Forbidden Awakenings (Awakenings #1) Read online

  “I would say so.” Elle laughed as she pulled the card out of hers. “Listen to this: At eight p.m., there will be car waiting in front of the house to bring you to us. Don’t keep us waiting.”

  “Mine says the same thing,” Sadie replied, shifting her eyes from her card and over to Elle. “What are they up to?”

  “Knowing those two, it could be anything.” Elle placed the card on her desk and pulled out a single blue rose, bringing it up to her nose. “I’m ready to see them, though. I’ve missed them.”

  Sadie sighed and sat down. “Me, too.”

  —FA—

  Just after eight, the black town car that had been waiting outside the house pulled up in front of a small, Italian restaurant located six miles from their house. After getting home from work, they’d primped and fluffed, making sure they looked beautiful for the men who had captured their hearts and gave them a reason to breathe every day.

  “Ladies,” the driver said, opening door and helping each of them out. He pushed the door shut and then held out a four-by-six index card. “I was asked to give you this.”

  “Oh, thank you,” Elle replied, taking it from him.

  “You’re welcome. Have a wonderful evening.” And with a smile and a nod, he walked back around the car and slid in behind the wheel, driving off and leaving them standing there.

  “What does it say?” Sadie asked, placing her hand on Elle’s back, causing her to shiver from her delicate touch.

  “Um,” she murmured, flipping it over. “The first time we saw you, you took our breaths away. Go inside. We’re waiting.”

  Laughing softly, Elle and Sadie walked into the restaurant, expecting the place to be buzzing with activity, but the main dining room was completely dark, only a small lamp next to the hostess’s podium, provided any light. Next to the podium stood a petite woman with long, silky blond hair and large blue/green eyes.

  “Elle and Sadie?” she asked before they could say a word.

  “Yes,” they murmured together.

  The hostess’s grin widened as she held out another index card and picked up two blindfolds. “You’re supposed to read this first.”

  “Okay.” Sadie gave Elle a look before she walked over the woman and took the card, reading it out loud. “Trust is not given, but earned. Now we ask you to trust us, to allow Cindy to blindfold you. We’re waiting.” Sadie snorted. “Are they serious?”

  “Very,” the woman, or Cindy said, laughing.

  Sadie sighed and looked at Elle. “You okay with this?”

  “Of course I am,” she said with sincerity. “Callum and Derek won’t hurt us; that much I know with the upmost certainty.”

  Cindy blindfolded Sadie first, and then Elle. Then, she placed her hands on their elbows and led them further inside the restaurant. Elle could feel her heart hammering inside her chest, and the anticipation of what was to come had her almost trembling.

  “If you need anything, please just let us know,” Cindy said.

  Before Elle or Sadie could respond, they heard Derek say, “We will. Thank you.”

  The sound of Cindy walking away and doors closing echoed throughout the room. A moment later, Elle felt a pair of hands grip her hips, and she moaned.

  Callum.

  He laughed softly, his lips grazing along the length of her neck as he kissed up to her ear. “You look beautiful, baby.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’d return the favor, but I can’t see you.”

  She felt his lips curve upward. “Do you want me to uncover your eyes?”

  “Yes,” she said. “But only because I’ve missed you.”

  Callum’s hands slid up her arms, over her shoulders, along her neck, and to the back of her head. He untied the blindfold, letting it flitter to the floor. Gasping, Elle looked around the room. Hundreds of roses had been placed on various tables, shelves, and a piano. Along with the roses were candles, their bluish-orange flames flickering. In the middle of the room was a table, covered in a white tablecloth, two red tapered candles, and two single roses — one yellow, one blue — in a crystal vase.

  Sadie squealed, throwing herself in both of their arms. The moment they had her in their embrace, she began to cry, which automatically caused the two of them to frown.

  “Sadie, honey, what’s wrong?” Callum asked, placing his hand on the back of her head, but his eyes were locked on Elle, almost imploring her to give him some kind of hint as to why she was weeping.

  But she couldn’t. Sadie had been emotional all afternoon. Like Elle, she knew Sadie was freaking out about how they would react to the news of becoming fathers.

  “Nothing,” Sadie whimpered. “I just missed you both so much.”

  “We missed you, too,” Callum murmured, kissing the side of her head.

  Sadie stepped backward, wiping the tears off her face. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry, honey,” Derek said, smiling. “It’s nice to know that we’re still wanted around here.”

  “Of course you’re wanted,” Elle scoffed, giving him a hug before leaning up and kissing him. “Your trip was good?”

  “Yes, but we’re not talking about work. Not tonight,” he said, leading her over to the table and pulling out one of the chairs. “Tonight is about us.”

  “Okay,” she agreed, and slid into the seat.

  Once Callum, Derek, and Sadie were seated, Derek picked up the bottle of wine and started to pour them each a glass, but when he reached for Sadie’s, she reached out and covered the top. “No, thanks.”

  His eyebrow lifted, and Elle knew exactly what he was thinking: Sadie never refused a glass of wine. “You don’t want any wine?”

  Sadie bit her lip, her eyes shifting to Elle before turning back to him. “No. I … I can’t.”

  “You can’t?” Callum asked, frowning. “Why not? Are you still not feeling good?”

  “I’m okay. I just … I, um …” Sadie shook her head, her hand coming up to rest on her chest. “I’m pregnant.”

  Callum and Derek sat there, staring at her like she’d just started speaking in tongues, or was dancing naked in the moonlight. Elle cleared her throat as she reached over and took hold of Sadie’s hand, causing Callum and Derek to look at her.

  “Isn’t that great?” Elle asked.

  “Yeah,” Derek murmured, his lips tugging upward. “You’re pregnant? You’re really pregnant?”

  “Mmhmm,” Sadie hummed.

  “Wow,” Callum mumbled, shaking his head. “A baby. That’s … just wow.”

  “Good wow?” The tremor that laced Sadie’s voice had his head snapping in her direction. “Cal.”

  “Damn good wow, honey.” Callum scooted his chair close to Sadie and reached out and took hold of her hands. “We’re having a baby.”

  “We are,” she wept.

  He closed the distance between their mouths. Smiling, he leaned his forehead against hers. “Marry us.”

  “What?” Elle and Sadie asked.

  Callum sat back and looked over at Derek, who gave him a subtle nod. Taking a deep breath, they reached into their pockets and pulled out small, black velvet boxes.

  “What the hell are those?” Elle questioned.

  “I think you know what they are,” Derek replied, opening the box and placing it in the palm of his hand. A large diamond, easily three carats, was set in a white-gold band. It was simple, yet elegant.

  Elle turned her attention to the box in Callum’s hand, finding him holding a ring that was an exact replicate of the one in Derek’s hand.

  “We wanted to woo you, to seduce you,” Callum explained. “The roses, the car, the blindfolds, all in an effort to make you both feel wanted and loved before we dropped down on one knee and asked you to marry us.”

  “But learning that we’re having a baby, that we’re going to have a family …” Derek trailed off as he reached over, sliding his hand into Elle’s and bringing it to his lips. “Marry us. Be our wives.”

  “So you were going
to ask before I told you that I was pregnant?” Sadie asked, her voice breaking.

  “Yes, honey,” Derek insisted, reaching over and holding her hand, too. “From the moment you two came into our lives, I’ve known that you’re my future. And I know that Callum feels the same.”

  “I do,” Callum admitted with a nod. “We’ve just been waiting until you two were ready.”

  “And you think we’re ready now?” Elle asked, smiling.

  “We do,” he said. “We’ve watched as you’ve struggled to trust us.” She started to protest, but he continued to speak. “Struggled to trust yourself with us, might be a better phrasing. There’s been so much that we’ve had to deal with. Our parents, our careers, but now, we’re ready. Be our wives. Marry us, not because we’re having a baby, but because this,” he said, gesturing to the four of them, “crazy, passionate relationship that the four of us have together is everything we ever wanted. Marry us because in your hearts you know that we can’t live without you, and you can’t survive without us. Marry us because you want us.”

  “Yes,” Sadie whispered, drawing their attention to her. “Yes. Yes!”

  “I think she said yes,” Derek teased, reaching over and pulling her onto his lap. He pressed his lips against hers. “I love you, honey.”

  “I love you, too,” she murmured, her hands stroking his cheek.

  “Elle?” Callum asked, shifting his attention to her. Derek and Sadie looked at her, the intensity rolling off of the three of them had her cheeks warming. “Will you marry us?”

  “Yes,” she susurrated, her emotions tainting her words. She placed one hand on his cheek and slid her other one over Sadie’s hand, so that she was feeling Derek, too. “Together forever, right?”

  “Forever,” her lovers echoed.

  —The End—

  Sneak Peek:

  Forgotten Awakenings,

  Book Two in the Awakenings Series

  Prelude

  Elle couldn’t keep from smiling as she strolled across the parking lot, tugging her jacket tighter around her. The sparkling diamond ring on her left hand was a constant reminder of her lovers, whom she’d left in their bed. It hadn’t been easy for her to leave them, either. Especially since they were naked and warm, and she wanted to feel them inside her again, taste them on her tongue, to be reminded that they wanted her to be their wife.

  “Damn it, Elle,” she chastised herself. “Stop thinking of sex.”

  She laughed, knowing how ridiculous she sounded, trying to talk herself out of thinking about her lovers. Next thing she knew, she’d be in the midst of an argument with herself.

  The floor was empty as she stepped off the elevator and made her way down to the office. The last place she’d wanted to be the morning after getting engaged was at work, but in their mad rush to get home the night before and get ready for their date with Callum and Derek, Elle had left her phone charger on her desk, so she decided to come get it before stopping by and picking up some coffee and donuts for her lovers.

  Elle unlocked the door to her office and rushed inside, picking up the cord off her desk. Turning around, she gasped when she saw Trixie Maxwell leaning against the doorjamb, her head lobbed against the dark frame, while a shiny pistol was clutched in her other hand.

  The blond-haired, blue-eyed woman looked horrible, like she was just coming off a three-day drinking binder. Her hair was knotted and messy, tangled with dirt and grime. Her clothes were covered in filth, and looked to be at least three sizes too big. However, it was her eyes that had Elle nervous. There was a crazy look to them, like someone who’d spent too many nights staring at the moon.

  “What are you doing here?” Elle asked.

  They hadn’t seen or heard from Trixie since Samuel fired her after she all but accused him of handing Sadie and Elle their jobs because they were sleeping with his son.

  “Do you know how hard it is to find a job when every time they check with my previous employers, all they hear is that I’m a bitch?” Trixie mumbled, the gun tapping against the side of her leg. She pushed herself off the doorframe. “That I’m unprofessional? Me! Isn’t that just fucking insane?” She laughed, though there was nothing humorous at the moment. “You fuck his son, and Samuel practically worships you, but I’m unprofessional.”

  “I’m sorry that you’ve been having problems finding a new job,” Elle started, slowly trying to inch her way around her desk so she could call for help. “Maybe I can make some calls? Or … um … You know what? I’ll talk to Samuel. See if he’ll hire you back here.”

  Trixie angled her head to the side. “I don’t need a goddamn thing from you, whore. You came in here, spreading your legs like a little slut. I’ve lost everything because of you.” Pausing, she raised her arm, pointing the gun right at Elle. “All I want is for you to die.”

  “No, wait,” Elle cried, putting both hands up in front of her, but it was too late.

  A sharp crack echoed around the room, and Elle felt a sharp pain slice through her leg. Screams vibrated, and she crumbled to the ground. As the darkness wrapped around Elle like a warm blanket, she watched in horror as Trixie walked up to her, pointed the gun at her chest once again, and pulled the trigger.

  Author’s Biography:

  Obsessive, compulsive, slightly crazed, but enough about her personality. First and foremost, Lisa Bilbrey is a mom to three and a wife to one. She loves to write, and spends the majority of everyday writing. It’s who she is, and what she’s meant to be doing. Words are her life, the air she breathes, and the nutrients of her soul. Finding a love in the written word, Lisa Bilbrey started writing as a way to express herself and let her voice be heard. From the first word she wrote, she’d found her heart and soul.

  Always willing to learn, she’s spends much of her time trying to improve as a storyteller.

  You can follow her work at:

  www.lisabilbrey.blogspot.com

  www.facebook.com/LisaBilbreyAuthor

  @LisaBilbrey

  Her works Include:

  Life’s Unexpected Gifts

  A Season of Change

  The Apartment

  Broken Hearts & Dusty Dreams

  Whispers of Time Gone By

  The Journey Collection:

  The Journey Home

  The Journey of Champions

  The Journey to Forever

  The Journey to a New Life

  Angel’s Heat Series:

  Angel’s Heart: The Keeper

  Angel’s Heart: The True Enemy