The Rookie

by A J Kent

  I can’t believe the man I’ve been in love with all my life has been in love with me too. He’s never been out of love with me. All this time we have been fighting our feelings, hiding behind our pride and stubbornness when we could have been spending every waking moment together, loving each other, making memories and starting our future.

  “I love you so much that I can’t see straight. Loving you is the best thing that has ever happened to me. You’re the reason I breathe. I breathe for you and only you Rory. I love you so much. My heart beats for you. My soul belongs to you. I belong to you Rory.”

  His strong hands clench around mine and his eyes stare deep into mine, waiting, pleading, longing. My cheeks heat up, no doubt turning pink and rosy, I lift my hands from his and place them gently on his face. He sucks in a breath, his eyes longing, flamed and full of desire.

  “I love you, Theodore. I’ve never stopped loving you. You are my past, present and future too.”

  My lips crash against Theodore’s or his crash against mine, all I know is we meet in the middle and my body relaxes, finally accepting and content of his lips being against mine. Finally accepting that I’m home, that I’m safe. Our mouths mould against one another, like they finally found exactly where they need to be, they connect and become one, fitting together like a puzzle piece. Moving together in unison. His kiss is real, hungry, carnivorous. His kiss is passionate and primal. My hands grip his neck as his hands explore my body, igniting my senses to an almost unbearable sensation that sends shockwaves deep to my core, his soft hands explore every crevasse, every curve, every piece of skin my body has to offer. I whimper and moan against his smooth and desirable lips as his kiss deepens, my mouth opens wider, his tongue crashes against mine in one swift brush. Our tongues battle with one another, each stroke saturated with love. This kiss is more intimate than our last one, more real, more intense. This kiss is filled with love, desire and need. This is the kiss of acceptance, this is the kiss of our past, present and future. This is the kiss of love.

  His mouth disconnects from mine, a whimper escapes my throat, missing the taste of his lips against mine. His face is flushed, and his emerald green eyes are full of passion, full of want, full of love.

  Full of love for me.

  Theodore Riley loves me.

  Epilogue

  Theodore

  Twelve months later. . .

  Darkness does not exist inside me anymore.

  Every day is filled with light, light so consuming and so debilitating that I can barely see straight. So, intoxicating and thrilling that I have to pinch my skin to remind myself that this is in fact my life and not a dream or a fantasy. This is real. This is my reality.

  I’m living the life I’ve always wanted.

  I used to live in a constant state of fear and darkness, I used to hate that the woman I loved left me, I used to hate that I was alive. I used to hate myself for trying to hate her. I was content being isolated, I was content being alone, I was happy that I was in control of my life. That I was in control my emotions, that I was in control of my heart, even though that heart belonged to a blonde who continued to take my breath away.

  I was once a broken man, living in a broken world. I was walking around and living in a world full of hate, suffering and death but I was numb. I was numb to it all. I was numb to everything. I was good at my job, I made a difference to those around me, but I did so with a chip on my shoulder. My scars were both emotional and physical. The scars, my scars, were so deep rooted to my core that the pain was paralyzing, agonizing and searing. I tried to be a good man, I tried to actually be happy instead of living in a false sense of happiness, I tried to see the positives in what I was doing every day. How could I walk around in burning pain when there were innocent people around me suffering at the hands of others. I resented myself for having feelings, I loathed myself for wanting to put myself first, I punished myself out of guilt, but being in a constant state of pain from the age of eighteen was hard to forget.

  It was hard to cope with.

  I used to punish myself by going to the Lincoln Memorial every day. I would always stand in the same spot where my heart was ripped from my heart and fed to the wolves. I was naïve, I was young, but I was heartbroken. At the time my heartbreak felt like grief even though I felt like I was the one who was dying. The pain never came in waves, it was constant, gruelling and never-ending.

  The memories are painful, harrowing, tedious. The memories are reminders of the man I am today. The pain is an indicator of how I got to where I am today. The memories have shaped the person I currently am and will shape the man I’m going to continue to be. The memories of my past, of my pain will be stored away, hidden and out of sight, like pages in a book. The memories will be left on a bookshelf in a dark room, where they will gather dust, but they will be there. They will be there for me to go back to if I ever need reminding, if I ever need to put something into perspective.

  They will be there to remind me that things get better.

  One day it all changed. One day I came up for air. I came up for air and was able to breathe and see clearly for the first time in years. For the first time in years I could see clarity and hope in my future.

  I am no longer a broken man living in a broken world. I no longer live in a constant state of fear and darkness, those are distant memories, glimpses of my past, they are steppingstones that got me to where I am today.

  I now live in a constant state of love, of want, of desire.

  Love has healed my wounds.

  A blonde, ponytail wearing woman has glued me back together.

  Being in love with Rory has healed my heart.

  “What are you thinking about?” My wife asks as she walks towards where I am stood looking at the rock pool we have in our backyard.

  My wife.

  Rory Raymona Riley, the love of my life, my whole word, my whole reason for existing, for breathing, for living.

  I laugh against her shoulders as I pull her in front of me and wrap my arms around her from behind, “You. Always you, wife.”

  I can feel the roll of her eyes from here, “Well husband, it’s good to know that I’m always on your mind.” She says as she snuggles her back against my chest.

  Admitting and accepting my feelings for Rory was the best thing I’ve ever done. That is closely followed by Rory becoming my wife. I said once before that I wasn’t one for grand, romantic gestures, but how it goes, I am a lying piece of shit.

  The night of Rory’s FBI graduation ceremony, the night in front the Lincoln Memorial, the night I put all my cards on the table and told Rory I loved her was the night I dropped down to one knee, pulled out a ring and asked her to marry me. I decided the day that Rory and I first ventured to the Lincoln Memorial that it was going to be the place where I ask her to become my wife. Even as a kid I knew that I was going to make her mine, even then I knew I was going to make her my wife.

  We might have had a few obstacles blocking our path but when her blonde ponytail came running towards me on the first day of FBI agent training, I knew I was a goner. I knew despite how broken I was that she was my end goal. I would have gotten down on one knee there and then if I didn’t have the Lincoln Memorial in my back pocket.

  I will never forget the look in Rory’s eyes as I got down on one knee and pulled out the little blue box from my jacket pocket. The moon reflected in her sapphire eyes, making them appear bluer than ever before. They were full of lust, love and happiness. Her blonde hair fell loose down her back as the warm breeze blew her curls and I swear I could see her heartbeat protrude against her perfect red dress.

  The moment she said yes was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard.

  “You have no idea how hard it is to function when you’re on my mind. It makes doing our job very difficult.” I admit as I spin her gorgeous body around to face me.

  Fuck, my wife is so beautiful.

  “Well it’s a good thing I won’t be around for a while, isn’t it? You
might be able to concentrate better.” she winks.

  My whole life flashes before my eyes, where the hell is my wife going?

  “What do you mean? Are you leaving the team? Are you leaving me?” I question, fighting back tears that are pooling at the back of my eyes.

  She moves my hands from her waist and moves them towards her stomach, “I’m going to be a bit preoccupied, Daddy.” She whispers with a huge smile on her face.

  Daddy.

  I am going to be a fucking father with the woman of my dreams.

  “I’m going to be a Dad?” I ask, the tears now falling down my face.

  There’s no time to be a tough guy, I’m not afraid to show my emotions.

  She nods and moves my hand in circles over her still flat tummy, “This little one has been brewing for five weeks. We are going to be parents.”

  I am going to be a Dad. I am going to be a fucking father. I repeat the words over and over in my head as I look down into my wife’s sapphire eyes. I never thought a moment could top Rory telling me she loves me, I never thought a moment would top Rory saying yes to marrying me and I never thought a moment would top the day she became my wife but this moment right here is one I will never forget. This moment tops everything. This moment makes up for the all the darkness, for all the heartbreak, for all the sadness.

  This is the best day of my fucking life.

  I pick up my wife, the mother to my unborn child and spin her around.

  “What are we celebrating?” Charlotte asks as her, Thomas, Fin and a few other of our friends from the academy walk towards us. My heart twitches and sadness overcomes me, noticing the absence of my best friend. Henley hasn’t been around recently, I wish he was here to share this moment with me.

  I look down at Rory and she nods for me to proceed.

  “Rory is pregnant. I’m going to be a fucking Dad.” I shout at the top of my lungs, scaring a few birds from the trees in the process.

  Charlotte dives at Rory, wrapping her small arms around my wife, embracing her and celebrating the bundle of joy brewing inside her tummy.

  “Fuck man, I’m so happy for you.” Thomas says as he pulls me in for a brotherly hug, “You are going to be a great Dad.”

  He releases me and taps me on the shoulder before Fin leans in and does the same, “First a wife that looks like her and now a baby, fuck Theo, you’ve got it made. I’m so happy for you bro.” He says as he wraps his arms around me.

  “I can’t believe you’re going to be a Mom,” Charlotte says as she coos over Rory’s stomach.

  “It was an unexpected surprise, but a surprise I’ll never forget.” Rory says as she looks at me with love flooding her eyes.

  It’s a surprise I’ll never forget.

  “We better get this party started,” Fin says as he raises his drink in the air, “If we have a little one joining the clan, we better have fun now before it’s too late.”

  Everyone laughs and raises their glasses in the air celebrating the conception of my unborn child.

  I beam with pride as I watch my friends mingle and celebrate the greatest news I’ve ever received. Fin is right, I have it made. I have everything I’ve ever wanted. I’ve got a perfect wife and a perfect unborn child on its way to change my life for the better.

  I break from the crowd of my friends and grab Rory’s arm, walking her over to the other side of our backyard.

  “This is the greatest day of my life,” I admit as I pull my wife into my chest, her scent consuming my sense.

  She snuggles close and wraps her arms around me, “I never thought there would be a day that would top you admitting you love me or us getting married, but seeing your face when I told you that you’re going to be a Dad. That is a moment that will forever be one of my favourite memories.”

  I laugh and put my hands on Rory’s flushed, rosy cheeks, “I love you so much,” I confess as I kiss her over and over, “I love you so much Rory Raymona Riley. You are my happiness, you are my world, you are my everything. My heart beats for you. I breath for you, I live for you.”

  She places her hand over my heart and my body slows, cherishing her touch on my skin.

  “I breathe for you. My heart beats for you. I love you Theodore, I love you more than you will ever know.”

  My life is complete.

  Every puzzle piece has been placed where it belongs.

  Rory owns my heart and I own hers.

  I never used to be able to understand why I agreed to give up my time to run the training for the new FBI recruits, I could never understand the reasoning behind my actions.

  At least that was until today.

  My heart knew what was happening before my head had chance to catch up.

  I knew I was about to be reconnected with a force to be reckoned with.

  My heart knew what was coming.

  Or I should say, my heart knew who was coming.

  The answer is Rory. Plain and simple.

  Even though I didn’t know it then, it has always been her.

  My heart belongs to her.

  My heart belongs to Rory Raymona Riley.

  I am no longer a broken man.

  I am whole, I am complete.

  I am in love.

  I’m in love with the Rookie.

  Thanks for reading!

  I hope you enjoyed the first instalment of The Academy Series.

  The Vixen: The Academy book two – Coming Soon

  In the second instalment you will be able to learn more about Henley and Charlotte and follow their relationship whilst juggling the demands of their challenging jobs at the FBI.

  For more information and updates on the second instalment of the series, please feel free to follow me on my social media accounts where you will be the first to hear about my next releases.

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