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“I don’t need help.” My chest vibrates with silent laughter. “Okay, short stack.” “I’m a full stack, thank you very much,”
When I turn to see just who that voice belongs to, I’m dumbstruck. Ho-ly fuck.
A literal angel is rushing toward us. Long white-blonde hair falls down her back over a creamy sweater that’s hitting her mid-thigh and covering tight black leggings tucked into knee-high riding boots. Her pale cheeks are flushed red, and big doe eyes are locked on Izzy. She doesn’t even see me here, but there’s no way I’ve missed her. It feels like someone just smacked me with a two-by-four.
I understand needing to be a responsible adult . . . but seriously. Every day? Like every single day? That seems a bit excessive.
Shit. Two kids. This would probably be when a smarter man would back away, but I guess I’m not that smart because it makes me want to know more, and I’m pretty sure Addie doesn’t want me to know anything. Guess it’s a good thing I don’t mind putting the work in.
My mother did not raise a quitter. She did, however, raise someone who has a flair for dramatics mixed with a teeny, tiny attitude problem. —Addie’s Secret Thoughts
But something was there . . . Not just attraction, but something else. Something bigger. Stronger. Insistent. Something I don’t just want to explore, I need to. Have to. She and her kids and the chaos around them settled me in a way I haven’t been in a long time.
And he’s looking past Bellamy with his eyes locked on mine, like he’s the predator and I’m the prey . . . I shouldn’t like it. It should absolutely set my nerves on edge. So why doesn’t it?
I leave Hendrix in the dust and walk right over to the beautiful blonde who demanded my attention just by fucking breathing in the same room as me.
It’s nice when you actually get to have something just for yourself instead of having the whole family involved in everything you’re doing.”
She needs air to fill her lungs and books to fill her soul. —Addie’s Secret Thoughts
I’m not sure what it says about me that I just realized all the punishments I threaten my daughter with are my actual adult goals. Staying home. Going to bed early. Having to be quiet for five minutes. And my favorite . . . getting spanked. I’ll never spank her, but I’m certain I wouldn’t mind being spanked once in a while. —Addie’s Secret Thoughts
I look back at the house in front of me and wonder when hanging with my brother and friends instead of Addie and the girls became my second choice.
“Is Addie here?” I ask, wanting to get inside and check on my girl. Fuck . . . My girl. I mean, I’ve been thinking of her that way for weeks, but damn if I don’t want to say it out loud. To claim her. I want her to let me. To make her believe it.
“I want to be your everything.” I pull the covers over her and run a hand over her face. “But you’re gonna have to let me in for that, sweetheart.”
“I’ll do it,” he interrupts and my entire world tilts. “I’ll marry you.”
I’m not sure what I’m going to have to do to convince you I am a nice guy. But only to the people I give a shit about, and sweetheart, you are on that list. You have been since the minute you stormed into the arena,
Start over. Start late. Start scared. Just start. The first step is always the hardest.
I want to bang my chest and make sure the entire arena knows she’s mine. Her and the girls.
One day, I’m going to kiss this woman, but the first time it happens will not be in front of an arena full of people for show.
Before she says another word, I gather her soft face in my hands and enjoy the sweet oh that forms on her lips. “What are you doing, Leo?” I drag my thumb along her bottom lip and fucking love the way she closes her eyes. “Waiting for permission.” “Permission for what?” she whispers, her warm breath turning to smoke in the cold air. “To kiss my wife, Adelaide.”
“Because Adelaide . . .” I breathe her in and slow down. “The minute I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were everything. Somehow, I just knew it. And I knew you were supposed to be mine. You and those girls. But you were never going to let me prove it. This way, I can show you why.”
we’re Sinclairs, we love hard, and we love fiercely. He’d say Sinclairs are scared of finding the right women. And when you find her, don’t let go.
“Why shouldn’t you take my name?” “I don’t want your money or your name, sweetheart. I just want you.”
“Inspiration, huh?” I ask, and she nods. Damn . . . There are so many ways I want to inspire this woman.
“It’s the practice jersey I’ve had for a few years. Been washed about a million times. You want to wear colors, you wear my colors and my name, Adelaide.”
“Be sure, wife. Because once you give yourself to me, I’m never giving you back.”
Mine. Leo is mine, and I’m not sure I’ll ever want to be anyone’s but his.
“I’m not sure if I’m ever going to be able to give you more than that, Leo.” I run my lips over hers. “I’ll never ask you for more than you can give me.”
“You are the woman I want, and I’ve got you right here in my arms. You’re my wife, Adelaide. Nothing about us may have happened the way you think it was supposed to, but I think everything happens for a reason. And for whatever reason, we were brought together. You were always meant to be mine.” I push the damp curls falling from her bun away from her face. “Mine, Addie. And I protect what’s mine. Nothing is ever going to hurt you again. I promise.”
love you, Adelaide. You. The girls. You’re everything to me, and I fight for what’s mine. We’ve got this. I promise.”
“You and me, sweetheart. It was always going to be you and me. I just had to convince you of that. Marrying you helped.”
“Sucker.” “Only for the James girls,” I tell her. “Guess that makes us the luckiest girls in the world, Leo.” She lifts up on her toes and presses her lips against mine. “Pretty sure I’m the lucky one.”
“I knew it. Okay, yeah. We won’t tell anyone because I don’t want to hurt their feelings when they realize my dad is better than theirs.”
“Do not let my kids out of your fucking sight, Wilder.”
She didn’t survive the storm. She became it.
And as of two days ago, Izzy and Lennox are officially Sinclairs. Not that their last name ever mattered to me. They were always mine.
