Page 41 of Unveiled

Epilogue

Rush could feel Tatum’s eyes on him. Her gaze was like a caress. He would be lying to himself if he acted like he didn’t relish the idea of his fiancé appreciating his body.

Babes deserves a show.

Rush stopped the lawn mower and doffed his tank top, tossing it on the deck beside the lounge she occupied.

The song currently coming through the outdoor speakers wasn’t disco, but he’d make do. A little flexing, a little hip thrusting, and she would be putty in his hands.

As expected, she cracked up. Pulling her sunglasses low on her nose, she stared at him over the tortoise shell frames.

“Your mind altering, goo emitting muscles have no power at that distance, especially with the sun behind you.”

“Oh, yeah?” He yelled back.

“Yep.”

Tatum rolled over on the chaise to sun her back.

This won’t do at all.

Rush closed the distance in record time, scooped her from the lounge, and jumped into the deep end of the pool before Tatum’s squeal of surprise ended. She surfaced, sputtering curses.

“You asshole. I could’ve drowned.”

Rush wrapped his arms around her, navigating them to shallower waters. “Dramatic much? You were safe the whole time and you know it. Besides, now you can touch my mind-altering muscles.”

He kissed her senseless while she did just that. Her hands roaming his chest hardened his dick and warmed his heart. Rush knew it would always be that way. Things had only gotten better between them in the three weeks since she’d reclaimed her old life.

Tatum had spent a lot of time at the funeral home but decided not to actively run it. She’d been stumped looking for the perfect fit and approached Rush with a proposal. When she suggested his parents, he fell in love with her all over again, deeper than before. It was the perfect solution. His dad needed to work; he was driving his mom insane in retirement. His father had the kind of compassion and work ethic her father had, and having them around would be a huge bonus.

They’d arrived last week and were settling in at Winston and Family. Everything about Rush and Tatum’s life together seemed to be falling into place. There was just one black cloud hanging over their heads.

Cyrus.

Rush knew it ate away at Tatum every minute of every day. If it had been up to him, he would’ve put a bullet in the man’s head and been done with it.

It wasn’t up to him, though, and brain ventilation wasn’t the ideal solution. Not if they wanted Cyrus discredited. They knew Cole Security was on it, but Rush wasn’t as in the loop as he liked to be. Mark wanted him to take some time to help get his parents settled and support Tatum. It was more like Mark didn’t want Rush to go rogue, go after Cyrus half-cocked, and muck everything up. Which is exactly what he would’ve done with all the shit they were uncovering. He was too close, but Mark kept him as up to speed as he could, and they were closing in any day now.

Tatum ended the kiss with a smile and made her way to the steps. Rush was mesmerized by her barely covered ass, following it blindly out of the pool. As they towel dried, the song changed to a disco classic. “Score.”

He dropped his towel and took her in his arms. “Dance with me, Babes.”

Tatum wound her arms around his neck and swayed her body with him, shaking her head. “You and disco by the pool, I don’t get it.” Before he could expound on the finer points of disco yet again, she continued. “We could stay out here and dance, or you could join me in the bedroom—” Rush didn’t wait for her to finish, just tossed her over his shoulder like a caveman and strode toward the slider.

“Wow.” She laughed. “I thought disco was king and nothing trumped it.”

He turned his head and gently bit the delectable ass taunting him. “Disco is king, but you’re my queen, and that trumps everything.”

When he opened the sliding glass door, the sound of the television drowned out the sound of the outside music and he heard a familiar name. Coming to a halt in the living room, he slid Tatum from his shoulder and spun her toward the flat screen. It was live footage of Cyrus’s arrest.

Tatum gasped. Rush wrapped her up from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder and watching it unfold.

“Cyrus Blankenship is being arrested on multiple counts of falsifying documents, fraud, interstate drug charges, organ. . .

The reporter droned on about charges and disbarment but none of it mattered. He was discredited and going away for a long time. Tatum was finally free. He felt it in her body when she made the realization.

When she spun in his arms, she looked like a different person without Cyrus weighing her down. Her eyes were clearer, her smile brighter, and her soul radiant. “You promised you would and you did it.”

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