"The fuck?" I release the guy and stare up at her. "What are you doing, Abby?" I yell.
Next to me, all of the reporters train their cameras up at her, clicking away furiously.
She smiles slowly. "I trust you to catch me."
Then she thrusts her other leg out to the window and stays poised on her sill for a second.
"I trust you, Cade."
Heat flushes my skin, and my heart slams into my ribcage. Everything else fades away. Everything but Abby and that big smile on her face as she looks down at me.
"Catch me, baby." She jumps.
I hold out my arms. Everything stops. Time, itself, slows down as she flies through the air. The next second, I hold her tightly against my chest. My heart rate is through the roof. The blood is pounding at my temples with such force, flecks of black color my vision. But in my arms is my angel. My love. My life. My everything. And she’s laughing up at me, her cheeks so rosy, her eyes gleaming green.
"Fucking hell, baby." My voice trembles. "Fucking hell."
"The meanest alphahole in the world, at a loss for words.”
I squeeze her against my chest so tightly she squeaks. I loosen my hold on her, just a fraction, just enough for her to breathe with ease, but not enough that I can’t feel as much of her gorgeous body against mine as possible. A trembling sets in, a quiver runs up my spine, my muscles spasm, and my knees knock together.
"You okay, baby?" She cups my cheek.
"Not yet, but I will be." I sink down, right there on the sidewalk, with my Sparrow in my lap and tuck her head under my chin, not caring that the paps are catching us on camera.
"Jesus Christ, Abby, what were you thinking?"
"That I didn’t want you to get into a fight and risk negative publicity again."
"So, you risked your life?" I swallow the ball of emotion that crowds my throat. A strange heaviness knocks against the backs of my eyes.
"I know, as long as you’re here, I’ll always be safe, Cade." She wraps her fingers about the nape of my neck and urges my head down to hers. "Nothing can ever happen to me when you’re with me."
My heart feels like it’s going to break out of my ribcage. The heaviness in my head grows until it spills out of the corner of my eye. She leans up and licks away the teardrop, then presses tiny kisses down my cheek to the edge of my mouth.
"This still doesn’t change anything," she whispers against my mouth.
"This changes everything."
I hold her gaze, my heart racing as fast as hers, every part of my body alive in a way that’s strange and new, and yet, so right. I want to turn my head and kiss her, but I wait…wait. She blows out a soft breath, then leans in and presses her lips to mine.
"That’s some kiss." Declan glances up from his phone. He came over to my place to check on me—under the guise of wanting to work out with me at my home gym. He also shared the headlines Abby and I made in newspapers across the country.
"You guys are trending on social media." He narrows his gaze. "That, along with the news that almost every sponsor has dropped you, makes you the most talked about topic on the internet today."
"Not everyone." I lean back in my seat. The non-profit who’d been keen to work with me were delighted to sign me on. As for the rest? Good riddance. Sure, it means a huge earnings hit— almost all of my revenue streams for the rest of the year have dried up, but fuck that. I can build up the pool of partners I work with, this time, choosing the ones who’re not only ethical but also prioritize more than just their own bottom-lines.
"So, you guys made up?"
"You could say that." I nod slowly.
"So, she’s forgiven you?"
"Almost."
"Huh?" He glances down at the picture on his device, then back up at me. "Sure could have fooled me."
"I don’t want her to feel obliged or pressured in any way, you know? And while I admit, she initiated the kiss, I want to make sure she didn’t feel like she had to do it to break up the fight I got into with the paparazzi just before that."
He gapes at me, then barks a laugh. "Jesus, fuck, King, don’t think I can recognize you anymore."
I raise a shoulder. "As long as I’m everything she wants me to be…"
"You do realize, one section of the media is calling you pussy-whipped?"
I laugh. "Because I stepped down from my captaincy of the English cricket team and moved out of playing professional cricket?”
"It was a surprise; you have to admit."
"It would’ve taken me away from her for long periods of time—something I cannot bear anymore. I want to spend every second of my life making things up to her. How can I do that when I’m always on tour? Besides, they offered me the position of a commentator.” And I negotiated it, so I’ll only be involved when matches are played on our home ground. Which means, I won’t be available for about eighty percent of the matches played, but fuck that. Between my investments and the sponsorships I’ve lined up, I have more than enough money to keep my woman in the style she deserves. I’m also starting a scholarship fund for promising young players from disadvantaged backgrounds. Not everyone is as fortunate as me to have a Knight coming to their rescue, so I’m going to play Knight and try my best to help as many young people as I can.
“So, you’re retiring from competitive sport?” Declan asks.
“You could say that.” I press the tips of my fingers together. “I prefer to think I’m joining the world of the living.”
There’s a touch on my shoulder and I glance up to find Abby standing behind me.
“Sparrow, what are you doing here?” I rise to my feet, and taking her hand in mine, bring it up to my mouth and kiss the back of it. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I’m done for the day. Also, I wanted to see you.”
Behind me, Declan also stands up. “Good to see you again, Abby. See you around, arsehole.” Then he leans forward and slaps my head.
“The fuck?”
“Just a reminder not to fuck it up this time. I’ll see myself out.” He walks away whistling.
Abby bursts out laughing.
I glare at her. “That hurt.”
“Aww, poor baby, should I kiss you and make you feel better?” She rises on her tiptoes.
I step back. “Not that I don’t want you to kiss me, but seriously, what are you doing here?”
“You live here, don’t you?”
I tilt my head.
“I wanted to come by and see how you were doing. Also—" She peers into my eyes. “I don’t want you to give up playing cricket for me.”
I cradle her hands between my much bigger palms. “I’m doing it for me, baby.”
“But Cade—" She swallows. “The game is your life.”
“You are my life.”
She flushes, then shakes her head. “I can’t let you throw away your dreams.”
“You are my dream, Sparrow. Your happiness, your desires, what brings a smile to your lips, what makes you excited, what you dream of… That’s what I seek.”