Page 273 of The Billion Heirs Boxed Set

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“It’s my own fault. I’ve messed everything up.”

“No. My father did. Your mother.”

I nod.

“I drove you away instead of telling you the truth.”

He cups my jaw and I meet his eyes. The ones that could always see into me.

“I love you, Chance.”

A groan rips from him.

“I do. I always have. I never stopped. I didn’t tell you about Grady because of the letter. Then I didn’t tell you last week because I didn’t trust you. No, I didn’t trust us. I was afraid you’d take him from me.”

His eyes flare wide.

“Never.”

“I… you were so angry. Rightfully so. What would keep you from taking him? I mean, you have the means. I couldn’t fight you.”

“You’re his mother.”

“And you’re his father. I’ve kept you from him.”

“You have, but you had your reasons. My brothers told me to stop living in the past. I think they’re right.”

I nod. I agree.

“You. Me. Grady. We belong together.”

“You aren’t angry?” I ask.

“Oh, I’m fucking furious so much kept us apart.” He slides a lock of hair behind my ear. “But no longer. The best revenge is living a good life. To be loved and love in return.”

Tears fall now and I can’t stop them. He pulls me into his strong, sweaty embrace.

“That’s a lot of tears, kitten.”

I pull back and he loosens his hold.

God, how can I tell him this? I gulp. “In the future, I can’t… I can’t give you more children. Grady’s it for us. The delivery was so bad they took my uterus. I—”

He pulls me into his embrace, squeezes me tight. “Oh, my sweet baby. I’m so sorry. I should have been there for you. Helped you through everything.”

“You’re not…disappointed?”

He put his fingers over my lips. “Only that I wasn’t with you when you needed me. God, Avery. The pain that must have caused.”

“Oh, Chance…” I sob.

“Shh… I’m not a greedy man. All I ever wanted was you. Now we have Grady too. That’s enough. It’ll always be enough.”

“God, I love you.” I get up on my tiptoes to kiss him.

He kisses me back and we get lost in it.

Pulling back, he kisses along my jaw. “Remember when we used to make out in the hay loft?”

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