Defying Gravity: Shattered Cove Series Book 3

by A. M. Kusi

  “Now you tell me,” he teased, reaching out his other hand to tickle her. She giggled.

  “You know what’s even more fun to do with mud cupcakes?” Bently asked.

  Zoey shook her head.

  “This,” Bently said before he raised the clump of sludge and sent it flying towards Belle.

  Speckles of mud pelted her chest and splattered across her face as she gasped.

  “What—oh you’re going to get it, mister!” Belle dove for a handful and sent it flying in his direction as he dodged and weaved.

  Zoey giggled, grabbing two globs, and joined the chase.

  “Let’s get him, Zoey!” Belle tackled Bently to the ground, rubbing her handful across his forehead as he smeared some over hers. She was out of breath from laughing so hard. Tiny clumps pelted them from the side as Zoey joined in.

  “Do you surrender?” Belle asked.

  Bently chuckled. “Only to you. Only ever to you.” He slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her as energy crackled between them.

  “You’re lucky I love you.”

  “I sure am.” He smirked.

  She turned her head, checking on Zoey who’d gone quiet. Too quiet.

  “Time to wash it off!” Zoey yelled as she aimed the hose at them.

  Belle gasped as she was flipped to the ground, Bently hovering above her taking the brunt of the ice-cold spray of water as it dripped onto her. “Ahhh! Zoey! It’s too cold. Shut it off!”

  The shower from the hose stopped as Bently got to his feet and reached out to help her up.

  She examined her clothes—wet and muddy. Belle glanced at the two of them, Bently was even worse off than her. “Look at us.”

  They all burst into laughter until her stomach ached. She sucked in a breath and tipped her head towards the spring sunlight. Joy overflowed. Some days were still hard. She’d always miss her brother. But the winter made the spring that much more special. She’d cherish each day. She’d laugh, she’d love hard and embrace life, living for the both of them.

  “We better get you cleaned up before your mommy gets here to get you,” Belle said, holding out her hand to the little girl.

  ***

  After they’d showered and changed, Belle put a plate of fruit and veggies on the table. Zoey’s little fingers grabbed a cucumber first, chewing on all the edges before plopping the middle in her mouth. “Mommy made sandcastles with me after we had ice cream for bre-fast.”

  “You had dessert for breakfast?” Belle’s eyes widened as she smiled.

  “Mommy said Mother’s Day is a special cajun.” Zoey grabbed another veggie and chomped her little teeth into it.

  “Your mommy is right. It is a special occasion.”

  Bently set a cup of coffee in front of her.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Angel.” He winked at her.

  His phone rang on the counter. He picked it up, glancing at the screen before answering with the speakerphone. “Hey, Jaz, you on your way?”

  “Uh, no, actually. I need you to keep Zoey overnight.”

  His brows knit together. “Is everything okay?” He glanced at Zoey before turning to Belle.

  Belle offered Zoey another cucumber as worry clenched her gut.

  “I have everything under control, Bent. I just need you to do this and not ask me any questions, okay? I’ll owe you one,” Jasmine’s voice said through the speaker.

  “Okay. Fine. Anything you need,” Bently said.

  “Thank you. I’ll call before bed to say good night to her.”

  “Sounds good.” Bently ended the call. “Guess what, princess? You get to spend the night with us tonight. Would you like to have a sleepover with Aunt Belle and me?” Bently asked.

  “Yay!”

  “Why don’t you go pick out a movie to watch until dinner is ready.” Bently nodded towards the living room.

  “Otay!” Zoey shoved another cucumber in her mouth before she ran out of the room.

  “Is she okay?” Belle asked.

  Bently rubbed a hand through his dark hair. “Something’s up, but you know Jaz.”

  Belle chuckled. Getting information out of Jasmine was an impossible feat—she was worse than her brother.

  Bently shrugged. “She said she was going to handle it. Whatever that means.”

  Belle got up and wrapped her arms around him. “It will all work out. Maybe it’s a good thing.”

  “I want to watch Elsa!” Zoey came in holding the remote.

  Bently kissed Belle’s forehead before he walked away to help his niece. “Alright, the ice princess it is.”

  “Do your reindeer voice, Uncle Bently,” Zoey pleaded.

  Belle bit back a smile as the man she loved made a complete adorable fool out of himself, all to make a little girl laugh.

  ***

  Later that night, after Zoey was sound asleep in one of the five bedrooms of the house, Belle turned the baby monitor on and slipped into bed next to Bently. He frowned at his phone and then set it on the small table.

  “What’s wrong?” Belle asked.

  “The lead on Charli’s attacker was a dead end. And we still have no hard evidence to connect Carelli to Canoby’s drug dealers.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

  She rested her palm on his chest. “You’ll find him.”

  “I hope so.” He pulled her against his naked chest and she kissed his smooth skin.

  “The princess is asleep?” he asked.

  “She is. It only took four stories and two songs this time.”

  He chuckled and traced her shoulder with his fingers, leaving gooseflesh in their wake.

  She looked up at him as his gaze shifted towards the ceiling.

  “Are you worried about your sister?”

  He sighed and turned towards her. “Actually, I was thinking about all the empty rooms in the house.”

  She smiled. “Oh yeah?”

  He nodded. “I got a call today. Had to assist CPS in taking two young children from their home.” He cringed. “The place was filthy. The kids were . . . neglected and scared.”

  She could tell by the flash of anger in his eyes that it had been bad. “And you want to start those foster parenting classes we’ve been putting off?”

  That was why they’d bought such a big house after all. Someday they planned to use it to give children and teenagers a port in the storm. Somewhere they would get love and care for however long they needed.

  He nodded. “If you think you’re ready.”

  She smiled. “I might have already signed us up for next month’s class.”

  “You did?” His eyes widened.

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  His lips quirked up at the side. “Do you know what this means?”

  “What?”

  “That we better take advantage of all the loud sex we can before we get kids filling up these rooms,” he growled.

  She giggled as his hands scorched over her belly. “Zoey’s here tonight.”

  “Well, I mean, tonight you’ll have to be quiet, but tomorrow . . .” He smirked.

  “Will you ever get sick of having the same woman in your bed?” she asked.

  “Impossible. Not if it’s you. I can never get enough of these sweet lips.” He crashed his mouth to hers at the same time his hand dipped inside her panties, parting her slick folds with his fingers.

  She arched her back off the bed. Her gasp was swallowed by his mouth. His tongue tangled and dipped between her lips, matching the rhythm of his finger on her pulsing clit. Electricity shot through her as her body flared with white-hot heat.

  “Need you. Now.” She panted, sitting up.

  Belle climbed on top of him, pulling the covers down to reveal his thick, hard cock jutting straight up. Lining him up to her
core, she sat on top of him. She sucked in sharply at the same time he hissed. The pleasurable filling, stretching sensation would never be anything less than amazing.

  She began to move, grinding her hips each time she slammed onto him. He ripped off her shirt before he sat up and leaned against the headboard. The position added extra friction. Lining his pubic bone against her clit sent sparks and shimmers shooting through her vision as she came.

  “Bently!”

  He clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling her moans. It only added to the building pleasure that crashed through her a second time. Lost in euphoria, she was unable to do anything but clench around his perfect cock. Her nails dug into his shoulders as his hands moved, sweeping over her skin, settling on her hips. His fingers kneaded into her naked flesh, lifting her off him as he climbed behind her. He grabbed her waist and spread her legs, slipping inside her from behind. She was on all fours as he pounded faster, deeper, harder.

  “Yes. God, yes!” she gasped.

  Bently leaned forward, raking his teeth over her shoulder and shooting a pleasured mix of pain curling through her core.

  “Gonna take you to heaven, Angel,” he said.

  “Come with me.”

  He reached around and swirled her clit, sending her rocketing towards the universe as intense bliss shattered through her, curling her toes. She pressed her face into the mattress, stifling her scream. Bently’s muscles tensed and bunched over her, his cock pulsing as his hot cum filled her. They came together as one.

  Just two individuals who’d been born into darkness and lived through hell. But they’d found heaven together. They’d formed an intimate partnership. They’d built a life for themselves filled with joy and purpose. Their love was that much deeper, that much stronger because of all they’d had to endure. She’d finally been able to turn her pain into something beautiful.

  They were two lonely souls who had fought the odds pulling them down, and done the impossible by defying gravity.

  THE END

  “I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust . . . We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.”

  – Thurgood Marshall

  Now, turn the page for a sneak peek of Book 4 of The Shattered Cove Series, The Lighthouse Inn (Jasmine and Atlas’s story) right now.

  Sneak Peek of The Lighthouse Inn

  Chapter 1

  Jasmine

  Jasmine pulled the sheet over the two fluffy pillows, smoothing out the wrinkles before reaching for the soft pink comforter. A paper card fell off the nightstand. Picking it up, she smiled. Happy Mother’s Day mommy! The script no doubt belonged to one of her sisters-in-law, but the shakily scribbled Z’s all over the card were from her favorite person in the world. Zoey had drawn two smiling faces on the card; one for Jasmine and one for herself. Jasmine set the card back on the night stand before running her hand over the bedspread once more. Never in a million years would she have imagined having such a soft feminine color in her space. Motherhood had changed more than just her body.

  After tucking the edge under the pillow, she moved across the small room she shared with her four-year-old daughter. She pulled open the old and worn dresser, wiggling it side to side at the same time so it wouldn’t stick. Like everything in her life, it had been used almost beyond its limits. She placed Zoey’s carefully folded clothes inside before wriggling it closed again. She scanned the room, catching on the few dolls scattered across the floor. Jasmine bent and picked them up, opening the wooden doll house that Mikel, her brother, had made especially for Zoey. He’d painted it bright pink at her request. Jasmine bit back her smile. Only she would end up with such a girly girl for a daughter and be terrified.

  She sighed, tracing the edge of the doll’s expression. The two smiling faces on Zoey’s Mother’s Day card flashing in her mind. Her chest tightened. Would Zoey have had a better life if I’d let someone adopt her? Would she have two parents who loved her, rather than just me? I can barely keep a roof over her head and used clothes on her quickly growing body.

  Maybe it had been selfish to keep Zoey, but the moment she’d seen that little heart beating on the ultrasound she’d known: she’d never be able to give her up. But will I be good enough? Will I be able to protect her? Will she resent me when she knows what I’ve done? Who I was? Life would be so much easier if Jasmine was someone else with a different past.

  The walls seemed to be closing in. Her ribs squeezed and the back of her eyes burned. She gently placed the doll inside the wooden house and straightened. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. I just need to keep doing better. For Zoey. Her phone chirped, jarring her out of her mind. She had one guest checking in today, and that was what she should have been focusing on. She needed guests to keep her inn—her livelihood—alive.

  She wiped her hands on her ripped jean shorts that had seen better days and opened her door. Walking down to the desk, a tall figure caught her eye. His back was to her, all attention focused on the painting of the crashing ocean waves on the wall.

  “Good morning. You must be Mr. Remington.”

  A low chuckle sent a shiver through her. “My father is Mr. Remington. I’m just Atlas.”

  She smiled politely as her eyes darted up to his face and she froze. Time stopped. The air evaporated as terror gripped her heart and squeezed it like a vice. His tall frame filled out an expensive-looking suit. His black hair was short at the sides with flecks of grey, and longer at the top. Dark scruff peppered his perfect chiseled jaw. She shivered, remembering the way it had felt brushing across her shoulder. And those eyes. Grey and bright. She only knew one person with the same cloudy orbs. Zoey.

  He’d changed some in the last four years since she’d seen him. Not that she’d had much time to really look at him before she’d nodded towards the dingy bathroom in the bar where he’d followed her and bent her over the sink. Flames of embarrassment lapped at her skin. She’d been looking for an escape that night, and the stranger had been more than willing to help.

  Atlas. Atlas Remington. She finally had a name for Zoey’s biological father.

  “What are you doing here?” She gasped. Was he here to take Zoey from her? Had he known all this time? No. That wasn’t possible. No one knew what had happened in that bar bathroom except them.

  His eyebrows furrowed. “Uh, checking in. I should have a reservation for two weeks.”

  Did he not recognize her? Was it possible? He’d smelled strongly of whiskey that night. Maybe he had no idea who she was.

  “Right. Sorry. We don’t know each other, do we?” She held her breath.

  “I think I’d remember if we did.” He smiled. Was he flirting with her?

  “What are you in town for?” She asked carefully, finding his paperwork.

  He looked around the room, at the high white patched ceiling and then over to the paint chipped furniture, rather than at her before he answered. “Just needed a little vacation.”

  “And you chose my inn? Was it my two Yelp reviews that convinced you?” She couldn’t hold back her smile.

  He chuckled again, those grey eyes flashing as they focused on her. “I like the location, and wanted to see it for myself. The pictures didn’t do it justice though.”

  Her eyes flicked down momentarily. “Well, someday I’ll hire a professional photographer.”

  “Oh, no. The pictures were great. I just meant, it’s even better in person.” He smiled, showing off his perfect white teeth. Good god, was he a toothpaste model?

  “Do you need my credit card?” he asked.

  Shit, she’d been staring. “Uh, no. It’s all on file. Just sign here—“ She pointed to the space on the form ready and waiting on the counter. “You have th
e Lighthouse suite like you requested. There are extra towels in the closet in the bathroom. I’ll come in to clean every three days unless you need it done sooner—just let me know.”

  He nodded and scribbled his signature on the paper. Jasmine held out the lone key ring with a lighthouse keychain and his receipt. “I’ll charge the card you provided when booking with any incidentals. Your room is just up the stairs to the left.” Across from mine. “There’s a sign on the door. The silver key works for the front door, and the brass key is for your room. Did you need more than one set, or will it be just you staying with us?”

  “Just me. The one is fine.” He took it from her hand and reached down to grab a duffel bag she hadn’t noticed in the shock of seeing the baby daddy from her one-night stand—if you could even call it that. Were ten-minute stands a thing?

  “Enjoy your stay. I leave my number at the desk here,” she pointed to the folded card stock sign right next to the one stating No cash kept on premises. “And it’s also on the copy of your receipt. Just text me if you need anything and I’m not at the front desk.”

  “You run the inn by yourself?”

  She smiled with pride. “Yes, I do.”

  He nodded and grabbed the papers before walking towards the stairs. She waited until the sound of his door closed to let out the breath she’d been holding.

  “Holy fucking shit.” She placed a shaky hand over her racing heart as if it would help to calm the panic.

  She whipped out her phone and stepped into the large kitchen, dialing her big brother Bently’s number.

  He picked up on the second ring. “Hey Jas. You on your way?”

  She swallowed hard before answering. She didn’t need her brother freaking out and showing up over here to make things worse. She didn’t even know what the hell was going on yet. “Uh, no. Actually, I need you to keep Zoey overnight.”

  “Is everything okay?” The concern in his voice brought a rush of guilt crashing over her.

  Not even close to okay. Of all the people in her life, Bently had been the one constant, the only person she could count on. She hated to lie, but she’d brought enough trouble to their family. No. She’d handle this on her own.