“It’s because I’m a woman. They don’t give a shit about what happens to us,” I said.
“That might be true, but I’ll keep fighting in your favor. Free of charge. I promise,” he said.
“And in the meantime, you’ve got me,” Texas said.
“Yeah, you and the guys who want to go sit and have some beers,” I said flatly
“It might not be that friendly of a visit,” Texas said.
“And that’s my cue to go. The less I know, the better. But I need you to know that I negotiated some more time with the judge” my lawyer said.
“What?” I asked breathlessly.
“You won’t have to turn Keva over until tomorrow. But you will have to turn her over to Jett for his weekend with her.”
“I don’t want that little girl going with that man. Isn’t there something you can do?” Texas asked.
My lawyer shrugged. “Holding it off one more day by using his attitude in that courtroom as well was all I could do. Use the time wisely. Okay?”
I felt like he was signaling something to us, but I was too angry to see it. Then, my lawyer turned on his shiny leather shoes and walked off.
Texas turned to look at me. “We can’t protect her if she goes.”
“I know. I know,” I said breathlessly.
“We have to do something,” he said.
“The only thing we can do is what the courts say. Anything else gets me thrown in jail, which is ironic as fuck. But up until this point, he hasn’t done anything to hurt Keva. I have to keep hope that he won’t. That anything he does will be to hurt me.”
“Ella, are you listening to yourself?”
“I don’t have a choice, Texas! I don’t have a choice in any of this!”
He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the elevator so that no one else would continue staring at us. Jett still hadn’t come out of the courtroom, and for all we knew he was paying off the fucking judge like he did the last time.
“If passing her off tomorrow is what you really want, I’ll go along with it. But I’m having someone tail Jett the entire weekend. Just to make sure she’s safe,” he said.
I looked up into his eyes and I could have sworn I saw genuine love for my daughter in them.
“That’s fine with me,” I whispered.
“Good. Because at this point, I wouldn't have given you a choice.”
16
Texas
I watched Ella as she paced. She hadn’t stopped pacing for damn near and hour as we counted down the minutes for Jett to show up. And as Keva came out with her little backpack full of clothes, she looked up at her worried mother.
“What’s wrong, Mommy?” she asked.
My heart broke as Ella wiped at her tears and scooped up her daughter.
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just worried about work, sweetie,” Ella breathed.
“Why don’t you two come sit right here?” I asked.
I patted the couch next to me and they both came scrambling to me. I held Keva to one side and Ella at the other, trying to comfort them as best as I could. I cringed as I heard the engine of Jett’s car revving. I sighed when I heard him pull into the driveway. And when his heavy-handed knock came down onto the door, my stomach lurched.
“Daddy!” Keva exclaimed.
She shot off the couch and went running for the door. Ella took a deep breath and pulled away from me, following her daughter. I got up from the couch and followed them both, standing against the doorway as Ella threw the door open.
Jett appeared, and I was ready to claw his eyes out.
“There’s my little girl,” Jett said.
“I missed you,” Keva murmured into his neck.
He shot both Ella and myself a disgusting look before he went and started putting her in his car.
Ella whimpered as she stood on the porch. But me? I followed Jett out to his fucking car. I watched him like a hawk as he strapped Keva into her car seat. Then, he closed the door and looked straight into my eyes.
“You the latest guy lined up to fuck my slut of a wife?” he asked, grinning.
I stood toe to toe with him, not once backing down from the man I once called a brother.
“I know you’re attempting to pick a fight on purpose, and I won’t let you. But if you so much as touch a hair on Keva’s head, know this,” I said.
Then, I leaned in and whispered into his ear.
“I’ll fucking kill you without a second thought.”
Jett stiffened as I pulled back. I looked into his eyes before running them along his body. He was standing crooked, like he was getting wearisome of this fight.
Good. It was about damn time this started getting to him.
“Ella and I looked over the court order. You’re still supposed to have her here back at seven tonight. We’ll be counting the minutes,” I said.
“Seven tomorrow,” Jett said.
I pulled the paperwork out of my back pocket and slapped it against his chest.
“Read it again, you manipulative son of a bitch.”
He snarled at me before he unraveled the paperwork. And when his face fell, a grin slid across my face. He slammed the papers back into my chest, trying to prove how strong he was. But every single one of us knew I had more muscle on that man than anyone else. I smiled sarcastically at him as he got into his car, then I reached out and closed the door for him.
“Seven tonight! It’s a date!” I exclaimed.
I stood out in the driveway and watched Jett’s car back out. I stood there until his red car receded out of sight, then I heard the sound of what could only be described as a heart verbally breaking. I turned around and saw Ella collapse onto the porch. She cried out for mercy as she sobbed into her hands, and I looked over to see Joanne cupping her hands over her mouth.
Stone was there, too. Cranking up his bike. Pulling out onto the road.
Going after Jett, since he was the one that quickly volunteered to keep tabs on the guy today.
When Stone was out of sight, I went over to Ella and scooped her up. I carried her sobbing form back into her house and kicked the front door closed behind me. I pressed my lips against her ear as I carried her to her bedroom, feeling her quake with exhaustion and worry.
“Everything’s going to be okay. I promise,” I whispered.
Stone was keeping tabs closely on Jett, but the entire crew was dotted around town. They were all stationed at Jett’s favorite places, and one of them was even in his back fucking yard. That man wouldn’t sneeze with Keva around without us knowing about it.
“All of us will make sure she’s okay,” I whispered.
“When will all of it end?” Ella sobbed.
My heart cracked a little bit at the pain in her voice.
“I don’t know, but it will end. I promise you that,” I murmured.
I settled her down into bed and wiped the tears from her eyes. I sat at the foot of the bed and took off her shoes. Her socks. I unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down her legs. I got her comfortable for bed, tucking her in with nothing on but her panties and bra. I felt completely powerless to help her. To make her feel better.
It was the worst feeling I’d ever experienced.
“Please stay,” she breathed.
She grabbed my hand as I got up from the bed, but all I did was bring it to my lips.
“I’m just getting comfortable myself. I’m not leaving you,” I murmured.
I toed off my boots and slid off my coat. Off came my shirt. And my jeans. And my undershirt. I went and locked the front door, then came back and slipped underneath the covers with her. I pulled her closely into me, feeling her press her warm, wet cheek against my chest.
“Tell me a story,” Ella whispered.
“What kind of story?” I asked.
“Something about you. Anything to get my mind off all this.”
Well, I guess it was now or never.
“Well, my childhood wasn’t the best,” I said.
“W
hy not?” Ella asked.
I ran my fingers through her hair. “My mother was a raging alcoholic and a drug addict. And when I was seven, CPS was called, and they took me away from her.”
She nuzzled into me. “I’m so sorry, Texas.”
“Don’t be. The home wasn’t safe. That’s what CPS is there for. After going through the motions and seeing a therapist as well as a doctor, they put me in the foster system. I stayed there until I aged out at 18, and it wasn’t too long after I packed up my things and left that I met your brother,” I said.
“You were never adopted?”
“Nope.”
“So, when you say The Lost Boys are your family…”
“I really mean it. I met Stone, he convinced me to pledge just before my nineteenth birthday, and I’ve been with the crew ever since,” I said.
Ella sighed before she pressed a soft kiss against my skin.
“What I want you to take away from that is, right now, Keva’s got a home. A real home. With you. Which means you have to always be on your guard. Don’t ever do anything that would make CPS want to come here and take her away. You know damn good and well Jett would jump at the chance to get full custody. So be careful, Ella.”
She rose her head. “Where did that come from?”
I sighed. “I was playing with Keva one day and she made that comment about the stuffed animals having too much juice. Remember that?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m assuming it’s because Keva’s seen you drink a little too much wine? And you’ve called it juice?”
She sighed before she placed her head back down onto my chest.
“That would be all the ammunition Jett needs to place a call to something like that,” I said.
“It’s not fair that I have to be perfect all the damn time,” Ella murmured.
“No, it’s not fair. But you also don’t have to be perfect all the time. Just whenever Keva is around. When she’s not around, go crazy. Drink the whole bottle of wine. Cry in the tub. Curse in the shower. Do all those things. Hell, take a damn day off work and drop her off with the woman across the street anyway.”
“Joanne,” she said.
“Yeah. Joanne. Give yourself the time away from Keva to do all those things. But when she’s around, don’t think she’s not watching you. Okay?” I asked.
“Well, nice to know I get to be a bad mom at least some of the time.”
I grinned. “You can be a bad mom anytime you’re with me, too.”
Ella giggled before she reached up and kissed my jawline with those pillowy lips of hers. I looked down, gazing into her beautiful green eyes as her lips glistened in the soft light of the sun streaming through the curtains of her bedroom. I cupped her cheek and threaded my fingers through her hair. She pressed her almost-naked body into mine. I wanted to take the pain away. I wanted to do anything to get her mind off all this.
The need to kiss her was too much for me, and I quickly guided her lips to mine.
She pressed herself into me and took a sharp breath. But I tugged softly on her hair, slowing the kiss down. Her lips ballooned against mine and her tongue raked across the slit of my mouth. And when our tongues collided, I pulled her on top of me.
“I need you to make love to me,” she breathed.
I nuzzled my nose against hers. My eyes fluttered open just long enough to see the need behind that wanton plea of hers. And as I rolled her over, I took my kisses slowly. I pressed them softly into her lips. I sucked on her lower lip with all the attention in the world. I kissed her on her cheeks. On her forehead. On the tip of her nose. Her legs parted and I slipped between them as my lips caressed down her neck.
I needed her just as much as she needed me.
I kissed down her body, pulling her beautiful breasts from her bra. I lapped at her nipples, feeling her arch into me as the heat of her pussy beckoned to my cock. I reached down and shoved my boxers down to my knees, allowing my pulsing girth to pop free. I sucked on the excess of her tits. I kissed down the valley of her breasts. I ran my tongue along the curve of her torso, feeling her buck and writhe as she giggled out her happiness.
I loved making her feel this way.
I kissed down to her pussy. I pulled her panties off with my teeth. I worked my boxers off my body as I picked up her leg, kissing each and every one of her toes. I looked down and saw her pussy swelling for me. Glistening with a need to have me fill her. My cock jumped with joy, weeping from its tip as it cried out to be within its home.
But I wanted to take my time with Ella.
I wanted to do this right.
I kissed her ankle. Up her calf. Her leg trembled as I nibbled on the excess of her thighs. I traced her stretch marks from her pregnancy all around her belly button with my tongue while my hands caressed the excess of her hips. And when her entire body had been coated in my kisses, I grabbed myself and inched into her.
“Oh, Texas,” she sighed.
“So tight for me, Ella,” I groaned.
Her warmth wrapped around me. Her pussy massaged me. And with every stroke I took inside her, it felt like I was home. For the first time, I knew what it felt like. Home. Belonging. All of the things I should have experienced growing up. I took her into my arms and rolled us over, feeling her buck against me. Her hands pressed into my chest as she rode my cock, her tits dangling in my face. I kissed them. Sucked on them. I smoothed her hair back and held it so she could gaze into my eyes. The pleasurable smile on her face struck me hard, and soon I rolled over and took control again.
Around and around we went, flipping into positions and enjoying one another. Until my cock twitched and her pussy throbbed, and the two of us exploded with delight.
“Texas! Yes!”
“Ella. You’re so good for me. So… so perfect.”
Her pussy milked my dick for everything it had. My balls emptied into her, our bodies shaking and contracting together. We fell to the bed, sweat dripping down our bodies before we clamored underneath the sheets. Ella giggled tiredly as she pressed into my chest. My shaking arms enveloped her, pulling her on top of me before she fell between my legs.
Her ear pressed against my heart, listening to the rhythmic thumping of my love for her.
Because in that moment, I knew I was falling in love with her.
I knew, at some point in time, we’d have to talk about our relationship. Which also meant confronting Stone about something he already knew. There was a chance everything would go up in smoke. There was a chance I could lose everything. The crew. My best friend. My source of income. But at some point in time, we’d all have to address this.
I’d have to address my feelings for Ella.
But for the moment, I was content running my fingers through her hair. I was content feeling our intermingled juices dripping from between her thighs. I was content feeling her sleep against me, not bothering to clean herself up after our fervent hour of lovemaking.
I was also content in falling asleep with her. In her bed. Holding her closely to me. Like I wanted to do every day for the rest of my life if she and Stone would let me.
And all I could hope was that, when we all talked, I wouldn't be rejected. Cast out. Seen as a pariah in their world.
Like I had been to every family that passed me along during my childhood in the foster system.
17
Ella
I spent the entire day in bed with Texas. We rolled around and kissed. He slid into me effortlessly and we rocked my bed against the wall. We passed the time with dirtying ourselves up before slipping into the shower and getting clean.
Only to get dirty again.
Texas was the perfect gentleman. He’d get up and grab us drinks and snacks. He even hauled the television over from his house and brought it into the room so we could hook it up and watch a movie together.
A movie where we only saw the first thirty minutes.
After being thoroughly worn out in all the best ways a woman could be, I figured I’d be re
laxed. That my mind would be blank, and my body would feel as if it was soaring. But every single time I looked over at the clock, I locked back up again. I napped against Texas’ strong muscles. I wrapped myself around him and felt him pull me close. I felt safe in his arms, but the second I looked at the clock whenever my eyes pulled open, I locked up with tension again.
And despite Texas’ beautiful tongue between my legs, I never stayed relaxed for long.
“It’s six,” I said.
“He’s got one more hour,” Texas said.
“You don’t think he thought he could keep her for the night, do you?”
“I made sure he understood she was due back here tonight before he left.”
“And the crew knows? Stone knows?”
Texas kissed my forehead. “Everyone knows. I promise you, Ella.”
I sighed as I laid my head on his shoulder. On the television, Golden Girls played. We gave up the fruitless effort of watching a movie and instead put something on that could give us some background noise. Texas kissed the shell of my ear. The slope of my neck. He rolled me over as his hands roamed my curves, massaging me from head to toe. His thumbs dug into the muscles of my back. I groaned at the ministrations of his knuckles running up and down the edges of my spine.
He parted my legs and massaged me with his tongue, bringing me to a height that rolled my eyes into the back of my head.
I’d lost count at how many times that man made me come.
“Mm, you taste so good, woman,” Texas grunted.
He massaged down my legs as my body melted into the bed. I shook from his efforts. From the pleasure he pushed through my system. But when he finished off my feet and sank next to me, I looked at the clock again.
“It’s six forty-five,” I grumbled.
“All right. I hear you. Come on. Let’s get cleaned up and dressed before someone finds us like this.”
He helped me out of bed and into the bathroom. We slipped into the shower together really quickly and actually managed to get out without falling into one another’s embrace again. But there was something in the pit of my stomach that told me to keep an eye out. The closer it got to seven, the more nervous I became.
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