The Enlightened (Entitled Book 2)

by Cassandra Robbins

  I open the door, letting the fluff ball leap in first. He goes straight to Lilly, licking her right on the mouth. Her beautiful green eyes pop open. “Pudding,” she yells, almost choking the dog in her tight hug. I reach to unbuckle Luke first since I can’t exactly get to Lilly. The dog squirms its way out of Lilly’s arms as Luke is unbuckled.

  “Hurry, Daddy.” Lilly is straining against her car seat straps, her little fingers trying to unbuckle herself.

  “Lilly, you know not to do that, right?”

  She stares at me. “Yes.” Her feet kick the back of the driver’s seat.

  I unbuckle her, watching her watch my hands. If I was in Vegas, I’d put a hundred dollars on a bet that she will be unbuckling herself next time she gets in her car seat.

  “Awww… Pudding. Look how happy he is we’re home, Daddy.” She joins her brother, letting the dog lick their entire faces. I cringe and try to remember if it was ever proven that a dog’s mouth is cleaner than ours.

  “Should we go make green eggs and ham? Shi… oot! I forgot the ham.” Whistling for Pudding to jump out, I let both kids go and they laugh and chase the dog into the house.

  I need a cigarette, but instead, I pour myself a cup of coffee and try to figure out what the hell I’m doing. I should get a hotel, buy a house, something. But no. I’m spying on Tess.

  “Fuck.” I grab the counter. I have no right to be jealous, yet I am and can’t help the thoughts of Tess and this man touching, fucking that run through my brain. It makes me push off the counter and walk into her living room.

  “He’s here? The man who left you pregnant and alone?” I stiffen and set down my mug of coffee on her table with a loud clank.

  I see Tess first. Her back is to me. She’s dressed in high-waisted black flared trousers that make her ass look fantastic.

  Scott’s eyes bug out as I approach. The poor guy barely comes up to my shoulder. In fact, Tess probably towers over him in heels. His hair is light brown. He’s tan and seems fit. The typical normal-looking guy. Tess spins around and her eyes narrow. I’m not being subtle as I lay claim to her. My eyes dip to her breasts. They may be covered by her white cropped, long-sleeved T-shirt, but when I silently stare, her nipples harden. She crosses her arms and her face flushes.

  And I give up trying to sort out my obsession with Tess. After last night, I’m not going anywhere. If reincarnation exists, it would make the most sense because our connection is not normal. I swallow as I acknowledge that she is not perfect: she’s selfish, spoiled, and plagued with self-doubt. Yet her very presence fulfills me. She doesn’t have to be perfect; she needs to be mine.

  Tess jumps as Lilly and Luke come running into the room chasing their dog. Lilly grabs ahold of Tess’s leg and hides as Luke and Pudding race around the room.

  “Guys, outside! Go outside.” She’s peeling Lilly off her leg. I take this time to make eye contact with Scott. He doesn’t back down and stares me straight in the eye.

  He actually thinks he can compete with me? I smirk. This is fantastic. I’m proud of myself. If this was the old days, he’d be laid out, crying like the yoga pussy he is. Pudding whirls by us as Luke and Lilly scream and follow. Tess clears her voice, but I’ll be god damned if I’ll be the first one to look away.

  “Um… Reed this is Scott. He was returning Pudding and my keys.” Scott snaps his gaze back to her.

  Pussy! Then I chastise myself. I’m twenty-five for fuck’s sake.

  “Tess, can we talk in private, please?” Scott pleads.

  I hold out my hand because I’m a dick, forcing Scott to shake it or he’ll look like a dick.

  “I’ll be in the kitchen making breakfast. Thanks for taking care of the dog and the mail,” I say over my shoulder. I know I sound like an entitled prick, but I’m human.

  I open up her French doors that lead to the backyard. Her house is cute. It’s not extravagant, but it’s in a fantastic neighborhood and it’s perfect for them. Now that I’m in the picture, we’ll need more room. Tess can keep this house if she wants. After all, it was left to her, although if she sold it, I’m sure with this size yard and this neighborhood she could probably get three million for it.

  “Hey, guys?” Both of my children grin up at me as they climb on their wooden cedar swing set. Pudding is happily doing his business.

  “Watch, Daddy, no hawds.” Luke slides down the green slide.

  “Nice, Bud. I’m going to make the green eggs. You guys want to help?”

  “Yeah,” they both chant and I move aside as they run past me. Their happy energy is infectious. I rub my hands together like I’m a mad scientist. It works and they both giggle. Grabbing the brown paper bags, I rummage around for the eggs and dye.

  “Okay, so first we crack the eggs in a bowl and—”

  Luke has climbed up on the counter, his legs dangling as he bangs his feet on the wooden island.

  Jesus, he’s fast. I need to be on my toes. My kids are running circles around me. “Hey, Luke, how about you get down.” I lift him down and hand him a wooden spoon. “And maybe you both can be in a band.”

  Lilly’s big green eyes sparkle as I hand her a spoon too. “Now, where does Mommy keep the pans?” She runs over to a cabinet and pulls it open.

  “So smart.” I can’t help but chuckle as soon as they start pounding. God, I am an ass. I have no time for the Scotts in this world. Tess is the mother of my children and the reason I get up in the morning. Beyond that, I don’t want to think about it.

  The eggs are sizzling with butter in the large pan. My kids are banging the shit out of the pans. As I glance up, she stands with her hands in her pockets, her eyes locked on mine. She shakes her head and a small smile ghosts her lips when she eyes the twins. Suddenly I can’t help but laugh.

  “You’re such an asshole.” She starts laughing too.

  Turning off the stove, I go to her. She backs away, her eyes gleaming, and suddenly I want to see them like this every day. I pull her into my arms with a small jerk. “Did you break another’s heart?”

  She puffs out some air. “I warned him from the start he was way too nice for me.”

  All I want to do is take her into the bedroom and fuck her, prove to her over and over that I’m the one she wants. But I settle for a kiss. It’s soft when I want to be hard.

  “Did you explain to Scott about destiny, soul mates?”

  She rolls her eyes. “No, Reed. I left that out especially since you and I have somewhat destroyed that whole destiny thing.” She averts her eyes and looks at the twins. “He’s upset enough.”

  Not about to let her ruin what I’m feeling, I reach down and give her another kiss.

  “You can’t destroy destiny, Kitten. Now start the toast. I need to finish our green eggs.” I crack open the seal on the green dye and add a couple drops.

  She looks at the skillet and snorts. “Aren’t you supposed to have put that in earlier? That doesn’t look right.”

  “Are you saying that I don’t know what I’m doing?”

  “Yes,” she yells over the twins who are apparently going to town. Luke has discovered that the cabinets work as a drum as well.

  I laugh. “I also forgot ham. Should we just go out?” Looking down at my eggs, I notice they are covered in lumpy dark green spots.

  “Time out.” Tess uses the time-out motion. “Who wants to go to Jinky’s?”

  “We do.” Both of them drop everything as they head to the door.

  “Hold it.” Tess puts her hands on her hips. “Come on, what do we do when we are done playing?” She starts singing a clean-up song. I’m enthralled—she’s like the pied piper with his flute. Except she’s singing a song. They both pick up the spoons handing them to me. Tess opens the cabinet and they hand her their pot. I have to stop myself from spanking her when she bends down. I mean, come on, it’s right there tempting me. Like Eve with her apple, I have Tess with her ass in these slacks.

  “I need to learn that song,” I murmur.

  �
��Works every time.” She straightens and her eyes narrow on mine. “Can you take them to the potty while I get my shoes on and my purse?”

  The twins are standing at the door waiting. Lilly has a Barbie while Luke is holding a Hulk action figure.

  “Do we need to use the restroom while Mommy is getting ready?”

  “No,” they chime and, knowing better, I take them anyway. Maybe I’m starting to get the hang of kid speak. Tess walks out of her bedroom in white Converse as Luke is washing his hands.

  “We’re ready, Mommy.” He smiles and she pokes one of his dimples.

  “Let’s do it then.”

  She breezes by me, and I lean into her, craving her vanilla scent. “I like this outfit.”

  She smirks. “I can tell. Do you think you can look at my face more than my—” Her eyes get big as she spells ass. “We’re going out in public.”

  “I can make no promises. But for our children’s sake, I’ll give it a shot.” I grab the keys off the counter, slap her butt as we walk to the garage, and rumple both my children’s dark hair. This is proving to be the best day I can remember… ever.

  REED

  “Vanessa, I need to get all the papers from the Swiss company on my desk by tomorrow.” I look out Tess’s window and see Brance finally pulling up in his piece-of-shit SUV. Rolling my eyes, I bite my tongue so I don’t snort into the phone at Vanessa. She’s the most efficient assistant I’ve ever had. She also has no sense of humor.

  What the hell has happened to Brance? Even Tess’s Ford Explorer is better than that trash can on wheels he drives. He walks up and I open the door before he can insert his key just to fuck with him. But one look at his black circles and all-around bad vibe makes me say, “I need to go, Vanessa. Take care of it and text me if you have any problems.” As I hang up, Brance walks by me and throws himself onto the couch.

  “Brance? Should we stay home? I know you’ve had a hard couple of weeks but…”He looks at me, his eyes filled with tears.

  “Christ.” I toss my phone on the counter and open the refrigerator for two beers. “Here.” He sits up and rubs his hands across his face.

  “Thanks. Don’t worry about the twins. Trust me, you have no idea how much I need them right now. I’ll be fine.” He takes a sip of the beer. “I had to get out of that fucking hospital.” He looks at me. “I’m better here.”

  I nod and flop into the chair across from him. “Not getting any better?”

  “Which part?” He leans back and closes his eyes. “His mom? Or the part where I’ve discovered that I have nothing in common with my mate?”

  I slowly sip my beer and let him vent, unload. Through personal experience, I have learned that sometimes you don’t need anyone to say anything. You simply need to get it off your chest.

  Brance stops and looks around. “Where is everyone?”

  “Tess is giving them a bath. We thought it would be easier. I haven’t decided how long we’re going to stay out tonight.”

  He sighs. “I don’t want her knowing any of this yet. I mean, she already does, but she’ll feel guilty about New York and all that bullshit with you.”

  “That’s on you, man.” I raise a doubtful eyebrow. “You tell her when you’re ready.”

  He leans forward and I smirk because here’s the Brance I know.

  “Speaking of telling her… have you?” His eyes narrow on me.

  “Is that any of your business?” I snort because of course it’s his business. I hold up my hand. “I’m working on it—”

  “Do you love her?” He completely interrupts my justification for what the hell I’m doing. Which is putting off the inevitable, blocking out my truths that are oozing out of my pores.

  I take a sip, put down the bottle, and look him straight in the eyes. “Yes, I have never gone one day not loving her. But you of all people know that’s not enough.”

  He shakes his head. “Actually I don’t. Have you told her you forgive her? That you take responsibility too?”

  Standing, I turn toward the French doors and her backyard. It’s starting to get dark and I can hear giggles coming from upstairs. The twins must be getting out of the bath.

  “I don’t forgive her.”

  “Then you need to find your own place.” He states it like he’s Tess’s father refusing to let me date her.

  I turn and arch an eyebrow. “You don’t have a fucking clue, Brance. What you and she did is unforgivable.” I’m not yelling but my voice echoes around us.

  “Why?” He stands, getting in my space. Fucking Brance, always pushing.

  “I wanted them. I begged her and she destroyed me. I fucking did shit that I will take to my grave it’s so despicable. Do I take responsibility for my actions? Fuck yeah, I do. But do I forgive her for ruining us? For taking away my soul, my reason for being?” I spit in his face. “No, Brance, I don’t!”

  He shrugs and looks out the window. “Then you need to leave, Reed. Coparent. But you can’t move in, play house with her and the twins, and not be the man she wants and needs.”

  Again, I’m almost stunned into silence at Brance’s gall and surprising calm manner. I clench my fist. That old rage I feel whenever anyone tries to keep Tess from me comes alive the way a disease takes ahold of your body. That’s how I feel—helpless at his words. I’m a big enough person to know he’s right, but still, I’d like to punch the wall behind his sincere eyes.

  “Brance,” I snarl, “stay the fuck out of Tess’s and my shit. I have no intention of ever letting her go. She’s mine. Always has been.”

  “Then forgive her.” He eyes me and turns toward the sound of my son.

  “Uncie Bwance.” Luke comes barreling over to jump into Brance’s arms. He hugs Luke tight and again that frustration fills me. He loves my children; they love him and why wouldn’t they? He got it all. From day one, he was with her. I turn away before I lower myself to that person I’ve worked hard to bury. Looking up at the top of the stairs, I see her coming. And I reach for my tattoo as I watch my daughter and her argue about a hairstyle. Apparently, Lilly is trying to tell Tess she hates her hair up.

  “There’s my girls.” Brance walks in front of me, his aggravating smirk still in place, and I have to breathe before I shove him back.

  “Uncie Brance, tell Mommy that she looks better with her hair down.”

  He chuckles and scoops her up so that he is now snuggling with both my children. Tess descends to the last step and flashes me her sexy smile and I stare. The feelings of love and family engulf me, paralyze me. I lean into her smell, needing that vanilla scent like a drug addict needs a fix—it somehow calms me. She wears a long-sleeved black dress that clings to her thin body like a second skin with black lace-up ankle boots. She’s so incredibly stunning that again, I feel anger that I’ve been denied this for four years. She wraps her arms around the twins and Brance, and I literally hear my teeth grind.

  “Are you okay? You look tired.” She goes right into mothering him and he goes right into letting her as they both start talking so fast you’d think they had been apart months instead of a week.

  “Kitten.” I break up their whispering. It must come out harsh because even Luke and Lilly look up from their playing.

  “Let’s go.”

  She looks at me, her eyes sweeping me up and down. I’m in dark jeans and a white-collard button-down shirt she bought for me yesterday.

  “Um, yes okay, so we’ll be back…”

  “When we’re back,” I finish, again my voice harsh. Brance had to push me. And Tess had to be my complete downfall. Or maybe he’s right and I need to let her go since I can’t forgive her. I can’t.

  I’m a fucking liar. I forgave her the moment she stepped off my private jet. I had no choice—my heart is hers.

  “Noooo… I don’t want Mommy and Daddy to go.” Lilly pouts and her puffy lips quiver as fat tears roll down her cheeks. Brance turns and gives me a death stare.

  “Princess?” She turns to me and my heart melt
s. If I’m not careful, she is going to run all over me.

  “I’d like to take Mommy to dinner. We will be back soon. Is that okay?”

  She eyes me, Tess, Brance, and Luke. “No.”

  She reminds me so much of Tess I almost burst out laughing.

  Brance reaches over and picks her up, cradling her head to his chest as he strokes her hair.

  “Baby girl, you have to learn that sometimes Mommies and Daddies don’t live with each—”

  “Knock it off, Brance,” I say, taking Tess’s hand. She looks concerned.

  “We’re leaving.” I dare her to say anything. We both kiss the twins as I drag her out the door and open Tess’s side of the Explorer for her. My special-order Bentley Bentayga will be delivered on Tuesday, thank God.

  “You okay?” She looks at me as I grip the steering wheel tightly.

  I don’t answer but start the SUV and back us out. She purses her lips, crosses her legs and arms, and looks out the window as our tension and energies build so thick in the vehicle you could probably light a fire with them. I pull us out on the freeway and instantly see brake lights.

  “I can’t deal with traffic right now. We need to talk.”

  When she turns her head, it’s as though she gut punched me with her icy stare. Even after the other night in the shower, she doesn’t trust me. She thinks I’m going to hurt her and she’s primed and ready for it.

  “Fuck this.” I put on my blinker and maneuver us off the exit, driving straight to the first hotel I see.

  “I thought we were going out to dinner.” She’s using her bitch voice and for some reason, I know this is going to be it for us. We either face our truths and accept it or we walk the fuck away. Either way, I’m not leaving the room until it’s done.

  “Get out.” I open her door and grab her hand as I get us a room. It’s a Westin, not five stars but not shit either.

  I thank the concierge and pull Tess with me. With the mood I’m in, I could drop dead and I’m sure my fingers would still be locked with hers. Slipping the card into the keycard lock, I wait for the green light to blink and I open the door and drag her behind me.