Controlled Burn (Blackbridge Security 8)

Maybe he’s just being hopeful, and I can’t risk my kids’ safety on hope.

“I had a chat with Larrick today.”

“Just happened to run into him?”

“If by running into him, you mean went to the clubhouse and demanded to speak with him, then yeah.”

I snap my eyes from his mouth where I was watching him speak to his eyes.

Green orbs look down at me, humor dancing in them.

“Are you crazy?”

“About you?” He grins. “Yeah, baby. I’m crazy about you.”

I don’t know how to feel or how to react right now. This man is telling me he took care of my problems, and if he’s right, I don’t have to leave, but I don’t know what it means if I stay either.

I shake my head, needing some space and some time, needing some distance so I can figure out what to do next.

“I love you, Kendall.” He presses a single finger to my lips to prevent me from speaking. “At first, it was just a slow burn, like this warmth in my chest, and I did my best to keep it under control. But one day, I just woke up on fire for you. I know you feel the same way. I could feel it this morning.”

Tears burn down my cheeks. “Finn.”

A sob escapes my throat, and he answers by pulling me to his chest, holding me close.

I never let myself hope for perfection, but somehow the stars lined up and gave me this man. I couldn’t be happier.

I don’t say the words back immediately. I don’t want to cheapen the moment by making him think I’m just parroting them back, but I plan to tell him—or show him—exactly how I feel, very soon.

I shift back and up on the tips of my toes, pressing my lips to his. He returns the kiss, once again lifting me from the ground, my legs wrapping around his waist instinctively.

“Stop,” he groans when I swivel my hips. “We can’t go tell the kids you’re moving into my room if I have an erection.”

I chuckle against his lips, pressing my mouth there twice more before letting him put me down.

“We’re telling the kids, huh?”

“I’m tired of you sneaking out of our room every morning.”

He palms my face once more, pressing his lips to my temple before stepping back and shoving open the front door.

The kids are sitting on the couch, concern on each of their little faces when we enter.

“Did you kiss and make up?” Kayleigh asks, huffing as she crosses her arms over her chest.

“I don’t want to miss my playdate with Uncle Wren on Saturday,” Kason says.

“You won’t,” I assure him. “We have something to tell you.”

Finn steps to my side, drawing me in close to him. Kayleigh grins, a little giggle slipping out like it did that night she caught us on the couch.

None of them seem concerned.

“Finn and I are together.”

All three blink at us.

“We’re dating,” I say.

More blinking.

“Totally, completely, madly in love with each other,” Finn adds, and I roll my lips between my teeth to keep from smiling like a fool.

“Tell us something we don’t know,” Knox says with a roll of his eyes.

“We’re getting married,” Finn says.

I gasp, looking up at him, ready to smack him and tell him that joking around about stuff like that isn’t funny, but the look in his eyes tells me that he isn’t joking.

I swallow, my eyes still locked on his.

“Really?” I ask, unconcerned that this isn’t the most romantic way to ask a woman to marry him.

“Really,” he whispers, his head lowering to press a soft kiss to my stunned lips.

“Can I be the flower girl?” Kayleigh asks on a squeal.

“Of course,” Finn says.

“Can I get a puppy?” Knox asks.

“Anything you want, little guy.”

I continue to glare at him, my head shaking a little.

“Can I stay up late watching YouTube tonight?”

“Don’t see the harm in that,” Finn answers immediately.

All three kids cheer.

“What can I get for you, baby?” he whispers as they dance around us joyfully for getting their way.

“I want two more kids,” I tell him, somewhat jokingly because the room is utter chaos right now.

“Anything you want,” he says.

I gasp my surprise, but he swallows it with a kiss.

Chapter 38

Finnegan

“Well, hell,” I say, looking at the notification Wren just sent to my phone.

“What is it?” Kendall asks from the bathroom.

She’s standing at the sink, washing her face, her naked skin flushed from the morning’s activities.

I’m still in bed, my legs a little shaky from the phenomenal sex.

With a sigh, unsure how this was going to go, I climb out of the bed and cross the room to her. I turn the phone around so she can read the text instead of having to say it out loud.

“I see,” she whispers, her eyes finding mine. She doesn’t seem sad, just resolute.

We knew it was going to come to this, so I’m not surprised with Wren’s text saying that Ty’s body was found floating in the Mississippi River in Quincy, Illinois. It’s been six days since I went to the Keres MC clubhouse, so Larrick really didn’t waste any time solving his problem.