SWNOVELS Acts of Atonement: Chapter 23
I’VE OFFICIALLY SURVIVED the week from hell. Ashley arrived a couple of days after William’s call of doom, claiming to know nothing more than the fact that she was there to pick up Harper. I haven’t spoken to William since the day of the hearing and I can safely say I’m still very depressed.
I’ve been doing the bare minimum around the house. Unsure of what’s going to happen next, I try to keep myself motivated and at least visit Dad every day. I have to constantly remind myself that the boys need me and I can’t just drop everything because of William’s dickass behavior. Well, that’s the plan at least. The reality of the situation is that I’m a hot mess most of the time.
My phone bellows out Gin Wigmore’s “Girl Gang”, alerting me to an incoming call from Cassie, so I answer.
“Woman! It’s about time you picked up your phone. Open your damn door, already,” Cassie rushes out in excitement.
“What? Why? Are you here?” I scrunch my brows together as I make my way to the front door.
“Yes, bi-atch. And I just cleared the million security guards you have surrounding the house, so let me in.”
I open the door, squealing in delight at the vision that sits before me—Cassie holding a bottle of tequila in one hand and a pint of ice cream in the other. I seriously couldn’t have conjured a better surprise. “Oh my god, Cassie! How did you get here?!”
Cassie steps across the threshold, thrusting her gifts into my hand before embracing me in a bear hug.
“An airplane,” her smart ass replies. “A little birdie told me you were moping around here like some pathetic excuse of a woman. And that my friend, is unacceptable.”
“Is it now? I’m not allowed to grieve the loss of a man—A man who I thought was the love of my life?”
We’re walking toward the kitchen when Cassie stops in her tracks. Whirling around, she shoots me a glare before starting in on me. “First of all, that man was not the love of your life. The love of your life wouldn’t just abandon you like that for some psycho bitch who is a terrible mother.” Cassie waves a finger in the air while pursing her lips. “Second of all, no. You are not allowed to grieve that piece of shit garbage of a man.”
“Okay. So what do you propose I do then?” I ask, a small smile lifting at the corner of my lips.
“You put your badass woman panties on and put yourself out there again. Literally. Go put on your sexiest panties and meet me out here in thirty. I’ll watch the boys while you get ready for dinner. I made the four of us reservations at this new restaurant in Malibu right on the water.” Cassie opens her arms wide, spanning an imaginary oceanfront view. “The fresh air will do you good and it’s about damn time you do something outside of the house besides visiting the hospital.”
I blow out a breath in surrender, releasing it slowly. “Okay. You’re right,” I mumble as I shove the ice cream into the freezer. “I’ll be ready in thirty.”
“Take your time. That hair is going to need all the help it can get. When’s the last time you washed it?” Cassie shouts from the kitchen as I walk away.
“Ha. Ha. I get it. I’m a hot mess,” I say, disappearing into my room.
“I loooove Malibu!” Cassie squeals. More cheerily than I could stand at the moment. “So many fun places to eat.”
“I know you’re trying to help, but could you tone down the happiness just a bit. It’s making me want to strangle you, and we can’t have that. Who will care for the boys if I’m locked away on murder charges?”
“Well, that escalated quickly,” Cassie murmurs, shooting the boys a side glance as they giggle.
“I know. Sorry. Couldn’t help it.” I shrug while taking a sip of my drink—a double shot of tequila on the rocks.
I’m no longer able to drink whiskey without remembering William’s mouth on me. So tequila it is.
A flash of dark hair catches my eye somewhere to the left, but it’s gone just as quickly as it appeared. I put my drink down, swearing it’s making me hallucinate.
“I met someone,” Cassie blurts out. “I know you are going through a lot right now but I think you should listen to what I have to say.”
“Oh my god, Cassie! That’s amazing!” I cheer, apparently finding joy within me I didn’t know existed. “Tell me everything.”
“I’m not telling you to rub this new relationship in your face, Bella. I swear there’s a point to this conversation.” Cassie purses her lips, scrunching them to the side. After a pause, she continues. “A while ago, I met a man who I thought was the one. Things were progressing rather quickly and then all of a sudden he dropped me like a sack of potatoes, leaving me destroyed.”
“How in the hell did I not know about this?” I shove at Cassie’s shoulder in disbelief.
“You had a lot of stuff going on. I didn’t want to add to your worries.” Cassie shrugs her shoulders. “Anyway, the point is I didn’t let myself wallow. I got right back on the horse and ended up meeting an amazing guy. We’ve been dating for a month now and I think it’s serious enough for you to meet him. What do you say? Want to meet my beau and his bestie?”
I squint my eyes at Cassie in suspicion. “Are you trying to set me up and disguise it as meeting your new boyfriend?”
“Who me? I would never. I just thought you wouldn’t want to feel like a third wheel is all.”
“Uh huh. Sure you didn’t,” I say sarcastically. “As tempting as your offer might sound, I think I’ll have to pass. I’m definitely not ready to put myself out there again. Now if you’ll watch the boys for me, I have to go to the ladies’ room.”
Cassie nods. “Okay, but we’re resuming this as soon as you get back.”
I get up from my seat and make my way to the bathroom, needing to get away from Cassie’s matchmaking antics as quickly as possible.
I’m just about to close the door to the single stall restroom when a hand appears, preventing me from shutting it all the way.
I know that hand.
Sure enough, William steps through the crack, shutting the door behind him.
“William.” His name comes out as a whisper. I take two steps back in shock, thinking this can’t be real. It’s clearly a figment of my imagination.
“I’m so sorry, Isabella.” William walks toward me. His eyes full of regret, trying to convey an apology I’m just not ready to accept.
Realizing this isn’t some hallucination, I finally react. Lifting my hand, I slap William across the face, wishing I could transfer all of my pain with that one contact.
“Why? Why are you here, William?” I say through clenched teeth, my whole body beginning to shake with rage.
William steps closer, until we’re a mere breath apart. “I’m here because I love you.”
“Don’t. Don’t you dare tell me that.” Feeling that familiar tingle in my nose, I try to tamp down my emotions. I will not let him see me cry.
“I’ll tell you that as many times as I have to.” William grabs me by the waist and pulls me into him. “Until you realize that you are it for me. I want no one else. There is no one else.”
“What was Heather then?” I ask, my voice so little I barely recognize it.
“It wasn’t real. Heather was blackmailing me. She said she had a recording of me threatening her, and that recording would have ruined my legal case as well as kept me from being present in Harper’s life. I had to get my hands on it and destroy it, so I played along with her demands. I’m so sorry you got caught in the middle. I thought you would’ve understood that there could be no one else but you.” William searches my face for understanding, but it’s just not there.
“You thought I would’ve understood?” I scoff. “For someone so brilliant, you’re such a dumbass sometimes. How the fuck was I supposed to understand? Through goddamn telepathy?” I try to take a step back but William’s grip on my hips is unrelenting. “For fuck’s sake, at the very least you could have told Ashley. She could have warned me.”
“You know Ashley can’t keep a straight face to save her life. She would have ruined the plan if I’d clued her in on what was going on.”
“Well, did it work? Did you find the recording?” My lip quivers as an unbidden tear falls down my cheek. “Was my pain and suffering worth the charade?”
“There was no recording,” William whispers, the decibel of his words doing nothing to soften their blow.
Closing my eyes, I suck in a breath and take a moment before asking him to explain. “Did you just say there’s no recording?”
“After some maneuvering, the team was able to hack into her phone. Once they were in, they realized she never made a recording. Her phone doesn’t even have an application that would allow her to create one.” William’s bitter chuckle snaps me out of my stupor. “Thankfully, Ashley was already watching Harper so I could send Heather packing immediately.”
“Hold on. Are you telling me that you broke my heart—into a million pieces—for a recording that didn’t even exist?” My head falls back and I stare at the ceiling in disbelief. How could this man, this man I trusted with my life, hurt me so bad for something that wasn’t even real?
“I’m sorry.” William’s voice comes out choked and thick with emotion. “I thought the threat was real and I didn’t think it through. In my head, I truly thought you knew that what we have is what’s real. That nothing could ever shake us. Especially not some psychotic ex of mine.” William brings my face to his, pressing our foreheads together. “You have to believe me. I thought we’d be okay. I never meant to hurt you, little moon. You’re my woman. There is no one else. There will never be anyone else.”
“Did you sleep with her?” I ask, unable to hide the mixture of skepticism and hope evident in my tone.
“Fuck no. Since you, there has been no one else.” William presses us together, letting me feel his hard length twitch against me. “My dick only wants you. It comes alive for you and no one else.”
Looking into his clear blue eyes, I let myself fall once more. “I believe you, but that doesn’t mean I fully forgive you. What you did hurt me a great deal and it’s going to take time for me to trust you again.”
“I’ll apologize for the rest of my life if I have to, Isabella Moretti. But understand this, you’re mine whether you like it or not.” William grinds himself into me while simultaneously lifting me by my ass, causing me to reflexively wrap my legs around him. “I’ve missed you, little moon,” William murmurs before crashing his lips into mine.
I return his kiss with all the pent up emotion I have inside, our tongues dancing together in the purest form of expression. The kiss is raw and urgent, letting me know he needs me as much as I need him.
“Inside me, now,” I urge William while I claw at his pants, needing all the layers between us gone.
“Yes, ma’am.” William grins wide, placing me on the small vanity and pulling me to its edge.
I unbuckle his pants while he tugs at my leggings, both of us wanting each other exposed as quickly as possible. As soon as he’s pulled my leggings off, he grabs me by the waist, driving his massive cock into me without warning.
I gasp at the sudden invasion, grabbing onto his ass and wanting him deeper. Needing him deeper. Losing myself in the moment, I revel in every spark, every tingle. My eyes roll back as my body is invaded by a multitude of wonderful sensations. The fullness of him inside me combined with the steady and unrelenting thrusts his throbbing cock delivers are almost too much for me to bear.
I never want to be without this man again.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you so much,” William whispers against my hair as he slows his thrusts, savoring the sensation of his thick cock pressing in and out of me. “You feel so damn good, baby. But we’re going to have to make this quick. Cassie and the boys are waiting for you.”
I mumble incoherently, unable to form words with how good it feels to have him inside of me. I just want to keep going and never stop.
Smirking, William brings his thumb to my mouth. “Open wide and suck me.”
Doing what he asks, I take his thumb into my mouth and swirl it with my tongue, making William groan. With a loud pop, he removes himself from my mouth, bringing the digit down to where our bodies meet.
His thumb connects with my clit and my body jolts from the contact. My entire body is alive with sensation and I instantly feel him everywhere all at once. It’s a connection I’ve only ever felt with him, and in that moment I know, it will only ever be him.
“You’re mine, little moon. All mine.” William kisses my neck before biting and sucking it.
“Yours. All yours.” I moan in ecstasy.
My whole body turns into liquid heat as he rolls the tiny bundle of nerves round and round while thrusting into me faster and faster. I’m close, so fucking close, I can feel myself clenching around him. Unable to hold back my release, I come hard, seeing nothing but black as my pussy spasms around William’s glorious cock.
“That’s right, baby. Come for me, and only me.” William’s pace becomes urgent. Each thrust a declaration of possession. “You’re mine. This pussy is mine,” he grits out, his jaw clenching.
Reaching below, I grab hold of the family jewels and softly squeeze. “I am yours and you are mine.”
At my words, William throws his head back, roaring his release—filling me with his cum and marking me as his.
“Fuuuuuuck.” He moans while pulling me into his chest. “God, I could never get enough of you.”
“Well then it’s a good thing the feeling is mutual.” A genuine smile spreads across my lips.
William reaches for a paper towel, wetting it with warm water before bringing it to me and cleaning me off. “I’m sorry this was quick. I promise I’ll make it up to you later. But for now, let’s get you cleaned up and back to your friend.”
Despite still having some reservations, I’m smiling like a loon as William and I walk back to my table. Dreading the reaction we’re going to get, I prepare myself for Cassie to be angry with us, but the expression marking her face as we approach the table is of complete elation. Looking around, I see the boys are overjoyed as well.
Happy but confused, I quicken my pace, needing to find out what’s got them in such a mood. As soon as we’re within earshot, Cassie shoots straight up from her chair, answering my question.
“Ren called,” Cassie blurts out, her grin practically splitting her face. “Aiden is talking!”