by Alexa Riley
“Yeah, Pink slipped out quick this morning, too. They must have something going on.”
“Well, crap. How are we going to take the laptop in?”
“I’m sure one of the guys on the door will escort us or something. Ensore isn’t that far away. Maybe only a mile.”
“Alright. Let me get dressed and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” Elle leaves the room, and I make quick work of getting ready in the bathroom. I slide on a pair of jeans, hoodie, and sneakers. Elle let go of my having to dress professional a long time ago.
When I enter the kitchen, Elle is typing away on her phone. She doesn’t even look up when she speaks. “I told them we’d be by shortly and to have someone there to take the laptop.”
“Sounds good.” I open the pantry door and don’t see anything I want to eat, or at least anything I feel like making. Drake has spoiled me with his cooking.
“You think we can go to Bojo’s after? I’m starving.”
“God, that sounds so good. We haven’t eaten there in forever.” By forever she means maybe two weeks, which is a long time for us. We normally eat there about three to four times a week. It’s a simple diner, but they have anything and everything you could want.
“Cool.” I grab my bag and slip my laptop and phone inside. Elle follows me to the door. When I open the door, I’m surprised that no one is standing outside. Normally, if Drake isn’t here, he has a guy who just stands there looking extremely intimidating.
“That’s odd.” I look up and down the hallway, and Elle does the same.
“There was someone here when I came in. Maybe there isn’t a threat anymore and that’s what the guys have been up to this morning.”
“Maybe,” I mumble, digging into my bag for my phone.
“Front left pocket.”
I reach into the front left pocket of my bag and pull out my phone. I tap out a message to Drake.
Me: No guard on the door. I need to drop laptop off at Ensore.
I hit send and wait for a response, but nothing comes.
“Crap. I don’t want to bother him if he’s busy. I’ve been hogging all of his time.”
Elle fiddles with her own phone for a moment before sighing.
“Let’s just pop into Drake and Pink’s office downstairs real quick and see if there is someone who can take us over there. It’s not that far. I’m sure one of them can pull themselves away for a little while to run us over..”
“Alright,” I agree, shooting Drake another text to at least let him know I’m on my way down to his office.
We ride silently down the elevator and when it gets to the bottom floor, I only take two steps out before I’m slammed back against a wall.
My head hits the wall hard, and my bag slips from my hands. I hear Elle scream, and black dots swim before me as I try to get my bearings.
“Orlando?” It’s then I realize the man who has me against the wall is one of the security guards at my old building. He’s so close I can feel his warm breath on my skin. His eyes seem wild as they dart back and forth.
“You had to fuck everything up. I could’ve just planted the bug in your computer and made me a shitload of money. But no, you have to get these other fuckers involved,” he growls at me.
I see Elle trying to pull at him, but it doesn’t seem to be doing any good. He turns around, giving her a shove and sending her sprawling to the floor.
“Who would have thought it would be so hard to get your attention? One would think it would be easy. Give the chubby, geeky girl a little attention and I should’ve been in your place like,” he snaps his fingers, “that. But no. It was like I didn’t even exist.” He leans in a little more, and I stop breathing. I can smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. “But you spread your legs for the other guy, didn’t you? You like them big and all scarred up? Is that what gets you off?” He licks up the side of my face, and I feel my stomach roil.
I push at his chest and he goes flying, hitting the floor a whole lot harder than Elle did.
I look up as Drake peels him from the floor like he’s nothing more than a rag doll, before punching him right in the face. The crunch of cracking bone is sickeningly loud.
This Hulk joke is really starting to become a reality.
“Drake, man, stop. You kill him and your ass will be in jail,” Pink says, coming to stand in front of Drake. He stops him from going to pick Orlando up again, holding his hands out to block him.
Drake’s whole body is tight, his breathing heavy. Pink’s eyes dart to mine, and I can read what he wants.
I walk up behind Drake and wrap my arms around him, resting my head against his back. I can feel some of the tension leave his body at the contact.
Then I hear the sirens.
16
Drake
I rest my hands on top of Zoey’s. I don’t take my eyes off Orlando for a second while the cops come in and get things sorted out.
They wanted to question us separately, but Zoey wouldn’t let me go, and I wasn’t about to take my hands off her while things were still getting settled.
Pink and I were at my office when his sisters came in and got to work. I don’t know how but one of them was able to find the deleted security footage from Zoey’s apartment. At the same time, we found a name we’d come across before. Orlando Davies popped up as working with Green Shore before coming to work in Zoey’s building, and that’s when it all clicked into place.
My phone buzzed just as this all happened, and I checked it to see Zoey’s messages. There was no reason security shouldn’t have been at her door, so I called some of my old partners at the station and had them come to the building for back up.
When I got downstairs and I saw Orlando’s hands on Zoey, red flooded my vision, and I just went into attack mode. It’s all still a little fuzzy from the rage and adrenaline. It was like nothing I’d ever felt before, and I’ve been in a lot of crazy situations when I worked SWAT. But all I remember was needing to get him off of her. I also remember Pink running over to help Elle, and that made me angrier. The thought that someone would hurt her sister, someone Zoey loves, infuriated me.
Thankfully, Pink was able to get between us, and Zoey’s touch calmed me down. I would have very likely killed him for coming near my woman. The cops arrived and arrested Orlando. Now they’re just taking statements.
“We still need to deliver the files,” Elle says, walking over to where we are. She looked at little shaken at first, but now she’s leaning on Pink, and I can see that she’s getting it back together. She’s a tough one, but seeing her holding on to him is definitely a sign in the right direction.
The elevator opens behind us, and a group of cops help out Matt, the security guy we had planted outside my home.
We talk with him and the cops for a bit and find out that Orlando admitted to having slipped something into the guard’s coffee. It took just long enough for Elle to get inside before he was out cold, and Orlando stashed his body in a hall closet.
With that confession, he’s going to be in jail for quite some time. Matt is a decorated veteran, and I know my boys will make sure he’s taken care of. Orlando may have started out as a petty criminal, but money makes people do crazy shit. It was enough to convince Orlando that coming after my woman was a good idea. God knows what he would have done to my Zoey.
The shiver snaking down my spine is stopped when Zoey’s warm hand rubs my back. I squeeze her closer to me, needing the reassurance that she’s still alive and still with me.
“I love you. You’re right. I love you.”
Zoey and I turn around to see Elle standing in front of Pink, admitting what we all knew.
“So you gonna wear my ring now?” he asks, looking into her eyes.
She puts her hands on her hips and glares at him. After a second, she lets out a huff and pushes a strand of hair out of her face. “Yes.”
Pink gets down on one knee and pulls out a box. It’s the one he bought the same day I got Zoey’s. I squeeze her
hand a little, feeling the cool band on her finger, and it makes me smile.
Elle puts her hands over her mouth, looking down at the simple gold band with little pink diamonds all around it. Pink could have gotten her a 50-carat diamond, but he knew Elle, and he knew this would mean more to her.
“One diamond for every baby I’m gonna give you, Prinzessin,” Pink says, waiting for Elle to answer.
I wrap my arms around Zoey as we watch the tears stream down Elle’s face and she launches herself at Pink. They’re kind of adorable, those two.
“Double wedding!” Zoey shouts and fist pumps the air.
“Whatever you want, cupcake,” I say, kissing her forehead. “Let’s get this shit delivered so I can take you upstairs and we can talk about your punishment.”
“Punishment?” She looks up at me with big eyes, then smiles.
I have a feeling she won’t take this lesson seriously.
17
Zoey
Before the door even shuts fully, Drake’s big hands are cupping my face, his mouth coming down on mine. His tongue pushes into my mouth, commanding me to open for him. I can taste the sweet desperation he pours into it. I can feel his pain and worry. All the emotions he’s been holding back while we finished everything come through the kiss. That this man loves me makes my heart squeeze.
He pulls away, resting his forehead against mine.
“I can’t lose you, cupcake. Fuck, I swear I’ve never been so scared in my life than when I saw his hands on you.”
He closes his eyes like he’s in pain and seeing it all over again. I rub my hands against his chest, trying to calm him.
“Like the Hulk would ever let something happen to me,” I tease, making a half-smile pull at his lips.
“I love you so damn much. You’re my family now. I need you. I need this. I haven’t been so fucking happy in my life, and to think it could have been taken from me today… It makes me want to—”
“I’m here, Drake. No one is taking me from you,” I reassure him, rubbing my hands up and down his chest, trying to calm him.
“Tell me you’ll never leave me.”
“Never,” I say instantly. I can feel his body relax at my words. Then he starts peppering kisses all over my face. It makes me giggle. I can’t even imagine what we look like together. This big, scarred, and tattooed man leaning down over me, cupping my face, placing kisses everywhere he can. It makes me melt.
My phone starts to ring, and Drake grunts in annoyance.
I swing my bag around from my shoulder and start digging through it. It’s probably my sister. I just left her minutes ago. What she could need already, I have no idea. I’m shocked Pink has let her up for air to even use the phone.
“Front left pocket,” Drake mutters, and I can tell he’s not happy about being interrupted. I reach into the pocket and pull it out. The name Brett – Ensore shows across the screen. Elle must have programed the number into my phone in the event I had any questions I needed to ask when I was working on the project, and I actually hear Drake growl. A god’s honest growl coming from deep in his chest.
“That was sexy,” I say, looking up at him, but his eyes are still narrowed on my phone.
He grabs it from my hand and answers it.
“Zoey’s husband. How can I help you?”
I look at him in confusion. We aren’t married yet. I see his jaw visibly clench.
“Yes, she’s married. Did you not see the ring on her finger?” He does the growl thing again. I look down at the ring and smile. I did have it on when we dropped off the laptop. It is kind of big and hard to miss.
“No, she won’t be working with your company again. Call her phone again and I’ll come down there.” He pulls the phone away from his ear and hits the end button. Elle would be so mad if she heard that. I usually don’t talk to clients much. That’s her job. I’m actually surprised the guy has my number. All calls usually go straight to Elle.
“Fuck. For a smart guy, he can’t take a fucking clue.” He slips my phone into his own pocket like he doesn’t want to give it back to me.
I look at him in bewilderment.
“First time I take you out of the house and someone is hitting on you. A fucking billionaire at that.” He shakes his head before running his hands through his short hair, looking a little stressed again.
“What are you talking about?”
“The man was hitting on you when we dropped off the laptop, and he just called to try to get you to go out with him.”
“No, he called to offer me another job, which isn’t surprising. I’m quite good at what I do.”
He shakes his head like he can’t believe what I’m saying. “Elle is right,” he states, confusing me further.
“Yes, she usually is,” I agree, because, well, she is.
“You don’t even see it.”
I look around the room to try to understand what he’s talking about. “See what?”
A half-laugh leaves him, pulling my eyes back to him. “Elle said men hit on you all the time and you just don’t see it. Never give them the time of day.”
“What? That’s not true. No one hits on me.”
He grabs me by the hips, lifting me up. I drop my bag, and all its contents loudly clatter to the floor. My legs go around his waist, my arms around his neck.
“It’s alright that you don’t see it, cupcake. You keep not seeing it, because you’re about to marry a bodyguard, and I’ll make sure those fuckers don’t get anywhere near what’s mine.”
I smile, wiggling against him.
“You were jealous?” I question, liking the idea of him getting jealous over me. Now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’d like some woman calling his phone, either.
“Cupcake, I’m jealous of everything when it comes to you. The food you eat, that computer that you can stare at for hours, anything that takes your attention from me.” His mouth comes to mine, and he kisses me deeply. “Jealous of these fucking clothes that get to be wrapped around your sweet, lush body all day,” he says against my lips.
“Then you should probably rip them off me,” I say, taking his mouth in an even deeper kiss.
I feel my back hit the bed, and he starts to rip my clothes from me, Hulk-style.
“I don’t want women calling your phone, either.” I feel him laugh against my neck as he places open-mouthed kisses there.
I give him a smack on his giant bicep.
“Cupcake, I don’t talk to many women except Pink’s sisters,” he informs me before taking my earlobe into his mouth and sucking it, making me moan his name.
“Would never even think about another woman now that I’ve tasted you. Fuck, who am I kidding? I knew no one else would ever do when your picture landed on my desk. Lit up my world. I was going through the motions and didn’t even realize how lonely I was until you came into my life. Made me want something I didn’t know I needed. Even if you left me, I’d spend every moment of my life trying to get you back. But I won’t let that happen. I’d never let you come close to thinking about leaving me.” I hear a click, then feel metal around my wrist, then hear another click. “No one could ever give me what you have. I wouldn’t even try to replace you. I’d just spend my days and nights trying to get you back.”
He leans up, looking down at me, his eyes all soft. I can feel tears pool in my eyes. No one has ever made me feel so normal and so extraordinary at the same time.
“You’ll never be rid of me.”
I go to wrap my arms around his, and it’s then I notice I’m cuffed to the bed. My eyes widen.
“I’m going to show you just how much you do for me. Only you. You’ll never question what you mean to me.” His mouth comes down on mine, and like every day of the rest of our lives, he shows me just how much I mean to him.
Epilogue
Drake
5 years later…
“That’s disgusting. I won’t eat it.”
“Yeah, me neither. It smells gross,” Zoey adds
, pushing her plate an inch away from her.
I lay my head in my hands and pray for strength. My wife and my almost-five-year-old daughter will surely be the death of me. Never mind the fact that Zoey is nine months pregnant with our second girl, and it’s only going to get worse.
“Girls. It’s just a vegetable medley. Why don’t you both try it?”
Zoey looks over at Amelia and shrugs her shoulders. Amelia lets out a deep breath, and they nod to one another, as if agreeing to take one for the team.
I bite my lip to keep from smiling as they both try what I made for dinner. I try to cook healthy for all of us, but sometimes my efforts are wasted. I’ve somewhat retired from the security firm, only coming in to make sure everything is in line. I don’t take on any more cases. I just make sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing, but I’m okay with it because it allows me to take care of my girls. Zoey still works when she wants, taking on jobs that interest her when it suits her. We’ve both got enough money to not have to worry about it, so we get to spend time with our daughter and each other.
Amelia makes a humming noise like she likes it, and Zoey looks at her skeptically. After a second, she picks up her fork and tries it, too, making the same exact face as Amelia. I can hardly hold back my eye roll. They’re so alike. God help me, I love the two of them more than life itself. I don’t know how my heart can possibly have any more room for love, but seeing Zoey round with our next little girl, I’m already head over heels for her, too.
After everything settled down from the stalker drama, we got married in a double ceremony just like Zoey wanted. It was a big wedding and lots of fun, but in the end I was just happy to have my cupcake beside me.
Zoey got pregnant about a minute after we met, and I couldn’t have been happier with our little girl. We decided to wait a while after Amelia was born, thinking we needed some time to adjust to kids. After she was a couple years old, we started trying again and finally got pregnant with our baby girl on the way now. I should be terrified of having another girl, but I couldn’t be more excited. I hope our new bundle of love is just like her mama, too.