“Kaleb.” Silas Van Allan was standing in front of me, his hand outstretched.
I shook it. “Mr. Van Allen.”
He had dark circles under his eyes, and his gaze flicked past me to linger on his wife and daughter before re-focusing on me. “Kaleb, please. I owe you the deepest of apologies,” he said, his voice shaking for a moment before it firmed. “I misjudged you terribly, and I can never make up for that. You risked your own life to save my daughter. Please…will you…?”
He looked away.
Stunned, not sure how to handle this reversal of events, I reached out and took his hand.
He tightened his, eyes coming back to mine.
I waited for the cameraman to jump out and yell something like, Joke’s on you, mate!
But the only thing that happened was Silas jerking me up against him in one of those back-slapping hugs that left me feeling like he might have jarred a few teeth loose.
Then he let me go and went to his daughter, and I was caught up in an embrace from Amara, one that smelled of a soft perfume. Oddly, it reminded me of my own mother’s.
My throat went tight.
“Please forgive us,” she said, pulling back and staring at me solemnly. “We were unkind, but we’ve only ever wanted what’s best for her.”
“It’s…I understand.”
“I don’t see how.” She offered me a wobbly smile, then looked over at her daughter. “We would like to…make a gesture, if you would. We heard that your sister is willing to help putting that ugly man away for many years. We understand she need some rehab. Silas and I want to help. And we’ll do everything we can to make sure the two of you can stay in the US.”
40
Piety
Kaleb slid his mouth down my neck.
I wanted to grab him and rip his clothes away, but he wasn’t having any of it.
I’d spent the night at the hospital, plus half the day, waiting for the doctor to look me over so he could discharge me.
I might have been okay, but Kaleb had started running his hand up and down my thigh on the drive over and the need to touch, to connect, had been overwhelming.
Now, as his hands slid up my back, dragging the shirt with it, I unbuttoned his, with far more speed and far less grace than he showed.
“Naked,” I said. “I want you naked.”
“Same goes. I want to see and touch every inch of you. That’s the only way I’ll be sure you’re okay.”
His tongue flicked the corner of my mouth, and my knees went weak. “This has been the longest day of my life,” he said.
“Absolutely,” I agreed.
He arrowed his fingers in through my hair and tugged my head back, but the desperate, dark kiss I’d been anticipating – craving – didn’t happen.
Instead, he kissed me soft and slow. He kissed me so sweetly, tears burned in my eyes as he trailed a path down my chin, then my neck.
“Hold on,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around my hips, then boosting me up.
I did.
I’d hold onto him forever.
He held me close as he carried me through the suite and into the bedroom, where he laid me down and stripped away my skirt and panties, then pressed his lips to my belly.
But when he would have spread my thighs and moved between them, I tugged him up to me. “I want you now…I want this.”
I needed it, needed to feel him inside me, moving against me, and I needed to see his face.
He nodded, as if he understood exactly what I meant.
Maybe he did.
We were almost…careful with each other. It wasn’t something I could explain, the gentle way he touched me or the slow, almost teasing way he entered me.
By the time he filled me, we were both holding our breath, and it was almost painful to have him withdraw – we were part of each other.
But I needed more.
So did he.
He moved, finding a rhythm that kept him from being gone from me for too long, while I clung to him, my heels hooked over his ass, tightening every time he was too far away.
“Don’t let go,” he said, just as I started to come.
I wanted to tell him I wouldn’t, not ever.
But I didn’t have the breath.
So I just clung to him instead.
Right where I belonged.
Epilogue. Piety
“Wow.”
That voice, hesitant and soft, was about as familiar to me now as Astra’s and Kaleb’s.
I looked up, met Camry’s gaze in the mirror, and smiled at her.
Things between us were…odd.
We were developing a friendship, but it was slow, and I was fine with that. I’d rather it be slow and real and last than either of us fake it just because we were sisters-in-law.
And real ones too.
I was wearing my wedding dress, and not some sexy little party dress like the one I’d worn when I asked Kaleb to marry me just to piss my parents off.
In less than fifteen minutes, we were getting married…again, in an official ceremony this time.
Something fluttered in my belly, and I gasped, pressing a hand to the hard mound there.
“Wow.” This time, I was the one to say it.
“Nervous?” Camry offered a quick smile as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Um…well, yeah, but I think the baby just moved.”
Her eyes widened. “Whoa. Cool.”
I grinned at her, echoing her statement.
Astra came sailing in, wearing a dress of dusky gold, reminiscent of the glamorous twenties. She even had a band around her head, one that did nothing to restrain her curls.
She caught sight of me and caught my face in her hands, then kissed me. “Checking – gotta make sure the lipstick is kiss-proof, PS.”
I batted her hands away. “The baby kicked,” I said, grinning.
“Really?” Her eyes popped wide, and she went to put her hand on my belly, but I smacked her away.
“No. Daddy gets to feel it first.”
“Oh, fine. Spoilsport.” Then she did a quick circle around me before turning to look at Camry.
They hadn’t hit it off right away. Astra was nothing if not fiercely loyal, but things had smoothed out after the initial rough patch. After Camry’s first few months in detox, she understood more of how badly she’d screwed things up. During her initial visit home, the first thing she’d said to Astra had been, “If you want to smack me, I’m fine with that.”
Camry was still so thin. She’d put on a few pounds and no longer looked like a starving waif, but Astra had huffed, saying, “I’d probably break you in half with a small swat.”
A week later, Astra decided that we should offer her a job for the non-profit we were working to get off the ground. It took forever to get such a thing approved, and we had more paperwork to deal with than an army could handle, so the extra hands were appreciated.
And since the non-profit dealt with young women who’d been in Camry’s situation, she could connect on a level many others couldn’t.
It was going well.
My mother knocked before slipping inside, checking to make sure I was ready before opening the door for my father.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
I barely recognized the warm, loving man he’d become over the past few months. Nodding, I fought back tears. I guess the possible loss of his only child had hit both of them, hard.
I know it had me.
He held out a hand, and I went to him.
“Come on,” I said, smiling up at him. “I’m ready to get started with the rest of my life.”
Kaleb was out there in the church…waiting for me.
If you would like to read more about these characters, you can now read Astra’s story in LA Misbehaved. CLICK HERE to download it now.
Also by M. S. Parker
The Rockstar’s Virgin
SEALionaire
Make Me Yours
The Billionaire??
?s Mistress
Con Man Box Set
HERO Box Set
A Legal Affair Box Set
The Champ
The Client
Indecent Encounter
Dom X Box Set
Unlawful Attraction Box Set
Chasing Perfection Box Set
Blindfold Box Set
Club Prive Box Set
The Pleasure Series Box Set
Exotic Desires Box Set
Pure Lust Box Set
Casual Encounter Box Set
Sinful Desires Box Set
Twisted Affair Box Set
Serving HIM Box Set
Acknowledgments
First, I would like to thank all of my readers. Without you, my books would not exist. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.
A big “thanks” goes out to all the Facebook fans, street team, beta readers, and advanced reviewers. You are a HUGE part of the success of all my series.
I have to thank my PA, Shannon Hunt. Without you my life would be a complete and utter mess. Also a big thank you goes out to my editor Lynette and my wonderful cover designer, Sinisa. You make my ideas and writing look so good.
About the Author
M. S. Parker is a USA Today Bestselling author and the author of the Erotic Romance series, Club Privè and Chasing Perfection.
Living in Las Vegas, she enjoys sitting by the pool with her laptop writing on her next spicy romance.
Growing up all she wanted to be was a dancer, actor or author. So far only the latter has come true but M. S. Parker hasn’t retired her dancing shoes just yet. She is still waiting for the call for her to appear on Dancing With The Stars.
When M. S. isn't writing, she can usually be found reading– oops, scratch that! She is always writing.
For more information:
www.msparker.com
[email protected]
M. S. Parker, Bound (The Billionaire's Muse Book 2)
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