Reflections, A Love Ever After Series Book 3

by Amber Lacie

  His hands fisted in my hair, pushing my head down farther, as soft grunts filled the air. I took as much of him in my mouth as possible. Using a free hand, I reached under his cock, gently grasping his balls and tugging them just enough to get a response out of him. A hiss escaped him. Without warning, I was lifted from the ground and placed into his lap with my legs spread apart on either side of him.

  “Fuck, baby––your mouth is made of gold, but I want this.” His hand reached between us as his fingers softly ran up and down my slit, spreading my wetness up and around my clit. Grasping his cock in his hand he slid it into my wet pussy, filling me completely.

  “Oh my God. Evan.”

  He raised his hips while pulling down on mine, making sure he was seated deeply inside of me before repeating the motion. My nerves unraveled as I came around him. I was so lost in the moment, I barely heard him say my name as he lost himself inside of me, filling me.

  My hands wrapped around his neck, pulling our sweaty bodies closer together. His lips found mine and I kissed him feverishly, letting him know I felt the chemistry between us too. Once we had finally caught our breaths, Evan helped me up from his lap before carefully fixing his pants and my dress.

  “You are so fucking perfect.”

  Reaching up I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his lips closer to mine, “Evan, I love you.”

  His dark, beautiful eyes lit up, revealing hints of amber I hadn’t noticed before. “I love the fuck out of you.” Our lips crashed, and our tongues became entangled once again. Placing one last kiss on the top of my head, he led me down the wooden stairs. “I think we need to get back. I wouldn’t want them sending out a search party for us.”

  “You’re probably right.”

  The rest of the night went smoothly. The dinner was impeccable. We dined on prime roast and roasted pheasant. I hadn’t had pheasant before and it was a little different than what I expected, but I enjoyed it. After the toasts were done, the guests were fed, and the cake was cut, the guests were asked to join the bride and groom on the dance floor. Evan’s arms were tightly around me the whole time as we watched them dance.

  While everyone was dancing, a sudden commotion out in the entrance, near the water fountain, caught our attention. Evan kissed the top of my head and pulled his arms from mine as he walked out to see what was happening. I quickly followed, motioning for Eve and Theron to follow us. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could prepare me for what we found waiting for us.

  My stepfather was standing in front of the fountain, demanding to the staff that I be found immediately. I reached for Evan, but it was too late. He took off and headed straight toward him. “Get. The. Fuck. Out.”

  Everything happened so quickly. Behind me, I could hear Eve yelling for Theron to call 911. Meanwhile, Theron was pulling Eve from the room as people scattered like cockroaches running from the light. In my confusion, I stepped towards Evan, who was just standing mere feet away from Nick. That’s when I saw it. In my stepfather’s hand he held a gun, and until the moment he saw me behind Evan, it wasn’t focused on me. It was focused on Evan.

  I couldn’t lose the one person I needed most in my life. Fighting my way around Evan, I yelled at my dad. “Why? Why couldn’t you just let me be?”

  “I’m here for you, but it’s because of him. You both know too much,” Nick shouted as spit flew from his lips. He was deranged.

  “I won’t allow you to hurt him,” I screamed back. I wasn’t going to give into him.

  Evan, the dumb bastard, picked me up and spun us around setting me on the ground behind him. “Kayla, for fuck sakes, I have this. Please, for once, just trust me. Go to Theron.”

  Shaking my head, I stared back at him with tears streaming from my eyes.

  “Kayla! Go!” he demanded firmly.

  Just then, someone lifted me up from behind, pulling me away from him. I screamed, my fists slamming into Theron’s back as he ran back into the hall with me thrown over his shoulder. “Theron, no! I can’t lose him.”

  “You won’t. This is what he knows. It’s what he does. Have faith in the man.”

  I kicked and screamed, trying to get back to him. When I was finally able to break free, I watched as Evan body slammed my stepfather into a giant vase next to the water fountain. Pieces of ceramic shattered everywhere, and the gun Nick was holding slid across the floor just feet out of his reach. Racing into the room, I ran through the fountain and around to where they were still wrestling on the floor. The gun felt heavy in my hands as I picked it up off the floor.

  “Stop! Just stop!” I screamed, yelling frantically, trying to get their attention. When Evan saw the gun in my hands, he quickly rose to his feet.

  “Baby, what are you doing?” Evan asked calmly.

  “I just want him to go away.” Tears slid down my face as I pointed the gun down at the man who had ruined my life.

  “Fuck you. You’re nothing but a little cunt. You can’t even use a gun.”

  My fingers released the safety and I centered my aim between his eyes. “You don’t get to speak.”

  Evan took a gentle step closer to me, with his hands stretched out in front of him. “Kayla––look at me, don’t look at him.”

  “I’m just so tired. Why can’t they just let me go?”

  “I know you are. Baby, I need you to put the gun down.”

  Switching the gun to only one hand, I wiped the tears pouring down my face, while still keeping the gun pointed at my stepfather. “Leave me alone. I hate you.” Nick stared up at me, blood dripping down his face from a cut above his eye. His eyes were wide. He was scared of me and it made me feel a power I had never experienced before.

  My eyes flashed quickly to the side where Evan was taking another step towards me. I was almost within his reach. “He’s not worth it. Do you hear me? Kayla, look at me.”

  Turning my head, I looked back at the man who was willing to die for me just a few minutes earlier. “He hurt me. He could’ve killed you.”

  “I know, but he didn’t. Kayla, do you love me?”

  “Yes,” I replied without hesitation.

  “Then, baby, hand me the gun.” Losing my resolve, I dropped my arms and lowered the gun toward the floor. Evan carefully reached for my wrists, slipping the gun out of my hand, and putting the safety back on before tucking it in the back of his waistband. With a nod of his head, he lifted me from my spot, spinning us away as police swarmed in around us. In my haste, I hadn’t even realized the police were already there. The whole time I was so worried I was going to lose Evan that I never took notice of my surroundings.

  I stood with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, holding Evan’s hand as I watched my stepfather being escorted off to jail. “Excuse me, ma’am,” an approaching officer greeted. “I know this evening has been quite the shock for you, but can you tell me if you know a Paul Cozlaski?”

  “Yes. He’s my ex. Why?”

  “It seems he was waiting for you in your father’s car.”

  “Stepfather,” I quickly corrected him. I wanted nothing to do with that man.

  “Sorry––it seems he was waiting for you in your stepfather’s car. We found a handful of plastic zip ties, what we believe to be chloroform, garbage bags, and a few old rags in the trunk. Paul had one rag already wet and zip ties on his person. We’ve bagged everything for evidence.”

  I fell back into Evan as the officer explained everything to me. They really had come for me. I don’t see how kidnapping me was going to solve the problem, but they obviously did. Evan softly rubbed my arms as I stood there in shock.

  “If I could give you some advice––off the record,” Evan stated, leaning in to catch the officer’s attention.

  “Okay. Off the record.”

  Evan took the pen from the officer’s hand and wrote a number on his pad of paper. “I would give that number a call. There’s a good chance there’s a federal agent looking for those men you just arrested. They may or may not be invol
ved in a large money laundering case. A catch like that would look great on paper. Of course, this is all off the record.” Evan shook the officer’s hand as he nodded in agreement.

  Once the police had gotten their statements from everyone involved, as well as the witnesses, they finally left. The DJ in the other room kicked the music up louder and everyone slowly filtered back into the reception as though some crazed lunatic with a gun hadn’t just showed up in the lobby, yelling for one of the guests.

  Eve’s immediate family, Theron, Evan, and I stood around the water fountain as the staff swept up the remaining pieces of the shattered vase. Robert wrapped his arm around Brix pulling her closer to him. I felt awful. These atrocious events had transpired on their special day.

  “Robert, please forgive me––I didn’t know. I feel awful.”

  Giving me a soft smile, he shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t think anyone ever plans for that kind of thing. I’m just glad you’re not hurt. Although, maybe next time you should listen to Evan––it seems he knows what he’s doing.”

  I sheepishly dropped my head in response. I wonder how much of it could have been avoided if I would have just done what I was told. Eve’s parents gave me hugs, holding me a little longer than I was used to, while giving Evan pats on the back before finally heading back into the reception with Robert and his wife.

  Theron stood across from me and gently grasped my face in his hands, “You stupid girl––I love you, but God damn. You gave me a heart attack. I never want to see that again.”

  Nodding my head in agreement, I wrapped my arms around Eve as she butted her way between us. “Dude, you totally kicked ass. It was like some crazy martial arts movie. You went all, Kill Bill, running through that fountain. It looked amazing.”

  I laughed as Theron corrected her, “Eve. Seriously?”

  “Sorry. I mean, don’t do that shit again, no matter how cool it looks.” She tried her best to recover but Theron still rolled his eyes. I don’t know why he seemed surprised. She never listened to him anyways. “What’s the plan? Are you guys coming back in?”

  Shaking my head, I pulled Evan closer to me. “No, I just want to go home. And I’m taking him with me.”

  “Okay. You guys be safe. I love you.”

  “I love you too.” Giving her another soft squeeze, I said my goodbyes. All I wanted was my bed and Evan. It didn’t matter in which order.

  Once Eve and Theron had walked back into the hall, Evan lifted me from the ground and carefully wrapped my legs around him. “I’m taking you home.”

  “Thank the fucks for that, but I can walk, you know.”

  “I know, but I’d rather you be here, where I can keep you safe in my arms.” Burying myself against him I closed my eyes as he walked us to the Jeep. “Baby, are you tired?”

  “Exhausted. Promise me you won’t leave me.”

  “Never. I love you. I was born to take care of you.” Evan set me down gently in my seat and made sure my seatbelt was secured before getting into the driver’s seat. “Let’s get you home.”

  My eyes drifted closed as I watched him from the passenger seat. He was so amazing, and he was all mine. I vaguely remember us getting home as he carried me up the stairs and laid me down in our bed. When I felt his body next to mine, I finally felt at peace. He might have been born to protect me, but I was born to love him. And that’s exactly what I was going to do.

  Evan

  Three Months Later

  F ate was something I never understood. I had watched men fall and die for what they believed in. I had witnessed a woman take on her only son just to preserve the fate of her grandson. I had watched a girl be broken over and over again, only to come out stronger every time. Kayla was everything I had ever wanted. For some reason, fate had decided all of those things, drawing me closer to her. I missed my chance the first time around, but I didn’t let go the second time. I was never letting go.

  The sun was shining and the waves were crashing along the shore, everything was perfect. I stood waiting in my baby blue button-down dress shirt and dark gray dress shorts with my toes deep in the sand. Everyone we valued was seated in the white chairs on top of the bamboo mats they had laid out. How I had convinced her to come to Hawaii still blew my mind. I never thought she’d agree to it. When I proposed, I think I shocked both of us.

  At first, she was hesitant because she couldn’t give me a family. What she didn’t understand is that she was my family. I didn’t need anyone else but her. Once she finally understood the depth of my love, she said yes. It only took a few minutes of kissing to convince her. Turns out, she was just as addicted to me as I am to her.

  The music began to play, and my eyes were drawn up to the beautiful blonde at the end of the aisle. Her long, flowing white cotton dress waved in the breeze as her gorgeous blonde curls cascaded loosely down her back. I loved when she left her hair down. My beautiful angel took a step towards me and my heart lurched forward in my chest. It took everything in me to stand there and wait for her to come to me. At the touch of her hand in mine, I knew every second was worth it.

  We stood hand-in-hand in front of the minister, waiting eagerly to recite our vows. We had each taken the time to write our own…it was our way of showing the world how much we truly loved each other.

  The minister turned to Kayla when it was finally her turn. My heart pounded in my ears as she began to speak.

  “Evan, I have loved you longer than I am willing to admit, and I have watched as you saved my best friend, while at the same time, you weren’t afraid to call her out on her shit. You were honest, strong, brave, and most importantly––loyal. If I’m honest with myself, I can say I loved you a little then. These past few months have flown by. Before you, I was angry and bitter at the world. I had been broken and scarred by those who were supposed to love me the most. Then you came along, demanding entrance to my heart, and no matter how hard I fought back, you were able to break down my walls. In doing so, you won the most precious gift I have to offer––myself. I will love you with every beat of my heart, and every breath in my lungs until my body ceases to exist. And then I will love you so much longer than that. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the beautiful golden angel in front of me. I would have killed for her. I would have died for her. There was nowhere she could go where I wasn’t willing to follow. Bowing his head, the minister turned to me. It was my turn.

  “Kayla, I love you more than I have loved anyone or anything in my life. My world has always had a dark cloud cast over it. The shield of armor I once held has been broken and shattered more times than I can count. I scarred from the damage, and yet, you saw something in me I couldn’t find on my own. When I am with you, I feel something other than pain. I see something other than the dark. You are my perfect medicine. I need you to breathe, to sleep, and to live. You’ll never truly understand how much you have saved me. I will spend the rest of my life and eternity proving to you how much you mean to me. You are worth every ounce of love I have for you and so much more. I cannot wait to start our family together. We can get aquariums full of fish, feisty puppies, cute little kittens, adopt, foster, or we can just be us and travel the world. Whatever you want, or need, I will do my best to give it to you. Anything you want, baby. I love you.”

  My hands reached for her face, grasping it gently, before bringing her lips to mine. Her silky lips tasted like heaven as I ran my tongue across them. A soft moan escaped her lips. With one hand wrapped around her waist, and the other knotted in her curls, I pulled her body closer to mine.

  Clearing his throat, the minister laughed, “I guess you can kiss the bride. I now pronounce you, husband and wife.”

  Breaking the kiss, I pressed my forehead to hers. “I guess I was supposed to wait.”

  “I didn’t mind.” She smiled up at me with her big beautiful eyes, and for the first time in my life, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Kayla was no
w my wife and I would spend the rest of my life protecting and caring for her.

  Lifting her into the air, I wrapped her legs around my waist and carried her down the aisle. Screw anyone who would judge us. Fate had brought her to me, and we were finally the way we were meant to be––wrapped around one anther and madly in love.

  Shadows

  Eve is a beautiful woman surrounded by her friends and family. In her twenty-six years of life, nothing exciting has ever happened to her. Everything is going perfectly for her. Little does she know, one summer at the beach could change her life forever.

  Theron is the son of a cutthroat multi-billionaire business tycoon. He thought he left behind the world his father created, but things change. His only hope at overcoming his past, is finding the one person he lost so very long ago.

  When Eve bumps into Theron, their worlds collide. Nothing can prepare them for the instant fireworks and roller coaster ride waiting for them.

  When evil starts to surround them, intent on destroying them, Eve runs into trouble.

  Can Theron and Eve find Light among the Shadows? Or will evil win?

  Light

  Secrets are dangerous. If not dealt with carefully, they can ruin lives.

  But they can also save them.

  Eve is moving on with her life while trying to put her days with Theron behind her.