“Come on, babe. Let’s just go for one more quick walk, and then we’ll head off,” Jack says with a playful smile. I’m reluctant, because I don’t want to be late to see Dad and Bauer, but I smile because I can see how hard he’s trying. I grab my jacket and follow his lead out to the trails.
We walk for about half an hour when Jack veers off the track and pulls me with him out on to a vista, looking down over the lake.
It’s so peaceful.
“This is beautiful,” I tell him softly. Mom would have loved this place.
“You are beautiful Remy, even in your darkest moments. Even then, you are all that is light and right in this world. I knew it the moment I saw you, even in that dingy little dive bar, with the worst live music I’ve heard in my entire life. I knew then, what I know now, and nothing has changed since that moment. I love you Remington Bennett, and I will love you always.” He takes a deep breath and goes down on one knee. Horror and happiness clash inside me. What is he doing? Why now? Why today?
“So today, on your darkest day, I want to be that light for you. For now, and for always. Will you, Remington, do me the honor of being my wife?” He looks up at me, so hopeful and full of love. I feel myself nodding, saying yes, but it’s like I’m not myself. Not today. Why today. But if it was any other day, I’d be so happy, and so I find myself agreeing, and kissing him. Because I do love him. I do.
Four
“You all packed and ready to go babe?” Jacks head pops around the corner into his bedroom where I’m just throwing the last few bits into my bag.
“Yeah, I’ll just be two minutes. You good to go?” I smile at him as he wraps his arms around me.
“I’m ready for anything as long as it’s just us two.”
“I’m sorry it’s not the break you wanted.” I sigh as he kisses my neck, but smile. Last night might have been a disaster, but today we’re going away for the weekend. Just the two of us. It’s not an escape to paradise, but he’s been working so hard, and between studying and dancing, I’ve been all over the place too. Plus, after last night, I just want to shake it off. Knowing how much tension there is between the most important people in my life sucks. I just hope that they all love me enough to accept my decisions, and to accept that I know what will make me happy.
“Babe, as long as it’s you and me, we could be in a god damn igloo and I’d be happy.” He kisses me again before moving backward so I can spin in his arms. I place my hands on his chest and smile up at him. It’s something I’ve always loved, that he’s that bit taller than me. Shallow maybe, but I’m not a short girl, it’s nice to feel small sometimes.
“You and me forever.” I smile before I lift onto my tiptoes and kiss him again.
“Now then, no more distractions otherwise we’ll never leave.” He laughs but holds me tighter.
“I don’t see any problems with that, everyone thinks we’re gone anyway. We could just hole up in here for the whole weekend. No phones, no outside world.”
“That sounds like heaven, but I might just have a surprise waiting for you.” I laugh at him, because of course he does.
“You shouldn’t have.”
“It’s your twenty-first birthday babe. Only happens once.
We’re doing it in style.”
“What does that mean exactly?” I ask, skeptically.
“It means, get your ass in gear so we’re not late!” He laughs and smacks my ass before hightailing it out of the room. I can’t help but laugh back, this week is usually the worst week of the year for me, but I know that Jack is really trying, so this year, I’m going to try too. Mom wouldn’t have wanted me to be miserable. She’d have probably kicked my ass for being so sad for so long. My heart pulls a little, but I know the smile on my face is meant to be there, so I grab my bag and head down to find Jack.
He’s already outside, so I grab my keys and lock up before I jump in his car.
“Ready?” he asks with a huge smile. “Always.”
We pull up to the airfield, and my jaw drops. “What the…” “Surprise!” Jack exclaims as we pull up to the helicopter. “Surprise?” My eyes dart between him and the helicopter, half excited, half wincing at how much money he’s spent on me again.
“I know how much you’ve been wanting to go to New York, and I know you always had plans to go with your mom on your twenty-first, so I wanted to do something special for you. My dad’s chopper is going to take us there, and we’ll do a city fly by since it’ll be dark when we arrive. I’ve got us booked into a hotel for the weekend, and so many other things planned. I know you hate it when I spend my money, but it’s mine to spend and I can’t think of anything better to spend it on than making you happy.” My mouth opens and closes, and for the first time in a while, I’m speechless.
“Jack, you shouldn’t… I mean… holy fucking shitballs. New York?” The words fall from my mouth, my eyes widen as it sinks in. “This is amazing, thank you so much!”
I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him, trying to pour every single emotion into it. He pulls back, his eyes dark with heat. “More of that in a bit, let’s get on board so we can get into the air!”
The helicopter lands on the top of our hotel hours later, and I have no words for today. It has been one of the best days of my life. I’ve never even flown, let alone like that. It was just… magical. And to be here now, in the one place I’ve always wanted to see, the lights eating the darkness around us. It looks like everything I ever imagined it to, and I can fully understand why it was my Moms favorite city on earth to visit.
“Mr. Crawford, so lovely to have you staying with us.” A man with white hair opens the door on the helipad and ushers us inside with him. “It’s lovely to see you again. Everything has been organized as you requested. Your room is just below us, penthouse as always, your room keys are here and if you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to call down to the concierge.” He swipes the plastic in his hand and another door opens leading to stairs. We follow him down and come into a small room with coat hooks. Jack takes my jacket with a smile and the man opens another door, leading us into what looks like a freaking apartment, not a hotel room.
“We hope you enjoy your stay,” he says with a smile, and then I hear his footsteps echo down the hall until the swish of a door closing lets us know he’s gone.
“Jack this is… I have no words.”
“You like it?” he asks, taking off his shoes and coming to stand beside me as I take everything in.
“Like it? How could I do anything but love it. This is more than I ever dreamed. Look at this view!” I look out of the windows to the sparkling sea of lights below us, and the beauty that is Central Park.
“Thank you so much Jack, this is everything.”
“I just want you to be happy, Remy. If I can be a part of that, I’ll do everything in my power to make it so.”
I laugh as I run up the stairs, the bright light pouring into the bedroom that’s full of windows and the white curtains move with the breeze coming in through the open doors that lead to the balcony. The sound of gulls outside lures me toward the open doors and the smell of the ocean gives me a sense of tranquility.
“I know you don’t think that running is something that will save you from me.” His deep but happy voice fills me with joy, and I feel instantly at peace.
“Then don’t give me a reason to need saving.” I laugh as he wraps his arms around me from behind, his hot breath on my ear. I’m not one to feel like I need to be protected, but that’s exactly how I feel right now and it’s so freeing.
He kisses my neck and I can’t help the groan that slips from my lips as his hand reaches round to cup my breast and squeezes gently. His teeth scrape down my neck and I shiver in his arms.
“You are wearing far too many clothes,” he breathes as he spins me in his arms, his bare chest ripples under my touch.
“I guess you should do something about that then.” I smile, reaching up on tiptoes to capture his mouth w
ith my own. It doesn’t matter how many times I kiss him, I lose myself in him as if each time was the first. He reaches behind me and pulls at my bindings, releasing me from the corset which falls to my feet.
He kisses down my neck, working his way down my now naked chest, capturing one nipple in his mouth, while pulling at the other with his hand, before swapping his attention. My hands plunge into his hair and pleasure shoots through me. Who knew someone so forbidden could be exactly who I needed?
“Please,” the moan falls from my lips and I feel him smile against my skin before his lips move south. His fingers make quick work of the leather and he peels the pants down, taking my panties with them.
I gasp as his tongue laves against my wetness; his growl makes my knees weak. He wraps his arms under my thighs and lifts me, his head still between my legs, and deposits me on the bed.
“Fucking divine,” his voice against my sex makes me shiver before he licks my clit again making me shudder and moan incoherently.
“Oh shit,” I bite down on my lip as he slides one, then two fingers inside me, hooking them just right to reach the part of me he knows drives me insane. His attention doesn’t let up as he drives me over the edge, making me cry out.
He leans over me and kisses me still covered in my juices, I can taste it and feel how hard he is. I stroke down his body, undo the button on his jeans, and reach inside. He groans and kisses my neck again, before biting down leaving his mark on me. He pulls back and looks down at me, his eyes wild.
“I need to feel you, baby.” He pushes down his jeans and boxers before lowering himself down to me, kissing me again as he takes both of my hands and raises them above me, pinning me with one hand. He slides into me in one thrust as his head rests on my forehead giving me a second to adjust to just how big he is. The pain quickly subsides, and I raise my hips to let him know I’m good. His free hand finds my clit as he fucks me, holding me prisoner beneath him. The noises he pulls from me don’t sound human, but at this point, I have no control of my body, I am his plaything. My orgasm rips through me as he releases my wrists and grabs my hips. He slows until I start to come down and then pulls out before flipping me on to my stomach.
“Ass in the air, Rem,” he rasps, sounding as if he’s barely maintaining control of himself. I get onto my knees and his big hands circle my waist and pull me back towards him before gripping my hips. If I was anyone else, that shit would leave a bruise, but I love that he isn’t gentle with me. He plunges back into me and steals my breath, fucking me like he’s scared he’s going to lose me. He reaches around me and pulls me up so I’m kneeling, his chest against my back and he wraps his hand around my throat.
“Mine,” he growls and bites my shoulder as I come again. He doesn’t let up and then quickly follows, he lets go of my hair and I fall forward. He falls with me, shifting us on the bed so I’m lying on his chest.
“Always, Angel. In this life or the next. There’s no-one else out there for me. It’s you and me.” He says, kissing the top of my hair and I breathe contentedly.
“Always.”
I wake, stretching out with a smile on my face, when my dream comes back to me. I feel like I should be fanning myself after that dream and clench my thighs together, unsure whether to be happy or not that Jack isn’t here right now. I’ve never had a sex dream before, but hell yes to my imagination for last night. I know for sure I’ve never seen that guy before, but something about him felt familiar.
I sigh as his face eludes me, all I really remember is his voice, and how he made me feel. I guess that’s why they’re dreams not reality. I sigh and throw the covers off of me and climb out of bed despite the clock telling me its four in the morning. I throw on my running gear and head out to the kitchen, while I braid my hair, where Sushi wraps himself around my legs, demanding his breakfast. I feed the little dictator and scratch behind his ears before I grab a bottle of water and put in my ear buds. I tuck my key into my leggings along with my phone and head out.
After my dream I feel restless. Surely, I shouldn’t be dreaming about someone that isn’t Jack, especially after we just had such a nice weekend away for my birthday. I felt closer to him than I have in a while. I decided to take the stairs and start my work out early. I run down the stairs as the music blares into my ears, before making my way out of my building. The park is only six blocks from here, so I start at a steady pace, trying to clear my head, but all I can think about is the guy in my dream.
He felt so real. Like a memory.
But I know I’ve never met him before. His eyes flash in my mind as I reach the entrance to the park, and I pause, stretching before I continue my run, and search my mind for more. Have I met the man in my dreams? Surely, I’d remember.
I shake my head. I’m being ridiculous. It was just a dream. I take off again and run a lap around the park. As I eat up the miles my mind finally clears and I feel at peace again, less like I’ve betrayed Jack in my sleep. Ridiculous I know, but it is what it is. Especially since this is the second guy I’ve dreamt about in two weeks that isn’t my fiancé.
The sun starts to rise as I finish my lap and I decide to stretch out on the green before heading back to my apartment. My phone rings in my pocket, I answer it without looking and try to calm my breathing.
“Hello?”
“Remy?”
“Morning Dad, up with the sun still I see?” I tease, and I hear him gently grumble down the line. My dad’s not the softest of men, but I’ve always been a bit of a daddy’s girl.
“You sound like you’ve been up longer than me. You okay?” His concern filters through his gruffness and makes me smile.
“I’m fine, Daddy. What’s up?”
“I just wanted to make sure everything is okay for today?” he asks, and I can hear how tense he is, as if he’s nervous.
“Of course, when have I ever missed today?” I rub my chest at the pang. Every year, with the exception of last year, what with Colts disappearing act, we’ve all gotten together at the house for dinner. Eaten my mom’s favorite meal and remembered her in our own way. The anniversary is hard for all of us, more so because it’s so close to my birthday. That also makes it my engagement anniversary with Jack, but this is something I’ve done forever, and I know he understands that it isn’t going to change.
“Of course not, I just wanted to check, what with wonder boy spouting off at dinner the other night.” I sigh, yes dinner was an excruciating cluster fuck, but well, I guess I shouldn’t have hoped for anything more.
“Dad come on. Please don’t.”
“I do not like that boy, Remy. He isn’t right for you.”
“So, you, and every male in our family keep telling me, but like I keep telling you, it isn’t your decision and he makes me happy.” I hate how much it hurts that my family hate Jack, but I also know how much I love him. My family are so overprotective after my mom, they wouldn’t like anyone I was with.
“Hmmm, we’ll see,” he mutters. “You’ll be over at the normal time?”
“Yes, Dad. Six sharp. When am I ever late?” He laughs, my penchant for being on time is something he says I get from my mom, considering he’s usually running behind, I can completely imagine it.
“Never. I’ll let you go. Be safe, Remy.” “Always Dad. Love you.”
“Love you too,” he says before the line disconnects and I sigh. He never calls to make sure I’m going to this dinner, it’s just a given. He sounded on edge, but this time of year always messes with us all, so I don’t read too much into it. I pick myself up off of the ground and stretch again. I’m going to be sore for sitting down so long, but there’s not much I can do about it now, so I jog home as the sun finishes rising, trying not to let thoughts of my mom crash down over me.
Five
I pull up to my dad’s house, and it still feels more like home than anywhere else. Yes, I get why most people think it looks creepy as fuck, but that’s part of its charm. The looming darkness, the gothic feel. I used to prete
nd when I was little that it belonged to an evil queen, and I was a trapped princess.
The wind whistles through the trees that line the property as I climb the steps to the porch and let myself in. The house still smells the same as it always did, except the smell of Moms favorite meal wafts down the hall from the kitchen. I still, listening to my dad and brothers laughing, probably talking about Mom and her epic clumsiness, the same clumsiness I seem to have inherited. Even if I have seemed more agile of late.
“You going to come and say hello, or keep lurking at the door?” My dad’s voice booms through the hall and I laugh softly, shutting the door. I have no idea how he always knows I’m home, but he always has, always will. Trying to sneak out when I was younger was a total bust, every single time.
The click of my heels echo as I make my way to the kitchen, and I find more faces than usual. Alongside Dad, Colt, and Bauer, are Maddie and Creek, with Creek’s little sister, Nirvana. “Oh, hey guys. I didn’t expect to see everyone here. Nirvana, you finally home from school for the summer?”
“Yeah, Mom decided I could grace you all with my awesomeness this evening rather than staying at school for another night.” Her voice twinkles, light, as if no darkness has ever touched her. “Dad couldn’t make it though. He’s away on business again, but I’m far better company.”
I smile at her as she comes at me with open arms. She’s so much younger than all of us, in her junior year, and away at a boarding school for geniuses because her brain amazes everyone.
“Smells good, Dad.” I smile at him and he hugs me as Nirvana releases me. He squeezes me tighter than normal, and I sigh. I can’t even imagine how much it must still hurt for him. Mom was the love of his life. Childhood friends that became high school sweethearts and married until the day she was taken from us. It breaks my heart every time I think about it.
A Crown of Blood and Bone: Paranormal Romance (The Shadow Walkers Saga Book 1) Page 3