Shamus (Welcome to Spartan Book 3)

by Ashley Lyn

  My gut clenches. “I wouldn’t mind if you stayed at the house. I wouldn’t mind some backup, so to speak.”

  She runs her fingers through my hair. “I know. I’ll be there as much as you want me to, or as little. No worries about being alone, though, because your parents are going to be staying there with you.” She winks and nods her head toward the kids. I look down, and they’re both sound asleep.

  “It was a long day for these two. I’m going to head out, okay? Dad dropped the car off, and its outfitted with two car seats. I have to go make sure my sisters didn’t pack a bunch of crappy clothes.” I smile, thinking they probably did. She leans down and kisses me. “Congratulations, Dad.”

  She hugs my mom and is out the door. Looking down at my kids, then back at the door Savannah just went out of, I realize with a start that I feel like she belongs with us. I want her around a whole lot more than I thought I would at this moment.

  I look at Mom, and she has a knowing look on her face. I just shake my head and look back down at my babies. Holding them closer, I keep staring. I don’t think I will ever stop. I never want to close my eyes.

  It’s been a full two weeks now since Shamus was able to bring Aiden and Chloe home. Well, home to my home.

  The police and FBI have rounded up everyone involved at the compound. Turns out the FBI had planned to move that day and didn’t tell Tristan, who had asked to be involved for the children’s safety. Not trusting them to keep him in the loop, he had two men on the compound and was able to move in time to keep the kids from harm.

  The woman who looked after the children was released from the hospital to her family. She came and visited the kids before she left, and explained things as best she could. She also gave Shamus a digital camera that had pictures of them from about six months until now on it. The scarring on her face will probably never go away completely. She had tried to run with the kids about six months ago, and when they caught up to her was when they cut her face. Shamus asked her if she wanted to be kept in the loop about the kids, but she said no, that it was Shamus’s time with the kids. That as much as she loves Chloe and Aiden, she needed to find a way to get some closure, and as much as she will miss them, she can’t do that if she’s constantly being reminded of her time with them.

  Shamus and I have yet to have our conversation. It has me a bit freaked out, but I’m trying to stay calm. I tried pulling back a bit and keep it more platonic, but Shamus was having none of that.

  Finding quiet time to sit and talk about things is hard. Between the kids, the meetings with police, child protective services, my parents and Shamus’s parents, it’s been hard. Freaking man is working on my last nerve with the lingering touches and lusty looks. I feel combustible right now. My body is running hotter than a Molotov cocktail.

  I just got done cleaning up the bathroom when I hear a cry come from the living room. I’m hauling ass out of the bathroom and skid to a stop when I get in the living room.

  Aiden has his hand over Chloe’s mouth, and looking around frantically at Shamus, and then me. He looks scared shitless.

  Shamus gets down on their level on his knees. “It’s okay, Aiden, she just fell. It’s okay that she’s crying. It hurts when that kind of stuff happens. I won’t ever be mad or angry when accidents happen.”

  Poor Aiden still looks frantic. He lifts his hand off her mouth, and the first thing out of Chloe’s mouth is, “Aiden pushed me because I told him not to play with Savvy’s sword.”

  “Shut up, Chloe!”

  I’m totally confused, until I hear a faint vibrating sound. I look next to the couch and see my vibrator on the floor. Shamus falls back and starts laughing, the ass. I walk over and turn off the vibrator and head into my room, where I sit on the bed and hang my head. I would be a terrible mother. He was playing with my sexy toy! I curse the day I bought that fucking thing.

  “It’s all right, Savannah. This’ll be just one of those things years down the road that we’ll laugh about.”

  I look at Shamus and open my mouth to tell him that I love him, just get it off my chest, to see what he says. Every time I’m in a relationship, I spill my guts and confess my love too quickly, only to end up with a broken heart. There’s so much more at stake here than just me, and a relationship with Shamus would involve me uprooting my life. I need more from him than an “I want you” growled in my ear while he’s fucking me.

  “Dad, can we watch Frozen again?” Chloe yells from the living room.

  Shamus groans, making me laugh.

  We both head into the living room. Shamus turns on the TV and puts in Frozen, as I sit on the couch and pull my feet underneath me. I’m engrossed in the movie, when I feel a tug on my pant leg. Looking down, I see Aiden. Smiling at him, I open my arms and he crawls up onto my lap, laying his head down on the armrest.

  It never fails to shock me how physically at ease they are. Kissing the top of his head, I continue to watch the movie.

  I startle awake when I feel someone touching my face. Opening my eyes, I see Shamus smiling at me. I look down at Aiden, who is sound asleep. He picks him up carefully and carries him into their bedroom. Sitting up, I stretch, just as Shamus comes back into the living room. He sits next to me and pulls me over so that I’m lying on top of him.

  His hands come up and cup my face. Leaning down, I kiss him gently, and it turns into a whole other ball game rather quickly.

  I shiver when his hands make their way under my shirt, sliding up and down my back. He turns us on our sides and pulls away, kissing the tip of my nose.

  Putting his forehead against mine, he takes a deep breath. “I got the all clear today. I can head home to Spartan.” My whole body goes stiff. I knew this day was coming, I just didn’t want it to. “I want you to come with me, Savannah.” Looking at him, I smile. “It’s not just the kids, although they love you, and I’m sure having you there would help. I’m going to miss you. I know you probably can’t stay long, I just…I don’t want my time with you to end just yet.”

  My finger slides down his nose and across his lips. This is going to kill me to say. “I can’t…”

  He leans down and kisses me. “Don’t say no. Just say yes, baby.”

  “I already made the decision to move to Spartan, you know that. I need to get my house packed, get it sold, and train someone else for my position. I took a month off, and it was the best month ever, but I can’t take off any more time right now.”

  “I want you there with me, Savannah.” I smile sadly at him as he blows out a breath. “I’m giving you a month. Then I’m coming for you, and hauling your ass home.”

  He grips my lower back and jerks me forward. “Shamus, we just talked about this. I have shit to do here at home.”

  “You know what happens to naughty girls, Savannah?” He flips us over, and I’m on my stomach. From behind me, his lips barely brush my earlobe.

  “Naughty girls get spanked, Savannah. Today, baby, you were so naughty. Not talking to me, shutting me out. Acting all pouty and shit,” he whispers, with just a hint of an accent.

  His hands grip my hips and jerk me up on my hands and knees. “Should I spank my beautiful girl?”

  His hands grip both butt cheeks, and I shake my head no. At least, I thought I did, until I hear…

  Smack!

  “Good girl, baby. Knew you’d see it my way.”

  I feel his fingers slide into the waistband of my yoga pants and glide them down, so fucking slowly down my ass. I feel his lips on my lower back and a gentle kiss. Pulling my pants completely off, he slides his hands up the back of my shirt and opens my bra with an effortless flick that has my breasts spilling out. My shirt is over my head and off between one breath and the next.

  “Have you ever been spanked, Savannah?”

  I shake my head no. His finger trails down the center of my back, over my ass, and lingers between my butt cheeks. I clench because anal sex has never seemed appealing, and honestly scares the shit out of me, pun intended.
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  I turn my head to yell at him, and get a mouth full of lace. I’m shocked, pissed, and fucking turned on to realize that he’s gagged me with my own fucking underwear.

  I turn my head to glare at him, but my eyes roll into the back of my head the moment his finger penetrates my center. His thumb grazes my clit, and my legs start shaking.

  I’m so focused on his finger slowly penetrating me, that the fire in my ass takes me completely by surprise.

  My whole body jerks, and I moan so loud, I should be embarrassed.

  He pulls his finger out and slides in another. He twists his hand and brushes my clit again, and lands another solid spank.

  My orgasm is riding that breathless edge. It feels so close, it’s difficult to even draw in a lungful of air.

  My ass is burning, and my thighs are wet with arousal. I’m no longer pulling away from the spanks, but thrusting back in anticipation of the burn.

  Shamus slides a hand in my hair and pulls my head back. I can feel his lips close to my ear, and his breath on the side of my face.

  “You’re mine, Savannah.”

  He flips me over on my back, grabs my ankles and spreads my legs straight up and out, putting my pussy on display.

  He puts one knee on the couch and lines up his cock with my center.

  “My beautiful Savannah,” he says, and thrusts forward so hard, my tits bounce and hit my chin. My eyes go wide as my back arches and thrusts my breasts in the air.

  He lets go of my ankles and I lock my legs around his waist. He grabs both ass cheeks and the feel of his hands on my burning butt almost makes me come.

  “Please, make me come, Shamus.”

  He then proceeds to take me on the ride of my life. He’s pounding into me with no control. This out of control man is marking me, body and soul.

  I think for just a second that I’m so happy that my mouth is gagged, before the world narrows to a tiny pinhole. Every muscle locks down and the breath whooshes out of my lungs.

  The orgasm drowns all my thoughts in a wave of pleasure that steals my breath. I’m barely aware of Shamus finishing. I look down and watch as he pulls out and comes all over my stomach.

  He uses the tip of his cock to rub it all over my belly. He literally collapses on top of me and pulls the panties out of mouth before laying the sweetest kiss on lips.

  “One month, then I’m dragging you home if I have to.” I shiver a bit at the sheer determination in his voice.

  I love him with every cell in my body. I desperately want to tell him, but until I get those words back, until I know that I’m embedded as deeply in his heart as he is in mine, I will keep my heart guarded.

  Just then, we hear bells, and we both jump apart and sit up on the couch—a trick my sister taught me. She puts bracelets of bells on the kids’ door knobs so when they get up, you can hear them.

  We quickly start pulling on our clothes, and are both barely dressed when we hear tiny voices. “Shh, sis, we have to be quiet.”

  “But Aiden—”

  “Do you want a snack?” Aiden asks her. “Shh,” Aiden says again. I look at Shamus, and he’s smiling.

  Peeking over the couch, we watch them walk into the kitchen and open the pantry. They come tiptoeing back out, and they both freeze when they see us.

  Aiden clutches the pack of cookies so hard to his chest, I think he’s going to smash every one of them.

  “If you’re hungry, let me get you a better snack to have at bedtime. Cookies will give you a tummy ache in the morning,” I tell them.

  Getting off the couch, I walk by and touch both of them, softly on their heads, and head into the kitchen. They’re both still frozen in the hallway. “Come on, you two, sit and eat. We can brush your teeth after you eat and get you settled back into bed.”

  “Hey, Sav, I’m hungry too.” I look at Shamus, and the look on his face says he didn’t forget at all what we were just doing. So, I make Shamus and I sandwiches, and we all settle in for a late-night snack.

  When everyone is done, Shamus takes them into the bathroom and brushes their teeth before changing them into their PJ’s. Since they both crashed during the movie, he didn’t want to wake them up.

  I’m in my bathroom brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed. I put on my favorite unicorn onesie and head out to the living room.

  Shamus is sitting on the couch, his head tipped back. His head rolls to the side and he looks at me with so much fire in his eyes. I’m suddenly very happy I put on the onesie.

  “Can you help me make up the couch?”

  He doesn’t move, but his eyes roam up and down my onesie covered body, and I’m suddenly very unsure about my pajama choice.

  “You look so sexy in that.”

  Putting my hand on my hip and cocking it to the side, my arm goes behind my head and I give him my best I-look-sexy-in-my-unicorn-onesie pose.

  Crooking his finger at me, I head over to the couch and sit on his lap. “You okay? I got a little out of control.”

  I shiver, thinking about it, and smile. “Anytime you feel like losing a little control, feel free.”

  We get up and pull out the couch and make the bed.

  I expect him to head to bed, but he surprises me when he slides in next to me. Damn the man for making this fucking difficult. I snuggle in and close my eyes, and dream of a life and future with him and the kids, one that seems so close, yet so far away.

  “Aiden.”

  “What?”

  “Why is Sav dressed like that?”

  “Don’t know.”

  I smile when I feel a tug on my shirt sleeve. I open my eyes to two little faces about an inch from mine.

  “Dad,” Chloe whispers. My world stops and starts every time they say that.

  I smile at them. “How did you guys sleep?”

  “Fine,” Aiden says, his arms crossed, and then he moves them to his hips. “We’re hungry.”

  “All right, but let’s be quiet. We don’t want to wake up the unicorn.”

  “What’s a unicorn?” Chloe asks.

  “It’s a mythical creature. They’re very hard to spot and very precious.”

  “But that’s Sav,” Aiden says.

  “I know, baby. They’re just her pajamas.”

  “Can we have pancakes?” Chloe asks.

  “You bet, sweetheart.” Sitting up, we make our way into the kitchen and set to making pancakes. Aiden and Chloe are sitting at the kitchen counter. “So, in a couple days, we’re going to take a trip. Do you guys like trips?”

  They’re both silent, and when I look at them, they look scared.

  Chloe’s lip is trembling, and I start freaking out.

  “What’s wrong, baby?”

  “Where are we going? Are you coming with us?”

  “This is Savannah’s house. I don’t live here normally. I came down here to pick you little munchkins up. I have a house in a town called Spartan, that has a lot of really nice people.”

  “What about Sav?”

  “She can’t go with us right away, but she will eventually come home to our home. I love you both with every bit of my heart, and I will never leave you or give you up. I’m your dad, and that means I will always be here, no matter what, okay?”

  Chloe sniffs and wipes her nose on her pajamas. “You promise?”

  “I promise, baby.” I come around the counter and hug them both.

  Aiden is a bit stiff at first, then he relaxes and wraps his little arm around me, finally, and I feel his fingers clutching onto my shirt.

  Pulling back, I kiss both of them on their foreheads and get back to making the pancakes.

  I’ve been laying here, listening to them talk to Shamus and ask him questions for twenty minutes about everything from his house, Spartan, friends and family, everything under the sun.

  Chloe wants a unicorn and doesn’t quite understand why she can’t have one. Aiden is confused about the airplane, and Shamus is laughing, trying to keep up with the questions.

 
The conversation dies down, and I peek over the couch and see all three of them looking at me. At my confused look, Shamus says, “You laughed when Aiden asked if an airplane has wings that move like a bird. You want some pancakes, oh great majestic unicorn?”

  Both Aiden and Chloe giggle. Getting up, I stroll into the kitchen. Sitting down, Shamus slides a plate over to me, and Chloe asks, “Can you fix my hair?”

  “You bet, sugarplum.”

  “We’re going on an airplane!” Aiden tells me. Flinging his arms in the air, he runs around the kitchen, flapping his “wings.”

  I can’t help but smile at him and his peanut butter covered face.

  “Did Shamus tell you my brother lives in Spartan, too?” They both nod that yes, he did. “There are a lot of really fun people that live there. There’s an ocean, and tons of fun things to do.”

  Breakfast conversation turns to Frozen, and they both run off when Shamus tells them he will start it again. Digging into my pancakes, I smile, listening to Shamus and the kid's chatter on.

  “Still time to get you a ticket, Savannah.” I look at him and shake my head. I desperately want to, but I just can’t.

  He studies my face for a long time before he lets out a sigh.

  We’re checked in and sitting at the gate. Aiden is wide-eyed and in complete amazement at the airplanes. Chloe, not so much. She’s sitting in Mom’s lap, holding the teddy bear I gave her, watching the planes and people with a wary look.

  Leaving Savannah at check-in was hard on not just me, but the kids and her. I don’t understand why she shut me out, and I’m beyond frustrated. I feel like she’s punishing us both for a transgression that never happened.

  My phone rings, and seeing that it’s Bruce, I take a deep breath.

  “Bruce.”

  “Shamus, you home yet?”

  “No, we haven’t even gotten on the plane yet.”

  “Okay. So, I was thinking. While I was taking my daily poop, I came up with the idea of having a party at Willa’s when you get home with the kids.”