by Eden Rose
Adore Me
Eden Rose
Book Four:
The Lucky Family Series
Author's Note:
Hello, thank you for reading!
This series is important to me because I got to implement my two favorite topics: tall dark and dangerous men and forbidden love.
This series is set to give a full and complete story over five full novels. The subject matter is adult and could be more violent, but this is a love story.
It is not my intention to criminalize nor demonize anyone apart of the underworld.
This is completely fictional and any relationship to a person (dead or living) is completely coincidental.
Smooches,
Eden Rose
I own all rights to these stories ©2014
Dedication:
To my friends and family for loving and supporting me to always wave my freak flag high. I love you all.
Chapter 1
I walked into the room where they all were. Everyone looked up at me as I brushed the rest of the sand off of my body. I must have looked homeless with sand covering my body.
I cleared my throat and smoothed my dress down. "Vincent, may I have a moment?" I asked as confident as I could. Inside I was anything but confident. I felt as if an ocean took the place of my stomach and is crashing against the shore. I am so nervous and extremely worried that I am doing the wrong thing.
"Yes, what's going on?" He adjusted himself in his chair to direct his attention on me.
I couldn't do this in here. Not with everyone looking at me. "In private."
Vincent stood up and walked towards me. He excused himself and we walked out of the club house. I led him to the golf mound that I was sitting on and I sat down and so did he. "What is going on?"
I tried to figure out the words the best that I could. This was too hard. "Vincent, I need to end things with you." The words felt like poisonous snakes as they slipped out of my mouth. If I knew another way around this, I would go with it. I feel as if my breathing is slowing and my heartbeat is depleting.
His head shot up and looked at me with angry eyes. "Why?" He almost screamed his question at me. "Are you kidding me? I just put a contract up on my best friend for taking you!" All of the words were like tiny knives that stabbed me.
I recoiled and started to hunch but quickly straightened myself out. "This is all too much. Everything that has happened is killing me inside. I walked around New York without a care in the world to find out that people wanted to kill me. This won't work. We won't work. I can't live my life afraid of what can happen next. I honestly love you, but I need to do this for myself." I turned my face away from him and looked up at the moon. Closing my eyes tight, I wished for the moon to take me away.
"Um." He was quiet as he processed what to say next. Vincent must have known that what I was saying was actually valid. "What can I do?" He whispered and reached out to touch my arm.
Upon contact, I wanted to take it all back, but I needed boundaries. If I can't take care of myself then who will? No one. "There is really nothing that you can do. I am not sure where to go from here. There has been too much to fathom."
I could feel the hot air that was blowing out of his mouth as I assumed, he was trying to keep his temper down. "Are you sure you want to end things? I don't want us to be apart. Please, tell me that you changed your mind." I knew he wanted to say other things to me but the fact that he is being nice, helps me.
That accent does me every time. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes tighter. This is really hard. I wanted to be with him and live happily ever after, but that won't happen. "I want to be with you; however, I want you to be really with me and you can't because of your lifestyle."
He didn't say anything, and I took out my new cell phone and found a number for a taxi. I needed to get away from Vincent because my resolve was fading.
Vincent gripped my elbow with enough force for me to know that he was not happy about this. His words that came next, gutted me and I felt like the biggest wimp ever. "You are really going to do this? I love you so much. I am sorry for everything that has happened to you. These past couple of days have been agony."
"I know what you mean," I breathed out and opened my eyes which were blurry. Part of me wanted to say to hell with it and run off with him. However, the rational side of my brain knew that I wouldn't be happy. "We both deserve to be happy. A relationship shouldn't be about tracking devices and- and- and-and clocking the other person. We should be able to trust each other, be able to go out to dinner without being interrupted. I can't remember the last time that we were together, and somebody didn't interrupt our time. Do you really want to have a relationship like that? Honestly, how are we supposed to be together when you are always with them?" As I was talking, I realized how jealous I was about the family. The mere factor that Vincent spends so much time with them and not me killed. "Do you like having to worry about whether or not I am going to be shot or drugged? This is not what I expected." I really wanted to take back and eat all of those words. The fact that he was quiet really scared me.
The hand that held my elbow moved to my cheek and he forced my face to look at him. "I don't like having to worry about that. However, I made a choice to not live without you. This," he took his hand off my cheek and waved his hand between our bodies, "isn't over. I don't accept that. We will work this out and be happy."
I loved his words and I bathed in them as I listened to them. "How can we be happy? We left the state and they followed us. I feel as if I am also under a microscope. What is there to do to make us feel whole again?" Give me pretty words, Vincent. Make me believe that I am being foolish, and we can ride off into the sunset.
"First off, I will handle the family. Second of all, I decided that I need you in my life. All of this that happened has only proved how strong my feelings are for you. And I know you have feelings for me. Please, don't walk away from me. What is it that you need?" His accent was thick. The words that came out of his mouth were so enthralling.
I don't want this to be over, truthfully but I need to take care of myself. Too much has happened, and I am so worried that one day I am going to hate myself for not doing that. "I think I need some time. All of this is so scary and intense. Can you give me that?"
The silence scared me more than ever. So much can happen during the quiet. Vincent hummed to himself and scratched his neck. "Of course. Under a few conditions."
Really? He is going to put rules on my time. Apparently, Vincent didn't know what give me time meant. "What are those?"
"That you still stay in my house," I opened my mouth to object, but he put his hand up. "Wait a minute," he put his hand further on my face. "You can sleep in the couch room if you don't want to sleep with me. This way I can make sure you are safe. You won't have to do coupley things with me. Hell, I will make it, so you don't even know I am there. Another condition, you stop saying that you want to end things. I know that you are stressed, but it would kill me if you were to leave me permanently. Can you agree with these terms?" He turned my ending things with him into making it seem like a business arrangement.
In truth, I did not have anywhere else to go since I am not really on speaking terms with Anne or Ronnie. Also, I really didn't want to live without Vincent, but I wanted to gain some boundaries. "Yes."
Chapter 2
When we arrived back to our side of New York, it has been nearly two days since I spoke to Anne. I knew that she and Ronnie came back too because the emails from work are sent to both us and she is the one that is responding. It was just a matter of time before I bump into her. Vincent had Stella had moved
my stuff into the room with the couch. I was amazed to see that they moved the couch and put a nice and comfortable bed in there for me and painted it a light green. Yes! No bluer. It has been about two days since I had spoken to Vincent. Sleeping in this room will be hard.
I thanked Stella and started to put my things away. In order to give myself something to distract myself from unpacking, I turned on the television and settled to watch some sappy Lifetime movie.
With my stuff put away, and now that the second movie is ending, someone knocked on the door. I got off the bed and opened it. Half expecting to see Vincent, there was Stella. I couldn't let her see my disappointment.
This was my idea to break up and I really didn't have any other place to go. I asked for this and I know that I am punishing him for something he really didn't do... but, I need to protect myself. The protection that I am trying to give myself is good, but it doesn't make it hurt any less.
"Did you want to eat up here or eat downstairs?" She asked as she scanned my new room. "Mr. Vincent isn't here." I could tell that is curious to see what I might have changed since I took over the room. I watched her eyes as they darted all over the place and I waited for her to acknowledge that I am watching her.
Due to my recent hospitalization, I have been commanded to take this week (today is Day 5 Since the Accident) easy in order to rest and heal. I understand the light duty and everything, but I am extremely bored and there is only so much Lifetime movies that I can endure. There is a follow up appointment with my new doctor at the end of the week and I am hoping to be released in order to go back to work.
I still read my emails and look up listings to see what's new in order to keep my mind from over analyzing everything. So far, I did find a new building that has been renovated. The building is older, but it is new to the market and I wanted to take it. I read in the information section that the new owners are dividing up the units and making them the new It place in Manhattan with only fifteen units.
"I will eat on the patio," I said to her as I turned around and slipped into a tee shirt since I am only wearing a tank. I followed her down the stairs and walked outside. The serenity I feel normally when I go out onto the patio is now nonexistent.
There were workers that are out working on the pool which is strange because I don't remember anything being mentioned about work being done. "Hi, what are you doing?" My attempt on not sounding accusatory definitely failed. Even though I asked the question, I still felt as if I’m interrogating them.
"Your husband wanted us to be a heater in the pool for you," the worker said. When he said husband, I am about 150% sure that it would have hurt a whole hell of a lot less if he were to stab me.
My civility has left and it’s time to focus on other things.
I was trying very hard these past couple of days to avoid him. The most tormented part about living in here is walking past his bedroom door and having to fight myself from going into his room. Vincent did keep his promise. I've rarely seen him and when I did, he would smile and walk away from me. After fighting myself from reaching out to touch him, I barely left my room unless I knew he was gone doing whatever it is that he does. Vincent's friends would come knock on my door to say hi and bye but that was the extent of human interaction that I had. My doctor has advised me that I take this week off from work and start back up the second week of September.
The workers looked at me expectantly, but I didn't have anything to say to them. "Um."
Stella came outside with my dinner. I ate in silence as I played on my tablet. There have been a few foreclosures in affluent buildings that have spiked my interest. As I chewed my food, I plot what to do with these units and begin to wonder how hard it is to get into the flipping business.
About thirty minutes later, the slider opened, and I heard screaming. "Savannah!"
I spun around and seen Annabeth and Bethany come through and sat at the table. They each had a bottle of wine and magazines. I didn't realize that I was so lonely until I seen them.
"Hey, what brings you to my little slice of heaven?" I asked as I received a glass of wine.
"We are going out! The guys brought us here for business and we want to get frisky!" Bethany exclaimed with her contagious giggle.
"I am not ready to go out..." I exclaim and finish my bite of chicken.
I heard a humph and a magazine slipped off the table. "You are so ready. Come on!" Annabeth pulled me off the patio chair and started to walk into the kitchen. I tried several times to yank my hand out of hers and she just held tighter.
"Where are we going to go?" I asked as we walked through the foyer to the stairs, well I'm being pulled. After being dragged this far, I have had enough. "Jesus Christ, woman! I am coming!"
"Good evening ladies," Vincent said to us. He looked absolutely delicious in his suit and blue tie. I wanted to mount him in the great room and have my wicked way with him. Who even cares that the great room is full of mobsters? They can watch or leave. I can just imagine unbuttoning his shirt and licking his tanned skin. Running my tongue over his sexy pecs and muscles. Watching his dick jump and strain against his pants while it begs for me to wrap my lips around its head.
"Savannah?" I hear a female voice that breaks me out of my fantasy.
I avoided eye contact as much as possible as my two friends spoke with Vincent. If my eyes look into his I am going to be lost.
"I will meet you upstairs," I told them as I climbed the stairs to my room. Once in my room, I changed out of my lounge clothes and put on a pair of tight jeans and a cute tank top. As I pulled up the jeans, my hand brushed against the mound of my sex. My eyes slowly started to close but I snapped out of it. I don't need my friend to walk in while my hand goes to work. By the time I was sitting at the mirror, Annabeth and Bethany came in. Thank all that is holy that I wasn't touching myself.
Yeah, but I'm still am tingling from the sensation.
"How can you sleep in this house and not want to tackle him? He is so hot that sometimes I forget that I am married!" Annabeth exclaimed as she plopped down on my bed. A gust of air shot through her mouth.
"It’s very hard," I admitted. We are in dire need of a subject change, so they won't find out how much I am torturing myself by enforcing this break. An old shrink of mine would have called me an emotional masochistic and emotional cutter seeming as this is all of my doing. "Where are we going?"
"Johnny doesn't want us to go to any bars that they don't own. Which gives us four bars in Manhattan to go to. That outfit looks so cute!"
I beamed over at her: "Thanks, Bethany. You look hot!" Bethany was wearing a short skirt and a tank top. I felt cold for her, but she still had such a good body for being a mother.
"Have you spoke to Anne since you left upstate?" Annabeth inquires at me as she went into the closet to pick out a pair of shoes for me.
"Negative," I spritzed some perfume on and took my wallet out of my everyday purse and transferred it to my evening bag. "Are we ready to go?" I didn't want to admit how much I missed my friend.
"Yep!" Bethany yelled as she fluffed her hair out and walked to my open door. "I need to say bye to my babe though."
I rolled my eyes and followed behind them like a dog. We walked down the stairs and I went to the front door in order to avoid being in another situation with Vincent. My resolve is fading and fading very fast.
As the girls said their farewells to their men, I stood stupidly at the front door waiting. Johnny, Vinny and Leo came up to me and gave me a hug. These guys are very nice, and I like the fact that they haven't treated me any differently due to the predicament.
"You look stunning!" Leo yelled as he hugged me and gave me an air kiss. "I am about to say screw this meeting and go with you ladies!" My wound still hurts, and he hugged me hard enough to make it throb hard.
Leo is such a flirt and I know he was just trying to make me feel good and everything, but I blushed all the way through my body. I didn't realize how starved I am for male affection.
Leo is very handsome and has blue eyes with dark features. He's really young and has a good body. I've heard before that he is a police officer or something and works in the gang unit. Ironic, I know.
Chapter 3
Vincent appeared at the door and tried to avoid looking at me by looking all over the place. I tried to avoid him too, but when our eyes met and locked, I wanted to run to him. He looked like a god as he stood there; within reach but still so far away. This man exudes confidence and I only witnessed a slight jaw twitch while we looked at each other. "Leo, we have business." That tone of voice he used said everything. He is not to be tested. His eyes looked dead and showed no emotion whatsoever.
I stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds that felt like hours after I refocused. "Come on girls, I want to be there for Ladies Night!" I yelled and pulled the door open, but it would not budge. For some reason his door was so heavy, and I heard him laughing at me as I struggled to open it. "Thanks for your help!" I screamed in a snide voice.