Chapter 24 Home To Roost （Kane） #2
“I know, I know. She hated him so much. But God, it’s beautiful, isn’t it?
” She traces the words on the paper. “I counted at least a dozen shoe sculptures. Holden said he found twice as many back in Portland. He spent years on this, and he could never get it right. He always carved his signature and the date into the bottom.”
“You think your mom will never forgive him?”
She hesitates.
“I don’t know. She spent my whole life bitter.
She’d barely agree to let us see him. I don’t know if she really knows how to forgive.
” She looks up at me, her eyelashes wet.
“I’ll bring it to her soon, though. I have to.
” She heaves a breath. “But Ethan needs to see this stuff first and read the journal. It’s only fair. ”
Ethan, her brother, who had his own demons, if I understand the family history right.
“It’s so stupid—and so complicated.” She leans back into me. I wrap an arm around her shoulders. “Once he sees it, I think he’ll help me bring this to Mom. I just don’t know how she’ll take it. They were estranged for over twenty years, until the day he died.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t know how much he hurt. She didn’t know how sorry he was and that he knew how much of a mistake he made with your dad, your whole family.”
Her dad. Not Ethan’s.
It’s a dire, fucked up family situation for sure, but I’m not here to judge.
Hell, I’m just getting back on track myself.
“I’ll be there too, if you want me to be,” I promise. “For you, I always will be.”
Her face smooths and she leans up to kiss my jaw.
The journal settles on the blankets as she shifts so she’s on top of me, holding my face in her hands as she kisses me, all soft lips and searing tongue.
I’m hard enough to split rocks.
“I love you,” she tells me fiercely. “I love you so much, Kane.”
“So fucking much,” I agree, and I find the silk bottoms of her pajama shorts. I slide my fingers under them, and she shudders against me. “Is that what has you this wet? Love?”
“I like it when you tell me you love me,” she says shyly, smothering her moan as I rub her pussy.
“I love you.”
“Oh!” Her teeth scrape my neck, just enough to make me throb. “I love you, Kane. Always.”
“Always,” I growl, pushing my fingers deeper inside her.
She clenches around me, and my greed is overwhelming.
No matter how many days it happens like this, I still want to reclaim her.
I want her ruined.
I want her marked, inside and out, with red marks on her throat and my seed leaking between her legs.
Mine, dammit.
Mine and forever.
My growl doesn’t even have to form the word.
My sweet, needy duchess already knows.
And she takes my hand and moves it to her breast, shifting so she’s got my cock at her entrance.
“Kane, holy shit. Don’t make me beg.”
I curse under my breath, and she laughs, seriously considering it.
Her clothes are gone in a whirlwind.
Then she’s on top of me and I shove her legs apart to mount her just right.
Lucky for her, I’m so thirsty today. I push the fuck in.
I’m balls deep and she’s moaning helplessly, the sexiest music I’ve ever heard in my life.
Sometimes, like now as she’s moving above me in slow, languid movements, I think I’m drowning in a dream.
Like I’m not lucky enough to have a woman this beautiful worshipping my cock, opening her legs and aching to be fucked into next week damn near every day.
She laughs.
She shudders.
She grinds down until her clit gets my friction.
And I forget about anything besides how fucking awesome she feels, the slow roll of her hips, the way she knows how that shy smile destroys me—like she has some big secret, and I’m the lucky prick she gets to share it with.
“I could keep you chained up here all week,” I snarl.
“Deal!” Her head tilts back, exposing her throat.
I flip her over, arms around her back, and brace myself over her.
“I love you, Margot.”
At this angle, I take her from behind, pumping deep until I bottom out, pushing my balls against her.
In to the hilt.
I love watching her eyes widen in the mirror on the wall when she feels the head of my cock against her womb.
I reach around and find her clit again, driving faster, finding that little nub and bringing her to ruin.
“Fucking wait for me,” I growl.
Her eyes roll, huge and glassy.
“I… I don’t know if I can. Oh my God!”
“Wait, duchess.” I slow, keeping her on the edge as I thrust deeper—hard long strokes that only feed the fire, and fuck, it feels divine. “Need you to come with me today.”
“Kane.” Her mouth falls open and I push my thumb into it, her lips closing around me and sucking automatically. “Kane!”
“Good girl.”
Her trembling eyes tell me she’s close, but I don’t need the hint.
I’ve spent enough time learning her body.
All the wicked ways her flesh worships me, a candle to flame.
Knowing she’s on the brink sends lightning through my nerves, and I slow down, pinning her against the bed.
For a second, we linger on the edge, lost in each other’s gaze, this killing balance of almost and not enough.
Then her body shudders and she loses it.
My spine becomes a lit fuse.
My balls heave, a split second from erupting.
“Fucking come!”
And she does.
My girl comes so beautiful in a shuddering, desperate, breathless orgasm that splits the morning.
Her body clenches around mine, small waves fluttering as I come too, turning myself inside out, heart first.
I empty myself inside her like a man turned human flood.
“Kane,” she whispers my name with a reverent kiss.
“Margot,” I whisper back, sucking her bottom lip with my teeth.
As long as she’s here, as long as she’s alive, she’s my property.
And I’ll carve out hours every day just to remind her how glorious that can be.
For a nine-year-old, Dan has an ego bigger than the Moon when it comes to his games. Mostly because he beats me every time.
“Dad, you’re too slow! You gotta move to keep up.” He loves to rub it in.
We’re playing Beat Saber with his VR headset, smashing through colored boxes with our swords to techno music that must be meant to make hearts explode.
If you think it’s a game I’d be naturally good at, you’re wrong.
The kid leaves me in the dust with his quicker moves, beating me so decisively he makes it look effortless.
At the end, he rips off his headset, and I hold out my fist for a bump.
“Nice round, little man. If it were archery, you’d be in trouble.”
“No fair! You said I’m not old enough yet.” He grins up with his messy hair.
“We’ll see about next spring,” I promise, a sly grin spreading across my face. “If I can finally beat you at this one time.”
“Dad, you suck! You know you won’t.” He paces the room in frustration. “You’re old and slow. Why don’t you see if you can beat Margot? She’s closer to your age.”
“Watch it.” I pull him into a headlock. “Life’s not fair and we’re not always up against our equals.”
Of course, whether I beat him or not, we’ll be taking up archery once he turns ten. That’s the age when I first picked up a bow.
I can’t wait to do it again with him and Sophie.
Judging by the relaxed look on his face, he knows it, too.
“You’re my dad,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’m supposed to pick on you. Way of the world, like you always say.”
“Close enough, little punk.” I rub my knuckles against his head and release him.
We sit down on the sofa next to each other and grab our water bottles.
“So,” Dan says. “When are you gonna get Margot a ring? It’d be a shame if she goes back to Portland first.”
What?
It’s no secret the kids adore her, but the question beans me on the head like a rock.
“You really like having her here, huh?” I play it cool.
“Well, yeah!” He blinks at me like I’m the biggest bonehead he’s ever met. “I like Margot. Sophie loves her, they’re closer than she ever was with Mom.”
Fucking ouch.
I wish I could deny it.
“Bud, listen.” I sigh. “We’re working through some serious stuff. It’s mandatory after the trouble we had in Maine. Might take us some time, but once I’ve figured it out, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Cool,” he says. “I can help you figure out how to ask her, you know. When the time comes.”
Without another word, I reach down and ruffle his hair.
Between us boys, I’ll be fine.
Still, I can’t say I mind the moral support from my little wingman.
Just then Margot sails in, a sunny smile on her face as she leads Sophie into the den.
My daughter’s wearing the most extravagant soft bubblegum pink shoes I’ve ever seen.
The shape’s barely thinner than her basic black shoes. I’ve seen the specs a dozen times while Sophie talked my ear off, counting down the days until they arrived.
Only, the shade Margot picked with soft white stripes running along the front and the colorful flowers splashed on the sides create an optical illusion. It makes them look smaller and prettier, and the color draws the eye away from their bulky size.
Damn, I’m impressed.
These aren’t shoes meant for blending in.
They’re a pastel pink spotlight, and Sophie spins in them, beaming with pride.
“I see the Candy Cloud shoes are here. How do they feel?” I ask.
“Dad, they fit perfect!” she chirps, giving us another twirl.
“Those are so pink and girly.” Dan laughs. “But for you, it works, I guess.”
High praise from her punk brother.
“I’m in love. I think I wanna marry these shoes,” Sophie says.
Margot bites her lip as she glances at me, her eyes dancing.
“I think they turned out fabulous,” she says. “What do you think, Dad?”
“Yeah, Dad.” Sophie bounds up to me, a little ball of pixie sugar I haven’t seen for some time. “Tell me what you think!”
“Hmm, let’s see… They seem safe. They help you walk without falling over. Everything good shoes should do.” I rub my chin, drawing it out.
“Daaaad!” She claps her hands to her cheeks and pulls her face down.
“Okay, munchkin. I think they put Dorothy’s ruby slippers to shame. If you walk in wearing those, everyone will think you’re pure wizard. They’re you, Soph. Right down to the little flowers.”
Her face scrunches with a smile before she nods solemnly. “They really are, aren’t they?”
“Hell yeah.” I lift her up in a hug until she squeals before I set her down again.
Then I catch Margot’s eyes over the top of Sophie’s head.
Genius, I love you, I mouth.
Hiding a laugh, she mouths I love you right back.
Dan might’ve had a point earlier.
I don’t want to rush into anything crazy, but what else will ever match this sweet insanity with Margot Blackthorn?
What else ever could?
I can’t wait forever.
Her grandfather went to his grave watching his hourglass run out. I’d be painfully foolish to make the same mistake.
Not in this life.
Not with this woman.
Definitely not when she’s as perfect with my kids as she is with me.