by C. A. Harms
“No, there were no signs of sexual abuse, probably because she spent most of her time with neighbors. She was taken away due to abandonment and neglect.” I felt a rush of relief run through me. I could feel my body physically relax back against the chair.
“Thank god.” I whispered.
“What do I have to do, Donna? How do I get her?” I asked.
She smiled. “I had a feeling you would ask.” She pulled out a file and opened it on her desk. “This is a friend of mine, an attorney. She is more than willing to help you get Paisley. She’s expecting your call.”
I was doing this. I would do whatever it took to get my sister. I would give her the life I never had as a child. I would love her and show her how to feel safe.
I thanked Donna and left the center. Max was at work until tomorrow. Ryan had left town yesterday to visit a friend from college. My mind was on overdrive. I needed someone to talk to. I needed someone to tell me I wasn’t crazy for doing this. Was I capable of providing for her? Would I be enough for her?
I know Max told me that this changed nothing, but I was terrified that it would. I didn’t want to force him to be a part of something he wasn’t ready for. I wasn’t even sure I was ready for this, but I had to go through with it. Paisley needed me, and I think I needed her just as much.
I dialed Lily’s phone and, when she picked up, I could hear laughing in the background. “Hey B, what are you up to?”
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m over at Riley’s parents’ house. I rode with Kate to pick up Carley. We’re just hanging out; Riley stopped by and her mom made some lunch.” She turned her mouth away from the phone and I could hear her telling them it was me. “They said to stop by; it’s just us girls. Come have lunch with us.”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to impose,” I stated.
“Now, Bree. Get in your car and drive, woman.” She lowered her voice. “There is cake and cookies. Oh, and chocolate-covered fruit.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Lily. She was without a doubt one of the sweetest, silliest people I knew. “Okay, I’m on my way.” I hung up and walked toward my car.
***
Twenty minutes later, I was pulling into the Parks family home. I had only been here a couple of times before, first when Max had attempted to include me in a family brunch with Grandma Edna. That lady was a doozey. The second time had been for Kate’s baby shower.
Rayann, Max’s mother, was an amazing woman. She was so kind and accepted everyone with open arms. Still, knocking on the door made me a little nervous.
Riley opened the door and reached out to grip my hand, pulling me in for a hug. “Get in here; mom just made a new batch of chocolate-covered strawberries.”
I followed her through the house and into the kitchen. They all sat around laughing and talking. I stood back, feeling a little out of place. Max and I had become so much closer over the last few months, but I still had not been around his parents very much.
Rayann turned to look up at me from the chair at the end of the table. She smiled sweetly and pulled out the chair to her right. Patting the seat, she motioned for me to join them.
I sat down, scooting the chair in, and she brushed my hair from the side of my face. “How are things going? Did you hear anything back regarding the little girl from class?”
I was slightly taken aback by her knowledge of what had been going on. “Um, yeah.” I paused and took a shuddering breath. “Paisley is my sister. I just left Donna, who confirmed it.”
Rayann grinned and leaned against the back of her chair. “Max said you two are gonna do whatever it takes to get her.”
Her words hit me deep within my chest. Max had included himself in the battle for my sister. He had been talking to his mother about me. Max never, ever, shared his feelings.
“He’s been confiding in me a lot more lately. I know I have you to thank for that. My grumpy pigheaded son is now happier than I have seen him in such a long time,” she explained.
I looked around the table as both Riley and Kate agreed. I was still shocked by Max and his new reasonable side.
I spent the afternoon with the girls, and it was so nice to sit back and relax. I slipped away for a few minutes to make a call to the attorney Donna had recommended. I made an appointment to meet with her the next morning. Missing one class wouldn’t hurt. I wanted to get everything moving as quickly as possible. I had to stop Paisley from going to another foster home.
I got a random call from Max, just as I was getting into my car to leave. He still made my heart race just by hearing his voice.
“Hello,” I said.
“Hey baby, any news?” he asked.
“Yes,” I whispered, with tears pricking my eyes. Hearing Max’s voice brought out so many emotions inside me. For the first time since I had left Donna’s office, it all hit me. I had a sister, a tiny little girl.
“Yes,” he replied. “Do you mean yes, you got news? Or yes as in yes, Paisley is your sister?”
I spent the next fifteen minutes in Max’s parents’ driveway filling him in on the entire situation. I was a blubbering mess and knew I needed to reel it in a bit, but I just couldn’t. It was a life-changing event, and nothing would ever be the same again.
“What time is your appointment tomorrow?” Max asked.
“Eleven.”
“Text me the address and I’ll meet ya there,” he said.
“You don’t have to miss work. I can fill you in on the details later.” I tried to reassure him.
“I said I would meet you there.” There was no arguing with him; he had made up his mind.
“Okay,” I answered.
That was that. He was really in this with me. He didn’t have to go, but he wanted to. Falling more in love with Max was something I had never thought possible. I mean, the man already owned me, and he had just taken another little piece of my soul.
Chapter Thirty-One
Max
Bree and I had just spent the last two hours going over everything we could think of. The lawyer had told Bree it would be a trying road, but her chances of getting Paisley were strong. She was the only relative that gave a damn. The fact that she held a reliable job and was close to graduating college with a degree in psychology was a bonus.
The attorney brought up two things that alarmed her. First, Bree had an apartment that was not suitable for a child. The second thing left a sour taste in my mouth. The attorney thought it would be frowned upon that she and I were sharing a bed without any real commitment. I had to bite my tongue over that comment.
Who the hell did she think she was to criticize our relationship? She was sure the judge would find it an unstable environment. I wanted to ask the bitch if she had ever shared a bed with someone she wasn’t married to.
Bree was quiet when we got back to my place. I found it a little unsettling, and I followed her up the stairs.
“You gonna talk to me about what’s going on in your head?” I asked as I sat down on the bed next to her. The look in her eyes when they locked with mine had my stomach flipping.
“I need to start looking for an apartment, one I can afford, if that’s even a possibility.” She twisted her hands together in her lap. “I can’t continue staying here. I have to start thinking about what this looks like to others.”
“What it looks like? Us?” I was trying not to become angry. “Last time I checked, you were my fucking girlfriend. I wasn’t aware until now that it wasn’t enough.”
“It’s enough, Max. I just have to think about how others perceive it. If I want Paisley, I have to do this right.” She couldn’t look at me, which only fueled my anger.
“That’s fine, I understand. I get it.” I stood up from the bed and walked toward the bedroom door. Running my hands through my hair, I squeezed the back of my neck in frustration. I needed some space. I didn’t want to say anything I would regret later. “I’m gonna go to the gym.” I never waited for her to answer; I just walke
d from the room and only stopped long enough to grab my bag from the front closet. I had no idea how our day had flipped so quickly.
***
“Slow the fuck down, man.” Tanner hollered, as I continued to pound out my aggravation against the bag. I wasn’t in the mood for a lecture. I just wanted to be left alone. I never expected him to show up here. I was sure Bree told him where I was.
I had been here for going on three hours. Yeah, I hadn’t been working out the entire time, but I had just gotten my second wind. No one would get back in the ring with me, so this fucking bag was my only hope.
“You gonna take it easy on the bag?” Tanner asked from my left.
“Why, do you want to step in and take its place?” I asked.
He chuckled and took a seat on the chair against the wall. “Nah, my face is too damn pretty to let you mess it up. Or maybe a few bruises will have the girls all wanting to nurse my wounds. It might work to my benefit.”
I punched it a couple more times, making the bag swing from side to side. When I reached out to stabilize it, our eyes connected. “If I got a hold of you right now, I don’t think you would be able to smooth talk the girls. It would be pretty hard to accomplish when your sorry ass was knocked out.”
“You wanna tell me why you’re so pissed? I figure it’s related to Bree crying in your bed when I got home.”
His words made my chest ache. I didn’t like knowing that she was back at my place, crying. I had promised to always make her smile, and I had failed. I knew why she felt she needed to figure everything out, and quickly. It just pissed me off that she thought what we had wasn’t secure enough to present to others.
I had every intention of standing beside her through this entire thing.
“I guess I need to get back to the apartment and talk to her.” I hung my head in defeat. It was time she knew just what she meant to me.
***
I entered the bedroom to find Bree curled up under the blanket in my bed. She had her hand tucked up under the pillow and her legs tucked up toward her chest. I could hear her low, even breaths filling the silence.
I stood at the end of the bed listening to each noise that escaped her. It was a sound I had become used to, one I wasn’t sure I could live without.
If I were being honest with myself, I would admit that I didn’t want her to get another apartment. I wanted her to move in with me, permanently. Yes, I know. That declaration would cause shock if anyone heard it out loud.
I quietly took a shower and crawled into bed with her, curling my body against hers from behind. She fit perfectly in my arms.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
It was dark in the room, so I could barely see the outline of her face.
“There is nothing for you to be sorry about, Angel. I shouldn’t have left like I did.” Silence filled the room. My heart was rapidly beating and I felt nervous.
I calmed myself as best I could before deciding to just go with it. I had to get it out there so she knew exactly how I felt. “I don’t want you to move out. I was really hoping you would let your apartment go and move in here.”
She twisted her neck around and looked up and me. The whites of her eyes glowed from the reflection of the light barely coming in through the blinds. She blinked her eyes, staring at me with disbelief.
I chuckled. “Why are you looking at me like I’ve lost my mind?”
“That would be because I’m pretty sure you have.” Her face still held the same unknowing expression. “You are not ready for that kind of step. Max, you would regret it after the first week.”
“You have been here with me for weeks already. I love having you in my bed. I love knowing that, when I come home, you’ll be here. Finding your girly shit scattered around my bathroom is something I thought I would never get used to. Now I can’t imagine how it would feel if it wasn’t there. I want you here, every day and night.” I lifted myself up, supporting my weight on my elbow. “We have three bedrooms, Bree. We live in a nice neighborhood with good schools. We both have good jobs that allow us to provide for Paisley.”
I skimmed my fingers along her jaw and tucked her hair away from her face. “I love you. I want to stand by your side through this. I have no intention of walking away now or ever.” I knew she was still shocked, but I kept going. “I may not be ready to ask you to marry me right now, but I can tell you I’m not that far off.”
I rolled onto her back and crawled over her. Looking into Bree’s eyes, I made a promise I hoped she would accept. “I plan to stand by you always. I want to be the person you learn to rely on and turn to. When I think about where I want to be in five years, you would be amazed at the things I’m picturing. I’ll just tell you this. I want to share my life with you.”
“You didn’t sign up for this, Max. I don’t expect you to play house with me,” Bree confessed.
“I’m not going anywhere. I know you think this is gonna make me run, but I’m good with it. This won’t hurt our chances to get her. I come from a good family, and I have a good job. I’m not a criminal. We’re good together and they’ll see that.” I leaned forward and kissed her softly. “We got this, baby. As for Tanner, the parties, the girls, it ends now. He won't be bringing that shit here anymore. I want you and Paisley here.”
I carefully hooked the edge of her panties and began sliding them down over her hips. She lifted just enough to allow me to glide them past her ass and down her legs.
Normally we are doubly protected, but tonight I really wanted to feel her. “Do I need to wear a condom?” I asked.
“No, I got my shot three weeks ago; we’re good.” That was all the confirmation I needed as I began sliding inside her warm body. Tonight I just wanted to make love to my girl. Nothing hard and fast; I wanted slow and lasting.
Our bodies moved in sync as our eyes never wandered from each other. I pleaded with her silently to understand the depth of my feelings for her. Yes, the meathead caveman had finally fallen. There was no turning back.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Bree
The weekend softball tournament had snuck up on us quickly. With everything we had been doing for the attorney, we were left with little time to do much else. Max and I were both required to submit fingerprints and agree to an extensive background check on each of us.
The entire process was grueling and tedious, but in the end it would all be worth it. Things looked good for us; we had passed every test with flying colors. Paisley would hopefully be where she belonged soon, with me.
***
Kate had gone all out, given her excessive shopping addiction and the need to accessorize. She had bought us both some cute little shorts, tight-fitting with stripes down the sides. Hers were gray with black stripes; mine were red with black stripes. Our outfits were completed by knee-high socks in matching colors.
Kate explained that we needed to protect our shins if for some reason we had to slide. I looked at her in horror. “Uh, slide?”
She laughed and shook her head at me. “Have you ever played softball before?”
I could only shake my head. I was still shocked by the image of diving into the dirt. She had to be joking. I had no intention of sliding and diving. “Once, but I wasn’t very good at it. I don’t know; the thought of a ball flying toward my face does nothing for me.”
Kate locked her arm with mine as we walked toward the door. “This is going to be so much fun.” She giggled, and I could only roll my eyes. How could Kate--prissy, shopaholic Kate—be more athletic than me? I was amazed by her excitement.
As we entered the living room of Kate and Carson’s house, I heard a few whistles fill the room. I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks when my eyes locked with Max’s. He winked and rested his tongue against his lower lip in a desiring manner. His eyes raked over me from head to toe, before meeting my gaze once more.
He took a few steps in my direction and placed his hand on my hip, pulling me into his chest. Tilting his head downward, he n
ipped at my lower lip. Grinning against my lips, he said, “You look so fucking cute right now.” He glided his hand around behind me and cupped my ass. “These shorts make me think dirty thoughts.”
“You always think dirty thoughts,” I reminded him.
Once again that very sexy grin of his spread across his mouth. “When it comes to you, I sure do.” He was kissing me a little too aggressively in front of an audience, so I tried to pull back. Max slid his hand up to curl around the back of my neck, holding me firmly against him.
I felt his tongue flip against mine and I squeezed my thighs together tightly. I no longer cared that we were not alone. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I slid my hands up under his shirt. He groaned as I traced the contour of his back, just above the waistband of his shorts.
When we finally pulled back from the kiss, we were both breathless. He looked down at me, nostrils flaring, obviously turned on. I bit my lower lip and he closed his eyes tightly. I knew he was trying to control his raging hormones. I was doing the same thing.
Max was the best form of addiction.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Max
“Okay you two, stop dry-humping in my living room. It’s like watching porn,” Carson hollered out as he gathered up the cooler and his bag. “Bunch of horny ass bastards, let’s get moving.”
“This is coming from the guy that fucked his girl on the kitchen floor,” I fired back at him.
“Oh my god, Riley told you about that?” Kate gasped in embarrassment. “She has no ability to keep things quiet.”
I could only smile. If everyone only knew what Riley and Zander had been hiding. I knew she was reaching her third month mark soon. It was just a matter of time until she could share the news with the rest of the family. I still couldn’t get over the fact that my little sister was gonna be a mom. Kelly and Mason would be adding another little niece to the bunch very soon. Paisley would have Riah to play with, as they weren’t that far off in age. I only prayed for my sister and Z to have a boy. We were slowly being overtaken by girls, and we needed to add some testosterone to the bunch.