“Tanner?” she breathes. “I need more.”

  Fuck, yes.

  Pulling her off the wall, I take her back to the bed. “Get on your knees.”

  Her eyes flutter and she does it quickly, spreading her thighs wide before plastering her chest to the mattress, that gorgeous ass up in the air and her glistening cunt just waiting for me. My hand comes down on that perfect cheek and she groans loud. “Now, Tanner.”

  I’m not one to disappoint.

  I slam back inside her, this angle taking me so much deeper. My balls tighten as I pull back, grabbing her hips and holding her still. I thrust hard again, and as her walls clench around me, my fucking knees go weak. She’s got a chokehold on my cock and I’d never give it up for anything.

  My thumb presses down over her ass, and with each thrust, I apply a little more pressure until she’s pushing back against me, silently begging for more. I give her everything she wants as her hand slips down between her legs, rubbing tight circles over her clit.

  She’s so fucking stunning like this. Absolutely breathtaking.

  Everything clenches inside of me. I’m close to the edge, her low groans and desperate panting only pushing me further. I slide inside of her as she tightens around me, and I’m just about to lose my fucking mind when she cries out. “Oh, God, I’m gonna come.”

  “Give it to me, Killer,” I demand, applying more pressure to her ass. “Let me see that pretty cunt come apart.”

  “Oh fuck,” she grumbles, her face squished into my mattress, and as I thrust one more time, she’s pushed over the edge, coming hard as her whole body spasms. “Tanner, yes!”

  Her pussy convulses around me, squeezing like never before, and it’s all I need to fall off the cliff. My whole world detonates and I come hard, shooting hot spurts of cum deep into her sweet cunt, her panting groans only making it better.

  I don’t stop moving until she comes down from her high, her body relaxing against the bed as she works on catching her breath. Gently pulling out of her, I reach down and take her by the waist, lifting her off the bed before walking around to the top of it.

  I sit up in the bed, resting back against the headboard as Bri straddles my lap, both of us utterly spent. Her head rests against my shoulder as my fingers trail up and down her back. “Next time you plan to fuck me that good, you need to warn me first,” she mumbles, her lips moving against my neck.

  I grin, pride swirling in my chest.

  “And why’s that?”

  “So I can pray first,” she tells me. “Because when I came just then, I swear I saw Jesus, and if he’s going to be a regular sighting from here on out, I better make sure I’m in good with the big guy. Otherwise, I’m definitely going to hell. Fucking that good has got to be a sin.”

  “Damn fucking right,” I tell her, calling it like I see it.

  Bri laughs and she sits up, pressing her lips to mine. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”

  I pretend to think about it. “Twice this morning, three times before the game, and including just now,” I grin, “five times since the game.”

  “You’re an idiot.”

  “An idiot who fucks you so good you see Jesus, right?”

  “You’re not going to let me forget I said that, are you?”

  I laugh, pushing her hair back off her face. “Now why would I go and do something stupid like that?”

  “Well,” she murmurs, reaching down between us and taking hold of my cock, slowly pumping her hand up and down my length before raising up on her knees and lowering herself back down on me, taking me whole. “I guess I have no other choice but to give you something even better and make you forget.”

  And not a second later, she rocks her hips, and my whole fucking world is blown.

  TANNER

  ONE YEAR LATER

  Standing with a heavy heart, I watch as the Hardin brothers are dragged out of the courtroom in handcuffs, where they’ll each be spending the next thirty or forty years of their lives behind bars. I should be happy. Justice has finally been served, but there’s been so much pain and loss there’s simply no room to celebrate. All that matters is they’ll be right where they belong, rotting in a cell beside Orlando where they can talk shit about me day in and day out.

  The day I knocked on Gina’s door, I didn’t need to tell her who I was. She recognized me, despite being five years older. I expected her to hit me, yell at me, even be fearful, but what I didn’t expect was for her to step into me and wrap me in her warm embrace. She cried on my shoulder before welcoming me into her home. We talked and she cried before sharing with me everything she’s been through, confessing she had prayed that one day I would find the courage to come forward and help her put the Hardin brothers away. And that’s exactly what I set out to do.

  It’s been a hard year, and at first, I was terrified. I thought the brothers would come for me and they sure as fuck tried, multiple times, but it wasn’t anything I wasn’t prepared for. I had so much to lose, but if Gina could face them after everything she’d lost, then so could I.

  The doors close behind the brothers, and after standing for the judge to leave, I take Bri’s hand and lead her out of the courtroom. “You okay?” she murmurs, looking up into my eyes.

  I give her a tight smile, the weight of this still resting on my shoulders. Hell, I don’t think it’ll ever go away, but I’ll spend the rest of my life trying.

  Gina walks out with her lawyer and she comes straight to me, giving me a warm smile before pulling me into her arms. “I couldn’t have done this without you, Tanner,” she tells me. “You really are a wonderful man. Thank you. I’m so glad you managed to put yourself on the right path.”

  “I’m just sorry you had to go through any of this,” I tell her. “Nothing can change what you lost that night.”

  “No, nothing ever will, nor will it take the memories away, but now I will be able to find peace knowing they won’t be able to hurt anyone else ever again. The streets of Hope Falls will be safe, and whether you believe it or not, there are countless families who can all rest easy now that they’ve been put away.”

  I nod, giving her a tight smile, wishing I could feel it the same way she does. “Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something,” I start, watching as her brows furrow with concern. “I’ve been thinking about doing this for quite a while but wanted to wait until the trial was over.” I pause awkwardly, unsure what she will think of this. “How would you feel if I were to start a foundation in your son’s name for the underprivileged families in lower class areas who are dealing with situations like your own? It could be a safe place for them to go after crime or devastation has torn their lives apart, somewhere to heal, or just somewhere they can go to talk, shower, or eat.”

  “A safe haven for survivors,” she finishes for me.

  “Exactly,” I tell her. “Like I said, I’d like to open the foundation in your son’s name, if you’re okay with that obviously, and if you were wanting to be a part of it, I’d like to take you on board as one of the directors. I want this to be yours.”

  She gapes at me as though I’ve just lost my mind. “Are you sure?” she breathes. “I think this is a wonderful idea and really, Jonah would have gotten a kick out of having his name attached to something so special, but I … I couldn’t. It’s a very lovely offer, but I wouldn’t know the first thing about being a director of something so important.”

  “Then we’ll teach you,” I insist. “My mom has been getting her business degree and has just started her own bakery. I’m sure she’d be happy to sit down with you and teach you everything you need to know, and whatever we don’t understand, we’ll figure out along the way.”

  “You’re really sure about this?”

  “Positive,” I tell her. “I want you on board with this. It wouldn’t feel right without you.”

  Tears gather in her eyes, and she squeezes my hand. “Then yes,” she says as Brielle loops her arm around mine, a beaming smile on her face. “I’d love to.”

  BRIELLE

  FOUR YEARS LATER

  The buzzer sounds throughout the stadium, signaling half time of the best football game I’ve ever seen.

  Tanner has been killing it. It’s his second year leading his team as captain and there’s a damn good reason why. He’s the best. There’s no question about it. He’s done four years of college football and every game, he just gets better. Hell, the whole world knows it, which is why he’s had every professional team in the country treating him like a king, wining and dining him and showering him with lavish gifts, desperate to get him to sign on the dotted line.

  Tonight is their championship game, and there’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be coming home with that trophy, and a shitload more where those scouts are concerned.

  Ilaria nudges me before nodding toward the cheerleaders as they race out onto the field, preparing for their halftime routine. “Do you think those uniforms get caught up their asses?”

  “Don’t ask me,” I scoff. “Ask Chanel. She was a cheerleader for four years.”

  Ilaria rolls her eyes as she cradles her pregnant belly. “I tried to ask her, but she’s too busy jerking off Logan beneath his jacket and acting as though it isn’t the most obvious thing in the world.”

  “What?” I laugh, having to lean right around her big belly to see, certain if I accidentally touch it she might pop and make Damien a daddy a few weeks too early. “Really, Chanel?” I say with a gag, getting an eyeful of her hand bobbing up and down beneath Logan’s jacket. “If you’re going to do it, at least get on your knees for him.”

  “Who’s getting on their knees?” Zoe asks from down the other end of our row, having to lean past the newlyweds, Jax and Ari, and announcing it to the whole freaking stadium.

  I can all but see the ridiculous comment forming in Riley’s head when booming music cuts across the field. My gaze shifts down to the field to see the cheerleaders shaking their asses, but as I look a little closer, I realize they’re not alone.

  “Oh no,” I laugh, watching Tanner twerking on the field. “What the hell is he doing?”

  Cameras zoom in on him and within seconds, Tanner’s ass is plastered over the jumbotron. The boys howl with laughter as the rest of the stadium cheers on their favorite player. I have no doubt this is going to make national headlines, just like everything else he does.

  He gets halfway through the routine, hitting every single step perfectly, and just when I start getting suspicious of how well he knows the dance, the jumbotron goes to a split screen, showing my face plastered right next to Tanner’s.

  My eyes bug out of my head as the crowd roars, clearly figuring out the same thing I’ve just worked out. “Oh, shit,” I gasp, flying to my feet and making a break for it, cutting in front of all our friends while Hudson and Addison smirk as though they knew this shit was about to go down. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.”

  What the hell is he thinking? I’m going to kill him.

  “Uh-oh,” a voice says over the speakers as I hit the stairs, racing up toward the exit. “We’ve got ourselves a runner.”

  Oh, God. How embarrassing.

  I glance over my shoulder at the screen to find Tanner staring up at me, a wicked smirk across his stupid face. The idiot is really enjoying this.

  My head whips back, and just as I lift my gaze to make sure I don’t trip and fall, I come to a startling halt, finding Riley blocking my way with his hands braced on his hips and a stupid smirk on his face. “How the fuck did you—”

  “Sorry, shortstack,” he says, cutting me off, his arms snapping out and grabbing me around the waist. He throws me over his shoulder before strutting down the stairs, the whole stadium applauding his efforts as humiliation claims me.

  “Put me down right now, you big bastard,” I say, drumming my fists against his back, even considering going as far as shoving my hands down his pants and giving him an ultimate wedgie.

  He gets right to the edge of the grandstand and without an exit right here, he has no choice but to toss me over the edge, right into the arms of one of Tanner’s teammates. I’m shuffled around and shoved over someone else’s shoulder and marched right out into the middle of the field before being deposited right in front of Tanner.

  The asshole just grins as I shake my head. “I hate you.”

  “I know,” he says, taking my hands.

  “You said you’d wait until after I finish law school,” I tell him.

  He shakes his head, his eyes sparkling with joy. “No, you said I should wait until you finished law school, and I specifically remember telling you to get fucked.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t even try it,” he says, cutting me off. “I’ve waited four years to be able to call you my wife. I’m not waiting any longer, Bri.” Tears well in my eyes as I watch him get down on one knee in front of the whole world. “The second I met you, you intrigued me. You came at me with that fiery attitude, and despite how badly I wanted to despise you, you just kept reeling me in. I fell hard for you, Brielle Ashford. You’ve been my whole fucking world since senior year, but it’s not enough. No amount of time with you will ever be enough. I want to build a life with you, build a home and a family. I want babies with your gorgeous bright blue eyes running around our home, jumping in our bed, and filling it with laughter and happiness, but I don’t want any of it if I can’t have you.” He pauses, pulling out a ring and holding it out to me. “Put me out of my misery, Killer. Let me make you my wife.”

  My tears spill down my cheeks as a wide smile stretches across my face. “Would it be a dick move to say no in front of all these people?”

  “You wouldn’t dream of it,” he tells me.

  “You’re right,” I laugh, throwing myself at him, crashing into his arms with everything I’ve got, my momentum sending us tumbling to the ground. He holds me tight, his arms wrapped around me as I meet his stare. I brush my lips to his, kissing him deeply as the crowd cheers for us.

  I pull back, elation pumping through my veins. “Becoming your wife would make me the happiest girl in the world.”

  TANNER

  EIGHT YEARS LATER

  “Holy shit,” my six-year-old son says from his bedroom down the hall, making Bri’s eyes widen in horror, her gaze flicking to mine as she cradles our newborn daughter, Eleanor, in her arms. “The tooth fairy gave me three hundred bucks.”

  Nah, that couldn’t be right. I know I was hitting the beers pretty hard with the boys last night, but there’s no way I would have fucked it up that bad. “Are you sure, buddy?” I call, quickly grabbing my wallet off my bedside table and peeking inside as I hear him barreling down the hall, sounding like a herd of fucking elephants.

  “What did you do?” Brielle laughs, shaking her head just as I realize there’s a big wad of cash missing from my wallet.

  “Ooooh, shit. The tooth fairy had a little too much to drink,” I tell her just as Asher bursts through the door, the cash held tightly between his fingers.

  He flies across our room before launching himself into the air and crashing down on the end of our bed, prompting Bri to grip Ellie just a little tighter. After all, Asher is about as wild as they come, and it wouldn’t be the first time he came bolting into our room, only to end up in the hospital ten minutes later getting stitches. “I’M RICH!” he booms, filled with laughter. “I’M THE RICHEST KID IN THE WORLD.”

  His noise has Ellie detaching from Bri’s nipple, letting a stream of breastmilk shoot across the bed. “Oh shit,” she gasps, nearly squirting the baby in the eye, her casual use of the word shit making Asher burst into another round of uncontrollable laughter.

  I take Ellie, curling her into my arms as Bri gets herself cleaned up and not a moment later, Asher slides in between us. “Hey,” Bri says, a wide smile across her face as she tickles Ash. “That’s my spot.”

  “You snooze, you lose,” he tells her, trying to keep a straight face but laughing as Bri’s tickles get too hard to avoid.

  I can’t help but hold my hand out for a high five. “My man,” I tell him as his little hand whips across at lightning speed to connect with mine.

  What can I say? I’ve never been so proud. He’s the perfect little clone, right down to the smartass attitude. I don’t doubt in another six years, he’ll be giving us both hell.

  Bri rolls her eyes while shaking her head. “Did you really have to teach him that?”

  “Don’t look at me,” I argue, watching the way her arm slips around Asher’s back and he absent-mindedly snuggles into her side. “You’ve got no one to blame but yourself for that shit.” I see the argument in her eyes and shake my head. “Don’t even think about it, Killer. You know I’m right.”

  She rolls her eyes as Ash holds up his cash. “What can I buy with all of this?” he asks, no doubt the wheels in his little head spinning.

  “With all of that?” Bri questions, making a show of double-checking how much cash he’s got. “Wow. With all of that, you could buy the whole world.”

  Ash laughs and rolls his eyes. “Don’t be silly, Mommy,” he says, beaming up at her. “I’ve already got the whole world right here.”

  Bri’s bottom lip pouts out as she looks at me over the top of his head. “Did you hear that?” she asks, just seconds from breaking down into big heaving sobs, but I shouldn’t be surprised. The pregnancy hormones have turned my fiery ball buster into an emotional wreck. Hell, she wept over dinner two nights ago because the carrots were next to the corn and she thought that was just so sweet because they might have grown beside each other in the crop field and it was like some kind of reunion for them.

  But even I have to admit, Asher knows how to pull on his mother’s heart strings. He learned that shit from me.