Corps Security, The Series (1)(103)
“Izzy, what’s one more month when we’ve waited for this many years?” I can tell he isn’t thrilled but still happy-ish knowing that it’s going to be soon.
“Ax? The day I become yours will be right up there with the birth of our son as the best day of my life. I can’t wait, baby.”
His arms go solid for a second before he speaks. “I know.” The smug tone in his voice erases all signs of his earlier impatience.
Cocky bastard.
God, I love him.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my husband for dealing with my scattered mind and messy house while I was ‘dreaming.’ Thank you for all those times you watched our girls while I created this book. I love you.
To my girls, dreams can come true. Dream big and don’t ever stop! This is for you.
To my mom, the best damn mommager EVER!
To all the family and friends that helped me along the way. I don’t think I would have been able to make Axel what it is without!
To Angela- here’s to wine, cold pizza, and basement zombies. I love you! Thank you for answering my every text, email and call during this process! **Cheers to Dee**
To my ‘Bookettes’ for inspiring me to write this book and keeping me calm along the way. (The daily dose of half-naked men emails helped too!) If it wouldn’t have been for one email that said “you should write a book” I don’t know if Axel would be here. So, I owe y’all!
ALL the girls who read every single page that I wrote during this process. This book is what it is because of every single bit of help from you ladies! (A special thank you to Katie, girl I fear your frying pan skills! And Kelly for the support, hunky picture and your mad google image searching skills! You two girls, I heart you!)
Brenda, thank you so much for taking my book and making this process possible! <3
Sam, you made the editing process as painless as possible! Thank you for all of the reading, editing, and best freaking commentary ever!
My ‘second eyes,’ Angela Cetrangola and Dana Dean. Without y’all I might have pulled my hair out during the editing days! My brain loves you!!
SPECIAL THANKS TO: My BBG Pher (xoxo), Melissa (you perv . . . you rock!), Megan Williams, Wendy O’Hera-Perry, Allison, Tokies, Alisha, Tessa, LB, Nicky, Penny, Molly, Maria, Jolene, Andrea, Cathy, Misty, Felicia, Brittany, Deborah, Jen, Paula, Angel, Felicia, Ashley, Ruthie, Tarrinasha, Jenny, Amanda, and Ashleigh. To each and every one of my Goodreads friends and loyal supporters. Y’all never doubted me & in turn made it possible to not doubt myself. I have, hands down, the best GR friends in the world! Lastly, my IG mommas, I effin’ love y’all!
If I forgot anyone, this is for you—THANK YOU!
CAGE PLAYLIST
Sam Grow- Lay You Down
One Republic- I Lived
Luke Bryan-Country Girl (Shake it for me)
Buckcherry- Crazy Bitch
Robin Thicke- Blurred Lines
Daft Punk ft Pharrell Williams- Get Lucky
Walk Off the Earth- Red Hands
Will.i.am ft Brittany Spears- Scream & Shout
Flo Rida- Good Feeling
My Darkest Days- Casual Sex
Taylor Swift- Everything Has Changed
Boys Like Girls- Two is Better than One
P!nk- The Great Escape
Hunter Hayes- I Want Crazy
Josh Turner- Time is Love
Christina Aguilera- Fighter
ACDC- You Shook Me All Night
The Band Perry- If I Die Young
Mariah Carey- #Beautiful
Foghat- I Just Wanna Make Love To You
Sarah McLachlan- Angel
Plain White T’s- Rhythm of Love
The Black Keys- I’ll Be Your Man
Playlist can be found here
Cage Playlist
To my parents.
For teaching me to dream and showing me how.
Love you both.
More than you will even know.
And to my Dad.
First man I ever loved and ½ of my biggest cheerleading duo.
For supporting me and pushing me to be the greatest I can be.
PROLOGUE
“Greg Cage.” I bark into my phone. I’ve been sitting outside of the damn ultrasound place for the last thirty-minutes. Of course, the actual parents are running late. Those two can’t keep their hands off of each other.
God, I want that.
“Hello?”
“Yeah, Cage. It’s Derrick.” The knot in my stomach grows. This motherfucker has been nothing but a headache for the last two years.
“News?” I don’t have time for this bullshit today.
“Um, yes?”
“Derrick, I do not have the patience for this right now. You called me for a reason, and I swear to Christ, it better be a good one. Has that slimy motherfucker finally slipped up?” I’ve had Derrick, a local cop, keeping tabs on my ex-brother-in-law for the last two years, ever since Simon married another innocent woman. I know there is something going on there, but I haven’t been able to get a speck of dirt on that asshole. Grace would be sick if she knew how deep my need for vengeance runs.