Sweet Abduction (15 page)

“Not her heart,” Ivan says. “Just her gall bladder. Probably they will take out in morning,” he says.

“Oh thank God,” Leah says. “I bet George is relieved.”

“Eh, he looks like this one here,” Ivan says.

He crouches beside me, but is silent. He offers no sympathy. His eyes gleam with amusement because, for the last year, I’ve done nothing but give him shit about Sofia, and now he sees how bad off I am. I can take anything, any abuse, but seeing Emily hauled away in an ambulance and then Leah covered in blood must be some new limit I never knew about.

“I’ve never had stitches before,” Leah announces. “This is a first.”

“Just three or four, right at your hairline,” the nurse murmurs.

My stomach heaves. Stitches don’t bother me much. I had over sixty when I had my car accident, but I can’t stand that Leah is getting stitches. What if she’d gone through the windshield? Or Emily? What if it had been her heart?

Ivan pats my face. “Hurts? No?”

I close my eyes. Sweat trickles down my scalp. There’s a strange taste in my mouth and my chest feels like it’s getting stuck with needles. “Some.”

He nods. “It’s good.”

I squint at him. “What the fuck are you talking about Ivan?”

“It’s good to love. Even when…” he taps his chest. “Even when it hurts, it’s still good.”

I groan and straighten. “Right. Thanks Ivan.”

Leah turns to look at me. There’s a small cut on her forehead and I can’t believe all that damn blood came from a cut that’s at most an inch and a half. The nurse has stitched the cut and I feel a little woozy looking at the stitches.

Leah grins. “What a wedding night. We’ll have some stories to tell our kids, won’t we?”

I nod. “I suppose.”

Leah

Miranda has arranged for Emily to have an extra-large suite so that George can stay with her. She’s pulled out all the stops for Emily and I’m filled with gratitude. Emily, on the other hand, is not. She’s fussing at everyone, but especially Riley. She tells him he has no business hanging around the hospital on his wedding night.

We say goodnight and head home in silence. He holds my hand while we drive. The night is cloudless and a sliver of moon hangs in the sky. Stars blanket the heavens and I wonder what time it is. After midnight for sure.

When we get home I lead him to the bedroom, I help him undress and coax him into the shower. A moment later, I’ve undressed and I step in with him. A glimmer of lust lights his eyes. I love the way he looks at me in spite of everything that’s happened.

“Hospitals are sort of gross.” I take the soap and work up a lather.

He doesn’t say a word, but his gaze wanders down my body, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. I turn him and work the suds over his immense shoulders and back. His build is heroic. Everything about him is massive and I can’t help but admire the bands of muscles along the expanse of his back.

This is the first time I’ve showered with Riley, and even though I’m doing this to offer some tenderness to him, I’m definitely enjoying skimming my hands along his powerful body.

When I turn him around to work on his chest, his erection brushes against my stomach. It’s clear he’s enjoying it too.

“Does your head hurt,” he asks.

“Not at all. I’m fine.”

He kisses me again and runs his hands down my back. I shiver at his touch. When he breaks the kiss, he washes me, gently and slowly. His gaze travels over me as if he’s studying my features. After he’s done, he pulls me into his arms and we stand under the stream of water.

He’s a big, stone fortress, and I feel like I’m just outside the door, hoping to be let inside.

We get out, dry off and he takes me to bed. Both of us are naked. I know he’s aroused and I am too, but neither of us makes a move to take it further. In the dark, he pulls me close and lets out a deep, shuddering breath. I’m tucked in his embrace and can feel him relax and drift to sleep.

He wakes twice maybe three times to ask me if I’m okay, if my head hurts. If anything hurts. When I tell him that I’m fine, he settles back to sleep with a sigh of relief.

Sometime in the night, I wake to the feel him kissing my neck. He’s crouched over me and he cups my breast with his hand. His touch is potent heat and when he rolls my nipple between his fingertips a moan slips from my lips.

“Leah,” he murmurs. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Riley,” I say on an exhale. The raw emotion makes me tremble and I reach for him.

He kisses me. Not a chaste sweet kiss, but urgent.

Riley has made love to me every night since the fight and we’ve slipped away a few afternoons too. Every time he’s been gentle and tender. The first few times he worried he might hurt me. This is different. He’s not being considerate or mannerly.

He kisses a trail of biting kisses down my neck and lower. His mouth sears my skin. I feel like I’m being consumed. Devoured. When he brushes his lips across my nipple I arch beneath him. A growl, a primitive rumble, tells me he likes my response. I thread my fingers through his hair. He sucks my nipple, rasping the tip with his teeth.

“Riley…”

His tongue brushes my sensitive skin and I writhe in response.

“Please…”

Pleasure and need combine to render me helpless beneath him.

He continues kissing a path down the front of my body, pausing when he laughs softly. “Please what?”

“I want you.”

“I want you too.”

When he kisses me between my thighs, he groans. He flicks his tongue. A wicked jolt of pleasure makes me moan.

“You taste so good. Like honey,” he whispers.

I’m shaking with need. I was already wet from the shower we took together. I’m more so now. Every stroke of his tongue makes my pleasure soar.

He loops his arm across my body, pinning me to the bed. When he’s done this before, he’s played with me, teased me, making me wait for my climax. Not tonight. When he sucks my clit between his teeth, I come. Pleasure washes over me. I’m overwhelmed, and at first, I can’t make a sound. The ecstasy steals my voice. It spirals and begins to ebb and I whimper, sob his name.

He kisses me and prowls up over me, kissing me again, this time on my lips.

“Beast.” My voice is a feeble whisper.

“That’s right.”

He cups my breast and sinks into me, taking me with a single thrust. I’m shocked by his rough, primitive actions but almost immediately he kindles new pleasure. I meet his thrusts, lift my knees to clasp him. His hand slips under my hips. He lifts me, deepening his strokes.

“You’re mine,” he snarls.

“Yes.”

“Not letting you out of my bed.”

“No.” He is a beast. He knows I’ll agree to anything. His touch undermines any thought, any argument. I’m captive. I’m under his spell and he’s had me there from the beginning. I have no choice but to submit.

He lowers me to the bed and kisses me again. His fingers brush my clit and I shatter beneath him. He follows an instant later. He sinks down but holds himself on his elbows to keep from crushing me. I can feel his cock deep inside me. He’s still hard and it makes me wonder if I’m already pregnant. My thoughts drift.

“Charlotte says if I get pregnant before she does, she’ll never forgive me.”

He rolls over and smiles at me, splaying his fingers across my stomach. “I can’t wait, Leah.”

I trace my fingers along his jaw and try to imagine our child. The thought steals my breath. I’ve never wanted anyone but him. Never. He’s all I want, him along with a house full of children. I rest my head against his chest and sink into a deep sleep in the shelter of his arms.

Leah
-
Four Years Later

The phone rings and I see it’s Charlotte. Since it’s eleven in the morning I can tell it’s going to be a desperate sort of call, the type of call I get when her nanny can’t make it. Caller ID announces her name and Riley chuckles. He’s eating breakfast with our toddler, Thomas.

“Do I want to take that call?” I ask him.

He looks up and flashes me a smile. His three day beard contrasts with his white teeth and his hair is still mussed from bed. It’s longer now than when he used to fight.

“You can take it, but you’re busy.”

I pick up the phone. “Hey, Charlotte.”

“I’m hiding in my closet. Do you think that makes me a bad mother?”

I lean against the counter and watch Riley coax little Thomas to eat the last few bites of the waffles they made together.

“I don’t think that makes you a bad mother, unless, of course you have liquor in the closet. Do you?”

“No, just chocolate, but booze… definitely going to have to have a little bottle of something in here.”

She’s kidding, probably even about the chocolate. Both she and Dane have turned into insufferable health nuts. Charlotte, who wanted babies and lots of them, got her wish when she got pregnant with triplets. She has two boys and a girl and refers to the trio as ‘the trips’.

“Did the nanny call in sick?” I ask.

“Just late. I’m counting the minutes until she gets here.”

Through the phone I hear a bang on the door followed by a small voice. “Momma, the program is all done. The credits are even done rolling.”

I snort. Carly, Charlotte’s daughter has the verbal abilities of an English professor. She talks all the time and sounds weirdly like Miranda. Charlotte’s boys might have a few dozen words between them, most of which are sound effects.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” Charlotte promises Carly. “I better go. The boys went down for an early nap and I need to get dressed. I’m meeting Dane for a little lunch.”

“Lunch,” I scoff. “Sure.”

She laughs. “When you have three kids you have to be creative.”

“I know what you mean,” I say softly.

Riley looks at me and arches a brow. I have a surprise for him. A little staycation I’ve planned for just the two of us.

Thomas clambers down from his chair and makes a beeline for me, holding out his hands. They’re sticky from his waffles and syrup.

Charlotte sighs. “I need to get dressed for my hot date, I mean, lunch. Plus I need to tidy the playroom. Granma Miranda is coming over this afternoon to visit the trips, and the boys trashed it last night with Daddy. They built a city out of blocks and then demolished it.”

I say good-bye to Charlotte and wipe Thomas’ hands. He can’t stand having sticky fingers. He frowns, his grey eyes, a mirror of Riley’s, regard me with dismay.

“Mama,” he says.

“Better?”

He nods. “Better.”

“Gramps is coming to pick you up in a little while. We need to go pack a bag. Can you help me?”

Thomas nods, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

We go upstairs. The house is a little cottage on the coast we bought for weekends and vacations. It’s near the water, which is wonderful, but even better, it’s just a few blocks from Riley’s parents. They love being grandparents.

After Riley quit fighting he worked for the networks for a few years, getting sponsors and promoting fights, but he doesn’t work for them anymore. Now he just manages investments. Miranda gave me my trust and Riley has already doubled its value.

He also works on developing athletic facilities for under-served populations. That’s probably what takes up most of his time. He wants every kid to have a place to work out and get strong.

I help him with his work, but mostly I’m a mom. My favorite thing is to snap pictures of anything, but most of the time it’s my children. I never liked having my picture taken, but I love being behind a camera.

I pause half-way up the stairs to listen to Riley. He’s in the nursery with Molly our baby daughter. She’s cooing softly to him, and he’s telling her what a sweetheart she is. I put my finger over my lips to tell Thomas not to say a word. He answers with a grin that shows off his dimples.

My heart melts as I listen to Riley talk to Molly. Thomas loses interest quickly and wanders off to his room to gather things to take to his grandparents. He doesn’t really understand the idea of packing, but he knows what toys need to go. That part he has figured out perfectly.

I go to the doorway of the nursery. Riley holds Molly who is still waking up. She rests her head against his broad shoulder and her body molds to his.

Last week she took her first steps. We were eating dinner with Miranda, Dane and Charlotte. Everyone clapped and she laughed so hard she almost toppled over. I can’t believe my baby is walking.

The door opens downstairs. George and Emily let themselves in and the noise makes Molly lift her head and turn. When she sees me she reaches her arms for me. I cross the room and Riley gathers me close with his free arm. It seems like yesterday that we used to hug Thomas like this.

George and Emily want to take the kids to the park and then to eat some lunch, then take them home for the night. It doesn’t take long to pack little overnight bags. They take our son every few weeks to spend the night, but this is only the second time Molly has gone.

I kiss them goodbye and we watch them drive off.

Riley takes my hand and leads me inside and upstairs.

“What are you doing?” I ask, feigning innocence.

“Having my way with my wife.”

“You’re pretty bossy.”

He doesn’t reply, but his hungry gaze says it all. Our bed is still unmade and moments later he has me naked and pleading. Love-making is different when we have the house to ourselves. Neither of us hold back and Riley make sure to take his sweet time. He won’t let me have what I want until I’m mindless with need.

“You’re more gorgeous every day,” he whispers.

He has my hands pinned above my head. He makes love to me slowly, each wicked stroke making me writhe. When we make love, he likes to tell me how beautiful I am, but he likes to tell me dirty things too. Riley has a filthy mouth, but today he just tells me sweet things. How much he loves me. How I’m the best thing to ever happen to him.

We stay in bed all afternoon, talking, making love, napping, and as the sun sets, Riley makes dinner for us. We eat on the deck and watch the day give way to twilight.

He kisses my hand. “I should have taken you out to dinner.”

I shake my head and stroke my fingers along his jaw. My fingertips skim over one of his scars but he doesn’t flinch. Not anymore.

“No,” I say. “This is everything I want.”

THE END

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