But today, we’ve received intel that puts him, his family, his staff, and their families in danger. Not to mention, there were boxes delivered to the houses of his parents, siblings, and his office that contained messages and pictures of graphic violence. Some even included pictures of the riots in the cities where racial tensions exploded among civilians and cops.
The threats are no longer quiet. These sick fucks have now spread their fear in order to influence DeSantis to change his stance or drop out.
He’s a strong, powerful man, but he contacted James with heavy anxiety, ready to do what it takes to protect those he loves. We all agree; if he steps away and bows to the bullies, it will send a message of weakness.
“So what do we do now?” Robbie questions his dad.
“We go in strong. I’ve got a flight out tonight, and we’re meeting with the entire staff tomorrow. I called a few friends and hand selected the local and federal guys I want in on this. There are some pissed off people in Louisiana right now, with me coming in and leaving them in the dark. They feel slighted with a chip on their shoulders, so unfortunately, I’ve got to do some schmoozing to smooth feathers. Our guys who have been undercover are coming out and are going to be known as private security from now on.
“Once we get everyone settled and on the same page, we’re going public. DeSantis is going to keep his current travel and rally schedule. His press people are scheduling a conference in two days, and we’re going to leak the threats, hoping to get the average everyday citizen on alert. Your assignments stay the same for now. Each night while I’m away, we’ll have an early evening video conference call. So far, we know this is one group of radicals. I have no doubt we’ll find them and shut them down well before election day.
“Let’s keep everything else business as usual. We still have tons of other clients to keep satisfied.”
The meeting breaks up, and I follow Robbie to his office, closing the door behind me.
“What’s your take on this?” I cut right to the chase.
“I think Dad’s giving us what we need but holding something back regarding the assholes doing all this. Not sure what, but I’m going to let this play out without pushing hard.”
I narrow my eyes and look at my friend skeptically. It’s obvious his mind is a million miles away. His voice is clipped, and his face is furrowed in a scowl. The vein on his forehead pops out as he shuffles papers around his desk unnecessarily, never raising his head.
“Anything on your mind?” I probe, already knowing the answer.
He blows out a breath and scrubs his hands down his face. “Ember’s pregnant.”
The news hits me like a blow, and I take a quick step back. Robbie’s going to be a dad. Surprise turns into happiness, and I move to his side, slapping him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, man. That’s great.”
He gives me a side eye and throws a pen across his desk. “Thanks.”
“Whoa, thought you wanted this?”
“I do. I want kids with Ember more than anything in this world, but it’s going to be a long seven months.”
“Seven?” I repeat curiously.
“Yep, we went to the doctor this morning. She’s almost ten weeks.”
“Is something wrong?”
“Well, besides the fact that she claims she didn’t know, but had been feeling off for a few weeks, we’ve been on the bike, we’ve been drinking, and I’ve fucked her like an animal. All the time, we didn’t know she was pregnant. She swears she’s had no signs.”
“So is she okay?”
“Oh, yeah, she’s over the moon. She started crying when the doctor confirmed what she expected. Me? I was a fucking mute, sitting there dumbfounded.”
“Okay, so you were in shock.”
“I acted like a dick. When the doctor went to get the sonographer, I questioned why she didn’t tell me her suspicions. She started crying harder, saying she didn’t want to see a look of disappointment on my face. The only thing she wanted was to tell me herself she was having our baby and starting our own family.”
“Man, you have to go easy on her. It’s not like she has a lot of experience in this area.”
“I hurt her. She wouldn’t even hold my hand during the sonogram. It was internal, so we only got to hear the heartbeat, but it filled the room, and I swear my own heart hit the floor. It was the most soothing sound in the world. Ember tried to be strong, but tears fell down her cheeks the whole time. I really hurt her feelings.”
“So what the fuck are you doing here? It’s time to grovel like you’ve never groveled before. That precious woman, who’s now carrying your child, is at home upset. Get your ass to her. Leave your protective ego in the dust and make sure she knows how much this means to you. Don’t let her think for even another second you’re upset with her for doing what she thought may protect your feelings. Think about it, man. If she suspected she was pregnant and turned out not to be, you’d have been devastated.”
His face twists and understanding washes over him. He jumps up so fast, I tumble into the wall. “You’re right. I need to go. I’ll stop by Dad’s office on the way out. Do me a favor and don’t say anything to anyone besides Presley. After the supreme dickhead I was this morning, the last thing I want is to steal her thunder. She’ll probably want to have a party to announce it.”
“I’ll make sure Presley keeps her mouth shut,” I confirm, letting him know I’m solid.
He gives me a chin lift before he disappears out the door, leaving me to my own thoughts.
Ember’s having a baby.
Robbie’s going to be a dad.
My chest tightens with a deep ache, and I sit down absorbing the news. The ache turns into a burning, and I hit my chest, trying to ease the sting. Then it hits me; I’m envious. I’ve never been jealous of any of my friends’ happiness, but in this moment, I want what he has.
“Presley, I’m here,” I yell from the living room, so as not to scare her.
“In the kitchen, sweetie.”
I throw my cell, wallet, and keys on the small table next to her purse and see she’s framed another picture of us and put it here. I’m pretty sure it’s from our last trip to the winery, the weekend after Raven’s party. This time, we went with a group, but this picture was snapped when neither of us were looking at the camera. It may be one of my favorites.
The smell of garlic flows through the apartment, and my stomach growls in appreciation. I walk in the kitchen and stop dead, watching her stir something on the stove in one of my t-shirts. She’s recently showered, her hair still damp, hanging in loose waves. The scent of her body wash and shampoo lingers in the air.
Desire sizzles and spreads like fire through my veins. My dick swells and thickens, straining against my shorts. Ideas of how to get her naked and beneath me flash in my head.
Her face lights up when she catches me staring from the doorway. Sometimes, her beauty hits me so hard that I physically ache. My adoration for her runs so deep, I can’t put it into perspective.
Looking at her now, smiling at me with such devotion, and thinking about my conversation with Robbie this morning, I can’t wait. I need her now.
I stalk over and switch off the stove without a word. Her eyes flash with surprise as I lift her effortlessly into my arms. She latches onto me, framing my face with her hands, before leaning in and biting gently on my bottom lip. Our mouths fuse together, our tongues fighting for control. Urgency takes over, and it’s a race to get inside her. I withdraw enough to remove both our shirts then go back to kissing her. Silently, I thank God she is naked underneath. Her taste, her smell, and the feeling of her chest against mine flames a fire already searing in me.
I shuffle us across the room until her ass hits the edge of the table, and set her down, moving my hands to undo my shorts and strip them off. Our mouths never break contact as she scrapes her nails lightly down my chest and cups my cock. It leaps in her hand and starts to throb.
/> Animalistic hunger flows through my veins with the need to get inside her, but I force myself to slow down. One arm holds her up while the other slides between her legs, finding her wet and slick. She groans into my mouth when two fingers glide inside. Her body jolts, and she bucks her hips into my hand.
“Baby, I can’t wait. I need your pussy now.”
“Yes!” she practically purrs, pumping her hand up and down my dick.
I remove my fingers, cover her hand with my own, and lean back to watch myself slide in. My eyes lift to hers, and I almost blow at the passion and hunger in her stare. She licks her lips seductively and moves back slowly, giving me the perfect view of her tits as she spreads out on the table. I follow her down, thrusting slowly as I suck one of her nipples into my mouth. She arches her whole body into mine, scraping her fingers against my scalp. Her hips swivel against mine, angling me deeper. She whimpers and all control snaps.
I pound into her hard, as my mouth sucks and nips across her chest and up her neck. Her cries grow louder as I drive into her. The table beats against the kitchen wall, fueling my energy, need consuming me.
The slight sound of crackling is the only thing that slows me down, and I snatch her up as the table cracks under pressure. She doesn’t seem to notice and throws herself against me, her mouth taking mine again. Never breaking our connection, I move us to the wall and grind into her desperately, feeling the burn start to rise.
“Finn,” she breathes out, her hot breath scorching lips
“Come for me, baby. Let me hear you.”
Her muscles clamp down as my balls tighten, and we explode together. Her screams fill the room as I come so hard, my vision goes spotty. Sweat rolls down my back and chest as my heart races.
When I’m convinced my legs are strong enough, I walk us to the sofa and collapse backwards, holding her close. Our breathing comes in pants, and she rolls to the side, keeping her legs wrapped around me. I close my eyes, soaking in the feel of her in my arms and the intensity of what just happened.
Sex with Presley has always been incredible. Even when I take my time making love to her, there’s an intense connection. But this was something different. The connection was more powerful, more mind-blowing. I’ve never been that rough before, but she let go, trusting me completely.
We lie together quietly, my arms cuddling her tight.
“We need to replace the table before Winnie comes over this weekend.” She breaks the silence, drawing random patterns on my chest with the tips of her fingers. I shift her naked body, so she has no choice but to lie completely on top of me again. Then I strain my neck to see the damage.
Her small kitchen table is slanted, two of the legs splintered, and there’s a noticeable indention in the wall. I’d like to feel guilty, but considering I had some of the hottest sex of my life, it’s hard to feel anything but satisfied.
“I’ll buy you a new one tomorrow, get something more sturdy.”
“Is table sex going to be a frequent occurrence?”
“Shit, I hope so.”
She giggles into my chest and places a kiss over my heart. “Me too.”
I tilt my head down and see scruff spots all over her breasts, with small bite marks leading up to her neck. “Did I hurt you?”
“Hell no!” She smiles lazily. “Nothing about that hurt.”
“I left my marks everywhere.” I circle a finger around her nipple.
“So did I.” Her lips move over my shoulder.
“Worth every second.”
“Mmm, I agree, but you want to tell me what’s on your mind?”
“Why would something have to be on my mind?”
“I’m not complaining, but you had sex on the brain the second you walked in.”
“That’s no different than any other time I’m around you. I always have sex on the brain. As a matter of fact, right now, I’m thinking about getting you back in the shower to clean you up, so I can ravage your body again, this time giving every inch full appreciation with my tongue.” My dick jumps against her stomach, and she sighs.
“What about dinner?”
“Oh, I’m going to have dinner and dessert.”
“Finn!” She wiggles against me, making me hard again.
“Better watch it,” I warn.
“How is this even possible? Don’t you need some down time?”
“I’m a twenty-eight year old man with a hot as fucking hell girlfriend. My dick doesn’t know the meaning of downtime.”
She surprises me by forcing my arms over my head and swiveling her hips expertly. I slide back into her easily. It’s my turn to whimper.
Her hands move to brace on my chest, sitting up. “You want any type of dinner or dessert, you tell me what’s on your mind.”
I link my hands behind my head and rake my eyes over her naked body, enjoying the view. My eyes lock onto her stomach, and I feel a little ache in my chest.
“Ember’s pregnant.”
Her face lights up and she bounces up and down, jolts of pleasure firing off through my body. “That’s amazing!”
“It sure is.” I pump my hips into hers from below.
“Finn, stop! I want details.”
“You’re sitting on my cock, naked and bouncing. Talking about Ember being pregnant isn’t exactly a sexually enhancing conversation.”
“Oh, okay.” She misreads my comment and moves to get off me.
“Don’t you dare move,” I hiss almost painfully at the thought. “You finish what you started and I promise to tell you what I know over dinner.”
“Promise?”
“Oh yeah.”
She gives me a sly grin and sinks back down. “You have a deal. Then I plan to take you up on dessert.”
Chapter 25
Presley
Houses? I scan through the email and look at the listings Finn sent me. All of them are houses, and not small houses or starter homes. They’re large, family style plans with at least four bedrooms, and all of them more expensive than I planned on.
When Finn approached me about living together two weeks ago, I was hesitant. Everything in my mind was screaming yes, yes, yes! But a part of my logic was the fact we’d only really been together for almost four months. Regardless of the intensity of our relationship and the warp speed we moved, I still had some sense left in my love–boggled mind. He met every question and concern I expressed with concise and simple answers.
Me: Don’t you think it’s too soon?
Finn: No.
Me: We haven’t even had our first fight.
Finn: You left me for three days after Raven pulled her shit. It was the longest three days of my life. At least, now, if you get miffed, you can’t run.
Me: What will our parents say?
Finn: Hopefully, congratulations.
Me: We need to think about this, make a pros and cons list. It’s not that simple.
Finn: No cons, only pros. Very simple.
Me: You haven’t even known me a year!
Finn: Feels like I’ve spent a lifetime looking for you.
At this statement, I melted, because he didn’t give me a chance to say anything else before pulling me into a smoldering kiss. In true Finn style, he closed the subject by carrying me to my room and making love to me until I couldn’t argue if I’d tried.
So now, I’m looking at listings and wondering exactly what the hell is he thinking? We can’t afford a house! I call him with all intent on reasoning with him.
“Hey, babe,” he answers on the first ring.
“Hey, where are you?”
“I forgot to drop off some stuff at school and had to run back to campus. On my way to the office.”
“I got your email.”
“I know. I sent it to you this morning. Wondering how long it would take you to stew over it.”
“Don’t you think a house is a little premature?”
“Nope.”
“Finn! I was thinking we’d get a condo, maybe near Tripp, or even close to Robbie and Ember.”
“Do you want a condo?”
“Seems appropriate.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s low maintenance, easy living, and a safe choice.”
He sighs, and I picture him running his hand over his face in frustration. “Presley, I left home at eighteen and lived in barracks or military housing for years. For the last few years, I’ve bounced around bachelor pads. I want a house. Why delay the inevitable?”
“Can we even afford a house? The maintenance alone is a lot of work and upkeep.”
“Don’t worry about cost. I can afford it.” There’s a hint of irritation in his husky voice.
“I’m not trying to be rude. I’m trying to be practical.”
“We’ll talk about it tonight, but I have a shitload of money saved up, and I make a fucking great salary at Hayes Security. I’m fine.”
“But what about my contribution?”
“You get the inside. Anything you want as long as I can have the living room.”
“Do we actually need four bedrooms? All these houses are big.”
“Our room, Winnie’s room, your office, and a guest room. The way I see it, we need at least four rooms.”
“Winnie can—“
“Stop arguing,” he cuts me off. “Take a look and tell me what you like. We’ll go view them and talk about specifics. This is important to me. I want a home with you. Can you at least look before you build a mountain of excuses?”
I swallow down my shame, knowing he’s right. He deserves this. “Sorry, I’ll look, and promise to have an open mind.”
“Thank you. I have to work late. We’ve got a lock on some things in Louisiana, as well as other shit that needs wrapped up.”
“I’ll wait up. I have some work to do after kickboxing.”
“That guy teaching still?”
“If you mean Sam, then yes, the same answer I gave you yesterday when you asked. But I think he would rather watch me flounder like a fool than help me with my form.”
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