Attainment (The Temptation Series) (15 page)

He steps aside with a knowing expression as though this is
not the first time an irate partner has stormed into the room. Alexis sits
frozen with a terrified expression on her face as I stop right beside her chair
and tower over her.

She starts to speak, seemingly to defend herself. “I didn’t
know—“

Cutting off her unnecessary apology, I reach forward and
take hold of her hand, pulling her up to my chest and pressing my lips to hers
in a forceful show of ownership. My intention is to make a clear point that she
is mine.

Keeping the kiss brutally short, I pull away. “Want to go
home?”

She smiles and nods.

Not wanting to stay any longer and listen to JT sing about
being someone’s slave, I bend down, throw her over my shoulder—making sure I
cover her arse with her dress—and walk us out of the room.

***

When we get back to the apartment, I take the elevator all
the way to the second floor, not uttering a word until we are beside the bed.

Before I place her down, I feel her fingers playing with the
waistband of my jeans from behind my back.

“Are you mad?” she asks almost timidly.

“Yep,” I honestly reply, closing my eyes while trying to
calm my raging fury together with my raging hard-on which is a result from her
teasing touch.

She dips her finger into my jeans, along the crevice of my
arse. “Are you angry with me?”

“No, not with you,” I sigh. “...with our ex-best friends.”

Straightening her back, she encourages me to slide her down
my front. “Good...” she replies with a promising grin, continuing to slide all
the way down to her knees. Then, unlatching my belt buckle, she doesn’t
hesitate in taking me in her hands. “...because the only man I want dancing
around me is you. The only man I want, period, is you.”

Smirking down at her, I caress her stunning face. “I’m all
yours, Hunny.”

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

My breath catches when I spot her walk out onto the balcony.
I can’t see her in detail as I am too far away, but her presence adorned in an
ivory gown is unmistakeable. I know they say seeing the bride before the
wedding is bad luck, but technically I can’t see her entirely, she is several
hundred meters away in the distance.

Hoping that she has her phone with her, I pull out my mobile
and send her a text:

29 minutes and 13 seconds - Bryce

I’m desperate and not able to help myself, needing some form
of contact. Spending last night without her was agony, so much so, that I was
highly fucking tempted to sneak into our apartment and surprise her in the middle
of the night. I’m sure she wouldn’t have minded. Maryann, however, would have.
My soon to be mother-in law would no doubt have physically removed me from the
premises—or at least, tried.

Watching and waiting for Alexis to answer my message, I
notice who looks to be Lucy join her on the balcony. She hands her what I
assume is her phone, which makes me smile boldly. Damn, I adore my sister. She
has been the perfect accomplice in my quest for ultimate attainment.

Lucy heads back inside, so I take the opportunity to send
another text:

28 minutes, 19 seconds and counting

until you make me the happiest man alive - Bryce

I wait knowing that she is now reading it, and the fact I am
watching her without her knowledge leaves me feeling somewhat cocky and
powerful at the same time.

My phone beeps indicating her response:

27 minutes and 21 seconds until I become

Mrs. Alexis Clark - Alexis

As I read her reply, the smile that covers my face is
enormous. Mrs. Alexis Clark. It sounds perfect.

I can’t wait. - Bryce

Neither can I - Alexis

Smiling like an impish fool, I figure I’ll play with her a
little longer, loving to wind her up and watch her unleash. The fight she puts
up when returning my challenges always ignites a fiery passion within me.

Well then hurry up - Bryce

I love you, you know. - Alexis

I do. - Bryce

Aren’t you supposed to say that in

25 minutes and 33 seconds. - Alexis

I laugh out loud. She never fails to amaze me with her wit
and responses.

“What are you laughing at, Dick?” Derek says from behind as
he steps up beside me.

“None of your business,” I reply as I send another message,
this one sure to get her excited.

That’s it! I’m coming up there to get you. - Bryce

“Is that Alexis? Up there on your balcony?”

I look up to my penthouse, still smiling, captivated by her
angelic form. “Sure is.”

“You’re unfuckingbelievable. You’re not supposed to see her
before the ceremony.”

“I can’t really see her, not closely enough anyway.”

“Sure, keep tellin’ yourself that.”

My phone beeps once more:

Okay, okay. I’m on my way. ♥ - Alexis

“Are you texting her?” Derek asks, incredulously.

A sly grin replaces my smile as I continue to type. “Yep,” I
answer with nonchalance.

You better be ♥ - Bryce

“Does she know you are watching her?”

“Of course not.”

“You’re a dog, Bryce,” he says as he turns to face me with
his back against the railing, trying to block my view.

I raise an eyebrow at the cocky fucker I call my best
friend. “I’m not a dog. I just like to know what she’s doing. Get out of the
way.” I move him aside and smile once again. “And anyway, you can’t stand there
and tell me you aren’t well and truly under Carly’s thumb.”

“I’m under no one’s thumb.”

“Bullshit! Carly owns you.”

“Carly’s not like that.”

“It doesn’t matter if she’s like that or not. You’re
thumbed...whipped...you belong to her. You might as well man the fuck up and
admit it.”

“Never, that will never happen.”

“Brayden, come here! Uncle Snakey needs to put your shoes
on,” Jake bellows from inside the suite.

I hear Brayden squeal then crack the shits. “No shoes!”

‘Uncle Snakey?’ Derek mouths, amusement on his face.

I smile and nod. “Yep, but don’t ask.”

Derek pushes off the railing and heads back inside. “Come
on, man. Let’s get you married.”

Taking one last look up at Alexis who is now hugging her
father, I lift my phone and snap a photo—my creepy research still very much
operational.

***

Impatiently waiting at the altar for Alexis, my palms are
sweaty and my body tense. I seriously need to rein my shit in, having no doubt
I must look like a nervous wreck. It wouldn’t surprise me if I’ve cracked my
neck and clenched my fists more times than a pro boxer would before a fight.

Taking a deep breath, I calm my nerves and watch with
amusement as Nate follows Brayden around, making sure he doesn’t untie anymore
of the ivory ribboned bows decorating the large bunches of roses. Seriously,
the amount of destruction my son can get up to in the blink of an eye still
confounds me.

“Nervous?” Jessica enquires as she steps up to my side.
Nervous?
Yeah, if my damp friggin’ hands are anything to go by, I’m very bloody nervous.

“No, not at all,” I lie, leaning forward and giving her a
quick kiss on the cheek.

“Hmm,” she responds with a knowing smile. “Listen, Dear. I
just want to let you know that your parents and Lauchie...even Gareth, are all
here in spirit. They are proud of you. We all are.”

I manage a small smile and give her a hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She pulls away, gives my arm a quick
reassuring squeeze and then finds her seat.

As I contemplate what she just said, Maryann approaches. Her
demeanour is both excited and anxious. “She’s just outside,” she explains.

Feeling my pulse pick up a beat, I look toward the door,
noticing Alexis’ bridesmaids lining up ready to walk down the aisle. “Bray,
Nate, come here,” I call to the boys. Nate grabs Brayden’s hand and they make
their way over. “Okay, Mum is just outside those doors. Nate come stand next to
me just like we practised.” He does as he’s told. “Now, little man, see your
special pillow,” I say to Brayden as I bend down to his eye level. “I want you
to hold it tightly and go with Nanny, okay?” I hold out my fist for him to
bump.

He rears his hand back and then slams it into mine. “Bang!” he
says and then laughs, our fist-bumps now becoming a playful game.

Maryann takes his hand and leads him along the aisle, and
just as she reaches the door, I catch a glimpse of Alexis. The sight of her, as
per usual, steals what oxygen I have left in my lungs.
Fuck!

The first thing my overwhelmed mind deciphers is that I’m
marrying her today.
I’m marrying her today. I’m
really
marrying her
today.

Completely stunned and spellbound by her presence, I can’t
help but start to mentally count my blessings. You see, I’ve lost a lot in my
life, suffering heartache and accepting the fact that I was destined—and
deserved— to be alone in love. Don’t get me wrong, yes, I’ve managed to build a
hugely successful business and brand, and I never take my fortune where that is
concerned for granted. It’s just ever since Alexis came into my life, I’ve
learned how to truly aspire. I learned to love, and to live life as it should
be lived. And it is for this reason that I will be forever grateful.

Sucking in a deep breath, I properly absorb for the first
time since walking into this room that today is my wedding day. Today—after a
few years of sharing my life with the woman of my dreams—is the day she becomes
my wife. This day is the fucking icing on the cake—the pièce de résistance.
This day cements what I have known all along, that Alexis is mine and that she always
will be.

Maryann passes Brayden to Alexis and my heart skips a beat as
it usually does when I see them together. Watching Alexis and our son interact
with one another does things to me that I never thought possible. For one, I can’t
take my eyes off them, and secondly, I can’t help but smile like the fuckin’
Joker.

Brayden points in my direction, and both he and Alexis hit
me with two earth shattering smiles, smiles that like hundreds of times beforehand
pierce through me like a bolt of lightning. According to everyone in our life,
Brayden looks like me—I must admit...I tend to agree.
The force is strong in
my family.
The thing is he may be a mini-me but the beam that plasters his
18-month-old face is 100% his mother’s.

Alexis places Brayden on his stubby little legs. He grabs
hold of Maryann’s hand and begins to walk toward me. It’s in this moment that I
finally understand why Alexis wanted to wait two years to get married. She’d
pleaded and convinced me the wait would be worth the while. ‘Charli will be at
my side and Nate at yours,’ she’d said. ‘Brayden will then walk down the aisle
holding the rings on a cute little pillow...it will make the day perfect.
Please can we wait, I’m not going anywhere, remember?’

I knew that she wasn’t going anywhere, that wasn’t the
point. The point was we were together and had a child of our own therefore I
wanted to be able to call her my wife. So, giving in to her pleas had almost
killed me, especially after what we had both been through. Waiting was the
absolute last fucking thing I had wanted, instead wanting to marry her as soon
as I possibly could. After all, I had waited my whole life for her.

Without admitting it to her though, she was right. Watching
Brayden as he walks down the aisle toward me is definitely well worth the
wait—it’s perfect...the kids are perfect...Alexis is perfect.

Brayden stops and smiles, obviously pleased with his
‘special job’. I bend down and hold my fist out to him, preparing for another
right-hook. He indulges me and laughs, then sits down with Maryann.

As the music kicks in, I quickly stand back up and watch
Alexis slowly make her way toward me. I’d been picturing and dreaming about
this very moment for years, and it is now that it’s finally happening. In my
dreams, Alexis was angelic...beautiful...exquisite. But in reality, watching as
she smiles at our family and friends with each step that she takes, she is just
pure perfection—fucking breath taking.

The instrumental music piece that is playing as she walks
down the aisle is one that Lucy, the boys, and I composed especially for this
moment. We’d spent months on it, making it flawless. I sneak a look over at
Derek and watch as he performs an air guitar action, prompting Carly to laugh
at him.
Friggin’ show pony.

Shaking my head in amusement, I roll my eyes with a smile. He
is definitely whipped whether he admits it or not.

Alexis stops only feet away from me and has a few moments
with Graeme. Part of me envies her having her parents here, wishing mine were
here, too. Mum would no doubt be crying happy tears and Dad would be patting
her arm. Lochie and Gareth would be standing right by my side, and the day
really would be complete. But, as incredibly perfect as that sounds, it is not
how it was meant to be. Fate had other plans, plans I would never understand.

Graeme gives Alexis a quick kiss on the cheek before she
turns, faces me, and steps up to the altar.
Fuck me, she is gorgeous.

‘Hi,’ she mouths, her lips moving seductively yet with a
hint of shyness.
Shiiiit! I want at those lips.

“Can I kiss her now?” I ask, desperately.

The room erupts into an amused chuckle.
I’m glad you all
find it funny. I sure as hell don’t.
Frustrated at my lack of control, I
clench my fist then open it again.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Clark, not quite yet,” announces the
celebrant. Now, if he wasn’t the very man who was going to legally bind me to
Alexis for the rest of our lives, I would physically remove him from the room
for stopping me from kissing her. He should consider himself lucky.

Fighting to refrain from glaring at him, I move my stare
back to the love of my life, finding Alexis staring at me, her beauty filled
blue eyes looking deep into mine. ‘I love you’, I mouth, having to do or say something
to show her how I feel. Apparently, kissing her in this moment is not allowed.

“I love you, too”, she replies quietly as her gaze drops to
assess my suit. The way she takes me in with her eyes nearly snaps my dick to
attention—nearly. This is my wedding day after all; I do have some form of control.

Alexis hands her bouquet of roses to her sister Jen, then
turns back to face me, holding her hands out for me to take a hold.
Shit! My
palms are still sweaty.

Wiping them on my trousers as quickly and inconspicuously as
I am capable of, I take both her hands in mine. She strokes her thumb across my
knuckles and again, my dick nearly snaps to attention.
Bloody hell!
Alexis
will always have the ability to charge me with her touch. 

Screw this!
I raise her hand to my mouth and kiss her
wrist, the smell of her perfume intoxicating me. The fight within to cease my
lips further progression up her arm is excruciating. She smiles lovingly at me
and like a magnet leans in closer. I want to take her in my arms and merge us
into one, but the celebrant clears his throat then begins the ceremony.

After exchanging rings and confirming that I never owned my
heart to begin with, my heart having always belonged to Alexis, I am now at my
absolute last bit of tether. I need to kiss her. I need to taste her. I need to
feel her in my arms.

Desperation now plaguing my mind, body, and soul, I mentally
give the celebrant a nice big ‘fuck you’ and take her in my arms before he has
a chance to finish pronouncing us husband and wife. I kiss her like I’ve never
kissed her before—I finally kiss my wife.