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That collar speaks for her, but every time I see it, it roars in my head—mine.
Doesn’t matter how many times I see it. That reaction? Automatic.
Amelia finishes her call and pulls back from the mirror, eyes lit. “Guess what?”
“What?”
She wraps both arms around me, and says, “Sofia’s dropped her case against me. That was my lawyer on the phone. It’s all over.”
I bring a hand up to settle at the nape of her neck. “That’s great fucking news.” I don’t let on I’m already aware. That’s between me and Jason.
Her smile is electric, and I can see the weight that’s already lifted. “You’re taking me out tonight to celebrate.”
“Am I?” I say, like I’m not already halfway to planning the whole damn night around her.
Her smile shifts into the kind of sexy look that means my ruin is imminent. “Well, I mean, I hope so, because I don’t really have the time to go out and find another man to celebrate with.”
“Fuck,” I growl, becausejustthe thoughtof thatmakes me lose my mind.
My hand tightens at her neck, and I bring my mouth to her ear. “Another man touches you, I bury him. You wanna celebrate? I’ll start with my mouth, end with my cock, and remind you why it’s my fucking collar around your neck.”
“Jesus, Gage,” she says breathlessly as I pull my head back and ease my grip on her neck. Her arms unwrap from me, andshe drops a hand to the counter to steady herself. “I’m not built to withstand you like that at seven on a Tuesday morning.”
I bend my face and steal a rough, hungry kiss that’s nowhere near long enough. When I’m done, I spend a moment just looking, taking her in, catching my breath. No one’s ever affected me the way she does, and sometimes I need the pause to get my head straight, to pull the heat back, to ground myself in her.
I give her neck one last squeeze, her lips one last kiss, and let her go. Then, I change the conversation to give both of us a break from the need that’s always right there.
“Luna’s in planning mode again. She asked for all of us to attend the symphony.”
“She mentioned it to me.” She pauses, collecting her thoughts while her expression shifts into that quiet worry she wears when something matters to her. “I’m concerned about her, Gage. I don’t know her like you do, but it feels like she’s scared of things changing. Of things breaking. It feels like she’s trying to keep us all close now that we’re together.”
“Yeah, I’ve caught that. I had a quick word with her this morning, but I need to spend more time with her. Dig into it properly.” My guilt flares again. “I think she’s trying to hold everything together because she’s afraid you and I will go the way I did with Shayla. I’ll talk to her and fix it.”
“That makes sense.” She releases a breath. “God, I hate how our trauma affects our kids. I had Sarah so young. I didn’t even know what my real wounds were back then, let alone know to heal them so I didn’t pass them on.”
I watch her as I listen to every word she says—this woman who holds both softness and steel. She’s not just smart. She’s self-aware. She doesn’t hide from her past; she works through it. Quietly. Relentlessly. For herself. For her daughter. And now without even realizing it, for Luna too.
I don’t know how I got this lucky. But I’ll do whatever it takes not to fuck this up. To keep Amelia by my side.
“We do the best we can in the minute,” I say, then pause, because she deserves more than that. “But not everyone does what you’re doing, Amelia. Not everyone looks their shit in the eye and chooses better. Sarah’s lucky to have you.” I let that sit. Let it land. “So is Luna. And so am I.”
She stills, and I catch the flicker of disbelief, the instinct to downplay it.
I don’t let her.
“You might not see yourself that way,” I say. “But I do. Let yourself hear it.”
She doesn’t respond, and I think she’s trying to decide what to do with my words. Then, she says, “Thank you for saying that.” Her voice might be soft, but I hear the weight in it that says she heard me.
I give her a second to let it all settle, my gaze drifting down the length of her dress while I do that. “What’s the occasion today?” At her confusion, I elaborate, “The dress.”
“Oh, I’m having lunch with the girls. We’re taking Maddie out for her first outing since she got home from the hospital. And yes, there will be baby snuggles. Annalise is the main event.”
Fuck, I like seeing Amelia with my family.
The way she’s won my brothers over with her nerdy realness.
The way she’s right there with the girls, all in their business, laughing like she’s known them forever, and enjoying the kind of friendship I know is new to her.