Fallen from Grace (32 page)

Later that night, he heard someone walking up the stairs outside his Brooklyn apartment, and he knew it was Grace.

He was sitting on the couch as she walked through the door. She laid her purse and jacket on the coffee table, then knelt between his legs. She gazed up at him with apologetic eyes.

“I know you’re mad.”

“Mad?” he yelled. “You promised you would never do that again!”

“I know, I’m sorry, but it’s not my fault you’re such a heavy sleeper,” she joked.

He shook his head. “That’s not funny,” he said sternly, but he smiled. “I’m going to have to put bells around your ankles so you can’t sneak away again.”

A smile swept across her lips, and it took his breath away. “I love you so much, Grace. If something ever happened-”

Her lips were suddenly on his. She climbed into his lap, deepening the kiss. Unzipping his hood, she tugged it off his shoulders and down his arms, then pulled his shirt over his head.

“Dont…”
Kiss.
“Ever…”
Kiss.
“Do…”
Kiss.
“That…”
Kiss.
“Again,”
Kiss.

“I won’t.”

Judas stood with her wrapped around his body and carried her to the bathroom.

“What are you doing?”

“What I planned to do with you when I woke up.”

Stripping her clothes, he watched as she nervously swallowed. “There. Now you won’t be going anywhere.”

He started the water, then removed his clothes. Grabbing her around the waist, he put her in the shower, and she squealed with surprise. Getting in behind her, he closed the shower curtain.

“Oops,” he said, as he dropped the soap.

She giggled. Her laugh washed the unfortunate events of the day away.

Grace’s eyes widened. “You got another tattoo?”

He looked down at his side. “I did, it’s kind of a long story. But I got it earlier today. But don’t worry, it’s safe to get wet.”

“Faith through Grace,” she read aloud.

“I’m tired of hiding who I am and what I’ve done. This is who I am, Grace.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love who you are. I always will.”

He placed his hands on her body and started smoothing the soap over her breast, down her belly, then his hands dipped between her legs.

“Nice and clean,” he murmured.

“Oh, yeah?” She reached down and grabbed the soap. “My turn.”

Lathering her hands, she rubbed them over his chest, leaning up to kiss his lips, then her hand circled his erection. She stroked his length, and lust overtook him. He pressed her against the wall, and she grabbed onto his shoulders as he wrapped her legs around his waist. He pushed himself inside of her, and she moaned as he devoured the sweet sound.

“Judas,” she cooed.

“Grace.”

Her hips moved against him, and her nails dug into his back. She was close. “
Faster! Harder!” s
he demanded, and he was more than obliged to satisfy her. He quickened his pace, and she screamed as she found her release, tightening around his erection and pushing Judas over the edge with her. They clung to each other, gasping desperately for air.

Judas pushed his forehead against hers. “I love you.”

She smiled and rubbed her head against his. “I love you, too.”

They showered, playfully washing one another. Judas turned off the water and wrapped a towel around her, before grabbing one for himself.

“We’re going to have to get you some clothes,” he said as she pulled a shirt out of his drawer and tugged it over her head.

“I like wearing your clothes.”

Judas grinned. “I like you wearing my clothes too, especially since it usually means you aren’t wearing anything underneath.” He slipped a hand under the shirt and between her thighs.

She laughed and shook her head. “No way. I’m too hungry.”

“Me too,” he said in a low husky voice.

“You’re insatiable!”

“You have no idea,” he murmured.

After he’d heated the leftover Chinese from the fridge, they talked about what happened. Grace sat on his bed, holding a carton of lo mien, as she told him about the files she’d found at Ellis’s apartment, Julia’s neighbor Mae, and how she’d gone to the university and discovered where Julia was. Jack had shown up at the airport right before she bought a plane ticket. Judas shook his head; his father really was a vindictive SOB.

Judas told her about Jack’s setup at the restaurant six weeks ago.

“Matchmaker Jack,” she said, shaking her head.

He laughed. “I guess, but I bet he didn’t think we’d fall in love.”

“Not in a million years,” she said, leaning over and kissing him.

Judas took the carton out her hands and put it on the bedside table. “Hey!” she yelled. “I just started eating that.”

He rolled her onto her back. “I’m just getting started with you…” he whispered as he pressed his lips to hers.

Three months later…

H
AND
IN
HAND
, J
UDAS
AND
G
RACE
strolled through a snow covered Central Park. They had just left her parents’ house, after enjoying a New Year’s brunch. Christmas had gone better than Judas could have ever expected. For the first time in years, he wasn’t alone during the holidays, and Grace made it special for him. She brought him to her family’s home and introduced him to her parents. Judas had expected them to be upset about the recent press announcement of her split with Ellis, but even they couldn’t deny she was
glowing
with happiness.

“How would you feel about going to Ohio with me and visiting my mother’s family?” Judas asked her as they passed over the Bow Bridge in the park. Grace had given him the strength he needed to contact them last month, and he was happy to find his mother’s parents were alive and healthy.

“I would love to,” she beamed. “When were you thinking of going?”

He shrugged. “Maybe next month? There’s no rush though, so whenever you can take some time off.”

“I think I can make that work. Since I added two new psychologists to my staff, I’ve had more time on my hands, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

They stopped at the middle of the bridge, and Judas wrapped his arms around her as they gazed at the frozen water below. Grace leaned her head back against his chest and watched as the snow gently fell from the sky.

“What a perfect day,” she said.

“Every day is perfect when I’m with you.” She tilted her face toward him, and he kissed her. “Your lips are freezing. I better get you home and warm you up.”

She laughed. “Sounds good to me.”

They left the park and took a taxi to Grace’s apartment. Last month, Grace had brought up how much she hated bouncing between his place and hers, so she suggested they move in together. Judas had always hated the oversized, cold penthouse Jack bought him, and didn’t like being away from Grace, so the decision was an easy one. When he told her he’d rather move into her apartment she was elated. Four days later, Judas had packed up his things, put his apartment on the market and moved in with her. It sold immediately, and Judas had tried to give Jack a check for it, but he’d refused to accept it. He didn’t want the money from the sale of the Maserati either. So Judas donated the money to a rehabilitation center in the city. He didn’t need to worry about money because he had saved every dime from the cases he had won over the years.

Judas kept his motorcycle and BMW, but he resigned from the firm. He was finally going to pursue his dreams of being a writer. Under Judas’s recommendation, Adam filled his position and had been given a substantial pay increase. He was able to pay off his student loans and get rid of his old beater.

As fate would have it, Adam had run into Rebecca one day when she’d come to the office to see Judas, and they’d hit it off right away. They had been dating for nearly two months. She was finally getting her life together, and Judas was confident Adam would be a positive influence on her. She had continued to see Grace, and her family had also come in for a few family sessions.

On the Upper East Side, Ellis was continuing his campaign for presidency and the numbers were looking favorable…for Jack. He was going to get exactly what he wanted. He always did. Ellis would become president, and Jack would be pulling the strings.

Judas and Grace walked into her apartment. She locked the door and threw the keys into a dish on the entryway table. Judas pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Pulling away and gazing down at her, he noticed she looked pale.

“Are you feeling alright?” he asked.

She nodded. “I think I ate too much at brunch.”

“Why don’t you lie down? I’ll make you some tea.”

“Maybe later. First, I think I’ll take a warm bath.”

Judas helped her out of her jacket and watched her walk into the bedroom. He put the kettle on low, then grabbed two cups from the cabinet and sat them on the counter. The sound of running water came from the bathroom, and he smiled as he thought about her beautiful, naked body sliding into the water.

Walking into the bedroom, he opened one of the dresser drawers Grace had lovingly sacrificed for him and rummaged beneath his boxers and socks. When his hand found the small, square box, he removed it and revealed the princess shaped, diamond engagement ring.

He’d purchased the ring over a month ago but didn’t know if it were too soon to propose. Judas had no doubt in his mind that Grace was the one for him—he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

When he heard her moving around in the bathroom, he hid the ring back under his clothes and closed the drawer. Returning to the kitchen, he removed the steaming kettle and filled the two cups. He sat Grace’s tea on the bedside table as she walked out of the bathroom. When he turned around to greet her, he immediately noticed her ashen expression.

“What’s wrong?” Judas asked.

“Nothing,” she responded quickly.

He walked to her. “Are you sure?”

“Of course.” She smiled. “Everything is fine. I think I just need to lie down.”

Grace walked to the bed and sat on its edge, then picked up her cup of tea. She took a small sip before lying back on the pillows and closing her eyes.

“You’re worrying me, Grace. I can tell something is wrong.”

She opened her eyes. “I promise its nothing. Please, just lie down beside me?”

Judas sat his tea on the table and climbed in the bed, lying next to her. She draped her leg over his legs, and her arm across his chest, curling into him. Judas wrapped his arms around her as his thoughts spun out of control. What had happened? There was something she wasn’t telling him. Had she somehow seen him with the ring?
What if she doesn’t want to marry me?

“Why wait a month to go to Ohio? Why don’t we leave in a few days?” she asked.

He tilted his head so he could see her face that was resting on his chest. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, my new staff can cover my sessions, and we can go see your family.”

“I’ll give my grandparents a call tomorrow and tell them we’re coming. They’re very excited to meet you.”

“It’s settled then.” She stretched up to kiss him, then laid her head back on his chest and held her arm tightly around him.

Grace was relieved by her recent addition of the two new doctors at her practice. She knew both women from college, and was confident they were great psychologists who would take care of her patients while she was away on vacation with Judas.

He was currently sitting in her living room writing while she packed her suitcase. She loved hearing his fingers fly across the keys of his laptop, and couldn’t wait to read what he wrote.

He was finally following his dream, and she was so proud of him. Grace knew he wanted to travel around the world and write, but traveling was most likely not in her future because of a secret that would change her and Judas’s life forever. It wouldn’t be a secret for long, but she didn’t know what he was going to do when she told him. Would he be angry? Would he hate her for doing this to him?

Charlie was purring on the bed, and she sat next to him, petting him one last time, then kissed his head. Her life was finally perfect. She was rid of Ellis, living with the man of her dreams and in love.