed by all that’s happened. I need to know she doesn’t blame me for leaving her vulnerable. I hate that all of this could have been prevented—but in a way, I’m glad we’ve come through it and are now on the other side. My father and Justin have enough charges against them that I wouldn’t be surprised if they both see time in prison. Mom and I will be speaking to the detective about what we lived through as well. We’d like to make sure Joseph Grey is put away for a long, long time. I’m happy about it. Because in all honesty? He was only ever a father to me in the biological sense. He’s been the monster in all of my worst nightmares. Never my dad.
I pull Scarlett through the door behind me, then close it. I back her up against it, dipping my head down and nuzzling the juncture of her neck and shoulder.
Her body strains toward mine at the same time she teases, “Maybe I should be in the guest bedroom.”
Shaking my head at her, I rasp, “Stay. Stay here with me. Let me show you how sorry I am for everything. I need to know that everything that’s happened hasn’t changed the way you feel about me. I want to take care of you.”
“Does this involve us getting naked? Because there’s nothing that would make me feel better right now.” She gives me a tiny smirk, and that’s how I know for sure our relationship is stronger than ever.
I chuckle darkly. “Red, I want to sink into you and never be apart from you again.”
“Then show me, Xander. Because nothing your father did to you or to me was your fault. Justin wasn’t your fault, either. I don’t want to think about them anymore. I don’t want to think at all. I just want to feel.” She reaches for my jeans, freeing my erection in no time flat, pushing both the jeans and my boxer briefs down to my knees. I yank my T-shirt over my head at the same time she shrugs out of hers. My mouth brushes over her lips as I go for her leggings and panties, pushing them down over her sweet ass. She kicks free of them, and I lift her so she can wrap her legs around me. Nothing has ever felt more right. I drive my hard, heavy cock inside her in one powerful stroke. She lets out a little gasp, but then tilts her hips to take me deeper.
Deeper. I’ve fallen for this girl more deeply than I’d ever thought possible. I want all her laughs, her tears, her smiles, her pain. I want it all. With her.
“Fuck me, Xander. I need to feel you.”
My dick likes the way she thinks. I growl, “Red, you and your sassy mouth are going to get you in trouble one day.”
She smiles, eyes filled with emotion, battling back tears. “If this is trouble, it’s right where I want to be.”
Chapter 37
Scarlett
Xander’s cock slides in and out of me, and he’s like all my best fantasies rolled into one. He lights up my life and sets me on fire in the most amazing way. Loving him is like the end of a cross-country run. My heart bursts in exhilaration at the sweet, sweet surrender to the pain of it. I want the whole journey. The 5K run. All four quarters of the game. Everything. I don’t know if he’ll be the stitch in my side or the medal around my neck, but either way, I want it all. With him.
My back thumps against the door as Xander pounds into me. If his mom and my dad don’t already know what we’re doing, they will if they come within fifty yards of this room.
His mouth descends on the same spot at the top of my left breast just over my heart where he’d bitten once before. Xander sinks his teeth in there again and I gasp, loving every second of the pain. It makes me feel alive. Like he’s branding me. And like last time, he swipes over the tender spot with a feather soft caress of his tongue, and then he kisses it better. “Mine.”
He buries his face near my ear, and all the groaning he’s doing is getting me so worked up, I grind shamelessly against him, my orgasm building.
“That’s it, Scarlett. Come all over my cock. It’s yours. You own me, baby. Claim me.” He thrusts several more times, adjusting us so his pelvic bone is nudging my clit with every satisfying stroke. “I fucking love you.”
“And I love you, Xander.” It’s our exchanged declaration that gives me the final nudge over the edge. My orgasm streaks through my body from head to toe, blinding and brilliant. Waves of pleasure radiate from my core outward. My entire being quakes with the power of it—with the power of what I feel for him.
He tenses and pushes deep inside of me as he comes, gasping out, “Forever, Red.” His mouth locks on mine, and he kisses me with everything he’s got—mind, body, and soul.
Somehow, in him I’ve found the one who’ll make me want to live my life and love the way I want to—madly, truly, and without fear for the future. Because I know no matter what happens, I’ll never be alone. He will always be by my side.
Xander has found all the broken bits of my heart and pieced them back together. Despite our faults, through everything, he’s made
me whole again. Our love isn’t perfect, but it’s perfectly us.
Scarlett and Xander, forever.
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Want more Rosehaven Academy …?
Ruthless Rose, the first book in Daphne and Micah’s story, releases in March 2021.
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Also by Leila James
ROSEHAVEN ACADEMY
BOOK 1: Savage Rose
BOOK 2: Tainted Rose
BOOK 3: Ruthless Rose
Dear Reader
Welcome back to Rosehaven Academy! I hope you enjoyed the ride that Scarlett and Xander just took you on! Hopefully, you’ve forgiven Xander for acting like an ass.
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Next up, Ruthless Rose releases March 2021. Micah and Daphne have a completely different story, and a whole new set of problems to be resolved.
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Come follow me on Amazon: author.to/LeilaJames
And join my NEWSLETTER through my website: https://www.leilajames.biz/newsletter-signup
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Until next time,
XO Leila XO
Acknowledgments
To Rebecca Kimmel, thanks for pushing me to write the RIGHT ending for this book. Sometimes I’m too nice to my characters, so I’m glad you said something and we tweaked it.
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To Krista Dapkey, I appreciate so much that you were willing to work extra hours to get this done ahead of schedule! Also, you can send me one of those selfies every time you start reading one of my books. That was the best surprise.
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To Diana TC, this is my favorite cover of this series! Thanks for putting so much effort into making sure we got Scarlett just right!
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To SM, thanks for listening to me babble half the day. I love bouncing ideas around with you and getting your take on these characters! Mission accomplished.
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To my family, XOXO Love you!
About the Author
Leila James has one goal: keeping you up past your bedtime turning the pages of her books. She writes emotional, angsty, and swoon-worthy young adult and new adult romances with lots of unique characters and plot twists.
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Leila's family will tell you she's as big a reader as she is a writer. And ... she's completely obsessed with both. She resides in Virginia with her husband and two children.
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