VALOROUS (A Quantum Novel)(78)

“I will, thanks.”

“And before I forget, Liza sent these over for you.” She puts copies of all the major industry magazines on the desk in front of me.

We’re on the covers of all of them. People magazine went with the huge headline, “Well, hello, Mrs. Godfrey!” US magazine proclaims “Off the market!” and In Touch has, “Flynn says ‘I do.’”

“And check this out.” Addie flips open the copy of People to the page where Natalie is named as one of the best-dressed women at the Golden Globes. Inside US, one of the top designers refers to her as an instant fashion icon. I know a moment of pure, unadulterated pride at how beautiful my wife looks in all the pictures. “Pretty cool, huh?”

“Very cool. I guess our wedding bumped the crap about her past off the front pages.”

“Looks that way.”

“Can I take these?”

“They’re all yours. One other thing… Danielle wants to talk to you.”

Everyone goes through Addie to get to me, even my manager. “What does she need?”

“She wants to talk about all the offers that are rolling in for Natalie and how you want her to handle them. It’s been everything from cosmetic companies to designers to modeling agencies to casting agents.”

“Casting? Seriously?”

“Yep. She said they’ve been bombed with calls since you guys were on Carolyn’s show.”

“I told her that would happen. I’ll get in touch with Danielle when I get a chance.”

Before I leave the office, I call Emmett. After I tell him the latest from Natalie’s school, I say, “And you’re not going to believe what just happened at the office.”

“What now?”

“Our friend David Rogers got himself murdered, and the FBI came to talk to me about it.”

“Are you f*cking kidding me?”

“Wish I was. They took my phone into evidence and everything.”

“Flynn… Jesus.”

“Don’t sweat it. I didn’t do it, so I have nothing to worry about.”

“The f*cking FBI actually talked to you about it.”

“Yeah, because of what I said on Carolyn’s show the other night, about being capable of murder.”

“Anyone would say that after what he did to your girlfriend—now wife.”

“I guess I made it easy for whoever actually killed him to try to pin it on me by spouting off on national TV.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. You haven’t been anywhere near Nebraska, and we both know you didn’t actually hire someone to bump the guy off.” After a short pause, Emmett says, “You didn’t do that, did you?”

“No,” I say, laughing, “but I’m not even kinda sad that he’s dead.”

“People get what’s coming to them. I’m sure you’re not the only enemy he’s made. He owes a lot of people money. They’ve got motive all over the place.”

“Do you think you ought to call this FBI guy?”

“No,” he says. “Nothing says ‘I’ve got something to hide’ quite like a call from a lawyer. Let’s wait and see what happens. But I don’t want you talking to him again without me with you. Okay?”

“Right. Gotcha. Thanks, Emmett.”

“This whole thing is so f*cking unreal, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, especially what Natalie had to endure—alone—at fifteen.”

“No kidding. Keep me posted.”

“Will do.”

A few minutes later, I pull out of the parking lot at the office and head for Malibu, eager to get home to my wife.





Chapter 18





My phone chimes with a message from Addie to tell me Flynn is on his way home, which sends a thrill of anticipation rippling through me. I thought I had hours to kill until I’d see him again.

I run for the shower, and I’m drying my hair when he comes in. I turn off the hair dryer and start to say hello, but he has other ideas. His arms are around me and he’s kissing me before I can get a word out.

He lifts me onto the countertop and steps between my legs, tugging my robe open.

Fluff goes crazy barking and circling Flynn’s feet. Fearing she might take another piece out of him, I break the kiss. “Go lie down, Fluff. Mommy’s fine. Go on.”

Pacified, she slinks out of the bathroom into the bedroom.

“Missed you,” Flynn whispers. His lips are soft and persuasive against my neck.

“You were only gone a couple of hours.”

“Too long.” Recapturing my lips for another heated kiss, he fumbles with the button of his jeans until I push his hands out of the way and take over.

He’s commando under there and falls into my hand, hot and hard and ready to go.

Grasping my bottom, he pulls me to the edge of the counter and plunges into me.

My head falls back in surrender to the overwhelming sensation of being possessed by him.

“God, Nat… This is gonna be fast.” True to his word, he takes us on a quick, wild ride. He reaches down to where we’re joined and caresses me to an explosive finish.

I arch into him as he goes with me, crying out as he comes.