Always You (Best Friend Series Book 1) Read online

  I leaned over the bed, kissing her sweet lips, but she didn’t react. I whispered. "Babe, time to wake up. Time to wake up."

  I shook her a little, but got no reaction. Shit, she couldn’t be that tired. I shouted, “Get up, damn it.” All I got was a slight movement, but she didn't wake.

  Panic set in; something was wrong. I picked her up and rushed her into the shower turning the shower to the blue setting. I let the cold spray hit her face, forcing her to wake up. It did the trick, but she had some explaining to do because that grogginess wasn't from being tired. It was drugs. In college it happened to a friend of mine at a party. He’d taken too much and was almost comatose. She started to fight off the spray, so I turned off the water.

  Once she got her bearings, shaking off the drops from her face, she yelled at me, "What the hell was that for?"

  I was wide-eyed and freaked out and she had an attitude. She could have OD’d. I would have lost her. "What did you take? Don't lie to me." Serious as a heart attack, I glared at her demanding an answer.

  "I didn't take anything,” she swore, acting like I was the one who was on something.

  I shook my head, then cupped her chin roughly. Looking deeply into her eyes which were still glazed, I broke. "Damn it, Cali, I know it hurts, but I thought you wanted to stay with me—not join your family. I knew I shouldn't have left you alone."

  She tried to push out of my arms, but I wasn’t going to let her fall into the shower. I set her down on the bathroom vanity. I took a towel and wiped her face. Her head was drenched, which dripped onto her shirt soaking it. She snatched it angrily from me. "Alex, you think I was trying to kill myself?! Are you nuts? All I did was sit in the living room waiting for your call."

  "If you were waiting for my call then why was your phone powered off and in the kitchen garbage?" I leaned over her with both arms on her sides, trapping her on the counter.

  Her expression was a seriously confused look. "Garbage? I didn’t go in the kitchen after you left.”

  “Well, you had it when I talked to you. So how did it get in the trash?” We stared at each other before something clicked.

  "Mark,” she answered looking off in confusion.

  "Did he use your phone?" Jealousy embedded itself in my chest, marking it like a tattoo. I don’t know if there will ever be a time that I didn’t get jealous when it came to my Cali.

  "He shouldn't have. I was lost in memories while I looked at the fireplace. Mark went in the kitchen to get us something to drink. He didn't ask to use it, and I wasn’t paying attention to him." It made me feel good that she could be so dismissive of him, but it still begged the question why he would take the phone. If he got her the drinks, did he slip her something? It would explain why she wasn’t lucid and hard to wake and still a little fuzzy. If he drugged her, he was as good as dead.

  We needed to talk to the police. We went back into the bedroom so she could change her shirt that was now wet. If the police didn’t act, I was going to have to hire a tail to follow that fuck. I wasn’t going to leave anything to chance.

  I'm not sure I wanted us to leave the house until I was sure it was a random shooting and I knew Reddick’s whereabouts. I was pacing the floor nervously, thinking and planning my next move.

  "Babe, I need to make a call. Are you okay here for a few minutes?" Our dinner was getting cold, but I needed to feel secure for the both of us.

  "Yes. Can I have my phone?" She held out her hand.

  "Sure, Cali, but don't make any calls. He might be listening in. Something about this doesn’t add up." She nodded and took the phone from my hands.

  “Just one more thing,” I said, climbing back onto the bed and kissing her lips. They were soft and sweet. I groaned when she tugged on my hair, meeting my kiss with fervor. Fuck, I leaned deeper into the kiss, pinning her to the bed. It took a minute for me to control my need enough to pull back. I didn’t know if I could wait for us to marry before I fucked my baby into her. But first things first, deal with that bastard.

  I ran downstairs to call the cops. I had the one officer’s card. He picked up on the first ring. "Detective Clayton."

  "This is Alex Richmond. I think we may have a suspect. Mark Reddick came over after I left—to supposedly check on her. She was ready to pass out when I got here. I took her to bed then about forty-five minutes later, I couldn't wake her. I actually had to take her in the shower and shock her awake." I paced the living room and accidentally bumped into the coffee table, spilling some of the full drink and noticing the empty glass next to it. Shit.

  "Do you think he drugged her?" I continued to stare at the empty glass, knowing I was lucky I got back when I did. If he did drug her, his intentions weren’t good. In fact, she knew who he was, so either he planned to keep her locked away or he was going to eventually kill her. Either way, I was going to get him before he got another chance to get close to her. I would move heaven and Earth to keep her safe.

  My anger was prominent in my reply. If I’d found the phone before I tossed him out on his ass, I’d be arrested for murder. "Yeah, he poured her a drink out of her sight. Then he pilfered her phone, turned it off, and tossed it in the trash. I couldn’t reach her on my way back with Officer Nichols. He could have put a trace or some shit on her phone."

  "That’s true, but I need proof. Don't leave the house and whatever you do don’t confront him. After what happened with her family, he may very well be the perp we’re looking for."

  "What about her? I don't know what he slipped her."

  "We'll bring a medic with the forensic team."

  "Thanks," I said, taking a deep breath. Damn, it dawned on me that I wiped down her phone because it was in with coffee grounds all over it.

  I walked back upstairs slowly, trying to compose myself. She’d been through enough and didn’t need to deal with what was to come until she ate at least. She was sitting there staring off into the distance. “Cali,” I called out in a gentle tone. She turned her head and smiled.

  “For a minute, I thought you wouldn’t come back.”

  “Honey, I’ve got no intention of letting you leave my sight for the next month.”

  “What about work?”

  “I worked seven days a week in Milan to finish the project faster so I could come home to you. I have time off.” Her smile grew and her face blushed.

  “Really, Alex?” She got off the bed and stood in front of me, her heart shining through her eyes.

  “Yes, my soul. It’s always been about getting back to you. Always you.”

  I was taken off guard when she jumped into my arms with her lips planted on mine, but I used it to my advantage letting the pleasure of her body pressed against mine fulfilling some of my hunger for Cali. Her lips parted and let out a low sex-filled moan out into the air. I grasped her ass in my hands. I’d waited for what seemed like forever to do that. It was fucking everything I hoped it would be and more. I felt a bit of cum leak from my tip onto my boxers. That was it. I needed to get her downstairs and some food into her empty belly before I nailed her right where we stood. I untwined our bodies, leaning over to catch my breath and get my act together. I didn’t know how long I had before they got to the house to do the cursory search and examination.

  I stood straight up, my erection pointing at her through my pants. Her eyes moved to it in need. With a lick of her lips, I was about to cum. “No, don’t think of it.”

  “You know you keep telling me that. I’m starting to think you don’t want me like that.”

  “Cali, love. Trust me, I want you on your knees in front of me as often as possible. Hell, I’ve fantasized about it more times than I should have, but the police are coming to check out your phone. Besides, I’ve got to feed you real food.” I gave her a wink before picking her up into my arms, carrying her down to eat.

  ~~~~~

  How he could make me forget that my world had dissolved around me was an accomplishment. The way his light blue eyes darkened to a deeper blue when he st
ared at me took away some of the sadness. His touch made me forget everything but the zing of passion running laps through my body.

  He sat me down at the kitchen table while he moved about the room in a hurry. He tossed our steaks in the broiler while he served me a salad with my favorites. “I can’t believe you remembered what I like in my salads.”

  “Why not? It’s simple—carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce. Besides, I don’t think there’s a thing I’ve forgotten about you.”

  “You’re amazing, Alex. I don’t know what I would do without you.” I meant that, too. I fell in love with him two years ago, and he came back in time to pick up the pieces of my broken heart.

  “Me, either. I didn’t know I’d fall in love with anyone, let alone someone I had to wait what seemed like a lifetime for.” He laughed, but I knew that he was serious about it. If he felt a modicum of the love I felt for him, he’d be missing me always. From the look in his eyes, I knew he loved me.

  I watched as he went about the room reheating our food. He looked so at home in the kitchen that I wondered if he cooked for himself all the time. He opened the broiler and, one by one, placed a massive T-bone onto each of the plates. My hunger pangs hit me the moment the perfectly cooked steaks scent reached my nostrils. I licked my lips at the steak he placed in front of me.

  “I can’t help being jealous of that meat.”

  “Are you going to try to take this one away from me, too?”

  He groaned and reached for his hard cock, giving it a squeeze. With a growl he commanded, “Eat. Before someone comes, and I’m not just talking about the visitors.” Oh, wow. My thighs rubbed together, thinking about him cumming from my teasing. I stood up to add the salads to our plates, but he pulled me away from the table and pressed my back into his chest. I felt every inch of him, rubbing my ass against his long, thick cock.

  “Stop and sit,” he gruffly whispered in my ear, nipping at it. I moaned again before taking my seat. We ate in silence because we were both too worked up to think straight, however there was a big problem with that.

  With every bite, I looked at the fork and plate, thinking my mom would never be washing dishes after dinner. Closing my eyes, I tried to wash away the pain. I couldn’t take the silence anymore. “Talk to me. I keep thinking about my mother. How was Italy?”

  “Okay. It was busy. Like I said, I worked seven days a week. I had three different advisors and a translator that I ended up not needing after three months. I learned Italian, Bella mia.”

  “Damn, you’re not playing fair.” My shorts were wet in between my thighs and I didn’t like that really soaked feeling. I was going to be embarrassed when the officers come. “I’ll get even with you, Alex.”

  I stood up with my plate in hand, emptying it into the trash, bending at the waist. My shorts rode up my ass, giving away my wetness, and I was certain he could make out the shape of my pussy.

  “You win,” he grunted. I turned my head, still in the bent position, and smiled. He gripped the table and looked like he would smash it to bits. He closed his eyes, and I knew I really won.

  He stood up and excused himself from the room. Before he stepped out the kitchen, I called out, “Looks like you were the real winner.”

  We both laughed before he left me there to clean up the mess. I did the dishes while I waited for him to finish. Pulling my phone out of my pocket and thought about the police wanting to look at my phone. I hadn’t turned it on yet because I didn’t want to feel obligated to call my family back when I wasn’t supposed to call anyone. I powered it back on because there were things I didn’t want them to see, but it seemed like Mark took care of that for me. My wallpaper was back to its original stock screensaver. It should have been a picture of Alex. Embarrassment hit me right away. There were several pictures of Alex in my phone. I took them when he wasn’t looking or when my mom took group photos of us. I wondered if he saw them, too. I looked like I had a school girl crush. I flushed and looked through my pics. They were all gone. My photos were all gone. I collapsed to the ground because it wasn’t just that I lost Alex’s pictures; I’d lost all the ones with mom, dad, and Rob.

  ~~~~

  I walked to the bedroom in shame. I couldn't believe I nutted in my pants from staring at her ass. I shook my head because I knew that was a lie. When I was visiting some of the tourist landmarks in Milan, I saw several nude statues of women, and I thought of Cali. Would her breasts be that pointy or her nipples that small? I remembered that although she was slender, she had curves.

  I cut my tour short because I was so stiff that only one thing would get rid of it. Once I got to my villa, I climbed into the shower and began sliding my wet and sudsy hands up and down my length. I let out a low groan, tossing my head back against the shower wall. I knew it was wrong to jerk it to thoughts of Cali, but it was wrong to think about anyone else. I came hard, my cum splashing through the shower spray. I should feel guilty, but I didn’t. Cali was mine, and I wasn’t touching her. Soon I would be, very soon.

  Quickly jumping in the shower, I washed up then dressed before getting downstairs. Cali gave me a bright smile that was beautiful but didn’t stretch to her eyes. Taking her into my arms, I hugged her tight. Being around her, I wanted to hold her and make the heartache go away; but at the same time I want to make love to her. I pulled back, tilted her chin to look into her lovely eyes.

  “I love you, Calista Delaney. Marry me.” I stepped back, got down on one knee, and pulled the box out of my pocket. Her mouth opened wide, but then a smile appeared on her face.

  “Yes, of course. Oh my gosh, Alex, of course.” I stood up and slipped on the beautiful five carat diamond ring. I got in Italy a week after I got there. There was this little shop that had been there for generations. The ring stood out so prominently, that I knew it was meant for her.

  She gave a little giggle with a bit of tears as I slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit, but that was due to Rob; he checked her rings for me. I missed him already.

  “Alex, kiss me.” I gripped the hand that now sported my ring. A sign of my possession of her. One day she’d have another sign. I kissed the back of her hand then brought it to my cheek.

  “Anytime,” I whispered, tipping her chin and kissing her softly, I sealed the deal. Our mouths moved tenderly against each other, until she pulled away from me.

  “What’s the matter?” It was just getting deeper.

  “The doorbell.” Just as she said it, the doorbell rang again. We both walked to the door, but I held her behind me as I looked through the peep hole. It was Detective Clayton and a bunch of other law personnel.

  With her behind me, I let them in. I didn’t trust if a shooter was behind them.

  “Alex, I doubt Mark is coming to steal me away. You don’t need to be paranoid,” she said, moving from behind me.

  “Actually, Mr. Richmond has the correct idea.” They rushed in the door, moving to block the door until everyone was inside, then it was locked.

  Cali looked at all of us in confusion when the detective said, “You didn’t tell her yet, did you?”

  “No, it wasn’t the right time.”

  “Right time for what? What were you supposed to tell me?”

  “Babe, you don’t really want to know, but you have to be told. The thing is, come here and sit down.” I took her hand and sat her down next to me. I wanted her in my lap, but then I needed to look her in the face because this was going to be difficult.

  “Cali, it wasn’t just an accident. Your father crashed because he was shot and lost control of the car.”

  “What? No! There was no one that would try to hurt my family.” Her eyes begged me not to be true.

  “Sweetheart, I don’t know if the gunshot was meant for someone else or for your father, but it’s very true. That’s why I don’t want you to go outside.”

  Realization hit her that we were looking at Reddick for this. “You think Mark did this?”

  “Well, he did mess
with your phone.”

  “Calista, I’m Dr. Nina Levine. You can talk to me if you want. I know that this is the most difficult time in your life.”

  “No, thanks, Dr. Levine.” She shook her head then placed it against my chest. I squeezed her, giving her my strength.

  “Ms. Delaney, we need to see the phone.” She took it out of her back pocket and handed it to the officer. It was the first time I noticed him. The tech guy must have only been about twenty-five at the most. I wanted to growl at him, but instead I pulled her onto my lap. She was sexy even with her tear stained face. I didn’t want him to get any ideas.

  “Are these the glasses from earlier?” Detective Clayton asked, pointing to the two on the coffee table.

  “Yes, the empty one was mine.”

  “Ok, Keith, swab it for trace evidence.” The other guy, who had to be younger than the other fuck, grabbed the glass with gloved hands and wiped the inside with some circular absorbent cloth. Then he tested the glasses for fingerprints. It was insane, but I hated that he had his hands all over Cali’s glass. Her lips had been on there, lips that belonged to me. What was with this detective? He brought all these young men around my woman. I’d punch one of them in the face if they smiled at her.

  “So, Ms. Delaney, can you tell me what happened when Mr. Reddick stopped over?” Clayton asked with his notepad in hand.

  She took a deep breath, then began. “Yes, I’d been sitting here twiddling my phone waiting for Alex’s call when he rang the doorbell. I opened it and he looked right at me with a pity-filled expression. I knew that he knew about my parents. He told me he saw it on the news, but the license plate was partially showing.”

  “Wait. When was that?” The detective asked with a quizzical expression. All the heads in the room turned to hear her response.