Chapter Twenty
Eddie
Waking up soundly has been a foreign concept to me for the last decade. I’d thank the stars if I could manage a decent nap, yet I slept like a baby yesterday. The sex was the best I’ve ever had, and that says a lot, considering my history.
Lawliss is going to be the last woman in my life because I can’t see myself with anyone else. She was also my first in a way I never expected. I always thought I was unfeeling and detached, until I realized how much it hurts when she hurts. When she’s sad, it pulls at my heartstrings in a way nothing else ever has.
I don’t know how I managed to live without her all these years, but if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that my life was empty before she came back into it. And now that she’s here, I don’t plan on ever letting her go again.
Stretching, I tap the side of the bed where Lawliss should be and my hand stops short. My heart skips a beat, and my eyelid snaps open, dry and scratchy. Her side of the bed is cold.
I stand immediately, checking the bathroom first, then stride to the living room. Relief washes over me when I see her bustling around the kitchen, her movements quick and efficient.
She hates cooking, even though she’s good at it. I remember when she first decided to learn. She bugged her family’s chef to teach her, and somehow, the chef agreed. But Lawliss, being Lawliss, barely ate the meals she prepared, claiming that inhaling the aroma while she cooked was enough to fill her up. Eventually, she gave up entirely, or maybe not.
Walking into the kitchen, I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, catching her off guard.
“Shit!” she yelps as oil spatters onto the floor.
“Careful, Empress.”
“You scared the hell out of me, Eddie! What are you doing awake? You should still be asleep.” She glances at the clock on the wall, her eyes narrowing. “It’s only 11:00 a.m.”
“I should be asking you that,” I reply, grinning. Didn’t I exhaust you enough last night? You’ve got the energy to cook?”
She blushes, trying to push me away. “Go sit down. I’ll let you know when the food is ready.”
“But I want to help, Chef,” I tease, pulling her back against me. Her body stiffens for just a moment, then softens.
Turning to face me, spatula in hand, she smirks. “Edmund, don’t tempt me.”
She licks her lips, pushes me away, and returns to her cooking. I lean against the counter, taking in the scene. The smell of sizzling eggs fills the air, warm and familiar. This—her, us—this is everything I’ve ever wanted. But as much as I hate to do it, I know I have to bring up the topic I’ve been avoiding.
If I don’t push for us to be together officially, Lawliss might take forever to decide. After what her ex-husband put her through, I understand her hesitation. Still, I can’t wait forever.
“Wife,” I call, testing the waters.
She’s already dropped bread into the toaster and is scrambling eggs in a pan. She turns to me, arching an eyebrow, her lawyer’s gaze sharp and skeptical. I chuckle, holding up my hands. Maybe I jumped the gun a little.
“What do I call you?” I ask after a beat of silence.
She shakes her head, turning back to the eggs. “You’ve always called me whatever you wanted. Why are you asking now?”
“Because you looked like you might kill me if I called you ‘wife’ again.”
She plates the eggs and starts walking toward the dining area. “That’s right. I don’t remember agreeing to be your girlfriend, let alone your wife,” she quips, her tone light but pointed.
“I told you—sleeping together made it official.”
“That’s a demand, not a request,” she fires back, setting the plates down. “If you want someone to be your girlfriend, you ask. A gesture. Something meaningful. Not just… this.”
Her voice falters. “I know I’m not worth much, but—”
I stop her in her tracks, moving from the counter to her in an instant, grabbing her hand. “But nothing. Hey, look at me.”
She does, swallowing hard.
“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m just… glad we found each other again. I… I care for you too much to ever hurt you, Lawliss.” The word love was on the tip of my tongue, but I stopped myself just in time. Her throat works around a lump, but no words come.
“You don’t have to say anything,” I whisper, tears stinging my eyes. Damn it. She makes me emotional, and I haven’t been that in years. But for her, I am willing to be vulnerable. “You mean the world to me, Lynx. You’re worth so much more than you know.”
She steps into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I kiss the top of her head, and we stay like that for a long moment, the warmth of her body against mine anchoring me.
“Thanks, Ed,” she murmurs finally, pulling back. “I needed to hear that.”
She smiles, blushing as she tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. The sight does something to me. It makes me want to kiss every inch of her. She has no idea just how much she affects me.
“Now, let me show you what I prepared. I have plans for my new boyfriend.”
“Did you just say boyfriend?” I ask, grinning as she drags me to the dining table, my heart full. Full of her. Full of this moment.
She stops in her tracks, and I instantly miss the warmth of her hands in mine. My eyes never leave her as she hesitates, almost like she’s scared of the answer. She was dragging me to only God-knows-where, and I know I’ll go to the ends of the world with her. She’s biting her lip, almost like she’s scared of the answer,
“Are we…” She closes her eyes and then opens again as if she’s willing herself to ask the question finally; she asks, “Are we dating now, Ed?” She asks instead; her voice is quiet, almost scared, and a hint of unease is in her voice of my reply.
“Yes, we are. If you want a ceremony today to be my wife, I wouldn’t mind.”
She sighs, shaking her head. “Ed… I’m agreeing to this, giving us a chance, because it’s you. I won’t lie and say I trust you completely because I don’t think I can trust you easily. But that’s what dating is, right? Learning to know and trust each other.”
I nod, watching the way her throat tightens, like she’s holding back emotions she doesn’t want to show. she continues, “We knew each other and relied on each other before, but there’s been so much time, so much change. I got married and divorced. You built an empire, among other things I don’t even know about. And you have this… ruthlessness to you now.”
Her voice softens as she adds, “I know it’s not directed at me. You need that to survive in business, I get it. But, Eddie…” She raises her head slightly as if bracing herself. “Please don’t hurt me. I don’t think I can survive another heartbreak—especially not one from you.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the chest. I stand without thinking and cross the space between us, wrapping my arms around her tightly.
“I’ll never hurt you, Lynx,” I whisper into her hair. “If it were up to me, I’d take all the pain for you. I’m so sorry you had to go through any of it.” My mood sours, realizing the magnitude and impact her divorce has had on her. My jaw tightens, fingers twitching at my side.
The thought of her suffering at the hands of someone who didn’t deserve her makes my blood boil. If I ever cross paths with that bastard, he won’t even recognize the life he once had. I swear, anyone who played a part in breaking her will regret it. I’d ruin their lives without hesitation and rip apart everything they hold dear and not lose a wink of sleep over it. She doesn’t need to know that, though.
She pulls back just enough to look up at me. “Don’t ever lie to me, Ed.”
“I won’t,” I promise. The words are automatic, but my stomach twists. The weight of the truth I’m hiding—the papers she signed without knowing what they meant—hangs over me like a storm cloud. How do I tell her? How do I explain that, in the eyes of the law, she’s already my wife?
We break the hug, and I kiss her—soft, lingering, unwilling to let go. “I have plans for my new boyfriend? Partner? Lover?” She says with this mischievous grin while taking my hands and dragging me to the final destination, which happened to be the dining table, where she’s laid everything out; I can’t help but stare. This is a brunch sort of spread with vegetables, a plate of sliced mangoes and bananas, and a mix of fruit salad. It’s simple, but I love it.
“This is… just wow,” I breathe, taking the first bite of the scrambled eggs with bread. There’s this flavor in it, and it’s incredible, better than I expected. “I love it,” I say between mouthfuls.
“I’m glad you do,” she replies, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
“You picked up cooking again?” I ask, barely pausing between bites.
She shakes her head, her gaze dropping to the table. “I still hate it. But for some reason, I wanted to prepare something you liked.” Her voice falters slightly. “I hope I didn’t overstep.”
“Not at all,” I reply quickly, setting my fork down to make sure she sees how much I mean it. “I just don’t want you to tire yourself out. The housekeeper can handle that.”
She nods, her lips pressing into a faint smile. We eat in silence, the occasional clink of silverware filling the space. I love that it doesn’t feel empty. It just feels like us.
“So, what’s the plan for today, girlfriend, lover, partner?” I ask, following her line of questioning earlier, and she laughs a full brown laugh. The sound that feels like sunlight goes straight to my cock, and I have to shake myself a little so she doesn’t notice.
“Girlfriend, huh? Alright, boyfriend, you’ll find out soon enough. But first, finish your breakfast.” she says, and I chuckle, shaking my head as I take another bite. Yeah. Whatever she has planned, I know I’ll follow her anywhere.