by Belle Aurora
My heart warmed.
Also... oh, no.
No one dared to speak.
So Twitch looked around the table before landing on his brother and smirking sharply. “Does my existence make you uncomfortable?”
Zep turned to his father. “Think I’mma head out.”
Papa Tony looked positively heartbroken, and when his eyes scanned Twitch’s hard face, he began softly, placating, “Tony—”
A loud thump sounded, making my body jolt, and when Twitch’s balled fist came down on the table hard enough to shake the table, we all watched the wine glasses jolt then fall, followed by the shrill sound of glass shattering as one rolled off the edge of the table to the ground. And when Twitch spoke, I’d never heard such raw fury.
His expression manic, his eyes lowered, he spoke through gritted teeth, and my entire body broke out into goose bumps. “My name is Twitch.” He kept his voice low. “Christened on the streets by my real family, Pops.” He said Pops like it was a derogatory word.
Twitch turned to face Zep. “You don’t want a brother?” His lips pursed as he nodded. “No issues here, man, but...”
All of a sudden, he got up and strode back into the house. We all looked around at each other, unsure of what was happening, but when Twitch returned to his seat, he held in his hands something that made my heart stutter.
He held the photo between his fingers and held it out to Zep. “But this little boy—” He paused to turn the photograph toward his own face and he looked down at our son fiercely. “—this beautiful little boy—” He turned the photo back to his brother. “—he’s got your blood running through his veins, and he don’t got much family. I know he’d love another uncle, a real uncle, and you’d fuckin’ love him too because he’s goddamn lovable. So, make a decision, man. In or out?” He shot him an unemotional glance. “I’ll let you take your anger at your pops out on me because you don’t mean shit to me, but I dare ya to try that shit on my kid.” His eyes narrowed perilously, and his voice was just over a whisper. “I fuckin’ dare ya.” The cold stare extended to his father. “And you....”
Twitch stopped himself, shaking his head rapidly and letting out a harsh breath. He stood so quickly the chair he sat on flew backward with a bang that made my heart pound, and when he strode toward me, I sat up straighter, expectantly.
Looking thoroughly distressed, he took my head in his hands and put his face close to mine, his eyes imploring. “I thought I could do it, but I can’t.” The kiss he planted on my lips was bruising.
I watched him walk into the house and heard the front door slam behind him. His car started, and then he was gone.
Chapter
Thirty-Four
Twitch
It was late when I drove back from Julius and Ana’s. I shouldn’t have been driving at all, but I wanted to get home to my girl. I hadn’t seen my son all day, and I knew he’d be in bed, but I still needed to see him before I passed out, which I felt would be soon. So I drove slowly, as carefully as a drunken man could.
The moment I pulled into the driveway, the front door opened and Lexi stepped out of the house in her tiny silken robe, her face drawn, her mouth tight, looking apprehensive as fuck. And I felt like an asshole.
I stepped out of the car and approached slowly on unstable legs. Why I said what I did was anyone’s guess, but I announced it magnificently. “I’m drunk.”
“I know.” She pressed into my side, sliding a shoulder under my arm, and I relaxed, putting my weight on her. “Julius called.” She looked up at me, her eyes warm, but her tone was irritated. “You should have let him call you a cab.”
“I know,” I told her because she was right. How lucky a prick was I to have this woman who loved me and put that shit down unconditionally? She was everything that was good in this screwed up world, and she was mine. My lips pulled up at the sides as I squinted through heavy lids. “Do you even know how much I love you?”
“No.” She walked me inside, and asked an amused, “How much do you love me?”
“A lot,” I told her, and the sound of her soft chuckle made me want to give her everything she ever desired in life.
And I would.
I’d do that for her.
Do anything for her.
My baby.
“Where’s the party?” I said a little too loudly when we got inside, and she put a finger to my lips, hushing me. I lowered my tone. “Everyone’s gone?”
“Manda and Vander are staying with Julius and Ana. They just left. But—” She side-eyed me cautiously. “—Zep and Papa Tony were going to check into a hotel, and...” she hesitated before going on, “I thought that was silly, seeing that you have a place across the street that’s going unused, so I told them they could stay there.” Her eyes searched my face carefully. “The refused repeatedly, but I insisted, and eventually they gave in.”
My stomach lurched, but I stood tall before leaning in and putting my face close to hers. “You are a good woman.”
She smiled then, and I knew I’d take on the entire fuckin’ world to keep my queen content.
Stumbling, I moved down the hall toward A.J.’s room, and Lexi followed closely behind as I walked in as quietly as I could, kneeling by his bed and putting a gentle hand to his head. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I watched his chest move up and down as he breathed easily in his sleep.
I stood, walking by my beautiful, blue-eyed angel. She said, “C’mon. Let’s go to bed.”
But my fuckin’ feet weren’t working well. On top of that, my head was spinning. I made it as far as the sofa before I lowered myself, putting my hands to the floor then sitting back against the couch. And Lexi watched me a moment before coming to sit behind me, her legs at either side of my head. I rubbed my stubbly cheek against her knee and watched in captivation as goose bumps lined her skin.
“I’m tryin’ to be a good dad,” I told the darkened room.
“I know you are,” she replied softly, running a soft hand through my hair.
“I love him so much it scares me.”
She let out a light laugh. “I know the feeling.”
As she ran a hand down my cheek, I muttered, “I just want him to look at me and not see the piece of shit I am.” Tilting my head back to look at her, I asked quietly, “How do I do that?”
Lexi was my world, but that little boy, my boy... he was my entire universe. The thought of someone trying to keep me from him was unconscionable. I would do anything to be near him. Nobody could keep me away.
I’d fuckin’ like to see somebody try.
The small hand at my cheek stilled, and when it came under my chin, holding me in place, her face bent over mine, and she stated firmly, “You are not a piece of shit.” When I only blinked at her, she leaned in, putting her nose to mine. “Do you understand me?”
I was though. Lex just couldn’t see it. She only ever saw what she wanted to see of me, and that made me a lucky bastard because she only ever tried to see the best in me.
Instead of speaking, I lifted my face, and when our lips touched, I kissed her backward and she breathed life back into my cold, unfeeling body.
She was my bible. The pages. The ink. The prayers. And I would revere her till the day I died, took my place, and waited for her on the other side. I wasn’t a holy man, but I believed that shit in my fuckin’ soul.
Nothing could part us. Not even death. Death could try, but I’d beaten it before and I’d do it again if need be.
Anything to stay with my woman.
But something was bothering me, and when I moved to stand, my woman helped me without judgment. And when I was on my feet again, I shuffled toward the front door. Immediately, Lexi put her hand to it, stopping me from exiting. “Where do you think you’re going?” She added sternly, “We’re going to bed.”
“Look,” I told her, blinking slowly, “I gotta have a word with the sperm donor.”
“Not tonight you’re not.” Her brows furrowed and her lips pa
rted before she put a hand to her hip, looking bossy, and domineering, and sexy as hell. “You’re drunk.”
I needed her to understand. “I need to say what I have to say now because tomorrow...” I felt stupid saying what I said. “I’m not gonna have the guts to say what I need to say, baby.”
My sheer honesty struck a chord. Even in my fucked up state, I could see that.
She watched me carefully a long time before sighing. “You’re not going to start another fight, are you?”
“I don’t plan to,” I uttered honestly, but I didn’t know what would happen when I got there.
Her eyes closed and she took her hand off the door, and I loved her for knowing I needed to do this. I turned the knob and headed out on rocky legs. When I made it to my house, I knocked on the door, and when it opened, Zep stood there. The asshole didn’t open up for me, so I pushed my way in.
This is my fuckin’ house, bitch.
“Where’s the old man?” I asked, looking around my space.
“He’s in bed,” Zep uttered tightly. “He’s not well.”
“I need to talk to him.”
Just as Zep shook his head, my bedroom door opened and out stepped my father in his pajamas.
He looked old then. Really old.
Fragile, frail, completely breakable. And right then, I wanted to break him.
The second I saw my sire, I forgot my promise to Lexi and started my unexpected rant. “What kind of man holds his child—” I held up my hands. “—in his fuckin’ arms—” I dropped them by my sides. “—and never sees him again?” I looked him in the eye, not at all hiding my anger. “Who does that?”
Neither man responded, but my father appeared distraught.
A long moment passed before the man who sired me said, “You think it was easy?”
I didn’t give a fuck.
“Yeah, I think it was easy.” I swept an arm out to Zep. “You had a son. You didn’t need another. Was that it?” The way he looked at me was doing something funky to my insides. My breathing got heavy. “What was wrong with me, huh?”
The thought of somebody trying to keep me from my son made my physically ill. Made me want to hurt somebody. Made me want to knock heads.
How could this fucker do what he did without looking back?
For the life of me, I couldn’t understand it.
I was a father.
I was drunk.
And, fuck me, I was emotional.
My throat tight, my voice cracked as I fought the words out. “Why didn’t you want me, man?”
The sperm donor walked farther into the room. “Giving you up was the hardest thing I have ever done.” His brows creased. “I thought I was doing the right thing. Letting you grow up in a world of zero expectations, especially those that came with our name. I wanted better for you.” He shrugged weakly. “So I let you go.”
I blinked rapidly then swiped harshly at the wetness leaking onto my cheek. “Yeah. Fat load of good it did me.”
The old man’s expression turned grave. “I can see that. And I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” I let out a sharp laugh before looking to my brother, pointing at the old man. “He’s sorry. That’s nice.” I nodded slowly, facing my father. “I don’t know what you thought would happen when you got here. Maybe you thought I’d be over the moon to see you, that I still needed a father. I don’t know. But let me tell you something, old man. You did one good thing.” I paused a second. “You taught me exactly what it is I don’t wanna be as a father. So...” I took a step backward. “Thanks.”
I walked out the door to find Lexi standing on the street corner shivering but waiting. And my heart grew a size.
No. I didn’t deserve her, but that didn’t mean I was ever going to give her up.
When I made it across, I wrapped a heavy arm around her and rubbed her frigid skin, frowning. “You’re freezing.”
Her teeth chattered when she gazed up at me, her eyes full of concern, and she asked, “Are you okay?”
No. “Yeah.”
I wasn’t.
But I would be.
***
Lexi
He was in a mood, and I didn’t blame him.
This morning had been tense, to say the least, especially when A.J. decided to tell his dad how great his Uncle Zep and Nonno Tony are, about the gifts they bought him, showing Twitch the gold chain and crucifix he was given, how they told him all about his family back in America and Italy. Our son, not even remotely sensing the stress in his father because his excitement was on overload, went on, and on, and on about the two men across the street, while Twitch sipped his coffee in complete silence.
And past experience had taught me that a silent Twitch was a dangerous Twitch.
He got inside his head. He overanalyzed. He drove himself mad. I knew this from our time spent together so long ago. So I did what I felt I needed to do to snap him out of it.
The house was empty and silent apart from the running shower, and when I moved inside the steaming bathroom, I sat on the closed toilet lid. My heated gaze roamed his body through the frosted glass, and reaching up, I put my fingers to the button and pushed.
“Ah, fuck!” came from inside the shower as the water heated then ran cold when the toilet flushed.
The frosted door swung open, and the gloriously naked man set a glower on me that was so vicious my entire body blazed, my pussy clenching in eagerness.
“What the fuck, Lexi?” he growled, and when I lifted my fingers slowly to the button, his glare intensified and his jaw set. “Don’t do it.” The moment my fingers touched the button, his hand came up and he pointed at me. “You do it, you’ll pay, baby. Mark me.”
I know.
A shudder visibly escaped me, and I bit my lip, watching as Twitch’s eyes flashed.
I grinned internally.
He’d caught on.
Looking him deep in the eyes, I hit the button, the flush sounded, and just as he let out a harsh snarl, I jumped up and ran out of the bathroom as fast as I could. The shower was turned off, and I heard the frosted door slam, but my legs weren’t as long as his and he caught up to me in the hallway. The second he grabbed the back of my tank with a harsh hand, he yanked me backward and I slammed into his body with a gasp.
He was completely wet, completely hard, and panting harshly.
“Bitch,” he muttered fondly into my ear, and I smirked only momentarily before I forced it down again.
My nipples tightened as his hand came up to my chin and held it firmly, as I let out a hushed, “Please don’t make me do this. My husband will be home soon.”
The words were hesitant.
But oh, God, was he into it.
Twitch forced his hard cock into my hip so hard it hurt. “You think I give a fuck? I hope he does come home. Hope he sees you like this, hot for me.” He spun me around to look into his hooded gaze. “You started this; now you’re gonna finish it.” Putting his hands to my shoulders, he pushed roughly, and I landed at his feet in a heap, feigning concern. And he smirked cruelly as my gaze landed on his angry-looking erection. “Never had a cock this big, have you?”
I shook my head, my entire body breaking out in goose bumps.
Reaching down, he put his hand to my cheek, caressing it gently. “It’s gonna hurt when I finally take you, and you’re gonna love it because I love it.” His voice turned rough as he gripped my chin hard. “Aren’t you?”
Eyes wide in insincere fright, I nodded slowly as well as I could around his forceful grasp, swallowing hard.
“You run,” he warned smoothly, “I chase.” He looked down at me, his gaze thunderous. “And when I catch you, baby—” He sucked in air through his teeth, kneeling in the nude and running a hand over the leg of my yoga pants. “—I’ll fuck you so hard you’ll taste me in your mouth for years.” One large hand slid up to the waistband of my pants and slid inside roughly. “Now,” he spoke through gritted teeth, “let me feel how much this tight cunt wan
ts me.”
I tried to close my legs, but he threw them open again with a grunt, and as a harsh pant escaped me, his rough fingers made contact with my panties. He kept his darkened gaze on me when he slipped his hand under the flimsy satin, and as his fingertips met my wet pussy, he released a rough breath at the very same moment my head fell back and a low whine was forced from my lips.
With deft fingers, he rubbed my slick entrance, and with the other hand, he slow jerked his cock in a way that made me want to beg for a taste of him.
“You want this?” I know what he wanted and shook my head as he laughed cruelly. “You say one thing—” When he pushed a finger inside my slick heat, my mouth rounded and my eyes closed as he slowly, steadily finger fucked me. “—but your pussy is sucking me in so nicely, kissing my finger so sweetly that I know you’re lying.” He pushed his finger in me all the way and held it there as my insides shook. “You sure you don’t want this?” My mouth gaping, I shook my head deliberately, watching him watch me. And he leaned in, putting his nose to mine, as he muttered, “What do you want, little sparrow?”
“I want...” It was hard to find my voice, but I did, and what I said shocked the both of us. The words came out shaky. “I want you to choke me and tell me I’m a good girl.”
His eyes flashed.
Mine widened.
And when he moved, he did it so fast everything blurred.
The thick digit inside me slipped out, my yoga pants were ripped down my legs along with my soaked panties, and just when I thought he’d drag me to the bedroom, he sat up on his knees and reached up to grip my throat harshly, forcing me back into the wall. I panted around his severe hold, reaching up to grip his forearm with both my hands.