Power (SEAL'ed Book 4)

by AJ Alexander

  “What the heck did I do to myself?” Flashes of the accident start to come back as a nurse enters my room.

  “Hello, Ms. Torrez. How are you feeling? You’ve been asleep for quite some time, we were starting to worry about you.” She heads in my direction before checking some machines next to my bed.

  “How long, exactly, is some time?”

  “Just a few hours.”

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s around 9 pm.”

  “Did you call anyone to let them know I was in here?” I try to keep my temper in check while I speak with this poor woman, the combination of pain and lack of control is getting to me. I need to call my assistant, Penny, and find out what, if anything, has happened while I was out.

  “Oh, yes, we called someone named Penny. She said to have you call her as soon as you woke up and to let you know she had everything under control.”

  I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. There is no one in the world I trust more than Penny. She has been with me since the beginning, literally. She’s not only my assistant but one of my only friends. She knows about Mason, my past, and my need for control. She understands it all, even takes my demands in stride, making her the best person to help me right now.

  “If I could have a phone to call her as soon as possible, I would appreciate it.”

  “What you need is rest. You had a very serious accident, you’re lucky to be alive.” She gives me a smile before she turns to head out the room, I want to get out of this bed and choke her.

  “Phone, now,” I command from my spot in the bed. She must sense the seriousness in my tone.

  “Yes, ma’am,” she responds before sinking out of the room.

  She returns quickly with a phone and I dial Penny’s number. “What the hell were you thinking?!”

  I take a deep cleansing breath before I respond. “That I could beat him. Obviously. Now what about my schedule, did you clear it and rearrange my meetings?”

  Penny huffs into the phone. “Of course, I did. I know you wouldn’t trust your brother to handle any of the update meetings with Hard Rock alone. Timothy was being an asshole about rescheduling, but I sent him pictures from the preliminary police report. He won’t be giving us trouble any time soon.”

  I wince thinking at what those pictures must look like, based on my injuries I’m sure I am lucky to be alive.

  “Any word on the other guy?”

  “Minor cuts and bruises. Your baby is totaled by the way, sorry. You’re both getting reckless driving tickets, but it doesn’t seem like anything more will come from it. Don’t think I forgot my original question.”

  I sigh into the phone. “Penny, I lost control while I was gone.”

  “Thanks for sharing with the class. Who the hell is Baby Boy?”

  A wave of pleasure ripples through my beaten body at just the mention of his name. “No one.” We both know I answered that entirely too fast.

  “Well, I hope he’s someone that lives close because I still have a load of stuff to handle for you here. They said they would be releasing you once you woke up, so someone has to come and get you.”

  “Send a car.”

  “No, call him.”

  “You’re fired,” I say into the phone, knowing damn well I would be lost without her.

  “Call him or sleep on the street. Either way, figure it out.” I hear her laughing as I hang up the phone.

  DANNY

  Heading back to San Diego from Vegas, I don’t look at the caller ID when my phone starts ringing.

  “Hello.”

  “Where are you?” her voice is rougher than normal but it’s definitely her.

  “On my way home?”

  “You’re going to come get me. I’ll text you the information, respond with your ETA.”

  I don’t even have a chance to respond before she hangs up.

  What the hell? We spend the weekend together, she fucks me senseless before disappearing, and now she’s demanding that I come get her?

  Pulling off the highway, I sit and wait for her message. I’m confused when the address includes a room number. Things start to click into place when I type the address into google maps, a hospital.

  What the fuck happened to her that she’s calling me to come get her?

  I speed down the highway to the junction I need, I want to be there now, but I’m not going to tell her my ETA. I want to inspect every inch of her body for injuries, and I won’t be able to calm down until I do. I’m angry, confused, and now I’m worried, I never wanted anything to happen to her.

  It doesn’t take long for me to get to the hospital, park, and make my way to her room. The sight of her laying in the hospital bed takes a moment for my brain to process. A big white bandage on her forehead, cast on one arm, pillows propping her up, bruises and scratches everywhere.

  “Mama,” I breath standing next to her bed. “What happened to you?”

  “I was in a car accident. You’re going to drive me home.”

  I know that arguing with her is useless, so I won’t even try, but I’m not taking her back to Los Angeles, she’s coming home with me.

  Her clothes were cut off her after the accident, so I pull out a clean t-shirt and lounge pants for her out of my bag, they’ll be too big, but they’ll be comfortable. It takes some work to get the shirt on with her cast and broken bones, but we manage, and I get her wheeled out to my car and settled. First stop is the pharmacy for pain meds. Concussion, broken leg, broken elbow, and collarbone are not going to be fun to heal.

  With her leaning back in the front seat, the pain meds make her tired, so she falls asleep and doses most of the day away. We’re about an hour from San Diego when she wakes up and looks around.

  “I said take me home.”

  I’m fighting so hard to keep the smirk off of my face. “I am.”

  “This is not what I meant, and you damn well know it!” I’m going to pay for this later, but it’s going to be worth it.

  “Well, we’re almost to my house now, and I’m the one driving.” I try to pass as indifferent, but I doubt she’s buying it.

  “Just wait until I heal.”

  The car drops back into silence for the rest of the drive, not exactly comfortable silence either. I can feel her planning ways to punish me, and I have a feeling that blue balls are going to be the least of my worries.

  “Are you going to tell me why you disappeared on me?” I try to keep an even tone like it’s not a big deal, but it is a big deal. I want answers.

  “It’s not your place to question me, Baby Boy.” The quiver in her voice, contracting the stern statement.

  “It is when it’s my ass getting fucked, literally and figuratively.”

  She lets out a sigh and drops her head against the headrest. “I don’t want to discuss this right now, I just want to rest.”

  I decide not to push her right now after the day she’s had.

  “Okay let’s start with an easier question, how did you get in a car accident?”

  “I needed an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately I made an error and got in an accident.”

  “An error! Are you kidding me, these injuries are more than a fender bender. You had to be street racing or something equally stupid.” I grip the steering wheel tighter, I don’t know who I am angrier with her or myself for not being there to protect her.

  “Baby Boy, I do not take kindly to being called stupid.” Venom drips from her words. “You better keep in mind that I do what I like, when I like, and there is nothing you can say or do to stop me.”

  “When it puts you in danger, especially danger that can kill you, you are damn straight I am going to have something to say about it.”

  Neither one of us say anything for the rest of the ride home, you can cut the tension with a knife.

  When we get to my place, I’m not surprised that she won’t let me carry her, no matter how much I want to. I just want her in my arms, to prove to myself that she really is going t
o be okay. I want to hold her, kiss her, fuck her if I’m being honest, but it’s probably better for my nuts if I keep them out of arm’s reach for now.

  “I’m surprised it doesn’t smell like gym socks and nut sweat.”

  “I’m single, not disgusting. Plus, I don’t spend much time here, so it doesn’t get very messy.” Taking her good hand in mine, I give her the tour and get her settled in my bed. Fuck, I love having her in my bed.

  “Phone,” she snaps at me, hand out and waiting.

  Turning back toward the living room I find my phone and bring it to her. I stay next to the bed, waiting for her to tell me what else she needs.

  “Go away, close the door.” She doesn’t even look at me as she dials a number and puts the phone to her ear.

  16

  LAYLA

  It’s been a few days of playing house with Baby Boy, there honestly isn’t a better way to explain it. He’s waited on me hand and foot, dealt with me and my attitude, and held me at night when I cried from being in so much pain. I’m at the point where maybe I could get used to this.

  “Hey Mama, do you want to go somewhere today?” Baby Boy takes a seat next to me.

  I raise my eyebrow at him in question, going out in public is not my thing especially when I look like an abused housewife. Last time I saw any of these people I looked like sex on legs.

  “The team is having a barbeque, I was hoping you would come with me.”

  I chuckle in response, “I think I am the last person anyone from your team wants to meet.”

  Shaking his head in response, “We’re a package deal, you come with me, or I don’t come. I already told Katie, and she’s cool with it, the rest of them can suck it.”

  “A package deal? When were you going to inform me of the change in our situation?” I immediately regret my tone as I watch him fall to his knees in front of me on the floor.

  “Mama, I’m sorry.” His head is bowed, hands resting on the floor, submitting to my will. He has taken care of me, been the man that I needed but even now he will submit to my will. A wave of desire rushes through me, soaking my panties.

  “Are you truly sorry, Baby Boy? How shall you make it up to Mama?”

  “Please let me touch you, make you feel good.”

  My body yearns for his touch, but I will not give in, I grip his hair in my hand and pull his head back to look up at me. His eyes are clear, looking directly at me, waiting for my command. I want to slap his perfect face, take out my vulnerability on him.

  “Make me cum, I’ll tell you when you’re done.” My voice drips ice, but his eyes shine like a kid on Christmas.

  Shifting my leg to make room, he dives into my pussy. I lay back and let the pleasure take over my broken body. Two fingers enter me swiftly, stretching me as he spreads them, then adds a third finger.

  “Fuck me with your fingers, Baby Boy. Fuck me hard.” My hips try to move, to meet his fingers but the cast on my leg preventing my body from responding the way I want.

  With three fingers pounding into me and his mouth suctioning my clit, I cum in mere seconds, pushing me straight into another orgasm, squirting all over his face.

  “Oh FUCK!” I haven’t cum that hard in so long, my brain and body don’t know what to do. My pussy and clit are so sensitive but if he stops the pleasure stops and I need him to keep going.

  “AGAIN, BABY BOY, AGAIN!” I can’t control the volume of my voice. I could be screaming, I have no control over anything my body is doing as once again I’m thrown into a massive orgasm.

  It’s not until the high of multiple earth-shattering orgasms starts to ebb that I notice how cramped my fingers are still holding his hair and the sensitivity of my clit.

  “Enough. Fuck, enough.” Not being able to move and go to the gym like I usually do is taking a toll, one I will need to remedy as soon as I can.

  While I pant on the bed, I look down my body to see Baby Boy still kneeling on the floor. He needs instruction, but my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders yet.

  “Wet rag. Clean me up, then get in bed.”

  “Yes, Mama.” With his back to me, I smile at the name. It does things to my belly that I never thought I would feel again. Being here with him like this makes me want things that I shouldn’t– a family, someone to come home to at the end of a long day, all those things the old me longed for. Those things make you weak, I won’t be weak. I can’t be weak, the thought is downright terrifying.

  He takes his time, gently cleaning my skin with a warm rag, before returning it to the bathroom. Once he is finished, he helps me readjust on the bed so he can lay next to me. I’m half asleep, when I feel the bed dip next to me, signaling Baby Boy’s arrival.

  “I still don’t like it,” I mumble.

  “I’m sorry, Mama.” He places a chaste kiss on my forehead as I fall asleep.

  I can’t say I’m okay with where this connection between my Baby Boy and I is headed, but I can say that the mind-blowing orgasms make it a little bit easier to swallow. Pun intended.

  DANNY

  I wake up to the sound of my cell ringing in the other room, my arms wrapped tightly around Layla as she sleeps peacefully. These are the best moments, when she has her guard down and lets me really see the amazing woman she is. I place a gentle kiss on her forehead and she stirs, humming in her sleep. I hold my breath, waiting for the elbows to start coming. I learned the hard way not to wake her when she is sleeping, my jaw starts to hurt just thinking about the right hook I took to it the first night she was here.

  The continued ringing of my phone breaks me from my memory, as I unwrap myself to grab it. I flip it over and check the caller ID. I can’t help but chuckle before answer the phone.

  “Yes, we are coming.” I have to hold the phone away from my ear at the high pitch squeal coming from the other end.

  “I’m so excited! I can’t wait to meet the woman that stole your heart,” Katie says from the other end of the line.

  “You’re the only one,” I mumble under my breath. I haven’t been spending much time with the Team since we can back from Vegas. Mostly because I’ve been taking care of her, but more importantly I’m not in the mood for another lecture. They all feel like Charlie, there is nothing left to say.

  However, as soon as we all got back, Katie gave me a call and demanded that I tell her all about Mama and how we meet. At heart Katie, she’s a hopeless romantic, she is determined to have Mama, and I married before the next deployment.

  I am shaken from my thoughts by Katie’s response, “Oh hush. Don’t you worry about them. Logan is on baby duty today, and Avery and Amber have been instructed to behave, well as well as they can.”

  “And what about Charlie?”

  She sighs into the phone. “He just worries about you Danny.”

  “I don’t want to argue about this Katie, especially with you. We are coming but understand that if they give either of us a hard time or make her feel uncomfortable at all, we are leaving. Okay?”

  “Okay. I’m just happy you are coming at all. Make sure Layla comes to see me first I really do want to get to know her.”

  “Alright, let me go see if she is ready to head over. I assume you’re calling because everyone is there already and looking for me,” I chuckle into the phone. Katie is a stickler for time.

  “Actually, no, I was calling to see if Layla was allergic to anything or had any special food that she would want. I just want her to feel welcome.”

  “Katie, you never cease to surprise me. But to answer your question, not that I’m aware of. I’ll ask her and give you a call back if there is anything.”

  I hear Mama begin to stir in the room, searching for her crutches. “Alright Katie, she’s awake from her nap. Let me gets things situated here and then we can head to your place. See you in a few.”

  We say our goodbyes, and I head back toward Layla. I am not sure what this afternoon holds, but I do know that this is either going to be amazing or a disaster.

  17
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  LAYLA

  “I’m going to say again for the record how much I don’t want to be here,” I tell Baby Boy as he helps me out of his car.

  “Again, I’m going to tell you I don’t care. You need fresh air, and my friends want to at least know why I have been hiding away from them the last few weeks. If you hate it, we will leave. Think of it this way, you can eat some of that healthy shit you have been trying to get me to make.”

  I narrow my eyes at him as he hands me my crutches, I want to be angry, but I can’t. It’s a sweet gesture, one that I am not too sure I want at the moment.

  “Besides, Katie called and asked what you liked. It would be rude for you not to show us and eat it.” My cheeks instantly pink at his statement. No one has ever gone out of their way to make me feel welcome before. Everyone has always had a hidden agenda, usually to get closer to my father and his company. Never just because they wanted to get to know me, I had to learn that the hard way.

  “I wish you would just let me carry you, Mama,” Baby Boy whispers into my ear as he hovers close, making sure I don’t fall as I make my way toward the front door. Seems like a quiet neighborhood, well maintained. The grass is green and mowed, the buildings are white with no chipped paint or cracks in the plaster. It’s lowkey and homey.

  “Layla.”

  “Huh?” he responds, my Baby Boy is so articulate.

  “You should call me Layla while we are with your friends. I don’t think they are going to take very well to you calling me Mama.”

  The intensity he looks at me with makes my knees go weak, and I stumble as I make it to the front door. Before knocking, he pulls me into his arms, “I honestly don’t give a fuck what they think. If you want me to call you Layla while we are here, I will, but only because it’s what you want not because you think it’s what will make everyone else feel more comfortable.”