Aiden stared at him a long time before he said anything. “So you’ll be my dad?”
Brayden swallowed hard, determined not to fall on his knees and cry. “If that’s what you want to call me. I’ll be anything you want, but I want to be your family. I want you to have uncles and aunts who love you, and I want you to be okay with the fact that I love your mom.”
“I don’t know.” He shifted from foot to foot, but looked a bit more relaxed.
“Aiden, I don’t know the complete story of what your dad did. I know some of it, but I know there’s more out there. If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”
Aiden sniffed again. “Is it bad that I’m happy he’s gone?”
Brayden scratched his chin. “No. Some people might say differently, but in my opinion, if a man could do what he did, then you can be glad he’s not in your life anymore. And I’m not Greg, Aid. I’ll take care of you, and I won’t hit you. I might get mad a couple times if we don’t see eye to eye or if you’re mean to your mom, but I’ll never take my anger out on you. I know you can’t believe me on my word alone since you’ve had trust broken by another, but I’m determined to show you that you can trust me. Okay?”
“You really love my mom?”
A little seed of hope filled him. “With everything I am. Though I love you three just as much—just a bit differently.”
Aiden smiled, and Brayden felt as though he’d won every contest and game out there.
“You’ll take care of her, right? Because I try, but sometimes she still thinks I’m a little kid and won’t let me help.”
Damn, he was about to melt into a puddle of gooey cheesiness right there and love this kid more than anything.
“So are we okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. When are you going to marry Mom?”
Brayden chuckled. “When she lets me. But if I have your blessing, I think that’ll help matters.”
Aiden bit his lip and looked like he was thinking hard before he smiled. “Okay. Just as long as you get flowers. She likes those.”
“Right, thanks for the advice, kid.”
Brayden threw his arm over Aiden’s shoulders, pleased he didn’t flinch like he had in the past few weeks, and walked back to the house where Allison stood on the porch, her arms wrapped around herself and her teeth nibbling on her lip.
“Is everything okay, boys?”
Brayden looked down at Aiden and nodded. “Sure is.”
Allison didn’t look convinced so he reached out and pulled her to him, letting his lips brush hers.
“Love you,” he whispered.
Allison pulled back, wide eyed, then looked down at Aiden, who was smiling. “Love you too.”
Hell, yeah, Brayden thought. One step closer to that family he wanted.
He wrapped his other arm around her waist and led them back into the house. He and Aiden took off their borrowed jackets, and Brayden let the warmth of the room seep into him. Though it was already mid-March, the weather hadn’t warmed up enough for his tastes. Montana liked its cold and sometimes refused to let go until well into the summer.
“Food’s ready,” Justin said as he popped his head into the living room. “And it’s delicious if I do say so myself.”
Brayden rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and how much of that chicken did you swipe before you put it on the table?”
Justin gaped. “Who me? Like I’d ever steal food before people got a chance to taste it.”
“Then how did you know it was delicious?” Cameron asked as he ran up to Justin.
Brayden snorted. “Yeah, Justin, how?”
Justin narrowed his eyes then shook his head. “Oh, I see how it is. You get your kids to gang up on me.”
When he left the room, Brayden let that settle on him. His kids. Damn, he liked the sound of that. He looked down at Allison and smiled at the confusion on her face. Oh, she was outnumbered now, and for some reason, he liked it. He just had to make sure she knew he wasn’t leaving her life, no matter what happened.
They all sat around the table, much more crowded than it used to be. Everyone but Jackson had a woman with them, and Brayden had brought three kids to the table. They’d all grown these past few months, though he knew changes were still coming.
As they were about to eat, the phone rang, and Jackson tensed. Brayden looked at his eldest brother like he was crazy. He knew Jacks didn’t like interruptions, but the tension on his face didn’t look like annoyance. No, he looked scared.
Matt sat the closest so he stood up and answered. “Hello?”
Matt frowned, and Brayden got a bad feeling.
“No, you can’t talk to them. No, I don’t think so.”
Brayden stood quickly as Allison turned to him, her eyes wide. He ran a hand down her neck and reached Matt’s side, as whoever was on the line apparently hung up on him.
“Who was it?” Brayden demanded.
Matt clenched his jaw and looked over Brayden’s shoulder. “We’ll talk about it later.”
“Kids, can you go upstairs and play with my new Xbox for a bit?” Jackson asked.
Aiden, Cameron, and Lacy looked toward Allison, who gave a small nod. They left the room, though it was clear from their faces that they wanted to stay.
“Was it Greg’s parents?” Allison asked.
Matt nodded. “They just called to threaten us saying they’d find a way to get the children. Nothing we didn’t already know. I know I should have probably given you the phone, but I didn’t want you to have to deal with them in front of your children.”
Allison nodded, and Brayden walked back to grip her hand.
“We’ll deal with this, Ally.”
She shook her head. “When will it stop? We can’t just keep hiding and trying to make things better. We’re all scared, and this is ridiculous.”
Brayden knelt and framed her face. “We’re not going to let them win, Ally. They’re just saying words. I know they have magic and can make us do things, but the kids can see through it, and I’m pretty sure my luck can help us. Me and my brothers can fight off their magic for some reason. Yes, they can do things physically and mentally to others, but we can fight them, baby.”
“Your luck? What has it helped so far?” She narrowed her eyes at him but it didn’t mask the fear.
Brayden let her lash out at him. She didn’t have anyone else to focus her anger on, and she needed to let go.
“It helped us find Aiden and then Lacy; I know it did.”
She let out a breath. “I know, Bray. I’m sorry.”
He kissed her softly, aware his brothers and the girls were watching. “Yell at me all you want. I’m not letting you or the kids get hurt.”
“What I don’t understand is why the cops can’t get involved,” Justin finally said.
Tyler shook his head. “We can get the verbal threats on record, but it won’t do anything. They haven’t done anything else wrong.” He held up his hand as Brayden and Allison opened their mouths to object. “No, they haven’t. At least nothing we can prove. And, because we had to avoid discussing magic, David’s part in all of this isn’t even clear. Yeah, it sucks, but there’s nothing we can do but make sure we keep watch.”
“But we can’t do it twenty-four hours a day,” Allison said as she leaned into Brayden.
He kissed her temple and rubbed her back. “We’ll find a way.”
“This sucks,” Jordan said, and the rest of the people around the table let out small chuckles.
“Pretty much,” Allison agreed. “I’m going to have to take them somewhere else, somewhere we can hide.”
Pain hit him hard, his breath quickening. “No, that won’t help anything,” he said once he caught his breath.
Allison looked at him through tear filled eyes. “I know.”
Aiden, Cameron, and Lacy came down soon after, and everyone ate a subdued dinner. Not even Justin and Matt’s jokes could keep the conversation rolling.
Why couldn’t he fix this for them? What
was the point of being gifted with luck if he couldn’t help the ones he loved?
He could make money in any investment, find a lucky penny, miss a step but not fall, make a rainbow to watch Lacy smile, but he couldn’t keep the demons away.
Gnomes had a magic that could blind a person from what was really happening, they could also control and paralyze them, and he had nothing to fight that. He could keep up with security and pray his luck would hold, but would it be enough?
He didn’t know how far his Cooper blood would hold, but he wouldn’t tell Allison that. No, he needed to keep her safe and he knew she already had the same thoughts as he did.
He wasn’t sure Allison thought it was. No, he was sure she didn’t. He had a feeling she might run and take them with her, leaving him all alone with just his coin and memories that wouldn’t fade.
Jesus, these gnomes wanted her—no, their—children, and there wasn’t anything he could do.
The law was on their side, but that didn’t matter to people like the Malones. At least the Malones that were full gnome.
Soon it was time to leave, and he didn’t want to let Allison go back to her place—back to her old life. He wouldn’t let that happen.
“Hey, guys, we’re going to take the kids to our place,” Jordan said as she wrapped an arm around Cameron’s shoulder.
Allison shook her head. “No, I can’t impose. Plus I don’t want them out of my sight.”
Jordan snapped her fingers, and a ball of light sparked from her fingertips. “See this? Well, that’s just a taste of my power. When I get going, I can create fire, wind, and use any of the other elements.”
“What about the gnomes power?” Allison asked.
Rina shook her head. “The only ones that can protect themselves one hundred percent are the kids themselves because they are gnomes too. But we’re all a little bit magic.” She glanced at Jackson, Matt, and Allison. “Well, most of us. That gives us some immunity. And, frankly, the way you talked Brayden about what happened at the caves, I’m thinking with all the powers being granted to you guys recently, I’m thinking you’re immune.”
Brayden sat back and thought about it. “I barely felt the magic wash over me. I don’t think it was because of my coin either because it didn’t heat up. It must be because we’re Coopers. After all, we’ve stood through so much together as it is.”
His brothers grunted in approval.
“Great, I’m the only one who can’t help,” Allison grumbled.
He kissed her brow. “You’re their mom. You’re everything to them. Don’t forget that.”
Jordan cleared her throat and continued. “I’m not going to let anything happen to them. I think you and Bray need some time to talk. Plus, Matt and I want to practice our skills with kids.” She blushed, and Matt came up from behind her, Lacy in his arms, and kissed her cheek.
“Yeah, and why not practice on already made kids?” He laughed then tickled Lacy, who giggled.
Allison shifted from foot to foot before nodding, hugging them goodbye, and telling them to be good. Relief filled Brayden at the thought of being alone with her. They needed time with just the two of them, and Matt and Jordan had given them the opportunity. From the look on Matt’s face, Brayden knew that there’d be payback in the future. No issue there since he owed his family more than he could ever hope to repay after all they’d done to protect his new family.
By the time they made it back to his house, Allison looked as though she wanted to turn right around and get her babies.
“Ally, it will be okay.”
She smiled and took off her jacket. “Don’t get me wrong, I trust Matt and Jordan. I mean, I wouldn’t allow this if I didn’t. But that doesn’t mean I’m not worried. I don’t know what Greg’s parents are going to do.”
He stepped toward her and framed her face. “Well, there’s nothing they can do right now. Tyler’s keeping an eye on them as best as he can from here using his contacts in their police force, and they can’t legally do anything at all. I know they can try, but we’re not going to let them.”
“I just hate waiting for something bad to happen.”
“Then don’t wait. Live.”
He kissed her softly at first then harder as she moaned into him. She tasted of warmth and him, her tongue dancing with his, her breath coming in ragged pants.
Brayden pulled back, his breath equally as hard. “I love you, Ally. I know we’re just starting out together, but I’ve always loved you. I don’t want you to leave my home, not now, not ever. No, don’t say anything. Just let me love you, touch you, please you. We can talk later, but right now, I need to feel you around me in every way possible.”
He knew he wasn’t being fair by not letting her say what might be on her mind, but he didn’t care. He needed her more than anything, and, fuck, she looked sexy with her lips all swollen from his kisses, her eyes wide and dark for him.
Allison only nodded, and he took that as the yes he needed before crushing his mouth to hers, kissing her for all they were worth and more. He walked them back to the kitchen bar and lifted her up with a squeal of protest escaping from her lips.
He stripped her quickly, tearing at her clothes as she lifted his shirt over his head. He toed off his shoes then shucked his pants right along with his boxer briefs. He knew they were in his kitchen, bare-assed naked, but he didn’t care. He wanted to quench his hunger, and this seemed like the perfect place to do it.
“Brayden, stop, I want to taste you. You promised.”
He smiled and kissed her, running his hands down her sides, cupping her breasts, her nipples hardening against his palms.
“If that’s what you want.”
She snorted and wiggled off the counter, sinking to her knees. “Yeah, like you’re going to turn down a blow job.”
“I think I like it when you talk dirty.”
She raised a brow. “Really?” She gripped his cock and squeezed. He closed his eyes on a moan. “So you like when I say I want to swallow your cock?”
“Fuck yeah.”
“You know I’ve only talked dirty to you.”
He opened his eyes and looked down. “Damn straight. And I’m going to be the only man you ever talk dirty to.”
She didn’t say anything but licked up his cock, forcing him to tangle his fingers in her long, auburn hair for control.
He held her loosely as she teased the head then swallowed him. She couldn’t fit all of him into her mouth, but what she couldn’t fit she rubbed with her hand. Fuck, she was damn good at this. He tightened the grip on her hair, and she gasped around his cock. He watched as her free hand drifted down to rub her clit.
“Jesus, that’s hot. Rub yourself, baby while I fuck this pretty mouth.” He held her still in his grip, and he thrust his dick between her swollen lips. He kept up a rapid pace before his balls tightened and his cock throbbed, ready to explode.
“I’m going to come down that throat, and you’re going to swallow it all. Okay?”
She nodded around him, her hand working vigorously on her pussy. He knew she was as close as he was to coming he came, his cum filling her mouth and running down her throat. He watched as her pupils dilated, and a blush rose on her cheeks and her breasts as she came.
Brayden pulled out of her mouth, his seed dripping down her chin. Her little pink tongue darted out to catch the last drops.
“That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
She smiled as he pulled her up to sit on the counter again.
“How are you still hard?” she finally said, her chest heaving with arousal.
He rolled her nipples in his hands, pleased when she gasped as he tweaked them harder than usual.
“Because you’re fucking hot. And mine. I’m going to fuck you hard here then take you to the bedroom and eat you until you scream my name. How does that sound?”
“Like I can’t wait.”
The head of his dick probed her entrance, and he cursed. “I need to get a condom.�
��
She reached down and gripped him. “We’re both clean, and it will be hard for me to conceive.” A shadow passed over her eyes, and he tried to kiss it away.
“And if we make a baby?” he asked, his body still as he waited for her response. Her next words could cement his future.
“Then we do.”
“I’ll take care of you. Of all of you. No matter what.”
“I trust you.”
He entered her slowly, not as hard as he’d promised. The idea of a future, her round with his child, her smiling as he loved her filled him, causing him to want to make this slow and special. There would be time for hard later.
They made love at a pace that worked for them, their gazes never wavering as they both came again, their bodies sweaty, sated.
Brayden loved this woman with everything he had, and he knew now that there was a future for them. She trusted him, something that he knew was hard for her.
This was his family, and he’d do anything to protect it.
Chapter 10
Allison wiped down the counter one last time and surveyed the empty diner. Her body ached from the night before when Brayden had loved her in so many delicious ways. She still couldn’t believe she’d gone down on him right in the kitchen. She had spent the morning scrubbing that place clean, though she knew she’d be blushing during meals for a long time.
The thought of him put her in a frenzy, and she lost all control and inhibitions with him. She trusted him with her body, her heart, and her family—something she didn’t think would ever be possible. There was no doubt in her mind that Brayden was the right man for her, and now she was just starting to feel more confident in thinking that they had a future.
She’d been scared when she saw him and Aiden walk out together to talk. Her oldest son had made it clear just with his expressions that he hadn’t been completely on board with her new relationship. Not that she blamed him, considering all he’d seen as a child with Greg.
Her Lucky Love Page 12