Love deserved, p.8
Love Deserved, page 8
Her dark hair contrasted against the light blue pillowcase as she stared at me. I couldn’t resist her. She was my breath, my heart, and my life. She completed me.
Our lips fused together as I wedged my body between her thighs. My cock slid against her, teasing her clit. She whimpered against my mouth and wiggled beneath me. Then my resolve faded.
Gripping her shoulders, I slid inside her, sheathing my cock to the hilt in her wetness. Her whimpers grew longer, louder, and desperate. It made my body come alive.
When she broke our kiss, she wrapped her arm around my shoulders and whispered in my ear. “Harder. Oh, God, Ayden, fuck me harder. Own me.”
I couldn’t. Our lovemaking had always been intense. I enjoyed every second. Now that Mia was pregnant, I was afraid of what would happen.
“What if I hurt you… or the baby?”
Her lips spread into a smile. “It’s okay, Ayden. You won’t hurt us.” She leaned up and nipped my lower lip. Then she trailed her mouth back to my ear. “Now fucking own me. Show me who I belong to.”
This time, I didn’t hold back. I scraped my teeth across her skin and pumped my hips harder. Mia moaned louder. Her body worked with mine as she met every one of my thrusts. She raked her fingernails down my back, setting my nerves on fire. As if she hadn’t already accomplished that the second we kissed.
Focused on her clit, I applied enough friction to drive her wild. It worked. She bucked against me, bringing me back to her depths.
My cock swelled tighter. Nothing exhilarated me like being inside Mia. I could never tire of the pleasure she brought me. We were perfect together.
The next time I plunged inside her, her body tensed. Erect nipples brushed against my chest, drawing my attention to them. I took turns flicking each with my tongue and sucking them into my mouth.
Mia’s movements became frenzied. She grabbed my ass and held me deep as she rubbed her pussy against me. I groaned when I felt her contracting around my cock.
“Ayden… Oh, God!” She pulsed around me. I watched in awe as her face contorted in pleasure.
She was so fucking beautiful. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten lucky enough for her to fall in love with me. Now she was having my baby. I cherished every part of her and would for the rest of my life.
Kissing her once more, I gazed into her eyes and drove deep. Thrust after thrust caused my cock to thicken until it became painful. I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I grunted against her neck as I came.
Her arms tightened around me, holding me close as I spilled into her. I couldn’t move a muscle. Every part of my body throbbed in a rhythm that matched the one in my heart. I couldn’t speak or think, but I could feel Mia’s hands caressing me.
Once my breathing settled, I flipped over on the bed, collecting her as I did. She looked up and smiled when she caught me staring. I couldn’t help it. Despite having made love, I was in awe of knowing we were together again. I wouldn’t mess it up this time. I couldn’t. There was more at stake. The tiny bump at Mia’s waist proved how much I had to lose.
“I love you.”
Her words made my heart swell. “I love you too, Mia. You and the baby are my life.” I placed my hand over hers as it lay below her navel. “No more breakups. We’re in this together. I’m where I want to be.”
“Me too.” Her lazy smile made me chuckle. Between the stress of the day and our intense lovemaking, I knew she was tired.
“I think you should get some sleep. We both need it.”
“I know.” She released a deep sigh, then moved her hand from her belly to my chest. As it rested over my heart, I stroked the back with my fingers.
Curled at my side, her cheek pressed to my chest as she snuggled against me. The heaviness in her eyes grew worse. I could see her fighting it. Perhaps she was worried I wouldn’t be here when she woke. If that was the case, she had nothing to fear. I would never leave her side.
After a moment of caressing her arm, sleep overtook her. Her breathing slowed as her body grew weightless. The sight relieved me. She needed rest. The stress she was under was not healthy, especially now that she was pregnant.
The thought of our baby made me smile. I placed my hand against the tiny bump below her waist. It was surreal. I wanted to share this experience with her instead of Izzy. Now it was happening.
Just thinking of my ex had my body tensing. I hadn’t forgotten the news Chris shared with me when I left on tour. Despite not having the results of the paternity test yet, Chris’s suspicion that Izzy miscarried before she fell angered me. I’d spent the first month of the tour speculating about what had happened.
The night Mia and I returned from New York, Izzy grew defensive. She developed a crazed look when I mentioned Mia and I were concerned about the baby. Did she think we’d figured out she’d miscarried?
Had Izzy searched for us so she could fight Mia? Did she think if they fought, she could blame the miscarriage on her sister? She didn’t know we were on the staircase.
It’s why I didn’t feel right accusing her of falling on purpose. Then again, this was Izzy. I wouldn’t put it past her to break a couple of bones just so she could make her sister look guilty.
As I caressed the skin under my hand, my instincts kicked in. This was my child. I had to protect the baby as much as I had to protect Mia. If she feared what Izzy would do, I couldn’t ignore her feelings. And knowing what I did about Izzy’s miscarriage, I couldn’t tell her she was wrong.
No matter what, I had to keep watch over Mia every day. I wouldn’t allow Izzy to get near her. I couldn’t. If something happened to either of them…
Izzy would learn how fast her world would crumble around her.
Chapter 9
~Mia~
“Okay, mom. See you soon.”
I listened as Ayden said goodbye to his mother before he slid his phone back into his pocket. Once it was secure, his eyes found mine. The way his lips lifted made my heart melt. He had a sexy smile, one that was contagious.
“Mom is eager to meet you. She has been for a while, but now that she knows you’re carrying her grandchild, she’s ready to catch the next flight.”
“Do you want me to send the family jet? I can bring her in whenever she’s ready.”
Ayden shook his head. “No. Not yet. Christmas isn’t far away. We’ve already made plans to fly to Nashville then. I would love to see her, but I want to focus on us. Now that we have our marriage license, we need to pick a date for the wedding.”
My heart raced faster. It did every time Ayden brought up the wedding. I couldn’t wait to be his wife.
Despite my excitement, I knew my sister would struggle with the wedding. She wouldn’t stop interfering. She would try harder.
I didn’t know how to remove her from our lives, but I hadn’t given up hope. We would find a way. Hopefully soon. I prayed she would leave before the baby arrived.
“Mia, you’re too quiet. Is something wrong?”
Facing Ayden, I pushed the thoughts from my mind and shook my head. “No. I was just thinking about our wedding day. I’m looking forward to becoming Mia McAllister.”
He caressed my face and leaned in for a kiss. “That makes two of us.”
Tender lips met mine. I drew in a breath as Ayden’s cologne teased my nose. Something about his scent relaxed me. When we were together, I was content. I cherished that fact, but it worried me too. So much had gone wrong since Ayden and I became a couple. We’d broken up, gotten back together, and put each other through hell. Had we reached the point in our relationship where all the negativity went away? It seemed too easy.
Maybe it should be easy. Perfect relationships didn’t exist, but most people didn’t experience the drama Ayden and I had. With Wesley out of my life, we didn’t have to worry about him. He was prohibited from entering the property by the restraining order I had against him.
Izzy was a different story. I didn’t have the proof I needed to have her arrested for drugging me. After the miscarriage she suffered, I didn’t think she needed any other punishment. All I wanted was for her to leave Ayden and me alone. If she could do that, I didn’t care if she stuck around. I refused to live in fear every day. It wasn’t healthy for the baby or me.
I was glad Ayden was hanging out with me today. He said it was because he wanted to learn more about what I did, especially since our child would inherit the business someday. I hoped our son or daughter would want to run this place. My father didn’t. He loved traveling and scouting new talent. He didn’t want to be tied down to one location. I thought it was because this place reminded him of my mother.
Ayden tapped the top of my laptop, distracting me from my thoughts again. “How much work do you have left?”
“I’ll be free for the day once I enter the last expense report.”
“Getting off work early, eh? Good. It won’t be the only time you’ll get off tonight.” Ayden wiggled his eyebrows and gave me a devious grin.
“Ooh, quit teasing me or I’ll never finish.” I chuckled at him as I flipped over the sheet of paper inside the file. When I noticed it was the last one, I realized my mistake.
“Damn it.”
“What’s wrong?” He placed his hand on my shoulder and leaned closer. The worry on his face made my guilt surface.
“Sorry for scaring you, but I just realized I left the last expense report in the cart. I need to get it.”
Ayden glanced around the bar as if he was searching for someone. Then he looked at me again. “I can grab the file. It won’t take me long.”
“Are you sure? I can do it.”
“Nope.” He slid off the stool and kissed my head. “You stay put. I won’t take long.”
“Thank you.”
He waved off my sentiment as he trotted toward the front of the arena. Once he disappeared through the doors, I plucked a grape from the plate Shawn had brought me a few minutes ago. Over the last few days, my appetite had increased. So had my baby bump.
I glanced at my lap, noting how my shirt clung to my waistline. Soon, I would have to get maternity clothes. I couldn’t hide my pregnancy much longer. In the next few weeks, everyone would know my secret.
I cupped the tiny protrusion, fighting back a smile. This baby meant the world to me. I’d wanted a child for so long that I couldn’t believe I was pregnant. More than that, I was engaged to my child’s father. In a few months, I would be his wife. It was everything I ever wanted. My heart was full.
“I would love to wipe that smug smile off your face.”
I turned toward my sister and found her standing at the corner of the bar just a couple of stools from where I sat.
“Beg your pardon?”
I kept my voice from shaking, but the way Izzy glared at me gave me cause for concern. She looked awful. My sister never left her suite without makeup, flawless hair, and a matching outfit. The woman standing close to me wore a baggy shirt and pants. Her hair was in a messy bun atop her head, and her face was void of makeup, minus the leftover mascara under her eyes. I wasn’t sure if the mascara was causing circles or if she’d lost too much sleep. Whatever the cause, she didn’t resemble the Izzy I knew.
“You think everybody loves you.” She scoffed at her own comment and rolled her eyes. “You’re delusional.”
“Whatever you say, Izzy. I’m not arguing with you today.”
As much as I wanted to turn around and ignore her, I couldn’t. She crept closer, stopping short of the stool where Ayden had been sitting. Staring at the seat, she stroked it with her fingers before glancing at me.
“He still loves me. If I hadn’t miscarried, we would be back together. If you hadn’t discovered us last week, we would have tried for another baby.”
The more Izzy talked, the more I worried about her mental health. She was saying things that weren’t true. Ever since she suffered the miscarriage, she’d grown unstable. We didn’t see her every day. When she came around, her words and actions were unsettling.
Chris couldn’t tell me much about my sister’s case. He told me as much as he could without breaking confidentiality. It was only a few days ago when he informed me he was consulting with another physician and that Izzy needed care he couldn’t provide her. I asked if he meant a psychiatrist, but he never answered me.
“I don’t have time for your shit. I need to finish a report and—”
“I don’t want to talk to you either. Where did Ayden go?”
Her harsh tone put me on the defensive. “He’s retrieving something for me. Why do you ask?”
Izzy studied me from head to toe. “Getting forgetful, are you? That doesn’t sound like you, sister, but then, I’ve heard how forgetful women get when they’re expecting.”
My blood turned cold. Every nerve in my body tingled as reality crashed into me. Izzy knew, but how?
“Who said I was pregnant?”
She feigned a smile, but I saw how white her knuckles turned as she gripped the stool next to her. “I guess you were too busy with work to see me pass by earlier. Ayden didn’t either, but then, he was chatting on the phone with his mom, telling her the wonderful news.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. I had my nose buried in my work and wasn’t paying attention. When Ayden called his mother, I tried not to listen to their conversation, but when it turned to me, it was difficult to ignore. Instead of acknowledging him, I kept working. Izzy could have listened to every word he said. I wouldn’t have known.
She must have left before he ended the call. Otherwise, we would have spotted her at that point. Maybe he had sensed her presence. It would explain why he scanned the bar before he left to grab the file I needed.
I noticed Izzy gazing at my lap. “If you want to hide your pregnancy, I suggest you wear bigger clothes. Your bump is noticeable.”
Instincts had me reacting to her words. I folded my hands over my belly, covering my bump from her piercing gaze. “Izzy, I’m sorry you found out this way. I didn’t want to—”
“Let me guess. You didn’t want to upset me. Right?” Izzy narrowed her gaze until I nodded. Then her nostrils flared. “It’s all crystal clear.”
My face wrinkled as confusion filled me. “What is?”
“I understand why you didn’t save me from falling. You wanted me to miscarry. You were afraid Ayden would love my baby more than yours.”
“No!” One of my greatest fears was coming true. She was blaming me for the miscarriage. “You’re wrong. When I saw you slip, I tried to grab your hand. I never wanted you to fall, Izzy, and I never wanted you to lose your child. That was my niece or nephew you lost.”
“Don’t play innocent, Mia.”
“I didn’t even know I was pregnant until the night you fell. I’m sorry you lost your child, but don’t blame it on me.”
Izzy grabbed my arm. “You were jealous of the connection between Ayden and me. You know he wanted our baby. That’s why you left the day I thought I was miscarrying.”
“Take your hands off me,” I growled the words at her, but she tightened her grip.
“Just admit it, Mia. When Ayden was comforting me, you finally saw for yourself that he wanted his baby and me.”
“Let go of me, Izzy, or I’ll have you arrested.”
Her eyes darkened, as did her smile. “Go ahead. I would love for you to call the cops. Maybe I’ll show them the footage of you shoving me down the steps.”
“Excuse me?” Her threat had me livid. I gripped her hand and pushed her back as I stood. “I didn’t push you down the stairs. You swung at me and slipped.”
“I have a video that shows something else. Someone filmed the whole thing that night. It was the perfect angle, too. When I fell backward and you tried to grab my hand, it looks like you pushed me.”
She was lying. I could feel it, but I wouldn’t let her win this time. Her sick, twisted games ended today.
“You’re full of shit, Izzy. No video exists. You’re trying to scare me, but it isn’t working.”
Another step in my direction brought her nose a few inches from mine. “Then maybe this will. You have a couple of options. If you don’t choose one, I will have you arrested for pushing me and causing my miscarriage. Then you’ll see I’m not bluffing.”
I gripped the stool behind me and stared into her eyes. “How generous of you to give me options. Humor me and tell me what they are.”
Izzy eased back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Option one, you can have Ayden and your little family. I won’t interfere. In fact, you’ll never see me again. All you have to do is give me Music Haven.”
I snorted. I couldn’t help it. She was insane if she thought I would give her this place. My grandfather had it in his will that no one could inherit Music Haven except for my children. Otherwise, it would close its doors.
“You’ve lost your mind. I can’t give you Music Haven. It’s not in my power to do so. You know this.”
Her face tightened. “Then let’s discuss option two. If you won’t sign over Music Haven, keep it. Just give up Ayden. If I can’t have him, neither will you.”
I shook my head. “Now I know you’ve lost it. Ayden will never stay away. You should know this by now.”
A long, slender finger pointed in my face. “Need I remind you that my offer is generous? Stop being the greedy bitch you are, sister. You better make a choice, or I’ll make it for you.”
“And need I remind you, I’m not scared of you, Izzy.”
“You should be.” She gritted her teeth and lowered her eyes to my belly. “If you don’t choose to give up Music Haven or Ayden, I will make sure you wind up in jail. Imagine delivering your baby there? Don’t worry though. After they give the baby to Ayden, I’ll help him raise your child. I’ll treat it like my own.”
“The hell you will.” I jabbed my finger against her chest and backed her against a couple of bar stools. “You will never touch my child.”
