by Black, Lena
“What’s going on?” she asks, panic trembling her voice.
“I’ll explain later,” he answers, his gray eyes focused, clear. “I want you two to get inside, bolt the locks, and turn on the alarm. I don’t want you to leave until you hear from me.”
Jules nods and takes me inside, locking the door and setting the alarm as she was instructed. I stand behind her, admiring Liam’s home. It’s cozy yet masculine.
When she’s done, she turns back to me, wrapping her arm about me and guiding me over to the plush tan couch in the living room. We take a seat and I flop my head back, thrusting my hands over my face.
“I really don’t want to sit around and wait…We should just leave and let security handle this.”
“Gabrielle, what’s going on?”
I really don’t want to go over it for the millionth time, but she’s my bestie and she’s more connected to all this than I would like. However, she already knows about Dante, and I can’t tell her about Nicholas’s possible murder, so, I go over every other detail that has happened since our talk in the park. It takes me time to get through everything and actually manages to distract me from our current situation.
“Holy fuck,” Jules murmurs, pulling me in for a hug. “I don’t know how you dealt with all that, Ellie…You’re so strong and brave.”
“Yeah, but if Dante is coming after us, then everything I put him through was for nothing.”
“Hey,” she exclaims, grabbing my arms and twisting me toward her. “Nothing is going to happen to him. Liam and Hunt will take care of everything.”
“I hope you’re right. If anything ever happened to him, I don’t know what I would do,” I say in a terror-induced haze.
“Don’t talk like that,” she orders then looks me over, shaking her head. “You must be exhausted. You should try to get some sleep. We all have a long two days ahead of us.”
“How can I sleep with all this going on…? I mean, should we even go through with it at this point?”
“Don’t you dare!” she screams, tightening her grip and fixing her violet gaze on my wary blue. “If you don’t go through with the wedding, he wins. Don’t even think about it. It would kill Damian.”
“I just don’t know what to do anymore.” I shrug, defeated.
She pats her lap, gesturing for me to lie my head down, and I do just that. She runs her fingers through my hair and over my face. Suddenly, I feel exhausted, crashing hard from the adrenaline, and before I know it, I’m fast asleep, blissfully ignorant to everything around me.
When I wake up, I’m in Hunt’s studio, lying in the bed where we’ve spent more than a few memorable nights. When I remember everything that happened early this morning, I shoot up, scanning the room for Hunt. And, with his impeccable timing, he comes walking through the front door, carrying two coffees, a white paper bag, and some clothes, dressed in cargo shorts and a light blue button-up.
He smiles weakly when he spots me, walking over the bed to give me my hangover miracle cure, coffee and a chocolate croissant from my favorite bakery.
“Good morning, angel.”
“Morning,” I yawn out. “I’m guessing you didn’t find anything.”
“No, he wasn’t there, but security is going over footage, to see how he could have possibly gotten in and out.”
He sits on the edge of the bed and takes a big sip of his joe, staring off into nothingness.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
I grab his attention, and he focuses back on me. “We tried, but you were out like a light…Nothing short of an earthquake could’ve woken you.”
“Why do you think he did it?” I take a bite of my croissant and a swig of coffee. I’m kinda amazed at how casually we speak of the incident. Perhaps, having been through so much has numbed us to some degree.
He takes another sip of his coffee and shrugs his shoulders. “He was just trying to scare us, remind us he’s still around. You have nothing to worry about, Gabrielle, I have everything under control.”
“I want to believe you, Damian, and to an extent, I suppose I do, but…he was in our home, following us around like some depraved stalker.”
“Elle, I don’t want you to worry about anything except the wedding…We have a lot to take care of before tomorrow. In fact, we should head up to B’s soon.”
“Damian,” I say with apprehension. “Are you sure we should…?”
“If you so much as finish that thought,” he interrupts me, “I will throw you over my knee and spank the living daylights out of you. I am marrying you tomorrow, and by this time Sunday, you will be Mrs. Damian Hunt. Now, I don’t want to hear any more talk of such ridiculous things, understood?”
“Yes, Mr. Hunt, perfectly.”
I pucker my lips, and he leans in, rewarding me with a firm yet tender kiss. He pulls away from me and drinks the last of his coffee.
“Excellent. Now, I want you showered and ready to leave in thirty minutes.”
“It may take me longer.” I bite off a big piece of buttery, fluffy croissant and continue, still chewing, “I still have to pack.”
He smirks at me, amused by my uncouth behavior.
“I’ve taken care of all that. Just get yourself ready. There is a bathroom through that door, and I brought you some clothes to dress in.”
“Why can’t I go upstairs to do all that?” I ask, going in for more coffee.
“I don’t want you back up there until we do a complete overhaul of the security system.” He places his hand over my cheek, petting the apple with his thumb, and stares deep into my eyes. “I don’t want him to be able to get to you.”
I grab onto his wrist and nuzzle my face against his palm.
“What are you going to do?”
“Handprint analysis pad in the elevator and double the cameras and number of security. I’m going to turn this place into a virtual fortress.” He curls an arm about my waist and hauls me into his lap, kissing my temple and inhaling deeply. “Now, don’t worry about it anymore.”
I remain in his arms for a moment more before grabbing my clothes and shoes off the bed. I run into the bathroom and shower quickly, dressing in the flowing, white mullet dress with a high/low skirt. I pair it with a chunky brown leather belt and throw on the bright red ballet flats. I leave my hair down and decide to go without a stitch of make-up. I’m ready in less than fifteen minutes.
When I walk out to the main space, Hunt gasps and walks over to me with a look of awe.
“Gabrielle, you’ve never looked more beautiful.”
I smile up at him, feeling beautiful, and reply, “I’m sure you’ll say that exact same thing tomorrow.”
“Of course I will…because with every day that passes, you are more stunning than the day before.”
“You always know just what to say,” I state and fall into his arms, feeling loved and content.
We drove up in the Land Rover with Chase, Maya, Wade, and Brooke, with the rest of the wedding party, our parents, Aubrey, Keira, Liam, and Jules, trailing us in their own cars. We arrive at the charming Victorian B&B around lunch.
“Welcome,” Beverly greets us on the patio, arms open and a brilliant grin on her overjoyed face. Catlin clings to her flowery dress, shy with all the new people coming all at once, but smiles sweetly when she sees Damian, running up and giving him a big hug.
He lifts her up and kisses her all over her face, which she loves, giggling and placing her hands on his face to push him away. But, he keeps at it until she begs him to stop in stuttered, high-pitched pleas.
We walk inside, heading to our rooms to unpack and ready for lunch. Hunt and I are about to head up to our little love nest in the attic when Vivian and Elizabeth stop us, everyone else rushing past us to get up to their rooms.
“Where do you think you two are going exactly?”
We pause and glimpse at one another, confused.
“You’re not sleeping in the same room the night before your wedding,” Elizabeth clarifies.
“You don’t honestly still believe in that stuff, do you, Mother?” Hunt asks Vivian.
“Yes, I most certainly do, Damian. Gabrielle will take the top room, and you, my dear son, will stay down here on the first floor.”
I try to reason with Elizabeth. “Mom, come on.”
I want to convince her of the lunacy of this archaic idea, but she gives me that look, that motherly look that stops me right in my tracks.
“That will be fine,” Hunt states, and I glance over at him with a crinkled nose. He places his hand on my lower back, rubbing it with his thumb.
“That will be fine, Gabrielle,” he says in a way as to tell me not to push the issue.
“Yes,” I grumble, “that will be fine.”
Hunt kisses me on the temple and takes his bag to his room. I do the same, heading up to the lonely room at the top of the stairs, like some fairytale princess taken captive and sent to live alone in the tower. When I make it to my room, I start to unpack and refresh myself, dreading a night without Hunt sleeping by my side.
After lunch, we head out to the back, to the whimsical, semi-transformed garden, for the rehearsal.
Sitting on the huge lawn off to the side of the garden, there’s a white tent constructed of sheer white draping, which is still a work in progress. It’s embellished with ornate chandeliers, white Chinese paper lanterns, and a plethora of tables covered in antique lace tablecloths, with a massive dance floor already setup in the center. Only the cutlery, chairs, and centerpieces of white and purple lilies need to be set out.
I can’t wait to see it all finished and lit up bright, buzzing with guests and music, to dance our first dance as man and wife on that dance floor, to walk down the aisle toward the man I’m going to spend the rest of my days with.
Rehearsal went well, though, knowing my father won’t be walking me down the aisle and giving me away, made it hard to make it through without fighting back tears. I wish more than anything that he could be here on my wedding day. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do short of leaving or harming Hunt to have him next to me, walking me toward my future.
As we all head back into the house, Hunt and I trailing behind, he grips my hand and pulls me over to the side of the enormous Victorian.
“Tonight, I will come up and see you…I won’t spend a night without you either.”
I knew he wouldn’t just give up, I knew the idea of being away from me made him as miserable as it made me.
He leans in and grazes his lips against mine, wrapping his arms about my waist.
“I can’t wait,” I whisper into his mouth, and he moans, going into kiss me.
“What are you doing?” A small voice asks.
We break away from each other and find Catlin watching us with her head tilted curiously to the side.
“Nothing you need to worry about until you’re older, much, much older,” Hunt replies, and she giggles, shaking her head at him.
“You’re weird,” she states and runs away.
“I’ll say this, the kid is observant.”
I slap his arm and shoot him a look.
“You’re not weird…Now, let’s get back before people come looking for us.”
I grab his hand and lead him to the house. I can feel his amused grin burning into the back of my head, but I can’t bring myself to look back and check.
B made her specialty, saffron chicken with jasmine rice and mixed veggies, fresh from her garden. It’s absolutely divine. We sit at the large table in the dining room, Damian beside me with a firm hand on my knee and Maya on the other side, pretending she doesn’t notice.
About halfway through the rehearsal dinner, Hunt rises and says, “If you’ll excuse us, Gabrielle and I have something to attend to, but we shouldn’t be too long.”
He holds his hand out to me, and I take it, happily, pleased that I can have a few moments alone with him. I rise and follow him into the dark living room next to our chatting guests.
Suddenly, he turns to me and kneels down, taking me back for a moment. He lifts his hands up into my skirt and wraps his fingers into the sides of my panties. I grab onto his hands, halting him.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, afraid someone will hear.
“I’m going to fuck you, Gabrielle, fast and hard, against that wall, with everyone in the next room. Just as I promised you I would.” I remember him promising this that sexually enlightening night at the pier. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been inside you and I won’t wait another second to have you.”
I let go of his hands, and he yanks my panties down around my ankles. I step out of them, and he palms them, rising up.
“Since I don’t want you making any noise,” he says, holding up my panties. “Open wide, angel.”
I hesitantly open my mouth and he shoves them inside, unzipping his fly with the other hand. He grabs onto my rear and lifts me up into him, pressing me against the wall. I enfold my arms and legs about him, and he adjusts his hips, plummeting into me rapidly, filling me up until I burn. He goes at me rough, fucking me so hard, I savagely bounce up and down on his quickly pumping cock.
He pushes me back against the wall and yanks one side of my dress down, taking the bra with it. My heavy breast falls out under its weight, bouncing from his rowdy pace, tempting him. He cups it with his large hand, lifting it just enough so the hard nipple grazes his lips. There’s a low growl deep in his chest before he takes it into his warm, greedy mouth, causing my back to arc drastically and my exposed breast is forced further into his mouth’s skilled grasp.
I cry out, but the makeshift gag and the loud laughing and chattering from the next room muffles much of it. He rips his mouth from my aching nipple, replaced with his long fingers, masterfully pinching and rolling.
Keeping at me, he tilts his face into my ear, nipping at the lobe, and utters with a breathlessness, “I bet you taste absolutely delectable.”
Again, I moan through the panties jammed into my mouth and fling my arms about his neck, pulling my face into his shoulder.
“You need to be quiet or everyone’s going to hear you cumming, angel.”
I sense the devilish grin on his face, pleased by what he does to me. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear he wants everyone to hear me, as his ruthless drives pummel me, pushing me closer to the edge. My fingers claw at his neck and my head flies back as he finds a particularly tantalizing rhythm, rolling his hips between my clenching thighs.
He buries his face in my neck, his hot, silky breath brushing over my shoulder, and he lets out a stifled groan, releasing himself inside me. The sensation of him ceasing up in my arms and deep in my womb is more than I can handle, and I cum, every muscle trembling with overwhelmed delight as the electrical surges rush through me.
He lifts his face and plucks the panties from my mouth, shoving them in his gray slack’s pocket. He stares into my heavy eyes and places his hands on both sides of my face, holding it in place. He slowly tilts his face into mine and kisses me tenderly all over. He bathes me in soft caresses and loving pecks, stopping on my forehead where he pauses for a moment before pulling away from the wall and setting me back down. He keeps an arm about my waist to ensure I can stand on my own two feet.
He adjusts me into my bra and shifts the strap back onto my shoulder, trying to make me look presentable. I run my fingers through my hair and smooth out any wrinkles on my dress.
“Did you enjoy yourself,” he whispers.
“Yes, I missed you,” I reply, smiling up at him.
He cradles me in his arms and replies, “I missed you, angel…I’ll sneak up to your room as soon as everyone has retired for the evening.”
“I can’t wait.”
He takes my little hand in his and lifts it to his lips, gently caressing and kissing my knuckles.
“Until then,” he murmurs against my fingers, and I nearly swoon.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bound
After everyone says good
night, I head to my room, excited about my secret rendezvous with Hunt. I undress quickly, throwing on a long, lavender silk nightie, and brush my hair, which is a mess after the exhausting day.
I’m walking out of the bathroom when I hear footsteps on the stairs, and my heart starts to pound, nearly beating its way out of my chest when I spot chocolate-hued hair.
“Ellie?” Brooke’s voice calls out for me, and my heart sinks a little. She finds me by the bathroom, and the other girls come charging up the stairs, giggling and talking.
“Are you ready?” Jules asks, holding a huge case up.
“Ready for what?” I inquire, totally confused about what’s happening.
“For the slumber party, silly,” Aubrey chimes in, showing me the bottles of champagne in her hands.
“I…” I want to argue, but they see right through me.
“Oh, no, missy, you aren’t talking your way out of this,” Keira states, shaking her head.
Sloan walks up beside me and flings an arm over my shoulder. “We have to get you all prettified for your big day.”
“I was just going to hit the sack,” I attempt to convince, but it won’t work on them. They just ignore me and continue setting up and pouring glasses of champagne and talking like schoolgirls.
“Ellie, you’re doing this whether you like it or not,” Maya says insistently. “This is your last night as a single woman, and we are together, just us girls.”
I’m starting to think they were sent up here to keep Hunt and I from breaking our promise. I check the clock and notice it’s almost eleven. I sigh, giving in with hopes that the sooner we do this, the sooner it’s over.
I actually have a great time. We drink and talk and do all the girlie things that would normally drive me mad, but I enjoy myself. Though, I am still anxious about Hunt, checking the clock to keep track of the time. I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to come up, or he did and heard the girls with me, deciding not to enter the girl sanctuary. I’m kinda hoping he didn’t see me as I look like some hideous, green-skinned creature from the old horror movies.