Ready For Love?

Chapter 25

It was done. I had broken the seal. I had taken the next big leap.

I lay there, my eyes closed, listening to his breathing even out.

5 years. 5 years of being without my husband. 5 years of telling myself that I’ll be ready soon. I’ll be ready soon… and then sprinting as soon as another man even smiled at me in a way that could be interpreted as interest. Wll, it was definitely interest, I can't pretend it wasn't. The bathroom incident was the first major hint... or slap in the face.

5 years.

I kept asking myself if it was cheating... but it wasn't. No, I was back to the whole 'survivors guilt' I was told about, even though I wasn't part of the accident. It's a type of guilt you can still get when a partner dies and you're still here. You feel guilty that it wasn't you that died. There is also the survivors' guilt for people that were in the accident and did survive. To me, that one made more sense than mine. The human brain really can be f****d up with what it comes up with.

Shouldn’t I feel more guilty about doing it twice? NO! I have to stop thinking like that.

I deserve to move forward. I will never ever forget Cam. I have two beautiful children that are half him. One who is his female version, to remind me of him. And I have all our photos and those memories that will always remain in my heart.

It’s not wrong to move on. It’s not wrong, I know that. I just have to repeat it a few times to knock it into my hard head.

I will always love him and that’s why it's OK. It’s OK.

And with that, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

Rip POV

I woke up to my phone vibrating.

I slowly unhooked my arm from around Annie and grabbed it.

I wanted to groan out loud when I saw the name, but I held it in as I started to get out of bed.

Annie rolled and made a noise as I got out. I couldn’t help but smile, typical mum. Any movement or sound waking her, thinking it’s her kids.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead before going into the bathroom to take the call.

It had rung out so I called them back.

“Yep.”

Of f*****g course, tonight would have a call-out. The night I didn’t want to go anywhere. Thankfully, it should only take a couple of hours.

I hung up and walked back into the room, gently trying to grab my clothes and everything I would need.

“You may be quiet, but I’m used to quiet.” She whispered, making me smile.

Ears of a f*****g owl.

I let out a small chuckle and walked over to the bed, sitting down just beside her. I ran my hand down her soft cheek. “I need to head out for a bit. I will be back in time for our outing. Get some rest.”

I kissed her on the forehead again.

“Yeah, yeah. Doing a runner. I get it.” She teased.

“Never and if you think of trying to do an actual runner, I’ll have you locked in this room until I get back.”

“Ha! Try it.” She yawned.

“After you get your rest,” I got up and grabbed the rest of my gear and walked into the bathroom, but not before she had to have the last word.

“Make me.”

Fuck! I wanted to go back in there and do exactly that, but I couldn’t.

“Stay safe.” She whispered just before I closed the door.

It had me stop in my tracks. Two simple words that I know she meant. Every last letter. It didn’t matter that she had only just met me, she wanted me to be safe and come back unscathed.

She’s mine. She’s home.

She already owned me. I’ll admit, I never saw her coming.

I got into the black electric car. That’s the beauty of these new electric cars, they are extremely quiet, making it easier to get in and out.

I left instructions to make sure Annie didn’t try to make a run for it. Although, she didn’t have her car keys, so I doubted she would. They also promised that she would be safe and undisturbed.

No f*****g bunnies would be allowed on the floor to make up some s**t and try to scare her off. I know they have tried that a number of times and wouldn’t put it past Ava. I actually expected it from that desperate b***h.

I need to word up Annie about their antics just to make sure.

Ava especially wouldn’t listen to warnings, thinking she could go behind our backs and get away with it. Also, past situations confirm this.

Sometimes I really don’t know why the f**k they let the bunnies stay.

I knew the area I was going to well, so I didn’t bother to look it up. I wanted to get in and out quickly anyway. I had Annie to get back to.

It took two hours to get to the destination. I then spent the next hour checking the surroundings, security cameras, etc, before I broke into the large mansion.

I had been informed they had finally left for a short holiday and tonight was my only opening. They hardly left due to their well-deserved paranoia.

I disarmed the alarms and made my way into the study. I just need to collect some files and fit some bugs that I grabbed with my weapons on the way.

We just needed more proof of their involvement. I had suspicions it was both husband and wife, not just the wife…. BINGO!

The good old secret compartment in the desk.

It didn’t take long to finish up and head out. Making sure there wasn’t a trace of me ever being there. I had hacked all the cameras and had them play the recording of the last half an hour on a loop and had deleted any changes in the log before I left.

I dropped the USB with the photos of everything at the meeting spot and took off before the contact arrived. I then headed to my last destination.

It really was a shame that today had to end with blood on my hands. Sanctioned or not, tonight wasn’t the night for it, but the leak needed to be dealt with. He didn't seem to realize he'd been caught out, so it was an easy job and I didn't need to explain any bruising or wounds to Annie.

I didn’t need to confirm the second job had been completed, it would get out and everyone could then react naturally so as not to put them in jeopardy.

The death was a necessary step to send a message and plug the leak… unofficially, of course. The weakness needed to be taken out before it took down the whole operation. It might also strengthen our position… unofficially.

The other leak wasn't our problem. Not sure what the higher ups were going to do with it, nor did I care.

I made it back quickly, changed the number plates back to the proper ones and headed in.

I had a shower in the basement bathroom. Got changed into the spare clothes I kept in a locker, and put my clothes in the incinerator which was already alight.

Seems I wasn’t the only one out tonight.

Putting in the code to my room, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my stupid face, or stop my c**k from getting hard at the beautiful woman in my bed. My chest getting that funny feeling at the thought of always coming back to her taking over again.

I tried to be as quiet as possible, but wasn’t surprised when she rolled over back onto her side… her side. I like that.

I got into bed and draped my arm over her. f*****g cuddling, me.

I could easily go without sleep for 36 hours, but I wanted to be on my game with my woman. She deserved my full attention and the thought of waking up properly to her in my arms made my heart actually squeeze.

I'll admit it, I drifted off to sleep with a smile on my face with my woman in my arms.