by Todd, E. L.
“I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back. I’ll hurry.”
“Take your time, babe.”
He walked away and entered the bathroom. Now that I was with Sean again I felt so much better. It was like I’d been sick for days and was finally feeling better. I wasn’t looking forward to detailing our time apart when he was finally happy and relaxed. I grabbed the phone and ordered room service then lied in bed again, closing my eyes. I felt happy and at peace. I wasn’t scared that someone was going to come after me. I think the conversation with Carl somehow fixed everything.
When Sean emerged from the shower, he was wearing a towel around his waist. Beads of water still clung to his body and his hair was sleeked back. His chest was wide and firm, the lines of his muscles shaping him. I could kiss his body all day.
“Scar?”
“Hmm?” I said, still staring.
He grabbed the towel then dropped it to the floor, revealing his narrow hips, his muscled thighs, and the cock I adored so much. “I love it when you look at me like that.”
I removed my gaze and looked into his eyes. “I like what I see.”
“I always feel like I’m not attractive enough for you.”
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I know what people think when they see us together. What’s she doing with that guy?”
“That’s very sweet but very untrue.”
He slipped into the bed then moved closer to me, wrapping me in arms. I loved feeling his warmth and protection. His large arms caged me, inhibiting any escape I could have possibly made, not that I wanted to go anywhere—ever.
“I missed you so much,” I said as I squeezed him.
He kissed me on the forehead. “I know, babe.”
“Don’t ever leave me again.”
“Never.”
I sighed deeply, smelling the scent of the shampoo in his hair.
“I still can’t believe everything that happened.”
“I know.”
“I’m never going to assault anyone again.”
I laughed. “So you learned your lesson?”
“I’ll make sure I kill them next time.”
I rolled my eyes. “That wasn’t the lesson you were supposed to learn.”
“If Carl wasn’t alive to get his vengeance, none of this would have happened. I should have just chocked him to death then been done with it.”
“Sean, don’t talk like that.”
“It’s how I feel. I’m glad no one came after you and I was just being paranoid. I’m sorry you dragged everyone here for no reason.”
“We’re a family. Where we go, they go.”
“I’m just so relieved that no one’s trying to hurt my girl.”
I said nothing, wanting to enjoy this moment with him before I dropped bombs on him. His phone went off on the nightstand. When he looked at the caller, he turned it off and returned it to the table.
“Who was that?” I asked.
“No one that I give a shit about.”
I knew that was his mom.
“It’s just you and me right now—no one else. I need some time with my fiancé before I can go back to my normal life.”
I rubbed his chest. “I understand.”
“Did you get sexier or something?” he said as he kissed my chest. “You taste better too.”
I smiled. “I think you just haven’t seen me in a while.”
He kissed my neck while he ran his fingers through my hair. “God, you are hot. I can’t believe I get to fuck you whenever I want.”
I lay back and enjoy the feel of his kisses.
He climbed on top of me and continued to kiss me everywhere. “Just be still.”
I had no interest in moving.
Sean pressed his lips against every inch of my skin, worshipping my body with his tongue. I lay back and closed my eyes, running my fingers through his hair. His lips trailed to my belly button then the area between my legs. He kissed me slowly, plunging his tongue inside me, then around my clit. I panted for him, loving all the attention and pleasure he was giving me. He pulled away then moved up my body, placing one hand underneath my back. His gaze was locked on mine, not blinking as he lifted up my ass and brought me closer to his head. I felt him move inside me, pushing deeper. I gripped him by the shoulders, unable to control the pleasure I felt. His eyes looked serious, determined as he moved inside me. When he was completely sheathed he didn’t move. He laid me back down then moved over me, completely dominating me. His chest covered me, and he placed his hands under my back around my neck.
“I never thought my wife would be so beautiful,” he whispered to me.
“I’m not your wife yet.”
“But you will be. Nothing will stop that from happening.” He moved into me gently, rocking me from above. He stared into my eyes while he pressed his forehead against mine. Sean knew my body and reactions better than I did. When a slight gasp escaped my lips he knew I wanted it harder, and when I dug my nails into his back he knew I wanted it deeper. The lovemaking we had was different than any other we had before. Sean was completely in tune with me, we were joined together as one person. We weren’t trying to get off, but make it last as long as possible.
When there was a knock on the door, Sean kept going. The emotion in his eyes told me that he didn’t even notice the sound. His lips were slightly open as he thrust into me. A few drops of sweat were on his chest and the dripped onto mine. Unexpectantly, my chest squeezed with pain, the kind that you felt when you were so happy you could cry, and my body crumbled under his movements. I was gasping for breath, screaming his name as I fell into the chasm of desire and satisfaction. He followed behind me, moisture in his eyes. His eyes never left mine as he came inside me. “I love you,” he said with a shaky voice.
I kissed him. “I love you.”
“I’m so glad you’re safe.”
I pulled him to my chest and rested him on top of me. “Everything is okay.”
He kissed my forehead then pulled out of me, lying beside me.
“I think room service is here.”
He rolled out of bed and put on his robe before he opened the door. The cart was there so Sean signed the tab then left it outside. “I’m so hungry,” he said as he placed the plate on my lap in bed, being attentive to me like he always was. He came beside me with his meal and we ate together in bed.
I practically inhaled my food because I was so hungry. I hadn’t been eating because I was too depressed and stressed. I ate quicker than Sean did. He smiled at me when he saw my empty plate.
“I like having a girl that actually eats.”
“It gets expensive,” I teased.
“I’ll pay any amount of money to keep you in my life.”
My phone rang while Sean finished, and when I reached for it he grabbed my hand.
“No,” was all he said.
“It’ll just take me a second.”
“It can wait until tomorrow,” he said without releasing my hand.
I sighed then abandoned my phone.
“Thank you.”
When he was finished, he returned the plate to the cart then moved it into the hallway. He disrobed then climbed into bed beside me. We lay side by side for a long time, just looking at each other. His hands glided across my skin, starting from my shoulders then ending at my toes. He was always touching me in some way, never wanting to break the connection we had.
“Sean?”
“Babe?”
“We’re going to your parents tomorrow.”
“Why the fuck would we do that?” he snapped. His voice was harsh but he still touched me gently, lovingly.
“We need to talk to them.”
“And say what?”
“Talk about everything that happened, finalize everything.”
“No. I’m not talking to them.”
“Sean, they paid for y
our lawyer and were there for you the entire time.”
“I’ll pay them back, and no, they weren’t there for me. I don’t want to see them, Scar. I mean it.”
“Well, I do.”
“No.”
“I’m going.”
“I’m not putting up with their shit anymore. My mom has been nothing but a bitch to you, disrespecting you constantly. I’m not allowing that anymore. I should have said something a long time ago. You’re my family—they aren’t.”
“Sean, she apologized to me.”
He looked at me. “She did?”
“Yes.”
“And what did she say?”
“She was sorry for everything.”
He snorted. “Only because she found out that Penelope was a total fake.”
“She still apologized, Sean. She really wants to work this out.”
“Too bad.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Stay out of it, Scar.”
“You could forgive Penelope for everything she did, but you can’t let this go? I already forgave her.”
“Those are completely different situations. The only reason why I didn’t kick Penelope out of my apartment was because she was a homeless pregnant woman. That’s where my compassion came from. That doesn’t mean I want to talk to her. I would do the same for my mom.”
“Sean, just let it go and move on.”
“No. I won’t change my mind. You are first, Scar. I don’t let anyone treat my fiancé like that. As a result she lost both of us.”
“I don’t want that. Family forgives each other for everything.”
“Drop it,” he snapped.
I sighed, knowing this was futile. Sean was too angry right now to be sympathetic. “Well, if you never change your mind I’m still spending time with them and talking to them.”
“We’ll see about that.” He took a drink of water then lied back. “This conversation is over.”
“Okay.”
He sighed. “I apologize for yelling at you.”
“You didn’t yell at me.”
“I’m sorry for snapping, then.”
“You didn’t snap either.”
“I’m sorry for treating you less than you deserve.”
I rubbed his chest. “Sean, it’s okay to be emotional.”
“I’m just so happy to be with you and I don’t want to hurt you.”
I cuddled next to him. “It’s okay, babe.”
He sighed. “I can’t believe Carl dropped all the charges. I would be in jail soon if he hadn’t randomly changed his mind.”
I said nothing.
“What do you think happened?”
I didn’t want to tell him everything but I knew I had to. When we saw everyone tomorrow it would be impossible to hide it. “I have to tell you something.”
He turned toward me, his eyes wide. “What is it, Scar?”
“I want you to know that everything is fine now. That’s all that matters.”
He hands tightened on my back and he swallowed the lump in his throat. “Okay,” he whispered.
“You were right about Carl. He did send someone after me.”
He started breathing heavily, his chest expanding like he was about to explode in a rage.
“Mike and I were sleeping in the living room when we came into the apartment. Mike had him most of the time, but the guy managed to knock out him and Ryan before he got away. Gunshots were fire but no one was hurt.”
Sean pulled down the covers and started looking at my body, checking for injuries that he may have missed.
“Sean, I’m fine.”
“Oh my god.”
“The police didn’t have any leads or suspects and we knew the guy would finish the job eventually. Without any other options, I did the only thing I could have done.”
“What?”
“I met with Carl.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he snapped.
“All we did was talk. I told him I wasn’t responsible for his capture and that I cared about him as a friend. When I convinced him that he meant something to me, he completely changed. He just wanted love and attention. He even apologized to me. When I got to the station, that was when the charges were dropped. Carl obviously called his lawyer and told him to call it off.”
Sean sat up in bed and rested his arms on his knees, covering his face. He was breathing heavily, trying to control the mix of emotions coursing through him. I said nothing as I waited for him to calm down. I didn’t touch him either, letting him have his space. It was a lot of information to deal with.
Finally, he came back to me, tears in his eyes, and held me to his chest. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“It’s over, Sean. It’s okay.”
He blinked his tears away but they still dripped from his eyes. “I would have died if something happened to you.”
“But it didn’t.”
“I’m so glad Ryan was there.”
“Mike was the one who saved my life.”
“He did?”
“The guy was going to shoot me but Mike stopped him multiple times. Ryan was in the other room most of the time. He came as soon as he heard what was going on. Your brother risked his life to save me. When he heard about your fear of Carl he immediately came to me and said he would protect me. When I wanted him to leave, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Sean said nothing, holding me tightly.
“Mike’s a good guy, Sean. I love him.”
“Did he try anything?”
“Of course not, Sean. He loves me like his own sister.”
He nodded. “I—I can’t believe he did that.”
“There’s no reason why you can’t work this out. He even told your mom off for being rude to me. If you don’t talk to him anymore that won’t stop me from being close to him. He sacrificed himself to save me. I love him as much as I love Ryan.”
Sean looked at me but said nothing.
“And I hated being near Carl but it was worth it. If I hadn’t done it, you might be in jail and I might be dead.”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“So, everything is over and done. We can move on.”
He didn’t release his hold on me. “Okay,” he said with a shaky voice.
I grabbed his face and kissed him gently then kissed his tears away. I looked into his face with a determined expression, convincing him that everything really was okay. We were safe and everyone we loved was spared. The hardest part was over. Now we could move on.
19
After we showered and got ready, we checked out of the hotel.
“We are going to your parents’ house,” I said.
“No.”
“My brother, Janice, and Mike are there.”
“They can meet us somewhere.”
“Sean, I’m going. I guess you can just wait for me to come back.”
He stared me down. I knew he wouldn’t leave me for any reason after what happened. The danger had passed, but Sean felt responsible for everything that happened. I would never be allowed to go anywhere by myself. “I’ll walk you there.”
“You’re coming in.”
“I have nothing to say to my parents.”
“Then I’ll do the talking.”
He glared at me. “Scarlet, you’ve let people walk all over you your entire life. It needs to stop.”
“You were one of those people.”
He looked away, knowing I was right.
“And look at who you are now? You are completely different, Sean.”
“I was a complete ass to you. I never deserved your forgiveness, although I’m glad I got it.”
“Come on.”
He didn’t move for a moment before he let me drag him up the street. We arrived at the building and took the elevator to the top floor then approached their apartment. Sean grasped my hand and tightly, not letting it go. I knocked on it and waited for someone to answer it.
&n
bsp; It was Mike. “Hey. The honeymoon is finally over?”
I smiled. “It’s never over.”
He opened the door wider. “Come in.”
I walked inside and pulled Sean with me.
Mike looked at his brother. “I’m glad you’re a free man.”
Sean stared at him for a moment before he grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you so much,” he said as he clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you, thank you.” Sean didn’t release his hold for a long time.
“You’re welcome, man.”
“I owe you my life.”
“No you don’t. She’s my family too.” He pulled away.
Sean grabbed his hand and shook it. “Let’s start over, brother.”
Mike shook it then glanced at me. “Before we do that there’s something I need to tell you. You might hate me again.”
I came beside Sean and held his hand.
“Christian is a friend of mine. I was the one who told him to go for Penelope even though I knew you were dating her. I regret was I did and I’m so sorry. It was low and pathetic. I feel like shit because of it.”
Sean said nothing for a long time, just staring at his brother.
His silence didn’t bode well. I suspected that he would act this way.
Sean extended his hand. “Thank you.”
Mike raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”
Mike smiled. “Scarlet is the clear choice.” He shook Sean’s hand.
Sean nodded. “I know she is.” He kissed me on the forehead.
I was so happy that they worked things out.
“So we are brothers again?” Mike asked.
“Yeah we are.”
“I admit that the new addition to the family is a little annoying, but I like her—for the most part.”
“When I get fed up with her I can dump her on you.”
He grimaced. “I think I would rather be enemies.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Seriously? Now you are guys are bonding by picking on me?”
Sean smiled at me. “It’s the universal way to bond.”
Ryan came over to us, Janice on his arm. “It really brought Cortland and I together. Whenever we’re down about something we talk shit about Scarlet it magically makes everything better.”