I managed to sneak Sadie out of the party without anyone noticing. Lifting her into my Hummer, I pressed a quick kiss to her lips before closing the door and running around to get in on my side. I hadn’t been kidding about taking her back to my room. Even if we just talked all night, I wanted more time with her. I wasn’t ready to take her home.
“Do you have to be home at a certain time?” I asked, glancing over at her before cranking up.
Sadie let out a short laugh. It sounded more sad than anything, and my chest squeezed. “My mother is sound asleep by now, and she won’t check to see if I’m home all night long. She wouldn’t have a clue if I stayed out all night.”
There was a bitterness in her tone that surprised me. I knew enough about her mother to know she was pregnant and unwed and that Ms. Mary wasn’t a fan. The idea that no one checked on Sadie and made sure she was home safe bothered me. No, it scared the shit out of me. What would happen when I left? Would she be safe?
“My mom is just very pregnant right now. She’s tired,” Sadie added.
“Then are you up for going back to my house? We can talk. I don’t expect more. I just don’t want to take you home yet,” I explained.
Sadie shifted in her seat, then turned to me. The smile on her face was one I hadn’t seen yet. She looked like a naughty little girl with her innocent smile. “I would love to come back to your house . . . and room . . . but I don’t want to just talk.”
I needed to adjust myself. Sadie going all sexy on me made everything harder. “Are you sure about that?” I asked, wanting her to tell me yes but knowing she really needed to say no. We didn’t need this. I was already addicted to her. I wasn’t sure how I could leave if we got any closer physically.
“Very. I’ve thought of nothing else every night since.”
Ah, hell. I was a goner.
I drove the short distance back to the private island my summer house was safely tucked away on. Pulling into the driveway, I watched as Kane, who normally followed me everywhere, scowled at me and walked out to the Hummer. I’d snuck away from him tonight. I hadn’t wanted him tagging along once he found out where I was headed. He would really be pissed if he knew I’d just gone to a public party with crazed teenagers.
I shot a smirk at the angry bodyguard who had been close by for most of my career and put the Hummer in park. Kane was opening Sadie’s door and helping her out before I got around to her. He needed to stop that. “I got this, Kane,” I told him, and reached for Sadie’s hand.
He only grunted in reply and walked around to the driver’s seat.
“I’m surprised he didn’t come with us tonight,” Sadie said.
“Yeah. So is he,” I replied with a grin, and led Sadie up to the stairs and inside the house.
Luckily, my parents were in bed already. They weren’t big night owls. It wasn’t that I wanted to hide Sadie from my mom . . . No, it was that I wanted to hide her from my mom. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t. Only because she might possibly say something to hurt Sadie. My mother didn’t think about others’ feelings when she spoke. Then I’d have to kick her out, and it would cause all kinds of drama I didn’t want to waste my time with.
Sadie glanced around nervously as we walked over to the stairs. She was wondering about my mother too. She didn’t want to meet up with them either. Smart girl. I put my hands on her hips and walked up the stairs behind her, not even pretending not to be enjoying the view of her perfect backside. We made it upstairs and to my room without any run-ins with family members.
I closed and locked the door behind us, and Sadie walked over and sat down on the end of my bed. Yeah . . . I wasn’t going to be able to get the picture of her lying back on that bed out of my head.
“You look nice on my bed,” I said honestly.
She smiled sweetly and scooted farther back, then crooked her finger at me. Damn. When had innocent little Sadie gotten good at bringing a man to his knees?
I walked over to her and decided then that we’d talked a lot tonight and if Sadie wanted to do other things for a while, I wasn’t going to argue.
Sadie slightly parted her knees, and I came down over her until she was lying back and I was holding my body up with a hand planted firmly on each side of her head. God, she was gorgeous. And I’d have to leave her soon. The idea of someone like Dylan touching her or just getting to spend time with her while I was in other countries onstage . . . cold . . . alone . . .
I didn’t want to think about it anymore. Sadie’s hands lifted and wrapped around my neck, pulling me down to her. I needed this right now. Even if it was going to be hell on me when I left, I needed to be close to her like this now. It was the only thing that was going to get me through this tour. Remembering.
Sadie opened her legs farther, and I settled between them until my raging hard-on that she always seemed to cause was pressed up tight to the warmth between her legs. Fucking amazing was the only way to describe it. Just on the other side of her tiny bathing suit bottoms, she was all skin. Long, bare legs slid up my sides, and I couldn’t touch her enough. I ran my hands down her smooth legs and took each ankle and wrapped her legs around my waist.
“Oh!” she cried out, and closed her eyes as the movement put more pressure on her. I knew what I was doing. But I had to see her come again. It’d been intoxicating.
“Tell me if you want me to stop,” I whispered as I trailed kisses across her jawline until I claimed her mouth with mine.
She shook her head and held on to me tighter. That was all the encouragement I needed. I rocked my hips and let out a groan as the silky fabric of her bikini bottoms easily slid back and forth. I needed to touch her.
Pulling back, I slipped my hand down and then slid one finger inside the small piece of fabric keeping me away from what I wanted a taste of, and she bucked against me.
“Sadie,” I said, looking down at her. My voice cracked.
She was watching me, and her eyes lifted from my hand to my eyes. “Yes?” she whispered.
“Can I take these off?” I needed her to say no. But I was willing to beg her to say yes.
She simply nodded, and my greedy heart couldn’t ignore it. I grabbed them and started pulling them down as she lifted her hips so I could ease them down her bottom.
I’d seen a lot of girls naked. I’d even seen some women who were a few years older than me naked, but the sight of Sadie lying on my bed like this was causing my heart to slam against my chest.
She had pressed her knees back together, and I knew that if I was this nervous, she had to be ten times worse. I covered both of her knees with my hands and held her gaze as I slowly opened them. Sadie closed her eyes tightly, unable to keep looking at me, so I lowered my gaze down. A small triangle of pale blond hair barely covered up anything. And fuck, she was wet.
I pressed a kiss to her knee and began making a trail down the inside of her thigh. I could hear her quick intakes of breath, but I couldn’t take my eyes off this newfound treasure. I was obsessed. I needed to touch her and taste her. In some way I felt like I could claim her. Make her mine. Even if we both knew it was impossible.
I inhaled deeply and took in the sexy smell that was Sadie. Then I pressed one more kiss to the tender skin at the top of her thigh. Sadie trembled underneath me. I ran a finger through the warm wetness that was no longer hidden from me, and she cried out and moved her hips against my touch. I wanted inside her. More than anything I’d ever wanted in my life. But I knew I could never do that. Sadie deserved more than I could give. I wasn’t the guy who could be beside her, cherishing her, protecting her. I didn’t deserve to be the one who found heaven inside her.
But I would claim her tonight. If even just a little. I lowered my head and took a long, slow taste of those wet folds I’d only touched until now.
“Jax!” Sadie cried out my name, and it only inflamed me more. I could do this forever.
I held her open so that I could see the swollen red clit that needed my attention. When my lips touched it, Sadie went off like a rocket. Her cries were muffled, but her body twisted underneath me as she trembled. I was going to have to take one hell of a cold shower after this, but I wasn’t done yet. I glanced up at her. She had taken one of my pillows and covered her face. I watched as she slowly came back to earth and moved the pillow from her mouth and looked down at me.
Grinning, I took another long taste, and her blue eyes went wide again as she watched me.
Jax made me promise not to come to work the next morning after he didn’t bring me home until three. The sun was getting brighter, and my white mini blinds didn’t do much to block out the light. I stretched and smiled into my pillow as I thought about last night and all Jax had done to me. I could feel the blush rising up my neck at the memory of how wild I’d been in his bed, but he’d just kept on. I couldn’t seem to catch my breath from one orgasm when he was sending me into another one.
He had never pressed for more. Later he had excused himself to go to the bathroom, and when he’d come back he had lain down beside me on the bed and pulled me against his chest. Then we’d talked. About everything. I’d wanted to touch him and make him come apart for me, but he refused. He said that watching me and tasting me had already given him a release. I had no idea what that meant, but it made me smile.
I knew Jessica would wonder what I was still doing in bed this late, so I didn’t wait on her to come in here and interrupt my happy thoughts. I got up and pulled on a pair of shorts. It was time I talked to Jessica about Jax anyway. If I wanted to go with him to that auction fund-raiser, I needed to ask her.
I peeked inside Jessica’s room, but she was already up. When I walked into the kitchen, Jessica stood fixing a bowl of cereal.
She frowned at me. “You better not lose that job due to oversleeping. What time did you get in, anyway?”
Not sure where to start, I sat down at the table. “We need to talk about something.”
She set her bowl down on the table. “Girl, if you tell me you’re pregnant, I think I might go mad.”
I laughed. “That’s not gonna happen. And no, that’s not what this is about.”
Jessica tilted her head to the side. “Is this going to answer my question about what time you got in last night?”
I nodded.
She motioned her spoon at me to proceed, and then she took a big bite of her flakes.
I took a deep breath. “I’m not real sure where to start.”
Jessica paused with her spoon in midair. “You mean this is going to be that good?”
I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I wished she could be a normal mother, but then, I was not normal, so why should I expect her to be? “Okay, when you worked for the Stones, did you know who you were working for?”
She nodded. “Sure, the teen rocker Jax Stone. I couldn’t miss his pictures on the walls.”
I sighed, relieved she at least knew that much. “Well, I’m dating him.” I stopped and waited.
She swallowed her mouthful, and then her jaw dropped. “No way.”
I’d hoped for a more in-depth reply from her. But then, depth wasn’t really Jessica’s thing.
“We’ve been seeing each other, and, well, he has to go back to Hollywood for a fund-raiser next week and he wants me to go with him as his date.”
This got Jessica’s attention.
“He wants you to go to Hollywood?”
I nodded, and she chewed on her flakes a few minutes. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she finally said.
I hadn’t expected her to care if I went or not. “Can I ask why?”
She sat back in her seat and sighed. “Sadie, until this Jax Stone, you have never dated anyone. You’re beautiful, but you’re young and naive. His world isn’t something you’re ready for. Sure, dating him here is one thing, but walking into his world is another. I know I’m not the best mother in the world, but I love you, and I’m going to say no to protect you. You’re not ready for this, and the heartache this is going to cause will be like nothing you’ve ever experienced. A relationship with him for any reasonable amount of time is impossible. You’re just going to fall in love with him and he’s going to leave. He has to. He can’t be Jax Stone in Sea Breeze, Alabama.”
I wanted to argue, but I knew she was right. “I already love him,” I whispered.
She stood, walked over to me, put her hands on my shoulders, and squeezed. “Ah, baby, you’re about to find out how bad love really does hurt.” She kissed my head and left out the back door.
I couldn’t go, and it disappointed me, but somehow I knew it would be for the best. I wouldn’t fit into his world in Hollywood. I couldn’t even handle something as simple as high school.
• • •
Jax didn’t take my mother’s decision well, but he accepted it.
Saying good-bye even for a little while made my chest hurt. I dreaded it all day. If this was what it felt like to watch him leave for a short time, how much worse would September be? I heard him walk up behind me before he said anything. I stood up from my work with the roses and turned to him. He looked like someone out of a magazine, and I fought the urge to reach out and grab him and hold on to the Jax I loved, not this stranger standing before me.
He reached out, took my hand, and slipped my garden glove off. “I already miss you,” he said as he began kissing my fingers. “This is going to be two very long days.”
I forced myself to smile. “It’ll be over before we know it.”
He frowned and pulled me closer. “God help me if they ask me to sing a love song. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get through the lyrics.”
I smiled and reached up to run my fingers through his thick dark hair. “You’ll have them all eating out of the palm of your hand. All you have to do is smile.”
He grinned. “I think you’re a little biased.”
I laughed. “No, I’m not. I’ve witnessed you charming a room full of girls with one simple smile.”
He frowned and leaned down to kiss my cheek, then kissed a trail to my ear before whispering, “You’re the only one I care about charming.”
I sighed. “Well, don’t worry, I’m completely charmed.”
He leaned back and reached into his pocket. “I have something for you, but it’s really for me. I need you to take it so I’ll be able to get some rest while I’m away.”
He held a slim, flat cell phone in his hand.
“Please keep it on and with you at all times, so I can hear your voice whenever I need you.” Somehow he had managed to say the only words that would make me take a gift like this from him.
“I don’t know if I can use it. It seems complicated.”
He grinned. “It’s a touch screen. When you touch the screen, all your necessary buttons appear.”
I did as instructed, and the screen came to life. “It’s like the iPod you gave me.”
“That’s because it’s an iPhone.”
I slipped it into my pocket. “I’m just a phone call away.”
Jax smiled sadly. “I hate this.”
I didn’t want to make things harder on him, so I made myself smile. “You’ll be back soon.”
He stepped closer and leaned down to kiss me. I didn’t want to close my eyes. I wanted to see him while he made my world spin. The moment his hand traced my face, I lost all concentration and just enjoyed being in his arms. He stepped back and broke the kiss.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said in a raspy voice. I liked knowing our kiss had affected him.
“I know.”
He gave me one more grin and walked away. I watched him until he was almost out of sight. He turned back around and stopped to look at me. He lifted his fingers to his mouth and blew me a kiss before walking around the corner. The slim phone in my pocket reminded me he would call soon and I would hear his voice. It would have to be enough to get me through.
• • •
Marcus took me home after work. Jax had left a car, but I couldn’t bring myself to ride home in his Hummer without him.
“What do I gotta do to make you smile?” he asked when we pulled up beside the apartment.
I sighed and forced a smile. “Nothing.”
He leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes. “I hope he knows what he’s got.”
I glanced at my friend, not sure what to say. I dropped my hand from the car door. Apparently, he wanted to talk. “I’m the one who has been given something special. Jax isn’t like people think. He is this wonderful guy who is kind and polite and sweet. He makes me laugh and is happy just holding me. In his arms I feel safe. It’s like I have finally found somewhere I belong.”
Marcus let out a short, hard laugh. “Sadie, holding you isn’t a hardship for him, I can promise you. And how do you know you can’t find all those qualities in someone else? Jax isn’t the only guy on earth who is kind, polite, and sweet.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But no guy I’ve ever met has made my heart go on a frenzy and my skin tingle just from him walking into a room. Somehow he’s the only one who has ever been able to touch my soul.”
Marcus sighed and shook his head. “You’re right, it isn’t something just anyone can do to you. It just sucks Jax Stone is the one to make you tingle.”
I let out a small laugh. “I’ll always love him. But I know soon I’ll have to learn to live without him and move on. Right now just isn’t the time.”
Marcus nodded.
I opened the door and got out. “Thanks for the ride.”
He smiled. “Anytime.”
I walked inside. Marcus was a great guy, and if I didn’t love Jax so much, maybe I could feel something for him. But my soul was already taken.
I didn’t want to fall asleep for fear I would miss Jax’s call. I swept the kitchen and scrubbed the bathroom before finally getting in the shower. I left the cell by the sink just in case the phone rang. When I finished, I put on my nightgown, and then I turned to my bed and fought the urge to crawl in. I knew if I did, I would fall asleep. Closing my eyes was out of the question even though my lids were very heavy. I sat down on the edge of the bed and thought about the likelihood of him calling me tonight. I’d just about convinced myself he wasn’t going to call when I heard Jax singing “Wanted Dead or Alive.” I hadn’t expected a one-of-a-kind ringtone, and I laughed as I answered the phone. “Hello.”
“Hey, beautiful.”
“Do I happen to have the only recorded version of Jax Stone singing ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ as a ringtone?” I asked, unable to get the silly grin off my face.
“Yes, you do. When I tried to think of a song to play when I called you, I realized I’d never recorded a song you liked, so I went into my studio at the house and recorded the only one I knew you would enjoy.”
I smiled and crossed my legs on the bed. “I happen to have become an obsessed fan. You could have put any of your songs on there, and I would’ve been happy.”
“Is that so? I wish you’d told me you were a fan. I would’ve left my door unlocked so you could sneak in and squirt perfume on my pillow.”
I laughed out loud, and then covered my mouth so Jessica wouldn’t wake up and come in. I hadn’t discussed Jax with her again, and I hoped I wouldn’t have to.
“You mean you smell that good without help?”
“I guess I do.”
“Hmmm . . . Well, how about I autograph one of your body parts . . . . I get to pick.” He chuckled into the phone.
I blushed, and the silly grin stayed on my face. “Okay, maybe I am not that crazy a fan, but I am a fan. I listen to your music every night while I go to sleep.”
He groaned. “Sadie, did you have to remind me? I have a hard enough time closing my eyes to go to sleep. I don’t need images of you all curled up in your bed with your hair spread out around you, listening to me sing in your ears.”
“Sorry, but I don’t want you to think I prefer Jon Bon Jovi’s work over yours.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.”
“Go to sleep. I’ll see you soon.”
I sighed and wished I had a poster of him on my wall. “Good night, Jax.”
“Good night, Sadie.”
I pressed end and slipped under the covers with Jax playing in my ears.
• • •
Ms. Mary stood over Henrietta, who appeared to be making bread, when I entered the kitchen the next morning.
“Now, Mrs. Stone said she needs it to be whole wheat, but she wants it light and fluffy, not heavy.”
Henrietta nodded and continued kneading the dough in front of her. I grinned and walked toward the laundry room to change. Today wasn’t going to be easy with Jax gone, but at least I was at his home, near his things. It was better than nothing. I slipped into my uniform and went back to the kitchen.
“Go ahead and get some of the fresh bread over there. Henrietta made it for lunch today, but it is really good with some butter on it while it is still warm.”
I didn’t have to be told twice. My stomach growled. I sliced off a piece and buttered it. The fresh homemade bread melted in my mouth.
“Hey, don’t eat all the good stuff.” Marcus poked me in the ribs and grabbed the knife to slice himself off a piece too. I smiled up at him.
“Good morning to you, too.”
He grinned and took a bite of his bread. Marcus closed his eyes and moaned loudly, and poor Henrietta jumped.
Ms. Mary rolled her eyes. “Boy, can’t you eat any quieter?”
With a chuckle, he shook his head.
I wiped my hands on a paper towel and turned to Ms. Mary. “What do you have for me today?”
She smiled and pointed to the pantry. “I need you to go through and check all the expiration dates for me. We need to throw out anything that’s old and replace it.”
I nodded and went straight to work. With Jax singing in my ears, the morning flew by.
Marcus joined me at lunchtime. “How’s it going?” He grinned down at me and sat at the table with his plate full of food.
“Good, thank you. And you?”
Marcus shrugged “Same ol’, same ol’, I guess.” He studied me as if waiting for me to do something.
I frowned. “What?” I asked, before taking another bite of my Reuben sandwich.
“Nothing, I just thought you might be a little upset. You didn’t talk much this morning, and I figured you knew.”
I frowned and set my drink down. “What?”
It looked like he was trying to decide whether or not to answer me.
“Well?”
“Um, why don’t we go outside and eat . . . and talk.”
A nervous knot formed in my stomach, but I wanted to know what Marcus knew and I didn’t. I picked up my food and followed him out to the gazebo. “All right, tell me what this is about.”
Marcus didn’t sit down. He walked over to the edge of the gazebo and leaned a hip against the railing. “Amanda has e-mail subscriptions to several teen news websites. This morning she came running into my room before I left, asking me if you were still dating Jax. I told her yes, and she showed me the Star Follower website. It has photos of Jax taken last night out on the town with the actress Bailey Kirk.”
My stomach quivered, but I’d been through this before with Jax, and I knew he couldn’t help the publicity photos and what the news reported.
I forced a smile. “It’s not a big deal. He has to take those photos for publicity reasons. I’m not concerned.”
Marcus sighed and reached into his back pocket to pull out some papers. “I printed it out.”
I took the papers from his hands and sank down into my seat with images of Jax holding hands with a beautiful dark-haired girl. One photo showed him leaning down and laughing at what she was saying. The other showed him with his arm around her shoulders while he was pointing at something and smiling. I didn’t want to read the words, but I found myself reading anyway. Last night Jax Stone was seen out for the first time in weeks, on the arm of Bailey Kirk (The Dream Date and Winter’s Way ). Both appeared very interested in each other. We guess the rumors that Jax has been hiding out with a new lucky lady are untrue, because he seems very interested in Miss Kirk. I handed the paper back to Marcus and stood up. “I’m not hungry anymore. I need to get back to work.”
He grabbed my arm when I walked by him. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
I didn’t want him to see my face, because tears were threatening to fall at any moment.
“I’m not a part of his world. He has another life outside of his life here with me,” I choked out in a whisper. I pulled free and started back to the house.
Marcus came up behind me and grabbed my hand. “Stop, Sadie.”
I stopped but didn’t turn around. Tears were rolling down my face, and I didn’t want to humiliate myself.
“I know I’ve said this before, but you’re worth more than what he gives you. You’re beautiful and smart and kind and funny, and you don’t care if your hair is messed up or if you break a nail. You’re not too busy to play chess with an old man, and you’re raising your mom and never complain.” He sighed, took my face, and turned it toward him. “Why can’t you see how special you are?”
I kept my eyes down.
He wiped my tears. “I should kick his ass for making you cry.”
I shook my head. “I chose this. It’s my choice. I chose him. I can’t help what my heart feels.”
Marcus clenched his jaw and nodded before dropping his hands and stepping back as if I’d burned him. He was such a good guy. I hated that the truth hurt him so much.
I closed the gap he’d created, and reached up to touch his face. “You’re special too, and one day someone is going to steal your heart and become one lucky girl.” I dropped my hand and turned to walk away.
“What if she already has, but her heart is taken?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, then turned to glare at him. “Then she isn’t the right one.”
He walked toward me in one long stride. “But what if she’s wrong?” he asked, right before his mouth came down on mine.
I was stunned at first, and then I panicked. I couldn’t be doing this. I put both my hands against his chest and pushed him away before turning and running. I ran straight to my bike and pedaled home as hard as I could.
• • •
The phone rang. I’d just reached my road and was out of breath from pedaling so fast. I pulled over, sank down against a tree, and took a deep breath. I needed to answer this. I would talk to him about the actress when he got home, but I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions while he wasn’t here to defend himself. Even if the pictures were rather incriminating.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Where are you?” Jax’s voice sounded hard and strained.
“Uh . . .” I realized it was two in the afternoon and I was almost home. How could I explain this?
“Well, I’m pulled over on the side of the road talking to you,” I said in the lightest tone I could muster.
“Why are you not at my house?” His tone sounded a little less hard, but still very strained.
“Well, um . . .” I did not want to lie, but I did not want to tell the truth, either. At least, not over the phone. “I’m going home early.”
He paused for a minute. “Are you going to tell me why?”
“Do I have to?”
“Yes, I think you need to.”
“I have a headache.” It wasn’t a lie.
“Jason just called me. He witnessed something from his window about thirty minutes ago.”
I sighed and laid my head back against the tree.
“This is something I wanted to wait and discuss when you got home.”
“It can’t wait. He said you were crying and he said . . . he said Marcus kissed you.”
The last part sounded so hard and angry I feared for Marcus.
“There’s a lot more to it.”
“Then tell me.”
I knew this wouldn’t end until I told him everything.
“Marcus’s sister, Amanda, saw pictures of you online taken last night with Bailey Kirk, and you were really very friendly and touchy in them. You seemed happy. I had a hard time with the photos, and Marcus said a few things about our relationship I didn’t want to hear, and I cried a little. He stopped me and tried to console me, and I started to leave again and he just . . . he just kissed me.”
Jax didn’t say anything for what seemed like a lifetime. “He’s fired, and I’m on a plane home now.”
“Jax, no! He, he . . . I think he’s in love with me.”
Jax let out a hard laugh. “I know.”
“Well, he’s just worried about me, and he was trying to convince me someone like him would be a much better match for me.”
Jax hissed. “He’s fired now! I told you I wouldn’t fire him unless he said something against you, and he did. He tried to convince you I don’t love you.”
I sighed. I couldn’t stand this. It was all my fault. “I didn’t kiss him back, and I pushed him away quickly. No harm done.”
“I know you didn’t, and I know you pushed him off. Jason saw all of it. He also saw you run like hell and fly down the driveway on your bike at a breakneck speed. He called me immediately and told me. I walked out of a photo shoot and called my pilot. I’m on my way to you now.”
“You have explained the photos to me before. I just wasn’t prepared to see it firsthand, and reading the reporter’s words wasn’t much fun either. I tried to handle it without getting upset.”
Jax sighed. “Every one of those photos was taken last night by her publicist. She’s going to be in a new movie, and they needed the buzz. They told me what to do in all those pictures.”
Relief washed away the pain, but guilt still weighed on me because Marcus was going to be out of a job.
“Thanks for explaining everything to me.”
He chuckled this time, and it was the warm sound I loved so much. “Wait up for me. I will see you soon.”
“I will.”