by Piper Page
* * *
Cole must have sensed my unease. He laid his hand to my stomach and turned me to face him as the crowd thinned out. People were going to get a glimpse of Jake, collect on their bets, and celebrate in the arena bars or those restaurants and lounges out in town. “I know you’re uncertain, that you’re scared. All this is a lot to take in.” Cole wasn’t talking about the fight.
I listened to him and laid my hand over the back of his on my stomach, over our child.
“I want you to know that I and my brothers will always be there for you, no matter what you decide to do. We’re going to protect you and our baby, always.”
Why was he doing this now? Did he know I was at odds with myself, that I needed to get something off my chest? Or was there something more he wasn’t telling me?
“It won’t always be like this.”
I gave him a questioning look.
“You’ll always be taken care of and have the best of what you need and deserve, but this part, the part I’m in now…every fighter has to get their knuckles bloodied if they want to win. Sunny, I intend to win in this business. On the other hand, every fighter gets tired of the fight and eventually wants out of the ring. I won’t always be in this business, Sunny. There’s going to come a time that I’ll step outside of the ring, and now, with us having a family, that time seems closer than I ever thought it would be. Overall, it comes down to you. It’s your choice.”
* * *
I know and I need to make it.
* * *
“I’m not going to force you to stay, if that’s not what you want. Life with me and my brothers is very different from the picture-perfect home you’ve known, Sunny. But I want you to know I want us to be a family. It’s up to you.”
We started to walk out of the arena to the waiting car. I was staying at Cole’s tonight, and we would fly back to Galveston in the morning. I wanted to be with Cole, I really did, not just for the baby, but because he made me happy. I knew his life wasn’t normal, but wasn’t that how this all started, with me stepping out of my comfort zone?
* * *
You plunged right into the thick of it, didn’t you?
* * *
This was all a lot to consider. The car pulled up and Cole helped me in to the back seat and then joined me. He held my hand. I looked down at it. He wasn’t pressuring me. He hadn’t even asked me to give him my thoughts or an answer. I looked at his profile, so strong, so sexy. I thought about waking up next to that profile every morning, and then I thought of what it would be like going to bed with him every night. I could feel the blush color fill my cheeks and I turned to look out the window so that he wouldn’t see.
Thinking about being with Cole, intimately, whenever I wanted, whenever he wanted…I shivered. He made my body sing. I didn’t have anyone to compare to, but I also knew I didn’t want anyone to compare him to. In the physical sense, Cole was perfection to me. Then there was the other side, the everyday social side.
I’d never seen him blow up. Not even when I took off on him, twice. Not when I confronted him and called him out. Not when he found out we were pregnant. He was always calm and controlled. He was a rational man. He was a family man. I saw now how he was with his brothers, practically raising them as the father figure. He helped keep his family together, housed and fed. He would make a good father. Our baby would always be safe and well cared-for. I was sure of that. Family was as important to him as it was to me. I knew our child would always have him, and that was what a child needed to have every advantage in life—both parents, and in the best circumstances, both parents in the same household. Would Cole still want me in the same house when I told him what I had done?
* * *
Pros: he’s a whiz with finances, and he has the means to raise a family and give them anything they need. He is a good, caring man, even beyond his own immediate family. He will keep us safe, and he may just love us. Cons: he runs an illegal operation that could possibly land him in prison, or worse yet, dead. And I had contributed to that very real possibility.
* * *
My decision was made.
“Cole, I need to tell you something.”
He gave my hand a tiny hopeful squeeze and turned his full attention to me.
“I told my father about you.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Did you hear me Cole? I told my father, the cop, about you and your business. I’m sorry, Cole, it was before I understood it all.” I held back a sob. “He’s going to come after you. I couldn’t move in with you and raise our baby without telling you the truth. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. If we are going to be a family, there can be no secrets.”
I noticed the tension in his jaw and I braced myself for his wrath. I prepared my body for the impact of him telling me we were done, over, forever. My muscles jerked when he folded me into his arms and held me close, gently stroking my hair and kissing my cheek. “I understand, doll, you were scared.”
* * *
Cole
* * *
I inhaled the scent of her hair—she smelled more alluring to me now that she was carrying our baby. Was that psychosomatic, or was it true that pregnant women attracted men more readily than non-pregnant ones? We were animals after all and her scent was my personal aphrodisiac. I held her and reassured her everything was alright. I had heard what she said, “no secrets,” but how could I tell her everything was going to be okay because her father was on our side? It would crush her.
* * *
No unnecessary secrets. I promise.
* * *
“Shh, don’t worry, doll. There’s nothing money can’t buy. We’ll get through this together. You, me, and our little one.” I pulled away and rubbed her lower belly.
“You’re not angry with me?” She took my hand and brought it up to her lips, holding it with both of hers. Her eyes gleamed with hope. “You can’t bribe my father—maybe the force, but not my dad.”
* * *
If you only knew.
* * *
I shook my head. “I could never be angry with you, Sunny. You are a good person, you were doing what you felt was right. There’s no reason to be angry with a person for that.”
“Cole?”
* * *
Oh no, there’s more.
* * *
I braced myself. “Yeah?”
“Would you do something for me?”
“Anything?”
“I know it will take a lot, and it could be potentially dangerous.”
What could she possibly want that would be dangerous? She was far too innocent for anything dangerous.
“Go to church with me tomorrow morning.”
I laughed. “Are you afraid I might be struck down by lightning?”
She gave a small tight laugh. “Not exactly,” she paused. “More like my father.”
I sighed. I knew I was going to have to confront him, but I thought that would be months from now, maybe even not until Sunny actually gave birth. By that time, she and I would be so established he wouldn’t be able to do or say anything, not to mention the extra money in his bank account.
“Will you?”
“Yes, of course I will.” How could I not?
“Afterwards, you can come over for Sunday dinner at my parents’. It’s important that they meet you, important that my father get to know you—after all, you’re the father of his soon-to-be-grandchild. You know it will be his first? I want my whole family to see you the way I do.”
* * *
He’s going to see me, alright. See me as the man that paid him off and impregnated his baby girl. How is he going to trust me now?
* * *
I looked at my watch. I had less than twelve hours to come up with a plan. I was not going to lose Sunny, but I would be damned if I split her away from her family for my own personal reasons.
“Will you go?”
I held her cheeks in my hands. It was true when they said
expecting women glowed. Sunny was positively radiant. I kissed her mouth with passion and want. Her lips responded, and soon, we were wrapped in a knot of arms and legs in the back seat of the limo. “For you, I would do anything. Let’s take this deal back to the penthouse and bed.”
The digital lock popped open, and I walked into the penthouse with Sunny wrapped in my arms, our mouths glued together in a kiss. Another night with her in my bed was a blessing. My foot kicked the door closed, and I swept her up into my arms, cradling her body while my mouth worked over her lips and throat. She moaned, and the sound set my insides ablaze. Soon enough, we would be living in this bliss every day, no long jaunts back and forth from her place to mine.
I placed her on the bed, gently. Her bottom lip pouted outward when I stood up and pulled away from our kiss. Her hand reached for me, and I kissed her palm. “Just lay there and relax.” I wanted to put all of the stress of the past few weeks aside. I wanted it to be just her and me, immersed in the pleasure of one another for one more night before we dove into what would prove to be some complicated months ahead.
My hands slipped between the tender flesh of her knees. I pressed outward, opening her thighs. The floor met my knees. I unbuttoned my shirt and dropped it behind me, and my t-shirt followed. My mouth met her warm skin just above her knee, while my hands slid beneath the hem of her dress, edging her lace panties downward, past her thighs, over her knees, and down to her ankles. I lifted each one of her feet, nipping at her toes as I pulled the fabric the rest of the way off. She yelped and giggled, wiggling away from me. My fingers softly dug into the fleshy part of her thighs and pulled her back down the bed. The scent of her excitement was intoxicating. Her bubbly laughter and squirming turned into passionate moans and upward thrusts. My hands slipped beneath her bare bottom, and my tongue drew wave after wave of ecstasy from the center of her body that now writhed atop my bed. I felt her hands tangle in my hair, guiding me in direction and depth. With her body quivering from release, I joined her on the comforter and made love to her again with everything I had.
“Promise me we’ll always be like this, Cole.”
“I swear it.”
23
Cole
The minister preached about understanding your fellow man. He spoke about casting stones and getting yourself right with God before judging your neighbor. I felt it was fitting as I glanced over to Sunny’s father sitting in the same pew as us several, people down. His eyes blazed fire and brimstone when he walked into the church late and saw Sunny and I seated together, already immersed in the morning hymns.
* * *
God, please let him understand. For Sunny’s sake let this go well.
* * *
It was difficult to focus on much else as the choir sang and the preacher sent up his last prayer. I added my own to the end. I didn’t need to remind God of my actions, but I did send up a vision of my mother.
* * *
Mom, if you can…give me an in on this one, please.
* * *
As the congregation filtered out, the preacher took notice of me standing on the steps, waiting for Sunny’s family. “Mr. von Larsen, such a pleasure to see you here again, and for services.”
“Thank you, Father.” I shook his hand. “It was a wonderful sermon.”
“I’m so glad you enjoyed it.” He turned to Sunny, who was standing beside me looking anxious. “Sunny, we are going to miss you. The children love your Sunday morning lessons.”
She smiled and held the older man’s hand. “Thank you, Father Flanners, I’ll miss them.”
“Are you sure you can’t keep coming back?”
She nodded “I’m sorry father. Houston is so far away with traffic. I promise I’ll come to church here every time I’m home to see my parents, though.”
Her father’s hand went around her shoulder and pulled her close at that exact moment. “Good morning, Sunny.” He kissed his daughter’s cheek. “Wonderful message, preacher.”
“Thank you, Officer Banks. I was just telling your daughter here what a wonderful asset she’s been to the church. We will miss her smiling face here.”
Sunny’s father looked from Sunny to me, then back again. “Miss her? Sunny, why would the minister here miss you?”
Sunny blanched. “Oh my goodness—look at the time, Mom’s probably already in the car anxious to get home before everyone arrives. We should go.” Sunny shook the preacher’s hand and started down the steps. I followed her close behind, holding her elbow. With the pace she was taking, I was afraid she might trip and fall. I knew she was nervous—she hadn’t stopped fidgeting since we left Houston.
“Maybe we should just keep going. Drive back to Houston and try this again at another time.”
I grabbed her hand and shook it in mine, flashing her a positive smile as I kept my eyes on the road. “It’s going to be okay. We need to do this now. Your parents will want to be a part of this baby’s life right from the start. I promise you, it’ll be fine.”
* * *
Who are you trying to convince, her or yourself?
* * *
With Sunny’s directions, I pulled the car up to the curb of a very quaint home. Several other cars were parked in the driveway and along the curb. “God, is everyone in Galveston here?”
“Just my parents, my siblings, my two brothers-in-law,” she said, turning her head to look at a car on the side of the road, “and it looks like my Aunt Joan and her husband may be here too.”
* * *
Just?
* * *
I suddenly felt like her original idea to keep driving may have been a great one.
“Ready?”
I swallowed back my anxiety and took her hand. “Ready as I will ever be. Let’s go.”
We entered the house hand-in-hand. Sunny’s mother came running from the kitchen with an apron around her Sunday dress and a kitchen towel in her hand. “Oh oh, look everyone, Sunny’s here with her friend!” Her voice was shrill and carried through the house, alerting every occupant to the uncomfortable moment.
“Mom, this is Cole. Cole, this is my mother, Mary Elizabeth Banks.”
I took her hand in a gentle grip and kissed the back of it. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Banks.” I could see where Sunny got her blush from.
“Please, call me Mary, and welcome to our home, Cole.”
Several other people came into view, and soon, the various names became a massive jumble in my head. I would have to ask Sunny in private to remind me who they all were again, later. The next moment, the gathering parted like the Red Sea, and my eyes locked onto to Sunny’s father’s.
The room became silent or I went deaf out of sheer panic. I felt like a high school boy asking permission to take this man’s daughter out to prom. His strong arm shot out, and I flinched. He was handing me a bottle of beer. “Thank you, sir.”
* * *
Sir? Did I really say that?
* * *
My fingers wrapped around the neck of the sweating glass bottle. I was sweating, too.
“Daddy, this is Cole. Cole, this is my father. Mr. Banks.”
“Officer Banks,” he corrected.
Sunny’s hand squeezed mine.
* * *
Okay, we’ll play it this way. You’re the authority in your own home. I respect that.
* * *
“Sunny, why don’t you help your mother get ready. Cole, come on out back. I got a few steaks on the grill.”
I lifted my beer to him. “After you, sir.” I gave Sunny a reassuring smile and followed her father out the back, screen door onto the deck where a grill was smoking. No one followed us out. It was obvious they knew better.
“So, you’ve been dating my daughter.”
“Yes. For several weeks now. I care for her very much.”
“As do I.”
“I’m sure you do.”
The lid to the gas grill opened and flames shot upward. Mr. Banks held his ground, and I f
linched away.
* * *
Damn it, what are you doing?
* * *
There were no people out here with us—we didn’t need to pretend to keep up this macho standoff facade. I needed to take my place here, so that we both knew where we stood. “Banks, let’s not pussyfoot around this. You and I know what’s going down here. Let’s make the best of it. We both have Sunny’s welfare in mind. We’re on the same team,” I said, pausing and smiling to myself, “again.”
Banks wasn’t as readily amused as I was. He scowled and slapped the thick steaks on to the rack of the grill with a sizzling hiss. I wasn’t about to tell him he had the grill far too hot. The steaks would surely dry up and be charred on the outside while the insides stayed raw.
“Alright then, we’ll do this your way, von Larsen. Sunny is my baby, and you’re pulling her into your seedy underbelly of a world. It’s fine for you if you want to risk everything, and I mean everything in your life for money, but that’s my child in there. You’re risking taking my daughter down with you now. What happens to her when your ass lands in jail forever?”
I honestly tried to stifle my sarcastic laughter. “Are you being serious with me?”
“Completely.”