Baby Mine: A Hudson Family Series- Book Two- Lucas and Sara

by Chontelle Brison

  Sara watched as Synclair rolled her eyes and smirked. Synclair may fuss and fidget, but Sara could see how much her business partner loved those boys. Sara loved them too, one, in particular, she only wished she could figure out how to un-love someone.

  Sara noticed Synclair watching her keenly. She recognized that face, Synclair was inquisitive about what went down with her and Lucas. She had evaded the subject matter thus far, and the rest of the Hudsons knew better than to talk about it.

  “That discussion would involve a drink and a lot of cheese fries,” Sara warned.

  Synclair smiled at her new partner. As overwhelming as the Hudsons were she would crush anyone to death that sought to harm them. She felt there was a story there with Sara and Lucas. Before she had taken off to Florida, she had seen Lucas lay a scorching kiss on Sara that was so fierce, Synclair almost fanned herself. Whatever, had gone down must have been bad because Reece refused to talk about it and Lucas just shifted the topic. But she noticed the way Lucas’s eyes would follow Sara whether they were in the Diner, in town or just in the family room.

  She recognized that face because she was the same way with Reece. No matter where that man was in the room, she was inexplicably drawn to him.

  It appeared since no one was going to dish on the details she would have to go straight to the source. Whatever it was she was positive it was Lucas’s blunder, after all, he was a Hudson, and these men did nothing halfway, including screwing up.

  The front door opening dragged Synclair from her reflections. Lucas entered the family room, still dusty from working the ranch and his eyes instantly zeroed in on a nervous looking Sara. Popcorn please, this should be good.

  Sara was about to throw a pillow at Synclair to bring her out of her thoughts when the front door opened, and Lucas Hudson came through. Damn, why couldn’t the man gain fifty pounds or lose his hair? No, not Lucas, at just shy of forty years old he still had the same wavy black locks, powerful arms from running the ranch and those Levis.

  It had developed into a joke how no matter what weather it was, Lucas was always wearing his Levis. But damn did he fill them out. Sara knew from experience how tight that ass was that filled out those jeans, she had run her hands and her mouth over it on more than one occasion. Realizing she was staring she avoided his green gaze and studied her sandaled feet.

  “Sara.” Her name. He’d only uttered her name and Sara was blushing. They hadn’t talked since the night they had spent together months back. She had slipped out the next morning before anyone was awake.

  Since then she had ignored his calls and texts and had made sure she cleared out of the Hudson residence before he came back from the ranch. Today, however, he was early.

  Irritated that she was so easily perplexed, Sara frowned at him. Damn, the man looked pleased. “What are you doing here?” She asked without thinking.

  “I live here, sweetheart.” He drawled in his best cowboy accent. She observed the edges of his mouth curve up into a cocky smirk. Yep, he saw how much he affected her. Sara’s fury started to build. How dare he call her “sweetheart,” knowing that had been his term of endearment for her when they were together.

  Smoothing her red tank top and denim shorts she presented him her best angry scowl. She despised the hot stare he was giving her, she felt like he was undressing her right there in the living room. Sara knew she wasn’t beautiful. She was nothing like Synclair. Synclair had gorgeous, unruly red hair and Sara had long, muddy brown hair that wouldn't curl if you begged. Where Synclair had a curvy body, Sara was somewhat taller and thinner. She would prefer to have some of Synclair’s chest since hers was not even worth speaking of, neither was her non-existent ass. No, Sara had never deluded herself in the looks department. But Lucas had always made her feel beautiful that was until he turned into an asshole.

  “Yeah of course you do.” Sara grimaced at her own lame sounding reply.

  Lucas chuckled and shifted toward Synclair. “Hey trouble, beat anyone to death with your bat yet?” He asked kissing her on the forehead. Sara had to tamp down the jealousy that threatened to rear its ugly head. All these years and she still hated seeing Lucas touch another woman. She was still glaring at him when he turned his darkened gaze to hers.

  “I’ll go wash up, and we can visit Sara.” Without waiting for her answer, he walked toward the kitchen that led to the back door. Moments later she heard the door shut as he walked the path to his small cottage out back.

  Panicked she glanced at Synclair. She didn’t need to say a word. Synclair nodded and grabbed her purse from the counter.

  “So, how about that drink and those cheese fries?” Synclair asked dangling Sara’s keys.

  Sara giggled, this was why she loved this woman. “Okay but I’ll drink, you get chocolate milk,” Sara told her grabbing the keys from her hand.

  “Sounds good to me, last time I drank, I ended up with a male hooker friend of Matt’s who tried to rob me,” She declared as she opened the door.

  Sara stopped mid-chuckle, assuming she was joking. One glimpse at Synclair’s face told her otherwise. “Okay, I’m not the only one who needs to share.”

  Synclair winked, and the two women made a hasty exit before Lucas could come back.

  **********

  Lucas practically ran to the small cottage he had built. When he had it built years back, he thought it was a good idea to make it on the acreage directly behind the main house, however now that distance seemed to work against him. He thrust open the door and immediately starting stripping. First, the boots, then his jeans, tee shirt and boxers followed. He nearly threw himself into his large shower.

  Usually, he would take it easy and let the hot water that was cascading down his back, help ease some of the strain from the day. However, he knew Sara was at the main house. He had been trying to talk to her for months, but she always disappeared or flat out ignored him.

  Sara. His lovely brown-eyed girl. She had the most expressive chocolate eyes and the more adorable pert nose. Do not even get him started on her long legs that he affectionately remembered being folded around his waistline. Or that long, golden brown hair that felt like silk as it slipped through his fingers. Feeling his cock stir, he willed it away. The last thing he needed was Sara noticing him saluting her from behind the zipper of his damn jeans.

  Finishing his shower, he tugged on fresh boxers, jeans, and a black V-neck shirt. Since it was the start of August, he would go without his usual flannel, it was just too warm. Throwing on his tennis shoes, he hurried to the main house.

  “Oh my gosh, Lucas, where’s the fire?” Rachel, his baby sister, inquired when he flung open the back door. He paused to give her a brief kiss on her head before running to the family room.

  “Damn,” Lucas swore when he surveyed the empty room. Walking to the front door, he looked for Sara’s car. Gone of course, as was Synclair’s purse.

  Defeated he sagged down on the comfortable leather sofa.

  “What's the matter brother bear?” Rachel asked as she snuggled next to him.

  Lucas sighed and put an arm around her. “I was going to talk to Sara, but it looks like she and Synclair bolted.”

  “You screwed up there pretty bad, Lucas,” Rachel informed him.

  He leaned back and Rachel sat up. Her lovely green eyes were genuine. “Look you're my brother, and I love you, but it’s going to take more than one night of great sex to fix what you broke,” She explained putting one manicured hand on his shoulder.

  Lucas blanched. “What do you know about the situation with Sara?” He questioned. There was no way his baby sister knew all the sordid details, no way in hell.

  Rachel rolled her eyes and seized her black hair and pulled it back into some haphazard ponytail. “Listen, big brother, I’m twenty-one years old, I’m not a baby that you guys need to protect all the time. Yes, I know about Sara. I should have heard about it from you, but instead, I found out about it from people in town. You realize he’s up for parole in a week
right?”

  Lucas sat there dumbfounded. He had never wanted his sister to learn about what had happened to Sara, he wasn’t sure if he was protecting Sara’s privacy or if he just didn’t want his sister to know what an idiot her brother had been. That wasn't the part that paralyzed him, it was the last part of her remark that him rising from the couch and reaching for his cellphone.

  Lucas dialed the number to his friend that worked for the police department here in Carson City.

  “Ramsey? It’s Lucas, I have to know. Is he getting out?” Lucas realized he was talking louder than he meant to but it was hard to remain relaxed when his heart was about to beat out of his rib cage.

  Never one to beat around the bush, his longtime friend answered firmly, “Yeah man, he gets out in eight days.”

  Lucas didn’t even say goodbye, he just disconnected the call.

  “Lucas? What’s wrong?” Came Rachel’s alarmed tone. “Is everything okay?” She prompted.

  Sitting down with this face in his palms he shook his head. “No baby girl, it’s absolutely not.” His ex-best friend and the man that had drugged and raped Sara, the man that was the father of her child, Logan, was about to be set free.

  **********

  “Okay, give it up girl I need all the deets on you and Lucas,” Synclair demanded as she stuffed her face with cheesy fries.

  Sara reluctantly filled Synclair in on the worst days of her life.

  “Go away Travis, I don’t want to hear you tell me how much Lucas loves me,” Sara spoke bitterly. Travis Donaldson was Lucas’s best friend. He had always seemed to Sara to be the exact opposite of Lucas and not just in looks. Sure Travis was good looking, she supposed. He was tall, a solid varsity football player with sandy blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. Girls had always adored him in school, and he came from the only other prominent family in Carson City, next to the Hudsons. Of course, his cousin Amber was a raging bitch. As a cheerleader, she had repeatedly sought to latch onto Lucas’s younger brother Reece, her intentions had escalated as soon as the man had finished veterinarian school. Apparently Amber had gotten Reece drunk at a party and made him believe they had slept together, long story short was that Amber turned up “pregnant” and Reece, who had been raised with a fine set of ethics, married the harpie. Of course, it all turned out to be a lie and Sara had helped Reece divorce the witch, making her number one on Amber Donaldson’s shit list. It didn’t bother Sara one bit. However, it did make things awkward since Travis was Lucas’s best friend. Travis, for the most part, stayed out of the whole situation, but Sara had always felt strange vibes from him.

  He regarded women like they were disposable tissues, using them once and throwing them aside, he also drank a lot and on more than one occasion he had sat a little too close for Sara’s liking. Then there was his ex-girlfriend. He had dated this gorgeous blonde girl from Reno for a time. Once they split up, rumors started to circulate that he had been rough with her. When she had asked Lucas about the stories, he had gotten defensive. He swore Travis would never abuse a woman any more than he ever would. Lucas had been wrong, so terribly wrong.

  That summer night Lucas and Sara had an argument. Lucas had become so closed off since his parents had died and Sara tried to talk to him about it. Unfortunately, like always he got defensive and walked out on her.

  Still, Sara knew better than to go to a bar. Hadn’t her father’s alcoholism taught her anything. Sara had spent years listening to the drunk rantings of her dad when he would stumble home, on the nights he managed to stumble home that is. So, no one knew better than she did that sitting in a bar was not the answer.

  Maybe that’s why she sat nursing a diet soda when Travis walked up and sat on the stool next to her at the bar.

  “I’m not here to talk about Travis, he’s a hot head, Sara, he always has been,” Travis told Sara while gesturing to the bartender for a beer.

  “Besides,” He continued as he drew his beer to his lips, “I told him you’d find out about those other girls, someday.”

  That got Sara’s attention. “What the hell are you talking about Travis, what other girls?” Sara demanded. No, no way, Lucas would never cheat on her, not after she had told him of the numerous infidelities between her parents. He would never.

  Travis looked startled. Apparently, he was a great actor because Sara almost bought the line he was trying to feed her. Almost.

  “I don’t believe you, Travis, Lucas isn’t like that, he isn’t you.” She quipped. It wasn’t like her to be this rude, but Travis had always rubbed her the wrong way. “Go away Travis, I don’t want you near me,” She replied as she pushed up from the barstool to find the bathroom.

  Travis’s remarks had shaken her, and she felt like she might just lose what meager food she had consumed that night. Once she had finished in the bathroom, she washed her hands and tried to get herself together.

  She would give Lucas the night to cool off and attempt to talk to him tomorrow. She hated always being the one to make the first approach after a fight, but she felt like if she waited for Lucas to extend the olive branch, they would never make up.

  She sighed inwardly as she trudged back to her place at the bar. Travis was still there, his back was turned to her as he checked out the many couples move about on the cramped dance floor. Downing her soda, Sara put a few dollars on the bar for the bartender and turned to leave.

  “Once dance Sara,” Travis said suddenly no longer facing the dance floor. His blue eyes still looked cold, and she thought the more she stared at them, the more soulless they became.

  “Not happening Travis,” She said, shaking her head.

  She made to step away, but he blocked her with his much larger frame. She had to put her palms on his chest just to keep from crashing into him. Glaring she peered up into his handsome grinning face. What do women see in this guy? She marveled to herself.

  “One dance Sara, just one to prove I’m not the asshole you have me pegged for.” He pleaded.

  Everything in Sara screamed at her to walk away. But Sara had never been big on confrontation, in fact, sometimes it seemed like she was more a floor mat with the way she just wanted to please people. She was certain if she dug into the reasons behind it, she’d discover that was she seeking to please people so someone would love her and make feel secure, something she couldn’t seem to get in her own childhood.

  Still not liking the idea, Sara gave Travis a slow nod and let him lead her onto the dance floor. She couldn’t recall the name of the slow song that was playing, but she did remember Travis putting his arms around her and murmuring how stupid Lucas was, in her ear.

  This was where things progressed from unpleasant to life changing. Sara started to feel light headed, she felt herself swaying into Travis and he tugged her closer in response. Her movements seemed lethargic and her vision blurred. Not sure what was going on she began to panic.

  “Travis, I don’t feel good, please take me home,” She pleaded. She didn’t care if she didn’t like Travis Donaldson, right now she was scared to drive herself. It would turn out to be a terrible mistake.

  Sara woke up the next morning in her bed, naked. Her head was pounding, and her stomach rolled with every blink of her eyes. She didn’t remember getting home. She recalled not feeling well at the bar and asking Travis to take her home. But why was she naked? Slipping out of bed, Sara had to grab the wall for support, her legs wobbling beneath her. She saw bruises on her wrists and felt a soreness between her legs that began a feeling of horror like she had never known before well up inside her.

  No, no, no, please God no, not this, not this. She prayed as she stumbled into the bathroom. The mirror confirmed her deepest fears. Her neck was covered in hickeys, and she had bite marks on her breasts, her inner thighs had bruises as if someone had pried her legs apart. Raped.

  Sara shook her head in disbelief, but she couldn’t find any other explanation. Lucas, she thought, Lucas would help her figure this out.

  She ran back into
the bedroom and found her jeans on the floor. She pulled out her flip phone and was about to dial his number when she discovered that someone had changed her screen-saver. Where there had been a picture of her and Lucas now was a picture of Travis Donaldson naked, taking a selfie of Sara and himself as he licked her nipple. Sara for her part looked comatose. Where moments ago fear had filled her veins, now anger had taken over.

  She dialed Lucas’s number, he answered it on the first ring. “Well, if it isn’t Sara Slut Wilmington.” He shouted in a furious tone she had never heard before.

  Not understanding Sara exclaimed, “Lucas you have to come to my apartment, it’s Travis, I think he drugged me, NO! I know he drugged me.. Lucas he- he-…” Sara didn’t get to finish.

  “Come on Sara, I saw the pictures of the two of you, Travis sent the images to Amber, and she showed me this morning. Travis was here too and confessed everything. He told me how you wanted to get back at me, how you were tired of putting up with my shit. However, you two got wasted at the bar, and you begged him to take you home.” Lucas spat.

  Sara was astonished. What? No! Travis that bastard. He had drugged her, raped her and then told Lucas she wanted it? “Lucas he’s lying, you know I would never do that you, you know me. Please, I need you, Lucas, I’m scared.”

  For a minute the phone was silent, she thought maybe he had hung up when the words that would shatter her heart came across the line in a distant, cold tone, “No Sara, I don’t know you, I’m not certain I ever did.”

  Sara gasped at his words and then heard the line go dead. Practically, hysterical Sara called an ambulance, and when they arrived, she was so distraught that they had to sedate her.

  Hours later she woke up in the psychiatric unit of Carson City General Hospital. When they heard her story, the hospital did a rape kit. It was humiliating. They took pictures of all of her bruises, drew blood for analyzing, took invasive swabs of her insides and called the police. Of course, the police came and took her report, and she was forced to show the picture on her phone.