Take a Bow (The Perfect Plans Series Book 2) (22 page)

“Oh God…” I gasp, closing my eyes against the sheer decadence of his dominance.

“Is that a no? You don’t think I should make you beg?” he questions, sliding his fingers along my soaked pussy, gliding with ease through the juices coating my folds.

“No!”

“Then tell me who you belong to,” he orders, his tone firm and sexy as hell as he slides his fingers inside me, pressing deeply against my g-spot.

“You!” I scream in absolute frustration and need, gripping his wrist in an attempt to push his fingers deeper, my body bowing with desire. I am his. His, and his alone.

“You’re fucking right, you are,” he growls, pulling his fingers from my depths, kneeling down on the bed between my widespread legs to thrust his cock fluidly inside.

He owns me in this moment - in every ridge, every ripple I feel against my sensitive nerves, my pussy throbbing and pulsing around his thickness. God, I will never tire of the feel of him. Never stop wanting him. Never stop loving him.

“And I’m yours, sweetheart. Always yours,” he whispers huskily, driving us to the brink.

“I’M SORRY, ABY,” Alex whispers, gliding his fingers along my spine as I lay sprawled across his chest. “I shouldn’t have gotten so angry about Liam’s visit, it’s just that…”

I lift my head to stare into his eyes, his expression showcasing a myriad of emotions as he trails off. Turning his striking blue gaze to me, a small, shy smile dons his face.

“It’s just that, I don’t want to lose you. After Julia…Ben…I-I just love you so damn much.”

I’m torn between the sweetness of his words and the curdling sensation at the mention of…
them
. Ben. Julia. My insides shrink further as I reflect on the avid hurt Julia has caused Alex, the extensive damage her cheating did to his self-esteem.
That bitch
. Add to that, the fact that his best friend could betray him so utterly, so totally. I can completely understand his issues with trust, jealousy, however annoying, and unwarranted, they may be.

Anger, frustration, and rage towards them for the hurt they’ve caused wells inside me, fueled further as I remember Julia’s avid denial that she slept with Ben. Although I didn’t - and still don’t - believe her denial for one second, I realize that I have yet to share that tidbit of information with Alex.
Ugh
.

“Alex, I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it. But you have to trust me. I’m not her, and Liam isn’t Ben,” I relay, cupping his jaw lovingly in my hand. His returned, though sad, smile breaks my heart a little. “She denied it, you know,” I finally confess the information I’d withheld - albeit, unintentionally. Not shockingly, I’ve tried my best to mentally block everything
Julia and Ben
-related since it all went down.

“Who denied what?” he asks, a bewildered look on his face.

“Julia. When she came to see me before I left London…she denied having cheated with Ben. Obviously, I didn’t believe her for a second, and in fact, forgot all about it until this moment.” I hold my breath slightly, awaiting his reply. Will he be mad? This could classify as an omission of sorts, regardless of how much I’m trying to downplay it. And God knows how Alex values omissions.

I can see the wheels spinning as he contemplates what I’ve just divulged, from curiosity to frustration to anger. “Why
would
you believe her? Everything she says is a lie,” he spews in disgust, pushing to sit on the edge of the bed.

Hmmm.
I certainly didn’t expect
that
reaction. I thought he’d flip out, demand to know why I didn’t tell him. Moreover, be thoroughly upset with how everything played out with Ben - the demise of their friendship. Not for one second did I think he’d brush if off as another lie. His adamant tone has me questioning the validity, “But what if she’s telling the truth? What if your anger at Ben is misguided and he didn’t betray you?”

“He betrayed me when he made a pass at you, Aby. That alone is betrayal enough. Besides, I don’t fucking care
who
she was with,” he states with vehemence. “You know what,” he continues, standing to pull his sweat pants on, “…no more talk of Julia and Ben. Done. Over.” His gaze softens on a breath of composure, “I’m sorry I let my past show itself in my present. My jealousy has no bearing on my trust in you, Aby. I promise, it won’t happen again.”

Standing motionless before me, his sincere smile effectively halts my need to talk more, to mull over the possibility that perhaps she
was
telling the truth. Clearly, he not only doesn’t care, but also refuses to give it any credence whatsoever. That’s fine. At least I’ve told him what I know, whether it’s the truth or not. No more secrets.

The shrill ring of the phone breaks our silence, and I stand to get dressed as Alex reaches to grab it.

“Hello? Yes…What do you mean?”

Tugging my tank top into place over my yoga pants, I still at the shift in Alex’s tone, his previous smile replaced with an expression of worry. Walking towards him, I sit at the edge of the bed, sliding my hand into his as he leans against the nightstand, clutching the phone to his ear.

“What about Ben?” his gaze darts to mine as the question falls from his lips.

What are the chances given the chat we just had?

“He’s
WHAT
?” his eyes bulge in alarm, a flash of pain radiating from his pose, “…an
overdose
? I’m on my way,” he finishes, abruptly returning the receiver to its casing. Turning to face me, I note the trepidation in his gaze, and my heart starts an erratic beat in my chest. “It’s Ben. He’s in the hospital.”

“JESUS, HOW DID this happen?” Alex questions, pacing the hospital corridor, running his hands through his hair. He isn’t asking anyone in particular. Nor does it appear he’s looking for an answer. He’s merely repeating the same question he’s been consistently speculating aloud since we heard the news about Ben.

Finally stopping his incessant pacing, he leans his back against the wall, his fingers still in place in his unkempt curls, once again falling victim to the unresponsive silence.

I hate seeing him this way, his beautiful face baffled and etched with pain and concern. He’s been like this since we received the call less than eighteen hours ago. Having not eaten a single thing during the twelve-hour flight to London from L.A., it’s beginning to show, the lack of his usually healthy glow in his unshaven face darkening his boyish good looks.

Seated in the uncomfortable chairs along the wall, I feel helpless staring up at him. I want so badly to provide comfort, to hold him in my arms, but my previous attempts were all but dismissed. He doesn’t need anything I have to offer him right now.

Julia is leaning against the wall opposite Alex, staring down at the floor, her arms folded. Not that I’m complaining - my disdain for her rearing its ugly head as I purposely avoid offering her a seat beside me. No, she can stand where she is - far away from me.

I haven’t seen her since that fateful day she came to my flat; her incessant meanderings that I wasn’t fit to live in Alex’s world, wasn’t good enough for him, rushing back like a second slap to the face. I wonder how she feels now, given my active presence in his life ever since, her words having held no weight whatsoever. Or maybe she’s not thinking about me at all.

It’s obvious she’s trying hard to maintain her icy veneer, standing expressionless, slightly vacant eyes honed towards the tile floor. But it’s clearer to me now that she’s not just Ben’s publicist, as well as Alex’s, she’s also a friend. Though even in this unfortunate circumstance, she’s getting no empathy from me. As far as I’m concerned, she’s still just a bitch. A cheating, lying bitch.

Of course, I now know that she wasn’t lying about one thing - when she accidentally let it slip that Ben was ‘dabbling’ in drugs.
Dabbling
? Was that what she really thought? Was she really blind to the enormity of his habit? Or did she not give a shit? To look at her now, I would assume she really had no idea how bad it was. But, then again, it’s Julia-
fucking
-Cox. I don’t think it’s safe to ever assume anything when it comes to this woman.

“Alex, it’s so good to see you, darling,” a well-dressed, older woman approaches. Though she’s clearly been crying, her tear-stained cheeks and red eyes don’t take from her attractive features. Her blonde hair is perfectly groomed in place, curled under at her shoulders, her attire screaming wealth and stature.

“Catherine,” Alex leaves his place at the wall to embrace her. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for Ben…” he trails off as she hugs him, rubbing his back in comfort.

“Shhh, Alex, don’t blame yourself. My son is a big boy,” she reaches up to take his face in her hands, looking into his eyes. “He will get through this. We were lucky,” she says, her aristocratic British accent befitting her wealthy station.

“I-I just didn’t know…” Alex stumbles on his words, trying to contain his emotion, his bewilderment seeping through.

“I know, darling, I know,” she pulls him down to kiss his cheek before releasing him. “Have you been to see him yet?”

“No, we arrived not too long ago. The nurse said he’s resting.”

“Yes, he is, I just checked in on him. I know he will want to see you when he wakes, Alex. He’s been asking for you.”

Alex winces slightly at her words and my own guilt builds to a lump in my throat. He hasn’t spoken to Ben since that night at the club, since their horrible fight. My God, the last contact they had was with their fists. And all because of me.

Closing my eyes, I cringe with remorse momentarily before defensive anger spikes its way through my veins.
No!
It is
not
my fault that Ben hit on me. I
had
to tell Alex. I can’t keep harboring guilt for
his
actions.

Looking up, I catch a glimpse of Julia, still staring at the floor. Instantly my fury shoots towards her and her part in all of this. Though I feel a little better having been honest with Alex about her questionable claim that it wasn’t Ben that she cheated with, I can’t help but regret not mentioning her slip of the tongue about Ben using drugs. Particularly now, when that was clearly
not
one of her lies.
Damn her
. She’s like a spider in a web of deceit, and I’m now a fly caught in her trap. Along with Alex.
And
Ben.

But it’s Alex she has hurt the most. It’s obvious that his feelings for her were, at one time, very strong. They
must
have been for him to keep her in his life after what she did. There’s a friendship there that runs deep. And though I don’t understand it, I can’t help but feel for how her questionable behavior has affected him.

Flashing back to the look on his face when I told him that she’d denied it was Ben…He was so torn, so confused. How could I possibly question his refusal to discuss it further? But I
should
have pushed the issue. I also should have shared her comment about Ben using drugs. I clung so very easily to Alex’s dismissal and refusal to talk about it - grabbed so very eagerly to the vine he inadvertently offered away from the ugly shade of truth. Not dealing with it didn’t help anything, though. It merely added more regrets. And, clearly, things are just getting worse.

Looking towards him now, a boyish, sad demeanor as he stands with his best friend’s mother, I take a deep breath and swallow back my venom. I’m not doing any good for Alex by giving in to my fury for Julia Cox.

“Is Harrold with you?” Alex questions Catherine.

“Oh,” she seems to snap back from a hushed moment of escape, looking up to meet his gaze. “Yes, of course. He is gone in search of something edible, darling. I will join him after I let the nurse know where we will be.” With a slow, gentle smile, she turns to walk towards the nurse’s station, the fog of silence refilling the void of her momentary departure. “Would you like me to get you something, Alex?” she stops to inquire as she passes.

“No, thank you, Catherine,” he smiles, though it seems as much as he can force. Brushing his cheek with her dainty, well-groomed fingers, she smiles back at him before continuing on down the corridor.

Alex remains standing in the middle of the hallway, gazing towards her long retreated form.