Page 93 of Daddy Down Under

He was done for now. Combined, these charges would send him to prison for at least five years, though hopefully longer, and after that, he was done as a businessman. Even more because Cash had already filed a civil suit to claim monetary damages from Preston’s scheming…and my case of aggravated assault was still on the docket as well.

I hadn’t wanted to press charges at first, but Oliver had persuaded me otherwise. He and I had become quick friends, joined in our desire to take care of Cash, though in very different ways. But when I’d confided in Oliver about what had happened, he’d told me he’d been a victim of domestic abuse and pressing charges was the best decision he had ever made. It had helped him find closure and healing.

So I’d talked to the NYPD, who took all the evidence I had, interviewed the friend I had stayed with, found the ER doctor and nurses who had treated me, and built a solid case. Whether it was enough remained to be seen, but at least I had tried. Besides, he was going to jail anyway. The assault charge would only add time.

The judge brought her gavel down, and Cash and I rose at the same time. We were in each other’s arms before we could even blink, hugging tightly. “It’s over,” he whispered. “It’s finally over.”

When we let go, we both had tears in our eyes. “Come on, baby boy,” I said softly. “Let’s go home and celebrate.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

Hand in hand, we turned…and came face to face with Preston. Gone was the charm, the slick veneer. All that was left was a broken man who knew he’d lost. His eyes were hollow, his face pale. “You won,” he said to us. “I hope you’re happy now.”

“We are,” I said before Cash could respond. “Very happy, in fact. But you’ll be able to see that for yourself…next month when we see you in court again.”

His eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, then closed it again. The bailiff led him away, and I forgot all about him as soon as he was out of sight. I had more fun things to focus on.

Like my husband.

Yup, Cash and I got married two months ago. I was now Ocean Sullivan. I legally changed my first name to eliminate any association with my father. Easiest decision ever, just like asking Cash to marry me. He’d said yes without even hesitating, proof of how far he had come.

We were living in New York for now, awaiting the legal proceedings, but we’d already been back to Australia three times. Cash had bought the Krause Group and had chosen to be far more involved in running it than usual. At first, I thought it had been an excuse to spend time in Australia, but he actually loved being so hands-on.

Even more surprising was that he’d convinced me to come on board as a marketing consultant for Wavey. I’d overseen the rebranding, which had been wildly successful. Thom Winner, one of the most famous Aussie pro surfers, had agreed to test it…and had loved it so much that he had promptly signed on as our brand ambassador, resulting in a massive spike in sales.

Since it looked like we’d be spending a lot of time in Melbourne in the future, Cash had bought a house for us there. Let me rephrase that.Wehad bought a house in Melbourne.

While I had no issues with Cash being obscenely rich, I was still hesitant to consider his money my money. Don’t get me wrong, I had zero problems spending it on things for him or even buying stuff for myself. But that was stuff—even if they were hella expensive new surfboards Cash had insisted on.

But a house? That was in a different league. And so was a marriage without a prenup. I’d put my foot down on that one, refusing to marry Cash without one in place. Finally, he’d relented, but he’d only shielded his business, not his personal wealth. The trust in that decision was not lost on me.

He loved me. Every day a little more, as he liked to tell me.

I knew how that felt. Every time I thought I couldn’t possibly love Cash more, he would do something that made me fall even deeper. He was my everything. My husband, my partner, my best friend, my lover. But also my baby boy.

And out of all the roles I had in his life, one was my absolute favorite. His Daddy.

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