Every Wound We Mend

by J. E. Parker

  But whether or not I deserved my woman, or my granddaughter, was a moot point because now that I had them, and they had each other, I was never letting go.

  I’d throw myself off a rocky cliff first.

  Reluctantly pulling my gaze from my sofa, I looked down at the spitfire standing beside me, the strands of her wild grey hair held hostage by a head full of pink foam rollers. “It’s past ten. What are you doing over—”

  “It’s amazing how Beauty and Little One, Faye and Amelia now, too,” she interrupted, still stuck on her earlier statement, “have only been ‘round these parts for such a short time, yet it feels like they’ve always been here.”

  She was right.

  Not much time had passed since I’d walked into Ashley Jo’s living room and had come face to face with an angel I’d long thought dead. But now that the final pieces of my family were home, where they always should’ve been, it felt like they’d never been missing.

  “Speaking of, where’s the latter two?” Hands going to her hips, she rocked back on her slipper-covered heels. “Shoot, I half expected to find Carmen and Faye throwing a party, which is why I came over.”

  She sighed in disappointment.

  “But since Beauty’s understandably all tuckered out and not up to celebrating, I reckon I’ll just have to drive my new grandbabies into Charleston next weekend and take 'em to my favorite—”

  Already knowing where her looney mind was going, a growl reverberated in my chest, then echoed around the quiet space surrounding us before I could stop it. “You have lost your godforsaken mind if you think I’ll let you take my woman to an all-male strip club.”

  I loved Grandmama. I always had. But I swore to everything holy, if she tried to take Carmen to see other men dance naked, I would tie her troublemaking behind right up, tape her mouth shut, and then lock her in the nearest closet.

  Course, she’d just chew through the bindings in a matter of minutes like a rabid animal and escape. Then, she’d kill me, or at the very least, lock me in the dungeon Hendrix was convinced she owned.

  Still, it was a risk I was willing to take because the only cock Carmen would see anytime soon was mine, and if she wanted a lap dance, then she’d be getting it from me.

  Granted, I didn’t know a thing about executing stripteases, but for my Pixie, you can bet your sweet ass I’d figure it out real quick. I’d be damned if another man was getting the privilege of being close enough to touch her tanned skin or breathe in her sweet exhales.

  Any bastard that tried would meet an untimely end. Did that make me a possessive fuck? Yes. But did I have any cares to give? Not a single one.

  “Listen here,” the pint-sized tyrant huffed, her east Georgia accent growing thicker as she cut into the devious thoughts stirring in my pounding head. “I ain’t gonna take Beauty to no all-male strip club.” She waggled her eyebrows like the shit-stirrer she was. “I was gonna take her and Faye to Bangers. They’ve got men and women there, ya big dummy!”

  Mind blanking, I blinked at her.

  “The way I figure it, if a woman can climb a pole in ‘em sky-high heels they like to wear and do all sorts of twists and turns all the while taking their clothes off, then they deserve some dagblasted money too. I’m all about equality that way, ya hear?”

  I couldn’t help it, I laughed.

  The woman was batshit.

  But I adored that about her.

  Everybody did.

  “Now, Superman, answer my question ‘fore I decide to go get my swatter.” She started tapping her foot. “Where’s Faye and sweet Amelia? I need to make sure both of ‘em got tucked in all safe and snug for the night, or I ain’t gonna be able to get a wink of sleep.”

  Unable to keep my eyes from the two beauties demanding my sole focus a second longer, I looked away from the crazy old coot and focused back on Pixie and Maci. “They’re fine, I swear. Both are sleeping over at Shelby’s.”

  An unspoken question danced between us.

  I wasted no time answering it.

  “Carmen wanted them to stay here; she even made up the bed in the spare room with new sheets after Hendrix and Anthony hauled their stuff up the stairs. But Amelia doesn’t always handle new situations well, and since she bonded with Gracie so quickly, we all thought it would be best if they stayed over there to start.”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Grandmama nod in what I knew was understanding. “Well, I guess I’d better skedaddle my ol’ butt back home then since it’s gonna be an early morning for all of us.” She elbowed me. “You and that Behemoth son of yours go on a day-long shift tomorrow, don’t ya?”

  I scowled. I loved my job, especially since it gave me the chance to make up for lost time with my son. But I wasn’t ready to leave Carmen yet. The longest I’d been away from her was when I’d driven to the station to speak to Anthony about finding Alejandro.

  I’d been gone less than two hours then, but even that was too long. How was I supposed to handle twenty-four hours without her at my side? I wasn’t sure I’d be able to.

  At least, not with my sanity intact.

  “Yeah, Tuck and Ty too,” I replied, the irritation in my voice unmistakable. “Carmen starts work at the shelter tomorrow, though, so maybe us being apart for the first time since she moved in won’t be so bad.”

  That was a line of bullshit if I ever spoke it. It didn’t matter how busy we kept ourselves; being separated would be nothing less than pure agony. For the both of us. “Speaking of, are you still taking Jade to school tomorrow?”

  “You’re dang right I’m taking my new grandbaby to school.” The beaming grin she continued to wear helped settle the agitation nipping at me. “Then Ashley is gonna go pick her up while Tasha babysits Little Miss Addie after school.”

  My shoulders tensed. “Tasha Winslow?”

  “That’s the one.”

  My knotted muscles relaxed.

  I trusted Chase and Ashley Jo’s judgment, the latter more so than the former, but I was picky about who I wanted to watch my grandkids. Wasn’t every grandparent, though? Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about when it came to Tasha.

  I didn’t know her as well as I’d have liked, but her big brother, Weston, was one of my medics, had been on and off for years, as well as part-owner of a local distillery. He’d taken on the task of raising his little sister after their parents were killed in a plane crash when she was just four.

  Since then, his world had revolved around her. And from what I could tell, he’d done a good job raising her.

  Now a high school senior, Tasha was sharp as a tack. According to her boastful big brother, at least. And she’d always been polite and sweet when we’d interacted.

  She reminded me of Maddie.

  Hope, too.

  My eyes grew heavy as I scrubbed a hand up and down my stubble-covered jaw. I needed to get The Crazy Old Biddy back out the door, then Carmen and Maci upstairs and in bed.

  Neither was sleeping on the couch overnight. That shit wasn’t comfortable. Trust me, I’d tried it once or twice. “Tasha’s a good girl. She’ll take care of Addie just fine.”

  It was Grandmama’s turn to scowl, her lipstick-free, for once, lips pursing. “Course she will, Tasha’s a doll just like her mama used to be. It’s that big ol’ meathead that follows her everywhere she goes that I worry about.”

  Her faded green eyes narrowed.

  “Boy’s more hot-tempered than a rabid honey badger. He ain’t got no business being anywhere near Tasha. I don’t know what in the blue blazes Weston is doing, but he needs to put that boy in his—”

  “What meathead?”

  I was confused.

  “That doggone Zane Adams!”

  I kept my head in the sand when it came to gossip around Kissler and Toluca both, but everyone in the tri-county area knew Zane Adams’ name. It was hard not to since he was following in Chase’s steps football-wise and was plastered on the front of the sports section every Saturday morning.

&
nbsp; Along with other reasons.

  “I don’t like him shadowing Tasha,” Grandmama continued, pulling my thoughts from the small-town talk I’d overheard where Zane and his family were concerned. “Not one bit. He may be good looking, and he may throw one of ‘em footballs as well as Chase did at his age, but that boy’s eyes are full of nothing but hate and boiling anger every time I see him.”

  She shook her head.

  “I swear, Superman, if I spot the dang hoodlum in town again, I’m gonna hop a curb and run him slap over. Maybe my front bumper can knock some of that meanness I sense right outta him!”

  “Let it go, Grandmama,” I started, though I knew full well my words would be ignored. “I don’t know the whole story where Zane’s concerned, but he’s been through a lot.”

  From the little gossip I’d heard, that was putting it lightly. “If the situation with him and Tasha needs handling, Weston will deal with it.”

  “Fine,” she snapped, jamming a crooked finger into my left pec. “But I’m telling you now, if Meathead hurts Tasha, you better be ready to pay my bail ’cause I’m gonna shoot him right in his eighteen-year-old ass.”

  In a whirl of sass and fury, the five-foot-nothing hellion spun and headed toward the backdoor. Halfway down the hall, she stopped and glared at me over her shoulder.

  “Now you get my grandbabies upstairs, ya hear? The last thing either of ‘em needs is to wake up with a crick in their necks.”

  With a huff, she started forward again, not giving me a chance to reply as the long pink robe she wore twirled around her ankles with each of her flustered steps. “Goodnight!”

  I blew out a breath when she disappeared through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

  “Jesus Christ,” I whispered, running my palm over the top of my scalp, further mussing my already messed-up hair. “The woman gets more dangerous with age.”

  Shaking my head, I moved further into the living room. Kneeling in front of the sofa, I smiled and lifted Maci into my arms.

  Eyes remaining closed, she parted her lips and wiggled in my hold. “CeCe,” she whined, not the least bit happy about being pulled from Carmen’s embrace.

  “Shh,” I whispered, dipping my face to nuzzle hers. “I’m putting you to bed with CeCe and me both.” She calmed as my arms tightened around her, and I stood, lifting her slight weight.

  Moving as quickly and quietly as I could, I carried her up the stairs to my room before tucking her beneath the peach-colored duvet, which smelled of my woman, on the center of the bed.

  Then, I headed back down for Carmen.

  When I lifted her, she jerked, her eyes fluttering half-open. Arms searching for Maci, she reached back down toward the couch, her mind still foggy with sleep. “Maci…”

  I kissed her temple, letting my lips linger against her sweet skin. “I’m taking you to her, baby.” I hoisted her higher, relishing the way she felt cradled against my chest, and turned, returning to the foot of the stairs, before ascending them. “Almost there.”

  When her soft body met our mattress, her beautiful eyes fluttered closed once more as she rolled to face Maci and pulled her back into her waiting arms.

  At the sight, I felt something in the once-frozen cavern that housed my now healing heart thaw even further. Seeing the love of my life hold one of my—our—granddaughters against her chest as they both drifted back off to sleep, their souls comforted by the other…

  Man, that truly was Heaven.

  “Guapo,” Carmen murmured, pulling me from the soul-mending trance the sight of her and Maci had immersed me in. “Stop staring like you’re loco and get under the covers.”

  She didn’t need to tell me twice.

  Pulling off my shirt but keeping on my sweats, I climbed beneath the duvet without wasting another second and moved toward the center of the mattress. Sliding one arm under her pillow, I draped the other over her and Maci both, hugging them protectively.

  “Night night, Pop-Pop. Night night, CeCe.” Still half asleep, Freckles scooted back the slightest bit, pressing her shoulder blades to my torso. “Love y’all”—she yawned—“more than Skittles and Laffy Taffy.”

  Fingers curling around Carmen’s hip, my lips tipped, same as hers. “Love you and CeCe too, Freckles.” I bent and kissed the crown of her head. “More than chocolate ice cream topped with fudge.”

  Lazily trailing her fingers through Maci’s hair, my Pixie swept her half-lidded eyes from Maci to me. “And I love you both as well. More so even than my cherished cachapas and coffee.”

  Maci giggled.

  “Pop-Pop, CeCe loves us a lottt.”

  It was the damn truth if I’d ever heard it.

  “That she does.” Carmen smiled bigger at my words as my hand moved to her lower back, and my fingers began tracing small circles on her shirt-covered skin. “And we love her just as much. Which is why we’re keeping her forever.”

  My Pixie’s bottom lip quivered. “Guapo—”

  I slid my hand back to her hip, grasping the soft curve the slightest bit. “Sleep, baby. Morning will be here all too soon.”

  She dipped her chin the slightest bit.

  Eyelids sliding closed, she did as I asked without arguing or slinging a handful of back-talk my way, and within moments, while still wrapped in each other’s arms and tucked beneath one of mine, she and Maci fell fast asleep.

  Minutes later, I joined them.

  24

  James

  “Pop, wake your lazy ass up!”

  The rising sun was already shining through the opened blackout drapes, casting my bedroom in muted light when my son’s booming voice ripped me from some of the best sleep I’d ever had.

  I felt like smacking him upside the head.

  In a loving way, of course.

  Luckily for him, I didn’t.

  Instead, I jerked upright, taking note that the mattress beside me was empty, the sheets cool and devoid of my woman and Maci both. My heart twisted, the loss of having them by my side piercing my chest.

  How long had they been up?

  And why hadn’t they woken me?

  Moving my heavy-lidded, bleary eyes to my son, who still stood next to the mattress, a familiar smirk painting his smartass mouth, I tossed back the cover blanketing my pant-covered legs and turned, placing my bare feet on the hardwood. “Where is—”

  My tongue froze, lips stilling when my gaze landed on the half-filled breakfast plate he held in his right hand, along with the sticky fork clutched in his left. “Is that pancakes?”

  My boy’s smirk grew as my mouth watered.

  Raising his chin, he shrugged a lone shoulder. “Ma fixed me breakfast.” A teasing gleam sparkled in his troublemaking eyes. “Well, she fixed you and Maci breakfast, but when I showed up looking for coffee, she gave your plate to me since you weren’t awake yet.”

  My eyes narrowed. “You’re eating my food?”

  Another shrug. “Ma said I could.”

  Of course she had. As far as my Pixie was concerned, when it came to Hendrix, Shelby, Jade, Ashley Jo, and all the grandkids we now shared, I’d always come second.

  And rightfully so.

  Still, that didn’t make the fact that my gloating son was eating my pancakes right in front of me any easier.

  If he kept it up, I was liable to steal his—my—food and swallow it whole before he had a chance to stop me.

  “There better be some pancakes left,” I sniped, pushing to my feet, a half-hearted look of irritation plastered on my face. “If not—”

  “There was, along with a whole platter of eggs and bacon,” he cut in, a lopsided grin contorting his mouth. “But then Ty smelled someone cooking and—”

  “Son of a bitch!”

  I was out the bedroom door and descending the stairs, the sound of my boy’s cackling following me before I could take another breath.

  If Ty was already in the kitchen, and my shit-stirring son wasn’t just giving me grief, then there wouldn’t be a morsel
of food left unless I hurried.

  My brow climbed my forehead, nearly reaching my hairline when I made it downstairs, and the sound of animated voices, close to half a dozen from what I could tell, followed by the scrape of utensils against plates, reached my ears.

  What in the absolute hell? The entire back side of the house sounded like a packed restaurant. Shaking my head, I moved toward the kitchen.

  What I saw when I stepped inside made me pause, eyes growing wide. Lips parted in shock, I looked around the crowded room, from one person to another, blinking slowly.

  Half the family had decided to show up.

  Because of course they had.

  “Yo, Cap!”

  Head snapping to the left, my baffled gaze crashed into Tuck’s. Seated at my table next to his wife, he had a nearly empty plate in front of him, the shit-eating smile he wore a perfect replica of the one I’d seen on Hendrix upstairs.

  “You alright, old man?” he asked, slinging an arm over the back of Carissa’s chair as she smiled at me and lifted a steaming cup of coffee to her lips. “’Cause, you look all sorts of confused.”

  “I’m not confused.” Raising my hand, I pointed around the table where, in addition to him and Carissa, sat Evan, Hope, Ashley Jo—guess Chase already left for team workouts—Jade, and Heidi. “I’m just trying to figure out where the hell all you people came from.”

  Tossing her head back, Jade laughed, bringing a smile to my face. Next to her, Ashley Jo leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table, her pretty brown irises twinkling with the trouble she was undoubtedly about to give me.

  Like mother, like daughter.

  “What are you trying to say, Pop-Pop?” Though she was only joking, her eyes narrowed, just like mine had done minutes before with Hendrix. “Do you not want us here, eating all of your food?”

  I immediately scoffed. “You know better. You’re one of my girls.” That earned me a grin from her. “And that means you can have anything in this house you want. But thing one and thing two…”

  I pointed from Tuck to Ty, who had his ass leaned against my counter while he plucked one strip of bacon after another off a nearby plate. “Are a different story.”