Alphas & Millionaires Starter Set (21 page)

“Hell, no. Especially, when I’m thinking the exact same thing,” he said, smirking. “Thought that the very first day I saw you.” He paused as he remembered the day. “Is that bad?”

“Not at all, Mr. Stagliano. Had I known, I would’ve surrendered sooner,” I teased, knowing damn well I put up a good fight that first week.

We continued making love until moments before the limo stopped. The smirks on our faces told his driver exactly what we had been doing. It was obvious that he was paid to keep silent.

Drake escorted me into my apartment, lifting me up and carrying me through the door. It was late, so Stella and Michael were already in bed for the evening. We decided to grab a couple of glasses of wine and lay in the loveseat together.

“I could never get tired of this view,” I said, leaning into his chest.

“Same here. But you know it’s even better a hundred floors up.”

“I’m sure it is.” I laughed. “But some of us are on a budget.”

We never talked about money with one another. It was like a silent buzz kill that neither of us wanted to bring up. However, I was pretty certain Drake wondered how I managed financially, seeing that I lived in a nice condo in Chicago. I wanted to reassure him that I was fine financially, yet I didn’t feel we were yet ready for that conversation.

Two days after Liam’s accident, an attorney who held Liam’s will and life insurance contacted me. I was stunned. I didn’t even know Liam had a will
or
life insurance. It wasn’t something we had ever talked about. Apparently, right after our engagement he took out a life insurance policy and made a will. He had left Stella and me with a huge chuck of change that allowed me to stay home with her for the first year, and pay our rent for the past three years. Knowing Liam did that for his family brought so many feelings to the surface that I didn’t want to deal with it at the time. Knowing that each month when I write out the rent check that it’s all because of Liam, makes my heart mushy every month. Liam truly loved us. He was unbelievable.

“Well, what if someday, you and Stella move in with me?” he asked, snapping me back into the present.

“Move in with you?” I asked, stunned. My eyes grew wide at the realization of what he had just asked me. I hadn’t even considered that as an option, seeing that Michael was my roommate and Stella was very attached to him.

“Yeah. I mean, some day,” he counter-offered, at my reaction. “Just thought that maybe in the future, we could be a family.”

My heart dropped, as I believed my love for this man couldn’t get any deeper; it just had.
Family.
“You want us to be a family?” I asked, surprised.

“Of course, Molly. I love you and I love Stella. I want us to be a family someday. Don’t you?” His face was now soft as he mentioned a future with Stella and me.

“I do more than anything, Drake. I just didn’t know if that’s what you would want. I mean, taking on that kind of responsibility. It’s not an easy task,” I responded seriously. Although I was more than happy to hear Drake talk about us having a family and moving in together, I wanted to be cautious of the situation, knowing that Stella is the most important factor in my life.

“I’m sure it won’t be easy. Especially those rebellious teen years.” He chuckled. “But it’s you. I want you, Molly. All of you. No matter what.” He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. “We can take it slow, don’t worry. I want Stella to be comfortable with me before we move any faster.” His reassurance was just what I needed to hear.
God, this man was perfect.

“Why are you so great?” I asked him with a serious look. “I mean, really? You are too good to be true sometimes, Drake Stagliano.” I smiled against his mouth and he leaned in to kiss me once more.
Seriously, amazing!

“I told you, babe. You make me want to be great. That’s what you deserve.” He squeezed me against his chest. “Everyone comes with baggage. I just happen to be very good at unpacking.” He smiled, kissing the tip of my nose. “Now, let’s get you off to bed.” He lifted me off his lap and carried me into my room, holding me tight, never letting me go.

I shuffled through my drawers quickly, trying to find my black stockings.
Where the hell are they?
I slammed the drawer shut and darted to the closet to scramble through the piles of clothes on the floor. It’s been a hectic last few weeks with rounds and finishing my classes, but the day was finally here. Graduation.

“Stella-bug! Sweetie, help mommy,” I begged. I wanted to look great today. My parents drove in to watch me walk the stage, finally getting my degree. Having the internship was a perfect end to my training. I felt great training next to professional chefs for the last several months. I was ready for this. Ready to graduate, ready for a career, and ready to let Drake love me.

“Mommy, you look beauty-full!” Stella smiled as I twirled around.

“Let me grab my cap and gown, and then we can go.” I grabbed them off the bed and headed into the living room where my parents, Drake, and Michael were sitting and waiting.

Michael and Drake stood up as they saw me enter, wearing huge grins on their face. “What?” I asked, confused at their reactions.

“You look incredible!” Drake walked over to me, grasping me in a tight hug. “Are you ready?”

“Sure am! Let’s do this.” Drake had his limo pick us up so we could all ride together. My parents had never been to Chicago, so when they arrived four days ago Drake insisted on taking them around to all the sights. Although my parents weren’t married to each other anymore, I could still see their chemistry. It was an instant connection, and it was obvious the chemistry was still there.

We had taken a sunset boat tour the second evening of their visit, which ended up being a romantic dinner date for four.
Awkward.
My parents, being great like they usually are, made the best of it. They enjoyed getting to know Drake and hearing all about him.

I was excited about the ceremony and having them all there to watch me was the best feeling ever. It was like a dream come true. Finally, after all my struggles and hard work, here I was finishing my degree, madly in love with a wonderful man, and we made a great little family.

The ceremony was long, and Stella got antsy, bouncing up and down in her chair. Finally, my name was called and I walked up the steps. I greeted the college President as he shook my hand and congratulated me. I continued walking to my advisor, who wrapped me in a hug, and whispered “congratulations” in my ear. My advisor helped me through everything these last three years. I greeted one more staff member and received my diploma. I held it up high for my family to see, proud of everything I went through to get to this day. My mind flashed back to the very moment I knew my life would forever change.

“Mom, I received a letter today from Kendall College!” I shouted through the phone. I applied three months ago and today was finally the day I would know. Stella was only eight months old and hopefully, in a short four months I would be moving to Chicago. I was so nervous holding that letter in my hands. My future was at stake, and whether or not I was accepted meant everything to me. I wanted to do this. I needed to do this. For Stella and for me.

“Well, honey, what’s it say?” she urged impatiently.

“Okay, mom, I’m ripping it open!” I placed my phone on speaker, setting it down. I ripped the envelope open, shredding it in the process. I opened up the tri-fold letter and began reading it out loud.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!” I screamed, reaching for my phone. “Mom, I got in!”

For the next four months, I packed, getting ready for our new lives in Chicago. I begged Michael to come with me and after some convincing, he reluctantly agreed. The program started out intense right from the beginning. We had long classroom hours, which meant long study sessions. Stella had just started being mobile and walking around everywhere, which meant I stayed up late almost every night after she went to bed. For months and even years, I struggled between being a student and a single mother. I wanted to be both, but only being one person, I often overdid it and was exhausted all the time.

Once Stella was enrolled in preschool, she was able to make some friends and socialize with children her age. This made it easier to study at night; she had played hard all day, and went to bed earlier at night. Each moment I had with Stella was precious, even when we were not doing anything special. Those little stolen moments made me appreciate her even more. She was the reason I was doing this. She deserved two loving parents, but since she only had me, I had to play the role of both.

* * *

“Babe, I am so proud of you!” Drake found me after the ceremony, swooping in for a tight hug. I buried my head into the crease of his neck where his scent once again sucked me in.

Michael, Stella, and my parents were not far behind them as I hugged each one. I knew Stella was too young to understand the significance of the day completely, but someday I knew she would look back and be proud of her mom.

I searched for Travis, as I wanted to say goodbye. We were both heading in different directions, as he had a job waiting for him in San Francisco. I would miss him, and our little fun moments we shared in the kitchen, but I was so happy for him.

“Travis!” I yelled, waving my hands in the air. “Over here!” He finally noticed me and ran in my direction. He smacked hard into me, giving me a tight squeeze. “Geez, Trav. You are going to kill me with those bear hugs!” I gasped, trying to breathe.

“I’m gonna miss you, Mols! Especially all those funny, clumsy moments of yours!” He teased, nudging me. I rolled my eyes at him, as he made fun of me most of the time for dropping, spilling, tripping, or just being pure clumsy.

“I’ll miss you, too, Trav. Thank you for everything. Seriously, you were a great study partner.” I hugged him, remembering our weak moment in the kitchen. We were able to move on from that, but I knew Travis still loved me. “Good luck! And don’t forget to call me! And come visit!” I shouted, as the crowd got rowdy. We hugged one last time before he ran back to his family.

Drake led us back to the limo after the ceremony and since it was my parents last night with us, he wanted to make it extra special. He had planned an evening at his home on the balcony where we had our very first date.

“I can’t wait to get you back home and give you your present.” He smiled his wide grin, knowing I knew exactly what he was thinking.

“I look forward to it. Hopefully I can wait that long,” I whispered into his ear, keeping my eyes on him.

As the evening went on, I could feel a burning sensation between my thighs. I was ready to dig my teeth into that man, and I didn’t know how much longer I could wait.

“I’m getting anxious for my present,” I said, walking up to him, wine glass in hand. I pressed my lips to his neck as I felt him quiver at my touch. “Perhaps we can excuse ourselves for a while?” I suggested as I felt him hard against me.

“That’s very tempting,” he said, kissing me back.

“I have a surprise for you. But you have to find it.”

“I have to find it?” he asked. puzzled. “How do I do that?”

“I decided to give myself an early graduation present last week. It’s a tattoo…and you have to find it in order to see what it is,” I answered slowly, teasing him with my mouth on his.

In one quick motion, he picked me up, wrapping my legs around him and covering my mouth with his. He walked from the kitchen, where we were grabbing another bottle of wine, to his bedroom.

“Does this mean I’m getting my present early?” I asked, hoping I was right.

“Does this mean I get my surprise?” he asked, knocking us into his bedroom door, trying to find the handle.

I smiled against his lips as we entered his room and stumbled to the bed. We fell to the sheets and wrapped our legs around one another. I laughed as he thoroughly searched my body for any sign of new ink.

“How about here?” he asked, slowly pushing my dress down under my breasts. He puckered his lips over the nipple, making them instantly hard. “Over here?” he asked again, moving his lips down my torso.

“You’re getting warmer,” I said eagerly.
Much warmer.
It wasn’t in a public location so most people wouldn’t even see it unless I told them about it or I was wearing a swimsuit. I laughed as his stubble tickled my skin as he continued kissing and exploring my body. He slowly rubbed his fingers over my panties, exploring each possible spot. “Getting hotter.”

“You are making me hotter,” he said, pleased at our new little game. He pushed my dress all the way up over my head and threw it to the ground. “Now we’re talking.” He continued kissing down my bikini area and spread my legs apart getting a full view of the new addition to my body in between my thighs.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s absolutely beautiful. And perfect. Just like you.” He smiled and kissed over the anchor tattoo. I decided on an anchor design with the word ‘Hope’ underneath. I’ve always wanted an anchor tattoo, however, it meant so much more to me now. It was a reminder that no matter what, I was strong enough to get through it.

“It has dual meanings, ya know?”

“And what would that be?” he asked, confused at my expression.

“Well, for me, it obviously means hope, which is something I’ve had to hang on to since the moment Liam passed away. But also, it means steadfast like our love. It’s to remind me that whatever life throws at me, and whatever happens, I won’t sink.” I placed my hands on his cheeks, and lowered him in for a kiss.

We eventually headed back to the party. “They’re going to know,” I smirked as we walked back, trying to fix my messy sex head and wrinkled dress.

* * *

“I’m so glad you guys came! Thank you so much!” I hugged my mom tight as she and my dad said their goodbyes. They arranged to drive together since it was only a short trip. I secretly wondered if that was a good idea, but I really didn’t care as long as I got to see both of them. “I’m really going to miss you guys.”

“You’ll come back, darling, won’t you?” my dad asked, hugging me once again.

“Yes, we will.” I smiled at Drake. “We all will.”

We said our final goodbyes and off they went. Stella had a blast over the last five days, spending them with her grandparents. Soon it would be summer break for her, and we could all make a trip to see them again soon.

“Well, Stella, what do you say we go make some lunch?” I asked, picking her up for a hug.

Drake and Stella stayed in the living room, while Michael and I headed to the kitchen. Moments like this made everything we had been through worth it.

“Babe! Come here!” Drake shouted.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

Drake nodded his head toward the television where he was watching the news. Apparently, Kendra was filmed skydiving and had a freak accident.

“Oh my God!” I shrieked as I continued watching the news anchor talk about the multi-billionaire heiress.

“I have to call my father and get in touch with her family. I should go.” Drake stood up and kissed me goodbye without letting me react.
Get in touch with her family? Did he want to go see her?
I could understand wanting to check on her, but this was the same woman that humiliated me all over the social media. And threatened me.
Karma’s a bitch…

“What was that about?” Michael asked rushing to my side after Drake bolted out the door.

“I’m not sure. Kendra was hurt in a skydiving accident.” He could see the hurt and frustration on my face.

The next six hours went by without hearing from Drake. I assumed he would be back over for dinner but he wasn’t. I decided to wait until he contacted me.

“So what’s the deal with this Kendra chick? Is Drake still in love with her?”

“God, no. At least I don’t think so.” I answered, mostly to myself. “They used to date in college and their families are friends or something. I don’t know. But it’s a little uncomfortable.” I admitted.
Extremely uncomfortable.

“Well, maybe he just wants to be there for her family. You never know. It’s probably nothing, Molly. Drake loves you.”

“I know, Michael. I just wish I knew what was going on. He hasn’t called and I don’t want to call like a needy little girlfriend.” I pouted. “What do you think I should do?”

“I’d call that pretty little man up, girl. He might want to console her family, but he should at least consider your feelings in the process.”
He’s right
. I understood tragedy better than anyone did, but I at least wanted to know where he was.

After still not hearing from him for three more hours, I decided to call after Stella went to bed.

“Drake?” I asked as he answered.

“Molly. I’m sorry I haven’t called. I’m at the Advocate Masonic Medical Center with my family and hers. She’s been in surgery for hours.” The tone in his voice sounded serious, and I began to worry.

“Is she going to be all right, Drake? I mean…will she live?” I asked nervously.