💍Ring💍


The final story in the Locke and Key Trilogy

First Chapter of Ring!
The First Chapter of Locke
Latest Chapter of Ring!
The first Chapter of Key

The trial may be over, but the tribulations aren’t.

With newfound success comes attention, but not all of it is good. After the death of the killer, Jasper and Bella thought they could finally move on with their lives, but a vandalized car is just the start of a rollercoaster of events that will change them for the rest of their lives- in both remarkable and catastrophic ways.

The best revenge is finding happiness in the face of real evil. But not is all as it seems, and there is more than one kind of mask. Will they be able to see who is behind it before it’s too late?

Warnings: This story contains violence and graphic sexual content. 18+ only.


 
Jeska Wood's Fiction
Private group ยท 321 members
Join Group
Jeska Wood's stories
 
Sign up for email alerts to receive every chapter and join my Facebook group for teasers, pictures, news, and more!

Posting starts October 13th!


  • Home
  • Imperfect Pictures
    • Perfect Snapshots
    • Blurry Images
  • Locke
    • Key
    • Locke: Outtakes
    • Key Outtakes!
    • Ring
    • One Wild Weekend
  • The Halloween Fair
  • A Change in Direction
  • Computer Repair
  • Fan Fiction One shots and Short Stories
  • Lemon Drops
  • "Originals"
  • My Photography

12/18/2020

Ring: Chapter Seventeen: On the Sunroom

Read Now
 
Back
Next

Picture

Chapter Seventeen: On the Sunroom


I woke up at dawn before Jasper. He was still out like a light, but he had several martinis once we retired to our room. He was ready to tear Edward to shreds for so many reasons. I believed him when he said it wouldn’t happen again, though. He just had to hit his rock bottom to make a change that had been needed for a while. Neither he nor Tanya was satisfied, even if they weren’t unhappy.

Going into the kitchen, I started some coffee. I brought it to the sleeping idiot in my favorite writing chair. I jabbed his shoulder with my other hand as I placed the cup on the table beside him. He groaned softly. 

When his eyes opened, they went wide with shock. “Oh, shit. Where am I?”

“My sunroom,” I replied as I pointed at the mug. I wanted to make sure he was fully sober and awake before I shoved him out of my front door. It wouldn’t do if he crashed because he was half asleep. I needed to make up the previous night to my husband in a big way. The chair with the toy still sat in the corner, unused. It teased me as I walked out of my room just a few minutes before. “Do you remember anything?”

Sitting up, he rubbed his palm over his face. He blinked for a couple of seconds. “Oh, fuck.”

“Your head or what you can recall?” I asked dryly, taking a sip of my drink.

“Both,” Edward smirked at my attitude. “Shit. I am so sorry. Jesus, I need help.”

“Yeah. Driving drunk wasn’t your finest decision, but I think what happened with Tanya was for the best. She wanted to convince herself she could marry you for the money and love you in her own way, but it wouldn’t have been good for either of you in the long run.” I sat on the couch, crossing my legs. “Was I brought up when you broke up?” I questioned. I needed to know for when I talked to my friend.

“Yeah. You definitely were, but I wasn’t the first,” he sighed as he stared out the window into my backyard. The birds were starting to chirp loudly, dancing in the dew-covered grass in search of a morning meal. “Don’t worry, she doesn’t blame you at all. It’s all me, and she knows it.” He picked up his cup and gazed down into the hot liquid. “We’ve been on the brink since last year. I thought when you left, my crush would go away. But it didn’t, and I don’t know why.”

“You know, I had one on you for a long time, and I never once pushed myself on you or told you I wanted you or anything in front of your partner. Because I have respect for my friend and for myself. Just because you feel something, it doesn’t mean you’re entitled to shove it onto other people. If you broke up with her and I were single, I would have never gone after you. There was never a world where we would end up together because I couldn’t do that to my girl because I would have always felt guilty. Even when she told me I could. What did you think would happen last night? What did you think you would accomplish?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

Shaking my head, I laughed. “Man, I am not going to run into your arms,” I bluntly informed him. “I am so happy with Jasper, and I won’t do a damn thing to screw that up. I have a real family. And they love me. They make me feel interesting and fun. They care about me and the things I have to say. And my sister is amazing.” I paused, remembering something. “And you got drunk and bit her!”

Chuckling, he took a sip of his coffee. I knew how he made it. I fixed it enough when I lived with Tanya. “Yeah, I’ve been dumb for years. Rose was pretty great, and I fucked that up, too.”

“Woo, you were barking up the wrong tree going after her like that. You’re lucky she didn’t knock your lights out,” I remarked. “I love her, but she’s way meaner than her brother.”

“She is,” he agreed. “But I would have had it coming. I’m ready to grow up. Thank you for the wake-up call.” He lifted his cup. “I’ve been trying to hold on to something that really wasn’t there in the first place. But three years ago, I didn’t even know a woman like you existed.”

“And what kind am I?”

“The best of both worlds,” he sighed and shrugged. “Honestly, I would have never known if I didn’t go to that hotel room. As mild-mannered as you are. And my parents are still asking me about you. ‘How is your lovely writer friend with the pretty lips and big eyes?’ You are literally the kind of woman you take home to Mother. Marriage and that just never mixed in my head. But damn, if my wife were willing to-” He stopped. His cheeks flushed as he smirked. “If I remember correctly, you looked incredible last night. I want that. A sweet-faced innocent girl who my mom respects and also wants to fulfill my fantasies as much as I wish to indulge in hers. Because I was always eager to do whatever Tanya wanted, but she never even budged. I wish it weren’t the reason. It’s only sex.”

“It’s not. It’s because you’re not compatible. That’s why most couples break up. You were together for a long time. These things are always tough. I’ll check on her today.” I sighed as I gazed out into the yard. The light was starting to streak across it, warming the chilly room. “But seriously, for your own safety, don’t come around anymore. I’m not mad, but I’m done explaining myself. Jasper’s job now is literally to protect me.” He had just gotten his first paycheck from the publisher. The salary they offered him was half of that from the bureau, but he didn’t care in the least. “He will end you if you keep pushing it. Three strikes and he will knock you out.”

“Got it.” Nodding, he finished his drink in a big gulp. Edward cleared his throat. “Um, can I use your restroom? Then I’ll leave.”

“Yeah, it’s under the stairs.” I stood to show him where it was. Putting our cups away, I went to the kitchen to get him a cold bottle of water and some aspirin. He took them with a little surprise when he came out. He forced a smile. “Good luck in the future. I hope you find your person. Just be more open-minded going forward. There are plenty of closeted weirdos out there. I’m sure Alice and I aren’t the only ones you overlooked.”

“You’re probably right,” he muttered before popping them into his mouth. He drank half of it in one go. “I would tell you good luck too, but I think you’ve got this figured out. I’ve already pre-ordered your next book, and I promise I’ll be first in line to see your movie.”

“Thanks,” I smiled as I blushed. “Go home and get some rest. Tomorrow will look better.”

I opened the door to show him out. He took a few steps, stopping on the top stair. Loudly, he gasped in horror as his entire body went stiff. I followed his gaze. When I saw his car, I realized the reason.

It was totaled. 

Every window was smashed, all the tires flat. ‘Hello, Bella’ was carved into every surface. Inside, the seats were spray painted red. It was the same color that had been used on the garage door a month before. I wondered if it was from the same can. 

Stumbling a few feet onto the porch, I screamed in pure rage. “NO!”
​
My husband came running down the stairs, shirtless, and in his sleep pants. He had obviously been listening to our conversation and was ready to jump into action if needed. He nearly fell into me. Skidding to a stop, he gasped too.

Edward said nothing as he stared in complete shock. Finally, he spun around with his whole body. “This is what they did to yours?” He questioned in a low, pained voice.

“Not the paint. But yeah,” I nodded as my fists balled up at my sides. “Why did they do that to yours?” I demanded angrily, then turned to look at my husband. “Why?”

Jasper took a couple of steps forward to just the second step. It was too cold to be barefoot on concrete, but he didn’t seem to notice. “They probably thought it was your new car.”

“What? I would never be stupid enough to park it-” I began before stopping myself. “Oh, I didn’t even think about them doing anything to yours.” I covered my eyes with my palms. “I’m so sorry.”

Edward took a step towards me. “No! You didn’t do this!” He waved his arm at the driveway. He glanced back at it and sighed. “Obviously. That’s horrifying. No wonder you’re nervous. That’s not sane.”

“No, it’s not,” Jasper agreed before spinning to go inside. “Both of you in the house. They still might be here.” He rushed up the stairs, and we both followed him like ducks in a row. I don’t know why Edward did. I think he was just in shock. “Get out of my room!” He snapped at him when he noticed.

“Oh, sorry,” he mumbled, turning to leave. He blinked several times when he saw the chair I wasn’t ever going to get to use. He put his head down and hurried out to the landing. “What should I do?” 

I slipped on my shoes after grabbing a thick pair of socks. “Go get more coffee from the kitchen. This takes a few hours. And you might want to get your car insurance stuff ready too.”

Edward nodded as he pouted. “I’ve only had it for a few months. Dammit! It’s an Aston Martin!” He complained.

“I don’t know what that means,” I mumbled as I put my hair up with a clip so that it was out of the way.

Rushing to get dressed, my man was ready for blood. “It means he’s a pretentious prick that likes James Bond too much.”

He frowned. “That’s why you started drinking martinis, so don’t give me that.”

“They taste good, and that is a quarter of a million-dollar-”

I smacked his arm to get his attention. “Not now. It’s his car! Be nice,” I remarked, grabbing my thicker jacket for when we went outside. I was in sweatpants and a hoodie already, but I knew we would have to be out in the cold at least a little while. 

Jasper got his service weapon from the safe in the closet. “Stay together and keep the door locked until the police come if I don’t return.” He pulled out his phone and dialed the emergency number.

We watched him go out the front door, locking it behind him. Edward visibly swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with anxiety.

It felt as if I weighed four hundred extra pounds, and my entire body was being dragged down towards the floor. “He’ll be back in a minute. Would you like another cup of coffee? It’s going to be a hell of a day.”

“Yeah, sure,” he breathed.

We trudged to my kitchen. Popping some cinnamon raisin bread in the toaster, I took out two fresh mugs from the cabinet. I poured our drinks before going to the fridge to get butter and creamer. He put a couple of spoonfuls in his. The utensil clinked annoyingly on the ceramic edge. I pushed my fruit bowl towards him. He picked an apple, so I grabbed it from him and washed it silently before passing it back. When my toast popped, I buttered it and got myself a banana. We ate without saying anything. 

It took way longer than I would have liked for Jasper to return. Every minute made my heart pound faster, my stomach beginning to ache with nervousness. It didn’t help that the man across from me was literally vibrating in place with his overwhelming emotions. He had broken up with his girlfriend and lost his pretty car in less than twenty-four hours. It wasn’t his week.

“They left a note on the sunroom,” my husband said in a rush as he came into the room to look for us. He still had his gun in one hand and his phone in the other.

The words didn’t make sense at first. I didn’t know how I could miss something like that. “What?” I questioned. There was nothing like that on it when we were in there earlier, I was positive. I rushed to go see what he was talking about. Both of the men trailed behind me quickly.

 In the middle of the glass pane, in bright red dripping paint, was, ‘Hello, Bella.’

“That was not there a few minutes ago,” Edward mumbled in shock. He looked at Jasper, his eyes blinking rapidly. “That- they must have-”

“Yeah. It’s fresh. It’s still wet,” he whispered. “That type of paint dries in under twenty minutes.”

My gut twisted so hard the food I just put in it instantly came back up in my mouth. I rushed to the half bathroom under the stairs, where I threw up violently. My knees cracked on the tiles, sending pain shooting up my thighs. 

“Why are they doing this to me?” I demanded through snot and tears. “I didn’t do anything! Leave me alone!” I sank to my rear and leaned my head against the seat.

Jasper rushed after me. He grabbed a towel and wet it to wipe my face before kneeling beside me. When he got down, there was a knock on the door. I took the cloth from him to do it myself. He went to get it while Edward stepped in to check on me. Offering me his hand, he tugged me to my feet.

“I just want it to stop,” I whimpered.

“I know.” Gently, he hugged me and patted my back. Letting me cry it out, I pushed my face into his peacoat. He pulled the bottle of water I had given him out of his jacket pocket and offered it to me. “I’m sorry.”

“Your car,” I pouted. I probably looked like a child, but I couldn’t control my emotions for a second longer. Everything came pouring out like a flood. “I’m so horrified and embarrassed-”

Placing his hand on my shoulder, he stopped me. “Don’t. It’s insured, and it’s not your fault. I’m just scared for you,” he swore as he rubbed my forearm. He went into the bathroom for a brief second to get some toilet paper to wipe my tears. “Let’s go sit down, sweetheart.”

We both sat on the edge of my sofa, two feet apart. I had the tissue wadded in my trembling fist.

“Edward, you need to talk to them,” Jasper called over his shoulder from the doorway after only a minute. “And I have to call Sam.” 

Back
Next

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


Click to download the epub of this Chapter!!
Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
January 5th!
✨Happy Holidays!✨
💛See y'all then!💛

Share

12/14/2020

Ring: Chapter Sixteen: A Couple More Steps

Read Now
 
Back
Next

Picture

Chapter Sixteen:
​A Couple More Steps


It took me two weeks to pick out what I wanted. My sister-in-law was far more helpful than all the men combined. I eventually went with a car that was custom built for me, picking out each element until it was just so. It would take about a month to get to me from the factory, and then Rosalie would make some modifications of her own as well as getting a new flashy paint job. I was excited and pleased that it all came in under seventy-five thousand. It had every safety feature and would be the most comfortable ride ever while looking more my style. It was nice, but it didn’t stand out.

Once I paid it off in full, I donated the rest of the insurance money to the NAACP anonymously in Bree Tanner’s honor. I felt I finally ran out of new information about her, and I knew Jasper was doing his own quiet work without talking about it. It wasn’t like he could do anything while he was still on a leave of absence, though. I didn’t know what else to do.

I knew without her, I wouldn’t have the world I was living in. It made me feel guilty I was somehow benefiting from her death. It wasn’t my intention in the least. I didn’t want it like that, and it wasn’t how I figured my career would start. If I couldn’t thank her, even if it wasn’t on purpose, I would send something good out into the cosmos. If they had taken her seriously when it first happened, Royce wouldn’t have killed so many others. They didn’t listen because of her skin color, though. That wasn’t a universe I longed to live in.

As Valentine’s Day approached, Jasper and I began to plan. We knew we wanted to do a scene, and there was no way we were going to a restaurant the week of the holiday. The problem was we couldn’t determine who would be in charge.

So, we decided the old-fashioned way- with rock, paper, scissors.

He had such a cocky smile when he won. It wasn’t like there would be any losers in this game, though. That’s why we were having a hard time choosing. “Mm, I think I’ll have you serve me a nice home-cooked meal,” he began playfully as he adjusted his sleeves at his wrists. “And you’ll be wearing something special the entire evening.”

“Color me surprised,” I joked. “Do you have something in mind?”

Nodding, he smirked a little. “You’ll see, darlin.”

Luckily, he didn’t force me to cook in pleather. Jasper allowed me to spend the afternoon in the kitchen unbothered while he worked on things in the bedroom for later. As it got closer to dark, he leaned against the doorway quietly to watch me work with his arms crossed. He was wearing a tight black shirt stretched over his muscled chest, a pair of snug Wranglers, and my favorite soft brown leather belt. “How much longer does that have?”

“Ten minutes,” I replied as I wiped off the countertop. I was keeping everything tidy. It would cook just a couple more moments before resting, then plating. Everything was going to be perfect.

“When you’re done, go get changed before you serve me. There is something waiting for you on the bed. Put your hair up and no makeup.”

“Yes, sir.”

Grinning, he curled his finger to beckon me closer. When I came to him, he gave me a deep kiss. He pulled me to his chest with his hand on the small of my back. “I’m going to have so much fun with you tonight.” He rubbed his nose against mine.

Breathless and horny, my husband left me to finish up our meal.

I set the table before I went into our room. Inside, it was dim, but there were flameless candles everywhere as well as roses. In the center was a sturdy wooden chair with my favorite wand tied in a very certain position. It left nothing to the imagination.

“Good god, I’m going to make a mess,” I complained to myself as I looked at it.

Moving to our bed, I went to see what he had left for me. In the middle were thigh-high fishnet stockings in white and a baby blue latex mini dress that would barely cover my ass. I picked it up and laughed. There was nothing else.

I brushed my teeth and braided my hair, putting on my outfit as quickly as I could. It was a feat of determination. I was as squeezed in as I could be, my breasts popping out so much that my nipples were a sneeze away from bursting free.

When I came down the stairs, Jasper was waiting for me with my new fancy collar in his hands. His smile grew wide as his cheeks went scarlet. His tongue darted out to moisten his lips as his eyes moved over my body, over and over again. A bulge was visible through his jeans.

“Damn,” he sighed. “Turn around and let me see the back.” When I did, he rubbed his hand over my ass and gave it a good smack. It sounded like a cheap plastic kids drum. It made him chuckle to himself. “Hell yeah.”

He turned me around, taking a step closer so he could lift my chin. We gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment. There was nothing but love in them. “Are you ready to start the scene for real, Isabella?”

“Yes, sir,” I grinned.

Slowly, he put my collar into place around my neck. It was much tighter to my throat than my necklace. My lock and key sat between my high breasts. Jasper ran his finger over the links before peeking at me from underneath his thick eyelashes. “If dinner didn’t smell so delicious, I would eat you first.”

I giggled as I blushed. “I’d suggest enjoying the food first. It’s really good. And I even have a martini waiting for you, sir. With extra olives and everything.”

“Well, we don’t want that to get warm, at least,” he teased, taking my hand. Jasper made sure I walked ahead of him so he could look at my ass. “Go get it ready for us, darlin.” He swatted it again.

Bringing the covered plate to the table first, he was already sitting down. I left his drink in the freezer to keep it icy cold. I didn’t like how it tasted, but hopefully, he did. There was also a bottle of wine for us to share. A chocolate cake with fresh strawberries was waiting on the island for dessert.

I lifted the dome, and steam billowed from the meal. Underneath was a perfect filet mignon on a bed of pommes aligot and baked garlic sugar snap peas, drizzled with thick brown mushroom gravy. Beside it was four of the biggest scallops I had ever seen. They had been seared in butter and finished in the oven.

“Your dinner, sir.”

He genuinely gasped. “Oh, my god. You have somehow outdone yourself again, Isabella,” he cooed as his hand rubbed my ass. “You are always so good to me.” He pulled up the back of my dress over it, exposing my bare skin. “Come, have a seat and enjoy this incredible feast with me.”

He was so hard against my thighs. First, he took a sip of his drink and hummed in pleasure. His eyes fluttered closed as his chin tilted back. I had never made one for him before. “Perfect.”

“There is plenty to make you more, too, sir,” I promised. “I even have more glasses in the freezer chilling.”

“Don’t you just think of everything,” he purred as his hand moved between my legs to spread them a little. “Such a good girl.”

Dinner felt like an hour of foreplay. He only touched my ass and thighs, but it was also filled with tender kisses and dirty promises.

When we were done, he began to lead me to our room before stopping in the living room. I realized there was a riding crop on the table. He was prepared, too. “Get on your hands and knees.” I did so instantly. The dress had been pulled back down, but it still exposed so much. He walked around me to get a better look. He moved the bit between my thighs. “That’s exactly what I wanted to see. So wet already. I plan to test how far I can take it tonight. I want to see how many orgasms you can give me.” He smacked my ass with it. “They’re mine, and you won’t hold back. Now crawl to our bedroom.”

I got about as far as the stairs before I looked at them and then him. I sat back on my bottom. “Um… yellow? I don’t think I can do it.”

He laughed in surprise. “Why?”

“I just don’t…” I smirked. “And I don’t wanna.”

“Get your ass upstairs,” he ordered. I stood up. “On your knees, Isabella.”

“Ha, no. Red. I’m walking,” I said with a challenging giggle. “I’m not going to bust my nose because you want to see me struggle up the stairs in this too tight thing.”

Laughing loudly, he was a little tipsy, and it showed on his features. “Fine.” He shook his head, playfully swatting my ass. It wasn’t a punishment. He pointed with the riding crop. “Go, but know that you’re not making things easier on yourself.”

“Good. I don’t want them to be easy,” I sassed and took the first step.

Someone knocked on the door as soon as it touched. 

“No!” He growled at it, nearly shouting the word. I dashed up the stairs to the landing where no one could see me. Jasper threw the crop on the couch before stomping to it. He looked through the window. His head fell back. “Noooo,” he whined. He swung it open. “What the hell do you want?”

Edward was on the other side. I realized his face was bright red and stained with tears. I took a couple of steps down to get a better look. He was shaking, either with his emotions or the cold. “Uh, I’m sorry to be disturbing you-”

“No, you’re not,” he interrupted. “Why are you here? Why are you bothering us? Don’t you have a very beautiful girlfriend you should be with right now?”

“No, I don’t,” he sniffled. His hand roughly rubbed over his mouth. “Can I talk to Bella? Is she here?”

Jasper looked offended that he would even ask. “Why?” He took in a deep breath, sniffing the air. He cocked his head to the side. “Are you drunk?”

“Yeah, actually. I am. Very. Very,” he slurred.

He leaned through the door to look at the driveway. “And you drove here? Seriously? What the fuck is wrong with you?”

His eyes were half-lidded. “I just need to talk to Bella for a minute, then I’ll go.”

“What could you possibly wish to communicate to my wife on Valentine’s Day?” He growled in his face. “Trashed out of your mind. You’re not in college anymore!”

“Look, I know. But I broke up with Tanya tonight, and she’ll be the only one that’ll understand why.” His eyes were unseeing as he blinked away tears. He leaned against the doorway. “I was going to propose, but she wasn’t-” He stopped himself. I took a couple more steps, not even thinking about it. I was just so surprised. Finally, he noticed. “Oh, my.”

I held onto the banister to keep my balance. “Why did you break up with her?”

“Because she wasn’t you.”

“I don’t want you!” I threw my hands up, stomping one of my feet. “And I don’t know why you’d want me. I’m not special.”

Both men scoffed because they wanted to argue. “Look, I know you don’t. Those words are burned into my soul at this point. But it’s more what you represent and, and, and-” he stuttered.

“And what does she, huh? Because I have theories as a doctor of psychology,” Jasper snapped.

“My shallowness. My hollow, plastic, fake existence.” He pointed at me, babbling. “Because she didn’t fit into the idea of my world, I didn’t even bother to get to know her as a friend. For two years! Years! Can you imagine if I had pulled my head out of my ass for even a second and asked about your life or interests? Your writing. But my first reaction to finding out you’re into this is the desire to use you like a fucking object. I was a predator and a creep. And because of that, I lost the opportunity to be in your world. As a friend or a lover. I hate it and myself. And I didn’t deserve you. And Tanya doesn’t deserve to be strung along anymore. I’ve been trying to fight it for a long time, but I’m not my entire real self with her. But I could have been with you. I don’t want to pretend. I want someone to love me for all of what I am, not this well-kept shell.”

Sighing, I rubbed my hand over my face. “Come in. It’s cold. We can talk in the sunroom,” I mumbled as I pointed towards the back. I blew a raspberry through my lips, avoiding my husband’s annoyed gaze. “He can’t drive in this condition. Just give me a few minutes, okay?” He huffed. “He’s not going to hurt me.”

Jasper rolled his eyes. “I know, but he’s still a fucking prick for interrupting us on Valentine’s Day,” he shouted the last two words at the back of his head. “This shit couldn’t have waited until tomorrow?”

“Obviously, I’m not thinking clearly,” Edward garbled, not turning around.

“Obviously,” he repeated back in an insolent tone. “I’ll be in here if you need me.”

I led him into the sunroom. He plopped onto the chaise lounge. At least if he vomited, everything in the room was washable. “This is nice,” he grumbled to himself as he slouched down onto it. “I bet this is an excellent place to write in.” He put his feet up like he was on a therapist’s couch.

Sitting across from him, I shrugged. I made sure my knees were tight together, my arms crossed over my stomach. “It is. I’ve been working on my screenplay here a lot recently. I’m almost done with the first draft,” I over-explained anxiously. 

“Oh, yeah,” he briefly smiled. “That’s great about the movie. T told me about that. Good for you.” He nodded. For several seconds, he was quiet. “Bella, what am I doing with my life?”

“Pulling the wrong tiger’s tail if you keep showing up here unannounced,” I said sarcastically. “That man has the gentle soul of an artist, but he will wring your neck like a chicken if you come here again. Especially to tell me you’ve just broken up with my very good friend because of me.”

“It’s absolutely not you. I get that. I don’t know why I’m so hung up on you.” He looked at me longingly, his eyes moving over my legs. “Actually, I do.” He took his jacket off and handed it to me. “You should cover yourself up.” He waved his hand over his chest, looking away as he blinked. “You’re clearly cold.”

I pulled it over my shoulders. “Yeah, that might be because I’m in lingerie. You know, we worked all day to make tonight perfect. That was our gift to each other.”

“I’m sorry,” he sighed, pushing his palms into his eyes. “What am I going to do?”

“Stop drinking, go to a therapist, and date women into BDSM,” I started sardonically with a shrug. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I don’t know either.” He looked up at the ceiling. “All the girls I know who are into it aren’t into dating or not exactly wife material. I don’t suppose you know anyone?”

Snorting, I shook my head. “Only Alice.” He scoffed. “Really? Isn’t ‘shallow’ what you’re trying not to be anymore?”

Edward hastily bowed his head. He could barely keep it up. “No, she’s gorgeous. She’s just weird.”

Rolling my eyes, I threw his jacket at him as I stood. “Yeah, but so are you. I’m not putting you in a cab while in this condition. Sleep it off in here.” I pulled the throw blanket from the back of the sofa and grabbed one of the pillows. I passed them to him. “If I hear you’ve driven while drunk again, I’ll let Jasper have at you. It’s not okay. You could have hurt yourself or someone else. You gave me shit for it, too.”

He accepted the cushion and laid his head on it. His eyes were already closed. “I know. I’m stupid, but I wasn’t thinking.” He threw the blanket over his shoulder. “I won’t do it again, I promise.”


Back
Next

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


Click to download the epub of this chapter!!
Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 18th!
💛See y'all then!💛

Share

12/11/2020

Ring: Chapter Fifteen: In the Engine

Read Now
 
Back
Next

Picture

Chapter Fifteen: In the Engine


Unsurprisingly, it took a little while to put a check that large into the bank. When Jasper saw the exact balances in my checking and savings, his eyes got gigantic. I had reached eight figures in about four months. And it was still coming, every new paycheck more than the last.

“We need to get you a financial advisor and an accountant, too,” he stated as he waved a hand towards the screen once the woman helping us got up to do something. “I’m sure Dad could probably help you with that,” he whispered while we sat in one of the cubicles. It was a quiet Tuesday, though. No one was paying attention to us.

She returned, a big smile on her face. “I’m sorry this is taking so long. We just need to make a call. It’ll only be a few more moments.”

“We’re in no rush,” I promised with a reassuring grin. 

Several minutes later, the manager, an old fat white man with no hair, came out with her following behind. She was holding a receipt and some papers for me to sign.

“Mrs. Hale, is there anything else you’d like us to help you with today?” He said eagerly after we finished up with the rest of the paperwork. It only took a couple of signatures. “Any services?”

“I’d like to add my husband to my account, get him a card, and order new checks, too, please.”

“Bella,” Jasper remarked in surprise. His eyes were wide as he looked down at his lap.

“What? What is mine is yours. It’s your money now too. You helped me.”

He quickly shook his head. “No, it’s not. That is yours. You worked very hard for it. I did nothing.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know we didn’t sign a prenup, right?” He blinked for a couple of seconds, his mouth hanging open. “So, it’s yours too.”

The poor woman didn’t know what to say. “We just need your ID and your Social Security number to get that started,” the manager who was still supervising our interaction interrupted our minor spat. I glared at Jasper until he huffed and pulled out his wallet. She took it from him slowly. “We’ll get that set up. Would you like a drink while you wait?”

“No, thank you,” I said politely. They left us alone again.

“We need to put you on my account then, too,” he stated quickly in a low tone.

Nodding, I adjusted my sweater. “That’s fine. I won’t ever use it, of course. But it might be wise to have me on it, anyway. Oh, we should start a retirement account together,” I replied unbothered. “Eh, I don’t know if we need it, but that’s what the accountant is for.”

“We’re getting a postnup,” he added.

“Nah,” I laughed. “We’re not getting divorced, and if I ever do anything to piss you off enough to leave me, I want you to take half of everything. None of it will matter without you. I don’t think I could live without you at this point, anyway. I’d die of a broken heart. It would be worse than that month.”

“Yes, exactly. That month. What if I screw up, hm?” He countered. Rolling my eyes again, I shook my head. “Isabella- Bella, be smart. I’m trying to protect you.”

“No,” I declared. He puffed again, his arms crossed over his chest.  “Okay, you know what? We’ll get one, but only if it says you’ll get seventy-five percent of everything.”

Jasper scoffed at my dramatics, smirking as he looked out the window. “I’m somewhere between totally annoyed and overjoyed that you feel so strongly about me.”

“Are you just now realizing that I like you?” I teased. “Jeez, honey. I thought I was coming on pretty strong.”

Laughing, he took my hand before giving it a gentle squeeze. “At least think about it.”

“Nope,” I repeated, smiling at him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he muttered like he was mad at me, but he wasn’t, really. He didn’t understand why I wouldn’t do it, especially if we weren’t ever getting divorced, but it was more than that. I knew I didn’t need that piece of paper. It was an act of submission I couldn’t even voice, though he wouldn’t see it that way. I was in every way at his mercy, and I trusted him with my whole heart to do what was right for us.

The main lot Jasper was talking about just wasn’t one, but several connecting over a literal mile. Hale/McCarty was above almost every kind of vehicle you could think of, each with their own massive mechanic’s bay. They even owned a tire shop, an oil change, a gas station, and the detailing place mixed among them. Rose’s shop was behind one of the biggest buildings, beside one that sold motorcycles exclusively. Fantastic vintage vehicles sat in the parking lot, waiting to be serviced. 

He led the way since I had no idea where I was going. All the ladies at the front desk smiled at us as we went. They sent out a weekly newsletter, and they often spoke about what was happening in the family. My father-in-law even shared the news about my books and claimed that everyone loved it. He knocked on the door with ‘Justin Hale’ on a plaque. There were only two offices on the floor we were on, which was the third.

Emmett opened the door for us. He was in pressed slacks and a blue polo shirt. McCarty was sewn onto the breast. “Yo! There’s my favorite sister.” He picked me up to give me a tight hug. It made me giggle as my feet dragged the ground. “It’s so fun to shop when it’s family. It’s so much easier. I can just tell you what’s shit.”

“Oh, thank you. That’s helpful,” I laughed.

His dad chuckled. “So, what are you thinking about getting?”

My brother-in-law put me down. “Mm, I don’t know, honestly. A car, I think. Four-door. I need a bigger backseat, so if I want to take my friends out, I can. But I definitely don’t want a truck or an SUV. Preferably a hybrid.” Then I shrugged because that’s all I really had. 

“That’s a very good start,” he reassured me as he gave me a quick hug. “And what are you looking to spend?”

We walked towards the elevators after he locked up his office. “Well, the check from my insurance was just under eight hundred thousand, but I am not spending all that on a vehicle. I’d like to keep it under a hundred thousand for sure. I don’t know how much environmentally friendly cars are.”

“They’re definitely in that range.”

“If you wanted two-door, I have a hybrid Porsche and a Tesla about that. But I’m guessing you mean that with all the bells and whistles,” Emmett added. “That Tesla would just be standard, but it’s still nice. It’s at the very upper end of your scale.”

I nodded. “And I was thinking about getting a custom paint job, too. But I don’t know how much that is. Not that price is a real issue.”

“What color do you want?” Justin continued. He was making a mental list for me. “We can have that done here, too.”

“I’d have to see my options, but a purple maybe. Something iridescent. Not like sparkly, but- I don’t know how to explain it. I just like that sheen.” He nodded his head as if he understood my babbling. I felt my cheeks blush.

“Girl, we can hook you up,” my brother-in-law promised in a loud voice. “You sure you don’t want another super nice Jag, though? That beast was sexy.”

I laughed. “No. It was cursed. Now it’s time to get something a little more humble and practical. I want this to last me at least a decade, and I intend to get my money’s worth. I don’t know how you talked Eric into all of that.”

“It wasn’t his money, so it makes it easier,” he chuckled. “We gave him a good deal, too. I actually wondered what it was appraised at. We tricked it out in every way possible.”

“And we’ll have the same done to your new one, whatever you pick.” He shook his head. “It is such a shame,” my father-in-law sighed. “Have you found out anything about it?”

Jasper shook his too, pursing his lips as his arms crossed over his chest. “No. We can’t get an unobstructed view of their face, and it’s definitely not one of our neighbors. And none of them have kids. I’m positive it’s a short woman, but that’s not much to go on. It’s got to be one of the groupies close to him or at the trial.”

“Eh, at least it’s a little chick,” Emmett offered. He winked at one of the old secretaries as we walked past her desk. She grinned at him.

“A small female with a gun can kill as many people as a man. It’s one of those great equalizers. I won’t let my guard down because of it. It just makes me more paranoid of everyone now.”

“I think I could take her,” I joked to ease his tension. He rolled his eyes. “What? I hit hard.”

“I know you do, darlin,” he cooed at me playfully. It was sarcastic. I pushed him gently, making him laugh. “You do, but I don’t think that would matter. You’d be surprised how strong crazy is.”

“Sometimes, a good smack just solves problems,” I declared. “I’m bigger. Maybe if I rattled her brains, it would make her right again. Because we all know she ain’t now.”

Justin turned his head to look over his shoulder at me. “I agree with you. Whoever this person is, they need a swift kick in the seat of their pants.”

Snorting, I bit my lip to keep in my laughter. “I was thinking more like a two-by-four to the back of the skull, but sure. Kicking asses works, too.”

“I’ll keep my gun, thanks,” my husband mumbled anxiously. “I’ll have to get a new handgun once I turn in my service weapons. I should get you a taser.”

“But I’d tase myself!” I laughed. “You keep the weaponry. I’ll stick to my words. You have the training. Actually, you are my weapon.” He rolled his eyes dramatically.

We went around the different lots for two hours in the back of a fancy black golf cart. I saw features in some of them I liked, but I was waiting for one to speak to me. We were looking at a BMW when I was hit by a stomach cramp. It made me wince, sulking at the gurgling that followed it. I leaned against the car to catch my breath.

Jasper noticed. “What’s the matter?”

I waved him off. “Ugh, I’m just getting really hungry, and it’s making my tummy upset,” I pouted. “I’ll be fine.”

He looked at his watch. “Well, let’s see. You only ate a banana and had a cup of coffee this morning… six hours ago?”

“I wasn’t hungry then!” I complained.

Emmett grinned. “Let’s go get Rosie and get some lunch. Want cheesecake? There’s a Cheesecake Factory around here.”

Shrugging in response, I glanced at Jasper. “Sounds good. I’m not picky.”

Everyone lit up when we walked into the shop, greeting us loudly over the noises of the machines grinding. I recognized some of them from her birthday party. The bay doors were open, so we could see inside. Rosalie was in a blue jumpsuit, her entire body inside the engine of a truck from maybe the forties. Only her butt was hanging out, one leg higher than the other. She had grease all over them.

Her husband slowly snuck up behind her. “HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” He shouted at her. It made her jump and smack her head into the hood with a loud thud. She instantly looked furious. “Oops! Shit! Are you okay?”

She whacked him several times about the chest. “How many times have I told you not to do that to me?!” Then my sister-in-law noticed me. It immediately changed her mood. “Hey! There you are! How’s the car shopping going?”

“I think I need your help,” I admitted. The men were more about facts I didn’t care about, and I needed a female opinion. “We were going to go to lunch. Would you like to join us?”

“Yes! Let me go take this off and wash up. I’ll be right out.” She sent her husband a nasty look before she turned to do that. “I’ll get you later.” She pointed two fingers at her eyes and then one squarely at his nose. He looked terrified. It was a genuine threat.

Justin was laughing to himself as he walked back out of the bay. “You know better.”

“I do, but I’m stupid, though,” he said with a southern drawl, then blew out a raspberry from his thick lips. “One day, she’s going to sew me up in the sheets and beat me with a frying pan.”

“Do you own a frying pan?” Jasper dryly asked.

“Ha, I don’t know,” he smirked. “But I bet she doesn’t know either.”

The place was busy for lunch, so we had to wait. Since they were the bosses, they could take as long as they wanted to, though. We chatted pleasantly about what I preferred in a vehicle the entire time. After about fifteen minutes, Rose pushed herself off the wall. It seemed like a sudden surprise, her eyes getting bigger. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

“I’ll go with you,” I responded, grabbing my purse.

I only had to pee and wash my hands. It took less than a minute. I was in and out before Rosalie wiggled her skin tight blue jeans to her ankles.

There was a sharp intake of breath. “Dammit,” she whimpered.

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh… Um, I just started my period.”

I wrinkled my nose. That would explain the suddenness. “Oh, that sucks. I’m sorry, I don’t think I have anything on me.” Quickly, I looked in my bag to check. “I haven’t had one in months. I’ve been on the shot for over a year now.”

“No, I have something.” I heard the wrapper coming undone after she fished it from her purse. It was just a couple of moments later that she came out. Her eyes were red, and there were tears sliding down her cheeks. She was trying to pretend they weren’t there.

Touching her arm, I took a step closer. “Are you okay?”

She drew in a ragged, painful breath. “Yeah.”

“I do have some aspirin if you’re hurting that bad,” I offered. But she shook her head. She washed her hands. “What’s going on?”

She looked at her reflection for a moment. Her nose was pink, and snot was trying to come out of one nostril. She swiped it away. “I was just… hoping to not start, you know?” She smoothed her lips together as she soaked a towel and wiped her eyes. “I was a few days late this time, and I got my hopes up, which is stupid.”

Gently, I rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. You’re young, though. You’ve got plenty of time.”

“We’ve been trying for a literal decade.” She held onto the edge of the sink. “It’s not going to happen. Even with the shots and the pills and the fucking doctors.” She began to cry openly, bringing her fists up to her forehead. “I want a baby so damn bad. I can feel them in my arms when I dream about them every night. I want to look into his little face and kiss his nose,” she wept.

Bringing her into my arms, I held her to my chest. She rested her head on my shoulder as she let it out. Soothingly, I caressed comforting circles over her spine. “Okay. So, there are other options. If you can’t get pregnant yourself, maybe we can get some of your eggs, and I can be your surrogate. That way, it’ll be yours, even if you can’t carry it to term yourself.”

Rosalie pulled back in shock to look at me. “You would do that for us?”

“Yes, of course! I want to be an aunt, too! We were thinking in a few years we’d start trying ourselves. I can practice being pregnant.” I shrugged as if it was nothing. There were very few people in the world I would do this for, but she was at the top of the list.

Laughing, she rubbed her eyes. “We’ve actually been talking about that or adoption. I really do want a baby that looks like Emmett, though. I want a boy. With those dimples and curly hair. God, what would Jasper say about that?”

Again, I shrugged. “He’d understand why I want to help my sister, even if he doesn’t want his brother-in-law to knock me up.”

Rose cackled, giving me the reaction I wanted. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. “I love you. I don’t know if I’ll take you up on it. I need to try a little longer, but thank you so much for offering. You honestly don’t know what it means to me.”

Back
Next

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


Click to download the epub of this chapter!!
Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 15th!
💛See y'all then!💛

Share

12/7/2020

Ring: Chapter Fourteen: The Other Side of Fort Worth

Read Now
 
Back
Next

Picture

Chapter Fourteen:
​The Other Side of Fort Worth


Sam and his wife Emily lived on the other side of Fort Worth, so it was a bit of a drive, especially with the traffic. Everyone was heading home since the holiday season was finally over. It was a new week and a new year, so it was time to get on with real life. I would miss the lights. I was going to keep the ones that Jasper hung up for our anniversary in the sunroom. They just made me happy. They were a pleasant reminder of that night.

I spent the morning preparing some foods I knew our friend liked when I cooked for him in Albany. Potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and brownies. He said we didn’t need to bring anything, but we wouldn’t come empty-handed. They were all excellent things to have at a barbecue, anyway. Jasper also bought a case of beer. Sam would never argue with that.

They had a cute little house in the suburbs, wedged closely in a middle-class neighborhood. It was brick with yellow-painted shutters, and it looked like it was from the seventies. His car and truck were parked out front as well as a couple of dirt bikes underneath the carport. Some parts were laid out on a towel around them. Neither of them was in running order. 

Sam opened the door with an enormous smile. “WELCOME!” He said too loudly, holding his hands up. “Come in.” He beamed when he saw what I had in my hands. “You brought me food, too! God, I missed your cooking,” he mumbled as he drew me into a hug. “You smell like chocolate,” he added into my hair. Blushing, I giggled.

We followed him through the living room to the kitchen. It was a mismatched collection of Native American art and western designs. Everything was just so. His wife must have been good at keeping him in check because I knew he could make a mess.

There was a tiny woman with long straight black hair down to her waist standing at a stove. It was stunning, a solid sheet of shining ebony. She had olive skin, like Sam. They were almost the same shade. “Hey, baby! Where do you want me to put this stuff they brought?” He asked as he came into the room.

When she turned around, I realized that almost half of her face was horribly scarred and disfigured. It looked like it had been slashed by something sharp and large, drawing across her forehead, over one eye, and touching the corner of her lips. Automatically, I drew in a breath as my eyes got wide. It was a little too loud.

She took the plastic containers from him. “Hi!” She said pleasantly, then pointed at her face. “He didn’t warn you, did he?” I shook my head slowly. She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. Emily was smirking. “Uh, what an asshole. He knows better. I was mauled by a bear when I was on a camping trip when I was a teenager,” she stated calmly. My cheeks heated in embarrassment. I would have never asked, and I felt ashamed for acting as I did. It was just a split moment where I couldn’t control it. “It’s okay, everyone is surprised the first time they see if they haven’t been warned.” She purposefully glared at her husband.

Swallowing, he bowed his head as he looked at his feet. “I didn’t even think about it, and Bella is the last person to care.”

“Yes, but it’s still shocking!” She scolded, then turned to look at my man. “Jasper, you should have.”

He put his hands up in defense right away. “I’ve had things on my mind. And I’m not one to say anything about scars. Just most of mine aren’t on my face.” He pulled his collar away from the one on his throat by his ear.

“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. I didn’t mean to start anything. It made me feel guilty.

“No.” She walked to me and offered me her hand. When I took it, she put her other on top of mine. “I am so excited to meet you finally. He bragged about your food so much,” she giggled softly. It was a delicate, sweet sound. “Thank you for making sure he ate at least somewhat healthy.”

“It was my pleasure. Thank you for inviting us into your home.”

Smiling, she peeked over my head at the man right behind me. “The good doctor should know he’s always welcome here, and so is his wife,” she promised before looking at her husband. “Go start the charcoal before you have another beer, please. I don’t want you to set yourself on fire. Again.”

Instantly, he was offended. Sam pouted. “I did it once, and that was fifteen years ago.” He held up his finger. “One time.”

“You only have to do it once.” She wiggled her fingertip at him before booping his nose.

We followed him outside onto his deck. He had a massive grill and a big picnic table with a rainbow-colored umbrella. The patio was covered in small potted plants that seemed to be mostly herbs, and the entire backyard was a garden. Even with it being the middle of winter, there was still an abundance of things growing in it and producing. It was obvious it was something that Emily spent a lot of time working on. She must have had some time to spare since he was always traveling.

“Sorry about that,” Sam said to me after he shut the door in a low voice. “She’s obviously not shy about it, and I just don’t think about it. I don’t see scars when I see her face.” He shook his head. “I see my beautiful wife.”

I brought my thumbnail to my mouth to chew anxiously, but I caught myself before I could. “I’m sorry that I just automatically reacted. It was rude, and I feel like I should properly apologize.”

Sam snorted. “Trust me, you can’t not react. It’s a human thing. Don’t worry, it doesn’t upset her. It’s how you act after you get over the shock that matters. And people have done and said far worse.”

“People are jerks,” I complained as I sat down at the cast iron table. The metal chair scraped against the wooden deck.

“Yup, that’s why we have jobs.” He waggled his finger between him and Jasper.

“Why you have a job. I’m going to use up a little more of my paid time off, and then I’m done. I can’t do it anymore. If I had any doubts about it before, yesterday cleared it up for me.”

He paused to look at him, a container of lighter fluid in his hands. “Really?”

“My publishers are going to pay him to be my bodyguard,” I explained. “So, you still have one because people are the worst. It’s just that you’ve jumped specialties. You’re narrowing your focus.”

Snorting, he glanced at me. “I guess that’s true, but I don’t consider it a career.”

“Huh,” our friend said to himself, squirting the coals down liberally. He was shaking his head a little to himself, his eyes unseeing as he soaked them.

“What?” My husband questioned.

He peeked over his shoulder at us. “Uh, um… Well, they offered me that new gig you were supposed to start back to once the trial was over earlier this week. I haven’t responded yet since I’m on vacation right now.” He swallowed and looked back at the grill. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say. I’m flattered, but I didn’t want you to lose your position. Though I can understand why they’re looking for someone to fill it. They’re drowning. I realize I’m not a doctor like you, but I am qualified for it.”

“Oh!” Jasper beamed, his smile surprisingly bright. “That’s fantastic! You should take it! I know you’ve been ready to find a more steady path for a while now. And that has got to be a good pay bump.”

“It is. I haven’t told Emily,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. “I didn’t want to kick you out of a job, but if you don’t want it… I’m a loyal colleague first and greedy bastard second.”

Jasper laughed. “I don’t. Not at all. That would be great. It means we’ll be able to hang out occasionally,” he encouraged. “You should take it.”

Licking his lips, he considered his words. His dark eyes peered over at his friend. “Are you sure?”

“Nothing would make me happier,” he stated as he put his hand on his heart. “You are an amazing agent. One of the best I’ve met. Texas would be safer for it.”

Sam smiled. “I’ll write them an email later, letting them know that I’ll accept it.”

Emily came out with a pitcher of tea, placing it in the center of the table. “How’s it going?”

“Still working on it,” her husband swore as he hurriedly tried to get his lighter going. When it finally caught, a small ball of flames almost licked his arm. It was like a mushroom cloud. He drew it away quickly, his eyes wide in surprise. “I’m fine,” he promised automatically. “It didn’t get me.”

Shaking my head, I looked over at his partner. I think the men needed to talk a little more on their own. “Do you need some help in the kitchen?”

“That would be fantastic, thanks!” I stood up to follow her. Grinning, she turned to look at me as she opened the backdoor. “By the way, I’ve already eaten a bowl of that mac and cheese you brought. It’s incredible. Can I have the recipe?”

“Oh! Sure! I’ll write it down for you. It’s really easy, and you can actually mix it up a lot to change the flavor,” I began, and once we started, we were off. She was friendly, pleasant, bold, and funny. She loved to eat as much as her husband did. And she teased him mercilessly. They were perfectly matched.

We stayed late into the evening, playing games and talking. Jasper needed it. Being around his family helped, but no one understood his trauma like his former partner. They went through it together, like soldiers in war. By the end, we promised to do it again soon. We would do it at our place once the landscaping was fixed. I couldn’t wait to entertain our friends at our home.

The garage door had already been cleaned, and the following day people would come by to look at the yard to start that process. It was tedious, but it gave me a chance to add more flowers and shrubs to our garden. Fruit trees in the back and maybe gardenia bushes in the front. I would make the best of an unpleasant situation because I wasn’t going to let them take away from my happiness. 

The mail came through a slot beside the solid door and landed on the small table with a decorative metal pail on it to catch them. When I put my purse away, I went to check it. Peeking over, I hung it on my hook. There were some coupons and a couple of sales papers. Picking through it, I wasn’t impressed. They would go into the recycling. A thin plain envelope was at the bottom of the pile.

I opened it with my key, ripping up the simple white paper. There was a check from my car insurance company. There was no note or any more information. It was for three-quarters of a million dollars.

“Oh, my god!” I gasped, dropping it onto the floor as if it burned me. Both of my hands flew to my mouth.

Jasper was hanging up his coat beside me. “What?” He said hastily, picking it up. His eyes scanned the page. When he got to the number, he laughed. “Holy shit! This is for your car?”

“I guess so. They mailed that?!” I questioned in shock. “That’s so much money! Are you fucking serious?”

“I guess when you go car shopping, you can get whatever you want,” he continued to chuckle at my reaction. “Wow! That’s more than what I was expecting. I wonder what Dad did to that thing. He must have given you a real family discount.”

“What am I going to do?”

He snorted. “Buy a new ride,” he said sarcastically, then shrugged. “What else is there to do?”

“I’m not dropping this much on a vehicle. That would be insane. No one needs a car like that. I can’t even imagine spending one hundred thousand.”

“That’s easier to do than you think.”

“I can’t wrap my head around it.” I took it from his grip so I could look at it again. My eyes kept tracing the numbers. All the zeroes made me dizzy. “What should I buy?” I had been too busy to research what I wanted to get.

“Darlin, you are asking the wrong Hale or McCarty for that.”

“Ohhh…” I drew out. “You’re right. I should talk to Emmett or Rose.”

He pointed at the paper. “We could go to the main lot tomorrow. I’m sure they’re all working. They’d all be pleased as punch to help you, and you know they’ll be honest with you since they’re family.”

It was funny that even he thought car salespeople and mechanics were shady. His dad was far from it, which is part of the reason he did so well. “Rosalie is one of the most trustworthy people I know.”

“I was talking about Emmett. He is a good salesman for a reason,” he sardonically declared. 

I giggled in response, folding the check and putting it in my purse. We would have to go to the bank the following day, anyway. I couldn’t keep it in the house. “Yeah, make sure we won’t be bothering them, but I think that’s a splendid idea. I’ve never picked out my own vehicle before, so this should be interesting. I’ll need some help.”

“Really?” He asked in surprise. I nodded, then shrugged. He saw my nearly seventy-year-old truck. And I certainly wouldn’t have chosen a million-dollar car for myself. “Well, hopefully, we’ll be able to find you exactly what you want.” 


Back
Next

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


Click to download the epub of this chapter!!
Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 11th!
💛See y'all then!💛

Share

12/4/2020

Ring: Chapter Thirteen: Into the Dirt

Read Now
 
Back
Next

Picture

Chapter Thirteen: Into the Dirt


I wasn’t surprised to find Jasper awake beside me. Honestly, I figured he would be. He was drawing furiously. It wasn’t his usually careful movement and tiny strokes of his pencil. They were quick, angry slashes. The tip dragged hard against the paper. He was taking his frustration out on the tablet.

Quickly, I pushed myself up off my stomach to see what he was doing. He closed the book before I could. “Good morning, darlin. Happy New Year,” he attempted to say pleasantly. It wasn’t convincing.

“What are you working on?”

“Nothing,” he hastily replied, shaking his head as he tried to put it away. It wasn’t playfulness or embarrassment. This was something else. I took it from his grip before he could. “Don’t. You don’t want to see that.”

I ran my fingers over the leather cover. “What is it?”

He didn’t look at me as he frowned. “Nothing. Nothing you need to worry about. I was just trying to get it out of my head.”

That was not how we would operate. I wouldn’t allow him to hide anything from me, even if he thought it was for my own good. I opened the book, making him sigh. The first page was of bodies in the woods, all face down in the leaves. Their remains were maimed with rope marks around their feet and ankles. Each corpse was different, yet they were all women: one blond, one with short black hair, and the other long and lighter.

The next was a closeup of my face and shoulders, my head turned to the side. My neck was sliced open, and there was blood coming from my nose and mouth. The necklace that never left my person was in view, pushed into the open wound at parts. My left hand was by my forehead, my ring shining.

I shut it and put it to the side. “I am fine, and I’m right here,” I began in a calm voice. I took the pencil from his grip and set it on top of it. “I am happy, I am healthy, and I will be for a very long time. You will always keep me safe because you’re my hero.” I seized his hands, straddling his waist. He still wasn’t looking at me. “They’re just nightmares, and they will never become our reality. Royce is dead. And honestly, how likely am I really to come across another serial killer? Like statistically? You undoubtedly know that.”

“Less than ten times in your lifetime, but people like me probably skew the numbers.” He wove his fingers with mine, palm to palm. “You’ve already met your quota, and so have I.”

“I wonder how many you have,” I said thoughtfully.

“Dozens.” He snorted as he shook his head. “An unhealthy amount.”

Gnawing on my lip, I weighed my words. “I think we both need to go to therapy. Separately and as a couple. Not because we have any relationship problems, but a doctor might be able to give me tips to guide you when you have anxiety.”

Jasper smiled a little. “You actually do very well at that already.”

“But I can always improve. And if it makes your life even a bit easier, then I want to do it. A lot is changing right now.”

“You’re right.” He nodded his head. “Yeah, we can set that up soon.”

“Do you want to get out of going to your parents’ place? Maybe feign illness and fuck around all day instead?”

He laughed at my bluntness. “No. I want to go. It’ll be good food. I forget where Mama said she was ordering it from. And they’d be disappointed if we didn’t come. Dad already got two more kegs for us to try with him.”

“Yeah, we can’t disappoint him and not day drink with them,” I joked dryly. He pursed his lips for a moment before pinching my ribs. It made me squeal and laugh. “Oh, no! However will they recover?” I drawled in a southern accent.

“Day drinking wouldn’t be the worst way to spend the holiday. By the fire pit, eating smores, and listening to football. I need to relax. I just want things to be normal for a little while.”

Slowly, I moved my hands over his shoulders. “You’re really done with being a cop, huh? I think it’s starting to sink in for me.”

He looked off for a moment. “I hadn’t been in this last year. That wasn’t what I wanted to do.” He pointed off towards the past, wagging his finger at it in disappointment. “Being stuck in an office all day, repeating myself, or just sitting there in court. I didn’t do any damn good there.” Roughly, he pushed his hair off his forehead. “I could have flown back and forth when I needed to. But I don’t miss this either.” He picked up the book. Jasper ripped both pages out, balled them up in his fist, and threw them into the trash. “Fuck him. I’m glad he’s in hell. Monster.”

My husband was casting out his demons. 

“So, why don’t we get cleaned up, and we’ll run to pick up some desserts to take to your parents.”

Pulling me into a kiss, he pressed his hands to my naked back. “Sounds good. In a minute.”

A minute turned into two hours later. We weren’t in a rush, though. I didn’t apply any makeup, throwing my hair up after I blow-dried it. I figured we would be outside a lot of the day, so I put on a heavy knitted sweater and a long sleeve shirt.

He was in a much better mood as we made our way to his car in the garage. The truck was parked beside it, looking like a joke compared to his BMW. When he opened the door for me, he gave me a slow, drawn-out kiss before he allowed me to sit.

“So, what do you want to do tonight?” He asked conversationally as he started the engine and opened the garage door. He backed up carefully. “You know, I’ve been wanting to do some rope play. Maybe I could tie you up and draw you in your new collar. That would be nice,” he said almost to himself. Pausing, he clicked the button to close it behind us.

Softly, I giggled. “Sounds good. We have plenty we haven’t even opened yet. I’ve gotten silk in every possible color-” I stopped when red came into view on the white garage entrance. It was dripping like blood. 

Slowly, the message became clear. ‘Hello, Bella.’ It was as tall as I was.

Neither of us said anything for half a second as our mouths hung open.

“SON OF A BITCH!” Jasper roared in anger, killing the engine as we sat in the driveway.

I just continued to sit there, dumbfounded. “But why?” I asked loudly. “Just, but- UGH!” I groaned, looking away from the graffiti. It hurt my eyes. Then I realized that the yard and all of our landscaping was destroyed. Someone had shoved firecrackers after cherry bombs into our grass and trees. It was like a mini-battle was fought there. Black scorched the hibiscus that I loved so much. I flew out of the car and shouted, just as he did. Fury and anxiety boiled over the surface, bubbling as it ran down my body in a hot wave. “FUCKING FUCKS! I listened to them destroy our lawn! Goddammit! I thought it was the neighbors! Why didn’t someone call the cops?!”

“Because they probably thought it was the neighbors, too,” he stated with a sigh. “If I weren’t such a chickenshit, I could have at least looked outside to see-”

“No!” I stopped him. “You’re not! You can’t-”

“How can I protect you if I can’t even look-”

I whirled on him. “You are-”

We kept interrupting each other. “I’m doing a pretty shit job of being your bodyguard right now,” he snapped back, waving his hands around.

“Your job is to defend me, not the property! That’s why we have security stuff! Nobody tried to come into the house, so how could we have known? I’ve never spent a New Year or Fourth of July in Texas that I didn’t hear near-constant fireworks. I even remember thinking yesterday that I was surprised I didn’t hear them sooner in the night. Why would we think someone was doing anything wrong? Most people don’t just assume that there is a crime going on.”

“I’m still a federal agent. I’m taught to think like that. There is always something around the corner. And I’m supposed to pay fucking attention to keep my wife safe.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It’s a good thing I’m quitting because I’m not up for the job anymore.” I wanted to argue, but the person on the other end answered. “Hey, Sam. Someone vandalized the house. I’m about to call 911. You might want to come over here to see this, too.” He paused. “Yeah, it’s… it’s something. You’ll see.” I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but he wasn’t happy. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you soon. See you in an hour.” He brought the cell away from his ear. “Let’s go inside for a minute while I call. And I’ll call my Mom and tell her-” Jasper sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll let her know what’s going on.” I gripped his hand as we went inside together. Right away, he locked the door. He took every step slowly like he was ready for some to jump out at us at any moment. When we got to our room, he pulled out his service weapon from the gun safe.

“I’m going to check the rest of the house. Stay here until I come back or until the police come.”

“Yes, sir,” I said, almost automatically.

He paused to look at me. Coming to my side, he gave me a quick kiss. He hurried from the room with his phone pressed to his ear. “Hello? Yes, I’m a federal agent. My name is Dr. Jasper Hale, and I’d like to report a crime. My badge number is-” I heard him say as he went down the stairs, talking to the local police department. He might not have been on active duty, but he would use every advantage that he had.

I wasn’t scared like I was before. Just… annoyed and frustrated. What they did was risky and pointless. But it was all repairable. It wasn’t as if I didn’t have the income to have it all fixed within a couple of weeks, if not sooner. It just amazed me no one noticed. If it had been any other day than New Year’s, they would have. It was some smart planning on their part.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Rosalie’s number first. She would be more reasonable and calmer than my mother-in-law. I didn’t need her panic attack to throw me into one, too. I needed to be calm for Jasper.

“Hey, girl!” She greeted me brightly. She was in a good mood.

“Hey. Um, I don’t think we’ll make it over. Someone vandalized the townhouse.”

She gasped. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. They just fucked with our yard and spray-painted the garage.”

“What did it say?”

“Hello, Bella.”

There was a moment of silence. “So it’s the same person. Did you catch them on camera?”

“I don’t know. We just- just,” I stuttered, the stress starting to get to me. “We were just heading your way. Jasper is still looking around, and he’s talking on the phone.” I sniffled. “I don’t think we’ll be making it, but I honestly don’t know how long this will take or if he’ll be in the mood to. He might need the company. I don’t know. Is there any way you can tell your parents?”

“Yes, of course! We’re already here. I’ll let her know. Keep us updated, okay?”

“I will,” I promised before I hung up the phone. 

I looked out the window, but I couldn’t see anything but the messed up turf. The front door opened and closed, the lock clicking loudly. My husband’s footsteps came up the stairs. I knew them well enough just by sound already.

“They did the back and busted out all the security lights, too,” he complained as he put his gun away. “Motherfuckers. Police should be here in a minute.” He went to get his laptop from where it was charging. “I hope we can see something in the darkness. Hopefully the cameras got something before he did.”

I sat down beside him. In seconds, he had the video files for the night before up and running. He started it at sunrise and rewound it quickly. He stopped when the lights blinked on like magic. Slowing it down, he checked the time. It was around eleven. At ten-thirty, a tiny, hooded figure came onto the screen for just a moment with a can of paint, shaking it hastily. They didn’t look up at the camera. He went back until they disappeared. He tried all the different angles we had, catching them two more times. Whoever they were, they were very small. Petite. Maybe a teenager or possibly a child. It didn’t seem possible. The only glimpse of their face we caught, it was obvious they were wearing a black mask. Not even their eyes were visible. It was so eerie.

There was a knock on the door. Standing, he hurried to go answer it. “It’s a woman, and they look drunk,” he mumbled in thought, taking his laptop with him. “Small, I’d estimate shorter than you. Five-foot one, less than a hundred pounds. They’re wearing a lot of layers to hide their features. Groupie?” He questioned before throwing open the entrance. 

It was the same cop as before. It must have been his regular beat. His partner was already starting to take pictures of the bitch’s handiwork. “So, they’re back,” the officer began. “May I come in?”

“I’m going to start some coffee,” I informed the men before turning to go into the kitchen. I knew I wasn’t needed yet, and caffeine and some calories would probably help me from freaking out as much. We hadn’t eaten because we were saving room for the big lunch Caroline was bragging about ordering. It was all the traditional good luck food, ham, black-eyed peas, greens, cornbread, and so much more.

I pulled out a doughnut from a box we got a couple of days before and ate it in two bites. Shoving it in my cheeks like a hamster, I chewed as I made a large pot for everyone.

When Sam arrived, he blinked for several seconds as he looked over the grass and garage. He put his hands on his waist. He was in red flannel, ragged jeans, and was wearing a cowboy hat and boots. “Dadgum. What did they do? Stomp m80s into the dirt every two inches and blow the entire thing to kingdom come?”

“The whole fucking thing. Front and back,” Jasper replied with a frown. “It’s exactly what they did.”

“Were you not home last night?”

He shook his head. “Oh, no. We were.” His tone was almost sarcastic and very biting.

“We thought it was the neighbors, and we were doing other things. It was around midnight. It literally got louder at the stroke of-” I stopped. “They did that on purpose, too. If not to fool us, the neighbors. They planned it perfectly. I should have known they would cause trouble today.”

Our friend put his hand on my shoulder. “I am so sorry they’re coming after you like this. I promise I will do my best to find out who did this.”

“We don’t have much to go on, but we’ve got a little security footage,” Jasper informed him. “But it’s a start.”

“And a damn good one.” He clapped his buddy on the back. “Let’s go look at that. I’ve got some guys coming to take pictures and make a report. It looks like we’re not exactly done with this case yet.”

“It’s definitely not Royce, though. It’s a woman.”

Sam stopped in surprise. “Oh! That’s interesting,” he smirked. “I can’t wait to see this footage. That chick has got some money to blow and time to waste if she did this.”

“Actually, we should see if there are any recent reports of firework theft,” he added.

“Excellent idea.”

They set up in the living room. I made them each a mug of coffee. Both of them were bent in close to the screen. Jasper’s eyes were squinting, so I brought him his glasses.

“Thank you, darlin,” he cooed, rubbing my back as he put them on. His gaze never left the laptop.

I leaned against the couch and watched them silently study the footage. There were several officers roaming my property, and a couple of cars parked outside. Some of our neighbors came out to get a look. Not that I blamed them. I would have been curious, too. The cops would have to interview them.

“It’s the same jacket as the jogger in the video from last time. Black with dark gray bands over the arms. Looks like a Nike swoosh on the breast,” Sam declared after about a minute. He paused it and pointed at each thing.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I’ll go to the office and check, but I’m pretty positive. Damn. I was going to grill out today, too.”

“I’m sorry. Look, it can wait-” Jasper began, but he cut him off.

“Hell no! Someone is doing some stupid shit to my friends, and I don’t like it. I will find out who, and I’m going to put a stop to it. I just gotta call Emily and let her know what’s going on. We can do it tomorrow. She’ll understand.” He pulled out his phone and paused. “Hey, if you have nothing going on, would you like to come over and join us? I miss having you around.”

My husband looked at me for reassurance, and I smiled. “Yeah. That would be great. I can’t wait to meet your wife,” I answered for us.

Four hours later, everyone was gone again, and it left only the destruction behind. Jasper texted his parents to let them know all the details. We plopped down on our rarely used couch at the same time. It had seen more action in the past day than it ever had. Slowly, we looked at each other and frowned. He took my hand and brought it to his lips to kiss. 

We stayed there silently for twenty minutes, just holding hands. I jumped when there was a knock on the door.

He stood to get it. I anxiously watched from the sofa. He peeked through the crack, then scoffed a little as he opened it wider. His mother, father, grandmother, sister, and brother-in-law were all standing on the other side with trays of food.

“We waited for you to eat,” his mom told him, holding up the three foil packages. It seemed heavy, the weight bowing the bottom of the pan. “I’m going to take these to the kitchen and get them heated up!” She didn’t wait for him to say anything, rushing to put it down. Everyone followed her inside in a line. Even his grandmother was clutching a bag.

She patted his arm. “Hey, baby. Are you doing okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine,” he said in a small voice. He hugged her tightly. She rubbed a soothing circle on his back.

“I don’t know who’s bothering you, but they’re real bastards.” He snorted and nodded in agreement. She went to put her sack down in the kitchen, too. 

Pushing off the couch, I rushed to my husband. He turned his face away, hastily wiping his cheeks. I brought him into an embrace, putting my arms around his waist. “See? Everything will be okay.”

Smiling genuinely, he closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against mine. A fat tear rolled down his cheek. “Yes, it is.” 


Back
Next

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


Click to download the epub of this chapter!!
Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨ 
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 8th!
💛See y'all then!💛

Share

12/1/2020

Ring: Chapter Twelve: An Aisle Filled with Glitter

Read Now
 
Back
Next

Picture

Chapter Twelve:
​An Aisle Filled with Glitter


Life was quiet for a few days.

We worked on unpacking and decorating our new house together, shopping to buy decor almost daily. Jasper would have preferred to skip that, but if he was going to be my bodyguard, he had to go wherever my random whims took me. Home improvement stores, craft shops, or Target. He never looked more like a hardass agent than in an aisle filled with glitter.

Watching his eyes roll back into his head at the overwhelming girly scent of Bath & Body Works as I bought soap, candles, and air fresheners for every room of the townhouse was delightfully fun in a mean way. Maybe I was easily entertained. He said nothing, but his nose kept wrinkling in mild disgust. After a while, I started asking his opinion on fragrances I knew he wouldn’t like, just to see his reaction.

“What about this one?” I questioned as I held a candle up. It was a high-powered honeysuckle, and I could barely bring it a foot from my face before my eyes watered from its strength.

He took a deep breath to steel himself, saying nothing as he leaned down to put his nose in it. Jasper instantly pulled away, taking a couple of steps back as his face turned to the side. His hands automatically went up. “Jesus Christ, no.”

Laughing so hard I wheezed, I placed it down before I doubled over. When he swatted my ass, I snorted. The noises were really unflattering.

“I ain’t sniffing another damn thing,” he grumbled as he leaned in so no one else could hear us. It wasn’t a very busy store, and it was slow because of the holiday. Everybody had other things to do on New Year’s Eve. He pinched my rear hard. “Laughing at me. Rude girl.”

“You can spank me for it when we get home,” I offered with a wicked grin.

He raised his eyebrows. “And give you exactly what you want?” Jasper stepped behind me and put his arms around my waist. Resting his chin on my shoulder, he pecked my temple. “Um… I was actually going to ask if you’d like to do a scene tonight, Goddess.”

We had been playing nonstop, and most of our evenings had been filled with role-playing, new toys, and positions. We were constantly switching back and forth. But I figured we wouldn’t do anything for the next few days. It was the first anniversary of the shooting, and I didn’t know if he could be in that mindset. I was planning on focusing on making life as comfortable for him as possible.

“What do you want to do?” I questioned softly, looking around to see if there was anyone close by. There were only two other women, and they were in different corners. Neither was paying attention to us.

“I want you to be in charge. I need to not think, and I want to enjoy the moment with you. This is an important day for us. We’re starting the new year together as partners.”

We declined invitations from his family and our friends to go out and party. Alice was disappointed but understood. All I intended for the night was making dinner. It would be comfort food, one of his favorites. The following day we would spend some time with his parents, enjoying the weird traditional meal Texans decided was good luck.

“We were last year, too, but it is different,” I admitted as my teeth worried my lip. “Are you certain?”

His face dropped a little. “If you don’t want-”

I brought my hand up. “No. I want to. I always do. But that’s not what I said. I asked if you were sure. There are a lot of triggers to worry about in the next few days. If you’re not emotionally in the right spot, it may be best if we just cuddled and went to sleep. Our celebration doesn’t have to be sexual.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to rest, anyway. We might as well have some fun. You’re right about the triggers, but I think it would help. You’re so good at distracting me, and that’s what I’ll need.”

“I don’t want to hurt you tonight.”

Sighing, he pressed his lips to my temple. “If you’re in control, we can do whatever you want. Truly.”

“I know you enjoy it, though.” He could take so much more pain than I could, and I considered myself tough. He liked it when I pushed his limits, but I was the only one who was allowed.

His head swayed from side to side with a little smirk. “I enjoy ice cream too. But that doesn’t mean I have to eat it every time I have dessert. If my Goddess is in the mood for vanilla, that’s fine. Or you can use me as a foot prop while you watch a movie. I don’t care.”

“You know, you keep bringing up me using you as furniture. I didn’t realize you were into that,” I dryly stated.

He smirked. “Um, yeah? I love it when you sit on me. My lap, my face… Let me be your chair.”

Softly, I giggled as I leaned into him, my back to his chest. His arms coiled around me. “Oh, that is true. Okay. If that’s what you want. But you better safe word if-”

“Darlin, I won’t have to, but I know. I trust you. You’ll take care of me and keep me safe,” he cooed the words. It was so seductive.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way home to get what I needed for dinner. After putting everything away, I gazed at my husband. “Would you like to start the scene now, or do you want to wait until after we eat?”

“Whatever you wish, Goddess.”

I rested against the counter with my palms on the marble. It was pleasantly cool on my skin. My nails tapped on it as I thought about what I wanted to do. It was about four in the afternoon. “Go get cleaned up. Put on blue jeans and a t-shirt. You’re going to help me cook. I was planning on making parmesan chicken with spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. Oh, and dessert. I want a pleasant meal before I use you.”

He smiled a little. “Yes, ma’am.”

As I waited for him, I got things ready. I would test his desire for me to be in control, even if it wasn’t sexual, for as long as possible.

When he came back down, I could smell the mint of our toothpaste and the fresh cologne he spritzed on. Facing him, I brushed my fingers over his cheek. “What are our safe words?”

“Red and Yellow.”

I brought my thumb over his lip. “And we use them for whatever reason we feel necessary. If at any moment it becomes too much, you use them. And you may speak freely the entire night.” I held his chin and forced him to look into my eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he breathed. He quickly leaned forward to capture my lips. “I’m ready to serve you.”

Smiling, I went back to where I was working on the island. “Go start some music, and then I want you to make some banana pudding.”

His expression was so cute as he pulled out his phone to put on one of his favorite playlists. He was delighted, his cheeks a little pink. “Yes, ma’am,” he said in an amused tone. When he was done, he picked up the box and read the instructions.

I knew exactly what to do off the top of my head because I had made it so many times. “Two cups of cold milk. There’s a metal bowl in the freezer. You use the mixer for two minutes,” I explained as I opened a can of tomatoes. “Then slice the bananas and layer them with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.”

“You’re going to make me a better cook than my mama,” he mumbled under his breath as he went to the fridge.

I snorted. “It’s not all that hard.”

The sauce needed to simmer the longest, so I started some oil and butter in a large pot. Onions went into it first to brown before I worked on chopping the garlic. I would need a lot for it, the bread, and salad dressing. It made the room smell so delicious.

Jasper was just finishing our dessert when my knife slipped and sliced through the tip of my finger. I gasped in surprise, even if it was so sharp that it didn’t hurt instantly. “Ow, dammit,” I whimpered automatically as I dropped it onto the counter.

Right away, my husband went into action. He took my hand, holding it up in the air as he walked me over to the sink to rinse it off. “It’s not deep, so I don’t think you need stitches. Keep it up,” he ordered, going to where I had put all medicines. He got a cleanser, a cream, and a band-aid. I grinned as I watched him go. Jasper was ready to take charge at a moment’s notice if he needed to. “Here, let me see.”

He sanitized my finger, making sure there was nothing in it and dry before dabbing the ointment on my wound then bandaged it. When he was done, he brought it up to his lips to kiss. 

“Thank you,” I breathed, smiling at him. Giving him a deep kiss, I would reward him for his nurturing later in the evening. “Finish up the pudding and make us some drinks. I’d like wine.”

He went back to his bowl. “Red or white?”

“Red would go well with our meal.”

Instantly, he slipped back into his role. It was seamless. He brought me two bottles to choose from. I tapped the one I wanted with my nail. When he served me a glass, I grabbed his ass hard enough to make him squeak. It was a raw, unexpected noise. It made me wickedly giggle.

“Your nails are sharp,” he pouted at my teasing. “You don’t let them get this long normally.”

I glanced down at my hands, the band-aid on the ring finger of my left hand. “I’ve been busy, and I haven’t been chewing on them.” I poured some wine from the bottle into the pot. It hissed right away, sending steam into the air. “I’ve been taking my frustration out in other ways lately.” Quietly, I laughed as I looked over at him. “I’ve never had this much sex before. I think we’ve fucked every day since our anniversary.”

“Sometimes twice or three times a day,” he added as he sucked the whipped cream from his thumb. His eyes were gazing into mine, swirling with desire. 

Curling my finger, I beckoned him closer. “Let me have a taste.”

He scooped some onto his fingers and brought it to me. Rolling my tongue over the tips, I sucked them into my mouth. Jasper took his bottom lip between his teeth as he watched. He wanted so badly to push them further down my throat. I pulled away with a pop.

“Go prepare the bedroom and line up all the toys for pleasure on the dresser. When you get done, you can fix the salad.”

“Yes, Goddess,” he breathed as his cheeks turned slightly pink again. His pretty blue eyes focused on my lips for a moment. Carefully, he smudged away a tiny dab of cream that was in the corner of my mouth then sucked it off the pad of this thumb.

Cooking actually took a couple of hours, but not all of it was hard work. I kept Jasper busy, though. When it was time to eat, I sat on his lap.

“I want you to feed me,” I informed him as I got more comfortable, putting my napkin on my lap. This wasn’t the neatest meal to begin with.

“With pleasure, ma’am.”

He cut it into tiny pieces, so he wouldn’t drop huge chunks of chicken on the way to my mouth. Holding his hand under the fork, he slowly brought it to my lips. Every once in a while, I would give him a bite too. After I did, he would press a kiss to my cheek to thank me.

When we were almost done, he wrapped his arms around my waist while I chewed. “This was one of the first meals you ever made for me. It’s still one of my favorites, too. So good,” he hummed. He had a few glasses of wine because I kept pouring them for him. After a while, I wasn’t even certain if he noticed. Jasper was especially relaxed. I could feel it in his muscles, all the tension melting away.

I leaned back against him as I offered him a bite of garlic bread. “I’ll have to teach you how to make it for me.”

He laughed. “If you want burned poultry and gummy noodles. Sure.”

“You are an intelligent man, a doctor, and an artist. You can follow a recipe,” I teased.

“Let’s start with easier stuff before we jump into a homemade Italian feast. You had to tell me how to fix boxed nanner puddin,” he continued in a thick southern drawl.

Shaking my head, I snorted softly. “So, I don’t think I’m ready for dessert yet.” I rubbed my fingers over his jaw to get a speck of sauce off. We were a bit of a mess. “I think I’d like to take a bath. Start the water.”

I put the dishes away before making my way slowly to our bedroom. I wanted to give him the time he needed to prepare. Music was already playing in the background. The sound of the tub filling made it hard to hear.

“I want bubbles,” I added as I leaned against the doorframe. “The vanilla.” I pulled my shirt off and threw it into the hamper. My bra was next. I peered down at my hands. “You’re right. My nails are long.” I picked a color from the small collection I had. It was a quick-drying one, so it was less likely to mess up. I also got the clippers, the soap, and scrubs I wanted him to use. I passed him the paint bottle. It looked so tiny in his enormous hand. He gazed in it in almost confusion. I wasn’t sure he had ever held one before.

Pulling off my jeans with my underwear, I drew my hair up into a ponytail so it wouldn’t get wet. I stepped into the hot water, hissing in pleasure. He took my palm and helped me to sit without falling.

“I don’t know where to start,” he admitted as he continued to hold it.

Humming, I rested my arms on the rim. “Wash me first, then use the scrub on my feet before doing my nails. I want to be pampered and totally relaxed before I use you. It’s going to be a long night.”

Jasper poured a bunch of my shower gel onto the puff, lathering it until it was overflowing with suds. He rubbed it delicately over my back and arms, being as gentle and non-perverted as he could be. He wasn’t allowed to touch my breasts yet, and he knew it.

What I loved the most was what he did to my feet. He took so much time, rubbing the sugar scrub into my heels and massaging it with his strong thumbs in between my toes. It made me melt into the water with my head barely resting on the edge.

Carefully as possible, he clipped my finger and toenails to a much shorter length before picking up the bottle. He read it or attempted to. He brought it close to his eyes since he didn’t have his reading glasses on. His lips pushed to one side.

It was hard not to giggle. “Give it a solid shake. Two coats. Take the excess off on the sides, so it doesn’t drip,” I instructed.

Smirking, he shook it. “I was never good at painting.”

“You’ll get plenty of practice,” I teased as I wiggled my toes at him.

Kneeling beside the tub, he took my foot and placed it on his knee. Delicately, he painted each one with tiny strokes. He was trying so hard not to make a mess. When he was done, he blew on them.

Electric sparks ran right between my legs.

“Put the chair in the middle of the room and take off everything but your boxers,” I said as I got out finally. The water was getting cooler, and all the bubbles were gone. I wrapped the towel around me tightly so I wouldn’t get cold as I went to the closet.

He was eager to get to this part. It was getting close to eleven, and knew the real fun was about to begin. That was when I heard it. A familiar kind of explosion. It was a loud banging, like machine gunfire. Our neighbors were popping fireworks.

Immediately, Jasper went stiff. I had almost forgotten about them. Though the music muffled them, it wasn’t enough. Another went off, and it took everything in him not to jump.

I instantly moved to my bedside table and grabbed my AirPods. “Sit down,” I ordered. He had already stripped. I flew to the laptop and switched it, so the sound was playing on them instead. “Put these in now. They don’t come out until I say so.”

Placing one in each ear, he sat slowly like his body was heavy. His plush pink lips were pulled down. I brought my hand to his jaw to force him to look at me. “Do we need to stop?”

He shook his head quickly. “Distract me, Goddess. Please,” he begged.

Kissing his mouth hard, I dropped my towel to the floor. “I want you to close your eyes and take deep breaths for me while I finish getting prepared. Meditate and focus on your breathing and heartbeat.”

Hastily, I threw on a red lace teddy and sprayed on my perfume. Then I dimmed the lights. The fireworks continued outside, and I knew they wouldn’t stop for an hour. At least they waited until later in the evening.

I gazed at the selection he got for pleasure. It was pretty much everything but the paddles and the heavier riding crops. First, I chose something with feathers on the end. I rubbed it against my palm to feel its softness. 

Drawing it over his cheek, I leaned down to speak in his ear. “We’re going to start with a little sensory play.” I moved it over his lips and down his chin. “I’m going to ramp it up as slowly as possible.”

Keeping an eye on the time, I teased him with the feathers, then a crop, and a soft leather flogger. I hadn’t touched his cock or allowed him to open his eyes. He was aching with need, though. I put them away before coming to sit on his lap. It was five minutes till and someone had obviously spent a lot of money on fireworks around us. I was trying my best to ignore them.

I brought my hands to his neck as I pecked his lips softly, resting my forehead against his. “I want you to know that I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life. You bring me joy beyond what I knew was possible. You are literally my knight in shining armor. I am so proud to be yours, and though I didn’t realize at the beginning of the month that I would end the year as your wife, I am so grateful to be. Thank you for caring for me so thoroughly. And thank you for your submission, your love, and your never-ending confidence in me. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you like this.”

So many explosions went off outside I felt them in my chest. That was Texas for you. They sure loved their fireworks. “Look at me,” I implored. He opened his eyes. “I love you, Sir,” I whispered before I kissed him deeply.

“I love you, too, Goddess,” he breathed against my lips. His arms wrapped tightly around my back, pulling me close to him. It was so passionate and full of promise. When we pulled apart, he finally saw what I was wearing. It wasn’t something he had seen me in before and was one of my purchases from when I went shopping with his sister. “Unf,” he moaned the sound as his eyes moved over me. “I can’t wait to see you in this while you wear my collar. I’m going to draw-”

I put my finger over his lips to quiet him before pushing two past them like he wanted to do in the kitchen to me earlier in the evening. Automatically, he began to suck. “Shh, I’ve got better things for your mouth to do right now.”  


Back
Next

Thanks to Gina for proofreading!


Click to download the epub of this chapter!!
Click to download the pdf of this chapter!!

✨The next chapter of✨
💍Ring💍
will post on
December 4th!
💛See y'all then!💛

Share

Details

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Imperfect Pictures
    • Perfect Snapshots
    • Blurry Images
  • Locke
    • Key
    • Locke: Outtakes
    • Key Outtakes!
    • Ring
    • One Wild Weekend
  • The Halloween Fair
  • A Change in Direction
  • Computer Repair
  • Fan Fiction One shots and Short Stories
  • Lemon Drops
  • "Originals"
  • My Photography