Lexie rubbed her face. “You and Myles are the only ones who know. And I’d like to keep it that way, for now. I don’t think the other girls need to know. Not yet, anyway. And now that Myles and I are getting married soon, I want this whole time to be happy. But I knew—I just knew you needed to know.” She held Liv’s arms. “And…I don’t blame you, okay? I don’t hold anyone responsible but him. He was a predator, and I was his prey. It happened. It’s over. We move forward. We see therapists. And we just live and be happy, okay? Don’t blame yourself, Mom. Please.”
Liv nodded again, trying to regain her composure, and mostly succeeding. “I’ll try. And yes, we’ll be seeing a therapist, because you don’t heal from something like this just by talking about it a few times. And god knows my mom guilt is going to keep me awake at night until I’m able to deal with it.”
“Don’t let it, Mom. Promise me.”
Liv shook her head. “I can’t do that, my love. I’m your mother. My sole purpose in life was to raise you and keep you safe, and I failed—I failedhuge, in the worst way I could have. It’s a burden I’m going to have to carry, knowing I failed you that way. I hear what you’re saying, and I appreciate, but you can’t shield me from the guilt I’m going to feel. That Ishouldfeel.” She sniffed. “We’d just better not tell Lucas or Crow. Because if either of those two ever found out…”
“If any of the men in this family found out,” Lexie said, “it would be ugly. And for as much as I’ve daydreamed about the horrible ways I’d like that man to suffer for what he did to me, I won’t allow it. I won’t dwell on it. It won’t fix me. It won’t heal me, it won’t take away the pain I felt, and still feel.”
“You know how hard it is for me to not hunt him down?” I said, my first words in a long time. “I want to peel his fuckin’ skin off. But I know Lex is right.” I sighed. “I probably should let you know, though, Lex—I had a PI find him. He’s been in jail for the last four years, and will spend the rest of his life in jail. Someone spoke up, finally, and decades of abuse came to light. He’s gone.”
Lex nodded. “I got a letter from a lawyer when it all started coming out. But I couldn’t face any of it. I was too scared and embarrassed and ashamed and…shit, a lot of things—to be able to be part of that trial. It would be everyone finding out, and no one knew, and I just wanted it to stay that way. I never did let myself find out what eventually happened to him after the trial—I couldn’t face the prospect of him not being convicted.” She shook herself, tendered me a small smile. “So, thank you. I feel like the door to everything is closed.”
“I hope you know I would have contracted a hit on him, if he wasn’t in jail,” I said.
Lexie frowned. “Myles.”
I shrugged. “Not sure that’s much of an exaggeration. I still know people in the AzTex.” I let out a breath. “But I’ve been assured that child molesters and rapists…well, let’s just say they don’t fare well in prison. So he’ll get his due…for a long time.”
Lexie shook her head. “Myles, thank you for wanting to avenge me, but I just want to forget it all. I don’t want revenge. I just want to live my life and be happy.” She reached out, and I moved to perch on the edge of the love seat. “Just love me, Myles. That’ll more than make up for it.”
I smiled. “That’s easy, babe.”
Liv eyed Lexie. “He called you babe.”
Lexie grinned, laughed. “Yeah, I’m over that. As long as it’s not some smarmy old dude talking down to me, Myles using words to show me how much he loves me is something I’m more than okay with.”
Liv clapped her hands. “So. Happy things. Can I please,pleasebe allowed to go a little crazy on this wedding?”
Lexie pretended to be annoyed. “No frilly shit, Mom. No swans, and none of that something old, something new, something blue stuff. You know me. Have fun, but…no frilly bullshit.”
Liv laughed. “Yes, yes. But you have to let me go a little crazy. You’re my first daughter to get married. Cassie and Ink and Charlie and Crow all say they’re waiting awhile and see no need for the ceremony.” She rolled her eyes to show what she thought about that. “So now I get to plan a wedding, and I’m excited.”
“Ohh boy,” Lex laughed. “Here we go.”
I poked her. “Have fun with it, babe. I’ll give you my Amex Black card, and you can go fuckin’ nuts.” I leveled a look at Liv. “I mean that. Whatever you can convince her to go for, do it.”
“A what card?” Lexie said.
Liv’s eyes were wide. “ultraexclusive, truly unlimited credit. Like, buy literally anything.”
I dug said card out of my wallet and handed it over. “See how much damage you can do, ladies.” I kissed Lex. “I wanna go jam with Crow. Okay?”
She nodded. “I’m gonna stay and talk to Mom. See how much of your money I can spend.”
I touched her lips. “Ours, baby. Remember that.”
She kissed me back, and I had to pull away before I got carried away. When I left, Lex and Liv had their heads together, and I had a feeling the idea of a small family wedding this week was a goner. But I didn’t care. As long as that woman was my wife at the end of it, it would be worth the wait and the cost. I’d sell off a condo building or two, if I had to, but I doubted they could dothatmuch damage.
My wife.
Lexie Goode, my wild goddess, was going to be my wife.
Suddenly, my life had gotten even better.
Epilogue
Torie
