by Franca Storm
She tightens her hold ‘round me and whispers in my ear, “I love our date tonight. It’s perfect.”
“I’m glad, Sarah.”
I grab her hips and flip us so she’s on top. “That’s better.”
“Better?”
“Don’t wanna be putting pressure on the baby.”
She giggles. “It’s a bit soon to be worrying about that, Zeb.”
“We don’t know that ‘til we see the doctor in a couple of days. Might not just be recent. Plus, I ain’t gonna stop worrying ‘bout our kid or you.”
She runs her fingers up and down my chest, making me moan from her sweet touch.
And then she shatters the whole mood by suddenly saying, “You’re going to kill him, aren’t you?”
Whoa. Talk ‘bout a curve ball. “Who?”
“You know who. Ben.”
“He hurt you. Threatened you. Scared you.”
“I don’t want you to.”
“He deserves it, Sarah.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not for you to pass a judgment like that, Zeb. Leave it up to karma.”
I scoff. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No,” she says, frowning at me. “I mean it, Zeb. I know you’ve killed before. You killed that guy in the parking lot outside my diner that night you got stabbed.”
What’s she talking ‘bout? “What guy?”
“The one you hit right in the throat. He went down hard. You broke his windpipe, didn’t you?”
I smile at her naivety. “Sarah, you know how hard you gotta hit, in just the right area, to do that?”
“No and I’m glad I don’t.”
“Well, I swear to you he weren’t dead.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Also, can’t just leave somebody lying on the ground in a public place if I killed ‘em. Gotta clean that shit up. Gotta call somebody in to do it, wipe all evidence. It’s a big job.”
“Oh. Well, you killed your brother.”
“Had to.”
“I know, but no more. I don’t…it scares me.”
“Scares you?” I ask, reaching up and stroking her hair.
“That part of you that can kill without caring.”
“Ain’t planning on you ever seeing it, Sarah.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
I sit up, taking her with me, so she’s straddling my lap. I run my hands up and down her back. “How ‘bout this? I ain’t gonna go searching for Ben to kill him. All right? Were gonna. But I won’t. For you. Cuz you just asked me not to.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But he comes at us—him or Torvin—and I ain’t gonna hold back. Good deal?”
She nods happily. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Listening to me.”
“‘Course. You’re my girl.”
“Not all men listen to their girlfriends and wives.”
“Well, they’re the stupid ones then, ain’t they? In for a world of trouble.”
She giggles. “Definitely.”
I pull back from her and reach into the inside pocket of my hoodie beneath my cut. I capture the two things in my palm and then hold my hand out in front of her. “Speaking of wives.”
She gasps as I open my hand and she sees the two rings there.
“Picked these up a few days ago.”
Her eyes are wide as she stares at ‘em. One’s a man’s ring and the other’s a woman’s. But they got the same design. Two gold hearts being held in two silver wings.
“I know you been hesitant ‘bout us moving in together. But you’re still mine. Want you to remember that. Want every asshole ‘round to know it, too. Want you to wear this and I’ll wear mine.”
“Like promise rings?” she asks, getting it. “Saying we belong to each other?”
“Yeah. You hit it, Sarah.”
She holds out her left hand to me and I slide hers onto her ring finger. Then I put mine on.
She gazes at hers, smiling, all happy and excited. “I love it.” She leans down and kisses mine. “And I love you.”
She’s so sweet and she don’t even realize it. I grab hold of her and pull her back down on top of me. She drums her fingers on my chest. “Do you want to look at some of those houses you were talking about a few weeks ago?”
“You serious?” I ask, more than a little shocked.
“I’ve been thinking about what Rox said to me at the barbecue.”
“What’s that?”
“About taking a leap of faith.”
Rox actually helped me out? Must finally trust me with Sarah then. Must see that I ain’t the asshole I used to be no more.
“When you asked me, part of me really wanted to.” She places her hand over her heart. “This part. But I was also scared. You were basically asking me to give up my life and absorb myself into yours. Well, that’s what I thought. But now I get it. That’s not what you meant, is it?”
I shake my head. “Wanted us to bring our lives together. Bring your diner here. You’re still gonna be independent and all that, doing what you love. We’ll just be together.” I grin at her. “And in a bigger place. Never realized how small my place is ‘til we been living there together.”
She giggles. “I know. We’re literally tripping over each other.”
I lift her off me and get to my feet. As she starts getting up too, I grab her and pick her up. She squeals as I jump down from the truck with her in my arms. And then I start making my way down the bank to the water.
She realizes what I’m gonna do and starts kicking and shrieking, “No! No, Zeb!”
But it’s too late. I jump into the water with her in my arms.
“Ah!” she screams as we make a huge splash that rains down over both of us.
I put her down gently and she slaps her hands into the water, splashing me all over.
“Bad girl,” I tell her, wading towards her.
She shrieks and backs away. “You started it! You soaked me!”
“You splashed me.” I lunge at her, grabbing her hips and easing her through the water ‘til her back presses against the bank.
I grind against her. “What should I be doing ‘bout that, Sarah?”
She shocks the shit outta me then as she starts undoing her jeans real fast and tugs ‘em down her legs. She tosses ‘em onto the grass behind her. And then she’s on me, her hands pulling at my belt and undoing mine. She pushes ‘em down to my thighs. I jerk in surprise as her fingers wrap ‘round my cock.
She leans into me and whispers, “You should fuck me.”
Jesus Christ. Hearing her say that word is real hot. “So fiery tonight, darlin’.”
She tugs on my cut and jerks me into her. “Stop teasing. I want you. Now, Zeb.”
I grab her hips and lift her up. “Love it when you get all desperate for me.”
I lower her down slowly onto my cock, real gently, watching the look on her face as she takes me deep. So sexy. Biting her lip, her eyes wide, gasping as I stretch her tight little pussy. So tight. Every time it amazes me.
She wraps her arms ‘round my neck and starts to ride me. Hard and fast. Real rough.
Holy shit. “Who knew such a shy girl who couldn’t even talk ‘bout sex would turn out so wild, giving me a run for my money?”
She throws her head back and closes her eyes as she works my cock over real good. Too good.
I grab her hips and still her. Her eyes snap open and she frowns at me.
“Kiss me, darlin’.”
She smiles and leans into me, starting to kiss me wildly. She’s tryin’ to get me worked up again to get me to be wild with her. But that ain’t what I want for us right now. Don’t want it to be ‘bout chasing an orgasm. Want it to be ‘bout us. Wanna be with her. All of her. Not just the feel of her gripping my cock so damn good. I slow the kiss down, savoring the feel of her sweet lips, the taste of her. I kiss my way down her neck, calming her down. She moans into my mouth and I feel her relax.
Dunno if it’s the hormones with the pregnancy that’s got her so crazy. Might actually be too early for all that. Could also be her tryin’ to get out all the stress we been through lately.
But what I do know is she don’t need what she thinks she does—a hard and fast fuck that she ain’t feeling, that’s meaningless and she’s only using to distract herself. After all, who’s got more experience with that bullshit than me?
I press her back into the bank and thrust into her slow and deep.
Her eyes finally meet mine and I know she’s with me now.
“Mmm…yes,” she gasps, smiling back at me.
“Like that, darlin’?”
She nods slowly. But then I see tears in her eyes.
Fuck. This ain’t happening. Can’t do this with her when she’s upset like this. I pull out, gritting my teeth from the loss of her.
“Zeb, no. You don’t need to stop.”
“Yeah, I do. You’re crying.”
“I’m fine. Just forget it.”
I pick her back up and carry her outta the water towards my truck.
I put her down on the bed and walk ‘round to the cab. I grab the bag I put there earlier on the back seat. I pull out a couple of towels and hop back up onto the bed. Kneeling down, I drape one over her shoulders and rub her arms to warm her up.
I put one ‘round me, then sit back with her and pull her against me, holding her to my chest.
“I’m…sorry. Sorry, Zeb.”
“What you talkin’ ‘bout, sweet angel?”
“Being rough. Trying to…use you like that.”
“To make yourself feel better?”
“Yeah,” she murmurs, all sad and ashamed.
“No apologies needed. What I’m here for and it works both ways, don’t it?”
“I…I guess,” she chokes, starting to cry harder.
“What’s got you like this? Tell me, Sarah.”
She looks up from my chest, her eyes wide. She looks so terrified. It cuts into me. “I…I’m scared.”
“‘Bout moving in together?”
She shakes her head.
“Having this baby?”
“No, about them taking it away. Eddie and his thugs. Before I met him, I had a good life. He ruined that. Then I escaped and I built another life with my diner in Brockford. He came and tried to ruin that. And now…I have you. And our baby. I’m so happy, Zeb. Happy with you. But I just know, he’s going to find a way to rip it all away. Just like he always does. He never lets me truly escape. He never will.”
She hides her face in my chest again.
“Look at me, Sarah.”
She shakes her head against me.
“Please. Look at me.”
She slowly looks up at me. Her eyes are red and teary. Hate seeing her like this. Hate seeing her in any kinda pain.
“Want you to really listen to what I’m ‘bout to say. Want you to really hear me here. Can you do that for me, sweet angel?”
“Yes,” she chokes through her tears.
I draw in a deep breath to calm myself, cuz just the idea of those fuckers scaring my girl so much is making me real angry. But I gotta swallow it right now. For her. She always gets frightened when I get angry. Angry men scare her and I know after what happened to her with Torvin, they probably always will.
So, I focus on making her feel better, rather than my own rage. She’s what matters. Not the rest.
“Things are different now. It’s just like what you told me on that bridge. I thought my addiction issues were just going in a circle. Thought there weren’t no end. That’s what you’re believing here ‘bout your own life, ‘bout being happy. You think every time you touch it, it’s just gonna get ripped away. A vicious circle. But it ain’t, Sarah. Not no more. Cuz you got me now. We got each other. You hear me?”
“It’s not a guarantee, Zeb.”
“Nothing’s guaranteed in life. Just the way of the world, darlin’. But one thing I do fucking know, after all this shit I been through and we been through recently together…we make the choice how we live. Ain’t fated, or nothing. Ain’t a circle. Cuz we can stop it.” I cup her face in my hands. “And I swear to you, I ain’t gonna let nothing touch you. Nobody’s gonna hurt you, or our kid. You’re worrying so much when you should be celebrating. We’re moving in together. Having a baby. We’re together. That’s what you gotta be thinking ‘bout. Not the negative. Cuz, believe me, darlin’, you start thinking like that and it’s a downward slope. You know I been there. Made that mistake. You saw what happened, cuz of that. Ain’t gonna let that happen to you. You’re too full of life, too sweet for all that. Stay with me here, yeah? I got you, Sarah. Always will.”
“Okay,” she murmurs. “You’re right.”
“Mean it?”
“Yeah,” she says, nodding. “I’m just being crazy.”
“Nah, sweet angel. Not crazy. You’re just freaked out. I get it. But you got no need to be. I got you, Sarah. It’s you and me now, yeah?”
She smiles and flings her arms ‘round my neck. “I love you so much.”
“Love you, too.”
Chapter 32
~Runner~
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter to myself, running my fingers through my newly-gelled hair as I stand in front of the bathroom mirror. More gray hairs now. And not just barely-there and not that noticeable. Nah, it’s silver that stands out in a major way when it catches the light.
I tighten the towel ‘round my waist and study myself. Well, at least I’m still in great shape. Ain’t been working out much lately. Been busy taking care of my girl, working and going to therapy meets. But she’s been helping me stay in shape. These last few weeks, ever since the night of our first date, she’s been sex-crazed, wanting it all the time. Woman’s been wearing me out. She’s been wanting it up to five times some days. And I ain’t a fucking twenty-year-old no more, so it takes a lot outta me. Never ever thought too much fucking would be no kinda problem for me. But it’s getting there. I need a goddamn break. That’s why, this weekend, I’m keeping her busy. Gonna check out a bunch of houses ‘round Reirdon Falls. Also gonna head down to her diner again.
Since I had that talk with her ‘bout her needing to get back to her, I been taking her down there for a bit each night, after I finish up at the bike shop for the day, for her to meet with her staff and check up on things, order stock and all that. ‘Course, Ax makes me take a couple of brothers with me. He’s still keeping an eye on me and don’t like me leaving Reirdon Falls right now.
Recently, Sarah talked ‘bout moving back to her house for a bit ‘til she moves the diner here, but I put my fucking foot down. No way in hell am I letting my pregnant girl live away from me. And especially not in that hellhole of a dangerous city. So, I’m keeping up with taking her down there every night for now.
I move closer to the mirror to get a better look at my hair. Gotta get some of these grays outta it.
I’m just pulling one out when I hear footsteps behind me at the bathroom door. Shit.
I spin ‘round to see Sarah leaning against the door and eyeing me, looking real amused.
“Gel gunk,” I tell her.
She folds her arms across her chest and gives me that look of hers, the one that says she ain’t buying my bullshit for a second. “Really? It looked like you were pulling out your grays.” Before I can get a word out, she walks up to me and reaches for my hair. “I like it.”
I scoff and step back outta her grip. “Don’t pity me, woman.”
“I’m not. The grays make you even hotter.”
“You’re serious?” I ask, not believing a word.
“Yes,” she says, stepping forward again and pressing her hands to my naked chest. “Like a sexy silver fox.”
“Old men do it for you then, darlin’? That it?”
“No, you do,” she says stretching onto her tiptoes and kissing my cheek. “And you’re not old.”
“I got a few years on you, Sarah.”
“Barely nothing, Zeb. And, you don’t look your age. You certainly don’t act it most of the time either.”
I laugh at that. “You saying I’m immature?”
“When we first met, absolutely. But less lately.”
“Yeah? How’s that?” I ask, sliding my hands ‘round her waist and holding her to me.
“Since we found out I’m pregnant you’ve been Mr. Responsible.”
“Gotta take care of my little family. That’s why,” I say, pressing my hand to her belly that’s starting to swell a bit now. We went to a doctor in Reirdon Falls and it turns out she were further along than both of us thought. She’s two months in now already. It must’ve happened that night of the bridge incident then. That night when she took care of me, I must’ve knocked her up right then. “You’re starting to show now, darlin’. Fucking love that.”
She frowns in that cute way of hers. “You love that I’m getting heavy and fat?”
“Fat? What you talkin’ ‘bout? It’s a baby. Our baby.”
“Still.”
“Still what?”
She pulls away from me. “You know?”
“I really don’t. Gonna have to spit it out, darlin’.”
“You’re used to models. The hottest women in existence. And you already settled for me and now I’m….” she lifts up the white lacy blouse she’s wearing, flashing me her growing belly.
I love how she ain’t shy ‘bout showing me her scars no more. She’s finally comfortable with her body ‘round me. Well, ‘til now. Now there’s this. Fuck me.
“I’m…chubbing out,” she says. “And it’s not just my stomach. It’s starting to happen everywhere. Look.”
She spins ‘round and points to her ass.
How the hell didn’t I notice before? She’s wearing a skirt. First time ever. A skirt! A sexy black thing that only just covers her ass. She’s got thigh-high leather boots on that just ‘bout cover that bullet scar on her leg.
“Whoa. You’re wearing a skirt, darlin’.”
She turns back to face me. “I know.”
“And...hooker boots.” And then it clicks for me. “Nice try.”
“What?” she asks, distractedly.
“You dressed like this on purpose. Tryin’ to seduce me, weren’t you?”
She rolls her eyes and blows out a frustrated breath. “Yes.”