by Jodi Kae
“This is for new and old beginnings, my Beautiful Girl. Open your eyes.”
I blink several times to clear my vision only to stare in awe at the exact same room we stayed in when I fell in love with this man. He changed my life in this room. We made Alex in this room. It has been almost three years, but the room still looks the same. “How did you pull this off? Oh my God, Alexander, it’s still the same.
“Yes, they have renovated the building. It went up for sale two years ago, and the guy who bought it renovated the rooms and sold them off as private timeshares. When I came here on vacation the year after I met you hoping to see you again, he allowed me to buy this one and leave it intact for sentimental reasons. Now that I found you and you are mine, we can redecorate however we like, together. I planned on adding a small kitchen so we can use this as our honeymoon and anniversary get away.”
I move to the window and look down onto Miami Beach Boardwalk as tears fill my eyes and spill over. I have dreamed of coming here many times in the last few years so that I could search for him on this beach. I wanted to bring my son here so I could show him where his mommy and daddy met. Now we own a piece of the best part of my past and future.
I turn around to see that my husband is still standing by the door, staring at me warily. Moving to the bed, I strip off my dress and then my bra until I stand naked before the only man I have ever loved. “I have waited my whole life for you. Please don’t make me wait any longer.”
~Savage~
Dropping our things on the floor, I move forward stalking her like an animal. I have never had a need for another woman in my life like I have a need for Livvy. From the moment I laid eyes on her on the very beach below, I knew she was mine. Even in the years we weren’t together, I felt her. I had an overwhelming urge to find her six weeks after our night together and I hounded Jax endlessly to help me search again and again. I felt it when she gave birth to my son, even though I didn’t know what was happening at the time. When Derek sent me to help his friend Olivia, I was always on the lookout for Livvy, too obsessed with her to realize that Olivia was Livvy.
As I move closer to the bed, she looks a little apprehensive, like she did the first night we met. She climbs onto the bed and lays down in the middle, her glorious body on display for me. I climb over her and cage her between my arms and legs, then lean down and kiss her forehead. “I am the luckiest man in the world.” I kiss her nose. “I have the most beautiful girl as my wife.” I kiss both eyelids. “I have the most incredible son.” Pressing my lips to her mouth, I work my tongue inside. “And it’s all thanks to you. I love you so much, Beautiful Girl.”
“Oh my God, Alexander, please don’t tease me. I need you so bad.
Shit! Her words have me losing my train of thought, but my brain had already settled on a plan of action; make love to Livvy long and slow.
As we lay here boneless and sated, I thank my lucky stars for this woman. I know that I am probably crushing her, but I don’t want to move just yet. I make love to my incredible wife and pray for a little girl that looks just like her mama.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Elated:
*make someone ecstatically happy. *in high spirits; exultant or proud.
~Olivia~
“Can’t we just stay in today? I’m so tired of shopping for floor samples. I’m fine with what we have chosen, so I don’t need to see anymore. Plus, Alex gets so grumpy if we’re not shopping for toys.”
“Of course, Beautiful. I will take Alex down to the beach to chase crabs for an hour and then we will spend a relaxing day watching movies.”
“Cabs, cabs, cabs, Mommy.”
“Okay, Baby.” I kiss my husband and my sweet boy on their way out the door. Alexander and Alex leave for the beach and I sink into the new sofa we purchased for our beachfront getaway. I still can’t believe that he bought the actual unit where we first made love. The owner of the building has also agreed to sell us the unit next door so we can increase the size of our unit to a two bedroom. I’m not positive, but I think we may have made a baby the first week we were here. It is too soon to tell with a test, but I have a gut feeling that we did conceive a honeymoon baby.
Derek and Ren brought Alex to us two days ago on their way to the Bahamas. Ren has been so excited to see her home in the Bahamas that they decided to go a week early. Derek figured that by flying Alex to us in Florida, they were already half way there.
Ren has the most adorable baby bump at four months pregnant and her sister, Tori, is pregnant too. If I am pregnant, our children will grow up together and raise hell, with Alex as the ringleader. I still have the smile on my face an hour later as my sexy husband walks in with a sleeping Alex draped across his shoulder.
“He ran back and forth non-stop and wore himself out. He fell asleep in the elevator on the way up.”
Until the renovations are through, we are still in a studio sized hotel room, so Alex has been sleeping between us on the king size bed for the last two nights, leaving us no alone time. We put up a curtain to hide the bed from the small sitting area even though it offers almost no privacy. I am looking forward to going home to Boston so we have our privacy. Alexander has hired a team for the renovation of making the two units into one apartment, complete with a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The next time we come here, it will be finished for a more roomy stay. I can’t wait.
~Savage~
I am the luckiest man on the planet. I have the perfect wife, the perfect son, the perfect home and career, and now the perfect vacation spot. All thanks to the perfect beginning. Maybe someone would look at my life and opt out of a few things, but I can say that I would endure anything to be right here where I am right now. I would also endure anything to erase some of the horrible things my beautiful wife has gone through. I can’t help but feel guilt over the fact that if I hadn’t left that morning, she wouldn’t have suffered. I will live with that for the rest of my life. Now I don’t go anywhere without telling her everything I think she needs to know. I usually don’t let her go anywhere without me. She might think that I am a smothering bastard, but I couldn’t live with myself if something bad happened to her again.
Once I know Alex isn’t about to wake up, I walk around our makeshift wall to see my beautiful wife lying on the couch with a little smile on her face. I kneel down by her side and kiss each closed eyelid, then her nose, ending with a soft kiss to her lips. “Hey Beautiful Girl, wanna make a baby? She slowly opens her eyes and smiles at me.
“I think we already have, but I don’t mind making sure.”
I stare in shock at my perfect woman. “For real, no joke?”
“I am not 100% sure and won’t be for at least a week or two, but I feel pregnant. I mean, I’m not sick or anything, just really tired, but this is how I felt just before I found out I was pregnant with Alex.”
I kick my pants off, pick her up and push her shorts down in a flash. Sitting down on the couch, I pull her down to straddle my lap. “I need you to take me, Livvy.” For the rest of the nigh she complies to my demands like a pro. Holy shit! Thank God, I found my perfect woman. She was made just for me.
Epilogue:
*a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.
~Olivia~
Our honeymoon alone and then our vacation time with Alex was pure heaven, but I am happy to be home. They started construction the day we left so I was happy to be getting out of the way of demolition. As we were leaving, they were tearing down the wall between the two units to make it into one, two-bedroom apartment. The renovation crew said we have to come back in a few weeks to oversee the final touches but at least for the next two weeks I get to relax and not worry about anything except making my new husband and son happy. I no longer have nightmares about Jerry or John and Alex doesn’t mention Jerry at all anymore. I pray that he is young enough that he will not have any memories of the abuse that he and I suffered
.
The Safe House is doing amazingly well and the donations exceeded their expectations so now they are looking for a space to open another one on the west coast.
Marie, one of the tenants of The Safe House, has been attending the same counseling group for victims of sexual violence as I have on Mondays and Thursdays. She is extremely quiet and acts as though she doesn’t want to be there. We have become very close but while we are there she kind of shuts down. I have been told that she was the only victim of The House that was raped while she was in captivity but she has never confirmed that information to me.
I sometimes wonder if she’s still being guarded because every once in a while I see Snake standing sentry at the doors. They don’t come together or leave together, but I think he is there all the time even though I don’t see him every time. I will have to ask my husband about her situation. Does he think that she is still in danger? He probably knows because he is the one who took the three women into protective custody when they rescued them from The House.
Ren and Tori didn’t suffer the same fate while being held captive and the only reason we know about what happened to Marie is because Tori was in the room next door and heard everything. I don’t consider Marie’s situation worse than mine because rape is rape, but I had been in a relationship with my abuser and at least thought I knew him.
“Hello, Beautiful.”
My amazing husband leans down to kiss the soft and very sensitive spot on my neck. “Hello, my Sexy Husband.”
“Are you packed for our weekend getaway to Miami? The crew said everything is done except for hanging decorations.”
His hot breath on my neck has me breaking out in goose bumps all over. It has been this way ever since he approached me at the bar in Miami. It takes me a minute to answer because I lose my train of thought around this sexy savage. “I am. Alex is ready too, but I put him down for an early nap so he is not cranky on the plane.”
“Did you pack the pregnancy test?”
How in the world this man can make even that sound sexy is beyond me. We decided to wait until we got back to our Miami apartment to find out if we made a baby there four weeks ago. I can’t believe how different things are this time around. “Yes.” I can only manage that word in a breathy whisper. How does he do this to me? He controls my every thought and action with my hormones.
“How long has Alex been asleep?” he growls
“Twenty minutes,” I gasp out because I know what is coming.
The second that leaves my mouth, he picks me up and is rushing to our bedroom. This man will forever be my addiction.
~Savage~
Six hours later, we are walking into our newly renovated second home. Livvy gasps and stares around in shock while Alex takes off running through the space screaming my room, my room. The crew did an amazing job and every detail has been completed to perfection. The hardwood floors that cover every inch of walking space make the rooms appear larger than they are. The kitchen is just how Livvy wanted it, an exact replica of the one at our home in Boston. Even though we combined two units, the space is still small but cozy. I can’t wait for her to notice my gift to her. Just as the thought enters my head, she gasps again.
“Oh, Alexander.”
Hanging above the fireplace, she stares at my pencil sketch of her, Alex and I. Tears are streaming down her face as she jumps into my arms.
“This is the best present anyone has ever given me.”
“There is plenty of room for me to add additional family members. Speaking of which, should we go find out?
Ten minutes later, we are holding each other and Alex, as two little pink lines make us the happiest family in the world.
Of course, when things seem to be going right, life has to intrude. A text from Derek interrupts our happy little moment.
Derek: Have you been in contact with Anna?
Me: Not since last week at the therapy session, why?
Derek: She has been missing since last night. Tina said she has been trying to reach her and she hasn’t responded.
Me: Check with Snake. He’s been guarding her.
Derek: He is missing too.
Sneak preview of
Revenge
(Saved By Love #4)
*the action of hurting or harming someone in return for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands.
Chapter One
Taken:
*capture or gain possession of by force or military means. *dispossess someone of something; steal or illicitly remove.
~Anna~
Maria Ana Branson is whom I used to be until the day my stepfather sold me to Sully Vrennikov, the boss of a human trafficking organization. Now, I am Ana Smith and I am sure he did not expect me to survive my ordeal, or that I would come back to be his worst nightmare.
Revenge is a bitter pill to swallow, especially when you are about to extract your pound of flesh from your own family. I only have myself to blame for letting my guard down around him. I should have known better.
I was twelve when my father, Charlie Branson, died in an oil rig explosion and fifteen when my mother remarried Thomas Jones. Thomas was sweet at first, very loving but after the first year, he became a hypochondriac. He always claimed to be injured or sick, so he didn’t have to work or spend time with us. I’m pretty sure he paid a few doctors plenty of money to give him his autoimmune diagnoses.
When my mother passed away after a long battle with cancer, she didn’t leave any loose ends for my stepfather to deal with. She hired a live-in nanny and tutors to help me finish school. I had a lot of friends that kept me away from home most of the time and prized horses that occupied the rest of it.
My mother, God rest her soul, would be turning over in her grave if she knew the man she married eight years ago would turn on her only child, but sometimes money causes people to do evil things. His reaction to the reading of her will should have been my first warning sign. The look on his face as it was announced that everything was being left to me, Charlie Branson’s only heir, was straight up terror. He obviously didn’t see that one coming and has been plotting since that day seven years ago. My mother wasn’t trying to be cruel, but family money is just that, family money. My great, great-grandfather on my father’s side was in the oil business and invested well. Well enough to set up ten generations for life. If even a small percentage of her inheritance were to have been left to Thomas Jones, he probably wouldn’t have come after me. She did, however, allow him to stay in our home and have a monthly allowance until he turned eighty. After that, she arranged for him to be placed in an assisted living care facility to finish out his days in comfort. In the letter she left me and also in conversations we had during her final days, she wished for me to marry and start a family. She didn’t want me to have to take care of an old man that turned out to be a clinger; her words exactly.
At eighteen I started college at Pepperdine University. At twenty-one, I met and fell in love with David Sanders, also a student at Pepperdine. At twenty-three I found myself in a basement cell naked, beaten and humiliated.
Six weeks prior
“Come on Babe, where’s your sense of adventure. No one is here at this hour so we’ll just sneak in, find the info for your story and sneak out.”
David, my fiancé and number one fan, loves the stories I write for The Post. I usually cover corrupt politicians, but I came across a story of possible human trafficking and have been like a dog with a bone ever since. I met with a family a few weeks ago that claimed their daughter had been taken for the purpose of selling her to the Russian mafia. I have to admit their story did sound a little far fetched, and they didn’t have solid proof, so the police listed her as a missing person/runaway and the case went cold. When I interviewed the police, they informed me that Amber Johnson was probably a runaway and her family wasn’t willing to admit that their daughter would leave them in that way.
“That is not the kind of daughter she was,” the mother cried to me. “She just t
urned eighteen and was registered at ITT Tech. She wouldn’t just leave.”
Now I have made it my personal business to help locate Amber and bring her home, hence the creepy warehouse after dark.
“David, I don’t feel safe going into an abandoned warehouse at night. Who knows what could be in there, homeless people, drug dealers, murder’s.”
“Babe, how are you ever going to work your way up the ladder if you’re not willing to take a few risks. You’re a journalist for God’s sakes. You have to take a few risks to get the best story.”
“Okay, but I’m only stepping inside the door, and if anything feels wrong or looks suspicious, I’m leaving with or without you.”
The warehouse was dark and creepy. There were three bay doors on this side of the building with one heavy metal door. It looked as if it used to be a distribution center or shipping warehouse that had long since been abandoned. I received an anonymous tip two days ago that if I wanted to find Amber Johnson to check here, 517 Industrial Way. I should have called the police, but the email warned that if I did, Amber would be lost forever. When I responded to the email, it came back undeliverable; for a rational thinking person, this should have been a run-as-fast-as-you-can warning sign. Dog with a bone wins.
David climbs the concrete steps to the heavy metal door and reaches for the handle.
“Let’s try this door first. If it doesn’t open, I’m sure we could pry open one of the bay doors.”
A dreadful sensation crawls down my spine as the door creaks open on rusty hinges. The sound echoes through the dark, abandoned space, and if there are any people inside; we just gave them a-heads-up that they had visitors. The smell that rushes out to greet us is a mixture of dirt, oil, and mold, causing me to hold my breath for a second hoping it will clear, with no luck. David steps through first as if he doesn’t have anything to worry about so I reluctantly follow. I am immediately swallowed by darkness regardless of the parking lot being lit up like a shopping center. As my eyes start to adjust, a sharp sting to my neck has my heart rate skyrocketing and my vision going fuzzy. “David!” I scream. He catches me as my legs start to buckle, and he slowly lowers me to the dirty warehouse floor. A shadowy figure moves in my peripheral vision and before I can warn him, a shot echoes through the empty warehouse then David’s body jerks. The look of horror on his face as he falls away from me will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life. If I had only followed my gut instinct, David would be alive right now. The voice I hear next is one I will never forget.