by M. S. Parker
I tried twice to answer, but my hands were shaking.
“Here,” Flynn said softly. “Let me.”
I didn’t think to argue as he gently tugged the phone away, taking great care not to touch me. He tapped something in and then showed me the message.
Hi, Kendra. It’s Flynn. Cody and I are here with Gabriella. She’s pretty upset but holding up. We haven’t heard anything new. We’ll let you know when we do.
“Is that okay?”
“It’s fine. Thank you.” Then I folded forward over my knees and tried not to cry. How could this be happening? Why was it happening?
“Please be okay,” I whispered. “Please…”
“Here’s your phone.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw strong, lean fingers drop it into my purse. “I’m going to get you some water, okay?”
I started to tell him no. I didn’t want anything. But I didn’t bother. It didn’t matter. From the corner of my eye, I saw him stand and I looked away. Somehow, I knew this was all my fault. If I hadn’t slept with Flynn, hadn’t worked with him, kissed him, let him kiss me, none of this would’ve happened. I knew it made no sense, but I thought it just the same.
I barely heard it. The noise was faint from in here. From so far away, I almost didn’t register what it was, not at first.
Somebody else did though.
And through the rising screams and confusion, I started to panic.
Gunshots…
Two
If I thought the time trapped waiting in that lounge was hell, then the next twenty minutes were even worse.
There were cops and support staff on hand, assuring us that the hostages were fine, but I wouldn’t believe that, not until I saw Edward. But then we were all ushered out in the lobby, just as the doors opened and a mass of people were ushered in to the lobby from outside. All of them looked haggard and I could see the sweat stains on their clothes from where I was standing, but I only had eyes for one of them. The moment I saw the familiar figure, my heart leapt.
“Edward!”
Claire’s voice drowned out my shaken whisper and she ran toward him while I was still struggling to get my leaden legs to work.
The throng of people worked against me and I couldn’t find the strength I needed to move. It was like all of the adrenaline that had been keeping me going had drained away.
“Fucking media—” I heard somebody say.
“Family and victims only!” Another barked.
Somebody caught my arm and I found myself staring into the harsh visage of NYC policeman. “He’s…” I swallowed and pointed to where I’d seen Edward, but I couldn’t see him now. My head was spinning. I needed to explain who I was before this nice policeman threw me out.
“This is Edward Bouvier’s fiancé,” Cody said, emerging from the crowd and catching my elbow.
The cop’s reply was cut off by another loud, dramatic cry.
“Edward!”
Cody closed his eyes and tipped his head back, total exasperation mingling with his relief. Then he looked at the cop. “Can we get through, please?”
The uniformed officer frowned at us, but stepped aside just in time for us to see Claire throw her arms around Edward’s neck, clinging to him. Over her shoulder, his eyes met mine. I hadn’t realized how scared I’d truly been of losing him until that moment.
I shoved my fist against my mouth, a sob building up inside, but it escaped despite my efforts not to let it loose. I watched as he squeezed his mother gently and then shifted his gaze over my shoulder. He must’ve shared some sort of special bond with his brothers, or at least with Cody, because in the next moment, the man next to me was guiding me closer, his muscular bulk. A curious little exchange happened and I couldn’t even describe how Cody and Edward managed it. All I knew was I passed into Edward’s arms as Cody took Claire into his.
“Mom…Mom, no. He needs to see Gabriella too…”
“I am his mother—”
“She’s his fiancé.”
A sardonic voice cut in as I pressed my face to Edward’s chest, shaking so hard I might have fallen if it hadn’t been for how tightly he held me.
Flynn continued, “If I’d come that close to kissing my ass good-bye, I’d rather be wrapped around a beautiful woman, not having my mommy looking me over for cuts and bruises. We’re all a little too old for that.”
“Don’t be such an ass,” Cody snapped at his brother as Claire started to cry.
Edward’s chest rose and fell on a sigh and he lowered his head, burying his face against my neck. His lips moved against my skin and I could feel him saying my name. After a few seconds, however, his body tensed and I knew he was about to play peacekeeper again. Like hell.
I shoved back from him as the other two brothers and Claire continued their sniping. I was so over this shit.
“Shut up!” I yelled. “He could have died and the least you three could do is act like adults.”
One by one, their heads swung my way. Cody’s mouth snapped shut mid-word and I felt bad that I’d hurt his feelings. I really was sorry for that, but fuck it all, they were getting on my nerves. Edward didn’t need to have to play go-between after what he’d been through. Claire puckered her lips like I’d shoved a lemon in her mouth. Flynn, though, had a queer little smile on his lips. I couldn’t look at him.
“You have no right to speak to me that way,” Claire said, her voice shaking.
“The hell I don’t.” Hell came out sounding more like hail, I was so pissed off. Edward caught my shoulder, but I shrugged him off. “He could have died and instead of letting him have what he needs, you’re worried about what you want. You’re the most selfish piece of work I’ve ever seen.”
Her mouth fell open, her nostrils flaring. Lifting her chin, Claire focused on Edward. “Are you going to let her speak to me like that? I could have lost you and I need to be able to see you too…” She covered her heart with her hand as she let out a clearly fake sob.
I’d actually felt bad for her. Edward was her son, after all. But I could see now that even her fear for his life was all about her.
She kept going. “All I want to do is hug you, hold you. Convince myself that you are safe.”
“Gabriella.” Edward squeezed my shoulder again, his lips warm against my temple as he kissed me. I heard the tenderness in his voice and I looked up at him. There was a mix of exasperation and gratitude in his eyes, but I saw what he wanted. He wanted me to let it go.
“Edward.” I covered his hand and tried to express what I felt with my eyes. I needed to be there for him the same way he was for me. I wanted to protect him as much as he wanted to protect me. He deserved it.
His face softened even more and then, slowly, he looked up at his mother. “Mom, of course I understand that you were scared. I thought of each of you, wondered if I’d see you again.” He glanced at each of his brothers, then at his mother. “I love you mother and you’ve seen that I’m fine. I need to be with my fiancé now.”
Her face immediately turned into a cold, hard mask. When Cody tried to slip an arm around her shoulders, she shrugged him off and sniffed. “Of course. How silly of me to think you might need me.”
“Mom, please.” Edward lifted a hand toward her, but stayed at my side.
“No, no.” She laughed harshly. “I’m just a foolish old woman. Please don’t mind me.”
As she sailed off into the crowd, Cody and Flynn shared a look. Then Flynn slid his gaze our way. That strange little smile of his had faded and his eyes were curiously blank now. “We’ll handle her,” he said. “You two just go.”
“Thank you, Flynn.” Edward hesitated and then moved forward, grabbing both of his brothers in a tight hug. The sight of it made a knot form in my throat. I wished I hadn’t just snapped at Claire. Flynn and Cody had been just as scared of losing Edward as I’d been.
We’d been inside the car barely two minutes before Edward hauled me to his side and took my mouth with a fierceness he�
�d never displayed. He ran his hands over me, his touch desperate as his fingers dug into my flesh, heating me through my clothes. His tongue delved into my mouth, thoroughly exploring it as if he’d never done it before. Or as if he feared he’d never do it again.
I understood the urgency. My fingers were itching to touch him. To really touch him. Bare skin. To feel those strong muscles beneath my hands. Feel the solid reassurance that he was indeed alive.
We were twenty minutes from the house when he broke away from me and grabbed his phone, punching in a call. I doubted the person on the other line had time to say little more than a greeting before he was speaking, his voice rough. “I want everybody gone. Now.”
Then he had my mouth again, his hand tangling almost painfully in my hair.
“Who…” I forced him to stop so I could suck in some air. It didn’t exactly stop him, but he turned his attention from my mouth to my neck. The heat his mouth sent across my skin made it difficult to form my question. “Who was that?”
“Called Greta.” He sucked some of the soft skin into his mouth, worrying at it with his teeth.
The head of the household. Right. I knew her but at the moment, I was having a very tough time picturing her face.
“Want you.” He nipped at my earlobe. The words were nearly a growl. “Just you.”
I gasped as he shoved his hand under my skirt, ignoring the man still driving the car through the busy streets. His fingers easily found their way between my legs, lightly stroking the damp fabric he found there.
“Edward…” I blushed, shooting a meaningful look toward the front.
“He doesn’t see anything. I pay him enough that he doesn’t want to see anything.” His teeth raked down my neck while he started to grind the heel of his hand against my clit. The friction was too much, already driving me crazy. I’d been stretched so tight through this whole thing that I needed release almost as much as he did.
“Please…” I forgot about Paul. Forgot about the cars in the lanes next to us. Forgot about everything except he was here and safe. Forgot about all but the friction and pressure that quickly changed my panties from damp to soaked. “Please, please…”
I clutched his arm, begged him, but he didn’t let me come.
He drew it out in the torturous minutes until we were pulling up the drive. Then, as soon as the car stopped, he opened the door and hauled me out, not even waiting for Paul to get our doors like usual. He kicked the door shut and swung me up into his arms. Paul was striding up ahead of us, not once looking back. He had his back turned as he unlocked the door, and kept it turned as we went inside.
I had no idea who shut the door, but it was suddenly shut and then I was pressed up against it.
It took Edward less than five seconds to shove my skirt up over my hips and rip my panties away. It took another five for him to free himself from his trousers. Then he boosted me up and drove inside me even as my legs were wrapping around his waist.
I cried out, a mix of pain and pleasure shocking my system. He drove into me, his thrusts wild, desperate, and his rough passion fed mine. I could feel how wet I was, could feel myself clamping down around him, tightening with every stroke. Already, spasms were tightening my pussy and I knew I was close.
Edward kissed me, his tongue stroking deep into my mouth and I sucked on it, groaning. His fingers dug into my hips as he shifted, changing the angle and I moaned as he began to rub against my clit with each stroke. My fingers twisted in the hair at the nape of his neck.
One pass…a second, a third…
I started to come just as he shouted my name.
Three
After that horrifying day and the explosive events that followed it, I thought everything was going to be…different.
In a way, it was.
Edward actually asked if I’d send him a copy of everything I had going on with the wedding plans, so I did, but I didn’t think anything of it. I was surprised, then, when he came home the next day shortly before five, even more surprised when he kept his phone and laptop in his study. Surprised, but pleased. Then came dinner out at our favorite Indian restaurant and a quiet walk where he kept his hand around my waist and I rested my head on his shoulder. It was almost like it had been when we were dating.
That night, he held me gently and made love to me slowly, tenderly. There was no rush, nothing but tender caresses and soft kisses. He paid careful attention to the places where his mouth and fingers had marked me.
And yet...
I found myself missing the demanding passion from last night.
I knew what had brought it on and I felt guilty for even thinking that an upset Edward was a better lover, but the feeling lingered and when I climbed out of bed the next morning, it was with a dull headache and gritty eyes.
My fiancé was alive.
He was safe.
Nobody had been hurt.
We were happy.
Weren’t we?
I carried those thoughts with me into the bathroom as I showered and mentally talked myself into a better mood. I was just upset from how stressful the week had been, I told myself. I’d come home from a lovely visit with my family and already I was missing them. Part of me had hoped Edward would have connected with them better, but it had been Cody who had done all the connecting. They hadn’t disliked Edward, but the distance had been clear to me. Then I’d ended up waging a bitch-fest with Claire, and it had been interrupted with the news about the hostage situation. I’d been terrified.
It was only normal that my emotions were in chaos. I’d be crazy to expect otherwise.
I even had myself believing it by the time I walked into the bakery where Estelle had arranged for one of several cake tastings. I’d eaten lightly before Paul and I had left the house. I knew better than to load up on sugar without having real food in my belly and I thought maybe I was prepared for this. One look around the bakery, however, and I knew this wasn’t going to be the place.
Estelle saw the expression on my face as she came to greet me, a woman dressed in severe black marching at her side. Over at the long glass counter, Claire was already exclaiming over something sparkling and pink. Pink. And sparkling? What the hell? Cake wasn’t supposed to fucking sparkle.
“Ah…this is the cake tasting, right?” I asked, pasting a smile on my face.
“Qui,” the black-clad woman said. Her angular jaw tightened as she raked a look over me and my cute, but definitely not chic, dress. Her disapproving sniff would have done Claire proud. “Welcome to Bonbon.”
Her welcome sounded more like get the hell out.
With my brightest smile, I clapped my hands. “Oh, I love bonbons! Do you have any here?”
Her mouth tightened.
From the side, Claire snapped, “Gabriella, please do not waste Madame Durant’s time. She was gracious enough to handle this tasting herself so please show her the proper appreciation.”
“Sure.” Ambling past her, I went to look at the display of delicate little confections. They were exquisite, that was certain, but this place didn’t smell like a bakery. I knew good food. If I was walking by a restaurant, I could tell just by the scents coming from within if they made their own bread. Bakeries were supposed to smell like bread and cookies and cake. Sugar. Chocolate. Cinnamon.
Nothing I was smelling in here was exactly making my mouth water. In fact, I could barely smell anything.
It was more like a display than anything else.
“So.” I spun back around and faced them, head cocked. “Shall we get to it?”
The fondant icing was like glue. The cakes she’d shown us were works of art, but the icing was nasty. The cake itself was passable, but it wasn’t fresh. It had probably been prepared offsite and brought in, decorated and then displayed.
Swallowing the sticky clump, I fought not to look at Claire as she debated between the two pictures she’d been shown. She’d tried a dab of the chocolate, a bit of hazelnut and something else Madame had suggested and she�
�d smiled, apparently pleased.
Did either of them have taste buds?
“Could you do something like this?” Claire asked, displaying something to Madame.
“No,” I said, the word popping out. I still had cake in my mouth, but I didn’t care. I wanted to cut this off before Claire really started to run with it.
Madame inclined her head regally. “I assure you. I most certainly can—”
“I’m sure you can decorate anything,” I said quickly. “Quite beautifully too.” Dusting my fingers off, I stood and looked at Estelle. “When are we scheduled for the next stop?”
Claire gaped at me.
“We have an hour,” Estelle said quietly. She’d only tried a bite of one of the pieces and had set her plate down.
“We’re not finished here, Gabriella.” Claire’s voice was pure steel.
“Hello!”
The sound of Edward’s voice was the only thing that kept the fury from exploding out of me. I wasn’t sure what I would’ve said if he hadn’t walked in at that moment. I felt numb as he came to stand next to me, brushing a kiss against my forehead as he leaned in. “I’m sorry I’m late. The meeting ran longer than I expected.”
“Late…” I tipped my head up to look at him, puzzled. “I didn’t think you’d be coming.”
He brushed a thumb across my lip, his voice low. “I haven’t helped as much as I should. I wanted to rectify that.”
Then he turned his attention to his mother. “Hello, Mom.”
“Edward.” She smiled.
I had to admire her acting abilities. The ice she’d displayed toward me was gone as if it had never existed. She made introductions and Madame Durant offered Edward a plate with a sample.
Oh, goodie. It was the hazelnut. The worst of the bunch.
He popped it in his mouth and I watched as he started to chew and then stop. He paused as if thinking his taste buds were telling him wrong and then he continued, gamely swallowing.