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Black Listed(67)



“If we stay together, we’ll be risking your life.”

His heart began to beat a bit faster underneath her palm. “Love is always a risk. But we’ll find out who’s behind the threats. And then it will just be you and me with no more lies between us.”

She wanted to believe it was possible more than anything. “If you died because of me, I would never forgive myself.”

He covered her hand with his, trapping it against his chest. “I understand what that feels like. I’ve blamed myself for my parents’ deaths for years. But you were the one who allowed me to see that I could have done everything differently and the outcome would have been the same. We can’t predict when I’m going to die. There are some things even a Dominant like me can’t control. If it’s my time, then I’m going to go—whether it’s because some nutcase cuts the brakes on my car or I get hit by a bus walking across the street. I choose to live each day to the fullest. And that means living it with you. I choose you. What are you going to choose?”

She realized then there had never been any choice to make. She’d known from the moment he’d breezed back into her life that she belonged to him.

She unfolded his fingers from his closed hand and took the rings from his palm. With shaky but eager hands, she slipped his ring onto his fourth finger and then happily adorned her own finger with the symbol of their eternal love. “I choose a life where I finally get to be the real Annaliese. I choose you.”





Chapter Twenty-Two

EVEN THOUGH SHE was asleep, she sensed that someone was watching her. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Sawyer’s arms after consummating their vow to remain married. The details of where they’d live and how they’d keep her picture out of the press hadn’t been discussed, but it didn’t matter. She trusted they’d figure it out.

Warm breath that smelled of oranges and vodka blew across her face. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead.”

She shot up, holding the sheet against her chest to cover herself.

Crouching by her side of the bed was a pleased-looking Oz. “No need to be modest. We’re all friends here. If you want, I’d be happy to lose my clothes, too.”

“Get out, Oz, and let us sleep,” mumbled Sawyer, not opening his eyes.

Oz chuckled as he stood. “No can do. We need to have a chat. I wouldn’t have broken into your suite if it wasn’t important. The guys are waiting in the other room.”

Sawyer rolled over, opening his eyes. “Fuck. Give us five minutes.”

Oz was still chuckling as he closed the door behind him.

She got out of bed and started to dress. “He broke in? Why didn’t he just call?”

Sawyer shook his head, his lips slightly tipped up in amusement. “That’s Oz. Hell, that’s all three of them. They have their own way of doing things. I’ve gotten used to it over the years.”

He was lucky to have them.

Envy warmed her heart. “They really care about you.”

He stepped into his boxers, sadly covering up that part of him she was hoping to see again soon. “We care about each other. And that includes you now. Are you good with that?”

“What does that mean exactly?”

He stopped dressing and faced her. “It means that if anything happened to me, they’d take care of you.”

“How?” she asked, not wanting to think of a world in which he wasn’t with her.

“Financially, emotionally, physically—”

“Sexually?”

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes sparkling. “If you required some sexual healing, I’m sure they’d be happy to help. But it’s not about the sex. There’s a bond between us, something unique that can never be broken.” He strode to her and snaked his arms around her waist. “You’re part of that bond now. That’s one of the reasons I flew them out here yesterday.”

“What if I didn’t want to be part of that bond? What if I didn’t want you to share me with them?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Then I wouldn’t.”

“Would you . . . have sex with their women?”

“Currently, none of them are seeing anyone, so it’s a moot point, but if they were, I wouldn’t do anything you weren’t comfortable with.”

Comfortable? That wasn’t the word she’d use right now, since the last thing she felt was comfortable. All this talk about sex with other people had made her slick between her legs. And she’d bet anything that Sawyer knew it. “You didn’t tell me all this five years ago.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d accept that part of me.” He stepped in closer to her, letting her feel the erection he was sporting. Good to know this conversation was affecting them both. “Now, I know how important it is for us to be honest with one another. Role play, BDSM, group sex, it’s all just icing on that delicious cake, but I can live without all of it. What I can’t live without is you.”