by S. N. Garza
Hell, ever since her twenty-first birthday, she had been the only one I’d slept with. Practically two years of complete celibacy, and she comes home on the coattails of her brother’s wedding looking like a dream. Taking her hadn’t been in my plans but once I touched her that was the end of any rational thinking.
But I fucked up. She hadn’t been mine to touch and she almost paid with her life. That was unforgivable on my part. Now I needed to make amends. Her heart needed to be repaired. And I was the man that was going to stitch it back together and mend it.
When I walked into her room and saw her sobbing on her bed I couldn’t handle it. It didn’t matter, I knew it was my fault for her heart breaking. It was up to me to fix all the damage I’ve done. Taking it slow was probably going to kill me, but I had to make this right. I had to. There was no way I was living my life without her.
Then she said she had to go to her dads. I didn’t want her going over there period, but I knew if I didn’t go with her, she’d go by herself. Her dad was a loose cannon now that Paige left him. She hadn’t moved far, but I made sure he hadn’t shown up unexpectedly. That was one way I made sure what mattered to Penny stayed safe. With her brother in Houston, he was just fine.
I walked back in after trying to cool off the rush of blood that had shot right to my dick. Looking at her in her pajamas, if you could call those scraps of clothing pajamas. Her nipples were puckered and protruded outward, just begging to be tasted and savored. My breathing changed from an even calm and steady strum to a quicker staccato. I knew I was going to go to her if I hadn’t left the room. And I didn’t want to ruin what I was trying to do before I even started.
I opened the fridge and grabbed a bottled water as I heard her light footsteps approaching. I had put the water to lips when I turned and fuck me—
Water spit from my mouth and went up my nose. “AH! Fuck.” She looked…hot. “Holy shit you look hot.”
Starting from her feet, she was wearing pink Converse shoes, and a thin, rope-like anklet that had pink flowers woven within. Then nothing but skin until her frayed, short, denim shorts, then a smooth patch of skin with a twinkling belly bottom ring—fuck I wasn’t going to make it. My dick throbbed with the need to take. Didn’t she know what she was doing? Probably not. Then a pink crop top that was off the shoulders with two thick straps over her biceps, holding the shirt up. I don’t know how but…damn. Her shoulders were bare, her collarbone showing off her Greek letters. I wonder how she’d look with more ink on her beautiful tanned skin. Maybe my name. Only in my dreams but fuck a guy could hope.
She told Trixie once that she wouldn’t mind getting more. Maybe she’d let me ink her one day. I couldn’t wait for the day she was ready enough for me to show her I had her name on my skin. I had Johnny do it of course. You had to really look to see it. It was woven into the thorns I had spiraling down my arm with various other tattoos. I got her name before we had ever been intimate. I knew what she meant to me even then. Hell, I made a video of how much I loved her.
A video that wouldn’t be revealed until she was mine indefinitely. One that really let her know that I wasn’t the man she thought I was.
But back to the beautiful, hot vision in front of me. Her hair was made up in some messy, sexy top thing with a thin black plastic headband with a pink flower. She looked like a pretty in pink, southern girl.
Subtle makeup was on her face. Her lips were glossy, her hazel eyes popped with the black eyeliner she wore. Other than that, she didn’t wear anything else. Hell, she didn’t need to wear anything else. She was amazing.
“Beautiful.”
A small giggle escaped and I looked into her eyes to see I wasn’t the only one checking out a body.
“You’re not sweaty anymore.”
I shook my head and walked over to her.
“You ready, sweetheart?”
Like always, she had to look up to see my eyes and she didn’t say anything to me calling her that. Instead, she nodded her head and turned to make her way to the front door. And while I sure as hell didn’t mind the back view, I wanted to start this courting, woo-ing…whatever I was doing, right now.
I caressed a finger down the petal-soft skin of her arm until I slipped our hands together and led her from the house.
“I’ll stop at my house and change real quick. Come on, Penelope.”
She locked up and when she saw what I had driven over here with, her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.
“You drive this?” I looked over to the Ford F-150 and tried to see what was so surprising. “Where’s your bike?”
Ah.
“I had to bring the lawn mower over here. Also, I planned to grab some groceries.”
“Oh, I don’t want to keep you then.”
“You’re not getting me to let you go to that house alone. Your dad has changed since your mom left him. I don’t trust him.” She gave me this death side eye and I threw my hands up in surrender. “Come on, Penelope. He’s already laid a hand on you. Not just to you, but to your mother, too. Over my dead fucking body are you going to that house while he’s a few fries short of a happy meal. Do you understand me? You don’t go there without me. Ever.”
“Deke.”
I cupped her face in my hands and I couldn’t resist, I gave her lips a small, soft peck as I said, “This is nonnegotiable. Promise me. When I say he has changed, he has. He’s my dad before he got sober. And your father doesn’t need the alcohol to get that way.”
“Alright, I promise.”
“Good girl. Now let’s get what you left behind and leave it at that.”
Chapter 33
Penelope
Naturally, nothing happened at my dad's house, at first. Deke was a big barrel of alpha male when we walked in. My father literally backed up and was scared of him. Which begged the question why he was so scared of Deke. He’s never had a problem speaking his mind before. I had moved everything I wanted from my room to the living room while Deke stood between the kitchen and living room, making sure my father sat at the kitchen table. His mouth was pinched in anger and disgust at both Deke and myself.
When I had everything I wanted set out, I wanted to at least talk to him. Maybe he was sad about mom leaving. The divorce. He was all alone now. While I think he probably deserved it, I felt sorry for him. I tried walking around Deke to get to him, when one of his fingers hooked into the back belt loop of my shorts, pulling me to a stop.
“Na-uh, babygirl.” He pulled me backwards until I was right against his body. His hard, strong, broad body. Why was I even thinking about that right now? Ugh. Get over it, Penny.
“Still pulling you by strings, I see.” I looked over to my dad who just shook his head and flipped his hand in a ‘get the hell out’ gesture.
“What are you talking about, dad?”
“Penelope, why don’t you wait out in the truck?”
I looked behind me to see the hard planes of Deke’s face was flat, but his eyes were raging with anger. Anger that was directed right at my dad. I rolled my eyes and turned back to dad.
“How are you?”
My dad snickered at the question before saying, “Just peachy, Penny. What the hell do you think?”
I couldn’t help but lower my head. His voice was bitter, but I could tell there was a sadness too.
“I’m sorry things are the way they are. That doesn’t mean I can’t be your daughter. I could always come over, cook. Clean up a bit. Help around the house if need be.”
“I don’t want your help while you play his whore. Come back without that dog behind you and maybe we can have a better conversation.”
My breath hitched, caught at the name he called me. “I’m not—
“Baby,” Deke laid his hand at the small of my back and turned me until I looked up into his dark, stormy eyes. “Please, go wait in the truck. I’ll bring your belongings there.”
“But—
“Go ahead, be his little bitch, Penelope. You’ve been his s
tupid, little whore since you were fifteen. Godless girl. You sicken me.”
This time, Deke didn’t have to say anything, I shoved away and ran out. God, he was so cruel. So bitter, angry and alone. I didn’t want him to feel like that. He was mean, but he was my dad. He was going through stuff too. He has nothing now. Just his job and this house. And his memories.
I pushed myself up into his truck and huddled into myself and let the pain of his words fall from my eyes. The wet, salty tears slipped down my cheeks as I waited for Deke.
Several minutes had passed and Deke still hadn’t come out. That’s when I heard the throbbing sound of a motorcycle pulling up next to the truck. There was a knuckle-knock on the window and I looked up to see Castor’s handsome face looking at me.
He mouthed, you okay?
I nodded, even though I wasn’t, I just wanted him to go before Deke does or did something he’ll regret. Like murder my dad. He was always such a hot head that way. Castor pointed to the house and I just nodded again.
A few minutes later, another bike pulled up. I turned to see Bunko riding up. He hopped off his bike, looked at me, took in my swollen eyes and his smile went flat, this emotionless expression set on his face before he nodded and walked into the house.
Then, both Bunko and Castor were walking from the house, hands full with my belongings and within minutes everything I had was put in the back of the truck. Then they disappeared back into the house.
I wanted Deke. I wanted him to come out here and hold me. Hold me like he’s always done when I was younger and I had issues. He was always there, making me feel better. It was all I had until we had become intimate. That had been the catalyst. That had changed everything about us. While I really wanted him, I knew I shouldn’t have pushed and pushed him until all he could do was just take me.
It had been the best night of my entire life. No doubt. Even with the shitty morning after, it had been perfect. He made it so perfect. Each time we came together was magical, hot and amazing. Even after he was a complete dick, I loved everything about that night.
Why had he been like that? Why did he say he wanted to show me he wasn’t that guy? Didn’t guys like that never change? Could I trust my heart to him again? Did I want to risk it?
I heard a slamming door and I looked up to see the three men that I considered family looking like they were ready to commit murder. Bunko and Castor slapped Deke on the back and that’s when I looked him over only to see one of his hands was bloody. My eyes shot straight to his to see him looking at me. Right into my very soul and tears sprang up anew. His grey eyes softened, his face grew concerned and I couldn’t keep it in, I threw open the truck door, jumped down and ran my way into his arms. I plowed into him and let my tears soak up his shirt.
He was whispering comforting words into my hair. Promising me everything was okay. No one will ever hurt me again. His arms wrapped firmly around me, holding me close.
I had never felt so humiliated in my entire life. To have my father voice his thoughts wasn’t new, but to have them spoken in front of Deke like that, something inside me felt devastated that he still thought so low of me. Having my father hate me like that ripped out a part of my soul. I felt lost and weak.
Deke kept me wrapped around him like a child as he spoke to the guys. I didn’t catch it but then all I could feel was the strong warmth of Deke’s body against mine. He was my knight in shining armor. He always had been.
Why had he been such an asshole to me? See? This was the guy I knew. The boy I fell for. He said he wanted to ‘woo’ me. To show me he wasn’t the man I thought him to be. Maybe I should let him. He’s never wooed me before. He’s never taken me out on dates. Maybe if I let him in, I might finally have the man I’ve always wanted. But what if…what it if all falls apart?
That’s the million dollar question. And I gripped his shirt tighter, like I wanted nothing more than to crawl into his very skin. Then I was being lifted high in his strong arms as he walked down the steps and to his truck. Bunko and Castor followed, one of them opening the passenger side door so Deke didn’t have to let me go.
He gently sat me down, but I didn’t want to let go. He snuggled his face into my neck and whispered, “Let’s get away from here, baby. Let me comfort you. I won’t do anything but hold you if you want. Please. I can’t stand to see you like this, Penelope.”
I shrugged my shoulders but the raging embarrassment I felt was so palpable, it was like a dam ready to burst free. I hated letting my dad get to me. I usually could just deal with it. Get mad, get angry and let him have it, but it’s never been like that. And to have Deke really see how my dad acted towards me…hell. He hadn’t even hit me. Or smacked me around either. His words were enough to bring me down to nothing but dirt. He had this way of making me feel dirty. Unclean. Unworthy.
I felt a fierce kiss to my temple as he settled me into the vehicle. He strapped me in and shut the door. I heard him say something to the guys and then he was jogging to the driver’s side. It didn’t take long after that and we were back at my mom’s house. He took me back in his arms, and carried me towards the front door when I heard my mother’s voice filter through the fog.
“Oh my goodness! What’s wrong? Penny?”
I didn’t want to say anything so I only clutched onto Deke tighter and let him speak for me.
“I got her, Paige. She’s not bleeding or dying. She just needs some time.”
“Of course.”
I heard the confusion in her voice, but I wasn’t ready to say anything yet. My father’s words were too fresh in my mind to do anything but curl into myself and wish I could just rewind this day. And it wasn’t even noon yet.
I heard a door shut and then nothing but soft cushion as Deke laid me on my bed. He brushed my hair back and kissed my cheek before caressing the place he kissed. He sat with his back to me, his hands grabbed my feet, untying and pulling my shoes off along with my socks. When my feet were bare, I curled them up into my body, trying to make myself as small as possible when Deke laid back, forcing me to scoot over. The bed wasn’t big either. The only bed in the house that was big was Dessa’s. But it wasn’t like I’ve never shared a twin size bed with Deke before.
He wrapped a hand beneath my head and I held on to him, burying my face into his side, letting the soft sobs escape once more.
“I’m—I’m sorry you had to hear that. That was just awful.”
“Penelope, don’t.”
His voice sounded like it was filled with pain and I looked up to see his own eyes glitter with tears.
“Deke?”
He shook his head and before I knew it, he was pulling me over his body. Making sure I was covering him like I blanket. Then I felt him shuffle his shoes off, and his leg lifted and jerked as a quilt fell on top of us.
He wrapped us in, and said, “We are done with this day. Try and get some rest. We’ll table this until we’re both rational.”
“But your hand.”
“Don’t worry about that, babygirl. He’s lucky I left him breathing.”
A gasp flew from my lips and I reared my head up only to have Deke hold me tighter.
“You didn’t—
“What? Beat him to a pulp? Just barely. But I don’t want you to worry about your dad anymore. Let’s just try and relax.”
He snuggled me deeper into the blanket and I just nodded. My crying jag did make me tired. I yawned and he chuckled, his hands finding my thighs as he lifted me higher against him. Our middles met and I could feel the hard length of him against the crotch of my shorts, but he didn’t say anything. He just settled me, and let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes.
Sleep sounded good right now anyway. I wrapped my arms under his and I couldn’t help that my thighs squeezed around him. He didn’t do anything but lay there. I closed my eyes and I swear I felt him whisper something against my hair. It felt a lot like ‘mine’. But sleep pulled me under and I let my mind rest for now.
Chapter 34
&
nbsp; Penelope
“Penelope? Wake up for me, babygirl.”
Mmmm…I was so warm. I buried deeper into the warm body beneath me.
A muttered fuck was the only sound and then I felt hands slip underneath the bottom of my shorts, and my butt was being squeezed and massaged.
“Wake up, Penelope. You’re killing this whole slow business. I need to get to SoIn.”
Groaning, I lifted myself up until I was sitting astride him. “Thank God I took out my contacts. Contacts and crying? Ugh. Can you pass me my glasses please?”
I felt him stretch underneath me and he felt as hard as ever but he didn’t even acknowledge the fact that he was aroused. He handed me my glasses and rested his hands in the front pockets of my shorts, running his thumb back and forth over the frays at the bottom.
“Thanks.” Finally, everything became clear and I looked down to see Deke giving me this soft concerned look. He lifted his eyebrows in question and I felt relaxed enough that I knew I wasn’t going to cry. Hopefully.
I looked down to his chest and said, “About earlier. What my dad said.”
“Penelope, you don’t believe him, do you?”
I began shaking my head no and then I shrugged because I didn’t know how to feel about what my dad said to me.
I felt strong hands cup my cheeks, a caress whispered over my face from his thumbs and he brought me down, kissing my lips with sweet, delicate abandon. But it didn’t matter, it was still like he was taking a part of me inside himself. The soft, sipping kisses made me come alive and my hands gripped his shoulders and my body, dammit it all, reacted in the most delicious of ways as I pressed down and ground against his erection.
A growl emanated from his throat and the kiss became more demanding as he sprung forward. One hand twisted in my hair and held me in place. The other curved over my behind before gripping my hip as he pushed upward.