These Wicked Desires (Fates #3)

31. Ellis

Ellis

“Ellis, wake up.” Cade’s quiet voice filters through my sleepy thoughts, along with an incessant gentle shaking.

I roll over, tugging the blanket higher.

“Ellis, love. Wake up.”

The blanket around my shoulders disappears, and I grumble something unintelligible that one hundred percent was supposed to be ‘fuck you,’ as I search for the missing covers. Cade rubs my cheek, and I turn my head, biting down on the first thing my mouth comes into contact with.

“Ouch, fuck!” he yells, tugging his hand from my mouth.

Movement on either side of me jostles me, and I pry my eyes open to find Sterling standing naked on one side of the bed, hands tipped in claws and icy blue eyes scanning the room for danger. On the other side, Cade and Kai are holding their heads grumbling where Kai sat up so fast he collided with Cade who was leaning over to wake me.

Serves them right.

I snag Kai’s pillow and cover my head with it, curling into a ball.

“What the hell?” Sterling growls. “What’s going on?”

“She bit me,” Cade says indignantly. “Again.”

“So … there’s no danger?” Kai asks. “Why am I awake then?” Based on the way the bed bounces, Kai flops back down and curses. “Where is my pillow?”

Said pillow gets pulled from my head and I ball my fists and hit the mattress. “Why won’t you let me sleep?”

Cade looks at his hand and shakes it like he’s trying to ease the pain. “Because I have a surprise for you.”

I glance at the clock and groan. “It’s three in the afternoon. The sun is out. It can wait until tonight.” I try to take Kai’s pillow again, but his head is on it, and he opens one eye to glare at me.

“Don’t even think about it,” he says, tucking it further under his head.

“It can’t wait,” Cade says, grabbing my hand and trying to pull me out of bed. “Come on.”

Instead of making it easy for him, I go limp so he has to drag my dead weight from the bed. As he pulls me over Kai, Kai gets frustrated and tosses me to the floor. I land with a thump, and stare at the vampire in disbelief.

He smirks and closes his eyes. “Just go already, so I can go back to sleep.”

“Unbelievable,” I mutter, climbing to my feet.

Cade pushes me toward the bathroom. “I already have coffee made for you. It’s waiting downstairs.”

“Whatever.” I shut the bathroom door in his face and sigh. I hate mornings to begin with, and it’s not even technically morning for me. I’d only been asleep for about four hours before Cade so rudely woke me up.

I debate a shower, but I don’t have the energy to do all that extra stuff, so I settle with fixing my bun and brushing my teeth. I’m working on that second task when the bathroom door opens and Sterling steps in.

He grabs his toothbrush and smiles at me. “I’m awake now, so I’m going for a run.”

Crazy wolf. I roll my eyes and say, “oood or oo.” With my mouth full of toothpaste and toothbrush, I’m not sure he caught that.

He raises one silver brow, his blue eyes sparkling. I spit and rinse my mouth, turning to glare at him.

“You have a little bit of toothpaste, just there.” He points to my chin, voice shaking with laughter.

“I hate all of you.” I wipe my chin on his shoulder as I walk past him and back into the bedroom.

Downstairs, Cade waits for me with the keys to the Hummer and a big cup of coffee. If it weren’t for him waking me up at this ungodly hour, I’d kiss him for the coffee. Instead, I grab it out of his hand, glaring the entire time.

He chuckles, and opens the front door. “After you, m’lady.”

“Fuck off.”

In the Hummer, I take the first sip of the steaming black liquid and exhale. In all honesty, Cade makes the best coffee. Which is weird because he hates the stuff. He remains quiet as we drive to … wherever we’re going, and I appreciate it while I wait for the caffeine to kick in.

It’s obvious we’re heading into the city and a little flutter of excitement hits me. I haven’t been to the city for a while. Not counting the few times we made trips for various purposes while all the shit was going down.

When he pulls the Hummer to a curb and stops, I look at him in question. “This is Allie’s place.”

“Yes it is,” is all he says.

Bewildered, I stare at him. “Am I supposed to get out?”

But before he can answer, Allie pops out of the lobby with a cup of coffee and climbs into the back. “Here ya go, El.” She hands me the cup over the console and winks.

“Oh, I love you. Will you marry me?” I inhale the steam, smiling.

She snorts. “I don’t think I can take a mage, a vampire, and a wolf. Sorry.”

“So, what’s going on?” I ask her, now thinking she has something to do with this.

“I have no idea. Cade texted me and told me to be ready and have a coffee for you.”

I look at him, and find I can’t keep mad any longer. Sure he woke me up, but he made sure I had two coffees. His smile as he pulls away from the curb tells me he knows he won.

“Okay prince charming, what is this surprise?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

I slump in the seat, grumbling under my breath, and drink my coffee. Fine, I’ll pout in silence and drink my coffee while I wait.

When he pulls into a small parking lot next to an empty building and gets out, I turn around to look at Allie.

“How much do you trust him?” she asks. “He could be plotting to kill us and hide our bodies.”

I nod. “Be on your guard.”

We climb out and let Cade lead us around to the front of the building. My eyebrows raise to my hairline when he pulls a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. He holds it open for us, but sighs when we look at him suspiciously and he enters first.

“Seriously, you two are too much to handle.” He stops in the middle of the room, and turns to face us. “Well, what do you think?”

I look around at the empty space. Cheap linoleum floors that desperately need an upgrade. Walls that used to be painted white but have faded to a dingy yellow. Fluorescent lights above hum and flicker, casting weird lighting over the entire space. A door in the back leads to something I’m too scared to investigate.

“Umm, it’s … nice?” I say, ending my statement in more of a question than a certainty.

“I’m sure if you added a plant to the corner it would really liven the space up,” Allie offers.

Cade shakes his head. “Imagine new floors. Fresh paint. Updated electricity. Maybe a few blue workout mats, some punching bags, mirrors. Now what do you think?”

I stare at him, mouth hanging open. He can’t possibly be thinking what I think he’s thinking. “Cade …” I whisper, taking a step toward him.

“It’s officially yours,” he says, digging in his pocket and pulling out a second key. He tosses it to Allie who lets its sail past her head, her expression a mirror of my own.

“Cade,” I whisper again, looking around the room, imagining all the things he said.

He closes the distance between us and takes my hands. “Make your dream come true, Ellis. Open your gym for women. Provide them with an opportunity to learn how to defend themselves.”

“I know nothing about … any of this. Remodeling, running a business, finances.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll help you with all of it. In fact, I also bought the space next door.” He looks to Allie with a small smile. “And I could use your help with that.”

“Mine?” she screeches. “What for?”

“I’m going to open a clinic for humans. Give them an opportunity to get the same healthcare magicals have.”

My eyes burn. They weren’t kidding when they said they were going to help me fight for equality. I throw my hands around Cade’s neck and hug him, hard. “Thank you,” I breathe. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome, love.”

“What are you doing?” I ask, looking around as Cade pulls the Hummer to the side of the road.

He says nothing, but he gets out of the car and walks to my side, opening the door and pulling me out. When I’m standing outside, bewildered and confused, he hops into the passenger seat and buckles the seatbelt.

“Umm …” I look around again, thinking I’ll spot Kai and Sterling somewhere, but it’s just us. “Cade?”

“Get in,” he says, nodding at the empty driver's seat. “You’re driving us home.”

My eyes pop out of my head and I stare at him. “Oh no. No. No. No. I don’t know how to drive!”

“That’s why it’s time you learned. The drive back is relatively simple. We’re out of the city, so it’s mostly two-lane highway until we get to the mountains. Easy peasy.”

“Cade!”

He checks his watch and looks back at me. “Time is ticking, love.”

Huffing, I walk around the Hummer and climb into the driver's seat. My palms are sweating, and I wipe them on my thighs before gripping the wheel in a white knuckled grasp. “Okay. Now what?” I ignore how my voice is trembling. I faced my abuser and ended his miserable life. Driving a car has got to be easier. I can do this!

Cade walks me through the steps, and before I’m ready for it, the car inches forward. Panicked, I slam my foot on the brake pedal, making us both jerk forward in our seats.

“Okay, that was a little uncalled for,” he says, wincing. “We were only going like two miles per hour.”

I make a noise, something between a squeak and growl, and I really have no idea what I’m trying to convey with it. My heart is fluttering rapid fire in my chest, and sweat drips down my back and between my breasts, making me sticky and gross.

“Take a deep breath, and try again,” Cade says calmly. “You’re a fucking harpy for fuck’s sake. You can learn to drive.”

“Right,” I mutter. “I’m a harpy. I can do this. I’m a harpy. I can do this.” I keep up my mantra and ease off the brake, sucking in a breath as the Hummer starts to roll forward.

“Don’t stop again,” Cade says. “Keep going.”

I move to the gas pedal and softly press on it. The car shoots forward, and I scream, removing my foot from the pedal. I don’t brake, but I let the car roll slowly before I try again.

By the time we reach the bottom of the mountain, I’m pretty sure Cade regrets his decision to teach me how to drive. He’s grasping the oh shit handle hard enough to break it off if he were Kai or Sterling. And his eyes are probably permanently stuck wide open in fear.

“Okay, stop here. I’m not about to let you drive up the mountain without a road.” He waits until I put the car in park before he lets go and unbuckles himself.

I wait until he comes around the driver's side and opens the door. Giving him a look of pure defeat, I slowly slide out.

“Hey, you did good for your first time.” He presses me against the side of the Hummer and kisses me.

“But you never want to let me try again, right?”

“Of course I will, Ellis. Everyone has to start somewhere. I think it’s probably harder to learn the older you are. You’re not as fearless as you are when you’re a teenager. You value your life too much to not be afraid of driving.”

I duck my head and bury my face in his chest, inhaling his cedar and lilac scent. “What if I never learn?”

He shrugs. “Then we’ll drive you around. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. Come on. I’m pretty sure Kai is still sleeping and Sterling is probably still out for a run. We can play a game when we get back.”

I raise one brow and push back to look at him. “A game?”

His smile turns wicked. “Yeah. It’s called Don’t Wake the Vampire.”

I’ve never climbed into a car so fast in my life. When we get to the cabin, Cade carries me up the stairs, kissing me thoroughly and deeply. He doesn’t set me down until we’re in the bathroom and the door is closed behind us. He gets the water going while I strip out of my shorts and tank top.

The memory of the last time we had sex in the shower rushes to the surface. I almost broke that day, but Cade held me and promised me I would only ever know pleasure from that day forward. And he kept that promise. It hasn’t always been easy getting to this point. We had our share of battles and fights to get here. But we’re here now. And that’s all that matters.

The bathroom fills with steam, and I step into the shower, letting the hot water rush over my skin. Cade joins me and pushes me against the shower wall. His violet eyes sparkle as he slides one hand down my abdomen and between my thighs.

“I remember another time we did this,” he breathes against my neck, pushing his finger inside me. “I remember when you admitted how much you liked watching me and Kai together.” He adds a second finger, making me grasp his shoulders to keep from falling to the floor. “I remember how even then I knew I would never walk away from you. You had already burrowed so deep into my soul by that point, there was no going back for me.”

“Cade.” My eyes burn, and I blink to keep any tears from falling. Only Cade can ever be this sweet.

He picks me up, wrapping my legs around his waist and he uses his strength to slowly slide me onto his cock. “I’ll always have you, love. I’ll catch you every time you fall.”

And I fall. I fall in love with this man all over again. It started that first time we had sex in the shower. And I never stopped falling after that.

His arms flex as he lifts me up and down. Drops of water cling to his lashes, and his violet eyes are so dark they’re almost navy. I hold his gaze while he thrusts slowly, each slide of his cock sending me a little bit higher.

Cade drops his face to my neck and he bites and licks along Kai’s mark. Sparks of pure pleasure shoot through my veins, lighting me up from the inside. I have to dig my fingers into shoulders for purchase, and I’m sure I’ll leave marks from my nails in his skin, but that thought only makes me shiver.

I don’t have a mark from Cade like I do for Kai and Sterling. And leaving little scratches and bruises on his flesh, the same way he does to me, has become incredibly important to me. I like wearing my marks for everyone to see. I want people to know who I belong to. But it’s just as important for people to know who belongs to me.

“I …” I have to stop and swallow to get moisture back in my mouth. “I want to get a tattoo.”

Cade huffs a laugh, his warm breath fanning over my neck, but he doesn’t stop thrusting. “It’s an odd time to talk about that, love.”

I grip his chin in my fingers and push him back so he’s looking at me. “No. I want a mark from you. Like I have with Kai and Sterling. Something that everyone can see.”

Cade’s eyes darken further and his pace falters. “Fuck, Ellis. Name the time and I’ll fucking be there.”

It’s as if just the idea of me having something of him permanently etched onto my skin turns him feral. His hips move faster and he pushes me harder against the shower wall. Pleasure curls low in my belly, heating and spreading to my limbs. I’m so close, and I arch my back to change the angle just a smidge.

Cade’s magic slithers over my body in purple sparks, and I moan. It slides down my chest, over my breasts where it squeezes and pinches my nipples until I cry out. Cade watches with rapt fascination, and I have a feeling he’s not in control of his magic at the moment.

When the violet light slides lower, I gasp and Cade grins. It slips between my folds and pulses warmly around my clit before it flicks the bundle of nerves. I erupt. Cade captures my scream with his mouth, and he pumps his hips faster as he draws me through my orgasm.

When I’ve finally caught my breath, Cade pauses. “What would you say if I wanted to get a tattoo as well? One to let the world know who owns me?”

My stomach flutters, and I have to close my eyes to keep the sudden tears from falling. “I’d love that.”

Leaning forward, I kiss him, tangling my tongue with his and urging him to chase his own orgasm. With a nip on his bottom lip, Cade tenses and his hips falter as he shudders through his release.

I never would have survived my past if it hadn’t been for Cade. I realize that now. Despite my bonds with Kai and Sterling, despite how much I love them, it was Cade who was the one to save me. And it couldn’t be more perfect to have his mark on me, and mine on him.

“Thank you,” I whisper, clinging to him as the steam from the shower billows around us. “Thank you, Cade.”

“I love you, Ellis. And I’ll always love you.”

The bedroom is empty when I get out of the bathroom. I hear all three of the guys talking downstairs, so I make my way to them. On the last step, I freeze.

“What is all of this?” I ask, slowly approaching the coffee table.

It’s piled with papers that curl at the ends, like it wants to return to its rolled position. Mugs and beer bottles, and even a dagger, weigh the corners down to keep the paper in place.

Sterling looks up and smiles at me. “Come and look.” He scoots over so I have room to sit next to him on the floor, across from Cade and Kai.

They all watch me approach, a mix of anticipation and excitement lining their features. I sit next to Sterling and glance at the papers.

“Are those …” I trail off, eyes bouncing around and taking it all in.

“Blueprints,” Kai says with a smile, fangs glinting in the lamplight.

Cade waves his hand over the papers. “Additions and updates to the cabin.”

I’m completely speechless as I take it all in. I realize there are words on the page, room labels, but I can’t seem to make sense of them. It’s just too … unbelievable.

“We meant it when we said we were going to live here,” Sterling says, running his hand down my back in comfort. “With these updates and additions, this will be the perfect place for us. It’s on pack lands and close to the city while remaining remote enough for us to have all the privacy we need.”

I swallow and rub my eyes, brushing away the tears gathering on my lashes so I can see the blueprints better.

Cade points to the lower floor. “A bigger kitchen and living room with updated appliances and open floor plan. The master bedroom will be down here with an attached bath that has a massive tub, per Kai’s request.”

I glance at the vampire and find him smirking. He does love his baths.

Cade continues. “There will also be a bathroom for guests down here. And this room,” he moves his finger to a smaller space that looks to have a ton of windows. “This will be yours. A library just for you.”

I clutch my chest, sure my heart is going to stop. These guys thought of everything.

Kai points to the second level. “Up here will be guest rooms with bathrooms. A couple offices. And …” he trails off, letting Sterling take up the explanation.

“And this.” Sterling points to a room.

“What is that?” I whisper, already suspecting the answer.

“A nursery,” Sterling replies. “Because one way or another we will have children in this house. Either our own or adopted.”

The tears that I’d been trying to hold back, spill over. Each of their faces is filled with emotion. They all look at the nursery longingly, and I so desperately want to be able to fill this house with the laughter of their babies.

I suck in a shaky breath. “I … I don’t know what to say,” I gasp before a sob climbs up my throat. “I …”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Cade murmurs. “This is our gift to you.”

Sterling wraps his arms around me, and I bury my face in his shirt, softly crying. I hear the coffee table being moved, the legs dragging on the carpeted floor. Then Kai and Cade surround me as well.

“We just want you to be happy,” Kai says, kissing my temple.

Sterling kisses the top of my head. “And we’ll do whatever we have to to make that happen.”

Cade takes my hand and squeezes it. “This is it Ellis. This is the beginning of your happily ever after.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, Cade’s words echoing and bouncing in my head. With my three guys, my Shields, and their never ending love for me, he’s right. This is the beginning of my happily ever after. And I’m going to make the most of it.

Keep reading for a sneak peek at These Beautiful Moments: Fates Through The Seasons, A Novella