Page 102 of Beautifully Broken Control

Epilogue

Kennedy

TWO YEARS LATER

Light hands.Whisper-soft. Tracing over my face. “Mmmmmm.” My response was part moan, part complaint. “Sleeping.”

A deep chuckle sounded beside me. “I know, but you need to wake up. We’ve got a big day ahead of us.”

I cracked open a single eyelid. “What time is it?”

Cain sat propped up against the pillows, all the glorious tanned skin of his chest on full display. “A little after six.”

I burrowed my face back into the pillow. “I can sleep for another hour.”

“If you open those eyes, I’ll give you a present.”

“Your cock is not a present,” I mumbled against the pillow.

Cain grunted. “That’s not what you said last night.”

My eyes flew open, then narrowed. “Careful, if you want my mouth anytime in the next month.”

He scoffed. “Please, you couldn’t stay away from my dick for longer than a day or two.”

He wasn’t wrong. I had an addiction to the man that was unrivaled. I pushed myself up and leaned against the pillows. “All right, I’m awake. What’s my present?” I eyed his flannel pajama bottoms.

“Eyes up here, baby.” Cain’s voice was low but held a hint of humor.

I shrugged. “Your choice.”

Cain reached over to the nightstand and handed me a jar. It was breathtakingly beautiful. It looked like intricately blown glass, a swirl of blues and greens. “It’s gorgeous.” I studied it more carefully, turning it in the light. As I did, I caught an etching on its surface.Forever grateful.

My gaze flicked up to Cain. “A gratitude jar for me?” I’d kept up the process, even though life was easier these days. I never wanted to lose that sense of appreciation or wonder. We had an entire bookshelf in the living room dedicated to my jars.

The lake house was full of a lot more mementos like those. The walls housed photos, new and old. We’d brought Kiara out of the dark and into the light. Into our lives. Cain didn’t shy away from her memory anymore, he embraced it. The journey hadn’t been an easy one, but he’d taken it and never once pushed me away through it all.

Cain tapped the lid of the jar. “I don’t know. It looks like it might already be full.”

I took in the slips of paper I’d missed on my earlier inspection, too distracted by the shimmering glass in its beautiful colors. I unlatched the lid and pulled out a scrap of paper. It was filled with Cain’s sloping scrawl.

The way you take care of everyone in your orbit.

My brows pulled together as I glanced quickly at Cain. He motioned for me to pull out another. I did.

The look on your face when I make you come.

My cheeks heated as I reached for another.

How you love my demons.

My heart clenched. I did. I loved every last piece of Cain. And now I knew them all. It had only made my love grow deeper, rooting itself in me in a way I knew would last forever.

Cain tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s all the things I love about you. All the things I’m grateful for.” My eyes flew up to meet his gaze. “Well, not all the things. One jar wouldn’t be enough. But I promise, I’ll keep making you these, so if you ever need reminding, you’ll only need to pull out a slip of paper.”

My breath hitched as my eyes welled. “Just when I think I can’t love you more.”

His face softened. “Do me a favor?” I nodded. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. “Be my wife.”

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