Her fingers trailed down his spine and she lifted into him, her lips parting as he slowly filled her.
“You okay?”
She nodded, her gaze still locked with his. “Yes.”
He pushed deeper, his hands surrounding her face as he looked into her eyes. “I love you, Chloe.”
“I love you too, Trenton.” She blinked and he understood her tears were not made of fear or sadness.
He softly kissed them away. “You’ll always be safe with me.”
She smiled up at him and sniffled. “I know.”
Chapter Forty-Three
She’d finally done it. Maybe it was her revelation that she wanted to be happy. Or maybe it was realizing she loved a man who actually loved her back. The reason wasn’t as important as the result. Whatever the catalyst, she’d successfully sat through her first hour of therapy that morning.
It was her first time acting as the client rather than the therapist. But she liked Dr. Shields and intended to keep her weekly appointments from now on—at least until she worked through her remaining scars and came to see them as badges of courage rather than marks of shame.
Trenton was helping in ways he probably didn’t even realize. Every time he smiled at her or complimented her, it hit like a dose of confidence. She was working on communicating her own feelings as well. After years of guarding every word and being punished when the slightest sound slipped out, she’d built a habit of keeping her emotions to herself. But seeing how happy Trenton was when she shared her feelings with him helped her understand love should always be a reciprocal thing.
Imagine that, loving someone and knowing, without a doubt, they loved her back. She smiled, feeling more centered than she had in months.
It was Friday. Trenton told her not to make plans because he’d be whisking her away right after work. Adam was picking up the boys from school and she was free until tomorrow afternoon. She took a minute to appreciate her happiness. After all was said and done, she was truly happy.
There was a light knock at her office door and Trenton stepped in, a nervous set to his brow. It wasn’t like him to be the worrier and whenever she sensed his concern, hers doubled. “What is it?”
His hand brushed the back of his head, another telltale sign of nerves. “I—I have something for you.”
“Okay.” She didn’t understand his expression. For so long he’d been her compass in the dark. And whatever he was about to give her was more serious than the surprises he usually left by her door.
“Before I give it to you, I want you to know that it means nothing more than I love you, so don’t read too much into it.”
Now she was getting nervous. “Okay…” That was rather cryptic.
He reached into his pocket and slid an envelope in front of her.
She stared at it, not sure she wanted to know what was inside. “You know, there was an episode of Sex in the City when Carrie was dumped via Post-it. We women frown upon stuff like that.”
He laughed but his eyes still pinched with apprehension. “Definitely not breaking up with you. Go ahead and open it.”
She broke the seal and removed a slip of paper, her eyes widening at the sight of a check made out to BASE for five thousand dollars, and thirty dollars in cash. “Oh, my God, Trenton, what is this?”
“You see, seven years ago I took this job. I wound up not getting paid because I had ethical issues with the case. I did end up meeting this woman though. She was amazing—scared, yet incredibly brave. She left some things in my car, a large diamond ring, two diamond earrings and some cash I gave her to help her get back on her feet. I figured, since she was escaping a bad situation like the women you help here at BASE, she’d be happy if I sold her old ring and donated the money to help other women in similar situations.”
Chloe’s hands trembled as her eyes blurred with tears. “You … kept my ring? All this time?”
“I never forgot you, Chloe. Those things weren’t mine to keep. They were yours, something borrowed I’d always hoped I’d be able to return. I always hoped you found the happiness you were after. Being able to see you every day, knowing that you have, that’s worth more than any diamond in the world.”
She blinked rapidly, a smile contradicting her tears. “I found happiness.” She laughed. “This is going to buy a lot of bus tickets.”
He kneeled down in front of her and kissed her cheek. “It’s yours. Do whatever you want with it.” He held out his palm, two familiar studs flashing in the light. “She also gave me these, but I could tell they meant more to her than the ring, so I didn’t have the heart to sell them.”
She gasped. Her mother’s earrings. “Oh, Trenton.”
“I didn’t know if—”
“They weren’t from him. They belonged to my mother.”
He placed them in her hand, folding her fingers over the diamond studs. “Well, I’m sure she’d want you to hold onto them.”
Her lips trembled as a watery laugh escaped. “Thank you for keeping them safe for me.”
He kissed her and she slid out of her chair to hug him. Pulling back, he brushed a tear from her cheek. “Now, don’t get too emotional. I have big plans for tonight. How long until you’re finished up here?”
She glanced at the papers sitting on her desk. “I just need five minutes.”
“Perfect. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
When he opened the door, she called, “Trenton?”
“Yeah, doll?”
She smiled at him, her hand tightening around the earrings in her palm. “I think that woman you saved would be more than proud of what you did with her ring. I also think you don’t have to worry if she’s okay anymore. I have a feeling she’s happier than she ever imagined possible.”
His smile softened, the worry she spotted earlier replaced by a knowing look in his deep blue eyes. “I hope so.”
He pulled the door closed and she opened her hand. He was incredible.
A few minutes later she put on her coat and walked downstairs, wearing her mother’s earrings. Buttoning the last button on her jacket, she called for Trenton. They didn’t have any residents at the moment so the facility was quiet.
“In the gym.”
She loved having him so close during the days. They started their first self-defense class that week and already had a full roster for this session and the next.
She dug in her purse for her lipstick, looked up, and froze. Trenton stood in front of her, surrounded by a group of unexpected faces. She frowned in confusion when she saw Adam there with her sons, standing just in front of Jade and the babies.
“What’s going on?”
Trenton stepped forward. “Chloe, you told me you were mine, always and forever. And I’d like to collect on that promise. I’ve asked your boys’ permission and they agreed, so long as I always treat you nice, buy you cards and flowers once in a while, and extend their bedtime to ten-thirty on the weekends, they said I have their blessing. Now, I just need an answer from you.” He dropped to his knee. “Chloe, doll, I want to be with you always. Make an honest man out of me and be my wife.”
The faces watching her swirled as she stared through a wall of unshed tears. This was so unexpected and everyone who mattered to her was here. How had he planned all of this without her realizing?
Overwhelmed, she covered her mouth and smiled. “You asked my boys?”
“Of course. We’re all in this together.”
She glanced at Dayton and Mattie. “You bribed him?”
Mattie flushed and Dayton shrugged.
She glanced at Adam and Tommy, Jade and Jeremy, Kat and Tyson. They were all there. “You all knew about this?”
“Yes, we all knew,” Tommy squealed. “For the love of God, answer him!”
She looked down at Trenton, still on one knee. Twin tears tumbled past her lashes. “Of course I’ll marry you. You’re the love of my life.”
She flinched as a loud cheer burst from their friends. Trenton stood, wrapped her
in his arms, and kissed her soundly.
“Gross!” Dayton and Mattie said at the same time.
Tipped back in Trenton’s hold, she stared into the sweetest blue eyes she’d ever seen and let out a shaky laugh. “I can’t believe you planned all this without me knowing.”
“Tommy helped.”
“And my boys, you let them in on it too.”
“They were so cute when I told them. Chloe … I always wanted kids and you’ve got two great ones.”
Another wave of emotion struck and she smiled. “I always wanted them to have a good father, someone they could count on.”
“A family.” He kissed her again and quickly pulled back. “I almost forgot.” He removed a small velvet box from his pocket. “Now, before you open it, if you don’t like it we can pick a different one.”
She laughed, certain she’d love it because it was from him. He opened the box and she gasped. It was stunning. The center stone was round and set in a ring of smaller diamonds surrounded between twin sapphire baguettes. It was bold, yet incredibly delicate and feminine.
“Trenton… It’s beautiful.”
He slid it onto her finger. “Don’t go giving this one away.”
She smiled. “Never.” She wrapped her arms around him and rose to kiss him. Everyone cheered again and she whispered, “I’ll wear it forever.”
His happiness added to hers. There was so much love in that room that day, her soul felt at peace. Her boys laughed as Trenton teased them. Jade and Kat gushed over her ring. Tommy and Adam rattled on about wedding plans as Tyson and Jeremy toasted the future bride and groom.
Chloe took a moment to take it all in. Her future husband leaned over an iPad as Dayton showed him something on the screen, his eyes lighting up every time Trenton shared his enthusiasm. Mattie raced over with a bag of tennis balls and asked if he could play with them. Trenton promised they’d play catch.
Her hand rested over her heart and she sighed. All those layers, all the broken pieces had somehow melded back together with time and formed this beautiful foundation in front of her. It didn’t matter what the outside world saw.
Inside—in her heart—she was whole and happy. Trenton’s gaze found hers from across the room and he winked, silently mouthing love you. She smiled and mouthed it back. She had loved him for a long time and would love him forever more.
The End
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Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. It does not discriminate by race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and educational levels.
In the United States, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner. 1 in 3 adult women (35.6%) living in the United States have experienced rape, severe violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner. 30 to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence leads to child abuse in the household and psychological damage to children.
If you are in an abusive situation and need a way out, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help you develop a safety plan to escape and provide legal counsel.
www.thehotline.org
1-800-799-7233
About the Author
Award-winning author Lydia Michaels writes all forms of hot romance. She presses the bounds of fiction and takes readers on an emotional journey of the heart, mind, and soul with every story she pens. Her books are intellectual, erotic, haunting, and always centered on love. Lydia Michaels loves to hear from readers! Be sure to connect with her on social media or through email.
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@Lydia_Michaels
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Other Titles by Lydia Michaels
The New Castle Series
First Comes Love {Book 1}
If I Fall {Book 2}
Something Borrowed {Book 3}
Remember Me {Book 4}
La Vie en Rose
Breaking Perfect
Simple Man
The Surrender Books
Falling In
Breaking Out
Coming Home
Sacrifice of the Pawn
Queen of the Knight
McCullough Mountain
How to Love Her
Sacred Waters
Skin
Chaste
Faking It
Forsaking Truth
As Tears Go By
Hold Me Fast
Degrees of Separation
Forfeit
Lost Together
Atonement
Something Borrowed (New Castle Book 3) Page 33