Blyssfully Undone: The Blyss Trilogy - book 3

by CLIFF, J. C.

  “How did you find me, Travis? Because I didn’t have this medallion on at Nick’s house.”

  “Stryker implanted a new tracker in your hip.” He pauses, his eyes becoming glassy, and his voice wavers. “The thought of losing you…” He swallows hard and shakes his head.

  “You had this planned all along? From the beginning?” I whisper disbelievingly.

  “From the moment you wanted me to take your virginity, I knew…I knew I had to have you, but I warred with myself. I spent a lot of time in denial.” I watch with curiosity as he reaches behind his neck and pulls his t-shirt up and over his head. The moment I see his bare chest, my eyes squint as understanding dawns.

  “Oh, my God,” I gasp.

  “The minute I got this tattoo…I knew what I was giving up,” he softly begins. “I gave up my heart. It’s yours, Jules.” My eyes flick back and forth, from his eyes to his tattoo.

  “It’s beautiful,” I whisper, mesmerized by its beauty. I can’t believe he did this for me. It’s an intricate design of celtic love knots with a modern twist, representing all the things my necklace stands for. Thick lines spiral outward, and they end with thin points. It’s sexy, manly, and hot as hell. “You really marked your body for me?” Feeling an overwhelming desire to trace the pattern with my fingertips, I reach out with my shaky hand to touch the design.

  His hand comes to rest over mine on his chest as he holds my gaze. “I wanted to replicate the part of your medallion that meant eternal love, because that’s what I have for you, Julianna. It’s an undying love.”

  A trail of tears slips from the corners of my eyes. “That’s why you wouldn’t take off your shirt when we made love. You weren’t ready to show it to me yet.” As I realize this, he gives me a soft smile in response. “I love you,” I croakily whisper with the last ounce of love I have left in my soul. “I’ve loved you for so long, Travis.” I catch my breath, determined to finish. “But you never told me how you felt. That hurt. It left me confused more times than I can count.”

  “Oh, baby, I wanted to tell you those words for so damn long.” He draws in a shaky breath, and then pauses to get a grip on his emotions. “I love you, Jules. Say you won’t give in. Tell me we can work this out.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” I didn’t see any of this coming. I had no idea he had planned out all these things in finite detail from the beginning.

  “Did you ever stop to think your life was destined to be on this collision course? It was going to crash regardless of us meeting or not. Don’t you find it interesting that we had an immediate connection despite the circumstances of how we met? We’re meant to be together, Jules,” he softly pleads. “Call it fate; call it divine guidance; call it luck for all I care, but the bottom line is our souls were born to be connected.”

  He lays back down over me, his elbows propped on either side of me, and I wrap my arms around him. The warmth of his bare skin beneath my fingertips is one I’ve missed severely. I run my hands up and down the length of his back, enjoying the feel of each ripped muscle. I feel at home in my soul when I’m with him. He’s right; he is very much a part of me.

  “I love you, Travis.” He wipes away a silent tear with the pad of his thumb as he stares lovingly into my eyes. “I don’t know what’s left in my heart to give, but whatever is there, it’s yours.”

  “I’ll scrape the bottom of the barrel to get it if I have to.”

  I briefly close my lids, savoring his soft touch on my skin. “I didn’t have sex with Nick,” I blurt out, and he immediately pulls back, his eyes wide with surprise. “We were about to…before you busted in, that is.”

  He blinks his eyes several times in disbelief. “But he had you for several days.”

  “He was playing a reverse psychology game. He was waiting for me to make the first move.” He closes his eyes tightly, and then releases a deep sigh of relief. I run my fingers through his thick hair and pull his lips to mine.

  “I gave into his game,” I whisper over his lips.

  “I can’t blame you for that, sweetheart. You had drugs running through your system, and to top it off, I know you felt you were hung out to dry.”

  I turn my head away from him, staring off at nothing, wearing a frown. “I’m not in a good place, Travis. I don’t think I will ever be the same.” My lips tremble and my breath hitches as I try to hold back the tears. “The emotional ups and downs have screwed with me beyond repair. I’m a mental wreck.”

  “That’s not true. You’re stronger than you think you are, Jules.” I shake my head, disagreeing with him. He steers my chin back, forcing me to face him. “We’ve been through too much shit together not to be able to move past this. We’ll take the cards we’ve been dealt and we’ll move on…together.”

  “Don’t you see?” My voice raises, and my hands begin to shake. ”I was going to kill them, Travis.” My eyes silently spill over with a heavy heart. “I was planning a sick revenge, and I was actually going to savor it. Hell, I was so deep inside of myself I was believing my own lies. I even told Nick I loved him.” My breath hitches as I realize just how messed up I am. “It makes me no better than my own father.”

  “Shh…” He wraps his arms around me, resting his cheek against mine, whispering in my ear, “I would’ve done the same thing. Nothing’s wrong with you for wanting revenge, and you are nothing like your father.”

  “He robbed me of my own mother. I mean…who does that, Travis? Who can kill their own wife and parents without blinking an eye, and then…” My throat tightens. I’m too choked up to finish my sentence.

  “I don’t have those answers, Jules. I don’t know what makes people do the things they do,” he softly whispers, trying to console me.

  “I don’t know myself anymore. How can I give you something, when I don’t even know if I’m capable of giving it?”

  “You’re in there, baby. Trust me; you’re in there.” He kisses my cheeks, wiping away my tears. “I’ve got you. I’ll always have you. There was never a time when I didn’t have you.” I wrap my arms around him like a lifeline, pulling him into me as hard as I can while I sob into the crook of his neck. “I love you so damn much,” he whispers over and over again like a prayer.

  I don’t know how much time has passed as he holds me while I fall apart into tiny little pieces. “I’m so tired of hurting,” I softly sob.

  “I know, baby. I know.”

  When I’ve expelled the last set of tears, he pulls back and gently wipes my face with his t-shirt. He regards me with tender eyes, and a gentle voice, “I bet you didn’t know you can have happiness amidst the sorrow. You know why? Because you still have hope.”

  “No. No, I don’t,” I argue, my voice coming out raspy.

  “Yes, you do. As long as you have God, and hopefully me, by your side, you’ll have hope.”

  My brows pinch together, and a small laugh escapes him, his lips curving into a grin. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re right; I don’t do religion. Religion is the devil’s ace trump. There was a time when I did hit rock bottom, and when I did, He was the one who picked me up. He restored my confidence and determination, pulling me through my darkest hour.” We both grow silent as I study this complex man. Just when I think I have him figured out, he surprises me, and I find myself thinking of what Travis’ darkest hour could’ve been. He’s such a strong man, both mentally and physically. To be brought down to his knees…it’s hard to visualize him in a time of despair.

  “What was your darkest hour, Travis?”

  His gaze suddenly turns intense, and I think maybe I’ve overstepped my bounds. “My first love was kidnapped, just like you. By the time I was able to rescue her, it was too late. They stole her soul. She gave up on life, wound up committing suicide a few weeks later.” I’m stunned speechless. “It took me years to work through that shit. I couldn’t stop blaming myself.”

  I stroke the side of his face, trying to give him some comfort. My eyes turning sorrowful, I can’t im
agine the horrors that girl went through.

  “My faith is personal. I keep it to myself, but I do want to share it with you. I promise you’ll find that your life will never be empty again. I will make damn sure of that.” He closes the distance with a sweet, reverent kiss.

  “I don’t know how to move on,” I choke out.

  “Sometimes, it’s a minute-by-minute process, and some days, you’ll have setbacks, but I’ll be with you every step of the way. I promise.”

  “I’m scared,” I whisper.

  “You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t.”

  “You promise to never leave me?”

  “I promise, sweetheart.”

  “No more lies?” I plead.

  His lips twitch, and his eyes suddenly dance with mischievousness. “No more lies. Maybe some surprises every now and then, but no more lies.”

  He rolls off me and pulls me into his strong embrace. I lay my cheek over his new tattoo and close my eyes, soaking up his love like a dry sponge. As I do, Quinn’s words come to mind. Travis is the type of guy who’s more about letting his actions speak louder than words, you know? His tattoo was his way of telling me he will love me forever. He’s got a few skeletons in his closet, and he has a hard time opening that door of vulnerability. But he opened his heart to me anyway, risking more than his heart. He risked his life each time without hesitation.

  I turn my head and press my lips into the warmth of his chiseled chest, kissing every inch of his tattoo. “I love you so much, Travis Jackson,” I murmur between kisses.

  He kisses the top of my head and breathes me in. “We will make it, sweetheart; mark my words,” he says with determination, and somehow I believe him.

  I glance over at Jake, and he has a tear in his eye, but he holds his composure. I’m glad he was the one to give me away. He hands the ring to Travis, who takes it, and then turns back to me, taking my breath away. I give him a shaky smile as he gently takes my hand. I don’t know why I’m so jittery. This entire moment is so beautiful and surreal. His eyes dance over mine with such happiness, allowing calmness to settle over me.

  His rich baritone voice is loud, carrying through the small church as he speaks, “In giving you this ring, I join my life with yours, and pledge my everlasting, eternal love.” His words are short and sweet, but every bit as powerful. Tears of joy fill my eyes.

  With the final promises we have made to each other, the pastor tells Travis he can kiss the bride. I can’t explain how whole I feel in that moment in time. He lifts my veil as he tilts his head to the side, and then leans in for a kiss. I cup his cheeks with my hands, savoring the tender feel of his lips. I want to remember this day for the rest of my life.

  I’m on cloud nine and can barely hear the pastor pronouncing us man and wife. Travis breaks away and warmly smiles at me. He gives me a wink, and then holds his elbow out for me to slip my arm through.

  “I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Travis Jackson,” the pastor announces. Travis leads the way as we walk down the aisle together, and I’m smiling from ear to ear.

  “Hey! Why did you turn it off?” I playfully scold Travis as he places the remote on the nightstand. “That was at my favorite part.”

  “I’m fast-forwarding to get to the honeymoon,” he says, giving me a smirk over his shoulder.

  “You’ve had your honeymoon,” I retort, raising a brow.

  He slips underneath the warm covers, finds me, and pulls me into his body. A smile plays on his lips. “I still can't believe you played that Def Leppard song as we walked down the aisle together.”

  “What? What’s wrong with the instrumental of Hysteria?”

  He shakes his head at me in mock disapproval, his eyes full of playfulness. “Nothing. It’s just so non-traditional.”

  “Since when have we ever done anything traditional?”

  “True that, and I wouldn’t have you any other way,” he says as his hand skirts over my ribs. I squeal out in protest, “Travis Jackson! You stop.”

  He starts to chuckle and rolls over the top of me, ignoring me. “Shh…quiet,” he admonishes as his elbows come to rest on either side of my shoulders. “You’re gonna wake up the house.”

  “Trav, you are up to no good,” I whisper-yell, and make a halfhearted attempt to shove him off me, but he doesn’t budge. “Get off me. You’re squishing me.” He nips and kisses his way up the length of my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

  When his lips caress mine, I let out a helpless whimper. “You really should stop.” The way I say the word stop means don’t stop, and he knows it. “You like placing me in these predicaments, don't you?”

  He grins over my lips, and then says in a low, husky voice, “You like my pre-dick-aments.”

  I roll my eyes at his corny joke, and moan when he rests his hard cock between my legs. Yes…yes, I do like his pre-dick-aments. I easily give in and wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him into me. “These predicaments always have consequences, though.”

  “Mmm,” he whispers. “The more consequences, the better.” God, I love this man. Today is our five-year wedding anniversary. Every year, he plays our wedding ceremony on our big screen TV in our bedroom, and every time after that, he makes wild, passionate love to me.

  My hands drift to his boxers, and I slip my fingers underneath his waistband.

  “Uh-uh, I have different plans,” he says as he sits up, grabbing each of my wrists, and then peels off my shirt. When he’s done, he places my hands above my head, and locks them in place with one hand.

  I watch as he reaches over and opens his nightstand drawer to get something. My brows furrow in question. When I see that he has a large strip of fabric, I immediately go on red alert and tense. Memories of Nick slam into me without warning, waylaying any growing passion we had building between us. I never know when these flashbacks are going to strike. They always hit without warning.

  I shake my head incessantly. “Travis, no.” Panic lines my voice.

  “Shh, sweetheart. Do you trust me?” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  “I do.” I trust this man with every last cell in my body. His eyes bore into mine with nothing but love and tenderness, and I relax my tensed muscles immediately.

  A Cheshire grin then spreads across his lips. “The only implement I plan using on you this morning is attached to me, so relax.”

  A small laugh escapes me. I love his humor, and just like that, my anxiety is gone. It’s taken quite a few years to be able to work through all the bad. It was especially difficult when I had to stand trial against my father and Nick, but Travis and the guys were there beside me every step of the way. My father was sentenced to a looney bin for life. Nick's sentence should've been forever, but it's not. With his contacts, he could be out in another decade or less, but Travis has forbid me to worry about it. He has his own set of men with eyes and ears watching our back. I shudder to think what the world would’ve been like had Blyss been able to breech the walls of the facility.

  “You know I would never hurt you,” he reassures me, cutting into my thoughts. He lays his broad, muscular chest over mine and gives me a scorching kiss before he pulls away, leaving me breathless, wanton, and fully focused on him.

  Fire burns in his eyes as he takes the fabric and ties my wrists to the bed-frame above my head. When he’s done, I think we’re going to get down to business, but he doesn’t. He holds up a black piece of fabric before me, and dangles it in front of my face.

  I shake my head profusely. “I’ve let you tie me up, Travis. That’s enough.”

  “Uh-uh, I don’t think so.” He tilts his head to the side with a raised brow, realizing something. “Did you just tell me no, Julianna?” he asks in an arrogant tone.

  I swallow hard. He’s dead serious, and he’s only ever called me by my given name when he means business. Damn, he’s so good at playing this poker game. “I asked you a question,” he reminds me when I don’t answer.

  A defiant grin spreads across my
lips. “Why, yes, Travis. I believe that’s what I said.”

  His facial expressions give nothing away as he leans down and whispers over my lips, “You do realize you used to be my captive.”

  I burst out with laughter, and he can’t hold his stonewall expression any longer. A beautiful smile spreads across his lips. “What’s so funny, baby? You are in no position to gibe me,” he warns. Oh, shit, he’s right. He can do anything he wants, and I’d be helpless.

  I immediately cut off my giggles and narrow my eyes. “Two can play at this game, Travis. Did you forget we’re not alone?”

  “Are you saying you’d like me to use a gag?”

  “You wouldn’t!” I whisper-hiss.

  “Oh, baby…I think it’d be sexy as hell.” And his poker face is back. I can’t tell if he means it or not. Quickly, he straddles my waist, therefore making my legs useless, trapped underneath his bodyweight. His deep, rich voice looms overhead in a stern tone, “You keep fighting me, and you’ll find quickly enough that I have more ties. I’ll tie your legs apart, and do it in such a way you’ll be sorry.”

  “You wouldn’t…” I repeat incredulously. I open my mouth to say something else, but he stops me.

  “Ah-ah-ah, watch your mouth. You have a simple choice really. Do want to feel good, or do you prefer to suffer?” His voice and facial features are dead serious. He’s not playing around, and I quit struggling, my eyes growing wide.

  He calmly whispers as if I’m a frightened filly, “That’s my girl. Settle down now.” He then places the fabric over my eyes and ties the blindfold snuggly around my head. Everything turns pitch black. My heart rate increases exponentially.

  “Travis?” I nervously whisper.

  A set of fingers rests over my lips, shushing me. “Shh, I want you to just give in to this. Let me take you away.”