“Yeah… his friends.”
“I know it must be weird for you knowing about his past with Avery. Between you and me, I noticed there was no sad look in his eyes after he met you. I didn’t know about you at that point, but I could tell something was different. He probably didn’t know it himself until he admitted he liked you. I hope I’m not saying too much, he just talked to me about you.”
I shook my head.
“No… What did he tell you?”
She was busy preparing the garlic bread when I looked up.
“Not a huge amount. He was really cut up after you two kissed and you wouldn’t talk to him. That’s when I knew it was serious.”
I shifted on my feet again. Those two and a half weeks had been torturous for the both of us it seemed. I felt a hand on my arm and looked up. James was smiling down at me. I hadn’t noticed him come in.
“You two okay in here?” he asked.
“Uh, yeah,” I squeaked.
He raised an eyebrow at me. I simply buried my face in his chest and wrapped an arm around his waist, unable to stay away. He stroked my hair.
“Is everything okay?” I asked when I’d taken a moment to compose myself.
“Mmmhmm, don’t worry, sweetheart, none of them blame you for your father’s actions. We’ll sort it out, I promise.”
I hadn’t been worried particularly, but the possibility they might think I was playing James had crossed my mind. James was my safety. I trusted him to make sure my father was dealt with, but I knew it wouldn’t be the end of it. Richard Kirkwood would find a way to get to me. He was just like that. A parasite who wouldn’t ever let go. Not now he needed funds. He’d stop at nothing.
I pulled away and looked up at him.
“He’s dangerous. He might be an ex-drug addict, but don’t underestimate him.”
I’d told James my dad’s name last night before I fell asleep so he could speak to his brother about it today. I couldn’t believe he thought threatening me with my mother would make me agree to his demands. My dad was crazy. He clearly had no idea how much I blamed both of them for what happened to me. If my mum had just left him and taken me, none of this would’ve happened. It was difficult for women to leave relationships where there was domestic abuse, but she was my mother. Her job was to protect me and she didn’t. So as far as I was concerned, both of them had lost all rights to be in my life.
“We won’t. Dante isn’t taking any chances.”
“Did you tell him about the letter?”
He sighed, running his hand down my back.
“Yeah, he’s pissed. In two minds about going down to the prison to tell Dad to quit it.”
“What?” Liora piped up. “Dante is not going to see Zach, is he?”
James looked over at her.
“No, I told him not to. It’s not worth it. I take it he told you about the letters.”
“Yes. If anyone is going to see Zach, it should be me. I’m not scared of him.”
I glanced at Liora, confused as to why she would offer to go.
“Dante will actually lose his shit if you do that. You do remember how mad he was last time?”
“Last time?” I asked.
James looked down at me, his eyes twinkling.
“Oh yeah, Liora went and asked Dad to plead guilty on behalf of all of us without telling anyone.”
“And Dante blew up over it,” Liora added. “I can handle him. Honestly, I’ll go if it puts a stop to all of this.”
James shook his head. It was clear none of them would agree to that. I wasn’t about to volunteer myself since I didn’t know their father.
“Well, the offer is there,” she said, shrugging. “Anyway, dinner is almost ready so perhaps we should talk about lighter topics. You two want to help me get plates and stuff?”
James grinned and let me go, moving towards the cupboards. I helped him by getting knives and forks out of the drawer. I was nervous about having dinner with his family, but I needn’t have been. When we all sat down, plates on our knees, the conversation was lively and they all tried to include me. It was the first time in my life I’d been around a real family. The love between them all was clear. This was something I’d craved deep down my whole life.
I hope they all like me. I hope everything works out between James and me. It’d be nice to be part of a family like this.
Chapter Twenty One
James
Ellie fidgeted next to me. I knew she didn’t want to come to this charity gala. She was doing it for me. She’d know people here, but she hated the reminders of her time in captivity.
We’d been together for a month now. Ellie hadn’t left my flat much, having been signed off by the doctor from work due to her injuries. She’d quit during that time. She told me she didn’t feel safe and I couldn’t blame her. Not when her father knew where she worked. She was safe with me.
Her injuries were all healed up. She looked stunning this evening. The sky blue dress I’d loved so much fit her like a glove now I’d had one made up specifically to her measurements. I squeezed her hand, leaning towards her.
“You’re beautiful, sweetheart,” I whispered in her ear.
She gave me a shy smile when I straightened and her eyes met mine. Her nerves were getting to her. I could feel her trembling. I hated how scared she was. Normally Ellie was so strong, she’d come so far in her life.
We moved towards the entrance of the building, the cameras almost blinding. There’d be no hiding my relationship with her now. It would send a message to her father. Ellie was mine. I wasn’t letting her go. And she was never doing what he wanted. Brent was working to find out where he was and make sure he backed off. For an ex-drug addict, Richard Kirkwood was proving notoriously difficult to locate. Ellie was convinced he’d come for her sooner rather than later. This might just push him over the edge.
As soon as I got her through the doors, my hand planted firmly on her lower back, I ushered her away from all of the people. We were in a corridor and I had her in a cupboard the next minute, holding her to my chest. She gripped my tux jacket, her breathing shallow and uneven.
“Shh, I’ve got you,” I whispered.
She hadn’t had many panic attacks whilst she’d been with me, but when I told her about this evening a couple of weeks back, she hid in my wardrobe for ten minutes. I’d sat outside the door and waited patiently for her. Ellie hated crowds and she didn’t want to be in the public eye. I couldn’t do much about it since it was a part of my life.
A few minutes later, her breathing had evened out and she released my tux. Her hands ran up my chest and wrapped around my neck. I felt her breath on my face, knowing she was up on her tiptoes so she could reach me.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
I closed the distance and kissed her gently. Ellie pressed closer to me, causing all sorts of stirrings between us. Now wasn’t the time. Pulling away, I released her. She dropped back to her feet although her hands were firmly planted on my chest.
“Can I hide in here all night?”
I laughed, shaking my head even though she couldn’t see me in the dark.
“I know you’re nervous, but it’ll be okay.”
I hoped it would anyway, what with her meeting Avery and Gertie for the first time.
Her fingers curled under my tux and brushed across my shirt. Her touch made me shiver. Ellie had a way of driving me crazy.
“Sweetheart…”
“What?” she asked, her voice innocent.
“You know what.”
Except I was the one leaning towards her, capturing her chin in my hand and pressing my mouth against hers. I was the one who backed her against the wall and tugged her dress up so I could stroke my fingers across her bare skin. She moaned into my mouth, her hands clutching me desperately. It had been this way for the past couple of weeks since she’d got better. This insatiable need to be inside her.
There was a
lways the worry in the back of my mind that this was too much for her. Especially since all of her sexual experiences before me had been horrifying. She reassured me when I’d voiced my concerns a couple of days ago. Telling me she wanted a normal relationship and didn’t want me to treat her with kid gloves.
“James, please,” she breathed as I trailed my lips down her neck.
We shouldn’t have sex in a cupboard in a posh venue but fuck it. If we were quiet, it’d be okay. My fingers were slipping into her underwear, dragging it down her legs. She fumbled with my tux jacket, unbuttoning it before working on my zip. I picked her up and pressed her against the wall after she’d freed my cock and then I was inside her.
“You need to be quiet,” I told her, pressing kisses to her jaw.
She whimpered but didn’t make any other sounds as I thrust into her over and over. Fuck she felt so good. Having her like this was heaven. Her fingers dug into my shoulders as she held onto me, her breathing laboured.
I kissed her neck, nibbling her earlobe, eliciting these quiet mewls from her. Ellie deserved care and attention. I gave that to her in spades. This girl made me feel and experience so many things I’d never thought possible. The way her submission fed me had me throwing caution to the wind. I never wanted her to move back into her flat. Coming home to her every day after work made me realise just how much I craved the companionship I’d been missing most of my life. The sense of belonging. She gave that to me. Ellie was my home.
“I need you,” I whispered. “I think about your tight pussy when I’m at work and it’s maddening. I hear your voice in my head, begging me to fuck you and I can’t take it.”
She liked hearing those things. Knowing I was enamoured with her. That she was all I thought about because, in reality, she was. My focus was Ellie and keeping her safe, satisfied and cared for.
“James,” she moaned and that’s when I felt it, her let go. The warm gush of her over my cock and her tightening and clenching. Her fingers had me in an iron grip.
I didn’t want her to have my cum running down her thighs, so when she was spent, I pulled out of her.
“On your knees,” I grunted, not caring if I sounded feral.
Ellie did as I asked, grasping my cock which was wet with her release and took it in her mouth. The way her tongue danced over my cock drove me nuts. I didn’t dare put my hands in her hair for fear of messing it up, instead, I balled them into fists at my sides.
It didn’t take long. Her mouth was hot and wet. She was so good at this and I hated it was because of her past captivity. She’d had to learn how to please her masters for fear of their wrath otherwise. I never wanted her to feel like I would punish her if she wasn’t good for me. She would never live in fear again.
“Ellie,” I groaned, my cock wildly spurting in her mouth as all hell broke loose.
It was like this with her every damn time. Explosive and magic. I’d never felt such intense chemistry with another living soul. I never wanted to with anyone but her again.
I helped her off the floor and fumbled to find a light switch. We both blinked rapidly when the small room was illuminated. Ellie looked slightly dishevelled with lipstick smeared across her cheek. I did my best to wipe it away using a tissue from her clutch.
“I think I need a bathroom,” she told me as she tugged on her underwear and I redid my zip, buttoning up my tux.
“Can’t get caught having a secret tryst at an expensive do,” I replied, winking.
She flushed, pushing my arm.
“Shut up.”
She proceeded to straighten me up, wiping the lipstick from my face and giving me a nod when she was satisfied.
“Handsome as ever.”
I raised an eyebrow. Ellie wasn’t one to dish out compliments often.
“What? Have I not said that before? I get giddy when I look at you. Like I can’t believe someone as well put together and hot as you would want me.”
I shook my head, grinning. She’d just made my day. Getting to hear how she felt, how she saw me made my heart sing.
“No, you most definitely haven’t told me that before.”
“Well, it’s true. You, James, are a catch.”
Before I could respond, she had the door open and was checking the corridor. She stepped out, indicating with her head I should follow. We walked hand in hand until we found her a bathroom.
“Will you be okay?” I asked.
“Yes, go find everyone. I won’t be long.”
She smiled up at me. I gave her a quick peck on the lips and let her go. I shook my head as I made my way back to the main lobby and into the ballroom. Ellie had a way of catching me off guard with her honesty at times.
I spied a big group congregated around two tables near the front and made my way through the crowd to them.
“Hello little bro,” Jen said when I reached her.
She didn’t look happy, scowling across at someone standing in the corner with a group of businessmen. I recognised him. Maximillian Graves. He’d been in the twins’ year group. Jen couldn’t stand him. She told me he was a stuck up piece of shit who thought he was the dog’s bollocks. I was pretty sure that wasn’t the whole story.
“What’s that prick doing back from Japan?” I asked.
“Hell if I know. He better not come over here or I’ll rip his balls off.”
The venom in her voice was clear. It was probably better if I steered her attention away from Max now before she blew a fuse. When Jen went off on one, she really went off. I’d seen her have at it with Brent too many times to count.
“Where’s your partner in crime?”
She glanced at me and nodded towards where Fi was standing with some fashionista business types.
“Networking. You know she’s better at that stuff than me.”
I nodded slowly. Fi was the more confident of the two apart from when it came to winding me up. Jen was the queen of that. She was younger than Fi by half an hour and had always been the more mischievous one of the two. Fi was a little more reserved, but it didn’t mean she took shit off anyone.
“Where’s Ellie?” she asked when I didn’t reply.
“Bathroom.”
Jen raised an eyebrow.
“And why do you have lipstick on your face?”
I groaned, rubbing my cheek. She laughed and opened her clutch, pulling out a wet wipe and helping me out.
“I think I can guess what you two were doing,” she told me, her voice low.
“Don’t embarrass her when she gets here. She’s already nervous.”
She gave me a wink.
“Wouldn’t dream of it. I might give you shit, but I happen to like Ellie.”
“Well, I’m glad she meets with your approval.”
My family had taken to her like a duck to water. We’d gone to dinner at Dante and Liora’s last week and I’d had the twins over a couple of times in the past month. I think the twins and Ellie had an understanding given what happened to them.
“Don’t fuck it up,” she told me, punching me in the arm before she walked off towards where Dante was whispering in Liora’s ear and Brent was rolling his eyes at Gertie.
I glanced around, wondering where Ellie was, but I caught Avery’s eye. She beckoned me over and I joined her and Aiden a moment later. She gave me a quick hug followed by a kiss on the cheek and I just nodded at Aiden when she drew back.
“I’m glad you’re here. I really need this to go off without a hitch,” she said, looking around nervously.
“It will. Who’s taking care of Afie tonight?”
She rubbed her arm.
“Ben and Skye.”
I nodded, spying Tina in the crowd talking to some other women. That’s when I noticed Ellie was next to her, her face animated as she spoke. I narrowed my eyes. She hadn’t told me she knew Tina, but then again, Tina was heavily involved in the charity, so it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise. I only knew her
because she’d raised Aiden after his mother died.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” Avery asked.
“Oh, she’s talking to Tina.”
Avery’s eyes followed mine and landed squarely on Ellie. I checked her expression, which was curious.
“She knows Tina?”
I shifted on my feet and rubbed the back of my neck. I hadn’t exactly explained about Ellie, figuring it was better we spoke about this in person.
“I didn’t know until now, but I should’ve.”
Avery turned to me, eyebrow raised. How did I even broach this subject? How was Avery going to react to knowing my girlfriend was once one of her family’s girls?
“You’ve been incredibly cagey about her, you know.”
I sighed, looking over at Aiden who rolled his eyes. Clearly, he’d already heard enough from her regarding the subject of me not giving her the rundown on my girlfriend.
“I have my reasons.”
I caught Ellie’s eye and she gave me a smile which fell when she saw who I was standing next to. She excused herself from Tina and started to make her way over to me. This was going to be a make or break situation right here. I knew Ellie’s feelings about Avery and what happened between us.
“Don’t give me that bullshit, James. I’m sick of this.”
I didn’t respond to Avery as Ellie arrived by my side, grasping my hand.
“You okay, sweetheart?” I asked, leaning down to kiss her cheek.
“Yeah,” she said, her eyes darting between me and Avery and Aiden.
When I turned back to my friend, her eyes were wide as if she was a little taken aback by my behaviour towards Ellie. Honestly, I could hardly blame Avery since I’d never really been affectionate in public towards the women I was seeing.
“Ellie, this is Avery and Aiden.”
Ellie, to her credit, stuck her hand out to Avery.
“It’s nice to finally meet you,” she said, although I detected a slight tremor in her voice.
Avery shook her hand followed by Aiden.
“You too,” Avery replied.
I almost breathed a sigh of relief, but I was still wary of this meeting between the two of them. We were all silent for a long moment as if no one knew what to say.
Promises Page 22