Page 95 of Play for Power (Central Sparks #3)

we need to talk about the shoes

Rosie

S o, I cease to exist to my father. Although, he never really was much of a parent.

He’s never expressed an interest in me, save for my breeding ability and to carry on a legacy.

I shouldn’t have been surprised, but maybe a small part of me had hoped he’d try something to keep a connection with me. But alas, here we are.

For the first time, the decisions that have me feeling a little lost are all my own. I finally trust that I am heading in the right direction because of my chosen family.

Caleb looked so uncertain earlier. I left him in his apartment after we got back from my father’s building, and I do feel sorry, but I know I’ll make it up to him tonight, I just…

I need to breathe and take a shower and grab some of my things.

After rehashing the whole thing with him, it was like living it twice, and I was mentally and emotionally drained.

Everything about my life was clear now, even if it felt a little messy. Maybe it’s a good messy.

I replay the conversation we had before I quickly ducked out.

“Rosie”—his warm hands cupped my face—“you’re losing a part of your life that you grew up with, you’re basically losing a part of yourself. I didn’t want you to pick me if it meant you needing to sacrifice parts of you. I didn’t want this…this hurt.”

I shook my head, letting my hands rest against his.

“No, this is my decision. I’m in control here, this is what I want.

You’re what I want. And I’m not sacrificing anything, Caleb.

I’m letting go of a life that was toxic and only controlled me to keep me down.

I’m choosing one that frees me. And that one is with you.

I’m happy, I am. I just…maybe I’m just a little lost in my head because I don’t know what to do next. ”

“I never wanted to be picked over you, pretty girl.” He whispers the words and they fill another hole within my soul. This man. He really owns my whole heart.

“Well, too bad, because I picked you, and I’m not letting you go now.”

I smile to myself at the adorable blush that hits his cheeks.

The smile makes my cheeks stretch and it feels like a million crusty tears all crack at once.

Ugh. I really needed to shower. And grab a bag of fresh clothes because God knows I’m sleeping in Caleb’s cloud of a bed for at least the next week. I also need to?—

“What the fuck!” I shout the moment the elevator doors to my floor open and I find all of my furniture and personal items scattered in the hallway. I dart out and round the corner to the open door of my apartment, seeing a few men lifting my things out.

“Woah! Excuse me, what the hell is going on?”

“We have orders to vacate the room, Miss. It’s being made ready for listing.” I knew my father could move fast in the business world, but Christ, I really can’t catch a break here.

“W-what…but…” I’m sputtering, my mouth opening and closing like a goddamn fish.

I stomp my foot as though it’d have some magic to make them listen.

“If you touch that custom Urquiola sofa, I will cut you where you stand.” I growl the words, watching these filthy dudes stumble around my apartment, about to put their goddamn hands on my couch.

“Ma’am, we have our job, just let us do it.”

“Just stop! For God’s sake, this is—was my apartment.

These are all of my things. Let me make a call so I can work something out.

” They roll their eyes and one of them makes a move to lift the couch.

I grab the first thing I see—forgive me, Christian Louboutin — and I hurl the heel, hitting him in the middle of his back.

“I said, don’t. Touch. My. Shit.” I keep my eyes glaring in his direction and he has the good sense to back away as I pull out my phone and press Call.

“Hey, I’m sorry…I need a favor and this is going to make shit weirder, but can you come to my apartment. Maybe, like…bring a truck or something.”

“We need to talk about the shoes.”

“What’s there to say?” I sigh, stacking another box of pretty heels on top of another.

“That maybe there are too many,” Caleb replies as he stacks another box, and I spin on him.

“I will wash your mouth out with soap.” I turn to the boxes, opening one and finding my comfort Jimmys. It takes everything in me not to pet them. “It’s okay, babies, he didn’t mean it.”

“You’re a madwoman.” He snickers, closing his door after sliding in the last box.

“And you love me anyway.”

“That I do,” he mumbles as he wraps an arm around me and presses a kiss to my neck. I sigh, turning in his arms to face him.

“This is temporary, okay?” I look up at him, super nervous. In twenty-four hours, we went from not speaking to declaring love to moving in together…it’s way too fast for my liking. But his eyes struggle to meet mine.

Fuck.

“I know, this is weird. I’m so sorry, but it’s temporary. I should have called Addison, or Casey. I don’t think I have anywhere else to go. I could probably go to Noah’s brownstone?—”

“Hey, don’t apologize for this,” he says quietly, his hand gently gripping my chin and forcing me to look right at him as he smiles sweetly down at me, the tension bracketing my ribs easing just slightly.

“Even if you had called the girls, I would have dragged you and your million and one shoes over here.” I nod and his hands move to frame my face the way he does.

I reach for his wrists, enjoying the comfort of his skin on mine.

“This doesn’t have to be temporary, Rosebud,” he whispers, and I repress the natural instinct to run.

“But I know this is all a lot for you right now. That’s why I had another idea.

” His smile is bright and I let go of the breath I was very deliberately holding.

“I usually love your ideas.” I chuckle and he does the same, dropping his hands from my face to grab my fingers, dragging me to his sofa.

We sit and he pulls his laptop onto his lap so I can see the screen, and then pulls up a commercial listing.

I look over the building, it’s stunning in its modern renovation of an old industrial building.

White bricks with timber and black finishes.

It looks like a commercial space at street level with a residence on top.

“I don’t get it,” I say. “I mean, it’s beautiful, is it a new investment?” I also don’t know what this idea has to do with me.

He chuckles lightly before sitting the laptop down and readjusting me so we’re looking at each other.

“My original offer…for Vixen Publishing still stands, Rosie, if you want it.” I suck in a breath, feeling my eyes sting a little, but I don’t dare say a word to interrupt him. “But I wanted to add something else to it.”

“Okay…what?”

He straightens, giving me his winner smile while gesturing to the computer.

“The building. I reached out to the agent, and they’ve put it on hold for me.

I want to add enough to the loan offer so you can get the building and the start-up of your business underway.

That way, you’ll have an office for your company and a place to live that is completely and utterly yours.

I won’t own a cent of it, I can’t pull it out from under you—no one can.

I know how important your freedom is, Rosebud, I know you need your independence and the last thing I want to do is smother it.

I don’t care where you call home because I plan to be in bed with you every night, no matter what roof it’s under.

” He looks at the listing on the computer again and I follow his hands as he points at different photos of the space.

“Plus, there are different office spaces and a good open area near the large window, so you’d have plenty of space for a small team, maybe even Halle and Jasper?

” He turns his head in my direction, and those seriously kissable lips pout because he knows that’s a big selling point.

Having Halle and Jasper being a part of Vixen Publishing is important to me, and having a space where we can all work together? A dream.

“And the best part?” I’m still staring at him, watching his lips as they form each word, so stunned at his generosity that I can feel my stinging eyes turning into tears when a watery, “What?” leaves my lips.

“Your father can never take it from you.” No one has ever understood me in the way that Caleb does. No one has worked quite so hard to love me while letting me grow like he does, and I didn’t think it was possible to fall harder for this man, but maybe it is, because I think I just did.

“I can’t ask you to do this.”

He smiles ruefully at me, with one quick swipe of his thumb over the freckle under my eye.

“You’re not asking. I want to do this. There is nothing wrong with asking for help, though, Rosie.

It doesn’t make you less in control, it doesn’t make you weak.

If anything, accepting someone’s help makes you stronger.

And fuck, it would really make me feel good to do this for you.

To finally feel like my money is not just lining my pockets but making someone’s dreams come true.

Can you please let me help you make all your dreams come true? ”

I blink at him, at the earnest gleam in his eyes, feeling the warmth of his hands on my skin, and I can’t contain it any longer.

I launch forward and wrap my arms around him, and the joy erupts from my chest in a laugh as I smother kisses all over his face, tears leaking from my eyes as he tackles me back down onto the couch.

“Where did you come from? I can’t believe that I pushed you away for so long…that now you’re mine? You’re amazing, Caleb, and…” I take a really heavy breath as I pull back from my smothering kisses and stare up into those big blue pools of navy-violet. “I love you.”

His smile could be award winning, the little dimple on the side ruining my panties as he presses a long, sweet kiss to my lips. “I love you, too, pretty girl.”

“Oh, and that reminds me. Carmela really wants to meet you, so…we’re having dinner at her place tomorrow…and you’re cooking.”

“ What !?” His face is almost pale as he sits up straighter. I pinch my lips together with a guilty chuckle, trying my best to hide how amusing his look of panic is right now. Also, it’s kind of cute.

“Still love me?”