Always (Family Justice Book 1)

by Halliday, Suzanne

  “Absolutely I’m up for it, shugah,” she told her. “That’s one cute baby. He was so adorable at his christening—I loved holding him and as you say, getting in some baby snoodles. Just give me a half hour to shower and change and I’ll drive us up to the house. That okay with you, Draegyn?”

  “Hell yeah,” he quickly answered. “Whatever Victoria wants is fine by me.”

  Stephanie didn’t miss the crooked grin he shot his wife or the hushed giggle that floated from Tori’s mouth. Oh, my, my. Those two must have had quite the night.

  “Oh, did you see the cart in the driveway?” he asked her.

  She chortled and shook her head. “You mean the one with the bright pink seat covers and fuzzy yellow peach hanging from the mirror? Yeah, I saw it.”

  “I know, right?” Tori laughed. “Meghan christened it the Georgia Peach-Mobile. She had Gus bring it down here just for you, Mom.”

  Stephanie tsk tsk’d and shook her head. “You people are spoiling me, I must say! First, a private jet, then a suite of rooms more impressive than a luxury hotel, and now a personalized cart. Y’all keep this up my darlings and I may never leave.”

  Was it her imagination or did Draegyn and Tori both appear to be thrilled at her words? She was kidding, of course. Her life was in Atlanta, not here in this beautiful place that was its own little world.

  “Well,” Drae chimed in, “I, for one, hope you stick around a good long time after the baby comes. Seeing how fast Dylan has grown and changed in just two months has been eye-opening.” He reached out and took Victoria’s hand as they both beamed at her. “We want you to be involved, Stephanie. Every step of the way. After all,” he added with a sadness she’d never heard from him before, “you’re going to be this kid's only real grandparent.”

  Damn those St. John’s, she thought. There was nothing that got a person thinking more about family and what that really meant than the impending birth of a child. For all that Draegyn brought to the table—good looks, an impressive bank account, integrity, grit, skill, and a good healthy dose of possessiveness—he was clearly lamenting his lack of an intact family. He had his sister but beyond that had little, if any, contact with his parents.

  Attempting to diffuse the sudden pall of heavy emotion in the room, Stephanie went and leaned over her daughter for a quick kiss then playfully elbowed her rather stoic looking son-in-law. “You know what?” she said as they both looked at her. “I thought that maybe we could try on ‘Mom Mom’ instead of Grandma. Sounds less like a caricature and more like someone who will double down and work overtime to cause mayhem and spoil the bejeebers out of a grandchild.”

  Tori giggled. “Oooooh, I like that! Mom Mom. Yes!” In the next instant, those damn pregnancy hormones rushed in and she saw tears sparkling in her daughter’s eyes. “You’re going to be the most awesome Mom Mom ever,” she sniffled.

  “Yeah, well, right this second this Mom Mom-to-be needs a shower so you hold that thought, daughter, while I make myself presentable.”

  Looking pointedly at Draegyn, she raised her eyebrows a tad and gave him a look that said, Hug now, as she turned toward the elevator hallway. The last thing she saw before turning the corner was her son-in-law dropping to the sofa as he gathered Tori into his arms.

  STEERING THE PEACH-MOBILE ALONG THE road up to the main house, Stephanie kept an eye on Tori, who sat with both hands holding her enormous belly. Dressed comfortably in a long, flowing dress that screamed boho chic with her hair cascading across her shoulders, she looked every inch the pregnant Madonna. When she gleefully started sing-songing the wicked witch tune from the Wizard of Oz, as they zipped along, Stephanie had to laugh, marveling at her daughter’s quirky sense of humor.

  “What’s that on your wrist?” she asked, noting the odd bracelet that looked like a summer camp project.

  “Oh, this?” Tori answered, holding her hand up to display the unusual twists of colored cords. “It’s a friendship bracelet that Draegyn’s niece sent me. Isn’t it adorable?”

  “Well, it’s certainly unusual,” Stephanie replied. “You know,” she added, “it’s kind of weird having all these people suddenly in our lives. It was just you and me for so long, darlin’. I like that Draegyn comes with this enormous extended family. It’s good for you.”

  She heard Tori sigh. “Really, it’s great, Mom. I love being part of a big family. And Draegyn’s sister, Desireé, has been more than welcoming. You’re part of Family Justice now too, y’know. Don’t forget that.”

  “Have you met the sister yet?” she asked.

  “Not in person, no. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and kids. Bad timing, mostly. They were traveling during school vacation—went to Disneyworld in Orlando and also visited her husband’s family. Now that the children are back in school, coming here for a visit isn’t practical. But we computer chat all the time. Desi’s great and the kids are, too. I love being an aunt. It’s way cool.”

  “I bet Desi is excited about becoming an aunt herself.”

  Tori chuckled. “Sheesh! Are you kidding? She’s over the moon. Their parents might suck a bag of dicks, but those two, Draegyn and Desireé, adore each other.”

  “Suck a bag of dicks? Good Lord, Victoria. Such language!”

  Tori’s tummy rippled as laughter shot from her throat. “I know! It only gets worse being here in this testosterone factory. You should hear it when all the brothers get together—it’s like cuss word central. Daddy would be so proud.”

  Stephanie loosed a good-natured snort. “Your father had an advanced degree in vulgarity, I’ll give you that!”

  “I wish he were here,” Tori grumbled. After a minute of silence, she turned and asked, “Do you still miss him, Mom? I mean, you know—does it ever get any easier? Losing the person you thought would always be by your side?”

  Wow. Now there was an inquiry Stephanie hadn’t been expecting.

  “I’ll always miss your father, sweetie. He was an exceptional human being and after all, he gave me you.” She reached out and squeezed one of Tori’s hands. “But life goes on. Right?”

  “I suppose.” More silence ensued and Stephanie couldn’t help but wonder where this line of questioning was coming from. “Just want you to be happy, that’s all.”

  Why Calder Dane’s sexy bod and gorgeous eyes suddenly appeared in her thoughts shook Stephanie up.

  “Um, speaking of family, shugah,” she drawled. “What’s the story with Alex’s uncle?”

  Tori’s head whipped toward her so fast, Stephanie was surprised it didn’t unscrew and fall off.

  “You mean Calder?”

  The house was coming into view so she slowed the cart but kept her eyes straight ahead, not wanting to give away too much with the unusual inquiry.

  “Yeah—Calder. Uncommon name. I ran into him and Alex earlier this morning. At the gym.”

  “Oh, really?” Tori quipped. “Both of them together? Bet that was some sensory overload, huh?”

  “Mmmmm. What’s his story and why is he here?”

  “The four-one-one on why Calder is here is pretty simple. As scary smart as Alex is, well, his uncle is that times ten. Apparently, it was Calder who got Big Daddy interested in engineering and technology. Meghan says he’s some sort of founding member of the Silicone Valley Geek Squad.”

  “Really? Humph. That would make him like what? In his fifties?”

  A hoot of laughter rang out from Tori’s side of the cart. “Why Stephanie Jean Bennett, what in the world is going on in that head of yours? Really? How old is he? What’s next? You want me to pass him a note in study hall?”

  Bringing the cart to a stop in one of the empty spaces in the driveway at the main house, Stephanie shot Tori what she hoped was an inscrutable expression and gave her long blond hair a little flip. “Don’t be such a smartass, young lady. Just fill in the blanks and I’ll handle my own notes, thank you very much.”

  As Tori struggled to get out of the cart, Stephanie bolted to help
, holding her by the arm while she found her feet.

  “Okay then,” her daughter chuckled. “In a nutshell, he’s here because I’m too preggers to handle any work responsibilities and Alex wanted to step back from the day-to-day Justice stuff to focus on Meghan and their wedding. Calder’s basically in charge. Direct and to the point enough for you?”

  Stephanie didn’t respond as they walked to the front door, giving Tori an opportunity to get in the last word.

  “Oh, and he’s got enough money to buy an island plus he’s not married, nor is he gay.”

  Oh, snap.

  “AS MUCH AS I ENJOY lying around with you, my love, we better get moving soon if we’re going to make any effort to show up at the barbecue looking like a civilized couple. We need a shower and some damn clothes, don’t you agree?”

  Meghan wiggled closer to her hunky fiancé’s body and groaned with her face in his shoulder. Yeah, they should get up and get dressed, but there was nothing quite like the aftermath of some hot and heavy lovemaking to render her boneless. Throwing a leg over one of Alex’s hairy thighs, she started thinking seriously about option number two, which was another round of him quite literally pounding the crap out of her.

  “I can read your mind, Meghan, and as much as I’d be willing to let you have your wicked way with me, we’ve got the whole damn family coming tonight. Why don’t you hold that thought, maybe throw a few more logs on the fire.”

  She snorted in amusement and rubbed her fingers through the hair on his chest. “Don’t really need to fuel that fire, Major. It’s burning hot enough as it is.”

  Alex swatted her ass and sat up, drawing her with him. “Okay, okay. Message received. One more time—but this one in the shower. That way we can kill two birds with one stone.”

  Leaping up with a grin, Meghan started skipping toward the shower, crooking her finger at her smirking lover. When he swung his legs off the bed and stood, something fell to the floor, drawing their attention. Swooping down to pick it up, Alex laughed when he grabbed hold of the long hair ribbon he’d taken from her earlier that had ended up wrapped around her wrists.

  Dangling it from one of his fingers, he sighed and told her with a menacing leer, “We need some real restraints, not this last-minute shit.”

  “Well, then you’ll be pleased to know that I just ordered some black satin cuffs. And no, I’m not kidding.”

  “Black satin? Hmmmmm. They better be strong enough, baby, because you pretty much destroyed the lace pair.”

  Meghan blushed and laughed. She had. He’d been teasing her until she’d become so frantic and out of control that she’d quite literally morphed into a female Hulk and torn the flimsy wrist restraints in her haste to get at him. He liked tying her hands just for that reason. Drove her mental. Her unquenchable desire for his body drove her passions, something for which she did not apologize.

  “Well, I don’t care for all that leather and metal bondage stuff. Creeps me out. So I suggest you learn how to tie a better knot,” she growled playfully.

  Pushing her toward the shower with his naked body and a wolfish leer, Alex grabbed a hold of her at last and pulled her wrists behind her back with his hands. Bending his knees, he lowered his head and licked a puckered nipple before drawing it firmly into his mouth. A lightning bolt of lustful desire shot straight to her core.

  Releasing the nipple after suckling her flesh with a strength that made her weak-kneed, he chuckled when she squirmed against him.

  “If I could, you’d be trussed up and helpless twenty-four seven. I enjoy seeing how much it turns you on.”

  Keeping her wrists in the grip of one of his powerful hands, he used the other to trace small circles around both nipples until she was breathing heavily. All of a sudden, his eyes darkened and she saw his jaw clench. He leaned into her and Meghan groaned when she felt his heavy erection pressing against her skin.

  “I fucking love you, Meghan,” he groaned a second before his lips captured hers.

  With her hands behind her back, a breast cupped in one of his warm hands, and his tongue invading her mouth, she whimpered lustfully and answered the call. She was his—in whatever way he needed. Opening up to Alex’s thundering passions had changed her life, and she’d never been happier.

  When he finally released her mouth and wrists, he pushed her into the shower, turned on the water and commanded that she spread her legs, bend over, and put her hands on the shower bench. No foreplay. No teasing. No working up to it. She did as he directed and gasped less than a few seconds later when he stepped behind her, grabbed her hips, and shoved his enormous cock into her with a mighty thrust.

  Water cascaded over their bodies as Alex held her tight while occasionally smacking her quivering ass as he pounded into her. This was what Meghan loved; when he stopped being the gentlemanly, civilized man the world saw and released his inner beast. His passionate grunts ricocheted off the tile walls and danced with her desperate moans as all the while she pushed back into each savage thrust and tried to stay conscious. On more than just a few occasions, the ferocity of their lovemaking had sent Meghan spiraling so high, she should be rewarded with frequent flyer miles.

  Alex growled and commanded her, “Fuck me, baby. Harder.”

  She happily complied, arching lower so her ass canted at just the right angle until she felt his cock fill her so completely she wasn’t sure where he ended and she began. Putting her strong thigh muscles to good use, Meghan slid her feet wider apart and began thrusting her hips aggressively.

  “Oh, dear God,” she whimpered as her mind started to blank. When Alex’s hand slid to where their bodies were joined, she cried out and shook all over. Responding with fervor to his deep strokes, he didn’t need his hands to hold her in place and instead used them to spread her flesh more as he sank inside her throbbing pussy.

  “C’mon baby. Squeeze me tight,” he groaned. Her body instantly contracted around his heated flesh.

  A long, drawn-out moan rumbled up from her core. She needed to come. Crying out his name, she begged, “Alex.”

  “Fuck, Meghan. You make me so hard.” His words sounded hoarse and desperate as he continued stroking in and out. “I could fuck you all night, baby.”

  Fireworks began erupting along her spine, shooting sparks to every nerve ending until Meghan felt the first shuddering contractions of an orgasm building where his cock was buried.

  His fingers moved to her swollen clitoris and started flicking and rubbing the distended nub. A sound, maybe it was her moaning, dragged her senses into overdrive.

  “Come for me, baby. Coat my dick with your sweet cream.”

  Oh shit. There was no holding back after that. She felt his cock sink deep and stay buried as he ground his hips wildly against her ass. Between that and his ruthless manipulation of her clit, Meghan succumbed to the inevitable, shuddering head to toe while whimpering husky and low.

  Stars burst, her body convulsed, a heated gush of wetness poured from her pussy. He let the climax rip her apart then pulled out and slammed home a dozen times until she felt his flesh swell, surge, then release wave after wave as his hot come bathed her insides. It was too much. She started to lose her ability to remain on her feet, but Alex deftly wrapped an arm about her waist and held her quivering body as he released deep inside her with a bellowing grunt of satisfaction.

  Everything got kind of fuzzy after that. It usually did. He disengaged at some point, but Meghan was too spent to notice. When her senses started to return, she was aware that he held her against his huge body as the shower washed away all evidence of what had just transpired. With a gentle touch, Alex lathered her body shoulder to thighs with her favorite bodywash, carefully slipping his soapy hands between her legs. It just didn’t get any better than this.

  Eventually, she regained control of her limbs and required less assistance to keep from slithering to the tile floor in a heap. Turning in his strong embrace, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his beautiful lips.
r />   “I love you,” she murmured.

  His response was to crush her to him and bury his face into her neck. “I love you, too.”

  Several long, drawn-out sighs later, she heard him chuckle then nip her earlobe before growling, “Satisfied?”

  “For now,” she purred—earning her a hearty laugh and a good hard smack on the ass.

  THE GANG WAS ALL IN place by the time Alex and Meghan wandered, hand-in-hand, out to the enclosed patio where cocktails and trays of munchies had been laid out. Actually, Alex amended, not quite everyone. Calder was missing, as was Drae. He wondered briefly where the fuck those two were as shouts of greeting filled the air.

  The minute his well-loved fiancée spied baby Dylan being passed around like a hot potato from female to female, she dropped his hand and got pulled in that direction like metal to a magnet. He couldn’t help the smirk or the way his eyes drank in the sight of his beautiful Meghan swooping in to get her share of baby-loving. Poor Dylan. He wondered what it was like for the infant who was being pressed to one set of boobs after another. No wonder men didn’t stand a chance when they got older where breasts were concerned.

  Catching Cam’s eye, he crooked a half grin and ambled over to where the guys were standing. Grabbing an ice-cold beer along the way, he drank half of it in one slug then chuckled. Nodding toward the women he quipped, “Your son looks happy as a pig in shit.”

  Cam laughed good-naturedly and smirked at him. “As do you, Major.”

  Choosing to ignore the well-placed comment alluding to the obvious fact that he’d just made crazy passionate love to his fiancée, he went with, “Lacey’s a fabulous mother, dude.”

  Hearing the deep rumbling chuckle from the man beside him, it still made Alex marvel whenever Cam smiled and laughed. Finding his true love, marrying her, and starting a family had certainly changed the former brooding loner’s life.