Salvaging Love, page 18
“I’m proud of you,” she whispered.
He stopped walking and glanced at her, and she took the opportunity to rise and place her lips on his. This night was for him and, whatever issues she had, he was making it a point to take care of her and she wanted to step up and support him. All her worries and past could come later. She put her hand on his neck to hold his head to her for a moment. “I know how much this night means to you.”
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. Then he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “You trying to get me to play hooky and take you back upstairs and fuck you again?”
“Jackson!” Ellie laughed and stepped out of his arms.
He chuckled and took her hand back so they could make their way through the people to get drinks.
The Jennifer Kincaid Annual Gala & Auction is huge, Ellie thought, taking in the ballroom.
Her beautiful man kept surprising her. And she’d almost missed this. Thank goodness for her friends who’d pushed her to be brave. The place sparkled, from the chandeliers to the candles on the tables to the amazing dresses the women wore. Jackson’s mother would have been proud of him. Ellie swallowed back the sudden rush of tears at the thought of what his mother had had to go through, and that she couldn’t be here to see her own son creating an event that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars every year for victims of domestic violence and their children.
She felt silly now, for her own worry over coming tonight. Over returning to New York for the first time since she’d escaped almost ten years ago. Not silly. She wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling. She knew her fears and past trauma were not something to laugh about, but she took strength from him. If Jackson could create such goodness in the face of his horrible nightmares, then she could do the same. She had miles to go before she was fully healed, but she’d made it here and she considered that a small victory.
She’d met lots of people, they’d had a fabulous dinner, and Ellie had slipped away to the restroom. Now she stood watching the glamorous people. A few danced. Others ordered drinks at the bar. Streams perused the tables of auction items. Villas in Italy, the latest Tesla, expensive wines Ellie had never heard of.
Luxury. She didn’t need it, but it helped for events like this that others desired it and had the money to pay for it. Luxury, what an interesting word. She smiled when she picked Jackson out of the crowd. All the way across the room and he pinned her with that intimate smile and heated look, all for her. All of him for her. She smiled back. I’ve found my own luxury in the arms of that man.
She weaved her way through the sparkling gowns. She’d been here before, among the rich and famous, the diamonds. For her, as a child, it had been her nightmare, her shame. Unlike when she was a child, now she held her head high. She wasn’t that girl anymore. She’d made it on her own, and she’d surrounded herself with people who cared about her. That was the life she wanted. She’d carved it out for herself and, damn, it felt good.
As she rounded the last table, Ellie had been so focused on Jackson that she hadn’t noticed the woman approach him from his side. That voice, a sound she would recognize anywhere. The sound of terror, and in an instant her calm and bravery shattered.
Still tall, still thin. Dark brown hair cascaded down her back in straight lines. And her creamy complexion—not a blemish or freckle to be found. Perfection. Ellie knew how much it cost her to wear that mask of perfection. Her addiction. But not her only addiction. Ellie saw the glass of champagne in her hand. Drunk. Another wave of memory swarmed Ellie. Her mother liked her champagne.
“Mr. Kincaid,” the woman purred and plastered her body against Jackson’s. “I’ve been wanting to meet you all night. The work you’re doing for women.” She pretended to wipe a tear. Ellie recognized that move too. “I’d love to join you in this endeavor. Perhaps we could go somewhere quiet and talk?” Ellie watched in disgust as her worst nightmare slithered over her gorgeous man.
Jackson unwrapped her from his body and set her away from him. Ellie bit out, “Mother?”
Jackson’s entire body locked.
“What are you doing here?” her mother spat.
Ahh, Ellie thought, how quickly the façade falls. Too much to drink already? Or a mixture of alcohol and pills? Ellie braced for the abuse, for the smell of alcohol on her breath while she yelled. Her childhood rushed in and backhanded her.
“El,” Jackson said, looking down at her. He had both her hands in his and she relaxed a bit with the soothing caress of his thumbs on her skin.
“Who let you in?” Her mother whipped her hand around, sloshing her champagne on her dress and the floor. “Get me a napkin, now, you idiot,” she sneered at Ellie and stumbled on her heels, catching herself on the edge of the bar. Ellie stood in shock, her mouth open, her heart pounding like she’d had too much coffee on an empty stomach and the coffee was threatening to come back up. “Mr. Kincaid.” Her mother’s voice was sultry again. “She doesn’t belong here. Call security and they’ll escort her out. Security,” she yelled. People around them had stopped in mid-conversation to watch.
Jackson wrapped his arm around Ellie’s waist and tugged her close. “She’s here because she’s mine.” Ellie leaned into his warmth, not sure if she could even hold herself up.
“What?” her mother said. “This stupid, fat cow? With a broken nose? She never did get it fixed, I see. Well, it doesn’t make much of a difference anyway.”
Ellie put her hand on her nose to shield herself as if she could feel the base of the ceramic lamp smashing into her thirteen-year-old face and knocking her out all over again. Jackson reacted like someone had kicked him. He let go of Ellie’s hands and faced her mother.
“Bartender, I need more champagne, now,” her mother said. She swallowed back the rest of her drink and slammed it on the bar. “My God. You should have seen her when I broke it. She was so upset, crying and crying, and the blood… I had to toss out both Persian rugs in the living room.”
“What the fuck?” Jackson said. Ellie had never seen or heard him this angry. He stepped in front of her, his body partially shielding her from her mother.
“Jackson.” Ellie pressed into him, trying to calm him with her own body now.
“Where is security? Security,” her mother screeched again.
The entire ballroom grew silent.
“Get the fuck out!” Jackson yelled and started to pull away from Ellie.
“Jackson, no.” Ellie tried to hold him back. “Please, she’s not worth it.” Ellie pulled around to his front and buried her head in his chest.
“No, but you are,” he said into her hair. He tried to set her aside. This man, her heart. He wasn’t running for the nearest exit to escape her crazy past. Once again, he stood by her, protecting her, supporting her. That alone gave her strength.
“You know her father left me when he found out I was pregnant.” Humiliation and anger filled Ellie, another volcano ready to erupt.
“Did you not hear me? Get the fuck out of my event,” Jackson swore at her mother.
“Me?”
“Stop.” Ellie whirled to face her mother. “Stop talking. Stop. My whole life, all you did was tell me how much of a burden I was, how important you were. But guess what?” She pulled herself out of Jackson’s arms and walked closer to her mother. “You don’t get to do that anymore. I got away from you. And don’t come here and hurt this man. You don’t get near him. You don’t touch his beautiful soul! You may have ripped me to shreds over and over again, but I built myself back up. And this man showed me what it’s like to have genuine, unconditional love for another person. Something you, my mother, should have done.”
Jackson’s arms wrapped around her from the back. “Babe,” he said. “Let me—”
“No.” Ellie leaned forward, Jackson holding on to her. “You don’t get to hurt me anymore,” she whispered. All the energy drained from her body. She turned inward to his hard, warm chest and he picked her up.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, realizing what she’d done. She’d ruined the most important night of Jackson’s life.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“I’m so, so sorry,” Ellie repeated over and over in her hoarse, ravaged voice.
“Don’t apologize, babe. Getting you into bed. You were fucking magnificent, but you’re wiped.”
He’d never seen her face empty, ghostlike. And her body drooped like a ragdoll when he peeled her dress off. He untied her sandals and tucked her under the covers, made a quick call down to the gala coordinator, stripped, climbed into bed with her and made a mental note to plan another vacation with her, one fucking free of drama.
“Babe.” He wrapped his entire body around hers. “I’ve got you. You’re shivering. Fall apart. I’ve got you. Let it go. Let it all go.”
“I ruined your night,” she whispered into his chest. Her tears wet his skin.
He caressed her back and lifted her face. “My night was phenomenal until that witch walked in.”
She tried to pull away, but he held her tight, caressed her head and loosened the pins holding her hair up. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Babe, you were fucking magnificent. You have not one thing to be embarrassed about.”
“That was my mother,” she said. And the anguish on her face made him want to find that bitch and rip her to shreds.
“You wanna know what I saw?” he asked her, and she studied his face for a few seconds before she nodded. There she is. My light. My brave beauty. “I saw a piece of trash who you might be related to by blood, but no mother acts like that. She hurt you.” He tried to keep the venom out of his voice. Jesus, he’d almost lost his dinner when he learned how Ellie had broken her nose.
Ellie nodded again but kept his gaze. Her body warmed and relaxed against his. “I saw you hold tight, stand up for yourself, stand up for me in the face of someone who abused you, Ellie. Do you know how fucking brave that makes you?” He trailed his nose right along hers.
“Jackson,” she whispered.
“You didn’t ruin this night. You are what this night is about, to empower survivors. That was the most beautiful version of empowered I’ve ever seen. You are my hero, El. Jesus, no wonder you didn’t want to come.” He wiped the last of her tears away. “My fucking fault, bringing you here.”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around him. “Like I said last night, I was too ashamed to tell you.” She smiled. “I fell asleep before I could get much of my story out.”
“It’s not your shame, El. She’s the reason I had to burrow in to get you to see your beauty, why you always seemed shocked when I complimented you?” He didn’t wait for her reply. He could see her mind working it through. “You buried that shit deep, El. Had to, I bet, to survive.”
“I fell apart at your gala.”
“Yup, babe. You came face to face with your demon, battled that fucking demon and you won.”
“I think I need therapy,” she blurted out and wiped away the few tears that were left. “God, I haven’t cried this much in ten years and all of a sudden I’m a crying fool.”
“I’m thinking therapy is a good idea, babe, but don’t discount what happened. You used everything you had to stand up for yourself and for me. Never seen something so magnificent, except maybe when I’m buried deep inside you and I’m making you come.”
“Jackson!” He chuckled and held her tight again.
She snuggled in and said, “I won,” almost like she didn’t believe it.
“You won, babe.”
“You protected me.” She gave him a light kiss.
“Nope. You protected yourself.” He took the kiss deeper. “And you fucking protected me.”
“I didn’t want the night to end like this,” she said and trailed her fingers over his jaw.
“Like what?” He moved his lips to her neck.
“Me falling apart in a panic attack. You having to tuck me in again.”
“You don’t like me tucking you in, babe?” he rasped as she raked her fingernails across his chest.
“I had a surprise for you under my dress,” she whispered, and brushed her body against his.
“You mean this?” he said, peeling the covers down. He ran his thumb over her nipple under the red lacy bra she wore. He leaned down and took the other nipple into his mouth through the fabric.
“Jackson,” she said, pushing her hands through his hair.
“Or this?” He lifted and traced the edge of her matching lace thong which he’d already seen earlier. “Guess what?” he said, pulling her thong down her body. “Got two more days.” He drew back over her and undid her bra. “With no commitments.” He took in her creamy skin, naked and waiting for him. “To spoil you rotten.” He leaned his head on one hand and watched his other one touch that body that was all for him, her hair spread out all over the sheets. She placed her hand on his heart. “You’re beautiful, El. He kissed her waist, her belly button and listened to her moan. “Might not let you leave this suite. Might keep you right here in bed with me until the very last minute when we have to fly home to reality.”
“Mmm,” she hummed and roamed her fingers down his body. She wrapped them around his hard length and he sucked in a breath. “I think that sounds divine. You know what else sounds divine?” Her eyes were focused on his dick and the way he pulsed in her hands, and fuck but that was sexy, watching her eyes get heavy with lust.
“What?” he rasped out.
“You being inside me again, bare.” And she smiled her siren smile. All the invitation he needed.
* * * *
“I had a good time, honey,” Ellie said on the plane on the way home. They had ventured out of bed and out of the hotel on Saturday afternoon to walk. It had been a warm, perfect spring day in New York, and they’d strolled for hours, holding hands, window shopping, chatting. They’d eventually found a bar, where they’d cozied up next to each other, drunk wine and sampled the appetizers. Although, to be honest, Jackson couldn’t remember what the fuck they’d eaten. All he cared about was how cute and free Ellie had looked in her white sundress. A sundress that had left her shoulders bare. And all he’d been able to focus on was how to get her back out of it.
“Thanks for inviting me,” she said. They sat next to each other. Ellie had napped most of the way and now her head rested on his shoulder. “I know we didn’t get to see as much as you wanted. Maybe we can go back someday.”
“No way,” he said immediately.
“Huh?” She raised her head.
He leaned in and kissed her hard. “Next time, no New York. Either a private beach where I can see you in a sexy bikini and make love to you with the doors open while the sound of the waves seduces us. Or a hidden mountain cabin, snowed in with a huge fucking fireplace so I can ravage you in front of it. And later, while we’re tucked together under the blankets, we can watch the snow fall.”
She smiled up at him and leaned in to kiss him. “I like the way you dream. Those both sound amazing.” Then she pouted. Fuck! Her pout was cute. “Can we go now? Can we tell the pilot a new destination? I don’t want to go home. Your trial starts next week. And I’m so over-booked. We’ll never see each other.”
“We’ll see each other. I have no intention of letting you go. Do you ever think of finding another vet to join your practice? You could have a few hours a week off?”
She looked shocked and he braced. “I know, I work a ton too. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, El, I—”
“That is a genius idea, Jackson Kincaid. For the last year, I’ve let my work be everything. I love my work, but I think I also used it to hide. I don’t want my work to be my everything anymore.”
“Good, babe,” he said and smiled.
“What about you? What are you going to do when the trial’s over?”
“Not sure, right away. I think I’m going to help Duggan on the renovations for a while. Get my hands dirty in a different way.”
“Now, that is a nice image. Maybe I’ll come visit you at work. Bring you lunch. Make sure you have your toolbelt on correctly.”
“Yeah?” he said. He unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her over to straddle his lap. “You gonna help me with my toolbelt?” He pushed his hands under her skirt and found the smooth bare skin of her ass, and he was instantly hard again. Ellie gave him a constant hard-on. “Ellie, fuck, babe.”
“Well,” she said and licked her bottom lip. She undid his belt and drew him out. “I know how to unbuckle one.”
She placed him at her soaking entrance and glided down on him. He almost lost control right then.
“Although, I think I need more practice with the actual tools.”
“You think?” he said and rocked her up and down.
“Mmm-hmm,” she said, moving with him.
“You already know what to do, babe.”
“Practice isn’t a bad thing, though, is it?” she asked, and her teasing smile bloomed across her face. “If it feels so good.” He let her drift for a minute, his goddess, his mermaid, while he changed position a bit to go in deeper.
“Want a family with you, babe,” he said, and she snapped her eyes open. He held her hips. “You want that?” She nodded.
“I want that so much,” she whispered. He pulsed inside her and she moaned. And slowly, beautifully, she came, pulling him in deeper with her body until he couldn’t hold on anymore either.
“Like talking about our futures together, babe,” he said, hugging her to him as she rested her head against his with her hand on his heart.
“Me too, honey. Me too.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
“And where were you on the evening of March fifteenth between seven p.m. and ten p.m.?” Jackson asked Anthony Lucciano across the conference room in the high-rise that housed Jackson’s law firm. Otherwise known as his current hell. He’d been prepping Lucciano for an hour, but it felt like days. He couldn’t wait to get back to Ellie, to their home. After spending the weekend with her in New York, the last fucking place on the planet he wanted to be was in the presence of a man who’d beaten his wife. Christ! The irony struck him hard. Two days ago he’d been raising money for victims of domestic violence. Now he sat high above his city, trying to follow his legal obligation and get Lucciano off.
