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“As much as it pains me to say this in this particular context, the truth of the matter is, Hollywood loves a good scandal. No matter what you do or how badly you behave, they’re mostly willing to give you a chance just to see what’s going to happen. Look at all the celebrities who do genuinely terrible things and then come back with a completely rebranded image? They’re going to give you a chance solely so they can have a front row seat to watch you fail. It’s fucked up, but it should also give you hope. And once they see how amazing you are—and what a fucking liar Dylan is—you’re going to be Hollywood’s darling again before you know it.”

“The only person’s darling I want to be is yours,” she whispers.

I reach up to run my fingers through her soft hair. “That’s a given,” I say softly.

Her eyes flutter closed and she breathes deeply again. “I really love hearing that. I love you, Hudson.”

“You have no idea how much I love hearing that.” I pull her down for another soul-bending kiss. “Now…where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?”

She straddles me again and before I realize what’s happening, she sinks down on my cock. “Right here, I think.”

Thirty-Two

Willow

I sign my name with the distinct notion that this is the most important autograph of my life.

We decided that I would pay a lump sum toward the mortgage…okay, well I decided that. Hudson was happy to do whatever I wanted—buy a new place together, rent somewhere else to try out a new neighborhood, live in a high rise downtown or the beach in Malibu. But I like it here. It’s home, even though I haven’t been here long. My safe space.

And somehow our space, even though Hudson has lived here for several years.

Which was why he tried to decline my offer of paying toward the mortgage.

But I have a bank account—something we set up the same day that Atlas called several weeks ago to share the good news about my allowance—and I have the funds to contribute.

So, even though I know I triggered his protective side, Hudson let me write that check and cashed it—I checked—before I would accept being put on the deed. And now…I slide the stack of paperwork we’ve just finished going through back to the real estate attorney we secured for this job.

June smiles, stows the papers away in a folder. “I’ll get these over to the title company and we should have the updated deed in just a few weeks.”

Hudson settles his hand on my nape, squeezing lightly.

I glance up at him, mouth curving into a wide smile. “We did it.”

He kisses the tip of my nose. “We did.”

“I love you,” I whisper.

His lips find my ear. “I love you too,” he murmurs.

I hear a soft sigh and remember myself. Cheeks heating, I manage to tear my gaze off my man and turn toward the attorney. “Sorry,” I say, barely resisting the urge to cover what I know must be blazing red skin.

“Don’t be.” She shoves the folder into her briefcase. “I’m happy that true love still exists.”

Which is a sentiment that doesn’t help my hot cheeks, but I can’t deny that she’s right.

I never knew what true love was…until Hudson.

Until the rest of the Gamebreaker crew.

“I’ll walk you out,” Hudson murmurs when she stands and starts to gather the rest of her things. “I have to get on the road anyway.” He bends back to my ear, words hot, damp puffs that make me shiver. “I’ll see you there?”

“I’ll be the one with sparkles on.”

He straightens, mouth curved. “You and everyone else in the crowd.”

He’s doing security for Jade’s concert tonight and I know the vibe is going to be a celebration. Her music is bright, upbeat, and beyond fun, and her fans seem to make it their personal mission to ensure everyone around them has that same experience.

We’ll be in the crowd—well, in a partitioned-off section of the stadium that’s surrounded by security.