by Ember Flint
Sterling already texted me to let me know he’s waiting in the lobby for me.
I pick up my bag and cast another look about to make sure I didn’t forget anything important.
I can’t believe this is really happening!
I’ll be married to the man I love before the week is out.
And sure, when we get back there will be hell to pay, but I don’t really care.
Nothing can really touch me if Sterling is by my side and I’m sure in the end Sterling’s words will prove right and my brother will come around.
He might kick my future husband’s ass some first, but then he will see how much we love each other, how this is it for us, how this is forever.
I throw my phone charger in my bag and make sure I have my passport like Sterling asked and I smile thinking back about last night.
As soon as I got back here, I had to take off my engagement ring.
The thing is so big, it has its own zip code.
I hung it on a golden chain and hid it under my T-shirt, close to my heart where Sterling has always been, but now that I think about it, I probably would have gotten away with wearing it on my ring finger with not an eyebrow raised in the penthouse because my brother only had eyes for Jessica at dinner and he was the sole focus of her attention.
We didn’t get much talking done on the whole, but I like this girl very much.
She’s different from my brother’s usual type and I have a feeling she’s here to stay.
He looks at her as Sterling looks at me, so I know he’s a goner and she didn’t stop blushing and smiling and stroking his hand all night and that’s how I know she feels the same.
I could tell they have fallen for each other —incredibly and incredibly fast.
And according to them, Aston and his new girlfriend aren’t faring much better.
I can’t wait to meet Lara and judge for myself, I hope she’s as nice as her sister.
My phone chimes.
Sterling: “Bombshell, you ready?”
Me: “On my way.”
Sterling: “Hurry up. I miss you.”
I sigh, feeling happier than I have ever been.
I swing my duffel bag over my arm and leave my room, smiling even if I feel a little bit sad also. I’m sorry about sneaking out like this, sorry about having to lie to my brother —I could not lie to his face, so I’m going to leave him a voicemail saying I’m going to stay with a friend to study to explain my absence—, and sorry that I’m taking such a huge step in my life behind my parents’ back, but I love Sterling too much and want this too much not to go with him.
Chapter 15
STERLING
I stumble out of the shower keeping Cora attached to my side and she giggles, her joy filling all the empty spaces in my heart I didn’t know I had.
“Put me down, Ster!” my wife laughs.
I spin her around and then drop her on the huge bed, making her bounce a little.
My wife.
I still can’t believe we did it.
We got married as soon as we got here in Vegas. In this city you don’t find many obstacles to this kind of thing and the few we did meet were easily knocked down by the right amount of money.
We are going back to New York in a few days for her finals and to talk with her family and then off we go to break the news to the Fitzroy clan.
We know there are going to be a lot of ruffled feathers on both sides of the family, but we decided to have a more conventional, big wedding as soon as possible and that should be enough to restore the peace. At least where parents are concerned.
I don’t think it’s going to be that easy with Chuck.
I married his baby sister behind his back, I’m sure the guy is not going to give a bloody fuck that we are going to have some big celebration to patch things up.
The Terrible Duo I’m sure will prove difficult also. They have been throwing women at me since I turned twenty so they are not going to be very pleased that in the end they could not hand-pick my wife themselves.
Oh well, we shall deal with everything that life throws at us as it comes, there’s nothing that can really shake me now that Cora is mine.
The important thing is that she’s my wife now and something has finally settled inside of me.
“We’re going to do it now?” Cora asks.
I sigh. “I still think this is a bad idea, love.”
“Sterling, please. Can’t we do it my way? Aston thinks I’m right…”
I roll my eyes. “Aston has gone soft because of Lara,” I mumble.
Cora stands on her knees, clutching the little terrycloth towel to her ample chest and links her arms behind my neck. “And what about you, husband of mine? Have you gone soft because of me?”
I smirk down at her. “I only go hard because of you, wife of mine. It’s a bloody perpetual affliction.”
She laughs. “So we’re doing it my way? Now?”
I huff and nod in agreement, because, yes, I have gone soft: I’m just not going to admit to it.
“Get dressed, love.”
“Mmm mmm,” she pulls away and starts to towel off her curls.
We are about to come clean with Charles on a fucking FaceTime call no less.
I’m not too keen on the idea; I wanted to do the right thing: go to his place, tell him in person and then let him have it, but Cora is scared tempers could flare and we could get physical, so she came up with the ill-advised plan to tell him over the phone.
She argued that in this way nothing bad could happen and also Charles would have a few days to mull this over before we meet in person again and in the meantime Jessica would work on him and so would Aston, the traitor who mutinied and sided with Cora.
In the end, I relented with the caveat that we would turn the phone conversation into a video call. If I have to tell him in this way, at least I want to be able to look him in the eye.
My wife is very apprehensive about the situation: she feels like she disappointed her brother’s trust in her by keeping our relationship from him and she’s seriously worried about causing a breach between the two of us aside from souring her own relationship with him.
I’ve tried to reassure her that this can —and will— be fixed, but she’s still doubtful.
I throw some jeans and a T-shirt on and turn to look back at her. She’s wearing a beautiful lavender-colored sundress that I want to rip from her curvy body with my teeth.
Not now, Sterling!
I sigh, refocusing my attention on her serious eyes and the way her full lips are set in a thin line, her face pale.
I take her hand in mine and squeeze it until she looks up.
I kiss her forehead. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be okay.”
I see two fat tears roll down her cheeks.
“Oh, love, don’t cry!”
I pull her into a hug.
“I don’t want to fight with my brother, Sterling, and I don’t want you to lose your best friend…”
I stroke soothing circles between her shoulder blades and down to her lower back. “I’m not going to lie to you, sweetheart: there’s a good chance he will get mad and if it comes to that, I will take the fall. He won’t get angry with you and even if he does, it won’t last. In the end, your brother is only concerned for your happiness and wellbeing and both things I will do anything in my power to ensure for the rest of our life. As soon as I can talk eye-to-eye with him, I will make sure that Charles understands that, I promise. Okay?”
She nods as I wipe the tears from her face. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
I sit on the bed and bring her down with me, nestling her in my lap and onto my chest.
As soon as she’s composed we move from the bed to the sofa and I pick up my tablet, propping it onto its stand in front of us on the low, lacquered coffee table that faces the picture window taking up an entire wall of our suite.
I turn the screen to the side a little so that I’m the only
one in the frame for now and keeping Cora’s hand in mine I make the call.
I see Charles’s face on the screen a minute later.
“Hey pal, what’s up?” he asks, smiling.
I’m pretty sure he’s not going to keep that smile for long. “Hi, Chuck.”
He squints at the screen. “How come there’s daylight?”
Oh right: there are about three hours of difference: it’s already evening in New York but the sun has not even set here yet.
I gulp. “I’m not in New York.”
He seems surprised. Of course it’s nothing to how surprised he is going to look in a couple of minutes.
“Oh, then where are you?”
“I’m in Las Vegas.”
“Las Vegas? What for? You never said you were going to Nevada.”
I sigh. “It wasn’t planned. Listen, man: I have to tell you something.”
He leans back with a sigh. “Are you going to explain what the hell is going on with you lately?”
“Sort of…”
He nods. “Is this about the elevator bombshell?”
I square my shoulders, huffing out a breath. “Yes, it is.”
I adjust the angle of the tablet until Cora is included in the frame and I brace myself, grimacing.
At first Charles simply stares at us and then he starts cussing me to the moon and back.
“Hi, Charles,” Cora interjects timidly and he gives her a look that could turn to stone.
“Sterling what the fuck are you doing with my baby sister in fucking Las Vegas?”
Before I can answer I see a blonde take a seat close to Charles on his sofa and grasp his hand, by the way his shoulders immediately relax, I’m guessing she’s Jessica.
She turns to the camera and smiles at my wife. “Hi, Cora, and you must be Sterling, right? Nice to meet you.”
As Cora gives her a small wave I force a smile, prying my eyes away from a livid Charles to answer her. “Likewise, Jessica.”
“Enough with the fucking small-talk! What the fucking are you doing in Vegas with him, Cora?”
I look at my bride and then back at the tablet, stroking her little trembling hand with my fingers.
“Charles, let her be, I—” I start, but he interrupts me immediately to go off on his sister again.
“You said you were going to study with a friend, Cora. What the fuck! I was frantic with worry when I woke up this morning and you were nowhere to be found. I calmed down only when I heard your voicemail and you lied to me? You’re in fucking Vegas with a guy that for all intents and purposes you can’t stand? A guy you have not seen in five freaking years!”
“Charlie, I’m so sorry, but I… we—”
He talks over her, glaring at me. “And you! You were calling her a brat only this Saturday and now you’re telling me she’s elevator bombshell? I can’t even!”
“Charles, maybe you should let them talk,” interjects Jessica, pulling his hand in her lap.
My best friend’s expression softens a little as he looks at her, but as soon as his eyes are on me, he’s all piss and vinegar and fire again.
“Sterling, you fuck! What the hell are you doing with my baby sister in Vegas?”
“We got married, Charles.”
All right, I know I could have used more tact in my deliver, ease into it, but fuck it.
I love this guy, but he’s upsetting my wife and I can’t fucking have that.
“You what?” he barks and I can see his hands are lightly shaking.
Jessica jumps a little at the tone of his voice and reaches for his hand again.
He looks shocked and furious, his face is turning red.
Not good.
I have to try to make him understand. “Charles, I can explain.”
“Did you just really fucking say that you guys got fucking married in fucking Vegas no less?” he asks, glowering at me.
I’ve never seen such a look on his usually serene and imperturbable face.
“Charles, let him talk,” says Jessica.
He scowls at the tablet even more, leaning slightly back. “Fucking explain then,” he mutters, but then doesn’t really give me space to say anything and starts to scold me some more.
“You fucking lied to me, Ster. You are one of my best friends and went behind my back. I thought I could trust you, I thought—”
I feel Cora’s hand start to shake in mine even more. I’ve got to make him see.
“Charles, I love her. We love each other. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t know how to.”
I can see his jaw ticking away. “So you thought your best option was to elope with my baby sister?”
Well, yes, honestly: it’s not like he would have let me marry her otherwise, I think, but as soon as I start to say the words, Cora speaks up.
“Charlie, we didn’t do it for the reasons you’re thinking. We got married because we love each other and we wanted to be together,” she says, her light blue eyes are full of sadness and again bright with tears.
It breaks my heart hearing the contrition in her voice, but I can’t but agree with her sentiments.
Charles shakes his head. “Don’t give me that sad puppy look, Cora, it’s not gonna work. I invented the damn thing,” he grumbles, but I can see some of his acrimony slide away as he takes into his sister’s countenance.
I gulp and look away from her. It’s too painful to see her so forlorn.
“I’m sorry I hid this from you, man. It was a fucking bloody mess and I didn’t know how to bloody act, but you have to know I love her so much it hurts, I’ll give my life for her,” I try to explain.
“Charles. They are in love,” says Jessica.
Man, I like this girl.
Charles looks at her and then rolls his eyes. “Alright. When are you coming back to New York?” he asks, sighing.
I hug my wife to my side to comfort her, my fingers still stroking her little hand.
“We don’t know yet,” I say.
He huffs. “Make it soon and Ster?”
“Yes?” I ask, my head snapping back up and away from Cora’s lovely face to meet his eyes.
“I’m still going to punch you in the face no matter how in love you are with my baby sister.”
I shrug. “I know. I shall withstand any punishment you deem worthy, just forgive your sister: she can’t stand to be on the outs with you and I can’t bear to see her tears.”
“Aww,” Jessica says, sniffling.
Charles points at his sister. “You’re forgiven.”
Then he points at me. “You’re still fucked. I’ll talk to you guys soon and Cora? Before you ask, no: there’s not a chance in hell I’ll tell Mom and Dad for you.”
Cora starts to whine and the sound is so childish and stubborn it makes me laugh.
I turn completely toward her to hug her and she throws her arms around me. “Don’t worry, my love. I’ll talk with your parents. Everything will be okay…”
Charles switches off the video-call without saying goodbye.
I guess we are not entirely off the hook yet.
I cradle Cora to me, pulling her onto my lap and kiss her temple. “Well, that was not so bad now, was it?”
She groans, hiding her face in my chest. “He’s so going to punch you, Ster…”
I chuckle. “Oh, I know, darling, but you’ll still be my wife, so it won’t be too painful,” I say and kiss her lips until everything that’s not us is forgotten.
I stand up, keeping her to my body and her legs wind around my waist. I walk us to the bed and slowly disrobe us both.
By the time we are lying down, we are both naked and entangled in each other.
“I need you inside me, Sterling. Don’t make me wait!” she moans on my lips.
I move my kisses to her neck and start to push my hard length against her; at first I move just the head back and forth between her puffy folds, making sure she’s nice and wet for me, then I lightly thrust inside of her with the tip of my cock.<
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Each subsequent stroke brings me more deeply into her until with the last long, hard one I’m plunging into her balls-deep, making us one, her whimpers of pleasure filling the room.
I move her thighs higher on my hips and lean down, bringing her closer to me as I keep on thrusting in and out of her.
“You are mine, love. Forever. Nothing will ever come between us, nothing.”
She nods fervently, clutching my head to her chest, but it’s not enough: I want to hear the words.
I fuck harder into her. “Tell me, Cora!” I snarl, picking up speed.
She moans my name, her fingernails digging in my sides, her heels pushing on my lower back and driving me deeper into her hot, juicy cunt.
“I’m yours, Sterling. Forever and you’re mine. Only mine…”
I drop onto her giving her more of my weight, feeling finally free from all the worries, the doubts and the uncertainty.
We could not avoid the impulse in that elevator and we are certainly not going to start now.
We are well and truly entangled in enchantment and I could not be happier about it. We are one and we are forever and nothing would keep us apart.
Chapter 16
CORA
Two weeks later…
The light catches on the diamond on my finger making it gleam and I smile into my cup of herbal tea. I walk out of the kitchen and bump a toe against the leg of a chair, almost splashing the scalding beverage over my chest.
I huff an oath under my breath as I steady myself.
I’m still getting my bearings around Sterling’s loft, but we have been here for less than forty-eight hours so no surprise there.
After our faster than light Vegas wedding, we went back to New York City and I aced my finals.
Charles stayed true to his words unfortunately and as soon as he saw us he hugged me, but did punch my husband straight in the face.
Sterling took his punishment without a word and even if I saw his fists instinctively tighten, he didn’t hit back.
They had a bit of a glaring contest, but in the end Aston got between them so things didn’t go any further, at least not in front of me.
The three of them disappeared for a little while and I finally had time to get to know Jess and Lara.