“So, I’m assuming it didn’t go well,” Natalie said with pain behind her eyes.
“No,” I said, tearing up again. “He said I was a gold digger. He said I was lying about being a virgin, that I was just trying to pin Seth on him because I slept with some dirt bag. I understand why he was angry but he went way too far. I just don’t understand how he could say things like that to me.”
“Oh, God,” Natalie gasped as she threw her arms around me. “I’m so sorry he acted that way. That is not how we were raised. I can go kick his ass for you.”
“Yeah,” Brandon replied. “I mean no offense honey, I know I’m new to the family and all, but your brother could use a swift kick in the ass.”
I chuckled through my tears, just glad that I had a support system. The truth was, I just wanted to be alone and work through this in my head. I squeezed Natalie tight and pulled away, still holding her hands.
“I love you guys,” I said through tear covered laughter. “But really, I just want to rest. I’m tired and I think a good night’s sleep would be the best thing for me at this point.”
“Okay,” Natalie said, hugging me tightly. “If you need anything just text or call. Anytime, I’m serious.”
“I will.” I sniffled. “But really, don’t worry about me. This too will pass. It’s not like I’m not used to Dex breaking my heart at this point.”
In reality, it never got easier. I still wasn’t used to Dex constantly bolting from my life and now, with his hurtful words, I was completely beside myself. Part of me wanted Natalie to stay, part of me really wanted that comfort and love that she provided but I knew if I was going to deal with all of this in my head that I would need to be alone. I was used to working issues out alone, especially with being so shy and not having very many friends. Instead, I learned how to focus my energy and work out my problems on my own. This time though, I knew there would be a lot of questions and even more tears than normal. This wasn’t just some issue with the bills or my mother, this involved my heart as well as my head.
I smiled and walked them to the door, giving them both a big hug before they left. As soon as the door was shut, I could feel the pain surge back into my chest. The silence of the house was deafening and I wished that my son was up to distract me from my pain. I turned and flipped all the lights off since my mother was already in bed. I tiptoed down the hall and to my room, shut the door, and laid my head down on my pillow. Immediately, tears began to flood my eyes again, the reality of the situation hitting me like a ton of bricks. After five years of secrecy, I finally told Dex the truth. I thought if this day ever came I would feel relieved but that wasn’t the case at all. Instead of getting this secret off my shoulders, I expelled it from my chest, leaving a dark empty hole where it had sat for so long.
My thoughts immediately shot back to five years ago when I was sitting next to that cute, charming man. I was carefree, happy, and didn’t think for a moment that things would turn out this way. I would never take it back, I loved Seth so much, but how had everything gotten so screwed up? It was one of the most pleasurable and erotic experiences of my life. It was my first time, something I couldn’t push out of my mind no matter how hard I tried. In reality, I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to remember the father of my son as a hurtful angry man, even though it would make him a lot easier for me to hate. But hate wasn’t in me, no matter how much I wanted it to be. As I laid there, I felt like I’d turned everything in a huge mess. The situation was already so screwed up, had I just made it even worse?
When we went to the pumpkin patch, I thought I reserved my feelings but after seeing Dex with Seth and the love we made that night, I flipped myself back into the realm of feelings. I couldn’t even begin to explain the emotions going through me as I watched him freak out in my kitchen and run off. My mother tried to console me, telling me I was reading too much into it, but I wasn’t blind and neither was Dex. He sped off to South America, completely freaked out by what he knew to be true. He didn’t come back to spend Thanksgiving with us, he came back to settle his thoughts and find out the truth. Well, he got the truth but from his response, he was definitely not ready for it.
I turned over in bed at the sound of my door creaking. I wiped my eyes quickly and sniffled loudly. Through the dark crack in the door, Seth wobbled in, sleepy eyed and rubbing his face. I sat up in bed and picked him up, laying him down next to me. He had bad dreams sometimes and would always come into my room to snuggle next to me. It was one of my favorite parts of the day. Though I hated when he had bad dreams, I knew his need for me wouldn’t last forever. I sat there, staring at his dirty blonde hair and scrunched nose as he drifted back to sleep in the safety of his mother’s arms. He was the only thing in my entire world that mattered and I had almost forgotten that. There were no angry words, no bitter stories, and no terrible fights that could take that fact away.
I would never see Dex again, just to keep Seth safe and happy. It may not feel good to think about but I had to take a stand, a stand that would protect my dear child forever.
Chapter 15: Dex
The white leather of the jet’s seats squeaked under my clasped hand. I stared down at my laptop as I went over numbers for my upcoming meeting. I was on the way back to Caracaras to finish up the contracts for our new resort site. The trip could not have come at a better time. My mind had been in a whirlwind since the pumpkin patch, so I hadn’t gotten a lot of work done. I needed to focus, I worked so hard to get the company back on the map and now that we were right there, I couldn’t afford to have any distractions. I typed some figures into the system and checked myself for errors, realizing I couldn’t even figure out remedial math anymore. My head was too full.
I sighed and pulled my hands over my head, watching the clouds pass by the windows. I was so cruel to Casey. I hadn’t even stopped to think before I spoke. My father would be rolling over in his grave if he knew the kind of reaction I gave her. Standing out in front of her apartment, trying to soak in the understanding that I was a father while looking at Casey’s strong-willed face was too much for me. She spent this whole time lying to everyone about Seth and who his father was, including me. I still hadn’t talked to my sister, though she called me several times. I could feel the anxiety swelling in my stomach just thinking about the fact that I was actually someone’s father. And not just anyone, a sweet, caring, and extremely smart little boy.
Casey was trying so hard to protect her son from a nasty battle, from the cruelty of the world, and from me. She didn’t have enough faith in me to tell me the truth. In a way, I couldn’t blame her. I had never shown her that I would be interested in becoming a father. I ran around her flashing my charming smile and talking about all the things she feared the most for her son. I had been so cruel to her on those steps in Brooklyn. I spewed hateful words at her like it was nothing. I knew she had no interest in my money or my company and I believed her wholeheartedly that she was a virgin when we met. There was no denying Seth was my child and though I said all those horrible things to her, I didn’t believe a word of it, not even for a second. I deserved that slap in the face and probably more. I didn’t blame her a bit for reacting the way that she did. I deserved to be kicked right in the ass for being such a bastard to her.
The stewardess approached with my normal whiskey on the rocks and a warm towel, smiling kindly at me as she set them on the tray and walked away. This was the perfect example of why all of this was so hard for me. Sure, finding out about my son was extremely jolting but it was not rocket science and my mind had already accepted it as fact. What I struggled with was far more selfish and self-centered than that. I was free, free to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to do it. If I wanted to jet off to somewhere warm and work remotely, I could. If I wanted to go out for drinks in the city, I could. It wasn’t about other women, I had plenty of those in my day, it was about the power to choose what I wanted with only myself in mind. With a child depending on me for support, mentally and emotionally, I could no longer make decisions without considering their repercussions.
The whiskey went down easier than it should have as I pondered my life and my choices. My penthouse was perfectly designed, decorated, and kept up to match my lifestyle. There was nothing out of place and the rooms were exactly the same. Nothing in my life was built to accommodate a family, which had been done purposefully. I knew my responsibilities would not allow me that option for a long time. I had come to terms with that, building my existence around that irrefutable fact. Sure, I was lonely from time to time but in reality, I wanted that loneliness. I wanted an excuse to continue to push myself professionally, always believing that I would have control over when and if I ever decided to settle down. My father didn’t have that choice and he built his business with his family in tow. He was an extremely important part of my life and was the reason I turned out to be the man I am today.
Could Seth really grow up without a father in his life? I mean sure, he could, there were a million single mothers out there raising their children. But was that best for him? Casey had weathered all of this on her own, every late night, every tear, every financial dumping, and not once did she ever pick up the phone to ask for my help. Yesterday, I would have been angry about that fact but today I realized how strong of a woman she was and how hard that must have been for her to do. Beyond leaving Seth without a father, could I leave Casey to continue pushing through life without a partner? She may have taken it all on her own, but she shouldn’t have to. She should have someone else there weathering those same storms right beside her.
Casey was an incredibly brave woman. She took a secret and buried it deep down in her soul, not telling anyone but her own mother. What was shocking to me was that her mother acted like she had no idea that I was Seth’s father. It almost made me think Casey lied to her as well. Part of me wanted to know what story she built to allow herself the strength to keep going but I knew that it would only make me angrier and more bitter. It still blew my mind that she could have come to me for help at any turn but she was protecting her child so hard that she shouldered everything on her own. That fact alone sent twinges of guilt surging through my stomach. I could have been there for her and I should have been there. Had I not acted like such a rich playboy, she would have felt more comfortable coming to me with the news. I really didn’t know how I would have reacted five years ago but I could have at least made sure they were taken care of.
What would happen if I went back to start building a relationship with my son? Would Casey reject me? Would Seth reject me? If I had a relationship with that little boy, then I couldn’t do it without having one with his mother. She was an extraordinary woman who explemified what it meant to be a mother and a partner. Just the way she looked at me that night after the pumpkin patch proved to me that she was giving into her feelings and showing that she couldn’t help but think of me as her other half. And what did I do? I freaked out and left. No calls, no answers, nothing. I let my mind take over and my emotions run wild, pushing me away from two people who really needed me. At the time, they both really wanted me in their lives. But what about now? I had a hard time believing that, after everything that happened and everything I said, she would take me into her life with open arms.
I put my empty whiskey glass down and wiped my hands with the warm towel. Everything was so confusing at this point that I didn’t even know how to take it all in. These were the times that I desperately wished my father was close. I wished we could sit here and talk about everything. But, I didn’t need him physically here to tell me what the right thing to do was. He would tell me that I needed to be there for my child and his mother. He would tell me that I made my bed and now it was time to lay in it. My father may have been a hard ass but he was a good man who knew what the definition of responsible really was. Still, sitting here all alone on the jet, I couldn’t help but wonder what my life would have been like had I known from the start. Casey would have been so happy to have me by her side. Seth and I would already have an amazing father-son relationship.
I took in a deep breath, unsure how to handle the emotions that were flowing through my head and chest. All my anger had finally dissipated and I was left with sadness, fear, and guilt. I was sad for missing out on so much time with my son. I felt terrible that I left Casey alone, giving her the impression that I would never want anything to do with a family. But most of all, I was scared. I was scared of not being the man my son needed, I was scared that I wouldn’t live up to my father’s expectations of me as a man. Most of all, I was terrified Casey wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore. She obviously hadn’t moved on yet but that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t one day soon.
I pictured Casey in my mind, her beautiful smile radiating as another man walked her through the church, carrying Seth on his shoulders. Eventually, if I stayed away, she would meet another man, probably a really great guy like Brandon and he would take over the family that was meant to be mine. Just thinking about another man taking Casey’s hand and hugging Seth tightly made me feel sick to my stomach. This was the first time that I ever experienced any sort of jealousy and I realized my feelings for Casey went far beyond a strong lustful want. She was the mother of my child, the woman I pined over for five years, and the only person who had ever made me smile and laugh like no one was watching. Nothing else in the world compared to the feeling I had sitting across the table from her and Seth, enjoying Thanksgiving dinner together.
In that moment, everything in me wanted to turn the plane around and go running back to Casey. I wanted to beg for her forgiveness, promise her the life she deserved, and scoop my son up into my arms. I dug my fingernails into the arms of the chair, wondering if that was exactly what I should do. I had the ability to make just about anything happen, so why not this as well? But I didn’t. Instead, I sat there and continued to stare out at the fluffy clouds. My inability to act wasn’t fueled by fear, but because I really didn’t know if me being in their lives was the right choice. For the first time in my life, I had to really think about myself and what I was capable of. Would it be a good choice to completely change my world? Could I actually pledge myself completely to Casey and Seth?
It was confusing but I knew that by the time this trip was over, I needed to make a decision.
Chapter 16: Casey
I leaned against the counter drinking my morning cup of coffee and thinking about the last several days. Though I was no longer lying around crying into my pillow, I could feel this ball of sadness just inundating my chest. It was like I swallowed all my anger and sadness and now, it was just sitting there waiting to either go down or come back up. The last thing I wanted was to allow it to take over and make my life even harder than it already was. I made the decision to keep Dex out of my life and out of Seth’s life and I knew that I had to stick to it. So far, it wasn’t too hard. I hadn’t heard anything from Dex since I left him standing on the sidewalk in front of my apartment. But still, Dex always stayed quiet after an event in our lives and then suddenly showed up one day, ready to go like he washed the past out of his memory.
I walked over to the calendar and flipped up the page, realizing it was now December and less than a month away from Christmas. I used to love this time of year - the enchanting music, the lights, the decorations - but now all it did was make me upset. Christmas was forever tainted in mind and though it gave me my beautiful sweet boy, it also gave me my first memories of Dex. Everything in my life since that night had gathered together as a result of my decision to sleep with him. My son, my broken heart, and my constant fear that Dex’s team of lawyers were going to show up at my door with custody papers, ready to rip my reality into shreds. Nothing about Christmas felt magical anymore. I couldn’t even think about the twenty-fifth of December without seeing Dex’s face. He appeared so clearly in my mind, it was as if he were standing in front of me. I squeezed my eyes closed and shook my head, forcing him away.
“Mommy,” Seth said, pulling at my shirt. He was standing there in his pajamas holding his sketch book and crayons. He wanted to go out and draw buildings, which was something that would probably be good for the both of us.
“Okay buddy,” I said with a sigh. “Let’s go get you dressed.”
His little face lit up with excitement and he took off toward his room. As I pulled his shirt and sweater over his head, I couldn’t help but see a little bit of Dex in his smile. The same smile that once charmed me into thinking there was a chance of having a normal life with him. But even still, I couldn’t help but feel warm at the thought of my son sharing that same drive and curiosity that I saw in Dex the first time we met. Seth pulled on his pants and ran around the room excitedly while I gathered his shoes and coat. His excitement was almost enough to erase my sadness but it still lingered there, just beneath the surface. I hoped getting out of the house would be good for me.
We took the subway from Brooklyn into Manhattan and walked slowly through the streets. Seth gawked at all the buildings along the way, trying to decide which one he wanted to draw first. He loved the big shiny ones, the ones that set his imagination into overdrive. However, when you looked at his final work, you saw a striking reality where the pencil didn’t pickup the glimmer and the clouds sat in a dark gray hue. We crossed the street into the large open area in front of Canton Columns where the now empty fountain stood. They turned the water off for most of the winter to avoid any freezing issues.
I plopped Seth up on the side of the fountain and helped him unroll his paper and organize his crayons. While I did that, I noticed Seth staring up straight into the sky with curiosity. I knew there was more going on in that little head than just amazement. He once asked me how they got the buildings so high but I didn’t know the answer. Dex would have been the perfect person to explain that to him, maybe even show him around a site that was being built. But that was just a pipe dream from the life that could have been, not the life that we had. I needed to stop daydreaming about these things or else I would never allow myself to move forward.
Once Seth was set up, I pulled my coat around me and shivered. It was really cold outside and I could feel the weather turning. We wouldn’t stay out here too long but I couldn’t deprive Seth of what he loved to do. Soon, this area would be covered in snow just like I used to love. Living in NYC definitely gave its fair share of white Christmases. I used to look forward to the glittering white frost but now, I just prayed the holiday would come and go as quickly as possible. I was ready for a new year, a time when I could take a deep breath and revamp our entire life. I knew that passing days on the calendar didn’t heal your heart but there was something refreshing about flipping over to the first day of a new year and hoping for the best. I already knew next year couldn’t be much worse than this one.
I looked up at the tall building and the terrace that ran around the penthouse at the top. That was where Dex lived, where he spent the majority of his childhood, and where he was probably sitting right now. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing on the top floor of that shiny building. Was he thinking of us? Did he ever think of us? Or, was he working away, building a larger empire, having drinks with his boys, and forgetting all about the little family he left behind? Part of me wanted to know the answers to those questions but the other part of me was just as happy to never find out.
I watched as Seth sketched away like some of the artists in the Art District. I always loved watching the amazingly talented people put the workings of their mind down on a canvass in the middle of the busy New York metropolis. I wished I was as creative as my son or at least that I had the same positive and loving imagination of a child. Instead, my imagination took me to thoughts of Dex and tortured me with visions of a future that would never actually be. I sighed and sat down next to my little boy, rubbing his back and sucking in a deep breath of the cold city air. It was actually a really beautiful winter day and I tried hard to let that sink in, to just enjoy this moment with Seth.
I smiled at the sound of my son laughing as he pressed the crayon to the paper. I opened my eyes and turned to look at his developing masterpiece, catching someone coming from the doors of the building from the corner of my eye. At first, I didn’t think anything of it. This was a busy place with businesses, residents, and people rushing along the sidewalks. However, as I glanced back up, I realized this was someone working at the Commons. He was dressed in an all-black suit, white button up, black tie, and carried a walkie talkie on his belt. He had an earpiece pressed against his ear and was talking to someone on the other end while staring right at us. As soon as our eyes met and he took one hurried step forward, I grabbed Seth and wrapped his paper up tight, pushing everything into his book bag.
I turned my back to the man and ignored his pleas for me to wait. Seth looked frightened so I took a deep breath and told him I was going to take him somewhere else, that it was too busy here. He sighed but wrapped his arms around my neck as I hurried across the courtyard toward the cab waiting on the corner. I jumped in and told the cab driver to just go before giving him a destination. I looked up to see the security guard jogging across toward us. I leaned back as he slowed down, throwing his hands up in the air and talking into his radio. I set Seth in the seat next to me and tried to hide my anxiety. I pointed out all the buildings as we passed, deciding home was probably the best destination now. I turned and looked out the window as the big shiny Canton Commons grew smaller in the distance. Soon, all I could see was the very top of the building. I leaned back, relieved and breathing heavily with my hand pressed against my chest.
I didn’t know what that man wanted but I was sure he scared me half to death. I knew I shouldn’t have stopped in front of Dex’s building. I had no idea where his head right now. I didn’t know if he was thinking about coming back, ignoring us completely, or worse, trying to take me to court to get custody of Seth. The thought of facing a court battle with Dex and his barrage of corporate lawyers terrified the hell out of me. I lived in an apartment in Brooklyn with my mother and he owned a multi-billion-dollar company. He had all the money in the world to take me to court every single day until Seth was eighteen and I could barely even think about hiring an attorney. What would I do if I was faced with that kind of life changing event? I couldn’t compete with Dex’s lawyers, they were loaded and could take this as far as they wanted. Dex had everything I didn’t.
When we pulled up in front of the apartment, I was paranoid as I looked around me to make sure I didn’t see any suspicious men in suits. We were alone but that didn’t calm my fears. Dex knew exactly where I lived and he could send a lawyer here at any point. Sure, my apartment was nice and homie for the three of us but it was no Canton Commons and I couldn’t give Seth the best of everything like Dex could. I was terrified that a judge would think money was more important than a mother’s love. I looked up at the door as we climbed the stairs, wondering if I should think about moving somewhere else. The biggest problem would be that my mother would never agree to move and she was the person who took care of Seth when I worked. There was no way I could afford childcare and an apartment in this city by myself. I wanted to give Seth the best life I could muster.
After we got inside, I plopped down on the couch while Seth ran off to finish his new drawing at the desk I got him for his room. It wasn’t much but it gave him something other the dining room table to draw on. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the wall, replaying the vision of the man running after us across the courtyard. Was it possible that Dex knew we were there? Or was it just a coincidence? Did the security guard just want to make sure we weren’t doing anything wrong out there on the marble fountain in the Canton Commons Courtyard?
Either way, I could feel sadness overflowing in my chest. Not only was I terrified to lose my son but I was now faced with the idea that I might have to fight the man I loved for custody of our child. I couldn’t figure out how everything got to this point. How did I let things get this far?
Chapter 17: Dex
Maybe I was wrong, maybe I shouldn’t have just dropped by Casey’s house. I stood outside of the walk up, looking up at the twinkling lights from the Christmas tree inside. I knew there were cars passing, horns honking, and the normal sounds of the city going on around me but I couldn’t hear anything. My heart was beating so hard in my chest that it filled my ears and took over my ability to think straight. Casey and Seth were right inside those doors, going on with their normal lives and trying to move past everything that happened. But I knew I would never have a restful soul if I didn’t come here to confess my feelings to the mother of my child. She held this secret in for a very long time and it was my turn to step forward and take responsibility. Besides, I wanted to see the boy that I now knew to be my son. I wanted to get to know him, to see him smile, to hear his laugh.
I turned toward the driver who had popped open the trunk and was grabbing wrapped boxes from the inside. I knew it was going to be quite a shock to find me on the doorstep so I figured I better not come empty-handed. Instead, I stopped by the toy store and bought everything I thought Seth would like. I didn’t know the kid very well but he seemed to be a lot like me, so I picked out anything I knew I would have wanted at his age. It took a while for them to wrap everything but we got it done and packed into the limo. I leaned in and pulled the biggest of the boxes out, grunting at how heavy it was. We moved up both stairways and stood in front of Casey’s door. At first, I couldn’t bring myself to lift my hand and knock. This interaction wasn’t going to be simple or pleasant. There was no way Casey was going to welcome me with open arms.
I balanced the box on my knee and knocked quickly on the door, my heart beginning to beat even faster. What would I do if she didn’t answer? What would I do if she refused to allow me inside? I left that night without saying a word, except for the horrible ones I threw at Casey. I should have come back in and apologized but there was so much going on that my head was filled with fog. I could hear footsteps inside so I knew someone was home. I leaned to the left, hoping she wouldn’t see me through the peephole. I didn’t want her to see it was me and decide against opening the door.
“When she comes to the door she will want to talk to me,” I said to my driver. “Just go ahead and bring everything in and set it in the living room.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied, struggling with the gifts he was holding.
Slowly the doorknob began to turn and I took in a deep breath. Ready or not I was going to have to face this head-on without letting my anger spill out again. I needed to keep a level head, understanding that Casey had been through so much, regardless of whether I thought it was wrong to keep Seth from me. She carried the intense pressure of raising a child without his father. The door swung open and I stared at Casey who looked at me with an expressionless face. I stepped inside and set the large box down before turning to face her.
“What are you doing here?” she said with a bit of anger in her voice.
“I came to spoil my son,” I said triumphantly, quickly realizing that was not the right answer.
Casey stepped forward and grabbed my arm, pulling me down the hall and into her bedroom. I stepped forward and looked around. It was simple but elegant, just like Casey. I could hear her breathing heavily behind me as she closed the door and turned around. She was more than fuming and I could understand why. She was ready for a fight but I didn’t want to let it get to that point.
“Casey,” I said calmly, putting up my hands. “If you could just hear me out.”
“Hear you out?” She exploded. “You think after how you acted, after what you said, after you just disappeared again, that I should take two seconds to hear you out? You complained that I was basing my decision of not telling you about Seth on the fact that you just get up and leave. You said that it wasn’t fair to judge you on your actions before you knew you had a son. And what did you do? You ran off and jumped on your plane. That little boy does not need a part-time man in his life, he is perfectly fine with a full-time mother.”
“I’m not here to be a part-time dad.” I pleaded.
“And your little antics when we were at your building the other day.” She scoffed. “That was really rich, having a security guard chase us down in the courtyard. If Seth had noticed he would have been scared to death.”
“A security guard? No, Casey, you have it all wrong,” I said, shaking my head. “The fountain is under construction. He was probably trying to make sure you were safe.”
“I’m supposed to believe that?” She was crying and there was nothing I could do to calm her. “If you think you can come bulldozing in here with your money and your lawyers and try to take my son, you have another thing coming. I will fight with everything I have to keep Seth here with me. You are not going to bully me into a custody battle. I am not some pawn in your game and neither is Seth. He isn’t a shiny new toy that you can just come in and take because you have money and power. I don’t care how many lawyers you throw at me, I will make sure that my son is protected every single step of the way.”
“I’m not trying to take Seth, Casey,” I said weakly. “I swear, I have no intentions of taking you to court or anything like that.”
I watched her face as her shoulders relaxed slightly. I hadn’t even thought of the fact that she would be afraid I was going to try to take Seth from her. Seth loved his mother and his grandmother, I would never try to disrupt his life that way. I could understand Casey’s fear though, especially since Seth was her entire life and had been since the day he was born. I had no idea how she felt and I was trying to be as empathetic as possible. I didn’t want to fight with her, verbally or legally, and I needed her to calm down so I could explain that. She was scanning my face to see if I was telling the truth. My eyes saddened at how far we’d fallen, how little she trusted my word. Casey was an amazing woman and now she was standing in front of me, afraid that I was some kind of monster who came here to take her child. I was more worried that she would never forgive me than I was about devising a plan to steal Seth right out from under her. I shook my head and stepped closer to Casey, reaching down and grabbing her hands.
“I’m not here to fight and I am not going to take you to court,” I said calmly. “I just want to get to know him and try to make up for the time I lost.”
She looked up at me with tears still streaming from her eyes. Her hands shaking. I pulled her over to the bed and sat her down, sitting down gently beside her. I turned toward her and forced her eyes to connect with mine. If we were going to get anywhere, I needed to be one hundred percent truthful and open with her.
“Look,” I said calmly. “I’m sorry that I left the way I did. I had just been hit with some of the heaviest news I’ve gotten since my father and mother were killed. It took me by surprise and I lashed out. By the time I said all those horrible things, my head was reeling. I know you have done this on your own this whole time, but I just needed to breathe and calm down. I wanted to think about everything logically, make good decisions, and know that I could offer Seth something exceptional.”
The look on her face was fear and hurt but she had calmed down enough to hear the words I was saying. Her desperate attempt to protect Seth at any cost showed me just how amazing of a mother and a woman she really was. Her love for that boy knew no limits and she was willing to stand up to an entire empire to protect him and his home. I realized at that moment that I really admired the person she was and that her exceptional mothering ability was the root of all my fears about being a father. Part of me didn’t want to tell her about my fears but the other part of me knew I needed to let it out. Who better to tell than the woman who knew the awesome power of being a parent?
“I never thought I would be a father,” I said slowly. “At least not for a long time. I thought I would be able to control it like everything else in my life. When I found out about Seth, fear completely took me over. My father was an amazing dad and I have no idea how to be the same. I hemmed and hawed over it for days and not because I didn’t want to be, but because I wanted to make sure I could be the man Seth deserves in his life. I don’t want to be the on again off again father that you are so terrified I will become. Of course, I still have to run my business but that doesn’t mean I can’t change my life to put my son first like my dad did for me and Natalie. In the end, as I stood out on the balcony of my hotel in Caracaras, I knew what my decision was. I want to be part of Seth’s life, a real part of it. If you will let me.”
With those words, I took a deep breath and leaned away from Casey. I could see her mulling my words over in her head as she wrapped her arms around her waist. I knew she was scared. I was absolutely terrified myself but I also knew I couldn’t live the rest of my life knowing I had a son out there somewhere. I knew I could provide for Seth in a way that would make all his dreams come true. I knew that, regardless of her fears, Casey wanted that for him too. She was working so hard to give him the best life possible, I knew she would be able to breathe a little easier knowing there was someone else around to help. Those few minutes sitting on Casey’s bed were the longest of my life. I stared at her, waiting for her decision, knowing whichever way she went, it would change my life forever.
Chapter 18: Casey
Finding Dex standing outside my door was not how I expected to shape the events of my day. Immediately, I was livid that he just showed up, carrying presents, and thinking he could march right into Seth’s life without even a conversation with me first. This was not how everything was going to go down. I was not going to allow him to march in and throw our lives into an upheaval, all while wondering what other secret agenda he had. However, after listening to his words, seeing his pained face, and really understanding what he went through, I felt like it was my duty as Seth’s mother to at least consider his request. He wanted to be part of his son’s life and if he was telling the truth about custody and working his life around his son, then I could see giving him a chance. But with his past, I was absolutely terrified that it was all just words. I was terrified that he would find out it was too hard and go back to his privileged life in the city, leaving me to clean up Seth’s broken heart. The idea of Dex hurting my son the way he’d hurt me was heart-wrenching. It was almost enough to make me refuse Dex and send him away for good.
I wasn’t going to lie, there was part of me that was trying to protect my own heart just as much as Seth’s. I fell in love with this man and I knew he had feelings for me too, at least I used to believe so. Would him being in Seth’s life bring him back into mine as well? Did I even want him back in mine? Knowing how easily I melted for this man, it was hard to believe that I could stand by and spend so much time parenting our child together without falling into that trap again. I couldn’t spend the next twenty years as his side project, as the woman he slummed it with after leaving the high life, the woman who had to deal when he found a rich, beautiful woman from his own world. No, I couldn’t do that and just thinking about it made my stomach turn. I couldn’t allow that to happen but at the same time, I couldn’t use that as a deciding factor in whether I allowed him to be an active participant in Seth’s life.
My mind was reeling and I couldn’t slow it down. He was asking me to make the biggest choice of Seth’s life right then and there in my bedroom. I didn’t know if I even had the strength to say yes. If I did, and if he failed again, Seth’s broken heart would fall on my shoulders because I told Dex the truth. What if I said yes and he abandoned us again? I had never seen Seth be faced with anything of that magnitude and I didn’t know if he could handle that. The fact was, he shouldn’t have to handle that but that was the life that was handed to him. If Dex left again, I knew there was no way I would be able to handle it. I knew I would end up packing our bags and moving to somewhere far away like Wyoming or something, just so Dex couldn’t ever just show up at our house again. The constant roller-coaster of emotion was making me sick and even right then, sitting still in my emotions, I felt like I was going to puke. I was pained in ways I could have never imagined I would be. I was trying to protect my little boy and myself at the same time. I looked at Dex who was sitting quietly, panic spread across his face as he wondered what I was thinking. Part of me wanted to tell him that he had left me with that same feeling every time he walked away but I didn’t want to fight anymore.
“I can see the pain on your face.” He sighed. “I understand that you are really wary about this. I understand you are trying to protect your little boy but please, Casey, please let me be a part of his life. I cannot live the rest of my life knowing I have a piece of me growing and learning without me there to watch and help.”
I opened my mouth, ready to say something hurtful but I quickly shut it again. I realized my hurtful thoughts weren’t coming from my need to protect Seth, they were coming from my own broken heart. I rubbed my hands against my thighs, drying the tears and sweat that lingered on my palms. I looked up at the door as the handle turned, quickly wiping my face and staring down at my little boy as he let himself in. He smiled big at Dex as he entered and ran over to me, throwing his body onto my legs.
“Mommy,” he whispered. “What are all those presents for?”
“Oh,” I said, laughing and crying at the same time. “Those are from Dex. He brought them for you for Christmas.”
“Oh.” He sighed, obviously disappointed that he had to wait.
“How about we do this,” I said calmly, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. “You and Dex go out in the living room and pick one present. You can open it right now but then the rest have to wait until Christmas.”
“Okay!” he exclaimed, grabbing Dex’s hand and pulling him toward the door. Dex looked back at me and mouthed the words, thank you, before disappearing around the corner. I hadn’t made up my mind yet but I wasn’t going to deprive Seth of all the gifts Dex had brought him. In fact, I was curious to see what he bought him. Had he sent someone to pick out the hottest new gifts to impress Seth or had he actually thought about the gifts before bringing them over?
“That one,” I heard Seth yell out loud.
“Okay,” Dex said, laughing. “Let’s pull it over here and then we’ll wait for your mom.”
I could hear Seth grunting as he helped pull whatever it was into the middle of the floor. I took a deep breath and wiped the rest of the tears from my face. I stood and walked out of the bedroom toward the living room where I saw Seth standing triumphantly next to the biggest box in the group. Of course, he would pick out the biggest one, he was four. The box itself was larger than Seth and it was wrapped in a beautiful metallic paper with a paisley print and large green bow. I leaned against the doorway and watched Dex pull the bow off and set it on top of Seth’s head. Seth laughed and giggled at his new velvet hat before reaching over and pulling the paper down.
The sound of ripping wrappings made me smile, thinking about Christmas morning when Seth wanders out in his new pajamas with crazy hair and sleepy eyes. I watched Dex help him pull the big pieces of paper off. They danced around the box like two crazy elves. Dex opened the top of the box and pulled the gift out, setting it on the floor. It was a drafting desk, obviously specially made, and came with a small chair and everything. It was absolutely gorgeous with its dark stain and exact likeness to one you would find in some luxury architect’s office. Seth pulled the chair up to it and sat down, putting his hands out in front of him and smiling.
“It’s for you to have a place to draw your buildings,” Dex explained, kneeling beside Seth. “And look, the table rises up on this end to make it easier for you.”
Dex took Seth’s hand and picked up the desk, walking it back to his room. My eyes filled with tears, understanding just how thoughtful of a gift this was. It wasn’t just something he had some secretary pick out, it was something he really put thought into. Seth loved to draw his buildings and that was something Dex made sure to remember. To say I was moved by the gesture was an understatement and I stood in the hallway shocked as Dex put the desk in Seth’s room and helped him pull out his paper and crayons. I was at a loss for words as Dex reappeared, smiling and shaking his head.
“He really loves it,” he said, pointing back to Seth’s room. “He’s already drawing.”
I stood motionless, watching as Dex went back over and picked up all the wrapping paper and tossed it into the empty box. He carried the box over to the door and set it down so he could take it to the dumpster on his way out. I walked forward and started moving the giant pile of gifts out of the middle of the floor. Mom and I wouldn’t be able to get all the stuff we bought for Christmas under the tree, which was a first for any Christmas we had in this family. Dex began helping me place the gifts under the tree, waving at my mom who had stayed to the side and watched with a smile on her face. When we were done, he turned to me and took my hand.
“Will you come over to my place so we can talk?”
I took a deep breath, feeling less emotional and nodded my head yes. We needed to talk, really talk, without all the emotion and anxiety that had been floating around this house. I made sure it was okay with my mom and told Seth I would be back in a little while. He was so enthralled by his new desk that he barely even noticed I was talking to him. He shook his head and scrunched his nose as I kissed him goodbye.
The ride to his penthouse was silent. I watched the twinkling Christmas lights that decorated the city pass by my window. Once we were there, I walked out of the elevator into the big open space and stood in the living room, holding my jacket and looking out at the New York City skyline. It was so beautiful and so peaceful. I absolutely loved being on the top floor of his place. I felt Dex walk up behind me and I turned to face him. He smiled and took in a deep breath.
“Casey,” he said quietly and deeply. “I know that the last five years have been hard on you. I’m sorry that I haven’t been there to help you, support you, and be a part of raising Seth. I wish I had known sooner so that you wouldn’t have been alone. It’s not your fault, it's mine. I never showed any sign that you could trust me to be part of this.”
He reached up and gently brushed a rolling tear from my cheek. I blushed and looked up at him with wide eyes. Slowly, he leaned forward and kissed my lips softly, resting his hand on my shoulder. I leaned forward, feeling the familiarity of his kiss and exhaling deeply at the finality of the moment. He pulled me in tightly to him, his tongue parting my lips and his heaviness reaching into my body. I dropped my coat on the floor and wrapped my arms around his neck, missing his taste and his scent. He reached down and picked me up, cradling me in his arms and walking back toward his bedroom.
Our lips stayed firmly pressed together with each step he took until finally, we were in his bedroom, standing before each other and gazing deeply into each other’s eyes. His touch was gentle and sensual, unlike our normal rush to the finish. He trickled his fingers down my breasts until he reached the bottom of my sweater and pulled it up over my head.
I could feel the heat of his body radiating toward me. It sent shock waves flowing through my limbs, from my fingers all the way to my toes. Just being in his arms was enough to diminish my resolve. He had a hold on me that was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. Our attraction was like gravity, pulling me to him with a forceful power. I knew right then, I would never be able to resist him again.
Chapter 19: Dex
My hands slid down her shoulders, pulling her lace bra straps with them. I reached back and unclasped her bra, allowing her breasts to spill out into my hands. I missed the touch of her skin and the way she bit her lip when I rubbed my fingers across her nipples. I trailed my fingers down the front of her stomach to the top of her pants and untied the string, letting them fall to the floor around her ankles. She stood in front of me, her curvy hips leading down into her amazing wetness. She walked forward and pulled my shirt over my head and kissed my chest. Her lips were pouty and warm. I could see the heat and want in her eyes. She unbuttoned my pants and pulled them down around my ankles, holding them as I stepped out. She pushed down on her knees and hooked her fingers in the band of my briefs, sliding them over my hard cock and off my body.
When I thought she was going to stand back up, she instead leaned forward and grabbed my erection in her hands. She lifted it up and licked from the base to the tip, swirling her tongue around the top, hitting the nerve endings. I groaned loudly at the feeling of her mouth moving over the shaft, her tongue swirling wildly like she was licking a lollipop. I reached my hand down and stroked the back of her head as she took my cock deep in her throat. She held it there for a few seconds before slowly pulling back up. She trickled her fingers over my balls, pushing lightly against them as she bobbed up and down, looking up at me with watering eyes. I began to move my hips like a gentle wave against her mouth and she opened up wider, allowing me to control the motion and the depth.
I grunted loudly as I grabbed the back of her hair. I held her there while I thrust in and out of her mouth, feeling the suction at the back of her throat pulling at my massive dick. I let go of her head and pulled my arms up in the air as she took back over, grabbing my hips and pulling them hard and fast toward her face. I watched as she put her hand between her legs and slid it underneath the edge her panties, rubbing her clit and moaning with a full mouth. The feeling of her voice against my shaft took me further toward my release. I reached down, not wanting to stop her but wanting to feel her at the same time. I stood her up and pushed her back onto the bed, stroking my shaft as she moved back against the headboard.
She put up her hand for me to sit still and bit her lip with a smirk as she spread her legs wide and moved her panties to the side. I could see her pussy dripping wet as she pushed her fingers through the folds and around in circles. She watched my hand sliding up and down my cock as I watched her fingers slip inside of her and then back out. It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen a woman do. She pushed her fingers back inside of her, moaning loudly at the feeling of her own pleasure.
“You want to taste me?” She cooed.
I nodded my head feverishly as she moved her hands back and slipped her panties off. I reached across the bed and grabbed a condom, slipping it on quickly and looking back toward her. She motioned with her finger for me to get closer, so I laid down on my stomach and collapsed my face into her juicy wet pussy, groaning at how amazing she tasted. I swirled my tongue through her mound listening to her scream out in ecstasy with every swish across her clit. I could feel her body tensing so I pushed two of my fingers deep inside and moved them quickly, wanting to heighten the orgasm she was about to have. As my fingers slid in and out, she arched her back and tilted her head, letting go and feeling the waves of pleasure roll through her. I could feel the juices erupt over my hand and I couldn’t hold back anymore.
I crawled toward her writhing body and pushed my cock in deep and hard, making her clamp down on my shoulders and move her hips instantly against mine. I wanted to give her a back to back orgasm so I could feel her juices dripping down my cock. I leaned into her with my pelvis, swirling my hips in circles over her wetness. She opened her eyes wide, her mouth big as she wrapped her legs around me, feeling her orgasm building before the other one was even fully finished. I wrapped one arm under her back and pulled her close, not wanting her to wriggle away.
“I want to feel you come,” I said sternly. “I want to feel you all over my cock. I want to make you scream so loud, they can hear you on the streets.”
“Yes.” She moaned. “God, that feels so amazing. Don’t stop.”
I pushed my hips into her harder, rubbing them across her clit as my cock dove deep down inside of her. She reached down and grabbed my ass, pulling it in and grinding against me. She lifted her ass off the bed and pushed like she couldn’t get my cock deep enough inside of her. I grabbed onto the head board as she hung off my body, giving her everything I had. She let go of her legs and I laid down gently, pulling one leg over my arm and staring deep into her eyes. Slowly I pushed in and out as she breathed heavily and closed her eyes. That ravaging lust quickly turned back into sensual and romantic touch. My body slid over hers with ease and I could feel every inch of her taking me inside. Our eyes stayed locked and the emotion was stronger than anything I had felt before. Together we melted into one body, moving and twisting within the sheets of my New York City penthouse. As her breathing deepened and she reached her peak once I again, I couldn’t hold on any longer and I thrust deep inside of her, holding her arched body and groaning in harmony with her moans.
As her body relaxed and she fell back on the bed, sweat peppering her forehead, I pulled out slowly and laid down on my side next to her. I could barely get my breathing under control. I watched as she rubbed her hands over her face, smiling and laughing softly. As soon as I caught my breath, I leaned forward and kissed her beautiful face.
“Wow,” she said, turning her head toward me. “I mean WOW.”
“You’re telling me.” I laughed. “That was amazing.”
“Why did you want me to come here?” she asked, rolling toward me and propping her head on her hand. “Is this a seduction for you? Do you think this is the answer to getting into Seth’s life?”
“No.” I smiled. “I wanted to be with you. Ugh, it’s so complicated.” I rolled over on my back and stared at the ceiling.
“It’s not complicated,” she said. “You just have to speak what’s in your heart.”
I looked up, not knowing whether to spill my guts or hold onto it like I had been doing for years. I figured there was no way I was getting out of it and in reality, I couldn’t stand another day without Casey knowing just how much I loved her. She needed to be by my side and not just because of Seth. I wanted her with me because she was an amazing woman who I couldn’t help but fall madly in love with. That being said, I was absolutely terrified to tell her the truth. What if she rejected me? What if I had to go the rest of my life, being in Seth’s life, but wishing I was in his mother’s as well? It would be absolute torture and not at all how I had pictured our little family.
“You are the most amazing woman I have ever met,” I began. “I love you, Casey. Plain and simple, I have fallen madly and deeply in love with you. I don’t just want to be in Seth’s life, I want to be in yours too. I want us to be a family and I want to make every dream that you and Seth have come to life. I can’t imagine myself in any other scenario. This is it, you are it.”
“I want to believe you,” she whispered. “I want so much to believe that’s true but I’m terrified that as soon as I do, you will be gone again.”
I leaned forward, not wanting her to keep talking, not wanting her to feel even an ounce of doubt about my feelings for her. I kissed her lips softly and pulled back, looking deep in her eyes. She was conflicted, I could tell, and that broke my heart. I didn’t realize until that moment just how much damage I had really done to her with my selfish antics.
“I promise that I will never ever leave you again,” I said with my eyes locked on hers. “You and Seth are my world now. You will be for the rest of my life.”
She kissed me quickly and wiped the tears from her eyes.
“I love you too,” she cried happily. “I’ve loved you since the first night we were ever together. There hasn’t been anyone since you and I don’t want anyone else in my life.”
“Casey,” I said, sighing. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Thank you for giving me the gift of you. Thank you for giving me your virginity. Thank you for creating the most amazing little life and nourishing and nurturing him when I wasn’t here. Thank you for loving me so much that you never gave up on me, and thank you for being the most amazing light in my life,” I said, wiping her tears away. “You have brought me through more than you know and I owe you a lifetime of gratitude for that. I can’t make you believe me but I can tell you. I promise to never leave again without telling you what is going on. I promise to treat Seth and you with the love and care that you guys both deserve so very much. I promise to spend my days creating a life and family for us that you always dreamed of. Seth is the most important person in my life now and I want him to have the best opportunities that are out there. I promise to teach him, guide him, and be the man my father was to me. At the same time, I promise to support you, push you, protect you, and treat you like the amazing woman you are.”
“I’ve waited a really long time to hear you say that,” she said, leaning forward and kissing my lips.
I finally could feel the weight of life lifting from my shoulders and evaporating above us. I stared at this beautiful woman in my bed and I swore to myself that I would never let her down again. Seth and Casey were my world now and I couldn’t wait to build our life together. Everything was so completely different but at the same time, it was so completely perfect. More perfect than I ever thought it could be.
Chapter 20: Casey
It felt good to be back at my mother’s house for the holidays. It had been a year since Dex came back into our lives and I couldn’t imagine anything turning out more perfect. Seth and I had moved into the penthouse shortly after Dex and I decided to be a family, and though it was beautiful and huge, we decided to keep with tradition and come stay at my mother’s house for Christmas Eve. Natalie and Brandon were going to come over too, so we could celebrate the holidays together. I had actually just seen Natalie a few weeks before when she came to the penthouse to help me pull all their old decorations down. I knew how much Dex loved it when his parents would decorate the house so Natalie and I surprised him by doing the same. I’ll never forget his face when he walked in the door to see the place looking like a winter wonderland. He even decided to throw a cocktail party for all our friends and his colleagues like his parents used to do. We sat around drinking wine, enjoying everyone’s company, and watching the kids run around the house with the new toys Dex bought for them. Seth was definitely having a ball and with so many people around, it forced him away from his usually shy behavior.
I pushed the last present underneath the already packed Christmas tree and stood back laughing at how crazy this Christmas was going to be. Last year was great because of all the thoughtful gifts Dex got Seth but this year I was actually able to get my mom some things I knew she would really love. She deserved it after spending years helping me take care of Seth. When we moved out, I really got the feeling that she missed taking care of him, so instead of hiring a nanny like Dex suggested, I would take Seth to my mom’s before work every day. She was thrilled to have the time with him. Dex didn’t want me to worry about working but I felt better knowing I was doing something. Dex’s fortune was his, not mine to use as I pleased and he was already doing so much to take care of this family. Besides, now that I wasn’t so worried and stressed, I actually found a way to enjoy my job.
When I was done straightening the tree, I took a sip of the eggnog my mom made for us and tiptoed down the hall. I could hear Dex’s voice coming from Seth’s room, which was twinkling with Christmas lights. I peeked around the corner and leaned against the wall, watching as Dex tucked Seth into bed and then sat down next to him to read The Night Before Christmas. Seth pulled the covers up to his chin and laid his hand on Dex’s leg as he read to him.
“‘This was the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there,” he read.
“That’s Santa,” Seth said, yawning.
“That’s right buddy,” Dex said before he continued. “The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. Ma in her kerchief and I in my cap had just settled down for a long winter's nap.”
Dex looked up at me as Seth’s eyes began to close. He smiled that dazzling and charming smile I knew and loved. Immediately, my heart melted into a hundred pieces and I backed away, hearing him continue as I walked out into the living room. I sat down and took in a deep breath, thinking about how lucky I was to have these people in my life. My mother had just finished baking cookies and ran down to the Mission, my son was falling into a magical Christmas Eve slumber, and my boyfriend was spending time with his son, loving him and nurturing him. And I, well I was relaxing for the first time in a long time, thinking about how lucky I was to have ended up here. Just six years before, this couch was the backdrop to what would become one of the most amazing but difficult events in my life.
I couldn’t believe how much everything had changed since then. Just thinking about who Dex was six years ago and comparing him to the man he was now, I could barely recognize the young guy seducing the young girl on Christmas Eve night so many years ago. I laughed to myself as Dex appeared around the corner, closing the book and setting it back on the shelf. He stretched his arms up over his head and I stood, walking over and wrapping mine around his waist. He was so warm and comforting. It was definitely nice to be in this place, standing together in my childhood home. I hugged him tightly before walking us back over to the couch. He pulled me gently into his arms. We snuggled under the glow of the Christmas tree, smelling the cookies warm out of the oven.
“Seth is out.” Dex chuckled. “I think he had too much pie and crashed hard.”
“Good.” I sighed. “Maybe he won’t wake us at three in the morning.”
“Yeah, right.” Dex laughed. “Not with those presents under the tree.”
“I was just thinking about our first Christmas Eve here in this house,” I said.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Mmhmm,” I replied, drinking my eggnog. “The night that started all of this.”
“The best night of my life, even if I didn’t realize it then,” he replied, kissing the top of my head. “That Hazelnut liqueur though, I’ll never be able to drink it again.”
“Oh, god.” I cringed. “I think I just vomited in my mouth a little.”
We both laughed at the thought of that night and sipped our drinks, sitting comfortably next to each other. I couldn’t help but feel extremely happy for the time I was getting to spend with Dex. I knew he could have made another choice and be somewhere across the world right now. Instead, he chose us, he chose to stay here and build a life with Seth and me, something that I would never ever take for granted. Things were so perfect it was hard to remember all the lonely nights I spent in this house, pining for Dex and feeling completely heartbroken. Everything was so familiar but at the same time felt completely different with the bask of love that now covered our lives. Dex pulled me in and squeezed me harder, kissing my head and obviously thinking about the same thing as me.
The sounds of Christmas music played lightly in the background and though we sat silently, we did it together, feeling how close we had grown. Dex went from the man I couldn’t keep my hands off, to the man I loved, and ultimately to my best friend, though I’d never tell Natalie that. I finally had a real family like I dreamed of long before Seth ever came into the picture. It was more than I could have hoped for and I never, not even for a moment, took it for granted. I knew, with my father’s death, Dex’s parent’s deaths, and everything I went through over the last six years that you should be happy and really cherish the people you love because you never know when it could be gone in the blink of an eye.
“You know,” Dex said, leaning his head down toward me. “Your mom is still at the Mission, we could do a little fooling around, maybe rekindle that old flame from six years ago here on this couch of love.”
I laughed loudly at the thought of us being so brazen and bold, not to mention drunk as hell, six years ago on this very couch. I laid my head against Dex’s chest, feeling his breath and his heartbeat against my ear. I had never felt more comfortable with anyone in my life than I did right then in Dex’s arms. He set his glass down and pulled me into his lap, squeezing me tightly and gently kissing my lips. We stared into each other’s eyes for several moments until something popped into his head. He smiled coyly and moved me back next to him before standing up and walking toward the tree.
“I have a gift for you,” he said excitedly.
“But it’s not Christmas.” I laughed.
“You get to open one early,” he said, tossing a small wrapped box at me.
I caught it and smiled at the terrible wrapping. Dex made sure to get all the presents wrapped professionally, telling me how bad of a wrapper he was. I didn’t really believe him until looking down at this small box that had been wrapped tightly in too much red paper, taped up like a mummy, and had a crooked bow on top. It had to be my favorite thing to unwrap and I didn’t even know what it was yet. I shook my head, giggling as I pulled the bow off and fought the tape wrapped around it. I ripped the paper off and pulled the top off, looking down at another small box, this one a little more familiar. It was velvet and square and opened just like a ring box.
I slowly cracked it open, my hands beginning to shake, gasping as I looked down at the largest diamond ring I had ever seen. It sparkled in the light of the tree and I looked over to find Dex kneeled on the floor in front of me. Immediately, tears filled my eyes, not fully comprehending what was happening at that moment. There was a huge diamond ring shaking in my hand and the love of my life was down on one knee, it was all too real.
“Casey Nelson,” he said, reaching out and taking my hand. “You have given me a life that I never expected. You have filled my world with love, laughter, friendship, and the most amazing little life I could have ever imagined. Moving you into the penthouse was not enough. I want to know every day that I am waking up to my wife, the woman I vowed to spend my life with forever. I want to know that Seth can look at his mom and dad and see pure love, pure bond, and a strong unbreakable family. So, as I kneel here in front of you, I am asking you to please say yes. Say yes to spending the rest of your life in my arms, as my wife, and I as your husband. Casey Nelson, will you marry me?”
I clasped my hand over my mouth as tears rolled steadily down my cheeks. I nodded my head yes and smiled, laughing and crying at the same time. Dex took the ring from the box and slid it on my finger, pulling me to my feet and wrapping his arms around me. I could feel his heart beating fast in his chest and I could not even start to control my own. He pulled back and kissed me deeply as the sound of clapping came from the front door. We finished our kiss and looked over to find Andrea, Natalie, and Brandon standing in the doorway, holding a bottle of champagne and a dozen roses.
“Congratulations,” they all said in harmony.
I smiled big and looked back at Dex.
“What? You didn’t think I could ask you to be my wife without everyone did you?”
I laughed and pulled myself into him, feeling his warmth surround me. This was the best Christmas I had ever had and couldn’t wait to spend my life as Mrs. Dexter Canton, the happiest woman in the world.
Chapter 21: Dex
Standing at the front of the church, I couldn’t help but look around at everyone and wonder what they were thinking. I knew no one ever thought they would see the day when I settled down with a wife and family. Hell, I never thought I would see the day when I settled down with a wife and family but here I was, standing at the front of a church, holding my son’s hand and waiting for his mother to walk down the aisle. At first, Casey wanted to have Seth give her away but he said he wanted to be the best man, so her mom decided to walk her down the aisle. I couldn’t wait to see Casey in her gorgeous wedding gown. She had been so excited since the day it was delivered. She hid it in her walk-in closet until my sister could pick it up to keep at her house. One of the local designers offered to design and create the dress of Casey’s dreams and though she was shy about the attention at first, she quickly found herself excited by the opportunity.
The music began to play and I watched as the bridesmaids walked toward us, smiling and cooing at Seth in his little tuxedo. He looked like a little man standing beside me with his shiny shoes and perfectly done hair. As the music changed, the crowd in the church stood and turned toward the doors. The attendants pulled open the wooden double doors and I stared out at Casey, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her dress fit tightly on the top, draping over the edges of her shoulders like cloth blowing in the breeze. It then moved down to her waist where it shot out in a skirt of large billowing fabrics. She looked like a princess marrying into a royal family. Her veil was pinned gingerly in her hair which was piled high on her head in a mountain of delicate curls. She was looking down at her mother nervously as they took a step onto the red carpet lining the walkway. I watched her hands shake as she looked at the staring crowd. Finally, as her eyes moved forward, she met my gaze and all the nerves in my chest just fluttered away.
From the smile that quickly developed on her lips, her nerves were cured as well. I grabbed Seth’s hand and looked down as he giggled at his mom walking up the aisle. I couldn’t believe just how lucky I was to be able to marry this gorgeous woman. She was the sweetest, kindest, sexiest, and most loving woman I had ever met, and I was going to get to call her my wife. She didn’t care about money or my name, she only cared about our family, our connection, our love, and our eternal bond. Her desire to grow our family was strong and determined. Just when I think I couldn’t be any more attached to this family, I find myself gazing down at them, my heart filled with love and admiration.
As Casey reached the front of the church, Andrea handed her over, kissing me on the cheek and lifting Casey’s veil. The two exchanged quiet words and I could see the emotion on Andrea’s face, thinking about her late husband. The ceremony was short and we opted for traditional vows since Casey was too shy to speak in front of such a large crowd. Everyone laughed as Seth pulled our rings from his little tux pocket and handed them to Natalie, who was the maid of honor. As I slipped the small diamond encrusted band over Casey’s fragile small finger, I looked up into her eyes to let her know how serious I really was. I would love this woman and our son more than they could stand. I would ensure they had everything in life that they needed and wanted. I would make sure that the things of the past stayed in the past, never disrupting our lives ever again.
“By the power vested in me by the state of New York,” the pastor said. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
We looked up at each other in excitement as I placed my hand around her cheek and pulled her in close, pressing my lips firmly against hers. As we turned, I picked up Seth and we raised our hands in the air in triumph. The crowd clapped and laughed as we exited the church and headed out into the city air. We did it. We finally got where we knew we should have been all along and it felt amazing.
After the ceremony, we took about a million pictures at the church before heading over to the reception at the hall inside Canton Commons. It was decorated so elegantly and I was really impressed with what Casey put together. The flowers were all a dusty pink, the tables were covered with lace and satin, and the whole place had a deeply romantic feel. Candles were strewn across all the tables and the main lights were turned down low. In the center of the room was a dance floor with our initials lit up across it. Seth immediately ran out onto the tiled floor and started to dance in his adorable four-year-old style.
As soon as we walked in, the festivities began and I swept my new bride off onto the dance floor for our first dance. She looked up at me with her gleaming eyes and I couldn’t help but pull her close and kiss her lips. She grasped my hand tightly but I kept her attention on me and not the hundreds of eyes watching us. When the song was over, Casey had a special dance with Seth and the two dazzled the crowd with a sweet slow dance to Somewhere Over the Rainbow. There wasn’t a dry eye in the entire place, especially since everyone knew that dance was in place of her father-daughter dance. Then Andrea and I took the floor as she volunteered to stand in for my mother for the mother-son dance. To my surprise, the emotions weren’t easy to keep in and as soon as I saw Natalie begin to cry, tears overwhelmed me.
The rest of the evening was a blast with champagne flowing, music bumping, and good company to share our love and happiness with. Though I was having more fun than I could remember having in years, I couldn’t wait to leave and take my new wife on our honeymoon. She was absolutely stunning in her gown but I really wanted to get her out of it and make love to her. I watched her move across the room, greeting the guests, laughing at jokes, and snickering to Natalie about whatever it is girls talk about. She would gaze over at me from the other side of the room, lust covering her face. I knew then, she was just as ready to get to our honeymoon as I was.
About an hour before we were scheduled to leave, Andrea kissed us goodbye, holding on to a dead asleep little boy. He partied himself completely out and between the cake and excitement, he would have a good night’s sleep. I could tell Casey was struggling with leaving Seth and I hugged her tightly as she watched the limo pull off with them inside. She took a deep breath and turned toward me, her eyes twinkling in the city lights.
“I’m exhausted.” She laughed. “And I barely ate anything with so many people there.”
“Me too,” I said, pulling her in close. “But not too exhausted to get this dress off you and pull you into my bed.”
“Mmm,” she smiled, leaning up to kiss me. “That sounds like a perfect ending to a perfect day.”
“Just a little bit longer.” I smiled.
We went back inside and continued to dance and talk with the guests. From there on out, Casey stayed glued to my side, finally feeling free to let herself relax. Everyone was more than excited to talk to us but we were both so exhausted we could barely move. Finally, the coordinator came over and told us it was time to leave. We went back up to the apartment and changed into our honeymoon clothes, smiling at each other as we undressed. I wanted to take her right then and there but I knew the jet was waiting. When we got to the roof to catch the helicopter to the airport, everyone was standing up there cheering for us. I grabbed Casey’s hand as we walked through the crowd, stopping only for a moment to kiss and hug Natalie and Brandon before jumping in the chopper and heading off.
I gazed out the window at the crowd waving goodbye as we floated higher and higher into the air. When we got to the jet, both of us went straight back to the bedroom and fell face first into the soft covers. Casey was out within minutes and I waited until we were high in the air before snuggling into the sheets. We both slept the entire way and were woken just before landing so we could buckle into our seats. Casey knew we were going to the South Pacific but she didn’t know what the details were so I was excited to surprise her.
We took the limo to the port and I walked her to the gigantic yacht I rented to take us out into the warm ocean and land at our own private island. We would be alone at sea, waited on hand and foot by the staff, and able to relax and spend some much needed alone time together. In fact, I was pretty sure it was the first time we would be completely alone for an extended period of time. When we got on board, we looked around and noticed all our things had already been unpacked and stowed away for us. Once the ship pulled out of port, I shut the bedroom door and stared at my wife as she stood by the window in her white slip dress, watching the waves swirl around us.
“Come here,” I said with lust in my voice.
She turned and walked toward me, smiling and her eyes locked on mine. I ran my finger over her collar bone and pushed the small strap of her dress over her shoulder. As I moved the other, the dress fell to the floor revealing her round tits, her soft succulent skin, and her tiny white lace panties. She reached up and pulled her hair from the clips, letting it fall down over her shoulders. I pulled my shirt over my head and tugged her forward, pressing her warm skin against mine and feeling her nipples harden. I ran my fingers down her back, causing goosebumps to erupt on her neck and shoulders. I couldn’t wait to get ahold of this woman, to feel her wrapped around me, and to taste every part of her.
I turned her and pushed her down softly on the bed. She scooted back and leaned against the pile of pillows on the bed, breathing deeply and looking down at the erection caught in my shorts. I reach down and set it free, watching her lick her lips as it bounced out of my boxers. I grabbed the shaft and stroked it gently while I crawled toward her and pulled her panties off her body and threw them on the floor. I leaned down and ran my tongue over her wetness, listening to her gasp as I pushed through her folds and swirled around her clit. She tasted so amazing and I knew right then I wasn’t going to hold back, not tonight, not ever again.
Chapter 22: Casey
I could feel his mouth moving over mine in a rhythm that was driving me absolutely wild. I leaned back to take it all in, knowing there was no need to rush this moment. His hands floated over my body in the same way his tongue was: passionate, hungry, and concentrated on making me feel immense amounts of pleasure. I ran my hands through his hair as I moaned loudly, heat bubbling in my stomach. Dex reached up and lifted my legs over my shoulders and pushed into me, moving his mouth wildly as my body writhed underneath him. I wanted to taste him, to feel him in my mouth. I tapped him on the head and looked in his deep eyes.
“Turn around,” I whispered.
He wiped his mouth with a coy smile and moved his body around, rolling over on his back and pulling me with his. I straddled his face, placing my hands on both sides of his hips and lowered myself down, feeling his mouth against me. I moaned loudly at his tongue movements and reached over, grabbing his shaft and licking the tip. I dipped my head down, taking his cock in my mouth and smoothed my lips down to the bottom, sucking hard as I came back up. He groaned into my wet pussy but continued to lick as I bobbed my head up and down on his dick. He grabbed my ass cheeks and pressed my mound down into his face as I began to grind slowly against his lips. I could feel the orgasm simmering in my stomach but I held back, not wanting to explode just yet.
I looked down at his glistening cock and held it at its base, driving downward and opening my throat, feeling every ridge and wrinkle as it traveled over my tongue and deep into my mouth. I held myself down on his cock, flicking my tongue and contracting my throat muscles. He growled underneath me as I slowly rose my head halfway before pushing down again. I could see him grabbing the bed beside my body as I started to suck harder and faster while grinding quicker on his lips. The reaction he was giving aroused me more than anything. I moaned loudly with his dick in my mouth, making him pump his groin, pushing it in and out in small bursts. I stretched my arms over my head, grabbing his legs and focused on moving my hips against his tongue while letting him fuck my mouth.
I could feel myself so close to orgasm and this time there was no holding back. I dug my nails into his legs and moaned in short bursts as his cock left my throat before pushing back in. As the peak hit me, I pushed my mouth down on his dick and pressed my wetness against his face, my body shimmering and shaking on top of him. I could hear him groan, tasting my juices as I slid my mouth back up and took in a deep breath of air. My hips were still moving against his mouth and though my clit was sensitive, my body wanted more. I scooted down and turned my body toward his, straddling him right below his cock.
I took his shaft in my hand and rose up on my knees, rubbing the tip-in and out of my folds, sopping up the juices that were still flowing even after the dissipation of my orgasm. His eyes were dark and you could see my wetness glimmering on his face as he bit his lip and watched me dance on top of him. I pushed the head of his erection against my softening clit and moaned as I rubbed it in circles. He liked to watch me pleasure myself, whether it was with his cock or my fingers. There was a huge part of me that loved to watch him stroke his cock. I used that image in my mind many times on those cold, lonely nights in Brooklyn.
Dex reached his hand out to pull me up, wanting to feel his cock inside of me. I smiled and did as he wished, scooting forward and lowering myself down on him. I gasped as his huge cock stretched me open and filled every crevasse. Once he was fully inside, I started to grind in circles on top of him, lifting up slightly before slamming back down on it. Every time I slid him back in, he groaned loudly, liking the feeling so much I knew he wanted me to ride him hard. However, I wasn’t ready to give in to that yet so pushed his hands down above him and hovered my tits over his face while I moved my hips faster and faster in all directions.
“Fuck me, baby.” He groaned. “I want to feel every inch of you.”
I smiled down at him mischievously and he looked at me in surprise before shaking his head. I grasped onto his wrists harder as he tried to move them, moaning loudly at the feeling of his cock deep inside and my nub rubbing across his skin. As the arousal grew, so did my motions and I pushed back up to a sitting position, wanting to feel him as deep inside of me as I could. For several moments, I gave into his wants, bumping up and down, letting his shaft move in and out of me, before leaning back and resting my hands on my thighs. He looked down at my exposed clit and licked his lips, pulling his hand up and rubbing it with his thumb. I screamed out at the sensation and my mood went from playful to needy.
I sat straight up and instantly moved my hips hard and fast, moaning loudly and closing my eyes as I could feel the orgasm approaching. I wanted him so bad and I flexed my pussy to feel every inch of his shaft inside of me. I reached down and put my hands on his chest pushing fast and deep.
“Yeah baby, rub that pussy on me,” he said, watching me closely. “I want to feel you come.”
I pushed down hard at those words and felt my orgasm tip over the side, sending pleasure streaming through my body. I screamed out, pushing my fingers into his chest and arching my back as my hips moved me into pure pleasure. I could hear him groaning below me and feel his hands tighten around my waist. Before I was even done, he flipped me on my back and plowed into me, grabbing my hands and pinning them above my head.
“You feel so good,” he cried out.
He leaned forward so his face was on my neck as he found the same need I had moments before. He pushed deep and heavy into me and I braced myself against his hands. He lifted his head and pressed his mouth against mine, kissing me deeply as he moved toward his own ecstasy. I moaned into his mouth feeling our bodies intertwined. I lifted my legs up around his waist and lifted my ass to give him a deeper embrace. He thrust several times, deep and full of meaning before pushing in hard and closing his eyes tightly as he exploded inside of me. His hips moved just slightly in and out as he groaned into my mouth, releasing his seed and feeling the waves of pleasure completely wash over him. His hands grasped mine tightly and I kissed him passionately as he found his own orgasm.
As his hands released and his body began to relax, he opened his eyes and stared into mine, kissing me back and pulling his fingers through my hair. Dex stopped for a moment and stared at me as if he were contemplating my existence before closing his eyes and sinking his lips into mine, feeling every emotion we held back for so long. I pulled my hands up to his face and let myself go in his embrace, feeling our legs intertwined and his body still inside mine.
We laid in the bed, feeling the rocking of the waves between us, and letting the breeze from the open window wash over our naked bodies. It was the most relaxed I had ever been. I could have stayed just like that for the rest of the trip but we decided to go top side and check out the sunset over the ocean and eat dinner since the personal chef was almost done preparing it. When I stepped out onto the deck of the ship, I gasped at how amazingly gorgeous it was. I felt like a Hollywood movie star basking in the sun on my own personal yacht. I immediately thought about Seth and how much he would love to be on the boat so I pulled my cell phone out, which miraculously still had service, and called home.
“Hi momma,” I said as Andrea answered the phone.
“Well, hello baby,” she replied. “Why are you calling home and not enjoying that vacation?”
“I just wanted to check on Seth,” I replied, smiling.
“Oh, honey he’s playing with all his toys, running around grandma’s house.” She laughed. “You need to not worry. Enjoy your honeymoon, you deserve it.”
“Okay.” I smiled. “Tell him I love him, and I love you as well.”
“Love you too, sweetie,” she said. “Talk to you soon.”
I hung up the phone and looked around me. I couldn’t believe I was actually traveling across the world. I had always wanted to travel but life just didn’t allow it. This was beyond my wildest dreams and I was so impressed that Dex put together such an amazing trip. We watched the sun go down and sat around picking at the amazing food the chef cooked for us, laughing and talking about our adventures. When it was time for bed, we were both so exhausted we fell right to sleep, cuddled in each other’s arms.
The next day we ate breakfast on the deck before pulling in near a cove and spending the day snorkeling. I had never seen so many beautiful fish and such crystal-clear water in my life. As I swam along, I looked over at Dex swimming next to me. He signaled for me to follow him so I did, looking around wildly as he led me into another cove between two large cliffs. It felt like we were the only two people left in the entire world. I lifted myself out of the water and pulled off my goggles, wide-eyed at what I saw. I could feel Dex swim up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist.
“You should take this suit off and really feel the water.” He teased, grabbing my breasts and pressing his erection into my back.
I giggled and pushed off, running toward the white sandy beaches in front of me. I laughed as he chased after me, throwing my goggles and flippers up the shore and jogging through the sand. He caught up to me, breathing heavily and spun me around to face him. He reached up and pulled the string of my bikini top, grabbing my breasts and massaging them hard as he kissed me with a deep, needy passion. I glanced around to make sure we were alone, the idea of having sex out in the open, immediately turning me on. I took my top completely off and tossed it to the side, rubbing my hand down his swim trunks and grabbing his erection through the fabric. He was so hard that I rolled my eyes back, already anticipating the way he’d feel inside me.
Throwing caution to the wind, I dropped to my knees and untied his trunks, pulling them down and immediately wrapping my mouth around his cock. If I was going to be on vacation, I was going to let myself be free. I sucked him with abandon.
Chapter 23: Dex
I closed my eyes and felt her soft lips move down my shaft, her tongue whipping wildly around and her throat sucking hard. This was exactly what I had in mind after last night when I had to hold back in order not to blow my load down her throat. I looked down at Casey as her tits bounced around, her head bobbing back forth as she deep throated my cock. I groaned loudly and put my hand on the back of her head, guiding her down and holding her there for several seconds before tugging lightly on her hair. She looked up at me with a full mouth, her green eyes glistening in the sunlight around us. It felt like we were the only two people in the world but at the same time, the idea of being caught was wildly arousing. She moaned as she sucked my cock, making me feel like she wanted it there, sliding deep into her throat. She sucked hard as it slid back out, the sounds of her mouth and spit, echoing off the cliff walls.
“Lay down,” she ordered, as she pulled her head back and stood up.
I growled at her assertiveness and laid down in the soft warm sand, watching her as she untied her bottoms and threw them to the side. I looked up at her curves leading to her bulging wet pussy and couldn’t wait to feel her on top of me. She straddled my body, dropping down on her knees and grabbing my shaft tightly in her hands. Slowly she stroked it with her fists hovering over it with her juices almost dripping from between her legs. I reached my hand up and swiped it over her mound, pushing through the folds and rubbing her gently. She leaned her head back and moaned as I pushed two fingers inside of her and pulled them back out, circling back to her clit. She moved her hips with the motions of the waves as I fingered her hard, watching her body twist in pleasure. I pulled them out as she sat down on my cock, sliding it deep inside her sopping wet center.
My hands went to her mouth and I licked my lips as she sucked her juices off my fingers, grinding against my cock and squeezing her own breasts. She moaned with my fingers still in her mouth and I let her grind only for a few seconds before grabbing her waist and moving her up and down on my cock. Her pussy was so wet it slipped in and out with ease and I slammed her body down, making her cry out in ecstasy. She moved her knees further to the side so I could push deeper inside of her. I tightened my fingers around her waist as she let go and let me control how she fucked me. Up and down, I lifted her as the water met with our bodies on the shore. She moaned loudly over and over again as her body readied for the climax.
“I'm going to come, baby,” she cried out. “Don’t stop.”
I could feel my own orgasm simmering and with those words, I knew I couldn’t hold back much longer either. I let go of her waist and she leaned forward slapping her ass up and down, my cock going in and out as fast as she could move her body. As she screamed out in orgasm I pushed her body up and thrust my hips into her, feeling her pussy contract around my cock and push me over the edge. She bared down hard as she screamed in pleasure and I pushed upward, exploding inside of her and letting the groans escape my throat. As her body twitched and writhed above me, I pushed several more times, my cock swollen and sensitive. Finally, my body collapsed into the sand and she fell forward, her head resting on my shoulder.
“Wow,” she gasped breathlessly. “That was amazing.”
I chuckled underneath of her, completely agreeing with her sentiment. It was fucking unbelievable and I already couldn’t wait for more. We got back up and found our suits, dressing quickly and heading back to the yacht, completely famished and ready for lunch. It was mind boggling to me that I just fucked her and as I helped to lift her onto the back, my cock hardened staring up at her ass. This was going to be an exhausting but amazing honeymoon, I could already tell.
When we got back to the yacht, we pulled on some clothes over our bathing suits and lounged around the deck eating food and watching as the sun dropped lower and lower toward the horizon. Casey asked to call our son so I had the captain send down the boat phone since our cell phones were pretty much useless all the way out here. I smiled as Casey called, immediately brightening at the sound of our son’s voice on the other end. She asked him about his day, listened to him talk about his buildings, and discussed what he would be having for breakfast. It was adorable and I found myself missing him more than I thought I would. Suddenly, she stopped and looked over at me, telling Seth to hold on one second. She pushed the phone toward me with a smile.
“He is insisting on speaking with you,” she said.
I put the phone to my ear, feeling emotions swelling in my chest. His little voice immediately hit me and I started to get choked up. I realized at that moment that Seth really loved me and that I loved him more than anything in the world. He was my son and I finally felt everything that came along with that, from love, protection, and friendship, to the need to be close to him. Everything we had been through brought me to this point and I knew I didn’t regret one single moment with Casey. That Christmas Eve when I took her on her couch was the defining moment of my life and I couldn’t be happier that it happened. I didn’t know what I did before Seth and I couldn’t imagine my life without him now. I hung up with Seth after telling him I loved him and I turned to Casey.
“I want you to know,” I said, fighting back tears. “There is nothing between us that I regret. I am so happy that we made love that Christmas Eve and I am so proud to be part of that little boy's life. I love him more than anything in the world.”
Casey wiped a tear from her eye and stood up, pulling me to my feet. She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me, her tears soaking through my shirt. These two were the best things that had ever happened to me and I was no longer going to hold back telling her that. I would tell her over and over again for the rest of my life. She leaned back and looked up at me, tears staining her sun-kissed cheeks.
“I love you so much,” she said. “And Seth and I are so lucky to have you in our lives. I couldn’t think of another man that I would want to have a family with. Thank you for fighting for us even when I pushed back.”
We embraced again and turned toward the setting sun, watching the golden colors over the ocean. It was like something out of a story book and I really thought there was nothing that could ruin this honeymoon. That is until one of the crew members appeared on the deck with a message in his hand. He apologized for interrupting and handed me the folded paper. I looked at him, confused for a moment and then realized that someone had contacted the boat looking for me. Casey turned and sat back in the chair watching the colors disappear as stars twinkled overhead. I opened the paper and read it, anger beginning to bubble in my stomach. It was from my VP, contacting me about my client in Caracaras.
I walked over and sat down in the chair as I reread the message. There was an emergency with the acquisition I had been working so hard on. I left for my honeymoon before it was complete with full confidence from the seller that we would finish the deal when I got back. Well, it seemed this asshole was trying to play games and was pissed that I had left before settling. He was now telling the company he was considering backing out unless all of his demands were met immediately. I could tell my partner didn’t want to call but he knew there was nothing else that could be done, I had to be the one to close this deal. They needed me to return right away to fix the issue or we would lose all the work we put into the new resort.
Casey looked over at me curiously as she sipped her wine. I handed her the paper, now knowing I could include her in the business part of things as she was my wife and it would affect her too. She read it carefully and I could tell she was trying to control her emotional response, knowing that I would be extremely angry about this already. She was always so good at reading me and matching her emotions so that we weren’t both flying off the handle at the same time. She took a sip of her wine, mulling over the words she was going to speak.
“This is bullshit.” I exploded. “This is my damn honeymoon. There is no way I am going to leave my new wife and head back to Caracas right now.”
“Shhh,” she said, putting her hand on my arm. “Take a deep breath. It is not the end of the world. All of this is more than I have ever experienced and you know I’ve always wanted to see Caracas. It would be an adventure.”
“I’m not sure how long we would need to be there,” I said, thinking about Seth.
“Okay, so we fly home, pick up our son, and take him with us,” she said, smiling. “Make it a family vacation. He would be thrilled.”
I sat there for several moments thinking about the prospect of taking Casey and Seth with me on this business trip. I had never taken anyone with me but the idea of making a family trip not only seemed like a warm and inviting idea but reminded me of when my father used to take us along on his trips. We saw so many amazing places as kids and it would be so neat to offer that to Seth and Casey as well. The tension released from my shoulders and I took a drink of my whiskey, thinking about how much fun Seth would have in Caracas. I nodded my head and turned to Casey, who was waiting patiently for my response.
“I think that’s an amazing idea,” I said with a smile. “You and Seth will absolutely love all the things you can do there. I won’t be able to be with you guys the whole time but there are several guides that can take you to all the shops and the events they have for kids. I honestly don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Drive yourself nuts.” She laughed.
I stood up and kissed her on the head. “I’m going to go let the captain know we need to go back to port and have the jet ready for our departure. Thank you for being so understanding,” I said, running my hand down her cheek.
“I get a really cool family vacation out of it.” She laughed. “How could that be bad?”
I smiled and set off to make the arrangements. This was a new way of doing things and I was lucky to have Casey there to help guide me through the unfamiliar waters. On the flip side, I would get to see my boy, who I missed so much it made my heart ache.
Chapter 24: Casey
Since our arrival in Caracas, we were shown the most amazing hospitality. The locals immediately swarmed around us and made sure everything we desired was fulfilled. Seth couldn’t get enough of the desserts they kept sending to our room and I laughed at his wide eyes every time he heard a knock. The suite was bigger than the penthouse and extravagantly decorated with ornate furniture and amazing details etched into every surface. Seth had his own room in the suite and the hotel had made sure to make it kid friendly before we arrived. The view from the suite was amazing and I couldn’t help but stand at the window and look out over the city. There were gorgeous buildings, tropical details, and people all over the streets. This city was like a more rural version of New York where everyone rode bicycles and you could purchase goods from the immense street markets near the center of the city. Dex was in and out of meetings but he made sure we were entertained thoroughly before he left. We hadn’t gone out into the town yet and were planning on doing that in the next day or so. I thought it would be nice to bring my mother and Natalie some beautiful tapestries back from the markets.
Dex had surprised us by coming back early and taking Seth and me downstairs for a light lunch to spend some together time. He looked stressed but he tried to hide it when he played with Seth. I sipped my tea and grazed on the small sandwiches and salads that had been ordered for us. Seth was content with a plate full of potatoes and eggs that the chef prepared just for him. At first, I thought the extra attention was for everyone but after watching the other guests in the hotel, I realized it had more to do with who Dex was than it did with the hospitality of the restaurant. I smiled as Dex’s partner, Joe, came in, ruffling Seth’s hair and leaning down to whisper in Dex’s ear. Dex nodded and stood, stepping to the side. They were hard to hear but I caught most of it.
“I am surprised you brought your family,” Joe said. “There has been some serious political unrest brewing in Caracas recently.”
“I wasn’t aware,” Dex said with a worried look. “Everything was fine since I was last here.”
“It started shortly after you last left,” Joe explained. “You know how these things are, they escalate quickly. You should definitely go to the security office and hire guards for your family. They should stay here in the hotel, it might not be safe for them out in the streets.”
Dex rubbed his hand down his face and nodded his head. “Thank you, Joe. I’ll do that.”
“Are you free for the meeting after lunch?”
“Yes, of course,” Dex said, looking over at me. I put my head down trying not to show that I was listening.
“It was good seeing you,” Joe said, putting his hand on my shoulder.
I nodded and smiled, slight fear bubbling in my stomach. Dex sat back down and smiled at Seth who handed him some of his potatoes. I could tell he was more worried than he wanted to let on. I took a sip of tea before approaching the subject.
“Will you be taking Joe’s advice?” I asked nonchalantly, peering over my cup at Dex.
“Of course,” Dex said, swallowing his water with a gulp. “I plan on going directly over there before the meeting and sending guards up to the doors. This is all very unexpected, I should have kept a better watch on things.”
I laid my hand on his leg and smiled, trying to show him I had the utmost confidence in the situation. Inside, however, my nerves were surging and I quickly realized that being married to a billionaire businessman required a lot of restraint when it came to how I expressed my emotions. It wasn’t so much for the people around us but in support of Dex, so that he could feel more comfortable and be able to concentrate on his business. If I knew anything about Dex though, it would take a lot more than a confident look from me to calm any nerves he might have, especially when he was already pissed about having to come back here so soon.
“I’m sorry about this,” he said, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek. “I promise we will get this done as quickly as possible and I’ll whisk us all away to a safer place to continue our family vacation.”
“We will be fine,” I replied. “Just focus on the business, we will be fine. It’s an adventure, right?”
“Well, that wasn’t quite the adventure I had in mind for my wife and son.” He chuckled. “With the wedding happening so quickly, I didn’t take the time to pay attention to the political status of where we were headed. I guess I’ve never had to really pay attention to that before now.”
I shook my head, trying to make him feel better. I poured more water into his glass from the pitcher on the table and offered him some of the salad. He refused, his nerves obviously too high to eat anything. In fact, I wasn’t feeling much like eating but I needed to stay calm for all three of us, especially since I didn’t want Seth to know anything was going on. I wanted him to be carefree and have a good time while we were out there, something all five-year-olds should be able to do. In the meantime, Dex would take all the measures we needed to keep us safe should anything start to happen.
“Dex,” I said, leaning over to him and kissing his cheek. “You cannot take all the blame for this. You did not know anything like this was going on. And besides, I’m equally to blame, I didn’t want to be separated from you for even a second. I haven’t reached that point as your wife yet, I guess.”
“I know,” he said, smiling at me with that same charming smile. “I just feel bad that you’re going to have to be locked up in the hotel the whole time.”
“Oh, no,” I said sarcastically. “You mean I have to stay in a luxurious suite with room service out the wazoo, more room than the penthouse, and every movie I’d ever want to watch at my fingertips? How will I manage? Did I get the rich wife thing down?”
“Perfect.” Dex laughed, wiping his face and standing from his chair. “I have to go my love. I’ll be back as soon as possible and I’ll send the guards over to your door.”
I watched as Dex kissed Seth on the top of the head and then turned to me, pressing his lips firmly against mine. As he walked away, I sighed and watched him until he disappeared. My love for him was stronger than ever. I knew he would do everything in his power to keep us safe but part of me still worried about his safety. He was so absorbed by everything going on, I hoped he would remember to keep himself safe during all of this as well. I looked over at Seth who was building a town out of potatoes and shook my head, wishing we could all stay together.
When I was finished with lunch, I ordered some hot tea to be sent up to the room and walked through the lobby hand in hand with Seth. He had never seen anything as amazing as the architecture of these buildings so getting from the restaurant to the suite took us quite a while. He asked a million questions that I didn’t know the answers to and told myself I would do some research when we got upstairs. Inside the elevator, I leaned against the wall, watching the floors tick by on the screen. My thoughts were lost in Joe’s warning and I wondered if there would be anything on the news about it. On second thought, I knew I should probably keep all that to myself so there was no chance that Seth caught wind of it and became scared. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin this for him, he was having the time of his life. He thought the penthouse was the fanciest thing in the world but when he got here, he just about lost it with all the amazing things to do and look at. Not to mention, everyone catered to him directly, making sure he was having fun and always had a full belly. By the end of the trip, we are all going to have to go on a diet.
When we got into the penthouse, I asked Seth to put his trucks back in his bags so we could keep everything together. In reality, I wanted to get our things settled so that if we had to leave suddenly, there wouldn’t be any issues. While Seth did that, I grabbed our passports and ID’s and stuck them in my pocket so that no matter what, I had them on me at all times. The last thing I wanted was to end up stuck at customs not able to get back home because we didn’t have any of our identification. Seth wandered through the suite, looking at all the different pictures hanging on the walls. I offered to turn on a movie but he wasn’t really a movie kind of kid, so I grabbed his sketch book and his pencils and sat him down in front of the floor to ceiling windows so he could draw any building he wanted to. He was almost overwhelmed by the amount of choices so I suggested he start with the smaller dome-shaped building below us in the center of the city. He shook his head excitedly and went to work on his masterpiece.
In the meantime, I went through the rooms and repacked our things in case we had to leave in a hurry. I folded our laundered clothes and placed them neatly in the suitcases, daydreaming about our time on the yacht. I peeked out the bedroom door and noticed Seth was lost in his art so I flipped on the television and watched the news. There wasn’t anything big, that I could tell since they spoke a different language, that was going on at the time so I clicked off the television and moved to Seth’s room. His toys were scattered everywhere so I grabbed his bag and began to neatly pack them, though I knew within an hour he would pull all of them back out. As I packed, Seth walked into his room holding his drawing in his hand. He lifted it up to me and I smiled, looking at the building in the courtyard below. I squinted at the surrounding drawing, looking at little circles all around the building.
“What are these?” I asked, pointing at the circles.
“All the people,” he said. “They all started coming. There must be something important down there.”
My head popped up and I handed the drawing back to Seth, slowly making my way back to the windows. As I approached, I could see lines of people marching across the city streets and collecting at the foot of the hotel. They were carrying signs, flags, and some of them were wearing masks. I could see they were chanting but from that high up, I had no way of knowing what they were saying. I took in a deep breath and looked at the enormous scene forming below us. The protests they were talking about had brought themselves to our doorstep and fear immediately shot up my spine and rested on my chest. I couldn’t move as the scene unfolded before me.
Chapter 25: Dex
Immediately after kissing my wife and child goodbye, I knew I needed to do what Joe advised. I jumped in the car and had the driver take me over to the security firm’s office. I didn’t want to waste any time getting guards sent over to the hotel. I regretted bringing Casey and Seth along on this trip but at the time, I could only think about how much I didn’t want to be away from Casey so soon after our wedding. I was more tense than I had been in a very long time and part of me just wanted to say screw it, pack up Casey and Seth, and get the hell out of here. However, my partner and I had put in a lot of work on this deal so I needed to at least see it through to the end. Either way, from now on, I would be doing some serious research before I brought my family along to these meetings. I would never put them in this kind of situation ever again if I could help it. I knew Casey was keeping her cool for my sake but I also knew her better than that. I wanted to make sure she felt as safe as possible.
When I arrived at the security office, the driver opened the door and ushered me straight inside, having called them in advance to let them know who I was. They nodded their heads and walked me to a room at the back to go over the logistics of their services. I used a security service a few times before but it was only for the safety of the dignitaries I was working with, not for myself or my family. I was told this was the best service in the city so I was ready to receive some assurance of Seth and Casey’s safety.
“Hello, Mr. Canton,” a large man in a black suit said, shaking my hand. “I am Sebastian Mateo, the owner of this company. I have been told your family is staying at the Hotel Cayena and needs our protective services.”
“Yes, it is my wife and my child,” I said with a nod.
“It is a very dangerous time for us here in Venezuela,” he said, typing on his laptop. “I am sorry your family has to go through this. This city is usually such a lovely place to visit.”
“I was unaware of what was happening,” I said. “I just want them to be safe.”
“Not a problem,” he replied, looking up at me. “We have dispatched a team over to the hotel. They will be stationed at the elevator and any other entrances that lead up to the suite. I have also taken the liberty of calling Mateo. He will be escorting you to your meeting and wherever else you need to go while you are here.”
“Thank you,” I said, nodding my head at the large man standing in front of me.
I signed the papers for the services and headed back to the car, Mateo in tow. We jumped in and headed through the streets of Caracas, noticing several groups of people along the way. They were all holding signs and headed in the same direction. My chest felt tight and I wondered just how bad things could get. I had seen many protests in New York but I knew they were completely different in other countries, especially out here. I knew that violence was prevalent and many of the people carried weapons. I tried to take a deep breath and remember that Seth and Casey were safely tucked away in the hotel and that the security would be arriving at any moment to make sure they stayed that way. It was difficult, knowing how much I loved them and how vulnerable they were, especially this being their first real trip out of the country.
When we pulled up at the offices to sit down with my partner, I rushed inside, not wanting to waste any time. Joe had everything set up and I assured him I had sent security over to the hotel to protect Casey and Seth. He began going over the details of the deal, which the seller had completely changed since the last time I was here. It was incredibly frustrating since he was taking advantage of my time away with my family. This guy thought he had us over a barrel but there was no way I would agree to his terms. I knew he wanted to sell and he thought he could pull one over on my partner, not realizing I was the one who made the decisions. I glanced over at Mateo who was answering his phone, a look of determination crossing his face. I put down my pen and looked at him as he approached.
“I need you to see this, sir,” he said, handing me his phone.
I looked down at the screen and watched the video playing. There were thousands of people marching through the streets, chanting and carrying signs. There were police on the other side with large weapons and riot gear, striking fear into my heart. I watched to the end, recognizing the domed shaped building they were surrounding.
“When was this from?” I asked, handing the phone back to the guard.
“Sir, that is a live feed,” he said. “They have gathered at the foot of the hotel. The police are surrounding them but my people say they are expecting a standoff. Things have escalated quicker than we could have foreseen. It is getting very dangerous out there. Here in Venezuela, the police shoot first, they don’t ask questions like in your country.”
I rubbed my face with my hands, realizing this situation just got dire. I picked up my cell phone and texted my pilot, telling him to pick us up in the helicopter on top of the hotel. How did I not see this beforehand? How did I miss an extremely dangerous situation unfolding around us without seeing the danger in it all? Caracaras was in bad shape. It was like a powder keg surrounded by flames and from the looks of it, it was about to blow. I flipped to the call screen and dialed the airlines, letting them know we would be leaving as soon as possible so get the jet ready and I would call back with a destination. Everyone seemed to already be expecting the response, as news of the uprising had spread through the city like wild fire. I didn’t know what the political issues were but the protestors were angry and the police were ruthless, a mixture that promised nothing but disaster right at the feet of Casey and Seth.
“Where are you going?” Joe said, watching me stand and gather my things. “We have to give word for this deal.”
“I’m leaving and I’m taking my family to safety, I suggest you do the same thing,” I said abruptly. “Joe, it isn’t safe here. Your life is worth more. As far as the deal goes, it’s off.”
“Hey, wait!” he yelled after me.
“Tell the seller to go fuck himself, we’ll take our resort somewhere else,” I hollered over my shoulder as Mateo showed me out of the office and to the car.
The driver took off immediately but it didn’t take long before he hit traffic. I looked out the window and watched as hundreds of protestors marched past, screaming and waving their signs. On the outskirts of the blocks, I could see armored vehicles rolling forward and armed police in riot gear readying themselves for a fight. I was pretty sure the vision of men in gas masks holding rifles would be burned into my mind forever but I didn’t care about me, I just wanted to get to Casey and Seth as fast as I possibly could. I pulled out my phone and pressed Casey’s number, holding the phone to my ear. It rang three times and went to voicemail. I hung up and dialed again, getting the same response. I flipped over to the hotel’s web page and called their front desk but I got nothing more than a busy signal. Frustrated, I tried Casey’s phone again but got nothing.
I tossed my phone across the car in anger, not knowing what to do. I guessed the only thing I could do was get there as fast as I could. Casey and Seth were my life, they were everything that I always wanted and I had finally gotten it. I loved those two more than my own life and as I thought about their sweet faces, regret started to surge through my chest. I never even thought twice as I cruised around the world, landing deals, seeing the sights, and going places. I never considered whether the places I was going were safe or not. But now, with a family, that should have been my first question. The world wasn’t a friendly place anymore and I was blinded by my luxury hotels, security, and cars, not even thinking about the fact that the world continued outside my little bubble and often not in a safe and secure manner.
Now, with Casey and Seth in my life, I had a responsibility to make sure they were safe and comfortable. I had the responsibility to look into these things before I packed them up and rushed them across the world. This was my first real test as a father and I felt like I completely failed. I walked my family directly into harm's way and didn’t even realize it until it was too late. The hotel was surrounded by angry people and angrier military and Seth and Casey were trapped on the top floor. The entire place was made of windows and there was only one real way out unless she drug Seth down a hundred flights of stairs. At that moment, I let the fear hit me straight in the heart. I felt completely vulnerable and helpless. I couldn’t do any more than I was already doing but it should have never come to that. I should have seen this coming and never come here in the first place. That asshole seller knew what he was dragging me into and when I got back, I would make sure he never sold that property to anyone. You don’t mess with the Canton family.
I took a deep breath, trying to push the fear out of my mind but it was no use. Losing Seth and Casey would be worse than losing my own life. I would be done, there would be nothing left of me. These two people were my life now and my heart and soul were invested in them. I looked up at Mateo who was listening to his boss’ instructions through his ear piece. When he hung up he looked over at me with a startled face.
“The security haven’t been able to get anywhere close,” he said. “We will have to take this matter into our own hands. The good news is, the stairwell is behind locked door from the bottom and the elevator will only work with your key, so they should be safe if they stay in their room.”
“Should be?”
“These protesters are not going to play nice and neither are the police,” he said. “When the police start moving forward, the protestors will go anywhere they can to find safety, breaking down doors, taking over businesses. I’ve seen it before. I’m being honest with you. The only thing we can do is get there and get them out.”
I nodded my head, not feeling any better at all about this situation. The helicopter I called wouldn’t be there for at least two hours. In two hours, it might be too late. We rolled through the city, getting closer as my stomach churned with fear.
Chapter 26: Casey
Things looked like they were starting to get out of hand. I watched in shock as police officers attacked protesters in the street, throwing them down and handcuffing them. There were fights breaking out everywhere and it was so jumbled that I couldn’t even tell who was who anymore. Large armored vehicles could be seen in the distance rolling toward the hotel, men in riot gear with large guns perched on top. Sirens were blasting loudly all over the place and the city’s emergency alarms were blaring from the speakers hanging off poles all around the city. I could see the merchants packing their things and running for cover, realizing this was no ordinary demonstration. Helicopters flew past the windows, shaking the glass, and playing recordings in Spanish aimed at the protesters below. Seth looked down as a man stood in the center of the street waving his flag high in the air as officers ran straight toward him with guns pointed in his direction.
“Seth,” I said, calling his attention to me so he wouldn’t see the man be tackled. “That’s a beautiful drawing. You are getting better and better at this every day.”
At the sound of shots ringing out in the streets, I grabbed Seth from in front of the window and set him on the couch, handing him his tablet to play with instead. It was getting too dangerous down there to keep watching from the windows, so I flipped on the news and kept tabs on the situation from there. The protesters were angry but the police seemed angrier and I watched as they began to clash in the streets. The situation looked like it was getting worse and worse. Fear flooded through my chest and I picked up my phone and dialed Dex. The call wouldn’t even go through and I growled, realizing the system must be flooded with calls. I watched the television, flipping back and forth between stations, reading the subtitles as fast I possibly could. As far as I knew the security never showed up but there was no way I could take the elevator downstairs to find out. If they were there, I didn’t need confirmation and if they weren’t, I would need to start thinking about how to protect Seth and me.
“What’s wrong mommy?”
“Nothing baby, just watch your show,” I said, kissing the top of his head and leaning back into the couch.
Seth was alert and aware that something was wrong and I was having a hard time hiding it from him. What started as an amazing trip turned into a nightmare and I was scanning through my brain trying to come up with a solution. It was just like me to think I could get Seth and me out of anything bad, to want to protect him from seeing or hearing anything that would scare him in the least. However, this was a situation I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to hide from him for much longer. He was smart and he had seen the police in the street, taking down protesters. I kicked myself for waiting so long before moving him onto the couch. He was just a baby, he didn’t need to see any of this.
“There are people down there that have something they want to say,” I explained to Seth. “They want to be free to make their own choices but they feel the only way to do that is to shout it really loud.”
“Is it illegal?”
“No.” I laughed at his brilliance. “Not exactly. But the police, they don’t want them to be here so now they are angry at each other. Things are different here than they are at home.”
“Are they going to hurt us?” His face looked sad and it immediately broke my heart.
“I’ll never let anyone hurt you,” I said, looking him straight in the eyes. “Everything will be okay. We are going to wait here for Dex and then we can figure it all out.”
I closed my eyes and thought about how we got there. We were having the most amazing honeymoon before we decided to take this business call. I was so worried about not leaving Dex’s side that I didn’t even think about the political unrest going on here. I had been following it on the news at home for weeks but when it came to jetting off with my new husband, everything just kind of left my mind. No wonder my mother seemed so nervous about me bringing Seth here. She told me to be safe in her worried tone before we left but I didn’t think anything more than the fact that Seth had never traveled overseas before. How stupid was it that I didn’t even connect the uprisings to where I was taking my family? I should have told Dex not to go, to do it remotely, but instead all I could think about was being with my husband. Nothing else mattered and now, these were the consequences of my thoughtless actions.
I picked my cell phone back up and tried to call Dex again but the calls were still being blocked. I got up and grabbed the hotel phone, calling down to the desk. The woman answered but it was so loud I couldn’t hear what she was saying. I hung up and dialed Dex’s cell phone number, hoping I could get through on the landline but even the landline did nothing but beep feverishly in my ear. I was so worried about being up here in the hotel that I hadn’t taken two seconds to think about the fact that Dex was down there in the middle of it all. Instantly, my heart began beating rapidly as I worried that something might have happened to him in the streets with all these protesters. What if they took over his car? What if he was trying to get to me and got injured in the process? The police didn’t know who were guests and who were protesters and his life could be in serious danger. To say that I was terrified would have downplaying it by leagues. At that point, my hands were shaking so bad I could barely hold onto the remote as I switched back to the local station.
As the live feed popped up on the screen, I froze, the remote falling from my hand and bouncing into the floor. The police had started to push in toward the protesters and they were running into the hotel. The doors were broken, glass was everywhere, and people were rolling around choking on the smoke bombs the police had thrown into the crowds. I flipped the news off and stopped, realizing the sounds of gun fire and rumbling were no longer coming from the television. I stood up and ran over to the emergency exit, grabbing a chair and lodging it under the handle. It would be locked from the outside but so was the door midway down and from the sounds of it, the protesters had made their way up to the top floor. If they could break through that door, they would be able to get through the front door. There were two emergency exits, one on the inside and one on the outside that the stairwell leads from the roof to the lobby.
Immediately, I turned and grabbed Seth off the couch and headed for the bathroom. I set him down and locked the door, pulled him into the bathtub with me and held him tightly in my arms. I didn’t know what else to do or where else to go at that moment. Seth was now scared, trembling in my arms as he realized I was scared too. The only thing I could think about was Dex and where he was. What if he had come to get me and got caught up in the crowd? What if one of those gunshots was meant for him? I couldn’t even control my thoughts at that moment. Terror flooded my body. I wrapped my arms around Seth and buried my face in his hair. I didn’t know where else to go or what else to do except barricade myself in that bathroom and hope that someone got to us before the police or protesters. As we sat there waiting, I thought about Dex, our history and the way that our lives had gone to bring us to this place. Though we were sitting here in danger, I didn’t regret Dex, I regretted not being more responsible as a mother.
I leaned over and grabbed my phone, dialing Dex’s number again but still getting the block. I was so frustrated and so scared that I couldn’t get my mind to work right. I could hear the rumbling of footsteps in the halls of the stairwells outside the hotel room. People were shouting, screaming even, and the muffled sounds of gunshots could be heard in the distance. With every bang my body jumped, holding Seth closer. I had never experienced anything like this before and I was completely beside myself. I was normally so brave, so level headed, but I had never been in a situation like this before. There were armed men all over the place, fighting for their freedom, fighting for their causes, while Seth and I hid from them, wishing we had never come to this country.
My thoughts turned to our penthouse in New York where it was safe and comfortable. It was insane to me that I was able to think of New York City as a safe place but compared to where we were, it seemed like Kansas. I wanted to be in our living room, watching Seth draw the buildings from the large windows, so high up we didn’t have to worry about anything. I wanted to hear Dex’s voice and feel his loving arms around me. I had never felt safer than when I was with him, but being in this situation alone was absolutely terrifying. Instead of being comforted and warm in our apartment, I was in a foreign country that decided to suddenly start a massive revolution. I was locked in an unfamiliar bathroom, in an unfamiliar place, where I barely understood the culture, much less knew how to fight through a major civil unrest. God, I hoped my mother wasn’t watching this from home, she would have a heart attack not knowing whether we were okay or not. The truth was, I didn’t even know if we were okay or not.
My thoughts shifted back to Dex and I wondered where he was at that moment. Dex had turned into my best friend and my partner, who would I turn to if Dex were gone? I had always been so courageous and independent but now, I was sitting here in a bathtub completely terrified and without any idea of what to do next. Where would I go if Dex was injured? How would I even find him? My breath increased and I felt like the walls were closing in around me. The noises outside began to ring loudly through my ears and I pressed my hands to my face, trying to calm down. I was having a panic attack and I needed to get it together. I set Seth down in the bathtub and climbed out, walking over to the sink and running the water. I splashed water onto my face to try to snap myself out of it. I grabbed the towel and blotted the water from my neck and cheeks. Slowly, I lifted my head and stared at myself in the mirror.
Get it together, Casey. With or without Dex, you have to figure out a way to survive this, for your son’s sake.
Chapter 27: Dex
The streets were flooded with protesters and it got so bad that the cars could no longer move through the crowd. The police tried to move them out of the street but every time they approached a brawl would ensue. In fact, I started to think we weren’t even safe inside the car anymore. I looked out the window at the droves of people holding their fists and signs in the air, chanting for their freedom and rights. I remembered watching protests like these on the television from home and thinking about how brave these people were for standing up for their rights. Now all I could think about was how dangerous they and the police had made it for everyone else in the city. Smoke bombs were going off all over the place and I could hear the faint rumble of gunshots in the distance. If it were this bad this far from the hotel, I could only imagine what it was like in the center of it all. Casey and Seth must be absolutely terrified being holed up in the hotel, hearing everything going on around them. I had to imagine them still in that room, I couldn’t even begin to think about anything bad happening to them.
I watched as Mateo leaned forward to the driver and whispered something in his ear before returning to the seat in front of me. He looked up and motioned to the seat belt so I reached over and quickly fastened it around me. The car took a quick left turn down the empty street and began to speed up. I looked at Mateo, confused as to where we were going.
“What’s going on? The hotel is in the other direction,” I said. “We have to get to them.”
“I know,” Mateo said with a serious tone. “The streets are completely blocked. The further we go the more violent it is going to get. The videos show that the protesters have pushed into the hotel and the cops are already engaging anyone on the streets. We will never get there if we keep going in that direction. We are going to the closest airfield, you can charter a helicopter from there. With any luck and your deep pockets, we can get to the top of the hotel faster than we could run down through that crowd.”
“What if they don’t have any helicopters? My pilot is stuck right now as everyone is fleeing the city,” I explained.
“This is a small carrier,” he explained. “It’s mostly used by militia and military. There should be plenty. And if not, we will go from there. Right now, this is our only choice.”
Maybe he was right, maybe going through that mess was the worst thing we could possibly do. If the other guards hadn’t even made it there yet, it would be hours before we could get to Casey. Hours in which anything could go wrong and hours that would pass while my wife and child sat terrified inside the suite, waiting for someone to help them. And what if something happened? What if they needed help and we didn’t try to get there any faster? I could never live with myself if I made the wrong decision and it cost me my family. That was something that I couldn’t even start to imagine, a fear so deep that my mind refused to let me think about it. So, seeing as Mateo had been through situations like this before and he knew the area, I decided that going along with whatever he thought was best was the right thing to do at that moment.
I nodded my head and looked out as we sped through the streets and out of the city. Right on the edge of the metropolis was a small airfield with older helicopters parked in the tall grasses. As we approached the gate, Mateo rolled down his window and nodded at the guard. The man with the large gun peered into the car and stared at me suspiciously. Mateo spoke to him quietly and they opened the gates for us. When we approached the small shack at the front, Mateo and I jumped out and hurried inside. He spoke to the man for me since I didn’t speak fluent Spanish, relaying my requests and offering to pay double when he seemed uneasy. As soon as the money was offered, he shook his head and yelled to the pilot in the background. We watched as he jogged out to the helicopter and began preparing it for flight. It was obvious that the owner had told him to make haste as he threw the contents of the chopper on the ground and readied it as fast as his hands could move. I handed over the cash to the owner and raced after Mateo, jumping in the chopper and buckling in. They pushed headphones on me so I could hear them talk and I held on tightly as the blades began to turn above us.
As the helicopter took to the air and moved into the city, I could see the droves of people moving toward the hotel. There were thousands of them carrying signs and protesting the political division within their worlds but all I could think about was Casey and Seth trapped in the top of the hotel. I had spent my entire life emboldened by the fact that I was a lone wolf, capable of any and everything on my own. My independence had been the most important aspect of my life but now, as I flew toward fate, I realized that independence meant nothing to me. I no longer felt like a lone wolf but instead like the alpha, protecting his family, keeping them close, and making sure they were safe. I wanted to have Casey and Seth by my side for the rest of my life where I could always ensure their safety. They were the only things in my life that I cared about anymore, even beyond the company and way beyond my independence. In all reality, this situation was the first time I had ever felt completely dependent on someone else to lead me in the right direction. I threw my boldness to the wind, as I didn’t want to make the wrong choice and have the consequences affect those dearest and closest to me.
We circled around the block and hovered over top of the hotel. I could see people spilling out onto the rooftop, waving their signs and tending to their injuries. The place was swarming with protesters running from the police and they had broken through the stairwell blockades that lead straight past the suites that Casey and Seth were in. My heart was beating heavily in my chest as we touched down, immediately jumping from the helicopter and making our way toward the door. I turned back to Mateo as he listened to his earpiece, nodding. He grabbed my arm and pulled me close, yelling loudly over the crowds and sound of the helicopter behind us.
“The other guys are on their way,” he yelled. “Let’s get to the suite and try to get them out.”
I nodded my head and pushed my way through the crowd of people and into the stairwell. The place was packed full of people, some injured, some hiding, but all in a chaotic state. I took a deep breath realizing that the only thing standing between me and my family were these people and though I felt for them and their plight, they were the enemy in my eyes. I pushed forward, breaking through the crowd, pushing people out of the way, and stopping for only a moment as I wrestled past those who wanted to heckle us. Mateo was behind me keeping the path clear as I shoved and pushed one step at a time. As I hit the landing where the door to the suites sat wide open, a man in a ski mask jumped in front of me. He squared up in front of the door not wanting to let me by. At that moment, Casey and Seth’s faces flashed through my mind and I ran forward plowing into the guy and rolling through the doorway. I stood up and reared back, punching him in the jaw and pushing him into Mateo.
The guy stumbled backward, grabbing his face and trying to get his footing. He looked up at me, anger flashing in his eyes, but before he could come back at me, my bodyguard grabbed him by the shoulder. The guy spun around and looked up slowly, standing a good foot and half shorter than the guard. Mateo shook his head at the man and watched as he put his hands up and ran back into the stairwell. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the reaction he had, though I didn’t blame him since my bodyguard stood at about seven feet tall and was wider than three of me put together. It was kind of strange to think this giant man was so calm and collected in times like these. He nodded his head toward the suite door and I looked, letting out a deep breath as I noticed that the door was still there strong and secure. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the card, hoping the security systems were still intact. As I swiped the card and turned the handle, I smiled, pushing the door open and peering inside. I turned back to Mateo.
“Stay here, protect the door until the others get here,” I said. “I’m going to grab them and we can get out of here.”
He nodded his head and turned his back to me, crossing his arms and standing guard as people flooded from one emergency exit to another. I crept into the apartment wanting to be safe in my approach in case anyone had gotten in and was holding my wife and child in a dangerous manner. I looked around the living room but it was empty. I hurried into our room but nothing was there except our half-packed luggage. Slowly, I turned the corner and looked into Seth’s room but again, the place was empty. Immediately, dread filled my stomach as I walked over to the glass and looked down at the drawings Seth had done. His crayons were still all over the floor and his picture wasn’t finished.
“Casey,” I yelled in panic. “Casey where are you?”
I looked around the room for any sign of where they might have gone. Everything was just as I had left it before we went to lunch. There was no sign of a struggle, no panicked exit, nothing. As my eyes moved across the space, they landed on the bathroom door, which was closed. The light was shining through the crack underneath it so I ran over and started pounding on the door. After pounding for a moment, I stopped and listened, trying to figure out whether they were in there or not. I didn’t hear a single sound so I jiggled the doorknob and started pounding again. Either they were in there and hurt, or they were so scared they didn’t know what to do. Just the thought of them being alone and hurt sent panic through me and I pounded harder against the door. Exhausted, I let my arms hit my sides and I leaned my forehead against the door. Maybe they weren’t in there at all.
I turned to go get the guard, thinking he could take the door right off the hinges. As I stepped forward, I heard a whimper that echoed into a scream coming from the inside of the bathroom. It was Casey and she was absolutely terrified, her scream showing something was not right at all.
Chapter 28: Casey
My hands were shaking so hard I could barely even hold onto Seth. The phone still wasn’t working and I had no idea where Dex was or if he was even okay. I could hear the crowds of people yelling and running through the halls and up the emergency stairwells. The sounds of sirens echoed through the entire building and an alarm had been triggered inside the hotel. Lights flashed above the bathroom door and Seth grabbed onto me, frightened by all the sounds. I wanted so badly to calm my son, to make him feel like everything was going to be okay but I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on enough to calm even myself. It had been hours since all of this started and we were still hunkered down in the bathroom listening to the protesters trample through the hotel. Muffled gunshots rang out below us and I wondered if people were dying or were they rubber bullets like they used in the US during riots? This had to be the worst situation I had ever been in and all I wanted to do was hear the sound of Dex’s voice, feel his comforting arms around us, and get our little boy to safety.
We sat very quietly, listening to all the sounds around us, wondering when those sounds would get closer and if they did, what I needed to do to get us out safely. In reality, the bathroom seemed like the right choice but I had ultimately cornered us, not leaving any space to make a run for it. Part of me thought about leaving the bathroom and venturing through the crowds trying to get to safety but I knew that the sight of a woman and child wasn’t as strong during these kinds of events as they would be back home. These people were angry and though I understood their plight, I couldn’t help but see them as the enemy keeping me and my son from safety. I listened carefully as the sound of fighting out in the hallway rung out and I grasped onto Seth hoping it would quickly end and move on. However, as the fighting ended I could hear the click of the front door, someone was inside the room. Footsteps echoed all around us as someone searched the space, looking for something or someone. I heard the person yell something out but between the alarms and the sounds in the hall, I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Seth began to whimper and cry. I pulled him close, trying not to give away our hiding space. We ducked down in the tub, finding solace in the porcelain sides, listening as the footsteps grew closer. Suddenly there was a loud banging noise on the bathroom door and I covered my mouth to stifle a scream. The person banged for several moments and Seth pressed his face against my chest. When the banging stopped, I took in a slow quiet breath, hoping they would just leave. But as my shoulders began to relax they knocked loudly again, scaring Seth and me half to death. Tears flooded my eyes as I sat completely unable to do anything. I could see the shadow of the person’s shoes under the crack in the door and I sat very still. As he continued to bang on the door, I could no longer hold it in and Seth whimpered loudly as I let out a scared and frustrated scream.
“Leave us alone,” I screamed incoherently.
The banging stopped and a voice shouted over the alarms. “Casey? Casey, it’s me,” Dex shouted. “Open the door baby, it’s okay. I’m here.”
I kissed Seth on the forehead and set him down, scrambling from the tub. I grabbed the door handle and flung it open, tears flowing down my cheeks. I dropped to my knees balling as Seth climbed out and ran to my side. Dex dropped down and wrapped his arms around the both of us, squeezing us tightly and letting the emotion take over. We sat there in each other's arms for several minutes, letting the reality of safety set in. Seth wrapped his arms around Dex’s neck and refused to let go. Dex’s hands were shaking and I could tell how nervous and scared he was. He buried his face into our son's neck, a small tear flowing down his cheek.
“I’m so sorry,” he cried out. “I never meant to put you guys in this situation. I would have never brought you here if I knew this was going on. I promise I am going to get you guys out of here. We have a helicopter waiting on the roof and the jet is ready to go on the runway. Please forgive me for this, I would never put you two in harm's way, ever.”
“I know,” I said, pulling his head toward mine. “Just don’t leave my side, please. Stay with us. I was so scared that something might have happened to you. I couldn’t even start to imagine what I would do without you.”
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too,” I replied, closing my eyes and feeling the warmth of his touch.
“Come on,” he said standing with Seth still wrapped around his neck. “We need to get out of here.”
I shook my head yes and grabbed my cell phone, checking my pockets to make sure I had all our information. As we walked out into the living room we could hear the gunshots out in the streets. Things were getting worse than they already were. These people were no longer protesting and were now fighting for their lives. Screams could be heard out in the hallway as people raced in and out of the stairwell. I looked around the room, trying to find our things.
“What about our stuff?”
“Leave it,” Dex yelled over the sirens. “It’s just stuff. It can all be replaced, you can’t.”
I stopped for just a moment and realized what kind of man Dex had grown into. As he stood there reaching for my hand, cradling our son in his arms, and pushing us to safety, I knew that Dex was not the man I met six years before. Instead, this Dex was strong, brave, and didn’t give a damn about anything but me and our son. He truly loved us even more than I already knew and because of that, I trusted him whole heartedly with our lives. I reached out and took his hand, following behind him to the door. When we reached the hallway, there were six large bodyguards waiting for us. I nodded my head at them and smiled, knowing they were there to get us out of this situation in one piece.
“This is what we are going to do,” the large man at the door yelled. “We are going to surround you like a bubble. You just stay in that circle and we will push everyone out of the way. Once you are in the helicopter, don’t wait for us, we are going to go back down to the office. Just get out of here safely and go somewhere a lot quieter than this!”
I laughed as he raised his eyebrows at me, looking up as another protester limped quickly across the hall and up the stairwell. I took a deep breath and stood next to Dex, grasping his hand tightly as the bodyguards swarmed around us, creating a protective barrier. The biggest guy shook his head and pointed to the stairs. We all started walking forward in a group, pushing our way into the crowded stairs. There were hundreds of people in there already and I couldn’t help but feel bad for not helping those that were obviously injured. The protesters looked defeated and they stared at us as we made our way up the stairwell. Some people shouted at us in Spanish while others ignored our presence entirely, tending to their wounded and trying to create a plan to get out of the hotel without being spotted by the police. I couldn’t even begin to imagine living in a world where this was the normal way of life. I couldn’t imagine coming out to protest for freedom and being shot at by police, beat up in the streets, and arrested. Though I was more than happy to be getting out, my heart went out to these people.
We pushed up the last set of stairs and out onto the roof. The sun was beginning to set in the distance and I stopped for a moment to look out at the horizon. While all this unrest was occurring, there was still a beautiful piece of life floating in the distance. The place was still gorgeous despite the smoke rising from the burning cars, the sirens blaring into the streets, and the smell of smoke bombs wafting through the air. I looked up as Dex pulled on my hand, motioning for me to get into the helicopter. I climbed up inside and took Seth from Dex, wrapping my arms around him and kissing his forehead. I watched as Dex walked over to the largest of the guards, shook his hand, and thanked him for everything. The guard refused the money Dex tried to hand him but instead shouted for him to take care of us because there were a lot of people today who would no longer have that luxury.
He nodded his head and made his way into the helicopter, buckling his seatbelt and taking my hand as we lifted off from the pad. As we got higher and higher in the sky, I let out a deep breath of relief. We had made it out safely, something I wasn’t sure would actually happen. I squeezed Dex’s hand tightly as we sped through the air, looking down at all the people marching and fighting in the streets below. Right at the base of the hotel, there was a loud bang and a bright flash and smoke began to rise. Someone had set off a bomb right where hundreds of people were standing. Tears flowed down my face as I watched the groups get farther and farther from me, knowing there were more casualties than I realized. What I heard in the bathroom, hiding in the bathtub, was just the beginning of the chaos that was ensuing in the streets of Caracas. People were there to fight and that’s exactly what they were met with.
When the helicopter landed at the airstrip, we were quickly ushered off toward the plane. We could hear the sirens in the distance and I knew this wasn’t something that was going to end anytime soon. I carried Seth onto the jet and buckled him quickly into one of the seats. I took the seat next to him and held his hand tightly as Dex sat down across from us. The crew worked quickly and before I knew it, the plane was headed down the runway and into the air. As soon as we took flight, I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes, letting the emotion of the event completely fill me. Tears streamed down my face and I sobbed. These tears encompassed everything from the fear I felt, the helplessness that filled me, and the empathy for those who were hurt or killed in the events taking place. Sitting in that bathroom, I never thought I would feel fear like that ever again, but I realized as we soared off to safety in our private jet, it was only an ounce of what those people would feel on a daily basis.
Dex reached over and took my hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it softly. I opened my eyes and looked at his comforting face. This was exactly where I needed to be and I couldn’t be more grateful that we were actually here, safe and together.
Chapter 29: Dex
I let us get in the air and out of the Venezuelan airspace before going to talk to the pilots. When the turbulence had passed and we were free to unbuckle, Casey took Seth back to the bedroom on the jet to try to get Seth to take a nap. He was still pretty shaken up from the experience and we fully expected to have him talk to a professional when we got back home. In all reality, it would probably be a good idea for all of us to go see a therapist after an event like that, especially Casey who had such a sensitive nature. I could tell she was really hurt by the violence and the death she watched happen right before her eyes. It was one thing to watch it on a movie screen, it was another thing entirely to see it firsthand. Even though she tried to hide it, I could tell Casey was really messed up after watching everything go down like that. I waited until she slid the bedroom door shut before walking up to the pilot’s quarters.
“Evening Mr. Canton,” the pilot said, tipping his hat. “Have you figured out a destination for us yet? I set the course for home so we could take off but I can change that at any point.”
“I want to take them somewhere calm, quiet, and safe,” I replied. “Somewhere exotic in nature, you know, something that the whole family can enjoy but is perfect for Mrs. Canton. We cut our honeymoon short to end up in that mess. It has turned into a family affair but I want her to enjoy herself. We don’t want anywhere crowded and I am definitely thinking a warm climate.”
“How about back to the South Pacific?”
“Sure, sure,” I responded, picturing the crystal blue oceans. “But I don’t have the yacht anymore.”
“How about Bali?” The stewardess had stepped into the room. “There's a part of the island where it's pretty much secluded. You won’t find all the tourists there. They have cabins with glass floors so you can see down in the water. I bet the little guy would love to watch the fish swim by under his feet.”
“That sounds perfect,” I said, shaking my head. “Can you book one of those for us?”
“Sure,” she replied, smiling and leaving the cockpit.
“I’ll charter our plane for Bali, sir,” the pilot responded without question.
“Thank you,” I replied, thinking about surprising them with an amazing vacation. “Oh, and I’m going to be in the bedroom with the family, we’re trying to get the little man to sleep. Ring me if you need anything.”
“Absolutely sir,” the pilot responded.
I shook my head, feeling completely out of it from everything we had just gone through. I walked into the main area and sat down for a moment, opening my laptop and checking my messages. I wanted to make sure Joe got to safety as well, so I sent him a quick note before looking up the accommodations that the stewardess recommended. They looked absolutely amazing, quiet and just what I was looking for in a vacation for the three of us. I watched out the window as the sky changed into deep hues of oranges and pinks. This time change had really affected my ability to think straight, not to mention I hadn’t slept in forever. Everything was nice and calm now but my mind was still reeling from almost losing the loves of my life. I yawned and walked back to the bedroom to check on Casey.
I slowly slid the door open and peeked inside, smiling at what I saw in front of me. Casey and Seth were curled up on the gigantic bed, sound asleep next to each other. I leaned over and switched the light off before crawling in beside them. I sat with my head propped in my hand, watching that beautiful little boy and his absolutely stunning mother sleeping safely and soundly in my bed. I had never been as scared as I was back there, just trying to get to my wife and child. They were everything to me and the exhaustion of it all was catching up to me. I laid my head down on the pillow and pulled Casey close, feeling her snuggle into my body. As the plane soared toward a better destination, I fell fast asleep with my family beside me.
By the time we all woke up, the plane was getting ready to land in Bali. We were all so exhausted that we slept straight through the trip. We carefully buckled Seth in and sat next to each other, holding hands as the plane landed on the runway. Casey looked out the window, curious of where we had gone. I looked and her and smiled as the plane taxied.
“Welcome to Bali,” I said quietly. “A nice, safe, trip for the three of us.”
“It looks amazing,” she said, gawking at the blue waters out the window.
I smiled at the stewardess as she informed me that everything was set up and the car was waiting outside. We piled into the limo and sat back, watching Seth as he gazed out the window at the beautiful scenery. He seemed to be just fine after a good long sleep and even Casey’s cheeks were showing some color again. We stopped at the store on the way in, picking up some toiletries for the cabana since we left everything behind in Caracas. The stewardess took the liberty of having whole new wardrobes sent over for us. They were waiting in the closets when we got there. The limo drove up to the pier and let us out. Casey’s mouth dropped open as she gazed out at the large house sitting in the water at the end of the pier.
I held Seth’s hand as we walked down the water and into the house. Immediately Seth started running around, chasing the fish swimming underneath him. The entire floor was made of glass and even in the late afternoon sun, lights lit up the water below showing the dazzling coral and a multitude of colorful fish swimming around. Casey looked down smiling as Seth giggled, running his hands over the floor.
“This is really cool,” she said, leaning in to kiss me. “Thank you.”
“You deserve it,” I replied, slapping her on the butt playfully as she walked away.
She looked back and me and winked as she walked into the bedroom and looked at all the clothes that had been delivered for us. Casey shook her head, impressed that I had been able to get everything together in such a short amount of time. We spent the rest of the evening lounging around, eating a good hearty meal out on the porch, overlooking the lapping water, and then put Seth to bed together as a family. I looked down at that little boy, dressed in dinosaur pajamas and snuggled with his new stuffed animals, and thanked my lucky stars that we were still here to enjoy such an amazing life together. These two were so amazing and I got to continue to be part of their lives. I watched as Casey leaned down and kissed Seth’s cheek, pulling the blanket up to his chin and switching off the lamp.
We slowly crept out of the bedroom and into the living room where I turned and pulled Casey into my arms. I hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go. I could feel her let out a deep sigh as she pressed her face against my chest. I rubbed my hands through her hair and pulled her chin up to me, kissing her lips softly. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, even with tired eyes and messy hair.
“For those moments when we were apart and I was terrified of losing you, my life was completely empty. I was so scared that I would come back and you would be gone,” I said, looking deep into her eyes. “I promise to devote every second of my life to making you happy and building our family. You have made me the happiest and the luckiest man on earth and I will never take that for granted. Ever.”
My hands were still shaking from the day’s events but I grasped her head in my hands and gently pressed my lips to hers. She breathed deeply as she leaned into my mouth, pulling her hands up and wrapping them around my neck. I grabbed her waist and pulled her in as close as I could get her, feeling her mouth move passionately over mine. Immediately, my love and lust exploded from my chest and I reached down, scooping her into my arms. As I walked, we continued to kiss, not wanting to part from each other’s skin for even a moment. I made my way into our bedroom and sat down in the chair, holding her in my lap as my hands ran through her hair. The passion behind our kiss was more than I had ever known and it was too good to stop.
She leaned in close to my chest, playing with the hair at the nape of my neck as our tongues explored each other’s mouths. She tasted even better than before and I couldn’t seem to break away from her lips. However, as she leaned her head back, signaling for my mouth to explore other places, I ran my tongue down her chin and across her neck. She pulled back up and tilted her head to the side as I nibbled on the edge of her neck. I could feel her breath against my ear and the warmth sent shivers running up my spine. She leaned in and sucked lightly on my earlobe as I pushed my hands up her back and to the zipper at the top of her dress. Slowly, I pulled it down, keeping my lips pressed against her skin. The window to the cabana was open, blowing warm air across the room. As her zipper reached just above her ass, I pulled my hands up and ran them across her warm subtle skin. I could feel her goosebumps rise as my fingers just barely skimmed her back and she moaned quietly against my ear.
I stood back up and set her down carefully on her bare feet, pushing the zipper the rest of the way down and pulling her dress from her body. I leaned down and took her hard nipple in my mouth, swishing my tongue across it, glad she wasn’t wearing a bra. I cupped her breasts and massaged them softly, listening to her breathing pick up speed. I bent down on my knees and smoothed my hands over her thighs, reaching up and pulling her panties down to her ankles. She set one hand on my shoulder as she stepped out of them and immediately moved her feet apart as my fingers brushed over her wet mound. I looked up at her as I pushed my fingers into her folds, feeling her juices sopping from her pussy. She gasped as I rounded my fingertips against her clit and kissed her right above the wetness.
I watched as she spread her legs further and grabbed onto the bedpost, stabilizing herself. I took two fingers and separated her pussy, licking my lips and sticking my tongue in between. She tasted amazing as I gently pushed her to a sitting position, hooking her legs over my shoulders and leaning forward into her pussy. It was sopping wet and I moved my tongue over her with a soft passion. She grasped onto the wooden pole, leaning her head back as I massaged her nub with my tongue, making sure to kiss and lick every inch of her. She leaned back into the covers and I pulled her forward into my face.
This woman deserved every sensual moment I could give her.
Chapter 30: Casey
He had never touched me in such a seductive and passionate way as he was in that moment. His tongue lapped at my wetness gently but firmly and I could feel his lust surrounding me. I leaned back on the covers as his mouth moved over my mound, taking me to an entirely different level of pleasure. I could feel his hands move over my thighs and down between my legs. As his tongue waved over my clit, he slid two fingers through my juices and then deep inside of me. I arched my back with pleasure as he pushed his fingers slowly in and out of me, building the orgasm already simmering in my stomach. He lifted my body higher into the air and ran his tongue from my ass to my clit, sending shivers of pleasure up my spine. I moaned out, feeling him touching me with his tongue. I reached my hand down and moved it through his curly hair as my hips began to grind against his tongue. I already wanted him so badly but I knew he wanted to really take his time and I was fine with that.
As my hips began to move faster, he could sense that I was beginning to build toward release. He pushed his lips against my wetness and moved it like he was just kissing my mouth. I grabbed on to his arms as I moved my hips, wanting to feel him taste me, wanting to hear my juices mixing with his. Just the thought of it mixed with his hot breath and warm wet tongue pushed me over the edge and I came, moaning loudly and arching my back with pleasure. He groaned as he lapped the juices that spilled out of me, fingering me faster and faster as the waves of ecstasy ran through my body. That had to be the quickest he ever made me orgasm and it just made me want more. I could feel a smile wash across his face as he moved up my body and laid down to the side of me.
I turned my head toward him, our eyes meeting in full pleasure and lust. I pulled on him to climb on top of me but he shook his head, pushing my thighs apart and pushing his fingers between my legs. He stared deep into my eyes as he rubbed my pussy with his hands, skimming over my clit just enough to catch the sensitivity from the last orgasm. Our locked eyes made the moment extremely tense and I bit my lip as he massaged my mound, leaning his head down to suck on my breast as he moved. Each time he brought his head back up he latched onto me with his gorgeous blue eyes. His stare was intense and after a few moments, I could feel the pleasure beginning to rise again. My pussy was sopping wet and I spread my knees to the side as he leaned forward and began rubbing harder. It was obvious he was determined to give me multiple orgasms before even putting his cock anywhere near me.
“I want to watch you come,” he whispered.
I bit my lip and closed my eyes, arching my back as he leaned in heavily, slipping two fingers inside of me and moving them up and down with the rhythm of my hips. I breathed heavily as the orgasm began to heat up in my belly, pushing the covers to the side and letting my body open up to him. As the pleasure started to move through me I moaned loudly, opening my eyes and staring deep into his. He bit his lip and fingered me deeper, watching as I grabbed my tits and massaged them.
“Yes.” I moaned. “Oh God, don’t stop.”
“Mmm.” He groaned, watching me get closer and closer to my climax.
He wrapped one leg around mine as I writhed and wriggled underneath him, the building pleasure reaching its peak. I could feel every stroke of his fingers inside me as I leaned my head back and opened my mouth, gasping as the orgasm took hold. My hips moved in waves as he pushed his fingers deep and hard inside of me. I screamed out as the pleasure of his hands paralyzed me, pushing juices from my body and taking my breath right out of my chest. As I released my breath, I could feel my body shaking and I grabbed on to Dex’s face, kissing him deeply and passionately.
“Make love to me,” I whispered, looking in his eyes.
“With pleasure,” he said, rolling over on top of me and pushing slowly into my wetness.
I gasped as his huge cock filled me up and I released my legs, opening my hips so I could feel every inch of him. He pulled his hands up to my face and leaned in kissing me deeply as he ground over my body with his. The wind from the open window picked up and I could feel the cool air hit my moist skin, causing me to shiver. Dex reached down and pulled the sheets over our bodies and continued to move in and out of me, never breaking eye contact except to lean in and kiss my lips again and again. As he pulled his mouth from mine he sat up on his knees and fell back on his butt, reaching his hand forward and pulling me to a sitting position.
Dex reached his arms forward and grabbed my waist, pulling me in toward him until I was facing him with my legs wrapped around his waist. He reached down and pulled his cock up, sliding it deep into me and grabbing my ass. I moved my hips in a circular motion as he pulled me in and out, feeling his cock go deep inside and swirl around. The feeling was new and incredible and I instantly knew there was another round of pleasure coming for me. He growled as he pulled me in hard and pushed me back out, the heat rising as his pleasure increased. I could see his eyes grow dark as he stared at me, grasping my ass and pushing his cock deep inside. I put my arms down on his legs for leverage and swayed my hips around, feeling him fill me completely.
As our passion turned to lust, Dex pushed hard, pulling me toward him and groaning loudly as he exploded into orgasm. I could feel his cock pulsating inside of me as he closed his eyes and pressed his mouth against mine, stifling his moan. I grasped onto his legs, feeling his whole body tense as he expelled his thick seed inside of me. I kissed his face as his muscles began to relax and he opened his eyes, staring deeply into mine. Dex leaned forward and kissed me passionately, releasing his grip on my ass and grabbing my face with his strong hand. What had happened had deeply affected me to the point where I couldn’t shake that terrified feeling from the pit of my stomach. However, what affected me, even more, was how rocked Dex was emotionally. I could feel his love for me in every single touch. I had never felt more secure in our bond or more cherished than I did in that moment.
He leaned forward and laid me down on my back, pulling out of me and scooting up next to my body. I laid there staring up at the ceiling just enjoying being close to him. I could feel his fingertips trailing over my stomach and hips as he watched my face, thinking about something. I turned my head toward him and closed my eyes as he brushed the hair from my face and continued to stroke me. His hands were exactly what I needed and I couldn’t, even for a second, imagine what it was like not having him that close to me. He had been so fully affected by the events earlier that he was trying to show me exactly how much he loved me. We laid next to each other in silence, feeling our bond grow even more than it already was. The breeze from the open window cooled our bodies from the passionate love we just made. I yawned quietly and turned toward him, watching as his blue eyes glimmered while the back drop of the ocean floor danced across the walls.
“You know what I think we need?”
“What’s that?” I brushed his curls behind his ears and looked longingly into his eyes.
“A little sister for Seth,” he said, smiling.
I tilted my head back and laughed, knowing that he was serious about making our family as big as we could possibly handle. Love filled my chest at the thought of carrying a child with Dex by my side. It was hard going through it all alone with Seth and I knew that I wanted to share in that experience with Dex. He had turned into such an amazing partner and father, that there was nothing but agreeance in my tone. I was so happy that I almost wanted to pinch myself to make sure that it was real. Six years ago I stared up at this man thinking I would never see him again, and though life has been tumultuous, to say the least, it had turned out absolutely amazing. How could I not want to make another baby with this man? He was devoted, caring, loving, and the man I had been waiting for my entire life. There wasn’t even a spark of a doubt in my mind when it came to whether I thought Dex would be there for us. He was here, and we were a family, and that wasn’t going anywhere.
Before I could open my mouth to answer we turned toward the closed door, hearing Seth giggling out in the living room. I looked over at Dex and lifted my eyebrows, loving the look of adoration on his face. He pulled me up and out of the bed, reaching into my drawer to grab me a nightgown. We both dressed, trying not to laugh back at the adorable giggle coming from the other room. I cracked the door and peeked out, seeing Seth sitting with his back to us on the glass floors. We slowly opened the door and tiptoed out, wanting to see what was so magical for this little boy that it would fill him with laughter. As we stepped forward we noticed the crayons spread out around him and watched as he attempted to trace the swimming fish on the glass floors. I covered my mouth, stifling an awe and looked up at Dex who was doing the same thing. How adorable was that? Seth was trying to capture the swimming fish, and instead of getting frustrated at their movements, it made him giggle with happiness.
I reached down and grabbed two crayons off the floor and handed one to Dex. He looked down at the piece of colored wax in his hand and smiled big, understanding what I was suggesting. We both moved around Seth and looked down at him as he froze, unsure of whether to run or just accept his punishment. I sat down on the floor and looked at his beautiful artwork. Seth watched as Dex sat down next to him and shook his head in approval.
“That’s a really beautiful picture,” Dex said, looking at the floor. “But I think it needs some of this.”
Seth watched with wide eyes as Dex began to draw on the floor as well. He was more than shocked that we decided to join in instead of scolding him for being creative. I watched Dex and Seth laugh as they chased the fish around the floor with their crayons. I had finally found exactly where I was supposed to be. Our family couldn’t have been any more perfect.