by Webster, K
Her shoulders relax. “Ava is everything I’m not. Sometimes I want to shake her and tell her the world’s a lot harder than she thinks.”
I’ll make sure Ava’s world is never difficult. I’ll keep her and protect her.
“She deserves to have her mother’s support no matter what,” I mutter.
She laughs but it’s nothing like Ava’s. It’s cold and bitter. “Support? You want me to support her dating a man old enough to be her father? Is that what you’d call it anyway? Dating or do you men call it fucking?”
“It’s a lot more than that. We’re something special together.”
“Well isn’t that wonderful,” she says with false cheer. “What happens when you get tired of fucking a teenager? What happens when she ends up pregnant and back on my doorstep? Huh?” Her voice raises a few octaves as she waves her cigarette in the air. “I’ll tell you what happens. She gets this.” She gestures to the trailer. “Happily fucking ever after.” Her body trembles with anger. She snubs out the cigarette and lights a new one.
“I want her to come live with me.”
“No.”
“Judy...”
“She’s going through a lot right now, Mr. Blakely. My daughter was assaulted at school and has a damn concussion. The light that was in her eyes isn’t there right now. You need to let her breathe.”
Mon petit oiseau doesn’t need to breathe, she needs me to fucking take care of her.
“Please.” I love her. I resist saying that because Judy doesn’t seem the type to respond well to hearts and flowers. She’s jaded and hard. The complete opposite of my sweet, soft Ava.
“Listen,” she says with a sigh. “The fact you’re here like a damn stalker speaks volumes. I get it. Ava is a darling. People love her. But I can’t let her make a hasty decision. Not like I did. She needs time to think it out. I won’t have you railroading her. Ava is too impressionable and innocent. As her mother, it’s my duty to protect her.”
A growl rumbles from me but she shrugs it off.
“Go home, Mr. Blakely.”
* * *
She asked me to give Ava a little space.
I tried.
Fuck, how I tried.
But I couldn’t stand another moment imagining Ava all alone in the trailer. She wasn’t herself when I called or visited. The poor girl has missed so much school. Everything that was important to her, suddenly wasn’t.
School. Paris. The boys. Me.
All gone with a simple kick to the head.
I’d nearly gone berserk fucking worrying over her.
Enough was enough which is why she is now slowly unpacking her things into my dresser drawers. It’s where she belongs. With me and the boys. Where we can keep her company and bring smiles to her pretty face.
God, I miss her smiles.
“Nolan Jenkins.”
Ava closes the drawer and frowns at me. “Who?”
“The kid who assaulted both you and Lacy Greenwood. His name is Nolan Jenkins. Kid has a rap sheet a mile long. Since he’s eighteen now, his actions are finally seeing some real consequences.” We’re lucky one of my buddy Dane’s friends Max was the judge who handled the case. “Slam dunk. Maximum punishment.”
Her body relaxes some. “Good.”
I cradle her cheeks in my palms. It bothers me how hollow she looks. I’m going to fix her.
“When was the last time you bathed, stinky?” I tease.
Her lips twitch on one side. “I don’t know.”
“As I always told the boys growing up,” I say with a grin. “If you can’t remember, it’s time to shower.”
She scrunches up her nose and it’s the first sign of my sweet Ava I’ve seen in a while. My heart lurches in my chest.
“I can run you a bubble bath if you’d like,” I tell her.
She frowns. “I hoped we could shower together.”
I yank her to me and hug my girl. “Of course we can. I didn’t want to push you.”
Her arms squeeze my middle. “Maybe I need to be pushed.”
That’s all the permission I need. I scoop her into my arms and revel in the beautiful sound of her squeal. God, I’ve missed her. I stride into my massive bathroom and set her on the counter. She giggles when I all but rip her clothes from her. Her body is as perfect as I remember before the incident. It’s only been around a week and a half but it feels like a lifetime.
Once I get the showers started and my own clothes peeled off, I scoop her off the counter and carry her into my large slate-tiled shower. Long ago, I invested in double shower heads so it’s perfect for two people at once. I stand her under the head of one spray so she can get her hair wet before locating a bottle of shampoo I’d bought for her to keep here. After I squirt some of the floral-scented shampoo into my hand, I set to gently washing her hair. She moans as I take care of her. The sound goes straight to my dick and I’m hard immediately. I ignore the need pulsating through me so I can wash her.
I’m so focused on my task that when a small hand grips my cock, I let out a grunt of surprise. She tilts her head back to rinse her hair but her hand strokes me in a needy way. I place my hands on my hips and stare at her gorgeous face while she touches me. Once her suds have been rinsed away, I slide my hand down between her thighs. If she’s going to pleasure me, I’m returning the favor. Her breath hisses out when I connect with her clit.
“Quinn...”
That voice.
Fuck me.
Throaty and whiney and needy as hell.
“Yes, mon petit oiseau?”
“I’m sorry.” Her lip wobbles and her eyes are full of tears. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Shhh,” I murmur as I hug her to me, my palms finding her rounded ass. She wraps her legs around my hips once I lift her. I kiss her face all over in an effort to soothe her. Turns out, all she wants is my cock to comfort her because she rubs her pussy against me while begging for me to make love to her.
She’s spoiled.
Just how I want her.
I don’t deny this sweet girl a thing. Especially not my cock.
Gripping my erection between us, I slide into her hot body until she rests completely seated on me. Our eyes meet a moment before our lips do. This feels like a reunion. Like I was able to reach through the sadness and confusion to find my little bird. She belongs in my care. In the cage I’ve designed for her because she is mine to love.
Love.
The thought hits me like a ton of bricks.
Suddenly, I need to tell her more than I need my next breath.
“Je suis fou de toi,” I murmur, my lips hovering against hers as I rest her against the wall.
“I’m crazy about you too,” she replies with a grin before attacking my lips.
I drive into her harder than I wanted but she takes it. God, does this girl ever take it. Her fingernails become claws as she digs them into my shoulders. Over and over again she chants my name. With her slick body in my grip, I pound into her.
I love you.
You’re mine.
You’re not going anywhere.
Her body must read the messages I’m sending because she comes hard around my cock. I nearly black out from pleasure when her tight cunt strangles the hell out of my dick. One of the perks of dating Ava is her pussy is what every man’s dreams are made of. But she’s mine. All mine. Nobody will ever touch this pussy but me.
I come quickly and without warning. My seed spurts inside of her, marking her as mine.
We should really talk about our future because I’m pretty sure I just got her pregnant like six times.
“Why are you smirking?” she murmurs, her voice tired and her smile lazy. Fuck, she’s gorgeous.
“I’m thinking how irresponsible we are when it comes to sex.”
He
r mouth parts. “Oh.”
“I probably just knocked you up. With twins. Maybe even triplets,” I say with a playful chuckle.
She shrieks but then she blinks rapidly at me. “Wait. What date is it?” Her sudden change of mood alarms me.
“The twenty-sixth. Why?”
Her eyes close and her mouth moves as she counts. Then she stiffens, which makes my dick still inside her harden too. When her eyes reopen, terror flickers in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I demand.
“I should have started my period a few days ago.” Her cheeks blaze crimson. “Quinn, I think I missed my period.”
Pressing a kiss to her mouth, I try to calm her. “Relax, baby. Tomorrow we’ll go buy a test.”
My dick is painfully hard at the thought of her stomach swollen with my baby. I start slowly thrusting into her until she’s whimpering in need. I kiss her hard until she’s breathless and coming again around my cock. If she’s not pregnant, I’m sure as fuck going to make it happen.
“Sans toi, je ne suis rien,” I whisper against her lips as I release more of my seed into her.
Without you, I am nothing.
That’s the fucking truth.
I’d been a hard shell of a man walking through this life. But then Ava came along like the motherfucking sun and warmed me to my core. She poured love and light into me. Made me human again.
“Je t’aime.” I pull away slightly so I can see her pretty eyes at my proclamation of love.
Her eyes are shiny and beautiful as she says the words I want to hear as well. “Je t’aime, Quinn Blakely.”
* * *
“How can you not like Vin Diesel?” Aiden exclaims, throwing his hands in the air in exasperation.
Anthony shrugs and tosses a Milk Dud at him. “I think he has a big head.”
Ava snorts from my lap. It’s been a few weeks since my girlfriend moved in. I had to tell Anthony. He’d looked at me as if I’d grown three heads and simply said, “Duh.” Apparently, my love for her wasn’t hidden very easily and my quick son figured it out.
“Let me guess,” Anthony argues. “You like him because he’s hot.”
She laughs. “I’m more of a Paul Walker fan myself.”
“Ha!” Aiden exclaims. “I win. Dad, tell him we’re watching The Fast and the Furious.”
“We’ve seen it a thousand times!” Anthony bellows.
“Let him watch his chick flick, Aiden,” I tease.
“You guys suck,” Anthony grumbles, giving up the fight as Aiden puts on the movie he and Ava wanted to see.
I don’t miss the smile tugging at his lips though. Ava is good for our family. She brought us together. Four people who were lonely and sad, found their way to each other. She’s my everything and I’d like to think she feels the same way about me. Because of her, I’ve started spending more time at home and less time at the office. My company is established and successful. I’m not needed to work like a madman. I’ve hired some new people to take over some of my workload so I can focus on what’s important.
My family.
As far as the boys go, both their grades are up and they’re excelling in school. Sammie hung around for all of two days before running back to California. My sons were happy to see their mother but they were also disappointed, especially when she left. In a way, her visit helped drive them closer to me. They began to see why I am so strict and worry over them. It’s because I love them. I want them to have good life.
And I’m trying, with Ava’s help, to give them more freedom. It was difficult at first but she distracts me. Anthony has really matured over the past few weeks. He offers to help out around the house and is good to Ava. In return, I do try to allow him more freedom. They no longer need a babysitter. Both twins have proved to me that they are responsible enough to stay home alone. Ava still runs them around after school but instead of being their babysitter, I think Aiden and Anthony have taken it upon themselves to babysit her. She affectionately calls them her school bodyguards. Nolan Jenkins isn’t a threat anymore but my boys don’t let her out of their sight.
Absently, I pull a Milk Dud from the box and hold it to Ava’s lips. She accepts the candy, chewing happily as she snuggles against me. The happiest I feel is on Friday nights—what we now deem Family Movie Night. Ava curled up in my lap and my sons by my side. Perfection.
And soon, we’ll have another in the mix.
I splay my palm against my girl’s flat stomach. She was right when she’d thought she missed her period. When she’d gone to the hospital and confirmed it with a blood test her mom administered, it was official.
Ava is carrying my baby.
Or babies, as I like to tease.
She looks slightly terrified any time I mention the fact that I’ve produced multiples once before and I can certainly do it again.
But the terror subsides when I promise her I’ll take care of her. I knew it the day I met her—she was mine.
Mon petit oiseau.
My little bird.
I just had to put her in my cage.
Forever.
Chapter Fifteen
Ava
Graduation Day
“Did you ever think we’d make it this far?” Olivia asks, fidgeting nervously as we wait to go on stage and take our seats.
“To graduation?” I clarify, dumfounded. “Yeah.”
She tosses her long dark hair over her shoulder and shrugs. “Just seems surreal now that it’s here.”
“What she means is she’s been spending more time in a certain someone’s bed rather than studying,” River chirps up beside her. “She didn’t think she’d pass.”
“Whatever.” Olivia laughs but reddening of her throat tells me maybe there was some truth to that story.
“Hi, Ava,” a soft voice greets. Olivia and River exchange an annoyed stare when Lacy comes to stand beside me.
“Hey,” I say with a smile.
After Nolan kicked me in the head and I finally started going back to school, Lacy sought me out and thanked me. She’d been going through a hard time but she said she was ready to get help. Her mom signed her up to get some counseling. We sit together at lunch and she’s even come over to Quinn’s a few times to study with me. Olivia and River are skeptical of her sudden change in behavior but it feels genuine to me.
“The girls and I were thinking of getting pedicures Sunday to celebrate. Want to come with us?” I ask.
Her pretty blue eyes light up but then she frowns. “Oh, wait. I can’t on Sunday. Church.”
Olivia snorts. “Since when do you go to church, Lace.”
“Since now,” Lacy says, her cheeks burning bright red. I don’t probe her in front of our friends but I do make note to ask her about it later.
We chat about safer topics—boys in particular. River and Olivia remain tight lipped about their boyfriends but I happily tell them about Quinn. I’m gushing about how he moved me out of my house and into his when someone tickles me from behind.
I screech and turn to scowl at Anthony. “What are you doing back here? You’re not allowed!”
He smirks—the same look his dad gives me when he’s being mischievous. “I do what I want, Aves.”
I roll my eyes and meet Olivia’s stare. She mouths, “He’s so big.”
And he is. The boy is a giant. At fifteen, he’s every bit as tall as Quinn. He’s fierce like his dad too. When all that crap went down with Nolan, it wasn’t Chad Acres who saved me. Nolan had clocked Chad right in the jaw and knocked him out. It was Anthony who charged for us like a bull and came to my aid. Anthony probably would have broken a lot more than Nolan’s nose had Coach Long not pulled him off him. Since then, Anthony and I have bonded. He’s like the little but gigantic younger brother I never had. I love him and Aiden something terrible.
“Dad�
��s pacing out in the auditorium. He’s fucking tense,” Anthony chirps as he slings an arm over my shoulder.
I smile and quirk a brow. “He’s tense? I’m the one who has to make a speech in front of over a thousand people.”
“Oh, I know,” Anthony groans. “He keeps worrying that something’s going to happen. That someone will upset you. Basically he’s worried he’ll have to come on the stage and tell everyone to fuck off before carrying you off into the sunset.”
“You’re a dork. And don’t say bad words,” I admonish.
“Okay, Mom,” he teases but howls when I playfully punch him in the ribs.
River snorts. “You better run, big boy. Coach Long is coming this way and he doesn’t look happy.”
Anthony’s eyes widen and he darts between other students to hide from Coach. When Coach approaches, he winks at River before smiling at me.
“You ready to knock ’em dead, Miss Prince?”
I nod but my confidence falters when I hear Madame Clare’s accented voice asking for everyone’s attention just beyond the curtain of the stage. “I’d like to welcome Brown Senior High’s valedictorian, Ava Prince! Congratulations, ma choupette!”
Sucking in a deep breath, I walk on shaky legs past the curtains and onto the stage. Embarrassment heats my flesh. I’m afraid to look out in the crowd because the moment I see all those people, I’m worried I’ll pass out.
But then I feel it.
Him.
Steely gray eyes burning holes right through me.
And suddenly I’m alone. With him.
We’re the only two people in the auditorium.
My gaze finds his and when they collide, a calm washes over me. Quinn has my back. He won’t ever let me fall because he’s right there to catch me. My protector. His eyes roam my short frame but my pretty blue dress he bought me is hidden by the black gown. Our little secret from everyone but my mom and the boys is hidden as well. With time, we’ll share with the world, but for now, it’s ours. He gives me a wink that warms me to my core before crossing his arms and nodding for me to continue.
I step to the microphone.
I can do this.
I already have.
* * *