Promises Forgotten
Chapter 35

I looked at the woman cuddled into the crook of my arm. She was breathing quietly, fast asleep after the night’s playtime. Her face was serene and while she was always my goddess of mischief, her face now truly looked like a goddess. Looking over at my phone, I decided to leave it. It didn’t matter what time it was. Usually, if I was awake I was either working, working out, drinking, or f*****g. I didn’t rest or relax. There was no need. Why stop and smell the roses if there were no roses?

I brushed away some hair from Evie’s face. She was my rose. She made me want to enjoy every moment, even the quiet ones. Never had I thought a woman could make me feel like this. I figured inevitably I would be sold off for the sake of reputation or business. Now that was all out the window. Part of me knew that Adrian might pay the price for my decision, but if I could appease my father by giving him what he wanted, becoming CEO of his company, then he might just let it all slide.

“It’s too early for you to be thinking so hard.”

I smiled down at Evie, who nuzzled into me more. She didn’t open her eyes.

“How would you know?”

“I can smell the smoke from you using your brain.”

Shaking my head, I kissed her forehead before grabbing her sides. She screamed and started to laugh as I tickled her awake. Evie managed to squirm out of my gasp and jump on me. Her legs straddled my stomach as she stared down at me, wheezing.

“Got you.”

“Please. I let you. You think this tiny body can hold me back?”

To prove my point, I easily slipped from her grip and grabbed her h**s. Pulling her toward me and into a long, passionate k**s, it took her a minute to recover, but she slapped my chest.

“No! You wanted to destroy me yesterday. Not today. No sir. I’m going to get up, make us breakfast and then I want to go swimming.”

“To the beach?” I asked, but Evie made a disgusted face.

Shaking her head, she smirked. “I’m tired of sand in every crevice of my body. I thought maybe we could stay in today. We haven’t used the infinity pool. Maybe we can order some dinner in too?”

I nodded. “Whatever you want, my goddess. While I’m not fully sated, I will concede.”

“Fully…sated…for f***s sake, Z.”

Laughing, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her against my body. Kissing her lips, I nibbled and bit them. “I will never tire of this. I could live solely off of kissing you.”

“Promise?”

“Promise. Though, I won’t tire of any of you.” Hooking my leg around hers, I used my strength and flipped her. My eyes stared down at hers and her light brown eyes looked up at me. There were so many emotions, but the one I grasped onto was the look of adoration. This woman f*****g loved me, and I loved her with equal fervor.

Her hands slid up my chest and my shoulders, locking around my neck. Fingers intertwined in my hair, she held me tight. “I wonder what you would look like with long hair. You know, just a little ponytail.” She smiled, tugging on my hair for effect.

“You will never know, dear. I don’t do long hair. It’s already getting long as it is. I’ll cut it when we get home.”

She sighed. “Maybe as goddess I demand it.”

“I would hope my goddess would love her champion, despite my flaws.”

“But when they are too numerous?”

I stared down at her, the spark of mischievousness reflecting in her eyes and that smirk on her face I had come to love. “Too numerous?”

“Well, you barely passed a few of the initial application requirements.” I saw her struggling with keeping a straight face.

“Excuse me. I passed four out of five with flying colors and I think it’s five out of five now, wife.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Oh? Let’s see. I’ll give you flexibility, considering you married me a week ago, husband. That was pretty spontaneous, considering your…record. But then there are your looks which are…okay, I guess. I mean, you‘ve never been my type, but I’ll overlook it because…” Evie’s hand brushed against my cheek. “…your eyes are the window to your soul. The blue of the sky and sometimes the storm takes over, but they are always that bright blue.”

“My eyes? That’s it?” I ground against her and I could see the blush rise as she bit her l*p.

“I mean, you’re lucky. Love is blind, after all.”

My jaw dropped, mock hurt on my face. “You wound me. I’m sorry I am so inadequate for my goddess.”

“My dear husband, you think I would choose my champion based on their looks? Who do you take me for?”

Smirking, I kissed her jawline. “Oh? Are you not a vain goddess?”

She chuckled. “How could I be vain? Look at me. The long list of your lovers before me immediately would knock me down a peg or twenty.”

My face turned serious. “Evie, every single woman that I have ever had the misfortune to have relations with pales in comparison to you. Don’t forget that, ever. No woman has brought me to my knees. No woman has made me beg. Not a single person in this world would or could bring me the happiness and love that I feel for you.”

“Jesus, get serious all of a sudden.”

My lips pressed against her forehead, nose, cheeks, and then her lips. “I’m only serious when it comes to you comparing yourself to others. As though they would even compare. I will have no one next to me other than you. Even then, I know I will be the one to get asked how I was able to nail you down.”

A soft smile played on her lips. “Well, it wasn’t your f*****g personality, that’s for damn sure.”

Barking out a laugh, she joined me. My head rested on the pillow just above her shoulder, I put some of my weight on her. “I love you. Mrs. Anderson. I love you more than I have ever loved anything in this world.”

“I love you too, my husband. My champion.”

We stay together for a moment before Evie’s stomach growled loudly. Laughing, she turned red and kicked me off of her. Grabbing my shirt, she threw it on and pulled on some underwear.

“I’m going to make some food. If you want something, tell me.”

“Surprise me. You know I’ll consume anything you make. It’s all f*****g delicious.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s because your cooking is mediocre at best.”

“I have people who cook for me.”

Shaking her head, she disappeared from the room. My head fell back on the pillow for a moment, basking in the warm feeling that Evie gave me. After a few minutes, I decided to get up and shower. When I got out of the shower, I already smelled heaven wafting up the stairs from the kitchen. Grabbing my phone, I saw a ridiculous amount of missed calls. I was still looking at my phone when I headed down the stairs and my eyes looked up, taking in Evie. She was swaying her h**s, my t-shirt that I purchased the day we came to Greece lifted up every so often, showing off her a*s, her cheeks peeking out of the black lace underwear.

“Would you like a campfire to go with that tent, Z?”

I looked up and she was slightly turned, looking at me with that smirk. The strain in my pants told me all I needed to know without looking.

“I replace my wife sexy, so sue me.”

Placing my phone on the counter, I sighed. She leaned over and her eyes widened. “Maybe you should call your brother. He seems a little high strung.”

“I don’t…”

“Z, it’s okay. Talk to him. You aren’t like me. You can’t just go missing for days. When was the last time you talked to him?”

I unlocked my phone and stared at the contacts. “The day of your friend’s wedding.”

“Z!”

We had landed in Zakynthos, where my parents’ villa was located, over a week ago and I still hadn’t reached out to anyone. It was a bubble that I didn’t want to burst. She and I together felt like a dream, and I wanted it to last for as long as I possibly could. Shrugging, I hit the call button and put it on speaker. She turned and flipped the pancakes in the pan. My eyes furrowed as they looked fluffier than any pancakes I had ever seen. Even the batter looked more like clouds.

“Z! You f*****g shitter!” My brother screamed over the phone and I winced.

“Calm the f**k down, Adrian. Jesus Christ. I’m lucky I didn’t have my phone next to my ear.”

Adrian screamed into the phone, “No! You listen here! Where the hell are you! No one has been able to get ahold of you! You could have been f*****g kidnapped or killed!”

Evie turned and wiggled her eyebrows. I chuckled, knowing she was thinking that she absolutely would be blamed for kidnapping me.

“Chill, dude. I’m fine. Better than fine, actually.”

“Where the hell are you? Dad is going ballistic. Apeshit. He knows the jet left but the flight info was wiped. You haven’t used any of your cards either and he wasn’t able to track you. ”

Sighing, I knew that was going to be the next step he would take. Shut down all my cards thinking the only source of income were the things connected to him. Rolling my eyes, I watched as Evie sliced some fruit and mixed it together with a little sugar.

“You know, I don’t actually need his money. I’ve got my own. I didn’t want to be f*****g tracked. I’m not a criminal. I’m fine and I’m enjoying…”

“You idiot! You are Zachary Anderson!”

My face fell and I sighed. “Adrian, don’t do that.”

“No. You’re being an unusual a*****e. You never do this shit. You’ve done some stupid shit but never this stupid. Where the hell are you? Dad will come and pick you up, bring you back. You need to start stepping up. This shit is getting annoying and Dad takes it out on me.”

“I’m not telling you where the hell I am. I’m not even in the f*****g country. I will come home when I damn well please, A.” Evie placed a plate of pancakes, two eggs and some sausage in front of me, but I ignored it. “You don’t get to try to guilt trip me, A. All I have been doing my whole f*****g life is making sure you are okay. I deal with all of Dad’s shit, all he throws at me, I take it all. I might complain and run sometimes, but I also deal with it because of you. For once, I’m happy and I intend on taking a little more time to f*****g enjoy this happiness before I end up back in his clutches. So you can f**k right off.”

A hand squeezed my shoulder and I looked at Evie. She had a look, one that was telling me to calm down. I turned and grabbed her, pulling her to me and nuzzling her.

“I need more time. I’m not ready to face the world yet.” I’m not talking to Adrian anymore, but to the beautiful woman in my arms.

“I hate you, Z. You’re so selfish.” The call disconnected and I sighed.

Evie ran her hands through my hair. “You shouldn’t have been so harsh. He is still so young. He doesn’t know.”

“I’ve raised him, Evie. I’ve made sure his whole life he was okay, even though Dad refuses to acknowledge him. I know how smart he is, but me receiving the brunt of my father’s focus meant that I was never able to actually be a child, be happy. For once Dad might actually be seeing him and I’m happy and he f*****g throws it in my face.”

“He doesn’t know, Zach.” My eyes snapped up to her, surprised she was using my name. “Children get angry at adults for telling them no. Telling them what they don’t want to hear because they don’t understand the reasons behind it. Don’t get angry because he doesn’t understand. When we get back, everyone will get it. We will have to deal with the consequences of our f*****g impulsive, idiotic, crazy, wonderful decision but he will understand. Now apologize to him and eat your breakfast.”

Smiling, I nodded. Bringing up the texts, I shot a message to Adrian.

Z: I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped. I’ll be home and I will explain.

A: I’m sorry too. You deserve a little happiness.

Z: A little? You’re a little shitter.

A: Z, Dad is in some shit I think. I’ve seen some guys coming to the office and over to the house. They don’t look good. I think there is some stuff going on and that’s why he wants you home.

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a fork and cutting into the fluffy pancakes.

Z: I’m sure. He’s been doing some shady shit in the name of the company for a while.

A: Just…be careful Z. Wherever you are.

Z: Yeah yeah. I’ll be fine. Thanks for the warning.