Road to Freedom

by Piper Davenport

  I shifted, trying to loosen Hatch’s grip on me. He didn’t budge. He just stared at me with his dad eyes. No judgement, just concern.

  “She was so fucking little,” I rasped.

  “Remington?”

  I shook my head. “Gracie.”

  “Yeah.”

  “She looked like something outta Carrie.”

  “She did,” he said.

  “Mom was gonna kill her.”

  He squeezed my shoulder again.

  “I should have been there.”

  “You were a kid. Nothin’ you coulda done,” Hatch said.

  “Yeah. But I’m never letting anything like that happen again. To Grace or Rem.”

  “Got your back on that one,” he said, and pulled me in for a hug. It was quick, but it was fatherly, then he slapped me on my back and pulled away. “Gonna give you a few.”

  “Thanks.”

  Hatch walked out the door and I sat in the chair I’d just vacated, dropping my head as I thought about everything Hatch had said.

  Small hands wrapped around my arms and I opened my eyes to find my sister kneeling in front of me. “Hey.”

  I forced a smile. “Hey, sissy.”

  “You okay?”

  “Getting there.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  “Is this about Mom?”

  “Indirectly,” I said.

  “It’s about me?”

  I took her hand and squeezed. “Yeah, baby sister. It’s kind of about you.”

  “What happened?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Did you get in trouble?”

  I chuckled. “No, sissy, I didn’t get in trouble.”

  She let out a sigh of relief. “I thought Hatch was going to give you a lecture like Dad does.”

  “No.”

  “Are we okay?”

  I frowned. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

  She shrugged, her face so much like our mother’s, looking vulnerable and sad. “Because you’ve been so distant. I mean, before Remi.”

  “I’m sorry, Gracie.” I kissed her forehead, standing and pulling her up for a hug. “I’ll fix that.”

  “I’d really like that.” She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “Remi’s a little worried about you, but Hatch told me to come get you.” She smiled up at me. “I’m glad he did.”

  “Me too,” I said and gave her one more squeeze before following her back to the party.

  Remington made her way to me and took my hand. “Can I borrow you for a bit?”

  “Yeah, baby.”

  She led me back the way I came and pulled me into Hatch’s office.

  * * *

  Remington

  “What happened?” she asked, closing the door.

  I filled her in on my conversation with Hatch, leaving out the details about what actually happened in Savannah.

  She grinned and gripped my cut, standing on her tiptoes to kiss me. “I like your surrogate dad.”

  I chuckled. “Me too.”

  “But I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  “I will always listen, honey. You won’t look weak in my eyes if you’re having a tough time with what happened. It’s trauma.”

  “I know.”

  I patted his chest. “Do you know in here, though?”

  He settled his hand over mine. “Yeah, baby, I know in here.”

  “Good. Now, kiss me, then I want you to get me tipsy and fuck me.”

  His eyes darkened, and he smiled as he covered my mouth with his. Then he took me back to the party and got me tipsy before taking me to his room and fucking me.

  Remington

  About six weeks later, I was soaking in the tub after one hell of an audition with Cassidy and replaying the routine in my head. Merrick had totally stepped up for me, and if I wasn’t chosen to be part of the company, then it wasn’t because of anything we did. I’d had my cast removed four days ago, so I’d only gotten one practice in without it before my audition.

  “You got a delivery,” Merrick said, leaning over me.

  “A good one?”

  “I’ll get it. Stay put.”

  I stayed put, but I did shift so I was facing the door. Merrick walked in carrying a huge bouquet of flowers. Well, I should say, the flowers grew legs and walked in, since I couldn’t see his face.

  “Who are those from?” I asked as he set them on the counter.

  “Want me to read the card?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He pulled the card out of the envelope and read, “These flowers don’t match the grace and beauty with which you danced today. I am so proud and happy to offer you a place in our ballet company. I have emailed you with details. Much love, Cassidy.”

  I let out a squeal and jumped up, sloshing water over the side of the tub.

  “Babe, careful, you’ll slip,” Merrick growled as he reached out to me.

  I took his hand and he helped me out, then I toweled off quickly, making a run for my laptop, despite being buck-naked. I pulled up my email and saw one from Cassidy, so I opened it and scanned through it really quick.

  “Oh my god, honey, it’s like twice what I was offered at PBC.”

  “Is that good?” he asked from our closet.

  “Yes,” I said and made my way to him. “What are you doing in the closet?”

  I pushed open the door and found him on one knee a gorgeous antique ring nestled in a velvet box in his hand. I covered my mouth with my hands.

  “I love you, Rem. Will you marry me?”

  I blinked back tears as I nodded. “Yes. A thousand times yes.”

  He grinned, standing and picking me up to carry me to the bed. He dropped me on the mattress gently, then set my laptop aside and stretched out beside me, slipping the ring on my finger.

  I held my hand up and hummed in appreciation. A large diamond, probably two carats, was surrounded by smaller diamonds, and a filigree pattern on the white gold band. “It’s amazing.”

  “It was my grandmother’s.”

  I turned my head to look at him. “Her engagement ring?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, wow. And she’s okay with it?”

  I’d met his grandmother a few weeks ago at a family dinner, but the get-together had been a little tense. Merrick’s dad and his lady friend weren’t getting along, and quite frankly, she was kind of a bitch to him. Merrick’s grandmother had laid into her, then asked Flea and Grace to take her home. That had been the end of the get-together.

  “Grams adores you honey.”

  “She does?”

  He slid his hand to my neck. “Were you not at the same dinner as me?”

  “I just remember her going off on your dad’s girlfriend. Your grandmother and I didn’t get a chance to talk, so how would she know she likes me?”

  “She clocked you within five minutes.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Really?”

  “Yep. She loves you. Trust me. She gave me the big ring to give you.”

  I chuckled. “That’s the test?”

  “Hell, yeah. If she didn’t like you, she would have given me the garnet ring she’s also hanging onto for me or Grace.”

  “I like garnet.”

  “It’s fake.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Oh, no fakes for me.”

  “Exactly,” he said, and kissed me. “Let’s get naughty.”

  “Get the lube,” I said, and he laughed.

  “And this is why I’m the luckiest man alive.”

  “Because I let you do butt stuff to me?”

  “Yes,” he hissed out, now laughing uncontrollably. “So fucking romantic.”

  I straddled him, leaning down to kiss him. “Gonna show you just how romantic when you stop laughing.”

  He stopped immediately and flipped me onto my back, running his nose against mine. “Gonna feast on your pussy first, then I’ll fuck you hard.”

  I nod
ded, my body shivering with anticipation. “Okay, fiancé.”

  “Fucking love that, Rem.”

  I smiled. “Me too.”

  He kissed his way down my body, sliding off the bed to remove his clothes before kneeling between my legs and covering my mound with his mouth, sucking gently, then moving to my clit.

  Just as things started to get good, someone pounded on his door. I whimpered when I lost his mouth and he sat up. The pounding started again, and he snapped out a curse before pulling on his jeans and stalking out of the room. I dressed quickly and followed, pissed that my perfect engagement had been ruined by some asshole we weren’t expecting. I walked out to the living room to find Merrick facing off with a very familiar man.

  “Dad? What are you doing here?”

  “Did your mother steal your money?”

  “What?” I asked, glancing at Merrick, hoping he didn’t have his gun handy.

  “Did your mother steal your money?” he repeated. “It’s a simple question, Remington.”

  “Yes.”

  “Goddammit.”

  I gasped. My father never swore. Ever.

  “You didn’t know?” I whispered.

  “You asking me that question wounds me, Remi.”

  I blinked back tears.

  He shook his head. “Had I known, I would have made it right.”

  “She said it was all for you,” I said.

  “She lied.”

  Of course she did.

  Merrick wrapped an arm around me. “You want him to leave?”

  “No. Dad, this is Merrick. My fiancé. Honey, my dad, Walter.”

  My dad held his hand out and Merrick hesitated, but took his hand after a few tense seconds.

  “I’m going to sort this out, honey,” Dad said.

  “Merrick already took care of it,” I said.

  “I know. But I’m going to pay you back what she stole.”

  “Dad, it’s fine. I don’t need it,” I said.

  He scowled. “That’s not the point, Remi. It’s your money. She had no right to take it.”

  “Okay,” I whispered.

  He stroked my face. “I’m going to make this right, baby. Your mother will never hurt you again.”

  I wrapped my arms around him and dropped my cheek to his chest. “Thanks, Daddy.”

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you more,” he said, and stroked my back. “And I’m sorry I didn’t protect you against Thomas.”

  I looked up at him. “Are you dying?”

  He shook his head and smiled. “No. But I’ve been asleep nigh on thirty years and that ends today.” He kept his arm around me and looked at Merrick. “Thanks for doing what I should have done. I appreciate it.”

  Merrick nodded, looking as bewildered as I felt.

  Dad looked back to me. “I hope you’ll still allow me to give you away, baby. Regardless, you figure out what you want, and I’ll pay for everything. Just send me the bills.”

  I burst into tears and held him tight, nodding into his chest. “Okay, Daddy.”

  “I’m here for a few more days. Will you allow me to take you both to dinner tomorrow night?”

  “That would be great,” Merrick said. “Thanks.”

  “I’m going to go ahead and go, honey. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” I said, and released him. He shook Merrick’s hand again, then left us and I fell onto our new micro-suede sofa, dropping my face in my hands.

  Merrick kneeled in front of me, tugging my hands away. “You okay?”

  “I thought he was part of it.”

  “Yeah, baby.”

  “Do you believe him?” I asked.

  “The important question is, do you?”

  I met his eyes. “Yes. But does that make me an idiot?”

  “No, Eeyore, it doesn’t. If you want, though, I can have Booker dig deeper and find out.”

  I nodded. “Yes, please.”

  “Okay, honey. I’ll take care of that tomorrow.”

  I wiped my cheeks and smiled. “Thank you. Now, we have some lube to destroy.”

  “Shit, baby, you sure you’re up to that?”

  “Hells, yes. I demand satisfaction, sir,” I said and went super southern on him, rising to my feet and heading toward the bedroom.

  “Babe.”

  I turned on him and slid my hand to his waistband. “I want butt sex.”

  He dropped his head back and laughed. “Holy shit, baby, you’re crazy.”

  “You love crazy.”

  “I do love crazy,” he said, bending and lifting me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

  “Tweety!” I squealed, wrapping my arms around his waist as I hung upside down.

  His hand landed on my butt and he squeezed my right cheek as he walked me into the bedroom. I shivered at his touch and when he dropped me on the bed, I yanked my clothes off as quickly as I could, rewarded with him burying himself deep inside of me as he kissed me gently.

  “I love you, Remington Aultman Charles, soon to be Lundy.”

  “I love you, too, Merrick Tweety Lundy, soon to be Charles.”

  He chuckled, and his dick pulsed inside of me as he did. “Mmm, I like that.”

  “I’m gonna do stuff you like better in a second.”

  “Yay,” I whispered.

  “Can’t wait to marry you, baby.”

  I smiled, stroking his face. “Me too.”

  Merrick kissed me again and then made love to me with more gentleness than I expected, but it was exactly what I needed.

  I was cherished, which made me free.

  Remington

  Three years later...

  “You are beautiful,” Merrick whispered from the side of the stage.

  I grinned, kissing him, careful not to smear my makeup. “Thanks, honey.”

  “Break a leg.”

  I nodded, and my cue sounded. I was the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker. Admittedly, this ballet is not my favorite, but it brings in a lot of money for the company I was totally committed to. I loved my job and every spring, I was given the opportunity to assist in the choreography of originally scored music. A big draw for musicians and dancers alike, and one of the things that made Cassidy’s company the conservatory to attend.

  I’d asked if I could choregraph something by myself this spring, knowing that eventually, I wanted to have babies, and pregnant ballerinas weren’t in high-demand, but if I did well choregraphing unique pieces, I could work forever...in theory, anyway.

  Life had taken an amazing turn. Our wedding had been a total fairy tale, held at an historic mansion in Portland, and as promised, my father had paid for everything regarding the wedding. He’d also paid me back the almost two-million my mother had stolen, right after he divorced her and left her destitute. In truth, she wasn’t really destitute, but she certainly tried to make everyone believe she was.

  Daddy gave her the four-thousand square foot home on the lake, along with a car and a ten-thousand a month alimony payment. She was doing just fine in my opinion.

  Dawson and I had cut all ties with her, and we built a whole new and amazing relationship with my Dad. He’d cut back his hours at his office as well, so he had more time to ‘hang’ with Dawson and fly here whenever I needed or wanted him to be here.

  Like tonight. He and my brother were in the front-row and clapping the loudest. I smiled as I moved to the center of the stage, finding my dad in the audience and lowering my head slightly. He gave me his two-gun pointing fingers which signaled to me he saw me nod. It was our little ritual every time he watched me perform and I cherished it.

  My family was, in fact, staying with us. We’d bought a home in Vancouver, and it was larger than we really needed, but Merrick promised we’d fill it soon. Plus, it came in handy at Christmas when my dad, brother, and whichever girl he was with came for the holidays. This year, however, Dawson was single, and Christmas would be spent at Hatch and Maisie’s home.

  The club always did a Christma
s Eve party for the neighborhood foster kids. Flick dressed up as Santa every year, but Dad had offered up his services should Flick ever need a break. Dad was still waiting for his ‘shot.’

  New Year’s this year would be in Savannah. Alamo had recovered completely, and he and Jasmine had insisted we come this year and party with the Savannah chapter. In fact, most of the Portland chapter would be joining us, so I couldn’t wait to go home for a week.

  Every year, I spent the anniversary of Michelle’s death giving blood in her memory, along with every single one of the Dogs. I’d done the swab thingy, as had Merrick and several of his brothers, but I had yet to give bone marrow. I was on the list and ready to go should I ever be a match for someone, so giving blood helped me feel like I wasn’t just sitting on my thumbs

  I couldn’t believe how my life had changed in such a short amount of time. I had never felt so safe and cherished. Ever. Merrick had done that for me. He’d pursued me and loved me with a passion I never expected.

  He was everything and as I danced off the stage, I wrapped myself around him and kissed him.

  “You were perfect, baby,” he whispered.

  “All because of you.”

  That wasn’t hyperbole. He helped me practice, acting as my anchor and my partner in both dance and life.

  “You did all the work, baby. I just made sure you didn’t fall.”

  I cupped his face. “That’s everything, Tweety.”

  He smiled. “Love you, honey.”

  “I love you, too.”

  We stood in the wings as the ballet finished and then it was time to take a bow and Merrick waited for me once again. As I curtsied, I turned to find him smiling at me and I said a quick prayer of thanks for the man who set me free.

  Life was better than I could have ever hoped for.

  Hello, lovelies. I hope you’ve enjoyed Road to Freedom.

  This story is incredibly close to my heart, as Jack and I have a good friend named Michelle who is fighting one hell of a battle with cancer. Things are dire unless she gets life-saving stem cells.

  If you’d like to find out about donating bone marrow or stem cells, please visit www.dkms.org for more information! The more people who donate, the more people can be a match for the cure.

  Help me give a big “FUCK YOU” to cancer!