by Jessica Joy
My God, aren’t we the perfect pair of idiots?
“I didn’t know, how could I have known… everything else. I was trying to do the good guy thing and not fuck this up.” he takes a deep breath, pinching my chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting it up so my eyes meet his, “I don’t want to fuck this up Tess. I want this, I want us to work. I think we have something good going and I want a whole lot more of it. More of you.” he leans forward and kisses my forehead before continuing. “I’m going to get Evan back Tess. I am going to make up for not being there last night. I am going to make you safe.” there’s a light behind his eyes that says everything he isn’t… he will find Evan and make the ones who took him pay.
“What’s going to happen, Sawyer?” I ask quietly.
“The Brothers will sort it out, you don’t need to worry anymore.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t shut me out of this. Please Sawyer,” I say, propping myself up on my elbow so I can look down at him.
“It’s Club business Babydoll, you know I can’t talk about it,” he says hesitantly, clearly hedging.
“Club business?!” I exclaim, sitting up on my knees, shooting daggers at him. “He’s MY SON Sawyer! If you think that doesn’t make this more my business that your goddamn boys club, then fuck you!” throwing myself from the bed, I storm toward the door, determined to get to King’s office and demand he tell me everything. My hand is just closing around the door handle when I am pulled off my feet and back against a hard chest. Sawyer’s arm is around my waist in a vice grip and I hear his growled admonishment close to my ear over my yelling.
“Babydoll! Calm down! You are gonna hurt yourself.”
“Fuck you Sawyer! Put me down! Let me go! I’m getting answers if it kills you,” I say around my clenched jaw.
The bastard chuckles, chuckles! And says, “Isn’t the phrase kills me?” I don’t bother responding other than kicking back against him, trying to connect with anything soft. “Calm down Tess. Do you really wanna scamper out in the hall with your ass hanging out for all the Brothers to see? I know I’d rather keep that view to myself,” he says, pressing a kiss to my neck.
Damn him and his corkscrew cock logic! No one wants that right now.
Deciding he’s probably right about running about without pants on, I relent and go limp in his arms, attempting to be as heavy and difficult to carry as I can. If he insists on manhandling me, he’s going to at least work at it. “Jesus Christ Tess,” he grunts as he drags me back toward the bed. “Oh, for fucks sake,” he growls before flipping me over his shoulder into a fireman’s hold and slapping my ass. I claw at his back as he crosses the space and dumps me on the bed in an unceremonious heap.
“K, you gonna listen to me now?” he asks, hands on his hips as he hovers over me at the edge of the bed. I scramble to sit cross legged in the middle and relent, knowing I won’t be leaving this room until I hear him out.
“Thank you. Okay. Yeah, it’s Club business. I’m not gonna tell you every detail, but I’ll tell you what I can. Tinker found the assholes who took him, and the Brothers and I are going to get him back.” his face falls as he crawls onto the bed, reaching for my hands before continuing, “we aren’t sure exactly how yet, but the good news is we will get him Tess. We will. We’re riding out early the day after tomorrow to do some recon and then we will get him back for you, safe and sound. I don’t know exactly how long it will take, but I’m bringing him back to you Tessa. You have my word.”
“Leaving? I need to run home and grab a bag tomorrow then,” I say as I start to pull away from him and go to climb off the bed.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just where exactly do you think you’re going? You need to stay here while we’re gone. The Brothers and Roxy will be here to help you with anything you need while I’m gone,” he says, tugging me back against his chest.
“Sawyer. He’s my baby. I’m going to be there when you find him.”
“No. You aren’t. I don’t care if I need to handcuff you to this bed Babydoll, but there is no way in hell you are coming with us. Stay here. Be safe. Be ready for Evan when I come home with him. I will bring him home,” he says, holding me against him, like he is trying to squeeze the truth of his words into me.
There is a note of desperate sincerity in his voice that makes me pause. Can I really trust these men, these relative strangers, to handle this for me? Can I really put my faith completely in their hands and stay back while they clean up my mess? Regardless of what my traitorous heart may be starting to feel, or thinks it feels, do I really know any of them enough to put my trust so completely in their hands?
“Hey, hey, hey,” he says, snapping his fingers in front of my eyes, “get out of that pretty little head of yours. I can feel you thinking too hard and when that happens, we pull apart,” he admonishes, taking my chin in his hand and turning my face to look at him. Those bourbon eyes melting away the flash of anger. “You know you can trust me Tessa; you can trust them through me. We protect our own, and you and Evan are part of the family now. You trusted us enough to tell us your story, now trust us enough to give it a happy ending.”
Well, if that doesn’t make a girl melt, I don’t know what will.
“A happy ending? Are you asking to be my Fairy Godfather?” I giggle.
“Naw, that’s Gage. He’s appointed himself my Leprechaun Godfather or some shit,” he chuckles, nuzzling into my hair.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“‘Cuz that Irish bastard is a moron,” he laughs, “but, seriously, let me do this for you. I don’t want to have to worry about you while I’m gone. Let me bring Evan home for us.”
Something in my gut compels me to nod and murmur my assent as I snuggle further into his hold. He presses a soft kiss to my nape before we both settle into a comfortable silence. I’m not sure how long we stay like that but eventually we both drift off, still wrapped up in one another.
Chapter 22
Sawyer
The next morning, I wake up to Tessa sprawled over my chest, one luscious leg thrown over my hips, her knee dangerously close to my raging morning wood. I still have one arm wrapped around her shoulders and the other is splayed against her hip. My hand runs appreciatively over the swell of her hip and the curve of her ass for a moment, enjoying the fact that my shirt has ridden up around her waist in the night and has her bare to my touch. I could get used to the soft feel of her against all my hard lines in the mornings.
My phone goes off, and the sound of it buzzing on the desk makes Tessa nuzzle further into my chest. She gives an adorable little grumble before settling even more fully on top of me with a sigh.
Fuck, she’s cute.
Ignoring my phone, I close my eyes to soak in the warmth of her skin against mine. My phone goes off again, insisting that I come back to reality and leave the bliss I’m enjoying. Reluctantly, I slide Tessa off my chest, pulling my arm free from under her. She grumbles and groans in protest as she releases my arm, curling up around my pillow instead and settling back to a steady sleep. Crawling from the bed, I quietly pad over to the desk and swipe to answer the call.
“What!” I bite out in an annoyed whisper, not wanting to wake Tessa if I can help it.
“Sawyer, we found them. Get yer shit together, we’re rolling out in an hour,” Gage states on the other end, but the line goes dead before I can respond.
I set the phone on the desk and drag my hand down my face. I hadn’t expected Tinker to find them so quickly, but he always seems to do things ten times faster than he says he would. Either way, the less time Evan is in the hands of these fucks, the better, but the thought of leaving Tessa alone right now makes my heart feel like it’s in a vise grip.
I take another deep breath before I cross back over to the bed, crawling in behind Tessa’s serene form. Nuzzling my nose into the crook of her neck, I press a kiss to the spot where her neck meets her shoulder. She lets out a little breathy sigh in her sleep; I smile against her skin and continu
e my effort. Coming more fully over her, I brace my arms on either side of her shoulders and start kissing my way from her shoulder, up her neck, and to her ear.
I kiss and lick my way along the shell of her ear before lightly taking the lobe between my teeth with a soft growl, “Tessa, Babydoll,” I rumble in her ear, attempting to ease her awake. She gives another little mewling grumble and buries her head deeper into my pillow, attempting to curl up even tighter but my knees at her hip block her. I can’t help but chuckle at her effort as I try again, kissing her cheek and dragging my scruff across her soft skin in a gentle tease. This earns a more exasperated grumble and a sleepy swat of her hand against my chest, trying to ward me off.
“Mmmmm, sleepy,” she mumbles into the pillow.
“Come on Babydoll, time to get up,” I say a little louder, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Comfy. Warm. Sleepy. Stop ruining it,” she grumbles, her voice raspy and thick with sleep as she scrunches her eyes shut in protest.
“We gotta get up Tess. They found him; Tinker found Evan. We are heading out in less than an hour to get him.”
That gets her up. She flips over onto her back and stares up at me with wide, instantly alert eyes. “What? They found him?” she all but yells, rubbing the sleep and cloud of hair from her face.
“Yeah Babydoll, Tinker’s pretty sure he’s found where they ended up. We’re heading out to go recon the site and save your boy. I don’t know how long we will be gone…” I lean down and kiss the tip of her nose, because I just can’t help myself. “But I’ll be back, and I will have Evan with me when I am.”
“You’re leaving now?” she asks. I nod, bracing for the fight I can see building behind her eyes. “And I’m supposed to just stay here waiting for you?”
“Umm… Yes?” I say, knowing the second it leaves my mouth that it’s the wrong answer. She shoves against my chest, her face twisting in anger.
“Like FUCK I’m just going to sit here and wait for the men-folk to come home! You’re a special kind of stupid Sawyer McGrath if you think I am just going to sit here and twiddle my thumbs while my son is out there!” she shouts at me, scrambling from under the covers and getting up on her knees near the head of the bed… completely unaware that my shirt has made its way up to her waist, exposing those lovely warm legs. Now was NOT the time for me to be noticing things like the glimpse I catch of her pussy as she moves. Nope. Not the time.
“And if you think I am letting you get anywhere near those psychos, you are fuckin’ delusional,” I state, struggling to keep eye contact, “no fucking way am I risking you getting hurt again,” I grind out, sitting back on my heels and mimicking her position.
“He is my baby! He needs me!”
“And I’m going to bring him back to you, dammit! I am not letting you within a thousand miles of that asshole. No fuckin’ way am I entertaining even the possibility of him getting to lay eyes on you again. I am…” she cuts me off.
“That piece of shit sperm donor means nothing to me. NOTHING. I can handle myself whether you want to admit that or not,” she says, getting even more fired up.
My voice breaks with emotions I am trying to keep in check, “fuck Tess…I know you can, you’re a strong woman who’s done amazing things, but I can’t lose you. If you’re there, I’ll be worried out of my fucking mind about where you are, what you’re doing, and if you’re safe. What I should be doing is watching for Pikesmen, searching for Evan, and planning ways to make sure David regrets the last moments of his pathetic life,” my voice hardening as I continue. That shit-stain is going to pay for everything he’s done.
“I don’t want any distractions for the Brothers or me so I can bring him home to you as quick as possible. Please. Please, don’t make this any harder than it has to be. Please stay here where I’ll know you are safe.” I say, all the fight leaving my tone by the end. I meet her eyes and hope she can see the pleading need in mine as she stares back at me.
I see her processing my words, thinking through what I’m asking, and I can see the moment she acquiesces to the rationale. She collapses in on herself and drops back onto the bed, every ounce of fight draining from her. She nods. She won’t look at me and it drives me insane. I lean forward and capture her chin with my fingers, tilting her head gently up toward mine as I mutter, “need your eyes Babydoll”. at this she looks up at me, tears running down her cheeks.
“Just keep him safe Sawyer. Bring him home to me,” she pleads before she absolutely crumbles. I catch her up in my arms and bring her to my chest, tucking her onto my lap and holding her close.
“I promise, Babydoll. I will bring him home to us,” I say, kissing the top of her head as I feel the silent sobs wracking through her. Unsure of what I should say to make this moment any better, I just hold her. I turn and adjust my position so I’m sitting with my back against the headboard, Tessa curled in my lap with my arms around her and I hold her.
We stay like that as long as I can manage it before I need to get my ass in gear and get ready to head out. Ten minutes before I am supposed to be on my bike and ready to go, I squeeze Tessa just a little tighter and press several kisses to the top of her head. She snuggles into me for a moment before she uncurls from my hold and climbs off my lap. Leaning forward, I press a quick kiss to her lips before I climb off the bed and dig a duffel out of my closet.
I rifle through my dresser and throw clothes onto the bed to pack for the trip. As I turn back, I see Tessa refolding the pile of clothing and carefully tucking the items into my bag without a word. A strange warmth blooms in my chest at the surprisingly domestic sight. Shaking it off, I go into the bathroom to collect my toiletries. Coming back from the bathroom I’m confronted with a sight that stops me in my tracks. Tessa is standing awkwardly in the middle of the room wearing nothing but one of the shirts, fidgeting with the hem. She’s tamed her hair, gentle chocolate waves flowing around her shoulders. I catch her eyes wandering over my body, just as mine have been exploring her; a smirk crosses my face.
Fuckin’ hell, she shouldn’t look that good in my clothes.
I throw my toiletries bag into my duffle while I close the distance, tag the back of Tessa’s neck, and tug her in for a searing kiss. I devour her, attempting to impart all the things I can’t say, can’t explain before I need to leave. The kiss goes from zero to a hundred in no time flat, Tessa returning my hungry kisses with her own desperate heat. The fierceness of her claiming steals the breath from my lungs and only stokes the burning need I feel rising in me. Surprising me, she matches my need and fists her hands in my shirt, drawing me closer still. Using my free hand, I tug her flush against me, my hand fisting in my shirt at the small of her back. I can’t get close enough, can’t get her close enough to me.
“Tess… need you,” I all but growl against her lips, pulling my hand from her hair and dragging it down her body until I sink my fingers into the generous swell of her ass.
“Sawyer,” she moans into my kiss, her lips never leaving mine and it’s all the encouragement I need. Gripping her just below her ass I lift her, prompting her to wrap her legs around my waist as she wraps her arms around my shoulders, clinging to me as she deepens the kiss even further. With two long strides I have her pressed against the wall, grinding my hips up into her. The moan of satisfaction that rumbles from her throat and the feeling of her pressing herself down against me snaps my last thread of control.
With urgent movement I reach between us and tug at the buttons of my jeans, ripping them open and pushing the fabric down my hips just enough for my already straining cock to spring free. Tessa grinds down against my length, sliding her slick heat against me, the head of my cock teasing her clit. Taking her lower lip between my teeth, I give it a tug as I sink into her with a single hard thrust. Tugging her hips down to meet mine, the feeling of her slick heat enveloping me and holding me so damn tightly almost brings me to my knees.
“Fuck Tess,” I growl, “feel so damn good Babydoll.”
&nb
sp; Tessa whimpers, burying her face in my neck as I drive into her, setting a relentless pace. There is no finesse in this coupling, this is nothing but bodies joining in the most primal way. This is all gripping hands, nipping, biting, and driving need. Tessa claws at my shoulders, struggling to find purchase as my thrusts get even more urgent. She moans my name against my skin, her teeth sinking into my shoulder, marking me. Fuck, the idea of having her mark on my skin, wearing her claim, it damn near pushes me over the edge.
Needing to feel her fall apart around me one more time before I leave, I reach down between us and press my thumb against her clit. Almost instantly I feel her clamp down around me, squeezing me like a fuckin’ vise as her orgasm starts to crash over her. Tessa throws her head back against the wall and lets out an almost feral cry as she lets go and falls apart in my arms. The feeling of her pulsing around me sets off my own release and I quickly follow her over the edge.
Every muscle in my body tenses as my release creeps up my spine, needing that last little kick, I bite down on Tess’s shoulder, returning her claim with my own. With one last deep thrust I let go, filling her and losing myself in the process. Because that’s what this is, whether I am ready to fully admit it or not. I am lost to this woman, lost in her. With one look, one kiss, one touch, she owns me.
We stay there, Tessa braced between the wall and my body, neither of us saying anything as we come down from the cataclysmic moment we just shared. Leaning forward I rest my head on her shoulder while I try to catch my breath, and I can’t tell if it’s from the orgasm that damn near made me go cross eyed or the weight of my realization that has me gasping. All I know is I’m not ready to step away, not ready to separate from her, and absolutely not ready to meet those hazel eyes that will see through me right now.
Fuck, you’re such a bastard.
I can’t think about that right now, I don’t have time to sort through this mess in my head, and because I’m still the bastard I’ve always been I can’t even try right now. Taking one last deep breath, filling my lungs with her sweet scent one last time before I leave, I close my eyes and savor the feel of her in my arms for one last moment. I hold that breath until my lungs burn and my vision starts to blur before I step back, pulling out of her, and setting her on her feet once again. Still not willing to meet her gaze, I suck in a shaking breath and press a final kiss to her shoulder as I tuck myself back into my jeans. Needing a distraction, something to break the tension I’m creating the room, I turn toward the desk and reach for a small box Tinker told me to give her.