Always (Family Justice Book 1)

by Halliday, Suzanne

  “That’s so beautiful, honey,” Draegyn grunted. “So fucking beautiful.”

  The wonder in his voice clawed at her already raw emotions. “Draegyn. Oh God. Please, please. I need you inside me.” She was desperate. Something was driving her. Something that would not be denied.

  “Baby, no. I’ll hurt you.”

  The regret in his tone sealed it. There was no way she’d let him think that loving her would ever cause any hurt.

  She rolled and let her belly pull her down onto her side—quickly moving her thigh over his, Tori forced the issue by digging her nails into his flesh until she was writhing against him.

  Pressing feverish, desperate kisses wherever her mouth landed, Tori’s hand roamed—squeezing, stroking, caressing.

  “Make love to me. Now. Please.”

  He couldn’t stop what was about to happen. She knew he’d lose this particular battle when she felt his body shudder as she writhed in orgasmic pleasure. He knew there was no way she was taking no for an answer.

  Groaning deeply, he surrendered. Triumphant, she shimmied her ass and felt his thick cock sliding through her dampness. Taking all of him was probably not going to happen but from this position and with her belly as a buffer, he could penetrate her partially, enough to satisfy the desperate aching throb in her core.

  When he slid home, they both groaned aloud. He was hard as stone, which ramped up her excitement.

  “Oh, fuck,” he grunted. “Victoria.” Holding her ass to aid their movements, she rocked her hips and took him deeper with each stroke.

  She must be super sensitive because she started to come apart almost immediately. Something about the angle and his heavy erection hit a spot inside her that caused an immediate melting down.

  “Draegyn,” she whimpered.

  “Aw shit. Your pussy is on fire,” he growled. “Can you come again?”

  Every muscle in her body violently contracted. It was like whipcords releasing one by one. He started thrusting harder, carefully, but with fierce intent.

  “Oh, baby. Yes. I need you,” she moaned.

  She heard him grunting—the sound filling her with pleasure. “Victoria,” he cried.

  It was like falling down the rabbit hole. She was tumbling in a freefall of blinding ecstasy. Draegyn stiffened, became rigid, growled—then shuddered violently as her pussy savagely milked his cock. Luxuriating in each pulse, every throb heightened Tori’s fulfillment.

  They each shuddered and shook, moaned and gasped for breath. In this, as in everything else, they were as one. It was another occasion, much like this one, when their volcanic passion led to the baby her body was nurturing.

  Trying for a throaty purr, her voice, hoarse from passion sounded more like a growl. “I love you,” she told him.

  Draegyn was still trembling, his hands roaming freely over her skin. It felt greedy and possessive—just what Tori needed.

  Carefully pulling free of her body, he rearranged her pregnant form and gathered her close.

  When he spoke, Draegyn sounded anguished and vehement. There was a finality to what he said. “I can’t be away from you, Victoria.”

  She was listening carefully. Her husband wasn’t saying that he didn’t want to be away from her—like voicing a regret that you had no control over. By boldly declaring that he couldn’t…well, her emotions exploded.

  Tori tilted her head to look into his beautiful, handsome face. He sounded and looked so serious. She’d known something was up. When a low light shining in the shadows hit his profile, she saw tears shimmering around the edges of his eyes. Oh my.

  Draegyn tucked her close to him, with her face resting on his shoulder and his head resting atop hers. As he spoke, she couldn’t read his expression, but she did experience every word in a completely different way—each syllable rumbling up from his chest. In Tori’s fanciful mind, she imagined them as coming from his heart.

  “You’re so much more than a wife, honey. You’re…” he slowed like he was searching for a word. “Everything. You’re everything—and I don’t want to make decisions that haven’t been discussed between us.”

  Oh, good God. What had he done? Or more likely, what in the hell was on his mind?

  “I’m thinking…well, actually Cam and I were both thinking that maybe it’s time to back off working in the field so much. Start grooming some of the B Team to step up and take assignments.”

  He didn’t say anything else. Clearly, the thought was in its infancy. Tori was blindsided by what he’d told her; that he couldn’t be away from her and was considering backing off from what was essentially active duty. Wow-chicka-wow-wow.

  After a long silence, she let out the breath she’d been holding and asked, “Have you talked to Dad about this?”

  Draegyn was rubbing small circles on her tummy where the bump lay between them. The warmth of their post-lovemaking cocoon and the gentleness of his touch soothed Tori’s fears.

  “I will. We’re going to set up a team meeting. Cam wants to talk it over with Lacey before we present to Alex.”

  She thought about all she knew and carefully considered what to say next. Imagining Draegyn St. John chained to a desk rather than jetting around the world, kicking ass and taking names, made her anxious. Tori didn’t want him to change because of her. Or the baby. That sort of shit never worked out.

  “Is this because you got hurt? Are you trying to cotton wool me—because it’s not necessary.” Sometimes she hated when everyone treated her like she needed to be protected from sharp edges. Being little didn’t mean she was a wimp.

  He kissed her forehead. “No. Not really. And no as well to the cotton wool statement. While I’ll always want to protect you from anything that might even remotely cause you to be upset or in pain, I know that’s not gonna happen. No, babe. This is about me. Every time we’re apart, I’m a fucking mess. All I think about is you, Victoria.”

  Bunny Cha Cha chose that moment to kangaroo kick her daddy with a thunderous punch that made Tori wince. Seemed the whole family wanted to weigh in.

  “Holy shit, honey. Did that hurt? I mean, what the fucking fuck?” Draegyn lurched from their comfortable snuggle and all but jumped off the damn bed he was so startled by the baby’s movement.

  She sighed and rolled her eyes. Men. She’d been a damn punching bag for the last few months. Tori seriously doubted that her hunky secret agent with all his manly-man traits could have survived her first trimester.

  She lurched, grabbing Draegyn’s hand with a grunt when her belly got in the way. “Sit back down.”

  “Seriously, wife, that felt like one helluva kick. Is that shit normal?”

  Normal? Whatever. There was no normal when you were pregnant.

  “One thing at a time. Let’s roll it back a tad to the you’re a fucking mess and thinking about talking to Alex. I don’t want you to do anything rash. Draegyn, I mean it!” she bit out when he avoided her eyes.

  It was a measure of the man he was when, sliding gracefully to his knees at her feet where she sat with her legs dangling off the side of the bed, he took both her hands in his and leaned forward to press a kiss on her bump beneath the pink nightie.

  Looking up at her, he said, “All I think about is you when we’re apart. I wonder what you’re doing. If you miss me, too. And yes, I’m as shocked to say that as you are to hear it. But here’s the bottom line, Mrs. St. John. Our lives have changed. We’re married with a kid on the way. Things can’t and shouldn’t stay the same. My head’s not in the game anymore, sweetheart. It’s time to make some changes. Decide what kind of future we’re building.”

  The way he looked at her, the fact that he was on his knees, and how safe and right she felt as he tugged on her hands—all those things made an impact. Their lives were changing. He was right.

  “TORI! I LOVE THE WAY you’re swirling the deviled egg filling. I never would have thought of using a pastry bag with a fancy tip.”

  Meghan was bustling like a crazy woman about h
er enormous kitchen, supervising Lacey, Tori, and Stephanie as they put the finishing touches on the preparations for tomorrow’s big feast. Her nerves were starting to show and not because it was Thanksgiving and she’d be playing hostess. Nope. Right now, she was obsessing over the little surprise Alex was planning and hoping she could keep her poker face on all day. It had almost slipped earlier when Tori asked about Betty and Carmen and she’d briefly caught Lacey’s eye.

  Keeping secrets was really tough when you weren’t sure who knew what. I mean, after all, she’d just been brought into the loop one day earlier so in a way, she was one of those kept in the dark until a need-to-know moment occurred.

  “Mmmm,” Tori murmured as she concentrated on squishing the filling into each egg half. “Saw it in a magazine at the doctor’s office.”

  “Well, they look fantastic. And I love the chive pieces for decoration.”

  “Oh shit,” Tori laughed. “Wait till you see them tomorrow. On the plain bunch, I’ll sprinkle some black Hawaiian sea salt right before we put them out.”

  “Settle down, Martha,” Lacey drawled. “Next thing we know, you’ll be stenciling the driveway. That baby better get here soon! Don’t know how much more we can take of you and your crazy crafting.”

  Soft laughter ensued. Meghan loved her girls. Victoria and Lacey had been fantastic from day one—the family of women they made was just as meaningful and tenacious as the Justice Brothers. And Stephanie, too. She’d fit in so effortlessly—straddling the group of wives and the small cadre of females who supported the agency.

  “Hey, guess what,” Meghan chirped. “I think Brody plans to stick around until Baby St. John comes. He’s been talking to the Major about it.”

  She saw Tori’s face light up at the news. Everyone loved Brody. He was the silent junior partner in all things Justice. And he’d been the surprise go-to guy after Dylan was born, knowing more about babies and practical stuff than the rest of them put together. He’d even kept Cam from flying off the handle with frustration—something that had been comedy gold—when the man couldn’t immediately figure out the technique for snapping the baby’s seat in and out of the car.

  “How is it that a good-looking guy like Brody, who has obvious skills with both children and animals, is single? Stephanie queried. “What’s his story?”

  Swiping a microfiber cloth absently across a marble countertop, Meghan smirked at the question. She remembered Alex’s red-hot jealousy where the handsome dog-whisperer was concerned. She and Brody had become fast friends, much to the Major’s chagrin, although now that she and Alex were engaged, he’d stepped back off the ledge—somewhat.

  “Where does he go when he takes off, Meghan? Cameron obviously knows, but I’d feel weird asking him questions about another man,” Lacey admitted.

  Meghan only knew part of the guy’s story and far as she could tell, the part she was privy to was hardly a secret. “He’s an East Coast boy. Don’t know about family or any of that, but I do know he teaches half a year at a community college. Maryland, I think.”

  “A teacher? Really?” Stephanie asked incredulous. She appeared to consider this piece of news for a moment, and then shrugged a laugh. “I can see it. The way he handles those canines—probably a lot like dealing with college kids.”

  “Well, I don’t care what he gets up to when he’s not here,” Tori quipped. “I’m just glad he wants to stick around until the baby comes. Will give Draegyn more time to work on him—convince Brody to stay in Arizona full-time.”

  “Oh, my goodness,” Lacey stammered. “Is that a thing? For real?”

  Meghan answered Lacey’s shocked question. “Yep. A thing. Alex is making all sorts of noises about bringing him in.”

  “I wonder if Cameron knows this,” Lacey mused aloud. “He’s been awfully down about Brody taking off. Dylan absolutely loves the man.”

  Stephanie grabbed a mug of coffee and went to sit closer to Lacey, who was making a huge tray of pilgrim hat treats with mini peanut butter cups and chocolate cookies.

  “It must have been hard for you two after Dylan was born. Meghan says you didn’t have any help at all. Aren’t you exhausted?”

  Lacey cracked up laughing—as did Tori, who rolled her eyes at Meghan. “My mom thinks I’m helpless,” she teased.

  “You know, Stephanie. That’s a good question and a great observation,” Lacey said. “But you guys all have families. People who will drop whatever they’re doing to lend a hand. Be back-up.” She smiled at Stephanie. “But Cameron and I—well, we have a different back story. It’s just us…together. We wanted to do it alone, I think it’s part of the journey we had to take in order to really become a family.”

  After a second’s thought, she added with a self-deprecating smirk, “And let’s face it, we had more than enough support. I mean, jeez you guys! Everyone. Carmen, Ria—there is always someone to turn to for picking up groceries and stuff like that so it’s not even like we were alone-alone.”

  Stephanie reached out and squeezed Lacey’s hand. “You’ve been very brave, dear. Cameron, too. And your boy is just so damn sweet.”

  “Thanks, but brave? Nah. Crazy maybe,” she giggled. “The only reason I’m not falling down exhausted is because Cameron has been by my side, day and night, through all of it. He’s like a sponge. Every experience, each daily chore—whether it’s emptying the dishwasher, laundering piles of baby clothes, or bringing me some tea while the baby’s nursing—he wants to experience it all. I feel blessed and lucky. This is one time where we get to define what family means. To us. Having a blank slate in that area makes everything special.”

  “I wonder if Draegyn will be that way,” Tori murmured. “After all, he doesn’t have a fucking clue what being part of a family means.”

  Meghan looked at her, surprised. They rarely spoke of Drae’s background. Choosing her reply carefully, she asked, “But what about his sister? I know his parents are shitheads but doesn’t he have a close relationship with her?”

  “Desi? Yeah. She’s great. We talk to her every week. I think seeing his sister break away and find a life with a great husband and a couple of fantastic kids was important for Draegyn. Meant he wasn’t totally closed off to the idea of marriage and a future.”

  “The St. Johns were less than thrilled to learn their golden boy was married, huh?” Lacey commented.

  Pushing the plate of finished eggs away, Tori wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and grimaced. “Oh, Jesus. They were a nightmare. Draegyn barely speaks to them, so I don’t think I even know how they found out—but once they did, holy shitballz.” Meghan saw her shudder slightly. “His mother is an ice-cold cunt.” She looked to her mom, made an apologetic face, and whispered, “Sorry.” Stephanie’s amused smirk said it all. Tori’s mouth knew no limits. “And his father. Well, that asshole is king of the dirt bags if you ask me. All he ever wants to know is when Draegyn is going to, in his words, grow up—and take over the family business.”

  “What is the family business?” Lacey asked.

  “Money,” Tori replied drily. “The family business is money. Make it, take it.”

  Meghan barked out a mocking laugh. “Doesn’t he know? About the goddamn fortune the agency has made.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Tori quipped. “That’s…” she coughed, “and I quote—work. Work is beneath his parents. They’re all about business. You know—the type of business that speculates with other people’s hard-earned money to line one’s pockets with even more money.”

  Meghan muttered under her breath. “Yeah. Isn’t that what drove the economy into the shitter?”

  “Bingo,” Stephanie interjected. “I, for one, am glad Draegyn isn’t a trust fund kid. It’s hard not to admire the way he’s conducted himself as a man. First, on the battlefield because the truth of the matter is that he came from a class that rarely if ever opts for the military. And second, this almost surreal world these guys have created out here in the desert. I speak as one who has had business
dealings with the Justice Agency, and let me tell you, ladies, nobody does it better.”

  Tori leaned back in her seat and groaned, pressing her hands onto her belly. “You alright, sweetie?” Meghan asked with concern. “You just lost most of your color and that groan didn’t sound good.”

  Lacey and Stephanie hurried to Tori’s side. “Shugah, darlin’,” her mother drawled. “What’s happening?”

  A growing feeling of unease threaded its way along Meghan’s nerves. Tori had seemed a little off but wasn’t that to be expected so late in a difficult pregnancy?

  Hastily grabbing a bottle of chilled water, she uncapped it and pushed it into Tori’s trembling hand.

  “Oh gosh,” she muttered before taking a small sip of the water. “I don’t know what that was. All of a sudden, it was like everything inside shifted and I got lightheaded. That’s normal, right?” she asked with a worried frown.

  Stephanie had her arm wrapped around Tori and was murmuring to her in soothing tones. Meghan and Lacey’s eyes met. What in the hell was going on? Was this normal?

  Lacey shrugged her ignorance with an embarrassed grimace. Except for a few minor morning sickness moments, the lucky woman had enjoyed a textbook perfect pregnancy. It had been all hearts and flowers from the start for Cameron and his Ponytail. Meghan sighed. Lacey’s recent rhapsodic birth experience was nothing compared to Victoria’s difficult trek to motherhood.

  “I’m fine now, guys, really,” Tori murmured in a hushed voice.

  “Well, let’s get you off this chair, shugah, and onto the sofa where you can put your feet up,” Stephanie directed in a non-nonsense voice with nods at her and Lacey.

  Springing into action, they worked as a team to get poor Tori comfortably settled on the big recliner in the family room. Thank God her color had come back because watching the little woman go ashen right in front of her eyes had shaken Meghan. Something was off. But something being off in any given moment was not the same as something actually being wrong.

  Best to keep things lighthearted and casual. She was looking much better, laughing at her mom’s fussing, and picking at a bowl of fruit. Lacey was busy navigating the five kajillion channels on their entertainment system, finally settling on a Sex and the City marathon. Perfect. Mindless. Great conversation starters.