Promises: The Complete Promise Series

by Riley, Alexa

  I actually find one of Devlin’s shirts lying on the floor in my bedroom. I decide to use that to sleep in. I guess I like to torture myself or something. As I finger the material sadly, my phone rings. I glance over to my purse that I dropped by my bedroom door and choose to ignore it.

  I can’t do this anymore. I don't want to be some dirty secret. It’s slowly eating away at me. I need to get my crap together. This isn't about just me anymore. I also know I can no longer work for Devlin. I’ll have to find a new job, but I’m guessing people aren't too excited to hire pregnant women who only have a high school diploma. I fall back onto my bed in despair.

  I jolt awake when I hear pounding on my door. I rub my eyes, realizing I must have dozed off. The loud banging on my front door continues. I stand. “Liberty!” He’s knocking so hard on the door I’m surprised it hasn't broken. I cringe when I think about what the other people on my floor are thinking. They aren't just my neighbors, they’re also my colleagues.

  “Devlin, stop!” I yell when I get to the door. I don’t open it.

  “Open the door.” The command is clear in his voice.

  “I’m going to bed,” I tell him. I wonder how long I passed out for. I still feel tired and don’t want to do this with him tonight. I also know if he touches me I’ll melt into him and forget about everything else.

  “Open the door,” he says again. This time it’s a growl.

  “Please, Devlin. I don’t feel great and I need some time.”

  “Liberty.” The word sounds pained.

  “I never ask for much, Devlin. Give me this, please. I’ll see you at work in the morning,” I push. There’s silence from the other side of the door. I look through the peephole to see him. He’s got one hand on the door, his head dropped forward. He’s breathing is so deep and heavy I can see his chest rise and fall like he’s trying to get himself under control. Probably because he’s not used to being told no. I might not have said the word, but my meaning was clear. Devlin’s commands are always followed. I’m even guilty of that. Until now.

  “Goodnight, sweet girl.” His words are gruff but soft. I watch him walk to the elevator and hit the button. He steps on when the doors slide open. I grab the door handle, wanting to open my door. I make myself turn away. I feel a tear slip free as I make my way back to my bedroom and drop down onto the bed. I don’t know how long I lie there before sleep finally takes me.

  Chapter Six

  Devlin

  My hand throbs as I flex and unflex it on top of my desk. I’m not sure who won last night—the wall or me. We both looked pretty bad this morning. Instead of punching my own wall, I should have kicked the door in last night. I shake my head at the thought. It’s not like I don’t have a fucking key. I own the whole building.

  Her voice was just so soft when she asked me to give her the night. I wanted to beat the door down, but like always the will to give her what she wants won out. I’m not so sure the same will hold true today. Last night was hell. I didn't sleep at all. My mom told me she looked like she didn't feel well when she rushed out. I was just hoping that maybe she was still flushed from our session in the kitchen pantry and that my mom mistook her pink cheeks for something else. Maybe I should call the doctor and have him come by this morning to check on her again to be safe.

  Even if she didn't feel good I don’t understand why she wouldn't let me in. If she wasn't feeling well I could have taken care of her. Maybe she was pissed I left for Italy. Maybe I should have canceled the trip. I only went to begin with because she pushed hard for me to. I’d wanted to cancel it. Either way I’m finding out what is wrong with my girl and fixing that shit.

  I can’t do another night without her. Though I’m not sure last night counts as being without her because right after midnight I let myself into her bed. I told myself it was only to check on her, but I knew I’d be getting into the bed and pulling her close to me. I held her until the sun came up before kissing her and pulling myself from the bed. If she was pissed at me I didn't need to push it with her waking up with me in her bed after I told her I’d give her the night.

  My desk phone rings and I know it’s the lobby. It’s too early for Liberty to be at her desk and it’s the only other line that can ring up here without going through Liberty's phone line first. I pick it up.

  “Spade,” I say.

  “Mr. Spade, there is a Miss Evianna here to see you.” I glance at my clock and see it’s not even eight yet. I told her to stop by sometime today, but I didn't think it would be this early. She’d stopped me a few moments after I slipped out of the kitchen last night and told me she needed to talk to me about something, but she didn't want to do it at my mother's house. I had agreed because I was trying to get out of there as fast as possible to get to Liberty.

  “Send her up,” I tell him, then hang up. I’m not sure what Evianna could need. She’s always been a nice girl. Her parents were a little controlling when we were growing up. I should probably know her better than I do. Her family spent a lot of time at our house over the years. Her mom and mine were close—they were both on a bunch of charity boards together—but I never gave Evianna much thought.

  “Come in,” I say when I hear a knock at my office door. Evianna slips in, closing the door behind her. I motion to one of the chairs in front of my desk. “I’d offer you coffee, but I haven't made any yet.”

  “I’m good, but thank you.” She takes a seat. My mind wanders to Liberty. She doesn't drink coffee. I wonder if she’ll be hungry. Normally I’m there in the mornings to make her something. When she was sick I made sure food was taken care of, as I was back today I didn't have anything set up for her and I wasn't there to leave something. Fuck.

  “Give me a second,” I tell her, picking up the phone. I make a call downstairs to have some food delivered up here. I drop the phone back down when I’m done. Maybe I should go up and make sure she’s okay. She doesn't need to be here for a little while.

  “Devlin,” Evianna says, and my eyes snap back to her. I forgot she was sitting there. My mind was lost in Liberty. Shit, I’m useless now when she’s not around.

  “Sorry,” I tell her, shaking my head. The sooner I get this done with, the sooner I can check on Liberty again and make sure she is coming to work. If not, then I’m leaving work to be with her. Either way, we will be together today.

  “The food for her?” Evianna glances over to the area I have cleared off on my desk for Liberty. Her other desk still sits outside my door, but I make her use this one. I wonder if she’ll fight me on that today.

  “Yes,” I respond.

  Evianna smiles. I try to remember the last time I saw Liberty smile. Now that I think about it, she didn't yesterday. I may have got her to cum all over my mouth, but she didn't give me a smile. Not even one of her shy ones. That’s not normal for my girl. Something had upset her before I even got there.

  “You love her, don’t you?”

  My eyes lock with Evianna’s. “Yes,” I respond again. At my words a weight is lifted from my chest. I’ve known I’m in love with Liberty for a long time, but fuck it feels good to say it out loud. I haven't said it to her. I’m scared that it might freak her out. She already gets skittish when I bring up the future. A trace of guilt hits me that the first person to know I love her isn't Liberty herself, but no way would I deny loving her. Ever.

  “That's why I’m here actually.” Now she really has my attention. My eyebrows draw together. “Your mother.” I groan, knowing where this is going. “Yeah. I see you know what I’m about to say.” She lets out a laugh. “I’m not here because I want something between us.”

  I run my hand through my hair. Thank god. My mom has been trying to set me up since I went to college. I would normally ignore the woman and be a little rude in hopes my mom would knock that shit off. Eventually she did. I thought we were past that. She hasn't tried to do it in years. Her efforts have always been a lost cause. I've belonged to Liberty from the moment those honey eyes met mine all tho
se years ago.

  “I’m here because, well…” She wrings her fingers together. “I kinda played along with your mother to get my own off my back.” I stand feeling restless and needing to move. She licks her lips. “Felt like if I pretended to be interested in you…” My face must show my anger because she rushes the rest of her words. “I’m not. I’m actually in love with someone else. Then I saw Liberty yesterday and I knew you two were in love. I felt bad that maybe she’d gotten the wrong idea. She’s such a sweet girl. I would never want to hurt her.”

  As what she is saying sinks in, it starts to click. “You think Liberty knew my mom was trying to set us up?” It's a question, but I’m pretty sure I already know the answer. Anger rises in my chest. I hate the thought of her thinking about me with someone else.

  “I have a feeling, yes.”

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath to get myself together. No wonder she was so upset. “Fuck.” I think about how she thought I was going to that dinner last night. I didn't have her take it off my schedule because I wanted her to think we’d be coming back from Rome. I thought it would help my surprise that we'd be staying longer. Now she thinks I had plans to get to this dinner where my mom was trying to hook me up with someone. Worse, I didn't invite her.

  Evianna stands. “Just wanted you to know. Like I said, Liberty is a sweet girl. Even knowing yesterday your mother was trying to set us up she was still a sweetheart to me.”

  “She's more than sweet. She’s everything.”

  “I’m happy for you. I know how parents can be sometimes. I wanted to give you a heads up. I also wanted to invite Liberty to lunch.”

  “You’ll have to ask her.” I'm not a fan of Liberty having lunch with someone who isn't me, but I know that’s fucking crazy. I can’t smother her. Even if I want to. “I hope you're okay with security,” I add. If I’m not going I’ll sure as fuck make sure I have someone else watching her. That makes me feel a little better about the idea.

  Evianna laughs. “To be honest, I never thought I’d see the day you fell in love.” A sharp intake of breath has us both turning to see Liberty standing in the door. I smile at her. She looks beautiful like always.

  My smile drops when her eyes water. “Love?” Her eyes bounce back and forth between Evianna and me. Then she turns to leave. I bolt after her, flying out of my office. She hits the elevator button and doors open. She all but runs into my mom, who is stepping off the elevator.

  “I don’t think so,” my mom says grabbing her by the shoulders, stopping her, and I reach for her, pulling her from my mom’s arms. Without thought I throw her over my shoulder and march back to my office.

  My Liberty's time is up. No more hiding this shit or running.

  She’s mine.

  Chapter Seven

  Liberty

  “Devlin,” I whisper-yell. I’m shocked he just did this in front of his mother and Evianna.

  “I’m over this shit,” he snaps in a tone he’s never used with me before. Well, unless we’re both naked or about to be. This is different. He drops me on the long leather sofa in his office that we’ve made love on more times than I can count.

  I look up at him as he towers over me. His dark eyes are unreadable. “I can’t do this. Have you been seeing Evianna this whole time? Hiding it like you hide me?” My words only seem to anger him more.

  Well, that makes two of us. How can he be in love with her and have done these things with her? “You’re in love with her!” My voice wobbles as I cry out my words.

  Devlin drops his hands down, pinning me. I’m caged. “How could have I been seeing someone besides you, Liberty? When, other than this last week, have we been apart these last few months?” he growls.

  My mouth parts as I think. We haven’t.

  “The only woman I have ever loved and will ever love is you. I love you..” I swear my heart stops beating for a second and my eyes fill with tears.

  “I knew it!” someone yells, breaking the moment.

  “Mom,” Devlin grunts, standing up. I glance over to see Evianna and Kamaile standing right inside Devlin’s office doors.

  Kamaile is shaking her head. “This is your doing.” Devlin points his finger at his mother. She rolls her eyes.

  “You two have been hiding this forever! I had to do something to get you to admit it.” Kamaile throws back.

  “You’ve upset her.” The anger is still thick in Devlin’s words. I stand up, placing my hand on his back, and I feel him relax a little.

  “You knew about us?” I ask. Kamaile laughs.

  “I’ve known what was happening for a long time. I knew my son. I spent years trying to get him to date someone, but he never even looked at anyone I tried to set him up with. Then you’d show up and his eyes would follow you around everywhere you went.”

  I glance over at Devlin and he grabs me, pulling me into him. I go willingly. I want to be close to him.

  “You’re okay with this?” I ask Kamaile.

  “It doesn't matter who is or isn't okay with it,” Devlin cuts in. His hold on me gets tighter.

  Kamaile’s face softens. “Why wouldn't I be okay with it? You’ve been like a daughter to me over the years, sweetie.”

  “I just thought you wanted someone with more…” I trail off, not sure what word I’m looking for.

  “I want my son to be with the woman he loves, and I couldn't be happier it's you.”

  I smile.

  “You went too far, Mom. You upset her last night. I won't tolerate that shit. You want to know something, you ask me. The only reason I haven't told you or anyone about us is because I was waiting for her to be okay with us. She will always be my first concern.”

  Now Kamaile’s eyes brim with tears. “You’re going to make a wonderful husband, you know that?”

  My breath catches.

  “Well, you better get that wedding book you’ve been working on for years out, because that shit is about to happen and fast.”

  “Devlin!” My eyes snap up to him.

  “I need you guys to leave.” Devlin says. I hear the office door close as everyone else leaves, but I’m unable to take my eyes off Devlin.

  “Dev?” I question. Did he just say we’re getting married?

  “Not a word.” He picks me back up and carries me out of the office. I see several people look at us as we leave out of the office. I hear a few mumbled laughs and some mumbles. I’m sure my face is cherry red.

  He puts me down when we finally reach his bed and he tosses me gently onto the mattress.

  “Now, let's get some shit straight.”

  “You love me and you want to get married?” I know that’s what I want to get straight.

  “Fuck yes, I love you and want to get married,” he growls as he climbs up my body. “I’ve been in love with you forever, Liberty.” I reach up and touch his face. He loves me. A tear slips free. He leans down and kisses it.

  “I’ve been in love with you forever, too.”

  “Baby.” He smiles down at me. “Then why have you been wanting to hide us? It’s been driving me crazy.”

  “I thought maybe this was just a fling to you. That you didn't want to tell people about me,” I admit.

  “Whatever gave you that idea, sweet girl?” His face is soft now. He has that same soft look he had that day I gave him my virginity.

  “I see your world. I don't fit what I thought your family would want. I didn't want to hear you say that. So I just avoided the topic.”

  “You were protecting yourself.” He shakes his head. “I protect you now, Liberty. You give me everything you have and I’ll protect it. I’d throw away everything I have to have you in a second.” He kisses me. “My mom and dad love you, Liberty.”

  “I’m sorry.” I bite my lip.

  “Give it to me, Liberty. All of it.”

  “I thought that maybe the reason I never saw you with anyone was because, well, you hide them all. That you were hiding me like you did the others.”

&n
bsp; Devlin barks out a laugh that shakes my whole body.

  I wiggle under him, pushing at his chest as a spark of anger lights inside me.

  “Baby, calm down.” He laughs a little harder.

  “You didn't invite me to your dinner last night!” I throw that out there.

  “I didn't invite you because I had plans for us to stay longer in Rome. I was going to convince you to move in with me permanently, to tell our families about us. We were never supposed to make it to that dinner.”

  My body relaxes under him. “Oh.”

  He laughs a little more. I narrow my eyes at him.

  “I wasn't hiding women. There has never been anyone else.” His eyes search mine. I don’t understand. “Ever, Liberty. So cut a guy a little slack. This relationship thing is new to me, too. I’m stumbling between being a caveman with you and trying to do what I think you need.”

  “You were a virgin?”

  “That's all you heard, babe?” He gives me a small smile. “I’ve decided I’m going with caveman now. You let things go wild in your head, so here’s how it's going to go. Your condo is gone. We live together now. You don’t like my place, we’ll get a new one. Second, we're getting married.”

  “You’re not going to ask me?” I tease.

  “No.” The smile drops from his face. He gives me a hard look that doesn't scare me. I just wrap my arms around his neck. I can't believe I was his first. His only. I feel silly for all these crazy things that have been running around in my head.

  “Any other commands?”

  “Yeah. Tell me you love me.” My heart almost explodes. I didn't know I could be this happy. That I could get everything I ever dreamed about and more.

  “I love you.”