“I gravitated toward her without even realizing it was happening. She consumed me, I’ve always been held captive by the beauty that is Autumn Troy.”
—Autumn—
I watched from the television in the other room with tears falling out of my eyes.
“As you read in the article, I was a foster kid. Her family is all I’ve ever known. If it weren’t for them, especially her brother who used to be my best friend, she’d already be carrying my last name. I was a different man back then. If could I go back and make things right, I would.”
My heart skipped a beat the second he went on with, “She’s always been my whole world.”
“Mr. Locke,” Fox Business addressed. “Can we expect to see more children in your guys’ future?”
“If it was my choice, she’d already be pregnant.”
I can’t believe he’s sharing this. I wiped away the tears.
“How do you feel about that, Capri?”
“I’m not sure.” She shrugged. “As long as I can still have my own pony.”
Julian scoffed out a chuckle.
After all these years, all the bullshit we’d been through together, the ups and the downs. This moment seemed surreal.
Our spark.
Connection.
Love.
It was all wrapped into one.
The interview continued, and I prepared for the aftermath that was Julian Locke. Once everyone left, I walked into his office. Capri was in the farmhouse, feeding the baby chickens.
“I can’t believe you blindsided me. You couldn’t have told me that our daughter was going to be in the announcement with you?”
“She requested it. And as you know, I can’t say no to her.”
“I’ve spent years making sure the press didn’t find out I had a daughter, Julian. And you just throw her to the wolves without even discussing it with me first.”
“We both know why you didn’t want the press to know about Capri, and it has nothing to do with you protecting her from the world. You were hiding her from me.”
“It doesn’t matter. I still have the right to know what you’re planning on doing when it concerns her.”
“What do you want from me, sweetheart? You wanted the world to know the man behind the expensive suits, and I gave you exactly what you asked for. Now, you’re giving me shit for it? You need to learn how to pick and choose your battles. This is a war in which you fucking started.”
“Julian—”
“I’m not going to sit here and have you come for my balls. I did nothing wrong. You got what you asked for—end of story.”
“Listen, you stubborn asshole—”
He slammed his fist on his desk before he was in my face, backing me up against the wall. Caging me in with his arms on either side of my face, he leaned forward close to my lips. “Why can’t you just admit the real reason you’re giving me shit, kid?”
His scent was making me dizzy, the smell of his cologne driving me insane.
“What’s worse, Autumn? The fact that I told the world how much you own every last part of me, or the fact that you want me to kiss you right now?”
My eyes followed the movement of his mouth, and I swallowed hard, unable to wait any longer. In less than a second, I kissed him for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. He didn’t hesitate, gripping onto my ass and wrapping my legs around his waist. Pinning my back against the wall, he devoured my mouth.
Our battle was far from over. We’d fight again, but for a moment, his words had me surrendering.
To him.
To us.
To our family.
Our kiss took on a life of its own. Something neither one of us could understand or deny. Something neither one of us could control. It seemed like all we had to do was look at each other and sparks flew from here to kingdom come. My lips parted as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, demanding a response that only he stirred within me.
He kissed me deeper.
Harder.
Slower.
My breathing picked up, engulfing him in nothing but my need to keep going and have him claim my body the way he used to.
But…
This time it wasn’t me who stopped.
It was him.
He pulled away, dropping me on the ground to my feet. I lost my footing, trying to catch my balance. My legs were unsteady, wobbling from his embrace.
“Fuck,” he rasped, backing away. “I won’t play this game of cat and mouse with you anymore.”
“Julian—”
“There’s more at stake now, Autumn. You either want me, or you don’t. I won’t mess with Capri’s emotions because you can’t make up your mind.”
I bowed my head. “I just… I don’t want you to hurt me again. I won’t survive it.”
He tugged on the ends of my hair. “I love you, Autumn. I loved you then, I love you now, I’ll love you always.”
“Do you have any idea how long I waited for you to say that to me?”
“I know. I couldn’t say it back then, but I can say it now. And I’ll say it to you every single day for the rest of my life to make up for the years I didn’t.”
“Momma!” Capri ran into his office, breaking our intense conversation. “Did you see? I did the announcement with Daddy!”
“I did, baby. You were perfect.”
She ran into her father’s arms. “Thank you, Daddy. I’m so happy to have you in our lives. Promise me you won’t leave this time?”
The pained expression on Julian’s face rendered me speechless as he crouched to the floor, getting eye level with her.
Capri caressed his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you sad. I just don’t want you to leave Momma again. Cause then you’re leaving me too this time.”
He kissed her hand. “You’re stuck with me, baby girl. I love you more than anything.”
She smiled while tears rimmed my eyes. “I love you too, Daddy.” Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight.
He embraced her, except his gaze was locked with mine when he mouthed…
“I love you,” to me.
Chapter TWENTY-NINE
—Autumn—
Then
“Are we almost there?” I questioned. my ass was numb from sitting in his car for the last three hours.
“How many times are you going to ask that question?”
“Depends on how much longer we have to drive to get there.”
He glanced at me. “We’re almost there, Miss Impatient.”
“This better be the best classic car show ever.”
“Would I lie to you?”
“So I would join you on this long-ass journey, maybe.”
“One day I’ll own every car we’re about to see today, and then you’re going to thank me for taking you to this.”
“Cars are your thing, not mine.”
“What’s your thing, kid?”
“Mmm… I’m not telling, or you’ll make fun of me.”
“Do I ever tease you?”
“Every chance you get.”