Page 116 of Vengeful Union

I chuckle at her exuberance, breaking into a light jog to catch up with her. I grab her around the waist, pulling her back toward me and lifting her off the ground.

Lara squeals and kicks, wriggling to get away, but my arms are tight around her trim waist.

“Oh, no,” she murmurs. “I’ve been caught by the big, bad wolf.”

I lean down to kiss her neck, and she moans softly.

“Wouldn’t call myself a wolf. I’m just an accountant, remember?”

Lara stiffens, and I’m not sure why.

I don’t want to rock the boat in our last days together, though, so I keep my mouth shut.

She pulls away from me gently, kicking off her shoes and wading in the water.

“You said you played here when you were a kid?”

I hum, watching her as she splashes around, trying to memorize the long lines of her thighs, her elegant neck.

“All the time. Bree, too.”

“What were you like as a kid?” She sits down on the grass, keeping her feet in the water.

I shrug. “I don't know. I was kind of a jerk.”

She laughs. “A jerk? How so?"

“I was just rebellious. And I wasn’t the world's best big brother, at least not at first. I can admit now that I was jealous of her. My father always favored her.”

She frowns, reaching up to take my hand and pulling me down to sit next to her. “I bet she’d say the same thing about you.”

I snort. “Maybe. It seems clear that he manipulated all of us. Everyone he knew, really.”

Lara puts my hand in her lap, squeezing it. “I'm sorry about your father. I'm sorry that you were put in that position.”

“It's not your fault.” My throat feels tight, and I have to fight to keep my voice from breaking. I’ve been trying not to think about it ever since it happened.

“Still, I’m sorry. I don’t know what it’s like to have a father like that, but I can see that it’s affected you and Bree.”

“We had our mother. At least one parent loved us.”

“Have you ever thought about having kids?”

I shake my head. “No, never.” I pause. "At least not until now.”

“What's changed?” She looks over at me, and then back down at her feet.

“Well, now that he’s gone, I won’t be in danger like I was before. Before, anyone I loved was subject to my father’s enemies. Things are different, now.”

“I always wanted two.” Lara smiles softly.

My heart aches just looking at her. She’s so beautiful.

“Yeah?”

She nods. “A boy and a girl."

“You can't be sure that's how it'd shake out, though.”

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