“Yes. I’ll marry you,” I practically scream with joy.
He slips the ring on my finger and then stands, embracing me. He picks me up, spinning me around as we laugh, and I can hear the girls crying and the guys cheering. He sets me down, grabs my face, and gives me a hard kiss. I pull away and finally get a chance to look at the ring. I gasp.
“Slade, it is beautiful.” And huge. The diamond alone must be three carats.
“I want to tell you about it.” He picks up my hand, running his thumb over it.
“The night your mom and I spoke, she gave me her and your dad’s wedding bands.” What? That’s why I couldn’t find them? He had them the entire time?
“I wanted you to have something from them but at the same time something special just for you. So, I came up with a design and Josh took care of the rest. I had your mother’s band melted down.”
I go to speak but he holds up a finger. “Let me explain why I did that.”
I nod, feeling somewhat conflicted.
“Your mom’s band was a small silver band with sixteen diamonds in it. I had it melted down and the diamonds removed. Those are the diamonds here.” He points to the diamonds that circle the big square pink diamond that sits in the middle. “I wanted to give you a platinum band to go with your necklace and watch. I chose the main diamond as a baby pink one because that’s your favorite color. And I did the princess cut….” He takes a deep breath as his baby blues eyes look up into mine. “Because your mom said that was what your dad always called you; his princess.”
I feel a tear run down my cheek.
“I wanted to make you something special because you are special to me, Angel. I also wanted you to always have a piece of me, your mother, and your father with you. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, they will always be with you, Angel. Right here.” He runs his thumb over the ring again.
I continue to cry at how much thought he put into this engagement ring.
“I love it. It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
“I have one more question for you?” he asks timidly.
“Yes?”
“I didn’t do anything to your father’s ring. I want to wear it for my wedding band. Would you mind?” Can my heart melt to nothing? I guess it can because it just did.
“No.” I shake my head. “No, I love that idea. And I know he would too.”
He kisses me as everyone in the room counts down to the New Year.
“Happy New Year, Angel,” he says as he pulls away.
“Happy New Year, baby.” I wrap my arms around his neck while everyone is shouting, hugging, and popping champagne bottles open. I can’t help but stare into those beautiful blue eyes as a brilliant smile plays on his face. He said God had sent me to him, that I am his Angel. He is wrong, once again. God sent him to me, to save me. I was the one that needed to be saved. I would be lost without his love.
“I love you,” I whisper against his lips.
“I love you, my precious Angel.” He leans down to kiss me again, making me weak in the knees.
I can’t wait to see what next year brings us. One thing I know, no matter what it is, we will get through it together.
EPILOGUE
SLADE
I walk out of our hotel bathroom, running my hand through my wet hair, when I hear Angel’s phone ringing. I answer it, wondering who in the hell would be calling at this time of the night.
“Hello?”
A man laughs on the other end of the line. “Didn’t take long to replace me, huh?”
I stand there looking over Angel’s sleeping form in our hotel bed as the guy laughs again.
Jax!
I fist my hand down at my side and turn my back to Angel, knowing exactly who the fucker is. “What the fuck are you doing calling Angel?” I demand.
There’s silence for a few seconds before he speaks. “Cute,” he says dryly.
I grab the key and walk out of the hotel room when I hear her start to stir.
“Listen here, you piece of shit, I will fuck you up if you come near her.”
“Oh, like you did last time?” I finally realize there is a slur in his voice.
Great! He’s fucking drunk.
“That was a cheap shot and you know it,” he protests angrily.
“What are you talking about?” I snap.
“You think because you have tattoos that you’re some big bad guy who can fuck me up. Well, that won’t happen next time.” He hangs up and I pull Angel’s phone away from my ear and just stare at it. I never touched Jax, but trust me, if a fight is what he wants, a fight is what he’ll get.
I start to walk back to our room when I see Tate leaning up against the hallway.
“Problems?” he asks casually.
“Not yet.” If Jax comes anywhere near her, though, there will be a shit storm.
I notice that Tate makes no attempt to move away from the wall. “Why did you insist on coming on this trip?” I’m tired of wondering.
He smirks. “Still think I’m trying to take your girl from you, Slade?”
“I know you love her.”
He pushes off the wall and comes toward me. “I do love her.” He nods his head.“And before you start swinging, let me explain something to you.”
I place my hands behind my back, for some reason I want to hear what he has to say.
“I’m not going to take her from you, but if Jax shows up, you can have him after I’m done.”
I frown. “Why do you care about Jax?”
“I have some unfinished business with him.”
You think because you have all those tattoos you’re a bad ass.
“You were the one he thought he was talking to?”
He nods. “I got a hold of him. Then the little shit ran off like a coward before I got to finish.”
I run a hand through my hair, confused. “I don’t understand.”
He turns and makes his way towards his room and it just pisses me off.
I walk up to him and shove him against the wall. “Tell me why you’re here. What do you want with Angel?” I growl.
“You don’t want to know,” he says, matching my tone.
“Tate,” I warn, fisting my hands down at my sides. I’m trying my hardest not to hit him.
“I can’t lose her,” Tate says. “You should know what that kind of fear is like. Why can’t you drop it?”
“What do you mean lose her? She’s not yours,” I snap.
He leans his head back against the wall and sighs. “I watched her push you away when you first met her.” He smiles as if fond of that thought. “She wanted you, but she fought it.” He lifts his head and looks at me, mouth now in a hard line. “Every time you tell her something she doesn’t want to hear, she runs. That’s how Sam has always been. She has always felt better on her own. Not having to trust someone else, who she knows is going to eventually hurt her. I have spent too many years without her. I won’t let her know my secret just so she can run from me.”
“I’m not telling you to tell her. I’m telling you to tell me before I fucking go crazy.”
He releases a long sigh. “I can understand why Marie kept some things secret,” he says quietly as if talking to himself. I continue to stand there and let him talk, although I have no idea what Marie has to do with this. “I have always kept things about my past a secret from a very young age. There are just some things other people don’t need to know.”
He looks up at me for a few seconds.
He rubs the back of his neck and releases another long sigh. “But I don’t want you to worry about my intentions anymore.” He stares down at the floor. “I’m Sam’s half-brother.”
I take a step back from him. “What? That can’t. No.” I shake my head.
“Jack was my father,” he admits quietly as if that pained him to say.
“How is that possible?”
“You don’t need to know the details. Just know I wouldn’t lie about that.”
I turn and start to pace back and forth in the hotel hallway. “Why would you keep that a secret from her?”
“How would I have told her that? ‘Hey, Sam, I’ve been taking care of your sick mother while spying on you. And oh yeah, I’m your brother.’” He shakes his head when I look up at him. “I weighed my options. She needed to know how her mother felt about her. I didn’t want any other thoughts in her mind except that.”
“Yeah, but…but she accepted her mother’s death after you explained everything to her. Why not tell her last month, or even today for fuck’s sake?”
“I didn’t want to ruin the proposal,” he says quietly. “And I don’t want her to push me away,” he responds sadly. “We both know how she runs from things she doesn’t understand.”
I nod my head. “She does that.” I sigh. “How long are you planning to keep this a secret from her?” I feel somewhat lost, I should have never asked. He should have never mentioned it.
Fuck!
“I guess I should tell her soon since you two are going to get married.” He smiles.“Now do you understand why I wanted to come? I couldn’t make it to Thanksgiving, but when I found out I had another chance to witness it, I had to be here.”
I turn around and start to pace again. “I can’t fucking believe this!”
“How do you think I felt when I found out?” he says, getting my attention.
I pause and look up to him. “How old were you when you found out?”
He shakes his head. “That doesn’t matter.”
I close my eyes, releasing a sigh. I’m not going to push him. I couldn’t imaginewhat he has gone through or what him and Angel are about to go through when she finds out this news.
I start to walk to our room. I suddenly need to hold Angel. My hand pauses on the doorknob. Shit! I’m going to be in so much deep shit when this secret comes out.
“Hey, Slade.”
I look down the hall to Tate placing the key card in his door before he looks up at me. “Don’t worry. This conversation never happened,” he assures me, and then walks into his room.
That statement does not make me feel any better.
I feel Angel’s phone in the pocket of my sweatpants and I’m reminded of why I’m out in the hall in the first place. I go through the phone and delete the last call from her incoming log. Tomorrow I need to call and have that number blocked as well.
I wanted to start this year out clean and fresh. It’s not even four hours into the New Year and I have two secrets to keep which could both affect our relationship.
Walking into our bedroom, I look over at her sleeping and release a sigh. I will do anything to protect her, but I seem to be the one that hurts her the most. And that has me thinking that this year may not go as well as I had hoped.
THE END
UNCONTROLLABLE
Adjective
Incapable of being controlled or restrained
CHAPTER ONE
SAMANTHA
I walk calmly into the small airplane bathroom and lock the door. Leaning over the tiny hole that they call a sink, I try to readjust my boobs in my bra. Once the girls are pushed up, I pull my blue shirt down a bit. After I feel they are showing a little more, I lean back and start to run my hands through my long dark hair, trying to scrunch it at the roots. When it has some volume, I lick my lips and give myself a smile in the tiny mirror.
I can’t believe I’m about to do this!
I take a look around and frown when I realize this may not even be possible. What the hell am I thinking? Will Slade even be able to stand up in here?
I smile when I hear a faint knock on the door. Biting my lip, I open the door slowly to make sure it is the person that I want knocking on this door.
There stands the man I love, dressed in a tight white t-shirt showing off his wide chest and muscular arms. My eyes wander down his blue jeans and tennis shoes.
He gets my attention when he leans his tall frame against the open door as those baby blue eyes look down at me. “Excuse me, ma’am. Is there room for two in there?” Slade asks with a straight face.
Ma’am? “So proper,” I say with a smile.
His eyes bore into mine, and he leans his head down to whisper, “I assure you, Angel, there is nothing proper about the thoughts I’m having about you right now.” He reaches up and runs the pad of his finger over my cleavage, and I smile to myself for giving them a little air to breathe. “Bringing the big guns out to play, are you?” He smiles, knowing what I have been doing in here.
I laugh and grab a hold of his hand to pull him through the door.
“Shit!” he hisses when he hits his head on the door frame.
“Sorry,” I say through laughter. “I didn’t think this through very well.”
His strong arms grab a hold of mine, and he pushes me up against the now closed door. “It’ll work.” He reaches around me and locks it.
His lips slam down onto mine as he runs one of his hands up my back; the other still tightly gripping my hip.
I lift my hands up into his messy hair and grab a hold of him. I try to lift my leg around his hip but realize there’s not enough room. I bring my leg down but my heel gets caught in his jeans.
“Ow,” he whines, pulling back as I scrape it across his leg. “What the hell was that?” he asks trying to turn and see what nicked him.
“My heel. Are you okay?” I ask concerned.
He nods and then says, “Take them off.”
“Then we will just trip over them,” I argue shaking my head.
“Take them off.” He demands this time.
I roll my eyes, but do as he says, trying to kick them to the other side of the bathroom. “Happy now?” I ask looking up at him. Sometimes I hate how short I am compared to him. I’m five-foot-four, and he’s six-foot-two. My six inch heels usually help me out with that.
He gives me a cocky smile that reminds me why I told him to meet me in here in the first place.
I grab his clean shaven face and bring his lips back down to mine. I thrust my tongue into his mouth, letting him know that I’m ready for him to get this show on the road.
He pulls me away from the door and spins me around in the tight space, causing me to trip over my heels. We go falling into the counter and sink.
“Fuck,” he growls into my mouth as he hits his head again.
I pull back to speak, but he places his finger over my mouth. “Don’t even think about saying it,” he says, narrowing his eyes down at me.
I told you so! I should have just kept the damn things on. “Maybe we should stop, this may kill us,” I say only somewhat kidding.
He leans back into me and pulls my bottom lip into his mouth to nibble on it. “I would die one very happy man,” he mumbles as his hot, intoxicating, minty breath lands on my lips.
I let out a little giggle as I try to locate my heels on the floor with my foot so I can push them further away from us. The sound of them hitting plastic echoes in the small bathroom as I reach down to unzip my jeans.
He pulls his lips away from mine so he can look down at me, his face serious now. “But are you sure you want to do this?” he asks.
I frown. “This was my idea.”
He runs his hands up my back and grabs a handful of my hair at the base of my neck. My head jerks back as a whimper leaves my lips.
“I don’t want you to be injured, though.” His lips brush my neck, and I feel his teeth bite into the soft flesh as his hand tightens in my hair; his actions going against his words.
I groan. “I’m not afraid of a few bruises.” My words come out breathless as my heart pounds in my chest.
He pulls me away from the counter and spins us around, slamming my back against the small wall, and I feel it give a little from his force.
Hope the people on the other side can’t hear us.
“That’s one of the things I love about you,” he whispers in my ear.
“What’s that?” I lick my lips as I take in a deep breath.
He lets go of my hair and moves his hands to work on the button and zipper of my jeans, which I had abandoned.
“That you are always up for whatever I want to do to you.” He jerks my jeans down over my hips along with my underwear, and I shake one leg out the best that I can. He then reaches for his own pants and releases his hard dick from behind his zipper. The sight of it has my mouth watering and my heart racing.
He slides a hand up my inner thigh and then slides a finger between my folds to open me up. “Always so fucking wet,” he growls in my ear.
I lean my head back and take a few deep breaths. “Please, baby.”
“I want to taste that soaked pussy so bad right now, but I don’t think there’s enough room in here for you to wrap your legs around my head.”
His words come out as a growl, as if he just wants to slam me to the ground and bury his head between my legs. God, how I want that too.
I whimper as I feel my legs get weak. I look up and take in the white ceiling that is only inches away from me. This very small bathroom gives us little room. Hell, I can reach both arms out and almost touch the door and the opposite wall. Slade barely has enough room to stand up straight let alone lay me down and spread my legs.
I shake my head. “Yeah that is not a possibility.”
He slides a finger into me, and I moan. He adds a second finger, and I lean my head back again, breathing heavy. He pulls them out all of a sudden, and I open my eyes as he slips his fingers into his mouth. I bite my lower lip as his eyes darken, and he lets out a moan of pleasure himself.
His baby blue eyes lock on mine as he very slowly tastes me. My breath comes quicker as I imagine his lips and tongue being on my most sensitive spot.
They pop out of his mouth, and he gives me a smirk that tells me he knows exactly what I’m thinking about.
“Later,” he promises softly.
Then his hand is back between my legs, and I stand sluggish against the wall. His fingers are rough and demanding this time, making me even wetter. “What…What are you doing?” I stutter.
The UN Series Complete Box Set Page 82