Beyond These Walls (The Walls Duet #2)

“You are my one and only, Lailah. Never forget that.”


My eyes squeezed shut, trying to memorize the moment. I didn’t know how many times I’d done this over the past two years, silently trying to time-capsule a memory, a feeling, or an emotion I shared with this man. I didn’t want to forget anything.

“Put your legs up on the ledge,” he commanded, his voice suddenly deeper.

I loved when his voice dropped and became demanding. I followed his instruction, placing one foot on each side, like I was ready to birth a baby. It was an awkward position, but it pushed my back further into his chest, so it was strangely comfortable.

I felt him adjust, and the jets suddenly came to life around us, the water rumbling and bubbling with life.

“Now, we just need to move slightly until we get the right angle—”

“Holy—” I cried out as a jet came in contact with my core, spread wide and open.

“There we go,” he said, pleased with himself.

I had no words. I was reduced to a writhing puddle of gibberish. Every minor movement pushed the pressured water into my sensitive area. I could adjust, sending the most focused area directly where I wanted it. There was no friction, no touch. It was soothing, yet I was careening, sliding, and falling into another orgasm quicker than I could anticipate.

“I’m going to—oh my God,” I cried out.

“Let go,” Jude encouraged.

My head fell back as a powerful orgasm sent me over the edge. I saw stars as my body floated back to earth.

I curled back into his arms as my heart steadied. Looking up at him, I realized he’d had it all wrong.

He was the angel sent from heaven.

And I was the lucky one who got to sleep within his winged embrace.





I WAITED FOR as long as possible before waking her. The first rays of morning hadn’t even begun to break through the clouds, but I knew if we didn’t leave soon, we’d miss our flight. Not that I couldn’t reschedule, but I wanted her to be able to see our destination as we flew in, and that could only be done if we left well in advance.

I zipped the last of our luggage and dropped it by the door. Returning to the master suite, I knelt beside her slumbering figure on the bed. Her light-blonde hair fell around her face like straw. Tiny puffs of air moved in and out of her perfectly shaped lips.

Sometimes, when work got the best of me and I returned home later than I wished, I would see her like this—in bed, her hands curled around her face that held a look of serene peacefulness. I’d find myself unable to stir her, unwilling to break the calm cadence of her breath or the gentle ease of her slumber. I’d sit across from her, still fully dressed in my suit and tie, and just watch.

Like the peaceful tide rolling in on an ocean breeze, she was my steadfast tranquility in a world that sometimes seemed to be anything but. When days got hectic and the company seemed to take the life out of me, I knew I could return to her, and she’d right all the wrongs of my life.

Hating myself for having to disrupt her sleep, I carefully lifted a hand and gently stroked her face. She stirred slightly, reaching out to touch my hand in her slumber.

“Hey, angel,” I whispered.

She moved a bit more. Her eyes fluttered and finally opened, focusing on my features.

She smiled. “Hi,” she said hoarsely.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

Her lids shut once more, squeezing tight, as she stretched under the covers. “We got married yesterday.” She smiled as her gaze returned to mine.

“Yes, we did.” I grinned from ear to ear. “And today, we’re leaving for our honeymoon.”

Her eyes widened in excitement. “Are you finally going to tell me where we’re going?”

I laughed. “No.”

Her mouth turned upside down into a pout.

“But I’ll show you. Get dressed. I put your clothes there.” I pointed at the end of the bed. “And I left a toothbrush and your pills out for you.”

She sat up, rubbing her eyes, before her hands went to her hair. A frown appeared on her face as she felt the massive rat’s nest that we’d managed to create while rolling around the sheets all night.

“Do I get to shower?”

“No. Sorry. But there’s a brush in the bathroom.”

She looked at me like I was insane.

With the crazy hair and sleepy eyes, it was kind of cute, and I tried to contain my chuckling.

“We’ll be late if we don’t hurry. I’ll make it up to you. I promise!” I exclaimed as a pillow sailed in my direction.

I didn’t bother covering up the deep laughter that followed as I watched her stomp, bare ass naked, into the bathroom.



“When you said we needed to hurry so that we wouldn’t miss our flight, this isn’t what I had in mind,” Lailah said. Her mouth nearly dropped to the floor of the stretched limo as we passed the regular airport completely and pulled into a private hangar.

“I didn’t say what kind of flight we were trying to make.”