Always Yours

by Shelly Jones

  “Umm the other thing I have to tell you is... Hunter isn’t yours, he’s Steve’s son. Here are the paternity results to prove it. I’ve known for a long time, but you’re such a great dad to Hunter I just didn’t want to break it to you. But since you and I have been getting close, I figured you deserved the truth.”

  That fucking bitch; I’m going to kill her. I look at the test results and it’s black and white. I am not the father and Steve definitely is. Son of a bitch! My hands are in tight fists. “So why did you fucking tell me this? What the fuck?!”

  “Well if you want to beat Katie to the punch, you can fuck me tonight and let her walk in on us. Or I can just blow you and she’ll go away. Steve will still pay you if you’re the one to break up with her. But if I come over to you, you have to promise not to hurt me.”

  She’s biting her bottom lip; her breasts are about to pop out of the pink tank top she’s got on, and fuck that black skirt is short. Maybe I should just fuck her instead of drinking.

  “No,” I shout. I can’t do this. She just told me I don’t have a son. Oh my god. I don’t have a son and my girlfriend is going to break up with me. Fuck! My life is ruined.

  I walk over to Reagan and pin her against the wall, slipping my hand under her skirt to find no panties and the bitch is wet, ready for my cock.

  “I told you the other night I would always be ready for you,” she purrs.

  “Why did you tell me about Hunter now?”

  “Honestly?”

  “Yep...” I say slipping four fingers into her pussy. I know it’s uncomfortable, but I know she’ll tell me the truth and the sooner she tells me the sooner I can slam my cock in her and fuck her hard. She won’t be walking for days after I get done with her. I know she wants it. She’s always ready for me.

  “Because I love Steve and I was hoping if he knew Hunter was his, then he’d let you have Katie and I could keep him, but fuck it, he wants her and not me. You want me right baby?”

  The bitch loves him! I slipped my fingers out of her pussy and wiped her juices on her tank top.

  “Get the fuck out of my house, now,” I yell.

  “Dean! What did I do?”

  “I was getting ready to fuck you and you knew that. Did you not feel my fingers in your pussy? Then you fucking tell me you love Steve? Seriously, you are one fucked up bitch! Get the fuck out of my house!”

  “Dean please, be with me. Don’t let me lose you too.”

  “You never had me, you just had my cock. Get. Out. Now!” She wouldn’t move. I had had enough and I grabbed her by the arm and moved her.

  “Let go of me,” she turns and shouts in my face.

  And just like with Katie, spit lands on my face and I slap her across the face throwing her ass out and slamming the door.

  Katie texts me just like Reagan said she would, saying she is sorry but she can’t make it this afternoon and she’d stop by tonight.

  Fuck, Reagan is telling me the fucking truth, son of a bitch. I wonder if she’s breaking up with me to go running to Steve. Steve is taking everything from me. That son of a bitch! I start drinking, but the more I drink, the more pissed off I get and start punching walls. I hear Katie’s piece of shit car pull in. I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I want her to stay with me, but I doubt she will. I walk over to the window and look out and see her sitting in the car on the phone. “Yeah you’re talking to that fucking bastard aren’t you bitch,” I say out loud. She sees me looking out the window and hurries in. I open the door and she comes in. Honestly, the rest of what happens is a blur. I know I hurt her and I know I almost killed her. Her father and Eric’s father made sure they told me and showed me pictures. I felt bad and seeing those pictures, it fucked me up more.

  A week after I got locked up I got a visitor, I thought maybe it was my step sister Heidi or Reagan, but was shocked when I saw Steve. He looked like he had been crying. Well mother fucker, if I wasn’t in lock up already, I’d fuck you up since you’re the reason why I’m here, you and your fucking brain washing. “What do you want,” I asked Steve.

  “Can’t a friend come see a friend,” he says with a cocky smile.

  “We’re not friends, so what are you doing here,” I say again.

  “You fucked up badly,” he says smiling. “Well kind of. I’m not out any money, I get the girl, I hope, and you’re in here and can’t try to win the girl back. So I guess you didn’t really fuck up. Plus I don’t have to worry about trying to play dad with my son.”

  I run my hands over and over my face. “So you came to rub it in?”

  “That’s not why I came actually, but yeah I guess it is.”

  “How is she?”

  “Who, Katie, that’s none of your business.”

  “Well I know she ain’t dead, otherwise I would be charged with murder,” I snarl at him.

  “Well I just wanted to come by and say thank you. You did a great job. I was just hoping you were going to cheat on her, but other than her almost dying, you did good dude! Thanks!” he says and he smiles that fucking cocky smile.

  I swear to god, when I get out, I’m hunting that bastard down!

  Over the last four years, I had visitors from time to time, mainly my parents and a couple of friends who knew I didn’t mean to do this. When I got the news that Steve was killed overseas, part of me smiled. I felt bad for Katie, I knew she was pregnant and I felt bad for Hunter, but not for Steve or Reagan.

  Well, Karma has a funny way of coming around.

  I wrote Katie letters. I knew she would never come and see me but I need to figure out how to see her. I know she’s going to be afraid of me and I don’t blame her. I need to make sure she knows I’m sorry and that it was Steve, Reagan and the alcohol doing all the shit. I’m not saying I’m not to blame, but if those three factors weren’t there, Katie would be mine. I could be Ava’s daddy, but then again, she was always in love with Eric, so maybe I would have lost either way, but at least I wouldn’t have wasted four years of my life behind bars and ruining my career.

  The next morning the guard comes to my cell. We went through all the bullshit of being released. They gave me back everything I had on me; it was all in a brown envelope. I went through it and found the ring box. “Fuck,” I said out loud. My grandma’s ring, I forgot I had it on me when they found me.

  “You got a ride?” the one guard asks.

  “I don’t know, I hope so,” I say shrugging my shoulders.

  They lead me out and the sun hits my face and I take a deep breath. “Freedom,” I say.

  “Yeah and don’t go fucking it up either,” the guard says behind me.

  “Yeah I know,” I say quietly. I look around and see my dad standing by the car. I walk over, “Hey dad.”

  “Dean...” he says.

  We get in the car and instead of my dad taking me home he takes me on this back road and we end up in the middle of nowhere, he parks the car and turns it off.

  “You can stay with your step mom and I, but let me make one thing clear, you go near Katie, I don’t care if it’s in a store, at the bar, anywhere, you go anywhere near that girl, you’re gone Dean. I will kick your ass out. You will not hurt that girl. She has been through enough bullshit between you, Steve, Reagan and Heidi. Leave her alone!”

  “Dad I’m not. I’m going to leave her alone, but wait, is Reagan still harassing Katie, and what the fuck about Heidi?”

  “Katie is with Eric, Heidi’s ex-fiancé. Even though she claims they’re still getting together. She fucked up, slept with the next door neighbor in Chicago. Anyways, she and Reagan are trying to start shit. Don’t be like them. I’ve already told Heidi she has to be out by Friday and I mean it. You on the other hand, will have no time. You fuck up, you’re gone. Stay away from Katie.”

  “I am alright? I’m so sick of everyone thinking I’m going to hurt her. I’m not. Trust me.”

  “I’d like to Dean, I really would, but that’s something you
’re going to have to earn again.”

  “Can we go now dad?”

  “Yeah,” he says and we head for home.

  Chapter 17

  Katie

  I wake up in total panic, sitting straight up in my bed, I look around the room. Shit, Eric’s not here. Fuck where’s Ava? I get out of bed and don’t even bother about grabbing my robe. I swing open the door and go to Ava’s room. She’s not in her room and my pulse begins to pick up. I speed walk down the hallway and I stop when I hear voices. I hear Ava singing, and Eric’s laughing. I also hear an older man’s voice and two woman’s voices. I peek around the corner to find my dad, Eric’s mom and dad, Brady and Rachel in the kitchen. What the fuck are they all doing here? Eric notices me looking around the corner and excuses himself. I start to walk back to my room realizing I’m in a tank top and panties with no bra. Yeah, this wouldn’t be a good thing for the parents to see. I get to the room before Eric can get to me.

  “Morning,” he whispers as he comes up behind me and nuzzles the back of my neck.

  It sends chills down my spine, “Morning.”

  “How did you sleep?” he asks.

  “I slept ok, how about you?”

  “I slept alright.”

  “What time did Ava get up?” I ask.

  “Seven.”

  “Why didn’t you get me up?”

  “Cause I thought I’d let you sleep for a change.”

  I turn and face him, “Thank you. Umm, why are our parents here?”

  “My mom was bugging dad to get out of the house and she really wanted to see Ava and you. That’s ok right?”

  “Oh of course! Your parents are always welcome here. You know that!”

  “Ok good. As for your dad, I have no clue why he’s here. He showed up at eight and been pacing the floor since.”

  “Eight huh?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Dean got out at nine.”

  “Oh? How do you know?”

  “I got a letter from the jail giving me the time he would be getting out. Dad’s here just in case Dean shows up.”

  “Oh,” Eric says with a shock look on his face. “I’ll let you get dressed,” Eric says kissing my forehead.

  I get dressed in my black and pink running shorts, matching pink tank top and sports bra. I grab my running shoes and a pair of socks. I walk into the bathroom, put my hair up in a ponytail, wash my face and brush my teeth. I’ll shower when I get done with my workout.

  I walk into the kitchen where everyone is sitting. “Good Morning,” I smile at everyone.

  “Morning sweetie,” Mrs. Reed says with a huge smile on her face while everyone else says good morning. Ava comes up and gives me a big hug and kiss.

  I have breakfast with everyone. It’s pretty quiet. I know where everyone’s minds are. “Alright I’m going to come out and say it,” I say taking a deep breath, “He’s out; I know he is. I’m not going to wait around like a sitting duck. I have my gun, and yes, I have my right to carry a concealed weapon. I’m not going to let him run my life. If he’s going to come after me, he’s going to. If I sit here and wait for him, it’s going to drive me insane. I’m going to keep doing my everyday things. I thought a lot about this and at first I was just going to sit here and hide, but fuck that, I’m prepared for whatever comes at me. I know you guys love me and I love you all so much, but just know that I’ll be ok.” I smile at everyone and let out my breath. “Besides, who’s to say he’s even going to come around,” I say and shrug my shoulders and everyone just stars at me like I’ve lost my damn mind. “Well, you all think about that for a while and I’m going to go take a run around my property.” I smile. “Oh, can you watch Ava for me?” I ask and

  turn to Eric, he just nods his head. I grab my IPod and ear buds and walk out the back door. I get my shoes on and put my ear buds in. “Roar” by Katy Perry comes on. I start off slow and start gaining speed.

  The joys of living on four acres of land, I’ve got room to run and I know damn good and well they wouldn’t have let me go to the gym, so this is as good as it gets. “Gunpowder and Lead” by Miranda Lambert comes on and I start running hard and fast. This song is the song I listen to over and over when I’m at the gun range.

  “Footloose” By Blake Shelton, “Dynamite” By Taio Cruz, “Tough” By Kellie Pickler and “Girlfriend” By Avril Lavigne come on and I look up to see Rachel waiting for me. I finish running to the song and take my ear buds out.

  “Feel better?” she asks me.

  “Not really, I’ll see if my dad will watch Ava for a few hours so I can go shoot and then I’ll feel better.”

  “You’re scared shitless,” she says.

  “So? Wouldn’t you be?”

  “Yeah I would, but why put on a hard ass front for everyone. Why not show us you’re scared? Are you afraid we’re going to judge you? Eric is out of his fucking mind worried about you.”

  “I’ll be fine, alright? Fuck, just leave me the fuck alone and give me some space. Christ is this how it’s going to be every fucking day now, a house full of people babysitting me? Fuck that! You can all just leave and leave me the fuck alone. I can take care of myself,” I snap at her.

  I had started to pace back and forth. I walk past Rachel and walk inside. “Dad can I talk to you in private please?” I ask him and he gets up, following me out to the garage.

  “What’s up?”

  “Can you take Ava? I need to get out of here. Everyone babysitting me, I feel like I’m being smothered. I need a few hours to myself. Please dad?” I beg him, trying hard to not let the tears out.

  “Take your gun?”

  “It’s in my purse already.”

  “Alright, take your cell phone and leave it on in case we have to track you down.”

  I roll my eyes at my dad, “Always the cop aren’t you dad?”

  “Hey, it’s my job as your father to keep you safe.”

  “Thanks dad.”

  I follow my dad back into the house and quietly grab my purse, keys and cell phone. I quietly walk out. I know Eric is watching my every move, but I see my dad playing interference. I hope my dad can keep him back until I’m in my truck.

  I was able to pull out without anyone trying to stop me. I know it’s just a matter of time before they start calling or better yet, follow me. I love Eric and everyone at my house, but I need to breathe and having them hover over me is not helping. I decide to head to the cemetery to pay a visit to my dead husband. I don’t know why I’m going here, but it’s pulling me there. I pull right up to where his head stone sits. Sitting in my truck staring at his spot, I want to punch something or someone. I get out and walk over. Once I’m there I get on my knees. “You son of a bitch! I cannot believe how many fucking lies you told. I don’t even know anything anymore. You have totally done a mind fuck on me. I fucking hate you and I hope you’re rotting in hell where you belong. All those fucking lies, and for what, why would you do something like that? You and Reagan are so fucked up and you totally deserve each other. But guess what, I’m with Eric and I heard your daughter call him daddy this morning. It was such a beautiful sound.” I wipe the tears from my eyes. “Good Bye Steve. Forever,” I whisper and walk back to my truck.

  I drive to the wildlife sanctuary. It’s my quiet place, a place I go to when something bad happens. It’s the one spot that is totally private and not many people know about it. I always feed the ducks while I’m thinking so I go and buy three bags of duck feed and find my spot.

  I put one ear bud in my ear and I just drift off. “Please Remember” by LeAnn Rimes comes on and I start to think about mom, Steve and Dean. Before Dean went crazy we had a good relationship. I did love him and I saw myself marrying him one day. Actually besides Eric, Dean was the only one I ever imaged marrying. I shake my head, “Stop thinking about him,” I say out loud.

  “Wide Open Spaces” By Dixie Chicks come on. I start to throw duck feed out to the ducks and I’m greeted with a bunch of them. “Always so
hungry and always so greedy,” I giggle.

  I hear the branches rustle behind me and I start to freak. I get a chill down my spine. I turn around and I’m frozen with who I’m staring at.

  “Hi,” he whispers.

  “Hi,” I say grabbing my purse. Alright Katie, you remember how to do this. Just aim and shoot. You’ve got this, you’ve been training for this day for years.

  “Katie, I’m not going to hurt you.” Dean says.

  “Yeah well I wish I could believe that Dean,” I say in a cold tone.

  “You hate me, I get it. I hate me too.”

  “I’ve got to go. I can’t be here,” I say standing up.

  “Katie, can you give me twenty minutes to tell you my side of the story?”

  “What do you have to tell me Dean? You went crazy and almost killed me. What in the world could you fucking tell me that would make what you did to me alright?” Adrenaline is starting to pump through my body.

  “You’re right, I’m sorry. When I saw you sitting here, I should have just turned and walked away. For what it’s worth Katie, I am sorry, but I’ll go; take care of yourself,” he says backing away.

  “Dean,” I shout.

  “Yeah?”

  “Why did you come here?”

  “Not sure,” he sighs as he shrugs his shoulders.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck! I take a deep breath, “You’ve got fifteen minutes,” I close my eyes and say out loud. I have a death grip on my purse.

  “Ok,” he gives me a shy smile.

  He walks over and takes a seat on the other side of me, and we have a couple of feet between us. Deciding I’m not comfortable being this close to him, I stand up and get closer the exit area.

  “I’m not going to hurt you Katie, I promise,” he says.

  “Times ticking,” I snap.

  I end up giving him more than fifteen minutes. He’s told me his side of the story, showed me the ring he was going to give me, told me about the money Steve offered him, the harassing Steve and Reagan did.

  “I know I’m the only one to blame for hurting you, but I was under so much stress that I started drinking. Katie, when I sobered up, I hated myself for hitting and hurting you, but when I was drinking I felt nothing but hate, and it was stupid because I loved you so fucking much. I am so sorry I hurt you and I’m even sorrier for not coming to you with everything Steve and Reagan were doing.”