Accepting Destiny (9 page)

“Oh my God!” Is all I can say. As I scan the room
, I am amazed at how much is destroyed. The TV glass is shattered and lying on the floor. Throw pillows are shredded and fuzz is blowing through the room from the breeze coming in through the door. Gashes in the sofa cushions and chairs, tables turned over on their sides. I gasp and my body starts shaking all over again, but I try and calm down, when I feel Jackson’s hand on my back, stroking my spine in a tender attempt to keep me calm.

I walk in to the kitchen, dishes and glass
all over the floor shattered into tiny fragments. The drawers on the floor and utensils paint the counter tops. My pots and pans, also strewn about.

“My ring!” I suddenly remember and run down the hall to my bedroom. “Holy Shit!” I whisper under my breath. My bed has been stripped and a large gash runs down the center of the mattress, the stuffing poking out through the opening. Clothes and jewelry pulled out of their hiding places and clutter the dresser and floor around it. I frantically begin to search through it all, crouching on the floor and looking under the dresser and around the bed.

A bright sparkle winks at me and I reach for my grandmother’s ring, which is lying on the floor by the window. “Oh thank God, I found it!” I squeal, as I place the ring on my right hand. This is a family heirloom and I would have been crushed if it had been gone. I have renters insurance, but this ring is not replaceable.

I flop my fat ass on the floor
, right where I crouched and the tears find me before I can push them back. Jackson is standing beside me, but he stays quiet and only rests his hand on my shoulder, as my body shakes and heaves through the tears.

After a few minutes of getting the crying out of my system, Jackson speaks. “Ally, you need to look around and see if anything is missing.”

Shaking my head, “I don’t care at this point, this is the only thing that had any real value,” I say, as I stare at my grandmother’s ring. My grandfather gave this to her on their fiftieth wedding anniversary, two years before she passed away. It means the world to me that Papa left it to me and I’ve cherished it, though I don’t wear it much because it is so valuable, I’m afraid I’ll lose it or lose a stone in it or something.

I then start hearing a commotion at the front door and a loud woman’s voice comes crashing through. “Ally!! Let me go
, you big buffoon, that’s my friend in there!”

Heather, barreling in
, like a bull in a glass shop.

“Ma’am, there is a Heather Langley here. Says she’s a friend of yours?” An officer
, says from the bedroom door.

“Yes, she is. She can come in.”

“Finally!” I hear Heather bark, as she storms in to my bedroom.

“Ally, oh my God. What the hell happened?”

“Well, apparently someone broke in and trashed the place,” I couldn’t help my snarky attitude, but isn’t it obvious?

“Who? Who would do this?” Heather asks
, as she sits down on the floor beside me, but is looking around the room in amazement. “It looks like a tornado blew through here.”

I look around, nodding my head in agreement. “Yeah, it does.”

“Ms. Sanders? We’d like to ask you some questions,” An officer asks.

“Yeah, sure,
” I say, Jackson holding my hand and helping me up.

“Do you have any enemies
, or have you had any fights with anyone recently? Any idea who might have done this?”

I shake my head, “No. I don’t have many friends
.....or enemies for that matter, but a guy did follow me in to work this morning, could it be related?”

“We are aware of that Ms.
Sanders, and we are looking into it. The leasing office has pulled the camera footage for the day. Two of our detectives are there reviewing it, to see if they can determine who broke in and how they got through the security gate,” he tells me.

He doesn’t ask me much more than that, because he knows I don’t have any answers. The fear and panic on my face said it all I’m sure. I’ve never been good at hiding my emotions and always wear my heart on my sleeve.

The officer responds to someone on his chest radio and steps outside, leaving the four of us inside. It’s a surreal moment, scanning my trashed apartment and seeing the looks of sympathy on the faces of Jackson, Heather and Chase. What a group we are. “Chase, why are you still here? Isn’t this out of your jurisdiction?”

“Yeah, but since I discovered the scene
, they had questions for me, why I was here and such. I had to fill them in on everything, including the kidnapping a few weeks ago. I didn’t want to hash that out, but they needed to be aware of it, in case it’s related.”

I suck in a breath. “You think this is related to that? I thought those guys were either dead
, or in jail?”

“They are, but we didn’t bust the entire operation. There could be others trying to exact revenge.”

“Revenge? On me? Why, I didn’t do anything? I was a victim in that scheme, so was Heather. But it wasn’t her apartment that was broken in to, it wasn’t her that was followed this morning. Why me?”

“We don’t know yet Ally, but I plan to work with Gwinnett Police and Detectives
, to help sort it out. Since we don’t know if they are related, our two departments will work together, until we can prove it or rule it out. Do you have somewhere you can stay until we figure that out?”

I nod my head, “I can stay at my parents.”

“No, Alexandra,” Jackson interrupts. “We’ve discussed this. You will stay with me.”

“No, Jackson, YOU discussed this. I was only allowed to sit back and listen. I wasn’t given a choice and frankly I’m tired of my choices being taken away from me.”

“I’m not taking NO for an answer, Ally. My building is secure and no one can bother you there. Or us,” he said that last bit with a twinkle in his eye.

This man gets on my nerves so bad, but he’s so stinking hot that I can’t stand it. I know the right thing to do is to stay protected, but I hate giving up my pride.

“Gather up what you need and we will head back to the penthouse.”

“What about the video feed from the leasing office?” I ask Chase, totally ignoring Jackson, which isn’t easy to do.

“They’re still reviewing it, it’s twelve hours of tape, so it’s taking some time. We don’t know what time they broke in, could have been right after you left this morning up until when I got here. It may be tomorrow before we hear anything. The officers assigned to that task, will keep us posted. Go on back to Jackson’s place and I’ll drop his car off, on my way home.”

I turn to head in o my room
, to gather some clothing and stuff. Heather follows me back.

“What in the hell is going on Ally?” She asks. “Does this have something to do with the kidnapping? I heard Chase say
, they didn’t arrest the whole gang, what if they come after me?”

“I don’t think they’re after either of us, Heather. I think it’s just a coincidence that this happened the same day I was followed. I really don’t think it’s connected.”

“But what if it is?”

“I don’t know what
to tell you H,” I say, not looking at her cause I’m searching through piles of wrinkled clothing, trying to figure out what to take.” Maybe you should go to your parents’ house for a while, or do you have someone else you can stay with?”

“No, not really. I guess I can go to mom’s, but she’s gonna want to know everything and then she’ll get worried and drive me crazy.”

“Hey, crazy is better than dead.”

“Yeah, I guess yo
u’re right. I’ll go call her, let her know I’m coming to stay for a while.”

“Good call. Set your alarm at the apartment before you leave, just in case.”

She gives me a big Heather hug, which I actually don’t mind at this point. She gives good hugs, though she likes to do it a bit too much sometimes.

“Call me tomorrow and let me know what they
find out on the video,” she says as she heads towards the door. “And be careful, Ally. Jackson, you take care of her, or you’ll have to answer to me,” she says as she glares at Jackson.

“Yes ma’am,” h
e tell her as he salutes her with two fingers. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

She stares at him for second, like she’s going to pounce on him, but she turns and leaves.

W
hen we finally get back to the penthouse, we drag my suitcase and a whole bunch of shit I probably don’t need upstairs. It looks like I’m moving in, but I only plan to be here for a day or so. If things go right, they will figure out that the break in was a fluke and Jackson will let me go home. I’m not comfortable here, but I guess being uncomfortable is better than being raped, or worse.

I drag the bag I am pulling up to the second level and reach for the guest room door. “What are you doing, Ally?” Jackson growls at me.

Shocked, I just turn at look at him, continuing to move my way in to the guest room. As I look around, I am instantly comforted. Lavender and cream colored comforter, cream walls and dark cherry furniture. It’s a girl’s delight, but then I wonder why he would decorate a guest room this way. I’ve been in here before, when Heather passed out, but I never paid attention to the details.

“My sister decorated this room, it’s where she stays
, when she comes over,” he answers before I even ask the question. “But you aren’t staying in here,” he says as he continues down the hall towards his bedroom.

Here we go again. I decide I’ve had enough of his bossiness for one night and I enter the guest room, dragging my rolling bag in behind me. I park it beside the bed and set it down, unzipping it to unpack. This has work clothes in it and if I leave them packed too long I’ll have to iron, and I hate ironing. I’m
a
spritz a little water on it and toss it in to the drye
r
kinda girl. Ironing is too much work.

I open the closet door and grab some hangers
. Hang my suit for tomorrow and a dress for the following day. He’s just taken my shoes and shower stuff to his room, so I guess I’m going to have to follow after him to get it.

As I walk out the door
, I slam right in to a hard warm body. “What are you doing in here?” He asks.

“I’m staying in here Jackson, I’m a guest and I’m staying in t
he guest room where guests stay,” I know, a bit of a run-on sentence, but I was trying to make a point. Apparently, that point was not taken well, because I’m immediately lifted up and thrown over his shoulder, cave man style.

This is not the first time he’s done this either, and I’m just as pissed now
,as I was the last time. Well, maybe no
t
a
s
pissed, but pissed none the less. I beat my hands on his back and kick my legs out, but he just laughs all the way to his room.

“I am not sleeping with you! Now put me down!” I kick and scream a little more, but my attempts are futile and I am tossed.....no, I mean literally tossed, on to the bed. I bounce like a hippo on a trampoline and almost go flying off the other side, but he’s on me in a second and saves me from face planting on the other side of the bed.

“What was that for?” I scream at him, scrambling to get up, so I can go back to the guest room.

“Apparently you didn’t understand me when I said you weren’t sleepi
ng in the guest room,” he says, as he leans in to me.

“Jackson! Are you listening to yourself?” I shove him hard on this chest. “YOU are telling ME what to d
o
agai
n
! Stop doing that, it drives me crazy!! You are not my boss, or my mother, so let me make a damn decision on my own, would ya? Geez! I can’t stand this!”

I shove back on him again and he moves back, a hurt look on his face. Oh no he doesn’t, I’m not going to fall for the puppy dog eyes. Not again.

“No, Jackson. Don’t do that. Let me go, I need space right now and a hot bath. Let me go please. Bring my bags back to the guest room while I’m in the tub and then I’ll see you in the morning. I’m tired and pissed and I don’t want to deal with you right now.”

Now he really looks hurt, but I can’t help it. It’s how I feel right now and I wouldn’t be good company anyway. He needs to back off and let me get my brain around what’s going on. His demanding presence is weighing on my last nerve and I need air. I know if I try to go outside to do that, he’ll be on me like stink on shit
, so I’m settling for a bath, a break and then bed. Maybe I can deal with his arrogance in the morning, but right now, I’ve had enough.

He reluctantly moves back and lets me off the bed, his eyes pointed towards the floor. His chest is heaving and I can tell he’s trying to reign in the control. He stands back from me and actually allows me to leave the room. I walk slowly
, because I feel like he is going to grab my arm and spin me back around, but he doesn’t.

I start to stomp back to the guest room, but tone it back and just walk normally. I need to be the mature one here, but damn
, that’s hard.

I walk in to the guest
room and quietly close the door, really wanting to slam it, but I take a deep breath, releasing it slowly. I do this several times as I lean back against the closed door, half expecting to be catapulted across the room as he throws the door open.

All is finally quiet and I think I may have gotten my point across, so I kick off my shoes and set them in the closet. Damn
it, I forgot to bring my other bag and bath items and I dare not go back to his room to get them, because I’ll just be opening a big ole can of worms.

I pull my clothes off, dropping them in to a pile by the bathroom door and enter the spacious bathroom. Holy crap, the guest bathroom is bigger than my kitchen. The huge oval tub could fit four people in it, so I plan to sprawl out. Now, do I want the jets on
, or bubbles? Cause you can’t do both. I figured that out at my mom’s once when I was younger and damn, that was a mess. I was grounded for two weeks because of that. But it sure was fun!

I opt for the chamomile bubble bath that is on the side of the tub. I turn the water on and then wish I had a glass of wine to go with my bath, but I’m not leaving this room tonight. I’ll just have to do without.

I pull my hair up into a hair tie and step in to the tub, sinking down in to the fragrant water and lean my head back on the terry cloth pillow perched on the end. My toes are wiggling under the running water as bubbles are building higher and higher around me. Shit, I guess I put in too much.....but I don’t care. I sink back and close my eyes, my body finally relaxing in the hot water and sweet scent of chamomile.

Once the tub is full, I si
t up and turn the water off. I grab the poufy thing hanging on the tile wall. I then put it back, because I’m not sure who used it last and....well, that’s just not right. Poufs are personal and I don’t want someone else’s.......eww, never mind.

I settle for using my hands to massage the warm bubbles in to my skin, sluicing the water over me and breathing deeply. I’m totally in to my bath, on the verge of sleep when I feel a cold draft of air flash over my skin. I peel my eyelids open, which were just about glued shut and I see Jackson leaning back against the sink, staring at me.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” He asks, a sly look on his face. I’m still mad at him, but I’ll admit, I have calmed down some, but that look in his face is only going to get us both in trouble.

“Yes, actually I am. What are you doing?”

“Watching you, imaging what it would be like to be in there with you, your body nestled between my legs and your hair ticking my chest.”

I start to think that would be nice, but I fight off the thoughts cause that would defeat the purpose of taking a bath and relaxing. I close my eyes and lean back against the pillow again, doing my best to ignore the fact that he’s still standing there
,staring at me like he wants to eat me. Wait, maybe
I
coul
d
handle him getting in the tub with me.

A
gain, I fight it off. I’m mad and he needs to leave me alone to sulk. I won’t prove anything to him if I keep giving in.

I hear the sounds of metal clinking and a thunk on the floor, but I keep my eyes closed and pay him no attention. Then I hear the rustling of clothing and I know instinctively that he is taking his clothes off. I squeeze my eyes shut, because if I open them now
, I will lose the internal battle with myself.

It does no good.
I open one eye and peer over at him. He is still leaning back against the sink, but now he is butt ass naked and damn proud of it. I suck in a breath and manage to open the other eye. His cock is not completely hard, but it’s not at full sleep either. When my eyes reach it, I see it twitch and rise up just a little.

My mouth has dried up and I attempt to lick my lips, but my tongue sticks to the bottom one. His eyes glaze over and darken when I do this and my pussy throbs under the heavy bubbles
, covering my body. Every inch of me is covered, but it’s like he can see right through the bubbles. Damn, he really does have x-ray vision.

He moves towards the tub and my body automatically sits up, allowing him room to crawl in behind me. I’m fighting a battle with myself, because I swore to myself I would spend the evening alone.

He sinks in to the water behind me, his muscular legs spreading, so I am nestled in between them. He pulls me back towards him and wraps his arms around me. We stay that way for a long time. We don’t speak and neither of us moves, he just holds me against him, lightly brushing his hands over my arms, splashing water over me.

I sigh and sink further against him, loving the feel of his hard chest against my back. I lean my head back against his shoulder and he lowers his head, brushing a soft kiss across my lips. I return the kiss, but there’s nothing sexual about this kiss. It’s soft, loving and intimate.

I look up at his face and I see something different. I’m not sure what it is, but I plan to find out. “What is it Jackson? What’s wrong?” I whisper, against his cheek.

“I’m an ass, that’s what’s wrong. I’m sorry, Alexandra. It seems I do a lot of apologizing. I forget that you are a strong, independent woman and I........” He stops, shaking his head. “I’m used to having
to take control of a situation,” I cut him off.

“I’m not Madison, Jackson. I don’t need someone to take control and make all of the decisions for me
. You’ve been doing that since the day we met. It drives me crazy.”

“I know, and I’m trying. I’ll probably fuck up again, and I’ll apologize again, but I’m trying. I want you in my life and
I’m doing my damnedest to fuck it up. I feel responsible for Madison. She trusted me and her family trusted me to keep her safe and I screwed up.”

“Jackson, no. I’ve told you before, you didn’t screw up. Madison did. She was a big girl and she knew what she was doing, you can’t keep blaming yourself for what happened to her. You need to let it go and move on, or it will wreck you.”

He nods, “I know. Will you help me?”

I turn in the water and face him, still between his legs. I cup his face in my hands and press a gentle kiss on his lips. “I’ll help you, but you have to help yourself too. Don’t rely on me to get you through everything alone, you need to trust yourself too.”

“I know, thank you,” as he kisses me again. “What did I do to deserve you?” He asks between kisses.

“You don’t deserve me,” I chuckle, “But I’m going to give you a chance.”

His lips come down hard on mine, his tongue pressing for entrance to my mouth. This is not the same sweet kiss from earlier. This kiss is hungry and probing, swiping through my mouth and pulling everything out of me. His tongue tangles with mine and our breath becomes one.

He pulls away from me and looks at me, his chest heaving and those deep green eyes burning. He trails his fingers down
my neck and then my chest. His hand cups my breast and he massages the tender flesh, lowering his head to suck in my nipple. He swirls his tongue around the stiff bud, pulling it into his mouth and then releasing it with a pop. I almost chuckle at the sound, but the look in his face stops me in my tracks.

He reaches under my arms and lifts me, pulling me forward on to his lap and impaling me on his cock. No foreplay, no warm up....nothing, but I slide right down on him. He is buried deep, but he doesn’t move right away. I close my eyes and throw my head back at the sudden invasion, silently willing him to move. “Eyes on me Alexand
ra. Keep those baby blues on me,” he says, as he thrusts his hips upwards, his cock pressing against my cervix.

I work on focusing my eyes and do what he says, looking at him as I arrange my legs
, so I can get some leverage. Once I am settled, I rise up and feel him slipping out of me. But before he is completely out, I lower myself slowly back on him and suck my bottom lip between my teeth. I struggle to not close my eyes, because he feels that good. He fits me.....like a missing puzzle piece.

I keep my eyes on his and continue moving up and down over him, my hands pressed against his shoulders and his hands around my waist, steadying me. His hips rise up to meet my downward thrusts, his pubic hair causing a friction on my clit.
The water in the tub is sloshing about, pouring over the sides, on to the floor. The walls of my pussy contracting and releasing around him.

Before I can fall over the le
dge, he stops, lifting me off him and standing us up, the water rolling off our bodies and the lingering bubbles, clinging to our skin. He helps me out and hands me a towel, as he pulls the plug to drain the water.