One year later…
I FLOPPED ONTO the sofa in the family room and stared at my husband. We’d returned from the sentencing hearing for my parents, who were sentenced to life for their role in the kidnapping of nine children, the death of Ali, and extortion of several of their acquaintances in an effort to get the money together to get Josiah Warren’s father, Brian, in a position to oust Burton Miller.
Although my mother’s affair had started out of lust and affection, it had quickly gone downhill from there and she’d moved her interests from Burton to Brian. They’d concocted the plan to kidnap the kids using a few of Brian’s Russian contacts around the country. Which is how they ended up in Oregon. Ali and I had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, getting caught in Dean’s deal with the mob who owned him due to his drug habit.
Brock and his team had gathered enough evidence for a slam-dunk case, and on top of it, had inadvertently split open a human trafficking ring the Russians were running. Dean had owed the mob big money and trafficked young college women in an effort to pay off the debt. The bust of these people meant Brock, Dallas, and Jaxon all received bonuses, accolades and promotions. All three turned down the promotions, choosing to stay within their tight group, but they happily took the bonuses and kudos.
Brock and I had been married in his parents’ backyard, surrounded by his family, Macey, Dallas, and Jaxon, two weeks after we’d returned home.
Brock leaned over me and smiled, bringing me back to the present. “How are you?”
“Glad it’s over.”
“Me too.” He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. “Are you sad?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m kind of over it, actually. I don’t understand how two people I loved so much could be so inherently evil.”
“I know.”
“Were they always this way or did they just happen to make a few bad choices on their way down?”
“I have no idea,” he admitted.
“And what happens to the house? I know this seems weird, but I loved that house.”
“I know you did. I would assume it’ll be auctioned off.”
I sighed. “Which is just wrong.”
“How about we go out there next week and see what we can find out?”
I stared at him. “You mean, spend our one-year anniversary there?”
“Yes.”
“You did something, didn’t you?”
Brock laughed. “I booked us in at that little inn on Main Street for a week.”
I threw myself in his arms. “Oooh, I love you, love you, love you, Brock Williams.”
“I love you more, Bailey Williams.”
“Come on. I’m in the mood to show you my appreciation.” I rose to my feet and held out my hand.
He joined me. “And I’m in the mood to let you.”
I giggled as Brock bent at the waist and lifted me over his shoulder. “What are you doing?” I demanded and smacked his bottom.
He gave mine a firm squeeze. “I’m takin’ my woman to bed and I’m gonna fuck her until she screams my name.”
I shivered, my body warming at the thought. “Hurry,” I demanded.
As we walked toward the staircase, the doorbell rang. “Who the hell is that?” Brock grumbled, setting me on my feet and pulling open the door.
“Delivery for Bailey Harper.”
“Bailey Williams,” Brock corrected, but took the package and signed for it, handing it to me.
He closed the door and I tore open the package. “It’s from Daddy’s law firm.”
Brock wrapped an arm around my waist from behind and read over my shoulder. “Babe,” he said.
“Are you reading that too?”
“Yeah.”
I turned in his arms. “I…um…the house. It’s mine.”
“Looks like it,” he said, and grinned.
“Did you know about this?”
“No way. Not a clue.”
“It looks like my grandmother put it in a trust for me. I took ownership when I turned twenty-one…something my parents conveniently forgot to mention.” I stared up at Brock. “That must have been why they were so frantic. They knew I had the choice to kick them out.”
“Must have been.” He took a deep breath.
“But I would have never made them move out.”
“I know you wouldn’t have.” He stroked my cheek. “What do you want to do?”
I bit my lip. “Honestly? I want to live here, but maybe find out if there’s a historical society or something I could loan the Vermont house to until we’re ready to either live there or sell or whatever? The house has been around for a long time. I think we could use our anniversary week to figure that out if that’s okay with you.”
He grinned, leaning down to kiss me again. “I love that idea.”
I dropped the paperwork on the foyer console and slipped my hands up his shirt. “Okay, time for you to take your woman to bed and fuck her until she screams your name.”
Brock lifted me again and rushed upstairs, giving me exactly what I wanted.