Prologue
Arsen
Love is a fairy tale.
Uninhibited, unattainable, fiery passion. Always elusive.
For me.
My name is Arsen—yes, like the fire, but no, not spelled the same—Daniels. I’m thirty-five years old, and for the first time in my life, I’m thinking about love.
I’ve watched as friend after friend fell in love, found that one woman meant for them, and now, I want it too.
I long for a woman completely consumed by her thoughts of me that she can’t function. I yearn for a woman obsessed in her love for me. I need a woman…
A special woman.
One who can put up with my bad fucking attitude.
One who doesn’t mind that I work odd hours.
A woman who can handle the sometimes-stressful nature of my job.
I want a woman who wants me for me and not what I can give her.
When I find that one certain someone, I’m going to spoil her. Give her everything she’s never dreamed of. I’ll love her so completely that she’ll never doubt it for a second.
My name is Arsen Daniels, and apparently, I’m a fucking sappy little girl.
Chapter One
Marina
“Alright class, one more thing before you go!” I try to sound excited, but to be honest, I’m not. I love my kindergarten kids; I have for the entire year. They’re sweet and funny, and I’m going to miss them like crazy.
Summer vacation is here, and I’ll be all alone for two months. I hate being by myself. It reminds me too much of my childhood. Maybe I should get a cat?
“Yes, Miss Parks,” they respond in harmony. I love the smiles on their tiny, happy faces.
“Yearbooks!” I cheer, holding one up. I spent over an hour the night before wishing them all a special goodbye. “Don’t forget to have all your friends sign them! You’ve all done wonderfully with printing your names this year, so I think we can do this together.” I sound like Mary freaking Poppins.
I watch as the kids run around in excited chaos as they sign each other’s books. Their laughter and smiles, hugs and tears, make me wish for things I’ll never have. Things I’m unlucky enough to never get to experience.
Envy and a little bit of jealousy rush through me as parents begin to crowd into the room, picking up their children on their last day of kindergarten. Saying goodbye to old friends and see you soon to others.
“Miss Parks!” Talon Mayson comes running over to me, his mother, Sophie, in tow.
“Yes, Mr. Mayson?”
“We’re having a huge party! Will you come?” His soulful eyes are alight with excitement.
Smiling gently, I don’t know how to respond. “Oh, I’m not sure, honey, but I’m positive it’ll be great fun.”
“Momma,” Talon groans in his little boy way.
“We would really love to have you, Marina. You need to get out, meet some new people. Enjoy your summer.” The pity and understanding in Sophie’s gaze have me looking away.
She was there that day just over a year ago. She saw the wreckage of my accident and all that it cost me. She was also kind enough to befriend me in the hospital when I was all alone. At twenty-two, I began my life on my own.
Following my accident, I lost the ability to have children, the luxury of continuing my family name. I lost love.
My uterus has been so scarred that my doctors think it’s impossible for me to ever carry a child. If I were, by some miracle, to get pregnant, they don’t think it’d last past the first trimester. After being cautioned to not try, I gave up on the idea of having my own happy ever after.
Witnessing the way Nico, the scariest and sweetest man alive, looks at Sophie with so much love and admiration, I know I won’t be able to settle for anything less.
I’m terrified that if I find a man who catches my attention, he’ll bolt once he learns about my issues. Deem me unworthy. That’s the ultimate rejection I could never handle.
“Marina?” Sophie breaks through my inner musings.
“I’ll try.” It’s the best I can do.
The doubtful look on her face as she walks away with Talon speaks volumes. She’s sad knowing I won’t try. That I’ll go home to an empty house with nothing to do. She’s sad because she knows I’ve already given up hope on having more in my life.
Hell, I’m sad, too.
Chapter Two
Arsen
“Arsen! My man!” Nico Mayson calls as I exit my truck in front of his house. Nico and Sophie are having an end of the school year get-together for their kids, and for some reason, the man has invited me. “Still driving that thing, huh?” The bastard is always hassling me about my F-150.
“Hasn’t been found on the road dead, yet,” I laugh back, shaking his hand. “Why exactly did your pretty wife want me here? It’s for kids.” I try to hide my scowl. Nico and I have been friends for a couple of years now after a run-in with a perp at a sandwich shop that we were both eating lunch at. The dipshit tried to rob the place. Needless to say, he didn’t get too far.
“Fucked if I know. But she was insistent.” Nico shakes his head at his wife’s antics, but we both know the man would do anything for her. In fact, he has done pretty much everything for her. As mushy as I fucking sound, their love is the kind that happens once in a lifetime. The Mayson’s call it the “boom”, I call it good luck and a damn miracle.