Redeeming (Red Lips & White Lies Book 2)

I once read that in the hands of the right man, a woman can be a hundred different versions of herself, limited only by his willingness to make her feel loved and safe. I feel loved and safe. So when do I get to be the version of myself who can see my feet again? Because I miss being able to bend to shave my legs in the shower.

—Caitlin’s Secret Thoughts

Book club is different when one of your friends is a romance author. You talk about the spice in the book, and she points out the plot holes. I mean . . . it was still hot, even if I now realize it wasn’t very good. It also made me appreciate Callen and his big, beautiful dick because listening to Bellamy, Adelaide, and Coraline talk about the lackluster sex they’ve either had before or are having now—yeah, even nearly nine full months pregnant—I can’t relate.

My sex is great.

We’ve had to get a little more creative as my bump gets bigger and more in the way, but I’m pretty sure Callen has taken that as a personal challenge he’s determined to best. And I’ve got to say, my man loves a challenge.

Pregnancy got so much better once I started getting orgasms whenever I want them.

Which is exactly what I think I want when I walk in the house that night. An orgasm . . . or three. What can I say? Callen’s a giver, and I will happily be a taker tonight.

Cupcake greets me at the door, like always, shaking her chubby booty as she goes. Only she has a big pink silk bow tied to her collar, and when I untie it, a tiny key slips into my hand.

I look around the dark living room but don’t see Callen anywhere.

He must be home because there’s a fire burning in the fireplace and candles lit on the mantle. Then I notice the giant white box tied with the same pink ribbon that Cupcake wore sitting on the coffee table in the center of the room.

What the hell?

“Callen—” I call out and walk over to the box.

It’s huge.

If I sat this sucker on the floor, it would come up to my knees.

I look around again . . . “Callen⁠—”

Still nothing.

I mean . . . it can’t hurt to just untie the ribbon, right?

Of course, the lid accidentally comes off when I untie the bow, so I may just have to look inside. And since it’s already open, I pull out piece after piece of pink tissue paper with small black kittens covering it until I find a smaller box under it all.

Box after box, like little Russian nesting dolls, and each one is bursting with more black cat tissue paper.

I laugh as the tower of tissue paper grows to the point that Cupcake is hidden, snoring underneath it somewhere, and I finally get to what I’m assuming is the very last box—a small antique jewelry box with a lock.

Wait . . . my key.

I pull out the key that had been attached to Cupcake and slowly turn it in the lock, then crack the box open and feel my heart squeezing in my chest.

“Callen . . .”

It’s an old-fashioned gold locket, and when I open it, a miniature copy of our first ultrasound is taped in place with our initials engraved on the back.

“Do you like it, kitten?” this man I love desperately asks as he walks up behind me and wraps his arms around my chest.

“I love it,” I tell him as I hand it to him and lift my hair. “Would you put it on me?”

He fixes the clasp, then fixes my hair, and I turn to face him, then burst into tears.

Because now, in his hand is a beautiful diamond ring.

“You didn’t think it was going to just be that locket, did you?” He smiles and wipes the tears from my eyes. “Don’t cry, Caitie. I love you. I want to spend my life loving you. I want to vow it to you in front of our friends and family. I want you and our baby to know you will always have me in this life and whatever comes next. Marry me, Caitlin.”

I can barely push the words past my lips, the tears are coming so hard, but somehow, I manage. “Yes, Callen . . . Yes, I’ll marry you.”

If ten-year-old Caitlin could possibly be told this is how her life would turn out, she’d never believe it. Or maybe she would. I guess there’s a reason I never gave up on this man.

Four orgasms later, and I’m barely lucid, lying on the bed, my diamond ring reflecting the candlelight flickering from around our bedroom. This man thought of everything. He lies behind me, supporting my back as I tangle my legs with his, trying but failing to get comfortable. “Maddox wants to be my best man.”

“Oh yeah? Maddox knew?” I ask with a lazy, scratchy voice.

May have screamed a little too loud.

Callen waits a beat as his hand stops the lazy long strokes up and down my arm. “Yeah. I needed his help finding out when your dad was going to be home.”

I whip my head around so fast, I actually see stars. “What are you talking about? Why did you need to know that?”

I haven’t spoken to my father since that day in December when I left his house.

He needs to apologize, but he never will because that means admitting he’s wrong. And when it comes to his business, he’ll never admit that.

Even when he did reach out, the messages he left were defending himself, not apologizing for hurting me.

“I wanted to ask him for his permission to marry you,” he tells me as if that was the right thing to do.

“And. Did. He. Give. It?” I bite out, pissed and hurt. Pissed that my father would talk to Callen but not to me. And equally hurt for the same reason.

“His blessing, yes. I basically ended up telling him I didn’t need his permission. I was marrying you with or without that, but giving his blessing could possibly be the first step in bridging the gap between you both.” He tucks my head under his and tries to relax me into submission.

News flash.

It doesn’t work.

“And what else happened?” I ask, needing to know everything.

“Well, let’s see. Your mom gave Lucky shit. Your Uncle Cade offered me a shot. I wrapped my hands around your Uncle Becket’s throat, and I got your mom and dad’s blessings.”

His hand restarts its journey as I lie here, dumbfounded.

“Are we just going to act like you didn’t strangle my uncle?” I question.

“Yeah, babe. We’re going to skip over that to the part where I think you should talk to your dad.”

I want to sit up quickly and glare at him, but the giant fucking beach ball of a belly I’m rocking these days kinda prohibits that. “Are you insane?”

I know talking to him won’t get me anywhere.

I’ve grown up in this world.

Until now, Callen has been on the periphery.

“And why would I do that?” I argue, unable to help myself.

“Because he’s your dad, and you love him, and life is too fucking short not to, Caitie.”

I lay my head back down on his arm and ignore the pain in my lower back and the way the light flashes behind my eyes from the sudden movement. I also choose to ignore the fact that Callen is right.

Damn him.

I wake up to a text and send my mom a picture of my ring.

Mom

You should have seen your boyfriend last night. He was incredible.

Caitlin

My fiancé.

I correct her with a smile on my face.

Caitlin

I heard he may have gotten a little pissed at Becket.

Mom

He wasn’t the first, and he won’t be the last.

Caitlin

Ha. Ha. True.

Mom

So are we planning a wedding?

Caitlin

For now, I’m just focused on the baby. Maybe we can plan something after.

Mom

You’re going to elope, aren’t you?

I don’t bother to bullshit her. She’d see right through it.

Caitlin

I don’t know. Maybe.

Mom

Oh, my darling girl. You’ll never know how much alike we actually are. I love you and am so proud of you.

Caitlin

I love you too, Mom.