by Luxe, Eva
“What? Come on!” He chuckled weakly.
Yeah. That was my brother. I knew he’d beat the odds.
“You were in a coma,” I explained. “We were unhooking you from your breathing machine. Stop talking, save your energy.”
“Mmm, fine,” he mumbled with a smile. “As long… as… you… stop… signing.”
That was the brother I knew and loved. He was back with us, and I was exuberant, even though I wasn’t allowed to express it by singing.
Chapter 30 – Willow
The next day, Sam was sitting up. It took a little longer, but soon he was up walking as well. Darien made sure he had the best medical treatment money could buy. I felt good knowing my brother was safe, it even helped ease the symptoms of my pregnancy. Less vomiting and more eating. Or maybe that was just moving into the second trimester.
Sam was also taken to a better facility with physical therapy. I hugged him hard, making sure not to crush anything.
“So, I’m beginning to remember some of it. The accident, I mean,” Sam said while he balanced on the rails, training his legs to walk again. The muscle memory was there, he just had to work them out since they were out of commission for, like, months.
I rubbed his back and looked down at his legs. “Yeah. I regret not doing something stupid so you didn’t leave.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it. Hey, Darien, thanks for the help, by the way. Much appreciated.” He waved over to Darien who was sitting across the room.
“Not a problem,” he said, waving.
“So,” Sam said, grinning, “You two really getting hitched? I mean, it’s kinda obvious you’re knocked up.” Sam looked down at my stomach which was showing a baby bump now.
“Well—”
“Yes, we are,” Darien said, coming closer to us. Uh oh, did he really mean this?
“Nice. I knew you’d marry some rich dude one day, Willa.”
Old Sam, distorting my name whenever it fit him. “It’s Willow, and Darien is more than just a rich dude to me.”
“That’s good.” Sam took a few more steps using the rails to support his weight. He was showing some improvement. His therapist made sure he made all the right moves too.
For some reason that smell that came off of Morgan popped up in my mind. The name of the scent was right on the tip of my tongue.
“Sam, before we go. I have a question.”
“Shoot.”
“Remember that horrible smell in the mall that day we went Halloween shopping? What was that called again?”
“Marijuana.” He laughed. “Why?”
“Wait, isn’t that illegal?”
“Yeah, they haven’t passed the law for that to be used recreationally or medicinally yet. Don’t think this state will ever do that either.”
I whipped around to Darien, almost slapping my body against his. I forgot he was that close. “Darien, that’s it! When Morgan came to the house that time, that smell came off of her, it was pot!”
“What?” Darien furrowed his eyebrows. Finding out that drugs were around your daughter for so long wasn’t something nice to hear. But it was necessary. And damn, it was that final key we needed.
“I think I know how to make sure Ariel will never have to see that evil woman again.”
Darien was going to be free.
Epilogue
Willow
When the judge found out that there was suspicion of drug use, Morgan and Darien were both tested on the spot.
Darien was negative.
While Morgan? We all knew that answer. But she had more than just marijuana in her system. Hell, I wasn’t surprised; she was rich off of alimony and while that was now going to be canceled, she’d used a lot of that money to get high.
“No, this isn’t fair!” she screamed.
Her hair was disheveled and her body language was strange.
“Mrs. Thrilling— no, Ms. Wright, since you’re now divorced, the tests show that not only do you have it in your system, but that you’re currently high. The amount of cocaine in your system right now is that of someone who’s currently high. Your alimony is hereby canceled, the divorce is granted, and,” the judge turned to Darien, “Mr. Thrilling has full custody of Ariel Thrilling.”
“Thank you, your honor.”
“Don’t forget to disable cameras in your bedrooms that are being used, by the way,” the judge laughed while slamming down his gavel.
We’d found out that the baby was going to be a girl. Yes, I was going to be able to deck both of my little girls out in the cutest matching outfits. For as long as they would let me.
I held my belly as Darien, Jerry, and I walked out of the courtroom victorious.
“Glad that shit storm is over. What else do you have planned, Darien?” Jerry asked him.
“This.”
He got down on one knee in front of me on the top of the court steps. Morgan happened to come out on the other side and saw us.
“Willow Reign…”
I clasped my hands over my mouth. This was really happening.
“Will you marry me?” Darien asked, opening the small dark blue velvet box. The biggest diamond ring framed with opals was nestled inside.
“Darien! Yes, oh yes!”
He got up and slid the ring onto my finger.
“Wow, talk about a quick comeback,” Jerry laughed. “You look like a fine girl, Willow. Take care of this one.”
“You know I will!” I said, kissing my fiancé.
I placed Darien’s hand on my belly, and right as we kissed, our baby girl kicked my tummy.
We gasped.
“You felt that? Even our daughter agrees!” I said, tears running down my cheeks. I loved this. The view of a new life with all my family was before me. Talk about a happy ending.
Damien
Our story wasn’t over yet. Because when we got home, that’s when the real magic happened. I carried Willow to our bedroom, despite her protests that she was pregnant.
“I’m not going to drop you,” I told her, holding her close in my arms. “But I am going to make love to my amazing fiancée.”
I spun her around while taking off her clothes. Then I grabbed a hold of her perfect ass cheeks and spread her pussy and ass wide open.
“This is exactly how I wanted to see you the first time I saw you,” I told her.
“Really?” she asked. “At the strip club?”
“Really. I went home and thought about you giving me a lap dance.”
“We never even got to do that,” she said.
“Oh, we will. There’s a whole lot of things we still need to do yet together, you and I.”
I stuck my finger into her pussy, which was dripping wet for me, like always.
“Let me put my cock in here,” I told her.
“Yes, Sir.”
She leaned over, with her hands on the bed. I quickly undressed and then put the tip of my cock at the entrance to her quivering pussy.
“Do you remember when I took your virginity?” I asked her.
“Of course,” she answered.
I slid my dick slowly into her, reliving that day all over again.
“I love you,” I told her, as I reached around to play with her clit while I pushed myself further into her. “I’m so glad I met you.”
“I love you too.”
She let out a soft moan and I grabbed her hips with my free hand while continuing to massage her clit with the other one. Our relationship thus far had been centered around everyone else’s drama. I was so glad it could be just us now, enjoying each other.
My cock began to throb as I thrust it in and out of her. She leaned back onto my tattooed chest.
“I’m going to come,” she said, gasping.
I grabbed ahold of her nipples— still as pink and perfect as the day I met her, although more pronounced now with pregnancy, highlighting her larger breasts very nicely— and pinched them in my fingers.
She gyrated and bounced around on my cock
while coming all over it. The sensation was amazing and again sparked memories of that first time she sat on my lap, and all the things I wanted to do to her while giving me a lap dance.
I gently grabbed ahold of her hair and bit her neck while I felt the base of my balls tighten.
“I’ve claimed you as mine, Willow,” I told her, pushing in and out of her a few more times while she moaned, coming over and over again. “And I’m never going to let you go.”
She managed to say, “Good,” in between orgasms, while I shot my cum into her wet, naked pussy.
Finally, I held onto her as we collapsed on the bed, my arm encircling her belly. This was exactly the way things were meant to be: Willow and I together for good, sleeping soundly with our baby in her womb and our daughter waiting to see her Mommy and Daddy— and soon to be little sister— every day.
Willow
As a child, I wanted many things. To play with dolls, make cookies with my mother and to have my hair brushed. I loved having my hair brushed. But as I grew older, the things I wanted evolved along with my age.
Now, as a young woman, I no longer wanted to play with dolls or make cookies with my mother or have my hair brushed. Instead, I wanted to do all of those things with my own daughter. But there would be plenty of time for that. For in this very moment, what I wanted most was to walk down the aisle and marry the man I loved.
I stood facing the mirror in the powder room of the Atlantic View B&B in County Clare, Ireland. One of the perks of marrying a billionaire was that I could choose any location I wanted for my wedding venue. I had always wanted to visit Ireland, since my ancestors were Irish.
It had seemed rather random but I wanted to get married somewhere that neither Darien nor I had ever been. It seemed symbolic to me, representing not only a new life for us together, but also a new place for it to start. And now that I was here, I didn’t regret my decision one bit. I was very happy I’d chosen to get married here among the green rolling hills and under the baby blue sky.
I tossed my flowing white dress from side to side, marveling at the detailed beadwork. I adjusted my tiara and a large smile emerges on my face.
“You look lovely, darling,” my mother, Bonnie, said from behind me as I turned around at the sight of her in the mirror.
She came up behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders, the two of us sharing a moment of familiarity at the situation. “I have something for you.”
I faced back toward the mirror as my mother placed a pearl necklace around my neck, a tear sparkling in her eye.
“Thank you, mom,” I said, as I turned around to hug her.
When I pulled away, my mother tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, the way she did when I was a little girl.
“Willow, I know your father and I were a bit apprehensive about your and Darien’s engagement,” my mother said, looking away from me and toward the window. The rolling green hills of the Irish countryside stretched out before us for miles. “It was mostly due to Darien being so much older than you. And I know how unhappy you were about our initial disapproval. But I’m glad to say now that I couldn’t be happier for you. He’s a good man and I know he will treat you right, just as he treats Ariel right.”
I followed my mother to the window and put a hand on her shoulder. “I never wanted to disappoint you and dad, but I’m doing what is best for me. And Darien is what’s best for me. He’s a wonderful father and he’s going to be a great husband. And I glad to know that you see that as well.”
“All I want is for my daughter to be happy,” my mother said, taking hold of my hands.
“I am happy, mom. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.”
“I see that now,” Mother said, and pulled me into another tight hug. “Well, we better get going. Stacy’s on her way in with your bags.”
My mother turned and headed toward the door. “I’ll see you out there,” she said and gave me a tender smile.
A few moments later, my Maid of Honor, Stacy, walked into the room, decked out in her purple bridesmaid dress and her long hair piled on top of her head. She caught one look at me and broke out into a wide smile.
“Girl, you look amazing,” Stacy said, putting down my bags on a chair in the corner. “That beadwork is incredible. I don’t know how you ever thought that first dress could have been the one.” She laughed and gave me a hug.
“I have no idea either,” I said, examining myself in the mirror again. “Can you imagine that side slit out there in even a small amount of wind?”
“All your guests would be seeing what only Darien gets a glimpse of tonight,” Stacy said, a large smirk emerging on her face.
I hit her lightly on the arm, unable to help myself from laughing.
“Did you ever think you’d be here right now?” Stacy asked, adjusting my dress with her hands, her fingers running along the shiny beads. “When we first met, we were in a very different place.”
“Honestly, I didn’t,” I said, sitting down on a nearby chair, careful as to not crumble my dresses’ fabric. “Back then, the only thing I saw ahead of me was loneliness. I was caught up in worrying about Sam and just trying to get by. And I was fine with that. Until one day I wasn’t. I’m glad I decided to leave that life behind. It was a chapter I needed to close in order to start a new one.”
I felt like I was smiling too much, but I also didn’t care. It was my wedding day and I was happy.
“Now, I love what I’m doing. Being Darien’s assistant has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And that’s not simply because we fell in love. It’s because I was finally able to trust myself and that I finally believed I could have more. If I wanted.” I folded my hands in my lap, unable to resist having a constant smile plastered on my face.
“You really are about to have it, huh?” Stacy smiled sadly at me as she tucked a strand of her behind her ear, the way she did when she was feeling down.
I could tell she was happy for me but sad for herself. I appreciated that she was trying to pull herself together for my wedding day, but, it was clear she was in the same stage of loneliness and despondency that I’d been in before my life had turned around for the better.
“You will too, Stacy,” I said, getting up from the chair and walking over towards her. “We’ve never been people to regret the things we’ve done. We’ve always just moved on to the next thing without looking back. We don’t have to be ashamed of what we did in the past. Because it’s not shameful. It was our life and now we’re both moving on to a new one. If we hadn’t both been working at that club on that particular night, we would not be here right now. Together. And I wouldn’t want anyone else by my side.”
I hugged Stacy, holding her tightly. I felt a slight tear slide down her cheek and she pulled away. Stacy gently wiped her own eyes and grabbed a tissue to touch up my makeup.
“Is everything ready to go?” I asked, going through my makeup bag one last time. I put on another touchup coat of lipstick and rubbed my lips together.
“Yup, the horses should be pulling up any minute, your highness,” Stacy said, gathering our belongings in her arms. “All the other bridesmaids are waiting outside, including your dad. Are you ready for this?”
She held out her free arm to me. With a smile, I locked elbows with Stacy like we did when we were kids and we walked out of the room together, arm in arm.
Outside the B&B, I was joined by my other bridesmaids, all dressed in various designs of the purple dress Stacy is wearing. Ariel was standing in the center of the small group, walking back and forth between each of the women as if this were her big day— and, in a way, it was—
while giggling openly.
When everyone spotted me, they immediately rushed over and began gushing over how beautiful I looked in my wedding dress. Stacy grabbed Ariel’s hand and brought her over to me. I scooped her up in my arms and showered her with kisses.
My father, Gregory, came up to me and gave me a warm smile, reveling at his beautiful daughter
and the large step I was about to take.
“You look beautiful, Willow,” my father said, giving me a hug. I pulled away after a moment and carefully dabbed my eyes with my finger, making sure not to mess up the makeup that had taken so much time to apply.
“Thank you, Dad,” I said, smiling at him.
“Your mother told me she talked to you and I also just wanted to say that I’m sorry for causing you any doubt about marrying Darien. We were just concerned for your well being but we should have known that you can take care of yourself.”
“I can, Dad,” I said, taking his hands. “But Darien will take care of me too. And he’ll take good care of your granddaughter.”
“I know that,” my father said, patting me on the shoulder. “And I couldn’t be more pleased that you found someone who makes you truly happy. That’s all I want for you.”
“I know. It’s because of you and mom that I found someone like him. You two taught me to never settle and that I deserved to be with someone who respected and valued me as a person. And Darien is that man.”
I gave my father one more hug for good measure. I pulled away when I heard the sound of trotting hooves coming my way.
Five white horse drawn carriages pulled up in front of the small B&B. The Groomsmen were already seated. They each climbed out of the carriages and helped their perspective partners into the carriages beside them. Stacy came over with Ariel and helped my father and I into the last carriage.
“This is a literal fairytale, girl,” Stacy said with a laugh and headed toward her carriage where one of Darien’s groomsmen awaited, helping her inside.
I sat beside my father with Ariel on my lap as the horses began the 2.4km journey toward the Cliffs of Moher. Ariel played with my necklace, eager to pull it towards her and place in her mouth. I distract her by pointing towards the white horse in front of them.
She waved her hands in the air, giggling in excitement.
