by Pamela Ann
“I love you in all of your moods and colors. I’ve come to love you, Reiss, not all these grand trappings you can provide, though I admit it’s rather impressive. It’s you that I want, not what you represent.” A tiny smile played on her lips, her eyes glowing with love. “I love you as Reiss, and I love you as Craig, although I love you even more being Craig Reiss Chambers because this man came into my life, turning it upside down, blazing into it with little care for consequences. Though he was resistant in the beginning, our connection was too deep to be ignored. I knew…I just had to wait for the right time that he’ll realize that this time…I’m here to stay.” She smiled. “I had to do a little extra digging to find out what was the connection between the names…money could really be useful sometimes when trying to unlock someone’s past.”
Well, knowing how she worked, I wasn’t even surprised that she went above and beyond to figure this one out without asking me. Typical Ava.
“I—” I cleared my throat, partially grinning. “So, does that mean you’re staying to be my wife? I’m not sure if you heard, but I stated that I wanted to be married forever, and that’s a rather long time. If you change your mind twenty years down the road, you’d have a better success rate at plotting my demise than getting a divorce from me, so you should think long and hard, princess.”
Rolling her eyes, she snorted before taking me down so I was atop her pliant body. “If you’re trying to scare me away, you better do a better job since this rather laughable attempt is too poor of one to be taken seriously.”
I barked a laugh at her comment, grinning from ear to ear before I nuzzled her neck, breathing her in. I felt my body sag against her, already intoxicated by her nearness. This feeling of contentment, this simple sort of happiness, made everything worthwhile. My doubts were cast aside. My mental state was clearer than ever. My heart was creaking its door open slowly. And, as for the rest, I knew what Charlotte had said was true—I wasn’t worthy of her daughter, although I would try forever.
While I was lost in the fluffy haze of my imagination, Ava shifted a bit so her lips were close to my ear. “I have something on my mind that may indirectly affect you,” she informed me in a hushed tone, making me alert and suspicious in a second’s time.
Hating to be parted from my comfortable nook, I frowned at her. “Go on?”
“I was told by numerous women in one of my yoga classes that my breasts would eventually lose a little gravity after childbirth. What happens then? I’m sure you would not be fond of that, and would rather have the rubbery, borderline on softness tits.” She did appear like this was troubling her, which only made her all the more adorable in my eyes.
Using a serious tone, I looked her straight in the eye. “Bloody hell, Ava, do you honestly think I’m that shallow of a man? You’re pregnant with my child, and it’s one of the grandest things any woman could give to a man. I don’t bloody give a damn about tits losing gravity or trails of stretch marks because your skin had to stretch far and wide to cater to my daughter or son. Hell, I’d take on an extra twenty pounds, or fifty, or a hundred, for that matter, if that’s what you’re trying to get at.” I meant every single word, too. I wasn’t toying around with her.
She instantly appeared perplexed, aghast at my suggestion. “Fifty? A hundred? Are you implying that you want me to look like a buffalo?”
Hell. I wouldn’t have minded, one way or the other. Was that so difficult to comprehend? “Buffalo or whatever, you’d be beautiful in all shapes and sizes.”
That seemed to have mellowed her a little. I began to pay homage to her delectable breasts that were soon to lose their gravity—or so she claimed—kissing my way across them. She easily succumbed to my persistent kisses, and opened herself up to me. My cock sprang to life as I started to rub it against her, prolonging the sweet torture. Her kisses went from sweet to feverish, igniting the fire in my blood that only she set ablaze.
“Marry me again, Ava …” I said in between kisses, wanting a second chance at this. Our marriage.
“What?” She paused, eyeing me with scrutiny. “But we just got married!”
I shrugged. “I know, but I want a real one, with you wearing a beautiful gown, walking towards me to celebrate our future together.” It was a thought that had made me crazy mad back in our youth, and it was something I intended to happen. “I always dreamt of you in a wedding gown. It was just unfortunate that I saw you marrying someone else.”
“Oh, Reiss …” She reached out to me, holding me close to her chest. “If this is want you want, then I’d be more than willing to splurge your riches to have a wedding that’s too costly when it’s over and done with in a day.”
“If that’s the price I have to pay to see you in a wedding dress, then have a go at it, princess. My bank account is open for business.”
She tapped my shoulder with that cute, little pout of hers. “Now you’re just being cheeky.”
Well, since we are on that particular subject, let me emphasize, “I’m rather fond of cheeks. When your back is arched and your bottom’s thrusting upwards, legs parted just enough for me to see the glorious channels I could pleasure myself with … north and south, I worship thee and thy holy passages.”
Chapter 31
Reiss
“I’m sorry, but I can’t make it to you in time.” Ava was scheduled for a check-up, and as much as it pained me to cancel on her at the last minute, I simply couldn’t walk away when something critical had just come to my attention regarding one of the main accountants in the finance department. They had pointed out that someone was redirecting money, discreetly siphoning funds to an offshore bank account in Southeast Asia. It was something I couldn’t ignore.
“Are you sure you can’t handle it later on? This won’t take long; I promise it’ll be worth it. I really thought you’d love to see the baby for the first time since finding out about it.” Disappointment laced her voice, making me feel like a downright awful husband, one who couldn’t care less about our baby, though that was entirely untrue. They both mattered greatly to me.
I vowed to make amends, yet I knew cancelling on her at the last minute would most likely make her extra frustrated because she wanted me to go through the awe-like experience of seeing the baby on screen for the first time.
“Next time, I promise, or you can have my head chopped off by a butcher.” My light, jovial attitude merely evoked a regrettable sigh from her.
“You leave me no choice but to accept this, I guess. You really have to promise me that you’ll be there for the next appointment. I don’t like feeling this way, as if I can’t rely on you, Reiss.”
Her comment weighed heavily on me, making me think twice about my actions, just as Emily came through the door bearing folders that needed to be thoroughly examined. They contained documents and records that were hidden in a sub-file so they would be difficult to see by the financial department.
“Ava, I’ll explain everything when I see you tonight. I’m truly sorry that I can’t be there with you. You must know that I wouldn’t trade that for something less important, but this problem will most likely put my company in jeopardy if I don’t take care of it immediately,” I said, feeling helpless when I heard her sigh once more. “Text me updates? A photo or a video, perhaps? Also, please don’t forget to let me know that you’re back home. If I don’t pick up your call, I’d love for you to leave a message.”
“All right. I’ll see you tonight, then.”
I could easily see her pouting, which made me smile for no apparent reason.
“I’ll be seeing you, princess,” I murmured, hoping she was going to be okay without me.
After making a hasty goodbye, a team of four people came through the door, ready to discuss where to start with the investigation. They were talking about estimated figures stolen. Usually, when they said estimated, the real numbers tended to be triple digits, sometimes more. How could the department have managed to overlook this? Each year, they were given bonuses a
nd gifts on top of their vacations, promotions if qualified, and whatever else they achieved. If the profits doubled, I made sure they got something out of that. I was a fair employer, and I believed people that worked hard deserved to be rewarded; subsequently, for someone to do this to me made it truly personal.
At around four-fifteen in the afternoon, a few phones started beeping. The team that was supposed to be focused on research and trying to get to the bottom of this problem while the company hackers tried to crack the security coded sub-files instantly started to murmur, looking mighty suspicious from where I was sitting.
“Does there seem to be a problem? Mind sharing your thoughts instead of whispering them to each other like a bunch of people trying to plot something?”
The younger man blushed before looking at me gravely. “There’s been an explosion somewhere in St. Regent’s Park, and another in Baker’s Street tube station. There is speculation that it’s a terrorist attack, but nothing’s been confirmed, sir.”
My body ran hot and then cold. Surely this couldn’t be another 7/7 attacks that left the city in a chaotic state. People had been in a shambles, mourning for all the lost lives and the city that they all loved. Then, another thought came, causing my heart to drop to my stomach.
“Do any of you happen to know how far Harley Street is from these locations?” I asked as fear settled in like a devil’s claw around my heart, squeezing it until I was out of breath. The exchanged looks didn’t settle the panic that was spreading like a virus inside of me.
The only woman amongst them took the liberty of using the internet to research the distance. Normally, I’d know the answer to this, but my mind couldn’t seem to function.
“It says it’s about three minutes walking distance, give or take. Given the situation and the massive traffic the area might be in at the moment, I’d say it’d take hours to even get through right now, if at all.”
Bloody fuck, I thought as I reached for my phone. When I saw it shake, I had to stop and take a moment to squeeze my hand shut while, at the same time, I was silently convincing myself that everything was going to be okay.
Christ, if something happened to Ava… No! Make the bloody call, my mind pressured me, willing myself to do something other than succumb to the fear that was influencing my entirety at the moment.
Anxiety attached like a leech, sucking the life out of me as I made the call. After the first ring, it immediately went to voicemail. Hearing her cheery voice made me want to hurl the phone and weep with frustration. It didn’t help that I hadn’t received any messages or voicemails from her to tell me she was on her way home. It had been two hours since I had spoken to her. Surely the appointment was over and done with before this had happened, right?
Past caring about the odd glances the young team was giving me, I kept on trying to call her to no avail. Each time, I left a message, begging her to call me back.
I even made a call to the house, asking Alistair, the butler, if she was already home from the doctor’s. His response was negative, making my stomach even more like a pit of venomous snakes were swimming in it.
Ten minutes passed, and I dismissed the team because I simply couldn’t function with them giving me curious glances. The second they departed, I called Emily to the room.
“I’m sure you’ve heard about the news,” she immediately said before closing the door behind her.
“Yes. I have, and I need your assistance to locate someone.” Where did I even start with this? I was thinking all sorts of things at such a speedy rate I could barely concentrate with the headache that was splitting my head in to two. “I need you to call Scotland Yard and do what you must to find her. Heck, if they’re all busy, given the alleged attacks today, hire an investigator or someone who can help me find her in the least amount of time. Is that understood?”
“Crystal.” She nodded before cocking her head to the side. “And who is she, to be precise? I doubt anyone would take on the job with the description of her alone, sir.”
“My wife!” I almost barked at her. What the hell was her problem? She needed to scram and call someone to help me find her.
“You’re married?” She looked perplexed. “I still need a name, though…” she continued when I didn’t respond to her, merely giving her a death stare.
“Ava Chambers … was Ava Westwood.”
My deadpanned tone made something click behind her mind before she frowned and gave me a curt nod. “I’ll get back to you after I have news.”
However, even Emily’s expert negotiating skills didn’t bring any news to fruition. Panic seized me more and more firmly the longer Ava’s phone remained unavailable.
Of all the things I had experienced in life, this was something I wasn’t accustomed to feeling. It left me a man of nerves, like my world was about to fall apart any moment, and I had no power to stop it. The saying “in God’s hands” made so much sense to me in that instant.
Left with no choice, I had to call the only other person who would know what to do—her father. I made the call and departed for the day, unable to concentrate on anything except Ava.
Driving home when the entire city was gripped by fear and panic wasn’t the best way to dampen the crippling terror that was growing inside me; therefore, it was a fortunate thing that the helicopter pilot was still in the building and was immediately ready to take me back to my home. I loved driving and rarely used this kind of transportation, but today, I felt helpless, as if my fate was in someone else’s hands—someone who had a sick humor and took great pleasure in smashing my world into smithereens.
The travel from the office to my home didn’t give me any inclination to peek at how grave it was down there. Because, if I did, I might not survive. Ava had declined offers of having her own car and driver because she was fond of taking cabs and walking about the city. And this was the downside of giving in to my wife’s wishes—leaving her in harm’s way. There was nothing I could do about it, either, other than wait until something came up.
Maybe the jammed traffic and people scattered about in a frantic state were all using their phones, trying to reach family and loved ones, which made it impossible to get ahold of her. She was probably somewhere safe, chatting up the cabbie as she worried about what was going on. Yes, she was safe …
God, she had better be safe, or I won’t ever forgive myself.
An hour later, I was back at the house, drinking scotch in the living room while awaiting Charles Watson’s arrival. It didn’t take long until Alistair announced his arrival, and what caught me by surprise was that he wasn’t alone. He had brought his wife with him.
“Charles,” I greeted him with a firm handshake before directing my gaze towards his other half. “Charlotte.”
The patronizing woman I had encountered two nights prior at the fundraiser had completely vanished. The Charlotte before me was an entire wreck, hysterically weeping as she mumbled what a horrible mother she’d been to her only child. Charles didn’t seem like he was faring well, either. He was attempting to comfort his wife, whispering assurances that all would be well, although his eyes mirrored my own, feeling gravelly glum as to where Ava might have been.
With our phones close to us, we vigilantly waited for Ava’s call in the living room, barely touching the snacks and hot tea that had been replaced several times since the first ones had been set before us, untouched.
Time trickled slowly, and as the night wore on, we were all in a state of numbness, evidently inconsolable as we tried to contact and reach the most powerful people we knew to help with our problem. Just as Emily had feared, however, the entire city was swamped and overwhelmed with locating bodies and investigating the terrorist attack. With everyone in a state of alarm, there was little to nothing to be done except wait.
Regardless, there was a gigantic problem when it came to waiting. I was capable of exercising patience, yet when it came to Ava, I had zero tolerance for delays. It left me at my wit’s end, unable to do much of anything
. Even Charles, barking orders on his phone, did little to no good. Charlotte remained in hysterics and simply out of commission when it came to functioning. Though she wasn’t weeping like she had been earlier, her silences and staring off into space were giving me worry.
Yes, I was starting to worry about Charlotte Watson. The world definitely had gone mad. Even though the woman wasn’t throwing vile words in my direction, it didn’t mean she didn’t think of it, despite being in my home. I chose to look past that to the grief-stricken mother, and what I saw made me feel unexpectedly warmer toward her.
“Charlotte, is there something I can get for you to eat? You might need it if you plan to stay up late.” I sat across from her, plucking a piece of china from the nearby settee then placed small sandwiches on it that she might like. Setting the plate in front of her, I went on to pour her a cup of tea before glancing towards Charles. “Does she take milk and sugar?”
He shook his head, pausing from his constant state of pacing around the room. “No milk, no sugar, but do use honey,” he stated as if he was a robot before resuming his walkabout.
Pouring a teaspoon of honey, I stirred it slowly into the hot tea and then placed it next to the plate. “Please, we all need our energy if we must wait for news,” I pleaded with my voice, and with my eyes, because when I had said the word news, I couldn’t help shivering at what that entailed. It could be news about Ava’s whereabouts. News about Ava in the hospital and injured. Lastly …
No, there is nothing after that, I persisted as I tried to vanish the thought of death. The very word was chilling enough to consider; however, when it was used next to Ava, the very idea itself was distasteful. I wouldn’t have any of it. Life wasn’t that cruel to take her away in such a tragic method. Bad things didn’t happen to women like her. I had to reassure myself of that, or I might end up in a heap of hysterics like Charlotte.
