Page 131 of Seizing Control: Part Two

“That was a close call,” Lazarus mutters when my wife returns her attention to Garrett. “We’ve got to step up our game.”

With a nod, I agree, “I know.”

“’Preciate your help this week.” He holds his fist out, and after a pause, I smack my knuckles into his. In the rear vision mirror, I see my wife beaming at our interaction like a proud mother watching her toddlers learning to share. “Told ya shit could work if we pulled together.”

I leave his unspoken subtext untouched.

We’ve pulled together, but the jealousy remains.

He wants his Lily back.

I want my wife’s love.

Our claims are individual.

This is not a partnership, and it never will be.

Although I incline my head, pretending that I agree with his optimistic take on the situation, in my head I battle the possessiveness flooding my veins. Each atom, every nerve ending, my entire being buzzes with the need to collar my wife’s neck and control her breathing. I want to engage her fight or flight response. Become the master of her existence. Force Cherub to her knees in front of Lazarus. Break her down. Make her cry. Demand her allegiance to me... and only me.

“Open the gates.” Lazarus’ terse instruction rips me out of my carnal musing. I glance at him. His gaze continues to scan our immediate environment as I turn onto my street. “Close them behind us, then set up the perimeter guards. I’ll let you know when we’re ready to leave.”

After lowering the garage door, blocking out the mid-afternoon sunlight as well as the rest of the world, I pull on the handbrake, then exit the Rover. Lazarus opens Cherub’s door and releases her seatbelt. I unstrap Garrett, balancing him in one arm, as I move in behind my wife.

“Remember, baby,” I murmur in my duchess’ ear. A visible shudder runs through her, and colour rushes up her neck to settle in her cheeks. It ramps up my craving to taste her, but I tamp down on it because I know it’ll be months before she’s healed enough to cope with the full force of my desire. “Shocked face... this is a surprise party.”

Linking her arm with mine, my wife steps backward and cuddles into my side. With my son perched on my hip and my duchess pressed against the other, the perfection of this moment forever imprints on my brain.

The madness that drove me to try to permanently leave this life chokes me.

I almost forsook this beautiful woman and our son to salve my pride.

What a blind fool I was...

“Like this?” Cherub peers up at me with her mouth rounded into a O and her eyes wide. “Is this good enough?”

“It’s perfect.” I slip my free arm around her waist, gently cup her hip, and pull her closer. “You’re perfect.”

She smiles, joy reddens her cheeks for a heartbeat, then doubt flares in her cerulean gaze. As much as it hurts to recognise how little faith she has in me, the presence of her tentative delight tells me that there is still a foundation of true love from which we can rebuild our relationship. Where there’s hope, there is opportunity. My wife still loves me, and I will fight every day to make her understand how sorry I am for every instance of undeserved savagery I rained down on her head.

“You’re perfect,” Cherub whispers. Her eyes gleam wetly as she smiles at me, then directs her attention to our son. “He’s perfect.”

My fingers flex around the curve of her hip.

Fuck, my need for her is eating me alive.

I don’t know how I got lucky enough to be granted second, third, and fourth chances with Cherub, but nothing will ever lure me from her side again. Every mistake I’ve made could have been the death knell for our love, yet we endure. She continues to want me. I still want her. Despite the circumstances surrounding us, Lilianna Hudson willingly holds my heart in her hand, and I don’t want it back.

I can’t be trusted to keep it safe.

She can.

Lazarus clears his throat. “I’ll open the door, then you can step inside first, Lily.”

“Okay.”

“With the Trinity present, we need to keep our distance.”

My duchess eyes him with scepticism. “Because you’re Lazarus?”

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