The One Adored (The One Trilogy Book 3) (26 page)

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. Step this way.”

I allow myself to be taken through the concealed door, now slightly ajar. Inside, the same decor theme continues but the room is huge and I see now that Seb has had the two large guest-rooms in the West wing, converted to create one spacious suite. This was a full-on renovation.

“Baby, this is out of this world - I can’t believe you’ve managed all this is such a short time and I never knew a thing.”

“Believe me its been hard as I was worried you’d feel you were missing out on being part of the interior design aspect of your boy’s room but I wanted to do this for him, let you heal and honestly, I’ve loved every second of it - it made me remember why I went into construction in the first place. I just hope Finn does too.” He bites his lip in thought and I grasp his hand, as I look around at the play areas, filled with all manner of new toys both new and now beginning to fill with Finn’s own familiar playthings. Now I can see why Seb had wanted to focus on getting Finn’s packing boxes brought up first. The delivery team had obviously helped unpack for us.

“Trust me - he will never come out of here - you were already his hero but now… we need a mural of ‘Sub’ adding to that wall!”

I feel Sebastian’s lips on mine, his nose nudging softly, as his knuckles brush against my cheek. “You and he are my world, Lu.”

“I feel the same, baby. Although now that I’ve seen what is in this man den, I’m not so sure…” my lips purse together in mock disapproval.

The entire back of the room is designed as a cinema / playstation suite, with gaming chairs, 60 inch LED curved Television, PS4 console and controls.
 

“What?” Sebs hands go up in defence. “Ah come on, a boy’s got to have a den. I know he’s a bit young but he’ll grow with this space.”

“Hmmm, well we’ll have to have definitive, structured times on when he comes in here and you too, Mr. I refuse to be a Playstation widow.” I prod his chest with a smile.
 

“Agreed.”

“What time did Niall say he was bringing Finn home, was it 6ish?”

“Yep. Then we’ll order pizza - no one is cooking tonight.”

“Sounds wonderful.” I begin to make my way back through the secret door to Finn’s bedroom.

“Lu?”

“Yeah?”

“I like the sound of that.”

“What’s that?”
 

“Home. It’s the first time you’ve called
this
home.”

I walk back towards him and slip my arms around his waist, looking up into his eyes, those gorgeous melting pot bedroom eyes that make me wet with sexual anticipation yet at the same time can calm me immediately with one blink. “I’m getting used to it, and where you are, my home is.”

“Couldn’t have put it better, baby.”

His lips find mine and I melt into his body, his hand cupping my jaw, my breasts pushing against his chest. We’re hot and heavy in seconds. Ironman, Thor and their Marvel mates watching down on us from every orifice.

“Finn’s back in around half an hour - that’ll give us time to open one more box. There’s a nice pretty little one down here, right here in these…” His fingers unbutton the top three buttons on my boyfriend jeans, the contact of his skin against mine, makes me gasp.

I nibble at his lip, sucking his tongue into mine, before stepping back. “There is, is there?”

“Hmmm. I’ve been waiting to open this
 
for the past few hours. It’s marked fragile.”

“Really? I’m sure it’s fine, just rip open the packaging and delve in.”

“Ooh you saucy thing - a man could blow his load permanently around you. Come on - I’ve a delivery to offload.”

His chuckle is the last thing I hear before I’m thrown over his shoulder and carried out of Finn’s suite into our own to christen our first love-making in our new home.
 

*******

“Niall, come in - can I get you a beer?”

“Nope, I’m fine thanks.” Niall thrusts both hand inside his jeans pocket, nodding at me, words limited. Wow - this was going to be interesting.

“Mummy!”
 

I watch as Lu captures the missile that is Finn, as he runs full throttle through the front door and into her arms, his cute little body a welcome missing part to our jigsaw. This was home now.
 

“Hey, poppet - have you had a good time?” Lu ask hims softly, planting kisses all over his head and face, earning resounding giggles.

“We went to my swimming lesson and Lion got my badge.”

My eyes meet Niall’s and he hands Lu a blue circular embroidered Stage 1. “Cost me £10 that thing.”

“If you can just wait here, I’ll get my purse. I’ll sort it Niall. I wouldn’t want you having to put your hand back in your pocket again.”
No, heaven forbid.

Lu’s heavy sarcasm isn’t missed on me and I clench my teeth together to refrain from speaking my mind with little ears around. Now was not the time. I watch her curvaceous behind disappear upstairs, and flicking my eyes to her ex, notice his too are transfixed on her derrière.
Look but you can’t touch mate. Not anymore! She’s no longer yours.

I grab Finn’s bag, with a jealous grimace and move the little dude into the lounge to watch TV. “We’ll
 
go check out your room in a bit. Let me just see your dad.” Then head towards the kitchen, throwing a look in Niall’s direction,
 
“Sure you won’t have that drink?”
Please say no and just fuck off.

I hear his feet on the floorboards behind me and once away from Finn, the tension escalates. “No, I said I was fine.”

“Don’t mind if I do then?”

His shake of his head is arrogant and face deadpan.
Prick.
He couldn’t be civil even for Finn’s sake. I grab a Peroni from the fridge and flick the top off, leaning back against the counter. “Right, I’m ready - what can I do for you?”

“You’re loving this aren’t you?”

“What would that be then Niall?”

“All this?” He lifts his arms to gesture towards the house and boxes behind us.
 

“I don’t know what you’re on about Niall? Sorry haven’t the foggiest?”
I know exactly what he’s talking about.

“Having Lucia, here with you. Living together in this fuck-off mansion, you smug bastard.”

I choose to ignore his crass words, even though my fingers are curled in a fist at my side, desperate to connect with his face and part of me is enjoying his discomfort. “Choose your next words with extreme caution Niall. I’m going to give you this final opportunity, to shut it, because of our previous friendship and as you are Finn’s dad.”

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Niall screws his mouth up tightly, struggling to control his anger, failing miserably to maintain his cool. “You think you’re all that - big house, big overflowing wallet, the big ‘I am’! You always wanted her and made it your mission to take her from me. I never stood a bloody chance.
We
never stood a chance. Thanks to you!”

You forgot big cock, I grin inwardly to myself. Better to please Lu with and make her scream, more than you ever would.

“You seem to have developed long-term memory loss Niall. You never stood a chance as a couple because you thought it was Ok to cheat on Lu with anything in a skirt.” I step closer to him, anger spilling from every pore of me. “You thought it was
Ok
to fuck another woman, whilst Lu was giving birth to your firstborn, your son. Finn. You would never have worked because you were too selfish to put Lu above your own needs. You didn’t understand her as a woman, a human being, her career. Not like I do. She’s fucking amazing and you had it all but you were bored.”

His face is puce, blue eyes filled with fury. “Oh, and you’ve never been a player? You’re the ultimate player - the man who would never be monogamous. You’ll never settle down and I don’t want that around my son!”

His last words are harsh but I have to take them on the chin, have to hear them, as they’re partially true. I
was
a player, until Lu.
 

I was a player because of Lu.
 

I
was
a player because I couldn’t have her and now she was mine I was ready for the whole marriage, kids, to be a family, the whole Griswolds set up. Fuck this half-arsed, self-absorbed father who felt it was his right to dictate what Lucia did with her life, and with whom.
 

He had certain rights to Finn and would always be part of his life but at no point would he decide if I was to be his step-father. I’d been more of father to him in his short life than Niall ever had, all-be-it as his God-father, and I’d worked all over the world for much of it.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Niall, but I
am
going to be part of Finn’s life. I’m already his God-father, as you know,
 
and Lu and I
are
together, whether you like it or not. We’re serious.”

“You just like the chase.”

God he’s like a child, worse than Finn. “In the past and with women in general I’d agree, but not with Lucia. Lucia is it for me.”

I watch him inhale deeply, considering my words. I don’t want to hurt the guy, but he needs to hear the cold hard truth.

“This whole situation reminds me of when I moved in with Lu, but I was the one offering you a beer at it was my house.”

And now its my woman.

Niall moves to open the box marked tea-set on the island top. “The famous Grannie Annie’s china set - should have smashed the ugly effort years ago.” He waves the lid shut in disgust. “Never did get why Lu loved it so much.”

And that’s why she is with me and not you.
“It’s sentimental Niall. Right, well I better get cracking on with taking the rest of these boxes upstairs.”

“Make sure you only unpack the necessities.”

“Come again?”

“Well I noticed Lu hasn’t put Rose Avenue on the market - she’s obviously not 100% about this move and covering all her options.” His grin is back and smug.

Cock!
“We’re renting the terrace actually. The rental market is strong at the moment and Lu wants to keep the house as an investment for our property portfolio.”
Suck on that!

“You believe what makes you sleep easier at night Seb.”

“I have no worries sleeping,
mate
- remember I’m the one sleeping next to Lucia every night.”
 

That shuts him up and I watch his inner turmoil, his tightly rolled lips. “Well, I needed to say what I had to say. It’s fucking weird for me, you two being together.”

“I understand that. We all just have to adapt for Finn’s sake. Keep things civil. I promise you one thing Niall, I will always take care of Finn and you will always be his dad.”
It’s up to you if you step up to the mark.

“Hmmm. Well I better be off, Karen will wonder where I am.”

A noise alerts us to Lu’s presence in the hallway and she enters the kitchen, smile lighting her beautiful face, her green eyes sparkling. God she is gorgeous. “Hi guys, all good down here?”

Both Niall and I immediately answer in unison. “Yup, great.”

“Finn’s watching Finding Nemo for the 50
^th
time. Did you tell Niall our news?”

“What news?” Niall asks, his eyes never leaving Lu.

“Sebastian and I are getting married.” Lu’s grin reaches those lime-greens and she wraps her arms around me, drawing me to her side. “I hope you’ll be happy for us, Niall.”

The silence lasts a little too long, and the look on Niall’s face is one of shock and then he clears his throat. “When?”

“Soon, a few weeks.” Lu responds.

“That quick? Wow! You said you’d always have a long engagement, when you were with me.”

“We said a lot of things.”

“Does Finn know?”

I step in at this point, sensing Lucia’s struggle. She is so soft and kind and Niall is taking full advantage of that. We are getting married and that is the end of it. “Finn knows about it and is very happy.”

Niall nods, in thought. “You said you were serious Seb but you didn’t mention your engagement - I find that odd?”

FFS!
“I was trying to save your feelings but now you know. Lu and I are officially making married. I love her, I love Finn. We don’t
need
your approval but we felt we owed it to you to tell you at some stage. Lu, just told you a little sooner.”

She winces up at me and I pat her hip in reassurance. “It’s fine, baby. S’all good.” Her lips press against mine and I smile against her mouth, wishing Niall would just do one. When we part a few moments later
 
my wish has come true and Niall is no longer in the kitchen. I can hear his voice in the lounge, speaking in hushed tones with Finn.
 

We wander in to join them and I watch as Niall takes a last lingering look around the house, our house, before playfully punching Finn’s arm and swaggering out to the front door.
 

“Enjoy the ride, Silver - it’ll get boring after a few months, trust me.”

“Laters, Lu. I’ll call you about Finn’s party.”

The door slams on his cocky behind. God, I’m stuck with this guy for the rest of our lives. As Finn’s dad he’d be part of every important event or at least until he messed up, which is a strong possibility. I take a moment to consider that sour thought and then I glance across to where Finn and Lu, are snuggling on the sofa, their heads together, darkest brown against whitest blonde, happy and laughing - it was worth dealing with annoying ex forever if he had to.
She was worth it.
 

Time to forget dickhead and enjoy our first night together here. “Right, who wants to go see their new bedroom?”

I laugh as Finn bolts off the sofa and jumps up and down on the spot. “Me, me, me!”

“Alright them, this way sir. Your mum and I have a surprise for you, so come here and I’ll carry you, so you can fly up.”

“Yay!”
 

Over Finn’s head Lu mouths, “I love you,” to me and I kiss the air to her. “If mummy’s a good girl, I’ve got a surprise for her too in our bedroom later - but only if she’s really good.” I wink back at her, liking the thought of having her in our bedroom at my disposal.