The Billionaire's Final Stand (35 page)

              “For you, it’s easy, Austin. You see what you want and you go for it, no questions asked. I’m not that way. I’m honestly not that girl from the wedding. I don’t know why I did what I did that night. I don’t know why I’ve continued to lose control with you since, but that’s not me. This is me, right here, right now. I’m not exciting and glamorous. I’m not a
jump in the nearest closet
kind of girl. As soon as the chase is over, you’ll lose interest. The girl you keep chasing, the fling you’re wanting isn’t real,” she said, her voice hoarse from what he was sure was unshed tears.

              “You know what? I think you’re lying. I think you’re lying to yourself and to me. You say none of this has been real?” he questioned.

              While looking into her eyes, he placed his hand over her stomach, causing her to gasp. Good. He wanted to shake her up, not much, just a little.

              “This is as real as it gets. You might be carrying my child, Kinsey. The sex didn’t happen in a dream, or my imagination. The explosion between us, every time we’re within five miles of each other, isn’t fake. You can try and build your walls, that's fine, but don’t you dare insult me. Don’t you dare tell me it’s all been nothing but a dream.”

              He knew he was on the edge of a cliff, barely holding on. He also knew he shouldn’t take out his anger on her, but he was mad, mad at just about everything right then.

              He leaned back as he ran his fingers through his hair.

              “Okay.”

              “What?” Austin looked up as she whispered the word.

              “I’m tired, so tired of everything. I don’t want to fight any more tonight. I don’t want to think. I just want you to hold me,” she whispered, fear present in her eyes.

              He didn’t say anything else, just took off his jacket and climbed in next to her. As he pulled her into his arms, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

              He woke up in the early dawn hours and slipped from the room. They both needed to figure out what they wanted, but he wasn’t going to push her anymore. He’d made his intentions clear; now the ball was in her court.

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              When Kinsey woke in the morning, Austin was gone, leaving her heart aching, though she tried telling herself it was for the best. Still, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling at the sudden loneliness consuming her.

              While she was trying to eat her breakfast a couple hours later, a knock sounded on her door, making her eagerly look up.

              Instead of Austin, several people silently stepped inside the room with big grins on their faces, all carrying huge bouquets of flowers and balloons. By the time they were finished, her room looked like a florist shop.

              One of the people handed her a card, then they left as quickly as they’d come. With shaking fingers, she opened the envelope and pulled out the note.

I’m sorry you were hurt. Get better soon.

Austin

              That was it? She flipped the card around, looking to see if anything else was on the other side. Nothing.

              She didn’t know what to think. He was sending her massive amounts of flowers, but he was gone, and his note was so impersonal. Was he saying goodbye?

              Kinsey lay back down and cried herself to sleep, still no closer to finding any answers.

Chapter
Nineteen

              “You should still be resting, not coming back to work so soon,” Katherine scolded Kinsey two days later when she walked in the room to check on Joseph.

              “I know this sounds silly, so please bear with me, but I’ve missed him. I’ve grown quite attached to Joseph, and being away the last couple of days, I felt… I don’t know… just - off,” Kinsey said with a shrug.

              She checked his charts, reassuring herself the temp nurse had done her job well, and then she sat down beside Katherine.

              “That I can understand,” Katherine said, immediately softening. “Joseph has a way of casting a spell on everyone around him, even when he’s sleeping.”

              Kinsey had missed being there. She hadn’t wanted to leave Joseph in the care of anyone else. She’d been with him from the beginning, and she’d see it through to the end. She just hoped and prayed the end was him waking up.

              “Go ahead and get comfortable. The rest of the family will be here any minute. They’re anxiously awaiting the conclusion of our story,” Katherine offered.

              Kinsey felt like an intruder during the story, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave. She wanted to know what made a couple stay together for so many years. She was captivated by Katherine’s voice as she spoke of her love.

              Soon, the room crowded with Joseph’s children, nieces and nephews, even some of the grandchildren and great nieces and nephews. The large space felt as if it quickly shrank, with the amount of people in it.

              Kinsey waited to see Austin walk in, but he was absent. She refused to allow herself to watch the door, instead focusing on Katherine as she got comfortable in the chair next to her husband’s bed.

              “How’s he doing today, Mom?” Alex asked.

              “He’s doing good. Look at his cheeks. Being home is bringing the color back into them. I know he’s on his way back,” she replied with confidence.

              “He’ll come back because we need him to,” Emily said with a hopeful smile.

              “I can’t remember where I left off.”

              “He’d tricked you into coming to his place. He was showing you the castle he was building just for you,” Bree said with a sigh. “So romantic.”

              “Yes, that’s right. I gave up fighting him. I knew when I left that night, I’d never be the same again, but I didn’t care anymore. One minute with him was better than none. I was so tired of hurting, aching. But I knew that hurting was nothing compared to how I was going to feel once he was done with me. But still, I couldn’t refuse him anymore…”

              Joseph lifted his head, his darkened eyes looking into her own frightened ones. The power he wielded over her was too great. She also knew she was powerless to stop it.

              “I do want you in my bed, but that’s not all. This is for you. Since meeting you, everything I do is about you, Katherine. I can’t live without you,” he murmured.

              Katherine was confused as she looked at him. He’d won. She was giving herself over to him, so why was he still talking? She couldn’t seem to grasp his words.

              Her heart nearly burst when he dropped to his knee’s on the gently blowing grass. His eyes filled as he looked in her eyes.

              “I’ve done a lot wrong where you’re concerned, Katherine. Before you, there’s never been a woman I wanted to be with night and day. Never before have I thought of one person so often, I can’t think of anyone or anything else. Yes, I want you in my bed, and by my side, but not for a cheap affair. I’d never dishonor you that way. I want you as my equal partner. I want to give you everything your heart desires. I want to watch your stomach grow round with my children. I want to hold you when we’re seventy-five and do nothing more than watch a sunset together off the balcony of our home that I’m building for you. Please make me complete, Katherine. Please be my wife,” he said as a tear fell.

              He reached into his pocket and pulled out an exquisite diamond ring, his fingers trembling slightly as he knelt before her, baring his soul.

              Katherine dropped down next to him, her legs no longer able to support her, her arms needing to be around him.

              She reached up and slowly wiped the tear from his cheek, awed that such a strong man was willing to make himself so vulnerable in front of her. How wrong she’d been. How many years she’d wasted. How many pointless tears she’d cried. She leaned forward and kissed him. A kiss filled with all the love she had for her larger than life man.

              “Yes.”

              She didn’t need to say any more than that simple word. She’d decided to give him anything he wanted, and she was so grateful he wanted it all.

              Joseph’s smile lit up his face. He slipped the ring on her finger, a perfect fit, and then his arms wrapped around her, pulling her tightly against him. Neither of them said anything as she rested her head against his chest.

              After minutes, or maybe hours, passed, he finally pulled back. He kissed her once more, then stood, pulling her up next to him as he wrapped his arm around her.

              “Come. Let me show you your palace.”

              Joseph took her hand and led her to the house. He stepped through an unfinished doorway and walked inside as she looked around in wonder.

              “I can see it all, Katherine. I can see the finished house. It will be beautiful. I can already picture our children running through these halls,” he said with excitement. His enthusiasm quickly drawing her in.

              “Thank you, Joseph,” she whispered in awe.

              “No, it’s you I need to thank. I’ve been lost for a long time, but you’ve changed me. You made me realize I didn’t need to settle. I can have it all. Because of you, George and I spoke, really spoke for the first time in years. I knew I couldn’t waste any more time on misunderstandings. I knew I couldn’t hold onto the past. He felt the same way. It’s all because of you. You wouldn’t allow me to be half a man anymore.”

              “Oh, Joseph, I don’t understand how I did it, but I’m so glad,” she said, fresh tears springing to her eyes.

              “He loves you almost as much as I do,” he said with a chuckle. You did it by refusing to accept anything less than what you deserve. You did it by being yourself.

              “I just wanted your love. I’m so sorry I fought so hard- wasted all this time,” she said.

              “We won’t waste even a moment more. I’ll give you any wedding you want, but please marry me quickly. I don’t want to spend even one more night without you,” he begged.

              “Yes, Joseph, yes. I don’t need anything fancy. I just need you,” she said, meaning her words.

              “My Katherine, you’d better get used to fancy, because I need to spoil you. You’re my queen.”

              Joseph pulled her tightly against him in the unfinished space of their home and he spent the rest of the night with her safely cradled in his arms as he whispered his love in her ear.

              “Joseph and I were both such fools for a very long time. Now, you should realize why we’ve wanted you to find your own true loves,” George said as Katherine finished speaking.

              “Wow,” Jessica said, her voice filled with awe.

              “I can’t believe how much you two went through,” Amy said as she dabbed her eye and sniffled.

              “You had a huge wedding, though. I’ve poured over those pictures. Your dress is right out of a Cinderella story,” Emily said with confusion.

              “You all know Joseph. He may have said he wanted a quick wedding, and believe me, he did, but that man wouldn’t settle for anything less than the best. We married in two weeks’ time, and it was a fairy tale, with the perfect dress, location, and decorations. It was the most romantic day of my life. Looking back, I’m truly glad he made it special. Back then, I only wanted him, and everything else was just a bonus. The best part of the day was the kiss he gave me after they pronounced us man and wife. It was in that moment that I knew we’d be together forever. He’s never stopped telling me how much he loves me,” Katherine said as she wiped away another tear.

              “And I never will,” Joseph whispered.

              The room went silent as all eyes turned to the bed where Joseph lay, his eyes cracked open, gazing at his wife.

              “Joseph?”

              “I love you, Katherine, today, tomorrow and always.” His voice was hoarse, but his words were clear.

              “You’re awake!” she cried, joy and relief evident in her expression.

              Kinsey jumped up, immediately calling for the doctor, then getting to work, checking his vitals, moving around the bed, looking in his eyes.

              Joseph batted her away as he weakly lifted his hand to press his fingers against Katherine’s face. She lay in his arms, smiling as gentle sobs racked her body.

              “I’ve missed you so much, Joseph. Please, please don’t ever leave me again. I need you,” she begged.

             
Such and intimate moment,
Kinsey thought as she dreamily sighed and stepped back. Their love so obvious, it brightened the room. Everyone was awed as they watched the two of them reunite, their love stronger than ever before.

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

              The rest of the day was a flurry of activity as the doctor rushed over and did a complete work-up on Joseph. He’d said from the beginning he could wake anytime, but he looked surprised to see him not only awake, but so alert.