Circle of Deception

by Skye, M.

  Sometimes, he would just drop in unannounced and spent weeks at a time with them. He wanted so badly to move them with him to cut the commute short, but when he brought up the idea, they weren’t enthused with being ripped away from their lives there. Melissa assured him that she would look after them, and he agreed reluctantly.

  “Hey mom, are you there?” Melia asked breaking her from her thoughts.

  “Yes baby girl. I’m here.”

  “What’s with the faraway look?” Maddie asked with concern in her eyes.

  “I was just looking around here and realizing that I missed several precious moments,” she replied quietly.

  “We know it must be hard, but we have finally forgiven you for that,” Meg said and rubbed her arm. “We’re past it now. You should forgive yourself.”

  Maria smiled brightly at her adoring children. She often wondered how she had given them up. “You are the best children I could have asked for. I love you my darlings.”

  “Where are you guys staying?” Melia asked excitedly.

  “I was going to stay here with Meg,” Maria replied.

  “You can’t! Your granddaughter will be devastated if you don’t stay with us. She hasn’t seen you in such a long time,” Melia protested.

  “Well then it’s settled,” she smiled. “I’ll stay with my sweet Cienna.”

  “Well dad, how about you?” Meg asked. “I’m easy. Whoever wants me.”

  “You have to stay here with us,” Alex interjected.

  “I agree Dad,” Meg said and reached for his hand.

  “I would love to,” he replied and smiled at both Alex and Meg.

  “I will get your room ready,” Meg called out as she headed for the stairs.

  “I can get it ready myself, just point me towards the towels. I need to wash off this long flight,” Emilio said and passed Meg up on the staircase.

  “Mom are you ready to settle at the house?” Melia asked.

  “That would be great, and then we can meet for dinner later.”

  Matt picked up the biggest suitcase and headed towards the car. “Let's start taking these bags out.”

  Alex grabbed the remaining bags. “Let me help you.”

  “Bye darlings. See you tonight,” Maria said and hugged both Maddie and Meg before walking out the door behind the guys and Melia.

  “I’m going to head home too,” Maddie said and walked towards the door. “I need to get some rest after all this excitement.”

  “I think we could all use a nap after this eventful morning,” Meg agreed.

  “Tell dad we will see him tonight,” Maddie said as Alex found his way back in. “See ya later bro.”

  “Later sis,” he replied and closed the door behind her. Once Maddie was gone, he turned to Meg and pulled her closer.

  “So what shall we do to pass the time between now and dinner?”

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I am rather beat,” Meg said, giving him a slight yawn afterward. “I think we should get some rest.”

  “I guess you really are tired,” he swept her off her feet. “Let’s get you in the bed.”

  “Suddenly I feel like I’m getting a second wind,” she smiled suggestively.

  “Normally, I would be all for that, but don’t forget your dad is right down the hall.”

  “What if I promise to be quiet?” she whispered into his ear.

  “Now where is the fun in that?” he questioned. “I love to hear you scream my name. It just wouldn’t be the same without being able to hear all the pleasure in your voice.”

  “Yea and you know how loud you can get,” Gio said, causing uproar in the room.

  “You stay out of this,” Meg shot daggers at him with her eyes.

  “I’m just saying,” he threw his hands up in surrender.

  “Let’s just all get some rest,” Alex proceeded to carry her upstairs. “We will see you guys in a few hours.”

  “Let’s head to our place,” Marco said, heading toward the door. “I need to make sure I’m dressed to impress for this dinner. I have a special feeling it’s going to be a night to remember.”

  Once Alex and Meg made it to the bedroom, he laid her down on the bed and flopped down next to her. After getting settled, he laid his head back on the pillows and drew her to him. “Lie with me beautiful,” he said and stroked her back gently.

  “This is comfortable,” she closed her eyes. “I love being in your arms.”

  “You always will be,” he kissed her forehead. “Let’s get some rest. I want you to be radiant tonight.”

  “I’ll do my best,” she chuckled before drifting into a deep slumber.

  Once he was sure Meg was out cold, Alex jumped up and sprang into action. He had already made all the reservations for the restaurant, but he still had a few more calls to make this a very special evening. While placing all of his phone calls, he sat there looking over at Meg, who was sleeping peacefully. He couldn’t believe that he had spent so much time without her. She had no idea what lengths he would go through to make her happy and exceed her expectations. He was determined to show her every day for the rest of their lives exactly what she meant to him.

  Hours later, Meg woke to the sound of Alex rustling through their drawers. “Just what do you think you are doing?” she asked, startling him. When he turned around and saw her smiling face, he exhaled and held up a lacy black thong and bra set.

  He looked rather embarrassed by getting caught. “I thought I would let you sleep a little longer by helping lay out a few choices for you to select from.”

  “You are just too good to me,” she said and shot him a look of admiration.

  “You just looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to disturb you.”

  “Well, I’m awake now,” she scanned the room for the clock. “What time is it?”

  “It’s a little past six and our reservations are at eight.”

  “Wow, I slept a long time,” she said while stretching.

  “We did have an eventful night and morning,” he smiled suggestively.

  He slid his hand down her shirt and rested his palm against her breast. “Wasn’t it you who reminded me that my dad was here earlier?”

  “You’re right. I have to practice some self- control,” he said backing away from the bed. “Woman, you bring out the worst in me. I swear when I’m around you all, I can think about, is stripping you naked and pinning you down.”

  “Alex, where are you going?” she asked after he abandoned the bed abruptly.

  “I’m bowing out before our dinner plans are a thing of the past. You don’t know how close I am to ripping you out of those clothes.”

  “You could always come over here and give me just one little kiss,” she said innocently. “I’m sure we can handle that.”

  “I’m not stepping one foot over there. I know exactly what you’re trying to pull, and it’s not going to work. Now you get that sexy little ass out of the bed and into the shower,” he demanded, holding out a towel for her.

  “Suit yourself,” she said and began to take her clothes off slowly and seductively. Watching him watch her aroused a feeling in her that went past her physical needs. She wanted him with a passion that was hot enough to burn down their whole house.

  “Meg stop.” His facial expression was penetrating. She had never seen him so serious. “I’m warning you.”

  Even though she knew he was about to erupt, she couldn’t fight the urge to keep going. “I’m only doing what you asked. I can’t get into the shower with clothes on now can I?”

  “You are walking a thin line,” he hissed. “If you keep this up, there is going to be an explosion like you have never seen.”

  “I happen to like explosions,” she laughed. “That’s it,” he said and rushed towards her.

  When he reached her, he backed her into the bathroom, attacking her body with sensuous kisses. She was so caught off guard by his actions that her fingers stopped in midstride of unbuttoning her shirt. To try to continue woul
d have been a waste of time, because as soon as he swung her closer, he ripped her shirt open with force she had never seen before in him.

  His actions left her speechless. She wasn’t aware that his need for her was so intense until that moment. After ripping her shirt away, he then moved his focus to her jeans and underwear. With one flick of his wrist he had her jeans unzipped, and her underwear soon met the same fate as her shirt.

  With all the heady sensations flowing through him, he appeared to have forgotten he still had all of his clothes on. She didn’t waste any time by stopping him. While he was kissing his way down her neck and across her shoulders, she pulled his shirt over his head and then slid her hand down to free him of his jeans and boxers.

  Having a houseguest wasn’t an issue anymore. Before she knew it, they were standing in the shower with the hot water flowing over their bodies. When she opened her mouth to speak the words to bring their encounter to a halt, he forced his lips over hers and rendered her silent.

  “Just hush,” he whispered in her ear at the exact moment he surged inside her warm depths. “You started this and now I’m going to finish it.” When she gasped, he planted his mouth back on hers and proceeded to ram her into the shower wall. “Don’t you dare scream.”

  Shocked by the way he was manhandling her, Meg found herself unable to disobey any order he gave at this point. The man was a sexual god. He was taking her a place she had never been before. The sheer intensity of this encounter surpassed anything they had ever shared.

  In her wildest dreams, she never expected things to go this way when she started stripping off her clothes. Maybe I should try that more often, she thought. While she was going over everything that happened in the past fifteen minutes, he was still ramming into her with a hunger she never knew he possessed.

  “Do you see what you’ve done to me? I’m here smashing into you like a maniac, and I can’t stop myself. Do you know how good this feels?” he whispered in her ear. After his questions, she wrapped her legs tighter, bringing him ever closer to her.

  He felt her tighten around him and slid down to the shower floor, positioning her to where she was straddling him. When she tried to maneuver herself to take control, he clutched her hips tightly and began an upward thrust that sent her back into submission. He knew she wanted to regain control of the situation, but there was a lesson he had to teach her first.

  He settled himself into a sitting position and pulled her up, wrapping his arms around her tightly while thrusting into her fiercely. He looked up at her in awe of the power she had over him. Only she could make him behave so passionately. He knew she was feeling close to her inevitable climax and he had every intent of being in control when it came.

  When he felt her body begin to tremble, he covered her lips with his and kissed her senselessly. At that point, everything snapped. Her climax triggered his climax, and his mouth muffled her exclamation as they rode the waves of ecstasy together. He saw her eyes get big and then glaze over, and at that point he knew she was over any screaming instinct she may have had. He knew her too well. When he thought about it, all, he could do, was laugh lightly.

  “I’m glad you're so amused with your little stunt,” she said and ran her finger down his chest.

  “You're just mad because I got your number,” he said and lifted her off his lap. “You know that was a dirty trick you played. I was trying to be respectful of your dad.”

  “We were. He didn’t hear us,” she said and laughed. “He does know that we are adults, plus we’re getting married. I think he suspected that we are having sex.”

  “What?” he asked, feigning shock. “You mean you weren’t a virgin?”

  “You're going to pay for that remark. Trust me,” she said and sat down on the bed.

  “We have to hurry. We are going to look like the worst hosts if we are late to our own dinner,” he rushed to put himself together.

  “Calm down,” she smiled. “You know how late our family and friends are to anything.”

  “Even if they’re late, I need to be on time. I have some things to take care of,” he said and flew into the closet in search of the suit he bought for the evening.

  “I pulled this out for you.” He laid a beautiful white dress on the bed for her.

  “Where did you find this? I don’t own this.”

  “You do now.” He flashed her a sneaky grin.

  “I swear if you don’t stop spoiling me like this there aren’t going to be any more surprises once we’re married. How did you possibly sneak this past me?”

  “I had it sent over while you were sleeping,” he replied while buttoning down his white dress shirt.

  “You know you don’t have to keep buying me things.”

  “I want to buy you things. There is no one else I would rather spend my money on. Now finish getting dressed and don’t forget these,” he said as he handed her a pair of sparkling diamond earrings.”

  She clutched them in her palm and smiled. “They are beautiful.”

  “They are going to look even better once you put them on,” he said, heading out of the room. “I’m going to go and check on Emilio. Just meet us downstairs when you're done.”

  While waiting for Meg to make her way downstairs, Emilio and Alex sat in humorous conversation. Emilio had been on many travels over the years and he had tons of amusing stories. His production company had several different branches, and he was a vital part of all of them. He didn’t want to be an owner that was oblivious to the daily happenings of his company, so he moved around a lot.

  When the girls were growing up, he tried to be available for them as much as the company would allow. When Meg got to the top of the stairs, she heard the comical banter between Alex and Emilio and smiled brightly. She was happy that her father and Alex got along so well.

  Having her whole family in town gave Meg an indescribable feeling of happiness. In mid conversation, Alex looked over to the staircase to find Meg making her way down. When his eyes locked with hers, he found himself at a loss for words. She was gorgeous in her beautiful white dress.

  “Are you boys ready to get out of here?” she asked with a big smile on her face.

  “We sure are,” Alex said and linked his arm in hers.

  “Yes mi amor. You look amazing,” Emilio said and followed them to the car.

  The ride to the restaurant gave Meg the chance to catch up with Emilio. He told her he was only able to stay for one night this time around because of important business matters. When he saw the pout on her face, he told her that he would return in a few weeks to spend some quality time with everyone.

  He couldn’t bring himself to tell his daughter the reason he was leaving was because of the rejection he felt regarding Maria. Although he promised to return, Meg still knew there was more to it than just business. She knew there were some things going on that they weren’t telling. When they pulled up to the restaurant, Meg started to look around in confusion when she noticed the lack of cars in the parking lot.

  “Are you sure they are open tonight?” she asked, looking slightly disappointed.

  “They are open, but only to us,” Alex replied while helping her out of the car.

  “This is amazing. I can’t believe you did all this,” she replied and kissed him gently.

  “Let’s go sweetheart.”

  Meg couldn’t help it, but when she arrived inside the building, she let out a loud gasp when she realized the place was surrounded with white roses. The lobby of the restaurant was decorated beautifully, and the path to the tables was lit intimately by candles. The lobby was dimly lit, but the room they were headed to looked rather dark. It was covered by a thick curtain, and she wondered why.

  “Hey, I know I saw a few cars here, but where is everyone?”

  “They should be here shortly. Wasn’t it you who told me they are always late?”

  “Maybe I should call them,” she said and reached for her cell phone.

  “I wouldn’t do that, I’m sur
e they will be here soon,” Emilio said and offered her a warm smile.

  As soon as they led her behind the curtain, all of her friends and family jumped out and yelled surprise. The look on her face was priceless. When she turned to look at Alex and Emilio, they both had looks of amusement on their faces.

  After the initial shock wore off, she began to scan the room and saw the champagne bottles in ice buckets with the tables lined up around a dance floor. The lighting was a little higher than it was in the lobby, but the room was also filled with candles for the special effect. There was also a DJ set up in the back left corner and a table filled with an assortment of trays with delicious treats.

  Alex had outdone himself. He was always giving her so much, but this was more than she expected tonight. She was expecting a dinner with family and friends, and he had gone above and beyond making it an engagement party.

  He knew that Meg wouldn’t want a huge spectacle, so he had only invited her closest friends and family and a few co-workers that Gio suggested. At first he wasn’t sure she would go for it, but the look on her face said it all. She was the happiest he had ever seen her, and he was glad to give her that feeling.

  Meg threw herself into his strong embrace. “Baby you're the best. I love you so much.”

  “I’m glad you like it sweetheart,” he said and kissed her forehead. “I wanted this to be special for you because of the way you found out I wanted to marry you.”

  “I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. You are so good to me and I can’t wait to be your wife.”

  “I am the luckiest man in the world, and I can’t wait to be your husband.”

  “You guys get over here and get into your party,” Matt yelled from the dance floor.

  “He’s right.” Alex grabbed her hand to lead her to their table. “Let’s get out there Angel Face.”

  Once the guests saw the happy couple taking their seats, they all began to file into their seats as well. With most of the guests seated, the waiters started to open the champagne bottles and pour the glasses. “This is exciting Alex! Everyone is here, and everything is beautiful. Well, almost everyone. Where is your mother? And where are Maddie and Sean?” she asked while scanning the room.