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  Damian frowned as he noticed they weren’t heading toward his apartment. They were using Gabriel’s car. “Where are we going?”

  “We’re not finished yet. We’ve still got a few stops to make.”

  “No, that’s not right. The dock was the last one to make.” Damian looked around. “Why are you taking me to my parents’ place?”

  “Will you stop asking questions, and just let me do my job?” Gabriel asked. “I’m not leading you to the slaughter, and I’m not harming you. Please, just, do as I ask.”

  “I don’t like this one bit.”

  “Talk to Dad and your brothers.”

  “Ha, you called him Dad. How does that feel?” Damian asked.

  “Weird as fuck. How are you handling everything now?”

  “You mean with Martha and Betty, and stuff?”

  “Yep. You tried to kill yourself, or at least you were getting into a situation that would have resulted in you killing yourself. That’s some messed up shit, and you found your woman while doing it,” Gabriel said.

  Damian rubbed his head. “I don’t really know what I would have done. When it came to Betty I felt responsible for her, and I felt like I had killed her. That wasn’t the case. Not even by a long shot. I was honest with her, and I wish things could have been different. I care about Betty, but I love Mia. I can’t compare the two feelings as they really are not the same.” It had taken him some time to come to terms with everything related to his daughter and to Betty. There would always be guilt as there was no way for him to pretend otherwise. Mia, made sure to keep a picture of Betty, and had even put together a special photograph album for his little girl.

  They arrived at his folks’ home, and he was surprised to see several cars parked in front.

  “What’s going on?” he asked. Climbing out of the car, he followed Gabriel into the house, and the moment the door was closed someone placed a blindfold over his eyes.

  “What the fuck!” He tried to attack, but his father spoke.

  “Just trust us son, and you’ll be okay,” Maddox said.

  “This is crazy assed shit.”

  “Yeah, well, you’ll love it.”

  He rolled his eyes, and then was marched out of the house, and he felt the change in the air.

  “We’re ready,” Maddox said.

  The blindfold was removed, and Damian blinked getting accustomed to the light. Music came on, and as he looked down the garden that had been set out for a wedding, he saw Mia standing, smiling at him. “Happy Birthday, son,” Maddox said.

  It was his birthday, and he smiled as his family gave him the best present of all, his woman, his wife.

  When Mia stood beside him, he took her hand, and mouthed the words that he loved her. She did the same, and there was no way anything else could surpass the feelings she had inspired inside him.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Mia rolled out the large sheet of pastry and pressed the cutter into the sheet, making little rounds.

  Martha and Reese were sitting opposite watching her as she began to make little jam tarts. It was Sunday, and she had offered to host Sunday lunch. It was the height of summer, and Damian was loading up the barbeque. She had chicken and steaks marinating in the fridge. The potato salad was already made, and on the counter resting. She had made two, one with lemon juice oil, and another with a mayonnaise dressing. Throughout her pregnancy she had been getting more and more cravings. The worst one was peanut butter, cheese, and chicken. Late one night after she and Damian had made love, that was all she craved, and all she could think about.

  Damian had wrinkled his nose at her, thinking she was joking. She wasn’t leaving their bedroom. She’d gone into their kitchen, and made the exact sandwich she was craving with leftover chicken.

  Their home was a new addition to their family. A couple of months after they married, Damian showed her this place. It was a nice four bed home with two bathrooms, and a nice sized garden. She loved it, especially in the summer when she could take Reese and Martha out to play.

  Once all of the pastry circles were in the pans, she dolloped out some jam and placed them into the oven.

  Martha clapped her hands, and screamed for her to do it again.

  Laughing, Mia rushed around the counter, and blew on both of their cheeks, loving how they giggled for her.

  Damian walked into the kitchen from the garden, and smiled. “What are you all doing?”

  “Playing,” Martha said, mumbling the word.

  She moved from behind them, and went to her husband. “Hello,” she said.

  “Barbeque pit is all set up, and waiting for those chickens and steaks.”

  They both gasped as her stomach bumped. “How is my little guy doing?” he asked, bending down, and pressing a kiss to her swollen stomach.

  “He is using me as a football.”

  “I better look at putting in some posts for football. I do not want to lose dad of the year. What do you say, Reese? You want a little brother to play with?” Damian stood and went toward their kids.

  He had legally adopted Reese as his own. Mia had also adopted Martha, and they were a family.

  She didn’t have much time to bask in her family happiness as the doorbell rang. Damian was already heading toward it, and she cleaned up the mess she had made. Within minutes Lou and Jacob were there with their kids. One by one the Denton family arrived, bringing with them some food or sweet treats. Rick was there as well. He’d flown in with Mandy, and as a surprise, Sarah. From what Damian had told her, things were a little tense between Sarah and Landon. Damian wouldn’t go into it, but she believed that was because he didn’t know the whole truth.

  Gabriel arrived with his family, and Gideon came in after them. Within half an hour the entire house was filled with noise, laughter, and family.

  Charlotte and Harper had already taken Martha and Reese outside. Mia stood at the door, holding the chicken and steaks.

  Damian came toward her, taking the bowls. “You look happy, Mrs. Denton.”

  “I am happy. Completely happy.” She took the jam tarts out of the oven, and made her way into the garden to be with her family, and the man she loved, basking in the joy that her wish had finally come true.

  The End

  www.samcrescent.com

  Other Books by Sam Crescent:

  www.evernightpublishing.com/sam-crescent

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  BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER

  ADDICTED TO HER

  Sam Crescent

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  Alfie Brown stared across the park at where the woman that belonged to him walked her dog. Her brown hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, and the blue summer dress she wore cupped her large tits, but flared out from her waist, not showing the world what was rightfully his. Sophia Cross had no idea that she was being watched, but he had been doing it for over a year now.

  The first time he’d seen her was in an upscale restaurant on a business meeting. She hadn’t even been serving his table, nor had she looked in his direction. He’d been served by an incompetent male. No, that was wrong. The waiter at the time had been more than fine. What Alfie hadn’t liked was how he got in the way of his view. Every time she was near, he couldn’t resist looking at her. His need had been so great that he’d forcibly moved the man just so he didn’t stand in his way.

  She was a curvy woman as well. Large tits, ass, and thighs, fuller, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her.

  Some men loved having a slender woman with all bones, but not him. The moment he saw Sophia he knew he had to have her. The meeting he’d been part of was one of the worst of his life, and yet it had been the best as well. He’d worked
his ass off to get the contracts he wanted, and then he’d spent the rest of the evening watching the divine creature. She really was a beauty as well, all smiles and warmth.

  By the end of that first night, he had a sit down with the manager, found out her name, and then he went about making sure she was being paid a decent wage. He didn’t know why he did all of this. He never had before. There was something about Sophia that he couldn’t stop himself from making sure she was safe, she was protected.

  After he settled an arrangement with his manager, on the way out of the restaurant, he put a call through to his private investigator, Mitch. By the end of the night, he had everything he needed to know about the sweet little Sophia.

  She was working her way through college doing two jobs. At night she worked at the restaurant, and during the day she walked dogs in between classes and study. She was constantly on the move, doing something.

  From what he’d discovered about her, she wanted to be an author. It was an interesting career choice, and he’d even hacked into her computer, and read quite a bit of her work. She had an interesting mind, also a dirty one. From her doctors’ records, he’d discovered she was a virgin, but also that she was taking the pill to help with period pain. Yes, he’d gotten her medical records, which had cost him a really large donation. Still, it was well worth it.

  With his hands in his pockets, he saw a couple of his guys who he’d hired to keep an eye on her were blending in just fine, and looking like random strangers in a park. He only recognized them because, hey, he’d hired them. Every man and woman he got a detailed report every single day. None of them were to alert Sophia that someone was watching. Over the past year he’d taken her rather shitty life, and he hoped that he’d made it something for her to love, to enjoy.

  From the raise at the restaurant, she didn’t have to work as many long hours, leaving more time for study. She spent a great deal of her time at the library.

  Thinking about her stories, Alfie had already purchased a publishing company, and he intended to guide her toward sending one of her stories. After reading one of her stories from hacking into her computer, he’d gotten an editor to have a look, and then some agents to give their opinion.

  She had talent, but needed guidance.

  His woman was studying to be an author, and was also taking part time classes in business. The arrangements were already being made so that his company would offer her an opportunity. She wouldn’t be joining the other interns as he never intended for her to spend all that much time in his office doing work. He wanted her close to him.

  Alfie had hoped to encourage their very first meeting by introducing himself as her boss. That depended on her taking the job, which she’d not shown any interest in doing. Her guidance counselor at college had said she wasn’t interested in working for a big corporation, or being pulled into a nine to five job. She didn’t want to be trapped in a place that she couldn’t escape. That made sense.

  Looking at her now, he saw the smile on her face, the way she paused while the dogs sat, and how she tilted her head up toward the sunshine.

  Sophia didn’t always fall in line with his plans, but what made him a damn good businessman was the fact he could adapt. He changed with the times, and while twenty-three-year-old Sophia didn’t imagine life at a desk, he could find something else. He was thirty-seven years old, a good fourteen years older than she was.

  She was probably way too young for him, and yet, from everything he knew about her, he found her utterly charming and sweet. In a world that was all about corruption, he found her sweetness something to hold onto.

  One of the dogs gave a little tug, and she giggled as she followed after them. She never lost her temper, not that he saw. Her friends adored her, and she was loyal. All the traits he had seen, he wanted in his woman. The moment Sophia belonged to him, there would be no turning back.

  He intended to make her fall in love with him, and then he was going to fuck her, get her knocked up with his kid so she belonged to him completely. The plan was simple. Now he just had to hope that everything else fell in life to fit into his perfectly ordered plans.

  ****

  “Brown Enterprises has called again,” Freya said.

  Sophia looked at her best friend, and extended roommate, and shook her head. “I have no idea who that is, and I don’t know why they’re calling.”

  “Didn’t Mr. Coleman say he was going to present your resume to a couple of candidates, and you accepted?” Freya, the beautiful blonde siren, smirked. “Clearly, you’re wanted.”

  Sophia groaned and flopped onto the bed, and stared up at her best friend, shaking her head. “I don’t want to go to any corporation. They are what is wrong with our entire world. They’re a curse, a plague.”

  “Wow, Miss Doom-on-you. Technically, it’s an enterprise.”

  “Is it wrong that I don’t want to be head hunted? I’m a soon to be college graduate, and thought of being stuck at a desk all day drags.”

  “You are so not my friend right now, but I get it. The thought of being in the same old clothes all the time, and working for a company that sucks the fun out of fun, it will suck something major. The thing is, Sophia, you can’t walk dogs the rest of your life.”

  Moving to rest her head on her friend’s lap, she looked up at the ceiling. “I am in such a bad place right now. I can’t even think straight.” She placed a hand to her head, and groaned.

  “That is so not like you at all. Usually after you walked your precious pooches, you’re in a good mood.” Freya stroked her hair back.

  They had been friends forever, and had been so lucky to get this room on campus together. She couldn’t imagine going through college with anyone else.

  “I hate this, I really do. What do you think I should do?” she asked.

  “Brown Enterprises is a really good company. A lot of college graduates fight for a chance to be on their programs. A lot of people who get selected, and go through their rigorous training often make a career out of it.”

  She stared at her friend. “You know I don’t want to be working on numbers.”

  “I know. You want to be bringing two lost souls together in a romantic, and somewhat steamy journey. You’ve always written. I get that.”

  “But it’s not always a guaranteed career choice.”

  “It’s really not. The market is really tough. You know that, sweetie. I just, I don’t want you to be sucked down by all that negativity, you know.”

  “I’m not negative. I’m optimistic.”

  “Well, you can still write that cookbook you always said you wanted to, or you can go into porn.”

  “Please, plus size porn?”

  “Why not? You’ve got a smoking bod,” Freya said, giggling.

  “I have jiggly bits, and I think to be a porn star you’ve got to, you know, have sex.” She sat up, pulling out of her ponytail, and gathering the things she would need to go and take a shower. It had been a really hot day, and she needed to freshen up. She stank really bad.

  “You’ve got to give some guys a chance,” Freya said.

  “Kind of hard to do when you discover that they were marking each other for points on who to bang. Did you know if they bagged a virgin and recorded it as proof, they got a thousand dollars?” Sophia said. “Guys are idiots, morons, and losers.” From the moment she had seen that notebook in freshman year, she had been sworn off every single guy on campus. She didn’t care who they were or what their parents did, she turned everyone down.

  It still made her shudder to see that if they bagged her, it would be extra points. Gross.

  Freya laughed. “They’re not all bad.”

  “You’re talking about Greg.”

  “Yep, I am. He’s being really sweet, which I have to say makes me nervous.”

  “How come?” Sophia asked.

  “Mom told me that if a guy ignores you for a period of time, and then all of a sudden starts with the compliments, and buying me gifts, then it means
he’s probably cheated, or done something he’s not proud of.”

  Sophia winced. If anyone would see the signs of cheating it was Freya’s mom. Her best friend’s parent hadn’t done well in the guy department. Four marriages, all ending in divorce via adultery. Not pretty, and Sophia had once seen one of the explosions.

  One night they had gone to get ice cream after school, only the shop had been shut. They had gone to the store instead, returning home within minutes. There on the couch, Freya’s stepdad had been banging the neighbor, and at fourteen, she had seen all the goriness.

  She had gone home with Freya while the explosion went on.

  Her view of men hadn’t improved at all.

  Freya, however, was a hopeless romantic, who was determined to see the good in everyone and everything.

  “Why don’t you ask?”

  “He’ll lie.”

  “You’ll have to find out some way.” She stood up. “I’m going to take a shower. I think I smell like a dog.”

  Freya chuckled. “Just a little bit.” She got to the door before she was stopped. “What are you going to do about Brown? One little interview wouldn’t hurt, right?”

  Her shoulders slumped, and she glanced back at her friend. “I guess one interview won’t hurt, but I don’t know. Something doesn’t seem right. When they call again if I’m not here, arrange an interview, and I will go for you.” She blew her friend a kiss, and left to go and take a shower.

  “Excellent, I made one for you next week.”

  College was coming to an end, and life was changing. Freya already had a job lined up for some kind of advertising agency that meant she could put her art into some real action. For Sophia, she didn’t know what she wanted. Freya always had a plan, always knew what she wanted.