Legally Bound 4: Allegations of Love (13 page)

Chapter 21

“What are you doing,” Jas smiles sleepily at Marie as she moves around the room.

“I have so many ideas for the wedding. I need to get them all down. I also feel like a complete jerk for not calling Liv,” Marie frowns. “We have been engaged for two days. I should have called her by now.”

“I think I have been keeping you pretty busy the last few days,” Jas replies with a wolfish grin.

Marie bites her lip and smiles looking up at him through her lashes. “Very, very true,” she purrs and moves back over to the bed putting a sway in her hips.

Crawling up the bed Marie straddles his lap and leans to plant a kiss on his lips. Jas nips her lips then runs his tongue across them. Cupping the back of her head he deepens the kiss.

“You are making me forget to make this call yet again,” Marie giggles with the phone cradled to her chest.

Jas plucks the phone from her hand, scrolling through to Olivia’s number and dials. With his free hand, he tugs Marie down against his chest. Tapping the screen he puts the phone on speaker.

“Hey there, Sweetie, how is everything going,” Olivia answers the phone enthusiastically.

Jas places his finger to his lips before answering Olivia. “I’m not sure she should be telling you that. You do know we are going to have a private talk about you filling my woman’s pretty little head with things she never should have known,” Jas says with a smirk.

Olivia sucks in a sharp breath. “Jasper, how are you,” she says with a smile in her voice.

“I am great, Olivia. Thank you for the package you sent,” Jasper replies fondly.

“You are most welcome. Did it come in good use,” Olivia asks with excitement in her voice.

“I’ll let Marie tell you that,” Jas chuckles.

“Liv, we’re getting married. The ring is so gorgeous. Everything is just so …perfect. There is no other way to describe it,” Marie gushes.

“
Yes
, yes, yes! I’m so happy for you two,” Olivia sings into the phone. “I’ll take that private talking to, Jasper. It was so worth it. I love you guys.”

“Love you too, Liv,” Marie beams and Jas tilts his head as he looks at her. This is not a conversation he ever thought he would hear between these two women.

It is just now hitting him how close these two have actually become. He starts to chuckle to himself. This is Marie after all, she could make friends with a maniac and see the best in them. He could totally see the two being friends if they met differently, so knowing his Marie he couldn’t doubt the bond they have despite the way they have come to know each other.

“So when is the wedding going to be,” Olivia asks.

“In three weeks,” Jas and Marie answer in unison.

Olivia’s laugh floats through the phone. “Well Jasper, you are not wasting any time are you,” Olivia says with a smile in her voice.

“I have already waited forever. I’m not giving her a chance to change her mind,” Jas teases.

Suddenly something shifts on the other end of the phone. Jas can hear it in Olivia’s voice. She sounds frustrated as she murmurs something to someone in the background.

“Yes, I know. Oh, um, guys, is it okay if I call you back,” Olivia mutters.

Jas sits up. The natural protector in him going on high alert, he can sense that something is off. He spent enough time with and worked for Olivia long enough to know her very well. Olivia hardly ever did nervous and right now he could hear in her voice that she was nervous.

“Olivia, is everything alright?” Jasper asks.

“Yeah, uh, everything is fine. I’m just dealing with a little issue. It’s nothing to worry about. You two just enjoy this time. I hope you send me an invitation to the wedding,” she replies.

“Are you kidding,” Marie frowns. “I’ll be meeting up with you when I get back. I have some things I want to talk to you about before the wedding.”

Olivia chuckles. “Sure, beautiful girl, I am here whenever you need. Call me when you get back. We’ll do lunch. Jasper I can hear the wheels turning in your head. I promise I am fine. I am in good hands. I’ll talk to you both in a few days,” she says softly.

“If you need me call me,” Jas replies. “Even if I can’t get to you I will have someone there right away. I’m serious Olivia. Don’t be stubborn. Call me if you need help.”

“Don’t worry, Jasper. If it ever comes to it I’ll call you if I need to,” Olivia says wistfully.

“Talk to you soon,” Marie chirps just before Jas ends the call.

Marie watches the pensive look on Jas’s face. She could see that he is concerned for Olivia. It doesn’t make her jealous or upset the way she once thought it would. Instead, she is concerned for her friend. If Jasper is concerned, there is a reason to be.

Marie learned in London that Jasper is very good at his job. When she and Rita were receiving threats, Jasper had been thorough and a step ahead of anything that came up. She remembered feeling relieved and secure.

“Do you think she is really okay,” Marie asks with worry for the woman she has grown to know as a friend, mentor, and confidant.

Jas sits silently for a moment. His gut was telling him to get someone to go check on her, but if Olivia said she was in good hands, he would trust that. He is no longer her bodyguard. Besides, he knew her. She would call him like she promised if she really needed him.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine,” Jas replies.

Cupping the back of Marie’s head he draws her into a kiss to soothe away her worries. Soon enough Olivia moves to the back of both their minds as Jas spends the next few hours exploring every inch of Marie’s body from top to bottom.

Chapter 22

“Ah, yeah Baby, come for me,” Sam groans into Ellen’s ear. “You’re so beautiful pregnant with my son. Let go.”

Ellen clinches his fingertips as she holds onto his fingers for dear life while he plows into her from behind. It was no wonder they were on their third child. She just couldn’t get enough of him. There was a time she didn’t even think she would marry, yet again and children were the furthest thing from her mind.

She had gotten so lucky with Sam. When her modeling career came to a screeching halt, she didn’t know what would be next. Then Sam walked into the LA chapter of Club Desire and everything changed.

His touch alone set her body on fire. However, she was holding back in that moment because her mind was somewhere else. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Ellen hadn’t felt this way since a few months back when the boys were kidnapped.

She blamed it on her Gipsy great-great grandmother, for generations, the women in the family had an intuition for impending doom. As hard as she tried to stay in the moment her mind kept nagging at her.

“Where are you, Baby,” Sam growls in her ear as he locks his hand in her dark hair.

The action sends a jolt of lust through Ellen and snaps her back into the moment. Instantly her body responds to Sam’s earlier command as her walls tighten around him sucking and gripping his cock for dear life. Sam’s loud groans in her ear only heighten her arousal and the force of her climax.

“Oh yes, Sam,” she cries out.

Sam thrusts into her a few more times before he growls out his own release. He pulls out and flops onto his back gently pulling his pregnant wife into his arms. He strokes her back as he catches his breath and his heart slows down.

“Is everything okay,” Sam murmurs into her hair.

“Yes, everything is fine,” Ellen answers a little too quickly.

“Umm,” Sam murmurs and lifts her face to meet his gaze. He searches her face for a few beats then drops a kiss on her lips. “I’m ready to listen when you are ready to talk.”

“I know. I don’t even know what I need to talk about. The doctor said the baby is fine, I am so excited for Pam and Marie, the girls are growing so quickly and I couldn’t be happier in your arms,” Ellen pouts as she mulls over the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Maybe that is just it. You are always concerned with everyone around you. You have nothing to worry about. The company is doing great, I have some great investments coming up, if you still want to look at new houses we can do that whenever you want, and as you said our little family is perfect. I love you, Sweetheart,” Sam replies dropping a kiss on her lips.

“I know. I love you, too. You are probably right. With my hormones all over the place I am just making a big deal out of nothing,” Ellen sighs.

“Exactly, I promise you that our love will conquer all and whatever is bothering you is just in your imagination,” Sam says with a confident smile.

“Promise,” Ellen says with a wide smile.

“Promise,” Sam says and winks at her. “I’m going to take a shower you want to join me?”

Ellen reaches to rub her belly and smiles up at him. “You go ahead. You can, at least, wash without bumping into us,” she giggles.

Sam frowns at her playfully. “You and I both know there is still plenty of room in the shower for the two… well the three of us. My son may be bigger than his sisters were, but you still look and feel fantastic.”

Ellen pecks him on the lips. “While that is very sweet, I will still take a raincheck. I want to save my energy for round three,” she purrs and wiggles her brows.

Sam meets her words with a wolfish grin. “In that case you rest up. I’ll be back to honor your demands. Don’t want to keep this precious gift from you,” he says looking down suggestively at his now growing erection, with a cocky smile on his lips.

Ellen sighs dreamily as she shakes her head and lies back onto the pillow. She knew she had been married to this man for a little over five years now. He always makes good on his promises, but once again something is telling her that things would be changing around them.

Ellen closes her eyes and prays that what she feels will not come true. She loves her family and Sam. She would never want to see any of her friends and family hurting. However, she also knows that what she is feeling is nothing to ignore.

She sighs as she thinks of her newest best friend’s pain. Ellen had become close with all the women that were being added to the Mairettie clan. Camille had just been a bonus. Camille was also fast becoming the one in the group Ellen was closest to.

Ellen guessed that they were so much closer because Camille’s boys were older than the other ladies’ children. Ellen and Cam having children closer in age caused them to have playdates more often. They had just bonded a lot over the past year, especially with Cam’s pending divorce.

Camille and Sam were the only ones that knew Ellen had once been married. This was just one more thing that had allowed the two to bond. Ellen had been so young and naïve. It too had been a bitter and hurtful divorce. Her modeling career was the only thing that saw her through it.

The ringing of her cell phone brought Ellen out of her musing. She stretches with one arm to reach for the phone, placing the other on her swollen belly. Ellen smiles when seeing that it is her friend that she had just been thinking about.

“Hello,” Ellen chirps into the phone.

“Hey,” Camille sniffles back.

“Hey, what’s wrong,” Ellen asks anxiously as she sits up in bed.

“I’m so sorry to be calling you in the middle of the night,” Camille sniffles again. “I-I just. If I call Paige, she is going to make this so much worse than I can handle right now. I’m too tired to fight this battle.”

“You know you can call me anytime. What is going on? Where are you,” Ellen asks.

“Seth put me out. After saying I could stay in the house with the boys until the divorce is final, he just shows up in the middle of the night with that little tramp of his and throws me and my boys out on the street,” Cam sobs, “Oh God, Ellen. I called my dad for help and he hung up on me. I have three little boys, my accounts have been frozen and I have nowhere to go,” Cam cries.

Ellen starts to scoot out of the bed. She knew from hearing stories about Camille’s dad that he was a piece of work, but this is just over the top. He has been pissed for months that Cam won’t consider his list of potential new husbands. Ellen could sense there was also more to it all that Camille hadn’t shared with anyone else.

“Honey, calm down where are you,” Ellen soothes into the phone.

“I’m in my car, not that far from your place,” she snorts. “The one thing I bought with my own money. I was so stupid to not keep an account that both Seth and my father couldn’t get to. I never thought my father would go this far. I mean I know…”

Cam trails off confirming Ellen’s thoughts. There were more skeletons in her closet that she wasn’t yet ready to reveal to her friends. Ellen could relate to that. She had some of her own. Camille would share when she was ready. Ellen had learned that about the other woman.

“Don’t you worry about anything,” Ellen reassures her. “You come right here. We have plenty of room. You know Sam and I see you as family. He would want you and the boys here safe with us.”

“Are you sure,” Cam sniffles, “I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I can get things settled and clear up some funds. I was thinking that I can ask Bobby and Paige for an advance on a few of my checks or something to hold me over until I figure something more stable out.”

“I am positive. Don’t worry about any of that. We’ll all figure it out. Right now you just need to bring those beautiful little boys here and get some rest,” Ellen gently demands.

“Okay, I’ll be there in less than five,” Camille sniffles.

“Okay honey, I’ll be waiting,” Ellen replies and looks over at the bathroom door. Sam has a habit of taking long showers. It’s his way of clearing his mind.

Ellen throws on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. Opting to tell Sam what’s going on after she gets Cam and the kids settled into guest rooms. Just as Cam promised, she arrives just as Ellen makes it to the front door to greet her. Ellen moves to the car to help Camille get her three sleeping boys into the house.

Camille’s boys are adorable. Ellen had only met Seth a few times, but she always wondered who the boys took after. They didn’t have his fair looks, and she had thought Camille’s features to be fairer as well.

Ellen quietly leads Cam to the guest room next to the girls’ bedrooms, holding Cam’s youngest boy, Aiden. Camille had Seth, Jr. in one arm and little Eddie in the other. They both moved about quickly and quietly to get the boys in bed and tucked away.

When they were finished, Ellen waved Camille out of the room. “They can share that room for tonight,” Ellen whispers. “That way they will, at least, have each other when they wake in an unfamiliar room. Tomorrow, we’ll give them their own space.”

“Thank you so much for this, Ellen,” Camille says with tears in her red rimmed eyes.

“Oh please, you would do the same for me,” Ellen says bringing Camille in for as close an embrace as her belly would allow. “Would you like some wine? We can sit and talk for a few.”

“I don’t want to be a bother. I could take that wine and get out of your hair,” Camille replies.

Ellen laughs softly. “I may not be able to drink, but I will not let you drink alone. Come on. I had a lot on my mind anyway. We can keep each other occupied.”

Making their way to the kitchen and pouring Cam a glass of wine and Ellen some water the two go to sit in the living room. Camille takes a long sip of wine before tossing her head back against the sofa. As she closes her eyes, a huge sigh escapes her lips.

Ellen takes the time to examine her friend. Camille looks so different. It wasn’t just the stress that she usually hid so well. Ellen was noticing the changes that Camille had made. Some she wasn’t so sure were intentional.

“I love the hair,” Ellen says with a smile. “It’s so…I don’t know. It makes you look…” Ellen pauses to find the right word.

“Ethnic,” Camille opens her eyes to narrow them at Ellen and lifts a brow.

Ellen’s eyes widen at Camille’s words. While Camille’s features did look much different with the shortly cropped cut and the reddish brown color, she would never say it the way Cam was implying. “I was thinking more along the lines of exotic. Did I offend you somehow,” Ellen asks softly.

Cam sighs and shakes her head. “I’m sorry. Don’t pay me any attention. It has been a long day,” Cam sighs. “Thanks for the compliment.”

“You look great. I think you look good with the extra weight you have gained and the hair cut,” Ellen blurts out before she can catch herself. Realizing how her words came out, she clamps a hand over her mouth.

Camille bursts into laughter and has to clamp a hand over her own mouth. She wipes at the tears that slip free. She gives Ellen a warm smile.

“I never wanted to be blonde and I have enjoyed eating whatever I want lately,” Camille’s snorts. “Thanks.”

“Baby, where are you,” Sam calls as Ellen opens her mouth to say something to Camille. “I’m ready to make good on that promise.”

Both Camille and Ellen turn to find Sam rubbing his hair dry with a towel without a stitch of clothing on. Camille’s breath hitches before she lets out a low whistle. “Well damn,” she whispers.

Sam’s head snaps up at the sound of Camille’s voice and his cheeks turn pink as he drops the towel to cover his erection. The towel is nothing more than a hand towel and doesn’t cover much. Sam’s thick, powerful thighs and chiseled chest remain on display.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t know we had company,” Sam says in embarrassment as he starts to back out of the room. Sam stops as his eyes take in the rather attractive woman before him, sitting with his wife. “Cam?”

“Hey Mairettie, thanks for the show, I think you have officially made my night.” Cam teases.

Sam snorts and shakes his head before backing out of the room completely this time. He notes that a lot about Cam has changed. She has always been an attractive woman, but with her hair cut and dyed it did something new for her features.

Cam looks at Ellen and lifts a brow. “I see why you and your sister in laws keep getting pregnant,” Cam fans herself. “Paige told me once that Bobby is hung like a horse. If what I just saw is any indication… phew.”

Ellen throws her head back and laughs. “If you were anyone else I would probably scratch your eyes out,” Ellen teases.

“I haven’t had sex in a year. After seeing that, I don’t know if you should trust my ass,” Camille teases and laughs sincerely for the first time in months.

“I trust you more than you know,” Ellen says warmly.

“Thanks. Thank you for everything,” Camille says somberly.

“Anytime, if it were me I know you would do the same,” Ellen says with a knowing nod.

Ellen had to admit to herself that her uneasy feeling had only become stronger with Camille’s call. Everything inside her told her to cling and cleave to her friend. They were going to need each other.