46. LUKE
Chapter 46
LUKE
“Get the fuck out of my way, Osei!” I growl, my voice dripping with rage. I try to sidestep him, but he blocks my path. Challenge is clearly written on his face as he stands like a brick wall in front of me.
I feign a scoff, controlling the anger building inside me, because it’s clear he doesn’t understand that I’ll tear down any and every wall standing between me and Dele. Every. Fucking. Wall.
“I mean it. This is between me and my wife. Stay the fuck out.” My voice is louder, anger emanating from both of us, our nostrils flaring. He’s no match for the anger seeping into my blood right now, and he needs to get the fuck out of my way.
“It’s okay. I’ll speak to him,” I hear Dele say behind him.
“You sure?” Osei asks in a grating tone, without taking his eyes off me. I maintain my glare.
“I’m sure,” she answers and returns to the room. I move past Osei and follow her in. Closing the door, I pace, trying to control my anger at Osei. She sits on the edge of the bed, lacing and unlacing her hands, her nervous tell. She’s looking down at her feet. I stop pacing and draw in a long breath, then a slow exhale. I reach into my pocket and take out the black lace panty she’s left in my jacket, which had freaked my PA out when it fell out.
“What the hell happened between when you left this—” I hold her panty out to her “—and when you visited Dad today?” She looks briefly at me, then turns her face away, shaking her head.
“You can’t tell me nothing happened when Dad could tell you were upset, and you’ve clearly been crying. Not to mention the fact my brother wants to take me down for upsetting you.” I pause, and she still won’t look at me. “We agreed to always tell the truth. I need you to tell me the truth,” I say in a gentler tone, moving closer to her on the bed. My palm caresses her face. She leans into it, letting her cheek rub on my palm, though her eyes remain closed even as tears trickle down her face. My thumb wipes the tears away. I get on my knees and pull her close to me. “Ayo mi, please tell me what happened,” I whisper as she sniffs.
“Lily came to the hospital today.” Fuck! That can’t be good. “I don’t know how she did it, but she made sure I was her nurse for the supposed headache that she had. She said you guys were together two nights ago when you worked late, and you always return to her.” What the fuck?! I keep my anger controlled. “She said you told her I’m just a faster track to you claiming your inheritance.” She pulls out of my arms. “I’m sorry, Luke. I didn’t say anything to her. I just focused on work. I know we have a contract; I just got a little emotional. It won’t happen again. You and Lily are good. Just give me the heads-up next time so I don’t get blindsided.” Though her voice is calm, there’s anger at the base.
What the fuck?!
“Yes, I worked late two nights ago with five other guys and Lily; we were closing a deal. I was never alone with her. I was surprised she came with the team, but all we did was close the deal, and she left with the team. At no point was I ever alone with her. I came home straight. I didn’t stop anywhere in between.”
“It’s okay,” she murmurs, like I’m lying and she’s willing to accept it.
“It’s not okay, I promise you. It’s just you and me all the way.” She nods, but doesn’t look at me. I cup her face. “Look at me, Dele, please.” She opens her eyes. “You are the only woman for me and the only one I want.”
“Am I enough?” she asks, a simple, weighted question. Everything about us narrows down to this fulcrum moment. I feel the weight of the question that hinges between us. My heart pounds against my ribcage. This is the moment to unveil my feelings to her. I kiss her forehead, then her cheek, inhaling her sweet smell. “You are more than enough and will always be enough for me,” I state with conviction, making sure our eyes are locked and she can read me. “Ayodele Blythe, you are more than enough for me,” I repeat.
She pulls me into a hug, and I breathe relief, feeling her relaxed in my arms. She clings to me, the way she does whenever she’s vulnerable, and my heartbeat slows to normal, just as the fire to crush Lily burns for lying to Dele.
Lily McIntyre is going to feel my anger. I want to kiss Dele, but I also know I won’t stop until she’s naked in my arms.
“Let’s go home,” I say. She pulls out of my arms.
“I’ll meet you back out. I need to clean up.” I kiss her forehead and her lips. I leave and close the door to the bedroom. Osei is watching a soccer game. I sit next to him.
“Don’t ever get between me and my wife again,” I say in a stern tone. He scoffs.
“Don’t expect that I won’t protect my best friend from you if she comes to me,” he replies, matching my tone.
“Dele is my wife and mine to protect.” Seems I need to keep reminding him of the fact.
“Dele is my best friend and she’ll always be my friend, even after she stops being Mrs. Luke Blythe.”
“She will always be Mrs. Luke Blythe.” He scoffs at my response. I have a fight on my hands, but we live to fight another day.
“She is coming home with me,” I snap.
“Sure, and if she returns tomorrow needing my help, I’ll open the door for her, guaranteed,” he snaps back.
“You and I will talk about this later,” I reply when I hear the door to the bedroom open.
“Sure, I’m always right here,” he retorts in a low growl as Dele’s steps get closer. I get up and head to the door. She goes to hug Osei, who whispers something in her ear that makes her laugh. I watch them for a moment. Much as I dislike the fact she ran to him, I also know he’ll always protect her. Annoying as he may be, it’s comforting to know that he’s got her back, but I have it first.
They pull from the hug; she takes my hand. “My car is outside the building. I’ll drive behind you,” she says the moment we get on the elevator. She tries to pull out of my hand. I won’t let go.
“I’ll have Martin pick it up.”
“Okay,” she agrees, no doubt trying to stop any argument with me, but I’m not letting her go just yet.
We get in the car. “Dad was worried about you and—” I pause. If I tell her he threatened my inheritance if we broke up, she might think all I said was for my inheritance.
“And?” she asks.
“He wants us to come together tomorrow for lunch.”
“I can’t do lunch. I have a study group, but I can stop by tomorrow to see him.”
“He wants to see us together, or he’s coming over to our place.”
“No, he shouldn’t be moving around. You can pick me up at work during my break hour. We can pay him a quick visit and you can drop me back at work.”
“Okay.”
Our drive is quiet. The good thing is, it’s a short drive, and we head to our unit with me holding her hand.
She heads to her room; I still can’t get her to move into the primary room. For now, I sleep where she sleeps. She goes to shower, and I join her there. She keeps her back to me as my hand caresses her breast. I wrap my arms around her; she relaxes in my arms as the water cascades down our bodies, but she doesn’t turn to face me.
“I love you, Dele.” She stiffens for a moment. “I love you and only you. I have loved you since your eyes met mine and I felt a connection deep within my soul, making my heartbeat for you. I’ve loved you since my feet followed you onto that balcony, and when your lips touched mine there. I knew your kiss is the one I want forever. I would never cheat on you.” She turns to face me, her eyes glassy despite the water running down our bodies.
“Do you mean that?” she asks in a shaky voice.
“Yes, with all my being.” She cups my face and starts to kiss me. I take over and pull her closer, passionately kissing her, before sliding down to her breast and then to her lips to feast on them. I hold her steady as I swirl my tongue deeper into her, licking and sucking on her, causing pleasurable gasps and moans to escape her mouth. She grips my hair and shoulder tight and lets out more cries of pleasure as she climaxes in my mouth. I lift her up. She wraps her legs around me, and I enter her slowly, savoring every moment of our connection. I move her back to the shower wall and hold nothing back from her. We make love with the warm water cascading down our bodies, our movements synchronized and filled with pure bliss. She comes again with a loud cry that’s pleasing to my ears and soul.
When she drops her head on my shoulder, the low rumbles in my heart whisper, “I love you,” to her, and she nods. We dry off and go to bed, curled up together. I doubt I can ever sleep soundly again without her.
Next morning , as soon as I walk into my office:
“Come with me,” I say to Kevin. He grabs his iPad and follows me in. I sit, and he does the same.
“The deal we just signed with the McIntyres—I’m killing it.” His mouth drops open.
“It’s going to cost five million in losses,” he says, clearly shocked. I always find my way to a deal; I never kill a deal. Considering what’s at stake here, the only way around is to end it and send a loud message You upset my wife, you deal with me. Besides, it’s going to cost the McIntyres even more in losses. That should really get the message across to fucking Lily.
“Draft a formal letter for our pullout.” He nods. “Draft another specifically for Lily, with her dad in copy. It should read: ‘My wife’s name is Ayodele Iman Blythe.’ Anyone who wants to associate with me needs to remember that, or we can part ways.” He stares at me. I know he wants to say something.
“Can I ask what happened?” His tone is subtle.
“Lily went to the ER yesterday to meet my wife and told her lies—that I’ve been cheating on my wife with her,” I answer, holding in how much the audacity of Lily upsets me.
“Is Mrs. B. okay?” he asks, concerned.
“She was a mess yesterday, but she’s fine now. I need that message loud and clear, a bullhorn in Lily’s face to back off.” He nods.
“I’ll get right on it now.”
Firing up my laptop, I get to work. Kevin returns with the draft. I approve them and he sends them out.