The knock on my door made me jump up off the bed and run to my door.

“You’re knocking again?” I asked softly after I opened the door.

“Well you know.” He shrugged and walked in. “Now I know you prefer that.”

“You always knew that.” I smiled at him and grabbed onto his arm.

“Well now I care about your wishes.” He grinned and closed the door.

“Oh so you didn’t care before?”

“Not so much.” He laughed and pulled me towards me. “But now that your wishes are directly related to how lucky I’m going to get, I figured I should care.”

“You’re so transparent.” I rolled my eyes and leaned forward to kiss him.

“Is that a bad thing?” His eyes twinkled as he kissed me back.

“No. I like you transparent.”

“Did you tell your dad about the wedding?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m going to tell him afterwards.”

“Makes sense. I’ll tell my dad afterwards as well.” He nodded. “We can tell them both at the same time.”

“They are going to be so pissed.” I nibbled on my lower lip.

“That will be their problem.” He shrugged. “I’m done playing these games just because my father wants me to.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “It will feel good to not have to lie anymore. Well not lie directly I guess. It will feel good not to have to avoid telling the truth.”

“We have to do what we have to do.” He pulled me towards the bed to him. “No matter how bad it makes us feel inside when we lie. We have to do what’s right.”

“I just don’t want to hurt anyone.” I sighed.

“I don’t think either of us wants to hurt someone we care about.” He pushed me back on the bed. “However sometimes the greater good means that there are casualties on the way.”

“I don’t want there to be any casualties.”

“I know you don’t.” He brushed the hair away from my face. “You’re a good girl. I’m not sure that I deserve to be with someone as good as you.”

“I’m not that good.” I replied, feeling pleased.

“Modest as well.” He pulled his t-shirt off. “You’re too good for your own good.”

“No one ever said that to me before.” I laughed and reached down and pushed my hand into his shorts. “Are you hard or just happy to see me.” I squeezed his cock, delighting in the sound of his groans as I felt him hardening in my hands.

“What do you think?” He grinned as he reached over and squeezed my breast.

“I think you’re happy to see me.” I laughed and pulled his shorts down. “Very happy, it seems.”

“You like that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I kinda do.” I nodded and lowered my head. “I really do.” I took his c**k in my mouth and sucked softly, bobbing my head up and down, taking him as far into my mouth as I could.

“You do that like a seasoned pro.” He groaned and lay back on the bed.

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.” I looked up at him and smiled.

“It is.” He pulled me up and pushed me down on the bed. “Let me get your panties off. I need you na**d.”

“Need or want?”

“Both.” He growled as he threw my clothes onto the ground. “Do you know how badly I want you?”

“I think I just might.” I grabbed his hand and pushed it into my wet pussy. “As badly as this?” I moaned as I felt his fingers slip inside of me.

“Yes, as badly as that.” He groaned and lay down on the bed. “Get on top of me.”

“What?”

“It’s time for you to learn a new move.”

“New move?”

“I want you to ride me.”

“Like a cowgirl!”

“Exactly like a cowgirl.” He pulled me on top of him. “I want you to be my dirty cowgirl.” He reached up and grabbed my breasts.

“Does that mean you’re my dirty cowboy?” I positioned myself over his c**k and started rubbing myself back and forth.

“It makes me your stud.” He grabbed my h*ps and held me still. “And if you keep teasing me like that I’m not even going to be able to stop myself from pushing myself inside of you.”

“Shouldn’t you get a rubber?” I looked at him for a few seconds and continued to slowly move my hips.

“Not this time. I want you to feel what it’s like to f**k without a condom.”

“Oh.” I bit my lower lip. “I don’t want to pregnant.”

“I’ll pull out before I come.” He smiled at me gently. “And hey, a baby would be a good reason to get married.”

“I’m too young to have a child.” I leaned down and kissed him. “Though I have to admit that makes me feel kinda good that you want to have a baby with me.”

“I’d love to have a baby with you.” His expression changed as he stared at me. “Though you’re right, this wouldn’t be the right time.”

“I’ve still got to go to college first.” I nodded and we both groaned as I gyrated my h*ps on top of him and the tip of his c**k entered my pu**y slightly.

“Where are you going?” He groaned as he played with my nipples.

“I don’t know as yet.” I sat forward slowly and then lowered myself on top of his cock. It felt so hard and long and I w

“Don’t stop.” He groaned and wiggled my h*ps back and forth.

“It won’t fit.” I groaned.

“Lean forward slightly.” He guided my body towards him and I sunk down further on his cock.

“Oh my god.” I exclaimed as he filled me up.

“Move back and forth.” He groaned as I moved on him. “And up and down.”

I followed his directions hesitantly at first and then as it started feeling better and better, I started moving faster and faster.

“That’s it.” He groaned as I increased my pace. “Oh my, Nancy don’t stop.” He stared up at me with dark eyes. “Whatever you do, don’t stop.”

“I won’t.” I moaned as I felt his c**k hitting a certain spot. The spot felt like dyn**ite and I rode him quickly hoping to have him rub up against me in that spot as much as possible.

“Touch yourself.” He commanded me as I moved back and forth.

“Huh?” I looked at him blankly for a second and he guided my fingers to my clit. “Touch yourself as you ride me, trust me, it will only make everything feel better.”

“Okay.” I rubbed myself lightly as I continued to ride him. I groaned as I arched my back and started to feel that I was about to orgasm. “Oh my.” I cried out as I felt my whole body was about to explode. I closed my eyes and rode him faster, rubbing myself faster as well. “Jaxon,” I screamed as I came. I opened my eyes and saw his eyes widen as he grabbed my hips.

“Shit.” He groaned as his body twitched on the bed. “I’m coming.” He moved my h*ps back and forth quickly and I could feel his sperm filling me up. Finally he let me go and I collapsed onto his chest.

“Shit.” He rubbed my hair and my back as I kissed his cheek.

“What?”

“I forgot to pull out.”

“It’s okay.” I kissed him on the lips. “It felt right. Whatever happens, happens.” I smiled at him through sleepy eyes. Nothing mattered in that moment. Everything was alright in the world.

“You should be mad at me, Nancy.” His hand caressed the curve of my ass.

“It’s not your fault.” I shook my head and ran my fingers down his chest. “We’ll have to be more careful next time.”

“You have too much faith in me.” He shook his head. “You shouldn’t...”

“Shh.” I put my finger on his lips. “Don’t say it. I trust you, Jaxon.” I kissed him again. “There’s something between us. Something intangible. We’re in this together. We’ve both been manipulated by men that should love us. We’re a product of our upbringing and environment.”

“I’m flattered that you see the best in me, Nancy. I don’t know that I deserve it.”

“Oh, but you do.” He cuddled up to me. “I see inside of you, Jaxon. You’re just like me. You’re hiding inside somewhere because you’ve been deeply hurt and never felt a true love.”

“I don’t believe in love.” He shook his head and pursed his lips.

“I’m not talking about romantic love.” I ran my fingers over his lips. “Though, that’s a part of it. I’m talking about unadulterated, pure love. Being loved just for being you, with all your faults and idiosyncrasies. We’re two peas in a pod, Jaxon. I trust you because I believe in you. I believe that at the end of the day, you have my back and you like me. You like me a lot. I know that because I like you. I really like you. I always had this dream that I’d meet someone and we’d be soul mates.” I looked into his eyes. “Don’t go all scared on me or anything, but I had this dream that I’d meet someone that understood me. I’ve always been a lonely soul, trying to figure out the world by myself. And I’ve always felt slightly lost. I guess that’s why it was so easy for Frank to manipulate me and it was so easy for me to have a crush on Hunter. But with you, I don’t feel lost anymore. I don’t feel like I have to pretend to be someone I’m not. I can be me. I can tell you how I feel. I can tell you what I’m thinking and you can do the same. We can both be real with each other. Neither of us is perfect. Neither of us knows what’s going to happen, but we can figure it out by ourselves. We can do this. We can really do this, Jaxon.” I grabbed his hands and held them in mine. “For so many years I’ve doubted myself and my thoughts. I’ve been scared to know who to trust and what to do. The first person I ever met that made me believe in myself was Meg. She saw something in me, she liked me and she treated me as an equal. I’ll always love her for that. However, at the end of the day, she has a best friend. She has someone that holds her in high regard. You and me, we’re loners. We play by ourselves. Well Jaxon, we don’t have to be loners anymore.” I snuggled up next to him and stroked his face. “I trust you and I want you to know that I think coming to the Lovers’ Academy was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.” I took a deep breath then, not wanting to overwhelm him. I could see from his face that he was taken aback. A part of me wondered if I’d come on too strong. Maybe I’d scared him? I swallowed hard as I waited for him to respond. I needed to know that he felt the same as I did. It didn’t matter what trials were put in front of us as long as we had each other. I really and truly believed that.

“Thank you.” He said finally, his eyes bright, but his face not as excited as I’d hoped. “You’re one of a kind, Nancy. You’re truly one of a kind.”

Chapter Nine

Jaxon

The day of the wedding was bright and sunny. It belied the dark and cloudy feelings I held inside. I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t excited. Nancy had agreed to go to a local courthouse with me. A local priest was going to come in and do a quick service. I should have felt happy that I was finally getting vengeance for my father. Ever since he’d killed himself, I had vowed to take down Brandon Hastings. If it hadn’t been for Brandon buying his company and putting him out of business, he never would have commit suicide. I hated Brandon with everything that I had. I’d grown up knowing that I would do anything to bring him down. I knew that my father, as I called my uncle now, was disappointed in my actions. I knew that he didn’t want me to go after revenge, but I also knew that he understood.

I picked up the phone to call him before I went to leave the room.

“Hey,” he answered quietly, almost somberly.

“Hey.” I repeated.

“So you’re on your way.”

“Yes.” I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “We should be married within a few hours. Then she’ll become a Cade and I will become a legal member of the Hastings family, via marriage.”

“How long will it take you to gain control?” He asked me quietly.

“I’ll get a seat on the board of Hastings Corporation within a month once I’m a legal part of the family. There’s nothing Brandon can do to stop me.”

“I can’t believe that his grandfather set it up like that.”

“He wanted to make sure that the business remained a family business.” I smiled. “I’m here to make sure that it remains a family business as well, until every last dime is gone.”

“You don’t have to do this, Jaxon.”

“I do.” I sighed. “I’ll text you when you can let Hunter go.”

“He’s been a nuisance.” The man sighed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes to the police and says he was kidnapped.”

“Don’t worry about it. I have a file full of papers on him. If he knows what’s good for him, he won’t go anywhere but home.”

“I can’t believe you got everyone to believe he was dead.”

“No one actually asked to see a body.” I shrugged. “You fired those two shots outside. Bobby showed up pretending he was a cop and I told Louise a story and she took it from there. You know women, they love a good gossip.”