Playing Pretend Box Set

by Natasha L. Black

  “On the floor! On the floor! Now! Hands where I can see them!” an officer shouted. Hannah was still screaming, and Brandon was shouting threats. The room erupted in chaos, but it only lasted a few seconds before Brandon’s hands were cuffed behind his back and the last of the knots were cut from Hannah’s legs.

  She shook as she rushed to me, neither of us caring any longer what had happened that afternoon. There would be no way for Brandon to get out of this one. It didn’t matter who he knew on the force, or what he thought he could get away with. He had been caught red handed with a gun pointed at me, after kidnapping his ex-girlfriend.

  We both knew he would be locked up for a very, very long time, and this whole ordeal was finally over. Hannah had gone through Hell to get here, and I was glad I was able to see her through to the end. This was it.

  Hannah was free.

  24

  Hannah

  I sat at the table in the kitchen, slowly writing out the check. I made it out to Drake Campbell, fighting the tears as I signed my own name at the bottom. Brandon had been taken to jail and was being held without bail as they were not only investigating what he did to me and his assault on Drake, but as they were conducting more internal investigations on who he might be working with.

  The police chief had assured me they weren’t going to stop at anything until they got all the corrupt people out of the inside, and I told him I believed him, though I doubted they would ever be able to get rid of men like Brandon fully.

  But he had faith that they would make strides with Brandon behind bars. After all, he still seemed to be a ringleader of sorts even though he was long since off the force. Not to mention the fact that he would sell the others down the river in a heartbeat to save his own sorry ass.

  The past two days had gone by in such a blur, neither Drake nor I had really talked about the fact our agreement had finally come to a close. He was only supposed to be my fake husband for as long as Brandon was after me. But with there being little to no chance of him avoiding prison – and with a lifelong restraining order against him when he got out – I no longer needed Drake in that way.

  I could hear him in his bedroom. He was packing up not only the things that he had brought with him, but the things that he bought when he lived with me. I assured him that they were all bonuses for the hard work that he’d done, and I hoped they’d help him get started in his new life.

  Of course, I hoped he and I would remain friends, but it saddened me to think that it wasn’t likely we were going to see much of each other anymore. I was going to go on to my finals, and he was going to move on into wherever life took him next.

  That could mean staying in Chicago, or that could mean he would head somewhere far, far away from here. I didn’t know what he was thinking, and I really didn’t want to ask him.

  Just the fact he was moving out was enough to make me want to break down in tears. I didn’t want to think of him leaving Chicago altogether.

  I sipped my tea and fought the lump that formed in my throat when he carried the last duffle bag out of his room and left it by the door. “Want something to drink?”

  “Nah, I’m okay,” he said. “Thanks. I’m going to call a cab shortly, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

  “Where you headed?” I asked.

  “Back to a hotel for now. I’m going to start searching for a place this afternoon, then I’m going to start looking for a job,” he said. There was an obvious awkward tension between us, and I tried not to let the silence last for long.

  “What were you thinking that you might like to do?” I offered, trying to fill the air with some sort of conversation. He shrugged.

  “I’ve got a lot of experience with the military training I’ve got. I might try to do something military related without re-enlisting. Plus, the police chief was impressed with how I handled your ex and said I ought to consider going into the force. Not sure about that either, though. I haven’t thought about getting just a normal job since I was in high school,” he said.

  “It’s got to be something of a shock for you,” I forced a smile. “I can’t even imagine how it must be to readjust.”

  “It’s not fun, I can tell you that,” he sighed. “But life goes on.”

  “Yes, it does,” I said. “Anyway, I think this should help you get started. At least, it should be enough for you to live on while you find what you want to do.”

  “Holy shit, that’s more than you said,” he exclaimed when he saw the amount on the check. “Are you sure you want to pay me that much? I was living here for free and bought all that other crap, too.”

  “It’s the least I can do for what you’ve done for me,” I assured him quickly. “You put your life on the line for me without a thought to your own safety. Hell, you didn’t have to do any of this, but you did.”

  “I’m glad I did,” he said. “You didn’t deserve that prick being on your ass like he was. Now you can move on with your life and not have to worry he’s going to do anything.”

  “Thanks,” I said. The silence was deafening once again, and I cleared my throat. I needed to clear the air and this was likely my last chance. “About what I said to my parents. What you heard anyway. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that my parents are, well, it’s hard to explain and it really doesn’t matter. I was wrong and what I said wasn’t true. And if I could take it back, I would.”

  “Thanks for saying that,” Drake replied as he held up his hand. “I appreciate it.”

  I rose. I knew he would be gone shortly, but I was afraid I would lose control over myself and break down. “Can I have one more hug before you go?”

  “Sure,” he held out his arms and I walked into them. I held him tight for a moment, but his hand swept up my side, sliding under my chin and lifting my face toward his. I closed my eyes, knowing what was coming.

  Without hesitation, I rose to meet his lips, just as I’d done when we had had sex the first time. I wanted him, I had to have him one more time. If this was the last I was ever going to see him, I wanted to make it count. I wanted to make the most of the moment, just as I had for the time we lived together.

  I parted my lips slightly, slipping my tongue into his mouth and teasing him. I could feel how hard he was getting in his jeans, and I was growing even more aroused by the second. I wanted to burst into tears, but I was too overcome with passion for him.

  Crying could wait. Right now, I was going to make love to the man who had my heart but didn’t know that he did.

  I tore at his shirt, lifting it up and over his head before letting it fall to the floor. He did the same to mine, revealing the lace bra I’d worn that day. His mouth was on my tits in a moment, licking the tops of them before undoing my bra from behind.

  Our hands were all over each other as we made our way into what had been his room. We were nearly to the bed as I fought with his pants, pushing them down before he did the same to me. We both stepped out of our underwear, also letting them fall free.

  Our eyes searched each other hungrily. I loved the way he lingered over my body, the need clear in his eyes. He was on me in another second, kissing me, exploring me. His hard dick was pressing against my thigh, and I reached down, taking it in my hand and stroking him with purpose.

  He moaned, closing his eyes and letting me work my magic before turning me around. I put my hands on the bed as he spread my legs, pressing the head of his cock against the slit of my wet pussy. I leaned forward, moaning as he pushed himself into me.

  Drake was able to get deeper than ever in this position, and I loved every second of it. I wanted him as far inside me as possible. I never wanted him to leave. The way we made love was magical, and I knew he had to feel it as strongly as I myself did.

  He held my hips as he thrust fast and hard. I moaned, putting my hands over his and arching my back, standing so his hands could move up to my tits. I looked back over my shoulder, kissing him as he continued to pound my pussy from behind.

  The sound
of his body slapping into mine filled the room, along with the mixed scent of ourselves. We were both sweating and out of breath, but neither of us cared. With each thrust he was taking me closer to orgasm, and I could feel with the force he was pounding into me that he was getting close, too. We were going to come at the same time, and it was going to be glorious.

  “Are you going to come for me? Drake asked.

  “As long as you come, too,” I breathed. “Come inside me. Come with me.”

  “I’m so close,” he said. “So close.”

  Our breathing hastened as he pumped into me a few more times, and it was just what I needed. I felt his cock pump into me as he emptied himself inside my body, almost at the exact moment when my own climax washed throughout my entire being.

  I was shaking in the legs and hardly able to stand as the waves of pleasure reached the tips of my toes. Drake was holding me, supporting me as he laid his head on my shoulder, his cock still inside me. I never wanted the moment to end, and I felt a moment of emptiness when he pulled himself out.

  “This whole experience has been beyond my wildest dreams,” he said.

  “Mine too,” I said. “I don’t want it to ever end.”

  “Me neither,” Drake said. My heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t sure if he meant it, or if he was just agreeing with me, but either way, I was going to find out. I had wanted to tell him for weeks now how I felt, but I was so sure he didn’t feel the same. Now, this was my chance. I wasn’t going to let him walk out that door without hearing me out.

  I had already blown it once with him. I wasn’t going to let that happen again.

  “Do you mean it?” I asked. I turned around to face him, sitting on the bed. I didn’t care if we were both still naked. I didn’t care about anything anymore. Except, of course, for him to know the truth. And, it was time that I know the truth, too.

  I wanted to know how he felt, and I was going to make sure he knew how I felt about him.

  He looked at me in surprise.

  “What?” he replied.

  “Do you really mean that you don’t want it to end?” I asked. “I love you, Drake. I have for a long time now, and I’ve wanted to tell you, but I was afraid that you didn’t feel the same way, and I didn’t know if I could handle that. But, it’s true. I don’t want you to go. I really don’t.”

  I was rambling, and the tears had welled up in my eyes. There was no stopping them now. They ran freely down my cheeks as I spoke, but it felt good to finally get the truth out. I wasn’t sure how he was going to take it after everything, but he finally would know how I felt.

  “I mean it,” he said at last. “I love you, too, Hannah. And I’ve felt the same way. I don’t want to go either, but I’m not sure how we’re going to make this work. You know how your parents feel.”

  “I don’t give a damn how they feel!” I said flatly. “I love you, and I want to be happy. I’m not going to walk away from the man I love because of my parents!”

  “Do you mean it?” he asked me suddenly. “Really?”

  “Of course I do,” I said. “I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of changes for us, but I don’t care. I don’t care if they take my money, if they make us move out of here, and if they want to disown me. All I care about is being happy, and I know that means a life spent with you.”

  Drake grinned. He kissed me tenderly then bent over and grabbed his boxers. “Then I think I better get dressed, because I’ve got some unpacking to do.”

  I smiled. “I’ll give you a hand if you like.”

  “I would like that,” he replied. “But this time, I’m unpacking in your room.”

  “Deal,” I said.

  Epilogue

  Drake - Six Months Later

  “Please, leave the bottle,” I said with a smile. It had taken me some time to get used to these upper scale restaurants, but now that I frequented them a couple times per week, I felt at home. We didn’t go to the restaurant where Anna Marie worked. I didn’t want to see my ex, and I knew Hannah didn’t care one way or the other.

  She was happy to be with me, as always, and didn’t really care where we were. She’d always been that way, since the day I officially moved in with her. We still argued from time to time whether we should count our time together as starting from the day we met at the club, or when we finally told each other the truth about how we felt.

  “You moved in the next day! Of course we were together since then!” Hannah would argue.

  “But we were just faking it! I wasn’t actually with you until after your ex was arrested.” I’d shoot back.

  “We were sleeping together,” she’d remind me. “That happened not long after you moved in.”

  “But friends with benefits is a thing. There are people who sleep together for years and never officially end up together,” I’d counter.

  “Semantics!” she said with a laugh. “They are together to some extent!”

  “We’re all together to some extent,” I told her. It was always the end of the argument. She knew there was no changing my mind, and I knew there was no changing hers. It didn’t really matter anyway. We could have been together a week, a month, or thirty years for all I cared.

  As long as we were together now, I was happy.

  And boy, was I happy. I loved the look of the ring I put on her finger so much more than the one she had worn when we were staging a marriage. So much had changed for us in such a short amount of time but seeing that on her finger reminded me of the promises we’d finally made each other.

  Promises neither of us were going to break.

  Just a couple of weeks after I moved in to stay, we received a letter from her parents. They were giving us thirty days to find our own place, and we would have to get out of their penthouse. It did belong to them, after all.

  Hannah had officially written them out of her life, she was more than happy to oblige. They were unable, however, to touch any of the money that was in her trust fund.

  Since she was over eighteen, that was her money to do with as she pleased, no matter what they had to say about it. At first, Hannah had wanted to donate all of it, getting as far away from her parents as she could. But I talked her out of the idea.

  “We could use that money, you know,” I said. “There are so many things you and I want to do, and we’re going to need money to do it. Just because you are using funds that you got from your family doesn’t mean that you support them. In fact, I’d say that it’s a great way for your family to actually do some good in the community.”

  “You’re right,” she finally agreed. “We’ll use it for furthering our goals.”

  And that’s exactly what we did. We found an inexpensive apartment that was much more suited to my taste and Hannah’s wishes. She didn’t want to live in luxury. She wanted to be closer to the people she was trying to help, and never felt that she was quite with them when she came home to a place that was far nicer than anything they ever got to have.

  But the new apartment made her feel at home. I knew there was only one thing left to do.

  The day we moved into the place, I got down on my knee and asked her to marry me – for real this time. I’d purchased the ring the same day I moved in to stay, knowing without a doubt I wanted her to marry me for real one day. I didn’t want to fake it with her anymore.

  And, I didn’t want to wait. We already knew we would make a great husband and wife. We’d been doing it already. Why put off any longer what we both wanted?

  We were married in a small ceremony with only our closest friends present. I didn’t want a lot of people there, and I knew Hannah didn’t want any of her relatives there, either. But she had her three close friends as well as people she met at school, and I had my guys.

  Brody was my best man, Teisha was the maid of honor. But my eyes were on the bride and the bride alone. Seeing Hannah in that wedding gown, knowing she was making her vows to me was almost more than I could handle. I choked up more than once, struck by the beauty of h
er being.

  We didn’t go on a honeymoon right away. I wanted to go somewhere out of Chicago and spend some time, just her and I, but she had to finish school first. She was so close to graduation, she didn’t want to do anything that would prevent her from walking down that aisle with the rest of the class.

  I was so proud of her when the day finally came. I knew she could do it. I knew she would do it, it was just a matter of removing the stress in her life and giving her the tools to succeed.

  With my support and all the help I gave her moving into our new apartment, she was able to study as much as she needed to. Our wedding had been small enough, she was even able to study right up to the day before, making it possible for her to graduate at the top of her class when the day came.

  She was every bit as beautiful in her graduation gown as she was in her wedding gown, and I didn’t think there was a prouder person in the room. She beamed as they handed her the degree, and I snapped the perfect photo of her throwing her hat in the air with the rest of the class.

  After that, we both decided it was time to take a few weeks off and spend some time together. A real husband and wife, just enjoying each other and all that life had to offer.

  We flew to Hawaii and spent three weeks in a condo, forgetting the rest of the world and just getting to know each other on a whole new level. I learned things about my wife I hadn’t known before, and I was finally able to figure out what I wanted to do with my own life.

  The night she had been kidnapped was one of the most terrifying nights of my entire life. I knew what could happen if something were to go wrong, and I hated that I wasn’t there to protect her. Of course, she fought back against Brandon as best she could, but how could she protect herself when he was so much stronger and knew how to subdue someone?