Forever With Me
2018 © Trilina Pucci LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including by photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the author, except for inclusions or brief quotations in a review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover by Okay Creations
Formatting by Champagne Book Design
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Epigraph
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Other Books
About the Author
Carter Williams is dead.
“How the hell did this happen, Foster? Cole wasn’t anywhere near Carter. Did he die from something caused by Cole hitting him that night? I don’t understand.” My screeching increased. “I just want answers!” My heart is pounding as I grab clothes to put on. Just an hour ago, I was dressed in barely anything, waiting for Cole to come home and devour me, now I’m moments away from a full-scale panic attack.
“I’m operating on very little information. I need for you to call your lawyers because my hands are tied now. He is being questioned and held downtown. I don’t know how long I can keep it all quiet before the media gets a hold of it. The only Hail Mary is that all of this happened in the middle of the night. Once morning breaks, so do the stories…” Media?!… I am not prepared for this. I don’t even know how to navigate all of this. The momentary thought stops me in my tracks. What am I doing? Not only am I failing my husband, but I’m responsible for bringing this all on him. This is all my fault and I don’t even know the name of his fucking lawyers! I don’t know what to do. I feel my panic rise and my phone beeps. Pulling away, I see it’s my mom and just like that, my focus regains, because I know she will know what to do.
“Foster, I have to ring you back… Mom, please tell me you already know…”
“Yes, I’m coming up. Richard has reached out to the best criminal attorney in the city. He’s heading downtown now. Get dressed, if you aren’t already.” I hear the elevator doors open and relief floods my body to see her walk in. She looks beautiful and elegant, but most importantly she looks calm. I need someone calm, because I am all inner turmoil.
“Mom, thank you for coming over so quickly! I need you. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m not sure where to begin with all of this. What do I do?”
“Honey, where else would I be? Now listen, you’re going to need to pull it together because this is what we do, Mia, as wives of very powerful men, we handle things with grace and most importantly composure.” My mother is a badass… if I’ve ever wondered, now I know.
“Okay.” Letting out a deep breath of determination. “I need to speak to the attorney, ASAP.”
After spending too much time on the phone with the attorney Richard retained, I understand that they are waiting to release Cole and he’s being held at the precinct. While listening to the attorney, Alex rushes in, yelling about photographers by the front entrance. I hang up the phone and immediately walk into the living room to hear more, noticing that morning has apparently arrived.
“Grace! It’s unreal, they are everywhere, just waiting to nab a pic of Mia or Cole, it’s all over the news!” She waves her hands in the air and grabs the remote. As soon as the television comes to life, the headline reads ‘Communications mogul arrested for murder.’ Every channel she flips to there’s a headline reading something similar. Worse are the reports of his stock prices dropping. I’ve quite literally ruined his life. I won’t do this to him. I will find a way to fix this. I have no idea how, but I will figure out a way. My cell buzzes and I look down to see it’s Foster.
“Hey, tell me you have some good news.”
“I’ve got Cole. We are on our way to you.” Closing my eyes, relief floods my body.
“Foster, there are paparazzi and news crews all over the front. Come the around back.”
“On it,” and with that, we hang up.
Looking up at everyone in my house, I can see their eyes trained on me, wondering what my conversation is about. “Cole has been arraigned and released. I love you, but everyone has to go. I need some privacy with my husband.” I realize I seem cold and removed, but I don’t care right now. “I need to have some hard conversations with Cole and I do not need an audience.” I hug everyone and reassure them that I’ll keep everyone posted as I walk them to the door.
The minute everyone is gone, I feel a sweeping sense of regret. The emptiness is almost unbearable, the waiting feels traumatic. When I hear the elevator ring, I begin a full sprint toward the doors. I truly have never had such relief mixed with agony. Cole looks up with his suit jacket in hand, tired and depleted. I leap at him wrapping my arms around his neck and sending him back a few steps.
“Shhh, don’t cry, I’m okay. I’m okay.” I don’t even register my tears; I can’t think of anything other than never letting go of this man.
“I’m so sorry, Cole. This is my fault. I caused this and I swear I’ll fix it! I’ve ruined your life!! I just love you so much and I’m so damned sorry!”
“Stop, Mia, don’t do that…don’t do that to us. We are more than stock prices. I’m okay. I didn’t kill him, so don’t worry.” I pull back to look him, in to those beautiful eyes and realize he might think I doubt his innocence.
“Cole,” I whisper letting him go and standing in front of him, “of course you’re innocent, but it wouldn’t matter to me otherwise. It wouldn’t matter if you did it. I’m here, for good. I don’t care if that makes me a crazy person. I’m here… no matter.” I don’t know how to express the depths of my love for him. I honestly wouldn’t care if he’d done it because I know that if he was ever forced to make a decision like that, it wouldn’t be because he was a monster, but because he was protecting me. I am his and he is mine, forever.
“You are amazing, Mia.” His eyes bore into my soul, down to the depths that are filled with an endless amount of love for this man. I hope that in this moment he can feel my dedication to him. Silently answering my question, he leans down and kisses me, lingering as he pulls back just enough that I can feel him start to smile.
“We have a conversation to have now that we’ve had our ‘love yous’”, he smiles as he brushes a stray hair from my forehead.
“I know, trust me, I have questions and I expect answers.”
His lips pressing into a hard line and nod is all the recognition I need as acknowledgment to the seriousness of this impending conversation.
We make our way to the couch and sit down facing each other. I usually loved when tensions built between us, but this kind of tension truly sucks.
“Go first. Honestly, I don’t even know where to start,” exasperated breath
.
Looking directly at me, Cole takes a deep breath and opens his mouth to speak.
“Wait,” I interrupt. “How? Why do they think you’re responsible? Start there. Explain why your name is even in the mix. I just don’t get it, Cole, I know you lost it when they arrested him at the hotel, is that why? Did you hit him so hard that it caused his death later? I mean, you’re strong, but that’s Hulk-like strength. Besides it appears too much time would have passed. I feel like there’s a piece I’m missing. Explain this to me, tell me I’m crazy and that you had nothing to do with his death. I mean—” I am cut off mid panic by hot and tender lips, my eyes close and I feel exactly what I need. Cole. We linger in the moment allowing ourselves to connect. My body needs him, I need to feel this tether. Without it, I’m lost and panicked and clearly, Cole could feel and see it too.
Pulling away Cole runs his thumb across my bottom lip and smiles, “Sorry, I had to pull out the big guns to make you calm down. Take a breath, baby. I don’t have anything to do with his murder. But, and this is something you need to stay calm for even though I didn’t kill him, I’m not innocent of wanting or almost actually taking his life.”
Fuck. There it is. The words I was hoping wouldn’t come out of his mouth. I feel numb and I’m waiting for the panic, or maybe the fear to come over me, but all I feel is rage. I’m so damned mad at him. I can feel the distinct need to choke him to death!
“Goddamnit! Cole! You are a son of a bitch. I can’t believe you! If I didn’t love you so much, I would kill you. Choke you to death right now. I mean, what the hell were you thinking, because going to jail and leaving me a sad little, lonely wife is NOT an option!” I realize that I’m yelling when I see the look on his face and feel my arms waving around.
Sitting with his hands raised and his eyebrows paired to match, he frowns. “Baby, I’m sorry. Please understand, I was filled with rage after he hurt you again and I will not apologize for protecting you. I went to the hospital with the intention to take his life, but I couldn’t go through with it. I couldn’t do that to us; become that kind of monster. Risk that kind of future for us. I’m sorry, Mia, but I’m not sorry he’s dead.”
Closing my eyes, I lean my head back and try to steady my mind and let what he’s saying sink in. The reality is I believe I would’ve probably done the same thing in his shoes and I can’t expect him to behave any differently than I would. The truth is that Carter was a monster that tried to take my life from me twice, I have zero sympathy for his death.
I open my eyes with a steadying breath and say, “Me neither, and you don’t owe me an apology. I’m sorry I yelled, but I am so overwhelmed by this shit! I feel like I’m losing my mind, Cole.”
“I know, when it rains it really pours. I promise we’ll get through this. Trust me?” Holding his hand out toward me, he shrugs his shoulders and I can see he needs me to reassure him that we’re okay.
“Always,” I promise, taking his hand.
For the next hour, Cole tells me how the hospital video from his aborted attempt on Carter’s life was the karmic assbite that the police used to link him to Carter. Our conversation is interrupted by the arrival of our attorney, who, once settled explains that the case is so circumstantial that he feels incredibly secure in saying that Cole will not be charged with murder. Although, the publicity caused by this has already done its damage. I leave them while they continue to talk about strategy. My head is spinning and I just need to catch my breath. Walking out to the terrace, I place my hands on the railing and take a deep breath. I can’t make sense of it all. Why is this craziness happening to me? Seriously, all I want is to live my life with Cole and do some basic shit. Maybe have a couple of kids, get a job, go on vacation. Jesus, Mia, stop feeling sorry for yourself, you act like someone is out to get you. The minute I process the thought, I turn on my heels and head back into the den where Cole is sitting with the lawyer.
“Sorry, did the police discover the tape themselves?” Both men stare at me processing my interruption. “The video of Cole at the hospital,” I continue. “I just, I mean, it seems strange that they would go back so far past when he died to look for links. Why that particular day and footage?”
Cole looks to the attorney and raises his brows and I can see that he understands my train of thought.
“Yes, Mrs. Parker, you are correct. It states in the report how they were notified.” Sorting through all the paperwork laid out in front of him. “Here we are, -anonymous tip, that’s unusual.” Cole and I lock eyes.
“So, there is someone out to get us,” I whisper.
Cole picks up the phone and I know he’s calling Foster. Standing, he walks over and kisses the top of my head as he walks out of the room. I look at his attorney and smile, knowing that Cole walked out because his plans are not for anyone else’s ears but his and Foster and honestly, I’m okay with it. I know he’ll tell me, but they probably aren’t to be shared with the lawyer.
“He’s lucky to have you on his side. You two are a good support system for each other.”
“Thank you. I’m the lucky one. He is everything to me and I expect that you will do everything within your abilities to protect him and break him free from this insanity,” I end, smiling, only to keep our conversation on a friendlier note. He might think I was crazy if I started demanding all his certifications and college transcripts.
“Yes, we are committed to that exact purpose. This was very premature and they will never get this to trial. I’m pretty confident that charges will not be filed and we can put this to bed in a week or so.”
“Oh, I thought when he was arrested he was also charged? These legal terms are tricky when you aren’t very well acquainted with the law.” I respond with a small laugh. “But wait, why would the police rush to arrest Cole?”
Leaning in conspiratorially, “Word on the street is that Carter’s parents called in a favor. They’re incredibly upset, understandably, and I can only assume, but I think they blame Cole because of how badly beaten Carter was after your attack. His parents have blinders on. They don’t believe their son was a monster. They believe he was sick.”
Before I can stop myself, I spit out, “I guess our definitions of sick are different. He was a monster, but I can’t imagine losing a child, so I won’t even go there.”
I stare off as he starts to clear his things and packs up. A part of me feels for the Williams’, he was their only son and even though I hate him, it wasn’t always that way. What drives people to become monsters? I remember Carter when we were younger and he was quiet and nice, just always a bit on the awkward side. I would have never considered him dangerous. I met him my senior year in high school when my mother married Richard. She met and fell in love with Richard during her divorce from her second husband. He was her silver lining. I had only met and been in the same room with Carter three or four times when I was being forced to attend some party with my mother. The only time his behavior gave me pause was when we both went away to college. It was during the summer when we were back home and an old friend threw a party. I remember him asking me to dance and just being so incredibly pushy and handsy. After I pushed him away, he said something so hateful that I couldn’t shake the creep factor for quite some time.
“Ahh!” I yell when I feel hands on my arms. Cole’s return brings me back to the present.
“Hey, you okay?” he asks, rubbing his hands up and down my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
“I am, I love you. I’m just tired,” I press up to my toes for a kiss granted.
“I know it’s been crazy, but can I ask a favor?”
“Anything.”
“I just ordered lunch for us, but I was really hoping that the little number laying on the floor in our room, could make its appearance.”
Is he kidding, he has lost his mind. We are in the middle of a crisis and we haven’t slept all night and he wants to have sex. I swear this man will be my death. My eyes grow even wider as the attorney walks back in the
room briefcase in hand and looks between the two of us.
“Have you lost your mind? Please tell me you aren’t serious,” I whisper, pushing past him to walk toward the waiting lawyer.
Cole lowers his mouth to the back of my head and stops me in my place, and in a very low and husky voice growls, “I am deadly serious, I have been inside a police station for most of the night when I just wanted to be inside my wife. I’m not asking, I’m telling you, I would like to fuck my wife. I would like her to put on the tiny lingerie set and let me rip it the fuck off with my teeth before I bury my cock inside her.” Pulling away from the back of my ear, he reaches past me saying goodbye to the attorney and thanking him again for his prompt service.
As he escorts the man to the door, I stand in soaked panties, breathing heavy with eyes closed. I swear I almost came from his words alone. As I hear the door click, I open my eyes, knowing that the only thing stopping Cole from attacking me was the presence of the lawyer and now it’s on. A smile breaks across my face and I run, not walk, to the bedroom, throwing off my clothes to put on the lingerie as fast as possible. I trip getting out of my pants and tumble to the ground, giggling the whole way down and freeze when I see him in the doorway.
“Ummm, hi… you aren’t supposed to see this part! I’m supposed to be all sexy and vava voom when you get here. Get out and come back,” I laugh, while I struggle out of my pants.
His laugh booms and he is immediately stalking toward me. “You look damn sexy as you are and frankly, I don’t want any vava voom anything. I want you naked. Now.” His voice is barely above a growl.
I start laughing harder when he starts pulling at my clothes with me, unable to release me. I’m in full hysteria when he starts cursing at my pants.
“Mia! What the fuck. Did you tape them on? Why is this so hard?” he asks as he finally frees me from them.
“Shut up, you fool. I thought you had big plans for me?” I question with a sly smile.
“Oh, I have plans for you, sweetheart.” Pulling me to my feet, he bends and throws me right his shoulder. Slapping my bottom, he walks us to the bed and flops me down on the mattress. Reaching behind him, he grabs his shirt, pulling it over his head, chucking it to the floor. He stands, staring at me all male and gorgeous, with his contoured abs and broad shoulders. I can see his jaw tick as my eyes make their way up his body. Feeling hunted by this beast of a man, I start to scoot back, feeling as if I’m the prey.
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