The day of our wedding passes without a peep.
There’s no official cancelation, but we both know that everything has changed forever.
The terms of our contract are the last things on our mind as the weeks drag on. At first, every day is filled with physical pain. My body was shattered in the helicopter crash, and that was just the start. I kept on pushing through every serious injury on pure adrenaline alone. It left me weak, but the further along I come, the stronger I grow.
A month later now, and I’m feeling stronger than I ever have before. But it’s not because my body has healed. It’s because my heart has.
I’m in love.
Elisa is right by my side the entire time. My own personal nurse. She changes my bandages, checks on my stitches, kisses my scars. Most importantly, she keeps me from over extending myself. Every time I get an itch to go out and let off a little steam, she puts her foot down and tells me to stay in. And you know what? I fucking listen.
It’s a miracle, because I don’t even do it begrudgingly. I want to be with her. The time we spend together doesn’t get old. Even if she’s just lying in my arms, listening to me breathe, I’m thankful. Her presence heals me even more than her increasingly skillful hands.
It turns out that Elisa is a true natural when it comes to medicine. Or maybe it was all that studying she did. Either way, even my doctors are shocked with how far I come in such a short period of time. It’s all thanks to Elisa, and there’s only one way I can repay her.
“How was the first session?”
I stumble into our bedroom and kick my work shoes off. Today was only the second day I’ve gone into the city for work since Nolan and Niall dragged Elisa and I out of the tunnels all those weeks ago.
It was nice to finally get back into the swing of things, but I also missed Elisa like crazy. I know she misses me too, because I’m immediately greeted with a test of my recovered strength.
“Amazing,” she smiles, jumping into my arms. I manage to hold her up as we twirl towards the bed. “Amazing but exhausting.” We trip onto the mattress and not a single morsel of pain remains in my body.
“It’s a lot of responsibility.” After a quick kiss, I roll on top of her. “I hope you’re not too drained.”
“I’m never too tired for this.”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
Today was the first day that Elisa got to lead her own medical team. It’s not an official medical team, of course. Elisa isn’t a registered nurse or certified doctor. That will come in due time. But it is a start. The Fitzpatrick clan isn’t leaving the underworld anytime soon, and that means a lot of violence waits for us in the future. Violence begets injuries. Injuries require care. Elisa is to lead our team of renegade practitioners. It’s not exactly what she always dreamed of, but it’s a start.
And the challenge has made her especially perky.
I like it when she’s perky. It makes her nipples taste absolutely delicious.
Her skin pebbles as I plant gentle kisses down her neck. When I get to her collarbone, my teeth come out. We may be past the fighting stage of our relationship, but that doesn’t mean we have to play gentle.
“Oh, Aiden.” Elisa’s fingers tangle through my hair and my cock goes rock hard.
But this isn’t what I’ve come to do. At least, not yet.
Instead, I brush my hand up her wrist until I’ve latched onto her engagement ring. With a strong twist, I slip it off and tuck it into my pocket.
“What are you doing?” Elisa huffs from under me, her chest heaving with desire. I trap her with my legs and smile down at my beautiful princess.
“I’ve terminated our contract.”
A shocked gasp escapes her lips. It’s quickly followed by a predictable sadness. I was expecting that, but it still hurts. I trace the soft lines over her brows with the tip of my finger.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want you like that. This thing we have has become more than just some ink on a piece of paper.”
The lines of concern ease on her gorgeous sun-kissed face and I draw a path down to her lips.
“So, no wedding?”
“I didn’t say that,” I smile. “But we’re going to do it the right way this time around.”
“What does that mean?” she playfully challenges. Elisa struggles to sit up, but I keep her arms locked under my knees.
“It means I’m going to start taking you on dates. Buying you nice things. Supporting your dreams. Then, one day, if I think you might like it, I’ll ask you to marry me. That’s when we’ll worry about a wedding.”
That gorgeous smile of hers sends my heart racing. “You don’t have to do all that,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion.
“I know. But I want to. You deserve to be spoiled.”
A naughty look enters her big brown eyes. “What else do I deserve?”
My fingers walk down to the tip of her chest. I run my hand under her cleavage.
“I hear you like being punished.”
“Well, if you aren’t tying me up with a ring, then you can at least tie me up with some rope.”
Her nipples rise between my fingers and I lean down to her lips. Our noses brush gently and a shiver of lustful love fills every inch of me. This is my woman, and I’m going to work my ass off to make sure I deserve her.
But first, a little pleasure is in order.
“I can arrange that, princess. Do you think you can give yourself completely to me?” It’s like a dirty little wedding vow.
Elisa’s response is right in line.
“I do.”
And just like that, our true journey begins.
