Easy Nights (Boudreaux #6)

I pull him behind me, up the stairs and to the bedroom. The first thing I do is throw the Chanel No. 5 in the bag, then walk into my closet and purge the last of the clothing he bought for me years ago. It’s expensive, and it seemed wasteful to throw it away before, but I don’t even blink an eye as I shove every blouse and dress into the bag.

The last thing I reach for is my wedding band and engagement ring. They’re in their respective boxes, tucked in the back of a drawer. I don’t even open them, I just toss them in the bag.

“You’re throwing those out?”

“To be honest, I think it should be donated to a women’s shelter.”

His lips twitch. “That’s a great idea. I’ll sell the jewelry too and donate that money as well.”

“Ben, you don’t have to do that.”

“Yeah, I do. Let me do this.” He ties the bag closed. “I’ll be right back.”

I stay where I am and hear the front door open and then several minutes later he’s climbing the stairs again.

“It’s all out of here.”

“That feels good.”

He nods and leads me into the bathroom. Rather than start the shower, he runs a bath. “I’d like to sit with you in the bath.”

“No complaints here,” I reply.

He strips us both naked, and we sink into the hot water, not wanting to let go of each other. He begins massaging my feet and I reach for the soap and a sponge, washing the last of the perfume off my neck and wrists.

When I’m done, I sit back and sigh. “I was so afraid that I’d lost you for good.”

“Same here,” he says quietly.

“I said some pretty horrible things.” My eyes find his. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean them, and it was killing me, but I had to make it look real.”

“It was real.”

I nod slowly. “Yeah. And it was hell.”

“I’m not a controlling man, Savannah, but I am a man. I love you with everything in me, and I will always want to protect you. I don’t know any other way to be.”

“I don’t want you to be any other way. This will never happen again.”

“No. It won’t.” He pulls me to him. I straddle him and lay against his chest. “You’re everything good in my life, and you’re mine. I protect what’s mine.”

“So do I.” I lift my head and smile at him. “So do I, Ben. And that’s what I was doing.”

“I know.” He kisses me softly and then takes the kiss deeper, stronger. I rise up on my knees and then sink down over his hard erection, and we both moan in relief.

“Missed this,” I mutter against his lips. He can’t respond. He grips my hips and guides me up and down in the most delicious pace, until we’re both a panting, orgasmic mess.

I collapse on top of him and kiss his chest, impressed that I can move any part of me.

“Angel?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to wash your hair.”

He can still smell it.

“Okay. Do I have to move?”

He chuckles. “Yes.” He guides me back to the opposite side of the tub and then steps out of the water. Without drying off, he urges me to lean forward and begins to wash my hair. I close my eyes and sit still, letting him scrub the soap into foam, and then rinse the soap out. His hands are big and strong, and it feels good to let him take care of me.

When he’s done, he lifts me out of the water and wraps me in a towel, then leads me to the vanity in my bedroom.

“Have a seat,” he says.

The excitement from the last few days has caught up with me. I’m exhausted, both physically and mentally and he knows.

He combs my hair out, then blows it dry. I sit and watch him through half-closed eyes and admire the way his muscles flex with each motion.

“You’re just ridiculously handsome,” I murmur when he flips the dryer off.

“I won’t be leaving,” he says.

“No, I definitely want you to stay with me tonight.”

“Ever,” he replies after we both get into the bed. It’s early, but it feels like I just ran a marathon.

“Ever?”

“Ever.” He kisses my lips and snuggles his naked body against mine.

“Does this mean you want to live in my house?”

“Do you prefer it here?” he asks, and I can see that if I say yes, he won’t hesitate.

“Home is where you are,” I reply sleepily. “Here or there, it doesn’t really matter.”

“I love you, Savannah,” he whispers in my ear as I feel sleep pulling me under.

***

“Are you sure about this?” Lieutenant Jacobs asks me three days later. I’ve asked him to meet me, Ben, and the rest of my family at the prison today. It’s a gloriously beautiful day outside, matching my mood.

“Oh, I’m sure.”

He nods and leads me to a room. I go in alone, but there’s an observation room connected to this one with a big, mirrored window. They can see in, but I can’t see them.

But I know they’re there.

Another door opens and in walks Lance. He’s in handcuffs and ankle cuffs, and this time they don’t let him loose.

I’m not that pompous.

I’m surprised to find that looking at him doesn’t make my stomach tighten, or bile rise in the back of my throat. My heart doesn’t race.

I feel disgust.

“What do you want?” Lance asks.

“A couple of things,” I reply and lace my fingers on the table top. I don’t move my eyes from his because I want to see him as I speak. “First, I want you to take one last long look at me, Lance, because this is the last time you’ll ever see me.”

“That’s awfully optimistic of you,” he says with a smirk, but I can see in his eyes that the confidence from a few weeks ago is gone.

“No, it’s true.” I sit for a moment and let him look at my face, my breasts, my hair. “Do you see me?”

“You’re right in front of me.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter. I was right in front of you for years, but you didn’t see me. Do you see me now?”

His lips pucker but he doesn’t reply.

“Good. Because you’re looking at the woman who broke you, Lance.” He smirks again, but I keep talking. “You tried to break me, but you didn’t. I took you down, and I want you to sit in your tiny cell and think about that for the rest of your pathetic life.”

“Fuck you.”

“No. No, you won’t ever do that again either.” He moves to stand, but I cock an eyebrow. “Sit the fuck down.”

He tilts his head to the side and drops back in his seat.

“I didn’t say you could leave.”

“What is this, Van? You show up here and act all tough? You’re not tough. You’re nothing. You’re a pathetic piece of shit, and you may have got my brother arrested, but he’s not the only contact I still have on the outside. I can have your family killed any time.”

I don’t turn around to see, but Lance’s eyes rise above my head and I know the observation window has been turned off and that he can see all of my family sitting there, listening.

“Oh, I brought them along.”

He glares at me, but it doesn’t matter.

He doesn’t matter.

“You can’t hurt me, or them, ever again. It’s over right now. I’m ending it.”

He snarls. “You don’t say when it’s over.” He’s yelling now, and I stand, turn my back, and walk away. “Do you hear me? You don’t say! I say!”

The door shuts behind me, finally closing that chapter of my life for good.

Ben meets me in the hall and pulls me in for a hug. “So proud of you, Angel.”

“Me too,” I reply and smile up at him, and the rest of my family standing behind him. “Let’s go home now.”





Chapter Nineteen


Three months later.