Always You (9 page)

“This was taken at the Cowboys’ preseason game we went to.” It was. I remembered because Rob made us pose together. It had been in my phone since that day. I looked at it every time I was missing her, which was constantly. In the picture, I had my hand wrapped around her waist as we smiled brightly into the camera. I remembered itching to kiss her cheek.

“Rob teased me all the time about this picture,” she said with a blush.

“Really?” I wondered why. I didn’t have siblings, so I guess it was just the brotherly teasing. Especially since he gave me a copy of the picture without me asking for it.

“Yeah. I sent it to my phone, wanting to remember your face.” That deserved a kiss for that. I captured her lips with mine for a fast taste.

“It was on my mine, too. I kept you close since the day I left. And now that I’m back, I’m never letting go.”

I heard the rumbling of her tummy. She didn’t get a chance to eat today, or rather she didn’t feel like eating. “Oops, I guess I really need to eat.”

“Oh yeah, dinner is ready. Come on. I need to feed you.” We walked downstairs and into the kitchen to eat.

During dinner, Cali asked, “Alex, I know this is a lot to ask, but can we do something for Lydia? I want her to be buried properly.”

I grabbed her hand from across the table. “Babe, of course. It’s not a lot to ask at all. I planned to ask you about it. We can start the arrangements tomorrow. We still have to find out when they’ll release her.”

“Thank you, Alex.”

Once dinner was polished off, we went into the living room to watch some television. It was a late Rangers game in San Francisco against the Giants, so we caught it after the first inning. We relaxed in each other’s arms and watched the rest of the game, or rather, I did. She fell asleep in my arms during the eighth inning.

After the game ended, I stretched for the remote, trying not to wake her up, and turned off the TV. I carried her up to bed, stripping her down to her panties and me into my boxers. I tucked her into my arms, and we let sleep take over.

The next day, Alex seemed really uncomfortable. He looked ready to say something, but kept closing his mouth.

“What gives, Alex?” I said, turning off the frying pan with his omelet that I just finished. Setting it on a plate, I handed it to him with a stare, waiting for an answer.

“Nothing, babe.”

“Don’t lie to me. You’ve been distant this morning. Did I do something?” Panic set in. What if he’d thought this would be great, but he woke up realizing it was a big mistake?

He took me off balance and pulled me onto his lap. “You didn’t do anything. I’ve just got a lot on my mind. We had a great evening last night despite the morning’s painful funeral. I want this chapter of our lives to be behind us. Not the loss of your family and friend, because I don’t think that will ever be possible. But until Reddick is caught, I’ll be a worried about your safety.”

“I wish it was over, too. And you’re right, I’ll never get over losing them the way we did.”

“To be honest with you, Detective Clayton is planning to stop by in an hour or so. He has more to tell us.” I tilted my head, waiting for an explanation, because I knew he knew why the detective was coming over.

“I’ll tell you what he told me last night—after you eat.” I moved to get up, but he held me down. “You can sit here and eat.” I could feel the stiff ridge of his erection pressing into my ass, so I wiggled a bit. “Damn it. You can have your own seat then.” He grasped my waist and lifted me off him, but I resisted.

“Nope, you started it, and I happen to find this seat very comfortable.” I ground my ass into his lap, causing him to growl in my ear.

“You’ll pay for that after he leaves.” I was fine with that because I was sure that after the detective left I was going to be an emotional wreck again.

“Promise,” I said with a giant grin.

~~~~~~

By the time the detective came, I had told Cali everything I had learned from Detective Clayton. She was freaked out but shocked that they had managed to keep that from her.

“I think it was because I was so out of it. I missed you so much that I barely noticed another human being. It would have been easy for him to get close to me. I think he was hoping that once I turned eighteen that I would finally be interested in him. The restraining order may have been the point when he realized I would never be his willingly.”

“That sounds about right,” Detective Clayton said. “Now to the point of why I’m here. Lydia Reddick will need to be buried soon and the coroner has released the body. Besides her brother, does she have any other family members?”

“No, she doesn’t. They were the only ones left in the family.” I knew it bothered Cali that Lydia had no one but us to morn her. I didn’t know her, but if she meant so much to Cali, I knew I would have liked her.

The detective ran his hand through his hair, in nervous energy. “There’s more, isn’t there?” Cali asked.

“Yes, there’s a lot more. We learned that she was pregnant. Only a month, but she was.”

“What? She didn’t even have a boyfriend. Oh God, please tell me he didn’t rape her?”

“No, he’s not the father. You need to read this. This was her diary. Her last entry will fill you in.”

Today, I got the most terrible news possible. Rob is gone. I want to join him. I want to lie next to him and let him hold me for all eternity. He was everything to me. He owned every part of my soul. How can I survive without him?

What is worse is that he’ll never know about our baby. Our baby. I couldn’t believe it. I was planning to tell him at Cali’s surprise birthday party, but it wasn’t going to happen.

God. Why does it hurt so bad? My world is broken, and I don’t know how to make it right. Mark just came back, breaking the news to me, but something in me felt it. I knew that he was gone before he told me. What’s worse is that Mark seemed like he could give two shits that they were gone. That my Rob was gone. I thought we would have our happily ever after, but it wasn’t to be. I hope that Cali gets it with Alex. Rob talked about how nuts Alex was for her.

I knew Rob loved me as much as I loved him. He told me every time we snuck a moment alone. I still have the ring he gave me that night. I wasn’t supposed to wear it until I told Cali about us, but I waited too long. I wanted the world to know that Rob and I belonged together.

Why? I can’t take the pain. Even with every tear shed, I can’t seem to heal inside enough to care for this baby. I hope Cali doesn’t hate me because I need her more than she could ever know. I knew that night with Rob was forbidden, but I loved him with everything that I had and I could never regret it. I have to love and cherish this last bit of my Rob growing inside me. Damn it, why did he have to leave me? Maybe one day the pain will ease, but probably not. Could I possibly die from the heartache? If it wasn’t for this little one, I would.

I need to call Cali and tell her how sorry I am. I truly am sorry, broken, and empty. I loved him so much, I couldn’t believe it when he told me how much I meant to him. God. I love you, Rob. My heart will belong to you for the rest of my life. Please give me the strength to carry on.

Cali collapsed after reading Lydia’s heartache. That was why Rob couldn’t wait for Cali’s birthday. He was going to announce to everyone that he and Lydia were getting married. Fuck. This was worse than I thought.

“Poor Lydia. My heart breaks for her even more than I thought.” She tucked her into her hands, crying. Getting herself composed after a few minutes she asked, “Can we? Do you think…we could?”

“Could what, Cali?” I asked.

“Can we place her with my brother?”

“It’s up to you. We can have it done. I’m certain the dirt hasn’t settled.”

“Just so you know, she had her diamond ring around her neck on a long chain hidden under her blouse,” Clayton informed us. 

“Good, she should be wearing it when she joins my brother,” Cali said with tears in her eyes.

~~~~~

For the next two hours we organized a simple but secured service to have it done today. There was still no sign of Reddick, so we hoped to have it done as fast as possible and give them both what they had planned. My parents showed up for the service as well. They felt for the young girl, too. Under a tent, they laid Lydia and their unborn baby with Rob. Cali broke down looking at her brother’s dead body, but she needed it. The casket was closed for the final time after Cali whispered, “I love you both. Now you two are together for eternity.”

Our security team rushed us back to the car so that Reddick didn’t have us in the open. I took Cali into my arms, held her as she wept, wiping my own tears in the process. Finding Reddick had become a bigger priority than before. Seeing Rob and Lydia’s love affair cut short brought to reality how lucky Cali and I were to still be alive.

A week after the funeral Reddick had been apprehended. He had been hiding out in the woods in the middle of Arkansas. A hunter, out on early start, spotted him under some brush. Having seen the reports, he stealthily approached Reddick and raised his rifle at his head. Unable to reach his weapon, he had no choice but to surrender. The hunter held him until the police came. Using some of his rope he’d brought with him to hunt, he tied Reddick to a small tree. According to the police, Reddick was ready to be caught and all the fight had been out of him. He was looking ragged and had lost so much weight. They search his belongings and mixed in with some stolen IDs was a photo of Cali. It had the eyes poked out and “whore” written across it.

When they told me about the picture, I asked to speak with him. They refused to even agree to that after seeing the unbridled rage in my eyes. I watched the interview through the one-way mirror.

“Mark, you do know why we arrested you, right?” the detective asked. I wondered if Reddick would play the crazy card. I hoped no one bought that shit.

“Yeah, I killed my little whore’s family and my sister. I know what I did, but it’s all that bitch’s fault.” I wanted to jump through the glass and choke the fucker to death, but I felt the hand of an officer on my shoulder.

“If you can’t handle this, you’ll have to leave, Mr. Richmond.”

I hated that I couldn’t get my revenge on that little bastard, but I wanted to know what possessed him to kill his sister.

“Mark, why did you kill your sister?”

“Because she introduced me to Cali. She started all this pain. Can I have my lawyer now?”

“Okay. We’ll get you one.” That ended the interrogation.

I headed back to the house where Cali was hanging out with my parents. She was laughing and it warmed my heart.

“You’re back!” she squealed, jumping off the stool and into my arms. I caught her, wrapping her thighs around my waist.

“I missed you, too.” With my hands tugging on her hair, I kissed her sweet lips, tasting the pineapple she had been eating on her tongue.

“Mm…you taste sweeter than normal. I wonder if your honey tastes sweeter, too,” I whispered in her ear, before taking a little nibble.

“Mmm…I guess you’re just going to have to find out.”

“Once we get rid of my parents, I’m going to hold you to it.”

“Are you two done?” my father asked.

“Not yet,” I said, pulling her face to mine and kissing her deeply. Reluctantly, I let her go so I could tell them what happened.

After spending an hour talking about the situation, my parents went home. Then it was time to take Cali up to our bedroom so I could take away the bad feelings she had, but I was too wound up to bother. I tossed her pretty ass onto the couch, pouncing on top of her. My facial hair tickled her neck while I left little kisses all over her throat.

She had on a tiny skirt, making it easy for me to get to my prize. I worked my way down her body, slipping off her top and bra. Her breasts were perky and commanding my attention. I laved each one thoroughly. Her hips were pumping up and down impatiently waiting for my tongue.

I couldn’t keep my lovely woman waiting, so I tore her panties off her pussy, exposing her pale curls that were wet with her sweet juices. Growling, I dipped my face into her thatch, taking in her scent. My dick was so hard that I thought I would cum before she did. It wasn’t long before her body was shaking as intensely as mine. She came on my tongue and fingers with her hands gripping and pulling my hair. I groaned as I pushed my way into her pulsing center, barely hanging on. Her walls squeezed and released my cock as she finished her orgasm. Pumping in and out, I was barely aware that she was on the verge of cumming again. My hands slid up her sides, cupping her breasts and pushing them together. She made a super sexy sight, her large breasts were even bigger like this and I thought about pulling out and fucking them with my cock, full of our juices.

“Damn, Cali. I want to fuck your breasts so damn bad,” I practically begged.

She moaned and came from my dirty thoughts and I couldn’t hold on any longer. My body jackhammered into hers as I came, roaring out her name. “Cali!” 

~~~~~~

It had been a few days since Mark had been charged, and there wasn’t going to be a trial because he confessed and just wanted to be sentenced. After all the shit he’d gone through to get me, it was surprising that he would cave so easily, but hell if I cared. Never having to see him again was a joy I couldn’t even describe.

Alex and I were going shopping. I couldn’t believe that I really hadn’t been out of the house. Since the day of the accident, I had been inside. Going to the funeral and then to the new house were the only times I wasn’t locked away. The first thing we had to do was head over to the police station. They said I could pick up my cell phone. I didn’t know if I would be able to get my pictures back, but I really hoped they could. There were pictures of me and Rob in the backyard making faces, and I remembered there were several with Rob and Lydia together. Now that I look back on it, their relationship wasn’t that hidden. They often went to pick up stuff at the store together and had private conversations near the grill.

Once we stepped into the police station, I saw the officer who took my phone. “Hello Ms. Delaney. I have your phone over here. I just need you to sign it out.”

I signed for it, then powered it on. Gasping, I saw that my screensaver had been back in place. “You did it,” I squealed, hugging the officer. Suddenly, I felt me being tugged away from the officer. I thought I was getting arrested for assaulting an officer, but it was Alex.

“Don’t be hugging other men. I don’t like that shit.”

“Sorry,” I apologized to both of them. I was a little bit embarrassed, but still giddy. “How did you manage it?”

“It was easy actually. You had a backup on your phone with your Google drive. It saved the files every time you took one. So, he only deleted what was on the physical phone, not in the cloud. If we hadn’t needed it for evidence purposes, I would have given it to you sooner.”

“Well, thank you so much.”

Alex drug me out of there before I hugged the officer again. The smile on my face wouldn’t go away, even after we got back to home. “Damn, I wish I gave you that constant smile.”

“Don’t be jealous. These pictures are so important. Look.” I went through a slideshow of photos. He gasped seeing photos of Rob, and me laughing and smiling.

“Okay, babe. Now, I get why you rubbed up all on that jackass nerd.”

“You know that jealousy is really sexy. Why don’t you show me how angry you were with me?” He groaned and growled like a wild beast then scooped me up and did me rough and hard all afternoon.