by Kylie Kent
“Oh my gosh Bray, I can’t believe I gave you a black eye.”
Before my hand reaches his face, he snags my wrist holding my hand still.
“What the fuck? Lyssa, do you know there is a rock on your finger?” he asks.
This makes Ella look up and squeal, “ah, yes, yes! I’m finally getting a sister!” She is jumping around and then suddenly stops. “Wait, you said yes, right?”
Bray and Ella both look at me expectantly.
“Of course she said yes,” Zac answers for me before continuing, “now let go of her fucking hand Braydon.” Zac pulls me back as Bray drops my hand.
“I can’t believe you said yes to that, Lyssa!” he says before laughing, “I am thrilled to be able to call you my sister though. Lord knows I needed an upgrade on the one they gave me first. Ow!” He rubs his arm where Ella just punched him.
“Thank you, both of you. It means a lot you’re okay with this. I know it’s quick, but, well, I don’t really have an answer for that.”
Zac kisses the side of my head. “Babe, this would be happening whether they liked it or not, it’s just easier on them that they like it.”
Looking over to Bray and Ella, I see them nodding their heads.
Bray stands up off the bed and pulls the blankets off with him. “Now get up, I’ve got presents to open.”
He walks over to the door and bends down to pick up something off the floor and walks back holding out my saving grace, a coffee cup, filled with coffee.
“I think I love you right now Bray, thank you,” I say as I take the cup and sip at the deliciousness, ignoring Zac’s grunts behind me.
“Get out. We’ll get dressed and meet you out there, don’t start without me,” he warns Bray.
Standing up, I head into the walk-in wardrobe only to stop at the entrance, Zac right behind me.
“Oh, my god, Zac. What? When? How?” I shake my head, I am staring at what Zac calls my side of the huge walk-in, which is now filled to the brim with clothes, everything from dresses, shirts, skirts, pants, there is even a whole section of shoes. A dozen bags are placed in neatly arranged rows on the top shelf.
“I had a little help, sunshine. But I believe the words your looking for are thank you, Zac.” Kissing my forehead, he says, “Merry Christmas my beautiful fiancée.”
I melt at hearing him call me his fiancée. I mean who the hell wouldn’t. “Thank you, Zac, you really didn’t need to do this,” I say as I turn and wrap my hands around his neck.
“You’re welcome, and I know I didn’t need to, I wanted to. I want to give you the world, Alyssa, but I’ll start with a closet.”
What am I meant to say to that? Pulling away from him, I rush to the drawer where I was hiding his present, thanking the stars it’s still there. Whoever put all these clothes in here had the good grace to leave it. Picking it up, I’m nervous now. My gift pales in comparison to everything he’s done for me.
“Okay, so this isn’t much, and it’s not how I wanted it to look, but Merry Christmas.” I hand over the gift box.
“You are a gift, the fact that you said yes is the best thing you could have ever given me, sunshine. I don’t need anything else from you, just you.”
Nodding my head, I motion for him to move on with it and open the box. The moment he lifts the lid I know what he sees. Me, in lingerie, all variations of red lingerie. I’m nervous as he lifts the first picture and sees that there is another underneath it. Suddenly he sits on the floor, crossed legged with the box in front of him, lifting picture after picture out.
He still hasn’t said anything and it’s driving me crazy. Does he hate them that much? “I know they aren’t that good, and I was planning on the pictures being printed into a book, but I ran out of time and had to settle.”
He looks up at me with an undecipherable look in his eyes. “Sunshine, these look fucking amazing. I’m torn right now between how much I love these pictures and the knowledge that someone had to take them, which means someone was looking at you in this lingerie. But don’t for a second doubt how god damn sexy you are.”
He goes back to the box and continues to pull out the pictures in silence. Sitting in front of him I wait for him to say something as he gets to the last picture, he looks up at me.
“Do you have all of this lingerie still?” he questions.
“Umm, yeah. I took these pictures just last week, of course I have it all.”
He nods his head. “Good, because I counted twenty pictures, that means for the next twenty nights I get to have you in each piece of lingerie. In fact, I think we should cancel Christmas and start right now.”
Laughing, I say, “we’re not cancelling Christmas, but I will wear each and every piece one day at a time.”
“Thank you, sunshine. No one has ever given me a gift like this, it’s hands down the best gift I’ve ever received, apart from you.”
Yeah right, like he hasn’t been given better gifts. “Uh-huh. Hopefully over the course of our lives I can figure out this gift giving thing and get as good at it as you are. There’s always tomorrow right?”
“There will always be a tomorrow for us together, sunshine,” he declares just like he does every night before we go to sleep.
“Promise?” I ask.
“I promise, there is nothing in this world that could tear me away from you.”
Even as he makes this promise, I have a lingering feeling that some things are out of even his control.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Zac
Sprawled across the couch watching some 90s Christmas movie with Alyssa in my arms, I could not be any more content. We’ve spent the day exchanging gifts and indulging in a gourmet Christmas banquet fit for a king and queen.
I’ve always attempted to give Bray and Ella a family Christmas and follow on with the traditions that mum and dad had started. Christmas has never felt as complete as it did today though; Alyssa joining our little family has made today more than I could have ever wished for.
I haven’t been able to wipe the smile from my face all day, to see Alyssa enjoy herself so much, to know that she said yes without a doubt to be mine forever. It makes me fucking happy. I can’t remember a time I’ve been happier than I am right now in this moment.
Alyssa yawns as she snuggles into my chest. “Tired baby?”
Burrowing in deeper to my chest she says, “mmm, who would have thought Christmas could be so tiring.”
Standing, I lift her into my arms. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
“I can walk you know. You don’t need to put your back out carrying me. Put me down.”
Laughing I hold her tighter. “Never, I will never let you go, and please I could lift ten of you and still not put my damn back out.” She gives up her protest and relaxes into me.
Laying her on the bed, I undress her so she can sleep more comfortably, leaving her in just her panties. I make quick work as I undress and climb in behind her, holding her in my arms.
“Sweet dreams baby, we’ll have tomorrow together,” I tell her.
She’s already out of it as she murmurs something in response.
The last few days have been bliss, I’ve spent almost every waking hour with Alyssa, wanting to get in as much time before we both go back to work today. I tried, very unsuccessfully, to get her to quit and come work at the club with me. If it wasn’t New Year’s Eve, I think I would camp out at the hospital throughout her entire shift just waiting for her.
As much as I want to do just that, I can’t. New Year’s is a big night for the club, and I can’t continue to palm my responsibilities off to Bray and Dean. We’re also holding the first fight since the holiday break. Bray’s been training like crazy the past few days shredding the holiday weight he put on, his words not mine.
I’m also keen to get back into work and expand on the hunt for fucking Caitlyn, it’s been nearly three weeks since she trashed Alyssa’s room at her townhouse and there hasn’t been a sighting of her. No more thr
eats have been delivered either. But I know something is coming, I can feel it in my gut, the sooner we catch the crazy bitch, the sooner I can relax and know my girl is safe.
Alyssa’s alarm starts blaring on the bedside table, she reaches out blindly swatting at her phone. Laughing, I roll over top of her and turn the alarm off.
“Morning, sunshine.” I kiss the top of her head. “Don’t move, I’ll get your coffee.”
I hear her mumble something incoherent as I walk out of the bedroom.
Returning with her coffee, it does not surprise me to find her sound asleep again. I take a sip of the sweet crap she calls coffee and then put the cup down. Leaning down, I gently roll my lips over the top of hers, urging her mouth open with my tongue. She doesn’t disappoint, opening for me she meets my tongue with strokes of her own.
“Mmm, you taste divine,” she says as she slowly comes to. Laughing, I pull back; pulling her up into a sitting position.
Handing her the coffee cup, I suggest, “drink up, sunshine. Just think, if you quit your job and come work at our club, you won’t ever have to wake up at these ungodly hours again.”
“I’ll be fine once the caffeine hits my system.” She continues drinking, purposefully ignoring my suggestion. I’m not giving up though, I know I’ll wear her down, eventually. From what I’ve seen and heard from her friends, she doesn’t even like her job.
“I’m gonna hit the gym for a bit, do you need anything before I go workout?”
“I’m good, I’m just going to finish this coffee and have a shower.”
I kiss her once more. “Okay, but I’m just down the hall if you decide you need me to wash your back, or your front, or your hair.”
Laughing she says, “I think I’ll manage, but good to know you’ll wash all those hard to reach places.”
Leaning in, I kiss her again. I don’t think I’m ever going to get enough of her kisses, it’s like a drug and I’m addicted.
“Anytime, anyplace babe,” I say with a wink and leave her to get ready.
I’m not surprised to find Bray already in the gym as I enter. Jumping on the treadmill, I start my warm-up. Bray eyes me suspiciously.
“What happened? Did Lyssa kick you out already? If so, I want her to get custody of me in the divorce.”
“Fuck off. There won’t ever be fucking divorce, idiot.”
“Then why the hell are you up at this hour? I haven’t seen the likes of you this early for well over a month.”
“Alyssa’s going back to work at the hospital today.”
I shrug, like it doesn’t bother me at all that she’s going to work and I won’t be able to be with her all day.
“Shit man, is that safe? I mean we still don’t know where the fuck Caitlyn is hiding out,” Bray questions.
Like I haven’t fucking thought of that already. “I tried to talk her into quitting and coming to work at the club, but she won’t have a bar of it.”
“Well, at least now I know why you’re in such a cheery mood.” Bray smirks.
“She also wants to drive herself to work in her car,” I grunt as I speed up the treadmill to a slow jog.
“What time is she planning on leaving?” he asks.
“In about an hour, around six, she’s doing a twelve-hour shift and is meeting me at the club when she finishes, why?”
Shrugging he grabs a towel and wipes his face. “I need to visit a mate at the hospital, she can give me a lift.”
I nod, knowing full well he’s full of shit, he doesn’t have any mates in the hospital, but I’m grateful for the lie if it means she won’t be driving by herself.
“Thanks man,” I say as he makes his way out of the room.
After punishing myself for forty-five minutes in the gym, I wander back into the bedroom in search of Alyssa. She should be just about ready to leave. I find her sitting on the edge of the bed, bending over, tying the laces on her joggers. For a moment I just stand in the doorway enjoying the view. I forgot how damn good she looks in those scrubs. Then again, Alyssa would be hot as fuck in a burlap sack.
Groaning, I adjust the growing erection forming in my shorts. Alyssa finally looks up, pausing momentarily where my hand is adjusting my cock.
Smirking as her eyes meet mine, she asks, “good workout?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I make my way to her. Kneeling on the floor in front of her, I trail my hands up her legs from her ankles up to her inner thighs.
“There are much better ways I prefer to get my cardio in these days.”
Alyssa laughs while attempting to push me away. As her hands meet my chest, I think my heart literally stops for a minute. There is something huge missing from her left hand. My eyes should be met with a fucking diamond on that hand, a huge fucking diamond that I put there just a week ago. Grabbing her hand, I rub her ring finger, her bare fucking ring finger.
I take a deep breath before gritting out, “where the fuck is your ring, Alyssa?”
As much as I try to get my voice to remain calm, I don’t succeed. I know my words come out harsh.
She looks down at her hand then back at me before answering, “Zac, I can’t wear that ring to work.”
I hear her words, but they make absolutely no sense. “Why the fuck not?”
Staring at her hand I’m racking my brain for reasons she would not want to wear my ring out in public. Has she changed her mind already? I don’t think I’d survive if she says she doesn’t want me anymore.
Alyssa reaches up touching my face and pulls my eyes up to meet hers. “Zac, honey, I’m still marrying you. There is nothing in this world that could stop me from wanting to marry you. I can’t wear my ring because it’s just too big, it’s not practical. I have to put gloves on and off all day, I won’t be able to do that with the ring on.”
Although I feel like a weight has been lifted knowing she’s not leaving, I still don’t like the thought of her walking around without the fucking ring on her finger. I want the world to know she’s taken and taken by me. There’s also the fact that that particular ring has a GPS tracker in it. I know, not my finest moment putting a tracker on my fiancée, but given the circumstances I think if I ever had to actually use it, I won’t regret putting it there. She of course does not know that her ring has this extra feature. There is no way I’m letting her walk out of this apartment without that ring on her.
Standing up, I ask her, “where is it?” as I look around the room.
Alyssa walks into the walk-in wardrobe and retrieves the ring from the island bench, I don’t tell her that she just left a four-hundred-thousand-dollar ring sitting around like a piece of costume jewellery. I’d never get her to wear it if she knew that stone’s value. Instead, I open a drawer and pull out one of my gold chains, it’s thin enough and long enough that she can wear it under her shirt.
Threading the ring through the chain, I then place the chain around her neck. Alyssa doesn’t move, she doesn’t question my actions. Once the chain’s clasp is secure, I tuck the ring into the inside of her shirt, letting the stone rest between her breasts. Damn, for a moment I’m lost at staring down into her cleavage; that is until Alyssa clears her throat.
“Thank you. I didn’t even think to put it on a chain.”
Wrapping her arms around my waist, she buries her head into my chest. I hear her inhale and I smile. I love that she always inhales my scent like it’s her favourite scent in the world, even though I’m pretty sure I come second to the scent of coffee.
“It’s not too late to change your mind, you know,” I whisper my last-ditch attempt at getting her to stay with me rather than go to work.
“As much as I’d love to stay in our little bubble and be with you all day, we need to get back to reality, and reality is I have a job. A job that I’m going to be late for if I don’t leave now.”
“It was worth a try, and you know you don’t actually have to work right? I have enough money that neither of us would have to actually work another day in our lives. We could jus
t move to a deserted island and continue to exist in our little bubble, just the two of us.” As the idea runs through my head, I’m liking it more and more.
“Zac, do not buy a bloody island retreat anywhere. We are not leaving our family. Now walk me to the door and kiss me goodbye.”
With that, she turns and walks out of the room. I’m left there smiling like a fool. She said our family. It’s the first time she’s referred to my family as her own, as ours and not just mine.
“Zac, I’m leaving,” I hear Alyssa call from down the hall. I meet her in the living room just as Bray comes running down the hall at the same time.
“Lyssa, sis, thank god you haven’t left yet. I need you to give me a ride.” His words rush out like he’s in a hurry to get somewhere. I work hard to hide the smirk that’s trying to form on my lips. He really does go all in when he’s on a roll.
“What’s wrong?” Alyssa questions as she pats Bray down with her hands, inspecting for an injury of some sort.
Pulling her back into my chest, I stop her inspection of my brother’s body.
“He’s not hurt Alyssa, he’s just a fucking idiot,” I inform her while sending Bray a death glare.
“Your concern for my wellbeing means everything to me, brother. I’m fine, I just need to visit someone who’s laid up in the very same hospital you’re driving to. So, can you give me a lift?” Bray asks.
Alyssa looks sceptical, glancing back and forward between Bray and myself. Shit, she is too damn smart for us. She already knows he’s full of shit.
“Bray, visiting hours don’t start until eight. It’s only six now, what are you planning on doing, sitting around the door for two hours to visit a friend?”
I look at Bray pleadingly, I know he’ll come up with something, he’s always been able to talk his way out of anything.
“Ok, well I didn’t want to tell you this because, well just because. But you see, there’s this nurse I just met, and she wants me to meet her before her shift at the hospital. A before work hook-up, some might call it. It’s the next Tinder.”