by Amanda Heath
Her graying head sways back towards us and we look up when she begins to speak. “Y’all coming? You’re going to miss all the fun.” And she winks. She is the same height as Norma and I believe her hair was that chestnut color like her daughters and grandchildren before she started graying. Her violet eyes are crazy looking though. Like she can’t think with all those secrets in her head. I wouldn’t doubt it.
“Yes ma’am.” we say at the same time and chase after her.
We find everyone in the kitchen. Mason stands in the background of course watching over everything, taking in every single detail. Creed is tied to a chair and half his face is bruised. Marley stands over him with hate and murder in his eyes. “Marley Davis, you step away from that boy right now.” Mrs. Davis bellows out.
“Grams? What the fuck are you doing here?” Marley questions with total surprise in his voice. I’m not though. The woman knows everything. I’m surprised no one called her to ask who had Macy.
She smacks Marley on the back of the head with her palm. Hard. “Watch your mouth boy. Don’t make me spank your ass in front of all these people.” She glares and Marley backs off of Creed, walking over to stand with Mason.
“Now, Creed Donovan here is what we are going to do.” She pulls up a chair right in front of him and takes a seat. “These boys are going to untie you and you are going to walk out of here. I’m a woman of many means but I still believe in second chances.” She looks over at me and winks. Umm okay. “You will stay away from my grandson and my granddaughter. In fact you will stay away from anyone they care about. If I hear about you in this town or if I hear you messing with someone, I’ll hunt you down boy. And when I kill you no one will know where to find your body. I don’t play around. You’re young and I think you can change. And if you don’t, well I’ll be after you so fast.” She turns to look at Mason and raises her eyebrows. “Well untie him Mr. Hebert.” Which Mason does.
“What the fuck Grams!” Marley exclaims. My thought exactly.
“Watch your fucking mouth Marley. I will not tell you again. Like I said, he gets another chance. Don’t argue with me.”
Chapter 11
Norma
When Paige walked through that door with Macy, I think most of the house breathed a sigh of relief. Now we are left with what to tell everyone. Do we admit who her father is or do we lie? It’s a hard decision to make. Cassie doesn’t want anyone to know, and I really don’t blame her. I wouldn’t want anyone to know that kind of thing.
“Macy! Where have you been? You scared mommy and Mimi to death!” Stacy exclaims the moment she gets her hands on the little girl.
Tears fall out of Macy’s big blue eyes and all I can do is feel guilt. This is all my fault that she is scared. I hope they take care of Creed for causing her so much distress. “This scary man came and took me. He put me in this basement and I cried forever, Mimi. Then Paige found me and let me out. Please don’t make me go with that man again!”
“No one will make you go anywhere with him again, I promise sweetie.” Stacy says as she rubs her back. Then she looks up at Paige. “Who. Was. It.” The steel in her voice has most of us giving her surprised faces.
Paige looks over at me and I shake my head yes. We shouldn’t lie. This is Macy’s life we are talking about. She needs us to protect her and we can’t do that if no one knows the truth. “Creed Donovan.”
Chance’s parents gasp and exchanged shocked faces. “Why in the world would he take her?” I look over at Cassie and the tears are pouring out of her eyes as she gets a hold of Macy.
“I’m going to go take Macy upstairs, Mom. Norma will fill you in. I’m sorry.” She sobs, taking Macy and running up the stairs.
Then all eyes are on me. “Umm…He’s the father.” And don’t I sound like Maury from day time television.
“You have got to be joking right now. There is no way Cassie would do that to her brother.” Stacy states looking through the emotions in my eyes. This part Cassie will have to tell her. I’m not announcing to the entire room how he is the father.
“I’ll let her explain it to you. Not my story.” An officer comes over and takes my statement and then asks Paige where to find Creed. She tells him at Dean’s house but I know by the time they get there, he will be gone. There isn’t anything anyone can do to save him. He made his bed and now he has to die in it.
*****
I’m not all that surprised when my Grammy walks into the Duncan household. That woman is in everyone’s business. I honestly think she could become a billionaire with all that knowledge in her head. Selling secrets to husbands and wives about cheating spouses, or using it as blackmail. Though I know she will die with all that shit. I, to this day don’t know how the hell she does it. I’d go crazy with all that information. “It’s nice to see you Grammy.” I tell her as I hug her neck.
“You too Norma Jean. You should go see your momma now that all the excitement has calmed down.” She pats my back before breaking away.
She pushes some of my hair behind my shoulder and starts meddling. “After that you should go have a talk with that boy. I always thought you were a dumb ass for running off.” Then she kisses my cheek and walks off to bother someone else. I love her but I wish she would mind her own business.
I shake my head and walk towards the front door. As Chance walks in I find my entire body freezing. Standing there with his hands in his jeans pockets. Looking vulnerable, which I haven’t seen in years. I thought it was his best look. It makes him look real what with those beautiful hazel eyes and the rest of his perfect face. I’m still trying to get used to the really short hair. “Smalls.” he whispers out. The nickname flows over me and the goose bumps erupt over my skin. I can remember him calling me that while he was hovering above me about to come.
Okay let’s not go there.
“Chance.” I refuse to play that game with him. He just got his niece back and we can talk later.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” he steps closer to me and I take one back.
“I have to go see my mom.” I try to push around him but he lightly grabs my elbow.
“Then I’ll come over later. Okay?” I’m looking straight ahead but I can feel his eyes looking down at me. So all I do is nod.
I leave the house and realize I don’t have a way to leave. Shit. “Need a ride?” I about jump out of my skin because I didn’t realize anyone was around. Harley Maxton stands about three feet in front of me swinging her keys around her finger.
“Yeah. You don’t mind?” I ask eyeing her up and down. The tall red head with her curves and trademark smirk turns around and heads toward her car. I follow and hope she doesn’t start talking about what she went through. It’s bad enough I had to hear about Cassie. I, like everyone else in this town couldn’t believe what happened to her, or the truth about her family. It makes that Creed is Macy’s father look like nothing compared to her.
In a way we have a little bit in common. While I wasn’t truly raped, not like she was, it was her boyfriend’s best friend who did it. Not that Chance is my boyfriend. Then it turned out the towns head gangster was her brother and her dad wasn’t her dad. To say she is kind of infamous in this town is an understatement.
She is quiet on the drive to my house but I know she’ll start talking soon. Harley was never one to keep quiet about anything. She is feisty and strong, something I will never be. “I know you are going to start talking about crap I really don’t want to talk about, so I’m saying right now, I don’t want to talk.” I turn my head to look out the window and hope that wasn’t insensitive.
“That’s fine Norma. I didn’t want to talk about it either. And I know it’s hard, but you went through so much more than I did. I only had one thing happen, you had something every day to live with. I can’t imagine that kind of pain. Mine is enough but I honestly hurt for you. I know people say they wouldn’t let a man hit them, but I wouldn’t know what to do in the situation. I love Spencer to death and if he ever hit me,
I wouldn’t stop loving him. Not that he would, I’m more likely to hit him.” She giggles and I can’t help but to smile. That is so true. “I’m just saying, we love who we love. Just because he is a bad person doesn’t mean you don’t love him. There was something that made you fall in love with him in the first place.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t love Creed. I had love for him, but I was never in love with him. I mean how could I be if my heart belongs to someone else?” I slap my hand over my mouth and look over to see her smiling big. “What?”
“I just wanted to hear you say it. That your heart belongs to Chance. People in this town look up to you. You made one of the biggest names in this place fall to his knees when you left. I’d like to see you pick him back up again.” She looks over at me and winks.
I’d like to see him get picked up again myself. Only if he stops this stupid shit about being with me to protect me. I don’t need him to protect me, I just need him to love me. I think I always needed him to love me. And long after Harley drops me off and I’ve talked to my mom, I lay in bed wondering if maybe he always needed me to love him too.
*****
“Norma.” Chance whispers my name pulling me close and kissing me on the forehead.
I shake the sleep from my head and blink my eyes at him. I guess mom let him in. Crazy woman. “What are you doing here?” I ask voice still rough with sleep.
“I came to talk.” He pulls me against his chest and lays his forehead against mine. My stomach is full of butterflies and my breathing has become labored. “Norma Jean…” he whispers again staring down at my lips. Okay when did he get sexy like that? I’m used to the hot demanding kisses we shared as teenagers, not this intense wanting he is evoking in my body.
I clear my throat and back away. “So talk.” I crawl all the way out of his arms and sit up on the bed. I make sure the covers are over my legs, since I’m only wearing a shirt and boy shorts.
He clears his throat as well and sits up against the head board. “Why did you leave me?” he asks very softly bringing out pain I don’t want to feel right now. I don’t want to feel anything. All this shit is starting to become too much. It’s taking over my entire life. All I wanted was to be free. Seems I can’t out run my past no matter how hard I fucking try.
“That day at graduation Creed walked up to me and said you were cheating with Tess. He seemed so pissed about it and you were talking to her looking at her like you looked at me. I believed him, but now I know he was just trying to come between us. And I let him.” I feel the tears collect in my eyes and I blink them away. I brought it on myself.
“I was talking about you. That’s why I was looking at Tess like that Norma Jean.” His hand comes around my neck pulling me closer to his face. “I loved you so fucking much then. It physically hurt to be away from you. I couldn’t ever do something like that. If I have to prove it to you I will. I had to witness my dad cheating on my mom first hand. It’s not pretty and I would never put another person through that shit. Its ugly and it can ruin your entire life.”
“I know you wouldn’t do anything like that, now at least. I was young and I was scared what we had wasn’t real.” I look away from the intense look in his eyes. “It all started as revenge but you weren’t that guy who bullied me anymore. You changed. Much like Creed changed. I was insecure and I let him make me believe what he wanted.”
He tilts his head so I’ll meet his eyes again. “Creed always gets what he wants. That’s what this is all about anyway. He wanted what I had because it was pure and beautiful. He thought he could have it with you, since I did. He was wrong though. He could never have that with you, because it was mine. Something only you and I could make. We belong together smalls. I wish you would see that.” When he starts trailing kisses across my cheeks and down to my neck I start to wonder if maybe being owned by Chance Duncan isn’t such a bad thing. I mean the man knows how to use his lips…and other things.
Chance
Being in her room again brings all these feelings and memories I thought I pushed away a long time ago. Here they are walking around in my head and body causing me to want things I didn’t think I would ever want again. Don’t get me wrong though, I want them and very badly.
While she is lost in thought I lean in and brush my lips against hers softly at first but the kiss gets harder and more intense. Almost like we can’t stop ourselves. I don’t think we ever could. I’m drawn to her like a moth to the flame, whether it burns me alive or not is still left up in the air. I’m starting to realize I don’t really care. Set me ablaze Norma for I only burn for you.
“Do you want me smalls?” I question softly probing her open mouth with my tongue.
We shift until she is under me with her arms thrown around my neck. My hands lay impatient next to her ribs. My thumbs are dying to caress under her breasts but I force them to wait. She has to tell me. I have to hear her say she wants me as much as I want her. “Tell me now Norma.”
She lowers her arms till her hands are framing my face and she looks deep into my eyes. “I have always wanted you, Chance. Whether I wanted to want you or not.” She leans in and kisses my lips gently. “It’s not the same as wanting to be with you.”
I know what she is saying and I’m not gonna lie and say it doesn’t hurt. Our relationship was based on something that a relationship should never be based on. I don’t even know if we can really come back from that. I want this though. One more night to remember something that changed me from boy to man. Norma made me see things in life that I used to think were ugly and disgusting and made them beautiful and meaningful.
So I push all the bullshit and Creed away from my thoughts and kiss her. I kiss her like I mean it, like she’s the only woman in the world that I see. Which is true. No one comes close to this beautiful creature under me. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Her hands find their way under my shirt, smoothing over my skin making it feel tight and hot. God I’m so hot and barely breathing. How many nights did I stay awake wanting to feel her small hands on me? How many times did I think of her pomegranate smell as I got off? So many it’s impossible to count that high. Before I know it I’m slipping the t-shirt over my head so she can feel more.
She lets out a gasp, her eyes raking over the exposed flesh of my chest and stomach. “What does that say?” she asks her fingers trailing over my left side. Caden got to itching for a new tattoo and I went with him when he finally decided to go. He ended up with some scrabble pieces that spelled “betrayal” I never asked what it meant but that’s something you have to realize about Caden. If he doesn’t want you to know, then you don’t know.
“Love. Each letter is the name of someone who taught me the meaning of the word.” The top line of the “L” is “mother” and the side line is “Stacy”. The “O” is Macy’s name over and over again in a circle. The left side of the “V” is “Cassie” and the right side is “sister”. The “E” was the most painful. And not the physical kind. The main line is “Norma Jean” the top line is “Smalls” the middle line is “Violet” and the bottom line is “Forgiveness”
I watch her face as she reads it. When she sees her name she stops breathing. “Why would you put my name on you?” she looks back up at me with tears in those haunting eyes.
“Because you helped teach me the meaning of the word, Norma.” I take her hands from my sides and place them back around my neck. I’m done with talking.
My lips meet hers as my hand slips under her tank top. My fingers skim over the creamy flesh making my dick come to attention. I stop just under her breast when I realize she doesn’t have a bra on. Damn. My hand moves over the small globe and I rub my palm over the erect nipple making her moan around my lips. “You like when I touch you.” It’s a statement not a question.
She doesn’t answer but there isn’t a need. I know she likes it. She likes everything I do.
I pull up and sit back on my legs pulling her up with me. I yank her sh
irt off and her breasts come into view making me groan. Perfect titties with little pink nipples. I have one in my mouth before I even think about it. I flick my tongue across the bud before biting down tugging a little. “Chance.” she lets out in a sultry voice making my dick uncomfortable in my pants.
I let go rising back up to see those violet eyes clouded over in lust. “God you turn me on.” I don’t give her any warning as I slip my hand into her panties. My fingers slip and slide through the wetness I find there, making it impossible to do anything but kiss her. “So wet. I want a taste.”
Her eyes go wide and I barely stop a chuckle. I lay her back onto the bed and move down her body leaving kisses in random places that need attention. Her fingers are already in my hair and I can hear her breathing loudly, which only eggs me on. I’m feeling kind of crazed and I can’t stop myself as I rip off her panties. That gets a startled gasp and then she flushes deep red and arches her hips up towards my cock.
I get down to the level of her sex and take in the glistening prize I’m about to win. The moon comes in through the blinds causing lines across her body. She couldn’t be any more perfect. The first lick shocks her making her hips buck against my tongue. She tastes fucking incredible. Better than I ever thought or dreamed of. I suck her clit into my mouth as I slowly bring a finger up to enter her. “Oh my god.” she lets out, bucking her hips some more.
“Be still or I’ll stop.” I command. Where the hell did that come from? I don’t know but I like the reaction it gets out of her. She stills those hips and moans really loud, like she couldn’t help it. “Good girl.” I put my lips and finger back to work, wanting her to come like this. And I feel excited by how badly I want it. When her hands start clutching my hair hard, nearly pulling out some strands I know she’s there. Her back arches almost off the bed and the sight of her breasts rising and falling like that almost has me blowing in my pants.