Page 82 of Broken Rules
Evie raises a brow. “As if we haven’t walked through the past how many months.”
“Today’s different,” I say, placing her on the floor.
“Explain.”
I remove the diamond ring from my pocket and take hold of Evie’s hand, gazing into her eyes as I hold the precious metal at the tip of her finger. “Are you feeling lost?”
Evie’s quiet for a moment, exhaling a long breath. “No,” she whispers.
“Are you happy?”
Her smile is instant. “Yes.”
“Are you home?”
Nodding, she looks at me, tears brimming her eyes. “I am.”
I slip the ring on, then kiss the back of her hand. “Then today officially marks the beginning of Mr. and Mrs. Hunter.”
She doesn't hide the tremble of her smile, allowing her tears to fall along her cheeks. “I love you.”
Those three words light a fire within me each time I hear them. “Say it again,” I mumble against her lips. “Tell me you love me, baby.”
Leaving a peck, she piques a brow while I tug her closer, then whispers, “Hm, are we playing bossy now?”
“We both know who wears the pants.” I walk her backward until she’s against the door, pinning her arms above her head.
My eyes widen when she hooks her legs around my hips, and I quickly grab her ass with my free hand, preventing her from falling to the floor. “We do.”
Chuckling, I kiss her hard, then release her legs from my body, still pressed against her. “I’m going to get us settled. In five minutes, I want you by the silks.”
She bites her lip, squirming before me. “What for?”
Letting her wrists go, I hold the side of her neck. “It’s been a while, and my beautiful wife has an incredible talent. I miss watching her soar.”
Her smile falters. “Lex, I have nothing prepared.”
I swipe my thumb across her cheek. “Just fly, baby.”
“I….” Her breath quivers as she releases a sigh. “I’m done. They replaced my performance at Vivid.”
My brows furrow. “What?”
“Jared. He took me off the day I left, and all I’ll have is Voyeur when I return.”
“Then don’t go back, Evie. You don’t need that place. There are so many opportunities out there for you. People who will appreciate your talents.”
She scowls. “Which talent, Lex? Making a man come in second just by watching me strip? Or maybe my best fake orgasm performance.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what? It’s the truth. I’ve lived at Vivid since I was seven years old. Stripping since I was eighteen. There's no other place for me.”
Her eyes gloss over for a different reason, and I hold my tongue, drawing her in for a hug. “Okay,” I soothe, “I’m sorry. I understand how you feel.”
Shoulders dropping, she returns my hug, nodding into my neck as I kiss her temple. “No, I’m sorry for lashing out. I know there’s more to me than being a Red Vixen, but there’s also a lot of history within those walls, with unanswered questions, and I need to be there to figure out how to move on.”
“Sure, baby. How can I help?”
