SWNOVELS Acts of Grace: Part 1 – Chapter 22
The nerve of this man, showing up like he owns me.
Closing the door on Jacob, I turn to face Titus. “What goes on in that mind of yours? On what planet do you think it’s okay for you to come to my home, act like my man, and piss all over your perceived territory without giving me any of the benefit that would come along with it?”
Titus’ brows hit his hairline. “Whoa there. First of all, you are mine and I am yours. We’ve already established that. Second of all, this,” he grabs my hips, pulling back to him, “is off limits to any other man, so yeah. I get to claim you publicly, despite you calling me your friend.”
I push myself free from his hold, “You’re right. I shouldn’t call you friend. That term would be too kind.”
He has the audacity to scoff, “What are you going on about, woman. What in the world could I have done to get you all bent out of shape?”
His words only serve as fuel, angering me and wanting to kick him out for his ignorance. Closing my eyes, I let out a slow breath. “You, Titus Eirik Bond, have been keeping things from me. Things that a friend would never keep to themselves.”
Like a garage door coming down, I see the shutter of indifference taking over Titus’ face. No longer do I see the confused and frustrated man who I thought was my partner. He is long gone, and in his place is the ever-stoic Titus Bond.
“That’s what I thought. Nothing to say now that you’ve been called out. Well let me make things clearer, when you know something that could very much affect a friend’s well-being, you come clean about it. Keeping it from them can only mean a lack of apathy.”
There he is, his face has come roaring back to life. “Bullshit!” He slams a fist into the wall before heading deeper into the apartment. “Everything I kept from you was to keep you safe, not because I lack feelings for you. If anything, I have too many damn feelings for you. I can’t stop thinking about you. All day long, it sneaks into everything I do. For fucks sake, I can’t even go up a damn elevator without thinking about how you’re feeling.”
He’s headed into the closet, rummaging through some boxes.
What in the world?
“Okay. If you feel so much for me, then how could you keep vital information from me? How would knowing that my mother is still alive be putting me in danger?”
Titus doesn’t respond to me, instead he keeps rummaging through the boxes in my closet, mumbling to himself. “Hudson was right, WRATH women are crazy.”
“Excuse me… did you just call me crazy?”
Titus pulls some papers out of a small white box before storming toward me. “Yes. I fucking did.”
His strong arms pick me up, throwing me over his shoulder as he carries me to bed before throwing me onto the feather lined duvet.
Before I can say anything, Titus has sat himself at the foot of the bed. His entire body is rigid, not a hint of humor to be seen as he extends his arm out, handing me the papers he’s just retrieved.
My hand hesitantly reaches out, scared at whatever revelation they hold inside.
MARISSA HAWTHORNE, DECEASED, remains found along a jogging trail in Dallas, Texas.
“What is this?” My voice cracks as I ask Titus to explain.
“It’s the report we obtained three years ago. It confirmed a fake narrative that your mother was dead.”
“But she’s not, right?” My face scrunches together as I try and make sense of the report. “Unless she killed my dad, then killed Bella’s mom by running them off the road… and then died?”
Titus grabs my legs and drags me to him, “I wanted you to see why we stopped looking into her before I continue with what’s been going on now and why we want to you keep you safe.”
I cock a brow, his proximity soothing the ache in my chest and making me a little more forgiving. “Okay. Explain.”
“So you already put two and two together. It’s quite possible that your mother murdered your father and then ran Bella and her mom off the road. What was new information was that Marissa is still alive.”
“Okay, now I’m even more confused.”
Titus places his index finger on my lips, silencing me. Too bad I’m not in the mood. Opening my mouth wide, I take his finger and bite. “Talk, Titus.”
He shakes his head and gives me a sad smile. “Remember I told you the gun used on Bella’s car was the same one used in your father’s murder?”
Sucking in air, the horror sets in. “Not only did my psychopath mother kill my father and Bella’s mother, she’s now trying to kill Bella too?”
Titus cups my face in his hands before pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Min skatt, there’s more.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, regretting having ever brought this up. “Just rip it off with one clean pull.”
“Last night we found out how William’s ex kept winning all of their cases in court.”
My brows squeeze together as my head begins to pound. “What does William’s gold-digging ex have to do with our mother, or Bella for that matter?”
“We’re not sure of the reason behind the connection yet, only that there is one. Marissa is in a relationship with one of the judges and has been giving Heather assurances that she’d win against William.” My mouth is hanging wide open. “This sordid tale is something straight out of daytime soap opera.”
Titus chuckles, but the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I wish that were all, but there’s even more fucked up shit happening behind the scenes.”
“Oh, come on. How much have you guys been keeping from me and the girls? I know they don’t have a clue about the connection between Bella’s tires and my dad’s murder. They would’ve told me if they did.”
“At least those assholes kept their word about some of the things.” Titus mumbles to himself as he runs the palm of his hand across his face. “There’s only one other thing. It’s about Brad, your ex. Like Heather, he’s also been in contact with your mother. We aren’t sure what the connection is yet, but I’m guessing it’s probably the same reason Marissa was working the Heather angle.”
My eyes shoot open, the shock on my face evident based on Titus’ look of pity. “I just don’t understand. What in the world could Brad and Heather have to do with our mother?”
“We aren’t sure yet, but I’ve been working on a source. We have a full team working on piecing everything together and I promise I’ll tell you what I know when I learn of it. For now, we’ve doubled security and have done everything to keep you ladies safe.”
“Us ladies?”
“Yes, you, Bella, Cassie, and Alyssa.”
“Who’s Alyssa?”
“Hudson’s stepsister. She’s moved in with him while she goes to college here. We’re not sure who else has been pulled into this scheme or why, so for now, the ladies of WRATH are on lockdown.”
Lockdown. Ugh. The word sounding oppressive to my ears.
“Are lockdowns absolutely necessary?”
“You aren’t a prisoner, Ashley. You’re free to go about your normal activities. The only exception is that you will be closely monitored in everything you do outside of your home.”
I roll my eyes and blow out a breath. “So what you’re saying is that things are operating per usual.”
Titus chuckles, “Can you blame us? I leave you alone for one day and you’ve not only turned on me, but you’re entertaining a blond man at your door.”
“Ha! You make it seem as if I were flirting with my realtor. And don’t think you’re off the hook. You still haven’t explained why you’ve kept things from me.”
Titus lays me back down onto the bed, crawling over me so that our faces are a breath apart. “One, He was flirting. Two, I did tell you why. At first, we simply didn’t know. And once we found out your mother was still alive, we all agreed it would be best if we didn’t stress you out with the information. You were already so devastated with what happened in Florida, telling you about this would’ve only added to your stress. Not something any of us wanted to do.”
I reach up, taking his bottom lip between my teeth and sucking at the juicy flesh before releasing it with a pop. “No more. From now on you can’t hide anything from me. Not if you want us to continue having whatever it is that we have.”
Titus grabs the back of my thighs, lifting me up and smacking my ass, “Deal. And what we have is each other. I am yours, unconditionally and I’ll always do what I think is in your best interest, whether you see it that way or not.”
“For your information, keeping things is not in my best interest. When I find out about things through my best friends instead of the man I share my body with, I feel like a dumb ass that’s been played.” I purse my lips and raise a brow, unwilling to let this happen again.
Titus grabs me by the waist while chuckling, flipping me over so my stomach is on the bed. “Understood, little treasure. Those fuckers went against their word and told their women when they said they wouldn’t.” His big hands trail from my shoulders to my waist before finally latching on to my ass, squeezing the globes in a punishing grip. “Never again, min skatt. You will always come first.”
My whole body stills at the implication of his words, making my heart catch in my throat. I would never ask him to choose between his brotherhood and me.
That’s not who I am.
But that fact that he’s doing it because he wants to, because he cares for me that much… I’m at a loss for words.
I gasp as his thick fingers slide between my folds, feeling the dampness that lies in waiting. Waiting for his fingers, his tongue, his delicious cock.
“Cat’s got your tongue, little treasure?” Titus’ voice is thick as one of his hands slides up my abdomen, past the curves of my breasts and ending at my throat. His fingers grip on to the delicate flesh and pull me back to his chest. “Let me make it clear. You are my queen.”
Titus fastens something around my neck. “I’m tied to you for life, Ashley Hawthorne. No other will ever do.” Turning me around he carries me to the full-length mirror, standing me before him.
A thin platinum chain rests close to my throat, the strand connected by a delicate circle through which
a pendant hangs.
Is this a collar?
My brows push together as I look back at him through the reflection. His words are so at odds at what this thing around my neck symbolizes, aren’t they?
Titus fingers trail the length of my collar, his eyes looking on with adoration. “To live in a world devoid of your presence would be to live in a state of death, mourning the loss of my other half. You, Ashley Hawthorne, have consumed every part of me, leaving no cell unturned.”
My eyes water and my lip trembles. His words, they’re what I’ve always wanted to hear. He too, is my other half, and after having this time with him, I don’t think I could ever survive if something were to ever happen to him.
“Titus, I love you. I’ve always loved you.” My voice cracks, the words sounding surreal to my own ears. These are words I’ve said a million times in my head, but never out loud.
Gripping my face in his hands, he brings my face to his, hovering his lips over mine, “I’ve always loved you, min skatt. You’re my little treasure, the light in my life. Whatever happens, you will always be mine, and I will always be yours.”
Needing no further reassurance that this man is my forever, I dive head first into him, his love, and yes, even his kink.