Page 19 of It Shouldn't Be You
“Then tell him that, Abbie. I swear, men are stupid; he's probably just focused on work. I'd bet money on the fact that it hasn't even crossed his mind to sit down and discuss all that with you."
Placing her hands on my shoulders, Lily looks me in the eye as she drunkenly imparts her nineteen-year-old wisdom on me. “If you want that dick, then you’re going to have to hop on it and make him your bitch.”
Bursting out into laughter, the weird tension is broken, and before I know it, we're back to doing shots, dancing our asses off, and the rest of the night passes in a tequila-glazed blur.
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Chapter 14
Do I want her?
What a stupid fucking question.
She’s nothing like I thought she would be and yet exactly what I didn’t even know I needed. The way she’s making her mark on the Clan already speaks volumes about the type of woman she is. Never mind the mark she’s made on me.
Seeing the pictures of her in that tiny silver dress, her long legs and all her curves on display, had me simultaneously hard as a rock and jealous as hell of every unworthy guy who got to lay eyes on what’s mine. The urge to track down everyone at the club and relieve them of their eyeballs is still gnawing at me.
I’m not above using what she revealed in her drunken texts to my advantage. Maybe there’s a shot at making this sham of a marriage into something real, or fuck, at least giving it a shot. Maybe a guy like me doesn’t deserve to get the girl, but I’m selfish enough to play dirty when it comes down to it.
With that thought ringing in my mind, I tune back into the meeting taking place. Alex and James Anderson, one of my capos, are here to finish ironing out the details of tomorrow’s plan to get these guns moving. Maybe I should be more invested in getting this deal off the ground, but thoughts of my wife in that scant piece of material masquerading as a dress have been distracting me all morning.
The sooner she’s home and we can talk about her little drunken revelations, the better.
“Welcome home, Princess.” Even hungover, in a hoodie that drowns her and wearing sunglasses that hide half her face, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
And she doubts if I want her. It’d be cute if she wasn’t so mistaken.
“She’s a bit fragile, Lo.” Peter laughs as he gives her a side hug before leaving us to it. Cole also disappears with a dip of his chin to help Smithy take the bags inside before making themselves scarce.
“Yeah? Did someone have a tad too much to drink last night?” I tease her.
“Me and tequila are getting a divorce,” she grumbles as she slides her shades off to look at me with a sheepish expression.
As long as that’s the only divorce on her mind.
“Ah, tequila. Everyone’s worst enemy.” I pull her into a hug and continue, “It’s good to have you back. Want to come see your surprise?”
“Aw, did someone miss me?” She hip-checks me with a giggle before narrowing her eyes. “Wait, hold up a second, what surprise?”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t miss me too. I thought, what better way to ease the hangover than with a surprise,” I explain as I lead her into the house, ignoring her curious gaze.
As soon as we set foot in the living room, her gaze snaps straight to the bundle of fur curled up on the sofa. With a gasp, she rushes over, dropping to her knees in front of the golden retriever and the tabby cat that are curled around each other.
“What the fuck? Since when do you have pets?” she asks with a soft smile, extending her hand to pass the sniff test before gently stroking them.
“I don’t. But we do.” Shocked green eyes look up at me where I lean against the door frame, and I let out a laugh at the hesitant joy on her face.
“I don’t understand.”
“You mentioned you love animals, so I thought, what better way to make you feel at home here. The shelter also had a poster up advertising they need volunteers if that’s something you’re still interested in.” The look on her face says it all.
At least I got this right if nothing else.
“Logan, this is too much. Thank you, but I can’t force you to have pets in your home.” By now, the cat has wormed its way into her arms while the dog snuffles against her neck. It’s clear these guys are as drawn to her as I am.
“You’re not forcing me in the slightest. I love animals, I just don’t have the time needed to dedicate to them. And this is your home now too, Princess.” Watching her cheeks turn pink at the endearment has me biting back the smirk that threatens to take over my face.
“Logan, you’ve no idea what this means to me.” The shakiness in her tone as she looks at me expresses more than words ever could. It’s obvious to me now that it’s the little things that mean the most to my wife, which hammers home just how different she is from everyone I’ve ever known. Most of the time, people raised with the kind of money and connections that we have at our fingertips are obsessed with material things. Yet, her reaction to two adopted animals far outweighs her reaction to any fancy dinner I’ve taken her to. She couldn’t be more perfect if she tried, and I don’t think she even realizes how special she is.
