The Gamble

by Alice Ward

  “Come to bed with me. You scared me tonight far more than I’ve ever been scared in all my life. I can’t do this without you, and I’m done fighting it.” He pulled me down for a slow, deep kiss.

  I got out of his lap and reached for his hand as we walked toward his bedroom. Exhaustion hit me as we reached the darkened room, and I paused, not sure if I should tell him that I needed sleep more than anything else. He knew me well enough to know that, and I knew he was the only man who could force me to forgo rest for something much better. Him.

  “Just relax and let me take care of you.” He turned and worked to unbutton my shirt. “You’re so fucking beautiful. Just having you in here steals my breath. I thought I was going to lose it tonight on more than one occasion.”

  “I understand.” I rolled my shoulders as he pressed his fingertips into the sore muscles. My shirt fell, and he turned me to work on the zipper on my skirt. His lips brushed over the back of my neck and chill bumps broke out across my skin.

  “No one touched you, right?” His voice was tight, and I wanted to tell him to drop it, but I knew he needed to expel the demons playing with this head too.

  “No, baby.” It was more about keeping me from you than hurting me. She wanted me to tell you that we were through. I guess she thought it would be that easy.” I turned as my skirt slid down my thighs and fell to the floor. “No more talking about it. I’m tired and I just want to feel your skin against mine.”

  “Okay.” He pulled his shirt over his head and unbuttoned his jeans.

  I reached out and ran my hands along his waist, reveling at how good his warm skin felt against my fingers. I pushed at his pants and they dropped to his feet.

  We moved to the bed, and he wasted no time crawling on top of me and pressing himself against me.

  “I know you need rest, but I need to make love to you. If you’re too tired, I’ll hold off, but know that I want you desperately.” He pressed his open mouth to my neck and sucked softly on my skin.

  Warmth raced from between my thighs where he pressed himself against me. I nodded, not thinking too much on resting anymore.

  “Make love to me then.” I ran my hands over the strong muscles of his back and intertwined my legs with his.

  He didn’t speak, but moved enough to take both of my hands and stretch them above my head as he ground into me. His tongue licked at the front of my ear as I arched my back and cried out.

  “So beautiful, baby. You’re all mine. No other man will ever get you again. I need to know that you want that.” Zek kissed the side of my face and moved back to his knees as he tugged my panties down. “Just me. Just mine.”

  “Yes. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You know that.” I lifted my hips and worked to get my bra off as he rolled over and pulled his underwear off too.

  He repositioned himself on his knees in front of me and pulled me into his lap.

  I remained on my back, but reached up to stroke his erection a few times.

  “I’ll put on a rubber in a few minutes. I need to feel you first.” He ran his fingers down my sex, petting me as his eyes locked onto mine. “You know that I want to give you the world, right?”

  “I just want you.” I stretched my arms above my head and closed my eyes, wanting to capture the moment fully before it escaped from me. We’d been through far too much shit, but tomorrow was a new day. It was time to start moving toward the future — together.

  “And you’ll have me.” His voice was thick with lust.

  I opened my eyes to watch him take his cock in his hand and shift his hips so that he could press into me. His thumb rested on my clit as he worked back and forth until he was tucked completely inside. His free hand gripped my hip painfully tight, but it was far too good to say anything.

  “I want this every night. For us to reconnect with each other. To remember that we belong together.” He slid his hand from my hip up to my breasts and then to my shoulder to grip it tightly again as he fucked me.

  The intensity of our position left me unwinding fast. I moved my hands back down to rest on the sides of his thighs as he shifted again to hover over the top of me. I wanted to tease him, to bring him to the edge of orgasm and force him to stay there, but I was too tired to do anything but hold on for the ride.

  His breath was hot as he whispered into my ear and drove his body into mine. “Come for me, Alisa. Over and over tonight. Let your thoughts go, baby. Be right here and feel how your body opens up for mine.”

  I cried out as the orgasm hit me, and tears dotted my vision at the high emotion that accompanied it. My hips undulated as I rode him from beneath, my weariness dampened from his deep thrusts and naughty encouragements.

  “That’s it.” He licked from the base of my throat to my jawline.

  “So good,” I whispered and groaned as he gripped me just under my knees and pulled up a little, opening me up even more.

  “Delicious, baby. Take more of me.” He rolled his hips, and I moved my hands to grip the sheets as my insides tightened again. What was it about the man that gave him the ability to make me come alive, to leave me breathless, and that was all outside of the bedroom. In the middle of the darkened room around us, I was buzzing. Completely on fire.

  He reached up with one hand and grabbed the headboard as he rolled his lower body and fucked me deeper than I could ever remember anyone taking me before. I screamed his name as my eyes closed and the air left my lungs.

  I almost didn’t notice when he dropped down and slid his hands between me and the bed, gripping my ass tightly as he thrust slow and hard.

  “I love you so much.” He moved to press his lips to mine as he exploded inside of me. I didn’t care about anything other than being beneath him. The situation with Dellup would resolve itself.

  Dillon and Melissa would both be put in the mental hospital, and Jon would be prosecuted for his part in the situation with his kids.

  Zek would rebuild himself after the long year he had ahead of him, and we would be together.

  I treasured the feeling of him shaking above me as he came and closed my eyes as he settled on top of me. Sleep pulled me under slowly, and it felt so damn good that I didn’t want to fight it.

  I waited until he moved to lay beside me and cuddled me against him to whisper my thoughts just before passing out. “I love you, Zek. Only you.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Zek

  One year later…

  The last year had been a time of testing my patience, of waiting, of wondering if I could make it without going crazy. Alisa decided to leave the firm and took a position with Jeffery at ZK Investments doing legal contracts and litigation appeals. I was thrilled to see her in a position that assisted my old friend, but some part of me lamented over not being there myself.

  Having to say goodbye to Ronald after a year of being in each other’s faces every day was bittersweet, but we decided to remain friends after the dust settled on my freedom. Alisa was going to move in with me soon, but I couldn’t help but nudge her more and more, especially now that she was free to do so.

  Her nights were mostly spent with me, but she had stuff scattered at her brother’s house and at her parent’s as well. I hadn’t been to see them yet thanks to my lovely ankle chain, but that time would be coming soon. I needed to ask her father’s permission to propose to her. I wasn’t sure of the response I would get, but I was prepared to sell myself like a champ if I had to.

  I glanced up from the table that I was sitting at in the middle of my favorite restaurant. Funny enough, it was the same restaurant Alisa and I had reconnected at almost two years before.

  She had left to take a call, and I felt a bit overwhelmed. I half expected everyone in the room to be looking my way, wondering about my true character, but they weren’t. No one was, actually. I let out a long sigh and turned my attention back to the bottle of red wine sitting in front of me.

  “You okay?” Alisa took her seat across from me and reached out, touching my hand an
d smiling kindly.

  “Yeah. Just not sure what to expect, to be honest. It was almost better being tucked away at the house.” I let out a nervous chuckle.

  “That’s a lie and you know it. You were about to go stir crazy. We were sleeping together more than talking.” She squeezed my hand and pulled hers back into her lap as she studied me. “Not that I mind sleeping together all the time.”

  “You sure don’t seem to mind when we’re doing it.” I smiled, feeling the icy hand of fear melt inside of me. I was fine. Everything was great, and there was only one way to go from there. Up.

  She gave me a cheeky grin and ran her fingers through her long blonde hair. “I’m excited about you coming to the office today. We still have a skeleton staff, but you’ll recognize all of them.”

  I nodded and picked up my menu. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay. I can’t explain it well, but a fight or flight feeling is sitting on top of me. It’s almost suffocating.”

  “That’s expected, baby. It’s your first day back in the real world.” She picked up the bottle and refilled our glasses. “But, you know what?”

  “What?” I picked up my glass and took a drink of the tart liquid.

  “I’ll be right beside you, and when you’re ready to pack up and get the fuck out of there... we go. No questions asked. We’ll just stay for a little while and do that over the coming months until you’re comfortable back in your life.” She gave me a smile that warmed me from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. I didn’t deserve her, but then again, I never had.

  “I want to go up to the lake soon. I need to fish and hike and remember who I was before all this shit went down.” I picked up a roll in the breadbasket and chided myself internally for being such a tit over my new found freedom. I’d wanted this since the moment it had been taken from me, but now that I had it... I couldn’t find enough air to breathe.

  “That’s a great idea. We’ll go whenever you’re ready.” She sat back and picked up her menu. “You want to share something, or are you hungry enough to eat one of these wickedly big dishes yourself?”

  I forced a smirk. “This is my favorite restaurant. Get a doggie bag. You’re all on your own, toots.”

  She let out a soft huff and rolled her eyes. “Fine. See if I let you have your way with me tonight.”

  “You would deny me on my first night of freedom? I planned on taking you out on that hill at the edge of the city near your mom’s place and making good on some requests you wanted back in the day.” I licked at the corner of my mouth subtly, loving how her cheeks grew pink at my taunting.

  “You’re corrupt.” She pulled the menu up to hide her face, and I laughed, loving her all the more.

  ***

  We hadn’t made it to my building when the sound of feet hitting the pavement almost stopped my heart.

  No.

  I turned to face the horde of reporters that rushed us. Alisa stiffened next to me. I reached out and took her hand in mine as I put on a tight smile.

  “Mr. Kellington. Tell us how it feels to be acquitted of one crime, and then only having to serve two years for your second dastardly act.” The microphone bumped into my lip, nearly breaking the skin.

  Dastardly? Who the fuck says that anymore?

  I pushed it back with a gentleness that I didn’t feel. Anger pulsed through me as the questions continued to pound against my sensitive ego. None of them were positive or welcoming, but all some form of verbal attack.

  Alisa moved in front of me. “As Mr. Kellington’s attorney, I’ll tell you that he received a fair trial and has completed the appropriate sentences for his actions. If you want a private interview with him, you’ll have to contact me at ZK Investments. Have a good day.”

  She turned to me and smiled. “Inside. Now.”

  I didn’t hesitate to turn and move into the building. One of the older security guards got up from his desk and walked toward me, his hand extended.

  “Glad to have you back, sir. I want you to know that we all make mistakes, but the true medal of a man is how he takes his punishment. You were a great example to us all, sir.” He smiled and shook my hand.

  “Thanks, Billy. That means a lot to me.” I swallowed down a wave of emotion and clapped him on the shoulder before moving toward the elevator with Alisa beside me. Her fingers tightened around my hand as she smiled over at me.

  “This is all going to be great. Just give yourself time and everything will settle down, okay?” She released my hand and moved to the back of the elevator, reaching for me.

  I moved into her arms and pressed myself against her, loving more than anything the warmth of her touch. She reminded me of coming home, and though I’d told her more times than was necessary that I loved her, the feeling was stronger than that. I adored her, and wanted to make sure above all that she felt cherished, desired, wanted.

  “You smell good. I love this cologne.” She lifted up on her toes and slid her arms around my neck, clasping her hands at the back of my head and pulling me down for a long kiss.

  I slid my hands over her hips and squeezed her rear softly as I licked and sucked at her full lips. “My girl got me this. She has good taste.”

  “And she tastes good?” She lifted her eyebrow playfully as I growled.

  “Watch it. Tease.” The elevator opened behind me, and I moved out of her arms and turned to see a good number of people standing in the lobby on my floor. They all threw their hands in the air and yelled, “Welcome back!”

  “Wow.” I moved off the elevator and stood as still as a statue. I wasn’t sure what to say. Emotion rolled over me in hard waves, and the need to run to the nearest exit rode me hard.

  Jeffery moved to the front of the crowd and pulled me into a tight hug. “Zek. We’ve missed you so much, man. I know this is too much, but some of us just really wanted you to know that we didn’t forget that you were the one who built this company from nothing to the giant it became.”

  I moved back and lifted my hands to wipe my eyes. I hated to be emotional, but it would seem that I was outwitted for the day. Some part of me believed that I would encounter a lot of hate and a maelstrom of disgust and anger. The press had been right on target with their attack, but all of that was moot now that I was standing in a crowd of my employees who were welcoming me back.

  “I need to apologize,” I mumbled and looked around to find Alisa. She moved up to my side and wrapped her arms around me, as if sensing that I needed her.

  “No, you don’t.” She kissed the side of my shoulder and smiled. “Let’s go check out your old office and then you can meet with Jeffery.”

  “That sounds good.” Jeffery patted me on the back and turned to the crowd. “Alright. Get busy. The boss is here today. Don’t tell him that I’ve let you slackers do what you want.”

  Everyone chuckled, including me. I waited until everyone but Jeffery and Alisa left to let out a long sigh.

  “Wow. That was almost too much.” I ran my fingers through my hair, which was back to its normal length.

  “Yeah, I was a little worried about that.” Jeff crossed his arms over his chest and studied me. “What can I do to help?”

  “Not much. I just need to grow accustomed to being around so many people again. It’s weird. Almost like coming out of a shell.” I shrugged. “I read in the paper this morning that the hearing for Jon is today. Who’s representing him?”

  Both Melissa and Dillon had been admitted to the mental hospital just after kidnapping Alisa a year earlier. After looking into their history and mental illness, the rest of the family, including Jon’s wife, was bringing a civil suit against him for his part in harming his kids when they were younger. To say that I was shocked would have been a mild understatement. Alisa seemed to almost expect it, but she was quite a bit more perceptive than me.

  “He’s actually representing himself.” Alisa walked to the door of my office and turned to face us. “I’m not thinking that’ll go over well, but it should be
interesting if nothing else.”

  “I hope they fry his ass. He’s a bastard who’s honestly gotten away with more than we could ever understand.” Jeffery sounded a little bit too bitter, but I ignored it. Jon’s business was his own, and I was working toward a drama-free life that focused on rebuilding what was once mine.

  “I need a few minutes.” I walked to the door and pulled Alisa in for a quick kiss. “I’ll come find you soon.”

  “Sounds great. Take your time.” She kissed me once more and released me.

  After closing the door behind me, I pressed my back to it and took in a shaky breath. All the memories I’d made in that office came flooding back in. It had been a long twenty years, but it’d been good. Everything I’d become was forged through having to persevere past all of the various obstacles that my personal and professional life had thrown my way.

  A knock at the door caused me to jump. I opened it, half expecting it to be Alisa, but it was Celia.

  “Zek.” Her voice was soft and her eyes downcast. “I spoke with your mother a while back, but I didn’t want to bother you.”

  I smiled and moved toward her, pulling her into a hug. “I’ve missed you.”

  “You forgive me?” She looked up at me in a way that broke my heart. Had she really expected me not to forgive her after all the years we’d been together? Kellington Investments would have fallen on its face a million times had it not been for Celia.

  “Of course I do. It was an honest mistake, and I probably needed a serious wake-up call. Not that I’m asking for another one, but the one I got brought me to where I am now.” I walked into the office and moved toward my desk. “Come in and tell me what you’ve been up to.”

  She took the seat in front of me as I dropped down into my large leather chair and wiggled around a little. I’d always hated the damn thing, but never took the time to get it replaced. I would do that soon — if I decided to stay at ZK Investments. I hadn’t told Alisa or Jeffery that I was still mulling over the decision. There was no need to have to combat their defense if I did. I would make my decision and then let them both know what the future looked like for me.