Somehow, I manage to make it through the rest of the day without obsessing over the depressing meeting with Zenith or the impending doom. I don’t know what I’ll do if the truth isn’t in my favor. However, I do know one thing I most surely won’t do.
It’s letting Rosalie slip away.
We’ll deal with the fallout together.
Until the time comes, I’m going to enjoy every moment with her and gain her trust. Show her I’m not the same man who made her life hell, fueled by misplaced anger and distrust.
The second the clock strikes six in the evening, I stand from my chair and switch off my laptop. Exiting the office, I decide to pick dinner on my way since our cook will be back tomorrow. On my way down in the elevator, I call the Italian restaurant Rosalie loves and place an order.
My car beeps when I press the key fob. It purrs to life when I settle behind the wheel and pull out of the parking lot. Despite the rush hour, I reach the restaurant quickly and pick dinner up. Our house is only twenty minutes away but the speed in which I drive, I’m there in ten.
My impatience is everything to do with my wife.
However, as I unlock the front door of the house and step inside, it’s eerily silent and dark. I expected chaos. But there’s no explicit music drifting down the hallway. Nor the tapping noise of the little monsters sprinting to greet me.
Is she not home yet?
I saw her car parked outside so I know she must be around.
“Rose?” I call out, loosening my tie. Only my voice echoes back.
Walking toward the library, I search there but it’s empty. Her closed laptop is sitting on the couch in the corner. So is her phone and Kindle. None of it is a good sign. Worry settles in mixed with the urgency to replace her. Just as I step back out into the hall, I’m shocked to see Bunny trotting toward me.
Halting at my feet, he nudges my knee with his head like Maggie does.
“Hey, Bunny.” I pat his head and nuzzle behind his ears. My chest tightens when he leans into my touch. My curiosity is satisfied that he’s finally called a truce between us.
My happiness doesn’t last long, though, when he lightly traps my hand in his mouth and tugs. I realize he’s asking me to follow him. Becoming impatient, he barks and pulls at my pants.
Worst-case scenarios start plaguing my head.
Ending with who I need to hurt.
What the hell could’ve happened between the afternoon after my video call with her and the evening?
“Do you know where Rose is, Buns?”
He barks louder in affirmation and walks ahead, staring back at me to see if I’m following or not. He moves after I walk behind him. We go past the living room, the dining room, to the right hallway leading to the theater room.
It’s dark but the low glow of the screen is visible.
Bunny runs inside. Trailing after him, I round the corner and see the top of Rosalie’s head as she sits on the large sectional couch. I instantly know something is wrong because she would never willingly step foot inside this room.
A random movie plays, barely audible with no subtitles.
A flash of our past reminds me when I found her in a similar position in London. Back then, she had been plotting to sneak out of the flat with Miya and follow Malcolm and I to the after-party. Our lives irrevocably changed that night.
I’m about to call out her name when I hear the first sniffle.
My senses sharpen, followed by rage at whoever made her cry while I plot their demise. I’ve seen her break down twice and know she reveals her emotions only when something terrible has happened.
Before the second broken sound comes, I’m by her side and tilting her face to mine. The little ones startle when the couch dips with my weight. Maggie is held tight in Rosalie’s arms against her chest while Fire sits with his head perched on her leg.
Their expressions morose, raptly watching Rosalie.
Her face is a beautiful mess of tears, nose red, and the saddest pain shining in her eyes. I swear I hear my heart crack, unable to withstand the sight. She sobs harder upon seeing me.
“Who do I need to hurt? Tell me,” I demand, my tone deathly serious.
My restlessness grows when she throws herself into my arms. Maggie slips and settles behind her as Rosalie buries her face in my neck, crying inconsolably. I maneuver her into my lap and tenderly brush her hair.
“Sweetheart, you’re scaring me,” I murmur. “Tell me so I can fix it.”
The Rose I know is inscrutable and doesn’t shake like a leaf.
Unflappable.
Yet I’m forced to watch her crumble before me.
At first, I miss it as she mumbles incoherently against my neck. Keeping one arm secured around her waist, I pull her head back with the other.
“He di-died,” she hiccups.
“All alone.” She sniffs, her entire body trembling.
“I wasn’t there.” Another gut-wrenching hiccup. “I didn’t even get to bring him home, Nova.”
“Shh… it’s okay,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head.
Instead of asking questions to make sense of who she lost, I pull her back into my chest and let her cry it all out. I whisper sweet and consoling words in her ear while rubbing her spine up and down, caressing the long tresses.
She breaks my heart with every sob.
Every tremor.
I didn’t know her crying would have the power to bring me to my knees. If someone dared to actually harm her, I’d go ballistic.
It takes her a full ten minutes before her tears stop falling and shoulders cease shaking. She stills as if it’s now sinking in that I held her through her breakdown. Did she think I’d leave her alone?
Her head gingerly lifts, her glistening black eyes connecting with mine. The pain still shining strong. Licking her lips, she says, “I’m sorry.”
“Who did you lose?”
“Veer.”
Past the shock of hearing a man’s name fall from her mouth, I conceal my envy and not make judgements or assumptions. “Who is he?”
A silent tear falls, as she brokenly whispers, “He was a puppy we were treating at the shelter. Someone had burnt and left him on the side of the road.”
Fuck. Rosalie is connected to animals, especially dogs, in a way a mother is to their child. She feels their pain as her own, fiercely protective. I can’t even imagine the agony she must’ve felt when she found out the news.
Guilt is written all over face, even though it’s not her fault.
“I’m so sorry, Rose.” I brush the wetness from her cheeks.
“As if that wasn’t enough, we had two more cases brought in today. They didn’t make it either.” She crumbles again, shaking her head. “How can anyone be so pitiless to them? I ca-can’t ta-take it.”
Feeling helpless, I can only embrace her again.
“Half of the world is heartless, Rose. You need to be strong and help as many as you can. I wish everyone had a heart as big as yours.” I kiss her forehead, her tears. “Please don’t cry, Rose. You had a bad day, there will be good days, too, where you save more.”
“There’s only so much I can do, Nova. Money doesn’t solve everything. I try to donate as much as I can. But what these shelters need is more space, food, resources that they aren’t going to lose. Laws that don’t allow people to skate away without even a slap on the wrist. Sometimes I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.”
“You’re making a difference, sweetheart,” I honestly tell her. It’s the truth. “You’re brave and gracious for caring so deeply. It’ll get better, I promise.”
Without another word, I lift her in my arms while she clings to me. I call out for the trio as I take Rosalie upstairs to our bedroom. They quietly follow us.
“I can walk, Nova.”
I tighten my grip. “Let me take care of you, Rose.”
She melts into my arms and whispers, “You came home early.”
“I told you I would.”
“I’m sorry I ruined dinner.”
Threading my fingers in her hair, I pull her head back. “Don’t ever apologize for being sad or hurting. Next time, you call me when you’re feeling low. I want to know if you’re having a bad day so I can be there for you. Promise me.”
She nods, gaze clogged with emotions.
“You’ve gone through enough tough times all alone. Not anymore. Now you have me. I’m never busy if you need me.”
“I have you.”
I kiss her lips. “Always.”
Entering the bedroom, I point our dogs toward the bed to wait for us there. I carry Rosalie into the bathroom and sit her on the counter. Locking the door, I make a bath for her while she observes me. I feel those dark eyes following me as I check the temperature of the water until it’s warm enough.
Once done, I reach her.
Untying her hair from the messy bun, I let them tumble down her back in rivulets. Trusting me, she lets me remove her simple black shirt. Goosebumps rise on her soft skin when I unhook her lacy bra, then her satin shorts and matching panties. Until every beautiful inch of her naked flesh, marked with my hickeys and fingerprints, is bare.
Her right arm goes around my neck when I pick her up again.
“Why aren’t you naked?” she murmurs, brushing her hand over my tie.
Carrying her to the tub, I help her into it until her body is submerged under the bubbles. Lowering to my knees, I cup her cheek and answer, “I’ll join you next time. While you relax and enjoy your bath, I’ll go feed Bunny and the others. Then heat up our dinner.”
Leaning into my touch, she asks, “You brought dinner?”
“Your favorite pasta.” Some of the light returns in her eyes at the mention of food, making me smile. “Come downstairs once you’re ready.”
“Okay.”
Rising to my full height, I reenter the bedroom and go to the closet to change into sweatpants. Five minutes later, the dogs and I are gathered in the kitchen. They impatiently wait to be served, their mood better.
Fire barks nonstop, demanding his bowl be served first.
“You’ll get your food, you monster.”
“Woof!”
I shake my head at their antics and quickly finish assembling their bowls. As soon as I’ve stepped back, they rush forward and attack their food. Halfway into it, Fire ignores his own and attempts to steal from Bunny’s. I hold back my laughter when the big hulk backs down and lets him eat.
“I should’ve told you to give them dinner separately.”
I twist around at Rosalie’s breathy and amused voice as she enters the room. My gaze becoming hungry at the sight of her in my hoodie that I gave to her when we stayed at my parents’ place.
It completely dwarfs her.
“I’m calling it mine now,” she teases, catching me staring starstruck.
Eating the distance in two quick steps, I swoop down to kiss her deeply. She sighs against my lips and opens to let my tongue invade her mouth. It starts hard before turning slow and teasing by the end.
The hue of red on the contours of her face is from my effect, not from sadness.
“New rule. At home, you only wear my clothes.”
“Might come in the way of my seduction plans to surprise you in all the see-through lingerie I have.” Dropping her voice an octave, she whispers against my lips, “Some even cut out in the most perfect places.”
My cock hardens against her flat stomach. Grabbing her throat, I earn a moan as I command, “In the bedroom, you may make an exception.”
“I thought you loved when I’m your good girl.”
“You’re my good girl even when you’re bad.”
Tiny paws interrupt her conversation. I peer down to see Maggie scratching our legs with a stuffed toy between her teeth.
“She likes to play after eating,” explains Rosalie, pulling the toy and throwing it toward the hall. Maggie chases after it.
“You have them spoiled.”
“Says the man who got them a big-ass trampoline.”
“It was a necessity.”
“Admit it, you like my babies.”
“I’ll admit no such thing,” I retort, but there’s a smile on my face. Picking Rosalie around the waist as she squeals playfully, I stalk to the kitchen island and sit her ass down. I bring a stool for me to seat. Pulling out her food which I heated in the microwave, I fill our plates and take them to Rosalie.
“Thank you,” she says, grabbing hers.
I settle down with my own after bringing two bottled waters. Amicable silence descends as we eat. Our attention drifting to each other every now and then. It’s a miracle I haven’t tugged her onto my lap as she shyly glances away. Halfway through hers while I’m finished with mine, she clears her throat.
“Can we go for a late-night drive?” she asks, not meeting my eyes as if I’ll say no.
I stop her nervous tapping of the fork, making her dark gaze flicker to my stern one. “You need to stop phrasing things you wish to do as a question, Rose. You don’t need my permission or be afraid I’ll say no. If you want something, just tell me and we’ll make time.”
She blinks, exhaling roughly as if my words reached a deeper part of her. She may not be living under her father’s thumb, but his twisted and choking hold on her for years still lingers. No matter how long it takes, I’ll free her of them.
She sheepishly replies, “It’s become a habit.”
“I know.”
“I love driving at night on the highway. Especially to lift my mood and forget all the worries. I would take Raghu’s help to sneak out past the bodyguards or my dad.”
Raising her hand to mine, I kiss the back of her palm and say, “No more sneaking out. We’ll go whenever you wish. Besides, someone has to drive all the sports cars they recently bought.”
Her curls sway as she laughs and embarrassingly admits, “I thought you’d back out, Nova. I should’ve known better.”
“I should’ve known better than to piss you off. I’m just glad you didn’t burn them.”
“I’m never living that one down, am I?”
“Afraid not, little hellion.”
Playfully smacking my shoulder, she jumps down from the counter. Placing her plate in the sink, she excitedly turns to me. “If we go now, we can catch my fave ice cream truck along the highway.”
The stool scrapes on the floor as I stand.
“Do you want to take them?” I flick my chin toward the dogs, who perk up from their nap at the sound of ice cream.
“Why? Is it because you secretly adore them?”
“I would rather they don’t destroy the house while we’re gone.”
“I don’t ever lie, my ass.”
“You itching for a spanking, sweetheart?” I tease, reaching for her.
She skirts away with a smirk. “I’m sore, remember?”
“If we didn’t have to go now, I’d show you just how sore you aren’t.” Caging her against the island, I bend to bite where her neck meets her collarbone. I suck hard until it’ll leave a mark before soothing the sting with my tongue. Her gaze is half-lidded, burning with lust when I pull back.
I love that I put the look there.
That the pain I saw when I found her is gone and she chose to be vulnerable with me. To let me take care of her. Conquering the world, taking my legacy to new heights didn’t bring as much contentedness and satisfaction as making her smile tonight did.
Every single best memory of my life paled to this moment.
Her staring at me with desire, trust, and mischief.
“Pick whichever car you want to drive,” I tell her. “I’ll get changed and meet you outside.”
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