Page 73 of Marc

My idea comes back to the forefront of my mind.

“I was serious before.”

Her eyebrows furrow as she continues to stare at her lap.

Her voice is low and soft. “About what?”

Using my thumb, I tilt her head until her gaze locks with mine.

“Move in with me.”

She squints her eyes as she searches my face for the answer to some unknown question.

“But I’m already staying with you.”

A smile forms on my face. “Not permanently.”

Her eyes widen as she processes what I’ve just said.

“Are you sure?”

There is hope in her tone, like I am the answer to all of her problems.

My smile turns into a grin.

Using the same words she spoke when I asked her about having sex, I say, “I’ve never been more sure.”

Chapter Seventeen

STACI

Change can be great,but it can also be scary.

Change has been good and beneficial for me in the past, like getting a divorce from Jared, becoming a photographer, and opening up a studio.

But it’s also been scary and unpredictable, like choosing to get a divorce, starting a photography business, and Jared coming back into my life.

The decision I made this morning is causing my stomach to perform somersaults. But I know in my heart, this is the right choice.

I just hope Marc isn’t too surprised when he finds out.

Reaching into the side pocket of my purse, I dig out the keys to the studio and hand them to Marc so he can get into the studio.

“Kat may or may not be there this early. You have the keys, and you know the code, so I think that is all you will need to get started. I’ll get the backdrop and camera set up when I get there.”

He takes the keys from me but doesn’t put them in his pocket.

He stares at the camera keyring for a moment before turning his gaze back to me. “I don’t have to go in this early. I can wait until closer to the photo shoot time.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal. I will only be a few minutes behind you. Plus, like you said last night, it might be good to try to catch Jared at the studio with just you there. I just worry that egging him on will only make things worse in the future.”

He already broke in and trashed my house; I don’t want to see what else he has in store for me or my property.

Marc grabs my hand and links his fingers with mine. “I can handle myself. Don’t worry about that. Plus, we aren’t egging him on. We are just trying to outsmart him.”

It seems dangerous and unwise to try to provoke him, especially after everything he has done in the past week. Not to mention all the hell he put me through.

“He has already proven that he isn’t afraid of us or the police. He won’t stop until he has me back or until I am dead. Neither of those options sound very pleasant to me.”

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