Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 44127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
“Yeah?”
“Be nice to my stepdaughter. She deserves nice.”
“She deserves the world,” I growl. “Nice to meet you, Geri.”
“Nice to meet you too, Colton.”
I hang up, I take a deep breath, and I swing the front door open. And instantly, a little blonde rocket slams into me, knocking the wind out of me and just about bowling me over. I laugh, wrapping my arms tight around her and holding her close as we stagger back into the house. I kick the door shut, swinging her in my arms as she peppers my face and neck with kisses.
“Are you—! I mean, did Geri?!”
I grin. “She did.”
“And are you going too?!”
My eyes lock with hers, and my grin widens.
“What do you think?”
She frowns. “I mean, I know you love it here at Winchester, but I really think you could—”
I laugh, pulling her close and kissing her softly and deeply.
“I said yes, Brynn,” I growl. “Of course, I said yes.”
Her jaw drops, her eyes going wide as saucers as she stares at me.
“Yes?!”
“Want to move to France?”
She squeals, hugging me fiercely as our lips crash back together.
“This is nuts!”
“I know!” I laugh. “But, baby girl, I only want nuts with you.”
She beams, kissing me again before I laugh once more.
“Shit, guess I should probably brush up on my French.”
She shrugs. “Oh, I can teach you.”
“Oh really?”
“Oui,” she purrs, and fuck if it isn’t the absolute sexiest French word I’ve ever heard.
“As in ‘oui, oui, monsieur, emmène-moi au lit?”
I eye her, the smile teasing my lips.
“Which means…
“Yes sir,” she purrs into my ear, leaning close and letting her lips brush my neck.
“Please take me to bed?”
I growl, my hands tightening on her as I whirl, making her shriek and giggle as I storm for the stairs.
“Gladly,” I groan into her lips, kissing her fiercely as I take the stairs two at a time, all the way to bed.
All the way to the rest of our lives, too.
Epilogue
Brynn
In the end, good triumphed, and the bad guys paid. I mean, how’s that for working out? My dad did go to jail, and even though he’s blood, and even though part of me is saddened that he’ll be in there for a very long time, I know he deserves to be there. I mean, it’s white collar bullshit jail, but it’s still jail. And it means his horrible business operations are shut down for good. And if that means a little less evil in the world, and a little more justice, so be it.
Geraldine was right, she really wasn’t a great mom figure, but as it turns out, she was looking out for me a lot more than I ever knew. So maybe she was more of a big sister or friend figure. I guess sometimes you just don’t see people for who they are.
A lot of my father’s money was confiscated by the government, but Geraldine had some slick lawyers, and managed to snag a big chunk of it. First, she made sure I had a cushion to fall back on. It wasn’t ever going to be the kind of money I’d had waiting for me before, but then, that was blood money, and neither of us wanted anything to do with that. Actually, we did one better. Geri and I set up a trust using a lot of the money she wrestled away from my dad in court. We used it to set up hospitals and care centers in places he’d poisoned. We used it to help victims, and replant forests, and save villages. It’s not everything, and it doesn’t change the awful thing that he did for money, but it’s a start.
As for Lycée Montange D’or? Well, needless to say, hell yes, I moved to southern France to be with the love of my life. Because obviously, Colton took the job. And as for my new setting? Honestly, I’m loving it. Yes, I miss my friends terribly, but we stay in touch. And besides, Waverly and Sasha have their own things going on—Waverly with that whole very scandalous thing with Coach Kirby which she finally told me about, and of course her swimming getting even more intense since she’s probably going to go for the Olympics soon. And then Sasha had the whole debacle with Charlie, who she finally ditched. Of course, it was what came after Charlie that’d really turn your head, but that’s a story for another day.
In any case, they do end up visiting quite a lot, which is great.
Okay, Lycée Montange D’or isn’t quite as laissez-faire as Geri might have said it was, especially concerning, shall we say, “unusual relationships.” I mean, it’s not like they were cool with me being involved with the new headmaster, but at the same time, it wasn’t expressly forbidden either. We did tone things down on campus, of course, including a self-made rule about not hooking up in Colton’s office anymore.