Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
I rest my head against his chest and sway slowly with him while people move around us.
“You know what’s funny?” I murmur.
“What?”
“I thought leaving would help me figure out who I was outside of all this.”
His hand tightens slightly against my waist. “And?”
I look up at him. “Turns out I still want this life. I just wanted you to be with me in it.”
Something shifts in his expression then.
He leans down and kisses me slowly right there in the middle of the ballroom.
People clap softly around us, but I barely notice. Most of the time, I like to be in the background while my family is front and center, but with Bobby’s arms around me, this feels right.
When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine. “I’m never letting you go again, Ellie.”
I smile softly. “Good. We talked about this because I’m not leaving.”
Relief flashes across his face before he hides it quickly.
Before I can assure him again, Bennett walks up to us. He kisses my cheek. “You look beautiful, Mom.”
I adjust his already perfect tie. “You look pretty handsome yourself.”
He smiles at me, but the smile drops when he looks at his dad, and the mood shifts.
“What is it?” Bobby asks.
Bennett lowers his voice. “Still no sign of Victor.”
Bobby’s jaw tightens slightly.
Since the day he confronted me on the street, Victor Sterling has disappeared completely.
I wish I could just forget that Victor Sterling ever existed, but we all know that’s not possible. And now the fact that he’s gone silent is even scarier.
Bobby wraps an arm around my waist again. “Keep looking.”
Bennett nods once, gives me a soft smile, and walks away.
I glance up at Bobby. “You think he’s planning something.”
“I know he is.”
Fear flickers briefly in my chest, and Bobby immediately notices.
He brushes his thumb across my hip. “Hey.”
I look up at him, and he’s watching me closely. “He doesn’t get to steal this from us,” Bobby says quietly. “Not tonight.”
Emotion swells in my chest as I look around the ballroom, at our family, at the life we built together.
Even with everything going on, we’re happy again.
And as Bobby pulls me closer against him, I realize something important.
Whatever comes next… we’ll face it together.
EPILOGUE
ROBERT
I stare at my wife standing at the end of the aisle, and for the first time in my life… I’m nervous.
I’m actually really nervous, and I pull at the hem of my jacket.
After everything we’ve survived together, after thirty-five years of marriage, after raising our boys and building an empire and nearly losing each other… my damn hands are sweating.
Knox notices too because he mutters beside me, “You look terrified.”
“Shut up,” I mutter back.
Cole laughs quietly while Bennett smirks.
They’re assholes, and if I was in my office, I’d give them hell. But we’re at my vow renewal, and now is not the time or the place.
Eleanor starts walking toward me, and fuck, she’s so beautiful I can’t take my eyes off her. Her beige dress is simple and elegant. It hugs her body perfectly and reminds me exactly why I’m so obsessed with her.
She’s clutching a bouquet of wildflowers, and there are a few chuckles as she walks quickly down the aisle and stops next to me.
I take her hand and hold her to me. “You in a hurry?”
She doesn’t hesitate. “I love that you wanted to do this, but I don’t need it, Bobby. I know how you feel about me.”
“I’m doing this for you, for us, and for our family. There is nothing fractured about our family, Ellie. I want the whole world to know that we are as committed to each other as we’ve ever been. I want people to know that nothing will ever tear us apart.”
She goes to her tiptoes and kisses me softly. “Okay.”
The ceremony is small. We only invited family and people that we trust.
But none of that would matter. I would renew our vows with just the two of us in the room because more than anything, it’s Ellie that I want to impress.
The officiant starts talking, and I know I should be paying attention, but all I can do is stare at my beautiful wife and think about what I want to do with her when we’re done here. I still can’t get over the fact that she came home to me, and there won’t be a second that I don’t savor with her by my side.
Eleanor squeezes my hand gently, and I realize that everyone is staring at me waiting for my vows.
Shit.
There’s a laugh, but I ignore it.
I clear my throat and look down at my wife. “I had a whole speech planned.”
Knox groans behind us. “Oh, God.”
The guests laugh softly, but my gaze never leaves Eleanor.
“But then I saw you walking toward me and forgot every damn word,” I admit honestly.
Her eyes immediately fill with tears.