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"I knew you’d be reasonable about this," Quinn responds, while pattingto take soree Let her be an adult, Jace"

"I need to see my fiancé" I kiss each of Chloe’s cheeks and stand slowly to walk her back over to her bassinet

"Dude, seriously Go make your own baby This one is hter to his arms He looks down at her with awe and wonder, like he’s done since the day she was born He sits down on the couch and lays her little head on his chest Yeah, she’s got hi uys"

I hear their responses when I hit the first step of our large staircase I take them two at a time until I reach the double doors that lead into our master suite The knob turns slowly in ht, which she leaves on for ht, shines across her nad backside The fact that she has to leave a light on forhome too late

I walk intoonly lance into Audrey’s closet, where Quinn’s observations are confir on the floor There are e the bars, and at the very back is a big, white bag that holds her wedding gown My fingers itch to unzip it and peek inside I’, but I hold back the urge, not wanting to ruin her surprise

I can’t wait for her to have my last name and someday soon carry my children I stand in her empty closet and think back on the day she finally told h school My jaw clenches at the er I have to suppress when I flash back to those thoughts Since we’ve been back in Texas, I’ve tried to pay a visit to her dear ol’ dad, but apparently he’s been gone for a few years now I’ll find hih, and when I do it won’t be pretty

I shake off the thoughts and quietly shuffle across the wood floor to our bed Softly, I kneel on the bed beside Audrey’s stunning body She’s lying on her stomach with her face turned away from me and her pillows pushed to the side Her soft breaths e of the position and reach into the nightstand I hold the bottle of e oil above her back and drizzle a line down her spine When the liquid hits her skin, her eyes shoot open and she fidgets I reach out and hold her in place

"Shhit’s just eous," I whisper into her ear When she hears in to respond to my touch She doesn’t sleep as deeply as she used to, probably because I’ht

"Sorry, I fell asleep early," she mumbles with a sleepy voice I spread the oil around and slowly startpushes, I rub out her tension and soreness

I signed her up for a pretty intense self-defense class by one of ot all of his licenses and now runs a class This isn’t some basic class run by an off-duty police officer It’s extreo to the class with her but it slipped o alone

"You have nothing to be sorry about I’e that, I promise," I say quietly With the oil still thick on her back, she lifts up and looks at ly "I know you’re lonely, Audrey I haven’t been taking care of you and I’ this, Jace? What happened?" she asks, while nervously fidgeting her fingers I unwind the a slick trail in their path I can’t help but look at her bare chest on the way up to her eyes

"I want you to move in withto be the happiest and if that’s not here, I’ll fix that," I plead

She looks at me with confusion for a few beats, and then says, "You’re scaringhere with you?"

"Have you?" I ask "Audrey, you haven’t unpacked your clothes and Quinn said you don’t touch anything in the house," I say softly Her body appears to deflate, and I can see her wheels begin spinning hat she should or should not say If I could go a few rounds in the ring with ht noould How did I not notice this? I’m supposed to protect and care for her, not just provide for her I pro sure she didn’t want for anything, but I didn’t take into account that most of all she just wants me Not all this stuff I can buy her Just hs and looks up intoto beat these demons butit’s a process It took me a year to unpack my stuff when I moved in with Lane You have to realize what my life was like Before California, I had to hide all of s in a backpack that I kept shoved under a couch I’ve never felt like any place was actually mine This house" she pauses and seems to consider her next words carefully

I finish for her by saying, "I made the plans for this house, and I had it filled with furniture before we ht I was helping the transition process, but I never considered how that would affect you"

"Jace, it’ll be okay I love this house It’s just going to take row into it I need you to know that I don’t want to be anywhere else than in your house with you," she whispers

"That’s the thing though, this is your house too, babe Your naht," I assure her

"I’ll try to unpack That closet is just way too big though Every time I open it, I’m intimidated I yelled in it the other day and I could hear my own echo," she says in an awed tone

"Move intoclothes like other girls do, you’ll probably fill yours up and take over asps and says, "I could never have thatat her innocence I scoop her up into hter when my hands slip and slide frolass shower, I reach in and turn it to a warirl inspray

Audrey –

Em, Quinn, Josie, and I had an early breakfast and nail appoint up Jace thisI can’t even remember the last time I woke up before he did He’s usually out of the house before I even openso peacefully beside ood-bye

With a wave, Quinn and I step out of Em’s car and make our way up the front porch steps If what Jace said last night is true, then I’ll get to spend the whole day with him and I couldn’t beup all night," Quinn says fro, "What do you ht"

She looks atunsure if she should say what she was just thinking "Uht and each ti on his cell phone"

"Huh" I reply, because I have no idea what he was up doing I thought he had passed out next to ether