Downfall(69)

“All his assets have been transferred into Noble’s name. She’s got a trust fund bigger than this house waiting for her when she gets older. She is now a multi-millionaire. Everything they couldn’t put in her name has been frozen by the government as they investigate all of Vincent’s business dealings. He wasn’t exactly a straight shooter. When the boss had people start digging deep into Channing’s comings and goings, it became clear he’s been doing some very dirty deals while no one was looking. He was doing some questionable stuff with investors’ money. There’s a whole lot of people really pissed off at him right now. He might not even make it to sentencing.”

“All that money.” I shook my head. It was hard to imagine all of it going to Noble. It was almost scary to think what she could accomplish with that kind of power at her disposal as she got older.

“Well, it’s tricky.” He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze away from mine; the LEGOs in his hands popped apart almost violently. “The money isn’t in a normal trust. You’re going to have to go through a very scary, very bad man to access any of it. It’s kind of his way of making sure Noble is always safe and that the money can never be used against her.” He blew out a breath and shoved his hands through his messy, dark hair. “If you want some of the money to move, to start over, to take Noble someplace better, I can talk to him for you. I can set it up.” His eyes lifted back up to mine and the frown was stamped back on his face. “I almost didn’t tell you that part. The idea of you leaving the city tears me up inside. That fake fight sucked. It felt like you were really leaving, and parts of me felt like they were going to die watching you drive away. But, I can’t make you stay, and I can’t make that decision for you… even if I want to.” His voice quivered ever so slightly, telling me he really was fighting against his natural instinct to push me in the direction he thought was best. He knew what was best for him in this instance might not be what was best for me and my daughter.

Without hesitation, I launched myself across the space separating us. He grunted painfully when he landed on his back on the discarded pile of LEGOs. I giggled as he cringed, not bothering to warn him he was going to have to be on the lookout for LEGO booby traps until Noble outgrew them.

I kissed him hard and long. Then pulled back to look at his shocked expression. Solo really thought I was going to go, even after everything he’d done for me. It was the first time in my whole life I felt wanted and needed in return.

“I’ve had money and was handed everything I ever wanted, and I was miserable. It wasn’t until you came into our lives that I realized I could be happy, even if I had nothing but you and Noble. You made me realize I could make a life for my daughter without much help. Having you means more than having a fortune. You are worth so much more to me and Noble than any amount of money could ever be. I’m glad it’s there for her, because I want her to have every opportunity possible as she grows up, and I know money can be a shield against a lot of bad things, but I want her to be strong and smart. She’ll get that from you, not from a fistful of cash.” I kissed him again and grabbed both his cheeks between my hands. “I can’t tell you I’ll always want to be exactly where we are now.” I was going to be devastated for a long time every single time I stepped on the bottom stair and Lester wasn’t there to greet me with his sage advice. “When Noble gets older, I have to think about things like being in a good school district and her having access to the best education possible, but I can tell you, I don’t want to ever be too far from you or your mom. She needs you as much as I do.” I understood that without him saying a word. And I loved him. There were things I would have to sacrifice for that love. Where I lived and where I raised my kid might have to be one of those things, so he could get what he needed from me, as well. I was serious about us being together, meaning we were on the same team. “You made me believe I could be strong, Solo. And you protected me.”

He wrapped his arms around me, dark eyes serious as he gazed up at me. “There is no guarantee if you stay with me things won’t get bumpy down the road. My life isn’t a picnic, and things will never be easy if you choose to stay in the city. I can swear to you that I will always put you and Noble first in everything I do, and that I won’t stop working toward being a better, more reliable man. But I’ll always be a fighter, not a killer. I will always fight for you… for us… for this family you shared with me.” He exhaled and I grinned as he blushed. It was the first time I’d seen him turn pink and it was damned adorable. He was always so sure of himself. Him being the uneasy, nervous one for once was a nice change of pace. “I love you. With my schedule and my obligations, I never thought I would have time to fall in love, but with you, it only took a second.”

I kissed his chin and brushed my nose along his jawline. “I was your downfall.”

It was amazing to me. All the dark, dirty, dangerous things that filled his life from the start, and I was the one who finally got him to slow down and breathe. I was the one who stopped him in his tracks. How could I not love him and want to stay with him?

“Loving two girls was my downfall. I couldn’t be happier about that.” He was right. It very easily could have been a bullet that brought him down. It was much nicer to know love was what eventually brought him to his knees.

“Mommy! Look what I learned.” I looked up from where I was sprawled across Solo’s chest, cocooned in his strong embrace.