Page 123 of Perfect Alpha

“Should we give Auntie Victory her special present now, buddy?”

Aidan nods, and I set him down so he can get it from under the tree. It’s easy to pick out because of the fancy gold wrapping paper.

He clutches the bear in his small fist, and I suspect they will be constant companions for the foreseeable future.

“Auntie Victory special present,” Aidan announces.

We join her in the kitchen just as she sets another finished pancake on a plate.

“I hope my pancakes have chocolate chips, too,” I drawl, the camera in my hand focused on her face.

Victory in full make-up is a sight to be seen, but her bare face and wild hair first thing in the morning is so innocently erotic.

“Of course, babe,” Victory replies, making my heart swell. She turns the element on the stove off and drops to her knees so she can look Aidan in the eye.

He proudly hands her the box and manages a small smile while he waits for her to open it. He also refrains from pressing his bear’s tummy again.

Victory opens the box and removes a notecard with “my heart” written on it. She looks up, and this has got to be my favorite time she’s ever been on her knees for me. When she lifts the cotton to reveal a platinum necklace with three stones, a ruby for our dating anniversary, a sapphire for our “I love you” anniversary, and a diamond for our commitment, she gasps.

“Cade,” she cries.

“Our past is when we started dating, and I wish we never stopped. Our present because, despite everything, our love never faded from the first day we said it. And our future together is going to be solid as that rock, angel.”

She hugs and kisses Aidan, and then jumps into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist while I support her weight and try to lock the clasp around her neck. More than anything, I want to propose to this woman, but she’s not ready.

For now, this will have to be enough.

“I love you so much,” she whispers, kissing me through her salty tears.

I give her a half-smile, nervous energy buzzing around me. “My heart.” I repeat the words on the notecard. “Yours if you want it.”

“I’ll guard it with everything I have,” she vows. “Forever and ever.”

I kiss her one more time before setting her on her feet. Then I draw her down to the floor so I can pull both her and Aidan onto my lap.

My arms are full of the two people I love most in the world, and nothing is ever going to take them away from me.

Epilogue: Victory (6 months later)

Oneday,I’llgothrough life with the name Victory Fenway.

My thumb traces over the three stones on the necklace Cade gave me for Christmas, thinking about how our relationship has finally come full circle. There was a time when I couldn’t wait to marry him, followed by the time when I tried so hard to hate him.

Now, the future shines brightly before us again, and our new life together is an endless vista of possibilities.

A small town wedding.

A few kids. Cade says six, and I say he’s nuts, so we’ll meet somewhere in the middle.

A one-hundred-year-old farmhouse we just bought together.

And, most importantly, a strong enough foundation to withstand any ripples.

The court date with Duncan has come and gone, and Aidan remains in our custody. We hired a hotshot lawyer from the city, sparing no expense when the stakes were so high.

The precedents were in our favor. However, we wanted to do everything in our power to further stack the odds that would keep our family together and let Cade honor his promise to Hannah.

Aidan is ours, and he will always know his mama through us.

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