Build

by Gillian Archer

  Rachel gave me a pleased smile and sat back down at my feet, twisting her legs so she could wrap her arms around them. Resting her chin on her knees, she blinked up at me. “So, what do you brothers think about your dad getting out? Are they as pissed as you?”

  “They—” I coughed to clear my suddenly hoarse throat. “They don’t know yet. I got the news Wednesday and came up here. I’ve been drunk, hungover, or working out ever since. It’s up to me to tell them, and I don’t even know how I’m going to do it. I just… I don’t know how.”

  Rachel hitched a shoulder. “You should do it pretty soon. If you wait too long you run the risk of someone else telling them.”

  “Yeah, I know. That’s all I need—some wannabe journalist cornering Nathan and giving him shit about our dad. Bail gets really expensive with my family. We don’t do anything half assed.”

  “I remember that from your show.” Rachel smiled slightly then shook her head. “It sounds like Nathan might be too busy this weekend working on that motorcycle to be out and about anyhow.”

  “Yeah. And Ryan should be there with him. But if I hadn’t run from my troubles, I’d’ve been home to help him. Hell, both me and you would be home, and neither one of us would be stuck here.”

  Rachel bit her bottom lip. “I’ve been stuck in worse places. And with worse people.”

  I had to laugh at that. “I don’t know if I should be insulted or flattered.”

  “Flattered. Definitely flattered.” Rachel popped back up onto her knees. Reaching for my fly, she tilted her head with a coy expression in her eyes.

  “Wait, how many shots have you had?” I covered her hands with mine and looked into her eyes for any hint of fogginess, but they appeared crystal clear and full of mischievousness.

  “Enough to feel relaxed but not so many that I won’t remember this in the morning.”

  “Okay then. As you were.” I sat back in the chair with my hands behind my head as my dick flexed beneath my pants.

  Biting her bottom lip, Rachel slowly opened my fly. The material of my boxer briefs kept my dick from jumping out. Rachel gave a hiss of annoyance when she couldn’t work out the pocket of my underwear. So, I pushed my hips up to help her work the fabric down my legs.

  “Finally,” she huffed as my dick sprang up front and center. She clasped him in her tight grip and ran her lips over the head of my cock. “I’ve missed you, baby.”

  I puffed out a little laugh. It was hard to make any noise aside from a groan when she looked so fucking hot holding my dick so close to her face.

  “So, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your piercing...” Rachel ran her thumb near the metal and my dick flexed in response.

  “What about it?” I groaned.

  “I don’t know. Does it hurt?”

  “Sometimes, but the good kinda hurt.” I smirked. “Mostly it feels good. Especially if you touch it just right.”

  Rachel narrowed her eyes at me. “That feels like a line.”

  I shrugged. “You are already holding my dick.”

  “Still feels like a line.” Rachel bit her lip as she carefully rubbed her thumb against my piercing like she was afraid it’d hurt me or something. “I know it was only a few hours ago, but I think he missed me too.”

  “Fuck me, sweetheart. He sure as hell did. Fuck. Dammit.” I think I might’ve swallowed my tongue when she moved her lips down my cock.

  I wanted to keep my eyes open and watch her gorgeous face as she licked and sucked and jacked off my cock, but my body wouldn’t let me. It felt so fucking fantastic that I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I buried my hand in her hair, just so I could feel more connected to her, since I couldn’t watch. Her silky hair, woven through my fingers, was a soft compliment to her velvety warm mouth as she ran her lips up and down my cock.

  I groaned. She felt so fucking good. I just wanted… I needed… “Fuck. Shit. Oh God.”

  Then I had to let go of her hair as the impulse to grip her and thrust myself into her mouth all but overwhelmed me. Instead I gripped the soft leather of my chair and held the fuck on. It felt like she had my entire dick in her mouth.

  “So fucking good. I’m gonna…I’m almost…I’m gonna…”

  I couldn’t stop myself from arching off my chair to push into her mouth as my orgasm bared down on me. Rachel made a soft gagging sound as I filled her mouth.

  I sagged back into the chair with a low groan. “Fuck me, baby. Are you all right?”

  I cracked my eyes open and found Rachel still on her knees in front of me.

  She wiped the back of her arm across her lips and gave me a devilish smile. “I think I’m fucking good.”

  She looked more disheveled than before. Her hair was ruffled and her lips were shiny, red and swollen. But she’d never looked so fucking gorgeous.

  “I think you’re a hell of a lot more than just good. You are fucking amazing.” I reached down and grabbed her under her arms to pull her up and into my lap. She snuggled deep into my arms and buried her face in my neck. “Sorry I was a bit of a minute man. I’ll make it up to you. I just need to get some feeling back into my legs first.”

  She laughed softly into my neck. “I don’t know about minute man. I think my jaw would disagree with you there.”

  “Aww, baby. Are you okay?” I pressed a kiss against the top of her head.

  “I’m fine, but you might have to do the heavy lifting next round.”

  Christ, she was a fucking wet dream brought to life. I had to have more of her. I had to have her naked and writhing beneath me where I had some room to work.

  “Ask and I shall deliver.”

  It didn’t take any effort to persuade her. Mostly because I hoisted her over my shoulder and carried her up the stairs and down the hall to my bedroom. Not that Rachel minded. She giggled and shrieked with laughter the entire way with Blue barking at my heels.

  Blue gave a huff of annoyance when I closed the bedroom door on his face. But after this afternoon in the weight room, I knew better. And after a frantic search through the bathroom cabinets and nightstands, I found a strip of condoms.

  It was time to have some fun.

  In minutes I had Rachel groaning and writhing with need. Her hands tangled in the sheets as she fought the urge to grasp my hands and shove them where she really wanted to feel my touch—between her legs.

  A glint of something on her hand caught my attention. That ring. Again.

  I sat back with a hiss. “Do you mind taking your ring off for me?”

  Rachel blinked up at me with lust darkened eyes. “Ring?”

  “Yeah.” I tilted my head toward the offending ring. I didn’t even know what my problem was, but something about that ring on that finger of this woman really rubbed me wrong.

  And I really didn’t want to think about why.

  “Just…” I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “Take it off. For me. Please.”

  Rachel’s eyes widened at my last word then she tugged the offending jewelry off without a word. Stretching across the bed, she dropped the ring onto the nightstand. “Happy?”

  “Fucking ecstatic.”

  Her lips quirked as she reclined and repeated my earlier words to her. “As you were.”

  “Yes ma’am.” I kept teasing and kissing her fantastic tits. They were so plump and luscious; I couldn’t resist.

  And I got back to business.

  17

  A series of continuous shrill beeps woke me up the next morning. Like a garbage truck or something backing up. Loud, jarring, and fucking annoying. I buried my head under my pillow to muffle the sounds before I realized what they meant. A snowplow.

  I rolled out of bed and walked to the window. Cracking the blinds slightly, I peered out and saw a huge pickup truck with a snowplow attachment reversing slowly, pulling around Rachel’s car to continue plowing the driveway. My brother, Ryan, was digging Rachel’s car out with brush/scraper thing while Nathan was literally digging the bottom of the car out with a small s
hovel. Half the driveway was clear down to the street and the path continued down the road to the highway.

  We were free!

  My brothers must’ve borrowed a truck and come up to rescue us themselves. I spun around, eager to share the news with Rachel, until I saw her. She was still all snuggled up in bed, dead to the world with the most peaceful expression on her face. I don’t know if she always looked like while she slept, or if her six orgasms last night did that. We’d spent the better part of the night playing with each other. Learning all the things that made the other squirm and laugh. It’d been the most laughing I’d ever done in bed with a woman.

  It’d been the early hours of the morning when we finally fell asleep exhausted. And judging by the amount of sunlight piercing the room, it was way past dawn.

  I slipped from the room, grabbing my sweatpants on the way, and tugged them on at the top of the stairs. Once I reached the door, I pulled my leather/sheepskin jacket on over my bare chest and stepped into my boots. Blue stood with his nose to the doorjamb, whining, clearly excited by all the noise. Bundling my jacket around me, I opened the door and let Blue out first. He sprung out the door and raced down the driveway, sprinting past Nathan to tackle Ryan and send him sprawling into the snowbank.

  “Hey, hey! He is alive!” Nathan smirked as he leaned against his shovel. “We were getting ready to call in a SEAL team to come rescue you. Why the hell haven’t you answered your phone?”

  I patted down my empty pockets. “I don’t even know where my phone is. Why? What’s going on?”

  “Oh, you know, the usual.” Nathan shook his head as he looked back my way. “Ryan and I saved the day, delivered the bike on time, and the motorcycle club was so appreciative they threw us a huge party. It was all fun and games until Ryan decided to sleep with a club girl.”

  “Not what happened, and I don’t want to hear it.” Ryan pushed himself back up and ducked Blue’s tongue with a muttered curse.

  Dylan tossed me a questioning look as he joined us on the driveway, leaving the pickup idling on the road. He raised an eyebrow at the tension simmering in the air before he bent down to give Blue a pat.

  “I’m just saying,” Nathan said with a smirk. “It’s gotta be the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen you do.”

  I closed my eyes with a muttered curse. “Whose girl was she? How is it you’re standing here in one piece and The Kings didn’t fuck you up?”

  “She wasn’t anyone’s girl. Just leave it okay?” Ryan closed his eyes like the sun was personally out to get him. “It was fine. Nobody’s pissed. Nathan needs to shut the fuck up and mind his own business.”

  “Just fine, huh?” Nathan muttered as he jabbed Dylan in the stomach with his elbow. “Sounds like someone’s a little rusty.”

  Ryan scowled. “I swear to God, Nate, if you don’t shut it…”

  “Rough night?” I broke in before there was bloodshed. “They at least liked the bike, right? Shit, I don’t think I wanna know if T-Bone didn’t like it.”

  Nathan nodded stiffly like only how someone with a hangover did. “They were fucking thrilled. T-Bone was all but humping the bike at the end of the night. But fuck me those guys know how to party.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Sorry I missed it.”

  “You’ll have to come to the next one.” Ryan grinned. “The Kings’ VP commissioned us to build a bike for him too.”

  “Fuck me.” I turned to Nate. “You finished one bike and got them to sign papers on another? I think we’re wasting your skills in the shop. You should be on the sales floor. That’s fucking fantastic, Nate.”

  Nathan scowled and squinted. “A little less volume there, shithead. I think they could hear you in fucking Nevada. Jesus, my head hurts.”

  I just laughed. “Come on inside, guys. Let’s get some coffee or something to warm you all up.”

  “Sure, and then you can tell us why the fuck you dropped everything and hightailed it for the hills.” Ryan lifted his eyebrows. “You know, after you gave me shit about pulling my own weight.”

  I shook my head. “Can you stop stirring the shit for one minute, Ryan? Just one?”

  “Hey, it’s a valid question,” Ryan rebutted. “I wanna know.”

  “Fine,” I sighed. “Come on inside, and I’ll let you all know what’s going on. Blue! Let’s go.”

  We stumbled not-so-quietly into the house and stopped at the entry to take all our kit off. I winced as Ryan dropped his boots with a loud thud. With all this racket, I really hoped we didn’t wake up Rachel. I needed a few minutes with my brothers without the awkwardness of explaining her to them.

  Or them to her.

  After last night, there was no way I was done with her. I needed more time. I needed more Rachel. I just had to figure out how to tell her that. Ask her? It’d been forever since I’d been in this situation, I couldn’t even remember how this talk was supposed to go down.

  “Austin?” The impatient tone of Ryan’s voice made me think that wasn’t the first time he’d tried to get my attention.

  “Yeah, yeah. Let’s all go into the kitchen, have some coffee, and I’ll tell you what’s going on.” I led the way to the large kitchen and its gleaming granite countertop. Not that my brothers didn’t know the way, they’d spent just as much time as I had at Cole’s cabin.

  Once the coffee was made and we each had a mug, we sat around the counter, my brothers looking at me expectantly.

  “What’s going on?” Nathan leaned against the granite. “Did you get a chick pregnant or something?”

  I huffed a laugh. “No.”

  “Well, just spit it out. It can’t be as bad as the buildup.” Nathan’s face paled when I didn’t say anything. “Fuck, are you sick? Need a kidney? What’s going on?”

  “Shit, no. Sorry. It’s nothing like that.” I raked a hand over my head. My mind blanked. I hadn’t given one thought about how I was going to break the news to them. Shit. Quick like a Band-aid was probably the best bet. “Our father is getting paroled. He’ll be released in three months.”

  No one said a word. I didn’t need to ask if they’d heard me—I could tell by their expressions that they’d paid attention. Nathan looked like he was grinding teeth. Ryan stared at the cabinets behind me with dead eyes. Dylan’s cheeks were flushed, and he looked anywhere but at me.

  “What?” Nathan’s face slowly turned red and his voice raised with every word. “How? Why?”

  “The infinite wisdom of the California Department of Corrections. They really fucked up this time.” I shook my head. “I haven’t seen any news coverage on it yet, but it’s only a matter of time. I have an interview with The Californian next month, and I know it’s gonna be a topic with them. I want to talk to our lawyer about what we can to do to protect the business and our name from him. I don’t know what, if anything, we can do, but I’m gonna try.” The idea had come to me during one of my marathon workout sessions. I couldn’t stop him from trying to butt back into our lives, but I sure as hell wanted to do everything I could to protect me and mine.

  “Why would we do that?” Dylan looked at all of us, his forehead wrinkled.

  “What the fuck kinda question is that?” Nathan leaned forward with his hands on his knees. “He killed Mom. Beat her to hell, took a few swings at me and Austin before we all hid in the goddamn closet, and then he fucking shot her in the chest. Why wouldn’t we want a restraining order against him?”

  “But he’s changed.” Dylan’s pants jangled as the heel of his foot bounced. His gaze continued to bounce around the room. To Nathan, Ryan, then me.

  “How would you know that?” The coffee pot beeped somewhere behind me, but I hardly heard it due to the roaring in my ears.

  Dylan hitched a shoulder. “He’s our dad.”

  Like that was a fucking answer.

  “He killed Mom!” Nathan roared. “Beat her black and blue night after fucking night. There’s not a goddamn leopard on this fucking planet that could ever change his spots like that.
”

  Dylan frowned. “He joined AA. He’s been going to meetings. Even joined a Christian church group thing. He’s different.”

  “It’s a fucking front.” I shook my head in disbelief. How could Dylan not see that? “It’s the stupid act he played so he can get paroled. And it worked. It fooled you. He fooled the goddamn parole board because he’s gonna be out in three months.”

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Nathan yelled.

  “Bro,” Ryan jumped up and stood between Nathan and Dylan when it looked like Nathan was getting ready to charge our brother. “Calm down. Take a fucking breath.”

  “It’s bullshit!” Nathan’s face was so red, it almost looked purple. “Mom is dead because of that bastard, and you’re visiting him in prison? What the fuck, Dylan?”

  “He’s our dad.” Dylan didn’t flinch.

  “He’s a fucking sperm donor. That’s all.” I was just as pissed as Nathan, and it took everything inside me not to lash out at Dylan. “He was never our father, even when Mom was alive. He spent every fucking day drinking himself into oblivion and pounding on his family. He doesn’t give the first fuck about us.”

  “He’s different.” Dylan lifted his paint splattered hands in supplication. “We’ve already lost one parent. We’ve only got one left.”

  “You got that right.” Nathan jabbed a finger at Dylan. “Aunt Wendy is the only fucking parent we got left.”

  Dylan sighed. “You’re wrong. We’ve got Dad.”

  “You can have him.” Nathan shoved at Ryan’s hands on his arms.

  “I um, know it’s not any of my business,” Rachel said softly from the end of the kitchen. She was fully dressed in her wrinkled clothes from two days ago and looked delightfully rumpled. Unfortunately she’d wandered into my fucked up family nightmare. “But I think—”

  “Who the hell are you?” Nathan roared.

  “Not cool, bro.” I jumped up and stepped between him and Rachel. “Back the fuck down.”

  “No, this is bullshit!” Nathan yelled, spittle flying into my face. “Your piece of ass thinks she gets a say on our family? Bullshit. I’m drawing the fucking line because she doesn’t know dick about what’s going on. She’s been too busy riding yours.”