Page 137 of Painted Truths

"I love you, Henry DeMarco. I love you; I love you; I love you to the depths of my soul and back again. And I always will."

Crushing his drenched t-shirt and jeans covered body up against my equally as wet naked one, I wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him impossibly closer as he rests his brow against mine, eyes closed as we both soak up this moment.

"I love you, Olivia Parker. And I'm going to keep falling in love with each little piece of you. Each and every day for the rest of my days. I want your happiness and your sadness, your weakness and your strength. And everything in between."

Then his mouth comes down on mine. Just a meeting of mouths, gently at first, before he's nudging my lips open with the tip of his tongue, teasingly caressing mine with his.

He groans deep within my mouth when he moves to deepen the kiss, gripping my ass with his strong hands while grinding his jean-clad hardness against my stomach, and I can't stop the whimper that escapes from my throat.

The sound of knocking permeates the bubble Henry had placed around us as I register Alex's voice. "Food's here. And there's only one order of arancini… I can't promise they’ll last long, Liv!"

Henry ducks his head to rest it on my shoulder, huffing out a mixed laugh of frustration and humour. "To be continued, hmm?" He nips at that sweet spot, eliciting a squeal as I jump from the shower, grabbing one of my towels to wrap around my chest.

"For sure, McHottie. But for now, priorities, please! Get dressed and come on. He's insatiable when it comes to arancini."

CHAPTER FORTY

Henry

Six Weeks Later

Walking into our apartment, I inhale deeply—like a junkie taking a hit of the inimitable scent I’ve been missing these last four days while in New York, getting my brother fully invested in his new title.

Chief Operations Officer has a nice ring to it. Though I’ll have the final word in all business-related matters, domestic and international, he’s already excelling far beyond my expectations. He’s taken to the role like he was born for it.

My brother had been through a rough couple of weeks. The loss of his mum. The revelations that came alongside that. We both felt that he’d needed the change of scenery that the New York office would provide just as surely as I needed the space to be with my heart’s desire.

Following on from a thorough investigation mainly handled by Jesse Ramirez and his crew, we’d discovered that Samuel Hastings’s obsession had been more deep-seated than we’d ever imagined.

They had discovered spy cameras in every room of Liv’s apartment, with coinciding footage in Samuel’s quarters of my childhood home. Also, hidden apps on her phone to alert him to her location, allowing him to track her emails, her messages—her entire goddamn life.

He’d watched her closely for years. Having been sponsored initially by a delusional Lauren, he’d eventually found ways to insert himself into her life.

Alex and I had both agreed that Liv had been through enough, our bond strengthening even further over our mutual desire to keep her safe. To allow her to live freely and without fear—or as much as she could, considering the current circumstances.

And so, we’d opted to keep it between just the two of us, seeing little to gain by sharing our findings with the woman we both adored.

Her inner strength is second to none, and she continues to astonish me each and every day.

“Yes, Al. I’m just in the goddamn door. Give me a chance, for fuck’s sake.”

It’s safe to say the idiot misses me now that I’ve left him on his lonesome on the other side of the pond, although I’ll still be flying over once a month just to keep him on his toes if for no other reason.

“Christ, Ri. I was only asking. Tell my girl I miss her, and we’ll video chat tomorrow.”

Glancing around the apartment, my eyes land on the woman in question. Her back is facing me, the black fitted skirt she’s wearing displaying her faultless ass in all its magnificence as my palms itch with the demand to hold her close. Her white shirt is half tucked in, half out, and she’s got those hideous socks that I despise pulled all the way up to her knees.

She turns, her face breaking into a bright smile that only broadens when she catches sight of the single blue rose in my hand. Her dimples perfectly pop while I see her chest start to rise and fall faster, as though my mere presence is enough to set her heart to racing.

And, if her heart is anything like mine, then that’s certainly the case, as I feel my own speed up in response.

Kicking off my shoes and leaving them by my briefcase at the elevator doors, I fall onto the couch, my eyes trained on the most beautiful and wholly irreplaceable part of my life.

“One, darling brother, Peach is most definitely not your girl. And two, she’s on the phone, so you’ll just have to wait. I’ll get her to text and confirm the time.”

We both hesitate. I know he’s worried about how he will manage to fly solo after having me as a crutch this past week. However, I remember the sheer terror I felt at taking the helm when our father passed, so I genuinely can put myself in his shoes right now.

Lowering my voice, I drop my head onto the cushion behind me and close my eyes.