Tragic Love (BOOK 2)

by Brannon, M.

  Darcie has never been more right in her life because I’m familiar with that electricity; it lives between Drake and I. “I agree with Darcie. But you know what I find funny; we sit here and discuss sex like we’re the most knowledgeable women on the plant. Yet, we’ve only been with one guy in our life, and you none,” I say, pointing to Delilah. “Then look who you’re about to marry and the rest of the guys for that matter. Between the four of them they’ve probably slept with the entire town of Sulfur Heights and two out of the four of them have snagged virgins as the partner in the ever after. And Jake, well, Delilah, you’re probably the closest thing he will ever have to a girlfriend.” I raise my hands like a minister does during his sermon to emphasize his point. “Virgin!” I shout. Both of the girls stare at me as if they are really processing what I just said. Like it never occurred to them we’ve snagged our ying to their yang. Then, we all erupt in fits of laughter as we finish our lunch. God, I love these girls. I’m really happy and loving life right now. Man, it really feels good to think that and truly mean it.

  ***

  Delilah and my dresses are beautiful. They’re strapless with a sweetheart neckline and satin material that cling to our bodies perfectly. The color is a deep eggplant purple—Darcie’s favorite color—accompanied with a black satin ribbon tied underneath our breasts. Our makeup is simple and our hair is down, styled in light waves and pinned back around the face. I’ve never felt so beautiful in my entire life and so terrified to walk at the same time. The five inch black heels will be interesting to walk in.

  We put Darcie in her gown and she looks very much like the angel Reggie calls her. The dress is strapless and has the same sweetheart neckline like Delilah and my dress. The bodice fits snuggly to her chest and waist, but the bottom billows out and gathers until it hits the floor. The small train follows behind her, which Delilah pins up to avoid the bottom of the dress getting dirty. Half her hair is gathered on top of her head, secured in rhinestone clips while the rest falls in waves down her back. She is breathtaking.

  “I was so wrong,” Delilah says while completely mesmerized by Darcie. “You look amazing. In fact, you look perfect in black. I don’t think another wedding gown would have suited you.” We all share a big hug, grab our purple multi-flower bouquets and head downstairs for the limo.

  Drake

  The ceremony was only twenty minutes and I know everyone was secretly thanking God for that because I was dying to take off this tie. How the hell do guys wear these things every single day? According to Reggie, Delilah and Darcie coordinated everything in record time. From the service, travel, hotel and clothing, every detail was done by them and over the phone. All Reggie had to do is turn over his credit card, leaving the girls in charge of everything else.

  They started planning the wedding when Presley was still in rehab and in their sneaky girl ways got sizes for all of us then had the clothing shipped to Las Vegas in time for the wedding. We didn’t have to wear the full suit, only the black pants and dress shirt with a dark purple tie.

  When we were getting dressed, we all stood there, trying to figure out how to tie a tie. Jake even YouTubed it and we still couldn’t figure it out. There has never been an occasion where we needed to wear a tie. It’s not something guys just automatically know how to do. When we arrived at the chapel, Reggie caught Delilah in the hallway and she went around to each of us securely tying the knot around our necks.

  Even though the ceremony is short, it’s exactly how Reggie and Darcie envisioned it. When Presley walks down the aisle, it is nearly impossible not to tackle her and fuck her right there on the floor, minister present and all. I can’t wait for all this to be over so I can have her alone with me in the room and finish what we started earlier today.

  Jeremy walks Darcie down the aisle and then Reggie grabs a hold of Darcie’s hands and kisses her scarred shoulder before they go into saying their vows. This is the only time I’ve ever seen Reggie close to crying. Even after everything he’s been through in his life, he’s never shown any emotion that would come close to shedding tears, yet here he stands with the love of his life in his hands, tears of joy running down his face.

  Just after Reggie and Darcie say I do, the sixty second countdown to midnight starts and we’re all ready to bring in a New Year. Standing in the lobby outside the sanctuary, the seven of us wait for the clock to roll to midnight. I grab Presley’s cheeks in my hands and take in everything I love about her. We have both been through so much this year, filled with happiness, obstacles and pain, but as we stand here waiting with the New Year upon us, I can’t help but think there is a reason we’ve met so many challenges. Everything we do has a purpose in life and I’m glad mine is staring back at me.

  As the others are counting down the last seconds of the year, I take the opportunity tell her exactly what I’m feeling. “I love you so much and I can’t wait to see what this New Year will bring. You and Mia are my life and make everything I do have meaning. Thank you for being in my life, Presley, and I look forward to spending every New Year with you in my arms.”

  The confetti is thrown by the chapel staff just as everyone shouts Happy New Year. I lean down and press my lips to hers. They are soft and taste sweat like cherries. Perfect.

  ***

  The lights of the Vegas strip shine into our window as we stand in our suite, wrapped in each other’s arms. It’s been months since we’ve made love and we both decided it’s time to come back to each other. We conquered so much the last few months, now it’s time to relish in those victories. After we left the church, Jake, Jeremy and Delilah hit the town, as the rest of us ran off to our rooms. I’ve been dying to get her out of this dress and naked in my arms.

  We face each other as we stand in the middle of the room. Presley looks beautiful and nervous, more so than she did the first time we were together. I think this time is more significant because this is how she coped with her terrors of Robert until she discovered heroin and I know she’s thinking she will tie thoughts of him with sex.

  I’m confident in what we have, though. I know she can feel the love I have for her, and I will do everything in my power to make sure it’s me who’s flooding her mind. I start by kissing her shoulders. Ever so slightly, I plant delicate kisses to her soft skin, lightly brushing it with my tongue.

  Presley runs her hands up the back of my shirt, pulling it from the waistband and sneaks her small fingers underneath. The pads of her fingers slowly move up my back, causing me to harden instantly.

  I move to the back of her dress and then slowly pull the zipper down her back. Her breath hitches as the satin material glides down her body and billows around her feet. When I take a step back to look at her, it’s easy for me to see that Presley is the most incredible woman I’ve ever seen as she stands in her black lace strapless bra, lace thong and high heels. I don’t think I can hold off another second, but I don’t want to rush this moment. We’ve been waiting so long for this reconnection and I won’t waste a single second.

  Presley’s hands move to my tie, pulling the knot down until it’s undone. Then her fingers unbutton my black shirt and slowly she slides it off my shoulders and onto the floor. We stand there, saying nothing, not kissing, simply staring into each other’s eyes, absorbing every detail of each other.

  As her hands finally move to my waistband, my pants fall from my hips and onto the floor. It’s impossible to hide how much my body reacts to hers. I kick off my shoes and socks then sweep her up in my arms, carrying her over to the bed. She is lying under me, brown hair splayed across the pillows, a look of passion igniting her eyes.

  God, I love this woman.

  Presley

  Drake is lying on top of me, lightly kissing his way down my body. When he reaches my legs, he lifts each one, sliding both his hands down my thighs, over my knees and to my ankles where he pulls off my stiletto and then repeats with the other leg. I am dying to feel him against my naked skin. It prickles with delight and my core is heating wit
h anticipation. I’ve been with Drake many times since the first, but this time feels like it’s the most important time because we’re saying good bye to our pasts and welcoming our future.

  The soft pucker of his lips leaves charges of electricity when he makes his way up my body. Each kiss is delicate, erotic and purposeful.

  I slightly sit up so he can unclasp my bra then lie back down when his lips assault my nipples, making them hard pebbles with every lick, suck and taste. I need to feel his body against mine so I grab his face and meet his lips with mine. Our kiss turns from yearning to ravenous within seconds as the inner passion erupts from us both.

  I hitch my legs around his waist and then Drake rolls me over to lie on top of him and I break our kiss so I can taste his skin. My lips are wild as they travel over his hard shoulders, immaculate chest and down to the defined V of his abs.

  I sit up, pulling his black boxers down his thighs and toss them to the floor. As he did to me I plant kisses from his ankle, up over his knees and across his muscular thighs then take his impressive erection in my mouth. While I pump my hand in unison with my mouth, Drake releases deep moans from his throat.

  Before I can even enjoy having him in my mouth, he pulls me off him and flips me back over. Quickly, he pulls my panties down my legs and pushes himself inside of me. He doesn’t move, just holds himself still as his body fills mine. The connection, the pressure, is remarkable and I soon begin to lose myself as he slowly glides his body in and out of mine.

  Our lips meet again, and between deep breaths and moans, we keep them connected. I grab behind his shoulders, slide my hands down his slick back and squeeze his ass to push him deeper inside of me. It makes me explode with pleasure as he keeps thrusting into my sweet spot. When I start to fall back down to earth, I feel Drake go rigid as he releases himself inside of me. We don’t move, just lie with our bodies connected savoring this perfect moment of our love.

  Chapter 20

  Presley

  Life is a new kind of normal. When my eyes wake in the morning, I now see my day as a blessing and look forward to conquering them. Of course, I still have my challenges where the evil witch, heroin, will unexpectedly grab a hold of me. However, I now know how to kick her ass. As for Robert, yeah, he still makes an appearance—usually in my dreams—but instead of holding in all the fear I have for him, I will wake up Drake and pour out my feelings. He never judges, only holds me against his chest, whispering kind words of reassurance then lulls me back to sleep.

  When I look back at this time last year; I was a new mom, suffocating in my depression and desperately clinging onto a life I thought I needed to have. Today, four months into the New Year, I feel life couldn’t possibly get better. Last month we celebrated Mia’s first birthday. She was spoiled, of course, from everyone and received every toy ever created. Her room is becoming overloaded with toys and clothes. That child is so spoiled. Jake and Jeremy went together and bought her the biggest wooden play set I’ve ever seen. They spent a week putting it together. It has a huge clubhouse towering at the top, swings, two slides, a covered sand pit and a teeter totter. It is definitely something she can grow into, like her Mini Cooper, and I can’t wait to watch her play on it. The best part of the day was watching Mia eat her cake. The small ladybug cake was shellacked over her face, stuck in her hair and covered her new dress. It was so funny and absolutely perfect.

  Delilah got to spend Mia’s birthday with us, and lucky for her, it happened to be during Spring Break. I’m sure she had to do some smooth talking so she could spend it with us and not with her family in Mexico. I have no idea what she said to get out of her obligations at home, but I really don’t care because I love having her in my life. I am glad she was able to celebrate with us.

  Each day I spend with Mia, I fall further in love with her. I’ve watched her take her first step, by the coaxing of her daddy of course, and with each step she takes, Mia gets better and better. I can’t wait to hear her first word, take her to school, help her get ready for a date, be there when she gets married and when she has her first child. My mother was absent for my most recent milestones and I know how much it aches not having her there to experience every moment with me, but I will always be there for Mia. I will never allow myself to get sucked into a world of self loathing and depression. I have too much to lose and Mia is a living, breathing reminder of that.

  My sessions with the good doctor have been cut down to once a month and in case of an emergency. Fortunately, I’ve not had a big enough emergency to call her, but I do look forward to that one day a month I get to talk with her.

  With the encouragement of Dr. Redman, Drake and Darcie, I enrolled in cosmetology school here in town and classes start next week. I’m a little nervous about going back to school. I was never any good meeting new people, but I get to further expand my purpose in life and start contributing to my family financially. I’m ready to start making my own money and take some of the pressure off Drake’s shoulders. Although, I would never know if he is stressed out about money because he doesn’t complain. He says he would work a million jobs to keep his family as happy as we are right now. This is one of the many things I love about him; he’s selfless, willing to sacrifice whatever he can to make sure those he loves are happy. Our life couldn’t possibly get better.

  His hours picked back up at the steel recycling plant, but we make it work. He stopped working at the bar because he knows how important it is to spend time with Mia and me when he can. Mostly we hang out at home, play in the backyard with Mia and spend time wrapped in each other’s naked bodies.

  Dr. Redman practically drug me to a gynecologist to get on birth control. After my last close call, she highly recommends having a baby right now would be too much to handle when I’m doing so well. I agreed with her. I am young. Once Drake and I get settled a little bit more, get married, we can talk about having more kids. I opted for the five year thingy so I don’t have to worry about pills, plugs or patches. Drake and I can just go at it as much as we want. And we do. We’re insatiable, but in a good way, not in the way I was using him before. We are on a whole new level of intimacy and it’s perfect. Everything is absolutely perfect and I’m riding the high as long as it lasts.

  Drake

  Presley is into her second week of school and comes home chattering up a storm. I have never seen her so excited and happy about anything unless it involves Mia or myself. We sit down for dinner with the rest of the family, when they’re home, and she talks away about what she’s been taught, new friends she is making and the teachers. I am so proud of her. Now that I’ve been out of school for a while, I don’t think I would have the desire to ever go back, but Presley, she simply keeps trudging on and with each day she keeps taking steps forward, moving in the right direction. She is strong, determined and most importantly, happy. I don’t ever want to see her unhappy again. I will give my own life to keep her just as she is today.

  The heart necklace I gave to her in rehab never comes off. From the time I pinned it around her neck, it’s always been present and now is a permanent piece of her—similar to the tattoos on Jake and Reggie’s arms or the scars on Darcie’s body. The piece of metal is a part of her, my heart is a part of her and will be forever.

  It sounds pretty fucking cheesy, but we are one big, happy family—the seven of us. We all know to contribute to the household expenses, food and upkeep. Darcie keeps track of what needs to be paid and when. We just divide it evenly and give her the money. Reggie and Darcie have the success of The Slab, I’m working pretty steady hours at the plant, and Jake and Jeremy still hustle to get their money, but at least they have it. We are not the traditional family; however we are stronger and have survived more shit than any other family around here.

  Jake and Jeremy are in the process of getting the Challenger ready for another season of racing. They spend a lot of time in the garage or test driving the car, making sure it’s in prime condition for the first race. Reggie helps when he can, but s
ince I left the bar he and Darcie have been spending most of their time working. Since she became his wife, Reggie has been more accommodating with Darcie actually working behind the bar, especially on the weekends. Everyone around here knows she’s his wife and belongs to him. There is no sick fucker within a fifty mile radius who dares to fuck with her now.

  Before their wedding, Reggie would have to knock around a couple of bold patrons, now no bastard has a death wish like that. For the first time since he was a kid, Reggie is finally able to relax and enjoy a life of his own. He no longer has to worry about someone hurting his family, or making enough money to keep his business and house a float; he’s just able to be. No one deserves it more than him. Now, if only we could get Jake and Jeremy to settle themselves down. Miracles happen every day, right?

  Presley

  It’s seven-thirty in the morning as I rush out the door with Mia in tow. We’re heading down the back steps so I can go to class.

  Last week Drake and I bought a little car for me to get around town in because it started to become too hard sharing a car once classes started. We managed to make it work for awhile then soon realized how much easier it would be to have a car of my own. Jake calls it the grocery getter because it has four doors and a hatchback. He keeps giving Drake a hard time for allowing me to drive such a sight and it’s not even American made. Yes, I know it’s not the classic muscle cars all the Evans men drive, but it’s safe and gets me where I need to go, therefore, I really don’t care how much torque it has under the hood or whatever that shit is.

  Time’s starting to get away from me as I secure Mia in her car seat, back down the drive and head toward Mrs. Field’s apartment. I am still a little nervous every time I drive into the parking lot because I haven’t seen Carter in months, not since the day I kissed him. I don’t know if I will ever be ready to face him and that part of my life, but if I do, I need to remember everything I’ve learned about myself and the support I have around me.