"Five times."
Shit. "Okay. I'll leave right now. Just hang tight.”
"Bye."
I grab my keys and dial the elementary school to see if he’s picked up Michael and Gabby. "Overland Park Elementary, this is Rose.”
"Hi, this is Dylan Monroe, Gabby and Michael’s brother..."
"Ah yes, we were about to call you."
"So they are still there?"
"Yes, they’re waiting in the main office."
"Thank you, I’m on my way.”
I hang up and haul ass, first to the high school since Cassie is by herself. I sincerely hope Luke is okay, so I can nail his ass to the wall for this. Unless he’s got a damn good reason, there will be hell to pay.
Cassie is waiting outside and quickly climbs in, “Have you heard from Luke?"
As soon as her door is closed, I speed off to the grade school. She shakes her head, "No, he hasn't answered any texts or calls. Dylan, what if something happened to him?"
Damn it. I hate that the first thing to worry about is if something bad happened to him. "I'm sure he just forgot."
"He wouldn't forget us, Dylan."
Cassie stays in the car while I go in to pick up the other two. When I walk in I can tell Gabby has been crying. Michael is sitting in a chair with his arms crossed, and I can’t tell if he’s worried or pissed or both. "Here I am guys."
Gabby sees me and begins crying again. "Where is Luke? He's supposed to pick us up. Is he gone now too?"
I kneel down so that I'm eye level with them both. Obviously, Luke being a no-show triggered memories of the accident. "I haven't talked to Luke yet, but I am sure he is fine. You know Luke and how he forgets things."
Michael shakes his head, "Not us. He never forgets us."
Right then the door slams open admitting our lost brother. "I'm sorry, guys. Shit. I know I'm late, but I'm here."
Michael runs to him, but Gabby stays with me. I’m happy to see he’s alive, but now that I know he is, I'm going to kill him.
I turn to face him, and say low and slow through gritted teeth, "Get in your car and drive straight home. We’ll talk about this there."
He nods and leaves quietly, leaving Gabby and Michael to walk out with me. On the drive, Gabby is too quiet. Since her one question asking about Luke, she hasn’t said a word.
Once inside Luke immediately starts, "Dylan, let me explain."
Now he wants to talk. But I’ll be damn if now I’m listening.
I shake my head, "Not now. Go to your room, and I'll be down in a minute."
He doesn't argue and walks out of the room. I need to take Brookes advice and calm down a little. I try to breathe in and out slowly for a minute as she suggested, but it takes more than ten before I think it’s safe to finally face Luke.
Michael looks up at me, "Don't be too hard on him. He did come to get us."
Cassie huffs, "Yeah, forty minutes late."
I pat Gabby on the head. "Don't worry, I'll be back. You guys grab a snack."
Once downstairs I stop outside his door and count to 10 one more time. When I finally walk in he’s leaning back against the headboard. I rub my chin and try to figure out how to start. Oh, what the hell, I’m swinging for the fences. “Don’t even think about not talking today, Luke. Where were you?”
"I was here."
"Then why were you late?"
He looks me square in the face and gives me a satisfied smile, "I wasn't alone, and I lost track of time."
I look at the floor thinking about what he just said, and that’s when I see it, an open condom wrapper, "You had a girl over?” I yell. “You were here fucking some girl while you were grounded? What the actual fuck, Luke. You’re grounded, damn it. And why in the hell wasn’t she in school?”
"Hey, motherfucker, you’re the one who locked me up and said I couldn’t go to my party tonight. She decided to help me out and bring the party to me. Happy birthday to me,” he finished snidely.
"Have you lost your fucking mind? They were scared to goddamn death when you didn’t show up, but you obviously don’t give a shit as long as you get to dip your dick, do you?"
"Please, it's not that big of a deal."
"It is, Luke. Do you know what they thought when you weren't there? They all thought you were dead or hurt. They have abandonment issues, Luke. They are fucking traumatized. And what if the school would have called Brooke?”
"The schools don’t know what happened. Hell, they probably think I had car trouble or some shit. They aren’t going to call Brooke about this, so just get off my ass. And the kids seem fine to me.”
"You didn't see the look on their faces or hear how scared Cassie was when she called me. She was at the school by her damn self for over 40 minutes. They were sitting there worried while you were getting your rocks off, and you think they’re fine? How the fuck can you not give a shit?”
He fucking shrugs which does nothing but piss me off more.
I stand up, "You’re grounded two more weeks, no exception. No prom, no graduation parties for your senior buddies, not a fucking thing.”
He jumps up,” You can’t fucking do that!"
"Actually, I can. You think you’re a badass? Well, little boy, you haven’t seen anything yet. You won't tell me anything about the fight, so I’ll just assume it was for no good reason, add that to the fact that you show no remorse for today. I told you the one thing you had to do was pick them up without fail, and surprise, baby brother, you failed. That was the one thing you had to do, pick them up. That's it, and you fucking failed."
I almost take that last part back. I’d heard it so many damn times from my father that I feel like choking as they leave my mouth. But right now, I’m pissed, and there’ no way my pride will let me. And I have to punish him. His behavior and attitude are out of control, and I know if I don’t reign him in then shit is going to hit the fan, and this year of living under the judge’s orders is going in the fucking toilet.
He sits back down drilling the full force of his anger through his stare. He doesn't apologize or beg me to change my mind. He's exactly like me at that age, so I know that this is never going to be an easy ride. I just hope I don’t turn into my father.
I shake off those thoughts and leave him stewing. I think we’ve said all that we can tonight without probably coming to blows. Back upstairs Michael and Cassie are watching TV, "Where is Gabby?"
They point outside, and I see Gabby swinging on the swing set I bought for her when we moved. Outside I approach her hoping that things aren’t as bad as I’m imagining. "Hey, you wanna talk?"
She just keeps swinging.
Shit, don’t let this set her back.
I get in the other swing, barely fitting, and hoping it holds my weight. Feeling confident that it’s pretty sturdy I gently kick my feet and swing next to her in silence for a while. "I know today was scary Gabby, but Luke is safe. He just got busy, and time got away from him, and he’s very sorry.” This is one lie I don’t want to choke on because it’s not a lie, in all honesty, I think.
She just continues swinging staying low to the ground.
I go on, "Gab, things like this are going to happen because everyone is so busy. You can’t always think the worst, or you’ll be sad and scared all the time, and you don’t want to live like that. “
She crooks an eyebrow at me. I hope I’ve just explained that so a six, no seven-year-old, can understand. I smile thinking about the small party Brooke planned for just a normal family dinner, and Gabby had loved it. She loved the presents and the cake, but I think she loved it more because Brooke was there.
"Basically kiddo, bad things are gonna happen, but not all the time. Life is mostly good with a little bit of bad sprinkled in, and when things happen like they did today you have to try to assume everything is okay, because it more than likely will be.”
She smiles, I think that part got through. "I was really scared. Luke is always there at the same time every day."
; "I know."
"I thought he went to be with mommy and daddy."
My heart aches for her. No child’s mind should ever go to such a dark place. "Luke's not going anywhere. He just made a mistake."
She nods, "He should have been there."
"Yeah, he should have, but he didn't mean to scare you."
She nods, "I know."
We swing for a little while more before heading in for dinner.
Monday all of the kids are back in school, and I’ve never been so happy to send them off. Luke and the kids made nice, but things between us are still tense, and tempers are straining to be let go. I wish I knew the magic to fixing it. I kind of think giving it time so that we can both cool down will help. Then maybe we can sit down and discuss everything calmly. It’s just too bad that we are so much alike in temperament. And as much as my pride holds me back, I know his is the same. Neither one of us wants to be the bigger of the two. Besides, in my mind, he’s the one in the wrong. I’m doing what I have to do by punishing him. I didn’t ask to be put in this position, but I willingly accepted it to keep my family together, and by God, I’m going to make this work, and my brother needs to get his ass on board.
When I told Brooke about it all, she encouraged me to sit down and talk calmly. She thinks there is more to his behavior, and I think he's just a rebellious little shit. Maybe she’s right, but then she hasn’t been around this weekend, and I don’t think she fully gets how tense things are between us right now.
Hell, I may be overreacting, but after coming this far in getting guardianship and also being to claim Brooke openly. I’m more than fucking ready to be out from under this secrecy.
I only make it a couple of hours at work before I’m pulling out my phone to text Brooke.
Me: You think we can have a meeting around one today?
Brooke: Please tell me something else didn't happen with Luke.
Me: No, I just need to see you.
Brooke: Well Mr. Monroe, I happen to have some time today around 1. Where should we have this meeting?
Me: My house.
Brooke: I'll be there.
I smile, I didn’t think I could convince her, but damn if she didn’t come through for me. She must need to be with me as much as I need her. I haven't seen her since the day Luke got in a fight, and I don't want to wait until tomorrow's meeting.
I’m home before 1 and ready and waiting when she finally knocks. Our lips are fused before we get the door closed, and we’re hanging on tight to each other as we work ourselves to my room. We have until 3:30, hopefully. That is if she doesn’t have to rush back to work, which I hope to God she doesn’t. It’s been too damn long, and I need my woman, especially after the hell that was last week.
Both of us are impatient, and our clothes are quickly shed in order to get to skin with hungry mouths and soothing touches. I push her back on the bed and crawl up her body with open-mouth kisses, finally latching on her hard, rosy nipples. Slipping a hand between us, I test how wet and ready she is, and as soon as I touch her throbbing clit her arms reach to pull me down to her.
“Please don’t wait, Dylan. I need to feel you inside me right now.”
“Yes, baby,” I whisper against her lips. I glide my cock through the wet lips of her pussy a couple of times causing a deep moan to escape her before driving myself home deep inside her. We both find our rhythm quickly, rocking against each other until the pleasure becomes too much and we come together, her screaming my name, and me groaning loudly into the soft skin of her neck.
Afterward, we just lay together spent. I press kisses into her skin wherever my lips can reach without having to take my arms from around her. "God, I needed that."
Brooke grins, "So did I."
She managed not to have to turn in the report on Luke's fight just yet by telling Janice she's behind on paperwork, but she is going to have to report it, and I know it's on her kind. She plans on talking to Luke tomorrow.
"How are things going with Luke?" I know that she’s managed not to have to turn in the report of Luke’s fight, and I also know she’s planning on talking to Luke tomorrow at the home meeting before she has to write it.
"Shitty. He hates me right now, but if I let him off the hook, he won't respect me, Brooke."
"But if you're too hard it’ll be the same. You have to find a balance. Getting in a fight was wrong, having a girl over and forgetting to pick up his siblings is also wrong, but grounding him from prom and for a month may be extreme.”
She's probably right, and it may be my stupid-ass pride keeping me from admitting it. "I'll think about it."
She smiles, "That's all I ask. I do agree punishment is appropriate, though, and you shouldn’t back down from that.”
She slips from the bed and starts looking for the clothes that we were in such a hurry to shed. This is the part I hate the most, and it’s also the reason I want all this guardianship crap over with, I hate having sex with her just to watch her have to slide out of bed and immediately get dressed. I want to hold her all night, every night. I don’t want to fit in stolen moments with the worry of getting caught or having to rush back to work. I can’t wait for the nights that she can just come here and be in this space with my family that she fits in so fucking well with.
She slips her skirt and bra on and begins looking for her blouse. I stand up and pull on my jeans before laying back and wait for her to finish so I can walk her out. What I want to do is pull her back in my bed and handcuff her to it. I don’t want her to go, ever. I reach for a pillow to fluff it behind my back, and my hand falls on something silky, so I hold it up, “Looking for this?"
She grins and crawls across the bed to me. After a heated kiss she grabs her top and starts pulling it on, putting on a reverse strip tease for me if her sexy, languid movements and naughty grin are anything to go by. “You like watching me dress, Dylan?” She asks seductively. She lowers the garment just enough to play a little peek-a-boo with the white lace bra that does nothing to hide her hard, rosy nipples.
“Baby, are you looking for me to get you naked again, because you’re about three seconds from finding yourself under me again,” I warn her.
She giggles playfully and crooks her finger in an invitation to come closer, which naturally I accept. I roll up quickly on my knees and start scooting slowly across the bed toward her giving her time to escape. Neither of us breaks eye contact, daring each other to be the first to make a move.
"What the hell?"
Brooke screams and jumps covering herself with her shirt. My head jerks to the open bedroom door to find Luke staring angrily at us.
Our secret is officially out.
Chapter 36
Brooke
Oh my, God, this is so bad. I clutch the slippery silk of my top to my chest so tightly my knuckles are white from my grip and shaking with the shock, adrenaline, and fear that’s coursing coldly through my veins. I’m frozen to the spot knowing there is absolutely no way to explain this away. Luke’s angry gaze shifts from Dylan to me and morphs to disappointment and disgust. He then looks at the disheveled bed where Dylan and I had just spent that last couple of hours making love and relishing in our stolen time with each other, but the beauty of those moments are not what this pissed off 17-year-old sees.
Oh my God, what’s going to happen to Dylan and his family if Luke tells? Would he tell?
Dylan finally snaps out of his shock and stands up, "Luke what the hell are you doing here, why aren't you in you in school?"
"Really,” he sneers, “You're gonna bitch at me for cutting class when you are screwing our social worker? Yeah, bro, you do that, and then ask yourself who the fuck up is now."
I turn away from Luke and slip my blouse on, then turn back to him, "Luke, this isn't what it looks like."
He looks at me like I'm a total idiot.
Okay, I shouldn’t have said that.
"No? You mean it doesn’t look like you and my holier-than-thou brother have been fucking? S
o, tell me, Brooke, is it actually part of the social worker’s service to fuck her client? Do you just pick and choose who gets this special treatment? Because damn.” He barks out a harsh laugh and watches us both carefully. “You two may think I’ve been fucking up, but what you two are doing makes me look like a goddamn angel.”
"Watch it, Luke," Dylan growls.
He turns to Dylan, "All that guilt you laid on me this week about messing up your guardianship and the younger kids winding up in foster care and you are sleeping with our case worker. You are the biggest fucking hypocrite I've ever met."
Oh, that had to have hurt Dylan. He remains stone-faced beside me, and surprisingly his voice is calm and even, "Go to your room. We will talk about this later."
"You're damn right we will. We’re going to have a long talk about this." There’s no way to escape the ominous tone.
Dylan doesn't take the bait of that clear threat, "Go,” he orders.
Luke walks away, and I sit on Dylan's bed running my fingers through my hair with clenched fingers, "This is bad."
Dylan pulls me up into his arms to hold him and me together. I don’t miss the slight shakiness in his arms and legs as he wraps me up tightly to settle us both down. "It’s gonna be okay, baby.”
I fight back tears. I can’t believe this has happened. Maybe we were too comfortable with our secret. Now so much could go so wrong because we’ve been so relaxed with the sneaking around, not to mention just plain irresponsible. Dylan could lose this custody battle. I could lose my job, no I will lose my job. It doesn’t escape my notice that both times my worries begin with Dylan and the kids. I can’t believe as a professional woman that I’ve allowed this to happen. I’ve put not only this family in danger but my career as well. "How? With everything else that has happened this week, the judge is not going to let this slide. We both know how he is, and he’s going to throw the book at both of us. I’ll be fired, and then what will happen to you and the kids?”
He grips my cold fingers in his strong hands and tries to reassure me, "Brooke, Luke is mad at me, not you."
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