Whipping Girl by L. Jacobs
Chapter 22 – Ally
“Yes, yes, yes!” I scream as I twirl in circles around the empty living room. “This place is amazing, Alexander!” He laughs as he stands off to the side, watching me with a light in his eyes that I rarely ever get the pleasure of witnessing.
“You want it? It’s yours.” He says, his adoring expression making me melt. I walk toward him, throwing my arms around his midsection and placing my chin on his chest so I can look up into his eyes.
“Can we afford it?” I ask nervously. A house -especially a house like this- can’t be cheap. “What about your... job? Are we going-”
“Don’t.” He gives me a stern look that tells me not to argue. “All you have to tell me is if you want it, you let me handle everything else.” His hands go to my butt, lifting me so that we are eye level. I wrap my arms around his neck and place my forehead to his.
“In that case... I love it. Buy it for me.” I demand smartly, his roguish grin tells me that he likes my sass so I push my luck a little further. “Then I want you to make love to me on every surface in every room of this entire place.” I smile as he laughs loudly, the sound echoing throughout the house.
“I’ll make love to you on every surface… in every room, then I’ll take you outside and fuck you like an animal on the ground.” He grinds his erection into me, making my body shiver at his erotic promise.
“Canada agrees with you, whipping girl!” Ivan picks me up around the waist and twirls me in a circle before setting me back on my feet and holding me out to look me up and down. I blush and look shyly toward Alexander who is glaring daggers at his father.
“Don’t call her that.” He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me in to his hard body. “Is it too much to ask that you call before bombarding us at our hotel?”
“Oh, this is your hotel? Funny! This is where I will be staying as well, what a coincidence.” Ivan winks at me then turns on his heal and starts toward the bank of elevators.
“Yeah... I’m sure.” Alexander remarks sarcastically as he leads me after his father. Ivan was waiting in the lobby when we arrived, it’s surreal to see him after all of these years, I don’t think he’s changed a bit. I’m really not sure what to say or even how to act in front of him so I keep quiet.
“Anything?” Ivan directs the question directly at Alexander once we are in the privacy of the elevator.
“Nothing yet. Why are you here?”
“I can’t check up on my son?”
“Check up on me?” Alexander scoffs disbelievingly. “Say what you need to say.”
“We have a few other men that have gone missing,” Ivan says meaningfully. His serious tone makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up, there is something he’s not saying. Alexander looks down at me quickly before looking back toward his father with a look of warning. “And we’re not sure if they’ve been killed or if Peter recruited them. I knew you wouldn’t come to me so I brought a small team to help you out in any way that we can.”
“Jesus.” Alexander looks down at me with a furrowed brow before looking back at his father. “I’m going to need a couple of people on Allyanna when I’m not with her.”
“I agree. We’ll get this figured out quickly so we can all get back to our lives.” He nods once before stepping out onto his floor. The elevator door closes behind him and I turn my body so my front is pressed against Alexander’s.
“Do I need to worry? What about my family? My dad can protect my mother but what about my sister and brother? Should I call and warn them?” He looks down to me with an amused smile.
“We don’t know what’s happening right now, I’m just taking precautions but if it will ease your mind I will send a couple of men to watch out for them.” I smile gratefully.
“Please. If anything happened to them because of me it would wreck me, I’ve already put them all through so much.” I don’t even want to think about it, I can’t handle the thought of something happening to any of them.
“You didn’t put them through anything, it wasn’t your fault that you were taken, stop putting that shit on your shoulders or I’ll turn your ass red, alright?” I nod my head, face turning pink at the admonishment. “Anything that they have been put through is a price that they would gladly pay again and again just to have you in their lives. They love you, Angel. Stop taking the blame for other people’s pain.” I swallow hard and decide to let this go, I know it’s not really my fault that their lives were uprooted and they’ve never said or done anything to make me feel that way but it doesn’t stop the guilt that I have that they had to uproot their lives for me. The elevator stops on our floor and we walk to our room hand in hand. I change the subject, not wanting to dampen the excitement that I was feeling half an hour ago.
“I can’t believe that house has three fireplaces! I can’t wait to curl up in front of them when it gets cold, I’ve always wanted a fireplace. Did you see the crown molding? And don’t even get me started on the hardwood floors, I can’t wait until we-”
“You’re so fucking beautiful when you’re like this.” He rasps. His eyes wandering my face like he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing. I blush but keep my eyes on his face, I can’t quite believe it either. “I love when you get all excited about something that I can give to you. I never really knew if we would have this opportunity, this freedom and now that we do... I want to give you the entire world.”
“You are my entire world. All you ever need to give me to put this look on my face is you, Alexander.” I wrap my arms around his neck to bring his face to mine. “I love the house, it’s perfect but even if it wasn’t a possibility, I would still feel like the luckiest girl in the world for just having you with me.” He smiles softly then places a gentle kiss against my lips.
“You’re about to get a whole lot luckier.” He waggles his brow, making me laugh at his playfulness. “Go get naked and jump in the shower, I’ll join you in just a minute.”
“Mmm… you better hurry or I’ll start without you.” I give him a teasing grin as I pull away from him slowly, I tug at the hem of my dress, slowly inching it upward with each of my backward steps. I watch his eyes narrow then heat as he tracks my movements toward the bathroom, he’s fighting an inner battle between being turned on or upset about my threat and I’m waiting to see which one wins out. I’ll take him either way.
He’s on me before I even know what has happened, my back slams against the nearest wall and he has me pinned with my arms above my head. I think he’s going to ravage my mouth but as I lean in to kiss him he pulls back his face with a tease of his own. He chuckles at my needy whimper, leaning in again just to pull back a hair before our lips touch.
“I’m going to let you in on a little secret, baby.” He smirks. “There is nothing in this world that I love more than giving you pleasure... but if you ever threaten to touch what’s mine without my say so -ever again- I won’t let you come for a fucking month.” He raises his eyebrows, waiting for confirmation that I understand. I search his eyes, somehow more turned on than I have ever been in my life, I nod my head quickly. I know he’s not bluffing and I won’t take that chance. “Good girl. Now do as I ask while I’m still in a giving mood.” He pulls back, bringing me away from the wall to give me a hard slap to my butt to get me going.
“Yes, Alexander.”
It’s been a few days since we looked at the beautiful house and last night the owner accepted our offer. We were so excited that we celebrated over and over again…Now I’m sore. Everywhere. Alexander was in a very rough mood last night and I loved every second of it but I am paying for that enthusiasm today, it hurts just to walk. I took a relaxing bath this morning and now I am on my way to class, Ivan and a man that I have never met named Tristan trailing behind me at a respectable distance. I can hear them talking but not what they are saying so I ignore them as I walk through campus, smiling and waving at the few people that I see daily.
“Sweetheart!” I smile as I turn toward my friend.
“Hey, Pumpkin!” I start walking toward Josh only to be halted by Ivan’s large palm griping my arm pulling me toward him. “It’s alright, he’s a friend of mine.” I reassure him before turning back to my friend as he walks up to us.
“What’s up with the guard detail? Are you a Princess now?” He jokes, looking a bit nervous.
“Uh, no… just a precaution.” I laugh awkwardly. “How are you? I feel like we haven’t seen each other in forever!” I bump his shoulder with my fist.
“I know. We… uh… do they need to listen?” He looks to my make-shift body guards then gives me a lame smile. I look pleadingly toward Ivan and he narrows his eyes at Josh before stepping back a few steps. I smile in appreciation before turning my attention back to Josh.
“You were saying?” I listen intently.
“Well, I met someone a few days ago. I already know what you’re going to say but this is definitely different, it’s not like every other time. I really want you to meet her, Ally. She is amazing! We had immediate chemistry and I really think we have something. Seriously, you would love her.” He’s so happy and animated that I can’t help but smile. Josh tends to fall in love way too easily but I’ve never seen him so excited about it so I can’t give him the usual talk about slowing it down. If she is willing to meet his friends then I will give her a look-over for him.
“Set it up, Romeo, I would be happy to meet with her.” I pat his cheek. He smiles a big smile, letting me know how much this means to him.
“Thank you for understanding. I’ll text you.” He points at me then starts backing away.
“No problem. Wait! Have you talked to Molly? I’ve been texting her but she’s not returning my messages.” With all of this Peter business I am starting to get worried but Josh just shoots me a secretive smile.
“She’s been hanging out with that guy from the bar a lot. Zack or Zeus or…” he searches the sky trying to remember. Guy from the bar? I gasp when I finally catch up. No way! Is he talking about Zeke?
“Zeke?” I ask in astonishment. Why hasn’t she said anything? Holy crap!
“Yeah! That’s the one. Good guy, I think she’s really into him.” Josh shrugs like it’s no big deal. I can’t believe she wouldn't say anything! I’m her best friend, does she think I would judge her? If they wanted to be together then I would be completely supportive.
“Hmm... maybe I’ll have to stop by the room and have a talk with that girl.”
“You should, Sweetheart. We’ve all missed you.” I walk toward him and stand on my tiptoes to peck his cheek.
“Text me when and where and I’ll be there.” I promise him with one more smile as I turn back to a narrow eyed Ivan.
“Alexander okay with you kissing other men?” He asks disapprovingly as we start walking again.
“I don’t know, why don’t you tell him that you stood there and watched me kiss another man on the cheek then see how he feels about it.” I say mischievously even as my face heats, nervous that he will call my bluff.
“Well played, you little brat.” Ivan chuckles as he follows closely behind me. Once we reach my classroom door he turns me toward him. “We’ll meet you back here right after class, don’t leave this room until then. Understand?” Ivan asks, warning clear in his voice.
“Yes, Sir.” I answer obediently.
“For fucks sake, you’re about to be my daughter-in-law, please call me Ivan… or dad.” He pulls back with a friendly smile and a wink. I give him a small smile in return, still not sure how to handle the whole -Alexander has a dad- thing, I doubt my fiancé would appreciate me calling him dad though.
“Okay, Ivan.” He smiles but seems a little disappointed at the name that I chose.
I walk through the door, choosing a seat close enough to the door that I can leave directly after class and wait for the lecture to begin. My mind wanders as the professor starts talking, I’m usually a great student but I know that I have been lacking since Alexander’s return, I can’t seem to concentrate on anything that isn’t Alexander related anymore and I know that it’s a problem but I can’t bring myself to care.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I discretely take it out, looking at the screen I see the reminder for my doctor’s appointment today, I had called her and told her what I needed and since today is the last day of my period she said it was a perfect time to start on birth control. I’m excited to have that out of the way so I don’t have to worry about an accidental pregnancy, I want to have Alexander’s kids but I would like to have a few years so we can just enjoy each other without a baby to worry about.
The fire alarm blares suddenly, bringing me out of my thoughts. Everyone moves all at once, headed towards the doors but I sit in my seat, wondering if I should follow or wait for Ivan and Tristan. My decision is made for me when my professor yells that I need to evacuate, I hesitate again but only for a moment before figuring that I will be safe enough with the crowd that will be outside. I don’t know if it was a prank, a safety drill or an actual fire but I know that I don’t have much of a choice on leaving my seat. I file out of the building, lagging behind as I look around for my protectors. I don’t see them so I wander outside hoping that they might be waiting for me. They’re not. So I stand with hundreds of kids my age, fiddling nervously with my necklace as I wait for them to determine if it’s safe for us to re-enter the building or not. My phone rings and I immediately grab it to see Alexander's handsome face lighting up my screen.
“Hello?” I have to speak loudly because of the noise around me, I can’t hear his response so I move away from the group a bit.
“Where the fuck are you?” Alexander asks, sounding panicked and pissed. I look around me, half expecting to see him bowling people over to get to me.
“The fire alarm went off at school, I’m outside waiting for them to clear it!” I yell over the anxious voices of everyone else.
“Ivan can’t find you, I need you to tell me exactly where you’re at.” He’s calmed himself but only minutely.
“I’m right outside of the Arts b-“ The screeching of tires cuts me off, I barely have time to register the white van before hands are grabbing me and my phone drops to the ground. I scream for Alexander as I fight to get free of the hands that are trying to pull me into the van.