I Need You Too: Stand Alone Novel, Contemporary-Erotic-Suspenseful Romance, Psychological Thriller

by Cynthia P. O'Neill

  Derrick knelt down and slapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks to your idea, we ended up getting every bit of it. With the evidence we have against her linking her to several crimes, the raid on her apartment, thanks to the Titan Security team, an hour ago, and the taped confession, I’d say we’re looking at five counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, insurance fraud, and a whole slew of other charges. Sophia managed to freeze her bank accounts and turned them over to authorities.”

  Derrick looked between the two of us. “If my instincts are correct, she’s looking at life in prison if not the death penalty. She has no chance of making bond or ever seeing the outside of a prison wall. You’ll both be safe from here on out.”

  I pushed up onto my knees, seeing Ethan using the sofa for leverage, before extending his hand to me. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” His eyes and hands moved all over me inspecting me for damage.

  I couldn’t blame him. I was doing the same thing to him.

  We both breathed a sigh of relief, but I couldn’t understand. “What just happened?”

  I watched as James started moving toward us and began to cling to Ethan. His arms drew around me, pulling me close to his chest, as he tried to calm me. “It’s okay Marjorie. It’s not James.”

  I looked at him like he was stupid. He’d never met James, so how could he know. Then I looked closer, cocking my head to one side and realized it truly wasn’t him after all. I noticed a small scar on the lower edge of his jawline. James never had scars, or a hint of freckles, like this man did. “Who are you?”

  He extended his hand out to me, “I’m Agent Thompson, FBI, ma’am.”

  “Agent Thompson is an ole military buddy of mine. We got confirmation a couple weeks back that James had indeed been brain washed and loaded with triggers.” Derrick’s hand came to touch my arm lightly. “I hate to tell you this Marjorie, but James has been just as much a victim as you have. We couldn’t risk severing his ties to Cassie, so I asked my guy here to take his place.”

  Agent Thompson spoke up. “Apparently, I’m this bastard’s doppelganger except for the blonde hair. I had to get a dye job, but I can deal with it. It’s not the first time I’ve gone undercover. Don’t get offended when I say this, but I hope we never have to meet again.”

  I looked up at Ethan to see his face full of conflict, ignoring almost everything Agent Thompson said. “Does that mean he really did love Marjorie? That he might want her back?”

  Derrick shook his head, causing Ethan to relax and breathe a sigh of relief. “No. The doctor started deprogramming his mind. As a result, he hardly remembers Marjorie at all. He knows he was enamored with her and recalls being married, but that’s about it. He’s anxious to get on with his life and has already found a woman he seems to care for out in Utah. We’ll keep tabs on him to make sure he’s being truthful, but there’s nothing you need to worry about. The girl is all yours, man.”

  I felt a huge relief ripple through me at the realization that the nightmare was all over. My life with James, with the exception of the scars, should be almost non-existent. I was free to live my life however I wanted, with whomever I wanted.

  I fell into Ethan’s arms and started crying. I couldn’t stop, even when all our family rushed into the room to see how we were.

  I heard enough of the talking around me to understand that this had all been a setup to draw Karen, aka Cassie, out of hiding, making her feel she had the upper hand. They’d linked Karen to everything a few days ago, but hadn’t quite figured out it was Cassie in disguise. They already suspected Cassie of murdering her family and trying to kill me, but were surprised to find out just how deep her twisted mind and trail of carnage had run.

  I remember feeling myself being lifted and walked out the back door of the place. I didn’t know if it had been Ethan, since he wasn’t supposed to lift with his leg yet, or not. I didn’t care as long as I had a soft bed to lay my head on and his warm arms to hold me tight.

  The last thing I recall is feeling my outfit being removed from me, as I was gently placed in bed. I felt the bed dip and the warmth of his skin pressed against my back. His rich aquatic scent with a hint of orange permeated my senses, making me succumb to slumber, as he whispered. “I love you, always.”

  I felt him shaking my shoulder. “Marjorie, sweetheart. It’s time to get up. We’ll be late if we don’t get moving. Remember, we promised to be over at your uncle’s house for a charity function this afternoon.

  I rolled over, throwing the pillow over my head to block out all the sunshine. “I’m too tired to move.”

  I heard a whish of air before I felt the smack to my ass. I quickly bolted upright in bed. “What was that for?”

  “I want you out of that bed, naked, and in my shower in two minutes or I’m carrying you in there, t-shirt and all. You should be caught up on sleep, having slept all day yesterday. I don’t want to be late.”

  I refused to budge and wasn’t surprised when he carted me over his shoulder, using his cane for a little added support, and deposited me in the shower stall as he turned the cold water on me. “You asshole!”

  He laughed. “That’s your punishment for not following my orders. I’ll warm up the water and join you if you get out of that damn shirt. I swear the thing could probably walk on its own now; you’ve been wearing it since the night before last.”

  I pulled off my soaked nightshirt and threw it at him. “See how you feel when your adrenaline is held at peak level, thinking your life is about to end, and not knowing that your boyfriend and the security team have all been in on the plan to catch a killer.”

  I looked pointedly at him and added, “What happened to us discussing my punishment before you decide to offer it on your own?”

  He just smiled at me, making it darn near impossible to stay mad at him. “I tried waking you for well over an hour. I asked if you wanted me to punish you and even told you what I’d do. You didn’t seem to care, telling me to make good on my promises.” His eyebrows drew up as his eyes stared into mine. “I can’t go back on my word.”

  My nipples hardened as he raked his eyes down my body and back up toward my face. He reached his arm in, brushing lightly against my breasts as he adjusted the water to warm it up. I watched as he removed his boxers, letting his hardened cock spring free.

  He stepped inside and closed the shower door. He pressed the front of my body against the ceramic tile, making me shudder at the coolness. “Maybe we could be a little late getting there.”

  I looked back over my shoulder, feeling the evidence of his arousal hard against my backside. “I can deal with that if you can.”

  Within seconds he had my hands against the wall, my back bent, my feet spread more than shoulder width apart, and was shoving into me. God it felt like heaven and then some.

  The shower took a little longer than expected since we got lost in each other’s ministrations more than once. I looked into his closet and noticed that all of the clothes from my apartment had magically appeared overnight. I pointed to my clothes and asked, “How did you pull this off and what am I supposed to wear today?”

  “Your uncle and sister offered assistance. They want us together. Since you said you wanted to spend your life with me, I figured it was only natural that you’d move in with me.”

  I had to admit, “You’re right. I don’t want to go back to my place. The poisoning kind of turned me off to ever wanting to live there again.”

  He walked up behind me, reaching out for a couple of dresses. “I think either of these will work for today. For that matter, wear whatever. I’ll always think you’re the most attractive woman in the room.”

  I came out of the closet with the dresses in hand, trying to decide which one would look best. I opted for the first one he’d picked up, which was a wraparound dress that was light weight enough to be outside, yet warm enough to protect against the slight fall chill in the air.

  I reached into his dresser drawers to find a bra and panty set. I was p
ulling out one in fall colors, when he reached from behind, snagging a white strapless bra, lace thong, garter belt, and nude hosiery. Men, they had no concept of how to match your lingerie with your clothes. “I can’t wear this with the color dress you picked out.”

  He waved his hand through the air in a dismissive manner. “Are you going to question your Dom?”

  I jolted at his words, a warm feeling rushing into my center as I stared at him with a new appreciation. “No, sir.”

  When we stepped out of the building, thirty minutes later, I was surprised to see Derrick out in front waiting for us. I glanced over at Ethan with a questionable look. “Your uncle thought we might still be tired after the ordeal the other night.”

  I didn’t question anything, instead getting into the car and settling into the backseat. He grabbed ahold of my hand and pulled it to his lips for a kiss. “I know we were kind of forced into rushing things a bit quicker than usual thanks to Cassie’s actions, but I know we would’ve ended up together eventually. What I said the other night about falling for you that day in the computer room – it was true.”

  I couldn’t help but smile and admit. “I agree. I wouldn’t have this any other way.”

  He pulled me onto his lap, holding me close. “Let’s give the condo a few months and see if we’re okay with the memories or if we’d like to try and find someplace else. All I want is for us to be happy.”

  The limo pulled up to the front of my uncle and aunt’s house. Rick opened the door for us. “You’re the last to arrive. Everyone’s already mingling out by the pool.”

  We walked through the house, hand in hand. I was in awe over how beautiful the flowers looked. They were all vibrant fall colors, ones I loved. Whatever charity this was, my aunt was going overboard with decorating.

  We mingled for a while, with me introducing Ethan as my boyfriend to some of my extended family and friends. I couldn’t quite understand why everyone kept giggling when I said the word, “boyfriend.” You’d think they never heard the expression before.

  Ethan and I had just filled our plates with hor dourves for the second time when Jackson came around. I quickly jumped up, blocking him from accessing my guy.

  “I don’t want any cause to have you escorted off the property, Jackson. I care for you as a friend and still love you as a cousin, but I won’t have you threatening Ethan. He’s a good man, who’s bent over backwards for this family to prove his worth.”

  I was about to go on further when I saw Jackson extend his hand to Ethan. “I’ve been an ass to you and I’m sorry. I admit, I first blamed you for Gabi’s death, but have come to realize I was venting and trying to find someone to pass punishment to. I’ve read about GHB and know that you were as much a victim as my wife.”

  I watched as Ethan reached out to accept Jackson’s hand, surprised when Jax ended up pulling him into a hug. “I forgive you, man.” He released him and I saw tears in his eyes as he looked between both of us. “I know my time was Gabi was limited. I’m thankful for the years we were given and for the wonderful daughter we have.” He looked back to see Nicola playing with Dawn and her baby, Ian, before turning back to us. “She’s the spitting image of Gabi at that age. I’m thankful I have at least some part of my wife to love. I hope you two know how special your love is and cherish it each day; you never know if it will be your last.”

  I could feel my eyes starting to tear up. I’ve never heard Jax be this emotional before. He went on to add, “I might not be related to this family any more, except through Nicola, but you dare harm one hair on Marjorie’s head, and you’ll be dealing with me. She’s one of my best friends and I still look at her as a cousin. Cherish her, Ethan.”

  Ethan pulled Jax into another man hug. “Thank you for your forgiveness. You don’t know how much I’ve wanted to hear those words. You should know that Marjorie is my world. I’d rather lay down my life than to see any harm come to her.” I watched as he pulled back asking, “So I have your blessing?”

  “You’re the only one the family’s ever liked. We all give you our blessing and love.”

  I know my eyes went wide. I was looking back and forth between both of them as I watched Ethan lower himself gently to one knee.

  OMG!

  My hands came up over my mouth. I felt my heart trying to beat through my chest as Ethan lifted a small jewelry box out of his jacket. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

  He reached up for my hand, looking up into my eyes. “Marjorie Lynn Prescott, I know you’re probably in shock right now, but we’ve been through hell and back the past couple of months. I’ve loved you since I first laid eyes on you, but I needed to prove a few things to your family and to myself before I could move forward in life. We both still have a lot to work through, but one thing I’ve discovered is with the love of a good woman and the love of a strong family, anything becomes possible. I need you, darling, more than I need my next breath. Would you do me the extreme pleasure of becoming my wife, my soul mate, and my forever after?”

  I watched as he opened the lid to the box revealing a large princess cut diamond in a platinum setting, with the band swirling up on one side surrounding the diamond, while the other swirled the opposite direction and met in the middle. It was a perfect representation of our lives, each comforting the other.

  I bent down to the ground not caring if my dress got ruined. With tears streaming down my face, I took a good look at Ethan, the man I felt so treasured to spend time with. I couldn’t find my voice, but nodded as I leaned forward, giving him a kiss on the lips.

  Everyone erupted in a thunderous round of applause.

  He finally broke the kiss, pulling the ring from the box, and slipping it onto my finger. It was a perfect fit. I was about to get up off the ground, when he wrapped his arms around me and asked another question. “Will you marry me, today?”

  I looked around and realized the party had been made up for a wedding, not a charity event. The flowers were all my favorite colors and varieties. I’d never had the dream wedding I’d wanted with James. “How…” I couldn’t finish the thought, but I knew he’d understand.

  “I talked to your parents a couple of weeks ago. I managed to catch both of them at the office and asked for their blessings. Your uncle and aunt helped to coordinate all the efforts, including flying my parents in.”

  I looked around and suddenly realized they were only a couple tables away. His mother’s eyes filled with tears, whereas his father’s were filled with pride.

  I nodded. “Yes. I’ll marry you today.”

  I knew I was agreeing too easily, especially after the nightmare I’d gone through with James, having rushed into marriage too quickly. But with Ethan, we’d been friends the past year before succumbing to our desires as lovers. It only made sense that I marry the one person who saw through me, who knew my very soul.

  What happened next, I couldn’t say? I remember being rushed into the house, shown a few dresses, and having my mother, sister, and Celia help me pick out just the right one. I remember sitting in the chair while a stylist touched up my hair and added some more makeup. A piece of paper and a notary was shoved in front of me for a signature. I think I remember Gianna trying on a few dresses and asking which one I preferred. I didn’t even have to ask if she wanted to be my matron of honor; it had always been implied that we’d be there for each other’s weddings, though this time I was actually having a real one.

  The storm around me started to settle as I glanced up into my reflection and found myself speechless. No wonder he’d told me to wear the white strapless lingerie. He knew. He’d had this all planned out, just for me. I was fitted with a strapless style gown that hugged every inch of my curves. It was a simple gown, but that’s what I liked, simplistic. The top and sleeves were a sheer fabric, dotted in a crystal pattern. The veil was a simple hair comb holding in some flowers and netting on the side of my chignon.

  “Do you have all the necessaries? Your something old, new, borrowed, and bl
ue?” Celia was making sure no stone was left unturned.

  I thought about it for a minute. “My lingerie is old, the dress new, I’m wearing mom’s earrings, the one’s she wore for her wedding and for yours. I’m just missing the blue.”

  “No, you’re not. We forgot your garter. It has a blue ribbon along the top.” My sister said as she bent down to help me place it on my leg.

  I took in a deep breath. “I think I’m ready. Actually, change that…I know I’m ready for my new life.”

  “DUDE, YOU NEED TO chill. You’re as anxious as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” Leave it to Nate to tell the obvious.

  I looked down at my watch. “What’s taking so long?” An hour had already passed and I was ready to seal my life to Marjorie, now!

  Nate checked my lapel to make sure the boutonniere my mother had pinned on me was firmly in place. I’d dressed with Marjorie’s color scheme in mind today, selecting a dark grey pinstriped suit, white shirt, and a burgundy tie to compliment the flowers. I guess I should have worn something else, giving me the excuse to change, just so I would have something to do other than wonder if she’d get cold feet at the last minute and try to run out on me.

  Alexander came up to me, extending his hand. “Welcome to the family, son. I hope you finally realize there’s no getting rid of us now.” He laughed jokingly.

  I loved how he’d always made me feel welcome, even when I felt I didn’t deserve it. “I guess you’re stuck with me, sir.”

  He waved his hand in dismissal. “You can cut the sir and mister crap with me, Ethan. Just call me Uncle Alexander from now on. Do you have the rings?”

  “Yes, Uncle Alexander. Nate has both of them. Thank you for helping me get a rush order on what I wanted.”

  He gave me a pat on the shoulder. “That’s what family is for, being there for whatever the needs are. By the way, did you get a chance to look at the picture I sent to your phone?”

  I looked at him with curious eyes. “They finished?”