Chapter 42: Peace

KIANA

The sun seemed to shine a little brighter, the air smelled a little fresher, and I felt lighter than I ever had before. Chase had decided to take the rest of the week off work, given the events of the previous day.

“You’re going to catch flies,” he teased.

I hadn’t realized my mouth was hanging open. I was practically drooling as I watched Chase, shirtless, cooking breakfast. “Oops. Sorry,” I murmured.

He leaned across the table to set my food down, his face just inches from mine. “Why would I want an apology for my girl drooling over me?” he said, grinning.

The air between us was thick with desire. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his lips as he leaned in closer…

The doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” I wondered aloud, flustered.

“It better not be Lucas. I told him I was off today,” Chase muttered, heading toward the door.

“Who’s there?” he called into the intercom.

I couldn’t make out the response. Chase returned to me.

“You’ve got a visitor,” he announced.

“Who?” I asked, puzzled.

Mia and Crystal were both busy today, so who else could it be?

Jackson stepped through the door. I embraced him immediately, then ushered him toward the sofa.

I’d heard what Cooper had done to him. Thankfully, he hadn’t done much damage—only a few scrapes and a nasty bruise.

We spoke a little about how he was. This was a lot for him. Losing his son to death was far worse than having him locked up, so I could sympathize with him.

Although he was adamant it didn’t affect him as much as I feared. He said that he’d already grieved the loss of his son many years before.

“I can never apologize enough for the pain he caused you. He hasn’t been my son for a while. Something changed in him a long time ago. As his father, I should have seen the signs.”

I reached out and held his hand. His eyes met mine.

“Nothing Cooper did was your fault. I don’t blame you at all,” I reassured him, smiling gently.

“What are you doing here, Jackson?” Chase asked from behind me, his tone curious.

Jackson cleared his throat before speaking. “Right. I wanted to ask you something, Kiana. Something I should have asked many years ago. And with everything that’s happened, I didn’t want to wait any longer.”

I had no idea what he was getting at, so I waited silently.

“Would you ever be willing to allow me to adopt you?”

~Did he just say what I think he did?~

“I know it’s a bit late in life since you’re already an adult. But if you’ll have me, I’d like to adopt you and help you sever your last ties to Kenzo, officially.”

I was frozen, unable to form words.

“If I could go back in time,” he continued, “that’s what I would have done four years ago. I have always seen you as a daughter, Kiana. I wanted to adopt you as my own when you came to me for help, but it wasn’t safe for you then.”

To say I was stunned would be an understatement, but I realized that Uncle Jack was offering this out of love, not obligation. I had always seen him as more of a father figure than Kenzo ever was, so why not make it legal?

“Yes,” I whispered, but he didn’t hear me.

“Sorry. It was silly of me—” he rambled, but I stopped him with a bone-crushing hug.

“I said yes, Uncle Jack. Yes, yes, and yes!”

He released a nervous laugh before embracing me back.

“I think this is what my mother would have wanted for the both of us,” I said, unable to hold back the tears of joy.

“I couldn’t agree more.” He chuckled. “I love you, Kiana. Always have and always will. Your mother would be so proud of the woman you’ve become,” he said.

Before Jackson left, we agreed to get the adoption rolling as soon as humanly possible.

This day couldn’t get any better!

Chase pressed his forehead against mine and smiled once we were alone. “Why don’t we curl up on the sofa and binge-watch your crime show?”

I laughed softly. “Really?”

“Sure. I’d do anything for you,” he replied, sealing his promise with a soft kiss on my lips.

“I’ve got something else in mind,” I murmured, my voice dripping with seduction as I traced my fingers up his bare chest.

He drew in a deep breath.

“Right now?”

Before I could answer, his lips claimed mine, his tongue battling for control. Soon, we found ourselves in the bedroom, a trail of discarded clothes marking our path.

A gasp escaped my lips as he took my nipple in his mouth, biting down gently.

His arousal was evident, and I quickly dropped to my knees before he could protest.

I tasted the pre-cum that had leaked out and slowly took him in my mouth. I managed to take in about two inches before I had to stop. My throat wouldn’t allow me to go any further.

A devilish smirk played on his lips, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous spark as he gripped the back of my head and pushed me down on his length.

I regulated my breathing as he filled me completely. His hand guided my head in a rhythm he desired, and I moved along his length. My tongue danced across him as he thrust.

“That’s it,” he murmured, his head falling back in ecstasy.

I felt him tense before his release filled my mouth. I wanted to savor him completely, to taste every inch of him, so I swallowed.

He noticed my action and, in his excitement, practically tossed me onto the bed. He spread my legs wide and pulled me toward him by my ankles. His head found a comfortable spot between my thighs.

“Now it’s your turn,” he growled, before lavishing attention on my pussy.

His tongue worked magic on my clit while his fingers pumped in and out of me. My body convulsed shortly after, but he didn’t stop, allowing me to ride out my high longer, my sensitivity reaching new heights.

He let me go after my third orgasm.

I was on the verge of succumbing to the sweet lull of sleep when—before I could even blink—he thrust deep inside me, his nails digging into my hips as he lifted me from the bed.

This angle allowed him to penetrate me deeply, hitting my sweet spot and nearly reaching my cervix. I cried out in a mix of pain and pleasure.

He didn’t give me time to adjust to his size as he usually did. Instead, he thrust deep and hard, with such force that my entire body shuddered each time he slammed into me.

My core pulsed, and my insides clenched as I climaxed. My essence mixed with his, the sweet slickness of my juices allowing him to slide further inside me without interruption.

I lost track of time, lost count of how many times my body had convulsed and drifted into a state of euphoria. Darkness began to creep through the curtains, casting a different light entirely.

My mind was blissfully blank.

My body was entirely under his control, beautifully spent and faint from the numerous orgasms. He held me close, our breathing ragged. His bright Caribbean-blue eyes pierced my soul as I admired the man beside me.

~My heart was his in more ways than one.~

This man was unique. Made for me as I was for him.

I loved him entirely, every beat of my heart echoing my affection. I knew there was so much more to discover about the enigmatic Chase Winters. And I eagerly looked forward to that, willingly awaiting my future.

A future with Chase.

I had never before had the luxury of considering my future beyond my need to bury my past traumas and survive.

But now, I was truly living, and Chase was a significant part of the reason why. For the first time, I was excited about what the future might hold. I was eager for my dream to become a reality because it would finally be my own.

Sleep threatened to interrupt my adoration. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness envelop me.

My weak body clung to him as I whispered something so soft that I could barely tell if I had said it out loud.

“I love you.”

But when I heard his response, I knew he had heard me. His sincerity matched mine, conveyed through just four simple words. “I love you, princess.”

My heart pounded, my stomach fluttered, and goosebumps spread across my skin.

Chase was the beacon that had led me out of the darkness.

He was my salvation, as I was his.

He was mine to cherish forever.

Even if our paths diverged and we went our separate ways in the future, I knew he would always hold a special place in my heart, mind, and soul.

This was a surprise neither of us saw coming, nor even wanted in the beginning. But, as the old saying goes, the best things in life are often found when you’re not looking for them.

No matter what the future throws at us or the hurdles we’ll have to jump, I’ll treasure these moments we’ve shared.

And right now, this moment was all that mattered. The present truly was a gift.