by Brooke May
And now, knowing I have my girls in my life, I can give two hundred percent. When I woke up this morning, I was so happy that I took the time to call Katie. I didn’t care if I was pushing her. I was glad to hear her sleepy voice come through my phone after the third ring. It surprised me because she has always been an early riser.
“Don’t you have an interview today?” I smiled as I folded my hands behind my head and leaned back in bed.
“Mmm … yeah, in”—she yawned—“two hours.”
“What are you wearing?” I pulled out my deep voice, knowing how much she loved it.
She yawned again and followed it with a groan. “A shirt and panties. What are you wearing?”
“Would you be turned on if I said nothing?”
She laughed. “No.”
“Oh well, I’m in my underwear.” We both laughed, and I could hear Marissa come running into the room. Katie talked to her and then loud breathing came over the line.
“Morning, Daddy! See you today?”
“Yes. I’ll be over after I train with my friend, Scott, and then I have to run somewhere real quick.”
“Otay. Wuve you, Daddy!”
“I love you, too.” And I do; it comes so easily.
“I need to get up and make her breakfast.” Katie came back on. “I’ll let you know when I get back.”
“All right. Good luck, panda, and know that you can get any job you want. I believe in you.” I do believe in her, but I really hope she doesn’t get it. I want her by my side. She didn’t answer for the longest time. “Katie?”
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“Anytime, baby.” We hung up, and I’ve been on top of the world since. So when I clock Scott right in the side of the face and knock him out, I don’t feel bad. Instead, I do some stretches and wait until he comes to then throw a water bottle to him and take a seat on the mat.
“Fuck.” He shakes his head and downs some water.
“That’s why you wear the head gear.” I laugh, tapping the side of my head gear.
“Are you going to fight like this in Orlando?”
“Hell yeah, my girls will be with me.”
“That’s if K.C. doesn’t get the job …” He trails off and stands on two shaking legs.
“You good?” He nods. “She won’t. I mean don’t get me wrong, she would be a perfect teacher, and if they don’t hire her, then they are idiots, but I want her with me.” We move to pick the mat up. “She wants to go with me too; she just needs to realize it.”
“Whatever you say, man.”
XOXO
WHEN WE ARRIVE at the tattoo parlor about twenty minutes from our hotel, Scott headed for the books while I went to the guy behind the glass counter.
“Can I help you?” I can barely hear the guy over the loud death metal playing through his computer.
“Chamberlain Lawrence, I have an appointment.”
“Got it.” He picks up a clipboard. “Read and sign. Then follow me.” He leaves me there, frowning.
Not super friendly.
I look over the paperwork and sign it before going back to where he walked off to and find him setting up. “Have a seat.” I pull off my shirt and take the covered seat.
“What do you want?”
“I would like a name right here.” I point right below Katie’s name.
“A cover up?”
“Hell no, I just need a name added to it.” He nods at this. “If you can match the font that would be wonderful.”
“Colors?”
“Just black.” I sit back in the seat and watch him finish adjusting his gun and preparing the ink.
“Okay.” He taps his foot to test his machine and makes another slight adjustment. “What’s the name?”
“Marissa.”
Chapter Fifteen
Chamberlain
“DAMN YOU, FUCKER!” I gingerly rub my chest while Scott laughs at me after climbing out of the car. I had to park on the street because Katie’s driveway has four other cars. One, I know, is hers, and another is the lady she lives with, but I’m not sure about the other two.
“Hey, you set my last one. It was only fair.” He shrugs as he slides his shades off and hooks them in his shirt.
I ring the doorbell and then slam my fist into his stomach, knowing it won’t hurt him that badly. He falls backward off the stoop and pulls the back of my shirt, taking me with him. “Fucker!” I shout as I turn and plow my elbow into his gut
“Asshole!” He rolls away from me, shades forgotten and starts swinging at me. I can’t help but laugh as I dodge every single one of them. “I’ll get you …”
“Are you two finished?”
We both stop our fighting in the middle of the front yard with fists still raised to look up at Beth, who is leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed and shaking her head. “Beth.” I nod as I grab my hat off the grass and walk up to the door.
“Well, hello there, beautiful.”
Fucking Scott.
“Oh.” Beth’s gray eyes grow wide, and she looks completely surprised. She points at him. “Are you my asshole for the night because I need to tell you mine is thoroughly worn out.” She smiles brightly at him and does this weird staring thing at him that creeps me out. If I knew her better, I would probably laugh, but I don’t know anything about her, and this is kind of weird and scary.
“Wh …? Umm … huh?” Scott’s mouth continues to open and close like a damn fish as he stares at Beth.
I leave him on his own as I walk into the house and hear “Heartbeat Song” by Kelly Clarkson coming from the back. I walk past a large family room where the woman I saw the other night is watching the news with another woman who looks a lot like Katie but older.
I round the corner and come to the entrance of a large kitchen to find Katie and Marissa dancing around to the beat of the song. Marissa is standing up in her chair while leaning on her hands resting on the table as she swings her little bottom around. I cover my mouth and just watch them.
Katie is dancing around the counter with her hair up in a messy bun while blond tendrils fall out as she moves. She’s in a tight, black shirt and barely-there jean shorts. They almost match except Marissa has a pink frilly shirt on with her jean shorts and fish slippers.
Katie comes out from behind the counter, holding a mixing bowl against her hip and stirring whatever she had in there. Her gloriously tight, round ass shakes and taunts, making me regret not taking her until she is mine.
“Come here, baby doll.” Katie beckons Marissa to come over to her but neither stop dancing. The song changes to “More Than a Feeling” by Boston, and I almost laugh. I watch them dab what appears to be cookie dough on a sheet to place in the oven
God, I’ve missed so much. Katie’s pregnancy—I have no clue how it was for her. Her giving birth to Marissa—who was with her, what time, what day, and how much did my little girl weigh?
And then all of Marissa’s major milestones until now. When did she start to crawl? Walk? What was her first word? And the one that makes me ache the most; when did she realize her dad wasn’t around and wanted to know where he was?
I’m so much in my head, watching them move around, that I don’t notice Scott breeze past me until he has Katie in his arms and is swinging her around.
“Scott!” Katie laughs. “What are you doing here?”
“Couldn’t keep me away!” He hugs her to him. He’s the only guy I don’t mind touching my woman. That’s only because he sees her as a sister.
“You okay?” Beth spooks me.
“I’m great.” I look back at my woman.
“Don’t hurt her again, okay?” Beth nods to Katie. “She’s been through a lot. I can see how much she still cares for you.”
“I love her, Beth.” I shove the bill of my hat in my back pocket. “I plan to marry her.”
She smiles and chews her gum. “Good.”
“I missed you, lil’ bit.” Scott laughs as he steps back to look o
ver Katie. “You’re lookin’ great! Being a momma suits you.”
“Mommy?” Marissa wraps her arms around Katie’s leg, regarding Scott closely.
Scott beams at her and drops down to her level. “Hey there, little one.”
Marissa glares at him. “I big girl, jerk.”
Oh, I know grandma had a hand in this part of her personality.
“So my mommy, not willow bit.”
Scott laughs and tries to get Marissa to shake his hand. “I call your mommy that because she is so tiny compared to me and your daddy.”
Marissa’s blue eyes tighten as she continues to watch him. “Who you?”
A laugh bubbles out of my mouth, and I’m not alone; Katie and Beth are also laughing.
Scott drops his head as his shoulders move with his laughter. He takes a deep breath and looks back at my challenging daughter. “You can call me Uncle Scott; I’m your daddy’s best friend.”
Her eyes loosen a fraction. “Wike Aunt Beth wit my mommy?”
“Yeah.”
“Otay, frwends.” Marissa shakes his head but keeps the other on her mom’s leg. “Nickname wike mommy?”
Scott puts his thumb and pointer finger under his chin and looks up, thinking. “How about mini lil’ bit?”
Marissa giggles. “Otay.”
Fucker has my daughter charmed now.
All right!” Scott claps and jumps back up. “What are we making?”
Katie looks at me with a small smile. “Oatmeal cookies.”
I finally join them. “My favorite.”
We spend the afternoon baking, laughing, and having a lot of fun. My cheeks hurt from all the laughing and the joy that has continued to bloom in my heart as I played around in the backyard with Marissa. I pushed her on the swing, chased her around, and lounged with her beautiful mom while she watched. Scott also joined in the playing, much to my surprise.
I met Katie’s Aunt Jackie and her partner, Karmin. They are both wonderful and warm. I’m glad Katie was with people who truly cared for and loved her while she was here, but now it’s time for her and Marissa to be with me, for us to be a family, and for me to finally take them home.
“This is fun,” I say to Katie as she comes back with lemonade. She went inside when her phone went off. She rushed off quickly thinking it was her callback. I sit up, concerned when she doesn’t look as happy as when she left.
“It is.” She smiles down at me and hands me a glass, but I have other plans. I set the glass down and grab Katie’s arm to pull her down between my legs. Her delectable ass slides between my legs and nestles against my dick while I wrap an arm around her.
“This is really nice,” I whisper into her ear, rubbing my nose over it. I grin when she shivers and her body melts against my chest.
“Chamberlain—”
“Don’t fight this, baby.” I kiss that spot behind her ear, earning another wonderful shiver. “Who called you?”
She tenses just enough for me to feel it, but she doesn’t try to relax. “It was the callback from the elementary school where I interviewed earlier.”
“And?”
Please say you didn’t get it. Please!
“I ...” She looks down at her hands and knots her fingers together. “I didn’t get it.”
Yes!
Yes!
Hell, fucking, yes!
“Oh, Katie.” I squeeze her to me and kiss her cheek before putting my chin on her shoulder. I’m glad she can’t see my face and the joy that is flashing on it. “I’m sorry.”
No, I’m not.
It means you are definitely coming with me now!
She brings a hand up and starts to lightly pull at some of the hair on my arm. “It is what it is,” she mutters. “They said they wanted someone with more experience.” She looks up to where Marissa is playing with Beth and Scott and falls back into me. “So the job offer?”
Hell to the yes!
I love it when I get my way.
As much as I want her to have her dreams in her hands, I’m happy she is considering my offer. “What about it?”
Yeah, that was good.
Don’t let her hear the joy in your voice.
“Can I … still have it?” she whispers.
I let my smile cover my face for real now. I push away from her, so I don’t yell in her ear and shout the words I’ve wanted to say for four years now. “Scott, you’re fired!”
“W-what?” Scott falls over with Marissa who had just jumped into his arms.
“Your services as my manager are no longer needed.” I grin at him and turn my focus back to Katie. “I won’t make you regret this, panda.” I kiss her cheek again. “We’ll be a family.”
“I’m worried about the fights with Marissa, though.” She turns in my arms and puts her hands on my chest. I wince. “I don’t want her to see them.”
“Already taken care of.” I run my hands up her arms. “I have someone who will be more than happy to watch her while we are at the fights.” I run my thumb across her bottom lip. “And don’t worry, she’s trustworthy.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” My head jerks forward as I look into her eyes.
“Yes, Marissa and I will go with you.”
“Orlando?”
“Yes.”
“Dallas?”
“Of course.”
“Vegas?”
“Certainly.” She giggles.
“Then home to Boston?” She hesitates on this one. “I have my own home there now that has been waiting for you, Katie.” She cringes. “We will be in the same city, but worlds away from your parents. We will never see them.” I rub her arms again.
“Can we come back and visit whenever we want? Winters here can be fun.”
“Of course. I would never keep you from your family or friends.”
“Friend,” she corrects me. “Only one friend.”
“Your friend.” I pull her to me. “Anything you want, Katie. I want you and Marissa with me; we belong together as a family.”
“All right.” She lays her head on my shoulder. “How much should I pack?”
“As much as you think you will need. We can always send for the rest of your and Marissa’s things once I get you two settled in Boston. We are leaving Sunday morning.”
Chapter Sixteen
Katie
I SIFT THROUGH my closet trying to decide what can stay until we completely move and what needs to go now. I’ve never been so grateful to be one of those girls who don’t have a lot of clothes. Marissa, on the other, has had so much more. I rack my brain over what else needs to come with us for now.
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
It feels like a fairy tale finally coming true after years of struggling. Chamberlain is every bit the prince I knew he could be years ago before everything went bad. Now if I can handle getting enough packed for our cross-country traveling, I will be relieved. The only relief I’ve gotten so far was when Chamberlain said not to worry about the cost of baggage. I have most of my day-to-day clothes packed already, along with all the essentials; shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, razor, deodorant, makeup, etcetera.
Blindly, I reach for the black and white dress I wore to Chamberlain’s fight last week. I pull the hanger off the rack and stare at it. “Should I take you?” The dress is beautiful and looks amazing on me. Beth said it showcases my long legs perfectly. I glance around it and look down at the black pumps sitting on the floor of my closet. “I will.” Taking it off the hanger, I gently fold it into my suitcase, glad it’s made of a material that doesn’t crease.
“Take that other dress.” Beth rolls into my room after helping Marissa pack up her room.
“Which one?” I turn back. Truth be told, I have several dresses. I couldn’t possibly know which one she is referring to.
“You know the one that looks like a reverse Oreo.” I frown at her thought of that dress. I love it, just haven’t worn it. “You know”—she walks past me and to my cl
oset where she pulls it out—“this one.”
The dress is white on the bodice and around the bottom where it stops just above my knees. The center is entirely black with a small sash around the waist; going up, it fades to white and same from the bottom. Along with all that, it dips into a V in the cleavage area and is covered with different jewels, mainly black ones.
“Chamberlain will love this.” She looks around the bottom of the closet after handing me the dress. “And with these.” She hands me my silver pumps. “He’ll have a sh—”
“Purrty mommy!” Marissa skips into my room, halting all naughty words from Beth.
“Thank you, baby doll.” I turn to her. “Should we take it?”
“Yes!” She jumps on my bed with her panda and cuddles against my pillows.
“Okay.” I repeat the same with this dress, but with far more care since the bodice does crease. “I think we have everything.” I look down at my three bags; one for workout clothes, pajamas, and my and Marisa’s hygiene essentials, a bigger one for day-to-day clothes and a couple of pairs of shoes along with my camera and computer, and my last bag has some nicer, fancier clothes with a pair of gray ballet pumps, my black heels, silver pumps, along with all the sexy underwear Beth insisted that I pack. “How about you?” I look at Marissa and then over to Beth.
“We managed to get everything into two bags.” Beth smiles with pride at Marissa.
“Really?” I don’t believe this.
“Yes,” Marissa deadpans, blinking up at me.
“I’ll have to check.” I smile and go grab her bags to put them on the bed after I close mine up. Sure enough, everything she may need is there. All her bathroom supplies are packed away with my things. I get us all zipped up, and with a watery smile, I turn to Beth. “I’m going to miss you.” I sob when we wrap one another in a hug.
“I’ll miss you two as well,” she mumbles into my shoulder. “But I’m going to take some time to myself. You know since Bobby is out of the picture now.”
“No more sugar daddies?”