Page 160 of Penalty to the Heart

“I’m in the main bedroom, Caleb. Hurry! I want to show you something.”

My heart jackhammers away as I walk down the corridor to the one room that has always been off-limits. My heart is still rattling in its cage when I push the door wide open, only to reveal my woman wearing a dainty little tank top and paint-splattered coveralls, holding a paintbrush in her hands,

“What? What is this?” I ask, scanning the now empty room. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m going to paint the room, silly,” she explains with another giggle.

“I can see that,” I say, trying to push down the lump in my throat. “I… um… saw some men leave here just now.”

“Oh, you mean that movers? Yeah, I hired them to clear the room and give everything to a shelter.”

I want to tell her that the thought of her alone with four strangers is doing my head in, but unfortunately, right now, all I can concentrate on is that she’s emptied out this room—Gregg’s room.

“You gave everything away?” I ask, my voice sounding strange to my ears.

“I did.” She nods happily.

“Why? Why would you do that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

When I don’t reply, she drops the brush and walks over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Because life is for the living. And you, Caleb Donovan, have breathed life back into me. I spent so many years in the dark, content in living in the shadows, until you brought color back into my world, and now… I can’t see myself living another day in a grayish existence. It’s time that I moved on from the past and started to live for my future. My future with you.”

“What are you saying?” I ask, craving to hear the words that I yearn for.

“I’m saying that I’m madly in love with you, and it’s time I showed you just how much.”

My heart doubles in size as she looks up at me with nothing but love in her eyes.

“You love me?”

“With all my heart,” she coos with a broad smile.

“You love me?” I ask again, picking her up by the waist, her legs instantly wrapping themselves around my waist.

“Yes!” she shouts in glee.

“You love me. You love me. You love me!” I start to shout, twirling her around.

“Put me down.” she giggles. “You’re going to get paint all over you.”

“Fuck the paint,” I growl. “You really love me?”

“I do. And I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to say it. If you want the truth, I think I fell in love with you that first day we met. I never told you this before, but that day at the hospital, when you bumped into me, I saw you later in the parking lot. That day, without you knowing it, your soul spoke to mine. I tried to resist its pull, but falling for you was inevitable. I couldn’t stop myself from loving you, even if I tried.”

I close my eyes and just let her words sink in.

“Say it again,” I beg, eyes shut.

“I love you,” she says softly, kissing my chin. “I love you,” she repeats, kissing my cheeks. “I love you,” she whispers, kissing my eyelids. “I’m in love with you, Caleb. Always and forever.”

“I fucking love you so much, Roxie. So goddamn much,” I growl before laying her down on the plastic sheeting on the floor, unbothered by the paint all over it.

“Then show me,” she provokes, pressing her pussy against my already half-mast cock.

Not having to be told twice, I spend the rest of the afternoon doing just that—loving her with every fiber of my being. With my body, my heart, and all of my soul.

---