Drake (The Powers That Be, Book 5)

by Harper Bentley

  Krystal brushed away a tear of her own that streamed down her face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, On, but we were both just shocked.” She looked at Vic who put his arm behind her chair curling his hand around her shoulder. “After I miscarried we both felt guilty at being relieved about it since neither of us was ready for a baby.”

  “It began to build a wall between us so we decided that we should take a break,” Vic said. He looked remorsefully at Krystal. “Then I screwed everything up. I was scared and ended up pushing you away.”

  Krystal sniffed as she looked at him, nothing but compassion in her expression. “I understood because it scared me too.” She turned to me. “We didn’t tell anyone. There were so many times I wanted to tell you, but when I’d start to, all the bad feelings would hit me again and I just couldn’t.”

  “I understand,” I told her dabbing at my eyes with a napkin.

  “Missed the fuck out of you,” Vic told Krystal. “I just didn’t know then how to get to the place I’m at now.”

  “I know,” she whispered with a hitch in her voice. “I was the same.”

  I was so sad that they’d been torn apart and even sadder that I could’ve had a niece or nephew who’d be two years old now. “I don’t know what to say except I’m sorry,” I told them. The doorbell rang and Vic moved to get up. “No, you stay with Krys,” I said standing and going into the living room. Checking out the front window, I didn’t recognize the guy on the porch. Upon opening the door, I saw he held a huge bouquet of flowers.

  “Honor Justice?” he called through the storm door.

  I frowned and nodded then opening the door took the arrangement from him. “Thank you,” I whispered, staring at the gorgeous grouping of roses, tulips, daisies and what I thought was hyacinths. “Oh! Hang on,” I told him, letting the storm door close before going back into the kitchen.

  “Wow!” Krystal said when I walked in. “Are those from Drake?”

  “I don’t know,” I replied, chewing the inside of my lip, just as surprised as she was, and, of course, secretly hoping they were from him. I set the vase in the center of the table then went to the counter and grabbed a five from my wallet to tip the delivery guy.

  Coming back into the kitchen, I saw Krystal and Vic standing embracing each other which made my heart glad. I walked over to the bouquet and sniffed. “They smell so good.”

  “They’re beautiful,” Krystal turned and said.

  I pulled the card from its holder and opened it then looking at her nodded and whispered, “Drake.”

  “Yes!” she squealed. “He loves you!”

  I rolled my eyes when she giggled but then giggled right along with her. She left Vic and gave me a hug. “It’s all gonna be okay,” she whispered.

  “Thank you for always being here for me,” I whispered back.

  “Ditto,” she said pulling back and smiling.

  “Well, we’re gonna take off before you two get any mushier,” Vic said.

  I looked at Krystal. “He’s worried the estrogen level in here will affect his testosterone posibly making him human.” She and I laughed together at the look he gave me. “I love you guys. Thank you for telling me everything.”

  “We love you too,” Vic said, helping Krystal with her coat.

  “Have fun tonight,” I told them.

  After they left, I stood in the kitchen staring down at the card.

  I trust you implicitly.

  Let me be your good guy, Honor—

  I love you,

  Drake

  It was perfect and said everything I needed to hear.

  But I was still hurt and needed more time to think on things, like maybe the fact that he had a crazy ex. If I stayed with him, could I deal with it when she pulled her shit again? Would he stand up for me or continue to pass me off as an infatuated customer? Would he expect me to disappear when she did come around?

  Also, and more importantly, Drake had a son. Was I ready for that huge responsibility? Could I even handle having an instant family?

  So much to consider.

  I didn’t call him that night to thank him for the flowers or to talk about any of the aforementioned. I would. Just not then.

  Instead, I showered then threw on my U-Dub hoodie over my tank top and pulled on some sleep pants. In the kitchen, I emptied a can of cherries on top of the cheesecake and cut myself a piece. Then, since my brain was tired and I just needed to veg, I went into the living room and marathon-watched The Office on Netflix.

  I laughed aloud several times at the crazy show, especially at Michael, Dwight and Andy’s attempts at Parkour, before falling asleep on the couch with a rose in my hand I’d taken from the vase.

  Chapter 21

  Sunday morning I awoke in my bed not knowing how I got there. Then feeling warmth at my back, I turned over to see Krystal asleep next to me.

  “You get drool on my pillowcase and you’re washing it,” I mumbled watching her eyelids flutter open.

  “I put you to bed, Megara,” she said in her raspy, just-waking-up voice. “You were so zonked I could’ve drawn a Sharpie mustache on you and you wouldn’t have known it, so you’d better be nice to me.”

  “Think I was in a cheesecake sugar coma, Aurora,” I responded with a yawn. “How’d last night go?”

  She rolled to her back and stretched her arms up toward the ceiling letting out a squealy groan. “It was great.” Turning her head toward me she shared, “It was like we’d never been apart.”

  “Good.”

  “I missed him.”

  “He’s missed you.”

  There was a knock at the door and Vic called, “Is it safe to come in?”

  “Only if you can handle all the gorgeousness going on in here,” I hollered back.

  The door opened and my brother strode in, first giving me a wink then his eyes went all soft when they landed on Krystal. “Hey, baby.”

  “Hi, honey,” she said, reaching a hand out and pulling him to sit on the bed.

  “Anyone want pancakes?” I asked, getting up and stretching before heading to the bathroom.

  Two shouted “I do’s!” followed me down the hallway.

  ~*~*~*~*~

  After breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen, Krystal and I sat in the living room talking.

  “So what’re you gonna do?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I’m still really hurt that he didn’t trust me enough to fill me in on everything.”

  “I know you are. But you understand why he didn’t, right?”

  “Yes. But still…”

  “You gonna come with us?” Vic asked, coming into the living room dressed to play football with the guys.

  I made a face. “Eh. Probably not.”

  Krystal frowned. “You could talk to Drake afterward.”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I still need to—”

  The doorbell rang and I frowned getting up to see who it was. A small boy who was the spitting image of Drake—he was even dressed in jeans and a blue plaid shirt over a white t-shirt—stood on the porch with his big honey eyes looking up at me.

  I opened the door and said, “Well, hey there.”

  He put his hands into his front jeans pockets looking shy and asked, “Aw you Awn-ah?”

  Oh. My. Gosh. How freaking cute was that?

  I smiled, squatting down in front of him. “Yes, I’m Honor. And what’s your name, cutie?”

  He grinned. “I’m Will!” he said proudly.

  “Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Will,” I shared, grinning back at him.

  Drake stepped out from where’d he stood at the side of the door. “Hey.”

  He looked so nervous as he gazed at me for a moment before bending down to pick up Will.

  “Hey,” I answered as I stood.

  “Daddy,” Will whispered, but in that kid whisper that’s usually pretty loud and I chuckled.

  “Yeah, buddy?” Drake mock-whispered back which made my heart melt a little.
/>
  Will put his mouth to Drake’s ear, still “whispering.” “She is pwetty like you said!”

  Drake laughed as he looked at me. “I think the jig is up.” Then he turned back to Will and said, “Yes, she is.” He kissed the side of Will’s head and I loved that he wasn’t afraid to show affection to his son.

  “Come on in,” I told them.

  Drake lifted his chin at Vic when he came in, saying, “Hey, man.” He nodded his greeting at Krystal as Will started squirming, so he let him down.

  “What’s up?” Vic replied. Noticing Drake was dressed similarly to Will, he asked, “Not playing today?”

  Drake glanced at me then back at Vic. “No. I’ve got more important things to do today.”

  “I wode in a big twuck!” Will told Krystal and Vic.

  “You did? That’s awesome!” Krystal declared at the same time Vic said, “That’s pretty cool!”

  I watched as Krystal took Vic’s hand and they both looked at Will almost wistfully, and I knew they were thinking of the child they’d lost. Then she gazed up at my brother with a smile which he returned, both looking as if maybe Will had given them hope.

  “We’re gonna head out,” my brother said. “Good seeing you, man.” He nodded at Drake. Then he bent down getting eye-level with Will. “I’ll see you later, okay, buddy?” He held his hand up and Will gave him a high-five.

  After they left, I cocked my head to the side asking Will, “I’ll bet you don’t like cookies, do you?”

  His eyes went wide and he nodded. “I wike cookies!”

  “Well, why don’t I get you some along with a glass of milk?” I looked at Drake to make sure it was okay, thinking I probably should’ve asked him first. Whoops.

  Drake chuckled. “You give him cookies, you’ve made a friend for life.”

  I smiled and winked at Will. “I’ll be right back.”

  Drake was sitting on the couch and Will was on his knees on the floor when I came back. A small truck had appeared from somewhere and Will was “vrooming” it across the floor.

  “Here you go, Will,” I said, setting the plate and the small travel mug I’d filled with milk on the new coffee table.

  “Thank you!” He vroomed the car to the table on his hands and knees and once there grabbed up a cookie cramming it into his mouth.

  Cutting my eyes to Drake, I mumbled, “Eats like his dad,” which got me a sexy smolder. Gah!

  All right, cool your jets there, Honor. You’re still figuring things out, I mentally reprimanded myself.

  Looking back at Will, I teased, “You probably don’t like cartoons either, do you?”

  He glanced at me like I was nuts looking so much like Drake it made me giggle as I got the remote and turned the TV on to a children’s station.

  “Is this one okay?”

  “Yeah!” he answered, throwing a fist up into the air and he was good to go.

  Putting my knee to the couch I sat and faced Drake. “He’s adorable.” My eyes went to Will, watching as he gobbled down another cookie, then I looked back at Drake. “And thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you liked them.” He sighed reaching out to take my hand. “I’m sorry about everything, babe. I’ve done a lot of thinking and I should’ve trusted you.”

  I shook my head gazing again at Will and stated, “I understand.”

  “I meant what I said on the card.” I turned back to him. “I trust you. And I want you in my life. I love you, Honor.”

  Wow. He was saying all this in front of his son, who was busy watching a cartoon, but still.

  “I love you too, Drake,” I returned and was surprised when he leaned over and brushed his lips to mine because, again, he did this in front of Will. I peeked over but saw he wasn’t paying a lick of attention to us. Phew. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Yep.”

  “If we’re together and she comes back,” I was careful not to mention Chanel’s name in front of Will, “would I still just be an infatuated customer?”

  Drake shook his head. “No. If you’re in our lives, I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  “I want to be in your lives…but the thought of becoming an instant mother figure scares the hell out of me.”

  “I get that. But, babe, you have to realize, he’s never had that.”

  “What if I’m terrible at it?” I whispered. “What if I accidentally put a red sock in with the whites and turn all his underwear pink and he freaks out?”

  He chuckled. “Babe.”

  My eyes got big when I mentioned, “Or I cuss and he learns bad words?”

  Drake threw his head back as he barked out a laugh. When he finished chuckling, his eyes still sparkled with humor as he pointed out, “Honor. He has four uncles and a dad who curse like sailors, not to mention his grandpa, great-uncle and cousins. Believe me, you’re not gonna say anything he hasn’t already heard. I mean, of course, we try to watch our mouths around him, but sh—it happens. See?” He grinned.

  I chewed the inside of my lip as I wrung my hands in worry. “I didn’t have the greatest role model either, you know.”

  God. I really didn’t want to screw up his precious son.

  I felt a small body against my arm and turned to see Will standing there. He reached out and pulled my hands apart then climbed up into my lap resting his back against my chest.

  As he snuggled in, he reached a hand up behind him and cupped the side of my face. “You’re soft,” he said with a yawn, his little fingers stroking my cheek, “you’re” coming out more as “you-wah” which was the cutest thing ever and I knew I was completely smitten with this little boy.

  I wrapped my arms around him holding him close as his little arm dropped from my face. “And you’re snug as a bug in a rug,” I whispered against the top of his head then kissed it. I looked up at Drake. “Is he asleep?”

  He nodded, his eyes soft on me.

  And just like that, I knew I’d be okay.

  Will had most definitely been the unlikely hero of the day. Because of him, I’d witnessed the look of hope in the faces of my brother and best friend. And now there he was cuddled up with me, fast asleep, having put his trust in me, somehow knowing I’d keep him safe. I suddenly felt I could do this. And even if I screwed up with him, as long as I did it with love, I knew we’d be fine.

  “He trusts me,” I whispered, glancing up at Drake.

  “Just like his dad,” he replied, his eyes telling me he was sorry it’d taken him so long to get there.

  And with that, I forgave him knowing he’d only done what he had to protect his son. And, boy, did I absolutely know that Drake protected what was his even if he sometimes went about it the wrong way. So we were good and I finally felt I was ready to try this with him.

  And all it took was a three-foot-tall, adorable child to ease everybody’s fears.

  Huh.

  “Are you happy?” Drake asked when I glanced up at him.

  I grinned and made sure to pop the P when I replied, “Yep.”

  And I was.

  Epilogue

  I haven’t met a lot of people who’ve made me want to be a better person, not by anything they said or did but just by being who they were, but Honor was one of them.

  From the moment I met her, she kind of pissed me off, but in a good way, if that makes any fucking sense. I could tell she was someone who didn’t settle—not meaning she was a snob, just someone who wanted the best for herself—and I respected her for it, although at the beginning I wasn’t quite that receptive. I was too angry at what was going on in my life to give a fuck about anything else, but the fact that I was so attracted to her optimistic personality—of course her heart-shaped ass and great tits also drew me in (I’m a guy, get over it)—irritated the hell out of me.

  Although I tried keeping her away from the shit storm that was my life by being a total asshole to her, when I finally woke up to see the sweet, beautiful, selfless woman who was right in front of me, I sto
pped feeling sorry for myself and had to go for it.

  Was it selfish? Probably. Did I care? Nope. I wanted her and I got her and that’s all that fucking matters.

  From the beginning, she’s kept me on my toes, challenging me to be better, and not just for her and Will but also for me. The innocence she exudes makes me fall in love with her more every day in the way she tries living her life the best way she knows how.

  As for the secrets I kept from her, although I understood her frustration, I just didn’t know how to have the girl yet keep her safe at the same time. Thank God she gave me a chance to make things right or I’d be back to being the miserable bastard I was when we first met.

  She says she’s too impatient, that she wants to know things right now so she can be prepared for what else is coming or find a way to fix things. I think it’s cute that she’s so antsy and it’s what makes her who she is.

  I went through hell on the way to finding her. The fact that she wants to stick around and be by my side during not only the good times but also the bad just makes me love her that much more.

  I once told her I wasn’t the good guy she was looking for.

  But, by God, I’ll try every day for the rest of our lives to be him.

  Just for her.

  Sneak peek at Rock the Dream (Redfall Dream #1) by B.B. Miller and Leslie Carson coming up!!

  About the Author

  USA Today Best Selling author Harper Bentley writes about hot alpha males who love hard. She’s taught high school English for 24 years, and although she’s managed to maintain her sanity regardless of her career choice, jumping into the world of publishing her own books goes to show that she might be closer to the ledge than was previously thought.

  After traveling the nation in her younger years as a military brat, having lived in Alaska, Washington State and California, she now resides in Oklahoma with her teenage daughter, two dogs and one cat, happily writing stories that she hopes her readers will enjoy.