Clinched

by Nikki Ash

  The tears release and fall down my cheeks as I nod my head yes because it’s the only answer I can give this man. “Yes! Yes, I will marry you.” Tristan grins a boyish smile and plucks the ring from the box, sliding it onto my ring finger. I stare down at the ring and realize I’m going to have to leave the present and head back to my past in order to clear the way for my future, and that thought scares the ever-loving shit out of me.

  We enjoy a delicious meal while chatting about our future. I tell Tristan I would love to get married here and he agrees. We discuss purchasing a bigger home and one day growing our family. All of it feels tainted because of what I’m hiding, and I vow to myself to make things right as soon as possible.

  After we finish eating, we head back to the hotel room. Awaiting us are several candles placed all over the room and rose petals covering the bed and floor.

  “I can’t believe you planned all this,” I say in complete awe. Tristan comes up behind me, and after gently tugging the side zipper down, removes my dress so I’m in only heels and a black lace matching bra and panty set. Dusting my hair to the side, he kisses right below my ear, and then trails open-mouthed kisses down my neck and over my shoulder.

  “Let’s take this to the bathroom,” he murmurs, taking my hand in his, and guiding us to the bathroom. When we get inside, I notice the bathtub is already filled with water. Tristan lifts me up and places me onto the expansive counter before stepping back and stripping off his clothes. First is his jacket. It falls onto the floor. Next, he unbuttons his pants and pulls his shirt out. After pushing his slacks down, he’s in only his briefs and a shirt.

  “Come here.” I reach out my hand and he steps between my legs. I undo each button of his shirt until his hard chest and abs are on display for me. Leaning down, I kiss his left pec over his heart. He shrugs out of his shirt and is left standing in only his briefs.

  I give his pec another kiss, this time my lips lingering on his nipple and he lets out a groan. Reciprocating, Tristan pulls both my bra cups down, my heavy breasts jutting out. He takes both breasts into his large hands, and bringing them together, wraps his lips around both of my nipples and sucks. I let out a moan as the pleasure shoots straight to my core, my thighs tightening around his legs.

  My hands move to his freshly shaven head, my fingers caressing the back of his neck. “Lift up, baby,” he demands, and I lift my butt up so he can remove my panties. As he pulls them down my thighs, I reach back and remove my bra so I’m completely naked.

  Tristan’s body moves down with my panties, and once they’re off, he spreads my legs, my body on display for his taking. “Put your thighs on my shoulders.” I do as he says, my heels digging into his back just like he said they would be doing. He wastes no time, delving into my pussy like he’s a starved man and I’m his long-awaited meal. With languid strokes up my seam and ending on my clit, his tongue has me coming apart in what feels like seconds. My body convulses and my legs shake uncontrollably as I scream out in orgasmic bliss.

  Of course, Tristan doesn’t stop until he’s pulled out every last drop of my orgasm. Once I’ve come down enough, I’m forcing him to stand up and pulling him closer to me, our mouths colliding. His tongue swirls around with mine and I can taste my essence on his lips and tongue. With the heel of my pump, I hook the band of his briefs and push them down until I can feel his hard length spring free, hitting my leg.

  Needing him inside me right this second, I push him back slightly, my Louboutin pumps making a clacking sound as they hit the floor. I turn around and lean over the counter. “Fuck me, please,” I beg, and seconds later, in one fluid motion, Tristan is entering me from behind. With one hand gripping my hip and the other encircling my hair around his wrist, he begins to thrust in and out of me with such force my head is jerked back, my scalp tingling in the most delicious kind of pain. My breasts are heavy, my nipples are hard, and as they slide against the counter, I reach up to pinch them, the stimulation causing me to squirm in pleasure.

  I can feel another orgasm building. My vaginal walls clenching around Tristan’s cock as he continues to mercilessly pump in and out of me. “Fuck, baby. I’m going to come. Tell me it’s okay to come inside you.”

  “Come in me,” I moan out, and with my words his movements turn frantic, savage even. His dick hits that spot deep within me over and over again. His balls slapping my clit. And seconds later we’re both falling apart. Tristan lets out a guttural groan. Two hard pumps and he stills inside me. I can feel his shaft thickening as he releases everything he has into me. A few seconds later, his warm seed is dripping down the inside of my thigh as my pussy pulsates from my own orgasm.

  Before pulling out, Tristan leans over—releasing my hair—and trails a line of kisses down my back.

  “I can’t wait to marry you. If it were up to me we would get married right now…tonight.” My body freezes at his words, a chill rising up my spine. I can’t postpone this. I can’t move forward with the man I love until I have dealt with the man I hate.

  Twenty-Seven

  Tristan

  I wake up to my cell phone ringing. Reaching over, I notice the bed is empty and the sheets are cool like it’s been empty for a while. The phone stops ringing then picks up again. Without looking at the name, I answer while standing up to find my fiancée.

  “Hello?”

  The voice on the other end hesitates. “H-hey Tristan, it’s Bella.” I can tell by the sound of her tone something is wrong. I pick up my pace looking around the suite for Charlie.

  “Hey Bella, everything okay?” When she doesn’t say anything, I start to panic. “Is everything okay? The baby…”

  “Yeah, yeah, everything is okay. The baby is still cooking in my oven.”

  “Fuck, Bella. What’s wrong?” There’s no way she would know if something was wrong with Charlie but between her missing and Bella not saying what she called for, I’m about ready to lose my shit. “Bella! What’s up?”

  “It’s Gina…she’s dead. She died a few days ago.” My body comes to a stop. My heart hesitating for a brief moment. I’m not sure how to feel about this. Do I mourn? Do I cheer? Isn’t this what I wished for? So why does the reality that the biological mother of my daughter is dead make me feel sick inside? “She overdosed. I saw a post from an old acquaintance on social media. There’s going to be a funeral. Tomorrow. I just thought you should know.”

  “Thanks,” is all I say before I hang up. Gina is dead and Charlie is gone. I search the rooms again before I call down to the lobby.

  “My fiancée isn’t in our room. Has anyone come down recently and requested a cab?” I don’t even know why I’m asking, it’s not like they’ll remember every guest that comes down to the desk. I glance at the clock and it’s seven o’clock.

  “I’m sorry sir. Quite a few people have requested cabs.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  I sit down on the bed and that’s when I hear a crinkling sound. Lifting up the sheet, I find a piece of paper with Charlie’s handwriting.

  Tristan,

  I have to take care of my past so we can have a future. I’ll see you back at home. I’m leaving my heart with you.

  I love you. <3

  Xo Charlie

  What the fuck! I unlock my cell phone and hit her name. It goes to voicemail. I hit end and try again. Voicemail.

  Again.

  Voicemail.

  Again.

  Voicemail.

  “Fuck!” I pull up my contacts and it hits me. I don’t know anything about her past! She mentioned Texas once, and Georgia, but I have absolutely nothing else to go on.

  Suddenly feeling like it’s all too goddamned much, I grab the closest item to me—a lamp—and chuck it across the room. It smashes against the wall, pieces falling to the ground. But it’s not enough. I grab something else and throw it, then grab something else. And I have no clue how long I’m destroying everything in my wake when Mason comes in and finds me. I drop to the ground, my best friend wrapping
his arms around me, and I sob. “She’s gone.”

  “I heard,” he says, and my head shoots up.

  “You heard from Charlie?”

  Mason gives me a confused look. “No…I was with Marco and Bella when they found out that Gina died. Wait a second.” His eyes dart around the room. “Where the fuck is Charlie?”

  “She left.”

  It’s been twenty-four hours since I’ve seen or heard from Charlie. I have looked up every listing with the last name of Pratt but I’ve gotten nothing. I’ve searched every social media outlet for her using Charlie as well as Charlotte. I knew she was hiding but I didn’t fully grasp the reality of it until I wasn’t able to find her.

  I didn’t want to leave the hotel without her but her note said she would see me at home, so after speaking with Mason and my parents, I made the decision to head back to California. Now I’m standing in front of Gina’s grave with Lexi next to me, holding my hand, and Mason holding her other hand…well, her fingers since she’s still in a cast for a couple more weeks. The funeral was earlier this morning but I couldn’t bring myself to show up while everyone was here. I almost didn’t come at all, and I’ll never know if bringing Lexi here was the right decision, but I guess that’s part of parenting. Making tough fucking choices and praying I don’t fuck my kid up as much as possible.

  So, here we are, staring at a simple grey headstone with Gina’s name, date of birth, and date of death written across it. There’s no quote, nothing but the facts. The grass hasn’t been laid yet, so it’s dirt surrounding the stone.

  “Lexi,” I say, bending down, my knees sinking into the dirt. “This place is called a cemetery. It’s where they bury people who die and go to heaven.”

  “Like Grandpa’s baby and Charlie’s baby?” Lexi asks.

  “Yes.” Lexi nods in understanding, so I continue. “This one here says Gina Turro. She died a couple days ago.”

  “How did she die?”

  I glance up at Mason and he nods encouragingly. “She was sick. She needed help but she didn’t get it, and she had to go to heaven.” Some day when Lexi is older, when she asks, I will explain Gina’s drug problem, but today isn’t the day.

  “She should have gone to the doctor,” my daughter answers innocently.

  “Yeah, she should have. This woman, Gina, who died, she was…she was…” I choke up at the words. I can’t say them. I can’t tell my daughter this woman who gave birth to her and left her was her mom. She wasn’t! She doesn’t even deserve the title. I can’t do it. Fuck! I can’t.

  I wrap my arms around my daughter and hug her tightly, all the events of the last couple days crashing down on me. Standing here, in this cemetery, it hits me that my life has gone in full circle and it’s just the three of us, once again.

  Mason’s hand lands on my shoulder and he gives it a squeeze. I look up at him and say, “I can’t do it. One day, but I can’t yet.” He nods in understanding, and I stand up, picking my daughter up with me.

  “It’s cold out here, Daddy. Can we go home? Maybe Charlie will be home when we get there.”

  I give her another squeeze. “Yeah, Lex, we can go home.” She squirms her way out of my hold and I drop her to the ground. She takes off running back to the truck and Mason takes off after her.

  Before I walk away, I turn to the grave, feeling the need to say something…anything. “I hope you’re in heaven and looking down on us. I hope you’re finally rid of the drugs and you can watch Lexi grow up. I hope you're finally free.”

  As I turn to walk back to my truck, my cell phone rings. Charlie’s name appears on the screen and I rush to answer it. “Charlie?” I breathe out.

  “Tristan! I need you.” Her voice is pleading and I freeze in place.

  Twenty-Eight

  Charlie

  Twenty four hours ago…

  Tristan falls asleep and I know what I need to do. I can’t bring my past into my future, so I’m going to have to pull my big girl pants up and handle my past. I watch him sleeping for a few minutes, his arms securely wrapped around me. One of the things I love most about Tristan is how protective he is of those he loves. Even in his sleep, he makes sure I feel safe.

  Carefully, I move out of his hold, and not wanting to wake him up, I dress quickly—not bothering with a shower—and grab my luggage. I find a hotel notepad and write him a note. I know he’s going to worry but I can’t have him coming after me. This is something I need to do on my own, something I should have done a long time ago. I never imagined I would fall in love and become engaged. Not that it’s an excuse but it’s the truth. Had I known Tristan and Lexi would be brought into my life, I would’ve made sure the door to my past was padlocked shut.

  I get down to the lobby, and instead of asking them to call me a cab, I make my way out front and snag one. “To the airport, please.”

  The taxi driver gets me there quickly, but once I’m at the airport I find out the next flight out isn’t for several hours. Using the emergency credit card I’ve had for years in my name, I book the flight. At this point it won’t matter if my purchase gets flagged by Justin.

  When I finally arrive in Houston, it’s after midnight. I pick up my rental car and check in to the hotel I made a reservation at. Needing to eat something, I order room service, but once the food arrives, my nerves are so fried, I barely touch a bite. I take a much-needed shower, and before I know it, it’s morning.

  Getting into my vehicle, my first stop is the cemetery. I feel absolutely sick that this is my first time coming to visit my daughter, but I would like to believe what Lexi said is true. Georgia is in heaven looking down on me. And if she is, she knows I think about her often. I don’t need to be standing at her grave for her to be close to my heart.

  I pull up through the gates and park in the visitor parking. Not knowing where my baby girl is located, I need to have someone look her up.

  “Good morning,” I say to the gentleman at the desk. “My daughter was buried here a little over a year ago, and I need to know where she’s located.”

  “Sure thing, ma’am. What’s her name?”

  “Georgia Rae Reynolds.”

  The gentleman gives me a quick once over. The last name Reynolds holds significant weight in this town as well as the surrounding city. He doesn’t comment, though. Only types away on the computer. After several long minutes, he looks up and with a perplexed look on his face, says, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have anyone here by that name. Could it have been under a different name?”

  After spelling the name out for him several times, he comes to the same conclusion—my daughter wasn’t buried here. It doesn’t make any sense. This is where Justin’s dad was buried. This is where they own several plots. This is the only place she would’ve been buried. After asking for Justin’s father’s information as it’s been several years since I’ve been to his grave—and we only visited it once—I take a drive over. I find his headstone immediately, and next to him are Justin’s grandparents. But nowhere is my daughter.

  Jumping back into my car, I take off needing answers. My first instinct is to go to the source himself, but something steers me in a different direction, and about twenty minutes later, I’m parking in front of my mother-in-law’s home. Her car is parked out front so I knock on the front door. Surely, she will be able to explain to me why my daughter isn’t buried where she should be. And once I get that sorted, I’ll be able to focus on the reason I’m here.

  The door opens and Frederick, the butler, is standing in front of me. His eyes go wide and he looks nervous. “Mrs. Reynolds, what are you doing here?” he whispers, blocking the doorway.

  “I’m here to speak to Hilda. May I come in?”

  “Ma’am, should you be by yourself? I think I should call your husband. He’ll want to know you’re here.”

  Before I can tell him not to call Justin, I hear a child’s laughter ring through the house and seconds later my entire world tilts on its axis. Two things happen at once: My daughter, my
beautiful Georgia Rae, comes running down the hallway, my mother-in-law following close behind and, my mother-in-law locks eyes with me, her face showing one of fear.

  What the hell is going on? “Georgia,” I try to shout but the lump in my throat prevents me from even speaking her name out loud. Clearing my throat, I try again, and this time I get her attention. She stops in place, her eyes meeting mine. “Baby girl,” I whisper at the same time she yells, “Mommy!”

  Hilda cuts her off before she can run to me, and pushing Frederick out of the way, steps outside, closing the door behind her. “What are you doing here, Charlotte? Does Justin know you’re here?” My mind is racing. My daughter is alive! She’s alive and breathing and smiling.

  “She’s alive,” I say. “I need to see her! Please let me through.” I push her out of the way but the door is locked!

  “Charlotte, Frederick is calling Justin. We will get this all sorted. Are you hallucinating?”

  I shake my head. “I’m not hallucinating! I know what I saw! Georgia is alive.”

  Hilda gives me an incredulous look. “Of course she’s alive, dear, but you shouldn’t be here. You should be getting better.”

  “Excuse me?” I take a step back.

  “Don’t worry, Frederick knows to call Justin if you show up here. You can’t be around Georgia until you are better. I’m sure he’s on his way. Please just stay calm.”

  “What are you talking about?” I’m completely lost and confused. My daughter is alive and they won’t let me see her. I need to get better first? What the hell is going on?

  “Hilda, what did Justin tell you about me? Where I’ve been this past year?”

  She gives me a sympathetic smile. “You suffered a breakdown. You tried to take Georgia’s life, but Justin found you in time. It’s okay. He’ll be here shortly and you’ll continue to get the best care, and once you’re better you will see Georgia again.”