“I adopted Brianna,” I mutter. Vincent doesn’t react. He looks up from the table to stare at me, then El. Even his nod is polite. “You’re still allowed to visit her,” I add this for his sake. “But only on weekends.”
El squeezes my hand under the table as the silence lingers. I don’t like Vincent’s mood.
A thick air of sadness hovers over him. I want nothing to do with that. I am done feeling sad for myself. I am free from my supposed sins and the rest of my life will be me doing all I never allowed myself to do.
“Okay.” He sweeps his overgrown hair out of his face. “What next?” El gives my hand another squeeze. I don’t hate him but I don’t completely trust him not to do something stupid. “No cops? No charges?”
My lips twitch. Left to Joshua, he would have been arrested the day they found out. “None.”
Vincent sags in his seat. He raises his hands to his face, stares at them like they don’t belong to him. He used those hands to end my brother’s life. He must have heard my thoughts because his hands lower.
“I feel like shit.”
“I know.” I also know he will feel like shit for a long time. Brianna is here but Brendan isn’t. The outcome might have been different if he allowed fate to play its role but it is what it is. He killed him. “It gets better.”
El giggles. It’s crazy I’m the one giving a motivational speech. She rests her head on my arm and I slip my hand into hers. She hasn’t spoken a word since we came here but I’m glad she agreed to come with me.
“I hope so,” he whispers.
I rise to my feet. El follows. Vincent eyes her bump and I shrug. He has to figure out his life on his own while I’ll be off to enjoy mine. We shake hands to solidify our unwritten agreement, El rolls her eyes. She won’t get it and that’s okay. We are two men who shared one burden. One of us is free, the other isn’t.
“Brandon,” Vincent calls out to me when we are a few steps away from him. I stop without turning around. “Thank you.” I want to ask for what. But I don’t say anything, instead, I offer him a grim smile.
Outside, El snuggles closer to me. “That was cool,” she murmurs.
Her hand goes over her forehead to form a shield from the sun. She tugs me in one direction, and soon, the car comes into view. I open the passenger door for her and shut the door gently without going to my side.
After a confirmation from everyone, I take out the blindfold in the backseat and slip it alongside my phone into my pocket. El smiles sheepishly at me once I open the door. The twins couldn’t have told her. Joshua wouldn’t dare.
“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” I say with a forced laugh. She winks.
The car leaves the garage without her saying a word. She strokes my arm until I relax.
“I’m proud of the man you’ve become, Brandon.”
“Thank you, love.”
We are close to the airport when I slow down. Cars horn at my abrupt left turn, a few drivers curse me. Her eyes mirror the worry she doesn’t voice out. I don’t speak until we are away from those crazy drivers.
I leave the engine running. One hand lingers on the steering while the other ransacks my pocket. Her unspoken question hangs in the air but I don’t provide an answer, instead I plant a kiss on her knuckles.
“You’re freaking me out,” El finally says.
“Sorry.” I pull out the blindfold and hold it to her face. “You have to put this on. Trust me.”
Her throat bobs, she takes it and slips it on without questions. I snicker at the glitters dotting one side of the blindfold. Wyn’s handwork. We will need to call the girls as soon as we land or are about to leave.
El reaches for my hand once I resume driving, blindly trusting me. One hand is on the steering while she cradles the other one. She seems to be looking out the window so I don’t disturb her moment of peace.
“Where are we going?” she asks when the car stops.
To all the places she wanted us to visit as a couple. I open her door and sweep her into my arms.
“You will see. Hold on tight.” El latches onto my neck for dear life. “Not too tight, baby.”
She flashes me her teeth and I peck her. My eyes scan the place for Enzo. He should be here to drive the car back. The jet sits regale as if watching and waiting for us. It was the one we used for our honeymoon.
Enzo waves at us. Beside the jet, he is like an ant. I point to the car. The keys are inside. He smiles at a blindfolded El and tips his cap in a mock salute. Everyone is in on this surprise. El huffs. Little Mrs Impatient.
She frowns when I begin my walk up the stairs. Her hand lowers to the blindfold but she doesn’t take it off. A feeling of nostalgia creeps up on me when we walk into the same room. I lower my wife to the bed and prop a pillow behind her. She frowns without taking off the blindfold and I drag a seat in front of her like we are reliving the past. El squirms and her gown rides up to reveal a glimpse of red lace. I love red. I love any colour she will wear.
“Brandon.”
The door opens, Thelma drops the bowl of ice at my feet and exits quietly. Leaning forward, my fingertips trace the blindfold. “Take it off.”
My gaze trails her as she takes in everything. She looks out the window and averts her gaze immediately. She’s scared of flying. It is an interesting fear since she has had to do a lot of flying in the past. El moves to the edge of the bed and beckons on me to come forward with a crooked finger. I might like bossy El.
Her hands lower to my knees, she spreads her legs and bunches her gown at her thighs. Using the ice cube to outline her lips, my other hand pushes her legs further apart. Her breath hitches and she gulps.
“Do you remember?” I whisper. She sucks on my thumb and my eyes flutter close. Lovely. Cupping the base of her neck, I tilt my head, breath teasing her face. My lips brush hers in the briefest of kisses. I tug on the panties, push a finger into her warmth. As expected, she is wet for me. El drags in a breath but maintains eye contact. “Take it off.”
After taking off her panties, she keeps her legs open as requested. I kneel between them and run a small block of ice over her slit. She shudders so bad her legs vibrate. I look to her for confirmation to continue and her head bows in approval. Her fingernails sink into my shoulders and she bites her lip.
Her actions encourage me to rub the ice over her clit. Her back arches, she releases me and fists the sheet in a death-like grip. I keep at it until the only sound out of her mouth is my name whispered like a prayer.
Pressing my tongue to her vagina, my finger slides into her warmth and she screams. Her screams act as a motivation for me to continue. I swipe my tongue over her slits in slow, precise strokes. She tastes divine. A few more seconds of stroking her cunt and she comes undone, squirting all over my face. With her help, I shred my clothes and climb in bed with her.
El pushes me down with a finger and straddles me. Her hands come on each side of my head, she licks a path down to my jaw. My erection pokes her belly and she giggles. She is always giggling.
Soon, we won’t be able to do this. We won’t be able to fly until she delivers. Without warning, El slides onto my cock.
Her eyes hold mine as she lifts herself up and lowers herself down on my dick even more gently. Moving her waist in a rhythmic motion, she gives herself to me with each lithe movement. My hips jerk forward to meet her thrust. Her fingers lock with mine, same with her eyes. I am lost in her love, in the desire shadowing her face.
We groan at the same time a thousand and one fragment of pleasure explodes in my groin. She collapses to my chest, our bodies one with each other. I cradle my big baby. Her breath evens out, she mumbles something and drifts to sleep.