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Chapter 12
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Reciprocity Chapter 13
I chuckled to myself, earning a quizzical look from Lila.“What?”“Your hair is a beautiful fucking mess.”She reached up and her fingers combed through it, trying to straighten it and get out the knots I’d made. My wife looked thoroughly sexed—a look I loved to see her wear. Unfortunately, we were at the office and had to at least look presentable before we opened the door to the sixth floor conference room.The quiet little corner became our occasional afternoon delight spot. With the trial closing in, we both needed the physical reassurance and calm that came from touching each other.“I was thinking about having roasted chicken breast and red potatoes for dinner.”I thought it over as I pushed the tails of my dress shirt back into my slacks. “Sounds pretty good. Maybe some salad as well. My stomach hasn’t been right since that weird Indian place Drew took us to on Monday.” She smiled, laughing to herself. “What?”She shook her head. “Nothing.”I threw my jacket back
Reciprocity Chapter 14
When the alarm went off, neither of us moved to turn off the blaring sound. We stared at each other, gathering up the strength to leave the bed. Knowing that as soon as the alarm was silent, we had to get ready.She sighed and curled against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, wishing I could keep her there—that she didn’t have to go through what was coming.The volume of the alarm grew to an almost deafening level, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I slapped down on the snooze button to shut it up.Five more minutes.I went back to my position of trying to pull her inside me. When time was up, we reluctantly separated and moved to get up.A low pressure front had come through overnight, and we both groaned in pain. The first steps were rough—my leg didn’t want to move right. Another reminder of what lay beneath the scars all over my body. Lila was the same, and her hand covered the opposite wrist.My whole body ached and was stiff. Mornings like this sucked and made an
Reciprocity Chapter 15
As I was led into the courtroom, I couldn’t help but look around. I locked onto Adam, and he actually looked reserved. After everything Lila told me, I scoffed at his act. It was probably advice from his lawyer—to look repentant in front of the jury.They’d dressed him up in a suit, shaved him, cut his hair—anything to make him look like a good boy. It was the way he held himself and the expressions on his face that gave him away.It was odd being on the other side of the bench. I was used to being in front of the judge, not beside him. I took a deep breath to even myself out and looked at Lawrence. My hands gripped the chair in an effort to keep me calm as I braced to go through the usual retelling of events from my eyes.Lawrence walked to the center of the floor. “Why were you going over to Delilah’s house that night?”“We were going to have dinner.”He looked around the room, trying not to focus solely on me. “Did you eat together every night?”“Yes.”“Did you notice
Reciprocity Chapter 16
We sat at a table in Lila’s favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant a half hour later. I ordered her a margarita—a well-deserved drink after the morning we’d experienced. We were supposed to be having a celebration of our victory, but instead we sat in the booth with a somber aura, and I was icing my aching knuckles.She was lost in thought, but not vacant or detached. I was happy with that, and the fact she didn’t need my help but only my presence to pull her from the debilitating fear that took hold of her thanks to that asshole father of hers opening his mouth.She blew through her first drink in minutes, and I found myself shoving the chips and salsa at her before I had a drunk on my hands. After all, I had plans.“Baby, you need to slow down.”Her eyes flipped up, almost as if she was just noticing me, and her lips twitched. “Sorry, it’s just been a…day.”I nodded. “Lots of highs and lows.”She blew out a breath and dipped a chip in the queso I ordered. Her teet
Reciprocity Chapter 17
Lila was not the woman I knew. No, the woman before me was a little girl—wide-eyed, smiling, full of bouncing, hyper energy and wonder.We were starting out our trip in the Magic Kingdom bright and early. Her attention was all over the place as she took in Main Street. When we were almost to the end, I pulled the map from my back pocket.I didn’t even get to ask where she wanted to go before she nearly tugged my arm out of the socket and I tripped over my feet, almost face-planting onto the stone below. Her pace was almost a run, her gaze fixed on one thing in front of her. She was practically dragging me on her quest.When I looked up, I saw what had her so excited—Cinderella’s Castle. It was the iconic Disney view. She blew past people, only to stop in front of it and stare. I wrapped my arms around her waist and stood behind her, cradling her against my chest.“It’s so pretty.” Her voice was low, reverent almost.I nodded against her shoulder. It was what had given me t
Reciprocity Chapter 18
Lila was stuck in a strange state between relief and fear for the weeks following the trial. Adam had been found guilty on all charges, but there was still sentencing to go. She was teetering on an edge, and I knew things would tip when the ruling came down.Our little getaway helped, but the countdown to sentencing was excruciating. We were both ready for it to be done, over. Put the crap in the past and move on to the future.“Lunch today?” Lila asked as we rode the elevator up to the office.My face scrunched up a bit at the uncertainty in her tone. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we?”She looked down to the floor. “I just didn’t know what your schedule looked like.”“Sunny with a chance of afternoon Honeybear.” I winked at her.That got a smile to peek out and an elbow into my ribs. The damn dark cloud was washing over her again. The effect it had on her was hell to watch, and harder every day to combat.One fucking day left before Adam’s blackness wouldn’t be able to touch
Reciprocity Chapter 19
Lila was different. That was the only word I could come up with to describe the change. Over the past few days, she’d shed a lot of the crap that held her back for years. It always dwelled in the back of her mind, ever since she left her father’s house—when will he come for me?The unsurmountable weight that pressed upon her was lifted. Chains that held her down released, shedding away the girl like a cocoon and opening up the woman inside. Adam was going to be in jail for a long time, and the judge had approved the restraining order on her father.It was the first time in over a year I felt like my words really penetrated her. After years of suffering, others finally saw the monster that Adam was. It was validation.Life returned to its normal pace. It was hard to believe how fast the days were passing. Even more unbelievable was how even we were—no more ups and downs. I was thankful for the change, for the monotony of getting up, going to work, and coming home with my wife
Reciprocity Chapter 20
The next day, I was a wreck.Meeting Tom was a mistake.Granted, it wasn’t like I planned to run into him. That was what made it worse. If Marconi had someone watching us at that moment, I was screwed. It was a chance meeting that could get Lila killed.An innocent fucking errand that brought the devil down.After what Noah told me, I knew it wasn’t an “if” someone was watching. I’d recognized one of his men sitting in the corner as we talked. Marconi probably thought I was working the case.I needed to figure out a way to keep Lila safe.My mind was cracking, and the beast paced, whimpering. Everything was spiraling out of control. I was losing my grip.It was times like this the beast in me was let out. Nothing calmed it more than Lila. My body ached only for her touch. I needed it to survive. I’d die without it—without her. She let me ravage her, letting go in ways no other would. Euphoria and comfort—the soothing balm to my screaming agony.I couldn’t go hunt her do
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