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“What did you do?” He asked.

I let out a deep sigh before reliving the last time I saw Kyle.

“The last night we were together Kyle decided that he wanted a threesome. I told him that I didn’t want to bring anyone else into our bed, but he refused to listen.

It wasn’t the first time he tried to force me to be with him and another woman but that night I’d had enough.

I was tired from my day with Timberly and just life in general.

Kyle brought home one of the many women who entertained him after I went on bedrest from my pregnancy.

He came into the room with her and told me to get undressed and lay on the bed with her so we could start things off.

When I refused, he tried to tie me up, but I grabbed some scissors off our nightstand and slashed him across the face.

There was blood everywhere. The girl ran when she saw what I had done.

While Kyle was on the floor screaming I hit him over the head with a lamp.

As he laid on the floor knocked out, I took Timberly and left.

I left everything he could use to track me and never looked back.

I think Kyle and his family could say that I attacked Kyle and stole our daughter.

I mean I never reported any of the things Kyle did to me.

He made sure to never hit me. It was all mental and emotional abuse. ”

“When did you see his sister?” He asked, running a comforting hand across my back.

“She turned out to be the fucking ombudsman at the facility. I knew it was something about her that I didn’t like.

She tried to corner me as I was leaving just now.

I told her I would kill anyone that came for me and Timberly and I meant it.

I’m not going back, and no one is taking my daughter from me. ”

“I told you that I take care of what’s mine and you and Timber are my responsibilities now. I will never let anything happen to either of you,” he said, taking out his phone and texting.

“Where is Timberly right now?” He asked.

“With Ms. Leona. I told her to give me an hour before bringing her home. They should be here anytime now. Why?”

“Call her and see how long they’ll be. Then I want you to go and pack a few things. You and Timberly are coming home with me. We’re getting married tonight.”

“What, I can’t marry you tonight. I thought we were going to do a public proposal, so it looked real.”

“We don’t have time for that now. From what you’re saying your ex-fiancé is coming to try and take you and Timber.

That’s not happening. If we get married tonight, you and Timber will be Sandersons and no matter what your ex says, no judge in the area will go against my grandfather or me for that matter.

I need you to trust me. Go get ready,” told me before going back to text on his phone.

“Can Tyra be there for the ceremony? She’s my best friend and I need someone there to center me and make this real? I asked.”

“Of course, give me her information and I’ll have someone pick her up. Is there anything else you need?”

“Thank you. I know getting married is benefiting you too. But thank you for at least making sure that we’ll be safe.”

“Come here, Princess.”

My heart raced in my chest anytime that Crew was near me.

My body reacted to him in ways that it never had for any other man.

I wanted to fall into his arms and forget all the crazy things that were happening in my life.

But I knew we didn't have time for that.

So right now, I would just settle for this moment between the two of us and keep going forward.

I moved to stand between his legs as he wrapped his strong arms around me.

He held me against his chest allowing me to breathe in his soothing scent until I was calm and able to face what was coming.

“I’m okay. Let me make the call to Ms. Leona,” I said, stepping back from going to pack some things for us both.

Timberly and Ms. Leona arrived twenty minutes later, and we got on the road.

Timberly was so excited to be going to Crews’ house.

To her it was an adventure, but to me, it was our new reality.

A reality I was excited to explore. We drove for over an hour heading further into the vast forest of Timberline before we turned down a dark secondary road.

It was lit with beautiful lanterns every few feet that stretched at least a few miles from the main road.

It must have cost Crew an arm and a leg to have such a beautiful driveway.

About five minutes later we reached a massive home tucked into the thick trees of the forest. It blended in perfectly with the landscape.

It was dark out so I wasn’t able to take in the home's full beauty, but I could tell Crew had spent a great deal of money on it.

The large glass and iron door opened as we parked in front.

Out came Janelle and Del and an older gentleman who looked a lot like Crew.

Crew turned off the engine and helped us out of the car and up the stairs to the door.

“Nova, Timber… I would like you to meet my grandfather, Bruno Sanderson,” he said, introducing us to the friendly looking man.

“Nice to meet you two beautiful ladies,” he said, giving me a hug.

He then got down at eye level with Timberly and asked if it was okay to hug her as well.

I honestly thought Timberly would say no but she rushed in giving him a good squeeze before turning to Janelle and Del and introducing herself, followed by a succession of rapid-fire questions.

The inside of the home we would be calling ours from now on was just as luxurious as the outside.

The decor was clearly picked by a man with all of the hard lines and dark browns, blacks, and beiges.

Crew led us into the living room where everyone else joined us.

“So, Nova. My grandson tells me that you two are moving up the marriage ceremony to tonight.”

“Yes, Mr. Sanderson we are. Um I know it’s?—,”

“Don’t worry yourself about it, dear. I’ve been waiting years for this boy to have a family and now he has one. I couldn’t be more happier to have you and Timberly as a part of our family,” he said with a big smile.

“Thank you, Mr. Sanderson.”

“You’re family now. Call me Pops, Bruno, or Old man like this one here,” he said pointing at Crew.

We all laughed and talked as we got to know each other.

Timberly instantly gravitated toward Mr. Bruno sitting and listening intently to his stories about Crew as a boy.

You could tell that he loved his role as a grandfather and Timberly was soaking up the new experience.

Our conversation flowed easily for the next hour until there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Janelle stated as she went to answer it. She returned shortly with a short well-dressed white man and three black women pushing in two big racks of clothing.

“Oh, mommy princess dresses,” Timberly giggled running over to touch the beautiful racks of clothing.

“What is all this,” I asked Crew, looking over at the dresses straight out of a fairytale.

“These are wedding dresses and accessories to make sure that you look the part of a fairytale bride. Their options for you, Timberly, and Tyra. Donovan will help you with anything else you may need including makeup and hair. Wear your curls. Straight hair is beautiful on you, but I love your curls.” He said before disappearing into another room.

“Come on darling, let's find the perfect dress for you,” Donovan said as he led me over to the racks. Timberly was already spinning around in a beautiful pink ball gown with a pink and gold tiara with tiny diamonds throughout.

“Momm,y look; I’m a real princess,” she cooed.

“Yes you are, baby. Is that the dress you want?”

“Yes, mommy. Crew said I can have whatever I want,” she said with her signature wide toothless smile. I laughed as I told her yes she could pick anything she wanted. As I searched the racks I heard loud talking and laughing coming from the foyer and knew who had entered the house immediately.

“Take me to the bride to be," she bellowed as she and DJ entered the living room.

“Girl, why are you always so loud?”

“How else would everyone know that the life of the party has arrived.” She laughed, coming over to hug me and Timberly.

We picked our outfits and accessories and then sat for hair and makeup.

Donovan was one of the best stylists in town and he and his team had us looking like Disney princesses.

He even had DJ looking like a mini prince charming in a black tux that was sized perfectly for his small body.

He and Timberly danced around us snapping pictures on her iPad.

“Nova, they're ready for you in the sunroom," Janelle said from the door.

She was dressed in a pretty off the shoulder mermaid gown in lavender and she wore a warm smile on her face.

She guided us to the sunroom and my eyes almost bugged out of my skull at what Crew had done to it.

Lovely by Billie Eilish & Khalid played softly through the double doors that led out to the all-seasons room was a modern-day fairytale complete with soft pink and cream silk canopies with flowers and twinkling lights.