The Legacy series: The Love series, the Wrapped series, and the Burning Souls series.

by Mj Fields

  She climbed over the console and sat on his lap and hugged him. He hugged her back. They sat like that for almost an hour. She finally stopped crying and sat up and kissed his lips gently.

  ���I could never hate you,��� Tessa whispered as she climbed off his lap.

  ���Tessa, what can I do?���

  ���Be the best you can be,��� she said. ���Be my friend, always.���

  ���Done,��� he grabbed her hand.

  * * *

  They went grocery shopping and went home to put everything away. Jade texted her saying she needed to talk. She asked if Tessa could meet her at camp. Lucas drove her up and went inside as the girls sat on the dock and talked.

  ���Tessa, we did it,��� Jade said.

  ���You did what?���

  ���Tommy and I made love,��� Jade said smiling.

  ���When?��� Tessa asked in shock.

  ���Last night, and it was amazing. Painful at first, but amazing,��� Jade said, smiling.

  ���Are you okay?���

  ���Perfectly fine, but now I want him more,��� Jade laughed.

  ���Are you on the pill?���

  ���Of course not. I would have told you. It wasn���t planned,��� Jade said. ���He used a condom.���

  ���So how was it not planned and he was still prepared?���

  ���He wasn���t. I was,��� Jade laughed.

  ���Jade!��� Tessa scolded.

  ���I have been asking him for weeks, and finally he said yes. He���s VERY big, Tessa,��� she said, her eyes wide.

  Jade and Tommy already talked about getting married. Tessa knew Jade and Tommy were perfect for each other. She just wished she would���ve waited, which seemed pretty ironic coming from her.

  Tessa told her what happened with Lucas as they walked back to camp. ���I hate that girl,��� Jade hissed.

  Lucas was at the back of the camp and they sat talking on the porch. He could hear everything they said.

  ���That girl is going to have Lucas���s baby. I want her to be okay,��� Tessa said quietly. ���So I���m going to ask you to be nice to her. If she sees kindness, maybe she can be a decent mom to her child, to Lucas���s child. It���s part of Lucas, and I love him, Jade. I know he can be an amazing father.���

  ���Are you going to be nice to her?���

  ���I am going to tolerate her. It pretty much depends on how much shit I can take, but for him, I���ll try,��� Tessa said. ���And I need to move on. I think that would be easier for us both.���

  It stung, but Lucas knew she was right. If someone else was good to her, how could he ask for anything else? Tessa���s happiness was important to him, more than he could have ever imagined.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  Tessa woke up feeling like she hadn���t slept at all. She went downstairs and made sausage gravy; the biscuits were in the oven. She threw her hair up in a bun, popped in her Bambi VHS tape, and plopped on the couch. She sat and watched it as the guys came down the stairs one by one.

  They all walked into the kitchen. ���What is she watching,��� Ben asked, smiling.

  ���Bambi. She���s watched it every year on opening day since she was four,��� Alex rolled his eyes. ���She doesn���t like hunting but she likes guns and bows. Weird huh?���

  Lucas walked in and sat next to her. ���Good movie?���

  She smirked at him and winked.

  Ben walked in and handed her and Lucas plates, then sat on the other side of her.

  ���Good morning, Tess. Thanks for breakfast. Is this venison sausage?��� Ben asked.

  ���Nope,��� she said and gave him a dirty look.

  ���You guys out, cause I can get you a whole freezer full probably within the next few days,��� Ben smiled at her and she smacked him in the stomach. He laughed. ���Hurt your hand, Ross?��� he asked and dodged the next punch.

  Alex laughed, and Lucas watched as Tessa tried not to do the same.

  ���You see, once the momma gets nailed, the baby should immediately get it. It is awful to make that baby walk around the scary woods alone; he���s going to starve anyways. Plus that is the best venison, nice and tender.��� Ben jumped up just in time avoiding Tessa���s punch.

  They all laughed, including Tessa.

  Alex and Ben walked out to the kitchen to put their empty plates in the sink.

  ���You sleep okay?��� Lucas whispered.

  ���No, I feel like garbage,��� she admitted.

  He felt her head. ���You don���t feel warm.���

  ���I feel like I didn���t sleep,��� she said and shook her head. ���It���s your fault,��� she whispered.

  ���Sorry, baby.��� He smirked.

  * * *

  Jade dropped Tessa off at camp before lunch. She plugged in the crock pots so they would be warm for their late afternoon lunch, then walked outside and stood on the porch.

  Alex, Lucas, and Ben walked out of the woods first. Ben was all smiles. ���Hey Tessa, did you warn Bambi to hide on me today?���

  She smiled and nodded. ���Anyone get a deer yet?��� she asked.

  ���Lucas got four doe, but they���re kind of small,��� Ben laughed. Lucas smiled and shook his head. ���No, but seriously, he had three in front of him and didn���t even shoot one.���

  ���Okay, I am already bored of this deer talk. Lunch is warming up. Give it twenty minutes. If you can���t wait, there are sandwiches in the cooler. Have fun. Lucas, can I talk you?��� Tessa asked.

  He smiled as he ran up to her.

  ���Do you like it?��� she smirked. ���You don���t have to, you know.���

  ���It is fine. I will try it. Who knows; after I have done it once I may like it,��� he said, trying not to smile.

  ���Nice, Lucas. I am working tonight, are you still?���

  ���Yes, why?���

  ���I just wondered,��� she bit her lip and grinned.

  ���What���s going on Tessa?��� Lucas asked looking curiously at her.

  ���I can���t sleep and I am tired. I just thought maybe, you could… help me out,��� Tessa said smirking and grabbing his shirt.

  ���Tessa,��� he groaned.

  ���What?��� she said and stomped her foot. ���I���m tired and irritable.���

  Lucas walked back to camp and yelled in. ���Hey Alex, Tessa just reminded me we have to work tonight. I am going to take off, okay?��� he said, not taking his eyes off Tessa.

  ���Sure man, see you later. We will probably stop up for dinner,��� Alex said.

  ���Bye Ben, see you later,��� Tessa yelled.

  ���Bye Ben,��� he said, mocking her. They both laughed.

  * * *

  She couldn���t keep her hands off of him as he drove. They pulled into the farm, and she kissed him wildly and put her hand on him.

  ���Tessa,��� he whispered as she reached inside his pants.

  Half an hour later, they walked into the house. He ran up and changed and brought laundry down. He threw in a load and walked into the living room. She pushed him down on the couch, went to the bathroom, and lay next to him. She pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered them up. She put her back to his chest and wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep within five minutes.

  * * *

  What the hell was that, he wondered? Why had she acted like that, not that he wanted t
o complain, but Tessa didn���t act like that. He watched her as she slept, and after a while he fell asleep, too.

  Lucas woke up and scooted out from behind her. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, picked up the junk mail on the counter, and threw it in the trash. He saw a bottle buried beneath some papers and pulled it out; it was cinnamon schnapps. Exactly what she tasted like. He had thought it was gum but now he knew differently.

  When she woke up, he handed her a couple pain relievers and some water. ���Feeling better, Tessa?��� Lucas asked crossing his arms in front of himself.

  ���Yeah, a little,��� Tessa said softly.

  ���What was that all about earlier?���

  ���I guess I missed you.���

  ���Okay, now the truth; how did you get to camp?���

  ���Jade dropped me off.���

  ���Why didn���t you drive?��� he asked with anger in his voice.

  ���I wasn���t feeling well?��� Tessa said, answering with a question in her voice.

  ���Why, Tessa?���

  She looked at him and yelled. ���Because I can���t sleep, because you���re trying to push me off on anyone you can, because life fucking sucks, Lucas! Because I can!��� She stood up and he grabbed her and pushed her onto the couch.

  ���What else you got, Tessa?��� Lucas yelled back at her.

  ���Fuck you!��� she said. She stood up, and he grabbed her as she tried to get away. ���Let me go!��� she screamed. ���Let me go, damn it!��� He held her tighter until she stopped fighting and started crying. ���Just let me go.���

  Lucas held her as she cried. ���I need you to be okay,��� he said softly.

  ���Well, that���s not going to happen. It���s going to get ugly, Lucas, I promise you that,��� Tessa said through breaths.

  ���Tessa, I need you to be safe,��� Lucas said.

  ���Oh, I will be,��� she said, laughing.

  ���I���m sorry,��� he said.

  ���Stop saying that,��� Tessa yelled. ���I am pretty sure this wasn���t part of some evil plan. It���s my life and right now it fucking sucks!���

  Tessa went into the bathroom and showered. She came out in a towel and past him up the stairs; she grabbed tight jeans and a button down shirt and put it on. She kept it low enough so that her bra showed. She came down the stairs and he was pacing back and forth. She went into the kitchen, grabbed a beer out of the fridge, and walked past him into the bathroom. He grabbed the can out of her hand. It was empty. She laughed, and he followed her into the bathroom, watching as she put on makeup and did her hair.

  ���Does it look okay? Am I showing enough skin? You know, like the bathing suit last night, hey at the bar tonight maybe you could pick out the lucky guy I fuck tonight,��� Tessa laughed. His eyes were hurt and she looked away, ���unless of course you want to fuck me now,��� she took her shirt off and unsnapped her bra. He turned around to walk out and she reached around him and grabbed him and squeezed gently, ���Come on Lucas, don���t turn your back on me, shit in a few months, maybe less I will catch up to your dozen, then will you want me?��� she asked. He pushed her hand away and walked out closing the door behind him. ���It certainly won���t take four fucking years!���

  She walked out to the kitchen and grabbed the keys. He grabbed them out of her hands.

  ���I need to go to work, Lucas. I get to sing tonight.���

  Lucas took her hand and led her to his SUV. She got in, and he buckled her seat belt before walking over to the driver���s side and pulling out of the driveway.

  ���Wrong way, baby,��� she laughed. ���Look at that, we have an hour to kill before we have to be there. Maybe you could drop me off at the pizza shop and I can go fuck Pizza Boy. Someone will want me, Lucas. I have thrown myself at you and you sure don���t want me. But you go and FUCK her. Sorry I can���t live up to idea of fuckable bitches, but I am going to work on that,��� she screamed.

  Luca didn���t look at her. He was hurt and angry, and angry that he was hurt. It killed him that she was acting like this because of him. His head was spinning and he knew there wasn���t a fucking thing he could do about it.

  ���Lucas, where are we going?��� she yelled.

  ���To see your mother,��� he said calmly.

  ���Fuck you. I will jump out,��� she said unbuckling her seat belt. He quickly pulled over and she tried to open the door.

  Lucas slammed it shut and she spit in his face. He slowly wiped his face. She froze. He grabbed her phone and called her mother. Tessa said nothing to Lucas and he said nothing to her. Maggie was there in five minutes.

  ���I���m sorry about this, Mrs. Ross,��� Lucas said fighting the urge to lose it.

  ���You and me both, Lucas. Thank you,��� she said and hugged him.

  Maggie got in the car and drove to her place in silence. Tessa���s grandmother was there with the kids.

  ���Give us a few minutes,��� her Grandmother said ad Kendall and Jake went into the living room.

  She looked at Tessa and asked, ���Have you slept with that boy?���

  ���No Grandma, but I sure did try.���

  ���Shame on you,��� she slapped her across the face.

  Tessa walked into the extra bedroom and shut the door. She laid down and texted Lucas.

  - I fucking hate you!...Tessa

  - I know���L

  - No you don���t but you will���Tessa

  - That���s the plan���L

  - Who the fuck do you think you are?...Tessa.

  She passed out before he could reply.

  * * *

  Lucas went to work. Alex came out back, ���Where is Tessa?���

  ���She���s at your Mom���s.���

  ���Why?���

  ���Not sure?���

  ���Lucas, what���s going on?���

  ���Alex, she was drunk and acting crazy. I know it���s because of the shit I have brought into her life. I didn���t know what else to do. so I tried to take her there. She threatened and tried to jump out of the car. I pulled over and called Maggie. Your aunt thinks Tessa is sick. You decide whether or not to tell your dad. I am taking off for a couple days, going to stay with my dad. Then I need to talk to the judge and convince him I can stay at home. I can���t do this shit to her anymore, Alex. I love her and it���s fucking shattering her.��� Lucas was about ready to break down when Ben walked in.

  ���Hey, where is Tess?���

  ���She didn���t feel well, so Lucas took her to Mom���s,��� Alex said. ���I���ll be out in a minute, okay?��� Alex waited until Ben left the kitchen. ���You sure you can miss school, man?���

  ���I have only missed two and a half days. If you could text me the assignments, I think I���ll be okay,��� Lucas said.

  ���Sure,��� Alex said. ���You know this isn���t your fault, right?���

  Lucas smiled sadly. ���Then whose is it?���

  * * *

  Tessa went home with Jade after church. ���You okay Tessa?���

  ���Nope, but I will be.��� Tessa ran upstairs. Lucas���s bed had not been slept in, and some of his things were gone. She ran downstairs. ���He���s not here.���

  ���Tessa, he went to visit his father,��� Jade said. ���He���s going to stay there for a couple of days, and he���s going to try to talk to the Judge and see if
he can go home. He���s hurting, and more than anything that���s going on, he���s hurting because he hurt you.���

  ���How do you know this?��� Tessa cried.

  ���Tommy talked to him last night,��� Jade said. ���Tessa you need to walk away. This is breaking you.���

  ���If he leaves, I will fall apart, Jade. I love him,��� she cried.

  ���No Tessa, you won���t. You���ll be fine.���

  Tessa grabbed her phone and called Lucas.

  ���Hello,��� he answered immediately.

  She hung up.

  Jade smiled. ���Tessa, you do know about caller ID right?���

  Tessa���s phone rang. ���Hello.��� ���What���s up, Tessa?��� Lucas asked in a clipped tone.

  She began to cry. ���I���m sorry, Lucas. I am so sorry.���

  ���It���s all good, Tessa.��� Lucas���s voice sounded deadly cold.

  ���When will you be back?��� she asked.

  ���In a couple days.���

  ���I want to see you now,��� Tessa said as her voice cracked.

  ���Sorry, Tessa,��� he said.

  ���You hate me?��� she asked.

  ���No, but you told me you hated me, or no, fucking hated me, not too long after you spit in my face,��� he said. She could tell he was livid.

  ���You took me to my mother drunk,��� she snapped.

  ���You were acting like my mother on a bad night,��� he laughed. ���What did you want me to do? Oh that���s right, drop you off to the Pizza Boy so he could fuck you?���

  ���You���re being mean,��� Tessa said softly.

  ���Yep.���

  ���You���re trying to make me hate you,��� she whispered.

  ���It���ll happen anyways.���

  ���You know, I wish I recorded the stuff you said to me when I finally talked to you after two fucking weeks that started this shit again. I was doing fine,��� Tessa yelled.