“Thank you,” I said, relieved, hoping he didn’t get it in his fool head to try to involve me and Jason. Though, looking at my stepfather’s face, he looked like he wouldn’t mind the challenge. I, however, was sick of adventure for a while. “I wanted to leave so I could get to the hospital, actually. Can I go see Jason now?” I asked anxiously.
“Yes, you can. And you’re getting checked as well,” Michael answered firmly. Then he broke down into tears. “My God, I’m so sorry! I was trying my hardest, but even with all the banks I worked with, getting a billion dollars in cash was like pulling teeth. After all the work and money I made for them, they weren’t pulling through for me. And because of them, because of me, you were hurt!”
“Dad…”
The officers gently stepped in. “Goodbye, then, Miss Coventry. We will contact you if we need any information. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Coventry.”
“No need to thank me. We are more grateful that you found our daughter,” my mother answered.
I noticed the admiring glances thrown my mother’s way from most of the officers. Michael seemed to notice this, too, and put his arm around Mom and the other one around me, hugging me to his side. This is new, I thought to myself as we got into the limousine outside and headed for the hospital.
Trust Michael to travel in style.
Chapter Twenty-Two
One week later
Jason
I came awake slowly and my eyes adjusted to the lights of the room gradually. The walls were all crinoline white, the white curtain covering a large glass window was pulled away, and the window was open so that air could follow the natural light getting into the room. I got a waft of bleach from the sheets and the smell of flowers coming from the side of the bed. I tried sitting up, but a sharp ache in my ribs stopped me, and I tried to raise my hand, but I couldn’t.
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” I heard a voice say by me.
I knew that voice. I would recognize that voice in my dreams. I turned to look, and there she was, looking so beautiful and tired, but smiling at me wonderfully.
“Where am I? No, scratch that, how long have I been here? From the smell of my sheet and that IV and bleeping machines I already know it’s a hospital.”
“You’ve been out for a week. You gave me the scare of my life.” Tears rolled down Mandy’s cheeks as she answered me.
“What? A week? How can a small gun wound do that?” I asked, trying to lighten the whole situation, but Amanda hit me. “Ouch! That fucking hurt.”
“Serves you right. You had two broken ribs, a concussion, a bullet wound, and you were beaten all over. To make matters worse, you’ve been unconscious… scaring the hell out of me…” she cried.
Immediately, because I couldn’t stand seeing her cry, I opened my good arm and she lay by me so I could hug her, and she cried in my arms.
“You can kiss me now. I’ve missed you.”
She laughed into my shoulder and sat up to give me a kiss. “I’ve missed you more. I’ll go tell the doctor you’re awake. I’ve badgered him enough. By the way, my mom is here so expect her inside anytime soon.”
She stood to go, but I stopped her. “Just stay with me a bit. I just want to hold you, then you’re going to tell me all that happened, okay?” I didn’t want her out of my sight just yet. I wanted to breathe her in, hold her before the doctors started prodding me.
“I’m looking forward to meeting your mom,” I said honestly. As the other mastermind in their plan, I definitely wanted to meet this woman.
“She wants to meet you too, to thank you for saving my life.”
“I brought Taggart into your life. I’m just glad you’re safe and weren’t hurt.”
“I’m glad you’re safe, too. Let me go get the doctor, okay?”
I didn’t want her to, but I let her go. I counted down a minute in my mind, and when it was over, and she wasn’t back yet, I closed my eyes for a moment.
Next thing I knew, Mandy was back, and I could hear her voice talking above me. Only my lids felt so fucking heavy, like they just didn’t want to open. But then there were other voices in the room, and while Mandy’s voice sounded like she was okay, it wasn’t enough to calm me down. I forced my eyes open and tried to move my hand to signal I was awake again. Mandy didn’t see, because she was facing away from me, but one of the two people standing closer to the door did.
“Oh, honey!”
That made Mandy turn around, and I started to smile up at her, probably failing from all the aching and pain in my face.
“Oh, Jason!” Mandy cried out, looking elated. “You’re awake!”
“So, there is the nice young man who took care of my daughter,” the woman I thought to be Mandy’s mom said. She looked like an older version of her, so it would be difficult to mistake her.
Michael Coventry, I knew. Only, he was smiling down at me—not quite the expression I pictured when I had him standing above me—with an arm thrown around his wife. I caught the arm and assumed that meant they’d patched things up between them.
“Hi, Jason,” he said, voice grateful. “I have to thank you for everything that you’ve done for my daughter. From the story I heard, she wouldn’t be alive and well here with us if it hadn’t been for you, so thank you for being there for her.”
I grit my teeth. There was so much wrong with that; the man was thanking me when I was the one that had put her in danger in the first place. It would be a miracle if Taggart didn’t wake up and start yapping his mouth.
But I would worry about that when the time came.
“Of course, sir,” I said, my eyes drifting to Mandy.
She met my eyes, and we smiled at each other, hand reaching for the other’s until our fingers clasped.
“I love her more than anything in the world, and I would do anything for her.”
“Oh, darling, he’s amazing!” Mandy’s mom said, looking between her husband and Mandy, so I had no idea who she meant, or if it was both. Both of them nodded anyway. “It’s official. A man who feels so strongly about my daughter is definitely a part of the family.”
Michael just squeezed her closer and pressed a kiss to her temple. She leaned into him, looking happy.
Mandy laughed in delight, obviously catching the closeness between her parents, and it brought her joy. Then she turned to me, joy still on her face, and leaned down to kiss me.
* * *
One month later
This has been the best month of my life.
I was more shocked than any other person that I was still with Amanda after a month. It took me three weeks to recover, and I was questioned by the police after that for formality. Taggart was a big fish, so they were just happy they caught him. I flew back to New York the next week with Amanda, who had refused going back without me. She had been there with me every step of my recovery and we were inseparable when we got back to New York
Her mom and Michael invited us over for dinner that evening. I had been staying with Mandy since we came back. She wouldn’t hear of me staying alone when I needed rest and looking after. She wouldn’t even let me make love to her, saying I needed to rest and build my strength back before anything. I promised to take her on a real vacation that didn’t involve boats soon, and she was really excited about it.
“How do I look?” she asked me from the doorway of the bathroom.
My eyes almost popped out of my head; she really looked beautiful in an aqua body contour bandage dress. The color made her eyes glow. “You look gorgeous, perfect, and sexy. In fact, you are splendid. I’m a very lucky guy.”
Mandy laughed at my compliments, looking happy, and dazed like I still felt. When we arrived in New York a few days ago, the media hounded us for information, but Michael had a press conference that painted me as a hero. Her hero.
“Let’s get going. I don’t want to be rude by arriving late for dinner,” I said as I held my hand out for her to take.
Amanda’s place was not too far from h
er parents’, so we got there in no time. She went up to see her mom, while I was in the library with Michael who was giving me the father-in-law talk.
I realized when we sat down to talk that he was very serious about his daughter when he got down to it. I could definitely see how that man had worked his way from having nothing to being a billionaire. Everything was like a negotiation, like a business deal, but the look in his eyes definitely showed the passion behind it all. It may be the only way he knew to talk or show he cared, but it was more than enough.
I might have started sweating, because even without the shotgun routine, he was fucking terrifying. I had a feeling, if I hurt his daughter, he wouldn’t mind erasing me. I had to laugh when I ironically thought of Michael calling my old persona to do the job for him.
He’d been the best, after all.
Then we heard Mandy and her mom walking down the stairs and laughing, and we knew it was time to go eat. When I got my arm around Mandy, after Michael put an arm around his wife and led her ahead of us, I pressed a hard, grateful kiss to her temple for the save.
Dinner was a lovely affair; the four of us talked, laughed, and got acquainted. I got to know a lot about Amanda as she was growing up, and the shenanigans she’d pulled. At eleven p.m. we said goodnight after informing Amanda’s parents of our vacation, and we went back to Amanda’s apartment.
* * *
As soon as we stepped through the door, I had Amanda pushed up against it, the bulge of my cock burying between her soft ass cheeks. She let out an excited gasp and raked her nails on the door as she chuckled. My hands roamed up the sides of her hips and the dips of her thighs. Her body melded against mine perfectly.
“Get naked,” I hissed into her ear. I bucked into her again and she moaned my name in a tiny whisper. “Don’t want me ripping any designer dresses, do you?”
“Wow, look at you, barking orders.” Amanda pushed her ass out against my swollen cock. Her softness agitated my cock, giving me uncontrollable twitching.
“You’ve always considered me a dog. So, let’s get these clothes off.”
I pulled her toward the bedroom while I yanked at my pants to free my cock. Amanda flopped down on the bed without even taking her dress off. Oh, well, I had warned her.
I freed my cock and reached down to tear her dress from the middle. She gasped and caught my swinging dick with her feet.
“Wow, you’re impatient.” She winked and used her feet to massage my dick. The feel of her pantyhose against my cock was driving me up a wall.
“Of course I am. I had to wait to heal up some more, so I could fuck you sideways. You know you love it.”
Amanda nodded her head and shimmied out of her dress. Her breasts were perky, boasting nipples that were already hard. They pointed up to the ceiling, begging to be sucked. Oh, they’d get their turn…
“You know I like to be rebellious,” she teased, crawling up the bed toward the pillows. Where was she going?
“Do you remember what happens to rebellious women?” My cock twitched and dropped a bead of pre-cum. Fuck, I was eager to enter her tight pussy. Faint drifts of her honeysuckle perfume wafted in the air, reminding me how sweet she tasted.
“What?” she asked, biting her pinky finger and sporting a sly look. Her eyes twinkled under the night light that seeped in through the windows.
“Punishment. Now get over here and assume the position.” I pointed to the edge of the bed and jutted my chin up. There was only one alpha in the bedroom, and that was me. Mandy always liked tugging at the dominant role.
“Make me,” she purred, swaying her ass and pussy in the air. I growled and reached out for her ankle, tugging her back to the edge of the bed. She chuckled as her body dragged against the satin sheets.
“On all fours.” I gave her ass a swat and grabbed my cock, pumping it slowly.
Amanda’s hair cascaded down her shoulders as she got into position. Her creamy skin seemed to be glowing in the dark. The folds of her womanhood were glistening, and I knew I couldn’t keep my mouth away from it.
Spreading her ass cheeks wide open, I shoveled my tongue down into her wet pussy and savored her sweet musky essence.
“J-Jason!” she stammered, wiggling against my grip. “Y-you d-d-dog!” she gasped. Her body trembled, and her juices kept flowing. Each brush of my hard tongue against her hard-quivering clit sent her into spasms.
“You like my tongue, don’t you?” I asked, sticking a finger into her pussy. Mandy was fighting to stay in her position and licked her lips after a few quick breaths.
“Oh, God, yes!” she moaned, her voice hoarse. The room began to smell of our sex. And it was only going to get better. My cock sent a strong ache down my shaft. It wanted in. Now.
Just a little longer. It’ll be worth the wait, I reassured myself. “Want my cock?” I asked Mandy, waving it in front of her face. She tried to snatch it with her mouth but missed.
“Yes!” she begged, biting her lower lip. Her breathing was uneven and rapid. Her whole body burned for me and my cock was burning for her all the same.
“Too bad. You have to take your punishment first.” I smirked and got into position behind her. My hand was ready.
“Damn it!” she groaned, throwing her head back. Sweat glistened on her skin and her hair was starting to clump together.
I swatted at her ass and watched as her pussy quivered and trembled. Then I took another good swat at her ass. Soon I left red marks, but I made sure not to spank her too hard. This was supposed to be sexy, not abusive.
“Good. Keep in position. Just like that. I know it’s a lot of effort to stay on your knees and hands when my mouth felt so good on that sloppy pussy.”
“Jason. Please… sir,” she whispered breathlessly. My cock popped a vein and it was time to let loose.
“Well, well. Good manners.” I tapped her ass. I positioned her ass lower, so my cock could nestle in between her cheeks. Rubbing my dick against her wet slit, I sawed back and forth, watching her writhe under my pleasure.
“Ah!”
“You’ve been good. Now time for a little reward.” I pushed my cock into her slit and was sucked down deep inside her tight cunt. Fuck. I hissed and slammed myself to the hilt. Balls deep.
“You’re tighter every time. How the hell do you do it?”
“My secret,” she moaned.
I bucked wildly into her with all my newfound strength. Her pussy wept with both our juices while I raced toward a frighteningly powerful orgasm.
“Give me—give me your seed!” Mandy demanded.
She asked for it. I came hard into her, my thick seed flowing up into her womb. Mandy was mine and I was going to prove so by sowing her with my baby. I erupted into her flesh with such force that my cock shivered from the pressure of seed being released from my shaft.
Her pussy gripped my cock, threatening to never let go, crushing me with her soft flesh.
A tiredness spilled over us and we found ourselves crawling into bed and falling asleep in each other’s arms.
I had made my decision. Tomorrow was going to be the day that’d change our lives forever.
* * *
Amanda
It had been a while since I’d seen my studio. Sweeping colors across the canvas and creating another masterpiece once more was in my sight. Life was so different now. It was like this canvas. Once blank and colorless, now full of emotions, motion, and colors. Something that I could be somewhat in charge of.
Jason and I were free to start a new life… together. And every time I thought about that, it made my heart giggle once more. The sun filtered in through the studio windows that went from floor to ceiling, giving me that precious natural lighting that made painting even more enjoyable.
The smell of the paints, the sound of brushing across the canvas, and watching the streaks of paint gel together on the canvas brought me peace and tranquility. I had my family back, with a new addition I was proud of.
If I were to assign a color
to my life right now, it’d be yellow. Full of promise, vitality, and new beginnings. That was probably why I found myself dipping my brushes into hues of yellow so often.
This painting was going to be dedicated to Jason and our time that we spent together. He was my hero in many more ways than one.
The sun changed its lighting to a dimmer setting and I adjusted my lights to suit my needs.
“This is coming out wonderful!” I exclaimed, looking at my painting. I took a few more steps back and tilted my head. “But something’s missing though.”
Ah! I knew.
I sauntered over to my paint closet and got out a bottle of gold paint. It was a color I rarely used unless I was in a particularly special mood.
“This will add something to it!” I said, returning to my painting station. I squeezed the soft plastic bottle and squirts of illustrious gold paint swirled out. Liquid gold, I called it.
Placing the bottle back down on the table, I reached for my paint palette and turned around to resume painting. The sound of clattering and clanging jarred my focus and I spun around to see all my paint and brushes scattered on the floor.
Curious as to how this happened, I inspected myself closely.
“Oh, God,” I groaned, looking at the piece of ribbon that was stuck under my palette. It must’ve pulled things when I took it up to paint.
Now the floor looked like a big painting itself too.
“Ugh. Now I have to clean this up—” I bent down, without checking how far I was away from my painting and bumped it. It nearly fell and gave me a heart attack.
“Oh, God. I need to calm down.”
“Amanda?” a familiar voice said.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Ken in regular clothes, walking over to me. He wore a bright smile on his face and handed me some towels.
“Ken! Thanks, I thought you were taking some time off?” I began to rub the floor and get the paint up. It stained through the white towels, getting onto my hand.
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