Page 72 of Down the Aisle
Fortunately for James, I wasn't God. Otherwise, I would've smote him down the moment I came across his name in Eliza's file. Deplorable bastard. I have so many plans to make him suffer before ending him. His days were numbered, and it was only a matter of time before he'd come for my trap.
"Bub, no." Eliza frowned deeply with a few shakes of her head. "I can't let you handle my problems like that. I mean, it's one thing to take care of me by feeding me and such, but James is a whole different animal altogether. He's not going to go away just because you throw money at him or charm him. He won't stop until he gets his twisted ways, and he's not above murder either."
With each quivering word, her face paled and dropped with terror. By the time she was done talking, her eyes had this glazed-over look as if she wasn't present. "I can't let him take you away from me. I won't. He's already taken away so much, and I've watched him ruin so many lives by taking them… I don't—"
Her next words became muffled from the kiss I forced on her. I didn't let up until she kicked into a full struggle to pull away from me, but at that point, I needed to breathe, so I let us go.
Reaching out, I snatched Asher up and brought him into a tight hug with Eliza. "I can swear with certainty that you will never lose me. Of all the things in the world I can guarantee you, James taking me out is never going to happen." That I could say with a full chest.
Letting my expression relax to a more serious one, I tilted my head slightly. "You don't have to answer me if you don't want to, but from your reaction and answer, has James killed before?" My curiosity itched at my brain, and I started to wonder if there was any dirt I could use to rub into James's wounds. "And I mean outside of duty."
She seemed fearful enough to hint at something wrong, and if her ex was as loose of a screw as Eliza made him sound, then it wouldn't surprise me if he had bad blood on his hands.
Eliza's head hung with a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping as her body dug itself into mine. "Yes… And he has the means to get away with it… That's why I'm so worried about you." Her small voice whimpered into my chest.
Clenching my jaw, I withheld the excited smirk from showing itself on my face. Forcing out a soft hum, I rubbed the back of Eliza's and Asher's heads before letting them go. "Just trust me on this, alright?" I pleaded to Eliza with a warm smile and trusting eyes. "Let me worry about James, and you live your life to the fullest with me, alright?"
Pursing her lips, Eliza looked at me with unsteady eyes for a long while before giving in with a sigh. "Alright, sir," she mumbled, giving me a quick hug before sliding off the couch to the floor to join Asher. "Promise we'll be okay? All of us?" Her hopeful eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked up at me with an eager smile.
With all the confidence in the world, I smiled and nodded. "I swear to it." James might be a formidable foe when the time comes, but he was no match for me.
After all, a mere man stood no chance against an angel.
And I say it's time this bastard meets the Angel of Death.
Chapter 25
Eliza
~5 months later~
"Oh, this is going to be so perfect! They are going to be so adorable! Ugh! I can't believe they're turning two already!" Hailee gave out a long, nostalgic sigh as the two of us continued our shopping spree.
Well, I wouldn't consider the thing a shopping spree since we weren't really having a grand time buying things for ourselves. It was more or less a chore run because we needed to get things together for our children's birthday party this upcoming weekend. The only thing that made it feel like a shopping spree was the fact Adam gave us his card and the whole day to do and get whatever our hearts desired.
I only zoned back into Hailee's next question because she grabbed my arm and shook it excitedly. "Ooooh, what cake should we get them? How big?" I had to grab her shoulders and maneuver her around the open door of the diner to keep her from getting hit and to move her into the place.
Chuckling softly, I patted her shoulders and smiled at her briefly before looking up at the hostess with a warm smile. "Two,please, and a booth if possible?" It felt a little weird to ask for a booth, but I wanted a cushioned seat to sit and chat with Hailee.
Thankfully, we didn't have to wait more than a few seconds because there were a few spots open. "God, this is so nice and needed. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my little Adelaide, but I just need a break sometimes, ya know?" Hailee's body deflated in her seat the moment she plopped down.
Agreeing with a lopsided smile, I nodded my head reluctantly. "Yeah, I do. I don't like being away from Asher, but…" I didn't need to finish my sentence before I got a sympathetic look from Hailee.
"Mom guilt?" Hailee chuckled dryly with her own crooked smile.
Silently, I nodded my head while I rubbed at my chest to try and ease the choking knot in it. "I've never been away from Asher until I met Adam, and he kind of forced me to spread my wings a bit." I wasn't thrilled about it back then, but I was more than thankful for it now.
"He has that way with people. He just knows what buttons to push and how far to push someone for their own good." Chuckling, Hailee leaned onto the table, crossing her arms in front of her. "Thank you for giving my brother a chance. I know he's not the easiest man to get along with in the world, with how stubborn he is."
Memories of Adam basically bullying his way into my life got me chuckling and smiling unconsciously. "He didn't really give me much of a choice, but he's lucky that's something about him I've come to love." Honestly, I appreciated his bossiness and control.
Much to my chagrin, he hit every nail on the head when it came to me. I thrived off the control Adam exerted over me and my life. I was tired of having to plan my days out down to the second, exhausted from having to be completely responsible foreverything. Adam dictating my schedule, meals, and activities eased my anxiety so much. And I guess the best part of it all was the autonomy I maintained throughout it all.
Yes, Adam was in charge, but I had the final say. It was a little strange to think about our whole Dom/sub dynamic, but it made sense to us. That's all that really mattered, though, right? Our relationship didn't need to be understood by anyone but us, and it didn't matter as long as it worked for us and we were content.
Hailee's hand brushing across mine pulled me from my thoughts. "I'm really happy that you're getting a second chance at life and that you're just so in love with Adam as he is with you." At least Hailee was an angel, so no more monster in-laws for me down the road. "And trust me, your slimy ex won't want to show his face around you after he sees Adam as your man."
Sighing, I shook my head with a sad smile. "I know you both assure me and such, but you guys don't know James like I do." I wasn't as paranoid and anxious about James, but the hairs on my neck stood at times at the thought of him.
