A Twist of Fate (The Twisted Trilogy)

by Simpson, Christa

  "And you?" I asked, gazing into his humourless eyes.

  "That's easy. I'm your future."

  Edwin’s kiss was soft, slow and sensual. Tasting. Teasing. It was a miracle he could channel his adrenaline at all. I rested my hands on his hard chest and could feel his heart beating wild with anticipation. He trailed kisses across my neck, dipping lower, his tongue tasting my skin. Edwin carefully lifted my shirt over my head, exposing plump breasts, bursting from my lacy lingerie.

  He marvelled in my flesh, his hands smoothing over my curves, as he kissed the tops of my lifted breasts. He closed his lips around the dark peaks, through the soft, thin fabric of my bra. When his tongue stroked me, wetting the soft lace, the warming sensation zapped me right between the thighs.

  "You're so beautiful," Edwin said, devouring my body with sensual eyes. "And all mine.”

  "Yes," I gasped, as he pressed himself against me.

  His breaths turned heavy, a wolfish smile on his lips, sending a cool tingle across my chest that made my nipples turn razor sharp. He unhooked my bra and flipped it up to consume a mouthful of my breast, his tongue paying special attention to my hardened nipples.

  When he hauled his chest across mine, it made me shiver, the complete opposite of what I felt when I grabbed the rigid length filling his jeans. I urgently fingered the button on his pants and he laughed, pulling away from me. He stood from the bed and, seconds later, his boxers hit the floor. Then he jerked my bottoms and panties off, dropping them next to his.

  I shuffled toward the headboard, holding my breath to stave off the want. Edwin lurched onto the bed and crawled toward me like a powerful animal. He drew himself between my spread legs and pressed them wider, as his lips met my soft, inner thighs. When Edwin’s thumb brushed over me, a delicious shiver rocked my entire body.

  "Edwin."

  He chuckled again, his voice rumbling intimately against me. "You like that," he stated, his voice incredibly low and dark. "You're so wet."

  Then his tongue traced where I needed him to be and he sucked on me like a vampire hungry for blood. I weaved my fingers into his hair and clenched onto him, holding him in place as volts of pleasure passed through me.

  "Oh, god," I cried out.

  "Mmm," he growled, those pleasant vibrations sensitizing me even more.

  I clamped my legs around his head and when his tongue dipped inside, a violent orgasm gripped me. "Oh, Edwin. Oh, yes!"

  My body throbbed with a want so strong, then exploded, releasing the tightly wound tension in waves of pleasure. On a deep sigh of exhilaration, my boneless body sunk deeper into the plush bed. Edwin dove for a condom, ripped the packet open and slid himself between my lazy legs, before the aftershock had even worn off.

  Holding himself over me, he brushed his head against my sex, tempting me back to life. He was evidently very aroused, all of his blood rushing to please me again. A fresh arousal stirred within me, despite the sated feeling that pinned me to the bed beneath him.

  "Mmm," I said, my response making him pulse harder. With eyes pressed closed, I nibbled on my bottom lip and waited expectantly for Edwin to take me.

  Without warning, Edwin sunk into me and started pumping his hips at an inhumane pace.

  "Wait," I cried, but it was so good.

  He stopped, pressed deep inside me; his muscles held tight. Oh, he was suffering.

  "Don't stop," I gasped, my hands bunching up the blankets at my sides. My excitement only fueled his violence and he slammed into me again. He was so hard, and I was so tight, but I wanted more. Needed more.

  "Harder," I begged.

  His mouth crashed into mine and passion circled me, as he filled me to the hilt. He tore his lips away from mine, baring his teeth, as his hips thrust forward. He slammed into me, again and again, dangerously answering to my needs. It felt like he was ripping me open, but my body screamed for more of him. More movement. Just more.

  My climax crashed around me and Edwin's mouth muffled my scream, as he groaned, riding the crest of the wave. Tears sprang from my eyes, as he dropped his heavy, sweat-soaked body on top of me. Once his rapid breaths slowed, he lifted himself up, a warm gaze assessing me. I felt my body protest as he pulled himself from me.

  He licked his swollen lips, then dropped a slow, soft kiss on my parted mouth, with a growl. "You're mine."

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  IT WAS THE FESTIVAL of Lights tonight and, though I was feeling more than a little anxious about going, Edwin insisted. I didn’t dare remind him why I might be a little hesitant to go back to that place. Was it wrong that I didn't want to jinx our relationship after what had happened there last year? I still got shivers when I remembered that icy ride home, in the dead of summer. Our relationship never survived it.

  Edwin could sense I was fretting about it and had been acting kind of funny himself today. He had begged and pleaded with me to take the water taxi, but I had outright refused, feeling like it would be a tragic mistake. I had enjoyed our dinner, but still had to take a deep breath to settle the rapid patter of my heart as we strolled down the street hand in hand.

  As the sky grew dark, we wandered to the riverside park and found an open spot in the grass, where everyone had gathered to watch the fireworks.

  Edwin spread out a thick blanket, took a seat and finally stared me into submission. “What’s wrong?”

  "I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm pretty nervous about tonight.” I patted the pleats out of the blanket and crouched next to him.

  "I don't know what you're so worried about. We were in love one year ago and we're in love now. If that's not something worth celebrating, then I don't know what is."

  I nodded and blew out a breath to steady my nerves. Then a smile broke out on Edwin’s face that he couldn’t wipe off. Now kneeling next to him, his natural smile squeezed my heart ever so slightly. “Now what are you smiling at?”

  “You.” He caught me in his arms and pulled me onto his lap. “Can’t a guy smile when he’s happy?” Edwin asked rhetorically, as he secured his lips to mine.

  The music was fairly loud and there was enough commotion around us that we could get away with it, so I melted into him and let him kiss away my worries. After making out for a few minutes, like young, passionate lovers, Edwin eased back.

  “I don’t know about you,” he said, with his smile still firmly in place, “but I’m feeling a lot better now.”

  I crawled off of him, only to find myself under the scrutiny of a few gawking men and their controlling wives. Still, Edwin still couldn’t stop with the smiles. When the music stopped, Edwin pulled away from me, and when I saw the red glow over the water, I thought it was Jenny. Then the fireworks began and I realized it was only the lighters.

  A coolness tingled down my exposed back, causing me to turn around to see where Edwin had gone.

  "There's something I wanted to tell you,” Edwin said, in an instant. “I was going to do it on the water taxi. But since you nixed that idea, I figure now is as good as ever." A slanted smile crossed his lips replacing that serious look.

  Was he breaking up with me? My chest fell sharply as I pressed out a huge breath, relieving the tightness from my lungs. That would be the ultimate revenge.

  "You can take that look off your face. I know what you're thinking and you're wrong," Edwin stated.

  I tried to obey him, but that worry was stuck in my gut, as Edwin hovered over me in limbo. The fireworks grew increasingly spectacular, but I was too anxious to look away from Edwin, whose eyes had turned incredibly dark and serious. My heart beat erratically out of my chest, while my eyes trained on Edwin standing over me.

  "I'm ready," he stated, as if I should know what that meant.

  I stood up next to him, trying to understand.

  Edwin took a gulp and wet his lips, appearing very nervous. "We all have that one person we would take back in a second, no matter how much they hurt us in the past. You're it. If there's one thing I’ve learned over the past year, it's
that you should never let go of your dream until you’re ready to wake up and make it happen. That's exactly what I'm going to do here tonight."

  Mesmerized by his warm gaze, I couldn’t even bring myself to glance at the reds and purples exploding in the dark sky above us. Then Edwin pulled a ring from behind his back and lowered down to one knee, and it was as though my dream was playing out in reality.

  “Oh!” My hand sprang to my mouth and I inhaled my last breath.

  Edwin took my other hand and kissed it, then reached the ring up to me. "I love you, Abs. You’re my best friend, but I know now that it’ll never be enough. Please say you’ll marry me." He stared up at me expectantly, waiting for my response.

  I gulped, wanting to say yes, but too many worries flooded my mind. One stood out more than the others. Did he think I was pregnant? "If you’re only doing this because you think it’s the right thing to do…”

  He shook his head. "The only thing I want to do is to make you my wife." Edwin presented the ring again. "Abigail Jenkins, will you please marry me?"

  I blinked twice, then noticed that others were waiting for my answer as anxiously as Edwin was. I was too breathless for words. Edwin gently squeezed my hand and my eyes landed on his. In that moment, happiness fluttered through my chest like a butterfly and I knew that he knew my answer. I nodded yes eagerly, with a smile plastered on my face. He took no time wiggling the ring onto my finger.

  Edwin stood up and looped his arms around my waist. “Yeah?” he asked, making sure he had understood me correctly.

  I flung my arms around his neck. “Yes!”

  Edwin lifted me in the air and twirled me around. When he put me back down, I didn’t want him to ever let go. “She said yes!” he hollered, ecstatic about it.

  Now the centre of attention, I began to blush. “What do you say we get out of here."

  Without the need to answer, Edwin picked up our blanket, waved at the gawkers and pulled me away into the darkness, fireworks still popping behind us.

  "Where are we going?" I asked, my body pressed against his side.

  "Here, there, anywhere. I don't care, as long as I'm with you. I'm ready to start our life together, Abs. I want to make a family with you."

  My lashes fluttered down, when I realized that I would finally get what I had always dreamed of.

  "You want a baby? I'll give you a baby," he said, totally serious. “No more waiting.”

  The air fell silent and all I could hear was my rapid breaths, suddenly terrified by the thought of having to wear a maternity dress to my own wedding. "You know I want my baby born in wedlock."

  Edwin smirked. "That's easy. We'll be married in the next 9 months for sure. Problem solved."

  I smiled at his enthusiasm, but this was my dream. "I don't want people to think you're only marrying me because you got me knocked up. Besides, I don't want to look like a cow in my wedding gown."

  Edwin smirked again. "Not everyone gets pregnant in one try, you realize. It could take some time. I thought we could go practice." He waggled his eyebrows, and I was so tempted to throw my well thought out plans into the fire.

  "I could practice,” I said, with a provocative smile.

  “Now?” he stated, very excited with the notion of sex in public.

  I started laughing instantly. “Not right now!”

  “You're right,” Edwin admitted. “We should probably wait until we get home."

  I laughed at his acceptance. Little did he know, had he pressed a little harder, a little longer, we would have been making babies already.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  I HUNG UP THE phone with the flower shop - my flower shop – not the one his mother insisted that I use. "Edwin!" I wailed. "I’ve had it up to here with your mother. I can't take it anymore!"

  After tormenting Edwin with months of wedding planning, he finally gave up all involvement. Aside from monitoring the budget and nixing a couple of my crazy money wasting ideas, he had left all of the planning to me. Or so I had thought.

  His mother was so kind as to slip her foot in the door and step into his place, as though her say was as good as his. I believe she said, it is in the best interest of the Santora family that I be involved.

  I understood how having a houseful of unwed boys would make Vera very interested in getting involved, but she was starting to give off the impression that this was her special day. While I was grateful to Vera for paying for a good portion of the expenses, I was tired of being pushed around.

  "You can handle it,” Edwin insisted. “We have one week to go. Suck it up."

  "I really don't think I can," I warned dramatically, like it was a life or death situation.

  "What is it now?"

  "She's ignoring what I want and changing things without my approval. Fine, she upgraded the transportation, I'm not going to complain about that. But changing my bouquet? My bouquet. She didn't even have to nerve to tell me. If the flower shop hadn’t called to confirm the order, I would have been forced to walk down the aisle with a bunch of lilies. You know how much I hate lilies!"

  Edwin's lips quirked at the edges, until I scowled at him. He had better not smile. "She means well, Abs. Give her a break."

  I leapt from the couch and matched his stance, my hands thrust on my curvy hips. "Excuse me? Tell me you're not siding with her."

  Edwin reached for my shoulder, but I stepped away, not allowing him to touch me. Then he smirked.

  "Is this funny to you?" I screeched.

  "Don't be upset. She's really excited about it and only wants everything to be perfect for you."

  "For me? Really? I think not. If it was about me, she'd butt out."

  He smiled and scooped me into his arms, before I had time to react. "I hate to tell you this, babe, but it's only going to get worse with age. You realize you're marrying into the Santora family.”

  I tried to pry myself from his grip, but he wouldn't let me free. I finally stopped squirming and huffed at him.

  Edwin's lips hovered over mine, then slowly dropped down, to soften the blow. He backed up to look at me, then pressed another delicious kiss to my mouth.

  I forced myself out of Edwin's arms, refusing to let him change the subject. Edwin cupped my chin, silently pleading for me to drop it. His thumb stroked my bottom lip, then he kissed me again; and again, sinking his soft wet tongue into my mouth. Was he trying to seduce me into cooperation? I hated to admit that it was working.

  ***

  I HAD TO HAND it to her. Vera knew what she was doing. My bachelorette party went off without a hitch and I even managed to suffer through her pleasant enthusiasm without too much aggravation. I may have even had a lot of fun. With Edwin's bachelor party set for tonight, the night before our big day, I was sure to have a nervous breakdown.

  It was already past five, but I had a lot of work to do before I could enjoy my honeymoon, guilt-free. Moments after I kissed Edwin off, him and 21 of his closest friends took off in a glorified limo bus. Owen and Wes went along, leaving me by myself in our corner of the office. I struggled to keep my eyes open, still tired from my wild night on the town with my ladies.

  I worked away for the next hour or so, trying not to think about what Edwin was doing, until I decided it was time to head home. I wished I could catch up on my beauty sleep, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink. As I locked the front door of the office, I noticed my phone was flashing. I was mentally exhausted, but I listened to the voicemail message anyway.

  "Abigail, it's me. Cameron." He hesitated on a sigh, and it crunched my heart. "Can you meet me for coffee? I'll be at our favourite place. Please? It's important.”

  It sounded important. Urgent even. I wondered if it had to do with Pheobe. Without thinking twice, I punched his number into my cell and turned it onto speaker as I hurried to my car. His phone seemed to ring off the hook, then it finally went to voicemail. Maybe I was too late.

  "Shit!" I tossed my phone on the seat next to me, then stepped on the gas. M
y anxiety strangled me as I slipped out of my car and headed for the front door of the diner.

  Meeting Cameron - my ex - on the night before my wedding, was probably not the smartest thing I'd ever agreed to do. Was I trying to jinx myself? If anything though, I had to close off my relationship with him once and for all, before I started the rest of my life with Edwin. Things had been weird between us lately, and I didn’t want for us to end like that.

  The Thorncliffe café hadn't changed in the eight months that Cameron and I had been apart. Neither had my aching heart when I thought about poor Pheobe and how she took the news about our separation. As I entered the long, narrow room, I glanced around until I found Cameron sitting alone at the table farthest from the door. He looked good – casual – very put together.

  Why did he have to look like that?

  As I approached him, he stood from his seat and stared me down, a light smile touching his mouth. His dark blonde hair was cut super short and he wore it wild and spiky. I forced a smile, hoping it would hide my anxiety. Unfortunately, the closer I got to him, the stronger the sensation became.

  I had hoped I wouldn’t feel this way. I had hoped it would be a cinch. But our attraction had never faded. It still ran hot. Cameron had gone away, out of sight, but it was still there. Unsure how to greet him, I avoided an awkward hug or handshake and took the seat across from him. He smirked and sat down without making me feel uncomfortable about it.

  "What's so important?" I asked, skipping to the point.

  "Don't you at least want to get a drink first? You must be hungry."

  I couldn't imagine sitting at the table for a whole meal with his desirous cologne flooding my nostrils. But when the waitress rounded the counter with my favourites, how could I say no?

  "I took the liberty of ordering for you. I hope you don't mind." He wrinkled that adorable forehead and it took me a second to regain my cool.

  "You didn't have to do that."

  "I wanted to."

  Suddenly, my stomach was feeling very full; full of regret and full of an alarming sadness. I nibbled on the food, but I couldn’t swallow a single bite. I dropped my fork onto the plate and stared up at him. "Are you going to tell me what this is about? I don't have a whole lot of time."