Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 94546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Also, Jack needed to hit rock bottom. If he hadn’t, he’d still be hiding who he is and standing in a shadow of shame he doesn’t deserve.
He’s not doing that now.
The cloak has been removed, and he’s finally being honest with himself.
Now it’s time for me to do the same.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” I talk fast, ripping the Band-Aid off in one fell swoop. “Alexander is the name they placed down for you on the court transcripts. Each child, even those who didn’t come forward, was given an alias from A to Z. Since you were claimant one, you were called Alexander. I named my charity after you. I know you don’t want people to know your secret and that I could get sued for it, but I needed you to know why I started Alexander House.”
I stop rambling when Jack curls his hand around my wrists to stop my jittery movements. When considering a name for our organization, I wanted to name it after Jack, but I didn’t want a ripple effect to reach him, so I went with his court alias instead.
“It’s fine, Octavia. I’ve known the reason behind it from day one.” His smile reassures me that his growth has been mammoth over the last five months. “You do realize it takes more than signing a slip of paper to get a charity organization off the ground, right?” I’d smack him in the stomach about the mirth in his tone if he didn’t have a hold of my wrists. “It usually takes months of legal jargon and a substantial backing to get the doors open within twelve months.” His confident grin makes my insides as electrified as the buzz his meekest touch darts up my arm. “Unless you know the right people. They can get it done in weeks.”
“You backed Alexander House?”
I know his answer, but I want him to spell it out for me.
He does that two seconds later. “Yes, I did.”
“Why?” My shocked question bellows down the almost isolated street.
His eyes follow the bounce routine mine are doing before he eventually replies, “Because I understood what you were hoping to achieve and the importance behind it.” He steps closer to me, making me equally giddy as I am shocked. “I just didn’t think I needed the same help as the boys and girls you take in. But I was wrong. I probably need it more because even with the signs flashing in front of me in big red neon letters, I still try to ignore them.” He steps even closer. “I tried to ignore you. And look where it got me?”
“Standing on a cracked sidewalk outside a rundown cawfee shop in Jersey?”
“No.” The waft of his recently shampooed hair streams into my nose when he shakes his head. “It has me wanting to apologize for something I will never be sorry about.” His breath tickles my lips when he murmurs, “I’ll never be sorry about meeting you, Octavia. I will never regret your arrival in my life. But I will always regret—”
“Not kissing me sooner?” I interrupt before stealing the words out of his mouth by leaning forward and sealing my lips over his.
His lips remain frozen for barely half a second before they part at the lashing request of my tongue. Then, ever so slowly, he frees my wrists from his hold before his hands shoot up to entangle in my hair.
After kissing the living hell out of me, he murmurs something against my lips before burrowing his nose into my hair to take a long, undignified sniff. The tip of his nose is barely touching me, but my skin is on fire. I am blistering hot all over.
“Jack…” I murmur, my voice as remorseful as the clutch slowly releasing the cruel hold it’s had on my heart for the past five months.
“Shh,” Jack whispers before he cups my jaw so he can wipe away my tears with his thumbs. “I’ve got you,” he promises, his voice the most confident it’s been tonight. “And I will never let you go again. I promise you that.”
EPILOGUE
JACK
ONE AND A HALF YEARS LATER…
I stare out at the crowd circling me. It is a mix of rich socialites, numerous members of the media conglomerate I used to rule with an iron fist, and a group of kids who just want a fair go.
Then there is her, the woman I tried to forget but couldn’t.
My mentor.
My other half.
My wife.
Octavia is everything I’ve ever wanted and the reason I can talk so freely about who I am and what happened to me. She is the voice of reason when my demons try to hold me under and the sole purpose I wake every day. She keeps me sane, and although I’m sure I’ve made her doubt her sanity on a handful of occasions, I know I am her rock too.