were, I’d call the FBI. I was going to tell my grandfather, but he knows how Thomas was to me. He set us up. I at least thought he loved me and Jaxson. I thought, in my stupid childish mind that he loved me and only wanted me to be married to a wealthy man. Someone he trusted to take care of me. After leaving his office today, I realized he’s not the man I thought he was. If I hadn’t had my inheritance from my parents, I honestly think my grandfather would’ve already had another man lined up to marry me.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” he sighed.
“I emptied my savings account to pay off the mortgage. When I told the trustees that today, I thought my grandfather was going to have a heart attack. I also used a good portion to track you down. Burying my bastard husband was easy. I bought the cheapest shit possible because he didn’t deserve anything nice. All that was child’s play compared to facing my grandfather, who thinks he owns me, that was scary.” She didn’t care that tears were flowing down her cheeks. Her life had been good until she’d met Thomas, yet to say she wished she’d never met him would be wishing the best thing in her life away. Her son. She’d never do that because that little boy was the greatest thing she’d ever done. Of course, she’d been blissfully ignorant about her grandfather, the man she’d called PopPop disappeared.
“I’m sorry, baby. You’re the strongest and most courageous woman I know. You deserve better than me, but I’ll be dammed if I can let you go. Please forgive me and my asshole tendencies. I’ll try to do better.” He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, then her lips. “Now, if you want to show me some of your sass, only take away the first s I’ll be more than happy to sit back and watch.”
Palmer couldn’t contain the laugh his words elicited. “You’re incorrigible, Keys.”
Keys pulled her in closer, thumbs tipping up her chin, so she was forced to look at him. “I really am sorry for being a dick.”
“It’s a lot of information to take in. I have what I found. Well, copies of it. I didn’t want to risk someone finding what I had and destroying it.” She pressed her forehead against his chest, ashamed to admit she feared her grandfather would try to get rid of the evidence.
“Palmer, look at me. You’re not to blame for the sins of others, just as I’m not guilty for the sins of mine. Hell, I have enough of my own to answer for. You do know I’m not a boy scout, don’t you?” Keys’ hands moved down her back, one spreading over her back, the other trailed a path downward until it rested just above her ass.
“I kinda got that message when you came swaggering in wearing that jacket with the rocker on it.”
Chapter Eight
Keys blinked down at Palmer, stunned to hear her use the words that described the patch on his cut. “How do you know about those?”
“I read.” She licked her lips, drawing his gaze to the cupid bow mouth he wanted to do such filthy things to.
“You read, do you? What kinda things you read?” He brought his hand back around, skimming his thumb over the plump bottom lip, pressing until she opened for him.
Palmer shrugged and tried to turn her face away. Keys wasn’t going to have any secrets between them if he could avoid it. “I asked you a question, sassy girl. When I ask you something, you’re to answer me. If you have a problem with it, then we talk about it. But you don’t lie, and you don’t evade me. Same goes with me. It’s a measure of trust and respect. Is that clear?”
“What if you ask something too personal?”
“Sassy girl, I plan to have my dick in every place you let me, and then talk you into ones you think aren’t okay. Trust me, baby, when it comes to you and me, nothing is going to be too personal.” Fuck, if she knew he planned to lick, kiss, suck, and fuck her in every place and way imaginable she’d probably run for the hills.
He groaned as her pink little tongue darted out to lick his thumb. “Ah, you’re playing with fire.”
“Hmm, I think I might like your flames.”
Keys pressed on her closed lips. “Open,” he ordered.
Palmer opened for him, sucking his thumb into her