I love pointing that out to my wife. It doesn’t just turn me on, it makes me proud as hell.
After we took Debbie in and saw how much work it was going to take to help her get clean, Josie decided she wanted to open a center for women in need, women like her mother, so I took one more venture back to The Palace for a little startup money. After all, Vincent wouldn’t be needing it anymore.
We found ourselves a building, renovated it, and hired a small staff. From there, we started a charity and took donations. Over the last five years it’s been a massive success. It blows my mind. I can’t even count the number of women we’ve helped escape dangerous living situations, help get clean and improve their lives. Josie could; she keeps a log that she’s quite proud of. Her mom even helps out. I help when I’m needed, but for the most part, they’ve got it under control.
Without a terrible, corrupt boss to work for any longer, I became my own boss and started up my own corporate security company. I hired Jimmy and a couple of other guys from resumes, and we started working big corporate gigs all over the state. The pay is a lot better than working for Vincent, and I don’t have to worry about the morality of it all. The people are a lot nicer too for the most part.
Being my own boss is great too. I can turn down jobs if the pay isn’t right, or if I just feel like staying home and spending time with my wife and my son.
Josie got pregnant quickly, and both of us like to think it was from our first time together. We named him Terrance, or Terry as we call him. He’s got his mother’s big blue eyes but my hair. He’s a handsome little devil, and I’m just so proud every time I look at him.
“You think Terry will be full of energy tonight?” Josie asks as I drive.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” I chuckle.
“No? Why’s that?” I don’t answer right away. I just wait for Josie to figure it out herself. “Magnus? Helloooo?”
She gives me a whack on the thigh, trying to get me to answer, but I just grin back at her. She opens her mouth to speak but then notices the road I’m driving on isn’t the one that takes us home.
“Hey,” she says. “This isn’t the way home.”
“Oh, really?” I smirk, glancing over at her as I make a turn. “You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” Josie nods, starting to smile. “Magnus, where are you taking me?”
It’s working perfectly.
“Well, baby, I know you’ve had a lot to do at work lately, so I thought it would be nice if we took the night off and just relaxed together.”
I slow the truck and pull into the Mountain Sun Hotel parking lot and up to the valet. Josie gasps and looks over at me.
“Magnus, we can’t afford this place! This place is like a five star—”
“Four-star,” I laugh. “But close. It’sreallynice. And it has an amazing spa, I hear.”
I get out and go around to her side as the valet opens her door for her. She gives me a look that saysI’m so not dressed for this place,and I just shake my head at her and take her hand as I toss the valet my keys and hand him a five.
“Thank you, sir,” he tells me.
“No problem.”
We head into the lobby, which is white, modern, and glistening, and Josie is hanging on to my arm and gawking the entire time.
“Magnus, how did you…?”
“New contract,” I explain as I hand the girl at the desk my card to check in. “Your mom’s watching Terry. Don’t worry, baby, we both need this.”
“Room 305,” the girl says as she hands me my room key.
“Thank you.” I smile, taking Josie under my arm and leading her to the elevator. I’m hard as a rock and want to slip her pants off on the way up to the room, but I’m sure they have cameras in every inch of this place, and nobody gets to see my wife naked except me.
“This is…” Josie purrs, leaning up against me as we ride up to our floor. The elevator doors ding and we get out on 3 and walk to our room. I slide the keycard into the slot, and the door opens into the most expensive, luxurious suite I’m willing to bet either of us has ever been in.
“Wow,” Josie says simply as we step inside. “You…are…the best husband ever and I love you. Have I ever told you that?”
I never knew it was possible to love someone as much as I love Josie. Look at us—two adults, broken as children from broken families, together now united by marriage with a child neither of us will ever abandon or harm. It seems almost impossible.
“And you,” I say, stepping to her, slipping both hands up her shirt. “You’re the sexiest, most incredible, most alluring, most caring wife and mother in the world and I love you. Have I ever told you that?”