by Sam Crescent
She didn’t speak for what felt like a lifetime, and then she threw herself into his arms. He held her close, kissing her neck, holding her tightly, and knowing deep in his heart he was never going to let her go.
“I love you, too. I was so scared. I thought you wanted to end it. I didn’t even realize that you loved me as well.”
“We’ve both been struggling then.”
She pulled away, and he cupped her cheeks, kissing her hard on the lips.
“Let’s get out of this rain.”
He picked her up, and carried her through her door, up the stairs, where he spent the rest of the night making love to her.
Chapter Twelve
Three weeks later
Cassie stood outside of the hospital room where her mother was being treated. Terminal cancer had caught her mother, and according to the nurse she had less than a month to live.
She had asked for Slade to wait in the car. This wasn’t going to be a trip that took long. When he’d showed her the letters the day after he’d confessed his love, Cassie had fought the decision of coming here.
At first, she’d said her mother could rot after everything she did. Now, she didn’t want to leave without getting some closure herself. The letter had answered a lot of questions, but she needed to see her mother for herself.
Entering her mother’s room, the bed was empty, but the chair near the window had a woman who looked nothing like Cassie remembered of her mother.
Gone was her hair, and she wore a scarf over her head. She looked frail, old, and … lonely.
Trixie turned toward her, and there was that moment where Cassie saw that her mother recognized her.
“Cassie,” she said.
Even her voice sounded weak.
For the longest time Cassie stared at the woman that she had hated for most of her life. Even after reading the letter she’d sent to her father, she hadn’t felt sorry for the woman. Her mother had written how sorry she was for being a shitty wife and that she hoped he’d found the perfect woman, and he lived a wonderful life.
Taking a seat in front of her mother, Cassie stared at the woman who she felt had ruined her life.
“I’m so pleased you came.”
“I don’t think I am,” she said. “In fact, I wish I hadn’t come.” Cassie shook her head, even as tears came to her eyes. “Was all this worth it? You’re alone, and you don’t know anything.”
Tears fell down Trixie’s face. “No, it wasn’t worth this.”
“You only regretted it though because you realize how alone you are.” Cassie laughed and shook her head, tears running down her face. She felt sad for the woman sitting in front of her, but this didn’t make her feel any better. There were no great revelations.
“Where’s Bill?” Trixie asked. “I thought … he’d come with you.”
“He’s dead. He’s been dead for over six years.” Cassie stared at her mother. “You left, and he spiraled. Lost his job, his reputation, and turned to drink. He became an alcoholic, picked a fight, and was killed.”
Trixie bowed her head, and Cassie wiped away her tears. “This was a mistake coming here. I’m sorry that you’re alone, and that you wanted forgiveness or whatever. Fine. I forgive you. If that’s what you need, then I forgive you.”
There was no connection, no love. If anything, Cassie was angry at her, and she couldn’t bring herself to hurt the woman who was dying.
“I’m sorry, Cassie.”
“I know you are. I’m going to be getting married,” Cassie said. “I fell in love with a deputy, you don’t know him.” Cassie smirked. The way she saw it, Trixie would have probably tried to sleep with him.
“Can you at least sit with me for a while?” Trixie asked. “I’d really like it if you’d do that.”
For the next month, Cassie visited her mother every single day. Slade would drive her to the care home where she would sit with her. They would stare out into the garden, and toward the end of her mother’s life, they’d even started the plans for Cassie’ wedding.
Her mother picked out the dress, and also handed her the gold band that Bill had gotten Trixie.
“You didn’t sell it?”
“I tried to sell it many times. I could never part with it,” Trixie said. “I’m ashamed that he died like that. I drove him to drink, and to being an awful father. I’m sorry I can’t make it up to you, Cassie, sweetie.”
One week later, Trixie passed away, and Cassie buried her body in the same plot that Bill was resting in.
Daniel was there, with Jessica, William, and Slade. They were at her back as she lowered her last parent into the ground. Resting her head against Slade’s shoulder, he wrapped his arms around hers, holding her close.
“I love you,” she said.
“I wish I hadn’t shown you those stupid letters,” he said, whispering the words against her ear.
“I’m glad that you did.”
“It made you sad,” Slade said. “I don’t like to see you sad.”
She smiled up at him. “I got closure, Slade. There was no way I could have gotten anything else. I was never close to her when she was in my life. At least I got something, and that’s all I can ask for.”
“You’ll always have me, babe. Always.”
She closed her eyes, and knew she would never throw him away. She’d cherish him always.
****
Six months later
“Are you going to pass out?” Daniel asked.
“No. I’m good.” Slade glanced down at his watch, and then looked back up, waiting. He was nervous. Cassie was five minutes late, and so far there was no sign of Jessica or his mother either.
He was standing near the priest. His parents sat with the guests, and he even saw the Andersons had decided to join the celebration. He’d sent then an invitation but hadn’t expected them to actually come. Of course, he’d made sure Andrew Anderson had gotten one.
Slade smirked, thinking about the other asshole. He’d been out taking a walk with Cassie when they had bumped into Andrew.
Cassie had smiled at Andrew, and introduced him. At the same time, Jessica had called her into a shop, leaving him alone with Andrew, where he had made sure that the guy knew Cassie belonged to him, and if he ever heard or saw Andrew saying shit about his woman, he’d personally make his life a living hell.
Andrew had gotten cocky, and said he couldn’t be touched. Slade had told Andrew to ask his parents just how difficult he could be.
That had been the end of that, and of course, Slade had won. He had Cassie’s heart, her body, and their future would be together if only she turned up.
He was starting to get nervous. What if she had cold feet? He checked to make sure he had the ring she’d been looking at in the jewelers that time. The ring that would bind her to him was nestled in the fabric. Looking up, he saw the clerk was watching. When he went back to get the ring, he’d invited the clerk to his wedding.
Slade felt people looking at him, and when he was about to grab his cell and call her, Jessica came rushing forward, and the music started up.
Only when he saw Cassie did he take a breath. She looked stunning in the white dress that was cut off her shoulders, and enhanced her curves. He was going to have a lot of fun getting her out of that tonight.
Finally, when she was in his arms, he felt like the world was right again.
“What took you so long?” he asked.
“Car trouble. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would take that long.” She gave his arm a squeeze, and then they stood facing the priest.
Binding himself to Cassie made Slade feel whole again. She was his, and he was hers, and together they could handle anything.
By the time it came for him to kiss the bride, in front of the whole town, he claimed Cassie as his forever.
Maybe the curse on the house was right. Although, he didn’t see it as a curse. No, he saw it as a blessing.
Epilogue
Five months later
C
asey rubbed her swollen stomach as she smiled at the house that had changed her life. She and Slade had been happily married for five months now, and they were also pregnant.
A little baby was on the way, and with it, they had picked a new house together. The couples that had gone before them had sold the houses at exactly the same time, and they didn’t want to break the spell, the curse, or the coincidence that brought people together.
She thought it was sweet that Slade wanted to give another couple a chance.
“You okay, baby?” Slade asked, coming up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, cupping his child, and kissing her neck.
Closing her eyes, she basked in his attention, and his love.
“Yeah, I’m okay. So do you think we picked the right couple?” she asked.
“You know, it makes me wonder if something was in the cards when I picked this house. I came here after you. You were already settled. Don’t you think that is creepy?”
“Three different guys put an offer on your house, but they all fell through. I guess it really was meant to be with you,” she said, smiling.
“I have a feeling you’re mocking me right now.”
She covered her mouth, trying to hide the giggle. “I don’t think two houses being together determine if a couple gets together.”
“You don’t?”
“No.” She spun in his arms. “There’s so much more to it than just a house.”
“Well, Mrs. Coal, I believe this is the last box. I intend to take you home, and we’re going to break in our new bed.”
“We are?”
“Yes. All this weekend your pussy is mine. We’ve got a little one arriving soon, and before he or she does, I want to fuck you in every single room of the house, and make it yours.”
Her pussy pulsed as a fresh wave of arousal hit her. Ever since she’d gotten pregnant, she had found herself more and more turned on.
He nibbled her neck, driving her need even higher.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“I told you I’d find another reason for us to not unpack,” he said.
She chuckled, and as they left their home, she saw the two large trucks heading their way. They already had another place, which they had been taking boxes to throughout the week.
Climbing into the passenger seat, she watched as the woman Slade had sold his house to climbed out, and began to carry stuff into the house.
The guy that she had sold to was covered in ink, and looked like he was going to be a nightmare to live next to.
“I give it a year,” Slade said.
“A year for what?”
“A year before they’re a couple.”
She rolled her eyes. “You still think the houses bring couples together.”
He shrugged. “I’ve got the love of my life sitting beside me, pregnant with my kid. I’ve got to believe in something.” He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Come on, I know for a long time I was the fucker next door. It didn’t take you long to change your mind.”
“Fine.” She looked at the couple. The girl was prim, proper, and looked like she went to church. Pursing her lips, she had the time frame. “Six months.”
“That’s not long.”
“I know it’s not. But I don’t think it’s going to take them long either.”
“Babe, you’ve got yourself a bet.”
No, she had the man of her dreams, and a future she always wanted. Maybe he was right, and dreams or blessings, do come true.
The End
www.samcrescent.com
Other Books by Sam Crescent:
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
TAKING HER INNOCENCE
Killer of Kings, 1
Sam Crescent & Stacey Espino
Copyright © 2017
Chapter One
“You think you can handle it?” Boss asked.
Viper stared out across the parking lot. A lot of shoppers were milling around today, going about their own pathetic lives, believing they were the most important thing in the world.
None of them had any idea that one of the world’s deadliest killers was amongst them. He was part of an elite group of mercenaries. He killed for the money. Whoever offered the highest bounty, he took it. He never asked questions, and he never cared about the people he killed. This was a job to him, something he was good at.
“Why can’t I handle it? Send me a picture of the girl. I’ll do the rest.”
“She has to die of natural causes.”
Viper snorted. “No problem.”
He had one month to find a woman, and to end her life. Piece of cake. He had lots of ways of killing a woman, and this would be no different.
“Deposit the money, and I’ll call you if I need more.” Viper whistled as he made his way toward the car. He put the groceries in the trunk, got behind the wheel, and waited.
Her picture came through his cell phone, and he stared at the girl in question. She couldn’t have been older than fifteen, but from what Boss had told him, she was nearly twenty-one years old, and had been on the run for nearly six months. Curious.
The picture showed her cuddled up next to her mother, and she looked happy. Pepper was chubby, her cheeks looking like the kind you could pinch, and grandmothers cooed over. Boss had given him all the details over the phone. Viper didn’t do paperwork, reading, or worrying about something being tracked.
He memorized everything. All the little details were up in his head, and that was where they would stay until the job was gone.
Viper didn’t know why the woman in question, Pepper, was running, and he really didn’t care. The moment Boss called him and gave him an assignment, he did it. Now he just needed to figure out where she was staying.
Good news for him, he had a special guy who owned equipment that could find him this woman. Leaving the grocery store, Viper made his way across the city toward the guy who he knew would hook him up.
Whenever he was in between jobs, he would always stick around where his people were so that he didn’t have to worry about endless traveling. Working for Killer of Kings was rather lucrative. They were a company known for getting the job done. Nothing was too much, no job too hard. He had traveled all over the world to do what needed to be done, from killing people, to fucking women, to even rescuing people. If the price was right, he would do anything.
From a young age, younger than any child should ever have to deal, he had been taught to hunt, to kill, and to do it without feeling a damn thing. There were scars on his back that all bled together that reminded him a past he wished he could forget. When he saw children with their parents, for a split second he felt envious, jealous that they could be having a wonderful life, a better one than he ever had. Of course they were having a better life than he had. None of them had ever gone through the hours of pain or the training that had made him one of the deadliest men on earth.
Parking his car outside of one of the shittiest apartments in the city, he made his way toward his contact, Maurice. The guy was thirty years old, a slob, but damn good when it came to computers. He was the only one who gave Viper the facts without giving him files thick with writing and shit. Viper didn’t want to be studying. Cold, hard facts were what he was after, and he didn’t need paperwork that could be traced.
Maurice lived on the top floor. He was a tall, skinny man who wore big, thick glasses. Banging on the door, Viper waited, and when Maurice opened the door his shirt was covered in ketchup and mustard stains.
“I’ve told you to change,” Viper said, entering the room.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t think I’d see you for a couple more wee
ks. You usually take time off. Why are you back after just a week?” Maurice asked.
The apartment was littered with debris. Only the sitting room, the place where all the computers and equipment were set up was spotless.
“You need to get a cleaning lady,” Viper said. He hated mess.
Mess equaled mistakes.
He was clean, efficient, and he didn’t have anything to leave behind. Even his apartment where he stayed during his vacations didn’t hold any personal mementos. Not that he would ever have those. Mementos would mean caring, and that wasn’t what he did. He didn’t have a family, a past, nor would he have a future.
“Cleaning ladies touch stuff, and I know where everything is.”
Viper looked around the apartment. “It stinks.”
“So? It keeps everyone out, okay? This is my mess. My problem. Not yours. What do you want?” Maurice asked, shoving his glasses up his nose.
“Fine.” Viper handed over his cell phone. “Get me everything on her.”
“Do you have a name?” Maurice asked.
“Pepper. I want everything on the face though. You’ve got your computers that can track CCTV. I want to know where she was last seen.”
“This could take a while.”
“Don’t care. I can pay.” Viper moved into the sitting room and took a seat. It was the only place he was willing to park his ass while he waited, and there wasn’t a chance in hell he was leaving until he got what he wanted.
Something was bugging him about this assignment, which was strange because he usually didn’t care. Swift, efficient, done. That’s what he’d always been about.
