Rapture 2: a BWWM, Alpha Male Romance (26 page)

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Rush Cambridge and Alika Collins, in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate that is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly…”

FORTY-TWO

Rush

As soon as we finished reciting our vows, of course all the women rushed in with tears in their eyes. Christina was barely able to contain herself, and I watched her shoot Gavin a look like, ‘
It’s your turn now
!’ Tracie and Gigi were crying the most tears, and then my mother was a close second.

“I knew it was gonna happen!” Gigi shrieked, while throwing her arms around Alika’s neck.

“You guys make a beautiful couple,” Tracie complimented.

“Thank you, Tracie,” I responded on behalf of Alika and myself.

“Baby, how did you pull this off?” Alika inquired. “I’m just stunned beyond belief.”

“That would be Olga who worked to pull all this together,” I bragged. “I knew I wanted to do it here at the InterContinental and so I contacted them and found out that they had their own wedding planner. I jumped right on that. All I had to do was get you out of the way for a while, and then find some kind of slick way to get you dressed for your own wedding without letting on.”

“Yeah, would’ve been funny if she’d said no! Then what?” Gavin yelled out, sending all the guys into a fit of laughter.

“Nah, I would’ve never turned him down,” Alika said, looking at me lovingly.

I couldn’t wait to get her to our suite and consummate all over that damn thing.

Alika held her left hand out before her. First she stretched it out as far as she could, then brought it back up close. I smiled the entire time watching her. I was excited that I’d made a choice that she obviously approved of.

“Baby!” she cried, as if having a delayed reaction. “What kind of ring is this?! It’s stunning!”

“It’s a Sheridan’s princess shaped diamond set in platinum.”

“
Daaamnn
! I may never take this off to cook, clean, swim or nothin’!”

“It’s beautiful, right y’all?” Alika queried to everyone.

“Beyond beautiful,” Siobhan responded.

“You like it, Michaela?” I asked her, to which she nodded her approval, and smiled shyly.

When we were alone and dancing in the center of the ballroom, I held my new wife close and asked her, “Are you really okay with all this? I just wanted to make it as special as possible with you not having to lift a finger. But if you want to renew our vows at some point and plan a huge shindig, I’m down with that.”

“I know you are baby, but trust me. This is perfect,” she said, brushing her hand across my cheek. “This is perfect. Santa Barbara was perfect, this dress is perfect, this wedding…all perfect. And have I told you that I love you?”

“Yes, you have. But I can’t ever hear it enough.”

“I love you. I love you. I love you. Hold me tight and don’t ever let go, okay?”

“Your husband is never letting go, Mrs. Alika Cambridge. Not ever.”

~EPILOGUE~

January 3, 2015

“I’m doing a wellness check on you, baby,” Alika sang, as she returned from the restroom. Plopping down into the cushion of her seat, she picked up where she left off—sifting through her Thai chicken salad, while awaiting a response from Rush. Moments later she looked up from her food when she realized that Rush hadn’t answered, and gently placed her fork onto the plate. “Earth to Rush; your wife is speaking to you,” she announced, while snapping her fingers to grab his attention.”

Rush blinked quickly reconnecting with the present, and releasing his trance that was fixated on the view outside of the private jet’s window. “You need music to snap to, baby?” he kidded. “Because you know we can crank up some sounds.”

“
Ha ha ha
, you’re
sooo
not funny. I want to make sure my husband is okay.”

His smile lit up wide, and his eye bore into Alika with a mixture of admiration and lust. “
Husband
…wow. I love hearing that. I love hearing
wife
even better.”

Alika’s dimpled smile stretched as far as it could go. “And do you know there would be so many people on the attack if they knew how long we were actually together before we took that beautiful plunge?”

“I don’t give a fuck what anybody would have to say. I’m a grown ass man who knew what I wanted and set out to have it. What the fuck is the purpose of a
long
ass, drawn out engagement when I already knew that I wanted you as my better half? Do
you
regret missing out on the whole fiancée phase?”

“Not at all. I’m happy right here with you, as Mrs. Cambridge. Don’t you see that I can’t stop cheesing?”

“Good, because there’s no turning back now.”

“And I don’t want to—ever.”

They quieted temporarily while the pilot alerted them that they would be descending into their hangar at Magellan Aviation soon.

“Almost there. And not a moment too soon because I’m dying for that meal that I know Siobhan cooked for us!” Alika exclaimed. “That’s why I’ve been picking over this salad! I can’t wait to get to her house. And you know what, babe? She’s loving it there! Every time I talk to her she’s raving about her ocean view from this window or her city view from that one. She’s truly happy. And she’s doing well in therapy also, which I think is awesome.”

“I know,” Rush gushed in acknowledgement. I’m happy that I could be instrumental in providing that peaceful place for her. She’s been through enough, so good therapy and a fresh start were the two things she needed the most. Even though
for now
she still needs to live under Gia Olivette, I hope to get all that rectified soon.”

“Well, I think the name Gia is hot!” Alika laughed. “But I can imagine that she wants to live with the name she was born with.”

“And she will after all the dust has settled. It’s just that right now it’s too soon after everything. And even though the coast is clear as far as evidence is concerned, it would look too suspect for Siobhan Cavanaugh to resurrect right on the heels of my father’s death.”

“I understand baby. I’m sure your mother does too. What ever happened with their case anyway? I was so scared for a while that just when you found your mom that you’d lose her all over again.”

Rush briefly turned his gaze back to the window as he spoke to Alika. “I guess the evidence just kind of went away. That was the meeting I had to take the other day. The chief of police wanted to let the family know that due to unforeseen circumstances, they’d have to cold-case because everything they had gathered was gone.”

“Oh boy,” Alika sighed. “How did your sister take that? Were you guys in the same meeting together?”

Rush had a faraway look in his eyes when he spoke. “We were. She was distraught. I expected her to be. I mean, even as much as that man and I despised one another, I don’t feel good about him not being here. But if I had to pick between him and my mother—”

“I already know, baby. You don’t have to elaborate. I know.”

“As far as being in the same room with Jamie after all that time…” he started, and then hunched his shoulders, “…we were cordial. It was probably the most calm I’ve been toward her in a long while. I think she’s been punished enough. I’ll just leave it at that for now.”

Alika nodded in silence.

“But enough about that, Mrs. Cambridge; how are
you
feeling about life and all that jazz?”

Alika rose from her seat and went to sit in the seat next to Rush. She raised the arm, turned to the side, and placed her leg over Rush’s, where he instinctively began to stroke up and down her jean-clad thigh. “I couldn’t be better, baby,” she responded. “
We
couldn’t be better,” she smiled.

Rush’s eyes squinted and his brows furrowed in slight confusion. “You’re keeping something from me. Spill.”

“Well, speaking of taking meetings…” she paused, leaning her head into the side of the leather seat. “I had a meeting of my own recently.”

“What kind of meeting?” Rush asked, his tone turning serious.

“Whoa! Alpha down!” she laughed. “Like, for real!”

“Alika—”

“Okay, baby. Okay!” Alika laid her hand atop Rush’s in preparation of what she was about to say. “Let’s just say that in about ohhh…seven months…
we
, as in you and your wife, are gonna be parents!”

Alika watched as a huge smile spread across Rush’s face. “
Really
?” he responded, in a hushed whisper.

“Yes, baby.
Really
.”

Alika inhaled a deep breath and then exhaled in a soft whisper. She had waited for just the right time to tell Rush that they were expecting, and now that the cat was out of the bag, she could share in the happiness alongside him.

“I can’t wait to tell Siobhan that she’s gonna be a grandmother again. I think she’ll be ecstatic,” Alika beamed.

“Oh yeah, she’s gonna be happy alright,” Rush coyly grinned. “Only thing is, we just might be a little delayed getting to her house.”

“Why?” Alika asked, slightly tilting her head.

“
Why
, you ask?
Why
? Because
as soon
as this plane lands safely on the ground, I swear to God, Daddy is gonna take you back to that bed, lay you across that silk, and devour
every square inch
of your beautiful body. I’m gonna hold your entire being hostage while I make you feel as good as you’ve just made me feel. Alika, you’ve made my life more complete than I ever thought it could be.”

“You’re not alone in that, Papa,” Alika said, standing from the seat as the plane’s tires came to a stop on the San Diego asphalt. “Come on.”

And come they did…over and over again for the next few hours, reveling in the life that they had begun together.

~The End~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Perri Forrest lives in the Bay Area, with her son and their Husky mix. She is an avid reader, loves, writing, cooking, and all things racket sport.

Perri is the author of (
17
) published works and has been on Amazon’s #1 bestseller’s list in multiple categories. A list of her growing works can be found by clicking
here
.

Perri is currently at work on the final episode of her Pandora’s Box series, and a yet to be named, On-the-Go Romance full length novel.  

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