Valiant's POV I couldn't believe what the love of my life just said to me. I was horrified and mad as hell! All this time, I thought Malcolm had run off on a druggie high and got locked up in another county. I was probably more horrified that the land we were on had his blood on it. Clearly, he hadn't thought this out when executing his plan, that one day me and his kids would come here. "Reece, you didn't. Please tell me you didn't." I watched him slowly ease off of me probably trying not to scare me more than I was. The pain searing my side had begin to decrease and was barely noticeable unless taking a quick deep breath, coughing, sneezing or escaping a sexy killer. "I know how it sounds and I can explain my thought process. First, first...let me tell you that I love you." His hands were extended toward me but palms down like he was shushing me. He looked crazy scared. I could have laughed if I weren't mortified. "Second, my son, our son...I love him too. And your cousin wa
Reece's POV "Because my secret should be our secret. Just us baby girl and when I feel like you've grasped that, I'll let you out." I glared at her for misunderstanding me and my intentions. Why would she regard her abuser? I've been here making right all the wrongs and helping her heal along the way. My mind and heart were not in tandem anymore. She had driven me to near insanity. After all the months we spent in silence because I refused to talk to her to her being taken and battered to now. Now. Now, I've locked her away until she calmed enough. I know she could be rational and would be after calming down. Val wasn't an immature woman although she was just hitting 19 and I wasn't an immature man just turning 23. We have had plenty of logical conversations and had accolades to prove in school and in the real world that we were thinkers, problem solvers. I grit my teeth as I leaned upon the wall that hid her away, I couldn't hear her voice but I figured she must be scared and c
Valiant's POV I must be living a huge nightmare because what I experienced hours ago left me void of understanding. Somehow, I'm here in another room in this massive place its a screaming headache and without my son or my man. What the f...? I recounted the last events and decide that I am over this with Reece. I love him but I can't love him like this. He was my prince charming, gentlemanly and light yet sexy and dark. That shit just doesn't go together. I could blame it on immaturity or on entitlement, his behaviors, but I didn't know I needed any of this to see how far he'd go overboard. As soon as I could, I'd leave and take my son with me. As much as I hated that, knowing it'd hurt not just him but also his parents, it was for the best. I sat up on the perfectly firm mattress and stretched delicately as to not cause myself any more rib pain. Crying had done enough. I clicked the lamp on the bedside table and got to my feet. I found the bathroom did my business, washed my ha
Author's POV One benefit to living in a massive house was that you had an opportunity to retreat to the quietest and most secured places...so they did. Reece and Valiant walked silently to an upper deck, her trailing behind him because he didn't want to scare her so it was better to be out front. Once they perched, they both took to sitting in the hanging hammocks that were available. The cooling Sedona evening was warm enough to not need the fire pit or blankets. The gleaming red rocks of the Shnebly Hill formation provided the stunning visual for tonight's hard conversation. "Val?" Reece started, his voice deep, low and very remorseful. She recognized it. He hoped she'd respond favorably. "Yes Reecey." Her voice sharp, still yet loving. He smiled. She drove him insane because she knew how to comfort him whenever he showed vulnerability. "I love you with all that I am. I'm sorry for how I treated you earlier. I just need to explain and hope that you'd forgive me." The silenc
Author's POV---cont from last chapterBy the end of the club event, Valiant was met with her arch nemesis Roman and Lettie together. Ro wanted to talk to Val and he did get a chance to when it was interrupted by a very drunk someone. Lettie was a persistent bitch and made it hard for everyone, especially when she drank. She and Roman ended up going home after she projectile vomited on him.Then the worst call came. Val's mom had finally lost her drug battle and died from an overdose. Reece and friends took Val to the crime scene and it ripped her to shreds. Meanwhile her Aunt Joan and grandmother arrived causing more drama than necessary. The five military men the accompanied her, for they suspected that her family had a lot riding on her mother's death and they had began to look into it.She needed much more protection starting from that night. It seemed that no comfort could pull Valiant back right then so she slept in Reece's spare bedroom. He wanted to just be there for her. And
Author's POV--continuation from last two chapters "Th-thank you for answering the questions. I'm sorry about last night. Leaving you on the dance floor. I'm overwhelmed Reece. Even moreso because of my mom." She was now scared to look at him and respond, he made her nervous. Titlting her chin to him he looked her in the eye. "I got too anxious and impatient. The way I want you still take me by surprise. I put too much pressure on you." From the burn in his eyes he was about to give her an incentive to choose him. "If you want to get some relief from all the pressure, you're already here with me. I could use some relief too." He was wiping tears from her eyes and undressing her with his hazel ones, the green overpowering the light brown. "Let me ask you something. Why did you let me have you? Why choose me when you're already with someone who is doing so much for you?" Her breathing was cut in half as she considered how to answer. She reluctantly released the breath she was hold
Reece's POV My head hurt from thinking about all the shit Val went through that night and what she'd traverse from that point. I looked at the future Mrs. Shields and I smiled at her while she looked like she would ring my neck. "Damn baby, I'm glad I was able to get you back. All the hoops we had to go through, it's no wonder that we didn't join the circus." "Yeah, I know, Reecey, it's too much time that we've wasted, and it just goes to show that we're not immune from junk circumstances that can weigh us down." "That's what I'm saying baby, don't worry about the other ring for now. It's in safe keeping, Papa is holding on to it." "This ring is also tracker modified. It doesn't have to be rotated or anything. The sensor will determine a predetermined set of factors such as sustained levels of stress, heart rate, temperature and water depth, temperature, and how long you've been in the water." "Really Reece? Can't I just have a normal ring?" She slapped my hand as I was runnin
Reece's POV Valiant and I went a few more rounds. We enjoyed each other so much that when we finally finished, the sun was blending the colors in the sky. My woman was tucked into my arm, her head on my chest and her hair in my face. I was hopeless for such a long time waiting to get her back just like she is now, and I almost ruined it. I loved to watch her and listen to her rhythm of soft shallow and deep breaths as she rested. My free hand wrote out 'I love you' as an invisible tattoo on her forearm. Still a bit of shock rolled through me that she forgave me so easily, and she meant it. The fact of the matter is that I now have a fiancee. The ring on her finger was a beauty. It shone brightly as it complimented her skintone and slender fingers. There wasn't a motherfucker who could tell me anything. I was on top of the world. I smiled to myself in silent triumph when I heard an unfamiliar vibration. I took up my phone but I had no missed calls or messages. The heaviness of