Dawning and Resurgence (The Collective, #2)

by K.C. Mills

It had been years since I’d laid with my wife Sasha and I never once cheated. Even when we fell apart and I knew there was no feasible way to repair what was broken between us, I still didn’t cheat. Even after discovering she had been sleeping with the man who truly owned her heart, I held to my vows.

It wasn’t about her. It was about me and who I was as a man. Being faithful was about my commitment to honoring my promise to God. I held onto what little I could control. I was so far removed from being a perfect man that the concept was laughable. I did wrong, sure. But the commitment I made to my wife I could control. I honored her even when she

“I have seen your car. Things don’t define who we are or determine your value. Your car is not a determination of what your standards are. I wouldn’t dare assume that what I think is acceptable is good enough, so I’m asking. Is this okay?”

“You said five. My goal was to take your number and double it. That’s how many times I want to make you cum.”

“Family, you are not, Mother. You lost the privilege when you fucked over my brother for the last time. The day of his wedding, no less. Now get the fuck out of my office.” “Are you serious right now? This is about him?” The venom and hate on her tongue for her own son was sickening. Not surprising but still disheartening. “Why wouldn’t it be? He’s my brother. I love him. I will stand for and by him even if you won’t.”

Elias smirked. “Bring her tomorrow night. That will also make my wife very happy and I can stop listening to her complain about how nonexistent your love life is. She loves you and I respect that you two are close but my wife having too much focus on where you put your dick is a problem for me.”

Being submissive to the wrong man had cost her years of being unappreciated and had her guards up. In time I would prove she could trust my leadership.

“People often get stuck on the emotion of love but fear as an emotion is just as relevant. Just as intense. Just as meaningful. It’s debatable whether or not my parents loved each other and I’ve expressed that I didn’t love my wife—nor did she love me—so my views on love are more structural. I love my family, Elias, Cress, and their children. Although it’s not the same, I know the fear I carry in relation to my family is the same as the love I have for them. Fear of ensuring I’m enough so their love for me never changes. Fear of losing them. Fear of them being wronged or hurt. That same fear exists in relation to you. It weighs heavily on my conscience. Fear is just as necessary as loving someone. You fear because you care, because you love even if you don’t realize the emotions are there. When you fear life without those important to you, you fight to ensure you never have to experience what that looks or feels like. To that degree, fear and love are very similar, if not the same in relation to meaningful connections.”

I was still processing all of this when she added, “And for the record, my husband knew the minute he laid eyes on me I was his. I’m a bit stubborn so I won’t say I was fully convinced the first time I laid eyes on Elias that our futures were destined. It wasn’t long after we met before I knew he owned my heart. When you know, you just know. That’s the most beautiful connection anyone could ever have.”

“What’s one thing in life you want more than anything, but you’ll never ask for, no matter what?” The answer was easy so I spoke it without hesitation. “You.” Her eyes narrowed. “Me?” I nodded slowly. “I’ll never ask for you to be with me, to love me, to appreciate me and what I have to offer. Everything I do will be for you. I will be unabashedly devoted to making you happy. The choice will always have to be yours. But if you continue to choose me? I promise to give you everything I am, everything I will ever be, everything you can even imagine. There will never be a moment of your life where you will ever question where I stand with you, how I feel, or whether I choose you. But I’ll never ask, Jhorie. I can’t. The choice will always have to be yours.”

I walked to the door and he yelled behind me. “You too much of a coward to deliver your own message? Why you need them to do it?” “No, you’re just not worth the time it will take to explain to Jhorie why my hands are bruised before I join her in my house, in my bed. Because make no mistake about it, she is mine.”