Prologue
Eli
March, three years ago…
MY WIFE CALMLY entered my lawyer’s office with her head held high, a stoic expression on her beautiful face. Autumn looked stunning as always. Her silky blonde hair framed her heart-shaped face just the way I liked it. I would do anything to run my fingers through it and kiss along her jaw while fisting it firmly the way she liked it. But there was no chance in hell she’d let me do any of that to her now…
Her warm, whiskey-colored eyes swooped my way, then quickly darted away. Interestingly, she wore her tortoiseshell glasses instead of contacts. The ones I loved. The ones that made her look like a hot librarian. It made me wonder if she had on a sexy-as-fuck pencil skirt and a V-neck blouse under her trench coat.
Damn rain. If it’d been a clear day, I’d get to drool over her. I loved her hot librarian look.
What was I thinking? I licked my lips as I drooled over her anyway. I had every inch of her exquisite body memorized by sight, touch, and taste.
Only the tattoo artist and I, and maybe her gynecologist, knew about the small heart with my name in it above her left nipple. When I sucked on it, I stared at it. It gave me a magnificent high knowing I owned her heart. Autumn was mine.Mine. Fuck. The thought of it made my cock ache.
Don’t do this to us. Goddammit, Boo, don’t do this.
I wasn’t going to fight her if she wanted the divorce. It was my own fucking fault we were here in the first place. And on the day of our third wedding anniversary too. Shit, I couldn’t believe she was going through with it.
Admittedly, the last sixteen months had been rough. I hated myself for hurting Autumn, for driving her away. For not listening to her pleas.
I’d taken my wife and her love for granted. I’d been a selfish asshole. Now I’d pay the ultimate price for pursuing my career and neglecting her the last couple of years.
She was about to walk right the fuck out of my life. She’d warned me it would come to this, but I hadn’t taken her seriously. Why would I? We’d been together since our freshman year of college. Autumn had tamed my wild ass with her irresistible sweetness and sass. We were best friends and lovers. Partners and soul mates.
We’d been everything to each other until I went and fucked it up.
“Mr. Morgan has agreed to everything, Ms. Morgan,” my lawyer said, cutting through my thoughts and stealing my attention away from Autumn.
“It’s Lucas, Ms. Lucas,” her lawyer corrected, slashing my bleeding heart in two.
I bit down on my back molars, tapping down the rage I suddenly felt. The fucking papers weren’t even signed yet. Autumn was still my goddamned wife. Still Mrs. Eli Morgan.
“My apologies. If you’re ready to sign the decree, we can get on with it,” my lawyer said in a regretful tone. He knew I would do anything for Autumn. I’d given him strict orders to make this as painless as possible for her. I paid him a fuck ton of money, so he’d better do as I said.
I fisted my hands under the table, praying she’d call off the divorce. But I knew better, and so did my heart as it thrashed against my chest. I held my breath, eyes locked on the love of my life. The waiting was unbearable.
Her eyes lifted to mine.
I knew her better than she knew herself. She didn’t want this. I could see it in her amber depths. But she was stubborn and unrelenting when her mind was made up—like now.
Please don’t do this, I mouthed.I love you, Boo. I’m so sorry, don’t do this.Of course, my words would fall on deaf ears. I’d been chanting the same tune for months. Since she kicked me out of our apartment. I’d left without incident, hoping she’d calm down, come to her senses, and take me back. She’d shocked the hell out of me two weeks later when the divorce petition arrived at my office. Nothing I had said altered her decision. I’d been a fucking mess ever since.
Autumn’s eyes teared up. The tip of her nose turned red.
My heart broke a little more. How could she do this when she didn’t want the divorce? I didn’t care what she said about love not being enough. We belonged together.
She turned toward her lawyer and whispered. A spark of hope flickered in my heart. He nodded and removed papers from his briefcase.
Clearing his throat, he said, “Ms. Lucas has changed her mind.”
I leaned forward in my chair, ready to leap from it and take my wife into my arms.Yes! God, yes, thank you!
“She doesn’t want anything. Not the apartment, alimony… nothing.” He cleared his throat again, passing the documents to my lawyer. “I’ve drawn up the papers. Please review them. You’ll find they’re straightforward. Ms. Lucas is ready to sign when Mr. Morgan is ready.”
My heart stopped beating. My marriage to my best friend and lover was over.
I stood from my chair and punched the wall. Autumn’s gasp reined me in. “Sorry, Stan. I’ll pay for the damages.” I gripped the back of my neck with my other hand, fighting the urge to beg her to stay. But I wouldn’t fight with Autumn or make this messy. I loved her too fucking much. I would let her go if it was what she truly wanted, even if it destroyed me.