I nod.
"If you think the press had a fun time with Jesse and Lucy, imagine what's going to happen with Ben and Nicole," Jace mutters.
"I heard that," I announce, "and I don't care."
"Me neither," Ben agrees. "There are more important things in the world to focus on than what the press and the people out there who don't know us think about our lives, which are none of their business to begin with."
"Wow. He said a mouthful there," Megs says.
"Every word the truth," Trace states.
There's cake and sparkling cider-ginger ale for me.
"How are you two going to consummate the marriage?" Ethan asks.
"Ethan! Of all people!" I state with shock. "I expected that from Xander, but not you."
"Nice, dude," Xan tells him and they fist bump.
Ben looks into the camera. "This is one of those things you don't need to know."
"Daaamn," Xan starts. "Ben's got plans."
"Knock it off," Kennedy chides. "That's my little sister you're talking about. Respect."
Xan's mouth snaps closed. "Respect."
I fight the yawn that threatens to escape, but it beats me. Ben smiles softly down at me.
"Time for a nap?" he asks.
I nod. "I think so."
"I'm glad you don't hide anything from me, Nicole. About how you're feeling, I mean."
"There's no point in that. You're right here with me, seeing it all, experiencing it all with me. I won't hide from you, Ben," I tell him.
"Good. You'll never have to."
Cage
"Did you find out anything?" Sera asks.
"I did."
"Is it good news or bad?"
I press a kiss to her forehead. "It's good. Her aunt is alive."
"Oh, that's fantastic!"
I nod. "It is."
Sera's smile fades. "What's wrong?"
"I understand now why she chose to protect her aunt and her family."
"Tell me, babe."
"Her aunt is married to Frank," I tell her.
"Frank who?" she asks.
That was my first instinct too when Gio told me. I wait for it to sink in and it doesn't take long.
"Our Frank," she whispers.
I nod.
Her eyes narrow. "Gampy knew."
I nod again.
"You're as pissed as I am," she states.
I nod yet again. I'm more than pissed. How he could have kept something like this from me …
"He knew the whole time?" she asks.
"Yep."
"He set this up?"
I nod.
"But how could he know Lucy would pick her email out of all the rest?" my Fee asks.
"It was simple really. He had someone change the color of the text in the subject line to pink and added flowers and hearts as well," I tell her, biting back my anger at his manipulation of Lucy.
"He … "
I nod grimly and she clamps her mouth shut.
"My gampy's in for a world of hurt when Lucy finds out."
"He certainly is."
Chapter 20
Ben
"Ben."
"Yeah, honey."
I'm lying next to my wife in her hospital bed and there are only a couple hours left before she has to undergo more treatment.
"I want you to touch me," Nicole whispers and my eyes snap open.
"Nicole, you're not well enough for that," I say softly.
"Don't you want me?" she asks, the insecurity coming through loud and clear.
"Beautiful wife of mine," I tell her, cupping her cheek in my hand, the sliver of light shining in through a crack in the blinds not high enough so I can see her face, but merely a shadow. "I want nothing more than to touch you and take you and fuck you until you're screaming my name, but I really don't want you to do something that could set back your treatment."
She blows out a breath. "The nurses left us alone tonight for a reason, Ben."
I nod. "I know, I do. I'm just afraid of doing something … "
"I know what you're saying, but if I just lay here and promise not to exert myself in any way, shape, or form, will you officially make me your wife?" she asks.
God, I know she's so tired and she feels like hell. If I deny her … I can't deny her.
"You can't move," I tell her, leaning in to kiss her lips. "This is going to be sweet, slow, and easy."
"Mhm. Okay."
I kiss her neck, licking and sucking, making her breath catch when I get to those sweet spots she has. I raise the hospital gown up to bare her breasts. I can't see them, but I know what they look like. I close my eyes, remembering as I gently squeeze and she moans softly. I replace my hand with my mouth, sucking on her nipple, biting it lightly before licking it quickly with the tip of my tongue.
"More," she asks, and I give it.
I slide my hand down her body between her legs.
I groan. "Damn. You're already so wet."
"It's you. You do that," she pants as I slip a finger inside her tight pussy. My dick gets hard remembering how snug it is when I'm fucking her, how her pussy clamps down so hard when she comes it makes it impossible for me not to come with her.
"I want you to come for me just like this." I add another finger and she sinks back into the bed.
"Oh yes," she says when I press the heel of my hand against her clit, moving it in time with my fingers.
"Do you like that, Nicole? Do you like it when I finger you?" I ask, remembering how she told me dirty talk got her off.
"Mmm," she moans.
"If you like it that much, you should reward me for giving you what you like. You should let go and come on my fingers so when you're done I can stick them in my mouth to taste your release," I say soft and low against her ear.
Her breath hitches and her body starts to shake.
"There you go. Let me know I please you, wife," I demand. "Come for me, Nicole."
I thrust my fingers faster, then curve them ever so slightly, and she's flying. I smother her cries of pleasure with my kiss. As her pussy spasms around my fingers it's all I can do not to thrust into the bed until I come with her. It's been long enough that it wouldn't take much.
I pull down my joggers and boxer briefs, kicking them to the floor.
We lie there facing one another and I trace a finger down her cheek. "Tell me if it becomes too much."
"I will. Promise."
I nod then lift her leg over my hip. I grab my cock and place it at her opening. It kills me, but I push in slowly, her wetness surrounding me, her heat enveloping me.
"You feel so fucking good," I tell her.
"Oh Ben," she whispers. "Don't stop."
"I don't think I could stop if the fucking building was on fire," I admit. She snickers. I don't. I want her with a fierceness I've never felt before. It's not just the physical, it's the emotional, the coming together as man and wife for the first time. It's me wanting to claim and mark her as mine.
Slowly I work my cock further and further inside her. When I'm completely inside her I let out a sigh.
"I love you, Nicole."
"I love you, Ben."
"Now you're mine completely."
"I was already yours, love."
It's the second time she's called me that and I fucking love it. I hold her hips as I thrust into her pussy, my cock growing with each thrust. I am not going to come without her. No fucking way. Not this time, when it's this important.
"You okay?" I ask.
"Mmm. Yes," she moans.
"Good. I need you to come now. I can't last much longer," I admit.
"Yes," she whispers, her hands gripping my shoulders. I lean forward, burying my face in her neck, listening to her soft cries of pleasure as I pump into her, and when I start circling her clit with my finger, she holds her breath.
"Breathe, honey." I reposition myself so her face is against my chest and she holds her mouth against it, moaning as she gets wetter and hotter, bringing me close to the edge. Way too close to the edge.
I use two fingers on her clit, circling faster, her breath coming in shallow pants, her pussy tightening around my cock. I let out a groan.
"Fuck. I can't hold back," I tell her, turning her to her back and fucking her faster, harder. Less than a minute later she shatters apart in my arms, her pussy gripping my cock so tight as she bites into my chest to muffle her cries of pleasure.
"God damn it," I whisper. A few thrusts more and I'm coming inside my wife. That thought alone has me spiraling higher, the pleasure so intense I have to bite my lip from shouting.
"Son of a bitch," I say when the last bit of cum shoots out my dick, draining me completely. I roll to my side, bringing her with me.
She's too quiet.
"Did I hurt you? Please say I didn't hurt you," I whisper, touching her face.
"You didn't hurt me. You could never hurt me," she says as she sniffs.
"Honey, please, don't cry. Whatever it is, I'll make it better. I promise." Panic flows through me. I hate when she cries, it hurts me to see her cry, and I want to fix it.