Page 93 of Takeover

“Again?” I ask.

“Again.” And then he kisses me.

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The sudden assault surprises me, but when I feel strong arms wrapped around my waist and soft lips on my neck, I know exactly who it is.

“Hurry up and kiss me before my boyfriend gets here,” I whisper. He lifts me off the ground and spins me around, making me dizzy.

“Not funny, Tar Tar.” He lowers his head and kisses me, uncaring that we are standing in the middle of Central Park. “You are all mine. And you’re going to be when I take you to Montauk tomorrow. You’re going to give it to me until we both collapse.”

It will be my first time at Ethan’s family home in Montauk. We’re leaving tomorrow for the Memorial Day weekend via helicopter, and Elizabeth will come down with Vincent on Saturday. Elizabeth being there is the only downside.

“Maybe I took it too easy on you,” he whispers in my ear. “You’re running around in this park like I didn’t fuck you into oblivion all night,” Ethan whispers to me.

“You did it just right, Mr. Bradford.” I wink at him, and he comes closer to kiss my temple.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend. I haven’t been to Montauk in forever. And hopefully no one will take any pictures of us.” I lean back in his arms and enjoy the feel of him as the warm May breeze kisses my skin. Since the weather has warmed, we’ve gone out more, either as a family with Vincent or to take a short walk to a restaurant near his office for lunch. Random people will take and tweet pictures of us. We’ve been given our own hashtags, either #firstcoupleofNY or #NYswirl.

“Where’s Vincent?” he asks, looking around the park. “Did Earl take him somewhere?” With his arms still wrapped around me, he lifts me off the ground, spins us around while he looks for his son.

“Oh,” I tell him. “Lindsay was here and took him to get some ice cream.”

The arms drop, and I immediately miss his embrace. “What?” he asks. “Lindsay was here?” He runs a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer, and Vincent was really excited to see her. Earl went with them, so don’t worry.” With our newfound fame, I usually have a bodyguard with me if I go out with Vincent without Ethan.

“Dammit, Tara,” he says, as he looks around. “I told her she couldn’t see him anymore and you go and let her take him. Where the hell did they go?” He yells the last question, and the tone of his voice forces me to take a step back.

“Calm down, Ethan.” When I try to lay my hands on his arms, he yanks himself out of my reach. “She said she’d be back in half an hour.”

“Don’t you hear me? She doesn’t get half an hour. She doesn’t get shit anymore. After that stunt she pulled where you got hurt, and she tried to manipulate him. Fuck her. I can’t believe you let him go.”

“I had no idea you had done that. Can you do that? Isn’t there some sort of custody agreement?” He finally stops looking around and turns his eyes on me. A lesser woman would have withered under his stare, but I look up at him and meet his gaze without so much as a flinch.

“I can do whatever the hell I want.” He points at his chest. “She doesn’t get to walk in my house and assault you, and she sure as hell doesn’t get to manipulate a four-year-old. The same one she walked out on.”

I finally grab his hands, and he calms down. “First of all, Ethan, you never told me any of this. We’ve avoided having any type of serious talk since that morning she dropped Vincent off. And,” I say, taking a deep breath, “I understand your anger, but one, I can fight my own battles. I’ve been dealing with girls like Lindsay all my life. Two, she’s his mother, and he loves her. What are you going to do when he asks for her?” He stares at me but offers no response.

He doesn’t get a chance to answer me because Vincent and Lindsay approach. Vincent runs right to his father while Lindsay trails behind her son. Ethan picks him up and presses the boy to his body, kissing the top of his head. He whispers something in Vincent’s ear, and when he puts him down, Vincent runs to me and takes my hand.

“Earl will see you two home. I’ll be right there. Be good for Tara, Vincent,” he warns him. I know he’s forcing himself to stay calm for Vincent’s sake. I can sense the storm brewing just underneath his calm exterior. “I’d like a word with you, Lindsay,” he practically hisses. I can see the vein in his neck throbbing.

“Why don’t we all go home and get Vincent ready for his piano lesson?” I suggest, doing my best to prevent the storm that I feel is coming. Vincent pulls on my arm, and when I look at him, I can’t help but laugh at the sight of dried chocolate all over his mouth and on his shirt. “I guess you already had your dessert, huh?” I tease.

When I look up, Lindsay’s eyes are once again shooting fire at me, and Ethan’s body is so rigid, I’m afraid he might snap.

“Come on, baby,” I reach for his hand, but he moves so I can’t reach him.

“I said go home with Earl. I’ll be there in a second.”

The five of us stand there and stare at each other, no one saying a word. Lindsay looks at me with an unreadable expression on her face, but that soon fades away and is replaced with her usual dismissive smirk.

Ethan turns and watches us, likely waiting for me to leave so he can focus on telling off his ex-wife, and if there wasn’t an adorable four-year-old waiting on me, I’d tell Ethan he might run things over at BradCo, but he sure as fuck doesn’t run or control me. But then Vincent pulls on my hand and tells me he has to go to the bathroom.

“Let’s go, kiddo. I’ll get you all cleaned up for your lesson.” I hold on tight to his hand, and Earl accompanies us back to the penthouse.

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