AJ's Salvation (22 page)

“What are you suddenly smiling about?” Aly asked, nibbling on his jaw while softly humming in appreciation.

“I should’ve known you’re the most amazing person in this world, Alessia. I just … ten years is a long time,” he whispered against her lip and then felt his heart double its speed as she broke out into a happy laughter.

“Ten years is a lifetime for your son, but for me, it’s just another decade I wish I could have spent with you. None of this was your fault. None of this was mine. It just is what it is, and we can’t change it. We can decide, though, where we are going from here, handsome. The way I see it is you decided to go forward, so let’s make sure there’s something to walk to.”

She brushed her fingertips across his cheek, down his neck, and along his shoulders. He shivered without really being able to help it while the water still ran down their bodies.

“Let me make you happy,” he pleaded, and she smiled, only nodding.

Together, they left the bathroom after getting rid of the wet clothes. Aly looked at him over her shoulder, the dark hair almost black after the shower. Her eyes were shining with hope as she winked and then dropped the terry cloth to the floor moving forward to the bed. 

Jam couldn’t help it, reaching out to pull her from her crawling position back against his body. She stretched against him, leaning her head back as he cupped her breast from behind while gently bending her head back a little further, kissing the side of her throat. She moaned as he teased her nipples; hard little pebbles against his palm. They were a perfect fit for him, and he couldn’t even begin to comprehend how much this woman meant to him. 

He had sacrificed it all for her, and now, she was ready to make it all worthwhile.

Aly could finally put a name to an emotion she had always seen on Jam’s face, but never once had been able to name—self-hatred. As much as he should know that none of this was his fault, he thought he had deserved every bit of the treatment Collene had reserved for him. 

Aly couldn’t wait to get a word in with that abusive bitch, yet she knew that had to wait. The moment Jam pulled her back against him, cupping her breasts, all thought fled her mind, though. He was gentle with her, just like the first few times they had been intimate, but something about his movements was different. It was as if he had a purpose suddenly, and Aly loved it.

She could feel his erection probing her back. As much as she wanted to turn around and grab on to it, Jam had her in a body lock, almost wrapping his body fully around hers. His fingers teased her breasts before wandering lower, and his tongue and lips teased the side of her neck, her earlobe, and then her lips as she turned to him.

She spread her legs just a little farther for him, knowing that she wanted him like a starving woman wanted food. His left hand found her mound, cupping it before gently letting his fingers part her lips and stroke her clit. She instantly shivered, holding her breath to fully enjoy the sensation. 

“Aly, you’re so wet for me,” Jam mumbled next to her ear. “Don’t you wish I could push a finger into you and find that exact spot? You know the one that will make you writhe under my hands? Don’t you wish I could push my cock into you deep and give you that orgasm you are heading to?” 

Who knew the man could be a naughty talker? Aly certainly wasn’t going to complain about his newfound dirty mouth.

“How about you stop talking and let your actions follow?” she asked, breathless. She was trembling all over while Jam’s index finger kept a regular rhythm, teasing her clit until her knees threatened to give out.

“Just a few more minutes,” Jam promised, now placing one arm around her middle, holding her to him when she couldn’t hold herself up any longer. “Place your arms around my neck,” he whispered and she did, feeling how he pushed two fingers ever so slowly into her before letting them glide back out and across her tight little bud. 

“Jamison,” she gasped, somewhere between a plea and a protest.

“Right here,” he replied in a husky voice that tickled her nerve endings as if it was something tangible. “How about we bend you forward now and I let my cock slowly push in you until you can feel me everywhere inside you?” He wanted to know, and she instantly wanted to move, but he just chuckled, holding her back. “Kiss me first,” he pleaded, and she did, turning her head enough so she could lick his tongue with her own, tease and taste him at least a little bit. He was hard against her, so hard, but his patience didn’t seem to wane.

Another flip with his fingertip against her clit, another dip of his fingers into her … it just didn’t stop. Eventually, she reached the point where she started to move her hips against him just to get a little more friction. She just needed a tiny bit more and her world would shatter.

Finally, Jam bent her forward, pulling her hips back against him. She closed her eyes in anticipation, but all he did was lean in to kiss her spine and run his hands up and down her sides. She wiggled her body against him, hearing him chuckle.

“Impatient much?” he asked.

“If you don’t hurry, I’ll finish myself,” she grumbled, finally feeling how he lined up with her and then moved his hips ever so slightly. She wouldn’t have it, trying to take over, but he instantly held on to her.

“No, Alessia, this is my dance. I’m leading,” he fussed, and she let her head hang in resignation. This anticipation was killing her. Jam lowered his body to hers until he could kiss her neck, being fully buried in her now, withdrawing as he licked his way down her spine, only to push back in and gently let his chin and, therefore, his scruff tickle her skin. The sensations exploded against her skin as he repeated the procedure again and again. Eventually, she reached between her legs, finding his balls and gently cupping them. Instantly, he hissed, freezing in position while she gently massaged her newfound treasure.

“You’re not playin’ fair,” he gritted out, and she laughed a throaty laugh, not stopping her movements. 

“Stop torturing me then,” she answered, and finally, he began a rhythm she liked. Reaching around her stomach, he pulled her up again, her back pressing against his stomach. His movement didn’t cease as he brought his attention back to her breasts. Aly was ready to burst.

“Jam, please,” she whimpered and then felt how he kissed her shoulder and her neck before gently biting her earlobe. “Do it, Aly. Make yourself come,” he ordered, and she gasped, bringing a shaking hand between her legs. She felt his erection against her fingertips, slippery from her own arousal, and it was almost all she needed. 

“Shit, Aly,” Jam grunted, taking her just that bit harder while she alternated between brushing her clit and his cock with her hand. “I can’t hold out much longer,” he admitted, and she exhaled. 

“Come for me, Jam,” she whispered, and he did, giving one hard thrust that made her cry out, too. The world came apart in a shower of sparkles and black dots. It took a moment until she remembered where she was, actually finding herself beneath Jam on the bed, his body pressing her into the mattress.

“You know, if we get Alessandro back, we can’t do these stunts anymore,” he mumbled against her skin, kissing her back before moving away to get a washcloth. Aly didn’t move, waiting until he returned. Just like the gentleman he was, he cleaned her up, too, then drew her into his arms.

“We still can. You just can’t be that loud anymore,” she teased, and he poked her stomach. 

“Me? I think it was you screaming my name there at the end.” He grinned and Aly laughed, but then took a deep breath. She wished her son was home now already. It wasn’t exactly easy to forget that he was gone, but with Jam around, she sometimes had moments where she felt as if she could finally catch up on what she had missed out on when taking care of Alessandro. Maybe things would have been different for her if Jam’s child really were hers, too. Maybe she didn’t deserve a boy like Alessandro if one handsome man made her forget him, but Jamison wasn’t just anyone.

He’d always been the only one for her and, with the way she felt, this would never change.

Jam drove the streets he knew too well, his mind back on the coast with Alessia.

“You've been awfully quiet,” Shannon commented, and Jam only nodded. He felt as if he was a different guy from when he had left less than a week prior. He couldn't believe he had told Aly about Alessandro's conception, and she hadn’t thrown him out. In fact, she had done everything right, and he felt free. It was as if he had been suffocating without even realizing it, and she saved him.

“Aly knows,” he announced, and Shannon waited. She seemingly didn't know what exactly Aly knew.

“Good,” she answered diplomatically. 

“She still loves me.” That was probably what worried him most. He felt as if the second shoe was gonna drop. No way in hell was it okay for Aly to love someone so tainted. Now that they were apart, she probably would rationalize and reconsider. It scared the hell out of him.

“Good,” Shannon said again, more softly this time, pulling him from his thoughts. She sounded genuinely happy for him.

“You think so?” he wondered, and she nodded. 

“Alessia is an amazing woman. There's a whole little town ready to take the fall for her. They want to lie until no one even remembers the truth if push comes to shove. Jamison, that woman was sent from heaven to make things right for you,” she insisted, and Jam shrugged. 

“She feels guilty.” There hadn't been any need for Aly to say it since it had been in her eyes whenever she thought he wasn't looking.

“Thea Karmison did a great job fucking with everyone, didn't she?” Shannon mumbled, hatred protruding from every word she uttered.

“Did you draw up the contract? The one that will make Alessandro my son?”

“Zack. That's the name they gave him, and therefore, we need to have this paper signed with his original name, Zack Karmison. And yes, we did, but Aly has it.” She got quiet toward the end, and Jam sighed. He had waited for some warning since they had left Sunrow.

“There's a ninety-nine percent chance that the next time you'll see Aly, she’ll be in prison. Approaching a judge to do what she will ask him to do is bad. Seriously bad. It's bribery, and that is a crime. Another one she's committing.” 

Jam knew that. He and Aly had actually talked about it, but she said she'll end up in prison either way, so she didn't care any longer. They had agreed they could at least try, and that was what they focused on for now.

“Jam, you need to get used to the idea that this will not work out. You need luck, and on top of that a little more luck, and then just a tiny bit of convincing, but mainly ... luck. It's almost impossible.”

He parked the car as they reached his home. “Let me do a quick recap. We need a judge to not call Aly in, and then we need the same judge to sign illegal papers. After that, we need to get the Karmisons, who own about every person in this town, to sign the paper. In order to get them that far, we need something we can blackmail them with. Once we get that lucky, we need to have the judge, who hopefully signed the papers, witness the signing of the papers.” He let that settle for a moment. “I don't see the problem.” He winked and then got out of the car.

It was a lie. This whole thing was crazy, but it didn't matter. They wouldn't win unless they tried because if you didn't fight, you had already lost.