Until Tennessee: Happily Ever Alpha World

by Sarah O'Rourke

  Standing in the doorway of the bathroom, I looked longingly at the tub.

  “Why don’t you let me hold Zain while you get a better look at things?” Marek offered, not bothering to wait for my consent before he took my gurgling son from me.

  Unburdened by Zain’s weight, I moved deeper into the bathroom, noting the dual sinks and rainfall shower head. “This place is just beyond words,” I murmured, running my fingers against the marble sink.

  “It took a while to remodel, but I’m pretty happy with the results given the fact that this is only my second attempt at flipping a place.

  Twisting my head to look at Marek as he made silly faces at my giggling son, I decided to rip the band aid off and point out the obvious. “Even if I get a job at a laboratory tomorrow, I still wouldn’t be able to afford the rent you could charge on this place, Marek. It’s nice of you to...”

  “Did I say any shit to you about paying rent?” Marek returned, his voice calm even though his brown eyes had darkened to the color of melted chocolate.

  “Well, no,” I began uncertainly, “But I don’t want to be a charity case, either.”

  Shaking his head as he sank down on the edge of the neatly made king-sized bed, Marek turned Zain on his knee. “Charity?” Marek spat like the word was poisonous on his tongue. Taking a deep breath, Marek shook his head impatiently. “I don’t do charity cases, Clarity. Look, here’s the deal. I’ve put thousands of dollars of upgrades and furniture into this side of the duplex, but I can’t sell or rent it to a paying customer until I finish the identical upgrades on the other half of the house. Currently, I live over on the undone side, and I work on it when I have down time. Given the noise that goes hand in hand with a remodel, I know that nobody is going to pay top dollar to be next door to an ongoing construction zone. Plus, with being a relatively new detective at my precinct, I often have erratic hours. That means that nobody is here to watch over the finished side of this project. That means you’d be doing me a favor by living here. It would be a fair exchange of services. You watch over the joint for me so it doesn’t get screwed up by burglars or teenage miscreants, and you have a nice place to stay with your children, rent-free, for the next eighteen months or so,” he explained as he bounced my slobbering son on his knee as if he’d been doing it every single day of Zain’s young life.

  “But the utilities would still probably be a lot more than I pay now...” I began to worry aloud, gnawing my lower lip as my eyes wandered over the furnished bedroom.

  “Clarity, I already had you check your late husband’s bank account before we left your trailer. You’re still listed as a co-owner on the account so it remains unfrozen, and there’s still plenty of money still in it that you are legally entitled to drawing out. You can now not only afford to quit that revolting job at Marty’s strip club...”

  “Gentlemen’s Club,” I corrected automatically as Marek continued talking over me.

  “...but, you can also easily afford any utilities you need at this place. It’s a moot point, however, since I intend to keep all the utilities in my name until both units are formally ready for tenants. It’s easier on me that way. I’ll get a tax break,” he explained.

  Overwhelmed by the amount of sense he was making, I found myself wanting to sink down in one of the armchairs in the corner. Unable to let it go, though, I instead allowed my gaze to roam Marek’s attractive face. From his intelligent eyes to the manicured beard that graced his face, something about him just called to me in a way that made me want to lean on him. Maybe it was because I was lonely for a real friend, but something about him called to me, making me yearn to trust him in spite of the fact that I’d had zero luck with cops in my past.

  True, there’d only been the one cop that had done me wrong, but when I’d needed help, none of his so-called brothers would lift a finger to help me. Could I trust that Marek wouldn’t fall into the same kind of mold?

  “Clarity, any way you look at your situation, you need to see it’s improved. Now that your shit of a baby daddy is dead, as his wife, you’re entitled to his estate. It’s why none of the funds in your bank have been touched since his death. As his beneficiary, it’s yours as are the vehicles, all tangible belongings and his pension. Since you weren’t formally divorced, they still belong to you.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, afraid to hope that my luck might have finally begun to turn.

  “While you were on the phone calling that fuckin’ strip club and telling your boss you weren’t coming in tonight, I was calling your late husband’s boss at the Sacramento P.D. After I made sure the bastard knew how unhappy I was about the way his department had blown off your allegations of abuse and your request for protection against their officer, I made sure of your rights. Everything I’ve told you is correct. In a few days, once you’re settled, I’ll help you make arrangements to begin collecting his death benefits and look into finding someone to pack up your old life there and move it here.”

  “I don’t want anything from that life. I want to sell it all and put the money in the bank for my kids.”

  Nodding, Marek didn’t argue. “That’s your call, babe. The only request I’ll make is that you lose the cocktail waitressing job. It’s a shit environment for you to continue being in and I hate that you’ve been in it this long.”

  “Until I can find something in my field, I need to work there,” I returned, making sure to lift my chin proudly. I had nothing to be ashamed of, damn it.

  “Won’t be a problem. My partner, Cobi, is a Mayson, a member of one of the most respected families in town. I can’t remember if it’s one of his sisters or cousins that works over at the hospital, but either way, I know he has connections. I made a call; he already said he’ll vouch for you. We’ll be able to get you a job in the lab relatively quickly.”

  Surprised that he’d managed to accomplish so much in such a short time, I stared at him in awe.

  “What?” he grunted, looking toward the door and grinning as Addie’s laughter in the living room filtered up the stairs.

  “It’s just... no man I’ve ever known has ever taken my back like this. It’s strange,” I whispered, feeling self-conscious.

  Leveling me with an intense look, Marek frowned as his jaw flexed. “Sweetheart, I hate to tell you this, but you’ve been surrounded by some shitty-assed men. I hate that for you and these kids, but you better believe things have changed. As of now, I’ve got your back. You concentrate of giving Addie and Zain the sense of security they need, and I’ll take care of everything else. I can promise you that.”

  Inhaling deeply, I knew what I had to do. For my sake and my children’s sake.

  It was time to believe in miracles.

  Chapter Six

  Marek

  Six Months Later

  Damn, this had been a shitty weekend. Pulling at my tie as kicked my car door closed, I let out a deep sigh as I stepped out into my driveway. It felt good to be home after forty-eight hours straight at the precinct. A rampant case of a wicked stomach virus had half the squad down, and all hands had been on deck. On top of that, every idiot in Murfreesboro seemed to have chosen the past weekend to imbibe and then operate their motor vehicle while under the influence. As a result, the drunk tank was now at full capacity, our officers were puking up their guts, and nobody had slept a wink. Not to mention the sad fact that my back ached, my head hurt, and I was feeling every one of my thirty-five years today.

  The Chief had sworn to the lot of us who had ridden out this weekend’s storm that he wouldn’t call us back into work for the next forty-eight hours come hell or high water. I’m fairly certain he was lying through his teeth, but I was desperate enough to grasp at any straw. I was determined to sleep for the next eight hours and maybe more if possible. First, though, I wanted to see Clarity and the kids. Missing them had been the worst part of the past couple of days. Two days of sporadic text messaging and quick phone calls hadn’t been near enough to keep me from missing the small family that
I desperately wanted to make my own. I was trying like hell to be patient and give my woman - and make no mistake, she was, indeed, my woman since I’d happily kill any man stupid enough to try and make a play for her - the time she needed to heal from her first nightmare of a marriage before I made my move on her, but my patience was wearing thin. I wanted Clarity, Addie and Zain for my own, dammit.

  Hell, in my mind, they were already mine. Somehow, I just needed to convince Clarity of that, too.

  Glancing over at her side of the driveway, I stopped in my tracks as I spotted the telltale reddish-brown stains smeared down the side of her cream-colored sedan. Shit! I knew how to recognize a blood stain when I saw one. She was too proud of that car to let a speck on it, let alone a large smear. When I had finally convinced her to get a new vehicle after she got the life insurance settlement six months ago and sold the cars and items in California, she had spent a month comparing models and safety features, reminding me multiple times that she had never had the privilege of picking out anything of her own like this before.

  Which was why I knew those stains couldn’t mean anything good. Fuck it all to hell. My tiredness vanished as I loped across the yard and cleared her front door steps in one leap. I didn’t even bother to ring the bell as I immediately opened the door and barged in, the sounds of a crying Zain warning me something was truly wrong. “Clarity? Where are you, babe? What the hell’s happening? There are blood stains all down one side of your car!” I yelled, my fear getting the better of me the longer she remained silent.

  A bare second later, I felt a familiar three football of energy hurling herself at me, the impact sudden against my legs at the same moment my favorite little girl in the world’s voice rang out. “Unca Mawek, you home! You been gone foreber!”

  Scooping Addie up in my arms, I grinned at the little girl that I had grown to love. “I’m home now, baby girl. I missed you and Momma and your bubby. Where are you hiding them?” I asked as I tickled her tummy for a moment, pulling happy little girl giggles from her lips.

  Addie patted my cheeks with both hands as she singsonged, “Momma smushd-ed her finger on da car door and hers bleedin’ ebreywhere. I tink her’s putt’n on a band-dade. Bubby t’inks he’s hungry. Me, too.”

  Well, at least that explained the blood, I told myself as I put Addie back on her feet. “We’ll get you and bubby something to eat once I find Momma and take care of her owie. I’ll even order us a pizza,” I promised as Addie’s face brightened at the mention of her favorite food. “Why don’t you go color me a picture in your room? I’ll take care of your brother and Momma.”

  “Kay, Unca Mawek,” Addie chirped, dashing up the stairs.

  Hurrying to trail Addison’s short legs up the steps, I followed the sound of Zain’s cries once I reached the top of the steps, knowing I’d find Clarity wherever Zain was.

  It was a short search. I found Clarity in the master bedroom’s ensuite bathroom juggling Zain on one hip as she tried to wrap a bandage around a finger that was still dripping blood all over the marble vanity.

  “Jesus, sweetheart, what did you do? Cut off a finger?” I growled as I rushed across the room to survey the damage for myself. Taking Zain from her with one arm, I used my free hand to grab the wrist of her injured hand and gently pull it toward me, hissing through my teeth as I saw how deep the gash was.

  “Fuck, Clarity! I think you’re gonna need stitches, baby. How the hell did this happen?” I bit out as I released her and turned to walk Zain over to his playpen. Putting the little boy down, I dropped a kiss to his head as I distracted him with one of his stuffed animals.

  “I’m fine, Marek. It’s just a scratch,” she declared, her dismissive attitude doing nothing to assuage my worry.

  Satisfied Zain was occupied for the moment, I stomped back to Clarity’s side, taking the bandage from her hand again. “Let me see it,” I ordered, gesturing at her bloody finger.

  “It’s fine,” Clarity denied with a shaky smile as she tried to sidestep her way around me.

  Yeah, like I was ever gonna let that happen, I thought as I shifted toward her.

  “Honestly, I got it handled. Nothing for you to worry about,” she declared in a fake breezy voice that only served to irritate me more.

  Blocking her way out of the bathroom, I shook my head. “Woman, you know that bullshit isn’t gonna work on me. You’re bleeding. It’s the very definition of not fine. Now, show me your damn hand,” I demanded, holding out my palm.

  “Aaaarrrggghhh! You are so infuriating sometimes,” Clarity announced on a groan, slapping her hand into my palm as she stared up at me, a sulky pout covering her beautiful face. Still dressed in the wrinkled lavender scrubs she’d obviously worn to work at the lab this morning, she was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen. Even though the uniform was less than stylish, those scrubs clung to her body in all the right places, and I couldn’t help the surge of jealousy that came from knowing I wasn’t the only man that had gotten to see those lovely curves today.

  “Happy now?” she sassed as I bent my head to view the wound again.

  “Not in the slightest,” I returned evenly as I carefully probed the torn skin. While it was deep, I didn’t think it would call for stitches. Reaching for the antiseptic on the bathroom counter, I generously sprayed the wound. Hearing her low hiss of pain, I knew the medicine must burn. Bending to blow on the abused flesh, I asked, “How’d you manage this, babe?”

  “Addie accidentally shut the door on my finger,” she whispered, mindful of any tiny ears that might be listening. “She doesn’t even realize she did it. Sometimes I think motherhood ought to come with combat pay,” she joked with a quiet laugh.

  “No kidding,” I replied, offering her a sympathetic grin as I gestured for the bandage she still held.

  Handing it over, she rolled her sparkling blue eyes. “You realize I really could do this on my own. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”

  “Just because you can do something alone doesn’t mean you necessarily should,” I countered easily, lifting my gaze from her injury to look in her eyes. “Besides, I like taking care of you and the kids. I think you know that after all these months,” I added softly, lifting her now bandaged finger between us to press a kiss to the injury. “See. All better.”

  “Thank you,” Clarity replied huskily, sinking her front teeth into her plump bottom lip as her blue eyes held mine.

  Christ, that soft look on her face would be my undoing one day. With her long blonde hair unbound and wild around her shoulders, I ached to tangle my fingers in the silky tresses and pull her to me. Even after a full day of work and taking care of two small kids, she looked gorgeous.

  “Marek?” she breathed, swaying closer to me as she lightly pressed a hand to my chest and tipped her head back to search my face.

  Her damp pink lips tempted me, daring me to come closer and take the kiss I wanted. No, forget mere want. I needed her kiss. I was pretty sure I needed her kiss more than I needed to take my next breath.

  But I couldn’t take it from her.

  Not without her consent.

  Too many things in Clarity’s life had been taken without her permission already.

  I wouldn’t be one more man taking advantage of her.

  Lifting my hand, I brushed the back of my fingers against her rosy cheek. “You are so fuckin’ beautiful,” I murmured.

  Laughing self-consciously, Clarity shook her head. “You must be delirious from a lack of sleep, Detective, because I am a wreck today. Unless rumpled and bloodstained is what does it for you,” she teased.

  “Sweetheart, you’re the prettiest wreck I’ve ever seen, and I think you know by now that you’re what does it for me. Besides, you could have a horn and a tail, and I think I’d still be hooked on you.”

  “I wish you’d stop saying stuff like that,” Clarity groaned softly as she stared longingly into my eyes. “We’re friends, Marek. In the six months, you’ve become my best friend. You taugh
t me how to trust again. I don’t want us to do anything that screws that up. The kids and I can’t lose you.”

  “We are best friends,” I agreed. “But that doesn’t mean we couldn’t be more. A whole lot more,” I emphasized, taking a half step closer to the woman I’d fallen in love with. “One kiss, Clarity. Give me one kiss to show you how good this thing between us could be. If you can tell me all we can be is friends after one kiss, I’ll back off. You’ll never hear me ask you for anything other than your friendship again,” I bargained, staring at the throbbing pulse in her neck as her fingers tightened in the material of my shirt. “C’mon, baby. One kiss. Let me show you how good it could be between us,” I urged, knowing full well that one kiss would never be enough to sate the need I had for her.

  “One kiss,” I heard her consent on a shaky exhale, unspoken fears shining in her shining eyes.

  If it was the last thing I did, I promised myself I’d extinguish every single one of the misgivings she had about us. Our beginning might have been unusual, but nothing would ever convince me that she, Addison, and Zain weren’t my fate.

  Her lips trembled as I covered them with my own, and God, she tasted as sweet as I always knew she would. Capturing her lower lip between my teeth, I nipped the flesh, intentionally pulling a gasp from her lips and taking advantage of her surprise as I slid my tongue against hers. Groaning as her unique taste flooded my mouth and imprinted itself on my soul, I settled one hand on Clarity’s rounded hip, drawing her closer as her moan vibrated against my tongue.

  Smiling against her mouth, I lifted one hand to slide beneath the weight of Clarity’s long hair, stroking my fingers against the tense tendons of her neck and coaxing the reluctant muscles into relaxing. I made a meal of her mouth while her hands clutched my shoulders, her nails digging into my flesh, the pressure leaving little half-moon indentations in my skin.

  “Unca Mawwwwwekkkk! Moooommmmmaaaaa! I hungwee! You p’omised pizza!”

  Hearing the much aggrieved cry of the belligerent little girl waiting downstairs, I lifted my lips from Clarity’s, leaning forward to press my forehead against hers while we both struggled to catch our breath. “Did I prove my point yet?” I asked quietly, lifting my hands to cradle Clarity’s face tenderly as we heard Addie begin to stomp up the stairs to find us.