Accidental Bride by Cristina Lollabrigida

ChapterThirteen

Drake felt guilty leaving Alessandra.A good Dom knows his sub requires aftercare after such rough play. But he was craven and ran away from his own feelings. He took a long, hot shower, letting the thoughts of court, expectation, and marriage swirl down the drain.

It was too late to ask her to forgive him, but he hoped the gift he left Alessandra would be the first step toward peace. Several dress boxes had been dropped off by courier earlier that day. His housekeeper checked the sizes in Alessandra’s closet and called his stylist to purchase cocktail dress options for the evening.

He took a blank card and scrawled:

Wear something sexy for me. I’m showing you off as my wife tonight. The black dress is my favorite.

—Drake

He’d only seen a picture of the dress but could imagine it on Alessandra. The sheer black lace top was embroidered to offer modest coverage of her breasts while plunging to the navel. The thigh-high slit would offer him an advantage in playing with her. A thick satin ribbon belt would accentuate her waist. The stylist also picked out a black jeweled necklace and matching earrings that would glitter against her hair.

Drake buttoned up his new black single-breasted Armani suit and reached for a maroon silk tie. He hadn’t wanted to impress a date this much in a long time, and his wife deserved him at his best.

Drake remembered the day his father taught him how to tie a tie.

“Now, son, every young man must learn to tie a tie. You want to look sharp, don’t you?” Richard Walker turned his son toward the mirror.

Young Drake enjoyed open collars because he always found ties too constricting. Fashion didn’t exist in his vocabulary. But Drake loved his father and wanted to make him proud. He smiled at his father’s reflection when he saw a purple-damask-on-navy tie. It made him feel special since it was his father’s favorite.

“I’m going to teach you how to tie a Windsor knot.”

Dick instructed his son to raise his shirt collar, draped the silky tie around his neck, and pulled the wide end down his right side. The older man’s fingers crossed the wide part of the tie over the narrow part and looped it through the opening at the neck.

“Now, this is the tricky part, son. But you’ll see it’s not as hard as it looks. Pass the wide end underneath and to the right of the narrow part with the wrong side facing out and cross the wide part over to the left of the narrow part with the right side facing out.”

Drake’s father demonstrated this move in the mirror. He pulled the wide end through the opening at the neck and passed it through the loop at the front. Then he held the ends in one hand and carefully slid the knot toward the collar with the other hand until it was snug and fixed Drake’s collar.

Drake felt like he was being choked and immediately yanked the knot down again. His father frowned. Their moment of bonding was severed.

“I don’t like ties, Dad,” he whined.

“Sometimes we have to do and wear things we don’t like. It’s your grandmother’s funeral today. Your mother would appreciate seeing you dressed for the occasion.”

It was a losing battle for Drake. Bitsy’s family came from old money and privilege. His grandmother had always been more critical of appearances than his mother. And if wearing a suit jacket and tie made his mother happy on such a sad day, he’d do it. Drake turned to his father and hugged him.

“Thanks for the tie, Dad.”

Dick patted his son on the back before walking out of the room. Drake turned to the mirror and undid the knot to practice the steps his father had just taught him. It took a few tries, but the tenacious, young man was determined to get it right.

Once dressed, Drake chose a pair of diamond cufflinks and pulled on his Rolex. He poured himself a whiskey and waited for Alessandra to finish readying herself. The click, click sound of her heels on the hardwood floors alerted him to her presence.

She softly cleared her throat to gain his attention, which was unnecessary as his heart quickened in anticipation. He turned to greet her and almost choked on his drink. She had chosen the black dress after all. His imagination didn’t do her beauty justice.

“You are absolutely stunning, Alessandra.”

He knew she would look sexy, but the breathtaking vision before him awakened other feelings. Drake held his arm out to encourage her to come closer.

She froze for a moment before taking a cautious step. “Thank you for the dress, Drake. You have good taste.”

He frowned. Didn’t she realize how beautiful she was? His compliment was genuine, without any connotation. He hated that merciless bastards had conditioned her, and decided he would do whatever it took to make her see herself as worthy of the life of her dreams.

She hooked her arm in his, and they made their way to the street where a town car waited. Catching the capped driver staring at his wife’s ass, Drake fought the urge to pluck out the man’s eyes. He shooed the driver away and offered his hand to assist Alessandra in climbing in. She smiled as she grabbed his hand.

She scooted across the black leather seat to make room for Drake. He popped open a bottle of champagne and poured her a glass. As the drink bubbled in the flute, her eyes brightened with excitement.

“Here’s to my beautiful wife.” He raised his glass.

“You’re pulling out all the stops this evening, Mr. Walker. What’s the occasion?”

Alessandra and Drake raised their glasses and clinked them together. She took a satisfying sip and watched Drake’s Adam’s apple move as he swallowed.

“First, I’m treating my wife because she deserves it.” He kissed her beneath the ear. “We’re headed to a charity gala tonight. They’re raising money for a non-profit Legal Action League.”

“What do they do?” she asked.

“Not everyone can afford legal services. Even if a lawyer agrees to take on a case pro bono, there are still court costs and filing fees. Sometimes a case requires outside resources like private labs or investigators.

“The Legal Action League assists in funding those costs as well. It lessens the burden on all parties that cannot fund or work for free. Most of those who partner with the league can do so for a pittance. This allows them to offer their services at low or no cost to those in need.”

“Like public defenders? I thought the court appoints them when someone can’t afford a lawyer.”

“Yes and no. Unlike the public system, some lawyers work directly with the league and can take clients at their discretion. The league offers resources to make referrals within a network of lawyers, not just in criminal cases.

“The judicial system isn’t perfect, and neither is the Legal Action League. Everyone deserves legal help when necessary. I do what I can, even if it’s only a donation.”

Even as a prosecutor, he knew innocent people faced trial daily and were wrongfully convicted due to bias or lack of a proper defense. Apart from criminal law, there were various legal matters such as property disputes, civil cases, divorces, child custody cases, and contracts that he was interested in handling but had to refer elsewhere.

From a young age, his mother had taught him the importance of charitable giving, and he took pride in supporting a cause he was passionate about. Those with privilege had a responsibility to assist those without.

Alessandra became quiet, and a frown marred her pretty brow. Drake knew she was thinking of Marcello and squeezed her hand to comfort her.

“He’s all right, Alessandra. I’m sorry for the pain you’re experiencing. Please understand I have a job to do. A man died, and it’s my job to get him justice. Someone deserves to pay the punishment for his loss.”

“I know that, Drake. I just wish it wasn’t my brother.”

Drake nodded and cleared his throat. He felt her pain deeply and wished he could take it away. He understood that it was hard to separate her feelings and aspired to be the man she could depend on.

“Have I told you how gorgeous you are tonight? You’ll be turning heads at the gala. We should turn this car around so I can take you home and keep you to myself.”

“How very caveman of you,” Alessandra teased.

“Bella, I’ll hoist you over my shoulder and beat my chest to claim you before laying you out on the buffet table and feasting on you.”

Drake wrapped his arm around Alessandra’s waist and pulled her closer. He fused his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting hard enough to leave a mark. His hand trailed up her thigh, slipping inside the slit. His fingertips brushed her sensitive region through her thin, wet panties.

“Drake,” Alessandra breathed.

Drake leaned in and whispered, “You’re soaked, bella. What naughty thoughts are you thinking? We could get a room at the hotel and sneak out of the gala for a quick fuck. Then again, I know hooking up in public turns you on. We can find a quiet corner of the room and be discreet.” He kissed her bare shoulder. “If you keep biting your lip like that, I’ll take you here in the car.”

Drake moved her panties aside and stroked her bare lips, brushing against her sensitive nub. Before he could slip a digit inside her wet channel, the car stopped outside the Water Tower Place. Tuning out downtown traffic was easy with Alessandra at his side. They arrived at their destination in the blink of an eye.

Drake laughed as Alessandra slapped his hand away and quickly adjusted her skirt before the driver opened her door. She pulled the visor down and looked at her reflection. Her skin was flushed, and he quickly pushed the visor up.

“What—”

“It’s adorable when you get flustered. A young newlywed should always look like that around her husband. And if she doesn’t, he’s clearly not doing a good job.”

Placing his palm on the small of her back, he escorted her through the doors of The Ritz Carlton. They walked into the awe-inspiring ballroom with many circular tables covered in crisp white linens and Chiavari chairs. The panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows provided a dramatic evening view of the city.

Drake wondered if Alessandra felt as heated as he did, remembering their tryst in front of the windows of his penthouse. After their meal, he planned to ask his wife to dance beneath the 400,000-crystal chandelier illuminating the room with glamor and elegance.

They made their way to the head table for their seating assignment, and Drake removed an envelope from his breast pocket and placed it in the prominently-displayed donation box. A raised platform stood on one end of the room for speeches and the band to play on later.

Before dinner, there was an open bar, and the five hundred guests had time to mingle and socialize. Drake and Alessandra made their way to the bar to order a drink.

“We’ll take a glass of champagne,” Drake ordered before Alessandra had the opportunity to make a request.

He handed her a flute and held his in a toast. “To my beautiful wife and our first date.”

Alessandra’s face colored briefly before a dazzling smile stretched across her face. Drake watched with rapt attention as she sipped champagne. He swooped in for a quick kiss as she lowered the glass, tasting the effervescent liquid on her ruby-red lips.

They moved around the room arm in arm, making small talk with Chicago’s elite—including various judges, partners of law firms, the police commissioner, and many other high-society men and socialites that were in attendance.

Drake caught the glances Alessandra gave him before voicing an opinion that varied from his. She was a socialite in her own right—the daughter of Anthony Russo. And he wanted her to own her voice.

Across the room, Drake’s eyes met Jenny Nguyen’s. She used to be respectable until becoming entangled with the Russos. Her searing gaze fell to his arm wrapped around Alessandra.

Jenny made her way through the crowd. “Isn’t this quite a development? Here I was under the impression that you were filing for divorce.” Alessandra flinched when Jenny touched her.

“I didn’t sign the papers,” Drake growled. “We’re giving our marriage a real shot.”

“Is that so?” The woman’s eyes narrowed, and a cat-like grin spread over her face.

“Drake’s mistaken. We’ll be moving forward with the divorce. We’ll file as soon as he’s ready. You know how lawyers are. He needs to ensure all the t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted.”

Drake’s jaw clenched painfully, and his grip around Alessandra tightened. There was no way in hell he was letting her go. She was always his, and she would come to understand that soon.

“We’ve discussed this already, Alessandra. We are not filing for divorce. That’s the end of it!” he snapped.

“Well, I should let you lovebirds continue to make the rounds. Do say hello to Jerry for me!” Jenny smirked and flicked her hair over her shoulder as she turned.

Drake jerked Alessandra away from Jenny. He took several deep breaths to calm himself and pull back the palpable waves of anger. Alessandra remained quiet as they moved to find their seats.

“There’s my favorite married couple. My husband and I are at the same table.” Drake’s mentor and friend, Judge Jerry Matthews, greeted the couple. “Mrs. Walker, I’d like to introduce you to my husband, Noah. Noah, this is Alessandra.”

There was a seventeen-year age difference between the interracial couple. Jerry was a virile black man in his late forties whose hair had started to gray, while Noah was tall and lanky with dark blond hair and a trimmed beard. He was younger than Drake—just shy of thirty but looked barely older than Alessandra.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alessandra.” Noah hugged her and turned to Drake. “How’s it going, Drake? You two had quite the wedding.”

Alessandra giggled at Noah’s boyish charm. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Judge Matthews clearly has good taste.”

“He really doesn’t,” Noah laughed. “I’m the one who pursued him relentlessly.”

Drake couldn’t help but chuckle. “They were interested in each other. But as a clerk for the judge, they couldn’t pursue a relationship.”

“That’s so sad. So what happened between then and now? I mean, you’re married, aren’t you?”

“Proudly, for three years now.” Jerry kissed his husband’s cheek.

“I was doodling Mr. Noah Matthews on paper one day.”

“Like a teenager with a crush does?” Alessandra asked, remembering doing the same thing herself.

“I’m not ashamed of it. It paid off. Sometimes wishes do come true. I am Mr. Noah Matthews, after all.”

“At that point, I decided to stop denying my feelings. I immediately transferred Noah to another judge and asked him out on our first date the next day.”

“That’s the sweetest story I’ve ever heard.” Alessandra was awed.

“Well, our story isn’t as exciting as yours. But it’s love nonetheless.” Noah shrugged.

“Love…” Alessandra echoed softly as Jerry grabbed Noah’s hand and pulled him in for a sweet kiss.

For the first time, Drake kicked himself for not recognizing the woman beside him. He blamed her shamefully for something that wasn’t her choice, but his.

Alessandra burst into laughter as Noah recounted a story; the two quickly bonded. He was surprised to see how well she fit in with his friends and how she opened up in ways he had never seen before. As he witnessed the sincere smile on her face, his heart raced with delight, and he felt honored to stand by her side as her companion. She was charming and witty, and blossomed before his eyes. Drake’s desire reignited with intensity and longing. He had to convince her to stay and give him the opportunity to win her over.

Drake wrapped his arm around Alessandra’s shoulders and kissed her cheek once they sat down for dinner. She rewarded him with a sweet smile.

“I like your friends. Thank you for bringing me here.”