One Dance for Case (The Possessed Series Book 2)

by KL Donn

  “Oh, baby.” She kissed every part of his face that she could. “Are you hurt?” He wouldn’t let go of the death grip he had around her neck. “Tell me, Andy,” she pleaded. He finally shook his head no.

  “We’ll give you a minute,” one of the nurses told her quietly as Case helped her get to her feet with the precious bundle in her arms.

  While she walked to the couch Andy had just vacated, Case followed the nurses out to speak to them. “Talk to me, baby.” She tried to get him to open up to her, but he just cried and shook in her arms. Her heart was breaking for the pain he must be feeling.

  “Is Mommy, okay?’ he finally whispered in her ear.

  “Oh, baby,” she crooned again. “She will be. We’ll help her,” she promised, hoping she’d be able to keep it.

  The soft click of the door opening made her look up to see Casey coming back in. “One of them is going to get him some clothes and shoes,” he explained.

  “Thank you.,” Rubbing circles on Andy’s back, it wasn’t long before he fell asleep.

  “I also called a friend in the Metro PD in Baltimore to see if he can find out about her assault. Determine whether they have any ideas about who did it.” She was relieved to have him with her because she hadn’t even thought to ask about the person responsible for the assault.

  “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She cried softly on Andy’s shoulder.

  Pulling him from her arms, Case lay the sleeping child down and covered him back up with the blanket beside her. “We’ll get this figured out, Ev.” Now he was making the promises.

  “I just wish she hadn’t left.” Guilt was beginning to compound in her chest, and her nausea was back. “I feel so sick about it all.”

  “You were feeling sick before this. Maybe we should have you checked out while we’re here.”

  Dismissing his concern, she said, “I’m fine. It’s just all this stress.”

  As fate would have it, the doctor walked back in. “Miss Moore, I wanted to let you know that the Department of Child and Family Services is on their way.” He must have seen the stark terror in her eyes. “No, no, don’t you worry. I’ve explained that you are Lacey’s sister and have assumed you’d be taking possession of the boy?”

  “Yes, of course,” she told him without thought to how Casey would feel.

  “Good, we like to keep family together. What they will need from you is proof of identification and residence, and you should be free to go whenever you’re ready.” She sagged in Casey’s arms.

  “Thank you, Doctor.” She couldn’t remember his name.

  “If you need anything, just let me know.”

  “Actually, there is one thing,” Casey began, running right over her as she tried to stop him. “Ev has been feeling sick since last night. She claims nerves, but I’d be grateful if you could check her out?”

  “We sure can. I’ll have a nurse come in here and run a few simple tests, draw some blood, and collect a urine sample.” He left before she could protest.

  “I told you I was fine, Casey.” It was hard to be annoyed when he became so caring.

  “I know you did, Kitten.”

  He hadn’t expected Ev to be squeamish when the nurse come in with her needle tray and wound up having his fingers nearly crushed even though she’d never felt the needle going in her arm. He suppressed a laugh when she squealed at seeing the blood fill the vile, but her glare quickly shut him up.

  She finally fell asleep in his lap with Andy curled up in her legs, two hours ago. Apparently, that was enough time for her test results to come in.

  “Mr. Risley?” the nurse called softly from the door. Looking up, he waved her into the room. “We have her results back.” Ev had given permission for him to know everything where they were concerned. “It’s very early days, yet, but she’s expecting. About two weeks along. Congratulations!” She was excited for them.

  He would be, too…In a few minutes, when he could breathe again.

  Calculating the days back in his head, he knew that had to have been the first time they’d been intimate.

  “Holy shit,” he whispered.

  She was having a baby. His baby.

  He was going to be a father.

  “Don’t tell her yet?” he asked the nurse, who was understandably shocked by his request.

  “Oh, sure.”

  “I want to surprise her.” He was already thinking up ways that he could tell her. The nurse smiled as she left the room.

  Staring down at the woman in his lap, he couldn’t be happier. Children weren’t something they’d talked about, and he had no idea if she even wanted any. He did know what he was getting into when he’d taken her repeatedly without protection. It was always a possibility. He just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

  Another soft knock interrupted his thoughts. “Jesus, what is this? Grand fucking Central Station?” he mused to himself.

  Three people entered the room, and he knew immediately that they were from the DCFS. He suspected that because of Lacey’s background, they might have a fight on their hands to bring Andy home.

  Lightly laying Ev down on the couch, he stood to greet the social workers. “Hi, Casey Risley.” He shook each of their hands. “I’m Evelyn’s fiancé.”

  “Sorry it took so long, Mr. Risley. There was an accident on the way in. I’m Helen Fletcher, the social worker assigned to Lacey and Andrew’s case. These are two of my colleagues, Martin Hunt and Liberty Reyes.”

  “A pleasure,” he replied shaking their hands in turn.

  “How is Andy doing?” Helen asked. She seemed caring enough.

  Gazing back at his world sleeping on the couch, he told her sadly, “He’s got a tough road ahead of him I think. We don’t know how long he was with her before he went outside and someone had noticed him. As soon as he saw Ev, he flew into her arms crying. He’s been asleep since.” Case watched their expressions for any cues of judgment, to see how they would react to him being so blunt.

  “The doctor said he was inconsolable until you both came. He also said Lacey hasn’t woken from the anesthetic yet, and there might be cause for concern.” Nodding, it wasn’t anything they didn’t know. “Is Miss Moore up for meeting with us, do you think? I know she must be emotionally exhausted, but the sooner we can get some papers signed the sooner that’s one less thing for you both to worry about.”

  “Before I wake her, is there going to be any issues with us taking custody of him until Lacey is back on her feet?” He wanted to be prepared for whatever reaction Ev would have, to know what information he would need to find in order to bring him home.

  “For Evelyn to take him, no. I just need her ID and basic contact information so we can check up on how you’re all doing. I will be honest. If Lacey gets herself cleaned up, it’s going to take more than just a drug test for us to award him back to her. She is going to have to prove herself stable. Have a clean life. This is going to be a long process, Mr. Risley. So please be sure you and Evelyn are prepared to have Andrew for the long term.”

  “We are. He’s family.” To Casey it was simple. Family was family whether by blood or by choice. He wouldn’t abandon them.

  “Great, I just need fifteen minutes of both of your time, and we’ll be on our way.”

  Relief swamped him as he woke Ev up. “Kitten,” he whispered in her ear. “The social workers are here. Wake up.” Her head popped up when he mentioned that, almost knocking him in the nose. “Careful you don’t wake him,” he cautioned.

  As she stood, her eyes still blurry from sleep, introductions were made again. Helen explained everything she’d told Casey. Soon enough, papers were signed, and Andy would be going home with them before the night was over.

  “If you need anything at all, even what you might think are the silliest of things, please call. Nothing is unimportant or too small. There will be a child psychologist getting in touch with you in the next few days that is goin
g to want to meet Andrew to assess how he’s handling everything that has happened with his mother, as well as, living with new guardians,” Liberty explained.

  “Wait!” Ev yelled quietly. Up until then, she’d remained silent. With all eyes on her, he took in the sad lines around her eyes, the worried frown, and the terrified eyes. “What do I do?”

  “What do you mean, dear?” Helen’s body screamed empathy for Ev, and for that, he was grateful.

  “I don’t,” she paused to look back at her nephew. With tears in her eyes, she begged them. “Please, I don’t know what to do.”

  Until that point, everything had been fundamental, sterile, formal almost. He thought that’s what might have had her on edge—the unsurety of what she was doing.

  Clasping Ev’s hands in her own, Helen said to her, “You’re going to take that little boy home. You’re to be the terrific aunt I have a feeling you are. You’re going to love him and show him the world isn’t such a bad place.”

  Ev nodded. “What about when Lacey is well enough to leave?”

  “The hospital has already started detoxing her of the drugs in her system. This is going to be a long and hard process, especially for her. I’ve seen it, been there with families as it happens, and there’s one thing you need to remember as she goes through it.”

  “Yes….”

  “She is going to be in tremendous pain, even more so because of her injuries. She is going to be mean and vile. She is going to blame anyone close to her. This will not be easy for any of you. While she goes through this process, I want you to keep Andy away from her. When you do come to see her, be sure someone is with you because you will likely leave in tears.”

  “What if she doesn’t want to get clean?” Her words were apprehensive.

  “While she’s in the hospital, they will force her to be clean. Visitors for her have to be signed in and approved by you so no one can slip her drugs. Hopefully, by the time she’s ready to leave, she will realize what life is like without the drugs and want to stay that way if only for Andy. Just don’t give up on her while she’s here.”

  “Thank you,” she responded sadly as they left.

  Drawing her into his arms, Case held her through her sobbing and the pounding on his chest in anger. The apologizing for hitting him. He took it all, and when Andy woke up crying and scared, they comforted him together.

  Three days, they’d been home now. Three days of no changes in Lacey. Three days of Andy waking up with nightmares. To top all of that off, Ev still felt sick. She didn’t know what was going on with any of them, but she was ready for something to give. She felt like a zombie. She’d even told Hardy it would be a while before she was back. That if he chose to fire or replace her she would understand, and she was no longer terrified of not having that income.

  The psychologist had phoned the day before and was coming to meet them all later that afternoon. Dom and Dee had an appointment with her obstetrician, so Ev and Casey had agreed to watch Jaxson since he and Andy got along so well.

  Playing with his new friend seemed like the only time her nephew smiled or laughed anymore. She hated the changes she was seeing in him.

  Anger at her sister held her back from going to the hospital as often as she could have. Her selfishness had gotten them all to where they were now at, and Ev was terrified of where it was going to land Lacey. She hadn’t been known for making the smartest of choices in the past, so Evelyn had a suspicion Andy would become a permanent resident in their home.

  “Hey, Kitten.” Casey kissed her head while she sat on the deck watching Jax and Andy play with their construction trucks and dig up the yard. “How you feeling?” He handed her a cup of tea and sat beside her.

  “Stressed,” she replied honestly. It seemed like that was all she felt anymore.

  “Dom and Dee are going to have Andy stay for a sleepover on Saturday,” he told her matter of factly. “We need to get you relaxed, so I’ve got plans for us.”

  “I can’t leave him. What if he has nightmares and needs me?” She couldn’t believe he would make such a suggestion.

  “He’ll be all right. Dom’s pulling out the tent, and he’s going to rough it with them for the night. Dee’s exhausted, anyway. Says she needs her beauty sleep.”

  “I –” She had nothing else to argue.

  “Unca Case!” Jax called, and both boys came running for him at full speed.

  “Oh shit,” Case grunted as they landed on him, making him fall backwards.

  “Das a bad word,” Andy admonished back.

  “He does it a wot,” Jax confided.

  “Aunty Ev says I not supposed to say that.” Andy laughed like it was some big secret, and she was so happy to see it, she didn’t care that he’d likely said it at some point.

  “Sounds like a smart woman.” Casey winked at them, sending them both into a fit of giggles. “So boys, how do you feel about a sleepover at Jax’s house this weekend?”

  Jaxson cheered his excitement.

  Andy crawled into Ev’s lap.

  She wanted to break down into a fit of tears.

  The small amount of hope in his eyes prevented her from doing it. While she might not be ready to let him out of her sight, she knew she had to make things as normal as possible for him. “That sounds like an awful lot of fun,” she told him happily.

  He slowly began to smile. “Where will you be?”

  A quick look at Casey showed him nodding back at the house. “Casey and I will be right here. You’ll sleep at the big house with Jaxson for a night.”

  “I heard there was going to be camping in the living room,” Casey told them both conspiratorially.

  They cheered and ran for the big house. Happily chatting and planning what they would do.

  “I hate when you’re right,” she commented still watching the boys run.

  “I know.”

  “You’re going to rub it in, aren’t you?”

  “Only if you push me to.” A devilish look crossed his face at his words.

  Oh boy.

  After what felt like a thousand grueling hours later, the psychologist left. She was able to watch Andy play with Jax and see how he was with her and Casey, as well as by himself. She’d told them that because of his age, he could forget the whole incident, however, it could be a few weeks before the nightmares stopped. They had to be understanding of how he felt and make sure that he spoke to them about any concerns. For a two-year-old, they all knew that wasn’t going to be the easiest task. But Ev wasn’t giving up on him.

  Casey was so protective of him, always laying with him at bed time. They watched movies together in the afternoon until he napped. She was surprised because Andy had told the police it was a man who attacked his mom. She thought for sure he’d have trust issues, and to some extent he did. Not once with Case, though.

  Watching them in their evening routine now, pretending to shave after a bubble bath, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have Casey’s baby. To give him something so precious. Until then, she hadn’t thought about children of her own, but now she felt like her ovaries might explode with the way he was acting.

  After a quick bedtime story, they had Andy tucked in, and he was asleep in no time at all. Crawling into bed, she wore one of his old t-shirts. The hungered look that crossed his face whenever she did was panty-droppingly delicious.

  They had fallen into a routine of sorts since she just practically moved into his place. She still had her crappy apartment, but she hadn’t been back since he’d found her. He and Dom had been there to pick up some of her stuff, but she knew she wasn’t going back. Next week, they’d planned on gathering up everything she wanted to keep and leaving the rest.

  One of her favorite parts of their routine was being able to rub the soreness away from his knee and thigh. She loved the intimacy it afforded them. They were brought closer together. Case sat on the edge of the bed to remove his prosthesis while she gr
abbed the cream.

  Once he sat back, she moved to his leg. Before she could squirt the cream in her hand, he had her flipped around so she was straddling his thigh and her ass was facing towards him. Laughing, she didn’t even ask why he’d done that.

  Squeezing the cream into her palm, she rubbed her hands together, warming it up before she started soothing the pressure that accumulated just below his knee where his leg was amputated.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course,” he replied. He never hid anything from her and encouraged her to do the same.

  “Do you want kids?” Rip that Band-Aid off, right?

  He was quiet for so long, she feared maybe that wasn’t for him. “Yeah, Ev, I do.” he finally answered. So much pleasure coated his whispered words. They were husky with emotion.

  Warm hands on her bare ass had her about to turn when he lifted her up a little, preventing her from moving. Anticipation ran wild through her body. Not being able to see him had her vibrating with hunger. She ached to feel him touching her.

  A brush of his tongue against her folds made her head drop to rest on his thigh. Pleasure rolled through her in waves as he slowly lapped at her, taking his time to please her. She was barely able to massage his knee as he continued his soft sensual assault on her labia.

  It wasn’t until he dove in by pushing his tongue through her folds and into her small hole that she gave up any pretense of trying to continue what she’d been doing. He stole her breath with every movement. Every swipe of his tongue was coveted. He was worshipping her in the most primal of actions.

  His moaning and grunting at her flavor left her breathless. The flexing of his hands on her hips made her feel loved. She felt so much from this one intimate act. For them, it was so much than oral sex. It was the epitome of their love for each other.

  Her climax came on faster than she wanted, and she felt herself climbing higher and higher before she finally soared into the skies and flew into a mind-numbing pleasure. Her body began the slow descent back to reality as she tried to clear her vision of the twinkling stars behind her lids.