“But I don’t know what I want.”
“That’s the problem. You don’t know, but I do.”
She lets out a groan. “Shaun—”
“No more,” I growl. “I’m sick of these games. You’re mine, Klara. You can struggle and fight all you want. And maybe that will be fun. But just know, you’re all mine, every inch of you.”
I kiss her. I kiss her and hold her tight against my body because I’m not lying. She’s mine, every inch, every breath. And I’m not letting go.
I’m sick of the games. I’m sick of the uncertainty. All I want is this woman tight against my body, moaning my name, giving me every inch of herself unconditionally.
“Shaun,” she whispers as I pull away.
“Forget about business,” I growl. “Forget about all that.”
“How am I supposed to?” she asks. “I can’t. It’s all I have right now. I mean, I’m going to have this baby, and then the future is going to be so much harder, and I’m just… I’m scared.”
I tighten my grip in her hair. “I swear to you, Klara. I’ll take care of you and the baby. You won’t have to worry about money. You won’t have to worry about anything. I’ll get a nanny, I’ll get ten nannies. I’ll build a daycare next door to the Truth Hurts offices. I’ll do anything that’ll make your life easier and make the baby’s life better. I’m not running from this. I’m running headlong into it.”
She stares at me and smiles. She smiles then laughs and pushes herself against me. I hug her hard and hold her there for a long time as she laughs, almost wild with it. I feel like she’s losing herself, or at least coming to grips with something she wasn’t sure she was ready to see.
“So what now?” she asks.
“Now?” I shrug. “Now we can do whatever you want.”
“My father probably knows about my offer.”
“Maybe,” I admit. “I’m not so sure.”
“Why not?”
“Well…” I trail off. “I’ve been doing a little digging about you and your dad.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Have you now?”
“Of course.” I smirk at her. “I need to know who I’m doing business with.”
“Oh, is what we’re doing called business now?”
“Very, very dirty business. But yes, business.”
She laughs and pushes me away. We stand side by side leaning on the balcony overlooking the ocean. It rolls in and out, pulled by the tides, pulled by the moon. “So what did you learn?” she asks.
“Everyone hates your dad.”
She laughs. “I could’ve told you that.”
“I know, but they really, really hate him. I don’t think he had any friends at all in this town.”
She slowly stops laughing and shakes her head. “You know what gets me?”
“What?”
“He used to be so charming. He still is when he’s not drunk or high. The only reason Truth Hurts exists at all is because he charmed half this town when he was younger. But now he just…”
“He lost it,” I say. “Or he got complacent. I don’t know which.”
“Whatever it is, I know it’s not coming back.”
I put my hand on the small of her back. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.” She gives me a bitter smile. “You love it.”
“I don’t love that you’re losing your father. This would be simpler if he weren’t such a dick.”
“True.” She sighs. “But then again, I might not ever get to head up this company if he were more competent. There’d be other people in line, not just his daughter.”
“Good thing then.”
She grins at me. “Oh, great, so you’re an optimist?”
“Yep. Glass half full. Or all the way full and overflowing, if you’re a Lofthouse.”
“The world really does roll over and give you anything you want, doesn’t it?”
“Only because we take it.”
She leans toward me and I pull her in tight.
“Look, I don’t know what’ll happen from here,” she says. “Things could get bad. Or weird. I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to worry.”
“But I do.” She shifts and turns to me. She tilts her chin up in my direction. “You’re wrapped up in this now whether you want to be or not.”
“You have your own investors. What do you need me for?”
“My father isn’t going to let you just… walk off. I think he likes you. Well, I think he likes your family name.”
“Ah,” I say, nodding. “I was wondering.”
“I’m sure he researched you all. I did some digging of my own.”
“What did you find?”
“Nothing,” She admits. “Which scares me the most. You all own tons of companies… but that’s all I can find.”
I grin at her. “The rabbit hole is a lot deeper than you realize.”
“I’m sure it is.”
I pull her tight and kiss her. She kisses me back and this time, I don’t let her pull away. I can feel my desire rolling through my body and I know I need her, right now, right here. I turn and push her back against the balcony, dropping to my knees.