Chapter 23
Aspen
“Move in with me.”
My body jolted, but as I took in what I felt in that moment, it wasn’t something akin to fear or uncertainty. It felt right. Too right for so early on.
“Aspen, just hear me out before you say something…please,” he implored.
“O—okay,” I sputtered.
“Where else are you going to go, a hotel?” he asked. “We’re together, and in case you didn’t get my last memo, I’m not letting you go until we see where this thing between us goes. You’re mine, babe. I’m in it for the long haul, and you haven’t given me any indication that you want otherwise.”
“Yeah,” I breathed. This man, though. Too. Good. To. Be. True. Through and through.
“We’ll go ahead and secure the cottage. If you don’t feel safe there, then fine, you don’t have to go back. You need space, you have it. I’ve got three bedrooms in this place. I’ll convert one into your dream office if that’s what it takes.”
I smirked at the picture of Cade, decked out in worn jeans, paint spatter everywhere, shirtless as he pieced together something to my tastes. Twirling my finger in the air, I said, “Keep going.”
“We can keep the cottage and go back together as a change of pace; a way to escape life. Or you can sell it, and get something somewhere else, maybe the beach instead of the bush?”
I giggled. “The beach, huh?”
He nodded, but his lips never quirked upward. “Pen, I’m being serious here.”
I sobered. “I know you are, honey.”
Cade’s eyes went molten. “It doesn’t have to be permanent, and you don’t have to make your mind up right away. But?—”
The words were out of my mouth before I could process them. “I’ll stay.”
A whoosh of air tickled my lips. “Good,” he breathed.
“Good,” I repeated, grinning. “Cade?”
“Right here, sweetheart.” His lips tugged upward at their corners.
“Kiss—”
Lips connected, and Cade reclined us so I lay over him. The feel of his erratically beating heart under my palm let me know that having me underfoot hadn’t been an easy suggestion to voice, but it had been one he’d wholeheartedly wanted; which made this moment that much more colossal.
When I pulled away, I smiled at the man beneath me. “I know you said you’d build me the office of my dreams, but I think we’ll be needing a chicken coop much sooner.” I finished the latter on a hiccupped laugh.
“Anything for you, sweetheart,” he rumbled on a chuckle, his hands soothing as they ran up and down my back.
Looking deep into his eyes, I knew he meant every word and then some.
Cade
Didn’t she know I’d do anything for her? Now, more than ever, with the way I felt about Aspen Ridge, I’d give her the shirt off my back, my house, my money…my whole world.
Did I love her? I wasn’t ready to let her know that giant factoid, but I sure as shit wasn’t about to start lying to myself. I was utterly and completely in love with the woman currently nestled against my chest.
After her agreeing to move in with me, albeit on a temporary basis, she asked me to show her where I thought a coop for her chickens could be built. The playful twinkle in her eyes had me falling farther down into the abyss that was Aspen. Humoring her further, I even showed her where I’d envisioned an optimal location where Molly’s whelping nest could be placed. Hell, I’d even brought her to the largest of the spare bedrooms. Based on the current design choices she’d made in her cottage, I’d started vividly painting a picture of what I thought she’d like, taking mental notes of her added suggestions. A woman like Aspen Ridge didn’t make these types of suggestions if she wasn’t serious about seeing where a relationship was going to go. Because she’d asked about a coop and had gone along with the office talk, I had a damned good inkling she was about as deep into this relationship as I was. Thank God!
After a little over an hour of ensuring my woman’s decision to stay with me would stick—it hadn’t been all that hard—we found ourselves cuddled on the patio’s sofa, lounging with our second beers of the evening. The darkness of the night had washed over, and the stars shone above us. That’s when my phone chimed from my pocket, disturbing our peace.
On a short giggle, thanks to the familiar showtune, Aspen snorted and said, “Better see what Brycen wants.”
Instead of feeling the annoyance bubble at the stupid ringtone I had yet to change—okay, so it was growing on me—I answered, “What you got, Babyface?” on a laugh.
“Just about to lock up. Mind if I stop by?”
My hackles rose. The man wouldn’t suggest something like that if it wasn’t necessary. “Come ‘round back.”
“Give me an hour or about. I have some things to load up first.”
“Got it.”
Aspen’s body had gone rigid as soon as mine had. “What is it?” she asked as soon as I’d set my phone on the side table beside our drinks.
“Not sure, but I know none of it is good.” Knowing her, sugarcoating things wasn’t going to help me any. With my arm wrapped around her shoulder, I used my hand to soothe her arm, and added, “Let’s not worry about it until it’s time.”
“Easy for you to say,” she mumbled, but her body lost some of its rigidity even as she said it.
Brycen didn’t show up alone. Two boxes apiece, the man was followed by Stan, Rex, and even Shane. Looks of fury and determination were strewn across each of their faces.
“The fuck is this?” I gently pushed Aspen back on our seat and snapped to my feet. “I thought we’d agreed we’d get together tomorrow to pack up her things. All you had to do was bring the necessary items I gave you a list for.”
“Get the door, tell us where you want this stuff, then we’ll talk,” Rex barked. Aspen’s breath audibly caught from behind me.
Once I’d shown them a free spot against the living room wall, I went back to my woman, and we waited for everyone to come back. I found her shaking, tears welling in her eyes.
“Pen?”
Without having to do anything myself, she crawled onto my lap and settled herself against me. She took deep breaths, then a few more, the tremors in her body subsiding with each passing second.
By the time she’d calmed, the guys had joined us, but none of them opted to say anything, looks of sympathy mixed with anger etched across their features.
“She’s not going back there,” Shane growled as he joined us.
“Fuck no,” Rex shook his head vehemently, a storm brewing in the man’s eyes.
“Aside from the furniture and household items, we packed what was still good,” Stan stated, his earlier hardened expression having softened as he studied the woman wrapped around me like a petrified spider monkey. “I got the cameras up and running, but to be honest, with what I saw in there, and what we found after you all left, I’m thinking you’d be lucky if this person would let you escape with your life.”
“W—what?” Aspen hiccupped, then turned so that her side leaned into my chest, my arms firmly still wrapped around her. She looked from one man to the next, but Shane spoke for the lot of them.
“Chickens were found, their heads ripped clean off,” he stated. “That writing on the wall…chicken blood. Found one feathered beast next to that chair by the fireplace. Don’t get me started with the rest. The mess alone is enough to give anyone nightmares. Jesus! From here on out, you don’t just have NSI backing you, Aspen.” Moving forward, he stuck his hand out. “Shane Peters, the JPD’s been pulled in.”
“Wish it were under better circumstances,” Aspen took his hand with a shy smile. “You’re the detective, correct?”
He gave Aspen a curt nod, released her hand, and backed up a few paces. “Yes, and I’m sure before the week is up, you’ll have Devolin knocking at your door to introduce you to Emberlyn. If you’re even luckier, they’ll have Lana Rose and my mother trailing right behind them. They’ve been looking to add to their circle of estrogen.” He winked at her.
I chuckled at that. When my eyes connected with his, I gave him an appreciative nod and said, “I just got her to move in with me until things get sorted out. Don’t fucking scare her off now, man.”
Brycen beamed. “If she can survive the likes of Devolin, Emberlyn will be a breeze, and little Rosie makes it all the more worthwhile. How is our little princess anyway?”
Shane turned to him and grinned. “Don’t let her hear you call her little, princess, or Rosie. She’ll have your balls, brother.”
Rex laughed. “It’s like that now, is it?”
Stan smirked. “Can’t wait until mine gets a bit bigger, but I’m sure enjoying sleeping through the night now.”
“My girl’s a true firecracker.” Shane beamed with pride. “Speaking of my ladies, I should get going. I promised them we’d have a family movie night. Their choice.” He cringes as he says the last because we all know that between Rosie and Ember, those two were going to saddle him with some kind of chick flick that was suitable for a ten-year-old.
Twenty minutes later, with Aspen more relaxed and seeming to enjoy our unplanned guests, Rex, the last of the men, was making to leave.
“Thanks for everything, Rex,” Aspen said, as she got up to give the big guy a hug which he returned. Despite her height, he dwarfed her, which was saying something about how monstrous the guy was.
“Honey, if you need anything at all, and your man ain’t there to help out, I know all the guys would say the same, but promise me I’ll be the first one you call,” he rumbled. “Cade will make sure all \ our numbers are in your phone. Don’t go anywhere without it.”
“I won’t,” she said muffled into his chest.
“In the meantime, I’ll be the one looking after your place. Gonna keep watch to see if that asshole comes back.”
With a single nod against the massive man, Aspen let Rex go. My friend gave me a nod, then disappeared around the corner of my house.