Jonny's Redemption (Gemini Group Book 7)

by Riley Edwards

  So all of that was done.

  But that wasn’t what Bobby was asking.

  “Yeah. Got the call when I got home. House is gone and the dumpsters have been hauled. All that’s left is the grading and that will be done tomorrow.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?”

  Jonny's gaze went from the sun setting behind the woods to Bobby.

  Damn, she was beautiful. So pretty it hurt to look at her. So gorgeous it was hard to believe she was his. So fierce. So sweet. So smart. She was more than a dream come true and one day she’d be his wife. One day she’d give him children and she’d love them—down to her soul—with the same profound adoration she gave him. Scratch that—she’d love their child more than she loved Jonny. That was the kind of mother she’d be; Roberta Layne would shower her babies with love and affection and they’d never doubt she loved them most in the world. And Jonny was down with that. He wanted the children they made to know they were wanted, they’d be protected at all costs. The children they made wouldn’t survive their childhoods. They’d thrive. They’d know peace and goodness.

  “I needed to see it,” Jonny answered.

  “I get that but I wish you would’ve called me and told me they were starting a day early. I wanted to be there with you.”

  Loyal.

  Protective.

  That was his Bobby.

  The old Jonny would’ve lied. It would’ve been an omission, a blow-off so he didn’t have to answer truthfully, maybe even changed the topic so he could hide. But he’d vowed not to do that anymore and besides, he owed her the truth.

  “I needed to do it alone.” Jonny reached up and cupped her cheek, partly to take the sting out of his words but mostly because he just wanted to touch her soft skin. “I needed to forgive them and myself. I needed to let go. I needed to know if I had it in me, and when you’re by my side I believe anything’s possible. So I had to be alone to know I’m man enough to love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

  Jonny felt her lips tip up and his thumb grazed the side of her smile, feeling that grin literally and figuratively.

  “And now you know.”

  It wasn’t a question, but Jonny still answered, “Now I know.”

  “Do you wanna talk about it?”

  Jonny didn’t need to think about the offer. There was nothing to say, no need to hash out his feelings or process the emotions. It was what it was. Life was just life. Sinners sinned. People forgave. Redemption was found. Pasts were left in the past.

  It was time to move on.

  “No.”

  “Jonny—”

  “Straight up, baby, I got nothing to say. And not because I’m holding back or don’t want to share with you. It’s just gone and there’s nothing more to it.”

  “What’s gone?”

  “That knot in my gut. The poison that polluted my thoughts. The lies I held on to that told me I was a failure.”

  Jonny paused thinking maybe he did have something to say, things Bobby needed to know, but before he said them he wanted her closer.

  Much closer.

  He stood and held out his hand and just like he knew she would Bobby wrapped her fingers around his. She didn’t ask where they were going when he led them through the house. She remained silent as Jonny undressed her. She said not a single word when he helped her onto the bed before he shed his clothes and joined her.

  Trust.

  “Do you know how much I love you?” Jonny asked and settled his hips between her legs.

  “Of course.”

  “Good.”

  He dropped his mouth to her neck and took his time tasting every inch of her he could reach. When that was no longer enough, his hand glided from her hip, up her ribs, along the curve of her breast until his thumb found her nipple.

  “Jonny,” she whimpered.

  “When I ask you to marry me, are you going to say yes?”

  “Yes.”

  Jonny continued to toy with her nipple, pinching and rolling until her back arched and her breaths started coming out in tiny gasps.

  “Are you gonna have my babies?”

  “Yes.”

  “I want that soon, baby, you up for that?”

  “Yes.”

  Jonny smiled and nipped her earlobe.

  “You ready for me?”

  “God, yes.”

  His cock twitched and he shifted.

  “Reach down and guide me in.”

  Bobby’s hand snaked between their bodies, she fisted his cock, and did what he asked. In one hard thrust, Jonny sank deep.

  Bliss.

  Jonny stared down at her pretty eyes unfocused with desire, her sex tight and wet, her nails digging into his back, her knees clenching his sides, all of that so hot he fought against pounding into her.

  Peaches and vanilla.

  Soft gasps, raspy moans.

  Jonny took it all in, the perfection of them coming together.

  Two halves that fit.

  United.

  Then he told her the last of what he needed her to know.

  “I was wrong, the future is not unknown. The future is you and me. It’s us making a family. It’s you by my side. It’s us bound together. It’s whatever we want it to be, Bobby. Unknown is not unknown when you find the person you were meant to spend your life with.”

  Jonny didn’t need a response. Bobby’s smile said it all and his chest grew lighter at the same time it warmed.

  The unknown looked bright.

  The future beautiful.

  So with nothing left to say, Jonny made love to his woman.

  30

  McKenna Swagger

  “Micky?” my sister Mandy called.

  “Yeah?”

  “You know they’d be proud, right?”

  My body jolted and I looked up from the picture I was holding.

  “I know they’d be proud of you and Zack.”

  So much had changed since my dad and stepmom had passed and I became the guardian of two teenagers. We had a rocky start, all of us grieving a huge loss. But since the waters had calmed and we’d come together as a family, things had smoothed. Over the years we’d hit rough patches, but lucky for us we had more ups than downs, and we always worked as a team. That was something Nixon had taught us.

  “They’d be proud of you,” Mandy argued.

  “Mandy—”

  “They’d be proud.”

  I glanced back down at the last family photo we’d all taken together. Sadness crept in like it always did on days like today. Special occasions, milestones, holidays, they would be missing. Days when I knew they’d be beaming with pride and excitement. Days like today hurt just a little more than normal.

  “They’d be proud,” I conceded.

  I placed the photo back on the mantel and looked around the room.

  “Where’s Holly?”

  Mandy rolled her pretty green eyes and shook her head.

  “Where do you think she is? Zack took her out to see Goat.”

  “Seriously, she’s dressed for the party.”

  “Like Zack would care if she was dressed to meet the Queen. He never says no to her.” That was true, my brother loved his niece. “Besides, it’s Zack’s graduation party, if he doesn’t care about smelling like Goat what do you care?”

  “When’d you get so smart?”

  Mandy shrugged then smiled. “Nix taught me.”

  “Whatever,” I mumbled.

  “Micky?”

  My eyes drifted closed. I knew that tone. I’d heard it a lot over the years.

  “Right here, Mandy.”

  “Yeah, you are. Always there. Always cheering us on. Always proud. Always giving us more. Being a mom, a sister, a friend, whatever we needed. You and Nixon.”

  I was not going to cry. I was not going to break down when my house would be overrun with friends and family any minute.

  “Thank you, big sister.”

  Okay, so I was going to break down and that was how my hu
sband found me. Nixon didn’t ask what was wrong, he didn’t ask Mandy why I was crying, he simply pulled me into his arms and held on tight.

  That was Nixon Swagger.

  My forever.

  My partner in all things.

  He waited until I was done then kissed the top of my head.

  “You good?”

  “Better than good.”

  “Glad to hear that, because Holly’s dress is toast.”

  I felt my blood pressure skyrocket.

  “Baby, she’s having fun with her uncle who is shipping out in less than a week. Who the fuck cares if she’s filthy? Zack needs this time with her, with us, with his family and he should have it however he needs it.”

  So, Zack didn’t follow in Nixon, Weston, Jameson, Holden, Alec, and Chasin’s footsteps and join the Navy. He forged his own way—my baby brother the Marine.

  “You’re right.”

  “With that in mind, I think it’s time we gave Holly a brother or sister.”

  I was happy he thought that, though I wouldn’t be telling him until after Zack’s party we were already adding to our family.

  Bobby Spencer

  “I promise to always respect you. I promise to listen to you when you speak and when you don’t. I promise to be faithful and stand by your side. I promise to love you through the hard times. I promise to laugh with you.” Jonny paused and dropped his forehead to mine. “I promise, swear it from the bottom of my soul, I promise to make every moment worth it. Through the good and bad I will never forget you are my everything.”

  “I now—”

  “Wait,” I interrupted the justice of the peace.

  Incidentally, Micha Murphy had also married Evie and Chasin, and Holden and Charleigh at this very spot weeks before. We should’ve asked for a group rate—three weddings in three months.

  “I’m not ready,” I whispered.

  Jonny’s forehead lifted and he gazed down at me, his beautiful blue eyes that had captured my heart so long ago were full of concern.

  That wouldn’t do, not ever, but especially not on our wedding day.

  “I need a moment,” I explained, “I’m not done memorizing yet. I want to remember everything.”

  I closed my eyes and felt the warm fall sun kiss my bare shoulders, the scent of gardenias for my bouquet filled the air, I could hear Ayden, my godson, Evie and Chasin’s newborn, fussing. Happiness floated all around me—like a physical touch it caressed my skin, filled my heart, nourished my soul.

  We did it.

  We crawled through the muck, the pain, the quagmire of the past and came out stronger. Clean and free.

  Once I had everything committed to memory, I opened my eyes and looked into the most beautiful ocean blue orbs. Eyes I’d fallen in love with the first time I looked into them. Jonny had tried to hide, but from the start, my soul had recognized his.

  “I always knew,” I told Jonny. “I had done all the work I could do, I had learned to love myself, I had learned to be strong. All I was waiting for was you to show me what it felt like to be loved. Thank you.”

  Jonny didn’t wait for Micha’s permission to kiss his bride, he didn’t wait for us to be pronounced Mr. and Mrs. Spencer. My husband dipped his chin and took my mouth in a toe-curling kiss that I didn’t have to pause to remember—from the second our lips touched it was tattooed on my soul.

  Jonny Spencer

  Jonny felt a hand on his shoulder and his gaze moved from his wife dancing with Chasin to his mother.

  “Having fun?” he asked.

  “Thank you for inviting me.”

  “Not today, Ma.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and for the first time in years, he didn’t feel skin and bones. “I just want you to have fun.”

  “How can I not when my son is beside himself with happiness.”

  It was good she noticed.

  Though these days Anita Spencer noticed a lot now that she was no longer drinking. She’d only come back to Kent County twice since she finished rehab. The first time was to sort her belongings, the second was to watch her son get married. She was happily living in New York. He didn’t see her often but Anita spoke to Bobby almost daily.

  His mother felt she had a lot to make up for and she hadn’t delayed in making amends.

  “Bobby said you were leaving for Dewey Beach tonight.”

  Their honeymoon. A week at the beach with no interruptions.

  “Yep.”

  “And she said you’ll come up to visit after.”

  “You still up for the company?”

  “I’m always up for my son and daughter to come visit.”

  Before Jonny could reply, Aurora skipped over and tugged on Anita’s hand.

  “Grandma! Did you hear? Mama’s having a boy,” Rory chirped.

  “I heard, angel. How exciting.”

  “Mama said you’re spending the whole weekend with us,” Rory continued. “And don’t worry, we took Pooper Cooper to Aunt Kennedy’s house so he won’t make you sneeze. Oh, and Daddy said since it’s a special occasion I don’t have a bedtime. We can stay up all night. Caleb, too. Will you teach me how to make brownies? Mama says yours are the best. Even better than Grandma June’s but I’m not supposed to say that to—”

  “I heard that, Aurora,” June Hartley teased, joining their huddle. “Though your Grandma Anita does make the best brownies in the whole county so I have to agree.”

  “Thank you, June.”

  Yeah, Anita was wasting no time getting back everything she’d lost.

  “Love you, Ma,” Jonny whispered.

  Anita Spencer exhaled a breath she’d been holding in for decades. She let it go and took in clean, fresh oxygen. She had years and years and years to make up for. Wrongs she had to right. And she would, one day at a time.

  Kennedy Grant—three years later

  “Mom!”

  “What? I’m old, not dead.”

  Jameson chuckled and I narrowed my eyes at my husband.

  “Jameson!”

  “What? Your mom’s not wrong. I do look incredibly hot holding my daughter.”

  Before I could explain all the things wrong with that statement, Miss Janice cut through my thoughts.

  “Don’t bother, girl. You know they’ll gang up on you.”

  My mother’s long-time friend was correct. Jameson and my mom often took each other’s side. This didn’t bother me, though I always complained when they did it, I secretly loved watching big, tough Jameson’s soft spot for my mom.

  “May I have my daughter back?”

  “No,” Jameson said and protectively held the little girl to his chest.

  So, my mom was right. Jameson did look incredibly hot holding Lola. But considering I’d given birth less than an hour ago, I wanted to hold my new daughter.

  “I think she’s hungry,” I tried.

  “She’s not.”

  I sighed and switched tactics.

  “You should go out to the waiting room and get Noah so he can meet his sister.”

  Jameson’s eyes lit the way they always did when he thought about his son. And in return that look made me think about when I’d first met Jameson and the shadows that had clouded his handsome features. I hadn’t seen the darkness in years. But it wasn’t until Noah was born that a new light had dawned in my husband. And with the addition of Lola that brightness was blinding.

  Silver Beil—two years later

  “Mom!” Dylan shouted.

  I glanced over at the couch and just as I feared, hearing her brother’s shout Haley woke up. At four, it was a rare blessing if my daughter slept during the day. So rare, it was shocking when it occurred, especially on a weekend when Dylan was home.

  “Dude, your sister was sleeping,” Weston said.

  “Sorry. But Sally’s in the front yard,” Dylan explained.

  “Is Goat with her?” I asked, praying he wasn’t but knowing he was.

  “Yep. And he was eating your flowers but Ayden and Noah got him
away,” my son proudly informed me.

  “I’ll call Micky.”

  “Don’t bother. Me and the boys will take them back. You know they're getting ready for the wedding.”

  Yes, the wedding. That was why Holly and Wyatt, McKenna and Nix’s two kids, were not over playing with Chasin and Jameson’s boys. Tomorrow was the big day—Mandy was getting married.

  “I’ll come with you. Haley’s awake now and I want to check on Micky.”

  “I wanna ride Goat back,” Haley said and jumped off the couch.

  “Okay, baby.” Weston scooped up his princess when she got close and my heart melted.

  If I was Weston’s treasure, Dylan was his father’s heart, and Haley was her daddy’s soul. We all gave something special to Weston and the best part was he not only gave it back but in my opinion he did it better. A day hadn’t gone by that Weston didn’t show me how much he loved me. He’d vowed to make me see what he saw in me and he succeeded. And he gave that to our children, too—they knew without a doubt they were loved.

  Genevieve Murray—five years later

  “I want a sister,” Lyric announced and I startled.

  “Bite your tongue.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  My six-year-old looked at me like I was crazy, when the reality was she was the crazy one and if she said that in front of her daddy he’d start talking about having another baby. Three kids were plenty—two wild boys and an even wilder daughter more than enough.

  “Because your mama’s done having kids,” Bobby helpfully explained.

  “But I don’t have a sister,” Lyric complained.

  “Rory, Joss, Holly, Paisley, Haley, Lola, pick one and pretend,” I offered.

  “Rory’s leaving,” Lyric pouted.

  “Don’t remind me,” Macy groaned.

  I looked over at my friend sitting on the next bench over, then I glanced around the yard.