To Die For - Davidson King Page 0,74

to Sparkles to leave Tank in the big crate in the hotel room. He didn’t argue with me over it, thankfully.

He was silent the entire ride to the hotel, and I was afraid this was all too much for him, and he’d say he never wanted to see me again. I was prepared for that. It would tear my heart out, but at least I knew he’d be alive, and Dorian Birch could never hurt him again.

“Are you going to talk to me?” I asked when I parked the car.

“You told the cops that Dorian was stalking me as my landlord, and that was why I got a new place, and you believed that was why he broke into your mom’s place.”

I had said that. I knew if they launched an investigation, they’d find out he was banned from Joker’s Sin and that he was Sparkles’s landlord and I never wanted it to come back to bite him.

“Yeah, they would’ve found out.”

“You did all this for me?”

His cyan eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“And I’d do it again.”

“Why?” He looked so vulnerable at that moment.

“Because I love you, you idiot.”

He chuckled. “I love you too. Herpes and all.”

“Don’t start.” I laughed as I leaned over the console and kissed him.

Epilogue

Three Months Later

Lane

“I think my nuts are frozen,” I said as I entered the apartment. Valentine’s Day was in a week, and Nolan wanted to get light-up hearts to stick into the ground along the front, so the studio was all pretty. Not easy when the ground was frozen.

“I told you to wait and I’d help you.” Max smiled as he leaned against the doorframe, wearing an apron that read “Lasagna is made with ricotta not cottage cheese, fight me.”

“It’s okay. Now you’re nice and warm, so I can do this.” I pressed my ice-cold fingers under his shirt, loving how he screamed like a cat.

“That’s cruel!” He pushed me away. Tank, thinking it was playtime, started hopping around, barking.

“I’m going to take a shower. Is the food almost done?” I slipped my scarf off and took a whiff of the air. Garlic, tomatoes, and onion filled the apartment.

“Yep. My sisters, Ma, Barney, and the kiddos will be here in about thirty minutes, so you better hurry.” He swatted my butt.

“Don’t go starting something you can’t finish.” I winked and ran to the bathroom, laughing when I shut the door in Max’s face.

It had been a crazy three months. With Max’s mother’s blessing, Max moved in with me. She swore she’d be fine, but we were making sure her bank account was always okay, and she could pay for things.

My mother, sadly, passed away two days into the new year. It was hard, and I was devastated, but the mom I knew left me a long time ago. Knowing how much pain she was in, it was almost a relief to know she wasn’t suffering anymore. Max had wanted to meet her and when we went there, she wasn’t lucid but she was pleasant. She had no recollection of who I was but said Max and I made a cute couple. It was the acceptance I didn’t know I needed, and the last time I saw her alive. Max was at my side through it all, and it made the grieving process easier. They did do an autopsy, and it was determined she had Lewy Body Dementia. It didn’t give me the relief I thought it would, no, and it was Max that made it easier to accept.

Max was never arrested for killing Dorian, and it was ruled self-defense. After that fateful night, Max and I saw Ciro in a whole new light. While he was still a man shrouded in secrets, we knew there was a good reason he kept them quiet, and it wasn’t our place to dig through them. I did sit down with Atlas and give him every detail about what had been going on, even the things I left out before. He had really come through for me and deserved to know what had happened that led to all this drama.

Nolan and Alexandra loved the new studio, and I was encouraged to aim for a drama-free life from now on.

My life was good. The guilt and worry that felt like an elephant constantly sitting on my chest was gone. I had a family I never thought I’d have, a man who loved me more than I probably deserved, a dream job, and the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for.

I’d just finished getting dressed when I heard the knock on the door followed by the loud Fazio family. Ma was talking about the art on the walls, and the kids were shouting for Tank, who I knew was likely hiding. He loved the kids, but they were a lot to take in, and he was tiny.

Barney’s voice echoed through the place, talking to Max about the game last night and how he wished he were a betting man—he’d have won a fortune. It was a house filled with laughter and love. Something I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of hearing.

I walked out and was flooded with hugs from Ma, Teresa, Frances, Maria, the kids, and even Barney. I was asked a million questions about work, my outfit, and of course the kids were asking me if they could give Tank a treat.

“Okay, let him breathe.” Max wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Food’s ready, go sit.”

Everyone dispersed, and he smiled at me. “Every time they see you, it’s like you’re a movie star.”

I chuckled. “It’s nice to be loved.”

He pressed his lips to mine. “And it’s something I hope you always feel.”

I wasn’t sure life got any better than this, but I was sure looking forward to finding out.

The End

Author’s Note

Want to find out how Nolan and Seth met? A short story is coming (or depending when you read this may already be there) of their meet-cute. Check it out in my group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DavidsonKingsCourt/

There are giveaways, exclusive material, teaser, and so much more. Hope to see you there.

Also, keep up with my new releases and info on book, translations, audios, and more by joining my newsletter:

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Thank you so much for reading Max and Sparkles’s story. Feel free to leave a review. I’d love to know what you thought.

Other Books by Davidson King

Haven Hart Series

Snow Falling

Hug It Out

A Dangerous Dance

Snow Storm

From These Ashes

Triple Threat

Raven’s Hart

Joker’s Sin Series

My Whole World

To Die For

Collaboration with JM Dabney

The Hunt

Standalones

New Tricks (Book 10: Ace’s Wild multi-author series)

Sticky Fingers

Acknowledgments

There are so many people to thank I fear I will always forget someone. Of course my family. They have to put up with my crazy brain on a regular basis. I also want to thank my Beta Team: Jenn, Lori, and Steph. They get my books in their rawest forms and lovingly rip it to shreds. I couldn’t do it without them. I want to thank Anita for her special catches. She’s more a magician than anything else. Flat Earth Editing, Hope and Jess, made this book sparkle in the end and it has been a pleasure working with them. And of course I have to thank Designs by Morningstar for the cover. She always nails it with my covers.

In the end none of this happens without all of you reading my insane ideas. This is for you, my readers. You amaze me and inspire me every day. Thank you, a million times.

About the Author

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

When she's not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she'd tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you're afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

Check out my Linktree for all links: https://linktr.ee/davidsonkingauthor