Page 182 of Dirty Boss

“Yes,” I agree. “Honored. When?”

“The sooner the better,” Joe says. “But I want it to be special for your mother.”

She looks at him. “For us.”

“For us, baby,” he says, and the endearment both punches me in the chest and makes me smile. He’s not my father, but I believe Joe is happiness for my mother. I believe he’s her Prince Charming. Like Cole is mine.

A long time later, when we are at home, I tell him just that. “You are my Prince Charming.”

He laughs. “Do I get to be in charge then? I mean, if I’m a prince and all.”

“Don’t get any ideas.”

“I do have some ideas,” he says lifting me and carrying me up the stairs, and setting me on the chair in our bedroom, in front of the window before going down on a knee. “Let me show you some of my ideas.” He pulls a black box from under the chair and sets it in my lap. “Open it and pick your pleasure.”

Curious I open the box and find all kinds of sexy items I’ve never dared or even considered using. “Scared?” he asks.

“No,” I say. “This is you. I will do anything or go anywhere with you.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.” I set the box aside and lace my fingers at his neck. “You’re only a Prince Charming because I trust you that much. And trust is everything.”

“You,” he says, stealing a kiss, “are everything.” He pulls me to him and we go down on the rug, the box forgotten. There’s just us, and no matter what we face, no matter who we battle, the District Attorney included, we can’t lose, because we have each other. We are everything, and for the first time in my life, letting someone else be part of my everything is safe. It’s perfect. I really do have my happily ever after.

The End