by Young, Alexa
“Promise?” she whispers.
“With all my heart. You’re all I want, all I need. Right here is where I need to be, with you. You’ve bewitched me, Abbie.” From the very first moment we met, I knew she was the only girl for me.
“Then I’m never letting go.”
“That’s fine by me.”
“And that mouth of yours is just an added bonus,” she replies, winking.
“I have other talents, too.”
“You do?” Her eyebrows rise in intrigue.
“Sure, let me show you.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
I turn off the tap, adding the last of the essence oils. It smells amazing, the rose petals adding a romantic touch. I’m glad Luce had all this stuff because hell if I’d know where to even start.
I walk through to see Abbie smiling. After two orgasms, she looks perfectly happy, but little does she know there’s more to come. I grab the remainder of the wine along with two glasses, then walk over to a naked Abbie and lift her.
“Lex… Where the hell are we going?”
“I haven’t finished spoiling you yet.” I walk her into the candle-lit bathroom and she sighs at the whole scene.
“You’re going to make me cry.” Her eyes glaze over, and I know I’ve done well.
“I just want to make you happy.” I kiss her cheek and she cups my face.
“And you have. I’m so happy.”
I place her down and she grabs a band to tie her hair up. I watch as she gracefully steps into the tub, sinking into the water.
“Oh, sweet Lord, this is amazing.” She groans, lying back so the suds go all the way up to her neck.
I pour two glasses of wine and hand them both over before I step in and slide behind her. I pull her body back against mine and take my wine as I nuzzle her neck.
“Oh, that feels good. Don’t stop.” She giggles as I tickle her slightly. “This is my favourite place, to be snuggled against this hot body.”
“So, you think I’m hot?” I smirk.
“You know you’re hot.”
I know she’s rolling her eyes right now.
“As long as you think I’m hot then that’s all I care about.” I never notice anyone else – all I see is Abbie.
“You’re too hot, if anything.”
Her words make me frown. I take both our glasses and set them down before turning her so she’s facing me.
“Is that a bad thing?”
She bites down hard on her bottom lip. “Not as long as you’re mine and the other girls keep their hands to themselves.”
I grin at her protective response. “There are no other girls, baby.”
“Oh, trust me, there are those who would love to be.” She snorts.
“But I only ever see you,” I soothe, pulling her closer. I never want her to think I’m interested in anyone else but her.
“Then I’ll be a happy girl.”
“What are you doing for Christmas?”
“Christmas?” she asks, surprised by the change of topic.
“Yeah, it’s just around the corner. Are you spending it with your mum?”
She sighs deeply. “Doubtful. She has a new guy, so he’ll be her priority. I guess I’ll just be doing my own thing.” She shrugs, and my heart sinks at her response. She makes it seem like it’s a common occurrence, so I’m hoping she’ll say yes to my invite.
“Do you want to spend it with us?”
“What?” She looks stunned.
“I want you to come spend Christmas Day with us,” I tell her.
Please, say yes.
“But I can’t just—”
“Luce asked me. I said I was going to be spending it with you, and she said she wants us all there together as a family.”
“I’m not family.” She frowns, her gaze dropping.
“You’re like family, and Luce thinks very highly of you. Plus, it’s another person to keep Gracie entertained. We need all the help we can get.” I chuckle at that. Gracie will be a live wire that day, especially with all her new toys to play with.
“I—I don’t know—”
“I’ll take that as a yes then.” I lift her chin so her eyes meet mine, kissing her hard on the lips to stop any more excuses from pouring out.
“Lex,” she mumbles between kisses.
“Baby, just make my day by agreeing. We all want you there. Luce will be making one hell of a Christmas lunch, Gracie will keep you busy for the whole day, and we get to share our first Christmas together. That’s what I want, you and me together on that special day.”
A smile pulls on her lips. “Well, how could I say no to that?”
“Good. I was dragging you along anyway,” I add, smirking.
“Lex.” She bats me playfully on the shoulder, but I see the sadness in her eyes; it’s inside of me, too. All the Christmases in the past have been ruined in one way or another. This year is different, and I want that for her, too. I want her to be a part of a loving family, to give her this. Her life has been so empty for so long, and I want to smother her in all the love she can handle.
“You’ve made my day.”
“Thank you,” she chokes out.
“No, thank you. It’s the first Christmas I’ve looked forward to in a long time, and you’ve made it even more special by agreeing to be there.”
“How did I get so lucky in finding you?” She nuzzles into the crook of my neck as I kiss her hair.
“Baby, I’m the lucky one. Now that we’ve got the whole Christmas talk over, let’s get back to more pressing matters.” I raise an eyebrow teasingly.
“Trust me, I can feel it.” She grinds against me and I groan in delight.
“Baby, you need to stop that. Let me see to you.”
“But I want you inside me now,” she pouts. I want her, too, but I also know we need to take precautions.
“We can’t in here, we need a condom.” Else I’d be inside her in two seconds flat. I’m about to burst just at the thought.
“I’m on the pill,” she blurts out before blushing.
“You are?” I ask, surprised.
“Yeah, when we started seeing each other. I thought it made sense.”
A huge smile crosses my face. “So, we can?”
“Yeah, you can fuck me in the bath.”
My eyes widen in surprise. “Abbie, I’m shocked at your dirty mouth.”
I fucking love it.
“I learned from the best. Now, quit yapping and give me what I want,” she breathes. Her eyes are heated as they stare deep into mine.
“Which is?”
“You buried deep inside me.”
My cock likes the sound of that.
“I’m liking this new side of you,” I say, kissing her neck.
Fuck, the things this girl does to me.
She grinds extra hard against me, and my cock hardens. I’m about to explode.
“Baby, please,” I beg.
Have mercy.
She giggles then relents, positioning herself over my cock before sinking down. She groans loudly as I fill her deep.
“You like my cock, huh?”
“I love your cock,” she moans as she begins to slowly ride me.
My hands make their way to her tits. God, they’re perfect, spilling over in my hands as I play with them. Abbie throws her head back and I almost come at the sight of her.
Calm the fuck down, Lex.
I twist and tweak her nipples as her movements become faster. I take her mouth in mine and we kiss passionately. Our tongues tangle wildly together as we thrash about, splashing water everywhere, but we’re too caught up in the moment to care.
“Oh, God,” she moans deep into my mouth.
Oh, God, indeed.
“I’m going to—”
“I’m close, so close.” She grinds down harder and it’s the final straw. I scrunch my eyes closed, praying I last long enough to see her through. She throws her head back and screams.
Fucking screams.
I yell out as I spill inside her. Skin against skin. So fucking perfect.
“Oh, God,” she pants, slowly returning to earth. I chuckle at the flush on her face. It makes me happy to know I’ve done this, made her feel so good.
“You’re welcome.”
She giggles into my neck. “I’ll give you that. I think you deserve it.”
“I haven’t finished yet.” I wink as a smile crosses her face.
There’s still more to come.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I pull in a breath. Fuck, I’m nervous. I shouldn’t be, though. This is my brother, after all.
But what if prison has changed him?
He cut all contact while he was in there, said it was no place for his young brother to be. God, I’ve missed him. There’s so much to discuss, but I feel sick and can barely breathe.
I’m sitting here in the coffee shop he chose as our meeting place. I sure as hell wasn’t going round to the old man’s.
I stir my coffee, staring into it aimlessly. My hand trembles and my spoon rattles against the porcelain cup. I place it down and sigh.
Please, let him be okay.
“Lex.”
My eyes shoot up to the gravelly tone of my brother. I stare into his eyes, identical to mine. They seem hard, but then soften after a few beats.
“Zack.” I jump up and hug him hard. At first, he stiffens, but then his arms wrap around me. We pull away a few moments later, each smiling at the other.
“It’s good to see you.” His hand pats my face, and I see the love there in his eyes.
“It’s good to see you, too.” I’m too choked up to say any more.
The waitress walks over and Zack orders a coffee before he turns back to me. “So, what have I missed?”
I laugh at his humour. He says it in such a way you’d never think we’d been apart for the last three years, but I’m just grateful he didn’t have to complete his full five years. It’s good to finally see him as a free man.
“Well, Dad’s still a complete arsehole.” I snort. The fucker is never going to change.
“I know that already.” He smiles when the waitress places the coffee in front of him.
“How’s things going with him?” I frown, hating the fact he’s back living with Dad. He deserves more after what he’s been through.
“We have a system of keeping out of each other’s way. It seems to be working, I’ve barely seen him since I’ve been out. I need him for the moment as an address, but once I find work and a place of my own I’ll be gone.”
“Have you started looking yet?”
“Not really.” He shrugs, taking a quick sip of his coffee. “I need some cheap labour. Someone who won’t turn their nose down at my prison record.”
“But you didn’t—”
“I know I’m innocent, but I served the time so, in their eyes, I did the crime.” He smiles sadly. I know it’s a cruel fact; people will automatically think the worst without listening to the real truth.
“I hate him for what he did.” My hands ball into fists. Such a fucking coward. “Why did you take the fall? Surely there could have been some other way?”
He sighs deeply. “Because you were still young, and I didn’t trust Mum. The last thing I wanted was to see you put into care after she decided to take off with the next eligible guy with a fat wallet.”
“Well, she did that already,” I snort. The woman is fucking unbelievable.
“At least you were at an age that social services were no longer a factor.” He smiles weakly, and I hate the fact he’s ruined his life to help me. He’s always been so selfless; considering the parents we had, it’s a freaking miracle.
“Yeah, I suppose.”
“So, how are things with you? Dad mentioned you found Dray and were living with him. A surprise older brother, huh? Replacing me already?”
I see humour in his eyes along with a mixture of sorrow.
“No one could ever replace you or Kyle. You’re my brothers, but Dray has been amazing. I got into some trouble with Weighman—”
“What the fuck are you doing getting mixed up with him for?” he barks, causing me to flinch.
“I know, I was stupid. I was gambling to bring in money and… well, I lost big and had to deal with the consequences. Dad was pissed one night and started rambling on about Dray. How he should have kept in with him since now he’s a success, rather than being with this good-for-nothing family.”
Zack shakes his head in disgust. “Some things never change, always looking out for himself.”
“Yep, that’s Dad, for sure. So I looked him up online and went to see him. He was frosty at first, since he knows what the old man is like and thought I was the same. But he eventually took me in and he’s been amazing. He’s given me a life I’ve always dreamed about.”
“Okay, I get the picture.” His eyes drop to the table.
Fuck. I need to learn to filter before I speak.
“He would love to meet you,” I offer. I know Dray would openly welcome him into his home.
His gaze flicks up to meet mine. “You’ve told him about me?”
“I just said that you and Kyle were away travelling.”
His face falls at my dishonesty. “Ahh, didn’t want to mention your brother was serving time.”
Fuck.
“It’s not like that—”
“I get it, it’s fine.”
But it’s not, and I can see he’s hurt by my lie.
“That’s your story to tell, not mine. Dray hasn’t been an angel, either. He’s got a record. He gambled early on when he was starting out, so he wouldn’t judge you.” I didn’t want him to think the worst before he’d even met him.
“Ahh, so Lady Luck stepped in and what? Boom, he’s a millionaire,” he scoffs.
I frown at his snarky tone. “He’s worked hard for what he has, invested and built up his gyms. He’s very passionate about his businesses. He’s not the millionaire you think he is. He’s very down to earth and has been generous with me.” I stress my words, hoping he’ll listen.
“Well, good for you,” he huffs, and I scowl at his tone.
“He’d do the same for you. He’d take you in, give you a home, a job. I’d only have to ask.”
His eyes flash in anger. “No offence, Lex, but I don’t want charity.”
“It’s not charity, he’s family.”
“He might be your family, but he certainly isn’t mine.”
What the fuck?
“Don’t be like that. If you got to know him, you would think differently.” I hate he’s completely disregarding this option before he’s even met Dray. Family is everything to me, and I’d hoped all my brothers would get along.
“I hear what you’re saying, but I’m not about to be the ex-con begging at the millionaire brother’s door. I’ll make my own way out of this. Sure, it’s going to be hard with the record, but something has to come up. My luck has to change sometime, right?” He gives me a half-smile, but even I’m not convinced.
“Your luck could change now if you said yes. Let me speak to Dray—”
“No,” he barks. “I want to do this myself. I lost a lot of self-respect in prison. You never know how bad things really are till you lose your freedom, and I want to keep what little pride I have left. I’m pleased for you, bro, and I’m happy you have a home. I know me and Kyle leaving you there was hard, but—”
“You don’t have to explain. I know for you it was beyond your control, but Kyle… well, I don’t blame him, either. I’m proud my brother is fighting for our country. Sure, it breaks my heart he’s cut all contact, that I don’t know whether he’s dead or alive, but I feel it in here he’s still with us.” I clutch at my heart, hoping my intuition is right. I couldn’t bear to lose him, either.
“You always were such a sensitive soul. I would love your outlook on life. Sadly, when something taints you it’s hard to try and see the good in things.” He swirls the remainder of his
coffee as a distraction probably so he doesn’t have to look at me.
I grab his arm and squeeze. “I’m here if you need to talk, night or day. You just have to call me.”
His sad eyes meet mine. “I don’t even have a mobile. I come out of jail and it’s like I’ve been asleep for the last few years.” He scrubs his hand down his face and I can tell how frustrating it is for him.
“I’ll get you one.”
“No, it’s—”
“No, I need to know you can contact me whenever. I can buy you one today and get it all set up,” I urge. It’s the least I can do.
“Thanks.”
“You’re my brother, no thanks are needed. Just keep it hidden from Dad or he’ll try to flog it.” Unless something is nailed down, I wouldn’t put it past him.
“No doubt.” He takes another sip of his coffee. By now, mine is cold, so I push it aside. I’m worried about him. I know things would be far different if he took me up on my offer, but he’s always been too proud for his own good.
“Do you want anything to eat while we’re here?” I suggest, grabbing a menu.
“No, I’m good.”
“Is there any food at home?”
“The basics. I was in the kitchens in prison, so I can knock up anything from scratch,” he says nonchalantly, but his eyes light up as he speaks and I can clearly see he’s passionate about it.
“Is that something you’d like to do, work in a kitchen?”
“It would be a dream to do something like that. Maybe do a diploma so I have the qualifications, too.” He sighs.
“I could look into that for you, see if I could get you an apprenticeship,” I offer. I could speak to Luce about some contacts to get in touch with.
“I think I’m a little too old for an apprenticeship.” He chuckles at the thought.
“You’re only twenty-five, never too old to learn.” I don’t want him finding fault before he’s even started. Jobs are scarce already out there.
“I guess you’re right.” He draws circles on the table with his finger.
“I want you to have a focus, something to concentrate on. I was there – no money, no job, no outlook.”
“Until big brother Dray saved the day,” he mutters under his breath.
