Chasing Shadows (First Wives #3)(77)

“Liam.” His name was a cry.

He kissed her aftershocks, felt her thighs quivering next to his cheeks.

“Come here,” she said, looking down at him.

Crawling up her body, he captured her kiss, his erection screaming.

“Inside. I need you inside.”

He smiled into her kiss. “Demands?”

“Hell, yeah.”

Reaching down, he found his pants, unearthed a condom from his wallet, and pulled it on.

Avery smiled and drew him closer.

“I’m a lucky man,” he told her as he gave her what she demanded.

So warm.

Like home.

“Take me,” she told him, her legs wrapped around his waist, and he shifted his angle to move deeper.

“So good,” he managed as his thrusts became quicker, her tiny cries became a sharp inhale and a word of encouragement for more . . . everything. When everything inside of her gripped all of him, his rush of release rivaled hers.

A satisfied smile met him when he opened his eyes. He collapsed back onto the bed, careful to not crush her.

“We do that really well together,” she said in his ear.

“Imagine how much better it will be when I learn every spot, and every desire.”

She wrapped lazy arms over his back and kept her legs entwined with his. “We’re already off the charts, I’m not sure it gets better.”

“That’s a challenge I’m happy to accept.” Her laughter warmed his heart. “I love you, Avery.”

Her smile waned but didn’t disappear altogether. “Liam, I’m not ready to—”

“I know, Princess. You don’t have to say it back right now. I know the words don’t come easy, which just means that they mean more when you do say them. I can wait. I’m not going anywhere. I need you to know how I feel so that when you do tell me you love me, I know we’re all in.”

Her smile softened, and he knew he’d eased her into the thought of loving him completely.

“How is it you know me so well already?”

He lowered his lips to hers again. “Because I love you.”

“Is that going to be your ending statement from here on out?”

He nodded. “Yup.”





Chapter Thirty



“If he’s dead, he didn’t come in as a John Doe,” Armstrong told Reed when he called first thing the next morning.

“Thanks for looking into that for me.”

“That part’s easy. Anything else I can do for you?”

“Not unless you’re willing to hack into hospital databases.”

“Ha. No. I actually like my job. What are you looking for?”

Reed sighed.

“On second thought, don’t tell me. I don’t need any marks on my record.”

Reed laughed. “Probably for the best.”

Armstrong smiled. “How’s Avery?”

“Better. Still in New York, but no longer searching the gutters. Her boyfriend is with her.”

“Boyfriends tend to do the most damage when suspects are caught.”

“Depends on the size of the fish we pull from the ocean. He’s levelheaded.”

Armstrong leaned on his desk, tapped his pen to the notebook in front of him. “Anyone else I need to worry about?”

Reed sighed.

“You know what . . . you’re right. I don’t need to know that either. You call me if you need any legal information I can share, and let me know how it all works out.”

“That I can do. Thanks again.” Reed hung up.

Yeah, Armstrong really didn’t want to know how Reed and his group operated.



Sasha knocked on their hotel room door at ten in the morning. Good thing, since Avery slept until eight and had finished her breakfast right before.

Sasha wore tan slacks and a silk blouse. Her conservative outfit made Avery pause. “Are we going to church?”

She shook her head. “Visiting hours. Go change. I’ll wait.”

Avery didn’t argue.

After she’d woken up that morning feeling like the hundred-pound weight on her chest had lifted, much of the fight had left her system.

She’d cried. While it might not have seemed like much to the average person, the reality was she hadn’t shed one tear over herself since everything had gone down. The tears, she realized after she’d woken up, weren’t over Spider, but Liam. She almost lost him.

There was no reason for him to chase her to New York, but there he was. She saw the look in his eye when she took off her shirt and he took in the footprint size bruise on her hip. What he had said about her pain being his . . . she got that now. Later, when he made love to her and cherished every piece she allowed him to take, he awakened something new inside.

I love you, Avery.

The words echoed in her mind all night. Not that she had to wait long to hear them again. Liam meant it when he said they were his ending statement. When he saw the worry on her face, he kissed her and said he knew how she felt.

Before she took her morning shower, she sent a group text to the First Wives. I’m feeling much better. Liam is here and helping me through this. I love you all.

The replies were rapid and all held the same sentiment. We love you. We’re here. Call if you need us. Come home soon.