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  Pulling me away, Cole holds me as Foster calls for the police.

  “On the way,” Foster reassures, as we all collectively breathe easier.

  I survey the room realizing what almost happened. There’s that word. I almost killed Jack. I almost became a murderer. I almost feel guilty.

  Foster trains the gun on the pair of degenerates that have plagued my life for too long, and we find ourselves in silence as we wait for the police to arrive and the tension shifts.

  “Did you think you would get away with this? Did you think nobody would ever find out your connection to Carter?” I ask to Jack, hoping to understand his thought process.

  “People believe what they want to believe. You believed I was Jack, not John Williams. Sam believes I love her. Keira believed I was a harmless TA and then believed I loved her until the love I gave her was too much and made her cry all the time. I couldn’t risk her telling someone. So, she had to go away.”

  I hear Alex gasp and I cover my mouth to hide the nausea that takes over my body.

  “Oh my God, that was the girl downstairs. You really are a sick fuck,” I scream at him as Cole pulls me away and I catch the glimmer of the knife in my eye as it comes down on Foster’s foot. He yells in pain and Alex goes for Sam, literally knocking her to the ground unleashing punch after punch. Jack lunges for the now loose gun as Foster and Cole both throw shoulders into him to stop him from getting the gun. I scramble across the floor, reaching for the gun and spinning around on my back pointing it back at the group. Ferocious rage is all I see coming from Jack’s eyes, he is dead inside and all his rage is directed at Cole as they tumble and fight on the ground. They crash into everything, breaking the coffee table, eliciting screams for Cole to stop. I realize they aren’t fighting, Cole is literally throwing Jack around like a ragdoll. Jack doesn’t have a chance. Cole is going to kill him.

  “Cole!” I scream, and he stops, heaving in breaths like he’s never breathed. I can’t help but look down at Jack’s bloodied body and wonder if he’ll make it. Cole turns to walk toward me, motioning for me to lower the gun. As I do, Jack lunges at Cole with a shard of wood from the coffee table and all I hear is the silence.

  Looking around, I wonder why everyone is so silent and then I see the red start to spread through Jack’s shirt. I’ve shot him. Dead in the center of his chest.

  Whizzing turns into a rumble and slowly I begin to hear the sounds surrounding me, “Put the gun down,” is yelled behind me as Cole shields my body with his. I drop the gun only to feel the cold sting of metal placed around my wrists.

  I’m under arrest for the murder of John Williams.

  ‘What the fuck is happening with my wife?’ is all I could hear being yelled at the man sitting at the front desk, as I walk out of the room I spent hours in being interrogated. By the end, everyone in the room came to the same conclusion. I acted in self-defense. I was also assured that any questions about my husband’s involvement in Carter’s death were moot. He was no longer a suspect, as they believed Jack was the responsible party.

  “Cole, I’m here, stop. I’m alright,” I comfort as I grab his arm.

  Pulling me into his arms, he hugs me fiercely and presses kisses into the side of my head. The lawyers escort us out and exchange some directions, but all in all, I feel shell-shocked. I took a life from a man who had been intent on hurting everyone I loved. His fixation has cost more than one life, but now it was over. I wasn’t really sure how to feel looking up at Cole’s face. It was as if he heard my thoughts because he looks down and pushes a stray hair behind my ear.

  “Let’s get out of here, baby, and never look back. It’s just you and me. No demons, no more looking over our shoulders. It’s just me loving you until you tell me to stop.”

  “I’ll never say that.”

  Cradling my head, Cole kisses me gently on the lips, parting only when the car pulls up.

  “In you go,” Cole steps back as he opens the door.

  As he closes the door, I look out the window at the precinct wondering if I will ever get past these last few months. As he slides in next to me, he grabs my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm.

  “Home,” he speaks authoritatively, then turns and leans into me whispering, “Don’t look back, baby, that’s the past. We’ve had our future on hold for too long.”

  He doesn’t need to say it twice, I will never be the same. He will never be the same, but Cole would always be mine and I would forever be meant to be his.

  One Year Later

  “Cole! You cannot be serious. I am not going to be at the hospital for three months. I already have a bag packed by the bed.”

  “Baby, I just want to make sure you’re comfortable. I want to take care of my lady,” he laughs.

  “Jesus, Mary and Joseph! I cannot with you, please just call Alex and tell her and Foster to get to the hospital. You need a friend and I need one sane individual to be there for the birth of our child!” I giggle, shaking my head.

  Standing in the doorway, I take a moment to let this all sink in. I am delivering our son today. He is coming into a world where his father worships his mother and his parents will protect and love him fiercely. A year makes one helluva difference, but the biggest difference is I haven’t been waiting for my life to start. I’ve been living and loving.

  After life settled from the attacks, Foster and Alex became love recluses. They seem to be making up for lost time and it seems to me that they are getting closer to sealing the deal. Life is amazing with this man, who every day, finds ways to smother me with love. I reluctantly started working at my husband’s company. He made an excellent point. If we are building an empire for our little man, then we need to do that together. Sometimes, it all feels surreal, but what I do know is that I’m so ready to keep enjoying this chapter of life.

  “You ready to get this show on the road?” Cole smiles that grin that makes me weak.

  “Are you?” I toss back with a wink.

  “I’ve never been so ready for anything in my life, baby. All I want is forever. Is that too much to ask?” Closing in on me, he wraps his arms around me and kisses me senseless.

  Thirteen hours later Hayes Thomas Parker came into our world at 9lbs 3oz.

  Book two done!! I’m just blessed and grateful for this life. Thank you to my girls, my soulmates, my pushers and my homies!! Gretchen, Ellie, Dionne, Tye, Julie, Dawn, Corale, Kristie and everyone else I am forgetting…You keep me laughing and drinking wine when I really need to.

  Thank you to Ellie McLove, with www.grayinkonline.com, you are the raddest and I appreciate everything you did!

  Huge love to Megan www.pageafterpagebookblog.com for banners, teasers, proof and help with my sanity…my Jersey kindred spirit!

  Thanks to Sarah www.Okaycreations.com for designing the most exquisite cover! I love it so much.

  Big shout out to www.champagnebookdesign.com for the formatting my book and making it beautiful!

  Huge shout-out to the bloggers and reviewers for taking a chance on a new author and giving me so much love!! You guys are simply the best and I am so thankful for all you do!! The Dm’s on Insta are always my favorite but I am overwhelmed by the love, help and generosity given to me by this community! My heart is forever full because of it.

  Thank you, everyone, who reads this! I will be forever grateful that you chose me!

  Always last but never least, Anthony- I love you more than words could ever measure. I love the person you see me as because I hope to be even a tenth of who she is. You are everything to me and I would legit be lost without you.

  You’re welcome Hayes for your spot in the book..mommy loves you the best.

  JK I love Georgia the best…. nah, probably Charlie.

  Thanks for picking me to be your mama.

  Come Back to Me

  Trilina is an author, wife and mama to three rowdy kiddos. She resides in California with her family enjoying the sun and outdoors. When she isn’t making grilled cheese sandwiches
she can be found writing saucy novels that titillate and excite her readers.

  Trilina always had a love for writing and she is excited that she can share her stories with you!

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