Storm: A Stepbrother Romance
Page 17
“But I understand you need your time to get over this. I can tell you that Jax is very sorry for what happened, and I hope you’ve forgiven him now.”
“After Jax left, we kept in touch.”
This surprises me and I once again glance at Jax, who motions towards the screen, prompting me to continue watching the video.
“Jax realized I wouldn’t be around much longer, and he knew how much my absence would hurt you. So together, we came up with a project. Jax chose the name Storm, because he said it reminded him of the way you acted around him.”
I smile through the tears.
“We are going to make a series of videos for you to watch. When you have a child, when you get married. I hope this is the right way to include me in your life. Because Rubi, I’ll always love you, even when I can’t…”
“Hold your hand anymore,” we say in unison. We smile at each other, my hand pressed against the screen like dad will walk out of there right this second.
“Rubi, I am gone, but that doesn’t mean you should let yourself fade away, too,” he says next. “Keep my memory strong, and learn to be happy.”
I nod to myself, my gaze glued to the screen.
“And now, I think someone has a question to ask.” Dad’s eyes look above the camera and he laughs. “Go on.”
And I stare at the screen in confusion, then look for Jax, but he’s not standing next to me as he was before.
My breath immediately catches in my throat when I find him kneeling next to me. “Jax?” I ask with a shaky voice, one of my hands floating to my chest.
“Rubi,” he says my name seriously, and my heart skips a beat. “I’ve been a jackass, a prick, and a douche bag to you – sometimes all three combined. But I knew as soon as you were in my arms that you were the one for me, and I never stopped loving you since.”
I stare at him as he produces a blue velvet box, opening it to reveal a gorgeous ruby ring. He takes it out and offers it to me.
“Please, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and be my wife?” he asks, his strong voice faltering slightly, but that smirk always present as he looks towards the screen. “We’re waiting.”
I don’t need long to answer, pushing the laptop off my lap with trembling fingers and leaping into Jax’s arms. “Yes,” I whisper in his hair as he laughs in mine, sliding the ring on my finger.
“Jax, we’ve made a terrible mistake,” my dad goes on in the video. “How the hell will I know what she said?”
“She’ll say yes,” Jax calms him down in the video while we grin at one another in real life.
“She could say no. You are a jackass sometimes, you know that?”
“Goddamn it Tony–”
And then the video cuts off and Jax and I look at each other with our eyes wide.
“You did this all… for me?” I ask, my voice shaky.
He gives me a simple nod.
“How did you get together?” I want to know.
“When you dropped him off at the doctors. I came to town for a few days and we shot some of them. The hospital gave us a room to use. The rest we did on webcam,” Jax explains, his voice heavy.
“I needed to say goodbye to him, Rubi. Even though you didn’t want me to.”
I realize this isn’t just about me. Jax loved my father dearly.
“How many videos?” My voice is shaky.
“Thirty seven,” he replies, and my eyes fill with more tears. I can’t believe they did that for me, the two men in my life I love the most. Jax made it possible for my dad to stay with my every step of the way, even now that he is gone in the literal sense.
“Thank you,” I whisper against Jax’s lips, and he claims me in a passionate kiss.
“I’d do it all again for you, Mrs. Manning,” he teases me, and I laugh with him as we fall back on the bed.
My past and my future have just combined in the best way possible. Now, I can see the silver lining as the stormy clouds retreat, revealing a blue, perfect sky.
THE END
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EXCERPT FROM EMILIA BEAUMONT
Expecting my Billionaire Stepbrother's Baby - Teaser
Urgent, ear-splitting cries startled me awake. Confused, I bolted upright and peered about the dark room. The sun had yet to make an appearance, and it took me a few seconds to remember where the hell I was and why I was in a strange bed. I frowned at the white plastic housing where the screaming was coming from and tried to figure out why it would be making such a noise. I hadn’t set an alarm for the morning… I had no job to go to.
The wails continued, and my heart pounded as it all came back to me.
“Leah! Sweetie, I’m coming,” I said, pulling back the covers and sprinting to her crib in the nursery. Halfway there, I realised I was butt naked and headed back into the bedroom to look for a dressing gown or something to cover me up. Leah continued to wail, her little lungs working hard to get my attention.
Sod it, I thought and abandoned my search.
“You’re OK, little one,” I said as I made shh-ing noises. In the soft glow of a night light, I could tell she’d spat her dummy out. It had somehow made it down near her kicking feet, and I reached to grab it. “Did you lose your dummy, huh?”
“Well, that’s something you don’t see every day,” came a husky, deep voice from behind me.
I turned, the dummy flew out of my hand, and I screamed as dark figure leant against the doorframe. Leah cried with me in unison, but as my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I knew who it was. His tall body and broad shoulders were unmistakeable.
Oh, shit!
My hands flew around my bare parts in a futile attempt to cover them up, but he’d already had an eye-full.
The diffused light from the hallway fell across his face; a soft dusting of stubble lined his pulsing jaw. I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“I’m so sorry, she was crying, and I couldn’t find a dressing gown…” I rambled on all the while Leah was still wailing. What else could I say?
Drake remained silent, just staring at me from the doorway. No doubt he was about to fire me.
Leah gave out another pitiful cry that pushed me into action. Knowing full well his eyes were on me, I scrambled downwards quickly to pick up the dummy I’d dropped, with one hand covering my mound and the other arm held close up against my chest, because I knew my breasts would be visible if I moved to collect the pacifier.
I hesitated and bit my lip. And did it anyway. My breasts bounced freely for a moment as I scooped up my prize. The thrill of letting him see me like this sparked my need for him all over again.
Drake entered the room and closed the distance between us in a matter of seconds. Conflicting thoughts clouded my head. I wanted to run away, to flee from him, to cover myself up, and yet I longed to stay. Either way, his commanding presence and his purposeful movements kept me motionless. His eyes burned a trail up and down my skin, making my knees tremble in weakness.
He reached out a hand.
Was he going to touch me while I was naked? Take me in his arms? Oh, god. Would I let him?
I held my breath, and my chest pulsed in response; my heart pounded in fear, in excitement. This was what I’d always wanted, even if I knew it was wrong. My dry lips parted in anticipation.
Drake’s fingers clutched my hand, the arm that I’d repositioned over my breasts, and for a hopeful moment I believed he was going to peel it away, to reveal me.
“Drake?” I whispered and tilted my head to gaze at him. The heady scent of him, musk, vanilla and spice, made my head spin as I waited for him to make his move. His long fingers stroked over the back of my hand, like he had earlier, sending shivers up my arm. His fingers dug into my clasped fist, and he pried it open, taking Leah’s dummy out of it.
“This needs rinsing off,” he said, his voice low and close to my ear. The ripples of his drawl caused my nipples to tighten painfully. Drake smirked, let go of my hand and it fell to my side. He backed away a step, leaving me disappointed and utterly humiliated.
“You look cold,” he said, his eyebrows twitched as his eyes dipped to my chest. Leah had quieted, and the room was silent.
The excited, optimistic ball that had been spinning in my chest dropped hard into my stomach. A flush of embarrassment washed over my face, and I hoped he couldn’t see the sudden colour change of my cheeks.
I came out of my daze, now completely aware of the fucked-up position I was in. I sprinted for the adjoining room, shame bubbling up to the surface, not even bothering to cover my behind as I fled from Drake’s neutral stare.
Continue reading, available for FREE with Kindle Unlimited - Expecting my Billionaire Stepbrother's Baby
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – RUBI
Chapter 2 – JAX
Chapter 3 – RUBI
Chapter 4 – JAX
Chapter 5 – RUBI
Chapter 6 – RUBI
Chapter 7 – JAX
Chapter 8 – RUBI
Chapter 9 – JAX
Chapter 10 – RUBI
Chapter 11 – JAX
Chapter 12 – RUBI
Chapter 13 – JAX
Chapter 14 – RUBI
Chapter 15 – JAX
Chapter 16 – RUBI
Chapter 17 – JAX
Chapter 18 – RUBI
Chapter 19 – JAX
Chapter 20 – RUBI
Chapter 21 – JAX
Chapter 22 – RUBI
Chapter 23 – JAX
Chapter 24 – RUBI
Chapter 25 – JAX
Chapter 26 – RUBI
Chapter 27 – JAX
Chapter 28 – RUBI
Chapter 29 – JAX
Chapter 30 – RUBI
Chapter 31 – JAX
Chapter 32 – RUBI
EXCERPT FROM EMILIA BEAUMONT
Expecting my Billionaire Stepbrother's Baby - Teaser