The Last Husband (23 page)

I
had given Zane a bit of a cold shoulder as he had gone back and forth to the
police station to give more and more statements about Angelique and Braydon. I
still couldn’t wrap my head around the whole ordeal.

We
hadn’t made love in days and I knew he was sexually frustrated. But I wanted to
make sure he knew that he couldn’t just do what he wanted and keep things from
me anymore. If we were going to be in a relationship, then he had to learn to
fully trust me and show me that trust with his actions as well as his words. I
wasn’t going to let him think he could do what he wanted, say sorry and then
weaken my resolve with sex. Our relationship was about more than sex. It was
true that when we slept together, it was like the most magical moment of my
night, but I knew that feeling alone could not sustain our relationship.

“Do
you want to join the mile high club?” He whispered in my ear and I decided to
have a little fun with him.

“I
don’t have any panties on.” I whispered back and took hold of his hand. “I’m
ready and waiting for you, big boy.”

Zane’s
eyes widened and he looked down at my lap. My skirt was pretty conservative and
fell just below my knees. He reached his hand down to my leg and inched it up
inside my skirt and over my knee. I stopped his hand as it reached mid-thigh
and shook my head.

“Not
now, Zane.” I licked my lips and brought his hand up to my mouth. I took his
index finger and put it into my mouth and sucked it while staring into his
eyes.

“Holy
shit, Batman, is this for real?” Zane’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I was
just joking, Lucky, but I think you’re about to become the best girlfriend
ever.”

“I
think so too.” I winked and stopped sucking on his finger. I reached my hand
down to his crotch and ran my fingers lightly over the thick package in his
pants. I turned my face away quickly as I felt how excited he already was. I
wanted to burst out laughing at his gullibility, but felt a bit ashamed at my
little joke.

“Shall
we go now?” He made to get up out of his seat. “I think we have time before the
flight takes off.”

“Uh.”
I bit my lip at his eager expression and I burst out laughing when I saw him
loosening his belt. “Zane. Stop.” I reached over and placed my hand on top of
his. “I was joking. I have on panties and I have no intention of joining the
mile high club with you on this flight.”

“What?”
He looked up at me with a look of dismay and then he started laughing. “You
little minx,” he growled as he leaned forward and kissed me hard. “I’ll get you
for that.”

“Uh
huh.” I laughed, relishing in the feel of his warm lips against mine. He kissed
me passionately as if his sole goal was to turn me on as much as possible. He
nibbled on my lower lip and sucked on my tongue while running his hands through
my hair. I felt his left hand slowly creep down my shoulder and graze my
breast. My body tingled as he caressed me and I wondered if I shouldn’t change
my mind after all. It had only been a few days since we had been intimate, but
my body was already missing and craving his touch.

“Hi,
guys, are your seatbelts both on and tightened?” The flight attendant stopped
by our seats and smiled. “We’re about to take off.”

“Yes,
ma’am.” Zane pulled away from me and sat upright as I nodded and blushed. Zane
grinned at me as the flight attendant walked on to the next seats and he
reached over and squeezed my hand. “I’m so glad you’re here with me, Lucky. I’m
so excited to show you Paris.”

“I’m
excited as well.” I smiled back at him and tried to ignore the anxious feeling
in my stomach. I was extremely excited for the trip and to be spending time
with Zane away from all the craziness, but I was also a little worried. I had
Zane’s mother’s phone number and address in my handbag and I was seriously
thinking about getting in contact with her once we got there. It seemed to be
as if this trip was fate’s way of saying, “go for it and see what happens.” I
knew Zane needed closure. I knew that if he were ever able to start the healing
process from his mother leaving, he needed to understand why she had left. In
my heart of hearts, I was also hoping that his mother would have a change of
heart and they would reconcile and develop a new relationship. Maybe she just
needed to see him. I mean, what mother could just give up her son and walk away
from him like that? I didn’t see how she could walk away again if she actually
saw him in the flesh. I wanted to give this to Zane. I wanted to be able to help
make his heart whole again.

“Are
there any places you really want to see?” He looked over at me curiously.
“Sorry I haven’t really asked you that before.”

“I
think we already have a lot planned for five days.” I laughed and shook my
head. “I’m not sure we could fit in any more even if I wanted to.”

“Good.
I’m going to take you to all of Noah’s favorite places.”

My
heart raced at his words and the smile on his face. This was the first time he
had brought up Noah’s name in a positive and lighthearted context. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,
he loved France. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had moved there. He went
every few years at least.”

“Oh.”
I looked at him cautiously. “Did he ever say why he went there so many times?”

“No,
but I never really asked. I just assumed he had a thing for French girls or
just really loved the food.” He chortled and turned to face me. “My brother was
a bit of a player in his time.”

“Really?”
I looked at him in surprise. “I thought he was really in love with, you-know-who.”

“Are
we not saying her name now?” He grimaced. “Not that I want us to go down that
road again.” He half laughed and half sighed. “Actually, to be honest, I was
shocked when he became serious with Angelique. I mean, I knew he liked her, who
wouldn’t? She’s a looker.” I frowned at him and he grinned at me mischievously.
“My bad. Anyway, I meant that she wasn’t really the sort of girl I could see
him falling for like that.” His expression turned serious. “That’s why I wanted
to get Braydon. I honestly don’t think it was feelings that made Noah jump. I
think it was the drugs. I think it was all the drugs.” He shook his head. “Noah
was one of those guys who was open to love, but I certainly didn’t think he
found the real deal with that bitch.”

“Oh.”
I pursed my lips at his words, but inside I was happy that he was calling
Angelique the word I called her in my mind. “Did Braydon ever say why Noah
jumped? Like what happened exactly?” I spoke softly, not wanting to push the
conversation if Zane wasn’t ready.

“You
know what’s funny?” Zane looked at me with a confused expression. “When I was
at the police station, the FBI office, Agent Waldron let me listen to some of
Braydon’s interrogation. And Braydon kept shouting something about how he never
actually witnessed Noah jumping. He said he wasn’t actually on the roof with
him when he jumped. He was shouting that they weren’t going to pin Noah’s death
on him. He said that Noah was talking all crazy, took the drugs from him and
made some comments about flying, but supposedly Braydon then went to go and get
some more weed from his car. He said when he went back to the roof, Noah had
already jumped and before he knew it, the police were there and so was an
ambulance. He said he saw Noah on a stretcher and before he could say anything,
the ambulance was gone and he was pulled in for questioning.” Zane paused. “It
was just weird.”

“Why
was that weird?” I reached over and held his hand in mine and squeezed his
fingers. Hearing about his brother’s death always made me feel so sad.

“I
don’t know.” He cocked his head. “It’s just that the story was so much
different from what I’d heard before.”

“Oh?”
I looked at him with questioning eyes.

“Yeah.”
He sighed. “I always thought that Braydon was there when Noah jumped. The
police made me think that Braydon was on the roof just standing there when Noah
ran and jumped.” His voice cracked and my heart went out to him. “I guess it
doesn’t really matter.”

“Maybe
Braydon is just lying now.” I reached over and stroked his chin. “We both know
how shady he is.”

“Yeah.”
He sighed. “I asked to talk to him. I wanted to know exactly what happened, but
Agent Waldron told me it wouldn’t be possible.”

“What?
After everything you did to help them?” My voice rose in disgust. “They should
be ashamed of themselves. Why couldn’t they let you get some answers?”

“I
guess they don’t want to compromise the case.” Zane’s eyes looked thoughtful as
he stared at me. “I just thought it was strange.”

“They
should understand your need for closure.” I was angry for him. “They basically
used you to bring Braydon and Angelique down and now they can’t even let you
find out exactly what happened the night that he died? It’s not fair.”

“It’s
okay, Lucky.” Zane issued me a crumpled smile. “I loved my brother and I will
always honor his memory, but I need to live in the here and now. I nearly lost
you with my focus on revenge. I’m not going to let it all control my mind anymore.
I want to focus on us now, and making our relationship stronger.”

“Oh,
Zane.” My eyes filled with tears at his words. He sounded so sincere and they
were like music to my ears. “You don’t know how much that means to me to hear
you say that.”

“I’ve
noticed how distant you’ve been these last few days Lucky, and it has killed
me. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to make this relationship work. Nothing I
wouldn’t give to make this a forever love. I want to prove my love to you. I
want the birds in the sky to chirp of my love for you. I want the pygmies in
Africa to talk of my love for you. I want the fish in the bottom of the ocean
to feel the depths of my love for you.”

“You’re
going to make me cry.” I bit my lip and looked at the sincere expression in his
eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”

“I
finished my song for you.” He laughed. “But it’s more like a poem. I’d like to
say it to you, if you don’t mind.”

I
groaned at his words. “Does that mean I’ll have to say mine as well?”

“If
you want.” He laughed. “But you don’t have to.”

“I
will, but you first.” My stomach turned over with nerves. “The genius has to go
first.”

“Well,
I’m glad you’ve finally admitted that I’m a genius.”

“Yeah,
I’m sure you are.”

“Okay,
here we go.” Zane turned around to face me and his blue eyes were full of
emotion as he started to talk. I focused on his pink lips and the slight
stubble on his chin as he spoke, because I was scared that if I looked into his
eyes as he spoke, I would be a blubbering mess.

One day, people shall talk of this day, my love


One day, birds shall sing of my joy, my
love 


One day, the wind shall scream the truth to the world, my
love

Ten years of our love is not enough, my love


Eternity is just a drop in time for our love, my
love 


You have the key to my heart and soul, my love

I don't want to walk a foot without you besides me, my love


I don't want to talk without seeing your smile, my
love 


I live for the moments when it's just us, my love

Give me forever to love you, my love 


Give me your trust and your life, my love


I'll protect you and love you all my life, my
love 


One day will come when the whole world will talk of our
love, my love 


Be my love, feel my love, live my love, 
for
today my love, is one day, my love

“Oh
Zane,” I couldn’t stop the tears of joy from rolling out of my eyes. “That was
so beautiful. I can’t believe you wrote that for me.”

“Well,
believe it, my dear. And believe me when I say, I’m putting my all into being
the man you deserve.”

“I
don’t deserve or want anyone other than you, Zane.”

“Then
how’s about we go into the bathroom for five minutes and you …” His eyes
sparkled as he talked and he burst out laughing as I shook my head at his
words.

“You’re
incorrigible, Zane.” I growled at hm. “Sex, sex, sex.” I laughed and gasped as
his hand crept up to my breast and squeezed me through my top. “Stop it.” I
hissed.

“I
couldn’t resist.” He winked. “You know us sex addicts.”

“I
wouldn’t be surprised if you were a sex addict.”

“Agent
Waldron did give me a pair of handcuffs.” He winked at me. “They’re in my
suitcase. Maybe I’ll have to use them tonight and show you just how much of a
sex addict I am.”

“Who
says we’re going to have sex tonight?” I smiled at him demurely. “I may not
have fully forgiven you yet.”

“Lucky,”
he groaned, “don’t tease me. I can’t go another night without feeling myself
inside of you. It’s torture having you lying next to me, feeling you against me
and not being able to have my wicked way with you.”

“Well,
I guess you’ll have to learn to deal with it.” I giggled thinking about the feel
of him pressed up against me each morning. He didn’t know it, but it had been
very hard for me every time I pushed his hand away as well. There was nothing I
enjoyed more than feeling him inside of me. When we made love, I felt like we
were one. Our bodies were fused together and when we moved, I felt like we were
literally joining our souls together. I had never had that physical and almost
spiritual moment with any other man and I think that was one of the reasons why
our sex life was even more special to me. It wasn’t just that he was the best
sex I had ever had, he was also the man who made me feel more alive than I had
ever felt in my life.