by Brook Wilder
Felicity spoke in a whisper. “You were defending her as you defended me.”
I glared at her and her eyes went wide. I spat the mint out of my mouth and patted my shirt pocket hoping to find a stray cigarette. I wanted a fucking smoke, but I’d left them at home. Annoyed, I stood up from the little bench.
“You’re not property,” I said. “But that girl belonged to the MC. He ruined her and because of that, he cost us money. To me, he’d stolen my money just the same as if he had put his hand in my pocket.”
Felicity wouldn’t look at me. I’d gone too far, but it was better this way. She wasn’t the type of woman I could have. Felicity was innocence that had come to Earth and I would ruin her. I wanted her but I didn’t know how to take care of delicate things. I saw what bad decisions had done to others, and from the sadness on her face, I knew she had seen it also.
“But you went to prison,” she insisted. “You paid for your crime.”
I had to laugh at her naiveté. “I’m a bad man, Little Lamb. Didn’t your father warn you? He knows what I am. Ask him. You won’t make me feel ashamed for what I was born to do. I do what I need to because it is what I am. And I protect what’s mine without apology. And when I find the bastard who shot my mother’s house, I will crush him into dust with my bare hands for her. I protect what I love.”
I will never understand women because, after all the terrible and cruel things I had said, Felicity jumped off the bench, wrapped her arms around my neck, and kissed me.
***
Felicity grabbed my head and kissed me long and hard. I pushed her back, but barely an arm’s length away. Her warm breath cooled my wet lips and our labored breaths mingled. My hands closed around her cheeks and pulled her soft lips toward mine. I tasted her. She deepened our kiss and slipped easily past my hardened defenses. My hands tangled in her golden hair.
She whimpered as I pulled her against my body. My hands caressed her soft curves under the silkiness of her dress. Her soft and eager kisses made me careless. And I covered her mouth with mine, parting her lips with my tongue. Felicity clung to my shoulders as she pulled back to take a breath. She tugged herself off me, and tears gleamed on her fair lashes. I trailed a finger along her flushed cheek and wiped a stray tear away.
“I’ve never done this before,” she whispered. “I’m a virgin.”
“I’ll be gentle, mi alma.” I whispered as I kissed her delicate ear.
I moved her further into the shadows away from the harsh streetlight. Watching Felicity’s anxious eyes, I brushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders. The fabric slid down her chest, exposing a plain white bra. She looked embarrassed as if it wasn’t sexy enough to be seen in. But I was pleased with her purity.
“I want you to know,” I murmured. “That if we do this, it means you are mine. Do you want to be mine?”
“Very much,” she nodded. “Oscar, do you want to be mine?”
Grinning, I nodded as she pulled her bra off. My hand cupped her sweet breast and it filled my grasp as my cock throbbed. Her gentle softness made me moan. I hadn’t touched a woman in years. Even before I left for jail, I chose not to run around. I would treasure her virginity as my reward.
Holding her, I kissed my way down the side of her throat, brushed her collarbone with my lips then followed the swell of her chest. My thumb grazed her nipple as she sucked in air. I toyed with her sensitive skin and kissed an arc over the top of her breasts. A groan left her throat when I nipped at her now hard nipples.
Her breasts were perfection. They were small and delicate like her. Not heavy, but firm swells of sweet flesh topped with pale pink peaks. I licked and sucked her soft skin all over, greedy for her body. Felicity gasped and sighed as she held onto my shoulders, arching her chest forward so I could give her more pleasure. I kissed her mouth again and tangled her golden hair in my hands.
She fumbled with my shirt but managed to get it open. Her nails grazed my skin, stroking my pecs. Felicity froze when I hissed. It felt good and I nipped her ear. She giggled, and resumed in her quest to undo the remaining buttons on my shirt. It felt so good to have a woman in my arms again, but this woman wasn’t just any woman. She was the angel who’d haunted my dreams.
I tugged off my shirt as she removed her dress and it fell to the ground. She stood before me in white panties and heels. I groaned as my erection pressed hard against my jeans. Sweat trickled down my back. I knew I couldn’t stop even if Felicity changed her mind, but she stepped closer and unfastened my belt.
I reached down and my fingers traced the curve of her mound to the wet spot between her thighs. She whimpered and I wanted to take her right then, but she’s wasn’t ready for me. Pulling her down to the ground, Felicity sat on my lap. She wiggled her bottom against my hard-on and I nipped at her again. She laughed.
“Have you ever cum, Little Lamb?” I asked.
She didn’t look at me. Instead, her fingers traced the hard muscles on my chest. I kissed her neck as I slipped my hand into her panties. She sighed and her eyes shut.
“Have you touched yourself before?” I whispered.
She nodded and leaned against my shoulder. I slipped my finger in between her wet lips. She held onto my neck as I rubbed my finger gently across her slit. Felicity moaned in my ear, and I bent my head to tongue her hard nipples.
She rocked back and forth in my lap as my fingers explored her, softly moving toward her clit. I grazed it and her nails dug into my back. I reveled in the pain as my mouth left her breast. My lips skimmed over her neck until I pressed against her mouth. Then I swirled my fingers around her sensitive nub, and moved faster and faster.
Felicity clung to my shoulders as her beautiful body shook then stiffened. Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked down at me. Now, she was ready for me. I laid her on the ground and crawled over her body, watching her chest rise and fall in anticipation. She closed her eyes and pushed her panties farther down her hips. I had stopped to unfasten my fly when we heard a voice.
“Felicity?”
“It’s my mother,” she said pulling up her panties.
I tossed her dress into her hands before I scrambled over a low wall. Felicity moved quicker than I expected as she pulled her dress over her head. She had kept her shoes on, and she was up and trotting off toward the archway. I grabbed for my shirt but stayed in the shadows.
“Mom?”
“What are you doing out here?” her mother asked.
“I just needed some fresh air.”
Her mother looked around trying to see what could be of interest in the garden. Felicity’s white bra lay on the ground, glowing like a firefly against the dark grass. Her mother didn’t notice it, but her mother was a shrewd woman. Even if she didn’t see the bra, I was sure a woman like her could sense the sex lingering in the air. It’s hard to lie about being aroused.
“Let’s go home, Felicity. It’s time for dinner.”
Chapter 10
Felicity
On the drive home, Mom only spoke once to tell me Jane was still in bed. I didn’t answer her because I was too busy willing the car to move faster. We drove in silence down the main street and I examined brightly lit shop signs I’d seen before. As we crossed the unmarked border into Southside, I wondered if I should call Oscar when I got home. We pulled into the driveway, but my mother locked the door before I could get out.
“Felicity.”
I started at the sound of my mother’s voice. I figured she wanted to have this conversation in a place my father couldn’t hear.
“Has that man been back to the soup kitchen?” she asked. “The one you claim you met outside?”
Mom hadn’t been to the soup kitchen since the mayor’s visit, so she didn’t know Oscar had become a regular. I wasn’t sure if Jane had said anything, but I’d talk to her later. My hands were sweaty, and my knees were still weak. I hadn’t come down from my high yet. I almost had sex with a man I was in love with, and my mother wanted to know if he was still han
ging around.
“Which man?” I asked.
“Don’t play games, Felicity. The Mexican who stood next to you at the serving table, has he been back?”
“Yes,” I replied. “The nice young man who stood next to me has been back.”
She inhaled deeply while gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. Thank goodness the car wasn’t running, or she would have driven us off the road.
“Felicity,” said my mother. “I’m not a bigoted person, but I expect you to be truthful with me about your acquaintances.”
My low sigh filled the emptiness in the car. Any time someone says, ‘I’m not a bigot but...’ Well, they probably are. Nothing good comes after that opener. But in Mom’s defense, I knew ‘acquaintances’ included Jane. Back in college, Mom had insisted campus housing find me a new roommate after she met Jane, but that’s one bureaucracy that’s hard to beat, so we remained roommates.
“Felicity, are you having a relationship with the young Mexican man who came to the church?”
“No, Mother. Not yet.” I wouldn’t dare tell her I was about to eagerly give him my virginity before she interrupted us.
She glared at me with her hard, steel gaze. A weaker person would have crumbled but I was used to it.
“Do you promise me you will discuss your choices of boyfriends with me,” she paused before adding, “And not your father.”
I was so glad it was dark outside so she couldn’t see me roll my eyes. “I will, mother. I will.”
“I love you, Felicity.”
That actually shocked me into silence. My mother hadn’t said those words to me since I was a child. Not even after Faith’s murder.
“I love you and I want to keep you safe,” she continued. “I know I seem small-minded, but there was a time when I trusted the world, too. Sometimes, when we meet an attractive man, our judgment fails us. The excitement from meeting someone new keep us from making the correct choice. A fool once said that ‘love conquers all.’ It doesn’t. It conquers you and leaves you broken in the dirt.”
Tears rimmed the bottom of my eyes. “I’m so sorry, Mom. I don’t want you worrying about me.”
“Just be careful, dear, and know that I love you and I always think about you.” She paused before adding, “And please comb your hair. You have grass in it.”
Maybe I should be more sensitive, after all she had lost Faith as well. Maybe, I should tell her about Oscar.
We got out of the car and I didn’t notice the Lexus parked in front of our house. I went inside the house, preparing to be a better daughter, until I saw Nathan standing in the middle of our living room grinning.
“Look who’s here, Felicity. It’s Nathan.” Mom beamed like a game hunter who had just bagged the prize. Mother or not, I wanted to slug her for tricking me.
In the dining room, we sat down to a dinner of pot roast and baked potatoes that I’m certain was catered. My mom had been planning the ambush days in advance. Nathan sat next to me and asked more annoying questions as I picked at my food. I wanted to check on Jane.
“So Felicity, your dad said you were in school.”
“Yes. I was in state college, but I took time off.”
“Oh, couldn’t hack it?” He chuckled and raised his eyebrows at my dad.
How did he think that would even be funny or a polite thing to say?
“No, my sister was shot and killed, so I took time off.”
Dad looked at me sternly, as if I had been the one to say something insensitive.
“Oh, yeah. That’s right,” said Nathan.
“Felicity is thinking of going back,” added Mom.
“That’s great. What are you majoring in?”
“English. But I’m thinking of switching to Art History.”
Nathan snorted. “You must like living with your parents.”
I looked at mom with reproach. She even looked stunned by Nathan’s tactlessness. Dad just kept eating his pot roast. I could hear my phone buzz from the living room; I’d left my purse on the couch.
I wondered if Oscar was calling me.
“I’ll be right back,” I said. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
I grabbed my purse and ran upstairs to my room. Faith and I had shared a bedroom until college. After I moved out, Faith decided to convert the attic into her room for privacy. I was thankful Jane was here because it was hard looking over at an empty bed.
Jane was still asleep. She looked peaceful, and I kissed her cheek. He made it clear that she was welcomed in his home. I sat in the chair next to my bed and pulled my phone from my purse.
The text read, ‘I hope you didn’t get in trouble.’
I texted back, ‘I didn’t.’
There was a pause and I was about to put the phone away when it buzzed again.
‘I shouldn’t be hoping to see you again but I am.’
I texted back, ‘Remember that I’m yours.’
‘Tuyo para siempre.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Yours forever. Good night, Little Lamb.’
I heard footsteps and put the phone away before peeking out into the hallway. Dad was actually starting to like Jane, especially when he found out she was an excellent shot. He had come upstairs to check up on both of us.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It was your mother’s idea and I agreed. Please come back downstairs and I’ll throw him out before dessert.”
Pleasantly surprised, I gave dad a kiss on the cheek, and we rejoined my mom and Nathan at the dinner table. I made the best of the evening because I knew the man I loved was thinking about me.
Chapter 11
Oscar
I headed over to the clubhouse to meet Emilio. It was a Mexican restaurant we took over. There was no sign over the door anymore because the owner only welcomed the Cazadores inside. I sat next to Emilio at his table in the back. He always watched the door no matter where he went. He was excited about the mayoral election. Red and white posters with ‘Nieto’ covered many building walls on the Northside, people were coming to his rallies, and his charity work had been receiving press. Emilio thought he might have a chance.
I shook his hand and gave him a brief hug. “Thanks for moving Mama to a private hospital.”
“She’s moving her fingers,” he said. “She’s coming back, Oscar.”
“We still don’t know who’s responsible,” I replied.
“No, we don’t, but you’re the best person to find out.”
“I know, it’s me.” I looked away from his hard eyes. My cousin knew I hadn’t been doing my job the way I had in the past.
“It’s hard, but I need you to stay strong.” He patted my back, but I shrugged his hand off.
“I am strong,” I replied sternly.
“No,” Emilio corrected me. “You’re slinging hash with a pretty blonde in a church. I know you haven’t been with a woman in a while. Just fuck one here and get it off your mind. Stop neglecting your duties.”
It wasn’t wise but I raised my voice. “I’m not and it will be okay.”
“I need better, Oscar. You’re a Lieutenant, your momma is in the hospital, and no one’s been punished. How does that look? I can tell you. It makes us look weak.”
“How about you? Running for mayor?” I hissed. “Going clean. Does going straight make you look weak?”
Emilio laughed, then his hand lashed out and pinned my head to the table. Luckily, he didn’t have a firm grip on me because he’d been drinking. My left fist struck out, and I got him in the stomach. I straightened, grabbed him like an old bone, and I pinned his arms behind his back.
“Not smart, old man,” I growled in his ear as he struggled. “I haven’t cum in over two years, but a good fight will take the edge off.”
Hector approached us, but stayed out of striking range as he edged up to the table. If I wasn’t ranked, he’d have shot me on the spot for restraining Emilio.
“Oscar,” said Hector. “Take it easy, my man
. This ain’t prison.”
Emilio laughed as he squirmed. “It’s okay. Oscar is showing me he’s still one of us. Game over.”
It would be my only warning. Warily, I let him go and stepped away from the table. Emilio was my cousin, but he was also a mean S.O.B.
“Puta,” yelled Emilio at a club girl by the bar. “What are you staring at? Get my nephew a whiskey.” Emilio chuckled as he motioned for me to sit back down. I wasn’t going to sit down until he did. “You still drink, Oscar? Or did prison change that too?”