Destined to Play, Feel, Fly Trilogy Read online

  I stare into his eyes, which seem to be searching my soul in our silence. As if sensing my thoughts he lifts my wrist to his lips and kisses my bracelet.

  ‘Anam Cara,’ I whisper, knowing we are soul companions, knowing this bracelet symbolises our union and connection to each other. From a practical perspective, it also ensures he can never lose track of me given its GPS chip, something that was weird for me at first but which I’m forever grateful for since my abduction. And they’ve modified the bracelet again to ensure I can be tracked absolutely anywhere … underground, underwater or whatever. Knowing that it can’t be removed protects me and links me to Jeremy always. It binds us together even when we are forced apart.

  My heart strains as I acknowledge how hard it will be for him to let me go, or for me to be taken away from him again, but I also know I don’t have a choice. I must do this for my children and for our future together. Surely he realises there is no other way. A tear slides down my face and his kiss is now tender against my cheek instead of against the precious jewellery encircling my wrist. More than anything, right this second and forever more I want Jeremy’s body and soul with me, just as he is now, with focus, dedication and an intimacy and knowledge that has only strengthened between us over the years.

  He has been swelling in anticipation since rendering me topless and it is only a few seconds before both our pyjama bottoms are tossed to the floor. He holds himself above me, allowing me to feel his heat and hungrily caress his body.

  I am more than ready for him, but suddenly he is in no rush; he kisses me in four places and lingers on sucking and nibbling of each one of my erogenous zones until I’m as wet with perspiration as I am below with desire. His lips reach my lips, his teeth nibbling, his tongue playing until I’m rapturous with desire and he slowly slides his full length into me. I wrap my legs around his taut butt as he anchors my hands to the bed with his. He adjusts slightly to find the perfect pressure point deep inside me, matching the same pressure with his tongue, almost suffocating my mouth with the same fullness as below.

  We build together, we move together and we erupt together in perfect synchronicity and with a whispering scream we cry out each other’s name in the height of our shared ecstasy. At this moment there is a part deep within me that fully comprehends that having finally found me again, he will never let me go.

  Alexa

  It would have been sad to leave this magical artificial world under normal circumstances, let alone the cloud of threat we are under. The kids want one more ride around the park on the monorail to say goodbye before we depart and I can’t say no. Who knows if we will ever be back here?

  Jeremy seems more than agitated when I agree to their request as he moves around the apartment making sure we have packed everything. ‘There is just so much stuff.’

  I can’t help but laugh. ‘Welcome to the world of kids, J. There is always stuff, everywhere, every day.’ I grab hold of his waist as he flies past me in a flurry. ‘What is it? You don’t seem yourself today.’

  I wasn’t sure whether I’d done something to specifically bother him or whether he was finally starting to crack under the stress of our undiscussed situation.

  ‘I’d just rather you not go on another ride. Haven’t you all had enough?’ Something is definitely bothering him. His anxiety has been rising as our departure grows imminent.

  ‘How about I go with the kids and you stay here and have a moment on your own to get everything together? There’s really only your work things and we’re all set.’

  The kids are playing rock, paper, scissors next to us so I have my ‘everything is perfectly under control’ face and voice on. I’m getting better at it and he seems in no mood to be confronted by my concerns.

  ‘No, Alexa, I’m not letting you out of my sight.’

  It is this statement that triggers the realisation in my mind that I actually haven’t been alone with Elizabeth and Jordan since the first night we arrived. Jeremy has been with us constantly. They immediately look toward Jeremy sensing the change in the tone of his voice.

  I embrace him, pulling his head toward me so I can whisper: ‘Please, one circuit on the monorail. It will be good for us and it will give me an opportunity to be with them alone.’

  ‘No, what if —’

  I quickly cut him off with a promise. ‘I will take Martin and one of those other minders. We will get on, complete one circuit and get off at the same station. I promise you. Please,’ I plead with him. ‘We’ll be fine, honestly.’

  Exasperation shifts to acceptance as he extracts me from his arms and strides out to arrange it personally with Martin. I sigh into the room as I acknowledge how even the simplest of things in my life have become increasingly complicated since meeting with Jeremy all those months ago.

  He kisses me out the door, holding my chin between his fingers and making direct eye contact, as if to ensure he has my undivided attention. ‘One circuit — no getting off.’

  I stand on my tiptoes and peck his lips. ‘I love you too, J.’

  We leave serious Jeremy behind and the kids are thrilled we have the green light to go. Thankfully, they don’t understand the particulars of why this needs to be such a big deal, and are now so used to being trailed by our keepers, they don’t ask any questions. And so, we say farewell to a place they have loved visiting, one last time.

  Jeremy appears to be calmer and in a much better mood when we return and even has a skinny flat white and a firm embrace waiting for me. He visibly relaxes the second we walk in.

  ‘See, safe and sound.’

  ‘Just as well, sweetheart, or I would have had Martin’s head.’

  I look warily toward Martin, not necessarily doubting the sincerity of Jeremy’s words. He nods his thanks to Martin; they have already been through more than enough drama together because of me. It will end soon, I reassure myself. As soon as I give Jurilique what she wants. I hope. I stop my brain from considering the possibility of any other outcome.

  I quickly drink my coffee as the minders take our bags to the stretch limousine waiting downstairs — more fun for the kids.

  ‘Alrighty, let’s go.’ We gather our things together as the kids pick up their newly-acquired stuffed animals and we assemble ourselves into the lift and out into the limo. I lean into the car to ensure the kids are settled in their seats and as I back out to collect my other bag, Jeremy shoves me straight back inside and closes the door. Good grief, what now?

  The doors immediately lock and the kids stare at me with wide eyes and surprised faces. No doubt the look on my face isn’t helping. I gaze out the tinted windows to see Martin has apprehended a woman with a white envelope in her hand. She looks shocked and immediately drops it on the ground and tries to pull away from his grip. Hotel security arrives, though I can’t hear what they are saying with the windows up.

  It appears to get sorted out rather quickly. Jeremy nods to Martin and he bends down to pick up the envelope and place it inside his jacket pocket. Jeremy then slides into the back of the limo with us as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. The kids remain silent, which is unusual at the best of times, awaiting my response.

  I decide now is not an appropriate time to question Jeremy and suggest a game of I-spy for distraction as the car slides smoothly out of the Disney fantasy and into the real world. Jeremy looks relieved at having avoided my inquisition yet again.

  The return trip to the airport seems to be taking much longer than I remembered on arrival, but the kids are chatty and happy so I fully engage with them and enjoy their giggles and recollections of our past week together. That is until I see high-rise buildings glittering in the distance against a clear blue sky and Martin is driving the limo on the freeway directly toward them.

  Shocked, I turn to Jeremy.

  ‘Do you have anything you need to share with me?’ I utter the words under my breath, thankful the kids are now happily absorbed in their technology and not me. His grip around my hand tightens as he shake
s his head. More silence from him. ‘Well, I think you do and I’d like you to share it now.’

  I shuffle around in my seat so I can make better eye contact with him. He shakes his head again. Damn him, he knows I’m not going to make a scene in front of the kids.

  ‘Please tell me where we are going, J, because if I’m not mistaken, it appears we are heading toward Miami and nowhere near Orlando International,’ I say sternly and as quietly as possible. I try to release my hand from his grip, but he tightens it further instead. ‘You’re not going to tell me what’s going on are you?’

  ‘Not here, no.’ He indicates toward the children.

  Jeremy never eases his grip on my hand. I can sense his nerves and anxiety, which just go to heighten mine. Our eyes eventually connect. His are cloudy, blanketed with intense emotions, and he mouths the words ‘I love you’ as I notice a tear well up in his eye. Oh, dear god, this must be killing him just as much as it is me. I close the distance between us and snuggle underneath his shoulder. He releases my hand, only to quickly clasp it again with his other hand, so he can wrap his arm around me. We remain this way in silence while we watch the rest of the world go by, on our way to our yet-to-be-disclosed destination.

  Part Two

  Sex is the great unifier. In its big slower vibration, it is the warmth of the heart which makes people happy and together, in togetherness.

  David Herbert Lawrence

  Jeremy

  I embrace Alexa as close as I acceptably can in the presence of the children. Martin is driving the limo fast, but within legal limits, to Adam’s penthouse in South Beach, Miami.

  Adam is Leo’s brother. He inherited the same wealth as Leo and he is, potentially, Robert’s new boyfriend, based on their recent successful rendezvous in London. I contacted Robert, Alexa’s husband, after we received the letter, informing him that she was at great risk again. He agreed without hesitation to meet us on the East Coast and Adam offered his place as the meeting point given its convenient location and additional security. It also had a helipad if we happened to get hold of Leo in time. So our plans seamlessly fell into place.

  I thought it would kill me not to discuss and work out a response to Jurilique’s letter, as per Alexa’s request, but in the end it worked out for the best. We’ve been able to ensure the kids weren’t affected and still enjoyed their holiday, and I’ve been able to make arrangements during the evening when Alexa has been asleep. If she thinks for one second I would let that bitch lay another finger on her, she can’t know me as well as I thought.

  After pulling a few medical strings, I’ve been able to access Elizabeth’s medical records from when she was in hospital with appendicitis two years ago. It appears that she has type A blood rather than type AB like Alexa, so it is impossible for her to have the same unique allele, or alternative gene, that we discovered Alexa has during the experimentation process, which is something of a relief. But that’s assuming that this type of anomaly is genetic, rather than, say, being triggered by some specific medical condition or reaction … that would be highly irregular, though everything about Alexa’s blood is unusual to say the least. From the tests we have done to date, her particular anomaly only appears to relate to XX chromosomes, not XY, thereby specifically impacting females. If this finding proves to be true, there is then no need to test Jordan’s blood, and we could confirm that the children are of absolutely no value to Xsade, or anyone else for that matter. I haven’t wanted to bring it up with Alexa until we know for sure. Given that she wasn’t keen on the idea of testing the kids in the first place, I decided to let sleeping dogs lie, not wanting to upset her further given everything she is going through.

  This may be good news for the kids, but from my perspective, this knowledge puts Alexa at significantly greater risk because she appears to be one of a kind, at this stage anyway. I also know that, once a company such as Xsade discovers what we know of the composition of Alexa’s blood, they would keep her in their facilities as a human laboratory rat until they extract every last detail about her to fulfil their research requirements. Who knows if she’d ever see the light of day again?

  I know I’m a dominant presence in Alexa’s life, but I also know I’ll need more than a strong hand and weighted odds to be able to convince her of our plan. She must be made to understand that under no circumstances will I ever submit her to personal risk and danger. Thankfully, I will have a few people on my side before we embark on such a discussion.

  Finally, we arrive at South Beach. I open the car window hoping that the crystal-clear sky and the smell of the ocean spray will lighten her mood, but it is clear to me that this change of plans has heightened her anxiety, maybe even sparking anger. Nothing I haven’t handled before, just the circumstances are now more extreme.

  We stall at a boom gate before security allows us entry and we descend into the darkness of the garage. A security team surrounds us as we pull in to park and Martin turns off the engine with a relieved look on his face that I register through the rear-view mirror. A bystander would have to conclude that our arrival, surrounded by such heavy security, indicates fame, politics or the filthy rich! Alexa takes a deep breath before allowing me to escort her out of the car. She indicates for the children to stay behind in the car and promptly shuts the door on them.

  ‘Jeremy, tell me what the hell is going on here?’

  She is seething, not a good start.

  ‘We can talk about it in the apartment, AB. Not here.’ I shift her aside and quickly open the car door. ‘Come on, kids, you can hop out now. I have a surprise for you upstairs.’

  I help them shuffle out of the limo, more to avoid her death stare than anything else and we make our way to the lift. If we weren’t in Miami, I would swear I’d been frostbitten by the icy atmosphere.

  Martin enters a convoluted code and the lift finally begins to ascend. When the elevator doors open, even I’m taken aback at where we find ourselves. It’s a penthouse suite that looks out toward the aquamarine waters of Biscayne Bay and the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

  I’m temporarily distracted by the view as the kids rush past calling out, ‘Daddy, Daddy’, and then I notice that both Adam and Robert are standing by the mirrored bar in the centre of the room. While they are in the midst of hugs and introductions, I turn to Alexa, whose face has gone from furious red to deathly pale and for a moment I don’t know quite what to think. She appears to have gone into shock so I gently guide her to the lounge, sit her down and fetch her a glass of mineral water in between greeting the men.

  It has been a while since I’ve seen Adam but I’ve known him for almost as long as I’ve known Leo, and that’s well over a decade. He isn’t as tall as his older brother and has a stockier build, but he has the same light brown hair and blue eyes and seems as friendly and outgoing as ever.

  Robert looks simultaneously relaxed and nervous, which I suppose would be the case when your children first meet your ‘new man’. It’s weird to think that they need to go through what we’ve just been through with the kids. Everyone has appeared pretty adaptable to date so hopefully that will continue.

  It has taken the children all of two minutes to notice the swimming pool just beyond the sliding glass doors so now they are hassling Alexa for a swim. ‘Please, Mummy, please. Can we? We’ve got our swimmers in our luggage. Can we?’

  I’m not sure whether she is going to faint or be furious, which is strange because she is usually so easy for me to read, but then again, I’m still adapting to the ‘mother’ version of Alexa.

  ‘Why don’t you ask your father? He seems to have more of an idea about what is going on than me,’ she responds quietly and I swallow my discomfort at her words, knowing that our change in plans has hit her hard.

  The kids take her words in their stride and merely bounce back to Robert. ‘Go on, dad, please, can we?’

  He looks toward Adam, who shrugs. ‘Sounds like a great idea to me.’ He picks up the intercom and asks for the luggage to be b
rought up. Robert walks over to Alexa and affectionately squeezes her shoulder; she doesn’t respond.

  ‘How about we leave you two alone for a bit?’ He glances cautiously at me. ‘I’ll get the kids organised. We can talk later.’ He gives me a very blokey ‘good luck, mate, she’s all yours’ look before bunching Elizabeth and Jordan up in each arm. ‘This way, kids. Let’s take a look around.’

  Martin remains stationed at the lift doors looking nonchalant.

  I walk over to AB and kneel down before her so we are at eye level. She is sitting still though shivering and deathly white. ‘Please, have a drink of water. You need some colour back.’

  She eventually swallows a little as I bring the glass to her lips. The last time I knelt before her like this was at the InterContinental when I asked her if she would spend the weekend with me. God, what am I asking her to do now? Is it any better? Shit. She might hate me forever.

  ‘Alexandra …’

  ‘Don’t you dare “Alexandra” me, Jeremy.’ Her voice is low and lethal. ‘What the hell have you done?’

  ‘We are meeting here to work out the next step.’

  ‘Next step! My next step is perfectly clear and has been since I received the letter. I am giving the Witch what she wants so she will leave us alone. That is my next step, J.’

  ‘Well, unfortunately, I beg to differ.’

  ‘You can beg to differ all you want but that’s what I’m doing.’ She gets up off the lounge and strides over to the lift where Martin is standing and attempts to press the button. I’m not sure whether she truly expects that she can leave, or is just proving a point to herself. Martin blocks her, knowing that she is not to leave the apartment without my express consent. ‘Martin, please?’

  He shakes his head but remains resolute. ‘Sorry.’