Page 167 of State of Retribution

“Indeed.I’d never have wanted Eli and the twins to go through the nightmare they did losing their parents, but if it had to happen, I’m glad they landed with us.”

“They’re lucky to have you.”

“We’re the lucky ones.”

Nick let out a roar and had the three of them pinned under him so fast, they never saw it coming.Their screams of laughter made Sam and Brenda laugh, too.

“Nice move, babe,” Sam said.

“He’s not going to be able to pull that crap on me for much longer,” Scotty said, panting from the exertion of trying to break free of Nick’s hold.

“Keep talking, mister,” Nick said.“I’ll be waiting for you to be able to take me.”

“It’s coming, old man.Don’t let your guard down.”

Nick tightened his hold on Scotty until he yelled uncle.“That’s President Uncle to you, friend.”

Scotty huffed with outrage after Nick released him.“That was a dirty trick.”

“I specialize in them.”

“Keep your guard up, old man.”

“Want us to fight him for you, Scotty?”Alden asked, flexing his muscles.

“Nah, we don’t want to wear him out.He’s not as young as he used to be.”

“Those are fighting words, mister.”

Outside the walls of this historic house, much of what Sam had spent her life working toward had been in danger of imploding during the last few horrific days, but here, at home with the family she adored, she couldn’t bring herself to care about things she couldn’t control.

Much later,Nick had Sam trapped under him, only she wasn’t trying to break free.In fact, she was trying to bring him closer.

“Harder,” she whispered in his ear before she bit his earlobe.

That seemed to spark something elemental in him as he gave her what she’d requested until they were straining against each other, chasing the epic finish that exploded within her at the same time he cried out in a moment of perfect harmony.

“Damn, babe,” he said, gasping.“Way to throw gas on a fire.”

Sam cackled with laughter.“Is that what I did?”

“You know exactly what that does to me.”

“Which part?The demand or the biting?”

“Both.Hot as fuck.”

“Good to know.”She caressed his back and floated in the sea of contentment that followed lovemaking.“Funny how today was such a nightmare, but it turned out okay, all things considered.My coworkers went to bat for me, and Andy gave us the best news ever.”

“For sure.I liked hearing that Eli’s record in California was expunged as well.That’s a huge relief.I hated the thought of that sticking to him and messing up his very promising future.”

“Same.You know… We ought to throw a fancy White House wedding for him and Candace.”

“That’d be awesome and would send a heck of a message to her parents that you can’t get in the way of true love.”

“That’s true.I wonder what they think of her taking off to be with him the second she was a legal adult.”

“I’m sure they’re up in arms about it, but what can they do?They made the choice to prosecute the boy she loved, and now they’re out of her life.It’s a lesson in parenting, though.If you overreact to the natural process of growing up, you run the risk of losing them forever.”

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