41. Chapter 41
Chapter 41
Roxie
Dinner was a wonderful reprieve, but now that everyone has left and Ivy’s in bed, I’m furious.
This whole time, my parents’ best friends were looking after a trust I had no idea even existed. You know who knew about it the entire time? Greg and fucking Pam Moore.
I don’t even realize I’m pacing around Lennox’s bedroom until he stops me with his hands on my shoulders. “Talk to me.”
“I’m so fucking angry. I’m thirty-five, and this is the first time I’ve ever heard about a trust. Twenty-five years they’ve hid it from me and manipulated me to try and get their hands on it.”
“They’ll get what’s coming to them,” he says too calmly.
I’m irrational, and his energy doesn’t match mine, making me more upset. Later, I’ll realize how absurd I’m being, but right now, I want to lash out because so much is out of my control.
“Will they? Will I be able to say my peace? Or do they get a cozy home somewhere, never to see me again and with no repercussions?” I snap.
Years of being scared of them, fearful they would take my daughter away, will end up with them moving on with their lives in some way. Even if Arlo can get charges to stick, they won’t be locked up for long. It feels like an injustice for all the pain they’ve caused .
“I don’t have an answer for that, but know that Arlo and I will do everything in our power to hand them the highest level of punishment. Tonight, be angry, let it all out, and take it all out on me. Tomorrow, we fight like hell and end this,” Lennox says.
The fire inside of me dies instantly at his words. My body deflates, and I step into his embrace.
“I just don’t understand what happened. How is all of this even possible?” I whisper, wrapping my arms around his middle and resting my head on his chest.
It’s a huge generalization, but learning you’ve been lied to your entire life is a hard pill to swallow. It makes me feel like I missed a huge sign somewhere along the way, and as a result, I gave Ivy a life she never should have had to endure.
“There are always people out there who will do the worst things imaginable. Nothing they do makes sense, and there’s no way you could have known, Rox.”
“But what if there was? What if I missed something obvious and put Ivy through all of that for no reason?”
“But what if, even through all the shit, this is the road you were supposed to take? If you didn’t go through all of that, you never would have landed at my front door,” he murmurs into the crown of my hair. “I’m not saying it was easy or right. But what if we both had to go through what we did in order to find our way to each other?”
His words work their way into my body, soothing the last of my anger and confusion. Squeezing him tighter, I press a kiss to his chest where his heart is.
“You make a good point, Mr. Hutton,” I tell him softly.
“You know what I think we should do?” he asks.
“What’s that?”
“Take a bath. Relax. We can talk about anything you want or need to, let it all out before we call it a night. Get in a good headspace for tomorrow.”
“Some days, you’re a wise man.”
“Some days?” he asks with a laugh, outrage painting his words.
“If I recall, you’re the one who refused to take ibuprofen for an actual torn muscle.”
“I’m reformed, I swear.” I don’t have to be looking at him to know he’s smirking.
“Hmm, I’ll believe it when I see it.” I sigh. “A bath sounds good, though.”
I barely have the words out before he’s sweeping me up into his arms and walking to the bathroom. He sets me on the counter before starting the water, then he ducks down and pulls a basket out from under the sink. There’s a large selection of bath bombs and other goodies that blow me away.
The last time he made me a bath, I thought he had one because of his sisters. “When did you do all of this?”
His cheeks take on a pink tinge that shouldn’t be as adorable as it is. “Umm, I’m not sure. Maybe a month or two ago.” He brushes it off, but that means he had this while he was still my patient. I know I wasn’t the only one questioning things, but seeing proof of it makes me happy we figured our shit out.
I pick out a lavender one, hoping it helps calm me down enough to sleep tonight. Lennox plucks it out of my hand, walking over to the tub and tossing in the bath bomb. He turns back to me, sliding his hands up my thighs and ducking down to look me in the eyes. “How are you feeling?”
Sighing, I slump against the mirror. “I feel like I’m wrung out.”
“Understandably.” His hands move up my sides, taking my shirt with them. He holds it at chest level, waiting for me to help him, but it feels like too much effort.
“Come on, Boss Lady. Help a poor guy out.” He presses a kiss to my lips.
As he pulls away, I lift my arms up, feeling like they weigh a ton. He takes my shirt off with little fanfare before unhooking my bra and sliding that down my arms too. He gently takes my arms, wrapping them around his neck before pulling me off the counter and taking my full weight. He makes short work of my pants and underwear before picking me up and walking to the tub that’s almost full.
I expect him to put me into the tub with all the care he’s shown up to this point, but he shocks the shit out of me when he kicks off his socks and shoes before stepping in, still holding me. He sinks down into the water fully clothed as I cling to him.
“What are you doing?” I squeak.
“Holding you,” he grunts as he shifts to get comfortable.
“Fully clothed?”
“Yep.”
“Lennox.” I gape at his action.
“Roxie.” He smiles at me.
“You’re crazy.”
“Possibly. But you’ve had an extremely taxing day, and I’d very much like to hold you while you find some reprieve. I don’t give a shit about the clothes, Rox. I give a shit about you and making sure you’re okay.” Tears well in my eyes as he looks at me with such earnestness. “And, if I’m honest, I don’t really want to let you out of my arms right now.”
“Okay,” I whisper as I snuggle into his chest more.
We sit like that for a while, my mind still racing with everything that happened, but I am feeling better.
“Whatever comes from the call with the trustees tomorrow, I still want to confront them,” I murmur.
“Okay.” Simple. He doesn’t try to tell me it isn’t a good idea. He doesn’t attempt to talk me out of it. He just supports me in what I feel like I need to do.
“I feel like I can’t fully be present here, with you and with the new job, until I ask them why. I know that’s stupid and I won’t get the answer I want, but I need to know. What did I do that was so terrible that they decided they would rather treat me the way they did and then hide such a huge thing from me while plotting to take it from me?” It’s na?ve to think this way. I know that as much as I know I love Lennox, but it doesn’t change my mind.
“You didn’t do anything. I know I’m the last person who should be saying things like this, considering how messed up I am, but other people’s actions are not your fault or responsibility. What they did and continued to do to you and Ivy is fucking awful, and they’ll get what’s coming to them. And whenever you confront them, I will stand right next to you the whole time.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, curling up as close as I can to him.
I feel him shift, realizing I started to drift off. The weight of the day is hitting me hard after our talk. He moves to his knees, and I finally register what he’s doing .
“I swear to God, if you hurt your leg, I’m disowning you,” I say into his chest.
His laughter shakes my body. “I won’t hurt my leg, Boss Lady.” He stands in such a smooth motion, you’d never know he tore his quad apart less than six months ago. I’d scold him more, but he’s worked his ass off to be in this shape, and I know he can handle it, however much I wish he didn’t do such things.
He shifts me around so he can grab a towel off the hook then walks to the bedroom and carefully spreads it on the bed. He lays me down on top of it and starts drying me off.
“I can dry myself off, you know.”
“I know,” he says but continues his movements. “I just want you to see you don’t have to. You’re not alone anymore.”
His words make my heart race. They snake into my soul, lighting me up from the inside out. I watch as he strips out of his wet clothes, tossing them to the bathroom, as I crawl under the covers, not bothering to put anything on. He snags the towel I just vacated, drying himself off in a way that should not be as sexy as it is. But it’s Lennox, and I swear everything this man does gets me going.
Once he’s in bed, he wraps an arm around my middle and pulls me to him.
The worry, the anger is still there under the surface, but Lennox knew what he was doing with that bath. It soothed my heart and my head. Being in the comfort of his arms is the thing I need to feel levelheaded again.
Lips press against my bare shoulder. Fingertips make circles on my stomach. Suddenly, I’m not so exhausted.
As I wiggle against him, his hand moves to my hip and squeezes.
“Don’t start, Rox. That isn’t what this is about. I just want to be close to you,” he says against my shoulder.
“Mm-hmm.” I close my eyes and focus on his touch. It traces my stretchmarks while his breath heats my shoulder, sending shivers down my back.
My breathing turns shallow as he moves his hand lower. His forehead presses hard against my shoulder as he groans, “Roxie.”
“Shhh.” I intertwine our fingers, directing his movements and ignoring his words. His erection pressed against my ass says he’s on the same page, even if he’s trying to be a gentleman. It only takes another minute of me taking charge before he caves.
The strength of his hand takes over our movements, touching everywhere except where I really want him. I sink into the feeling, losing myself in the man who calms my fears and makes me feel safe in his arms.
His kisses move from my shoulder to my neck; my back arches in response. His cock slides down my ass, slipping into the space between my legs. The head of it bumps our fingers, making us groan in unison.
He finally circles my clit at the same time he thrusts his hips gently, stroking himself through my arousal. He nips at my neck before licking the abused flesh.
“Lennox,” I moan, arching my back more.
“I’ve got you, Rox. I’ve always got you,” he whispers in my ear.