No Refunds No Exchanges: A Hudson Family Series- Book 4- Matt and Ali

by Chontelle Brison

  My eyes filled with tears, and he folded Pepper and me both into a tight hug. I had never understood why Jake had left that day without even saying good-bye, no one had explained and like a child always does, I had decided it was because he didn’t love me anymore. Now as an adult, I realized that Jake was still the brother I had always wanted, had I just asked me him what had happened instead of keeping my distance all of this could have been avoided, and Pepper would have known her real father this whole time.

  “Um.Jake..Dad..er..Jake..your kind of squishing us,” Pepper mumbled from behind me, and we all laughed.

  “Shoot, I guess I am. Listen, I know me, and your mom need to have a conversation about things,” he told Pepper, his eyes flashing with hurt and bitterness.

  I wanted to feel sorry for Lela, I really did but the fact that she had kept Jake and Pepper apart for fifteen years made me want to kick her ass myself.

  “Are you glad you have a daughter?” Pepper squeaked still half hiding behind me.

  Jake smiled at me and then without warning, put his hands on my waist, lifted me straight up into the air and placed me to the side, giving him access to a stunned Pepper.

  Putting two fingers under her trembling chin, he raised her face to meet his. “Sweet girl, you are unexpected, and I admit I was shocked,” he raised her head again when she lowered her gaze to the ground. “But you are most definitely a happy surprise. I don’t know anything about being a dad, but I figure you can give me some help with that.” Jake smiled, and my heart stopped when Pepper’s face broke into a tearful grin as she threw her arms around his neck and sobbed.

  Feeling like a jerk but needing to break up the moment. I cleared my throat until I had their attention.

  “I know we have a lot to work out, but we need to get out of here. I promise that I will bring Pepper back soon, but I have to call the judge and…”

  Jake raised a hand in the air and smiled. “I called the Judge and handled it, Pepper doesn’t have to go back to camp and she won’t go to juvenile hall.” He announced to an ecstatic Pepper.

  “How?” I asked flabbergasted by the turn of events.

  “Hell, I went to school with that Judge’s son, we played football together! When I got Pepper’s last name off the employee paperwork she filled out for Synclair and Sara, I did some checking and got things sorted out.”

  Pepper squealed in delight and hugged Jake again. I smiled gratefully, happy that Pepper wouldn’t get in trouble for skipping camp. However, it didn’t change the fact that we had to leave…Now!

  I was about to explain that little fact when a silver BMW turned into the parking lot and parked right behind my stolen truck. Damn!

  “Um, Listen Pepper, if you want to spend a few days with the Hudsons so you can visit Jake, that’s fine, but I need to get home. So, I will call Synclair later and thank her for being so wonderful to you,” I spoke as I backed up toward the front of the running truck.

  I wasn’t surprised when Matt got out of the gorgeous sports car that was blocking my escape and glared at me behind mirrored sunglasses.

  “Um, what’d I miss?” Jake asked looking from Matt’s pissed off face to my pale one.

  “Aunt Ali is trying to escape back to the sanctuary while she is still sick. See she doesn’t even have shoes!” Pepper, the little traitor, pointed out, and I watched as Jake took in my disheveled appearance and my lack of footwear.

  “Ali.” Jake groaned.

  “Don’t Ali me, Jake Summers! That man is a menace, and his mood swings give me whiplash!” I growled as Matt slowly began advancing toward us. Instead of running interference, Jake just chuckled and moved out of the way when Matt glared at him.

  Coward! With my escape routes cut off, I did what any mature person would do. I turned and bolted for the inside of the restaurant. As soon as I ran through the door, I ducked and weaved avoiding wait staff and stuffed patrons. Thankfully, my leg was still cooperating, but I knew it would not last. I needed a back way out of here and fast.

  Hearing a commotion behind me that I could only assume was Matt in hot pursuit, I ran through the doors that led to the kitchen area and when I collided with a hard chest. Strong hands shot out to keep me from hitting the floor, and when I looked up, Reece Hudson was smiling down at me looking so amused I wanted to throw up on his shoes.

  “Whoa there Ms. Grand Theft Auto,” he laughed as I tried to pull out of his grasp. Damn, were all the Hudson men built like brick shithouses?

  “Please, please, I need to go Reece. I’m sorry about the truck, it's fine and sitting out in the parking lot.” I panted feeling more and more ill by the second.

  Reece’s eyes softened, and when he looked over my shoulder, I knew I was caught. “First, I’m actually impressed you hotwired Dalton’s truck and second no matter what my stupid brother has done Alison, I think you should hear him out. He’s a good man but like all of us Hudsons, the propensity to screw up is genetic.” He winked at me then turned me around in his arms to face a furious, practically growling, Matthew Hudson.

  “Don’t be too mad at Reece. Matt called and told us you were probably headed here for Pepper, so I called in reinforcements. Since I’m supposed to be setting a good example for little Wyatt, I can’t be tackling people!” Synclair spoke from behind Matt, poking her head from around his stiff body to smile as she bounced Wyatt her arms.

  “We’ll let you two talk,” Reece said as he kissed me on the forehead, gathered his wife and son and left me alone with Matt.

  “Um..I…I”

  I didn’t get to finish. One second Matt was glaring at me with a look so fierce I wanted to hide, then I was in his arms and his lips crushed mine. Shocked, I gasped, and Matt took full advantage by sweeping his tongue inside my mouth. I willed myself not to respond, not to give in, to stay strong. I kept my hands at my sides and refused to kiss him back. All the while thankful I had used his mouthwash this morning! Gah! I was hopeless!

  However, my resolve began to weaken as his hands began stroking my back and slid down to my ass where he used his grip to pull me tighter to his body, his erection thumping against my belly causing a stirring deep inside me. He pulled back, and I stared back at him dazed. He gave me a dazzling smile and then kissed my neck when I moved my head to the side in a last-ditch attempt to avoid his kiss. Hot, moist kisses were trailed down my neck to my collarbone and one hand slid from my ass to my hips and under the sweatshirt I had stolen up to my breast. I was about to pull back so that he wouldn’t touch my scars but when I opened my mouth to speak the man assaulted my mouth with a kiss so devastating that I couldn’t think. His fingers brushed my pebbled nipples, and I groaned. I felt myself being lifted into the air and pressed against a cool, metal door. I was so lost in sensation I didn’t even realize that he had pulled down my sweats and his own jeans. I felt the fullness of him as he thrust up to my wetness. I didn’t care if someone could find us, I felt full and wanted, and I soo needed this.

  Matt grunted, and I felt myself getting closer and closer to my peak.

  “Say it Alison, say it,” he demanded as he quickened his pace.

  I had no idea what he wanted me to so I just held on tighter and groaned.

  “Say you’re mine Alison, mine, only mine.”

  Mindless with my impending orgasm, I whispered frantically, “Yes, Oh God Matt! Yes, I’m yours. Just yours.” I felt myself pulsate with wave after wave of pleasure and Matt followed me over the edge, kissing me to cover my cries of sweet, ecstasy.

  I was so exhausted I felt myself start to pass out when I heard his triumphant chuckle, “Got you.”

  Matt

  I tried to wipe the smug grin off my face as I sat at the breakfast table the next morning, but failed miserably. After our fast, hard lovemaking in the stock room of Synclair and Sara’s restaurant, my little criminal had passed out. Feeling kind of bad for having sex with Alison when she was still not recovered from her bout with strep throat, I brought her back home and held her..all nig
ht. There was nothing more satisfying than waking up with her wrapped around me like a vine or the small noise of protest she made when I unwound her body from mine so I could talk to my brothers before the took off for the day. I should have been worried about the fact that we’d had unprotected sex, again. However, the image of Alison holding my child made me want to never use protection again.

  “So it’s like that?” Lucas cracked a smile from across the table while Sara sipped her morning tea perched on his lap.

  I nodded, and they smiled brightly at Synclair, who placed a plate full of my favorite cinnamon rolls in front of me. “I put some in the oven for Alison when she wakes up! You ready Pepper?” she called as the teen came bouncing down the stairs. Now that I really looked at the girl it was impossible not to see the resemblance between her and Jake, their eyes were identical and their smiles matched. I hadn’t asked if Rachel knew that Jake had a fifteen-year-old daughter, since last time we’d spoken she had made it clear that she was done chasing Jake around. Still, I wondered what her reaction would be.

  “Is Aunt Ali okay?” Pepper asked as she stuffed a cinnamon roll in her mouth. It was easy to see why Synclair like the kid, she was smart, funny and loved Alison like a mother. I gave her my most sincere smile.

  “She’s fine Pepper, just tired. We’ll work it out,” I told her trying to give her some of the reassurance that even I was in short supply of.

  She dipped her gaze to the floor and kicked her shoes around the tile, “I love my aunt, it’s just that I like you guys and stuff.” She whispered.

  Suddenly all eyes shifted to me, and I knew they were all waiting for me to confirm to Pepper that she and Alison weren’t going anywhere.

  “You don’t have to choose Pepper, Alison just needs some time to realize that she can trust me, I’m not going to throw her aside, and we’ll work out the distance issue,”

  Apparently, she heard exactly what she’d needed, her head came up, and I was treated to a genuinely, relieved smile. I knew then that I needed to make things with Alison work, it wasn’t just us involved, it was Pepper and all the animals that Ali loved so much.

  “Hey, I left some jeans, and sweaters out for Alison to wear, if she’s not feeling up to it, Synclair and I can grab some of the intimate stuff on our way home.” Sara chimed in giving Lucas and their son, Logan, loud smacking kisses on their cheeks. Father and son grinned up at her, and Lucas gave her growing belly a quick kiss before settling Logan in his chair to put his shoes on, so he could drop the little guy off at school.

  “Okay, the women are gone. I can tell by the look on Dalton’s face that he has information.” I said pointing to my brother, Dalton, as he sipped his coffee. Camille had already run through the kitchen earlier on her way to a design class she was taking at the community college in town.

  Dalton placed his hands on the table and gave me a look that told me I wasn’t going to like whatever he was about to say. Reece joined us at the table already dressed for work, I was grateful the guys were making time to help me out with Alison.

  “A week ago Alison’s ex-husband was trying to take her bear, Baloo. Apparently, although they thought no one caught sight of Baloo running down the street in the some of the neighborhoods, they were wrong. John sent me this notice this morning. Everyone on Mt. Charleston got one, and it’s not good,” he said grimly as he tossed a paper in the middle of the table.

  On it, I saw a wild eyed, grizzle bear. Jesus, it had to be ten feet tall standing up! That was Alison’s beloved bear that she loved so much? He looked ferocious and out of control. The picture showed him running straight at the camera down a dirt road in front of a well-lit ranch style home. It didn’t help that in the shot there was a picture of a kid’s playset, letting everyone know just how close this bear had gotten to a house with small kids. Below it was a notice of an emergency hearing, at the county permit office where homeowners were encouraged to show up and ask for Alison’s animal license to be revoked. Not good, not good at all.

  “Shit, what did John say?” I asked passing the notice to Lucas.

  Dalton sighed, “John tried to have it postponed because Alison is sick but the judge isn’t budging. If that’s not bad enough, the judge happens to be a good friend of Alison’s ex-douchebag,” Dalton explained.

  Anger rose to the surface, and I balled my hands into fists. Dalton, Lucas, and Reece looked equally pissed. No one liked the picture that was forming here. Alison’s ex was trying to get Alison’s Sanctuary shut down. It would break Alison’s heart if she lost those animals; it wasn’t like getting special permission for animals like hers was easy. Shit, this was bad.

  “So what happens if they revoke her permit?” Reece asked while pouring himself a cup of coffee and joining us at the table.

  “I looked into that, the animals would have to be removed within 10 days from the property or animal control will remove them. At that point, she’d have to find another place that would grant her permission to keep them.” Dalton said in an exasperated voice.

  “Where would she go that could accommodate her animals, they would each need their own enclosures?” I grumbled feeling like the obstacles were just getting bigger.

  “No only that,” Reece began, “The animals have to have enclosures that are safe for the community and for them, not to mention each habitat has to be designed with the respective animal’s unique needs. If she has animals that require particular types of food and care, like John mentioned, then she’s going to need a lot of land, special permits, money for construction and state of the art security,” Reece finished with a sympathetic look.

  “So what do I do? Do I drag Alison back to Mt. Charleston and hope she can convince them that Baloo is not a threat?” I wondered aloud to the grim faces around the table.

  “That’s not the worst of it,” Lucas said. He placed his elbows on the table and leaned in. “John’s guys discovered why everyone is so keen on getting Alison’s land, and it has nothing to do with those animals.”

  “What? What the hell is so special about a sixty-acre ranch?” Dalton asked his green eyes shining with curiosity.

  Lucas sighed, “According to John, Alison’s land sits on an old silver mine, one that could still hold vast deposits of it. His guess is that her ex-husband and the developer from New York, know it, and that’s why they’re both trying to get it by any means necessary.”

  “Silver?” I couldn’t believe it, this wasn’t 1896, do people still mine for silver?” I asked in disbelief. This had to be a joke. People were trying to get Alison’s land to get their hand on some old silver mine?

  Lucas shrugged, “At one time Nevada was the biggest exporter of silver, there are lots of mines all over the state that are still in operation today, and if Alison is sitting on one, it could be very valuable.”

  “Yeah, but imagine what it would do to the land to have those big trucks and heavy equipment tearing it up,” Reece added.

  I stood up from the table and rinsed off my plate in the sink. I didn’t know if I wanted to kick Alison’s ex-husband’s ass or throw him into the lioness habitat and let her finish off the asshole.

  “Shit, so where does that leave Alison?” I leaned against the counter and looked from one brother to the next. No one seemed to have an answer. Finally, Dalton spoke.

  “The truth is that picture is very damning and more than likely she’s going to lose that permit. If she stays on her land, she’s going to be battling her ex-husband and everyone else that wants that silver mine it’s sitting on. Not to mention she will lose her Sanctuary and animals regardless whether or not she decides to stay there.”

  Fucked. Every direction I turned in it seemed Alison’s options sucked. No way did I want her ex-asshole to win, no wonder he was trying so hard to get her back, the dickhead just wanted her land so he could sell it do the developers.

  Suddenly, I realized why Alison had trust issues. With the exception of a few people in her life, sharks surrounded Alison. Sharks that wer
e circling her like she was a wounded sea lion.

  “I think I can help,” came a small voice from the back doorway. I hadn’t even heard anyone knock much less come in. I turned and for the life of me could not understand why Amber Donaldson, Reece’s ex-wife, and Hudson family nemesis, was standing in our kitchen listening to a private conversation.

  “No, hell no! Get out. Get the hell out!” I demanded walking toward her. I didn’t need this vindictive, completely unhinged woman anywhere Alison. Ali had enough issues in her life without Amber trying to screw with her too. In a total snit, I grabbed her arm and carefully but firmly pushed her out the door.

  “Please Matt, I know you don’t like me.” Her voice cracked with emotion and for a moment I just stared at her.

  “Like you? Like you? Woman!” I roared, all the frustration I felt pouring into my voice. “You tricked Reece into marrying him, you lied about being pregnant. You helped your cousin, Travis, terrify Sara and you showed Reece a doctored video of Synclair and me, making him think we were lovers! Like you? Lady, like is about 10 levels above how I feel about you.”

  I felt her shrink back from my angry tone, and Dalton grabbed my shoulder.

  “Matt, Jesus you’re scaring her.” I stopped my tirade and realized I hadn’t released her arm. Dropping it like it was on fire; I took a quick step back and tried to get my emotions in check.

  Once I did, I shrugged off Dalton’s grip and turned back to Amber. Now that I took a good look at her, I could see what Dalton was talking about. I had known Amber Donaldson for a dozen years or so, she had gone to school with Reece, Lucas, and Sara. The Amber standing in front of me was not the same Amber I had come to loathe. Known for her impeccable and stylish clothing, she was standing before me in a pair of gray sweats and simple sneakers. Her blonde hair which was always highlighted and perfectly groomed was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail it’s color back to the natural sandy blonde it had been in high school.