by Jessica Ashe
“So what do I call you now?” I ask.
“Tanner. Tanner Rockwell.”
I nod. That will take some getting used to. “And what about this little guy?” I ask, nodding towards Tanner’s son. “What’s his name?”
Felton—I mean Tanner—looks slightly awkward, maybe even embarrassed. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him look embarrassed before, and I’ve caught him jerking it more than once.
“This little fella is Alec,” Elena says, when Tanner stays silent.
“You named your son after me?” I tease.
“No,” Felton replies. “We named him after another Alec. No one you know.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You’re never going to let me live this down are you?”
“No way,” I reply gleefully.
I won’t make too big a deal out of it. After all, if I do, he’ll only pay me back twice as hard when I inevitably name my first son Felton.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Piper - Three Months Later
Alec picked a good sofa. It’s firm, but cozy, just how I like them.
Alec’s bought all the essential items of furniture and electronics, but his apartment still looks a little barren in places. The walls are empty, so I make a mental note to go shopping for shelves and cheap paintings.
Of course, he could just move in with me. It does feel silly paying twice the rent, but we have an unspoken agreement not to rush things. Alec isn’t even used to living a normal life, let alone moving in with a girlfriend. I’m not worried—it will happen when it happens. I just need to make sure I like the artwork in case it ends up down in my apartment in a few months’ time.
He could use some flowers in here as well. That might be harder to slip by him. The apartment has no smell to it. It doesn’t smell bad, but I’m used to living places with a faint aroma of freshness, like potpourri or flowers. His apartment just smells… empty. With the exception of his bedroom, which always smells like sex. I can’t even walk in the bedroom without getting horny immediately.
I put my feet up and relax, polishing off the last slice of pizza. How much did Alec get to eat? Oh well, little bit late to be worried about that now. There’s no wine with the pizza this time. I’m not pregnant, but we do have a child to look after.
Alec is laying on the floor, playing with Alec Jr., teaching him to put the shaped blocks into the correct holes. Alec Jr. would rather throw them around the room and make Alec collect them like an obedient dog. The child laughs every time Alec scurries around the room for the toys, and I usually join in.
“I’m not sure we’re setting a good example here,” Alec says. “We’re teaching him it’s okay to treat adults like slaves.”
I shrug my shoulders. “He’s not our child.”
“Good point. Why are we babysitting again? Surely those two can afford babysitters.”
“Yes, but I said we would do it tonight. They need a night at home to themselves.”
And you look adorable playing with a child.
It’s been a month since Elena gave birth to their daughter, and she confessed to me that the two of them haven’t exactly had a lot of alone time to ‘relax.’ Daron and Sadie have the daughter tonight, while Alec and I look after Alec Jr. They’ll have a newborn of their own soon, and they wanted the practice.
Alec leaves the boy to his own devices and slumps down next to me on the sofa. He might be a former SEAL, but apparently, he can still be tired out by a small child.
The second Alec Jr. notices that Alec isn’t playing with him he starts crying until Alec has no choice but to go back down to the floor and keep him entertained.
“I think we’ve got the raw end of the deal here,” Alec says. “I bet Katrina is already asleep by now.”
“I bet she’s not,” I reply. “Trust me, we’ve got the easiest job tonight. That girl has a pair of lungs on her. I was around Elena’s the other day, and she screamed for over an hour without rest. At least when this one goes to sleep he’ll probably stay asleep until morning.”
“He’d better. I’ve gotten used to sleeping through the night now.”
Alec doesn’t have the nightmares anymore. Or at least, he doesn’t wake up sweating in the middle of the night. He insists that he’s moved on from what happened, but I occasionally catch him reading the latest about Senator Robertson online. He has Tanner and Daron back in his life, but he still lost five close friends and the doctor who cared for him. I’d be amazed if that ever went away completely; I just hope he can live a vaguely normal life with me.
Eventually, Alec Jr. gets tired enough that he’s happy to lay on Alec’s chest until he drifts off to sleep. We move slowly to the makeshift cot Elena brought over with the baby and placed him down gently. He stirs but doesn’t wake up.
“I hope he’s a deep sleeper,” Alec says.
“Why?”
“Because we’re about to make some noise.”
Alec quickly lifts me up into his arms and I stifle a scream, as we head towards the bedroom.
We land on the bed, and I immediately straddle him. Alec lets me take control sometimes. I’m not always in that mood, but right now, I want to sit on him and take his cock nice and deep.
I rock my sex against his crotch, getting immediate relief from the pressure against my clit. His hands wander all over me, squeezing my thighs, my ass, and my breasts.
I stare in his eyes, as my fingers reach down and unbuckle his belt. I tug his pants down until they’re around his knees and then hitch up my skirt. Alec slips my soaking wet panties to one side and I grab hold of his cock, guiding the tip between my folds.
We don’t use condoms anymore, and the sensation of skin on skin never gets old.
I stay still for a few moments, savoring the moment and watching Alec as the frustration builds. I’m hot and wet, and his desire is clear in his eyes.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Alec whispers.
“You just want your cock in me.”
“Yeah. Because you’re gorgeous.”
I smile and lower my pussy down onto his cock. I purr in contentment, as it slips in deep and fills my body physically and mentally.
Alec squeezes my chest as I start rocking back and forth, maintaining eye contact with him while he pinches my nipples hard. It hurts. He can tell from my eyes when to stop, and that moment hasn’t arrived. I encourage him on as he pinches harder, my hips moving faster the more it stings.
Finally he stops, and I breathe out a loud sigh of relief. Alec puts his finger to his lips to remind me of the sleeping baby. I go quiet and slow down. The last thing I’m expecting is the firm slap Alec delivers to my ass.
“Ow,” I yell in shock.
He laughs, as I lean down and kiss him, before biting his lip playfully. His hands grab my ass cheeks as he takes control of the pace, pushing his cock even deeper inside me, my clit rubbing against his mound.
My body shudders as he starts pumping his cock while I lie on him, helpless to resist. Heat burns through every limb in my body as I go weak on top of him. There’s no way I can hold in my scream. I lower my head to the pillow and yell loudly as a powerful orgasm courses through my body. I lay limp on top of Alec as he empties himself into me.
My pussy’s still contracting from the orgasm, milking the cum from his cock. He stays inside me as I push myself up onto my elbows and kiss him again.
I love being full of his cum. There’s a sexy messiness about it that feels raw and passionate instead of embarrassing or icky.
“I love you, Piper Raley.”
“I love you too, Alec Costa.”
His cock eventually slips out of my pussy, and I roll over onto my back to catch my breath. I desperately need to pee, but I don’t want to move. I love this bit. I feel like such a cliché girl, but the post-sex cuddle with Alec is almost as good as the sex itself.
We don’t talk this time. I just lay there and listen to his breathing until my bladder is ready to explode.
I feel Alec’s eyes on me as I walk to the bathroom. Will he always look at me like that? I hope so. The passion is supposed to fade after a while, but that seems impossible in this case. We can’t ever keep our hands off each other. It can be impractical at times; especially when trying to eat a meal in a nice restaurant.
That one was my fault. Totally worth it, though.
I crawl back into bed and find Alec already asleep. I watch him for a bit until my eyes are too heavy to keep open. Sleep comes easily these days. I don’t worry about what the next day of work will bring. What happens, happens. With Alec by my side, I can deal with anything.
“He’s crying,” Alec groans deeply.
“Yeah,” I reply sleepily. He cries for another minute without either of us moving. “I guess I’ll go get him then.”
“If you insist.”
I half climb, half fall out of bed, as I throw on a robe and stumble over to Alec Jr. I wince, as I turn on a light and pick up the crying child. His crying immediately turns to a whimper, and within seconds he’s barely making any noise at all. My mom always said I’d be good with children, but I never believed her. It just sounded like one of those things moms say. I mean, she’s hardly going to say I’d be a bad mother is she? Maybe she’s right, though. Alec Jr. and Katrina both like me well enough, although Alec Jr. definitely prefers his namesake.
“I can’t believe there’s a child named after me,” Alec says behind me. Alec Jr. immediately reaches out for Alec the second he notices him so I pass the baby over.
“You should be honored.”
“I am. Gets a bit weird, though. We have to keep referring to him as Alec Jr. which makes it sound like he’s my kid.”
“You could have chosen another name for yourself,” I point out.
Alec went through Elena’s contacts and managed to set himself up with a new identity. Once Alec told his story to a few carefully chosen detectives, they were only too happy to help by hooking him up with some of their unofficial contacts. He even has a good credit history. When it came to choosing a name, Alec couldn’t decide on one he liked.
In the end, he decided to stick with Alec Costa. He has a new Social Security number, and everything from a work history to a made up college degree. He absolutely refuses to join Facebook and Twitter, so even if someone searches his name online, they won’t come up with much.
For now, he’s happy enough working at Hard Times as a barman. Tanner keeps insisting Alec take a management role, but Alec refuses because he’s not yet qualified. It’s not like he needs much money. He’s one of the least materialistic people I know, so other than rent he doesn’t have many expenses. He’s tucking money away, though. I think he’s planning to repay Wade for the money he gave him, but I don’t ask questions.
“Why don’t we come up with another name for him?” Alec suggests. “What about Little Alec?”
“That sounds like the sort of name you’d give your penis.”
“No chance. Can you really imagine the word ‘little’ in any way being associated with my penis?”
“Good point. In that case, put Little Alec back down, and let’s go back to bed.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“To sleep,” I insist firmly. I mean every word of it, but Alec has other ideas and within ten seconds so do I.
Epilogue
Piper - One Year Later
Daron looks nervous. I don’t know why; it’s not like Sadie is going to run off on her wedding day. Their child is sitting in the front row with her parents, for one thing.
Tanner whispers a few words of advice in Daron’s ear, and he seems to relax slightly.
“Any regrets about not being a groomsman?” I ask Alec.
“None. Those suits look horrible.”
I cover my mouth to hide my laugh. Tanner and the other groomsman are in white suits, with white vests and pink ties. Tanner can pull off most looks, but even he’s struggling with this one. Daron has great taste in women, but when it comes to fashion he’s a little lacking. Sadie has made sure her bridesmaids look good—but not too good—in pale blue dresses that don’t risk showing up the bride.
Daron wanted Alec to be a groomsman, but in the end, they both decided it might not be a good idea. No one knew whether their parents were going to show up. Apparently, Daron still speaks to them occasionally, and he told them Alec was alive. They don’t seem to care that much, because they haven’t been down to see him and they haven’t shown up for the wedding.
They’re missing out on a great celebration. Daron and Sadie hired a space in one of Chicago’s public parks and got lucky with the weather. The sun is shining, and everyone looks spectacular. Except for the groomsmen.
Sadie has a huge family, so Daron’s side of the aisle looks rather empty by comparison. I wonder what Sadie’s family think of Daron and the rest of us. Most of them are lawyers, accountants, and other professionals. If they’re disappointed to see Sadie marrying someone with a slightly shady past, they don’t show it. Maybe they just don’t know.
Finally, the music starts and Sadie appears to make her slow walk up the aisle. She might be a fancy lawyer, but Sadie never ceases to disappoint when it comes to revealing outfits. She somehow manages to show an indecent amount of chest without looking indecent about it. I wish I could get away with that.
Today is a celebration in more ways than one. Just two days ago, the judge sentenced Senator Robertson to six years in prison. It wasn’t as much as I’d initially hoped for, but a few of the charges had to be thrown out after evidence went ‘missing.’ The senator’s influence even reaches out from his prison cell apparently. Still, he’s going to spend a long time in prison, and when he gets out, his time in politics will be over. I’m taking that as a win, and so is Alec.
He hardly ever talks about it now. He had a big chat with Tanner one day, and they concluded that none of the boys who died that day would want them to live their lives focused on revenge. They have a little tribute that they plan to do each anniversary, but for the other three hundred and sixty-four days of the year they get on with things as normally as possible.
I’m not naïve enough to think I can ever truly understand that part of Alec’s life, but fortunately, Tanner can. They talked about meeting up with Wade Chambers—the man who rescued Alec—but that’s not going to happen now. Wade’s famous. Really famous. His role in the rescue isn’t public knowledge. Even without the public knowing he’s a hero, he somehow ended up as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I’d love to meet him to thank him for saving Alec’s life, but I can’t exactly travel to the UK and knock on the door of 10 Downing Street. Maybe when he’s retired.
The wedding is mercifully short—any longer than twenty minutes and I’m liable to start yawning—and afterward we head up to congratulate new bride and groom.
“I can’t believe you’re married,” Alec says to his brother. “I didn’t think I’d ever see this day.”
“That makes two of us,” Daron replies. “But you can’t blame me for tying this woman down. Look at her—you don’t let women like that go if you can help it.”
Elena comes up with the two kids and her parents, who we were briefly introduced to earlier.
“You look beautiful,” Elena’s dad says to the bride.
“Thank you, Francis,” Sadie says sweetly. She briefly hugs both of Elena’s parents.
“It was a great ceremony,” Elena’s mom says. “And I’m glad to see you settle down at last. Does this mean you’re going to stop flirting with my husband?”
“I’m not promising anything,” Sadie replies with a smile, as Daron looks on curiously.
“The bar will be open soon,” Daron tells us. “Let’s head over.”
“We’ll be right behind you,” Alec replies.
We watch as everyone slowly files out of the park, and the wedding planners start packing all the chairs away ready for removal. We meander slowly over towards a pond and stand there holding hands, enjoying the fee
ling of the sun on our faces without any bitterly cold wind to accompany it.
“I’m loving this view,” Alec says.
“Me too, it’s beautiful.”
I turn to face Alec and realize he’s looking at me and not at the scenery.
“We should come back here one day,” Alec suggests.
“Definitely. We could bring Little Alec and the girls. They’d love to feed the ducks, and I’m sure their parents would appreciate the afternoon off.”
“I can barely keep track of Little Alec. The three of them together are a handful.”
“Are you sure you were a SEAL?” I tease. “If only the enemy knew that the way to defeat America’s most highly trained operatives was to give them a couple of kids to look after.”
“We try to keep it secret. Anyway, what I had in mind is coming back here for a small gathering of our own. One where you wear a white dress perhaps.”
“I don’t like wearing white dresses. I want to save that for…” I trail off as Alec raises his eyebrows and I realize what he’s suggesting. “You want to get married?”
“Yes. I know this isn’t very romantic. I’ll admit it, I didn’t plan to ask you to marry me today. But being here and watching Daron and Sadie exchange vows made me realize that there’s nothing more I want in the world than to do the same with you. Plus, you know, as Daron put it, I need to tie you down.”
“You know I like being tied down.”
Alec laughs and takes my hands in his. “I don’t have a ring. I’ll get one, I promise.”
“I don’t need a ring,” I reply honestly. “I know you love me, and I don’t need a diamond to prove it.”
Besides, I don’t have a great track record with jewelry. The only time I ever wore an expensive necklace, I lost it. Whenever I wear rings, I end up catching the edges on clothes and stockings. After a while, I assumed the universe was trying to tell me something and gave up wearing any jewelry except earrings.
