CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
PARKER
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I slide the eggs onto the plate and push them across the kitchen counter. “Eat.”
Aurora has lost so much weight.
She picks up the fork and then the knife, pushing the toasted ciabatta and poached eggs around the plate. I top off her coffee and then join her with my breakfast.
Six days ago, after telling her I loved her, I refused to leave. I texted Chloe to say Aurora was with me, in shock, then packed up a bag and brought her to my place.
She’s been here ever since.
We haven’t had sex, but she curls up into my arms every night. I’ve not left the house, working from home. Who cares? I have billions of dollars, but I’m not losing this woman.
Aurora either stays in bed or sits on the sofa, her eyes following me whenever I walk through. Then at night, I make her eat as much as I can, then curl her into my arms with the TV on low or while I read.
My own healing and processing are happening as I’m nurturing her, in a weird fucking way. I’m a selfish asshole, I know that, but for once in my life, someone else means more to me than myself.
In some ways, I feel like we’re destined to be together, which is a bold thing to say for someone who doesn’t believe in fate and all that shit.
Yesterday, I had some boxes delivered and taken down to one of the empty rooms. The team that I hired finished three hours later. Aurora never asked what was happening. She simply sat on the sofa, hugging a cushion.
When they left, I took her hand and tugged her to her feet.
“Where are we going?”
“You should shower.” I smirked, kissing her lips because she allows that. “But first, I have something to show you.”
Hand in hand, we walked down the hall to the spare room. Then I pushed open the door.
I didn’t say anything, just waited.
Aurora let out a little gasp, dropped my hand, and stepped inside. Then walked up to the easels and paints, touching them, until she finally glanced back at me.
“You did this for me?”
I lifted my shoulder. “Maybe one is for me.”
The hint of a smile touched the corner of her lips and hope shot through me. “Do you paint?”
“Yes.”
No.
“No, you don’t.” She shook her head.
“Fine. Do you want to have a paint off?” I spread my arms out. “Two hours. Let’s see whose masterpiece is better.”
“Not yet.” Her eyes faded.
“Then by default I win.” I shrugged.
Aurora didn’t like that. She picked up the paintbrush, then glanced up at me, muttering fine.
Grinning, I sat before the second easel, wondering how long I could sit here drawing a stick man—the extent of my artistic abilities—then thanked god I had my smartphone in my pocket.
Three hours later, I heard her chair slide across the wooden floors.
“I’m done. Mostly. Oh, maybe—”
“Let me see.” I stood and crossed the room.
Jesus.
I took in the abstract painting with shades of cream, black, and gold. It was stunning. Perhaps I was biased, but I’d hang it in my living room. Hell, I was pretty sure rich fuckers like me would do the same, paying a huge amount for the honor.
“It’s bad. I knew it was bad.” Aurora began to lift it off, and I stopped her.
“It’s fucking incredible, sweetheart.” I pull her into my arms. “This— this!— is who you are.”
With her cheek against my shoulder, she stared at the painting. “Is it? How do I know?”
I tilted her chin up and smiled down at the woman I loved. Jean Michelle wanted to sell her paintings. He’d been hounding me.
When the time was right, I’d tell her and make her a very, very rich woman.
Soon.
When she was ready.
“What happened to you was fucking terrible. No excuses. I’m not taking anything away from that. But on some level, everyone is searching for who they are. I don’t think many people walk out of childhood knowing. Some maybe, but most don’t.”
“You did.”
“No. I was full of hate and desire for revenge. Becoming rich was a tool to do that,” I admitted.
“And I was part of that plan.”
“Were. But I fell in love, and you are teaching me every day how to do that unconditionally. It’s terrifying and painful.”
Aurora blinked.
“If you choose to leave, I will still love you. That won’t ever change.”
Our gazes held as I lowered my mouth gently, giving her the choice to accept me or not. When my lips pressed to hers, Aurora leaned in, deepening our kiss.
I pulled her tight against me, and nature took over. My cock hardened.
“Make love to me,” she whispered.
I didn’t need to be asked twice. I scooped her up and carried her down to our bedroom.
Our.
Because I’d lied one last time.
I wasn’t letting her go.
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D URING THE NEXT few days, I shared what we’d learned about Marianne Baker.
She’d run a large underground child prostitution organization for decades. Adults, including my father, would bring their children and join in the activities. For the want of a better word. Many made an enormous amount of money.
“Will we ever find out who my real parents are?” Aurora asks, taking a bite of her eggs.
There was a strong chance we would, but I wasn’t going to say yes when it might not be true.
“I will throw every resource I have at it for the rest of our lives. I can’t promise we’ll be successful, but we might get lucky with technology available.”
“I’m going to sell her penthouse and donate the money to a charity which helps children.” Aurora shares, and I kiss her.
She’s a better human being than I am.
“I want your permission to send the tapes to the authorities now.” I reach out and place my hand on the side of her thigh. “Our teams have everything they need and, while they’ll probably learn more, faster, the authorities are the only ones who can, obviously, arrest those still alive.”
I’d rather kill them, but I’m going to marry this woman and would rather do that on this side of the bars.
“Yes. Put them all behind bars.” Aurora rubs her tummy, and I frown.
“Great.” I smile. “I’ll get my contacts to speed up the probate, then we can sell the penthouse and—”
Aurora places her hand on my chest. “Parker. You aren’t responsible for this. I know you love me. I just...I’m still figuring this out.”
“You don’t have to say it back.” I tell her.
I honestly don’t know if Aurora loves me, but it feels like she does...or at least will. She needs time.
I can give her that.
“In ten years, you might wake up one day and realize you did this out of obligation. I couldn’t deal with that.”
Emotion boils up inside me and I drop my utensils, searching for patience and calm, so that I don’t scare her.
“First, I don’t do obligation. I’m a selfish man. So selfish, I’m not letting you go. I will give you time, Aurora, but you belong to me. Stop pushing me away.”
Her mouth parts.
“I love you. I loved you from the moment you sassed me outside the funeral home. Fuck, maybe I even loved you when you stood in the doorway of your mother’s room as a little girl and I wanted to save you from the evil inside.”
But I also hated her for not being part of it.
Or so I thought.
I look back now and think she was the only memory I had that was real, so I latched onto it.
Or maybe I was meant to find her.
Maybe Aurora was always mine.
“I used to dream about you.” Watery green eyes meet mine. “As a child, then as an adult.”
“Yeah?”
She nods.
“Well, now you have me. So let me love you. Let’s do this together. Heal together.” I take her hips as I climb off the stool, pulling her with me so she’s tight against my chest.
“Do I have a choice?” She smiles coyly.
“Not really.” I grin and when her face pales, I’m a little offended.
Aurora places her hand over her mouth. “Let me go, Parker.”
I release her and she runs through my penthouse, feet stamping on the wooden floors. I hear the bathroom door bang but bounce open.
Is she ill?
I race after her, stopping by the door, watching her vomit. My eggs can’t be that damn bad. I’m no chef like Killian, but they were just scrambled.
“Jesus Christ.” I groan. “We need to get you to a doctor.”
It has to be stress.
With little food the past week, it’s no wonder.
Aurora flushes, then makes her way over to the basin, rinsing her mouth. Lifting the hand towel, she wipes her mouth and turns to me.
She’s pale, and worry fills her eyes.
I step closer, leaning on the wall. “What is it?”
“I hope you’re serious about loving me, Parker Stone, because I think you’re about to become a father.”
My mouth falls open.
How did that... shit, I know how.
Fuck .
My god.
“No,” I say without thinking, and her tiny smile vanishes. “Crap. Not no.” I close the gap, take her hips, slide my hand behind her neck. “No, I’m not having a child out of wedlock. You are marrying me.”
“Parker.”
“Marry me, damn it.” I demand.
“It’s—we can’t. There’s so much.”
“Marry me. Or I’ll kidnap you and force you to say yes.” I say irrationally.
Aurora laughs.
It’s the first smile I’ve seen of hers in weeks. I start smiling too. We must look stupid as fuck.
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s a you’re in shock and need to settle down, daddy-to-be.” Aurora rests her cheek against my chest. “Park, I’m going to be a mommy.”
I wrap my arms around her tightly, smiling at the nickname. I hate them, but I’ll let her get away with it.
“You’re marrying me.”
“We’ll see.” I hear her smile.
“Are.” I growl softly.
“Maybe.”
I chuckle.
This child is a gift. We aren’t going to make the same mistakes the adults from our past made. I’m more determined than ever to find Aurora’s birth parents—our unborn child’s grandparents.
I hope my grandmother lives long enough to be in this child’s life. I guess I need to make some calls about my mother and younger brother.
It’s amazing how love can change you.
I sought out revenge and instead was gifted with two beautiful souls. Who knows, maybe more?
My decision is made. It’s time to hand over the evidence to the authorities.
And make this woman my wife.