Page 9 of Until Presley (Happily Ever Alpha World)

CHAPTER

SIX

PRESLEY

I try to hold back the hurt. I should be used to this by now. Ever since I was ten, I’ve known I’m no one’s priority. What cuts the deepest, though, is the thought Ham might have a son with that nurse and doesn’t want me to know.

“It’s not what you think,” Hanna says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I can’t stay here. I thought for once someone might actually want to make me a priority, but I should have known better.

“It’s okay. You know, I have a headache and shouldn’t snorkel. Maybe another time.” I move toward the door, praying Ham has left. As I reach it, the door opens, and in walks Walker. I move past him, but he stops me.

“I can take you somewhere, if you want. It’s honestly not what you’re thinking. Ham is a good person, but he’s got a lot of responsibilities.” Walker defends his friend, but it just makes the pain worse.

“I’m fine. I have to go.” I push past him and head out, but he stops me again.

He offers to give me a ride, and I figure, what’s the worst that could happen? At least I won’t have to pay for a service to pick me up. I’ll have him drop me off at the research center so he’s not away from his family that long.

We are almost to the center when his phone rings, and I know he’s talking to Ham. I can tell by Walker’s responses that Ham wants him to take me back to the shop.

When we stop at a light, I turn to Walker and say, “Never mind.”

Before the light turns green, I open the door and step out of the truck. I walk into the flow of tourist foot traffic so he can’t follow. I make it a block away before the tears start to fall. When I dial Leah’s number, it goes straight to voicemail.

“Girl, I need to talk. Please call me.” I leave a message and look at my phone. She should be up and going by now. I don’t understand what is happening with her.

I use my app and order a ride. I want to call Morgan, but I’m not sure of her schedule and don’t want to wake her or any of her small children if they are napping.

When I get home, I change the codes so Ham can’t get into my house anymore. I need a distraction to get out of my head.

I walk down to the beach and sit just out of the range of the waves.

I love the ocean, always have, but I also hate it.

I hate that it’s always been the first choice over me.

I hate that it’s even my priority now, just like it is for my father.

I can’t hate the child who took Ham from me, but I can be angry that he chose not to tell me about them.

I would have understood. After my childhood, I know children should come first. My doctorate is my focus now, and I know someday I’ll choose it over any relationship.

All because that little girl inside me wants to finally feel seen, and earning my doctorate is the only way I know how to do that.

I sit here, watching as the storm rolls across the water, heading our way.

I’ve been checking the weather reports for days because we need to go out tomorrow to retrieve the transmitters from the sharks and dolphins we tagged last month.

I know this is just a passing storm for the night, nothing major coming in.

Memories wash over me. With her birthday last Monday, and then Ham bringing me her favorite tea today, I’ve never felt closer to her.

I don’t know why. It’s like lately something is telling me that I’m missing something important.

She was a little younger than I am now when she had me.

I know that when I’m with Griff, I feel whole, and I was starting to feel that with Ham, even though it’s only been a couple of days.

Ham

I ’m pissed by the time I pull up to her house.

I can’t believe she jumped out of Walker’s truck when I was on my way back to her.

I stomp up the gravel walk and knock on the door, but no one answers.

I don’t see anyone inside, but her car is here.

I spot her purse and cell phone on the counter.

I enter the code to her door, but it doesn’t work.

It just beeps at me. I stop and glance around, trying to come up with a plan.

I’m about to walk around the deck and try the back door when I see a lone person sitting on the beach.

The wind is picking up with the incoming storm.

Her hair whips around her, coming loose from the braid it was in earlier. She’s just staring out at the water. I head toward her, my feet sinking into the sand. She doesn’t acknowledge me when I get close, and I slowly lower to my butt and pull her into my body.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her, my anger gone. All I can think about are the tears rolling down her face. The quiet pain she’s going through.

“What’s wrong with me?” she says, her voice tiny, and it’s like a knife to my chest. The pain is instant.

“There is nothing wrong with you, sprite.” I take a deep breath, ready to tell her everything.

“Then why does everyone choose everything else over me?” She doesn’t stop there, the barbs come flying.

“Every day of my life, my father has either chosen my mother, the ocean, or whales over me. When she died, I thought things would change. He took me everywhere with him, but he didn’t make me a priority.

He just made me a part of his team. I was the youngest researcher.

If I was sick, he’d leave me behind. When I broke my arm, he left me with my au pair .

” She pauses, her voice quivering. “Do you know I had au pairs and tutors? I had no idea how to interact with kids my own age. It was awful when my stepmother insisted I go to boarding school with my stepsister. I’m awkward most days, but put me amongst my peers, and I have no clue what I’m doing.

Even now, according to my stepsister, I have this weird obsession and can’t interact with her or anyone else.

I hate bullies, especially when they’re family.

” Her voice softens, and my heart aches for her.

“Tell me about your mother.” My words are soft against the top of her head.

“She was amazing. She danced, enjoyed music, gardening, and teaching me. She loved that I was advanced for my age. Told me all the time that I was special. I could read and write before all the other kids.” She takes a big breath.

“The day she died, I was so mad because my father left us again to go on a charter. I yelled at her. Told her I wished I had a different life. Different parents.” Her voice grows quiet, and I know she’s back there in that moment, reliving the memory, as her body shivers.

She leans her head against my chest. “I heard her fall. At first, I didn’t know what it was, but then I walked into the kitchen when she didn’t answer me.

She was lying on the floor, thrashing around.

I called for an ambulance as I begged her not to leave me, to stay in my life.

I hadn’t meant what I said. I hate the ocean some days. ”

Her sobs intensify, and I’m to blame for this too. Her father and I have both pushed her away.

“She told me that I would miss this life if I had a different one. It was so true. I regretted those words for years until I spoke to a counselor.” She continues to cry as we sit here, looking out as the storm draws closer.

“Win is short for Winslow,” I say once she quiets.

“He’s my younger brother by about five years.

I was in the military when he was hurt. He was riding his bike home from work when a drunk driver hit him.

” I swallow hard as I remember the phone call I got.

“Winslow went airborne over the car. He wasn’t expected to make it, but he survived.

Every surgery he had and every time he has a seizure, they tell us to say goodbye because they don’t expect him to live through it.

” I moisten my lips, trying to prolong getting to the reality of the situation.

“He was in a coma for so long, and then he woke up. But he wasn’t Winslow anymore.

He was a different person. He’s paralyzed from mid back down.

Most days he lies in his bed, watching television.

He can’t be in a normal wheelchair because his hips had to be fused due to his injuries.

His brain will never be the same again.”

“Oh my God,” she says and pulls away from me.

I’m afraid she’s going to run, so I keep a hold of her, but she fights until she can twist around and straddle me. She wraps her whole body around me.

“A year later, my mother was diagnosed with MS. She can’t take care of Win, so I pay to have him in a home close enough where we can go see him.

I swear I’ve never been with Julia. She wanted to go out with me, and obviously still wants to, but I’m not interested in her. I told her today I have a girlfriend.”

She tips her head back and looks up at me.

Her eyes are filled with emotion once again, and I settle.

I shift, then stand up as the first drops of rain begin to fall.

By the time we make it to the house, it’s a full-on downpour, and we’re both soaked.

She enters the code into the French doors that open into her kitchen.

I walk toward the bathroom, and together we strip off our clothes, making sure we don’t let go of each other except when we have to.

With her naked body wrapped around me, I reach into the shower and flip on the water before stepping in with her.

I take the brunt of the cold spray against my back until it warms, then I turn her into it.

She softly kisses my neck, and I kiss her neck too.

I bite and gently suck, leaving a mark where others won’t see unless they are too close.

She leans back and looks into my eyes. “I’ll give you another chance. But you need to understand that becoming a doctor is very important to me.”

“Presley, you are my priority. My mom and brother are going to have to understand. You will get all of me, because I’m going to push you to do this.

I’m not going to interfere with your doctoral studies.

I understand how important that is to you.

But I will be here, making sure we keep moving forward. I won’t give up on us.”

“Thank you.” Her pupils dilate as she shifts against my cock. “Now, can we discuss this?” She rocks along my length, and I drop my head back.

“Sprite, you know if I get my cock inside you, I’m never letting you go, no matter what.”

“We’ll see about that.” She smirks and leans forward to kiss me.

I press her back against the shower wall and shift her up. I kiss down her neck to her breasts, where I take a nipple deep in my mouth. She starts rocking against me, and it takes everything in me not to shift and slide into her heat. I can feel it, and it’s making me lose my mind.

“Fuck this. I don’t have a condom.” I reach behind us and turn off the water. I step out of the shower and grab a towel to wrap around both of us. Then I reach for the bag I left here this morning.

“Put me down before you drop me.” Presley giggles, and I press her to my body tighter.

“Not letting you go.” I pull out several condoms and then stomp to her room.

I drop her and the towel on the bed and take her all in. Her skin is flushed from the hot shower and from desire.

“Open those sexy little legs,” I order, my voice deeper than usual, and she obliges.

Just like last night when I had her like this, her little clit is peeking out of its hood, and her bare pussy is sexy.

I drop to my knees and kiss from her knee to her core, where I dive in and don’t stop until she’s comes twice.

I stand and slide the condom around my girth.

Her hooded eyes watch me as I pump my hand up and down my cock.

I stand next to the bed at the perfect height to take her, and I slap her pussy with my cock.

“Please, Ham. Please,” she begs.

I lean over her body with my cock kissing her entrance. “When I’m balls deep inside you, you’ll call me Hamilton.” I usually hate my full name, but the thought of her calling me something no one else does makes me want to pound nails and her.

“Hamilton,” she sighs, and I slide inside her heat. She arches and throws her head back. She’s so tight, almost making me come on the spot.

“Fuck, baby, you’re so tight. I’m going to have to go slow.” I’m not a small man, and my little sprite is just that—little.

“Don’t stop,” she begs as her hands clutch at my back, pulling me into her body.

When my balls rest against her ass, I pause to let her adjust to my size. I can almost feel her cervix at the tip of my cock.

“Fuck me now, Hamilton,” she demands, and I rise up, pressing her legs wide open.

“I give the orders, Presley.” I pull out and slam back into her.

She screams as she thrashes around on the bed, her hands clutching at the blankets, tangling them into a mess. I continue to take her hard, feeling the bed move across the floor.

I need her under me completely. I need to dominate and control her. I’m going to keep fucking her until she forgets every man before me.

As I pound into her little body, I push her further up the bed and climb up over her.

I cage her in with my elbows on the bed next to her head.

Her arms and legs wrap around me, taking me impossibly deeper.

Someday, I’m putting my baby in this beauty.

The thought crosses my mind as I slow down my thrusts.

She’s looking up at me with a storm in her eyes that mirrors the one raging outside.

I roll us and sit her up so I can watch her small breasts move as I lift her off me and slam her down.

“Hamilton,” she purrs my name as she shifts and starts moving around on me in circles.

My eyes cross as I tweak her clit, and she screams, coming hard.

I pump into her a couple more times and then hold her down so I can feel the tip of my cock at her cervix. I come hard in the condom. Everything feels like I’m being turned inside out. She falls to my chest, and I hold her for a moment before rolling us so I can get the condom taken care of.