Braxton

by Liberty Parker

  * * *

  Braxton: You up?

  Cara: Yes, just reading

  Braxton: Come to your door

  * * *

  I fly down the stairs to the front door, then look out the peephole to see him standing there. Uncaring that I’m in my pajamas, I quickly unlock the door to let him in. As soon as he closes the door and locks it, I’m in his arms with his lips claiming mine. “Missed you,” he murmurs, covering my face with kisses as his hands hold me close.

  “Missed you, too,” I reply, my own hands running up and down his back. “You look tired.”

  “I’m beat but when I went to my house, I realized that Mom was gone and you had all the kids. Figured that DJ was probably with Hatch, at least for the night, and decided there was nowhere else I wanted to be than here with you.”

  “C’mon, handsome, let’s get you upstairs then, shall we?” I take him to my room and start to strip him of his clothes.

  “A man could get used to this,” he says as he runs his fingers through my hair. I’m down on my knees, face to crotch as I’m divesting him of his boots so that he can take his jeans off.

  “Wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, Braxton, but I could be convinced to accommodate your needs. I had thought you might enjoy a long warm shower to scrub the road off you...and maybe, um—maybe I could join you...you know, scrub your back and all that.”

  “Baby, you can join me anytime, anywhere, and anyplace that I am. And you’re right, a shower sounds wonderful. I’m exhausted though, so I’d love for you to join me in the shower...two birds-one stone and all that,” he says as he helps me remove the last of his clothing. Raising up to my feet, I raise up on my toes and plant a kiss under his jaw.

  “Poor baby, let’s get you clean, satisfied and in bed for the night...shall we?” I say as I turn around and hold my hand out for him. He takes my hand and I lead him into the bathroom. I start the shower as he stands there watching me, as I slowly and seductively as I can remove my clothing. I’m enjoying this new freedom I’ve found when it comes to my sexuality. I’ve come to learn during my time with Braxton, that I definitely love sex with my man and the way he makes me feel. Feeling brazen and bold, I climb into the shower and look over my shoulder, “Are you coming in to join me?”

  “Fuck yeah, I am,” he says as he climbs in the shower with me. I turn on my multiple shower heads so that we both get nice and wet. I grab my body wash and lather it onto my loofa, I start to run it across his shoulders and down his chest—but skip the most important area. I’m saving that for later. Then I get down on my knees and wash his legs and feet. “Turn around, Braxton,” and he does as I ask with no questions or demands of his own. I stay down and work my way up his body, once I reach his shoulders I hang the loofa on my wrist and begin to massage his shoulders, they’re very tense and I’d like for him to go to bed as relaxed as possible.

  “That feels so good, Cara.” Mentally high-fiving myself, I continue until I feel the knots loosen under my fingers. Still skipping the part I want to touch the most, I grab my bottle of shampoo, get a healthy amount on my hands. and I lather it up and run my fingers through his hair, loving the thickness of it as I massage his scalp. He has a head full of hair and has even begun growing a beard, which I’m finding I love. I have never been a beard lover on men, but on him—wow.

  Once I have him rinsed off, I get down on my knees once again and turn his body. I’m not very experienced at what I want to do next to him, but I want to taste him, to feel him get excited in my mouth. I’ve never desired this type of thing before, but with him—I want to gift him everything I have within me to give. He’s already hard and long, and my mouth waters in anticipation.

  “Hmm...Cara, what are you thinking about so hard down there, beautiful?” he asks me and instead of answering him I wrap my hand around him and pull him into my mouth.

  “Holy fucking shit, Cara!” he calls out as I swipe my tongue down his impressive length. His shout encourages me to keep going and exploring what makes him excited the most. I pump my hand up and down lower at his shaft as my tongue and mouth work him over. He’s too big for me to fit completely in my mouth, but what I can fit has become an addiction to me. I take his head and suck just it and he throws his head back in one of the loudest moans I’ve heard from him to this date. I feel energized by this and using my tongue I trace the contours of his head. He’s nice and warm and I’m enjoying getting to know this side of my inner sex diva.

  “Cara, don’t stop. Fuck me!” He only allows me to bob my head a few more times before he grabs me underneath my arms and pulls me up as if I weigh nothing. Wrapping my arms and legs around him, I’m shocked when he pushes my back against the cold tile in the shower.

  “Fuck, that’s cold!” I tell him, but lose all feeling once he slams himself inside of me. Now it’s my turn to scream out in pleasure. He’s frantic in his ministrations, he’s pumping in me hard and fast and I know he’s chasing his release. Wanting to join him when he comes, I put my finger on my clit and do what he does to me that always causes me to detonate. I apply pressure and use circular motions while using two of my fingers.

  “Yes, baby, get yourself there. God damn that’s fucking hot! I could sit and watch you play with that pretty pussy of yours all day long,” he moans out. Then out of nowhere it hits me like a tsunami and I scream out his name...and maybe a few other words along the way, but who can think of what is being said when you’re in a state of bliss this deep?

  “If this is the way you welcome me home, I need to go out of town more often.”

  Not finding his statement amusing at all I slap his shoulder and tell him, “Not on your life, buster!” He pulls out of me and we both let out a groan of disappointment at our loss. We clean ourselves up, get out and dry off. Grabbing my nightclothes from the bathroom vanity I redress for bed and watch as Braxton pulls his boxer briefs back on. I wrinkle my nose at the thought that he’s putting back on dirty shorts.

  Noticing my displeasure he smiles at me and says, “Don’t worry, they’re clean.” He turns off the bathroom lights and leads me to bed.

  Once we climb in the bed, he pulls my back to his front and nuzzles my neck. “This right here, this is what makes coming home worth it.” Not knowing what to say, I snuggle deeper into his body. Not long after, I feel his breathing even out and hear his soft snores. At this moment I realize, that he is what is worth risking my heart for. This is my home, where I want to be.

  * * *

  Caraleigh

  Six weeks later

  * * *

  I’m staring at my computer wondering how in the hell I can even see, my head is pounding so bad. The past three weeks have been rough as some virus and then strep went through the school. All three kids came down with it, one after the other and then poor Lily got strep for the second time. Nan set up a sick bay, keeping the kids there and tending to them during the day so DJ and I could work. They’re all finally back at school and Nan has been busy disinfecting all three households to ‘break the cycle’ or so she says. I think she just likes to help.

  Braxton’s out of town again, and I’m missing him something fierce. Hopefully, he’ll be home tonight. He mentioned having a surprise for me which has my curiosity roused. When my phone rings and I see it’s Nan, I grab it, worried that one of the kids has relapsed.

  “Nan? Are the kids okay? Please tell me we’re not going into round three of this crap.”

  “Cara?” Her voice sounds funny, almost as if she’s crying.

  “Nan? What’s wrong?” Not sure of what’s going on but positive I’ll need to leave, I put my phone on speaker and start shutting stuff down. “Talk to me, please.”

  “It’s...it’s Luca. Honey, you need to get to the hospital.”

  Luca? My breath leaves me in a whoosh and I slump back into my chair. “Nan?” I know my voice is shaky but we’re talking about my boy here. My feelings of being sick are pushed to the wayside as I realize that she said I had to get to
the hospital. “I’m on my way.”

  “Twisted!” I yell out. I know I won’t be able to drive, not in this condition.

  “Darlin’, what’s wrong?” he says as he comes running into my office.

  “Nan just called and said I needed to get to the hospital, something to do with Luca.”

  “C’mon, Cara,” he says, grabbing my jacket.

  The drive to the hospital seems to take forever, even though I know it’s mere minutes away. Twisted has barely stopped the truck by the emergency room doors when I’m jumping out and rushing into the ER. “I’m...I’m here for Luca Jensen,” I tell the clerk.

  “Right this way, ma’am,” a nurse says. “Please, follow me.”

  “What...what happened?”

  Twisted, coming in behind me, pulls me close as the nurse tells us what happened. “A group of kids were coming back across to the school in the crosswalk when a car hit them.” Thank God his arm was around me because I nearly fall to my knees.

  “Your son pushed two little girls out of the way, otherwise, they would be here as well,” the nurse continues. Lily and Ray! Oh my God, I need to call Braxton and DJ!

  I must’ve said that out loud because Twisted tells me, “I’ve got it, Cara, you go see your boy,” as I go to leave I notice Paisley comes rushing in and pulls me to her arms.

  “C’mon, girl, I’m here,” she says. Pulling out of Twisted’s embrace she takes my hand as we follow the nurse back to the bays. We finally reach one and she pulls back the curtain and I see Nan sitting next to the bed where my sweet boy lays. Nan has tears running down her face, most likely feeling guilt for Luca being harmed.

  “Oh, Luca,” I breathe out. He’s got cuts and abrasions and his right leg is in some sort of splint.

  Nan looks at me and stands, pulling me into her arms. “They’ve got him medicated but he’s going to need surgery, the doctor was waiting for you to get here to give your permission.”

  “Is he...is he going to be okay?”

  “He’s going to be fine, Cara. Let me get the nurse so we can get him squared away.”

  The next few minutes seem to go in a rush as the nurse comes in to get my signature then he is whisked away to surgery, leaving me feeling bereft. I need Braxton, I need him to hold me and assure me that my little boy is going to be okay.

  * * *

  Braxton

  * * *

  After receiving the phone call, I erratically drive to get to my girls and Luca as quickly as possible. Arriving at the hospital, I make my way to the room that Twisted said they were now in, my heart in my throat. He put himself in the path of the car to protect the girls. I take a deep breath when I get to the room, I have to be strong for that little boy and also his mom. Quietly opening the door, I see Cara curled around him in the bed and his leg elevated with a neon blue cast from his toes to his thigh. The sight before me nearly has me crumbling to my knees in thanks that he’s alive, and other than a few broken bones he’s going to be just fine.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” I whisper as I kiss her temple.

  “Braxton?” Her voice is all sleepy and despite the situation, I can feel my body reacting.

  “I’m here, I got here as quickly as I could.”

  Pulling a chair next to the bed, I gently coax her onto my lap. I need to hold her and give her some of my strength. She’s quietly crying now and I tug her closer, whispering nonsensical things in an attempt to soothe her. I feel her trembling in my arms and it’s taking every ounce of strength and control not to go and hunt down this motherfucker. This person hurt my boy! Not to mention nearly took out my girl and Ralynn. If it wasn’t for Luca’s quick action there’s no telling what would’ve happened. My thoughts drift to my mom, we’re lucky this incident didn’t give her a heart attack. I could’ve lost my entire family in one ill mentioned swoop! I’m so livid that I’m having a hard time not letting Cara feel my anxiety and anger.

  “Mr. Braxton?”

  Turning my head, I see Luca looking at me. He’s glassy-eyed from the pain medicine but whatever he wants to say must be important. “Yeah, buddy?”

  “I pushed Lily and Ray out of the way so they didn’t gets hurt. Are...are they okay?”

  Gulping at the vision he just gave me with a few simple words, I reply, “You did good, little man. The girls are okay, just some scrapes where they fell on the ground.”

  “Is my job to protects them,” he murmurs, his eyes closing as he succumbs to sleep.

  When I got Twisted’s call, my heart dropped imagining the worst. As I drove back, grateful I was closer to home than any of them realized, I got constant updates from him, Mom, and finally Cara. I think my woman held on as long as she could if her tears are any indication. So fucking strong, my Cara. This solidifies any thoughts that have been running through my head the last several weeks. It’s time to make them officially mine, in the eyes of the club, and the law. Nothing will hold me back or stop me, Cara and Luca will bear my last name and no one will ever question what they mean to me. Just as those thoughts enter my head, Cara stands up with her hand plastered over her mouth as she makes a mad rush for the attached bathroom.

  I pull a washcloth from the cabinet and walk into the bathroom, my only thought is to help her. I pull her hair back and put the cool washcloth on the back of her neck.

  “I think the kids got me sick,” she says standing up and flushing the toilet. I didn’t notice before, but she looks really pale. Now I’m worried for her and Luca, knowing she won’t go home to rest while Luca is still in the hospital, I leave her side with hesitation, but she seems to need some medical intervention, what better place to get that than in the place we are? I walk out into the hallway and stop the first nurse I come across.

  “My fiancee, in this room here,” I point out Luca’s room. “Is very sick, do you have a doctor who could come check her out for me?”

  “I’ll see what I can do, it’s against regulations to treat a patient who isn’t registered, but seeing as y’alls son is just getting out of surgery, he may make an exception.” I don’t correct her on Luca being my son, because in my heart he already is and I thank her and go back to the room.

  Once I make it over the threshold of the room I yell out in anguish when I notice Cara passed out cold on the floor. “Help! Somebody help me!”

  Eleven

  Braxton

  There’s a flurry of activity once several nurses and a doctor rush into the room, pushing me out of the way. I feel arms pulling me back and nearly swing out trying to get loose. Then I hear Twisted say to me, “Let them do their job, man, you could do her more harm than good at this point in time.” Knowing he’s right I back off and let them tend to my girl.

  I look over to check on Luca and see his eyes open wide in alarm at seeing his mother laying on the floor unconscious. I immediately go over to his side and hold his hand, and I reassure him that his mother is going to be fine...I hope and pray that that’s the truth. We both watch as Cara is put onto a stretcher and wheeled out of the room. I look up and notice Mom and Paisley both standing there looking lost...welcome to the club, I think.

  “I knew she wasn’t feeling well, Son, but I never imagined it was serious,” Mom says ringing her hands together.

  “This isn’t your fault, Mom. Could you please stay with Luca so I can go check on her?”

  “Of course, I will,” she says as she comes to stand vigil at Luca’s bedside. I lean down and brush a kiss over his forehead and tell him I’ll be back as quickly as I can.

  Rushing out the door a nurse comes up to me, “Do you know her medical history or if she’s allergic to any meds?”

  I’m getting ready to tell her that I don’t when I hear a voice behind me say, “I do.” I turn to look for who said that and see DJ striding my way with purpose in every step. Hatch is trailing behind her with a look of concern on his face.

  When DJ finishes answering the nurse’s questions, she turns and looks at me, “Tell me what happened.” I tell her
about Cara getting sick, looking pale and finish with finding her on the floor. She has a twinkle in her eye and I nearly tell her off until I hear the words that come out next. “You know, this is exactly what it was like when she first got pregnant with Luca.”

  My eyes widen as it sinks in what she said. “Pregnant...Luca,” I mumble out.

  “Yes, sir, this is exactly what happened. We rushed her to the ER then too,” she says with excitement in her voice.

  “Are you...are you trying to tell me she’s pregnant? With my baby?”

  “No, I’m telling you this is what happened with Luca, same symptoms and her body did the same exact thing. And it’s the milkman’s, of course it would be yours if she is, you moron.” I don’t even care that she’s calling me names, all I’m visualizing is Cara round with my child growing inside of her. I envision a little girl who looks just like her with pigtails and a goofy grin, sitting on her hip as we play with the other kids.

  “Wow,” is all I can manage. “And I know if she’s pregnant it's mine! Give me a break, woman, I just found out I might be a dad again!” I hear Hatchet’s laughter as I leave the two of them, once again on a mission to find my woman.

  When I finally find her room, with no help from the staff I might add, I see a nurse taking vials of blood, checking her blood pressure and examining her eyes while the doctor looks over her chart. “Has she not woken up yet?”

  “Not yet, sir, do you have any idea what symptoms she’s been displaying?” the doctor asks.

  “I’ve been on the road for work, but when I talked to her she’s complained of an upset stomach. We’ve had strep and a virus running through the household.” I’m looking at the nasty bruise coming up on the side of her face and cringe, knowing it’s going to hurt.