Redemption (The Bet) (15 page)

With more than hundreds of people in the room, Ellie should've felt safe. It should've been a breeze for her to keep her composure under the circumstances. But how, she wondered could she keep any sort of equanimity in the constricting clutch of a python? She lost the ability to breath as the arm around her waist drew her audaciously close. The pressure of his thighs, the strength of his arms, the expanse of his chest, right down to his abdomen radiated heat, the force of which smacked into Ellie's body with unrepentant energy.

She tried to move away but the shackle of flesh situated at her waist did not yield. Sweat formed along her skin, gathered and snaked a languorous path down her spine, like a lover's tongue. The erratic staccato of her heart drummed against her sternum, so loud that Ellie feared the man holding her would hear it. In her attempt to calm herself she found a target on the opposite side of the opulent room and gave it her undivided attention, refusing to acknowledge that she was dancing with her ex-lover. The
father of her children. The man who had so thoroughly shattered her heart ten years ago.

People watched them yet Ellie noticed very little, blood rushed to her head and she felt incredibly lightheade
d as they spun around the room.

"Are you alright, Ellie?
" His voice had taken on a gruff quality that did not fail in affecting her and silently she cursed her body for its betrayal. Steeling herself, Ellie met his gaze and glared.

"I was, up until the very moment I saw your face."

The throaty chuckle further incensed Ellie and she was in the good mind to pull free of his hold, but any attempt made was instantly countered as wolf grey eyes stared down at her, unapologetically consuming her in the process. "I'm glad I can still have some sort of effect on you."

She scoffed. "D
on't flatter yourself, Nicholas. Any effect you had on me died a very long time ago. Furthermore the only reason why I'm even speaking to you let alone dancing with you is because my fiancé…"Ellie gasped when Nicholas cradled her closer, panic gripped her instantly realizing the treacherous swine had lead them in a shadowed corner of the ballroom, just behind an ivory pillar.

It was at this moment that Ellie fought in earnest to free herse
lf from Nicholas's grasp. Only his hold remained firm and being that he outweighed by a few good pounds, he easily restrained her, using both height and weight to his advantage. He had her pinned against the pillar, his body holding her hostage even as he captured her wrists above her head.

He stood so close, overpowering, all Ellie could see was him and nothing else. The emotions in the depths of mercury eyes roiled like thunderclouds.

Though anger ruled her, coursed through her veins like liquid fuel, Ellie was not immune to Nicholas. After so many years, after all that had happened, she would be a hypocrite to say that she didn’t find him still so devastatingly handsome. Time had been kind to him. Those deep set silver eyes were still just as arresting as they were back then. His mouth, so wicked was still temptation. Visions of just how wicked that mouth could be danced across her mind and Ellie flushed.  That savage male magnetism that he'd tried wielding as a teenager, swathed him now like a shroud.

"Are felicitations in order, Ellie?"
There was nothing genteel in the way he acted in that moment. Decorum had taken a much needed vacation and all that was male pride reigned supreme. His breath was like liquid fire against Ellie's cheek, deceptively languid eyes focused and perforated. "You'll have to forgive me. I didn't bring a proper engagement present for you." He derided. He leaned close, lips barely touching in kiss. "But let's improvise, hmm?"

The kiss, dear the heaven, the kiss
was detrimental. And her body quivered appallingly in response. He kissed her with masterful precision, melting Ellie’s bones and erasing all her thoughts. There were years of unbridled passion infused in the sweep of his warm tongue, in the way his large hands roamed her body. It was a kiss that held so much meaning. It was Ellie and Nicholas, cocooned for a moment in this full bodied fever that consumed them completely.

He still knew her.
Knew how to incite a response from her and Ellie groaned and quivered in his arms as he mercilessly staked his claim. That was what he was doing, staking his claim on a woman who as much a part of him as he was of her. And the embarrassing thing was how appallingly receptive she was to his claim. Clinging to him with desperation, her body yielding so completely.

"S
t…Stop..." She wrenched her mouth away in anguish, heart racing painfully against her chest. Ellie felt wanton, every inch of her waited in anticipation of what that kissed promised.

“God, Ellie, you don’t know how much I’ve missed that.” He
huskily murmured, his hand framing her face, thumb gliding over her kissed bruised mouth. “I’ve missed you…”

“You bastard.” She
vehemently whispered, using every ounce of strength she possessed to push him away from her. “Don’t for one second fool yourself into thinking this kiss meant anything. In fact, let me be completely honest here and say that you have absolutely nothing on Devlin.”

His jaw tightened and for a moment Ellie rejoiced in the fact that she’d touched on a raw nerve.

"Tell me, Ellie," he countered smoothly, the emotion he’d displayed gone now. “Does he know about us?”

She scoffed. “You’d have to mean something for me to talk about you. And
let’s face it, Nicky, you haven’t been a thought for a very, very, long time.”

"That's too bad, because the
re hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought of you." he said carefully, reaching out to touch her crimson cheek. “Your emotions are showing, Elle.”

She smacked his hand away. “Whatever business you have to discuss, I advise you to keep it strictly between you and my fiancé. And while you’re at it, do me a favor and go to hell.”
She walked away then before anymore words could be exchanged.

She was shaking, eve
ry part of her rattled from the encounter. She was grateful that her legs were able to carry her away without incident. She lengthened her strides, eager to escape him and the agonizing emotions he’d forced to the surface. Ellie wouldn’t be persuaded she wouldn’t be stupid enough to fall for the unbridled magnetism. Matter of fact, she’d do well to steer clear of Nicholas Grayson altogether. There was nothing there but bad memories and…

“Mom, we’ve been looking all over for you!” Bella came running. Mindless of the overzealous crowd, she fought her way through the throng until she reached her mother.

She looked exceptionally pretty tonight, with bouncing curls and smiling face. She’d picked out her own outfit the week before, a dark red cocktail dress with a large bow in the back and black Mary-Jane’s to match. The ruby bracelet Devlin had gifted her still thankfully wrapped around her wrist.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Ellie hugged her close, running a hand through her curls.

Bella tilted her head back to stare at her mother’s flushed face. “Are you sick, Mom? Your face is all red.”

Ellie gave her a halfhearted smile. “No, sweetie, I’m just a little
hot. Where are your grandparents?”

"Na
na’s with Sophie and…Mom there’s a strange man looking at us.” 

Ellie bit the inside of her cheek so hard that the coppery tang of blood coated her tongue. In her mind she screamed and howled, but on the surface she forced herself to keep her composure. It wouldn't do for everyone to come to the conclusion that Devlin Westport was marrying a lunatic.

Ellie wouldn't allow Nicholas Grayson to ruin her life again. After so many years of heartache, she'd finally found happiness and true to nature, Nicholas came in with his charismatic exterior, dimpled smiles, heated looks and stupid, stupid kisses and suddenly Ellie’s life was a mess.

For ten long years, Ellie had kept the paternity of the twins all to herself, with Ronnie, Gabe and
Maddie the only ones who knew the truth. There'd always been heaviness in her heart because of the burden she'd carried. During the first few months after the twins had been born, she’d sat alone in her room to pen letter after letter to Nicholas. In each she’d written of her desire to be a family. She'd written that she would forgive him everything if he would only come back to her.

Each letter had been the same, ran along the same pitiful yearning of lost love and each time her eyes had never remained dry. Putting pen to paper had helped Ellie write her feeling
s away, sealed her love for Nicholas in hundreds of envelops, now locked and hidden deep in her closet, never to be seen by the person they were meant for.

He’d hurt her so severely, practically ruining her for anyone else. But she’d never meant to keep this secret for so long. What she’d done, keeping the twins away from their father was by far the most selfish thing
she could’ve ever done. Ellie could admit her mistakes and by no means made excuses for them. Ten long years, despite what Nicholas had done, was still ten long years without knowing of his children. She’d agonized over this for countless sleepless nights too afraid to face the inevitable consequence, she’d chosen to ignore it for this long.

But now fate was at hand, demanding retribution and Ellie was
not ready to pay up. 

Cupping her face so that she was no longer staring at the 'strange man', Ellie stared int
o her daughter's eyes and gave a reassuring smile, as not to alarm her of the brewing storm. "Bella, sweetie, do Mommy a favor and go find your Nan. Can you do that for me?"

Bella nodded, but remaine
d where she was, her eyes drawn to the man now steadily approaching them. He was staring right back at her too and Bella frowned. "Mom?" She found her mother’s gaze once more. "Do I know him? He looks like the man in the photo Sophie showed us.” She informed, mouth puckering into a contemplative pout. "Sophie told me and Dylan that he was our …"

"Ellie!" Ellie raised her head
and groaned in dismay as her mother hastened towards them with Sophie and Dylan in tow. The situation was spiraling out of control, cementing this night as one of the worse in her life.

"Do you believe that the business of
 
our
 children is also something I need to discuss with your fiancé, Ellie? Or can I safely assume that this is a matter that needs to be discussed between us both?" he derided, voice chilling her to the core.

Gone was the smooth talking, guileful man
whose kisses had melted her bones, and in his place, just a few feet from where Ellie stood, was a stranger she hardly knew.

With her heart now lodged in her throat, Ellie turned to look at him, his grim expression further inciting her need to run as far away as she could
. He stood motionless as though movement of any kind would shatter him. Ellie braced herself. Scrounging up whatever courage she had, she headed his way. "We're 
not
 going to discuss this now. Tonight is my engagement party, Nicholas, and I intend to joy what's left of it. If you want to talk about Isabella…"

"Isabella?"
The haunted look that flitted across his face resonated in Ellie.

Nicholas
felt gutted. Face ashen, lips thinning, the small vein on the side of his head raced almost as fast as the pulse in his neck. He looked as though he would either retch or fall to the floor crying. Ellie's heart broke. "You named her Isabella, Ellie?" His voice sounded strange, as though his throat was too full to form proper words.

"In memory of her..." Ellie feebly
offered. She'd believed at the time that it'd been the right thing to do. No other name had seemed to suit her. Ellie hadn't even contemplated that it would hurt Nicholas so much for doing so. That hadn't been her intentions at all. "It suited her, Nicholas." she attempted once more to explain but he’d ceased to listen as he approached the two children now at Ellie’s side.

The crowd that had formed around them broke into waves of whispered disbelief as they watched the debacle that was Ellie's life unfold right before their eyes. Their voices paled in comparison to the
crashing of blood that rushed in her ears. She felt sick. With her heart beating too fast in her chest, Ellie prayed for the travertine floor to stretch wide and swallow her down.

Her eyes found her mother's above everyone else's and Ellie
pleaded for her help as the tears in her eyes blurred her vision. Ellie watched her mother shoulder through the crowd to make her way to where Nicholas was gathered with the children. Dina tried to grab hold of their hands, but the look Nicholas gave her immediately halted her action. He looked mean enough to kill and furious enough to a carry out the threat. Ellie ran to her mother's rescue.

"Nicholas, you're making a scene. Let's go upstairs and talk about
this like two rational adults."

"How long did you know
about them?"

"We're not discussing this…
"

"HOW LONG!" H
is bellow brought about a deafening silence. It raised goose bumps along the flesh and froze the blood in the veins.

"
I'm 
not
 going to talk to you about our children in front all these people, Nicholas." She refused to be cowed by his wrath.