“How are things with Justice?” he asks before taking another bite.
“They’re good. Better than good.”
A small smile crosses his face. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
“Is that why you invited me for lunch?”
“I invited you for lunch because I like your company and I haven’t spoken with you in a while. Knowing you’re happy is just a perk.”
“I am, happier than I’ve been in a really long time.”
“Good, I’m glad.”
Tyler Blackfoot is a man of few words, so I know this is the end of our conversation about Justice. Especially when the next ones out of his mouth are…
“Meri wants me to help her start a YouTube channel.”
Knowing what I do about the internet, I spit out my sandwich. “Over my dead body…”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Justice
I’m walking to Harper’s, when I notice a truck pulling up alongside of me. For a moment I panic, but then I see the man behind the wheel. He’s my first hero and the man who made all the monsters go away when I was a kid. Dad stops, rolling down the passenger side window. “Where are you going?” he asks, pushing his sunglasses up on his head.
“I was going to Harper’s to get a lemonade. Where are you going?”
“To get some spare parts. Was wondering if you might want to ride with me.”
This is something we did a lot of when I was little. Even though I’ve always been closer to my mom, I was his sidekick in all the running around he did. I coulda given two shits about motorcycles, but I loved to go on parts runs with him. They typically ended up with ice cream, and a promise we wouldn’t tell Mom about it. It’s a split-second decision, and one I’ll make the same every single time. Stepping off the curb, I go for the door, opening it quickly and scooting into the passenger seat.
He does as he always has. Waits for me to buckle before he takes off. Turning, he checks his blind spot, and then he eases into traffic. “Been a long time since we did this,” he mentions, glancing over at me.
“It has,” I agree.
“You seem to be busy lately.” The words aren’t accusatory, but I know what he’s getting at. Anyone who isn’t blind can see what he’s trying to say.
“I’m spending a lot of time with Caelin.”
“I mean, are you?” He holds his hand to his chest, acting surprised.
“You’re not funny.”
“Will thinks I’m hilarious,” he mentions my little brother.
“He’s too young to know any better right now.”
I wait for a few minutes, wanting to let him come to me. It’s never good to rush him.
“So,” he drawls out as he makes a left-handed turn toward the local auto parts store. “How are things going with Caelin. You haven’t seemed to wanted to talk to your dear old dad about it.”
“I wasn’t sure dear old dad would want to hear all the squishy stuff from his daughter about a member of his club.”
“While that’s true,” he admits, “I still like to hear from and talk to you. Just because you aren’t sure how I’ll feel about what’s happening between the two of you doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like for you call me once in a while just to shoot the shit.”
I feel bad now, because it’s the truth, I’ve been kind of pushing him out of my life because I was unsure of how he would react to what’s happening with myself and Caelin. “Tell me, Dad, what’s been happening in your life?”
He chuckles. “Same old shit, different day. Busy as always, thinking of giving over Wet Wanda’s to somebody else.”
“Oh my God, are you serious?” This is the first time I’ve heard any rumblings about this.
“Yeah.” We come to a stop at a red light, he looks over at me. “None of the guys really enjoy it. Everybody’s in a relationship and sometimes it causes more trouble than it’s worth. We’ve evolved from who we started out as. The shop is busier than we can keep up with, and makes us more than enough money. It’s an idea I’m playing around with, but you’re the first person I’ve told about it.”
“Not even Mom or Harley?”
“Nope,” he answers, a grin on his face. “You know you’re the person I come to when I need an informed decision made.”
“If it feels good, why not do it? It’ll take a lot of pressure off everybody, including Caelin. Doing security over there is a full-time job on its own.”
“And I’m sure you’d like that he isn’t around half-naked women.”
“That’s an unspoken yes, but if we don’t need the money as the club, why spread ourselves so thin?”
We pull up to the parts store, Dad turns to me smiling. “I knew that was the right answer, just needed you to tell me so. I love you, Jus.”
“Love you too, Dad. Let’s go pick up some parts.”
He laughs as I hop out of the truck. Both of us knowing I have no idea what it means, just knowing I like being with my dad.
“Let me drop this stuff off and then I’ll take you back to the office,” Dad says as we pull into Walker’s Wheels.
“Okay, I’m gonna go see Harley.”
“I’ll be in to get you in a few minutes.”
Walking up to the office, I see someone standing in front of the desk. Going in, I see that Harley’s upset and irritated.
“They said it was going to be five hundred dollars.” The guy leans in toward her.
I’ve seen men like him before, hoping to intimidate women because they’re bigger.
“They said that,” - Harley takes a deep breath, blowing it out slowly - “before they realized you also had a broken head gasket. Which is why it’s more than your quoted price.”
“This is bullshit!” he shouts.
I hate seeing my sister shrink the way she does. She’s always stood up for me, and I’m feeling stronger than I ever have. Shutting the door with a loud bang, I go behind the desk, standing beside her. She glances up at me, while I look down at her.
“Ya know what?” I tilt my head to the side. “You don’t want to be able to drive or ride your vehicle – sorry I don’t know which it is – I can gladly go outside and have the boys take it apart. Either you pay for the work or you won’t. What you don’t do is verbally berate my sister. She’s a woman who deserves respect. Either give it, or leave. I’ll be glad to let them know what a dick you are.” I point to the door.
I can’t believe the words coming out of my mouth, but I’m pissed. He looks at me, irritation covering his face. “Oh fuck it. I’m never doing business with this place again.” He takes out a card and throws it down on the desk. “Just take the payment and let me get the hell out of here.”
“Gladly.” I give him a tight smile.
He hurriedly signs his credit card slip and leaves like the hounds of hell are on his heels. When the door slams, Harley and I look at one another, giggling loudly.
“Thank you,” she laughs.
“It was nice,” I sigh, happily. “To be able to stick up for you once in a while.”
She gets up, hugging me tightly. “It’s good to see you, since you’re never home anymore. Do you have a problem with me and Bishop turning your room into a sex dungeon?”
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” Dad groans as he comes into the office.
“C’mon, Dad, let’s go. Harley and I’ll discuss this later.”
“Please do.” He tilts his head back, looking up at the ceiling. “There’s just some shit I should never know.”
Chapter Thirty
Caelin
Entering CRISIS is almost like going home. It holds a special place in my heart. I spent a lot of time here as a kid, not knowing I was learning the harder side of life. I can remember playing with kids, and trying to figure out why they were crying, or sad.
As a child, I never had to worry about any of the things they had to. Back then I didn’t realize how lucky I was, but now I do. We always had a roof over our head, food in our stomachs, and money in the bank
to do what we not only needed, but wanted to do. Even now if I needed help, I could run to either one of my parents and they would give me the last five bucks they had.
Standing in the entryway, I look for Mom. Her SUV was outside, and I haven’t seen her in a while. It still unnerves me that she’s here at all hours.
“Momma!” I yell, trying to get her attention, wherever she is.
Just as I’m about to try again, she comes out of the communal kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. “Caelin!” Her face lights up in a way that always gets me right in the chest.
“Hey, beautiful.” I walk over to her, leaning down to wrap my arms around her neck. “What are you doing here so late?”
We break apart. She pulls me into her office and has a seat behind her desk. I take up residence in the chair across from hers.
“There were a few new families who came in tonight and they hadn’t eaten yet. I couldn’t stand to let them go to bed hungry, so I fixed them some food. What are you doing here?”
I jerk my thumb back toward the gym area. “I’m going to drop in on Justice. It’s been a while since I’ve taken one of her classes, and she keeps lobbing snide comments at me.”
She smiles. “Your eyes light up when you talk about her.”
“Oh, come on.” A blush heats my neck and face. “Do we have to do this?”
“Yes. The two of you have been meant to be for a long time. Can’t I be happy that you finally seem to have figured it out?”
“I was just waiting for her to get old enough,” I defend. “So that she could make the decision herself. It was important to me.”
“Because of what happened?”
“Well, I mean, yeah. That day with Travis changed all of our lives, and set some of us on paths where we couldn’t choose our own destination. I wanted her to be able to choose hers. And I wanted to be the choice she made.”
“She definitely made that choice.” Mom gives me a look.
“It wasn’t something I expected, even though I desperately wanted it. I didn’t want to count on it before it happened.”
“How did you not expect it, Caelin? She obviously waited almost her whole life for you to notice her.”
“What the fuck, Mom? I waited my whole life for her to notice me.”
“That’s a lie and you know it. You were just waiting for her to be old enough. You were always scared she wouldn’t know what she wanted. Which is dumb, if you ask me. If there’s one thing Justice Walker has always known, it’s been her mind. There was never any doubt she’d want you.”
“There was doubt,” I argue. “I had doubt.”
“How are you doing with that doubt now?” she asks dryly.
“It’s not as all-consuming as it once was,” I return back, just as dryly.
“Is she living with you yet?”
This is uncomfortable, knowing my mom is so deeply entrenched in my love life. “Do we have to have this conversation?”
“Yes, I had it with Addie when she was your age.”
I roll my eyes. “But you’re her mom.”
She belly laughs. “And I’m yours too.”
“I’m a man.”
“You’re my baby.” She shakes her head. “My last born, and the only chance I have to continue to torture my children. Addie doesn’t pay attention to me anymore, but you still get slightly embarrassed. So I have to take what I can get.”
I’m almost sorry I stopped in here, right now. “So great conversation, but I’m gonna bow out, right about now.”
“Oh come on,” she presses. “We hardly ever get time together anymore and now you’re not going to hang out with me?”
“I came to see Justice,” I remind her.
“I guess she takes precedence in your life now,” she pouts.
“Oh my God, Mom. You know I love you, and you’re one of the most important people to me, ever.”
“It’s okay, I’ve had to learn not to take it personally. Luckily for you, I had a lot of practice with Addie. I was worse with her.”
“I have no idea how you can worse than you are now, but whatever you say.” I get up from the chair, and walk around the desk to give her a hug. “I love you.”
“I love you too, be good to Justice. You’re the type of person who can literally break a heart.”
“Trust me, she can break mine just as easily,” I assure her. “It’s not my intention to ever hurt her.”
“Then I know I raised you right. You need to come by and see me more often, maybe stop by the house. I know you’re busy and all, but we miss you around there.”
The truth is I miss them too, but time is limited, especially with Justice and the club. “I’ll do my best.”
“It’s all I ever ask for, Caelin. I’ll see you later?”
“Definitely. Love you,” I say to make sure she knows.
“Love you too.”
And with those words I walk out of her office and into the room that might seriously be my downfall. I realize what a possible bad decision it was when I look to the front and see Justice with sweat glistening off her body, tits bouncing as she beats on a bag, her class following closely along.
I watch for a few minutes before her eyes meet mine. The surprise on her face is enough for me to appreciate being here. Obviously she didn’t expect me to accept her invitation. But this might be one of my favorite things I’ve ever done. Since the class is already halfway over, I don’t join in. I have a seat over in the corner, watching as the woman in my life is a warrior, showing these other women how to defend themselves.
“I know it’s a little early,” - I hear her say over the panting of the class - “but I’m gonna let you all go. Thanks for showing up and working so hard.”
There’s a sigh of relief from everyone in the room as they start to leave.
I stay where I am, waiting for Justice to make her move. This is another one of those times where I need her to come to me, and not the other way around. Not until I’m sure she’s ready to tell me what her needs are.
She eyes me, as she walks over to where the door is and shuts it, closing the blinds on the small window. This time, she turns so that her back is to the front of the building and presses herself against the wood, almost as if she’s trying to hold herself away from me.
“What do you want?” My voice is tight, full of a promise she’s never heard before.
“You.” Her voice is soft as she slowly strolls toward me.
I’ve never seen her be so confident in her approach to me, and it’s a hell of a turn on. It’s everything I’ve wanted to see from her. “You take the reins tonight,” I tell her. “Whatever you want, we’ll do, but you have to initiate.”
“I can do that.” She grabs hold of my hand and pulls me over to the boxing ring. “You stay right here.”
I’m hard as a rock inside my jeans, wondering what the fuck is about to happen. My eyes track her as she moves around the room, turning the lights off. Leaving just one on to cast a dim shadow over where we are. She’s seduction personified as she slowly struts back over to where I sit.
“Unbutton your pants and scoot them down your hips,” she instructs, those blue eyes of hers burning with a passion I’ve never seen.
“With pleasure.” I do as she asks. “Should I push my underwear down too?”
“Yeah.” She licks her lips as she sees me free my cock and it bob up to my stomach.
“What are you going to do, Jus?”
“Something I’ve wondered about for a while.”
She takes steps to come closer, stopping as she interjects herself in between my legs. With her hands pressed flat against the mat, she bends down, tentatively taking the head of my dick into her mouth. She’s shy as she slightly licks it, holding it between her lips.
“Oh fuck.” I throw my head back.
Something about the way she’s so unsure of herself, but at the same time willing to do this is one of the biggest turn-ons ever.
“Tell me if I do somethi
ng wrong.”
“Trust me.” I wrap my hand in her hair. “There’s no way to do this wrong.”
Eventually she gets more confident in herself, bobbing her head up and down, coating my thick length in the wetness of her mouth. Opening my eyes, I watch it all, growling deeply in my throat when she reaches behind me and grabs hold of the ropes, using them as leverage.
“Oh my shit,” I manage to press the words between my lips. “This is so fuckin’ hot. I’m never gonna be able to look at this ring the same way again.”
She pulls her lips off my tip, they’re bruised and puffy, red with the way she’s abused them. “Me neither. I’ll always think about you when I look over at it.”
“Will you get wet?” I question, digging my fingers into her scalp as I start pressing my hips up to meet her.
She moans. “Yes, every time.”
And that’s all I need. I drag her mouth off, spilling all over my shirt and thighs. “Give me just a minute,” I pant.
“No.” She shakes her head, looking pleased with herself. “That was all for you.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Justice
As I turn onto the Square and head toward Mom’s office, I notice the bunch of police cars that were there the other day are back. And there appears to be even more than before. My pulse races as I do my best to drive through the maze of vehicles that seem to be anticipating some sort of cohesive movement any time now. Pulling my phone from where it sits in the side of my door, I scroll quickly to see if I can find any news about what’s happening.
No breaking news alerts have come through from our local TV station, so I turn on the radio, putting it to a local Bowling Green station and listen intently to see if they have some sort of idea.
Restraint (Heaven Hill Generations Book 5) Page 15