“Come on in, Montana!” she yelled and Montana wiggled from my arms, just as her brother had done seconds before.
“Destiny, I want to talk—” before I could complete my statement the door slammed shut. Just like that, I was shut out again.
Besides text messages she answered with short answers over the past three weeks, I hadn’t heard her voice or seen her. Having to miss time with her was the reason I fired anyone who even appeared to be involved with the sexual harassment scandal going on in my Utah office. I didn’t have a problem paying the settlements. However, their insubordination cost me valuable time with my wife.
“Look, Jacob man, I’m sorry for putting your business out there like that. I didn’t mean to blurt out to Destiny that you slept with Justine. It’s just that when Destiny said you told her that I slept with Justine, I just reacted. I wasn’t in a good place then.”
“At this point, it doesn’t matter who told what. The truth is out and now I have to deal with it,” I said. “Nothing that happened in the past matters to me,” I added, giving him reassurance I held no contempt for him, at all.
“You’re right. I still feel like shit for being the one to break the news. That was your place to do.”
“I had brought her to Atlanta to tell her, hoping that us being where we met would lighten the blow. When she found out from you, I just had to come clean. I never liked keeping it from her in the first place. I just didn’t want to destroy us over something that I didn’t even do with a sound mind,” I admitted.
“I know it may sound odd now, being that I ratted you out, but I don’t have anything to do with it. I can listen to you and advise you, but at the end of the day it’s between you and Destiny,” Montie said, his retracting body language matching his words. He looked back at a beautiful woman sitting in his car and took a step toward the car.
“Is that your new lady in your car?” I asked.
“Yes, her name is Lissa.” Montie gave me the side eye as if he were sizing up my reason for asking about his woman.
“Just asking because she looks a lot like Destiny.”
“I know,” he sighed, “It’s just a coincidence that she’s beautiful like Destiny.”
“Yeah. I could use a drink. How about we have drinks at the bar down the street in about an hour?” I asked. “A drink amongst two men with a lot in common,” I added, reaching my hand out to shake his.
“Bet. Let me take Lissa home and then I’ll meet you there.” Montie shook my hand, got in his car and left.
****
Sitting inside Mundan’s Bar and Grill, I told Montie the details of my ‘encounter’ with Justine, when she tricked me into thinking I was making love to Destiny. We sat one seat down from each other at the bar enjoying wings and premium tap beer.
“I know how cunning that woman is first hand, so I believe you, man,” Montie said and looked at me sincerely.
“Well, pray for me, Montie. Pray that I can get through to Destiny, so she will believe me too. I can’t keep doing the hot and cold thing with her.”
“I’ll pray for you, man. No prob,” Montie said, raising his beer mug to mine and giving it a loud clack. “You’re going to need it with Destiny,” he said and laughed.
“Thanks man,” I said and shook my head as his truth sank in.
We sat and watched the game on the TV for a few minutes in silence.
“Can I tell you something, Jacob?” Montie asked.
“Yeah shoot.”
“Now that my heart isn’t in the line of fire of your relationship with Destiny, I can admit that I understand the love you two have for each other. The same burning desire for Lissa lives in me, which has given me a second chance to get love right. I think you should continue to fight for her. Don’t make the mistake I made of thinking things will work themselves out. The fact that I’m having a beer with you is proof that they won’t,” he confided, crooking his neck to the side to amplify his warning.
“I’m happy that you found someone for you, Montie. I’m already following your advice to the letter,” I said, knowing that I had no intention of leaving my relationship with Destiny up to chance. I would spend every day of my life fighting to make sure she remained mine.
“Ex to ex, I hope I’ll be able to congratulate you two for your second anniversary, soon,” Montie said and took a bite of his wing.
“Now, I’ll drink to that,” I said and tossed the rest of my beer back.
Montie and I sat and talked for a while longer before we parted ways. For the first time since I’d known him, we had a genuine conversation where there was no animosity on either end.
Since I was on a roll with getting my feelings out there with the people who mattered to me, I called my father once I got back to the hotel. I confided in him about Mom and Martha’s tampering with Justine and Rick’s relationship led to her standing at the altar alone.
“They were doing underhanded things to get Rick’s ex-wife to reenter the picture. Justine didn’t even know the woman existed or her children, so it shocked her when she found out. When I found out Mom and Martha could be so vindictive, I had to talk to Mom. How could she think Justine being left at the altar alone wouldn’t permanently damage her in some way?”
“Knowing your mother, Son, she probably didn’t even consider the consequences for Justine. She only sees what she wants at the time,” Dad said. “It’s sad, but it’s true.”
“I’m sure they didn’t expect her to kill him. They had to know it would cut her deep,” I said, and the tiniest bit of empathy for Justine snuck inside of me and simmered as I ruminated our long, lost friendship. “While I was busy working hard at Turner, my friend needed me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. She needed me to protect her from my own mother.”
“Son, don’t blame yourself for anything Tammy had her hand in. You had no way of knowing what was happening. I’m her husband and I didn’t know.”
“I could hardly believe it when Rick’s wife told me about it,” I said, and ran my hand through my hair.
“I stopped being surprised by anything Tammy does a long time ago, Son,” Dad said with disdain for Mom. “She can be downright low down and dirty.”
“I’ve reached the point that I’m just disappointed. From this point on, I’m done with her,” I said feeling like a soulless bastard for disowning my mother. “I will not have anything else to do with Mom. I want her out of my life for good, and I have told her that.”
“As your father, I can’t tell you that’s a good decision to make. After all, she is your mother and you know how I feel about family,” Dad said. I could hear the strain in his voice as he reached for reasons I should keep my bond with Mom.
“We’re all we got,” I repeated one of his favorite lines. “That’s how you feel about family. Yet, just because someone is your blood, it doesn’t make them family.”
“We are family,” he said and paused for a beat. “Your mother and I were raised in a different time and by a different breed of people than I am and you are today. Your mother is not a horrible person at her core, but she has allowed the old ways of the south to take root in her spirit. She used to be carefree and loved all people. Until, the money got to her, along with the views of our less palatable friends and family. Add that to what her parents worked so hard to instill in her from the beginning and you have a good woman turned rotten.”
“I’m not willing to spend a lifetime without the woman I love to live up to her standard. She has shown me on too many occasions that she’s not willing to accept my wife and, without that in mind, there’s nothing left for me to say to her.”
“She’s still your mother, though. We’re only blessed with one.”
“My decision is final. I’m never speaking to her again.”
“While I don’t like what I’m hearing, I understand your outrage over what she has done to Destiny, and poor Justine looks up to her and doesn’t know what hit her. Maybe it’s best that you don’t focus on Tammy for a while,
anyway. Continue to fight for what’s important to you, and that’s getting your wife back and keeping her. That’s more than I did back in the Jim Crow days,” he said.
“Dad, I didn’t cheat on Destiny.”
“I believed you the first time you told me what happened. You don’t have to prove it to me. Prove it to Destiny. I’m already on your side and rooting for you to get the love you deserve,” he said and I could tell that Mrs. Clara was around when he added in a softer tone, “Just like I did.”
“Thanks Dad,” I said.
“Talk to you soon, Son,” Dad said.
Mrs. Clara’s voice buzzed in the background saying “hello.”
“Tell Mrs. Clara, I said hello. Talk to you guys soon.” I smiled, hung up, and the brief elation from talking to Dad faded when it dawned on me that I would be spending another night without Destiny.
Chapter Twelve
Jacob
I Belong to You
A week later…
I pulled up in front of her house and parked. Through the sheer curtains in the living room, I saw a silhouette showing the beautiful statue of my wife with her hand resting on the small bump that was our unborn child. She peaked out and closed the curtains quickly.
She saw me.
A few moments of anxiety rushed over me as I opened my car door and stood inside of it staring up at her two-story home.
The front door opened and Destiny walked out. The wind brushed her wet hair gently away from her shoulders as she strolled to the edge of the porch, her hand still resting protectively over our baby.
My slacks tightened around my groin at the sight of her radiance under the late-night moon. She wore a long, purple robe that covered way too much of her body. A month ago, I came by and we both needed each other. I made love to her, and she immediately threw me out afterwards. Since then, she has shut me out. I came by every day since I arrived from Utah, but she gave me the cold shoulder. I was fed up with missing her. I had enough. I missed too much of her pregnancy, already. I refused to go another day without her. I slammed the door to my car and stalked to her with a mission.
“You should really stop stalking me, before I file for divorce and make it official,” she threatened and folded her arms across her chest to put me at the disadvantage of hugging her.
Standing in front of her on the porch, I said, “I wouldn’t have to go to such extremes, if you would just forgive me and let’s move forward.” I turned her face to look at me. “Divorce is out of the question, okay? I won’t sign for it.”
She turned away from me again. “Jacob, why are you here?”
“Why did you come outside?” The past few times I came over, she ignored me and didn’t answer the door, or asked me to leave as soon as she saw me.
“I don’t know,” she said and ran her hands over her arms to warm them. “I guess I just wanted to let you know that I’m still pissed at you,” she said and tears welled behind her eyes, ripping my heart out of my chest.
“I know baby,” I stepped toward her and she pushed me away.
“No, don’t touch me. That’s not going to help how I feel. You betrayed me!”
“Destiny,” I ignored her protests and pulled her into an embrace.
“Jacob, you slept with her, knowing how badly she treated me. She put me in the hospital, disrespect me at every turn, and you slept with her in our house.”
“I won’t try to make my case about what actually happened. You heard my version, and you’ve chosen not to believe it. So, all I can do is try to get you to understand how much I love you and will never let anything like this happen to us again.”
“Jacob, I want to believe you.”
“Trust me then, baby, and let’s be together and love each other like we vowed to do when we got married.”
Destiny walked to the other end of the porch and stood by a swing. “Our love has driven me crazy from day one. I never understood why you were able to get me to do things no other man has been able to do.”
“That’s because we’re meant to be.” I trailed her and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. I closed my eyes and basked in the feeling of our baby bump in the palms of my hands. “You hold the key to my heart. No one has ever done that, but you.”
She spun in my arms and faced me. “I only want to be with you, but I just feel so—”
“No buts. You are the love of my life, period.” I dipped down and tugged her bottom lip into my mouth before kissing her passionately. Thankfully, she didn’t pull away. “You belong to me, and only me. I belong to you, and only you. From the day I met you, I’ve given all my love to you. That’s what I will do until the day that I die.”
“Oh, Jacob. I miss you, so much,” she said, grabbing the sides of my face and kissing me with so much heat that it felt like my cock would unzip my pants, release itself and ravish her without my assistance.
I led her to the door. In one swoop, I lifted her off her feet and carried her over the threshold, kissing her the entire way to her bedroom. I placed her on the edge of the bed and planted soft kisses on her swollen feet. I removed her robe and kissed her stomach. Seeing my baby inside her drove me wild.
“I want you so bad,” I whispered as my nether region swelled in anticipation of partaking of my wife’s beautiful sex. “I have to taste you,” I said, licking a trail from her stomach to her pretty cunt. I growled into her sweet lips as I flickered my tongue across her sugary bulb.
She moaned and writhed on the bed incessantly. Then, she reached for me and pulled me atop of her. She loosened m belt buckle.
“Take me back, Destiny. I can’t live like this,” I said, as she squirmed beneath me sparking every part of me to life. “I can’t take it anymore,” I said in a low hum.
My pants weren’t even down my legs, when I eagerly pried her thighs apart and mounted her. I thrust into her hot sleeve with soul-reaching strokes.
“Yes! Jacob, it feels so good,” she murmured near my ear followed by huffs and puffs that were so damn sexy.
“I have so much more love to give you, baby,” I said to the queen of my heart. “Take me back and save me, save us.”
I said a silent prayer that Destiny opening her flower for me again meant she was ready to water our love with another chance.
I was in a ravishing mood, but I gently stroked her sweet pussy. Easing out to place lingering, intimate kisses on her southbound lips, I asked, “Am I hurting you or the baby?” I never wanted to do a thing to hurt her, ever again.
“No,” she pulled me back atop of her and guided me into her dripping wet core. Her tongue swiped my lips and she kissed me to heaven.
I stroked her sweet pussy gently.
“I can’t get enough of you, Destiny. Shit,” I whispered, along with other pleas to let me have her forever. I didn’t know how long I’d last inside her ecstasy. Shock waves shot through me each time she sheathed my thick cock into her tight heat. It had been a long month without her and she felt better than ever. Taking a mind of their own, my thrusts grew urgent. I pounded toward release. “I’m trying to be gentle,” I said as I breathed heavily into the crease of her neck.
“Don’t be.”
Two words never sounded so pleasing to my ears. I let go of my restraint and growled as I banged her at breakneck pace. I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.
“You just feel too good, baby,” I said, succumbing to the frenzy of emotions swarming through me.
Loud moans escaped her throat as she responded to my rhythm. I swam in the lovely feeling of being received by the woman of my heart. Every time I gazed at her beautiful face, I had to fight to stay afloat amidst the drowning sensations.
Her hands balled into fists and curled around the sheets. She screamed every time I went balls deep into her cove.
“Destiny, forgive me.”
She thrusted her pelvis into mine, letting me know I was, at least, forgiven for plundering her sweet hole into oblivion.
“I love you, Jacob,” she mur
mured.
“I love you more, Destiny.” It wasn’t a full acceptance of my apology, but precious words I hadn’t heard her sing in that melodic tone in far too long.
My pace slowed to a steady pounding. She raised her ass off the bed, exposing her spot for me to grind into continuously. That was our breaking point.
The pressure in my cock released with a gush of cum coating her delightfully slick walls. At that same time, her pussy muscles contracted and released me at a rapid pace.
“Jacob! I’m coming.”
Animalistic growls reverberated in my chest. Mutters of pleasure slipped through her lips that looked like they are due a kiss. Time seemed to stop as I lay inside of my trembling angel basking in the aftermath of the love we made.
Drained, I lay on top of her lapping at her lips.
“You are my everything, Destiny.”
“I want to get up.” I rolled over and freed her. She wiggled off the bed.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I stood up and wrapped my arms around her waist.
“Jacob, I don’t want to confuse the kids.”
Confuse the kids. Hell, I’m confused.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think you should spend the night.”
“I won’t play the hot and cold game you’re playing. You can’t keep pushing me away like this. We just made love.”
“I’m sorry for that too, just go.”
“No, I’m not leaving you,” I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulled her back into the bed and snuggled up next to her.
She had mixed feelings. Yet, I was determined to prove to her that only one of those feelings were our truth. We belonged together.
Chapter Thirteen
Destiny
“Matt Wilde is going to be the death of me,” Tasha said when I answered the phone for her the next morning at 6:00 a.m.
“He must be since you’re up this early calling me,” I said and then cleared my groggy throat. “It’s too early for this. If it’s not life or death, can you call me after nine?”
Loving Jacob Page 8