On the Ropes (Windy City Nights)

by Dania Voss

  ****

  Luke watched Abbey shoot daggers at him and plaster a smile on her face as the music changed to the bridal march. He was transfixed by the look of sheer love and affection that crossed her beautiful face as she looked at Cassie and her father make their way to the altar.

  Luke was saddened by her hostility toward him. He had hoped that after ten years she would be more even tempered. Softened a bit. But she was still angry. Very angry. And that smart mouth of hers. It had shocked the hell out him and turned him on. When they were younger, Abbey was sweet and gentle and kind. Never losing her temper even when she was upset and certainly never cursing.

  Luke couldn’t help but smile. He liked the woman she had become. She was angry, sure, but Luke knew his Abbey. His princess was still the kind, giving, intelligent, and loyal person he’d fallen in love with years ago.

  When he first came upon her in the church vestibule, he wanted to carry her off on his non-injured shoulder and fuck her senseless until she was too exhausted to argue with him so he could make her understand he’d never been unfaithful to her and he never would. He’d felt his cock get hard in front of her father and he couldn’t have that, so Luke made himself think of boring baseball stats, the weather—anything that would calm his dick the fuck down.

  Luke was encouraged to see that although Abbey was still angry with him, she wasn’t completely unaffected. He’d noticed her hard nipples poking against the lacey bodice of her pretty bridesmaid dress. And he bet if he checked, he would have found her pussy was nice and wet for him too. She’d been so responsive to him back in the day and it appeared she still was.

  Luke had been Abbey’s first. He was still proud and humbled by that fact. He’d been the lucky one to introduce her to everything. The pleasure of getting her nipples sucked and teased, moving past her embarrassment of having him eat her pussy until she yanked on his hair and came so hard she shook. He’d taught her how to suck his dick so well he nearly went cross eyed when he came in her mouth. And the sex. Still to this day he’d never felt as connected to or as in sync with someone as he did when he’d fucked Abbey.

  His sweet little princess had been so trusting and open to experimenting he couldn’t have asked for more. Her tight little pussy fit his dick perfectly, so snug, hot, and wet. It was the only place he ever wanted to be. It was home. She was home.

  Luke cursed himself for getting hard in front of a church full of people. The damn tuxedo jackets provided no cover. They were cut leaving their crotches exposed.

  Suddenly, Jake turned to him with tears streaming down his face. Shit, Luke hadn’t been paying attention. He’d been lost thinking about Abbey.

  “Jake, buddy, you all right?”

  Jake wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and shook his head. “No, I’m not. I gotta go.”

  Luke panicked. Jake was leaving Cassie at the altar? He looked to Pastor Jenkins for help and the pastor shook his head slightly. Pastor Jenkins seemed calm.

  Before Luke could say anything more, Jake took off toward Cassie and her father. Everyone in attendance gasped and whispered amongst themselves. The bridal march stopped playing. The photographer was clicking away, taking photographs of the impending disaster and the videographer was capturing every horrific moment as it unfolded.

  Luke looked over to Abbey and Leah to find them both in shock with their mouths wide open. He didn’t know what to do. Should he chase after Jake? He turned to Heath, his expression guarded. Not much help at all.

  Luke looked to his Uncle Darren, desperate for guidance. Darren, his father and mentor of twenty years now, would know what to do. Darren looked him straight in the eye and shook his head slightly. Luke raised a brow, not sure if doing nothing was the right thing or not. Darren smiled at him and shook his head again. All right, Luke would butt out.

  Luke took a deep breath and waited along with everyone else as Jake made his way to Cassie and her father. No one was sure what would happen next.

  Pastor Jenkins was right. Cassie was a vision to behold. She and Jake wouldn’t allow him to buy her a designer couture bridal gown like he’d wanted to, but the gown she chose was beautiful none the less. The lace looked like it was floating up her chest and down her arms. Her hair was done up and she looked absolutely radiant. How could Jake turn tail now? He’d wanted to see her before the ceremony for fuck’s sake. And Cassie was expecting. He couldn’t believe Jake would be so cruel.

  Cassie’s father looked more than a little concerned. “Jake, are you all right?”

  Cassie cocked her head with a little grin on her face, poised and calm. “You decided on a top hat?” A few people laughed. Cassie was making jokes?

  Jake’s hand quickly went to his head, touching the brim of the top hat like he’d forgotten he had it on. “Oh, right. I thought it would be fun?” He took it off, turned to Luke, and tossed it over to him. Luke caught it easily and put it on. A few people laughed nervously. Everyone not quite sure what to make of what they were witnessing.

  Jake shook his head and looked at Cassie’s father. “No, Phil, I’m not all right. Would you mind if I walked Cassie the rest of the way?”

  A collective sigh went through the crowd. Jake wasn’t leaving Cassie, he was overwhelmed and emotional by his beautiful bride. For a moment, Luke wondered if he would react the same way when he and Abbey got married because he knew they would. If he had anything to say about it, and he sure as hell did, they’d be getting married in the not-too-distant future. He had no intention of Mission Abbey failing.

  Cassie’s father smiled warmly at Jake and nodded his head. “Sure, Jake, you go ahead. Take good care of my little girl.” Cassie’s father kissed her lightly on the cheek and placed her hand in Jake’s.

  Jake nodded. “Thank you, Phil. And I will. I promise you.” Jake brushed his lips against Cassie’s knuckles and led her to their place up front. Phil followed behind, steering clear of Cassie’s wedding dress train.

  Luke’s stomach, which had been twisted in knots, relaxed. Everyone sighed. Luke looked to Abbey and Leah. They were both smiling again, appearing relieved like he was. Luke shrugged and flashed Abbey a grin. She shrugged back, still smiling. That smile made his heart race and his dick hard. He wanted to keep that smile on her face for the rest of her life.

  “Who gives this lovely young woman to this emotional young man?” Pastor Jenkins bellowed out.

  Once the laughter died down, Phil spoke up, pride shone in his eyes. “Her mother and I do.”

  Luke was grateful the ceremony proceeded with no other incidents. Luke kept a careful eye on Jake just in case, and on Abbey too. Since Jake told Cassie he got the top hat because he thought it would be fun, Luke and Heath alternated wearing it throughout the ceremony. He caught Abbey rolling her eyes at him at a couple of times but she’d always had mirth dancing in them. Luke considered it a win.

  After the ceremony was over and pictures were taken, Luke sat alone in the first pew on the groom’s side, enjoying a moment of solitude. He had spent a few minutes with Pastor Jenkins’s young sons Noah and Joshua, taking pictures, tossing the ball around, and signing autographs. His Uncle Darren had plenty of merchandise and swag in the trunk of his car to give not only Noah and Joshua but the pastor as well. Luke’s shoulder was faring well with only a slight ache.

  The clean-up crew were busy tidying up while some ceremony guests were mingling and enjoying light refreshments in the church’s Fellowship Hall before everyone headed to the reception being held at Cucina Antonetti’s in Elmhurst. Antonetti’s was known for their amazing Italian food and they served the best family-style food service in the Chicagoland area.

  Luke was famished. The last few stressful days had killed his appetite. He would make sure he ate well tonight. He needed to take good care of himself, especially now.

  Darren had asked Luke not to lose his shit until after the wedding. Luke could only do so much without breaking down. His uncle’s diagnosis was a hard kick to the gut. He still hadn�
�t fully processed it. Luke’s own physical issues didn’t help his frame of mind either. Add to that Abbey’s hostility toward him, and he wasn’t sure how more he could take.

  Since he was in a church and had a rare moment of solitude, Luke bowed his head and closed his eyes.

  Lord, please help my dad get through this awful time. I know the statistics aren’t good but you can turn things around for him. Please don’t take him from me too. You took my parents way too soon, give me my uncle for as long as you can. Bless Jake and Cassie in their new life together and grant them many years of happiness. Take good care of Cassie during her pregnancy and bless her and Jake with a strong healthy baby. Please see your way to helping Abbey let go of her anger so we can move on from the past. Open her heart and mind so she can see that we belong together. Guide me with your divine wisdom as I do my best to handle the challenges that lie before me. Thank you for the many blessings you’ve given me over the years. I appreciate every single one. Please continue to bless me, my friends, and family. They mean the world to me. Amen.

  Luke quickly swiped away the tear that slid down his cheek. He turned around to see if anyone was watching him and saw Abbey coming toward him from one of the church’s side doors.

  God does answer all prayers, doesn’t he?

  As Abbey walked toward him, Luke’s heart rate sped up and he felt his dick twitch in excitement. Damn how she affected him. He smiled at her, and to his relief, she smiled back.

  Luke moved over in the pew so she could join him. She sat next to him, with her cell phone in hand, careful not to touch him. Luke was having none of that and scooted over so their thighs touched. He felt her stiffen slightly then relax. She wanted Luke to think she was unaffected by him, but her pretty blue eyes were dilating and he saw her pulse fluttering on her neck.

  “The dove release you set up for Cassie and Jake, that was really nice. It was the perfect end to the ceremony,” she whispered.

  Luke had asked Patty Hailey to tell Cassie and Jake that she wasn’t able to get a dove release for them if they had asked. It turned out they hadn’t so Luke was able to sneak in a surprise for the couple.

  “No need to thank me, I was happy to surprise them with it.” Luke was encouraged by their cordial conversation. Did this mean Abbey was warming up to him?

  Abbey’s phone chimed with a text and she frowned at what she read. Luke knew she was essentially always on call for her job. Office Supply Galaxy was too cheap to get her the help she needed. “Is the office paging you? Don’t they know you have important family commitments this weekend?”

  Luke was pissed. Abbey’s manager took advantage of her kind nature. As soon as he got her back for good, he would ask her to quit her job. There would always be a place for Abbey in the Chicago Cobras organization. They could use someone as intelligent and hardworking as her. He’d prefer she not work at all, but he didn’t think she would agree to that. His princess needed to be challenged and contribute. It was one of the many things Luke loved about her and always would.

  Abbey quickly replied to the text and shook her head, frowning. “They know I have commitments this weekend, but no, they’re not paging me.”

  Luke couldn’t stop himself from wondering why the text was bothering her so much. His protective instincts rushed to the surface. No one bothered his princess. Not now, not ever.

  “So what’s got you upset if it’s not the office bothering you?” He hoped she’d confide in him, like she used to so many years ago. Once upon a time, they’d shared everything. He desperately needed to get back to that time. He needed Abbey now more than ever.

  She waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. Just forget about it.”

  Luke tried to not let the brush off bother him, but it wasn’t easy. He leaned into her a little closer, reveling in the warm feel of her body against his. “I do worry about you, princess. Let me help you.”

  Just like that, the daggers flew from Abbey’s eyes at him. She shoved at him and he moved away, putting space between them in the pew. He mourned the loss of her touch.

  “Shouldn’t you be worrying about your wife? I doubt she’d be thrilled to know you’re coming on to me while she’s who knows where, pregnant with your child. I stopped being yours to worry about a long time ago.” Abbey made to stand and leave, but he took a hold of her arm and pulled her back down onto the pew.

  Luke’s ears rang and his heart galloped in his chest. If Abbey wanted to do this the hard way, he’d oblige. “And I told you, don’t believe everything you read or hear. I also told you, you can’t get away from me, so stop trying.”

  Abbey’s phone chimed again with another text message which she ignored. “Okay, fine, so you’re not married. You’re still with someone else. And not just any someone else, one of the biggest actresses in Hollywood right now. If Brenna’s off on location somewhere this weekend and you’re looking for some company so you can cheat on her, look somewhere else. I’m most certainly not going to be that girl for you. If you thought you could just breeze into town this weekend and I’d be some quick and easy fuck, you couldn’t be more wrong. There are plenty of other women attending the reception who’d be more than happy to screw the Luke “Strike ’em out” Stryker, so leave me alone.”

  Luke needed to calm her down quick before someone heard them. What he really wanted to do was take her somewhere and fuck the hell out of her and shut her up so she could listen to him without being furious.

  “Look, princess, it’s not like that. I don’t think of you that way.” Luke spoke in calm, even tones.

  “Stop calling me princess. I’m not your princess. Brenna is now. Can’t you just leave me alone? You’re ruining my reboot weekend.”

  This time, Luke let Abbey stand up to leave as Jake approached them. He didn’t want to continue upsetting her, but he didn’t know what to do to get her to calm down and listen to him.

  What the hell is a reboot weekend? I thought Abbey said the office wasn’t paging her?

  “There you are,” Jake said to Abbey. “Cassie’s looking for you. Do you mind helping her out for a minute? She’s in Fellowship Hall.”

  Abbey’s eyes widened in a panic. “Oh no, is she all right?”

  Jake chuckled and nodded. “She needs your help real quick to go to the bathroom.”

  Abbey smiled at Jake. “We don’t want her dress ruined now, do we?” She kissed Jake on the cheek and took off to help her sister. Luke heard her phone chime with another text message. Abbey didn’t stop to look at it.

  Jake took a seat next to Luke, a sappy grin on his face. Luke couldn’t blame him. He’d married the love of his life at long last and they were expecting. Life didn’t get much better than that. If Luke could only get Abbey to calm down and listen to him, life could get a hell of a lot better for him too.

  Jake leaned forward, placing his forearms on his legs. He turned to Luke, seeming concerned. “Things didn’t sound like they were going too well when I walked up. I’m sorry. I should have asked Leah to help Cassie. Maybe you and Abbey just needed another minute.”

  Luke blew out a breath and leaned back in his seat, gazing up at the beautiful religious paintings that decorated the church ceiling. He hoped his prayers would be answered soon. He looked over to Jake. “A few more minutes wouldn’t have helped. She’s pretty angry.”

  Jake leaned back and admired the church ceiling with Luke. “You didn’t really think you could just show up after not seeing her for ten years and she’d fall into your lap, did you? That’s arrogant, even for you, little brother.”

  Luke sat up in his seat, smiling at Jake’s endearment. It was true. Luke had two big brothers, Jake and Heath.

  “I didn’t expect her to fall at my feet, but I also didn’t expect her to be so angry after all this time either.” Luke didn’t want Abbey thinking he thought so little of her. She wasn’t some quick and easy fuck like she’d suggested. She was his woman, always had been and would be again. He needed to conv
ince her of that fact.

  Jake sat up. “Don’t give up on her. Give her a chance to let her feelings out, then go from there. The day is still young.”

  Luke knew Jake was right. But it wasn’t easy because he knew he hadn’t betrayed Abbey. He needed her to let him explain what she actually saw when she had walked in on him ten years ago, not what she thought see saw.

  “Do you know what a reboot weekend is?”

  Jake eyebrows furrowed. “Like the server maintenance they do at OSG? According to Abbey, they reboot their servers on a rotating schedule.”

  Luke shook his head. “The Cobras’ data center does that too. I don’t think that’s it, though. She got a few texts that upset her but she said it wasn’t the office. But she said I was ruining her reboot weekend.”

  “Sorry, Luke. I don’t know what that means. Cass hasn’t said anything.”

  A thought occurred to Luke that had his blood boiling. Was Abbey seeing someone? Were those texts from him? Was he trying to upset her today of all days? The thought of Abbey with someone else now that he was back in town to claim her as his had him fisting his hands. He wasn’t stupid enough to think Abbey had pined over him for ten years. He knew through Jake that Abbey had dated over the years, but with her work and night school schedules, it had never resulted in anything serious. That gave him a small sense of comfort.

  Luke didn’t relish the thought of Abbey fucking another man, even if that made him seem like a caveman asshole. Abbey belonged to him. All of her—her soft full tits, luscious lips, and her tight little pussy. They belonged to him and him alone.

  Although Luke had been seen with various celebrities, models, and reality show stars over the years, much of what everyone saw and read wasn’t true. Most were strategic photo and publicity opportunities.