Aligned: Volume 3 (12 page)

“I agree we will have to make arrangements, but let’s not focus on that right now. I just want us to focus on tonight. Not the past and not the future. Just now.”
 

She nods as Silvia brings our cocktails, the finest whiskey they have. Most people might have champagne on a night like tonight, but not us. Whiskey has always been our favorite drink.
 

Alexa lifts her glass. “To focusing on tonight.”
 

I lift mine and clink it with hers. “To the best night of our lives.”
 

A wonderful five-course meal is served for dinner. Alexa eats every bite of everything from the oyster appetizer to the lobster and steak main course. She doesn’t even leave a drop of her favorite cheesecake. We don’t talk about anything except how much we are enjoying this moment.
 

“That was amazing,” Alexa says as the waitress clears the rest of our dessert plates.
 

“The night’s not done yet,” I say winking at her. I stand from the table and pull her chair from the table to help her stand.
 

“Where are we going now?” she asks. Her eyes sparkle with excitement.
 

“To the heart of New York,” I say as we leave the building. I notice James and Nick fall into step in front and behind us as we exit into the beautiful warm air. Alexa doesn’t seem to notice as she holds onto my arm.
 

She smiles when we get to the lobby of the Empire State Building. It wasn’t hard to guess where I was taking her.
 

She squeals just a little when we walk straight to the elevator and are the only ones on it.
 

“I’m so excited. I’ve always wanted to go to the top of the Empire State Building.”
 

I laugh. “You already have, but it’s exciting to see the same reaction for a second time.”
 

When the doors open, I guide Alexa out into the open air. Her eyes shine brighter than I’ve ever seen as she steps onto the observation deck. She runs to the edge to look out at the city sparkling in the darkness around us. I let her walk, no, run around the observation deck pulling me along until she has seen every part of it.
 

“Wait ... why is no one else out here?” she asks. I chuckle. It took a good twenty minutes for her to realize this, just like last time.
 

“Because I didn’t want anyone else here when I did this.” I take her hand in mine and bend down on one knee.
 

“Alexa, I love you. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anybody else. I know we are already legally married, but I want to do it again. That night will forever be ingrained in our minds because of the accident. I want this wedding to be just for us.” I pull the box containing her new larger engagement ring out of my pocket and open the velvet box. “Alexa Blakely, will you marry me?”
 

She sucks in air just like before holding it for a few seconds before exhaling slowly as she makes up her mind. “Yes.”
 

I smile and stand before placing the large diamond on her finger. I pull her into a tight embrace and part her lips as I sweep my tongue inside. Her tongue finds mine easily like we have known each other’s bodies for years. It feels like it should.
 

When we pull away from each other, she stares at the large ring. “Wow. That diamond is ...”
 

“Amazing,” I say, finishing her sentence.
 

“Yes,” she says smiling.
 

“Is this how you proposed before?” she asks.
 

I guide her to the railing so that she is facing the city and I wrap my arms around her waist holding her from behind. I kiss her softly on the cheek. “Just like last time. Except last time there were fireworks ...”
 

“Really?” she asks excitedly.
 

Right on cue, the first firework explodes in the distance as I feel her excitement pulse through her body. Everything is just like last time ...

I don’t know who to trust. I can’t trust the police.
 

The light shining in through the window wakes me. I was asleep, at night, I realize as I turn over and see Ethan sleeping in bed next to me. I look down at my clothes. I’m wearing a gorgeous silk nightie. My prosthetic leg is still on, but somehow, Ethan managed to get me out of that tight dress and into this nightie. I don’t remember anything after climbing back into the limo. I must have fallen asleep on the ride home.
 

I feel the weight of my new engagement ring hanging from my finger. I move my hand side to side and watch as the light bounces off the large rectangular shaped diamond. The ring feels even odder on my finger than the rings he bought me before. Am I still expected to wear those rings too? Or is this large ring enough? I don’t know how I’m going to wear it without hitting it on something or losing it.
 

I sigh as I turn my attention from my ring to Ethan, who is still sound asleep and naked, I realize, in bed next to me. I study him closer while he is sleeping. He really is a sexy man. I’m attracted to his toned muscles, his flawless complexion, and even his perfect hair. I can see why I was attracted to such a man before. Such a perfect, strong, accomplished man would have felt like stability in my life after living on the streets for so long. I’m still attracted to a man who can provide my life with that. Maybe that’s why when he asked me to marry him again I said yes. Not out of obligation but out of want.
 

Last night was amazing; easily, one of the best times that I remember. Only one other night tops it. A night of adventure followed by a night of passion. Passion I have yet to reciprocate with Ethan. Can I really do that? Can I let Ethan fuck me and own me like Landon did? No. At least, not yet. But I can give Ethan something to show I care about him and am trying.
 

I move my body closer to Ethan’s so that my body presses against his side. I begin kissing and nibbling on his neck as my hand rests on his hard chest. I continue kissing him, watching as he slowly stirs out of sleep before I let my hand slide down his chest, past his hard abs, to his length growing harder with each kiss.
 

I grab hold of it firmly in my hand and begin moving up and down his thick shaft.
 

“Baby, what are you ... aw, that feels good,” Ethan says as I pump again.
 

“Shh,” I say as I nibble on his ear. “Don’t move.”
 

Ethan nods and closes his eyes as he groans again as I move to his balls massaging them thoroughly before moving back to his cock. I kiss down his hard body, kissing every scar and bruise. Doing my best to kiss away the pain. I reach his cock and take it in my mouth without thinking. My mind immediately begins making comparisons. Ethan’s light bruised skin compared to Landon’s tanned, tattooed skin. Ethan’s perfect hair compared with Landon’s tousled hair. Landon’s large cock compared to Ethan’s almost equally equipped cock.

I push both men out of my head and just focus on the task of bringing the one in my mouth pleasure. I close my eyes and move my mouth up and down swirling my tongue around the thick shaft in my mouth as I hold his balls firmly in my hand. I hear Ethan moaning as I begin moving faster, sucking harder, but I don’t register the sound. Instead, all I hear is Landon’s voice playing in my head. “I can’t wait to see you, see what more we could be, just give us a chance, give me a reason to exist ...”
 

I keep moving my lips and tongue to the beat of the music that keeps playing over and over. Knowing I’m destroying any chance of those words ever coming true.
No!
Landon destroyed any chance of us ever being together. I’m just moving on. I’m bringing my husband the pleasure he deserves. I move my lips and hands over Ethan’s cock faster and faster until I’m going at a furious pace.
 

I pump up and down with my lips and hand, taking out all my anger and frustration on the thick hardness between my lips. I can barely breathe as his cock hits the back of my throat over and over, but I enjoy the pain.
Fuck, I’m so messed up!
The only way I can enjoy any sexual act is with pain to take away the demons. It’s the only way the panic stays away.
 

I suck again, savoring the pain deep in my throat when I feel the warm, salty release ooze down my throat. I swallow the liquid before licking him clean. I slowly move away from Ethan until I’m lying back on my side of the bed. My cheeks flush a bright red with embarrassment over what I just did. I close my eyes and calm my frantic breathing. It’s over. There is no way Landon would ever forgive me for what I just did. Not even to become friends again. I open my eyes staring at the still practically complete stranger lying next to me. This man is my life now. Forever.
 

“That was incredible,” Ethan says catching his breath. “Your turn.” He reaches for my neck to pull me into a kiss.
 

“Soon,” I say smiling as I gently keep him at arm’s length. Soon, I’ll be ready for more, but not today. Never today.
 

Ethan leans over and kisses me softly on the lips. “Yes, soon.”
 

I watch as Ethan climbs out of bed. I watch every hard muscle as he pulls a pair of boxer shorts out of the top drawer and puts them on. He then heads to his closet and pulls out a robe and puts it on.
 

“I’ll go make us breakfast.”
 

“I’ll meet you out on the balcony.”
 

Ethan grins before heading downstairs.
 

I climb out of bed and head to my closet. My leg aches with each step after wearing my prosthetic leg all night. I have trouble keeping my balance as I walk on my toes. I make it to the closet and let my body fall to the floor so I can remove the prosthetic leg meant to wear with heels. I have three different prosthetic legs – one meant to wear every day, one to wear with heels, and one specially designed for running. I haven’t tried the new prosthetic leg for running, but I have a feeling I will try it soon. I take off the leg designed for heels and put on my everyday leg. I find a fluffy white robe hanging in my closet. I run my hand up and down the soft fabric. I don’t usually wear such nice things, but I put the robe on anyway. My stress immediately begins to melt away as I wrap the soft fabric around me.
 

I walk out to the balcony and sit on the couch. The warm sun beats down on me. I relax for a minute before I hear the door open and see Ethan step out onto the balcony. He places a small tray on the coffee table in front of me before taking a seat next to me on the couch.
 

“Your breakfast,” Ethan says proud of the meal he has placed in front of me.
 

I laugh. “Cereal, fruit, and coffee. You really went all out.” I grab a strawberry and take a bite of the fruit.
 

“Trust me, you don’t want me to cook. I’d burn the whole apartment building down with my cooking skills. We usually hire a chef to cook for us or we just eat out.”
 

I take the cup of coffee off the table and curl my legs underneath me so that I’m facing Ethan. Now seems like a good time to talk. To find more answers.
 

“How did I make so much money as a photographer? How did I go from nothing to having all of this?”
 

Ethan finishes eating a spoonful of cereal. “Me. You found me.” He takes another bite of his cereal as if he didn’t just shatter my world.
 

“What do you mean it was you?”
 

“When I found out you had been raped, I helped you find justice. I represented you as your lawyer and helped you win your case.”
 

He shovels another spoonful of cereal into his mouth before continuing.
 

“After we started dating, you were getting more jobs photographing weddings, but it wasn’t enough to be stable, so I helped support you.”
 

Ethan stops to shovel a couple of more bites into his mouth as I try to digest what he is saying.
 

“You were extremely talented, and I knew that. You never went to college, but you had this immense skill. My family has connections to powerful people. I got you a job doing a swimsuit shoot for a magazine. They loved you so much that that job led to another and another and another.”
 

He sets his empty bowl of cereal back on the coffee table.
 

“Eventually, I helped you get a job with the top entertainment magazine in the country. That was by far your most successful shoot. From there, you were able to charge any amount you wanted to do a shoot.”
 

I let his words sink in. That he was the reason my career took off. My talent wasn’t enough to get me a job. Without him, I would be nothing. I would have nothing. I am nothing ...

“We should talk about what we are going to do now.”
 

“What do you mean?” I ask, trying not to think that I could have easily starved to death if it wasn’t for Ethan.
 

“I don’t think you should go back to photography. I’m not even sure if I should continue my work as a lawyer.”
 

“Why?” I don’t know what I would do if it wasn’t photography.
 

“I want us to just spend time together. Life is too short. I just want to spend all of my time with you and with Mother. With my family. I don’t want to deal with the legal system anymore. It’s too dangerous.”
 

I nod. I want him to be safe. I can’t handle any more fear or death in my life.
 

“Mother wants us to help her run the non-profit charity she started in my honor.”
 

“She’s continuing that even though you are alive? Even though a drunk driver wasn’t the cause of the accident?”
 

“Yes. She’s realized that she needs to do something to give back to the world. I would like if we could do the same after such a tragic event. We could both move back to LA to be close to family, find a real house, and then we could start a family. We could have kids. Start over doing something better for the world. What do you think?”