by K. C. Crowne
It hadn’t even been a day, but that had been far too long.
“Jack, oh Jack,” she whimpered, falling into my arms.
I held her close, kissing the top of her head and savoring the feel of her against me, inhaling her scent and hoping I would never forget this. Praying I wouldn’t have to.
“How’s Owen?” I asked.
“He’s good,” she said. “Exhausted from all the traveling, I’m sure.”
“I bet you all are,” I said quietly. She turned her head to stare up at me, her brown eyes pulling me in. I felt like I could get lost in those eyes forever. “I’m sorry I put you through all this.”
“It’s gonna be okay. Right, Jack? It has to be?”
I wanted to tell her yes, it would be fine. But I wasn’t sure if that was true. I had no idea what to expect now. Everything had gone to shit.
“We’re gonna figure this out.”
She nodded. “I trust you. I trust all of you.”
“Good because I trust my brothers too.”
She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. If it sounded weird for me to say it, it had to sound weird to hear it too. Eventually, I would get used to it.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I didn’t want to concern Cassie, so I said, “I have to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
“It’s right through there,” she said, pointing to the master bathroom connected to the room. I cringed. Too close, I feared, but it would have to do.
As I stepped inside the bathroom, I noticed a large window looking out to a patio. I briefly considered climbing through it and outside, giving me more distance. The patio was connected to the bedroom, however, and I feared Cassie would see me. The curtains had been closed, but still. Not worth the risk.
I hadn’t answered in time, but whoever it was, they were persistent enough to call back. I answered with a good idea who it was before saying anything.
Hank started talking right off the bat. “Jack, I’m gonna make a deal with you. I realize you’re fighting this to keep your family safe, am I right?”
I didn’t answer him. The truth was obvious.
“Well, we both know I only want you. If you hand yourself over, I won’t touch your family. They’ll go free.”
“How can I trust you?” I kept my voice low. Low enough that I prayed Cassie couldn’t hear me. I turned on the sink just in case, hoping the running water would drown out my voice.
“You can’t, really. You’re just gonna have to weigh your options here. I will find you, one way or another,” he assured me. “It’s just a matter of time. I have people everywhere. I am more powerful than you could ever imagine.”
I clenched my jaw tightly, my teeth crushing together.
“I’ll give you time to set up protections for them, but I swear, I only want you. I know you’re not stupid enough to tell them anything - you take on all the risk. Knowing who I am was dangerous, so there’s no way you would tell your loved ones. You were willing to sacrifice yourself before. I’m willing to accept that sacrifice now.”
I didn’t speak.
“I’ll text you a time and place. Be there if you wanna save your family,” Hank said. “And come alone. If you’re not alone, the deal is off.”
The line went dead. I sat down on the toilet seat for a moment, thinking over his words. It might be the only way. I trusted Teddy and my brothers to keep Cassie and Owen safe. It wasn’t just me protecting them.
Cassie knocked on the door. “Is everything okay in there, Jack?”
“Yeah, sorry, just cleaning up,” I said. I turned off the sink and stood up. Before leaving, I took a long look in the mirror.
I knew what I had to do.
I came out of the bathroom to find Cassie nursing Owen. She was sitting on the bed, feeding our son. I cherished that sight for a moment, taking in the sweet smile on Cassie’s face when she looked down on our son. She turned that sweet smile on me, and said, “What are you doing all the way over here? Join us.”
I closed the distance between us, sitting down on the bed beside Cassie. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder. I couldn’t be near her without touching her.
I have to take care of them.
“Cassie, I have some money tucked away at home, in my sock drawer,” I began. “It’s not much, but it’s yours. To take care of you and Owen for a bit, in case.”
“In case what, Jack?” she asked, her face growing serious.
“You know.”
“I thought we were safe here,” she stammered. “I mean, I know it’s not a long-term solution, but you have your brothers and Teddy, and everything will be okay.”
I wanted to believe her, I really did. But she didn’t know Hank the way I did. She didn’t know what we were up against. None of them really did.
I leaned closer and kissed her forehead, letting my lips linger against her soft flesh for longer than necessary before pulling away.
“Just in case, Cassie. I’m just telling you in case something happens. I wanna make sure that you and Owen are taken care of. I want you to stay with my brothers too if anything happens to me. I trust them to look after you when— “
“You mean if,” she interrupted pointedly. “If something were to happen. Not when.”
“Yeah, of course.”
Owen fussed in her arms, “He’s done eating,” she said quietly. “Time for a change. Someone’s stinky.”
“Here, let me do it,” I said, reaching for him.
“You might be the first father in history to be so eager to change a poop-filled diaper,” she said, laughing.
“I have a lot to make up for right now,” I said. And a lot I’m likely to miss too, I thought to myself.
She handed my son to me, and he stared at me with his big eyes. He was so tiny, so fragile, and he depended on me to protect him.
And I knew that my decision had been made.
Cassie
“He’s so small, yet he’s so much bigger than the day you brought him home,” Jack murmured quietly, cradling our sleeping son in his arms.
Owen looked so tiny in his massive arms, pressed against his chest. He was safe against his daddy, and he seemed to know it too.
“He seems to get bigger by the day. Before we know it, he’s gonna be walking and talking and starting kindergarten.” I chuckled. A pained look crossed Jack’s face, causing me to stop. “What’s wrong?” I asked, scooting closer to him. I took his face in my hands and turned it toward me.
“I don’t wanna miss any of that,” Jack said. “Not a moment of it.”
“And you don’t have to,” I said, brushing my lips against his. “You’ll be there every step of the way, Jack. I bet you anything that his first word will be daddy instead of mommy because you’re gonna be such a big part of his life, I can tell.”
Jack swallowed and turned away from me, focusing again on our son. He ran one of his giant fingers across Owen’s forehead, gently playing with the soft tufts of hair on his head. Owen moved in his arms. He was still asleep, but Jack almost jumped up. “I don’t wanna wake him. He’s been up and down so much the last few days, and he needs his rest.”
Jack walked over to the crib he’d helped set up beside the bed, laying him down in it. I followed him and wrapped my arms around his waist as best I could since they weren’t long enough. I just wanted to hold him, to be near him, and never let him go again.
Jack turned around to face me, and my hands fell. Before I knew what was happening, he practically lifted me off the ground and kissed me, nearly stealing my breath away.
“I think I need a shower,” he said, his lips still against mine.
“Mmm, mind if I join you?” I asked.
“I was counting on it,” he said with a chuckle. “Figured you could get to the hard to reach spots on my back.”
I tapped him playfully on the chest. “Oh, is that the only reason?”
“Nah, just one of many,” he teased. “Seeing you naked is near the top of the list.”
“Only near the top, eh? So what’s the number one reason?”
Jack’s lips spread into a devious, delicious smile. He didn’t have to tell me what he wanted. I already knew. My panties were soaked from being near him. I was perpetually horny when he was around. My teenage fantasies had come true, and I found him just as sexy now as I did back then.
Even sexier now that he was mine.
We stripped as quickly as possible and raced for the shower. We got to the bathroom door at the same time, and Jack tapped my ass playfully.
“Lady’s first,” he said.
“I think you just wanna check out my naked ass,” I teased.
“Are you a mind reader? Because that’s exactly my motive right now.”
I sauntered into the bathroom, giving my ass a nice, little wiggle just to tease him. His cock had been hard since the moment he dropped his pants, but when I turned around, I swear it had grown in length and girth. Jack moved toward me, his body against mine. I was pressed against the sink and him, his hardness brushing against my belly. His lips met mine as his hands grabbed at my ass, lifting me off the ground.
“I thought we were taking a shower?” I teased him.
“We’ll get there,” he murmured. “But there’s no rush.”
His mouth moved from my lips down to my neck. He nibbled gently, causing me to gasp in pleasure. I shuddered in his arms. I needed him, every inch of him, more than anything in that moment. My body felt like it might explode with desire.
“Please, Jack,” I groaned as he continued dotting kisses and nibbles along my neck and chest.
“Please what?” he growled against my flesh.
“I need you…”
“You need me to do what?” He pulled away and looked at me, a playful glint in his eyes.
“You know…”
“No, Cassie.” His smile was so seductive. “I want you to tell me exactly what you want me to do with you.” His voice was low and deep, and it brought about a fluttering in my belly.
I whimpered. “I need you inside me,” I said, feeling breathless, and we hadn't even gotten started.
“Your wish is my command, babe,” he said.
Jack sat me down on the bathroom sink as he kicked the bathroom door shut. And I knew at that moment that we weren’t going to make it to the shower.
I wrapped my legs around his body as his cock rubbed against me. He kept slipping and sliding, teasing my pussy with just the tip. His mouth explored my neck, my chest, my face. I couldn’t keep track of where his body began, and mine ended.
“Please,” I whimpered again, my legs tightening around his waist. “Please stop teasing me.”
Jack gently guided his member toward my opening. The tip stayed there, pressed against me, but not entering me.
“I want to cherish every moment,” he whispered against the skin of my neck. “To never forget any of this.”
I didn’t have a chance to ask him what he meant by that. He slid himself inside me, inch by inch, slowly. My nails dug into his flesh as I finally got my wish.
Jack let out a groan as he became sheathed inside of me. His head fell forward, buried in my neck. His breath was warm against my skin, his beard tickling my face.
And he stayed nestled inside me with my body wrapped around him.
Slowly, he started moving. His thrusts were precise and even, each one seeming to go deeper than the last one.
“Yes, yes,” I groaned, throwing my head back.
The first wave of my orgasm hit me by surprise. My back arched, and I lifted my pelvis toward Jack. He thrust into me at just the right time, and my legs quivered as I cried out his name. I’d tried to be so quiet until that point, but I lost all control, unable to keep my voice down.
Jack held onto me, continuing to pump in and out as my orgasm sent wave after wave of pleasure through my body.
As my orgasm subsided, Jack pulled out of me.
“No, please don’t stop,” I begged.
“Oh, I’m not stopping,” he growled. “I’m just getting started.”
He helped me down from the counter, then positioned me so I was facing away from him - looking in the mirror and bent over the sink.
I could see him behind me, towering over me. His cock pressed into me, sliding in easily as if it was always meant to be there. I watched the reflection of his face as he entered me, twisting into a look of pure bliss.
He grabbed my hips, holding me steady as he fucked me from behind. His movements were more desperate than before. Faster. Harder. His thick cock stretched me to my limits. I kept watching his face, savoring the look of pleasure, and knowing that my body was was making him feel that good.
I knew when he was close from the guttural sounds coming from deep within his chest. I clenched my Kegel muscles around him, tightening and releasing, milking him for everything he had. Jack’s fingers dug into my flesh as he slammed himself inside me one last time.
His cock throbbed inside me as he filled me with his seed, pushing me over the edge one more time. I came harder than the first time, grabbing the counter for support as I cried out Jack’s name.
It took a while for our bodies to return to normal. We stayed like that for a few more moments, with Jack nestled inside me.
He slowly slipped out, and I turned to face him. My knees were a little weak, but thankfully he was there to grab me to keep me from falling. He held me in his arms, letting me rest against his chest as he kissed the top of my head.
“I love you, Cassie,” he said. “I know it’s early, but…”
I looked up at him and smiled. “I love you too, Jack.”
We shared a smile before he kissed me again.
“Now we should shower,” he announced. “Are you feeling up to it?”
“Sure, if I can stand, that is,” I laughed.
“I’ll be there to help you.”
He guided me to the shower, which was large enough to fit both of us. It was larger than some people’s entire bathrooms.
As soon as we stepped inside, Jack started the water. The warm water rushed down my skin, and I relaxed into him, letting him hold me under a showerhead that made it feel more like rainfall.
“Here, let me wash you,” he said, grabbing the loofa I’d placed on the hook earlier. He took the body wash and lathered it, then slowly started washing my entire body from head to foot. His fingers moved gently over my more sensitive parts. He massaged my head as he washed my hair. There was no rush; he took his time, letting his bare hands linger on my soapy body.
Then it was his turn, and I told him I wanted to return the favor.
Jack
Cassie’s breathing was even and calm. Her head rested against my chest, and I didn’t want to move - I wanted to stay like this forever. But I had to go.
I gently slid out from underneath her, letting her head rest on my pillow. I stared down at her for a few moments, telling myself it was merely to make sure she was asleep before I left. But really, I didn’t want to stop looking at her.
The moon was full tonight and shining through the curtains of the window, allowing me to see her clearly. Her dark hair fell around her face, making her look even paler than she was normally. She was so beautiful, so peaceful. I wanted to give her the world to make sure she had the life she truly deserved to have. Which was why I knew what I had to do.
I found a notepad in the table next to the bed and scribbled a little something for Cassie. She deserved to know why I was doing this, and I wanted to make sure she knew how much I loved both her and Owen. I left it next to her phone on the end table before kissing her softly on the forehead.
Before slipping out, I stopped by Owen’s crib. Just like his mother, he was sleeping peacefully. I didn’t want to wake him but had to touch him one last time. I took his little hand in mine, amazed at how tiny it was. I felt tears well in my eyes.
I pictured all the milestones I would miss. His first words. Owen pulling himself to his feet the first time. Learning
to ride a bike. First day of school. Last day of school and graduation.
I was doing this so he had those milestones. Even if I missed them, he would get to live. He and Cassie didn’t deserve any of this mess.
It was time I took care of them and to do what had to be done.
My feet felt like lead weights as I walked out of the room. I quietly closed the door behind me as I stepped into the hallway.
No one was stationed outside of our room now, thankfully so. Since I was there, they were in the living room - which wasn’t too far away. Still, I hated leaving Cassie and Owen alone. We were on the fourth floor, so even with a balcony, there was no way anyone could get up to them, but still. So many possibilities flooded my mind.
I had to walk through the living room to get to the door. I was careful with each step I took as I made it down the hallway. Graham was on the couch, having recently been sewn up by Mason. Mason was on the chair closest to him. Elijah was on the floor. I didn’t see Samuel at first. Then I noticed him by the door. Sitting in a chair, and at first, I wasn’t sure if he was awake or asleep - so I stood there waiting for a response from him. Nothing came.
I moved into the room and checked the coffee table for the keys. As expected, they were all laid out with wallets and everything else. I hated doing this, but without having my truck here, I had to use one of theirs.
I grabbed the keys to Graham’s truck, carefully moving them so they didn’t jingle. I palmed them as I moved toward the door, careful not to step on Elijah.
No one could know what was happening. I had to do this alone. It was the only way.
I walked quietly across the floor and prayed the door wouldn’t make much noise as I unlocked it. I wouldn’t be able to close the deadbolt behind me, and that alone caused me to pause. I would only be able to lock the doorknob itself. Would that be enough? I glanced at the room full of men and felt like they were more protection than a lock anyway.
I opened the door slowly. It creaked, and I froze, expecting one of the brothers to notice.