8. Bella #3
But there’s no defense for what Marcus did. The evidence is too overwhelming, the witnesses too credible.
Victoria tries calling me. I don’t take her calls but she leaves plenty of voicemails begging me to help Marcus somehow. She has a lot of nerve asking me for anything after what she did to me, but even if I wanted to, I couldn’t help him now.
Nobody can.
Marcus tries to make a deal, offering to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a reduced sentence. But the district attorney refuses. Marcus is going to trial, and he’s going to face the full consequences of his actions.
“The trial is scheduled for three months from now,” Detective Morrison tells us during one of our final meetings.
“We’ll need both of you to testify. Bella, you have to testify to the fact that he forged your signature, regardless of whether you were together at the time or not, you had no knowledge and did not give your permission for your name to be signed to his dirt, and you’ll likely also be asked about Marcus’s character, his behavior, anything that might be relevant to establishing his state of mind.
Adrian, you’ll testify about the investigation, the evidence you uncovered. ”
“We’ll be there,” Adrian says, his hand finding mine under the table.
“Good,” Detective Morrison says. “Because with your testimony, we’re going to put Marcus Webb away for the rest of his life.”
That night, as Adrian and I lie in bed, I think about everything that’s happened. Six months ago, I was standing at the altar in my wedding dress, about to marry Marcus. I thought I knew what my future held - a life with Marcus, a family, a comfortable existence.
But that future was built on lies. And when it crumbled, I thought my life was over.
I was wrong.
My life didn’t end that day. It began.
I found Adrian. I found purpose. I found strength I didn’t know I had.
And now, I’m about to help bring a murderer to justice.
“What are you thinking about?” Adrian asks, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my arm.
I can see by the heat in his eyes that he is tempted to trail further, to more controversial places on my body.
“About how much my life has changed,” I say. “About how six months ago, I thought I’d lost everything. But really, I’d gained everything.”
Adrian shifts to look at me, his eyes soft in the dim light.
“You mean like how you gained the best office sex in the world?” he teases.
“Oh, yeah? Best in the world?” I laugh, shoving his shoulder playfully. “It’s good to know that you’re not full of yourself like they say.”
Adrian laughs out loud, a real laugh. “I’m just joking, Bella.
I feel the same way. I know it was the hardest thing for you to go through, but sometimes our greatest trials in life are our biggest blessings.
If Marcus hadn’t left you at that altar, if I hadn’t found you that day…
I don’t know if we would have found each other.
And I also don’t know if we would have been able to put Marcus away. ”
I nod understandingly, trailing my fingers over Adrian’s tattoo, tracing the ink.
“Do you think that it was fate?” I ask.
“I don’t know if I believe in fate or luck, but I think it was luck,” Adrian says. He smiles widely and openly at me, real joy radiating in those unique eyes. “The best luck of my life.”
I smile, leaning in to kiss him. “Mine too.”
We make love again that night, slow and tender, a celebration of everything we’ve overcome and everything we’ve built together.
“Just for old time’s sake, what do you say we take this to the home office?” Adrian suggests after he rings my first orgasm out of me.
I grin at him mischievously. “Whatever you want,” I purr, “After all, you are the boss. I’ll do whatever you say.”
Adrian’s eyes darken. He suddenly lifts me up, my arms wrapping reflexively around his neck and my legs twining around his hips. I look into his eyes. He smirks that devilish smirk that always gets me so wet.
“I want you to remember that you said that,” he says in a husky voice, staring fixedly at my swollen lips.
I lick them just to drive him even more mad.
“You know, when you’re bent over my desk and begging me to stop because you can’t take it anymore.”
I click my tongue, leaning closer to kiss him on his lips. I plant a small, teasing peck then pull away. “Have you learned nothing, boss?” I bat my lashes. “I can always take more.”
Adrian’s reaction to my taunt is to carry me straight to his office and find out firsthand just how much I can really take.
We can’t seem to be able to get enough of each other or keep our hands off of one another and by the time we are finally done and unable to go any longer, I’m exhausted and so is Adrian by the sounds of his snores in my ears.
And as I fall asleep in Adrian’s arms, I feel truly happy for the first time in as long as I can remember.
The fight isn’t over yet. Marcus’s trial is still ahead of us. But I know, with absolute certainty, that we’re going to win.
Justice is coming. But, admittedly, not just justice. Revenge.
And I’m going to be there to see it through all the way to the end.