Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 35875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 179(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 179(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
"Shut up," I mumble, jabbing him in the side.
He chuckles quietly, grabbing me around the waist and hauling me over until I'm pinned beneath him again. I think this man has a thing about pinning me places. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I may have a thing about it, too.
"What do you want, wife? You can have anything."
"I want to see him one more time before the press conference," I whisper.
Jack goes rigid on top of me.
"I need to see him, Jack."
"Why?" he growls.
"Because I have things to say that the whole world doesn't need to hear," I murmur. "He cheated on my mom the whole time she was sick. And he used me like a weapon to keep her chained to their marriage. He pretended to love me so he could hold custody over her head. I was just something he could manipulate to ensure she didn't leave him. By the time I was old enough to see him for who he really was, she was too sick to leave. I want to tell him…"
"That you hate him," he murmurs, stroking my cheek.
"That I forgive him."
Jack eyes me silently.
"He doesn't deserve it. He'll never deserve it. But I do, Jack. I've carried it for long enough," I whisper. "I'm ready to let it go."
"And you think this will help you do that?"
"No, you helped me do that. Facing him is just closing that chapter. It's me looking him in the eye and reminding myself that he's the past and will always be the past now. It's giving myself permission to stop hating him." I brush my thumb along his bottom lip. "I'd really like to stop hating him. It's so damn heavy."
"Jesus," Jack rumbles, sliding his hand into my hair to pull me down to him. He claims my mouth in a deep kiss, not letting up until we're both breathing hard. "You're fucking incredible, you know that?"
"I'm really not," I whisper, cuddling up against him. "I just figured out what I want."
"Yeah? What's that?"
"A future without shadows of the past lingering," I murmur, stretching until my lips are close to his ear. "One where my husband fucks his baby into me."
"Madison," he growls, gripping my ass.
"Please, Jack," I whisper, done talking as I reach for his cock. "Please, I need it."
"You naughty little minx," he groans, throwing his head back. He doesn't tell me no, though. Of course he doesn't.
Chapter Nine
Jack
"Why the fuck are you here so early?" I growl, scowling at Dillon, who is standing on my doorstep with a smirk on his face. The sun is barely even up. And I've been up half the night. Just so we're clear, I'm not complaining about that last part. Spending half the night fucking Madison raw is worth it every damn time. Especially on our wedding night.
"I need to see your wife."
I stare at Dillon for a long moment before slowing inching the door closed. He shoves his foot into the opening, laughing at me.
"Stop being a possessive asshole and go get Madison, Jack. This is important."
"Better be," I mutter. "You're interrupting the best night of my life."
"It's morning."
"Not when you only went to sleep three hours ago it isn't."
He laughs again, letting himself in while I go in search of my wife. I find her in the kitchen, making coffee, looking like a goddess. I stand in the doorway for a long moment, just drinking in the sight of her. Goddamn, she's gorgeous.
"You're staring again."
"You're wearing my ring. Unabashed staring is covered in the fine print, baby."
"Is it? In that case…" She turns around, raking her gaze up and down my body as she sips her coffee with a smirk.
I shake my head, my cock turning to stone. "Stop looking at me like that. Dillon is here to see you."
"Well, his timing sucks."
"Hard agree." I hold out a hand for her. "Come on. The faster we deal with him, the faster I get to take you back to bed."
"You have to work today."
"Uh, no, I don't."
"You missed work yesterday, Jack."
"I work for my damn self, baby. I can miss work if I want to miss work."
"You're terrible at secrets, just so you know," she mumbles, marching past me into the living room.
I swat her gorgeous ass.
"Morning, Sheriff," she says, scowling at me over her shoulder.
"You started it," I mouth at her.
She harumphs and turns to look at Dillon, who just shakes his head like he thinks I'm an idiot. Which, now that I think about it…
"What can I do for you this morning?"
"Do you know Kenneth McDougal?" Dillon asks her.
"Kenneth McDougal?" Her brows furrow. "He's one of my father's old college buddies. He lives in Houston. Why?"
"He's the one your father called after you talked to him the other morning," Dillon says. "And McDougal showed up in town a few hours later. He stayed at a hotel over the weekend before heading back to Houston."