Lake (Trinity Academy 3)

“Thank you,” the words rush from me as more tears flood my eyes. “Thank you for choosing me to be your wife.”

I wish I had the words to tell him how blessed I feel, but instead, I can only show him my tears, each one filled with more happiness than most people will ever get to experience in their entire lives.LakeWaking, I open my eyes and a smile curves the corner of my mouth when I see Lee staring back at me.

“How long have you been awake?” I ask, and reaching for her, I pull her body close to mine.

“I don’t know. I got lost in time while watching you sleep,” she whispers. She snuggles against me, and I bury my face in her hair as I hold her tighter.

“Hmm… can we stay in bed all day?” I murmur, feeling so satisfied with my life right now, I just want to bask in it for a couple of hours.

“We could but –” my stomach growls, and she lets out a chuckle, “I don’t think you’ll last long without food.” Pulling back, she presses a kiss to my chin. “You can stay in bed while I go get us food.”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t mind starving if I get to hold you.”

She pulls away from me and sits up.

Turning onto my back, I reach out to her and trail my fingers down her spine. Just touching her skin is enough to light a fire in me.

“How do you feel?” I ask, first wanting to hear if she’s tender after last night before I take things further.

“Happy,” she says which has me chuckling.

“I meant physically,” I explain.

“Oh.” She thinks about it for a moment, then she says, “I feel okay.”

“Well, in that case.” I grab hold of her and drag her back down to the mattress.

She lets out a shriek of laughter, and as I move over her, she opens her legs and then stills beneath me.

Her eyes sparkle as if fireflies have been captured in them, and when I grind my pelvis against hers, I watch them take flight.Chapter 24LakeWhen I’ve gathered the last of my personal belongings in a box, I carry it out of the room, and seeing Mason and Falcon sitting on the couch, I set it down by the front door before I go to join them.

I raise my feet and rest them on the table, and leaning back against the couch, I stare at them.

“I’m not going to lie,” Falcon says. “It hurts more than I thought it would.”

“Yeah,” Mason agrees.

“I’m downstairs,” I say, even though I feel the same as them.

Half of me can’t wait to get back to Lee. The other half… I close my eyes and lower my chin to my chest. “It hurts.”

“For something new to start something has to end,” Mason murmurs.

“Wow, look at you getting all deep,” Falcon teases him.

The corner of Mason’s mouth curves into a sad smile. “Guess I’m finally growing up.” He leans his head back against the couch and lets out a sigh. “I’m scared.”

Falcon and I keep quiet and wait for him to tell us why.

“What if I make a fucking mess of everything our grandfathers, and fathers built? What if I ruin Kingsley’s life by selfishly dragging her into mine? What if one of you need me and I’m too absorbed in making a profit… and I lose you?”

“You won’t,” Falcon says with certainty.

Mason looks at Falcon. “How do you know?”

“I know because you have never turned your back on Lake and me,” Falcon meets Mason’s eyes, “and we will never turn our backs on you. Before shit happens, we’ll be there to help with CRC.”

“As for Kingsley,” I say. “Don’t forget how strong she is. She will slap you upside the head if you start to derail. Money doesn’t have the power to change everyone, Mason. I know for a fact Kingsley won’t get absorbed in wealth, or power, or status, and deep down you know it too.”

Mason nods, and a relieved smile spreads over his face.

I clear my throat before I say, “Lee and I have been talking.”

Both Falcon and Mason’s eyes snap to mine, and I hate the looks of apprehension that flash over their faces.

Focusing on Falcon, I ask, “If it’s okay with you and Layla, we’d like to come along for the trip to Africa.”

Surprise widens Falcon’s eyes for a moment, and then he grins at me. “Is that a trick question?”

Then I look at Mason. “When we come back from Africa we’re going to look for a place close to you. We’re still going to travel, but we want a home base to come back to.”

“You’re not fucking with me, right?” Mason asks, and his features tighten with emotion.

We all sit in silence for a little while, regaining control over our feelings.