Forever You're Mine (MINE #4)(42)

“I’m glad to hear that. It’s getting better for me too. The good days are beginning to outnumber the bad, so I’m holding on to that right now. Christopher has a lot of questions. Ones I can’t answer or don’t want to. For seven years old, he’s an inquisitive little shit.” She laughed. “So much like Landon, it’s scary.” She was starting to tear up again. “Shit, I need to go. I just wanted to bring Noble’s gift and say hello to everyone, especially you.” Nikki pulled me in for a hug.

“Me? Why me?” I asked.

“Because you brought him back to us.”

I had no idea what to say or how to respond, so I didn’t. I accepted her token of gratitude in the form of a tight hug and a sincere smile.

“Mind if I come by and see him tomorrow before we go. If he’s feelin’ better?” Cannon asked.

Nikki nodded with a smile. “We’d like that. Call in the morning. I’ll let you know.”

“Sounds good.” They hugged once more before he let her go.

We didn’t speak of the encounter after Cannon ushered us to our table where we found our assigned seats near the bride and groom.

Throughout the evening, Cannon appeared to be more at ease than ever. He’d removed his coat, looking positively delectable in his lavender vest, a lazy smile tugging the corner of his lips as he sat relaxed in his seat. But it was his eyes that told the tale. The tale of a broken hero. One who had been hiding for so very long and now…he was free. Free from the chains of his past. Oh, it was still there. It always would be. But now he had me. We had each other. And we had love.

We’d found our place in each other.

Our purpose.

Closing my eyes briefly, I thanked God for giving him to me. For allowing me to be the one he gave all of himself to. I felt like the luckiest woman on the planet. Even though I knew there was a bigger force behind all of this. Cannon’s hand covered mine and I opened my eyes. His rough fingers circled, bringing the ridge of my knuckles to his lips.

“Dance with me,” he said, pulling me from my seat.

“I thought you didn’t dance?”

“I do a lot of things I never thought I would do,” He twirled me around before pulling me in close. “Because of you.”

The band sang a perfect rendition of Thinking Out Loud as Cannon led me out onto the dance floor. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I laid my head on his beating heart. It pounded against my ear, drowning out the music and everything else around me. “I don’t think I could have survived this visit without you.” His voice was thick, filled with deep emotion. I lifted my head from his chest, looking into his soft blue eyes. “No one has ever made me feel the way you do. No one ever will. I breathe easier because of you, sleep better. Because of you…I want more.”

“Cannon.”

“The only thing I regret most is not opening my eyes sooner. You were right here all along. I had you this whole time. I was just too f*ckin’ blind to see.”

“Well, now you see.” I smiled, tears pooling in my eyes.

“Now I see.”

“Know what else I see?” he asked, kissing my neck.

“What?”

“An exit.”

“Oh yeah? I think we should go to your spot again,” I suggested with a whisper to his ear.

“I think I like your way of thinkin’ babe.”





Men trust their ears less than their eyes.

~Herodotus





Be there in twenty.

Hurry up, I’m starving.

For my cock?

Funny, but no. I need real food.

My cock is real food. Keeps you full doesn’t it?

Stop playing and hurry up dammit! We’re gonna be late.

We were going to be early, plenty of time to lay you down first.

You best be wearing that little sundress I like.

I am. And the panties you like. If you’re a good boy I’ll let you have dessert later.

Be there in fifteen. And I ain’t waitin’ for dessert.

We were going to a cookout at Maddie and Holden’s tonight. Some kind of house warming party Katy was throwing. Cora was helping out beforehand so she wanted to be there extra early. I didn’t mind though. The guys would be there too so I wasn’t complaining. We’d been back from Alabama a week now, our relationship growing and thriving more than ever.

We’d grown closer.

Stronger.

I pocketed my phone and reached for my bag before walking out the door. Cora didn’t know it yet, but I would be sleeping in her bed tonight. I hadn’t had a nightmare in close to a week. Doc said it had a lot to do with me coming to terms with the past. That was probably true, but I knew it had a lot to do with her.

When you have something that good, filling your days with nothing but sweetness, it’s impossible to hold on to the bad shit.

I walked outside, spotting a familiar black car parked behind my truck. The tinted window rolled down as I approached and that’s when I saw the tears streaming down her face.

Shit.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, opening the car door.

Alexis’ head fell to her hands, gripping the top of the steering wheel as a sob wracked her body. She was a mess.

Hiccupping, she tried to catch her breath as she lifted her swollen eyes to mine. “I didn’t know where else to go.”