estate, and it was my idea to leave the shelves looking a little worn. It gives the place character and reminds me of the library at the Academy in a way.
Someone painted the cast-iron fireplace in here years ago, and most of the paint has been scraped off. The fireplace is all chippy looking now, and I kind of like it. Maybe I’ll have them keep it like this too.
“You’ll have room for all your books, even the ones you have double copies of,” Lucas says with a smile.
“This room has almost as much shelf space as my store.” I let go of Lucas’s hand and turn around, looking at the grand library.
“I like to imagine it full of leather-bound books.” Lucas’s eyes wander over the empty shelves. “They don’t make books like they used to.”
“We can put a desk here.” I motion to a spot against the wall. “And a comfy couch in front of the fireplace, for sure. It’ll be a good reading spot.”
“Yes, reading.” Lucas puts his arms around me and kisses the back of my neck. I arch my back, eyes fluttering closed.
“The workers are leaving soon, right?” I ask, getting turned on. So much shit is going on, but I can always count on Lucas. He’ll always be there for me. To keep me sane. To comfort me. He’s my rock, the love of my life.
And he’s really good at making me come multiple times.
“They should be.” He sucks at the skin on my neck.
I turn in his arms, hooking my hands around his shoulders. “Should we go see the master bedroom?”
Lucas’s eyes flash. “Yes, we should.”
We get distracted on our way there, admiring the kitchen, which is completely done now, with the appliances installed and everything. It’s my dream kitchen, big, bright, and fancy. The island alone will seat plenty of people, and we have room for an eight-person breakfast table. The dining room can fit at least twelve, and I have no idea where to even buy a table that large.
Some of the floor upstairs was too water-damaged to save, and the new floor blends seamlessly in with the rest of the house. The room we chose for the master bedroom has a gorgeous view over the backyard, and we plan to put in a pool where the old family cemetery used to be. I’m not sure what Lucas told the contractors about the empty graves, but since there are no bodies, we’re allowed to move forward with moving the headstones and digging up that area.
We’re going to use the old headstones as part of a path from the house to the large garage that will house most of Lucas’s extensive car collection, and I really wouldn’t be surprised if Lucas just went ahead and had a fancy stable put in. I’ve always liked horses, but never had the time or money to get involved with them. Now that the weeds and unhealthy trees have been cleared from the yard, I can see the outline of an old pasture, and bringing back farm animals is almost like the last piece of the puzzle to fully make this old estate come back to life.
“Wow,” I breathe when Lucas turns on the light. The master bedroom is gorgeous, and I cannot wait to fill it with furniture and memories. “The bed will go against that wall.”
“And the crib right next to it,” Lucas adds, taking me in his arms once again. I lean against him, heart swelling in my chest. “Which room should we choose for her? Or him,” I add, though I’ve gotten it in my head I’m having a girl. Really, I have no idea what Michael meant, or if I actually heard his voice.
But something spoke to me that night and gave me the strength it took to break free from Ruth’s spell and save myself and my coven.
“We have lots of choices.” Lucas slides his hands down my arms. “I was thinking either the room across from us or right next to us.”
“Hang on,” I say and pull away. I go over to the spot where the bed will be and lie on the floor. I close my eyes and imagine I’m in bed, fast asleep when I hear a baby crying. Keeping my eyes closed, I get up and hold my hands out in front of me, feeling my way into the hall
“This room,” I tell Lucas, arms extended to the one right across the wide hall from us. It