Page 83 of From Us, Forever

A swallow worked through his throat as he nodded, his eyes softening. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Good.” I smiled, nodding back. “Don’t repeat it. Now tell me what happened.”

He exhaled. “Long story, I need a shower.”

I leaned forward, running a thumb along his cheek. “How about a bath instead?”

“I would love that.” He gave me a gentle smile that deepened the blues in his eyes.

“You stay right here.” I kissed his nose and leaped out of bed.

I adjusted the water temperature and added just about every bath salt, a few essential oils, and some bubbles.

I let that fill while I dashed downstairs to get a bottle of wine because I knew alcohol would be required for whatever he was going to say.

“Bath ready,” I announced while I poured two glasses full of cold white wine and set them by the side. In quick succession, we both stripped and eased in.

A happy sigh left my lips when the water soaked through my skin.

With only the low lights of the candles illuminating the room and the smell of lavender, it felt like heaven.

“I love you.” Jay kissed my forehead while I sipped on my wine.

“So?” I asked, leaning over the side.

He leaned back, rolling his back against the tub. I had to stifle the urge to squirm at the sight of the studs collecting on the ripples of his abs bathed in the golden light.

“Well, after you left, Cece had an episode, at least that’s what I think that was. She started screaming and crying and became volatile. We called the paramedics, and the cops came in, but she wouldn’t settle. The docs had to give her a sedative to calm her down.”

I inhaled. “She is really sick, isn’t she?” As much as I hated her, I knew what it was like to be in a mental war within oneself, and I wouldn’t wish that even on my worst enemy.

“Yes. She has severe borderline personality disorder and hasn’t been taking her meds for a while. Now we know why she is the way she is.”

“She said she was in danger?”

“Yeah, Dennis—the cops tracked him out. Turns out he was in New York as well. The investigation is still ongoing, but it looks like Dennis and Cece were in on it from the start but had a fallout after Dorian’s death. Cece’s trust was wiped clean too. We still have no idea where the money went, and she won’t say anything in her state. We still have no idea how he is involved in this, but they both need the money.”

“But why? It still doesn’t make any sense.”

“I think we’ll know more once the investigation is complete. But it’s all over. They’ve all been arrested; Cece is probably going to spend the rest of her life in a hospital.”

“How does Nathan come into all this?”

“He was on her payroll, feeding Cece with info on us, wanting to earn some extra cash.”

“If White was delusional enough to just want you, why the hell would she go through all these extra lengths for the money?”

“Maybe it was always about money from the start. Silas told me their label was tanking before they signed us, so she maybe saw a potential or it was something else entirely.”

I sighed. “But seeing her today. It wasn’t like she was there for the money; it was almost as if she was scared for her life.”

“We don’t know the whole picture. But I’m assuming since she lost everything, she resorted to threatening us for money. All I know is that Cece is out of our lives forever.”

I sighed, hugging him as I let my cheek rest on his shoulder. “So it’s over?”

His lips curved into a smile that reached his eyes. “Yes, sweetheart.”

I shook my head, matching his smile. “I can’t believe all this happened for nothing. But I’m glad. I’m so tired of people poking into our lives, and I just want to move on and focus on me and our relationship.”

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