Chapter Twenty-Nine

STEPHEN

I could feel the anxiety beginning to crawl its way back under my skin the moment the front door closed and the last car disappeared down the drive. The house fell quiet—too quiet. Just me and my doll now.

Trinity.

The silence between us wasn’t cold. It wasn’t angry. But it was weighted. The silence that rests on the chest like a boulder—not crushing, but pressing. Constant.

I knew she had questions. I could feel them sitting behind her eyes, waiting. She deserved answers. Deserved more than I’d given her.

The patience she’d shown me … it was more than I ever earned. And still, even after all I’d put her through, she was here. Not screaming. Not walking away. Not even crying. Just here. Steady. Strong. Mine.

It wasn’t until I came face to face with the terrifying, gut-wrenching reality of losing her that I understood—truly understood—the kind of woman she was. Trinity Reffett was made of fire and grace. The kind of woman who didn’t just survive pain … she healed through it.

I turned to her, sheepish and uncertain, the weight of it all in my chest.

“What did you want to do, babe?” The words were quiet. Not cautious, just... fragile. “We can do whatever it is you want.”

She took my hand, and her thumb brushed softly over my knuckles, grounding me.

“Babe, I know we need to talk,” she said gently. “I know there’s a lot we both have to say. A lot that needs answers. But those questions? They’ll still be there tomorrow.”

She pointed between us, and her voice dropped to something softer, something raw. “For tonight, can we just be us? Stay at home, order in, watch a movie... I just want to curl up in your arms and forget everyone and everything. I’m so exhausted.”

The relief that coursed through me was instant. I didn’t say a word. I just scooped her up into my arms, her soft warmth pressing into me as she looped her arms around my neck. She fit perfectly, like she always had.

“Sounds perfect,” I whispered against her hair.

I carried her into the lounge and told her to pick out a movie while I took care of dinner and drinks. She padded over to the TV unit, bent over in her oversized sweater and sweats. And fuck me—despite everything that had happened, that view still made my mouth dry and my pants tighten.

My goddess. Always.

I noticed her on the phone as well and decided not to interrupt. I just watched her. Admired her. Breathed her in.

She turned back and caught me staring.

That damn smile of hers bloomed across her mouth—knowing, amused, wickedly perfect.

“Pervert,” she whispered, hand over the receiver.

“You love it,” I shot back, smirking.

She rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Luke says hi. Wants to catch up soon.”

“Tell him I’d like that. He’s welcome here anytime.”

She nodded, the casual comfort of that exchange warming me more than she probably realised. Future plans. Friends. Us. It gave me hope—maybe we had something worth saving after all.

Trinity joined me on the couch, and I passed her a glass of red wine after ordering her favourite Thai. I lit up a j, passed it her way, and got a kiss on the cheek in return. It was slow. It was soft. And it felt like the first breath after drowning.

“To you,” I said, raising my glass.

She tilted her head. “Why to me?”

“Because if I toast to you, then I have everything I want. There’s nothing else to wish for.”

She laughed—light and real. “I love you. That was kinda cheesy, but lucky you’re so handsome, you got away with it.”

“Oh, so I’m cheesy and handsome?”

“And smart, and sexy... and all mine.”

God. Those words. All mine.

My heart swelled in my chest. Without thinking, I pulled her onto my lap. She straddled me, arms around my neck, and I cradled her face in my hands, fingers sweeping along her jawline, memorising her all over again.

“Why me?” I asked, brushing her hair from her face. “Why did I get so lucky to have you in my life?”

She corrected me gently. “We both got lucky.”

And I believed her.

“I promise you,” I told her, my voice firm now, “from this moment on—no more secrets. I’ll tell you everything. The good, the bad, the ugly. All of it. And we work through it—together.”

She stopped me with a soft hand to my cheek. “Together, baby. That’s all I want.”

Her nails traced the nape of my neck, and I exhaled slowly, calming beneath her touch.

“I know there’s still so much you want to know. And when you’re ready—ask me. I’ll leave nothing out. If you’re prepared to accept my flaws and all, then I’ll give you every part of me. We’ll move forward... I hope together.”

My voice cracked at the end. I didn’t try to hide it.

“Before I met you,” I continued, “I thought I had everything sorted. My future was mapped. Controlled. Predictable. But it turns out comfort is just a cage you decorate from the inside. I need your fire, your love, your light... to be the man I should’ve been all along. And if I have to give it all up—this whole life—I’ll do it. I’ll do it for you.”

Trinity cupped my jaw. “I don’t want to change you, babe. But please—and don’t take this the wrong way—I do want more for you.”

She must’ve seen my brow twitch because she quickly added, “After Mia explained everything last night... you have to see it. You don’t need this life anymore.”

Her voice was thick with emotion. “You survived your childhood, baby. You did what you had to. You didn’t choose this path—it was carved for you before you even had a say. But the risk? Is it still worth the reward? Clint and Mia are married now. They’re thinking about a family. How can they bring a child into this world?”

I nodded, her words hitting deep.

“And us?” she asked softly. “Before I found out everything from Mia...”

“Before?” I interrupted, my voice tightening. I didn’t like that word. That separation. That line.

“I’d watch you sleeping, baby. In my arms or wrapped around me. I’d listen to your heartbeat and think about what our future looked like. Would we end up like Clint and Mia? Would we plan a life together?”

She paused, voice trembling now. “Would I become your wife?”

I blinked. My breath caught.

“Becoming my wife?” I echoed, gently. Hope blooming in my chest like spring after a bitter, endless winter.

“Becoming your wife…” she breathed it softly, her voice barely above the hush between us. “Having children of our own. A successful business. A happy home. Loving friends surrounding us. I wanted it all with you…”

~Wanted~.

The word carved itself into my chest like a hot blade.

I cut her off, that one word echoing in my ears. “Wanted?”

She looked up at me, those soul-stealing eyes holding something I couldn’t name. Then her voice came, quiet, but resolute. “I want it all with you, Stephen.”

My lungs let go. A massive breath escaped me, one I hadn’t even realised I’d been holding hostage. But then her gaze shifted, her voice faltering slightly with emotion.

“But I can’t … not with this lifestyle. I’m in love with you. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. But I can’t give you those things … I can’t be the wife you deserve or want, or give you the children I hoped we would have, knowing there’s always a risk tied to what you do.”

She paused, her head dropping for a second before she looked back up, eyes glossy and raw.

“I don’t want to be sitting at home one night, our babies asleep in their beds, and get a knock at the door… that my husband, the father of my children, has been killed by a rival or arrested.” She choked out the words like they hurt. “It would kill me to lose you, Stephen. But to lose you like that?”

Her fear was palpable. Her love, deeper than anything I’d ever known. And in that moment, everything became terrifyingly clear.

She wanted to be my wife.

She wanted to build a life with me. Our life.

And all I’d built was a fortress made of guns and fear. A kingdom of ashes.

“Alright, baby,” I said finally, my voice low, steady.

She blinked. “What do you mean ‘alright’?” Her brow furrowed slightly, unsure if she heard me right.

“I mean alright. It’s gone. The business, the drops, the runs. If it’s the difference between having or losing you, Trinity—then there is no decision.”

I cupped her face between my hands, forcing her eyes to stay locked on mine. “You’re irreplaceable. I’ve got more than enough set aside to walk away, to invest in something clean, something real—for our future. For our friends. I wouldn’t regret a second of it. Not if it means I get to wake up next to you for the rest of my life.”

Her lips parted, but I could see the fear there, too.

“Baby, you don’t have to make a rash decision right now,” she whispered. “I don’t want you to do it for me without thinking it through … talk to Clint first. Please, for me.”

“Doll.” I pressed a finger gently to her lips. “There’s nothing rash about it. It’s the easiest decision I’ve ever made in my life.”

“But what if … what if one day you resent me for it?”

God, her fear. Her honesty. I could feel her doubts as if they were my own.

“I could never resent you,” I told her, absolute truth in my tone. “You are my life. That’s not a choice. That’s a fact.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, she kissed me—long and deep and hungry—and we melted into each other like two flames burning the same wick.

We didn’t rush it. We didn’t race toward lust. We simply were.

I had never felt closer to peace than I did in those minutes. In the quiet of our lounge, the world held back by walls we built together. Her lips were my sanctuary. Her breath, my absolution.

But of course, real life had other plans.

The doorbell rang, the chime snapping us out of the cocoon. Our Thai delivery.

“Saved by the bell,” she teased breathlessly, her cheeks flushed with desire.

I returned with the food and we spent the night curled up on the couch, feeding each other bites of curry and noodles, laughing between sips of wine and slow kisses. At some point, she’d kicked her legs over my lap and nestled under my arm, her head on my chest, and I swear—for the first time in my life—my soul was at peace.

Then came the sound of the front door creaking open. The guys were back.

“Sorry, boss. Didn’t realise you were still up…” Dave stood awkwardly in the doorway, trying not to look too surprised.

“It’s alright,” Trinity offered kindly, motioning toward the lounge. “You’re welcome to join us.”

I nodded. The boys shuffled in, each grabbing a beer from the fridge before sitting down across from us.

They were chatting easily with Trinity—small talk, jokes. I only half listened. My head was elsewhere.

Alright, Stephen. Time to man up.

She wanted to know all of me. So here it is.

“Boys,” I said, interrupting the laughter, “how did tonight’s deliveries go?”

I felt Trinity freeze beside me. Her head turned toward mine, surprise lifting her brow. I squeezed her hand tightly and leaned in, whispering, “Remember, I promised you—no holding back. You have all of me. This is part of me... well, at least until Clint gets back and we shut it down for good.”

She didn’t answer. She just kissed me softly, holding my hand tighter.

“Thank you,” she whispered against my lips.

The guys glanced between one another, uneasy.

“I believe I asked a question,” I said more firmly. “Is there a reason you’ve all chosen to ignore me?”

“N-No, boss,” Dave answered. “It’s just … we weren’t sure if we were supposed to talk in front of…”

“I didn’t think so,” I cut him off smoothly. “Let’s have it.”

“All drops went fine,” Chad confirmed. “Payments are locked in the safe out back. Everything’s squared.”

“Last shipment for the month lands on Monday. I’ve got the crew prepped, two extra sets of hands lined up for Clint’s absence,” Dave added.

I gave a brief nod. “Good work.”

They looked relieved. I didn’t waste more time.

“Alright, boys. You’re off the clock. Now get the fuck out and let me have some time with my girl.”

They laughed, raising their beers in unison. “Got it, boss.”

Once the door clicked shut behind them, I turned to Trinity.

“You alright?”

She nodded, eyes steady. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” I pressed.

“I am,” she assured me. “And I appreciate what you just did—more than you know.”

I sensed it—the hesitation. A but.

“There’s a ‘but’ in there,” I said softly.

She paused. Then smiled.

“You need to take me to bed and bury yourself inside me.”

My jaw dropped. I blinked, stunned.

“W-what?” My damn stutter gave me away.

She leaned in, her lips brushing my ear. “Watching you just now … the authority, the power... it was so fucking sexy, Stephen. My panties are soaked, and I’m two seconds away from climbing on top of you.”

That was it. The last thread of control snapped.

I stood up, grabbed her with one arm, and slung her over my shoulder caveman-style.

She yelped, giggling breathlessly as I spanked her ass on the way up the stairs.

“Stephen!”

“Too late, doll,” I growled. “You unleashed the beast. Now you’ve got to deal with it.”