by Skyla Madi
“Stephen?” Sebastian called from somewhere behind us. “How was the music festival?”
He squeezed my hand before glancing over his shoulder. “Amazing.”
My cheeks heated. I somehow got the feeling that he wasn’t talking about the music festival.
“Ladies, I think it’s time we do some shopping while we’re here.”
“I agree,” Trina called out.
They turned to me. I shrugged. After a long kiss from Stephen and a promise to meet up at the movie theatre in half an hour, we were off. I kept myself mostly on the sidelines as they shopped. They went all out buying things they didn’t really need. Kate had managed to push me into the dressing room at one time, but I quickly refused to buy the clothes. They made me feel trashy. Definitely not my style.
“You never told me how your birthday went,” Kate said.
I glanced up at her from where I was browsing some dresses marked off. “It was great.”
“Did you do anything interesting?”
“Of course they did!” Trina suddenly appeared. “There are a lot of things to do at a music festival. Especially the one they went to.”
“It was fun,” I agreed. “Lots of games and stuff to buy. The music was also great, but the rain ruined the fun. We had to stop at a hotel because it started hailing.”
“I bet that only led to other activities,” Trina teased.
I blushed and quickly turned away so they couldn’t see my face. Oh, it led to other activities all right—activities that had been repeated a few times since our return. We decided to explore one last shop before meeting the boys. Trina instantly disappeared once we entered it. I decided to follow Kate instead of going off on my own.
“Did you guys have sex?”
I was knocked sideways by her question. “Kate—”
“I’m just a friend who wants to know if her best friend had a night worth remembering.”
I stared at her. There were no signs of the anger or resentment I was used to seeing there.
“Look, I’m sorry about the other day. You know my father has been seeing that blond bimbo—no offense.” She turned around and walked further down the row of clothes. “I just found out that they’re getting married. I never really liked her, and I made sure he knew that. He said it wasn’t serious. I was angry at him, so I just lashed out.”
I could feel eyes burning into my back, but when I turned around, I only saw the shoppers. They were all busy with their own things. An uneasy feeling crept into my stomach. I pushed it aside as I tried to concentrate on what Kate was saying. A slap on my arm made me gasp in pain. I turned to glare at Kate.
“I’ve been asking the same question five times,” she said. Her voice rose slightly in the end. “Did you have sex?”
“Yes.” I instantly turned away from her.
“Was it any good?”
“Yes, Kate, it was good. Not that I have anything to compare it to.”
Her eyes stayed glued to my face until I looked away. A few minutes later, she asked me something that made me freeze.
“Does he know you love him?”
My heartbeat got louder and my legs felt shaky. I wiped my sweaty hands against my legs before turning to her.
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“I know that look, Alia. I’ve seen it enough times to realize what it means. You’re in love with him.”
“So what if I am?”
“I can’t believe you actually fell for someone like him,” Kate muttered. “You’re naïve and too nice to realize it. What do you really know about Stephen?”
“I know enough about him to know he’s a good guy.”
She laughed. After inspecting a dress meant for a stripper for a few seconds, she finally turned toward me. “You only see what he wants you to see, dear Alia.”
She shook her head. “You should have seen him the day I met him at the bar. He was nothing like he is now. Stephen wanted control. He was rough and dominant when we went to that hotel room. I had bruises for days after. When he was fucking me, I could see something in his eyes. Something dark.”
I felt sick. It felt like someone was stabbing me over and over with a knife in my chest.
“When you started dating, I did some research. You’re too sweet and innocent to be with someone like him. The things I heard about him Alia…” She trailed off.
“W-what did you hear?” I managed to force the words past my dry lips.
“He has a criminal record. Was arrested for domestic violence and for murder. Apparently he killed one of his girlfriends—beat her to death. Stephen walked away without being prosecuted. Years later he was put under investigation for killing an innocent man.” Her hands gripped my upper arms. “I know men like him. I’ve been in a relationship with one. They act all sweet and everything in the beginning, and then they snap. I don’t want to see that happen to you. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want you to wake up and find yourself in an abusive relationship.”
“I—” I broke off, rubbing my forehead.
Her words were rolling over and over in my mind. I couldn’t imagine Stephen like that. He wasn’t an abusive man. What about what happened that day at the side of the road? that voice in the back of my head questioned. A shudder raced through me as I remembered. He didn’t mean to hurt me. I saw what it did to him once he realized he was hurting me. He could’ve been acting.
“I’m not feeling so good,” I whispered, avoiding her eyes. “Would you tell them I took a taxi back to the house?”
Without waiting for a reply, I walked away. I could hear Trina calling after me. What if Kate was right? What if he only acted sweet in the beginning? What if he snapped again and there’s a repeat of what happened the last time? I instantly felt bad for thinking of him like that. In my heart, I knew Stephen would never do that to me. But my head was telling me differently. I shook my head firmly. Stephen wasn’t like that. He would never be like that! My phone fell from my hand as I bumped into someone. I didn’t have any time to catch myself. A gasp fell from my lips when my knee and hand scraped against the tar.
“I’m so sorry, miss.”
I glanced up at the man looming over me. I was hit with a feeling of familiarity as I stared at him. Green eyes with blue specs caught mine briefly before dropping.
“I’m sorry. You’re bleeding. Let me clean that up. It could get infected,” he said, leaning down to grip my arm. “You never know what people do in the parking lot.”
I allowed him to pull me up, but the moment he started tugging me toward a white van, I pulled back.
“Come on, girl,” the man grunted. “Don’t make a scene.”
“Let go,” I yelled. “Let go, you asshole!”
“Fucking hell, Alia. I thought you’d be timider.” His words made shock flash through me. I stopped struggling, and that was all it took for him to get a good grip on my wrist.
“I’ll get a lot of money for a prude like you.” He chuckled. “Get in the van, Alia.”
I struggled to think clearly. Patrick taught me self-defense, but I couldn’t remember a single one of them. We were getting closer and closer to the van. The parking lot was deserted. Movement from the corner of my eyes caught my attention.
“Help! Help me!”
The man cursed. I was too focused on the group standing a few feet away. I kept on screaming as I tried to pull my arm free. A cry fell from my lips when I felt him push a needle into my upper arm. It stung for a few seconds and then the pain faded. My whole body was numb within seconds. I blinked. I tried to open my mouth, but my body wouldn’t follow the command.
“Feels frustrating, doesn’t it?” he whispered against my ear. “You can hear and see everything, but you can’t move. You can’t do anything, princess.”
Tears filled my eyes as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I hung limply as he made his way toward the van. A shout echoed around the empty lot. I wanted to laugh in relief. The man cursed as he spun aro
und. More people started yelling. This time they sounded closer. I was pulled from his shoulder and placed on the ground. I stared up at the man as he hovered over me.
His lips pulled up into a grim smile. “I wasn’t so lucky this time, but I promise you next time he won’t be able to save you.”
My head dropped to the side as he pulled his fingers from my chin. I had no choice but to watch his black work boots as he ran away. A few seconds later, the van drove off before disappearing.
“Alia!”
More tears fell down my cheeks. I wanted to move. I wanted to run to him and feel his arms around me. I wanted Stephen to tell me that everything would be okay. But I couldn’t.
“Oh my God. Alia? Can you hear me?”
I swallowed as I tried to answer her question. My mouth felt like a desert. Trina gently cupped my cheeks and turned my head. I blinked up at her. The words she spoke were drowned out by the shouts and cries from other people. Trina grabbed her phone and dialed a number before pressing it against her ear. I kept my eyes focused on her lips as I tried to figure out what she was saying. The call ended too soon. Her eyes trailed over my body before locking with mine. She leaned forward and reached out to pull my dress back in place.
“Stephen is coming. Just hold on,” she whispered.
There was a slight edge of panic in her voice that I didn’t understand. Minutes passed before Sebastian arrived by our side. His eyes trailed over my body, stopping briefly on my legs and arm. He gave me a small smile before turning his attention to Trina. With a hand on her shoulder, he muttered soothing words. What felt like hours later, Stephen arrived. Sebastian pulled Trina aside so Stephen could kneel in front of me. He gently moved me onto my back.
“Where does it hurt, baby?”
“She’s not speaking,” Trina whispered. “And it appears that she’s not able to move.” I stared up at his blurry figure above me. Everything in me was yearning for him. Why can’t I move?
“Alia,” he said softly, cupping my cheek. “I need you to listen to me. Blink twice for yes and once for no. Do you understand?”
I blinked twice.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
No. I blinked once.
“Did he give you something to drink?”
I blinked.
“Did he inject you?”
I blinked twice.
“What did he do to her?”
“She was injected with a drug. The drug takes away her normal body functions. Alia can hear and see us, but she’s not able to react to anything,” Stephen explained.
Someone yelled something, and a second later the sound of approaching sirens filled the air. Stephen wrapped an arm behind my back and gently pulled me up against his chest.
His lips brushed against my forehead. “I’m here, baby. Nothing will happen to you.”
***
I felt like shit. Every slightly movement made me wince. There was a bandage against my knee and one against my palm. My head felt foggy, and my tongue was sticking to the roof of my mouth. I swallowed and then winced. God, I felt awful. With a deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes. I blinked rapidly to clear the sleep. Darkness surrounded me. From the slight breeze moving the curtains, I could see the moon’s light. The sound of the ocean outside was calming.
“You’re awake.” My eyes moved to the door where Stephen stood.
He hesitated slightly before stepping inside. The door stayed slightly ajar behind him. “How are you feeling?”
“Weird,” I croaked out. “I want water.”
Stephen nodded, and then muttering a soft “Be right back,” he walked out of the room again. I mentally prepared myself for the pain as I pushed myself up. My head started spinning, which made my stomach turn. With a grimace, I leaned back against the wall with my eyes closed. The door creaked as it was pushed open again. My body tensed and my eyes snapped open.
“It’s just me,” Stephen said softly as he entered the room.
He pushed the door shut behind him before reaching for the light switch. I blinked as bright light suddenly filled the room. I wasn’t in my room at the beach house. I was in a different room. His room. I drank the ice water eagerly. It felt soothing to feel the water trailing down my throat. When the glass was empty, he took it from me and gently placed it on the bedside table.
For a few minutes, he watched me silently. I noticed that he looked pale and extremely tired. I reached out a shaky hand and placed it against his cheek. Stephen let out a shaky breath. I blinked when he suddenly pulled me onto his lap. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist and his face buried against my neck.
“Stephen?”
“Just let me hold you,” he breathed against my neck.
I swallowed back the tears as I wrapped my arms around his neck. A shiver raced down my spine when he started placing kisses along my neck. His hands trailed over my back and then to my hips. Without a word, he pulled the shirt from my body. His lips trailed down to my collarbone and then lower to my breasts. With shaking hands, he cupped them and then sucked one pebbled nipple into his mouth. I gasped, gripping his shoulders tightly as pleasure shot through my body. The pain was forgotten. All that mattered was him.
“Stephen, please,” I whispered against his ear.
His body shuddered against mine. Stephen glanced up at me. His eyes caught mine as one of his hands slipped between my legs. I parted them to give him more access to the place I wanted him to touch most. He trailed a finger down my slit over the material of my panties. Expertly, he played my body until I hovered on the edge. A whimper fell from my lips when he pulled his hand away. Without a word, he tugged my underwear down my legs. Dropping them to the floor, he pressed a kiss on the skin beneath my ear.
“Straddle me,” he whispered.
Stephen gripped my hips and raised me from his lap. I quickly moved my leg over his so I straddled him like he ordered.
“I was so worried,” he whispered. “I could’ve lost you.” His lips trailed over my face until he caught mine. I pressed myself closer against him, grinding my hips against the bulge in his sweats.
“Stephen,” I moaned against his lips. “I need you.”
“Me too, baby,” he said hoarsely.
Stephen reached between us and pulled the band of his pants down to reveal his aroused sex. He shifted slightly back onto the bed before gripping my hips. Our eyes locked as he slowly lowered me onto his dick. My mouth fell open in a silent moan as he stretched my body to accommodate his length.
“You’re not wearing your piercing.”
“No.”
His arm wrapped around my waist while his other hand gripped my thigh. He was pulsing inside me. I could feel every single inch of him.
“Alia.”
And then we were moving. I clung to him as memories of what happened filtered through my mind. If he had managed to catch me, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be with Stephen.
“My Alia,” he breathed against my lips. “Say you’re mine.”
“I’m yours, Stephen,” I managed to gasp out. “Only yours.”
I cried out. My body tensed as I reached my peak. I bit down on his shoulder as another orgasm hit me. Stephen shuddered and then cried out. My eyes widened when I felt him grow bigger inside me. A second later, I felt heat fill me. Another small orgasm flashed through me, surprising me. Our ragged breathing filled the silent room. Stephen still clung to me just like I clung to him.
I love you, Stephen, I wanted to tell him, but instead I repeated it in my mind. Stephen couldn’t know. He would never find out.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“How was your holiday, honey?”
“It was fun,” I muttered absentmindedly as I stirred my coffee.
Our vacation was cut short by a week. I decided it was best to leave with Stephen and Nathan. After what happened that night, I didn’t want to stay there a moment longer. Kate wasn’t happy about that. She had a fit and then walked off, only to return hours later. Something
about her had changed. It scared me because I didn’t want to lose her. She was my best friend, the person I went to when I needed advice. Our vacation was going great until shit happened. Someone tried to kidnap me, and on top of that Stephen and I had unprotected sex. I still remembered the horror on his face when he realized it. The look in his eyes made my heart crack. He was pissed.
“Why the fuck didn’t you stop me?” he had yelled. “You should have fucking stopped, Alia. Fuck! Shit!”
After his angry outburst, he had stormed out of the room. He didn’t return till later that morning, and even then he didn’t utter a word to me. Things had been tense between us ever since. It wasn’t the same. He even made me take a pregnancy test before we left. Of course it was negative. I didn’t point out the fact that it was too early to take a test. He was so relieved. Tears sprang to my eyes when I remembered. I had two other pregnancy tests stashed in my bedroom. I hadn’t taken them yet.
“Alia?” my mom said softly.
I picked up my cup, composed my face, and then turned around to face her. “Yes?”
“Are you still mad at me?” She looked pale. Dark circles hung under her eyes. “I’m really sorry for lying to you. I know no matter what I say that it won’t make everything better. I just want you to understand what happened and why.”
My attention was snapped to the open back door. Michael sat on a blanket on the grass with Sam on his lap. Emma was chasing something. I watched as she said something that made him laugh. A deep yearning started within my chest.
“Did he ever hold me like that? Did he play with me and cuddle me like he does Sam?”
“Alia—”
“Just answer me, Mom. Did he?”
“Yes.” She paused. “He used to cuddle you and play with you before he found out.” All I could do was stare at her. There were no words to describe how I felt. I walked over to the sink and poured the cold coffee down the drain.
