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This time when she moved, he let her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his head close to her. And she kissed him like she never wanted to let him go. Like he was vital for her to live.
Because he was.
“Georgina Catherine James, get off that man’s lap immediately!”
She groaned. “Damn it.” What the hell was she doing here?
There was a shocked gasp. “Did you just swear? What has happened to you?”
Her mother strode into the room, her eyes flashing with anger, made up perfectly as always. “First you come here without telling anyone but Gareth. Then you associate yourself with some stranger. Then you get yourself kidnapped and now you’re sitting in a man’s lap and cursing. This is not the way I raised you.”
Georgina knew that she could do whatever she needed to placate the woman who gave birth to her. Whatever would cause the least confrontation.
Or she could do what she should have done years ago. She could fight back. She could put down boundaries, lines that she wouldn’t allow her to cross.
A finger slid around her palm, sending a shiver through her and she looked up at Ed. He stared down at her reassuringly. She knew whatever she did, that he would back her.
“Mother, you shouldn’t have come all this way. I’m fine.” Why the hell had no one warned her that her mother was here? She was going to kill her brothers.
“Well, it wasn’t like I wanted to. But how would it look if I didn’t come when my only daughter needed me? And it’s just as well I did. Now, let’s get your things, Georgina. You need to come home with me. I have the jet ready to go. I was just going to leave when I got word that you were safe.”
Wow. She felt so loved.
“I’m not going anywhere, Mother. I am home.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Georgina. This isn’t you.”
“Actually, it is. This is the real me. Not the person you want me to be. I’m sorry I didn’t turn into the cold, unfeeling robot you wanted. But I can’t be that person. Not anymore. I’m staying here with Ed. We’re getting married.”
“Thanks for the romantic proposal, Georgie-girl,” Ed said dryly.
She just snorted. “I’ll let you make a real one later.”
“So kind.”
“And I’m not going back to my old life. I’m definitely not going back to living with you. I’m happy here.”
“This is . . . this is preposterous. What has he done to you!” She pointed at Ed.
“He’s shown me what it’s like to be loved. And I’ve never been happier in my life.”
39
The seven of them slid into a round booth at the local diner. Somehow, she ended up in the middle with three brothers on either side of her.
They were all due to leave tomorrow. And weirdly, she was going to miss them.
“Here you all go.” A rounded woman with dark hair pulled back in a bun placed menus on the table for them. She smiled around at them all. “I’m Sammy. Can I start you all with drinks?” She stared around at her brothers curiously.
Marcus looked her up and down then winked at her before ordering for all of them.
“I’ll be back,” Sammy told them.
Marcus stared after her. Georgie whacked her hand against his arm. “Can you try not to ogle her while I’m sitting right here? I shouldn’t have to see that.”
“Ed touches you all the time in front of us,” Spencer pointed out as he looked over the menu. “You need to have a word with him about that.”
Yeah, that wouldn’t be happening. She liked Ed touching her. He’d barely let her out of his sight since her kidnapping a few days ago. She was only with her brothers because he’d needed to go in to work. Even though he wasn’t acting in an official capacity when it came to Saber’s arrest, he still had things in the background he was keeping an eye on.
