Laces and Lace (Assassins #6) (32 page)

Looking back at the TV, Lacey settled deeper in the easy chair and brought her legs up under her chin as she smiled while Mr. King yelled at the screen. When a piece of pie appeared in front of her, she looked up to find Karson holding it out for her.

“Thank you, baby,” she said, taking it from him.

He grunted something before handing his dad a piece and then climbing into the chair with Lacey. It was a tight fit, but she welcomed it. Anything to be closer to her man. Leaning into him, she took a bite of the peach pie and moaned loudly.

“This is the freshest pie I’ve ever eaten,” she groaned.

“Ma makes the best pies,” Karson commented, taking a bite of hers.

“That’s why I married her,” Mr. King said with a quick grin, taking a huge bite of his pie.

“I heard that,” Mrs. King said from the kitchen, causing Mr. King’s eyes to widen.

“Couldn’t tell me she was right there!” he scolded Karson in a whisper.

“It’s an open-concept kitchen, Pops, she’s always there!”

Lacey snickered as she shook her head. “Mrs. King, this pie is fabulous.”

“Thank you, love, and it’s Ma, remember?”

Lacey nodded. “Yes, Ma, sorry.”

She smiled warmly at Lacey before turning to wash some dishes. Lacey turned her attention back to the TV as she gobbled up her pie. Thankfully Karson was eating some too because she sure didn’t need all that sugary goodness—no matter how yummy it was. Once the dish was empty, she got up and went to the kitchen to clean her plate, but of course, Mrs. King intercepted it.

“How’s business, Lacey?” she asked, stopping Lacey before she made it back to the living room.

“It’s wonderful, thank you,” she said, leaning against the counter, surprised that Regina knew about her business. “Karson tell you about it?”

“He did, and he gets Kacey and me gift cards for Christmas every year.”

“Really?” Lacey asked, her heart skipping a beat. “That’s amazing and insanely sweet, Karson,” she said to him.

“Gotta support my girl,” Karson said with a shrug as his dad shook his head.

“Fucking pussy,” he said, setting Karson with a disappointed look.

“Leave me alone.”

Lacey laughed as Mrs. King said, “I love your bras. They are so comfy.”

“I love the thongs,” Kacey said with a grin. “So does my
boyfriend
.”

“Now that’s just gross, Kace. I don’t want to know that,” Karson said, making a face of disgust, his father mirroring him.

“Me neither. Shit, kid,” he said, shaking his head.

That had all three women laughing, and Lacey couldn’t stop grinning.

When Mrs. King’s laughter subsided, she asked, “Your cancer hasn’t returned, has it?”

Lacey shook her head. “No, ma’am. I have been cancer-free for a very long time.”

“That’s awesome. I know that always worried Karson,” Kacey said as her mom nodded.

“We are glad that it hasn’t and that you are healthy,” Mrs. King said with a nod.

“I am too,” Lacey said with a grin, her heart swelling in her chest. It was such an amazing and breathtaking feeling. These people cared about her. Loved her, even. How did she get so lucky to go from starving for love to being completely immersed in it?

When she felt someone staring at her, she glanced over to find Karson looking at her with nothing but love shining in his eyes.

He was the reason.

Soon the game was over and Mrs. King shooed them off to get freshened up before dinner. As much as Lacey wanted to be alone with Karson, she wanted to spend as much time as she possibly could with his family. She was enjoying herself immensely and didn’t want to leave the following morning. Not when she felt more a part of the King family than she did her own. It was a horrible thing to think, but it was the damn truth.

Following Karson through the immaculately beautiful house, Lacey found that Mrs. King’s taste was very bright and happy. Her home matched her personality to a tee, and Lacey couldn’t wait to get something for the house, maybe for Christmas or for her birthday, or even Mother’s Day. It had been so long since she had bought anything for anyone on Mother’s Day. It would be a bittersweet change. One she was ready for, she felt.

When they came to a door that said “Karson,” she glanced over at her husband with her brow raised. “They made a room for you here?”

“I mean, I did buy the house, the least they can do is have a shrine for me,” he said matter-of-factly.

Shaking her head, she laughed as she pushed the door open, and sure as shit, it was a shrine to Karson along with a bed and dresser. Every inch of the walls was covered in pictures of him from when he was a baby on skates until a year ago when he held the prized Cup above his head. There were even all his hockey awards and medals through the years and his high school and college diplomas.

“You finished college?” she asked, surprised, as she turned to look back at him.

He nodded, a sheepish grin on his beautiful face. “I promised you I would.”

Her heart stopped as she gazed into his showstopping caramel eyes. Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his middle and met her lips to his as pride poured out of her pores for him. As she slowly kissed him, her hands fisted the shirt he wore, and her eyes stung with happy tears. She couldn’t believe that he’d kept his promise. That he’d continued his schooling and got his diploma. All for her.

Pulling back, she cupped his face, running her thumbs along his jaw. “That is amazing. I am so proud of you.”

“Thanks, babe. I’m glad I did it. I have that security.”

“Yeah, that’s why I wanted you to get it,” she said, a tear leaking out of her eye.

“Why are you crying?” he asked, catching the tear and wiping it away.

“Because I always wondered and prayed all this time that, even if you weren’t with me, I always wanted you to succeed. And I’m just so proud of you, Karson. I love you so much.”

His face warmed as he hugged her tighter in his arms. “I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t promised you I would. I’d already let you down once—couldn’t do it again.”

That had the tears falling in earnest. Closing her eyes, she nuzzled her nose in his chest and just cried. She hated that her father had done what he did. All that time gone, time they couldn’t be together to push and help each other to succeed. It was heartbreaking and just so unfair. She knew who the love of her life was, so why did she have to wait so long to get him?

“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he whispered, kissing her temple.

“I just wish that I’d been there.”

“But you’re here now, that’s all that matters,” he said softly.

She nodded, wiping her cheeks before looking up into his glorious face. “I’m sorry I’m so emotional. My family has me all kinds of fucked up, and being here, seeing how much your family has welcomed me is a reminder that when we get back to Chicago, it’s gonna be ugly.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but we only have to be there for a day, and then we are off to Nashville.”

He was right, but the dread was heavy in her stomach. She didn’t want to deal with her family. She wanted them to be like the Kings. Elated that she had found her heart and soul and welcoming to Karson.

“Are you comfortable though, Lacey? My dad is a little hard to deal with, and my mom is suffocating as hell. Kacey is just a crazy bitch,” he wondered and she wanted to laugh. He actually looked worried. Hadn’t he seen that she was in heaven in the Kings’ household?

“Are you crazy? I love it here. I feel so complete. They have welcomed me with open arms.”

“Because you belong here—you’re a part of this family now. Always will be,” he said simply before kissing the side of her mouth and bundling her up in his arms. Kissing his lips softly, she threaded her fingers in his hair right as his kisses became more demanding. Sliding his tongue along her bottom lip, his fingers bit into her back and heat flooded between her legs.

Oh, God how she wanted him.

Biting her bottom lip, she let out a soft breath as she leaned into him, feeling every single inch of him. Pulling back only a breath, she whispered, “I don’t think you’re broken anymore.”

He chuckled against her lips before moving his lips along hers in a teasing way. “It still hurts a bit, but kissing you is mending it pretty well.”

She giggled, moving her hands down his back to his ass. “Want me to kiss it? Maybe that will fix you right up.”

His eyes widened as he squeezed her ass in his large hands, slowly moving his cock against her center. “Here?”

“What better way to worship you than by giving you head in the middle of your shrine?”

His mouth pulled up at the side as he nodded. “I really love the way you think.”

“Good, because I love you,” she said as she slowly unbuttoned his pants.

He gasped when her hand took ahold of his throbbing cock, and Lacey shot him a grin as she dropped to her knees.

As she took him into her mouth, his fingers tangled in her hair and he said, “I love you so much.”

And as she slowly pleased her husband, she couldn’t help but feel like she was coming out of her skin with excitement. Every day since being reunited with Karson had been a new adventure, and if the last five days were just a preview of their future, Lacey couldn’t wait. Things were moving along perfectly for them, and while, yes, she was scared shitless to go back to Chicago to retrieve her things, she also couldn’t wait. It was the start of something new and a brand-new start with her husband by her side. No one could touch the feeling she was filled with.

Not even the negativity of her family.

“Are you sure you can’t stay another day?”

Karson shook his head as he hugged his mom tightly. “I told you I would fly you guys down as soon as we get a house and settled.”

“I know, but you teased me with her. I love her,” she said, and he knew she was speaking completely from the heart.

“I know, Ma. I love her too,” he said, kissing her cheek. “Give us a month and we’ll fly you down.”

She nodded sorrowfully as she kissed him again. “Fine. I’ll let you go.”

He chuckled as he let her go so Lacey could hug her. There was something about his mom hugging his wife that actually had his heart skipping a beat. It seemed right, perfect even. Lacey fit in like he knew she would, and really how could she not? She was amazing, his family was awesome, and together they were just fucking perfect. He always knew that his family would love her like he did, and even he didn’t want to leave yet.

She just fit. The whole night they spent talking and shooting the shit with his parents had felt like they had been doing it for years. There was no awkwardness; Lacey was home. They all joked and picked on each other. When Kacey and he started fighting about her “boyfriend,” Lacey actually took Kacey’s side and told him to shut up. Everyone loved that, even he did. He liked that she stuck up for his sister; it meant that she felt comfortable, and he wanted her to be comfortable in his parents’ home. Their relationship was going the way he had hoped and prayed. He’d always imagined that she would come into his life and just fit. She would complete him, better him, and he couldn’t believe how right he was.

“As soon as we are settled, you guys will have to come down,” Lacey said, squeezing his mom tightly.