While she did that, I took a glass of wine out to the deck to look at the stars. The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs had me turning my eyes from the sky to find my neighbor, John, trotting up to visit me. “Hey, John. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you too, Nixon.” He took a seat on one of the deck chairs and pulled a bottle of beer out of his jacket pocket. “I saw you out here and thought I’d join you for a little drink.”
I raised my glass of wine in a toast to him, and he did the same with his beer. “To new beginnings,” I said.
“Here, here,” he said then popped the bottle’s top and took a drink. “Did Katana tell you I met her the other day?”
“She did,” I told him then set my glass down.
His expression turned sheepish. “Did she rat me out?”
I froze for a second as I wondered what the hell he meant. What had he done? She hadn’t said a word about him saying anything that would have him asking me a question like that. “No. But I’d love it if you told on yourself.”
“Yeah, well,” he seemed hesitant. “After I got back home, I thought about what I’d said and it sunk in that I might have said things that might’ve put her off about you.”
“Well, if Katana’s put off about me, she’s not showing it.” I laughed and picked up my glass, taking a drink. At least whatever he’d said hadn’t affected her.
“Good. I can be a motormouth sometimes and talking to her proved to be one of those times.” He took a long drink of his beer before he went on. “You see, I pointed out how you are, or were, anyway. I told her that you could be very neglectful of people. Especially women.”
“Oh, that.” I was well aware of that major downfall. “Well, I’m not that person when I’m with her. She makes me a better person. I don’t know how she does it. She doesn’t ask me to be any certain way. I just want to be around her—with her—or at least talking to her throughout the day when I can’t be with her. She’s what I think about most of the time.”
“And there’s the baby now too. She told me about that. And how that’s why she’s here with you, so you guys can raise it together.” He took another drink. “You know about my divorce and how I’d never get married again. Plus, if I could have a do-over, I’d leave the kids out of it.”
“Now, come on, John. You’ve whined a lot about the divorce and how your wife cheated, but how can you second guess your children? That’s just going too far. There are no mistakes in bringing a child into this world. I believe that with everything in me.” I knew I’d gotten up on my soapbox a bit as I was talking a little louder than normal, but he had to stop beating himself up over this thing.
“They have some issues because of what they went through, Nixon. I don’t always let that be known. Sandy has trouble trusting people. And Brady is a womanizer. Both drink too much.” John shook his head. “If I would’ve known they would end up with problems, then I might’ve left sooner and just taken them with me.”
“As if you could’ve done that,” I said as I ran my hand through my hair. The wind had kicked up and mussed it up a bit. “In this day and age, you could’ve never gotten complete custody of them.”
“I didn’t mean like legitimately take them. I meant run off with them. Escape from the woman who ruined all of our lives. Rescue them.” He took another drink, looking like a man who had too many regrets.
“I doubt your kids are that messed up—I’ve seen them. As a matter of fact, are they going to be stopping by to visit you tomorrow for Christmas?” I asked to try to get him off his pity party and on to something better.
“Yeah,” he said then finished his beer. “After they stop by their mother’s place. She’s got a new man—poor son of a bitch. They’re having a real old-fashioned Christmas with his three kids as well. I guess she’s pretending she has a big happy family with love just flowing in the air now that she’s rid of me.”
It was wrong of me to do, and I knew it even as the chuckle left my mouth. “Sorry. I really am. I know you’ve had it rough, but listen to yourself. She didn’t get rid of you. You left her. And you did what you thought you needed to do for your kids—and that’s admirable. You did the best you could with what you ended up with. Now don’t you think it’s time to move on?”
John looked at me with a frown. “No. I don’t want to move on. And I didn’t come over to talk about me, anyways. I wanted to come over here to talk to you about your upcoming bundle of joy. Don’t make Katana think you’ll be there for her through the raising of this child. We both know you’ll get busy with some new and exciting project and she and this kid will be left alone, waiting for your attention to return to them. Which it won’t. It won’t because men like you are driven.”
I was slightly incensed that the man thought he knew me better than I knew myself. “Driven isn’t a bad thing to be—look at where it’s gotten me,” I said, gesturing around my deck. “And as far as how I was, that doesn’t matter. I want Katana and this baby. I’ve already put her and this baby ahead of everything else. And I happen to have a project on the table right now. We’re going to open the nightclub, Swank, on New Year’s Eve. And I haven’t lost sight of her as I’ve been moving forward with that project.”
“Maybe that’s because she and this baby have become your new project. You were already working on that nightclub when you met her.” His words sent my heart into a spiral.
He was absolutely right. I had already been working on the nightclub for months. John did know me well. I always had a project in mind before finishing the one I was on at the time. My mind just worked that way.
Even when I’d been a kid playing sports, I’d be near the end of football season, and already I’d be messing around, playing basketball and getting ready for that season.
I was the kind of person who always looked for the next thing.
Would I do that to Katana? Would I do that to my own kid?
“I can see your wheels turning, Nixon. I hope you’re not mad at me. But having a kid is a big deal.” He stopped as I waved my hand at him to get him to quit talking.
“I’m not mad. I know you think a lot about kids and what happens to them if their family life is sucky. And I know you don’t mean any harm.” I gulped down the rest of my wine as I tried to wrap my head around everything.
“I don’t mean any harm to anyone. But you need to be realistic about the girl and that kid you’ve got coming.” He got up and tossed his beer bottle into the small trash bin at the top of the stairs. “You’re a great guy, Nixon. I don’t want you to think I think anything else. But you’re a driven man, and men like you make lousy husbands and fathers. People get left behind by men like you. Just don’t lead this girl into thinking you can be something you’re not. Let her do what she needs to with this baby.” And with that, he left me.
Alone now, I sat there thinking about who I really was.
I knew I’d never turn my back on Katana or our child. She’d always have everything she’d ever need to take care of our kid. Always.
But was I putting Katana in a position where she’d be hurt and alone when I moved on to my next project?
When I looked up, the stars seemed to blur and spin. My life had just started to resemble the world I’d always dreamed of having. I’d never been home so much and been so happy to leave the office behind. But it wasn’t just about coming home to my Malibu beach house—it was Katana.
I’d always been a bit more than merely content with my life. But I’d never been as happy as I’d been since Katana came into my life.
Since the night we met, I’d had a thing for her that wouldn’t quit. So there was only one real question. Was this real?
Were my feelings real or just the typical excitement I always got when starting a new project?
Katana didn’t feel like a project to me. I wasn’t trying to mold her or shape her into what I wanted her to be. That’s what I did with projects. I built things, changed things, rearranged things. I didn’t stop
until I was completely satisfied with what I’d done.
I didn’t look at her and think she’d look better with blonde hair. I didn’t think she should change the style of her clothes. I didn’t think she needed to have a different job.
I didn’t want to change a thing about the woman. Well, there was one thing I wanted to change about her. So I guess I was only lying to myself.
Chapter 24
Katana
Christmas Day
On Christmas morning, I woke up alone in bed. After stretching, yawning, and trying to wake my sleepy self up, I sat up and called out, “Nix?”
No one answered, and I got up to take a shower and get myself all prettied up for the day. Our first Christmas!
I’d put the presents I’d bought him under the tree last night, and he’d put some for me under there too. And I thought it was pretty sweet that we’d each bought something for our baby too and put those under there.
There was a bigger stack of presents under my very first tree than I’d ever had growing up. Everything was better with Nix.
As I showered, I noticed there was some expensive new shampoo and conditioner in there, and Nix had drawn hearts on the bottles and written, “just for you,” on them.
I lathered up my hair with the minty shampoo that had my head tingling, and I thought about what a treasure the man was. I’d take that man even if he didn’t have a dime. I’d live in a treehouse with the man. I didn’t care. I knew I’d been lucky he’d found me in that club that night.
After getting myself as pretty as I could, I pulled on the red dress I’d bought just for this day. It fit tight at the top and all the way to my still narrow waist—which I knew I’d lose soon enough. The dress flared out at the waist, making it look like I had a petticoat underneath it. The fabric came to just below my knees and when I added the flats—as Nix told me he never wanted to see me in heels while I was pregnant or he’d give me a real spanking—my legs looked long and slender.
I felt pretty, and I couldn’t wait to find Nix. I wasn’t going to let this day pass without telling him how I really felt about him.
When I walked out the bedroom door, I found something littering the floor. The white rose petals stood out, contrasting against the dark stone tiles. It looked as if he’d placed each one just the way he wanted it.
What’s this about?
I had to wonder what the man had up his sleeve. With him, I just didn’t know what he was up to.
A thought hit me, and I stopped. What if he’s bought me an expensive car?
Trying to steady myself for the shock of that, I thought about how scared I’d be to drive something so expensive. I’d only ever had old pieces of barely held together crap. Could I pull off being excited instead of afraid?
Moving on, I shook off the nerves and got to the top of the stairs. The rose petals went all the way down the stairs and on the floor at the very bottom, the entire floor was covered in a circular pattern.
It looked as if something was missing from that circle, and I had to wonder what that could be. Okay, maybe he hadn’t bought me a car. Maybe it was a really large gift, and he hadn’t gotten it inside yet to put it there.
Should I go back and wait a few more minutes?
As I stood there, thinking about what I should do, I noticed something else. Two suitcases were sitting by the door.
Now why in the world would those be there?
Was he surprising me with a trip of some kind?
I had absolutely no clue what he was up to and had no idea if I should turn back to wait or not. I didn’t want to screw up his big surprise when he’d gone to so much trouble.
No one had ever done anything nearly as grand as all this. I looked over my shoulder, wondering if I should go back to the bedroom to grab my cell so I could take a picture. I wanted to remember this scene forever.
Just as I turned around, I heard a noise—the sound of rustling met my ears and I turned to see what it was.
Down on one knee and wearing a black tuxedo, Nix held out a box. The stone in the ring was so big, I could see it all the way from the top of the stairs.
His green eyes met mine as he gazed up at me. I took each step one at a time, slowly, so I could take him all in. The way he smiled up at me. The way his eyes sparkled. His clean-shaven face, bare of the beard I’d gotten so used to. The cute dimple that I could now see he only had in his left cheek.
I could barely breathe. He was about to propose to me, and I knew damn good and well what my answer would be. Some people might think it was too fast, but I knew I loved the man and was positive there was no other one out there in the world for me. Nixon Slaughter was it.
He waited so patiently for me to get to him. When I did, he finally spoke. “You look beyond beautiful, baby.”
I was close to crying, but I managed to say, “You too.” I ran my hands over my own cheeks. “You shaved.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I wanted the pictures to be nice.”
So he planned on taking some more pictures. The man would make sure we had something to remember all of our pivotal moments. He was perfect that way.
Today would be the day we got engaged and celebrated our first Christmas. One day there would be a wedding. One day there would be the birth of our child.
“I’m sure they will be nice, Nix.” I smiled at him and loved the way his dark hair was so nicely combed, parted on one side, making him even more handsome.
“I’d like to ask you a question,” he said. “Is that okay with you?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Good, I’ve gotten my first yes, now I’ll shoot for more.” He chuckled, and his eyes shone with amusement. “Katana Grace Reeves.” He stopped and winked at me. “I snooped in your purse last night and found your driver’s license, that’s how I know your middle name.”
“I see.” I laughed lightly. “Please, go on.”
He cleared his throat before he moved on. “Katana Grace Reeves, I love you.” My heart pounded, and I felt the first tear break free. “I’ve been a fool for you since the night we met. A night I know neither of us will ever forget. I’m not asking you this just because you’re carrying our baby. I’m asking you this because I don’t want to think of a life that doesn’t have you in it—right by my side—until death do us part. And I mean that. So, I’m asking you if you love me too, and if you’ll become my wife. Today. In Las Vegas.”
Today?
I swayed a bit, feeling like I’d been knocked back. Not only did he want to marry me, but he wanted to do it right now. My mouth went dry. My head spun. And my heart lurched in my chest.
Tears poured down like rain as my lips parted. “I love you, Nixon Slaughter. Nothing would make me happier than marrying you today.”
His smile got even wider as he stood up and slipped that huge diamond engagement ring onto my finger. “Thank you, baby. I promise you’ll never regret your answer.”
When his arms slid around me, bringing me to him so our lips could touch, I knew I’d made the right decision.
Where Nixon was concerned, every decision I’d made had been the right one. From taking him up on his offer to leave that club with him on Halloween night, to telling him as soon as I could about the baby, to accepting the invitation to move in with him—everything had been right.
This had to be the right thing too.
When our mouths parted, we were both panting. “I’d take you upstairs and make sweet love to you, Katana, but we have these presents to open and a private jet to get to. I took the liberty of booking us a bridal suite already. I didn’t want to take any chances.”
We slowed down a bit and opened the presents we’d given each other. He gave me more expensive jewelry, and then there was one more small box. When I opened it, I found a set of keys with the Mercedes emblem on them. “Nix!”
“You look a little shocked, baby,” he said with a laugh. “You know my wife can’t be driving around in a clunker. I do have standards to keep, you know.”
I shook my head as I put the keys down. I picked up the special present I’d gotten him and handed it to him. “Thank you for the car and all the jewelry, among the other things you’ve given me. Open this one next.”
He smiled the entire time he opened that package, and when he found the simple paperweight I’d given him, he laughed. “An “I Love You” paperweight?”
“Well, I had no idea you were going to do all this. And I wanted to tell you that I loved you today. You kind of stole my thunder there with the marriage proposal, but I wanted you to know that I was going to declare my love for you today anyway. I knew it the day we heard our baby’s heart beating.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.
We just kept on having one perfect day after another. I was no fool—I knew some days wouldn’t be all wine and roses, but I had a feeling there’d be more good days than bad ones.
A few hours later, he and I stood in front of a preacher who looked a hell of a lot like Elvis as soft music played in a tiny chapel in Vegas. I’d never dreamt about having a wedding, but this surpassed anything I could’ve ever come up with.
When our lips met as husband and wife for the first time, I knew we’d beat all the odds and make a marriage and family we both could be proud of. Nix and I had found our happily ever after; I had no doubts about that.
The End
Masked Indulgence: Extended Epilogue
Nixon
With our two-year-old, Maximus and our eight-month-old, Serenity at home with my parents, I scooped up Katana, running away with her for the night. Our third Christmas together and third wedding anniversary had me taking her on a little adventure.
Blindfolded and handcuffed, Katana sat in the passenger seat of my Maserati. “I know I can’t see anything, but I can feel how fast you’re going, Nix. What’s the rush?”
“Baby, this is one fast machine. One does not drive a masterpiece like this little beauty slowly.” I reached over and patted her on the leg. Her fishnet stockings took me back to the first night we met.
Masked Indulgence Page 12