by Kenya Wright
Caden had broken me, but Freddy was making me whole again.
Freddy brushed his lips against mine and whispered, “And this marriage won’t be a temporary thing. I want it to be forever. I want us to be forever.”
“Okay,” I whispered back, not sure of everything but knowing that he meant every word. I could feel the honesty radiating off his skin and spinning all around me.
Could we be happy? Would we really have a happy ending?
Freddy’s love terrified me because it was safer to not love at all then to experience something so intense, so maddingly passionate and not have all of it taken away. Not realizing that love was just a twisted game or a mirage of nothing at all.
I trembled against him.
“I’m falling for you so bad that one day I will be drowning in your love.” He got on his knees and looked up at me. “Marry me? I will love you.”
I parted my lips, but no words left them.
“I will love every part of you. No one else has done what I’ve done. I’ve chased you around the globe. For God’s sake, I wore a dress. I will love you.”
Fuck it.
I let out an exasperated breath and took a chance. I tiptoed over that tightrope that bridged between fear and love. I let out all of my terror too and whispered, “Yes.”
Freddy’s love was a resurrection. And each kiss—each loving whisper—made me happy to be alive again. This whole plan was probably the craziest shit yet but I would do it with Freddy. So far, he’d been the only man in my life that had shown me that he really cared for me. I had to give him a chance. My heart felt good with him. My body throbbed for him. My spirit revived with him.
Marriage. What am I thinking? I can’t. No. I can. I won’t run. I won’t be afraid. I want this. I want him.
“Yes.” My fingers shook.
“And you understand that I’m seeing this as a real marriage? I won’t share you, Dawn! I’m not that kind of a man.”
“I won’t share you either.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
He nipped my bottom lip. “I’m going to spoil the shit out of you. I’m going to be an excellent husband.”
I couldn’t believe I was saying these next words, but I did, “And I want to be a great wife to you.”
“Good.” His next words were ripe with sex and hot promise. “I think we should celebrate our happy engagement with you naked and on my bed.”
Some of my nervousness left me. I smiled. “Is that how happy engagements are celebrated?”
“Definitely.”
Chapter 33
Freddy
Throughout my body, an insane urge ripped through me. I wanted to tear her clothes away until there were only scraps on the floor. Hunger tore at my gut. My cock got harder with each second.
Dawn kissed me and I couldn’t control myself anymore.
“I raced all over the globe for you.” I lifted her up. She straddled my hips with her legs. I devoured her lips. When I dragged myself away, I whispered, “I chased you just because I couldn’t get the taste of you off my tongue.”
She grinned. “Then, I’ll have to remember what I did.”
“Good.” I brought us over to the bed. “I’ll jog your memory.”
Licking her lips, she giggled. “And how will you do that?”
“I’m going to tear those panties off and lick you all night long.” I cupped that soft ass and urged her hips forward. So lush. Through my boxer briefs, I could feel her damp heat pressed against me. I broke the kiss and placed a pillow under her head. “I need that slick pussy swallowing up my dick.”
My right hand freed my cock. It swelled, throbbing at the tip and hungering for her. My left hand opened those moist lips, slowly spreading them apart and exposing sweet flesh. It was cruel for God to make something so addictive. Even my fingers couldn’t get enough as they played with her sweet pussy. So excited, her clit poked out and greeted me.
“Freddy.” She twisted and writhed, while I toyed with her clit and then guided my cock to her opening. I didn’t enter. I pressed the tip of my cock against her pussy as she squirmed and did her best to scoot up on it.
“You’re a tease.” Her breaths came out in soft pants.
“That’s not a nice way to speak to your future husband.” I rubbed my tip against her wet flesh. Her arousal dripped down to the bed and wet the sheets under her.
“Say sorry, my love.”
Her eyes grew sleepy and full of lust. “Sorry. . .now give it to me.”
“Bossy.” Every part of me ached for her, but I had to drag this out for a few more seconds. It had taken us so long to have these few moments alone. After all the running and trying to survive from Caden’s games and enemies, all I wanted to do was relish in the delicious throb of her body.
“Please, Freddy, please.”
“Impatient.” Groaning, I pierced Dawn’s flesh. Balls deep. Right to the hilt. As far as I could go inside of her without climbing in and making her body my home. I penetrated her and tried to pierce her very soul. Her body made me insane. Delirious. Unable to think or come up with a rational idea. Her captivating face. Those silky legs. Her wet sex. Those moans.
I’ll never get enough of her.
I entered her again slowly and then after several delicious seconds, I pounded my cock into her, triggering moans from those parted lips.
“Freddy, don’t stop, baby.” She rocked with me. “Oh, don’t stop.”
“This is what you do to me.” Every moment her sex closed around me, sanity fled. My strokes shifted to violent thrusts. I wanted to imprint my very soul inside of her. Have her feeling the sensation of my cock inside her days later. “Do you remember now?”
“Yes.” Arching up, she threw her head back and screamed in raw pleasure.
Shit.
That scream shattered me. Heat licked down my spine as those lovely walls gripped my cock. And I knew no other pleasure. I didn’t even know my name. Just that I didn’t ever want to stop this sensation. I never wanted to leave this boat. This room. This bed.
She came hard on me with rapid moans riding the sound of the bed squeaking. Her pussy pulsed against my cock. I grunted and knew I would be coming after her. That pussy had unhinged me. Nothing could stop the pleasure from raining down on us both.
My orgasm raged and ripped through my body. Busting like a gun ready to kill, I exploded in her, pushing hot liquid into that pussy, swelling at the tip and then spilling in her some more. “Fuck, Dawn.”
My breaths were gasps. My nerves blazed with fire. And she continued to rock into me, still riding her own orgasm, still making me fucking crazy over her body.
Fuck. She’s going to kill me after a year.
I didn’t know how much time passed as we lay in each other’s arms. Our clothes disheveled, opened, pushed to the side, and unbuttoned or pulled up. Pillows were scattered across the floor. The sheets were yanked off one corner of the bed. Dawn’s hair stuck to one side of her face, while the rest lay everywhere else on her.
I drank my future wife in—all flushed skin and swollen mouth. Her hair was disheveled. Those gray eyes looked clearer than ever, all hopeful and dilated. The sweet fragrance of our sex swirled around us—sweat, her perfume, my musk, and that hot aroma of orgasms combusting into themselves. The room smelled like lots of people had been fucking.
I kissed her. “You’re so beautiful.”
She laughed.
“I’m serious.”
She lay in my arms and closed her eyes. “We made a lot of noise.”
“We did.” I looked down at her. “Are you worried about Caden hearing?”
She sighed. “After everything he’s done, I don’t care about hurting his feelings. I just don’t want to. . .”
“Piss him off even further?”
“Yes.”
“I should check on him.”
“No.” She opened her eyes and lifted her head up. “I think we should just stay together the whole ti
me.”
“I disagree. I should check on him every now and then. Remember what you said, the truth is how we can beat him.”
“But, what’s the truth? You’re convinced that this isn’t a game now?”
My gut tightened. Something had been bothering me since we’d got on the boat, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. “Why would he make a game of my marrying you?”
“That’s the point, Freddy. He makes a game of things that people wouldn’t make a game of. That’s how people trust him. And always, he’ll say,” she lowered her voice and attempted to impersonate Caden, “‘No, this isn’t a game. I’m not that good.’ It’s his way of patting himself on the back. I bet he laughs on the inside every time he says it.”
I thought back to when we were escaping the fire at his house.
“Damn it,” Caden roared. “People are trying to kill Dawn and me. Just let me get you both to safety.”
Scared shitless, I looked around, making sure no one came in or out. “And how do I know that this isn’t part of the plan or some game of yours?”
“Because I’m not that good,” he said.
“You are.”
“Because. . .” Caden showed me his shaking hands. “Because I’m a good liar and I’m really good at games. But trust me, I am not this good at acting. I’m scared.” He pointed to his eyes. “Look at me. I’m fucking scared. And I want to save Dawn and get you both out of here, but if you fight me on this, I will knock you out, take Dawn, and you’ll die here.”
After that, shards of glass had sprayed against the wall. We’d ducked. No one of us had been injured. With Caden’s help, we were safe and far away. It had all been so simple, if one didn’t consider the fucking house burning down around us.
Could this be a game?
Little snores escaped Dawn’s parted mouth as she passed out on my chest. Even her snores were cute—little girly ones.
I wouldn’t mind sleeping next to her for the rest of my life.
And as I tried to enjoy this moment with her and go to sleep myself, that same fucked up feeling kept bothering me. Now it had left my gut and soared up to my head. Knocking and knocking. It kept knocking at the back of my head.
“Because I’m not that good,” Caden had said.
I didn’t want to leave the bed. There was a luxury to Dawn’s embrace—her warm naked body molded against mine, her scent draping me like a blanket, those soft little snores making me feel like I’d somehow found a home, even though I was thousands of miles away from my yacht. For some reason, I got the sense that finally, I’d figured out where I was supposed to be.
“Because I’m not that good.”
That damn response from Caden kept knocking in my head, never letting me close my eyes. Never letting me get any rest.
No. I have to figure this out. I can’t let this man lead us around in a maze anymore. I must change the game.
Leaving Dawn in bed, I went back up to check on Caden. To my surprise two men stood in the room, spreading out the map that Caden had been looking over earlier.
When did they get on here?
Before I could ask, Caden came up behind me. “How is she?”
I turned to face him. “She woke up. She’s fine.”
“Good.” He passed me and entered the room. He spat the next words out and I could’ve sworn there was anger in his voice. “I was worried about her.”
No. You were listening. Did you enjoy listening to me fuck my future wife?
I gestured to the men by the map. “When did they get on here?”
“Like I told you before, I plan things like this. I stay steps ahead. I do a monthly drill at times. My men knew the safety point and their responsibilities.” He signaled for them to leave. “They were in the back of the house when the explosions hit. They knew to get to the boat.”
Before the two men left, I studied their faces as best as I could. I didn’t recognize one of them but the other looked familiar.
Wasn’t he in the dining room? Yes. That was him. The one lying on me when everything happened—the smoke, the furniture banging. . .why was the furniture banging? Did those guys just move everything around during the confusion?
Caden watched me. “Is something wrong?”
What made the table go on its side? The chairs were fine. The china cabinet on the wall was fine. But the table went on its side and blocked Dawn. Did it knock into Dawn? Was that what knocked her out?
“Freddy?” Caden cleared his throat. “You’re looking angry over there. Did you talk to Dawn? What did she say?”
I returned my attention to Caden, but barely. That doubt in my gut sparked again. The same doubt that I’d had in the house as everything was crumbling down in flames. But now that we rocked on the calming ocean, I could thank nature for clearing my mind and allowing me to focus.
An hour ago, I’d held Dawn in my arms as she woke up.
I’d asked, “How do you feel?”
“Like I’d been given a date rape drug or worse,” she’d said. “I’m. . .just so. . .tired, but. . . what happened?”
She’d sipped the wine at dinner. I hadn’t touched anything. I’d been too on edge around Caden, not trusting anything anymore, especially the things I saw right before my eyes. In this short time of dealing with him, I’d realized one thing, everything that he wanted me to say was always an illusion—him being my guard, Smoke, Dawn’s diary, and even the times I’d met with Dawn in the museum and on the island. He’d orchestrated everything. The only way I’d fucked up his plan was when I showed up to the island unannounced. Anytime I knew more or didn’t follow his plan, I moved forward and he had to regroup and change the game.
“How do you feel?” I’d asked Dawn.
“Like I’d been giving a date rape drug or worse.”
Caden’s eyes met mine.
He studied me like a scientist analyzed a lab rat. “You look pissed, Freddy? What’s up, man?”
What’s up, man? Like we’re friends. That’s what he likes to do, get close to his enemy as much as possible. Make them think that he’s your friend.
Caden shoved his hands into his pockets and brought out an oddly shaped puzzle of some sort. Where Rubik’s cubes had a simple shape, this one kept the same colors and squares but formed into a small zig zag line.
“What did she say?” he asked. Worry creased at the edge of his eyes.
Jesus Christ! This is a fucking game!
“What did she say when you asked her to marry you?” Caden looked up from his puzzle. “Did you explain everything?”
“She said she was thinking about it,” I lied. “We’re going to talk more about it in the morning.”
His jaw twitched as if he was holding back a smile, and that was the moment I confirmed that this was another game. How could it not be? While there might’ve been enemies after Dawn or him, no one else blew up that house but Caden. I had no doubt that I was right, but I had to talk to Dawn.
“That’s okay,” Caden said. “I can figure out a plan to get you two on the same level. We just need time. A few days.”
“Do we have time?” I asked.
“We have a head start. Let’s give Dawn a day or two to come to her senses.” His neutral expression shifted to welcoming and warm. It scared me more than anything else about him. Every detail in that look appeared genuine and real, but how could that be? I’d been in his way when it came to Dawn. My sneaking on the island and exposing the diary to Dawn had ruined any progress he’d made the whole time they’d been alone. She’d been beyond pissed. Ready to leave the island. Ready to run from him for the rest of her life. Ready to stab him in his heart, if necessary.
So how does he get her love and trust back? He pretends like he’s saving her life and even acts like he supports her and me marrying. He pushes us together too fast when he’s sure that we’re both not ready for marriage. He keeps us confused and spinning around.
Caden toyed with the puzzle in his hands. “You look worried, Freddy?”
“I am.”
“Scared to marry her?” Caden asked. Again, his jaw twitched as if he was holding back a smile.
You thought I would run off as soon as I heard marriage. You’re probably surprised I’m still here. No. Now, I’m going to change the game.
A special person came to my mind. The only person I knew in this world who was crazier than him. Lotus. I had to get her to help. Who else could? Caden knew about Max and had clearly got access to his apartment somehow. Probably with Max’s permission. Knowing Max, he probably had heard all about Caden’s original game in Miami and thought it would be funny.
“This is you.” Max put the card in my hand. “You’re a fucking Joker. You know that, right?”
I turned the card over and took in the sleek design. It was thick and more of a lightweight metal that was so thin it mimicked paper.
“What does a Joker symbolize?” I asked. “You know I’m not a card player like you.”
“It’s the trump card in most games. In the 1860s, players changed the rules. Sometimes people needed an extra trump. The Joker did that. Still does.” Max pierced me with his gaze. “A Joker can do anything. He’s the wild card. That driving force in that great pursuit of happiness.”
I laughed. “What’s up with the serious monologue?”
“This is a special moment for me.” Max grinned. “I want you to take this seriously.”
“Why am I taking this seriously? You’re just going away for a few days.”
“Just don’t forget what I said about being the Joker.”
The bastard clearly knew about Caden’s earlier game and had given Caden access to his apartment to trick Dawn. Max would be no option right now just because Caden probably had men following him in case I called him for an emergency. Caden also knew my family and now my friendship with Perry. With that information, he could probably guess other friends and have their phones tapped.
Lotus would be the only wild card in this situation. She would be the one that he would never see coming.
