by M. P. Hingos
“So you love me huh?”
“Apparently everyone knew before I did,” she replied, chuckling, as she snuggled deeper in my arms.
“I thought maybe you did but I didn’t want to jinks it before you realized it yourself,” I said. ‘Ouch, what was that for?” I asked, rubbing my side where she grabbed and twisted.
“That’s for being a jerk to me earlier and for sounding arrogant,” she said, before leaning over and kissing the boo-boo she gave me.
I looked at her and couldn’t be more in love with her. She didn’t cater to my every whim, she didn’t stroke my ego and she sure as hell never listened to me. Instead she butted heads with me at any opportunity she got, she called me out on my bullshit and she wasn’t afraid to knock me down a peg or two. She was as perfect for me as I was for her. She was my match, plain and simple.
“I’m sorry baby, but I was so mad and was lashing out,” I said, hoping for redemption.
“I know babe and I’m sorry also. I didn’t take into consideration the effects of my actions on you. I acted purely on instincts and training, and before you have to point it out again, I know I’m no longer obligated to act as I did before because I’m not longer an agent. It took some time to get through to me but I’ve accepted it now. No more heroics from me okay.”
“Ally….”
“No Gabe, I’ve accepted it and I’m fine with it.”
“Okay baby.”
“So where do we go from here Gabe?”
“Ally, I love you, more than I ever thought possible for one person to love another and I know in my heart those feeling will never go away as long as I live, I only know, if it’s possible, it’s going to grow more and more with every breath I take. You are my soul mate and I want all my tomorrows to be with you. After tomorrow Ally, no matter what the outcome is, I am going to marry you…”
“But Gabe…”
“No buts Ally. I’m right and I don’t care if it takes me a lifetime to convince you I’m right. I’ll take everyday of that lifetime to show you I’m right…how right we are together. You’re the only woman for me babe and you’re the only woman I’ll ever want to marry.”
Without waiting to hear her reply, I jumped off the bed and ran into the living room as she called out my name.
**********
Less than a minute after he ran into the living he returned with his wallet in his hands. I sat up on the bed and watched as he dug through his wallet.
“Gotcha,” he exclaimed as he pulled out something and fisted his hand around it. Moving to the side of the bed, he knelt down and pulled me to him. As my legs swung of the bed he positioned himself between my legs and grasped my left hand with his free hand.
“Ally, would you marry me?” he asked, as he opened his fisted hand.
I gasped. In the palm of his hand laid an engagement ring. It was not huge or flashy. It was a plain, elegant, understated diamond solitaire ring. It was something I would have chosen for myself if I were to pick out my own engagement ring. It was perfect. And he was right. We were perfect. Our love for each other was perfect. Just like him I knew without a doubt there was no one else for me. No one else I could love the way I loved him, no one else my body would respond to the way it did for him, no one else who could complete me the way he did. I knew there were so many things we had to work out but I now believed in my heart we could figure them all out with time. With tears streaming down my face, I took his face in my hands and guided my lips to his. Before touching my lips to his I said what my heart, my body and soul screamed,
“Yes.”
I kissed him with every emotion I felt and felt his love pour into me. As he withdrew from the kiss he took the ring and slipped it on my finger. It was a perfect fit.
“I bought this the day you decided to give us a chance and extend your stay with me. I’ve kept it with me since then. I knew then that I was going to marry you.”
“Gabe, it’s perfect,” I said, realizing then how much he knew about me.
“Al, I know we have a lot to consider but there’s one thing I want you to know. I’ve been thinking about this before you came to L.A. and after we got together it made my decision easier. I never wanted to be far away from you again and I knew you would have eventually come back here. I’m moving back here. I’m gonna travel for work but my life is here Ally, close to my family and with you.”
I was speechless. His proposal was perfect but knowing that we were staying in New York was the cherry on top.
**********
Chapter 23
I woke up the next morning perfectly happy and content for the first time in my life. After hours of making love and talking, Gabe and I fell into a restful sleep. I turned to look at him only to find sparkling blue eyes staring at me.
“Good morning future wife,” he said.
“Good morning future husband,” I countered, before pushing him back and climbing on top of him. His arms snaked around me and I felt his huge erection pulsing against my thigh. He held my hair back from my face and pulled me to him. Our lips met and it was as explosive as it always was. Flipping me onto my back he nudged my legs apart with his and positioned his throbbing cock at my opening. Using the tip of his cock he rubbed against my clit, teasing me before pushing inside me. After a hundred years I don’t think I’d ever tire of the feel of him inside, the fullness I always felt. He pumped inside me, slowly and sensuous, over and over for what seems like an eternity before bringing me to the glorious peak I craved every time he was inside me. Our climax culminated into one and with one final thrust we both exploded.
“Promise me one thing?” I asked, after returning to earth.
“Anything baby,” he replied.
“Promise me that we get to do that every morning we spend together?”
“Oh baby. I promise. And even if we spend the night apart I promise to call you the next morning and with my word give you an unbelievable orgasm.”
I couldn’t wait for the rest of our lives together.
**********
“Where’s Tyler?” Gabe asked, scanning the room where we were all gathered.
Connor looked at his dad before addressing the room.
“Something came up with Anna last night so we had Tyler take her to the beach house to keep her safe. And before anyone asks we’ll fill you all in soon. For now let’s concentrate on the problem at hand. The sooner this one’s taken care of the sooner we could take care of Anna’s okay.” Without waiting for an answer he continued, “Alexis texted Jonah around seven this morning stating she landed. She said she’s going to crash for a couple of hours at a friend’s place before coming over here around lunchtime. We can’t believe anything she says that’s why Max is insisting we implement our set up plan early and have everyone vacate the penthouse.”
We all agreed on the set up plan last night. Tess, Mavis and Betsy were being moved to Mavis and Betsy’s house with Lucas and Andrew Topper, another member of Sterling’s security team. Gabe’s mom and dad, together with Marianna and Connor’s housekeeper Rebecca, were going to be sequestered at his parents house with an additional three men to keep them safe. It was strange splitting everyone up but Max pointed out it was safer in the event Alexis had something else up her sleeves. This way she couldn’t get to everyone at the same time. Gabe insisted on staying with me, even though I’d be safe on the floor below the penthouse and Cane and Dell refused to leave our sides. Connor also insisted on staying, wanting to see Alexis in handcuffs once and for all, especially after everything she’s put Tess through and of course Sterling wasn’t letting Connor out of his sight. The man did take his protection of Connor very seriously. Max needed Jonah here because his cell phone was here. The last thing he needed was Alexis calling instead of texting and Jonah was no where near. As soon as it was confirmed she’s in the building Jonah would be rushed to where we would be gathered and out of harms way.
Max was already here with ten undercover agents, who came in the same way everyo
ne was leaving. The private elevator and underground parking afforded us the privacy we needed in the event that Alexis was watching the building. We all said our good-byes and then took our places and welcomed the waiting game.
**********
“It’s after two. Where is she?” Gabe asked, frustrated as hell.
It’s the same question I’ve been asking myself for the past two hours. She texted Jonah and confirmed she was on her way to see him around a quarter to twelve and I think everyone’s adrenaline spiked. Since then it’s been radio silence and Alexis never entered the building.
**********
“I think we’re being played,” Max said to the agent sitting next to him in Ally’s apartment. He knew it was a possibility but hoped that she had taken the bait. They had a simple plan for her capture. He had an agent posing as the door attendant and another one as the building concierge, as well as eight others hidden on the penthouse floor. They would allow her to get to the penthouse floor but take her before she got into the penthouse, but the whole plan hinged on her actually coming to the penthouse, which at this time didn’t look as though it was happening. In his gut he knew she was up to something devious.
**********
“Why haven’t they called,” Tess asked impatiently, her watchful eyes going from the huge grandfather clock in the living room to the watch on her wrist. Both carried the same time, which seemed to increase her agitation.
“Tess would you please try to calm down. All this fussing isn’t good for the baby,” Mavis implored.
“She’s right Tess and I’m sure they’ll call with some news soon. Why don’t you lay down for a bit. We’ll wake you as soon as we hear anything,” I pleaded with her.
“Lucas, I love you but if you tell me to lay down one more time I’m gonna throw something at you okay.”
Why couldn’t she do what I asked her to do just this once. There really wasn’t any reasoning with her sometimes, especially now that she’s pregnant.
“Fine, then just sit and put your god-damm feet up for a bit will ya.”
“Fine,” she said in a puff, throwing herself down on at the far end of the sofa Mavis sat on. With a sigh, Mavis scooted next to her, picked her feet up and began rubbing. The soft whimper that came from her had me smiling. Good, that would relax her for a bit. She was one of the few people I genuinely loved in this world and she definitely took the spot as brattiest little sister. I didn’t see her as someone I protected on a daily basis, but as someone I’d do anything to keep safe because I loved her. If only I could hunt down her psychotic step-sister Alexis and put a bullet in her brain.
**********
Oh how it made me laugh seeing them hustling in and out of the building, moving to take their places, scrambling to put their plan in the works to take me down. To any other person there was nothing out of the ordinary going on around the building but to me I saw all the subtle changes they’ve made. The door attendant was definitely FBI, as well as the couple sitting outside on the bench in front of the building. Five heavily tinted SUVs went in, possibly with FBI agents and four cars belonging to the Steele family left. It was easy to pinpoint the one with Tessa in it. They may think that I’m rash and egotistical considering how easily they thought they tricked me, but with only time on my hands I’ve been a very busy girl over the last few months. I know every vehicle that belonged to the Steele family members and I know of all the properties they own. I also know everything I needed to know about the people they considered near and dear. My plans in L.A. may have been thwarted by my bitch of a sister Ally, but I intended to end it here and today. I followed the car that Tessa rode in and from the direction in which it headed I knew exactly where it was going. Time for plan “Kill those two bitches”.
I stopped off at a diner for a late breakfast and enjoyed the little feast I ordered. No use following the car with Tessa in it when I knew exactly where they were headed. The last thing I wanted was to be spotted following her and throwing a wrench in my plans. I savored the food as much as I savored the idea of killing Tessa. I hated her from the day I met her and didn’t think my hatred could grow even more until the day I saw her picture in a magazine. She was enjoying a life that was made for me. The billionaire boyfriend and the lifestyle his wealth afforded. I wanted him as mine and I wanted the money that came with him. My mother was more than eager to see that I got what I rightfully deserved and together we were on a mission to do so. Things were falling into place when we sprung the surprise on Connor that his perfect angel was a drunken killer, killing a family of four after a wild night of partying and then getting behind the wheel to drive home when she was sixteen. He believed every word my mother told him until my traitorous sister Ally had to ruin everything.
She was the one who told him the truth. That I was the one who was actually driving and I was the one who crashed into that family’s car killing them all and that with the help of my mother and the blackmail of my friends and a prosecutor had Tessa arrested and charged. Off course, everything went to shit when the witnesses disappeared and there was no corroborating statements and physical evidence proved to be inconclusive and didn’t add up to Tessa driving. All the charges were eventually dropped and she was free to go. Connor should have been mine before he had the opportunity to find out the truth but his stupid, blinding love for her prevented him from seeing the best thing for him standing in front of him. I hated her even more and swore she would never have him but my stupid mother once again fucked up my plans and screwed me over by trying to kill him at his and Tessa‘s engagement party, forcing me to ditch everything I had in the works and clear out of New York.
I vowed then to get my revenge and what better way than to take out the whole family, leaving Tessa for last so that she could suffer knowing that it was her fault they were all dead. I made my way to the west coast, changing my appearance after every stop I made. I had more than enough money to sustain me, having killed in New York for all that I had. An old boyfriend of my mother’s was the extravagant benefactor. Off course after I made him my bitch he was willing to do anything for me, even though I had to tolerate his overweight, repulsive body on top of mine. However by the time I had my way with him he knew without a doubt he belonged to me. It didn’t take long for me to have him empty his saving and hand it over to me. It felt good putting a bullet between his eyes when I needed to make a run with the money.
I didn’t touch that money as I made my way to the west coast. Men were such fickle creatures that a week of hardcore sex, doing to them things they never imagined a woman would do in their wildest dreams and they were more than willing to hand over everything they had. Off course threatening to post videos that I made of them doing those things helped a whole lot when it came to them parting ways with their money. If the FBI knew how many bank accounts I cleaned out and how many bodies I left in my wake they’d be amazed. I couldn’t very well leave my marks alive knowing they would eventually go to the cops.
California was a breeze. I found the perfect benefactor there. A seventy two year old gentleman with a sweet mansion who was more than taken with a country girl from Nebraska. Thank God I don’t have to put his limp dick in my mouth one more time. He was my last kill before coming back to New York. Jonah was almost as gullible as he was. The beach boy falling for the sweet country girl. Off course after the first time between the sheets I had him exactly where I wanted him. I got all the information I needed on Gabriel Steele and spent my days planning his demise. Jonah never pressured me to meet Gabriel after I acted distraught and totally overwhelmed at the thought of meeting one of the world’s biggest movie stars and I played that to my advantage every time he hinted at me meeting Gabriel. Now Jonah was going to be one of my sweetest kills. I decided the night I planted the bomb and Ally ended up saving the day that I was going to eventually kill him. Off course I didn’t plan that initially but after seeing the FBI raid the apartment I used for my trysts with Jonah I knew Ally must have connected the dots and the
only way she could have done that was with Jonah’s help. He had no loyalty to me and his betrayal stung for a minute. But the thing that sealed his fate was when I realized he was setting me up with his texts. Bet he didn’t realize how I turned the tables on him, on them all.
I looked at the watch at my wrist and noted the time. How time files when you’re about to have fun. It was a little after eleven and time to set my plans into motion.