Ending with Forever (4 page)

“
H
ayden, how long has it been since your last visit to your mom’s?” I ask as we ride the elevator up to Carson’s office. Carson is with Jean going over the details of his drug. They were pretty much speaking in a foreign language to me as they exchanged scientific plant names. I insisted on leaving with Hayden to give him his space. Carson appeared uneasy watching me leave without him. He’s been much tenser these past two days, even more than his usual intolerable tenseness. I know something’s up and I plan on prying it out of him on our flight back to Boston. I’ve given him enough time to stew on whatever’s been troubling him.

“Oh…maybe a month or two ago,” Hayden answers. “I try to see her and my sister as often as I can. Your mom is going to flip when she sees you, Lily.”

“Yes, she will. I’m nervous and scared at the same time. Between you and me, I haven’t told her anything about Carson or our engagement. She’s going to have my hide,” I divulge with a long sigh.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine once she sees how much Carson adores you.”

“You don’t know my mom. She’s probably going to chase him away with a broom first.”

“Um…I do know your mom and yes, you’re probably right,” Hayden agrees with a chuckle.

I smack him on the chest and grumble, “It’s not funny. You’re not helping me here.”

“Sorry. I can’t help it. I’m just having a little fun with you. Can I do anything?”

“No. I just need to get it over with.”

“Yeah,” he agrees and then the elevator comes to a halt. “Hey, it looks like we’re on your floor. I promised Carson I’d escort you to his office before I leave, he reminds me as we walk past Evelyn’s desk and into Carson’s office. “Stay put until he gets back,” he orders me, pressing his demanding eyes on me.

“Hayden, can you tell me what’s really going on? Friend to friend. Why has Carson been so unbearably protective of me?” I ask, hoping he’ll give me some real answers since Carson won’t.

“Lily, you know I can’t legally do that. It’s client confidentiality. I can get into all kinds of trouble.”

“Fine. Don’t tell me then,” I surrender with a disappointing sigh. My shoulders and head drop. “I hate for you to get into any kind of trouble because of me.”

“Just know that Carson always has your best interest at heart. He really loves you, Lily,” Hayden discloses sincerely.

“Thanks, Hayden.”

“Alright, I’ll see you tonight at the rehearsal dinner. Belle has a few more things to pick up for the bachelorette party before we fly out,” he reveals while shaking his head.

“I can’t believe we’re going to learn how to pole dance. What was that crazy girl thinking? Emi is already in her second trimester.”

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” he admits. “If Belle gets really proficient at it, I might have to have a pole installed in my penthouse,” he teases with a mischievous grin.

“You would. Wouldn’t you? What happened to that shy nerd I used to know?” I ask, repaying him with a smirk and a whack on his arm.

“He’s still in here somewhere,” he assures, pointing at his heart and winking playfully at me. “Okay, Lily. I better go. Stay out of trouble,” Hayden stresses a second time.

“You know me. I’m always an angel like Owen said. See you tonight.”

“Yeah, sure. Have a safe flight,
angel
,” he ribs on his way out.

As soon as the door closes behind Hayden, I use my small window of opportunity to make a call to Richard before Carson comes back. Retrieving the burner phone from my clutch, I tap in Richard’s digits.
Come on. Come on. Pick up the phone.

“Hello,” Richard answers.

“Hey, Richard. It’s me. Lily. I have to make this quick. I don’t want Carson to hear us. How’s Ame? Is she fully recovered?”

“Ame’s back to being her ornery self.”

“Oh good. I’ll call again to talk to her at a better time.”

“How are you doing, Lily?” Richard asks warily. I’ve already forgiven him, but the awkwardness between us is still clearly present.

“I’m alright,” I reply. “And you?”

“Decent. You’ll be happy to know that our clinic has grown so big that we’re now open seven days a week.”

“That’s wonderful,” I tell him. “I’m sad that I’m not there to be a part of it.”

“We miss having you here with us,” Richard adds, his tone glum.

“I miss you guys, too,” I respond. “Richard, I’m sorry to be so forward, but I don’t have much time. Have you had a chance to ask who rented that red sports car? Was it Sasha?”

There’s a brief moment of silence before Richard replies, “I bribed one of the employees to make a copy of the rental contract for me. It was rented by a Sasha Harris who has a permanent U.S. address in Boston.”

“Oh my God!” I yell as my shoulders shudder from the shock of his discovery. “It was Bianca after all. She had Sasha do her dirty work for her. We have proof now, Richard. I can have her put away.”

“Lil, unfortunately, I also have shitty news,” he interrupts. “The guy that I bribed disappeared a few days ago along with the original contract. We’re now left with no evidence again. I’m sorry.”

“What do you mean he disappeared? People don’t just disappear,” I rationalize and then it hits me.
Bianca. She probably paid him off or had him…killed. Goddamn! Will she stop at nothing?

“I’ve asked around but no one seemed to know anything about him. Everyone acted as if he’d never worked there at all. It was really odd.”

“Richard, do you think…she had him…you know,” I imply, realizing there’s nothing Bianca isn’t capable of.

“I can’t say that thought didn’t cross my mind,” he admits.

“My only hope is to get Sasha to confess. Do you remember her address by chance?”

“No!” he snaps. “Don’t even think about it. You better not come anywhere near those two or I’ll warn Carson. Swear to me now!” he demands. I’ve never heard Richard sound so uncompromising.

I cross my fingers and clear my throat before answering him meekly. “I won’t.”

“I mean it. Stay away from them. Don’t make me fly there!” he repeats sternly, making sure I hear him loud and clear. “I promise. We’ll figure another way to repay Bianca for all the hell she’s put you through.”

“Okay. I will,” I agree, but I have no intention on dropping this. Carson’s office door clicks open. Panicked, I drop the phone and then pick it up to tell Richard, “I have to go.”

Carson enters the room with penetrating eyes, assessing my jumpiness. “Who were you talking to?” he pries.

“No one. I was just killing time,” I lie as my palms begin to sweat profusely. There’s just enough distance between us that I can erase Richard’s number before he makes it over to me. “Let me finish this round of Candy Crush,” I tell him, buying myself a few more seconds.

“Lil, you surprise me with something new every day. I didn’t know you had any interests in games,” he points out, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a distrusting manner.

“I don’t. I was bored without you,” I complain, puckering my lips slightly to distract his interrogation. I pray my flirty pout still works on him. It’s my only saving grace.

“Bored? I know how to remedy that,” he offers with a devilish smirk and marches toward me as he tucks his hands in his pants pockets. Carson stands opposite me from his desk, staring directly into my squirmy eyes.

Reaching up to his neck, I grab his tie to pull him down to face me and whisper, “How?”

Unexpectedly, he slips out a pack of bubble gum—my favorite flavor—unwraps a piece and tosses it into his mouth. “Let’s have a blowing contest,” he tells me while holding back a sexy dimple grin. That isn’t exactly what I have in mind or what I thought he was implying. “The one who
blows
the best wins,” he adds cheekily, tracing his thumb along my bottom lip.

“You’re on, buddy. I’ll show you who’s the best blower in town,” I challenge and flick my palm out to him.

“Really? The best blower, huh? Kiss me first,” he distracts, puckering his lips with his eyes sealed, offering me a tender and youthful side I’ve never seen.

“Why?”

“Just do it,” he insists, exaggerating his puckering lips even more. He’s so freaking lovable right now. I just want to eat him up.

I rise to meet his smiling mouth. Mmm…his hot breath, infused with my favorite gum flavor, is sweetly intoxicating. I draw his lower lip between mine and suck on it gently and then forcefully. It’s impossible for me to be satisfied with just one kiss. I want more. I always do when it comes to Carson and he knows it, too. My fingers reach for his neck to undo his tie, button and shirt.

“Lil, what are you doing?” he asks, playing the innocent victim with a phony offended expression.

“Squeezing in one last quickie,” I murmur against his sugary, sticky lips. “Give it up, stud.”

“I’m not that easy. You’ll have to force yourself on me,” he trifles, putting one weak hand up to object.

“It won’t be my first or last time,” I echo his line to me from earlier this morning.

“Is that right?”

I nod and wink at him. “On the sofa or desk?” I suggest with a curvy smirk, pointing to his two options.

Throwing his head back, he belts out a roaring laugh and tells me, “My desk of course.”

L
il is happily sprawled across my desk after I finally emptied the last of my cum inside her. “Babe, don’t make a habit of these quickies,” I tease and press my lips against her pulsing temple. “I can really get used to them,” I admit and slowly loosen my shaft from her walls, leaving a slippery path of cum between her thighs.

“I give up. I’m spent,” she exhales as she wraps her arms around her shivering naked body.

Reaching down to the floor, I grab my jacket and drape it over her slender frame. “You can nap on the jet. I swear I won’t touch you,” I tell her as I slip one leg into my briefs and pants at the same time.

Lifting up her head, she beholds me with her hooded eyes. “What if I want you to?”

“Have I ever failed to please you?” Shaking her head, she smiles at my response. “We better put ourselves back together. The driver is waiting downstairs for us,” I remind her as I button my sleeves.

“Can you hand me my dress on the floor?” she asks, pointing down to my feet.

Almost forgetting I sent Evelyn out for new clothes for Lil, I place my index finger over her lips to silence her and reach for the phone with the other hand. “Shhh. Let me make a call,” I whisper as I capture her sweet face while her sparkling eyes stare up at me affectionately. She never fails to make me believe that I’m her universe her reason for her happiness by the way she looks at me—always mesmerized and never faltering. No woman has ever looked beyond my wealth to see if I’m capable of offering more except Lil. To her, I’d give anything—the world and my soul. “Evelyn, do you have the items I asked for?”

“Yes, sir. I…didn’t want to interrupt you,” she explains.

“That’s fine. I’ll come get them,” I tell her and disconnect the call.

Sweeping my index finger off her lips but still holding on to it, Lil suggests, “Can you take it easy on Evelyn? She’s always a nervous wreck around you.”

“I’m her boss. She’s supposed to be nervous around me,” I defend.

Rolling her eyes at me, she says, “Okay, boss. It’s just a suggestion.”

“Alright, let me see what I can do,” I offer to appease her. “I hate to be the fiancé who can’t compromise.”

“Thank you,” she mouths with a victorious grin as her body shrinks under my jacket to keep warm. I take it that she doesn’t like my ideal temperature of sixty-six degrees all year round.

“Stay put. I’m going to grab your new clothes,” I tell her as I adjust my tie and make my way for Evelyn.

Cracking the door just enough to squeeze out so no one can see Lil, I shut it quickly behind me. Evelyn watches me with curiosity, gluing her probing eyes to my every move. She has to know what’s really going on. I never bring women into my office, not even Nikki, my real cousin. The after-sex glow on my face is probably blowing my cover already. It’s pretty obvious. Whenever I’m with Lily, it’s impossible to conceal my happiness or the giddy smile on my usually stern face.

“Mr. Bradley, I bought the jeans and t-shirt at Old Navy. It’s the best that I can do with fifty dollars,” she reports nervously as if she has failed an important assignment. I’m truly impressed she was even able to get two items for just that much.

“That’s great. Lucy insists on paying for her own things,” I explain, even though Evelyn didn’t ask for an explanation. “She puts herself on a tight budget,” I add.

“Oh. I see,” she replies. “She sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders.”

“She does,” I agree and grab the bag off her desk. “Evelyn, by the way, thanks for doing an excellent job around here.” I commend, shocking the hell out of her. The stunned expression on her face is priceless as well as the proudness shining through. If only Lil can witness it for herself, she’d be pleased for being such a positive influence on me.

Once again, my office door is ajar just enough to squeeze back in. I find Lil sitting on the sofa in her new sweatshirt, daydreaming with her eyes dancing out the window. Her legs are curled up against her chest with her arms wrapped around them. She couldn’t be any more adorable than she is now looking so pure and vulnerable. God knows my heart has quadrupled in size since I met her. She’s replaced the pain and sadness from Emily’s death with so much joy, giving my soul the peace it needs to move on. Thanks to Lil, Emily’s spirit is now free from a broken heart that’s kept it imprisoned for fifteen years.

~~~~

The takeoff is perfectly smooth and Lil is finally down for a nap in my private cabin. “Luke, what’s the status on Sasha?” I ask as I fall back into my leather seat with a bourbon in my right hand. It’s early for a drink, but it’s necessary for the shitty week I’ve had. 

“She’s been taking prescription drugs and drinking every night. There’s been no contact between her and Ms. Sorté.”

“I suppose Sasha needs a friend to talk to when I get back from Indiana.”

“I think you might be right,” Luke concurs, nodding his head and narrowing his eyes slightly in contemplation.

“What about our other lead?”

“He’s willing and ready whenever you need him,” Luke replies. “We’re keeping him comfortable at one of your vacation homes.”

“Very good. Now what about the extra bodyguards? What are their backgrounds?”

“Two of them are men I served with in the Marines. I trust them with my own life as well as my family’s.”

“Excellent. I trust your judgment, Luke.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bradley. Oh there’s one more thing I need to tell you. Mr. Ly just offered you two additional men yesterday. One of which will be waiting at the tarmac in Fort Wayne. His background has already been cleared by Owen.”

“What the hell is he doing there?” I grumble. “I don’t need a stranger in my private space.”

“Mr. Ly insisted on lending you his personal bodyguard.”

“Fuck! How can I say no to that? I’ll offend him if I deny his helpful gesture.”

“That’s exactly what Owen thought, too.”

It’s questionable why Marcus is being overly considerate with me. No one in today’s society does anything out of the goodness of their heart. He must want or need something badly from me.
Hmm…does this have anything to do with Lil?
I still can’t get over his obsession with her pendant and her mother’s whereabouts. Owen will have to do some digging for me. I can guarantee we’ll see strings attached to his generosity when he finds my answers.

“Excuse me, Mr. Bradley. Captain Franco would like for me to update you with our landing status. We’ll be touching ground in fifteen minutes,” the flight attendant informs. “Everyone will need to be seated with their belts on. Is there anything else I can get for either one of you?” she offers with a freshly applied lipstick smile while eyeing Luke with interest. Unlucky for her, he’s oblivious to her intentions. She’s immediately faded into his background.

“No. I’m good. How about you, Luke?”

“I’m fine. Thanks,” he responds without any life in his flat voice, ending the flight attendant’s last hope of having any further interactions with him.

“Will you excuse me?” I rise to my feet and make my way down to the opposite end of the jet to wake Lil up for the landing.

I open the cabin door to discover that Lil is already up. I hear her rustling in the bathroom with the water running. Is she gagging again? The toilet flushes and the pocket door slides open. Her face appears pasty like someone who’s been vomiting and her eyes are watering around the corners.

“Carson, I think I just had the worst case of motion sickness. I woke up and ran to the bathroom,” she explains as she runs her fingers through her hair while bracing her body against the wall.

“Are you sure it’s just motion sickness?” I ask, concerned. “You had an episode earlier and you weren’t on the jet yet.”

“Yes. The room was spinning like crazy when I opened my eyes from the nap. It made my stomach churn and twist. Maybe I ate something bad.”

“I don’t think it was the food or else I’d be sick, too,” I reason.

“I’m fine now,” she tells me.

“Are you sure?” I ask again. “I need to know since we won’t be together tonight.”

“Yes. I’ll be fine. Will you?” she taunts.

“Come here.” I lasso my arms around her. “Don’t be cruel to your doting fiancé.”

“I’m not,” she giggles.

“Then give me some love.”

“Eww. No way. I just barfed.”

“Did you rinse your mouth?” I ask. She nods in response.

“I also brushed my teeth. But…I still think it’s gross for you.”

“Let me decide, Lil,” I tell her, smoothing her hair behind her ear to frame her face. “In sickness and in health, I’ll always be by your side.”

“I know you will. I trust you with all my heart,” she replies.

“Good. Now give up those kissable lips,” I demand, sealing my mouth over hers.

~~~~

“How are you feeling?” I ask Lil with my hand over hers as the jet descends into the Fort Wayne International Airport and taxis to the arrival gate.

“Fine. If I can keep my heart from jumping out of my chest,” she answers as her hands grip the armrests even tighter. “Why am I so nervous about being here? This is home for me.”

“It’s not being here that makes you nervous. It’s having me here with you. Isn’t it?” I clarify. “Maybe this is the reason you’ve been vomiting? Are you working yourself up so badly that it’s making you sick?”

Shaking her head she denies “No. That’s not it. My vomiting has nothing to do with you. I did feel sick.”

“Alright. I believe you. But it still seems suspiciously coincidental to me,” I add just because it’s in my nature to be a smartass.

“Excuse me, sir,” Luke interrupts, “we’re cleared to exit. Kevin, Mr. Ly’s personal bodyguard, is waiting at the bottom of the steps.”

“Okay. Give me a minute,” I snip.

“Yes, sir.”

“Lil, are you ready?”

“Yes. But…I want to take a taxi to my mom’s house. Alone.”

“Out of the question,” I huff. “You won’t be going anywhere alone,” I clarify sternly.

“I left for med school in a cab and I’ll come home in one,” she argues defiantly, scraping my nerves raw.

“You can take a cab with me and that’s your only choice,” I grumble through my clenched jaw. Once again, Lil is being her obstinate self, testing my dwindling patience.

“Fine. But I don’t want your entourage to follow us,” she demands in a curt tone, taking me completely by surprise. I thought this trip home would help settle her troubled mind, but I was wrong. She appears more anxious than ever. “My mom isn’t ready for them,” she snips.

“You won’t even know they exist,” I assure her as I try to decipher her unusual shortness with me.

“Luke, please have a cab waiting for us,” I order.

“Excuse me…sir?” Luke replies as he gives me a puzzled look.

“Miss Ly would like to take a cab to her mother’s place. Carry out protocol F1-Vehicle,” I instruct.

“Yes, sir,” he complies and exits the jet first with Lil’s backpack. It’s the only thing she wanted to bring home with her after I surprised her with it. I hope he understood my underlining message of sending one vehicle to follow us.

“Lil, wait for me,” I tell her before racing back to my office to grab my briefcase. Owen met with a team of my attorneys to draw up legal documents which I hope will convince Lil’s mother that my love for her daughter is as real as it gets. I’ve never failed at being charming, but something tells me I’ll need more than my charms to win over Lil’s mother. I pray my plan will work.