by Riley, Alexa
“Fucking hell, you guys are worse than old church ladies on Sunday afternoon,” I grit out.
I may not be as close to my old unit as I used to be, but the rest of them are all solid. Not to mention they are good with my parents, too, having spent time with them before I dropped off the map. Either Mic or my mom could have told John.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“How about you take your ass out of here?” I throw back.
“O.” John puts his hands up. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. I mean, you don’t even like people and now you’ve got one holed up in your house? A missing one, at that.”
“John,” I warn, keeping my voice low when I hear feet on the steps behind me. I give him a hard look that says shut the fuck up. Then I school my face.
“Orlando.” I turn, giving my girl a warm smile. “Who’s here?” She peeps around me at John, and for the first time I actually turn to take John in, wondering if she finds him attractive. Jealousy takes hold of me.
He had always been a ladies’ man. He’d smile and tell them he was a doctor in the army and the women would fall all over him. I used to think it was funny. Not so much anymore.
“Hey there, Lucy. I’m Doc John Fredrick.” I glare at him as he steps towards us with his hand out. Lucy goes to step around me, but I move to stand in front of her, blocking her from Doc.
One of her hands goes to rest on my back. John shakes his head and I see him fighting a smile. “Orlando?” Lucy says, a question in her voice. I take a deep breath and get it together. I don’t want to scare her. She might be thinking he means harm with the way I’m acting. She doesn’t know this is pure jealousy. It’s a feeling I’m not used to.
“Sorry, little one. Still a little on edge with the accident and all,” I tell her, stepping to the side only a little. She slides one of her arms though mine and locks herself around it. She extends her other hand to greet John.
“Lucy.” They shake hands, and John drops her hand quickly, understanding I’m on edge. He’s one of the best at reading me. Right now, I’m thankful for it. Normally it pisses me off.
“Just came by to check on you. Heard you’re not remembering much.” Lucy just shrugs as if she doesn’t care, and to be honest, with how she’s been acting, I don’t think she does.
“I’m sure it will come back,” she says absently, resting her head against my arm and leaning into me.
“That’s a pretty ring you got on there.” John smiles at her.
“John,” I warn.
“I think my husband is a little possessive and wants everyone to know I’m his,” she laughs. She has no fucking idea how true that is, or she likely wouldn't be laughing about it.
“Husband, is it?” John’s eyes lock on me. Now I’m guessing it was Mic that told him, because he didn’t know that little tidbit like my mom had.
“He’s about to take me out to dinner.”
Johns eyebrows rise. “As in, out of this house to mix with the general public?” I think he finds this more shocking than the husband thing.
“Yeah,” I answer. “So you should probably get going.”
John only smiles bigger. “I think I will do that.” He looks over to Lucy. “Glad you talked him into getting out of this place for a while. It’s good for him. I’ll be seeing you later, O.” I hear the warning in his tone. He’s not done with the subject of me having Lucy here under false pretenses.
“Bye,” Lucy calls as John gets back into his car and takes off down the long driveway.
“He a friend of yours? You seemed tense,” she asks, pulling at my arm so I look down at her.
“I’m noticing I don’t care to share your attention,” I admit to her. I wait to see horror on her face, but she only giggles and smiles up at me.
“I’m all yours,” she tells me, standing on her tiptoes with her face upraised. I lean down to meet her and kiss her. I pray that never changes.
Chapter Ten
Lucy
I stare out the window, taking everything in as Orlando drives. “It’s so pretty out here. I see why you came back.”
“I’m glad I came back here, too, or I wouldn't have you.” I turn to look at him. That’s sweet in a dark kind of way. The reason he’s here is because he was hurt. That he’d choose taking the pain so he could have found me speaks to how much this man loves me. How did I get so lucky to find a man like him? I’m not sure, but I won’t take it for granted.
I reach for his hand and lock our fingers together. “I love you,” I tell him. I want to say it over and over again. When he said it to me that first time I wanted to cry I was so happy. It made me finally feel settled. A missing piece slid into place and I was home. Really home.
“Love you too, little one.” He gives my hand a small squeeze. I perk up when the small quaint town comes into sight.
“Did you grow up here?” I ask, wanting to know more about my husband.
He nods. “Yeah, but I never come to town.”
“If you don’t want to, we don’t have to.” I don’t want to make him do anything that he doesn't want. Everyone keeps says how he never goes anywhere. Doc John couldn't get out of our way fast enough for us to be able to leave.
“You wanted to come, so we’re going to go. I can’t hold you hostage in our house forever.”
“Sounds fun.” I wiggle my eyebrows at him. I can’t stop my teasing with him when it comes to sex. We have not gone any further than him going down on me and him letting me touch him with my hands. I haven't been pushing, really, but I do tease. I love the flash of hunger I see in his eyes when I do it. It makes my body tingle all over.
“I'll remind you of that comment,” he teases back.
“Promises, promises.” We pull into a parking lot. Orlando hops out and opens the door for me. I step out, taking his hand as he pulls me close.
“This place has wonderful Italian food,” he tells me as he leads me into a small restaurant. It's cute and warm.
“I want to go to Italy one day,” I say absently as we’re led to our table by the hostess. Her eyes bounce between the two of us like she knows us but remains silent.
“I’ll take you if you want.”
“You hate leaving home,” I remind him with a small laugh.
“I’d do anything for you.” He leans low, nuzzling my neck. I melt into him. “Besides, I’d love to see your face when you see it. You always light up when you get something you want.” His sweet words make my heart flutter. He must see that look a lot because he is always doing whatever it is I want to do.
He orders us so many things from the menu. Pretty soon our table is groaning with various dishes and bowls. We eat and laugh and have the best time. My face hurts from smiling so much. I notice people turn to look at us, some saying hi to Orlando by name and asking about his parents. Their gazes always linger on me for a moment, studying me like we’ve met before. Orlando is quick to rush them off.
When we leave the restaurant, we walk down the street and he points out all the little shops, telling me what each are.
“Ice cream?” He nods at the ice cream shop.
“I’m not sure I can.” I put my hand over my belly. We ate so much, but still my eyes linger on the different types of ice cream they have. I freeze when a piece of paper taped to the front of the store catches my eye.
Orlando lets go of a string of curses as I stare at the picture of myself with the word Missing over it. His hold on me tightens as he guides me from the store, picking up his pace. I almost have to run to keep up with him as he keeps his arm locked around me, making sure I don’t go anywhere that he isn't guiding me.
When he opens the car door I slip inside. He latches my seatbelt, and when he pulls back he kisses me hard and deep, desperation leaking into the kiss for a moment, before shutting the door and running around to the other side and hopping in, taking off back towards the house without saying anything about what we’d seen.
“How am I missing?” I finally
ask.
“Your grandfather is looking for you.” Fear races up my spine. “He won’t touch you,” Orlando growls. The sound of his voice rolls over me, making me feel better.
“How does he not know I’m with you?” He doesn't answer me as I watch his hands tighten on the steering wheel.
“Orlando, tell me everything's okay.” All I need to hear is that it’s okay and I’ll believe him because I trust him.
“I will always make sure everything is okay for you.” He glances over at me, and I know he will. I know his world is wrapped around me. He’s proven that to me over the last week.
I lean back in my seat. “Sometimes I think I’m not letting myself remember,” I admit. “That there is something my brain is protecting me from.” I reach out and place my hand on his thigh. He’s so tense right now. The fun playfulness we’ve had all night has disappeared. “Want to know what’s even crazier? I don’t care. It doesn't bother me like I know it should.” I shake my head. I can’t even wrap my head around it when I think about it.
“Do you want me to remember?” I ask him.
“I don’t know.” He looks pained as he says the words. “I’m selfish when it comes to you.”
I laugh at that. So hard my eyes start to water. Orlando looks at me like I’m crazy. “You do everything for me. How are you selfish?”
“I want you all to myself.”
“Well, if this is how you keep me all to yourself, no wonder I married you.” I lean over in my seat to kiss his cheek. “I’d do it again, too,” I whisper in his ear. I let my hand slide between his legs. His cock hardens under my touch as I rub him back and forth.
“Marry me again then,” he moans as I keep rubbing him.
“Anytime, anyplace.” I nibble his neck. “If you let me suck you off first,” I bait him, trying to turn the mood back to light and fun. My face warms at my words, but I push on. “Since I didn't get my ice cream, it’s only fair I get something else, and you know what I want.”
“And you’ll marry me.”
I nip at him. “Yes.” My seatbelt comes undone and Orlando is pulling me from the car on his side before I realize what’s happening. I didn't even realized we were home and the car had stopped. He lifts me into his arms and carries me into the house, right up the stairs past a wide-eyed Marta and into our bedroom. He slams the door shut behind us and clicks the lock.
I bite my lip to keep from smiling as he pushes my back up against the wall and we both get what we have been wanting.
Chapter Eleven
Orlando
I groan as my eyes fly open. The sight in front of me almost has me spilling into her mouth already. I grit my teeth to hold back the orgasm. I want to enjoy this moment. Her mouth works up and down my cock and sucking noises fill the room. She lets out a moan that goes straight to my balls and is almost my undoing.
I reach down, wrapping my hand in her dark silky hair. I’d broken last night. When she said she’d marry me if I let her suck me off, I was done for. There wasn't anything I wouldn't have given her for what she was offering me.
Her.
The one thing that has come to mean more to me than anything else in this whole fucking world would be mine. My balls draw up at the thought of her really being my wife in a few short hours. Yes, I’m making this happen today. She will carry my name and no one will ever be able to take her from me.
“Little one,” I growl. “I’m going to cum,” I warn her, knowing she isn't going to pull off. She’s a greedy little thing. I learned that last night when she dropped to her knees in front of me and didn't let my dick go until I came twice down her pretty throat.
She only sucks harder at my words, and I fight not to grip her hair too tight and thrust up into her mouth as I start to cum. She swallows me greedily, taking every drop of my cum inside her body. Soon I’ll be releasing inside her pussy, marking her in a whole other way. One that will take root inside her, binding us together in all ways.
She pulls off my cock, licking her lips and giving me a wicked smile as she crawls up my body. I flip us, coming down over her and taking her mouth in a deep kiss. “Morning,” she says when I pull back and look down at her. Her mouth is swollen and her hair is spread out all over the bed.
“Best morning of my life,” I tell her. “Has been the best of my life every morning that I wake to see you in our bed.”
“Then I guess you’re going to be living a very good life because I’m not going anywhere.” She pulls me back down for a kiss. I love how generous she is with affection. I went from not wanting to be around people or even touched to craving it all from her.
“My turn,” I tell her as I move down her body, giving her the same pleasure she’d given me, but I make sure I bring her to multiple orgasms before I pull her from our bed to shower. I’d love nothing more than to spend the day in bed together, but there are things that need to be done.
When I open my bedroom door I grab all the bags Marta left outside. I bring them into our bedroom. Lucy comes strolling in from the closet a moment later. Her hair is wet and she’s wearing one of my shirts.
“What’s all that?” she asks.
“It’s everything you need for us to get married today.”
“Today?” she laughs, making me wonder if she was joking last night. I tense.
“I want wedding vows that you remember. You said—”
“I know what I said.” She turns and wraps her arms around my neck. “And I meant it. I just had no idea you’d make it happen so fast.” She smiles, giving me that dimple. I lean down and kiss it.
“Get ready. As you can see I’m already anticipating making it happen.” I give her ass a small smack and she giggles joyfully. God, I never get tired of the sound of her laughing. Every time, it makes my chest feel warm and full. That hollow filling that had been there is long gone.
I wink at her and go to the closet to get myself dressed in a suit. When I come back out she is pulling everything out of the bags and boxes. “Give me a kiss, little one, and then I’ll meet you downstairs.” She jumps to her feet and does as I ask.
I kiss her soft and sweet. A promise of what’s to come for her with a life with me. I will handle her with care, make up for the shitty life she was given before she was brought to me. I pull away from her. “See you downstairs, little one. Don’t make me wait long, or I’ll be back up here to get you.”
“I won’t make you wait if you stop making me wait.” She lifts an eyebrow.
“I’ll have you in all ways after the wedding.”
“Then I will be down as fast as I can.” I give her one last kiss and leave her to it. Downstairs, I smile when I see Judge Barnes. He’s early. Good. I’d put in a call to him last night after my little one had fallen asleep, and I laid some things out to him. He wasn't completely happy about it all, but he owed my family a favor and I was calling it in. It helped that Judge Barnes was around when Kurt Lockwood fucked up and left a mess for everyone to clean up.
“I read over everything you sent me.” He shakes his head.
“If he really has some doctor willing to say she incompetent, then he can do whatever he likes with her. We don’t have solid proof of what he’s done to her,” I tell him, unable to keep the anger from my voice. “But if she’s married, then if he claims that bullshit, I’d be her power of attorney.”
“And she’s willing to marry you? With no memory of what happened before she came to be here?” He asks me the same question he’s asked ten times now. I haven't told him she already thinks we’re married and this is something we’re doing because she doesn't remember us doing it the first time around.
“Yes. You’ll see she is fully willing.”
He studies me for a moment. “You’re looking good, O. Happy.”
“I am.”
“Do your parents know you’re getting married today? I’d thought they’d be here,” he says.
“They’re traveling. When they get back we can do something with them to make up
for it,” I tell him. He nods. We make idle talk for a few minutes. Barnes’ phone rings, interrupting us.
“I have to take this.” I nod as he steps away for a moment. I pull out my own phone and check my emails. I turn when I hear Lucy coming down the stairs. She always pulls my attention. Hell, even when she’s not near she has my attention.
The white dress swishes all around her as she descends the stairs. Her long dark hair flows behind her. I walk to her and she practically leaps into my arms when she reaches the last step. I catch her and twirl her around in circles, making her laugh.
“You look beautiful,” I tell her, putting her on her feet.
“You make me feel beautiful.” She smiles up at me, giving me her dimple. My chest aches. Maybe I should tell her the full truth.
It's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.
“Little one. Lucy.” I pull her close to me, my heart and head conflicted over the right course to take.
“Oh my god,” I hear my mom gasp. I jerk around to see her standing in the front doorway, her hand over her mouth. My dad stands behind her, smiling.
“We have a problem.” The judge walk back over. “Her grandfather is on his way here. Cops in tow,” Barnes informs us.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
“My grandfather?” Lucy’s voice wobbles. She closes her eyes like she’s pained, her breathing growing heavy. She’s quiet for too long, and it scares me.
“Little one. Marry me now. Before he gets here. Then he can’t take you from me. Please. He’ll have no claim over you. You’ll be mine in the eyes of the law. I promise I’ll explain everything after. When I know you’re safe,” I beg her. I have no idea what will happen if they get here and he tries to take her from me. I think I’ll lose it. I’ll be the one in a jail cell for the rest of my life when it really should be him behind bars.