Wanted (Addicted Trilogy Book 3)

by S. Nelson

  “You can’t really believe that. She’s the best thing to ever happen to you, and you to her. I see how you two look at each other when you’re together. It’s as if no one else exists. I know, because it’s exactly what I have with Adara. It’s a rare thing to find in this fucked-up world, Alek.” He knit his brows before he spoke again. “Don’t tell me you’re planning on breaking it off with her, because you think you’re doing more harm than good being in her life. Because it would be the stupidest thing you could ever do.”

  He knew exactly where I was going with my conversation and because of it, I couldn’t even look him in the eye. I knew he would try and talk me out of it, telling me I was an idiot if I went through with what I was contemplating.

  I loved Sara more than I could ever explain in words, but the thought of her being taken from this world because I was unable to protect her was unbearable. I was too close. Her love, her very being, was distracting me from my ultimate goal, which was ensuring she was as safe as could be, each and every minute of the day. I knew it was a lot to put on someone, but it was a weight I was only too happy to carry.

  Honestly, I didn’t know what I was going to do. The thought of not being able to see her, to touch her whenever I needed to feel her against me, or to even hear her voice was torture. But I knew I had to make a decision either way because what I was tormenting myself with, over and over, was driving me to drink. Literally.

  Before we left, Kael gave me his parting words of wisdom. “Listen, Alek, I know you love her and she loves you. I think you’re letting what happened cloud your judgment. You need to take a step back and think everything through before you make a rash, stupid mistake. Please, tell me you’ll think about it before you make any decisions.” I stared at him, trying my best to compute his words. The last drink really did me in. My brain was fuzzy, and the words which spilled from his mouth sounded jumbled together. Kael broke the silence with his persistence. “Promise me, Alek.”

  “Fine, I promise I won’t do nuthin’ rush till I speak about it.” What did I just say?

  “All right, buddy, come on. You’ve had enough. We need to get you home.”

  As soon as I stood, the world spun around me. Normally, I could handle my alcohol, but it’d been a long time since I’d consumed so much. Thankfully, I’d called the car service a half-hour before, so my ride was already waiting for my drunk ass.

  After paying our tab, we headed outside. Each step I took was staggered, Kael doing his best to hold me upright. The cool evening air helped my inebriated state, but only for a minute. My driver held the door for me as I stumbled inside, but before he locked me in, I yelled out to Kael, who was standing only a few feet away. “Hey, do you need a ride?” I slurred.

  He chuckled and shook his head. I knew the state I was in was going to be enough for him to hold over my head for years to come. Not since we were in our early twenties had I drank to such an excess.

  “No. Unlike you, I haven’t had much to drink, so I’ll be fine to get home on my own.”

  “Okay, dress yourself then.”

  “Don’t you mean suit yourself? Boy, you’re really gone aren’t you? Do you need me to hold your hand and put you to bed?” he teased.

  “Fuck you.” I laughed, giving him the finger as I situated myself in the backseat of the town car.

  Once I made eye contact with the driver, I spouted out Sara’s address and settled in for the ride.

  I hope I don’t pass out.

  ~10~

  Sara

  A loud crash in my living room woke me from a sound sleep. I instantly shot up in bed, clutching the covers under my chin as if the material was going to protect me somehow.

  I strained to hear something, anything, but it was quiet. A few seconds into my paranoia, I heard someone walking down the hallway, running their hands along the sides of the walls as they approached my bedroom door.

  The handle jiggled before the door crashed open.

  There in the hallway stood a tall figure and at first I was terrified, until I realized it was Alek. Reaching for the bedside lamp, I flicked it on, illuminating the room enough to see his looming form.

  He didn’t move, just stood there staring at me. His hair was disheveled, as were the clothes he wore. The black tie around his neck was lopsided, his white dress shirt sloppily hanging over his suit pants. He looked a mess, yet still completely sexy.

  It wasn’t until he was near the bed did I notice he was swaying, barely exerting enough energy to remain on his feet. When I glanced up into his face, my breath rested in my throat. The look in his eyes was daunting. Hopelessness had taken over, and I wasn’t quite sure why.

  We were doing so well lately, all things considered, and I didn’t want anything to upset our delicate balance. Sure, he still had his demanding ways but I was used to dealing with him, so whatever tiffs arose were quickly resolved. All I wanted to do was move forward with our lives.

  I’d planned to have a conversation with him over the next few days about moving back in with him. Officially and for good. He had been asking me more frequently as of late and I’d refuted him each time, not wanting to upset the progress we’d been able to make in our relationship. Many things had happened during the short time we’d known each other but thankfully, we’d been able to forge ahead.

  My decision to live with him made sense. If I wanted our relationship to move forward, it would be the next logical step. Plus, I hated traveling back and forth between my place and his. I wanted one location we could both call home.

  There was something else I’d been holding back, as well. Three words. I tried to tell him I loved him once before but he’d been sleeping. I wanted him to hear my words, to see the affection for him shining in my eyes as I spoke those words to him. I wasn’t holding back any longer, especially glancing at the look of despair etched into his face. I wanted to rid him of whatever was bothering him, and I knew my words would do it. Professing my love for him while he was drunk wasn’t ideal, but I didn’t want to shut myself off any longer. Although, if I’d thought about it, the first time he told me he loved me was not perfect, either. The important thing was we did love each other and those feelings should never be stifled, no matter what was happening around us.

  Alek moved closer until his knees hit the bed, reaching down so he could touch my face. “I love you, Sara. I always will, no matter what.” The last few words were slurred, but I heard him clearly enough. He sounded conflicted about something, and it was obviously bothering him. Anguish and heartache were evident in his beautiful green eyes, even as he professed his love to me.

  I reached out and tried to pull him next to me but he remained standing, which was a feat considering he looked like he’d drank himself into oblivion.

  His next words rang out into the silence of the room, confusing me even more. “I need to protect you, but I can’t…not this close to you.”

  My heart skipped a beat. “What are you talking about, Alek? Why are you being so weird right now?” He was starting to freak me out but instead of delving into whatever he meant with his words, I decided to ignore it, against my better judgement, and switch the subject. “Why don’t you let me help you undress, then we can go to bed,” I offered. Looking into his gorgeous face, I silently pleaded with him to comply.

  Letting out a breathy sigh, he replied, “Okay.”

  I moved to the edge of the bed and helped him remove his suit jacket. He kicked off his shoes and socks as I unbuttoned his shirt. My fingertips grazed his skin as I pushed the expensive fabric off his shoulders. He stood in front of me and waited for me to remove his pants. Slipping his belt through the loops, I yanked it free and tossed it to the floor. The clink of the buckle rang out across the room, the only other sounds coming from our anticipating breaths. My hand grazed over his erection as I slipped the pants down his muscular thighs. Before I could free him from his boxer briefs, he whipped them off so fast I was surprised he didn’t fall over in his haste to toss them asid
e.

  Running my hands all over his chest, I parted my lips and leaned forward. I wanted to kiss and suck his sinewy skin, but before I made contact, he gripped my arms and pulled me into him, crashing his chest against mine.

  “I want to make love to you, Sara. I want to cherish and remember this.”

  Again I chose to ignore his statement, instead moving my face close to his. “I don’t think you’re in any state to do such a thing right now.” Truth be told, I was shocked he was able to become hard. I’d never seen Alek intoxicated before, but I had assumed men couldn’t perform if they had too much to drink. Alexa had complained about it before with previous sexual conquests. But I should have known Alek would defy the typical circumstance.

  “I’m as hard as a rock. All I need is your sweet pussy to take me home.” His mouth claimed me, nipping and tasting as if he hadn’t kissed me in weeks. He turned and flopped on his back, laughing as he took me with him. My fingers weaved through his thick hair, holding him in place as I returned his relentless passion. Breaking the kiss briefly to inch up the bed, he pulled me along with him, moving me so I was straddling his lap. I had nothing but a flimsy pair of panties covering me, a tiny camisole shielding my chest from his eyes. His hands moved from my waist, up my body and searched for my breasts. When he’d made contact, he pinched my nipples, teasing and tormenting me until they pebbled under his touch.

  “Do you want me to take this off?” I asked as I bit my lip in expectation.

  “Uh-huh,” he mumbled. His eyes were glassy but he was fully in the moment, never taking his gaze from my face. His tongue snuck out to wet his lower lip. The sight spurred me further, lowering myself so I could taste him. While he smelled like liquor, my need for him pushed me forward until our tongues danced together, dueling and vying for dominance over the other.

  He was winning.

  Coming up for air, I quickly pulled the cami over my head and tossed it to the side. Before I could remove my last piece of clothing, he moved his hands back to my hips and ripped the material from my body with one swift motion.

  “Oops. So sorry,” he garbled. His grin gave him away, trying to be playful and in control all at the same time.

  “I’m not.” I tried to make a joke, but there was nothing funny about the need pulsating between us. I wanted him to bury his beautiful self so deep inside me, it would be impossible for one of us to move without the other.

  Before I could plead for him to take me, he raised me up and placed me so I was hovering over the tip of his cock. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” I asked, a look of confusion playing on his face.

  It took him some time but it finally registered he needed to put on a condom. My need to connect with him wouldn’t deter us from being safe.

  “Oh, yeah.” I half-expected him to roll his eyes or make a comment, trying to convince me otherwise, but he didn’t.

  As soon as the protection was rolled all the way on, he entered me in one quick thrust, causing both of us to cry out. I thought in his current state he was going to take me hard and fast, but instead he stayed true to his word.

  He made love to me.

  Slow and sensual.

  “Come here, baby.” He pulled me close to his mouth so he could savor me. “I love you so much.” His lips were gentle against my own, his teeth coming out to play every so often, nipping my swollen lip. He was driving me crazy; so much so I tried to increase the pace but he would slow down even more.

  I found my perfect opportunity to express exactly how I felt about the man who was deliciously driving me crazy. Placing my hands on his chest, I slowed our movements until I made him stop. The look on my face caused him to tip his head to the side in confusion.

  “I love you, Alek. I’m so sorry I haven’t told you before now. I tried to tell you once, but you had fallen asleep. Then…the next day…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. I didn’t want anything from the past to taint the tender moment happening between us right then.

  He remained silent, staring at me as if I was a stranger. He looked perplexed, as if he was battling a war inside his head. “Alek? Are you all right?” Maybe it’s the alcohol jumbling his brain.

  A few of the longest seconds passed before he answered me. “You love me?” he asked, a sexy smile tipping up the corners of his gorgeous lips.

  “Of course I do. I’ve loved you for some time.”

  “Not as long as I’ve loved you.” He groaned before pulling me in for another heart-stopping kiss.

  My body rocked on top of his, the gentle friction against my clit driving me insane. There was definitely something to taking it slow. His hands reached further down my body and gripped my ass, driving himself in deeper, pulling me even closer. He rained kisses along my jaw, moving to nip his favorite spot below my ear before making his way back to consume my mouth.

  My breathing changed, my heart ramming against my chest as my fingers dug into the thick of his hair. The sweetest pressure built inside me and I chased the feeling like I’d never done before. He knew I was on the precipice of exploding soon, so in one fluid movement he flipped me on my back, thrusting into me with a need he’d been holding back until right then. Gone was the sweet and slow, but I wasn’t complaining. I loved when Alek couldn’t contain his passion for me, taking me hard and fast until he pushed me toward the edge of bliss.

  “Alek,” I panted. “I’m so close. Are you almost there? I want you…to come…with me. Please.” I buried my face in his neck, letting his essence invade my nose, intoxicating me with his masculine scent.

  “Yes…but I don’t want this to end. Ever. I love being inside you. I can’t function without it.” His hips plunged forward, increasing his pace as he chased his orgasm. “Tell me you love me again. I need to hear you tell me,” he demanded as he punished my body with his need.

  “I love you, baby. I love you so much.” Our mouths crashed together, our breath mingling, muffling our cries as we both fell over the cliff.

  I would never get enough of his exquisite touch. He knew exactly what to do to make my body come alive. And the way he was able to affect my emotions was incredible, the good and the bad. In reality, he was the answer to every prayer I’d ever had, and I knew my heart would never be mine again.

  It belonged only to him.

  Forever.

  After we came back down from our high, he moved so he was cradling me from behind, his fingers caressing the soft skin of my belly.

  We fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

  The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed and an uneasy feeling wrapped around my heart. He said some pretty strange things the night before, and I prayed his words were solely a result of the alcohol he’d consumed.

  Don’t become paranoid now, Sara. Not after everything you’ve been through together.

  The next couple of days Alek seemed distant, evasive even. When I asked him if there was anything wrong, he would placate my concern by telling me he was stressing about a building issue with a new hotel.

  I believed him.

  ~11~

  Alek

  I continued to struggle with the dreaded emotion which seemed to snatch my very sanity. Everything swirling around inside me barely made sense. I knew in order to keep her completely safe I would have to take a step back, but of course, I was finding the feat extremely difficult.

  How could I walk away from the only woman I’d ever loved?

  How could I breathe if she wasn’t in my life?

  But something had to give. And I feared it was going to be my heart.

  I tried to keep as busy as possible, slowly distancing myself from her, first physically then emotionally. I quickly learned both were nearly impossible. I had to keep drudging on, though, if I was going to ensure nothing bad would ever happen to her again.

  I was grateful for every single moment Sara bestowed on me, putting up with my ranting and mostly unreasonable demands. She didn’t understand the protective need I had over her. She would n
ever fully understand, I suppose, no matter how many times I tried to explain it to her.

  My promise to her grandmother so many years before started off innocent enough but it turned into something deeper. It turned into my need to save her from the dangers lurking behind every corner, to save her from herself.

  I knew Samuel was her biggest threat and he’d been extinguished, but the tragic situation only drove home how unfocused I’d really become those past few months.

  I knew I sounded paranoid, but it was the way it had to be if I was going to protect Sara once and for all.

  ~12~

  Sara

  “What’s happening, chickie?” Alexa asked as she came bouncing through the front door. Braden walked closely in right behind her, as if he didn’t want to let her out of his sight.

  “Hey, you guys. How are you?” I smiled, but I wasn’t in a happy mood. I was putting on a front these days, mainly because I didn’t entirely know what the problem was.

  “Hi, Sara,” Braden greeted. He followed Alexa into her bedroom only to be escorted out five minutes later. He looked hurt but appeasing. “Bye, Sara,” he said before he dragged my dear friend into the hallway, away from my curious eyes.

  I was so happy Lex had found a good man. They’ve been spending more time with each other and I was happy she had someone to turn to, especially since my accident. I knew she worried about me, and I was glad she had a shoulder to lean on in times of need.

  She came back ten minutes later, a look of pure happiness etched across her face. She couldn’t help but look the part of a woman in love, although she said she wasn’t there yet. I thought she was lying to herself, holding on to the remaining hardened part of her fragile heart.

  Alexa Bearnheart acted tough, but she was a huge softie underneath.