Page 133 of Carbon

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Pizza. A week later, four days after Ben’s name was officially cleared, we went for pizza. Not posh Gregory-style pizza, but the cheap and cheerful kind with an all-you-can-eat salad bar and a menu in English rather than Italian. And I loved every second of it.

The stiffness in my neck and back had receded, the brace was gone, and I snuggled against Ben in the taxi on the way back to Albany House.

“Thank you.”

“For what?” he asked.

“Everything. For coming back to find me. For giving me exactly what I needed.”

“Part of me still wishes I’d stayed away. Then you’d still have your sister.”

“Please, don’t think like that. There was only one man responsible for taking her away from me, and that was Leroux. And Angie would have wanted us to be happy.”

Now that Leroux was under arrest, my stress had been replaced by grief, a darkness that threatened to consume me if I let it. But each day, Ben lit another candle and used it to brighten my way. I’d never stop missing my sister, but I’d take the time we’d had together as a gift, and now I needed to live life for both of us.

Ben kissed me softly on the lips. “You make me happy.”

“Ditto, Mr... You’re changing back to Darke?” Ben had been considering his surname for a few days now.

“It’s a fresh start for both of us. Durant holds bad memories, and Durham doesn’t feel right now I know the asshole who brought me up isn’t really my father. Sofia said she hung on to her surname because it reminds her she can survive anything, and I feel I should show some solidarity.”

“I think you’re doing the right thing. Sofia’s your family now.”

“And you.”

“Meet me at midnight?” I asked.

He looked at his watch. “How about eleven?”

“Mr. Impatient.”

He nuzzled my ear, keeping his voice low so the cabbie couldn’t hear. “You’re lucky I haven’t spread your legs right here.”

“I love it when you talk dirty, Mr. Darke.”

“I love it when you write dirty, Mrs. Darke.”

My heart stuttered to a stop. “W-w-what did you just call me?”

“Only a matter of time,trésor.” The taxi drew up outside Albany House, and Ben shoved twenty pounds at the driver. “Keep the change.”

We both had our eyes programmed into the iris scanner that opened the gate now, no need to use the keypad, and a quick glance was enough to gain entry. Ben picked me up, with one hand already sliding up my thigh under my dress as the front door swung open under his touch. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and when he pressed me against the wall in the hallway, I attacked him with my lips, my hands, even my teeth.

A cough sounded from nearby, and I twisted in Ben’s arms to find Emmy and Black behind us. Judging by the amount of clothes they both weren’t wearing, they’d had the same idea as we did.

“Oops. As you were.”

I screwed my eyes shut, and Ben hastily carried me up the stairs.

We didn’t lock lips again until the bedroom door was safely closed behind us, and then I tore at his clothing like Edward fricking Scissorhands. His shirt ended up torn on the floor, swiftly followed by my dress, bra, and knickers. He went to lift me onto the bed but ended up hopping around instead.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

“Trod on a fucking button. Get on the bed,trésor.”

With pleasure. I threw myself backwards onto the thousand-thread-count sheets and opened wide for him. He didn’t disappoint.

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