Page 98 of Pride
I nodded in a daze, still not quite feeling myself, as I asked, “So, why am I here?” I peered up at my house as we sat in the car. It didn’t feel like home anymore.
“Let’s get out and I’ll show you,” Alex replied.
We climbed out of the car, and he came to stand next to me, holding my hand as we walked up the path. I glanced sidewaysat him, suspicion still at the forefront of my mind. But from the way he hummed to himself, he wasn’t apprehensive at all. The nightmares that still plagued me from our argument earlier weren’t even on his radar.
Once we got to my front door, he took out the spare key that used to live in Ethel’s drawer and unlocked it. Then he pushed the door open and said, “After you.”
I walked into my house but stopped when I saw what he’d done.
It didn’t look like my house anymore.
The threadbare carpets I used to have had been replaced with plush, expensive cream carpets. The walls were now covered in the prettiest cream, patterned wallpaper. Stunned, I stepped further into the room, noticing the fireplace wasn’t my old electric fire with the wooden surround, it was a marble hearth with an open fire, and the most beautiful, gilded mirror was hanging above it on the wall.
I glanced to the side to see my old sofa with the mismatched cushions wasn’t there either. In its place was a leather corner sofa with pretty, grey cushions. I reached out to touch the arm, and the softness of the leather made me sigh. Then I saw the art on the wall, the simple pencil sketch of a ballerina that looked so stunning when I’d seen it online a few months ago and saved it on my profile. There was a new side table next to the sofa, too, with the pewter abstract sculpture I’d saved to my folder, or was it silver? I couldn’t tell. But there was one thing I was sure of.
“Did you go through my Pinterest boards to do this?”
He lowered his head as he replied, “I might’ve looked at your socials for some ideas.” Then, peering up at me, he asked, “Was that okay? I still have your old stuff in storage. I can put it all back if you want me to.”
I was speechless.
“Alex, this is...” I took a breath, overcome with a mix of emotions. “Absolutely stunning. It’s what I’d wish my home to look like if I could have it any way I wanted.”
“But you don’t have to wish anymore. Because it does look like this.”
I smiled back at him, the panic and anger from earlier slowing dying inside me.
I moved to stand in the doorway to the kitchen. That, too, had been given the Alex Kingston makeover. The cupboards, which used to be a little tatty with the vinyl peeling in places, were now solid wood, and the worktops weren’t chipped and stained, they were expensive marble. Even the appliances, that had seen better days, had been swapped for high-end replacements.
“Alex, this must’ve cost a fortune.”
“It was nothing,” he replied, coming to stand behind me and wrapping his arms around me. “I liked doing it. You deserve a little luxury, especially after everything.”
I turned in his arms to face him.
“Thank you. This is so thoughtful. You made my little house into my perfect home.”
He leaned closer to whisper in my ear, “I saw your Pinterest board for the bedroom, too, but I might’ve added a few of my own touches.”
I felt flutters in my stomach as I gazed up at him and asked, “And what touches would those be?”
“Well,” he tried to look shy as he said, “I saw the padded headboards you liked, but I am partial to a metal bed frame. They’re very practical, you see.” His shy, coy act didn’t last long, and I saw the twinkle in his eyes.
“Practical in what way?” I teased.
He took my hand and pulled me to the staircase as he said, “They give me somewhere to tie my handcuffs. But I can buy a padded one if you’d prefer.”
“And spoil your fun? Why would I ever do that?”
He took me to the bedroom, and we spent the rest of the day finding out exactly how practical my new bedroom was as he found new and inventive ways to settle my nerves and make me feel better. And boy, did he live up to all expectations.
CHAPTER FORTY
EMMA
The following days were spent hidden away, with Alex proving to me that I was his number one priority. He wanted to put any doubts and negative thoughts out of my head, which I knew would be impossible.
This was serious shit.
