Forever and Ever (Complete #1-7)

by E. L. Todd

  His chest expanded with another deep breath. “I know.”

  “Because you’re my best friend…I never want to lose what we have.”

  This time when he took a deep breath, I knew tears accompanied it. I didn’t pull away and look at his face because I knew he would want to hide them from me. A quiet sniff escaped him then his breathing returned to normal.

  I stayed in his arms, feeling good for the first time since before the accident. Somehow my dad could take the pain away without trying. Slade was the best thing that had ever happened to me, always making me smile and melt. But he could never replace my father, the first man I ever respected and admired. It was different with him, unexplainable. There was a connection between us, something that could never be severed no matter how many times we hurt each other.

  His love for me was unconditional. And so was mine.

  We spent the evening watching movies and going through buckets of popcorn. My dad had a very specific diet, so he only ate a few handfuls. After that he munched on an apple.

  “Mom keeps a tight leash on you, huh?” I asked.

  He chuckled. “Something like that…”

  By the end of the night, I fell asleep on the couch. I wasn’t sure when it happened, but I knew it was late. When I woke up the next morning, I was tucked away in my bed.

  My dad didn’t leave the next day like he was supposed to. Instead, he stayed for another night and brought food from the diner we always went to. The day was spent on the couch watching TV while I finished my homework. My dad never took out his computer, and the only time he answered his phone was when my mom called.

  I texted Slade before he got out of class. My dad is staying another night.

  I knew he was disappointed, even if he didn’t say anything. Let me know the second he leaves. I miss you.

  I miss you too.

  Let me know if you need anything. Any excuse to see you is good enough for me.

  I smiled then put my phone down.

  My dad caught the look then quickly turned away, pretending not to notice.

  A knock on the door that evening caught us both by surprise.

  Was it Slade? Did he decide to come over anyway?

  “Expecting anyone?” my dad asked.

  “No…”

  He looked through the peephole then answered it. “Hey, Skye.”

  “Hey, Uncle Mike.” Her wide eyes showed her surprise.

  He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead just like he did to me. “Thanks for stopping by.”

  “I hope I’m not intruding,” she said hesitantly. “I didn’t know you would be here.”

  “Nonsense. Come in.” He closed the door behind her.

  Skye sat on the couch next to me. “You doing okay?”

  “Yeah. I wish I could walk, but it’s not the worst thing in the world.” I could have died so I tried to keep it in perspective.

  She nodded but didn’t speak.

  I could tell she wanted to discuss something but couldn’t since my dad was around. As best friends, we shared the power of telepathy between our minds.

  My dad seemed to pick up on the mood. “I’m going to grab some coffee for the drive home. Want anything, girls?”

  “No, thank you,” Skye said politely.

  “Thanks anyway,” I said.

  “Okay,” he said as he walked out. “I’ll be back.”

  When we were alone, Skye looked at me. “How’s it going with him…?”

  “We had a huge fight last night, but we worked it out.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. He seemed really pissed off.”

  “He was.”

  “So, he’s okay with Slade?”

  “Well…I don’t know about that. He made it pretty clear he doesn’t like him as my boyfriend.”

  Her face fell in sadness. “I’m sorry, Trinity. He’ll come around.”

  “I guess it’s a good thing I got in this accident, because he’s having a hard time being mad at me.”

  She chuckled. “Yeah, you should be so grateful,” she said sarcastically.

  I smiled then looked at the TV.

  Skye stared at me with sad eyes.

  I knew what she was thinking. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you…”

  She fidgeted with her hands. “Did I do something…?”

  “No, of course not. I just didn’t want anyone to know. Everything was going really well, and I knew being a secret gave us the freedom to grow without judgment. And for the first few months, I didn’t think we were going to last so it was pointless to tell anyone.”

  She nodded with pursed lips. “I thought I did something to make you not trust me.”

  “No, absolutely not.” I patted her hand.

  “That makes me feel better. You’re my best friend and I didn’t know if I somehow pushed you away.”

  I shook my head. “No, not at all.”

  “Okay, I feel better now.”

  I was glad we got that squared away.

  She leaned back into the couch, a mischievous look on her face. “Now spill it before your dad comes back.”

  I laughed and felt my cheeks redden. “What do you want to know?”

  “Everything.”

  I laughed again. “I don’t even know where to start.”

  “How’s he in bed?” she blurted.

  My cheeks turned a shade darker. “Amazing.”

  “He’s all…good down there?”

  “He’s impressive.” I laughed at her wide eyes.

  She hit my arm playfully. “You’re such a dirty bird.”

  I laughed again then hit her back.

  “So…when did it get serious?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure. A few months ago? We started spending every day together and sleeping together every night. I guess we just got attached to each other.”

  “I can’t believe you whipped Slade.” She shook her head incredulously. “I thought that guy was untamable.”

  “I guess he’s different with me…”

  “Is that why you and Reid didn’t work out?” she asked.

  I nodded. “At the time, Slade and I were just fooling around. But then he said he didn’t want me to see anyone else but him.”

  Her eyes were wide, and her jaw was dropped. “No way…”

  I nodded, pleased with the way Slade and I had progressed.

  “But didn’t he sleep with that model?” she asked.

  “He lied and said he did.”

  “And Roland mentioned something about hooking up with some girl at a strip club…?”

  “The girl was me.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “They said this girl had tattoos.”

  “Me.” I smirked. “I was wearing a disguise.”

  She hit my arm again. “That’s so romantic!”

  “I guess.”

  “So, is he sweet with you? Romantic?”

  “All the time.”

  “Do you fight still?”

  “No, not really.”

  She rested her chin on her hand. “I just can’t believe it…you guys fooled us so well.”

  “It was pretty fun,” I said with a smirk.

  She smiled while she stared at me. “He really makes you happy, huh?”

  “Unbelievably so.”

  “I’m happy for you.” Her words were genuine and true.

  “Thanks.”

  “Wedding bells in the future?”

  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it. “I hope so…”

  “Does Slade still not want to get married?” she asked quietly.

  “From the beginning of our relationship, he said he would try to give me what I want. He just decided to be my boyfriend, and he finally admitted me loves me…but I don’t think he’s ready to even contemplate that. I need to be patient with him…”

  “Well, I’m shocked he made it this far.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “But if he loves you, I’m sure it’ll ha
ppen.”

  Thinking about him with anyone else made me sick. “Skye, I’m scared…”

  Her eyes turned serious. “Why?”

  “Because I love him so much… I never thought it would happen. Do you feel this way about Cayson? You love him so much that the idea of losing him makes you want to jump off a cliff?”

  “I used to feel that way in the beginning. What would happen to our friendship if it didn’t work? The idea of losing him forever scared me enough to withhold most of my heart. But he convinced me my fear was unnecessary, and since then, I haven’t thought about it once. I know he’s mine until the end of time.”

  Cayson and Slade weren’t comparable so I shouldn’t even bother trying. “I hope we get there someday.”

  She patted my hand. “You’ll get there. Slade just needs you to be patient. If he’s come this far, imagine how much further he could go.”

  I nodded. “You’re right.”

  “And seeing that romantic scene in the hospital told me everything I needed to know.” Her eyes shone with affection. “That man will do anything for you, slit his own throat, just to make you happy. He gives you the same look Cayson gives me. And somehow, I think what you have with Slade is even stronger than what Cayson and I have.”

  My heart quickened. “Really?”

  She nodded, a smile still on her lips. “You guys took a journey together that no one else would survive. You’ve beaten all the odds, and with every passing obstacle, you guys only become stronger. My love with Cayson is dull compared to yours. We should be looking up to you, not the other way around.”

  My heart fluttered in my chest when I processed her words. Slade and I were complicated, different, but there was no doubt what we had. For the first time, I didn’t worry about losing Slade. I knew he was mine forever—even if he didn’t know it yet.

  “About time that damn gorilla left.” Slade walked inside then headed to me on the couch. His arms wrapped around me and he placed a hard kiss on my lips. He squeezed me to his chest like a child gripping a teddy bear.

  I chuckled against his lips then pulled away.

  His hand pulled the hair from my face then he fisted it, anchoring me to him. His touch had become more possessive and territorial the longer we were together. When I was taken away from him, he was on edge, irritated by the loss. “How are you?”

  “Good. You?”

  “Horrible,” he blurted. “Did you take your medication?”

  I nodded. “Yep.”

  “Is your leg okay?”

  “Slade, I’m fine.” We had this conversation every day. “If I’m in pain, I’ll let you know.”

  “Okay.” He pressed his head to the side of mine. “How’d it go with him?”

  “Pretty bad…”

  He took a deep breath and sighed.

  “We got into a huge fight and mean things were said. Then he stormed out.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “Because I knew he would come back, which he did.”

  He relaxed slightly. “He hates me, doesn’t he?”

  “No.”

  “Don’t sugarcoat it, Trin. I can handle it.”

  “He doesn’t hate you,” I said firmly. “But I don’t think he believes your love for me is genuine. And he doesn’t trust you because you snuck around behind his back… He’s upset at you for a lot of things. But he could never hate you, Slade. He loves you.”

  I knew he wasn’t convinced, even though he didn’t argue with me. “I have to fix this…I just don’t know how.”

  “It’ll blow over eventually. Just give it time.”

  “I’m not a patient man. You know that.”

  “Yes, you are,” I said quietly. “You’ve been patient with me, risking a lot just to be with me.”

  He pulled away and looked at me with soft eyes. “Well, you’re a reward I’ll do anything to keep.”

  I leaned against him and inhaled his scent, happy to be in his arms again. His familiar warmth and touch soothed me. I missed my father, but I missed Slade more. His hand touched my hair gently then he looked down at me.

  I met his gaze and saw the bags under his eyes. “You look like shit.”

  He laughed while affection came into his eyes. “I can’t sleep without you. I’m not sure why I even bothered trying.”

  “I didn’t sleep well either…”

  “I’ll be catching up on sleep tonight.” He rested his chin on the top of my head and rocked me back and forth gently.

  “You want to go to bed now?”

  “It’s not even nine,” he said. “You must be restless. Why don’t we go out and do something?”

  “Do what?” I asked with a laugh. “I’m handicapped.”

  “So?” he demanded. “We can go out to dinner, the movies…tons of stuff.”

  “And embarrass you? No thanks.”

  He stiffened, his hands flinching. “Embarrass me?” Anger filled his voice. “Trinity, you could never embarrass me. I’m still as sprung on you as I was the first time I was inside you. Don’t ever say that again.”

  I stayed silent, letting the argument die.

  “I’ll ask again. You want to go out?”

  “Not really. I’d rather just lie in bed with you.”

  “If that’s what you want.” He lifted me from the couch and carried me to bed. He changed my clothes then removed his own before he got into bed beside me. He leaned over me, resting his head on mine. “I know we can’t have sex, but can I kiss you?”

  “And other stuff…?” I asked hopefully.

  “No, I just want to kiss you.”

  “And be frustrated all night?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I admit I get horny when we make out, but I’m also satisfied at the same time. My favorite thing to do with you is kiss you.”

  “It is?” I asked in surprise. That couldn’t be right.

  “It is,” he said firmly. “I don’t usually kiss the girls I sleep with because it’s boring and awkward…but with you…it’s my favorite. We make love with our lips, and my heart syncs with yours. I feel connected to you, and everything else fades away. It’s just us.”

  Slade continued to surprise me, even now. His heart and love wrapped around me, making a cocoon. When he said things like this, I knew he would never hurt me. I was the only person he ever loved, ever cared about. Even though he’d been with hundreds of others, they didn’t mean anything. In that regard, I was the only one.

  He moved over me and pressed his lips to mine, giving me a close-mouthed kiss. The moment we touched, my heart swelled, and I ached for him. My hands gripped him as I held on. He breathed into my mouth, and when his tongue touched mine, I melted. Even though we were clothed, our bodies were combined.

  And we made love, but with just our mouths.

  68

  Slade

  Conrad avoided me at all costs. The times we did cross paths, he clenched his fists and gave me a death stare. Then he stormed off in the opposite direction, hate leaking from his pores as he went. I got the same reaction from Roland, his other half.

  I knew I needed to talk to him and clear the air, but he clearly wasn’t ready to face me. And honestly, I was avoiding it. I suspected I’d get punched in the face and the gut. I wouldn’t hesitate to kick his ass in any other situation, but since he was my girlfriend’s—that was still weird to say—brother, I couldn’t hit him back. I’d have to take the hits and play dead.

  Stress weighed on my heart with every passing day. I was constantly worried about Trinity, making sure she was healing properly and getting plenty of rest and nutrition. I took her to every class in her wheelchair then picked her up when they were over. I was late to my classes and left early from some of them just to accommodate her. I didn’t mind. She needed to know I would always be there, that I didn’t mind taking care of her.

  My only friend was Cayson. Nothing had changed with him. He was by my side when I needed it, even if he was silent. He knew I was going through
a dark time, even if I never said it. The last thing I wanted to do was dump my stress on Trinity, who needed to be calm and relaxed. Cayson had to be there for me instead.

  “I don’t know what to do…” My beer sat in front of me, untouched.

  “About what? Conrad?”

  “No…”

  “The rest of the family?”

  He was only reminding me how bad the situation was. “No…”

  “Her dad?”

  I nodded. “Every time he looks at me, hate radiates off him. I know he wants to punch me in the face. The only reason why he hasn’t is because my dad will kill him, and Trinity will be outraged.”

  “He doesn’t hate you.” He rested his elbows on the table, ignoring his beer like how I ignored mine.

  “Don’t bullshit me,” I snapped. “I can handle the truth.”

  “He’s pissed at you and probably does want to beat the shit out of you, but no, he doesn’t hate you, Slade.”

  “He should…”

  Cayson raised an eyebrow.

  “What I did to Trinity was wrong. I hate myself…”

  “I’m not following.”

  “Just because I love her now and cherish her doesn’t make my earlier actions okay. I took advantage of her and used her like all the other whores in my life. She’s my family. I shouldn’t have done it.”

  “Do you honestly regret it?” he asked incredulously. “Because with all this drama off to the side, she makes you pretty damn happy.”

  No, I don’t regret it. “It could have ended in a different way.”

  “But it didn’t.” He gave me a firm look. “That’s all that matters.”

  “What should I do?” I asked. “With her father?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve never been in this situation before.”

  Way to rub it in. “What would you do if you were?”

  He thought for a moment, touching his glass. “I’d talk to him one-on-one.”

  “How?” I asked. “We’re two hours apart.”

  “Drive to his office and speak to him.”

  “While he’s at work?” I asked incredulously.

  “Yeah, Cassandra won’t be there, so it’ll just be you two. And you’re in his comfort zone, where he feels most powerful and comfortable. I think that would be the best time. Plus, if you drive all the way out there just to talk to him, it’ll show that you really care to make it right.”