Page 61 of Legacy of Deception

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

More than anything.

The last time he pushed his fingers in, he coupled it with biting on my clit, and it all sent me into overdrive, another orgasm rolling over me as I covered my own mouth to stop the cries from filling the entire venue.

When I came down again, Marco was pulling my skirt down and grabbing a tissue to wipe my legs and his hands. “It’s time we share a bed,” he said, kissing my sweat-sheened skin in the hollow of my neck.

I tried to catch my breath, so I could answer him without heaving. “We don’t need to share a bed to have sex.”

“No, but I want to change the terms of our engagement, and that means changing our living arrangements.” He tossed the tissues out after he deemed me sufficiently clean. “Don’t you think it’s time?”

Gazing into his eyes, I felt desired, but more than that, I felt seen. Fully seen. “So, we’ll sleep in the same bed.”

He nodded. “And you‘ll stop getting into trouble.” Tracing his thumb over my top lip, I could still taste myself on him, smell myself.

Swallowing, I added one of my own terms. “And you’ll tell me everything. No more secrets, like the stunt you pulled in Las Vegas, leaving for Florida without a word.”

He growled. “And we’ll give this a real chance.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

There wasn’t much left to say, if anything at all, so we left the bathroom in silence and met back up with my mother and Lauren in the same silence. Only, it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. It was a different type of silence. It was a silence that came from two people maybe finally choosing their own path after being pushed down every other one by the people who claimed to love them the most.

“There you are. We were just about to head to Lauren’s office, so she could draw up the contracts for you two to sign,” my mother said, her face practically lighting up.

I didn’t want to disappoint her, but if that was what needed to happen, then so be it. “I want the first floor. The grand hall.”

My mother’s lips formed into a thin line, and she looked away, dismissively.

Lauren was already nodding, though, moving to take that down on her device.

The decision was made.

And I had made it.

I think my mother knew where we stood now.

All fires had to stop burning at some point. It wasn’t pleasant to see the damage they had caused, but maybe once the ash was swept away, we could see things clearer and start anew.

Chapter 24

Does anyone else know?

MARCO

The crowd went wild when number twenty-three made a slam dunk, earning them two points and putting the team over one hundred points. Those five seconds were representative of the way the arena was the whole night. The game was a great one, and the crowd knew it.

“I’m glad you could come,” Dominic said, turning to me as the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the third quarter.

It had been a while since we hung out together. He was living a life that was far removed from the one I knew with a wife and young kids, spending most of his time on Long Island. When he wasn’t with his family, he was traveling. He was a model, so his job kept him busy, calling him to different cities for shoots.

“I’m glad you invited me.” I picked up my beer and took a sip before setting it down at my feet again.

He brushed his hands over his thighs and leaned forward in his courtside seat on what everyone called celebrity row, which was basically the VIP section. Tonight, we were sitting next to a famous French actor and his girlfriend who was a business mogul with her makeup brand. “Listen, I may have invited you for a reason.” He sounded like he was hesitant to elaborate, which could only mean one thing.

I feigned a gasp. “You mean you have a hidden agenda?” Wouldn’t be anything new in our family.