With that, Mac pulled BJ into a bear hug, slapping him on the back heartily. BJ looked over at his father who gave him a wink. He then walked over to his dad who embraced him as well.
“Proud of you son,” Bill said. “Real proud.”
Helen, BJ’s grandmother, came over to hug him as well, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. “You and that little girl over there have been destined for each other since you were born. Glad to see that the stars have once again aligned and you found happiness.”
“She sees things you know?” came the wizened voice of his grandfather, Roger, who was smiling behind his wife. “She knew you two would get together. Never lost faith.”
BJ laughed as he shook his grandfather’s hand, knowing his grandmother’s gift for seeing. Helen placed her hand on his arm and whispered so no one else could hear, “There will be difficult days, but this child will come.”
He sucked in a breath, looking into the gray eyes of his grandmother who just patted his arm, smiling as she walked away. She knows? How can she know? For the first time he believed what his grandfather always said about his grandmother. Maybe she can see things? Then realizing what she had told him, he sucked in another deep breath as he looked over at Suzanne, radiant in her pregnancy. Please God, let her be right.
He walked over, straight through the throng of women and wrapped his arms around Suzanne, pulling her back against his tall frame. One arm around her chest and one around her middle, he completely embraced her, kissing the top of her head. Bernie approached him from one side and he accepted her hug and kiss of congratulations before releasing one arm to hug his mother on the other side.
“Good folks, let’s eat!” Mac boomed and the gathering quickly found a seat around the table. Breakfast casseroles and pastries, along with juice and coffee, soon had everyone stuffing themselves. Rob and Laurie were seated across from them and BJ was glad that Rob had come around. He shook BJ’s hand and kissed his sister, genuinely congratulating them as well.
After brunch everyone settled on hay bales that Mac and Bill had arranged in a semi-circle around the large, decorated tree. Bobby and Caroline, Rob’s children, jumped into the gifts immediately and soon the adults followed, until all of the gifts were opened. Knitted scarves, new boots, clothes, electronics, tins of homemade goodies, and toys soon appeared with torn wrapping paper littering the area.
The group continued to sit, making small talk and enjoying the children playing. BJ and Suzanne shared a look. He leaned down and whispered, “Suzy girl, you ready for this?” Seeing her nervous nod, he stood up pulling her gently along with him. Moving toward the tree, they turned so that they faced the gathering.
“If I can have ya’lls attention,” BJ said loudly, capturing the eyes of everyone. “We have one more gift to give to everyone,” he said as he held Suzanne in front of him, this time with both arms around her middle and his hands resting on her stomach.
“You know we’re engaged, but just to let you know, we want to keep it simple and get married right here. We just want family and friends. And we’re going to get married in about six weeks, near Valentine’s day.”
At this, the mom’s began to speak, but he interrupted. “Wait, that’s not all.” Everyone quieted again, listening.
Suzanne twisted her head around and up to look into his face, smiling her encouragement.
“Our biggest gift of all this Christmas, is that in about seven months, we’ll be having a baby.”
At this news, the group jumped to their feet and a new round of tears and congratulations began again. Only this time, BJ refused to let go of Suzanne. They accepted the well wishes and excited hugs with her wrapped into his embrace. Not letting you go, girl. Never letting you go again.
Suzanne snuggled back into his arms, loving the feeling of them enveloping her. Safe. Secure. Protected. Loved.
* * *
That night, back in their apartment, they lay together after making love. Arms wrapped around each other, hearts beating as one, they talked as lovers do, planning and hoping. Suddenly, she leaned back so that she could peer into his eyes.
“I know you want me safe and to stay here, but I bought some presents for the boys. Do you think that I could visit them tomorrow? We could go together. I also thought I could try to meet Sherrie for coffee.”
BJ thought for a moment, wanting nothing more than to keep her in their apartment for the next day or so. Preferably naked and under me. His cock stirred at the thought and she felt it nudge against her leg.
“So soon? We just made love,” she giggled.
“With you, it appears that it has a mind of its own,” he growled as she pushed him onto his back.
“Well, let’s see if we can do something about that,” she purred, kissing a trail from his lips downwards until she circled his swollen cock with her lips.
He sucked in a breath as she slid his length in her warm mouth. He was too large for her to take all of him in so she fisted the base with her hand. Working her hand and mouth in rhythm she continued, noticing with pleasure as his balls tightened.
BJ held her hair in his hands, fighting the urge to move her up and down even faster. “Baby, I’m close,” he panted. “Come here.”
Shaking her head while not breaking rhythm, she continued to suck until the hot semen hit the back of her mouth. Sucking until the last drop came into her mouth, she slid off looking satisfied.
BJ lay back, unable to move, not remembering ever having felt this way from being sucked off. I never think of any other, he realized. He had never spent much time thinking of any of his past fucks, but at this moment he was aware that all others in the past four years had completely moved out of his mind. It’s only Suzy. It’s always just been her.
Continuing to lay as sleep was almost upon them, she asked again about her visits. Ready to grant her anything, he said, “We can go see the boys tomorrow so you can take them the gifts, but we’ll stay together. As far as your other friend, you can meet for coffee somewhere but I’ll be there as well.” Seeing that she was about to protest his intrusion into her girl-time, he placed his finger on her lips. “Hear me well, girl. You may meet your friends and I will give you privacy, but I will not let you out of my sight.”
Nodding with his finger still against her lips, she kissed his finger. Laying her head on his chest, smiling to herself, she drifted off to sleep taking comfort in the knowledge that she and their child would always be protected.
Chapter 22
The next morning found Suzanne and BJ sitting on the sofa of Pamela’s temporary home. A small, decorated tree sat in the living room and the boys were ripping off the paper of the gifts she had brought. A couple of electronic toys immediately had their attention and once the hugs and thanks were said, they ran off to play.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence where Pamela poured cups of hot tea, Suzanne asked, “How are you? I mean, really…how are you doing?”
Pamela seemed lost in thought as she pondered her answer. Looking up into her friend’s eyes, she said, “You know, I should be crazy right now. My husband is gone…I still have a hard time saying that he’s dead.” Tears sprang to her eyes, but she stoically dashed them away. “A part of me still can’t believe it, much less say it.” She sighed deeply. “I want to remember the good times and I want the boys to remember those times too. Dwayne will, I think. Chuckie? I’m not so sure he remembers Joe before he got so involved in things that made him angry all the time.”
BJ silently moved his arm to the back of Suzanne, giving her shoulder a little reassuring squeeze knowing that any talk of grief brought on her own. She lay her hand on his leg, acknowledging his comfort.
“Is there anything that we can do?” she asked Pamela.
“Oh goodness, no. Mr. Alvarez has loaned us this apartment for as long as we need it. I still have my job and our health insurance was through my job, not Joe’s. The only thing I hate is that we have to stay sort of hidden for a while, so
I feel so badly when one of Mr. Alvarez’ men has to drive us somewhere.”
BJ spoke up, “Don’t worry about that. His security business is the best around and he wants you and the boys safe. I know the noose is tightening around the higher-ups; the ones who went after your husband. It shouldn’t be long now before enough information is gathered to take them down.”
“And then you can feel like you’re getting some of your life back,” Suzanne added.
Just then the boys ran back in, wanting to show the adults what they were playing with and they settled in for a friendly visit.
A couple of hours later, they sat in a coffee shop awaiting Sherrie’s arrival. As soon as she appeared, BJ discreetly moved over to the counter where he could keep an eye on the door.
The two women talked excitedly as Sherrie noticed Suzanne’s engagement ring. The conversation then moved to Sherrie’s new job.
“Well, being a paralegal doesn’t make nearly as good a paycheck as waitressing at the Club Edge, but it pays the bills and is a helluva lot more respectable,” she laughed.
“I never wanted to pry, but how did you end up at that strip club?” Suzanne asked.
“It’s kind of a long, involved story but let’s just say that my sister, who has always managed to get herself in situations that I have had to jump in and help with, once again got in with a dangerous crowd. I was…sort of…encouraged to take the job and was promised that my sister would be looked after. It seemed harmless enough. I just waitressed, not stripped. But then I was asked to do more and more things that I was uncomfortable with and finally quit. I told my sister that I couldn’t protect her anymore; she’d have to live with the consequences of her decisions.”
“I’m so sorry about your sister, but so glad you got a better job.”
“The law firm I work for is small, but they’re so nice and seem to like the job that I’m doing. Plus putting my degree to work is such an amazing feeling,” she added.
The women continued to talk and laugh for a while, enjoying each other’s company and their newfound friendship.
BJ looked up as a woman entered the coffee shop. Tall. Blond. Large, dark sunglasses. Tight shirt showing off her rack and jeans with sky-high heeled boots. She looked around as though trying to find someone when her gaze stopped on the back of the café. Staring for a moment she turned and walked out.
BJ looked in the direction she had been staring, noting that all of the booths and tables were filled with customers. Assuming she didn’t find who she was looking for, he didn’t give her another thought.
Charisse stormed out of the coffee shop. Seeing Sherrie laughing and talking with a friend the way they used to created an anger-storm inside. My sister. Marcel wants my sister instead of me. My perfect, never-makes-a-mistake sister. Well, he wants her, he can have her. Pulling her cell phone out of her large, designer bag, she made a call.
“Jorge? You still interested in getting my sister? Well, just let me know how to help and I’ll do it. Yeah, I’m serious. I’ve got a proposition for you. Fine, I’ll meet you there.”
* * *
Marcel paced angrily in his office. Jorge watched the boss as he moved from his desk to the window, over to the liquor cabinet, and back to his desk.
“You are supposed to be taking care of everything,” Marcel shouted. “I want to know what the fuck is going on. Nothing you are telling me is adding to my confidence that you can handle your job.”
Jorge knew to ride out the storm. When angry, Marcel lashed out at everyone in his path. “Boss, we’ve got another streamed fight lined up. I’m suggesting that we change locations and make it streamed only – cut out the foot traffic coming in from the streets and that way the police wont’ find it.”
“The goddamn, fuckin’ cops shouldn’t even know that my name is wrapped up in this. I work hard to have those under me protect my name. So can you tell me why I get a call from my lawyer, who I pay a fuckin’ load to keep my name out of this shit, telling me this morning that the word from the cops is that they are now scouring the city for fight locations trying to pin them on me?”
Walking over to his desk, he pressed the intercom. “Get me…whoever that bitch is up in my bed. Now.”
Jorge narrowed his eyes. Marcel was getting careless. Pushing Charisse out of his bed and back to earning her keep with different men, might not have been the smartest move. Marcel had bought Charisse’s loyalty and quiet mouth. Not showering these latest whores with anything except orders to spread their legs, could possibly be buying him trouble if they talked to the wrong people.
“How much will we lose if we just do a streamed fight?” Marcel asked.
“According to the accountant, if we market it just right, we can actually make more from our online customers. We get payment up front, open it up to more guests and we could profit even larger.”
At this, Marcel stopped pacing, his calculating mind working over the figures. Just then the door opened and a busty brunette stepped in wearing nothing but a lace teddy. Marcel looked over and ordered, “Strip.” The woman glanced at Jorge but quickly stripped naked. Marcel unzipped his pants and pulled out his engorged cock. “Suck,” he ordered next. Again, the woman looked askance at Jorge, who just lifted an eyebrow and smirked.
She knelt on the floor and had no choice but to take Marcel in her mouth as he grabbed her hair and forcefully face-fucked her. Gagging, she kept going until he shot his cum into her mouth. Jorge, having witnessed many scenes like this in his life, prided himself on his steel will, but the thought of another dark-haired beauty kneeling before him had his dick painfully swelling.
Marcel pushed her back and zipped his pants up. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Now I can think.” Glancing down at Jorge’s erection straining his pants, he grinned. “Never knew this to affect you.” Laughing, he grabbed the girl by the hair and ordered her to suck Jorge off as well. Forced to crawl over on her knees, she did just that until gagging once again.
Watching her slip out of the room, her clothes clutched in her hand, Marcel turned back to Jorge and said, “Now we plan. I want Charisse’s sister. In my bed. In my home. I don’t care if she is drugged to get her here. Once I’ve marked her, she’ll have no choice but to stay with me. No one else will have her. I want this next fight planned. You think streamed only is the way to go? Fine, make it happen and it’d better make money. I want the goddamn cops off my back.” Leaning down so that he was directly in Jorge’s face, he continued, “I pay you a shit-ton of money to take care of me. You can’t handle the job, I’ll get someone else.”
Jorge, his emotions never showing, just nodded. “What if we stage a fake fight scene? Let the word get out to the cops and they raid nothing. Then we can be somewhere else with just a streamed fight raking in the money.”
Marcel sat down at his desk, his sharp eyes staring out of the window, his mind working the possibilities. Nodding, he turned toward Jorge, a smile on his face. “I like it. Make it happen.”
“Got it boss.” With that, Jorge stood and left the room, already planning his next move.
Marcel watched him leave and then he pulled his phone out again.
“Meet me in two hours. We have something to set up.”
* * *
After meeting with their chief, Matt and Shane drove back to Tony’s to see what else they had found. Settling around the conference table, Lily spoke first.
“I went back over the list of grads recently who might have had the skills to set up an online streaming with the ability to block any breach of security measures. While there are a number of people in the area who could have done it, BJ and I focused on the ones who did not have steady jobs or incomes. That list was very small; most people who graduate with a software engineering degree have no problem finding jobs. We narrowed it down to just a couple, and then I took that list and began looking at…um,” she stopped, blushing. “Well, I looked into their bank accounts.”
Tony looked over at her embarrassment. �
�Lily, that’s what I pay you for, sweetheart. You find the things that don’t readily show up.”
“I know,” she laughed. “It’s just that I still feel like I’m going to get my hand slapped for snooping!”
“So did you find anything, baby?” Matt asked his wife.
“Actually, I did. From the names on the list that BJ gave me, I found one that hasn’t had a steady job in several months and yet has had deposits of ten grand in his bank account each month for the past three months. I remember him though, from school. Nice enough young man. Not very vocal. Kept to himself. But seemed…I don’t know…pleasant. It’s hard for me to reconcile that he would have anything to do with this.”
“You can never discount any suspect based on niceness,” Gabe volunteered.
“Well, he’s lived in Richland his whole life. I haven’t had a chance to run a background on him, though. I was getting ready to do that when Tony called the meeting.”
Matt and Shane took down his name. “Send us his info and we’ll check him out as you see what you can find out also.”
The group continued to conference for a few more minutes before BJ went by the safe room and picked up Suzanne.
“You guys come up with anything?” she asked.
“Still working the problem, baby, but don’t worry. Between us and the police, we’ll get em’.”
Walking over and pressing her length against his, she purred, “Anything else you can think to come up with?” moving her hand down to grasp his crotch, loving the feel of it springing to life.
Love's Trusting (The Love's Series) Page 23