Justice Falling (31 page)

“What are you still doing here? Let’s go get the kids,” Hank said as we closed up the office. It was our usual routine. We entered the private elevator. Yep, I had been upgraded to special status and now had use of the private elevator. It felt incredibly “Mission Impossible-esque” to have my own code. I entered the number and pressed the button to go down to the fifth floor. We exited and pressed another few buttons on the door outside the office. Security in this part of the building had been expanded. Oliver wouldn’t have it any other way.

As we entered, several squeals could be heard. Hannah toddled over to her father, arms open wide as she gibber-jabbered. Drool escaped her mouth in a long string of slime as Hank scooped her into his arms. “How’s my Hannah Banana today?” Hank asked as he peppered her face with kisses. She slobbered and held her Dad’s neck, smacking his face repeatedly. Her golden blond hair curled around her neck and ears. A bright red bow held up a tiny bunch of curls, reminding me of Pebbles from the Flintstones.

A whoosh hit my side. “Mommy!” Tanner hugged me tight then brought his ear to my belly. “What’s my baby doing in there?”

I leaned over and hugged my son. “Sleeping.” He concentrated on my stomach and frowned. “My brother sure sleeps a lot.” He sighed and his little shoulders slumped. From behind me I heard two more voices.

“Hey, Precious, I thought I was picking up our guy today?” He hugged me and kissed my neck, nibbling a little. The spark sent chills down my spine to settle heavily between my thighs, softening my sex, making it wet and ready to be taken. He growled into my neck. “I know that look. Don’t make me take you to the nursing room to shag the shite out of my wife.”

“Please do,” I murmured back, my need building stronger with each second. Damn hormones were insane. I wanted him morning, noon and night. A few times the past few weeks I’d begged him to meet me at the apartment for an afternoon delight. He always obliged. Such a good husband.

“Later, love.” He kissed me one last time, gave the baby belly a rub and crouched to hug Tanner.

Aspen must have entered behind him because she had Hannah on her hip and was talking to Jin about weaning Hannah off nursing and switching to cow’s milk. Above Jin’s head, the sign AIR Bright Children’s Center sparkled. I smiled widely, truly enjoying how life came full circle.

When Aspen had Hannah, she and Hank couldn’t bear to be away from their daughter, but neither of them would agree to leave their job. The issue of a nanny was born. Oliver suggested they open a daycare instead. Nate came up with the idea of hiring Jin as the Director for the center. She had spent the last year going back to school getting her certifications and was ready when the center opened. I loved seeing Jin so content.

She was dating one of the attorney’s at Stone, Walker, & Associates, which brought us all together even more often. Now she ran the entire daycare center, made a high dollar wage, and had moved into one of Nate and Collier’s apartments in downtown New York.

The entire fifth floor of the AIR Bright building boasted the full daycare and children’s services for kids between four months to twelve years of age. There was one adult to every five children and only allowed a handful of babies. Those spots were dedicated to our small group.

Oliver interviewed, background checked, and called every reference for the personnel himself. He was dedicated to making the center the safest place for AIR Bright’s children. I believed it was because of Hannah and he and Dean’s daughter, Isabella.

That was another big change. It occurred after Hank and Aspen had Hannah. He and Dean had a simple wedding, hyphenated both their names, and found a surrogate who went through in-vitro for them. They’d talked about it a lot during Aspen’s pregnancy. When Hannah was born, they decided that they were ready. No one knows which Dad is the ‘real’ biological father, but they both take their role very seriously and as far as we were told, they don’t plan to ever find out.

The best part about the children’s center was that if you made over a certain amount, you paid tuition. If you earned less than the threshold but worked for AIR Bright, daycare was free for up to two children.

Aspen was adamant that having a child should not be a hindrance to her staff. Since the addition of the daycare, every facet, including her revenue streams had increased twenty percent and staff turnaround was at an all-time low.

London and Collier entered and surprised both Nate and I.

“Hey, mate, what are you doing here?”

“I thought Aspen and Hank had a date tonight? Weren’t we supposed to pick up Hannah?” London asked while furiously rubbing her swollen belly. It turned out our honeymoon was very fruitful. Both London and I were due a couple days apart, though her bump was expectedly a bit larger.

Hank slapped Collier on the back then made a grab for London’s belly. She rolled her eyes. “Go ahead.”

He grinned and placed his giant paws on each side of her huge belly. We were both six months, and I’d just found out we were having a boy. Her visit had been this week.

“So? What are you having?” I asked excitedly.

London looked at Collier. “A boy!” he said and looked at London.

“A girl!” she said.

Hank’s eyes widened and Aspen entered, rubbing London’s belly. “A boy and a girl? Oh, how perfect!” She hugged her sister. The twins news wasn’t new, but the sex was. The couple looked thrilled. Originally, London was beyond freaked out at being pregnant. When she found out she was having twins, she accepted her fate and went with it. For a woman who had been so open and free, she now had everything dialed in and organized. I had to believe that was Collier’s effect on his wife.

“Angel, we need to catch up.” Hank gripped Aspen’s hips and rubbed up against her like a cat on a scratching pole. “Let’s start tonight after our date! I want another baby.”

Aspen looked at her husband’s face. “Are you serious? I just got my body back!” She pouted. He pulled her against his chest and palmed her ass.

“Yeah and it’s fuckin’ to die for. I want to put a baby in it!” He jerked his hips against hers and she grinned, clasping her hands around his neck.

I shook my head and laughed. Their little display reminded me of the heavy ache between my own thighs.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough, mate. Christ! Too much info!” Nate scowled and hugged me to his side. I tickled his lower back then grabbed his bum to remind him of my plight. His gaze shot to mine and turned a swirly navy blue color. He nipped my lips. “Behave,” he said then gave me another peck. It wasn’t nearly enough.

I took a breath, trying to calm my libido and focused on London and Collier. “We’re having a boy, you two are having one of each and we already have Hannah, Isabella, Zach and Tanner. Our family is growing and I for one couldn’t be happier.”

Collective murmurs of “here here” and “Amen” were heard. Nate snuggled into my neck once more. “My girl is such a softy.”

The group said their goodbyes and shuffled out of the daycare, everyone content in where their life was. I had Nate, Tanner, and our little one on the way. I was finishing my school work in the evenings, and would soon be teaching grade school. It just proved how much your life could change if you love and let yourself be loved.

Hank and his angel, Aspen, were two people from completely different worlds, but love brought them together and made those differences seem very small. From what Nate told me, Collier pursued London relentlessly until she finally gave up her guilt and grief over falling in love again after losing her husband. For Nate and me, our story was no different than theirs. I didn’t believe I was worthy of love. In the end justice and love prevailed over my insecurities and the heavy weight of my past. All in all, each of us had beaten the odds, falling deeply in love forevermore.

The End

For the Readers

I can’t thank you enough for sticking with me through the creation and release of the Falling Series. So many of you have reached out to me with loving, open arms, and for that, I’m so grateful. I was surprised when you fell in love with Hank and Aspen’s journey as much as I did and continued to stay with me through London and Collier and now Nate and Camille’s love story. I’m so honored to have had even one person read my books. Writing this series was a dream come true and each and every one of you helped make that dream reality.

Many of you have asked for Tripp’s story and one day I think I will write it, but right now my muse is kicking and screaming to spread her wings into the other love stories I have spinning a wickedly hot web in my brain.

If you liked the Falling Series, please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Those reviews mean the absolute world to an indie like me.

Authors, please check out the list of people I thanked and the “bad ass blogs” that I noted. Each and every one of them are incredible and could very well help you reach your dreams too.

Thank you all. Until next time…Namaste.

Audrey

Namaste

The light in me, bows to the light in you.

When I am in that place in me,

and you are in that place in you…

we are one.

Excerpt from Trinity Trilogy Book 1

True to his word Chase wakes me two hours later. I expect the hotel alarm clock, not soft soothing fingers caressing my face and hairline. A bone chilling cold creeps along the sensitive skin of my cheekbone. My eyelids flicker open and gaze into sleepy, half-hooded azure blue eyes. His features are different under the muted glow of the bedside lamp, more comforting, less intense. I could get used to seeing these bedroom eyes. He holds an icepack against my swollen cheek, the icy chill sends shivers through me.

“Gillian, what’s my name?” he asks in a hushed voice.

“Chase,” I say groggily, the anesthesia making my tongue feel thick and swollen. 

“Here Baby, take these.” He puts two small white pills on the tip of my tongue and hands me a glass of water.
When did he start calling me, Baby?
“The doctor said it will help with the swelling and the pain from your stitches.” I swallow the pills and lay back down.

He sets the glass down, brings the covers back up to my chin and puts the icepack on the bedside table. His gaze clocks every inch of my face, a mercurial look fastened to his features. I smile dreamily at him. Chase is pretty.

“Why, thank you,” he says, amusement in his tone. I didn’t realize I said the thought aloud. I don’t take it back. It’s the truth.

He plants a soft kiss against my lips. His right hand cradles the undamaged side of my face. I return the kiss as he slides satiny lips against mine. He continues the slow assault on my mouth not increasing the pressure or taking it further. Just kissing me how he wants. Like a man who cherishes his woman. This is dangerous territory we’re entering.

Chase’s tongue strokes my bottom lip and I slide my hand into his hairline, tickling his scalp and increasing the pressure. That’s all the permission he needs, taking the invitation greedily, using his mouth to swallow me whole. His tongue sweeps past my teeth and against my tongue in long unhurried swipes. He tastes good, rich and utterly male. I want his body on top of me, coating every surface with his warm skin. Tugging at his shoulders I attempt to bring him against my chest. It doesn’t work. He’s a solid rock, unmovable. I grunt in frustration, scissoring my legs to aid in my goal. Unfortunately, Chase does the exact opposite of what I want and pulls away.

“God, what you do to me, Gillian. It’s never…let’s just say I’m not used to this.” He pulls completely away and walks to the other side of the bed and gets in. The rumpled sheets and imprint of his head in the pillow tell me he’s been sleeping next me. In my drug induced state I hadn’t noticed. I frown wishing I could remember the exact moment his body entered the bed next to mine.

“Not used to what?” I turn on my side, resting my head on the pillow and stare at him in the soft light. He’s lying on his back, breathing deeply. His white t-shirt stretches across his broad chest accentuating the pop and dip of a perfectly sculpted frame. I want to scrape my nails against the fabric to see how he would respond. He’s contemplative and brooding. Instead of touching him, I wait, keeping my distance.

“This attraction. It’s maddening,” he frowns as I stare. 

Chase is panty-melting good-looking. Everything about him attracts me. From the tip of his dark hair, down his beautiful face and over his broad chest to the parts of him I haven’t yet been introduced to. I’m not sure what’s he talking about but my head is heavy and I’m losing the battle to keep my eyes open. I feel him turn toward me.

“Gillian, look at me,” he says sternly.

My eyes pop open and focus with a great deal of effort. I’m fading fast.

“I need you to remember these three things. Vanilla, Emerald and Popsicle. You got that?” I nod. “No, say it,” he demands as I close incredibly heavy lids.

“Um, vanilla, emerald and a popsicle,” I repeat like a good girl.

The next time I wake to heat, an inferno. A warm body surrounds me, large legs and arms enclosing me tightly. The room is bathed in black and strong arms hold me fast against his chest, preventing much movement. I can’t remember the last time I woke in a man’s arms. The feeling of being so sheltered, so secure is heart-melting. I can feel Chase’s breath quicken and his chest rise and fall against my cheek. If only I could bottle this feeling for eternity. 

“Baby, what’s the three things I asked you to remember?” Chase says in a low gravelly voice.

“Um, green, vanilla and popsicle.” I snuggle into his chest and start to drift. My head is so heavy it feels like a stack of bricks are holding it down. 

He stiffens and pulls away, forcing me to lose my comfy spot. “Gillian, what are the three things in exact order, exactly as I said them?” His tone is harsh, demanding.

I try really hard to think back to what he told me. “Oh. Vanilla, emerald,
not
green, and popsicle.” I say confidently but still exhausted.