Next to Forever: Shattered Innocence Trilogy Book Three

by Long, A. L.

  Aware of her surroundings, Dylan came out of her trance, focusing only on Rade. Dylan unlatched her arms that were tightly wrapped around her knees and clasped them tightly around Rade’s neck. “It’s okay, Sweetness. I’m here. No one’s ever going to hurt you again.”

  Looking up at his concerned face, Dylan faintly said, “It was so real, Rade. Alex was here. I couldn’t get away from him. He was too strong.”

  “It was only a bad dream, Sweetness. He can never hurt you again,” Rade assured her. “Let’s get you off the floor.” Rade gently took her arms that were still tightly wrapped around his neck and helped her from the floor. “Take a shower, Sweetness, and I will finish making breakfast.”

  Dylan looked up to Rade with terror in her eyes. It was a look he only saw one other time. The night at The Castle. Taking her by the hand, Rade led her into the bathroom and turned on the water to the shower. When it was hot enough, he carefully lifted her nightgown over her head and helped her inside. “Are you going to be okay?” Rade asked with concern.

  “I think so, “ Dylan answered softly.

  “If you need me, just yell my name,” Rade insisted, hesitant to leave her alone.

  Heading back to the kitchen, Rade kept thinking about how Dylan looked sitting on the floor moments ago. He should have demanded that she not watch the footage. Dylan could be very stubborn and he knew he shouldn’t have given in to the argument.

  Concentrating on something else, Rade proceeded where he left off in preparing Dylan’s breakfast. After they were done eating, he vowed to take her away from the penthouse to a place where she could get her mind off of the events of that horrible night.

  As they ate the wonderful meal he had prepared, Dylan’s mind was elsewhere. Her thoughts went back to her life and how it came to this point. Even though she loved Rade with her mind, body, and soul, she wondered if things would have been different if they hadn’t met. Trying to push her thoughts aside, she looked over to Rade and asked, “Can we get out of here? I need a change of scenery.”

  “I was thinking the same thing, Sweetness,” Rade smiled as he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

  Without cleaning up the dishes, Rade grabbed the keys to the Audi and they left the penthouse. Even though it was a two-hour drive, he thought it would be nice to spend time at his home in the Hamptons. He knew Dylan always liked it there.

  As they drove through the streets of Manhattan, Rade confessed, “I thought it would be nice to go to the house in the Hamptons. If that’s okay with you?”

  “I would love to go there. I love your home there,” Dylan said enthusiastically.

  “Good. You know, it’s your home too,” Rade informed her. Everything he had was hers.

  “I’ve been doing some thinking, Rade. With the amount of money you have, don’t you think you should think about a pre-nup?” Dylan asked.

  “Sweetness, I’m not going to have a pre-nup. If anything happens to us, everything I have wouldn’t be worth having if I can’t share it with you,” Rade declared. “Where is all this coming from, anyway?”

  “I just thought it would be something that needed to be done,” Dylan explained. “Aren’t billionaires supposed to protect their assets?”

  “Only if there is a threat that they would be taken to the cleaners, Sweetness. It doesn’t matter to me,” Rade confessed as he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly.

  Reaching the gate two hours later, Rade punched in the code. He instructed his security staff change the code to Dylan’s birthday when he found out that Chloe was missing. The last thing he needed was for Chloe to show up uninvited again. The last time they were here, it wasn’t under the best of circumstances. It was when Dylan learned that Chloe was pregnant with his child.

  Rade drove up the tree lined drive and pulled in front of the huge house. Dylan always questioned the purpose for the enormous house, but now it didn’t matter because once she and Rade were married, she planned to fill each room with an abundance of children. She and Rade never really talked about having children. Before they got out of the car, Dylan placed her hand on his hand.

  “Rade, I know that we never really discussed this, but I was just curious, it’s not like it’s super important, but it kind of is, I mean if we….”

  “Dylan, just say it,” Rade said, concerned about her inability to get to the point.

  “Okay, so here’s the deal. I want lots of kids and we never really talked about it, so it only makes sense to ask, do you even want kids?” Dylan asked hesitantly.

  “No kids, Dylan. End of story,” Rade barked.

  “But…”

  “End of story, Dylan. Let’s just have a good time while we’re here,” Rade said avoiding the subject.

  Dylan didn’t know why Rade was so set on not having any children, especially since he was going to be a father in four months. Maybe it was just with her that he didn’t want to have kids.

  Instead of waiting for Rade to accompany her inside the house, Dylan went round the back. Walking down the flagstone steps, she made her way to the beach. Given what she just learned, she wasn’t sure that she could marry a man who didn’t want to have children. It was a part of being together: starting a family, getting old, having grandchildren. It was all a part of life, how it was meant to be.

  Staring out at the blue ocean, Dylan didn’t hear Rade come up behind her. Pulling her into his body, he placed his chin on her shoulder. “Sweetness, I don’t want you to angry with my decision to not have any children, but I hope that you can accept the reason I don’t. With what happened to Isaac, I can’t risk it happening to our children,” Rade spilled.

  “But you’re going to have a child with Chloe. Why would this be any different?” Dylan quizzed.

  “Because I had no control over her pregnancy. My only obligation to that child is to make sure it is well provided for. Nothing more,” Rade stated.

  “But it’s your child, Rade. How could you not love him or her?” Dylan couldn’t believe the words that were coming from him. Even though the circumstance behind him becoming a father was less than consensual, it was, nonetheless, still his child.

  “I won’t allow myself to get close enough to feel that hurt again, Dylan. Let’s go back to the house,” Rade said as he held out his hand so he could lead her back.

  “I think I’d like to say here for a little while longer,” Dylan dared, going against his wishes. She needed a few moments alone so she could sort out her feelings. Would she be able to share a life with the man she loved, knowing that they would never share the joy of having children together? Was she willing to give up her dream of motherhood?

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  When Dylan finally came back to the house, she no more had the answers she needed than when she walked a mile down the coastline. She didn’t want to think about anything anymore. Her mind was completely drained. Opening the patio door, Dylan saw Rade leaning against the fireplace, where a fire was already going. Even though it was still September, there was a chill in the air. Fall was right around the corner. Approaching him, she could see that he had a drink in his hand.

  “I’ll take one of those,” Dylan said, standing just a few feet from where he was standing.

  “I was wondering when you were going to come inside,” Rade said, walking over to the liquor cart. Removing the top of the crystal decanter, he poured a shot of scotch into a tumbler for her.

  Handing Dylan the drink, Dylan said, “Thank you.” Needing to let him know how she felt, she began, “About what you said, I understand how you feel, but can we not close the book on this discussion and just save it for another time?” Dylan knew that if she could discuss it with him again once they were married and his child was born, she would have a better chance to argue with him about having children of their own.

  “I don’t want to fight with you about this, Dylan, so yes, I will allow this to be brought up at a different time. Besides, I brought you here to get your mind off of things and not ad
d to them,” Rade confessed.

  Even though Dylan’s mind was off of the video, something else was consuming her thoughts. Worrying about whether or not children were ever going to bless their relationship was no better than thinking about that horrible night. Sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, Dylan drank her scotch. Feeling the burn of the amber liquid, Dylan welcomed the taste as it began to dull the pain she felt in her heart. Tossing back the last of her drink, she held up her glass for a refill.

  Rade walked over to her with the decanter and filled the tumbler about a quarter of the way full. Taking a seat beside her, he gazed at the fireplace and watched as the flames danced in the confined area. Looking over to Dylan, he took the glass from her and ordered, “Remove your clothing.”

  It didn’t matter how she felt, Rade always had this pull on her that caused her to do whatever he said. Standing to her feet, she began peeling the clothing off her body. Starting with her shirt, she slowly lifted it up over her head. Leaving her bra in place, she began unzipping the zipper on her skirt and lowered it slowly down her legs. With her dressed in only her bra and panties, Dylan stared at Rade.

  “All of it, Sweetness,” Rade commanded, taking in her beautiful curves.

  Dylan reached behind her and unclasped her bra, lowering the straps down her arms; she did it hesitantly, wanting to tease Rade by removing it slow and seductively. Patience, that’s what he was always telling her. Once her bra was off, Dylan slowly placed her thumbs through the lacy straps of her panties and gingerly began gliding them down her silky legs. She could tell Rade was getting frustrated with her little strip tease. Before she had her panties down her legs, he pulled her to him and abruptly placed her over his thighs so that her stomach was resting across his upper legs. With her panties around her thighs, he wrapped the thin material around his hand and ripped the material off her body. Dylan knew that was going to leave a mark.

  “I know what you’re doing, Sweetness.” Rade smirked, laying his hand across her bottom before Dylan could protest.

  “Ouch,” Dylan yelped.

  “That’s for making me wait,” Rade said as he planted another swat to her ass. “And this is for teasing me with your gorgeous body.”

  Dylan knew that Rade couldn’t see her face as she smiled to herself. She knew exactly what she was doing. Feeling his hands on her body, she knew she was soaked.

  “Looks like you’re enjoying your punishment,” Rade advised as he ran his finger between her slick folds. “On your knees, Sweetness.”

  Dylan pushed off of Rade and knelt between his legs. Watching him, she knew what he wanted. Licking her bottom lip, she waited for him to lower his pants down his muscular legs. Fully erect, his cock popped free from his boxers, sending her arousal in motion. Placing her hands on his knees, she brought her body forward. Slowly, she glided her hands up his upper legs until she was met with the base of his shaft. Taking hold of his cock in one hand, she cupped his balls with the other. His hard shaft felt like velvet in her small hand. Stroking him lightly, she began placing wet kisses up his legs as she alternated from the right leg to the left one. When she reached the base of his shaft, she lifted his balls and began kissing lightly at the soft skin. Moving upward, she continued her assault, lapping her tongue around his girth. Like a lollipop, Dylan licked and sucked him to no end. Reaching the top, she placed her mouth over the head and lowered her mouth just enough to feel the tip hit the back of her throat. She loved the way he tasted. Increasing her movements, Dylan pushed her mouth lower and retreated slowly, sucking him until her cheeks collapsed.

  “God, Sweetness, I love your mouth,” Rade moaned.

  Dylan continued her ministration. She knew he was close. She could feel the throbbing of his cock the more she went down on him. With a loud pop, Rade pulled her from his length and placed his hands under her arms, lifting her onto his lap. Positioning her over his engorged hard-on, he lowered her body onto his. She was so tight for him. Just the feel of his cock inside her sweet pussy made his control go out the window. Placing his hands on her hips, he moved her up and down as he watched his cock pump in and out of her. This was the biggest turn on for him, watching her pink folds open for him as he glided deeper inside her.

  Moving his hands up her body, Rade cupped the tender skin of her nipples, drawing them closer to him. With his mouth, he kissed the taut peak, lapping the bud with his tongue while nipping lightly. Rade could feel the strength of her walls tightening around him. Holding his control, he whispered, “Come for me, Sweetness.” Dylan’s gate opened, coating his cock with her sweet juices. Seconds later, Rade expelled his own juices inside her, filling her tight channel with his seed.

  *****

  It was late by the time they went to sleep, so it was no surprise that Dylan woke to the alarm clock exhausted. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” Rade coaxed as he rose from the bed.

  “Just a few more minutes,” Dylan gruffly moaned.

  “Nope. No can do. If you want to make it to work on time, we will need to leave in an hour. I’ll get coffee ready. Up and at ‘em,” Rade demanded in a cheery voice.

  “Urrrr,” Dylan groaned as she pushed herself from the bed.

  Showered and as ready as she was going to be, Dylan headed down the stairs to the kitchen. Rade was already seated at the table reading his morning paper with a cup of coffee in hand. One thing Dylan knew for sure, she would never get tired of seeing him half naked every morning reading the stock report. His body held so much power. Power that Dylan was more than familiar with.

  Grabbing her own cup of Java, Dylan walked over to where he was sitting and pulled up a chair next to him. Without looking, Rade said, “You smell good enough to eat.”

  Dylan swatted his paper, causing his face to come into view. Greeted by his smile, she had to find out what put him in such a good mood. “So are you going to tell me why you’re so happy this morning?”

  “You, Sweetness. Only you,” Rade confessed as he pushed from the table and rose to his feet. “I’m going to take a quick shower, then we can leave,” he added as he placed a light kiss on the top of her head.

  Dylan sat at the table a while longer while she waited for Rade to finish his shower. It was a beautiful day outside as she gazed out the window. She would have loved to play hooky today from work, but she had an important meeting with Keeve and Mason that she couldn’t miss. With everything that went on with Wayne Morris, they needed to think about finding another person to run the Spectrum office in LA. It was decided that, with the amount of exposure L.A. provided, it would be beneficial to keep the Spectrum facility open. The new facility in New York was already underway. Hopefully within a year, it would be fully operational. The multi-million dollar building would be bringing in over a hundred jobs, which would boost New York’s economy. Even though Dylan was looking forward to it being finished, she wasn’t looking forward to the chaos that came with hiring people to staff the new facility.

  The drive back to Manhattan was uneventful. Most of Dylan’s ride was spent sleeping. The silence left Rade with time to think about what Dylan had asked for. Having children was the furthest thing from his mind when he asked Dylan to marry him. He couldn’t think about the possibility of having children with Dylan. Not only because of what happened to his brother, but also the lifestyle that a child would be born into. Even though he told Dylan that the D/s lifestyle wasn’t important to him and that he could live without it, he was only fooling himself. This was what he knew and what he was accustomed to. When Dylan agreed to let him train her, it was like he could have his cake and eat it too. Adding a child to the mix would complicate things.

  Just outside of New York, Dylan began to wake up. The two hour nap made her feel more rested than she did this morning. Pulling up to the BlackStone building Rade turned to her and said, “I have a few things to take care of at the office, but I should be back in time for the meeting.”

  “Okay,” Dylan answered with a faint smile.

  J
ust as she pulled the handle on the door, Rade lightly grabbed her arm, causing her to turn his way. Leaning over, he gently placed a soft kiss on her lips. Right when Dylan was ready for more, Rade pulled away. Placing his hand on her cheek, he affectionately said, “Love you.”

  Those words melted Dylan's heart as she countered. “Love you too.”

  The meeting was in full swing by the time Rade arrived. He could hear the bickering and yelling down the hall. Opening the door, Dylan was the only one yelling, while pointing her finger at Keeve. Rade smiled as he watched her argue with the two men. It was no surprise to Rade, given Dylan’s fiery personality.

  “I’m not going to agree to that, Keeve. Are you on drugs? Clearly you aren’t thinking straight,” Dylan belted.

  “What’s going on? I always miss all the fun,” Rade interjected, watching three sets of eyes glare at him.

  “This is far from fun, Rade,” Dylan began. “Keeve has it in his head that I should be the one to run the Spectrum facility in LA. I think he has gone completely nuts.”

  Rade had to agree with Dylan, but he was still curious as to why Keeve felt so strongly about it. “Keeve, why would you want Dylan to run the facility in L.A.?”

  Dylan looked over to Rade, perturbed that he would even consider asking such a question. “Rade, are you serious?” Dylan said, giving Rade an evil eye.

  “Let’s hear him out, Dylan. I’m just trying to understand what his thought process is,” Rade confessed, knowing perfectly well he would never agree to Dylan moving to L.A. Not only because he wasn’t willing to leave New York, but also because he already had someone in mind to head the office.

  Rade knew that Dylan was on pins and needles wondering what Rade was thinking as he listened to the bullshit Keeve was feeding him. “I’m not going to stand here and listen to this. I have more important things to do,” Dylan said, aggravated with all three of them. Even though Mason wasn’t chiming in on the conversation, he looked every bit as guilty.