Best of 2017
Page 174
“I’m going to start packing.” She nods. “Angel, eyes.” She opens them and smiles at me. “Don’t fall asleep.”
“I’m up, I promise,” she yawns. I didn’t think she could look any sweeter, but sleepy London is adorable.
I start grabbing her clothes and packing them into her bag. Then I make sure the rest of the house is locked up tight and toss out all the food in the kitchen so it doesn’t go bad. I walk back into the bedroom, and she’s sitting on the side of the bed in a simple sundress. Her hair is in a knot on the top of her head, and I walk over and pull it free, letting her blonde locks fall.
“Where are we going?” she asks, looking up at me.
“I’m getting us out of the States. Then we can go anywhere you want.”
“I’ve never seen the ocean.”
I cup her face. “I’m going to show you everything.” I drop to my knees in front of her. “We are headed to Texas to catch a plane, but before we leave Colorado I’m going to marry you—” She cuts me off, throwing herself at me. I let myself fall back so she’s on top of me as she kisses me everywhere.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” she chants, placing frantic kisses on me.
“I didn’t think I phrased it as a question,” I tease, squeezing her ass.
“I want you to make love to me right now, but I really want to go get married, too,” she says, thinking through her indecision. “I’ve never seen you smile so big before.”
“London, you just agreed to be my wife. How could I not be the happiest man on earth?”
“This is crazy,” she giggles, rolling all over me.
It is, but it’s also right. My entire world revolves around her, and so this is our destiny. I would have her by any means necessary, but to know that her love for me is even a fraction of my love for her is paradise. It’s all of my deepest, darkest wishes come to life and then some. She strengthens me in a way I could never accomplish on my own, and I will be her warrior. I will not only marry her but I will guard her until my last breath. My gift to the world is protecting what is most precious, and my angel is that for me.
EPILOGUE 1
LONDON
ABOUT A YEAR later
“Are you excited to be home, angel?”
I look over at Viktor. I feel like we’ve been driving forever. It might feel like that because he’s right. I am excited.
“You’re driving me crazy.”
“You look really happy for a crazy person.” He strokes his hand back and forth on my thigh.
I lean over and kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for doing all of this,” I tell him.
“You haven’t even seen it yet. You might hate it.”
“You made it for us, so I know it will be perfect.” I truly believe that. Over the past year Viktor has made my life feel like a dream. We’ve been traveling all over the world, seeing things I never thought I’d see. Doing it all as husband and wife made it even more special.
Though while we were traveling, he kept checking up on the house we would be calling home soon I had no idea what he was really up to. He said he already had a house on a nice piece of land, and it all just needed to be set up and secured. I don’t even want to know what he means by that because it’s likely something over the top.
“We’re already here.” He nods to the stone wall that’s running along the wall. “We have over three hundred acres.” My eyes almost bug out at that. “I’ve owned the land for a while, and there was already a house on it, but I didn’t think I would be here long term. Then you came. Now I know why my guy told me to buy it. Just like everything about us, it’s like fate kept making sure we got what we needed.”
“Is this going to be like a fortress or something?” I eye him. I have a feeling I know what’s coming. He gives me one of his half-smiles. I don’t care if it is. If it puts him at ease, then I’m okay with it. I loved traveling. I got to see more than I ever thought possible, but I’m ready to be grounded, to have a place we can call home. “As long as I’m locked away with you, I’m happy.”
Finally, we pull up to a giant iron gate. Viktor reaches out and puts him thumbprint on a pad, and the gates slowly open. A man in a black vest with a gun strapped to his side steps out and nods to Viktor, who nods back at him.
We drive on, and a house comes into view as we reach the top of a steep hill. The sight takes my breath away.
“Viktor,” I breathe, utterly shocked by what I’m seeing.
“Do you like?” he asks.
“It’s wonderful.” I stare at it in awe. I can’t believe this is going to be our home.
“Before we go in, I want to show you something.” He jumps out of the car and comes over to my side to open the door. He gives me his hand to help me out. “Around the back.” He leads me around the house. When I look down the sharp decline, I see a lake that’s almost crystal clear. He points, and I follow his line of sight. My breath leaves my lungs as a sob bursts out. There, on the lakeside, is my grandparents’ house. “I told you I would give you everything.”
I turn and throw myself in his arms. “I never doubted.”
EPILOGUE 2
VIKTOR
ABOUT FIVE YEARS later
I growl at the valet who tries to open the door for my wife. He jumps back, and I open the door to the car instead, giving her my hand to help her out. My eyes soften when they come to hers, like they always do. Something about her can shut down the darkness that used to run so deep in me. Even with the smallest touch, I can go from beast to kitten for her. It’s all in her touch and in her voice.
It’s our anniversary and I plan to celebrate with my angel. I thought when we first moved to Seattle and I put a wall between us and the world that it might bother her, that she might go stir-crazy. But as time has gone on, I think she likes it more than I do. I thought for our anniversary I’d make a change. I got a hotel in the city and made a reservation to a fancy restaurant. I’m not sure I’ve made the right choice, though, and I feel like everyone is looking at my angel. It’s annoying me.
She takes my hand and gives it a firm squeeze. She must realize how I’m feeling. No one has ever been able to read me in all my years as a hitman. Except her. I take the luggage from the bellhop, who wants to take it for us. No one will be wheeling my wife’s panties around but me. I don’t care if it’s in luggage.
When we get to the front desk, I give my name. The desk clerk looks at my angel a little too long. I’m not shocked that people want to look at her. She’s the most perfect thing that has ever entered this earth, but it doesn’t mean I will allow it to go on. I reach over the counter and grab him, bringing his head down on it. It makes a hard thunk. London gasps besides me, grabbing my arm.
“You don’t look at her,” I tell the man. He lets out a strangled, “sorry.”
“Viktor,” my angel admonishes, but it sounds more like an angry kitten and it makes my cock jerk.
“Your keys, sir,” the clerk stutters over his words. “I’m sorry.”
London rolls her eyes at me. I pick them up, guiding us over to the elevator. She hits the button and the doors open and we step on.
“Did you really have to scare the poor boy?” she asks me.
She’s lucky I didn’t do more than give him a knock on the head. I hate when people look at her. It’s like sandpaper to my skin. She’s mine. I need all her sunshine to block out my darkness. She is my air to breathe. Without her I am nothing but a hollow man.
“He’ll spread the word. We are here for a week. Now I won’t have to think of others looking at you.”
The elevator doors slide open. She goes to step off, but I stop her, pushing her back. I step into the hallway, looking both ways before I let her exit. When we get to our room I let her in, but like always she stays by the door. I don’t care how crazy it is, I check the room to feel at ease and she lets me. Old habits die hard.
I make my way back to her and pick her up, carrying her through the sitting area and into the bedroom. My mouth
goes to her neck and I nibble on the place she likes best.
“Viktor,” she moans. “I need to tell you something.”
I pause and look down at her. She bites her lip and I can tell she’s worried about whatever it is she is going to say.
“You can tell me anything, my angel.” I try to comfort her. I don’t like the worry I see. I’m the one who worries, not her.
“I’m pregnant,” she finally blurts out. My eyes start to water and I try to swallow the lump in my throat. “Are you happy?”
I can see she’s unsure about my reaction, and I sit down on the bed with her in my lap. I hold her close, praying to every god I can think of and thanking them for blessing us with a child. For so long I’ve wanted this baby, but I didn’t push my angel. I knew that if it was what she wanted, then I would make it so.
“Angel, I’m more than happy.” I feel like my chest is going to burst.
I remember when she told me she was on the shot. I was a little sad that I couldn’t get her pregnant right away. I wanted her to have our baby, but I also wanted time for the two of us. It’s perfect timing, and it feels right.
“If it’s a girl, I want to name it after your sister, Nika.”
I lean back and look into her bright green eyes, seeing her own tears of joy. I press my lips to hers and whisper words of love as I hold her in my arms. There will be time for making love later, time for celebrating later. In this moment, I want nothing more than to hold my family in my arms and give thanks. She’s handed me more than I could have imagined and more than I ever deserved. I will spend the rest of my life honoring the gifts she has given me.
“Da,” I say simply, and our lives are forever changed.
VISIT THE AUTHORS
Alexa Riley
A. Zavarelli
Celia Aaron
Jenika Snow
Isabella Starling
Alta Hensley
Jade West
Ava Harrison
K. Webster
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Beast
Synopsis
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Epilogue
Bonus Scene
Blackwood
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
Bonus Epilogue
Acknowledgments
His Muse
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Bonus Scene
Affliction
Synopsis
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
Bonus Epilogue
Buy Me, Sir
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Epilogue
Bonus Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Delicate Scars
Dedication
1. Love At First Fucking Sight
2. Knight In Fucked Up Armor
3. Drink From The Fucked Up Bottle
4. Fucked Up Resume
5. Freaked The Fuck Out
6. All To Fucking See
7. Best Fucking Gift
8. Love Fucking Surprises
9. Fucking Vanilla With Sprinkles
10. Fucking Whack Job
11. Half-truths Are Still Fucking Lies
12. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck