With Prudence by his side, he wanted it all, children, the white picket fence, and the family dinner at Christmas.
“I want to make you pregnant,” he said. The words came out without thinking. He stared into her eyes waiting for her answer.
“I thought you’d never ask. Cuddling is nice, Sir, but I want you inside me.”
James opened her legs wide to find her wet heat ready and waiting. Guiding his c**k into her vagina, James kept his gaze on hers. He loved her with so much passion he couldn’t think straight.
Their relationship had survived the hardest of hits when she was taken. James knew in his heart there was nothing they couldn’t battle so long as they faced the battle together.
Epilogue
Tate stared across the room at the woman of his dreams, Rebecca. The garden party was hosted by Ursula after she and Stephen had come back from their honeymoon. Prudence and James were still away on their honeymoon and were not set to return for another two weeks. He’d spoken on the phone to James last night. The other man sounded downright happy and joyous for being married.
Three of his friends were now taken in wedded bliss. Tate was happy for them. He was happy and downright envious of what they had. Cadeon stood with Violet as they took it in turns to hold their baby. The couple couldn’t stop smiling, which was like a knife to the heart. The secret smiles between Ursula and Stephen were driving him crazy. If the other two love-birds were in residence, Tate would gladly run into the nearest wall to have some peace in unconscious bliss.
He downed the water he held in the bottle. For the past few weeks he’d been drinking too much alcohol and needed to cut down. Kevin was walking toward him looking fierce with the angry scowl on his face. His friend wasn’t handling rejection too well. They both were in love with Rebecca, and their love was verging on obsession. There was nothing they wouldn’t do for the woman who sat alone even during the sociable garden party.
“This is torture. I can’t handle this shit. How can we get over her when we do nothing but be around her?” Kevin asked.
Tate stared over his friend’s shoulder. She was talking with Ursula but only because the hostess was standing at the table.
“We do what we can,” Tate said.
“I’m tired of this. I need to walk.” Kevin slammed the bottle against Tate’s chest before storming off out of the garden and down the street. The summer sun bore down on them all. The heat wave was a killer. Stood in shorts and a light shirt, Tate was uncomfortable in the heat. Most of his days were spent behind the computer dealing with security for some of the wealthiest men in the world. He gathered information and sorted security. Kevin was the whiz behind the computer while Tate was good at gathering clients and getting people to put faith in them as a team. They were the perfect partnership. They were the best of friends when they were kids.
Tate recalled meeting Kevin on their first day of school. After an argument about the blue crayon, they’d shared the crayon and become the best of friends from there. None of the other kids picked on them. They worked together, studied together, and when the time came for sex, they played together, too. Possession and Ravage were a part of them. They were not major players in the BDSM scene, but they liked to watch and participate on occasion.
Ursula moved away from Rebecca. He was surprised to see Rebecca get up from the table. What surprised him more was when she started moving toward him. Sipping his water, Tate waited for her to make the first move. For so long he’d been waiting for this woman to come to him that he had given up hope that she ever would.
“Hi,” she said.
The sound of his voice sent illicit thoughts running through his mind. Even when she’d been a married woman he and Kevin had wanted her. Their combined need to claim this woman was startling. They did everything they could to be near her. Nothing was more important to them than her safety and comfort.
“Hi, Rebecca,” he said.
Silence descended on them.
“It’s nice weather we’re having,” she said, filling the silence.
Tate smiled. All he wanted to do was pull her in his arms and kiss her deeply.
“You’re going to talk about the weather when you’ve been avoiding me and Kevin for the past few months?” he asked.
Cursing his lack of decorum Tate went to apologise and then stopped as she started to talk.
“I don’t know how to do this. I’ve never known how to be this person.” She looked down at the ground, tucking her hair behind her ear. The length had grown out, and she was in desperate need of a cut.
“We’re not asking you to be anything other than you, Rebecca. Talking to you or sitting with you shouldn’t make us feel like criminals. Shit, I didn’t want to have this conversation with you,” Tate said, annoyed with himself for the discussion they were having.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“No, it’s not you.”
****
It was always her fault. How did they not see that? No matter how hard she tried to please them or Lloyd she always fell flat on her face. Rebecca fisted her hands at her side wishing the ground would open up and swallow her. She was tired of trying and always failing. She never did anything right.
Lloyd had told her enough when he was in her life. She’d done everything to please the man who’d given her a better life.
Being that bastard’s toy was in no way a better life.
Tate reached out touching her shoulder. The small touch sent goose-bumps erupting over her skin. His touch was caring and gentle. He didn’t scare her the way other men scared her. Tate would never hurt her. James’s words echoed throughout her mind. There was so much about her life that she regretted. She regretted not being strong enough to deny Lloyd. She regretted marrying him, and her biggest regret was not going to Tate and Kevin when she had the chance. For too long she’d put her life on hold.
She was about to speak the words when his cell phone went off. Rebecca waited while he checked the caller.
“I’ve got to take this,” he said.
Nodding her head, Rebecca watched him walk away. She followed in the direction she saw Kevin disappear. He stood out on the front lawn out of sight from the back garden. A cigarette dangled from his lips. Rebecca hesitated. Would he even want to talk to her?
Squaring her shoulders, she headed over to him.
Kevin turned to look at her. He removed the cigarette and blew out a puff of smoke.
“Are you all right?” he asked. His throat sounded gruff.
“I wanted to come and see you,” she said. Both Tate and Kevin made her wish she was different and that she’d never met Lloyd.