“When did you start asking around?”
I don’t know whether to be happy or pissed off that he has found this information out. Wyatt smiles, lifting his hand, he claps it down on my shoulder. “The day that bitch ran into Channing in the grocery store. I knew you were going to insert yourself in her life, and I knew that shit was going to get ugly before it got better. I want what’s best for you, and for her. I don’t think James or his wife are going to go away any time soon.”
Nodding my head, I wrap my hand around the back of my neck and squeeze the tension there. “No, they aren’t. They have already proven that. I’ll talk to her, tonight,” I nod. “Breakfast?” I ask.
“Want to check up on her, make sure that asshole didn’t go to the diner?”
I smirk. “Fuck yea. I can’t stand that prick.”
Locking up the house behind me, I follow Wyatt to his truck. I climb inside, my mind forgetting about the dinner I promised and instead focused on moving, work, James, and Channing in no particular order. I want to make sure she and the baby are in the best place, and I know deep down that this isn’t it, not with this asshole constantly popping up.
Chapter Sixteen
CHANNING
I’m serving an omelet to Mr. Fairweather when the bell to the diner door jingles. Lifting my gaze to the newcomers, I can’t stop the smile from forming on my lips. It’s Rylan and Wyatt. I know that I only left Rylan a few hours ago, but seeing him right now, it feels like a lifetime ago.
I’m silly, silly in love with this man, and I don’t even care. His matching smile means he feels the same and for the first time in my life, I’m in love with someone who is in love with me back. It feels amazing.
“Anywhere on this side,” I say, tilting my head toward my section.
They don’t respond with anything other than a chin lift from Wyatt, and a chin dip and wink from Rylan. I ask Mr. Fairweather if he needs anything else. My knees are bouncing, itching to run toward Rylan’s table.
Mr. Fairweather reaches out, wrapping his hand around my wrist and gives me a gentle squeeze with a matching gentle smile. “Go to your beau, honey.” He grins.
I bite the corner of my lip. “That obvious?” I ask.
He chuckles. “Aside from the little telling bump you have going on. The looks across the diner aren’t just telling, they’re screaming. From both of you. Glad to see you so happy, Channing. Good girl like you deserves it.” He smiles, releasing my hand and turns to his plate.
Taking a step back, I don’t respond. His words strike me in a way that I know he didn’t intend, but they do anyway. Deserve. Do I really deserve to be this happy? I committed several sins by being with James, by creating this life of ours that I hold so dear. I’m committing more sins by living with Rylan and not being married.
Granted, I’m not a religious person per se, but do I deserve to be this happy, really? I slept with a married man for years, years. I knew he was married, I wasn’t completely innocent or free of guilt. I knew the entire time that he was married to Jennifer.
The answer is clear, I don’t deserve shit. I definitely don’t deserve this man who looks at me the way Rylan does. This man who can’t keep his hands off of me, who has already declared he is going to be the father my child needs, the man that I need him to be. I don’t deserve a damn thing. I’m selfish, maybe a bit immature too, because I know that I don’t deserve him and yet, I’m keeping him.
Slowly, I turn from Mr. Fairweather and make my way toward Wyatt and Rylan. I can’t stop thinking about what Mr. Fairweather said. It plays on repeat half a dozen times before I reach their table. The only thing that breaks the broken record is Rylan’s hand wrapping around the back of my knee.
I jump slightly, looking down at him. His brows are furrowed, and he looks concerned as he stares up at me. He squeezes me, his lips twitching as he slides his hand up to the back of my thigh, then releases me.
“You okay, sweetheart?” he asks. Nodding, I release my bottom lip and give him a fake smile. He shakes his head, catching me. “Bullshit. That asshole show up here?” he growls.
“No, I was just thinking. It’s nothing. What do you want for breakfast?” I ask.
He shakes his head with a grin. He opens his mouth and I know whatever he’s about to say is going to be filthy. I lift my hand and place it over his mouth while he mumbles something into it, then licks my palm. Pulling my hand back, I giggle and wipe it on my shorts.
“Can I get some hotcakes with sausage patties, sweetheart?” he asks.
“Biscuits and gravy, with chicken fried steak, and a fried egg,” Wyatt orders.
“Christ, how hungover are you?” Rylan laughs. Wyatt flips him off and they both chuckle. “You weren’t even supposed to drink.”
Rylan looks over at me as I finish writing down their order on my notepad. He touches the back of my hand with his index finger. “Can you take a break soon?” he asks, he looks almost contemplative. His demeanor suddenly changing in the blink of an eye.
Looking over at Wyatt, I shift my gaze back to his. “I can break after I deliver your food,” I nod.
Walking away from them, I make my way to the kitchen and hand in their order. Clarence clears his throat before I can walk away, and I pause. Looking back to him, I notice he’s frowning slightly. “Clarence?” I ask.
He nods, his eyes finding mine. “You and that boy need to get out of Gallup. You talk to him about leaving?” he asks.
I bite the corner of my lip and turn to look back at him through the small window in the door. “Not yet. He’s getting on his feet, Clarence. I’ll probably never really be on mine at this point. I’m wondering if we’ll ever get out of this gigantic hole we’re in,” I admit.
Clarence grunts. “Girl, that man and his brother are up to no good, and you two are his prime targets. Do everyone a favor and get the fuck out.”
“You’re telling me to run rather than stand up for myself?”
He leans forward, his eyes darkening a shade. “Channing, I’m not telling you to run, I’m demanding that you do. There is nothing wrong with escaping with your life in a situation like this. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is run,” he states.
Turning away from him, I make my way back into the restaurant. I top off coffee, take dirty dishes and set them in the sink. Then it’s time for Wyatt and Rylan’s orders. I deliver their food and sit down next to Rylan with a sigh.
I watch Rylan butter and syrup his pancakes, then cut them in almost perfect rectangle shapes.
“You hungry, sweetheart?” he asks, holding his fork up to my mouth.
I almost turn him down, but my stomach growls and my face heats. He chuckles, as I open my mouth and take the fork into my mouth. The sweet syrup explodes against my tongue and I can’t stop the moan that escapes. Rylan leans over, his lips close to my ear.
“You sound just like that when you take my cock in your mouth, goddamn I’m hard just thinking about it, Channing,” he murmurs.
My breath hitches as I swallow my food, his lips touch just below my ear and he returns to his plate. “I wanted to talk to you,” he announces, his voice seemingly completely unaffected by the words he’s just whispered to me.
“You did, what about?”
He looks up to Wyatt who nods once, then tilts his head to the side. His eyes find mine and he gives me a slow smile. “Wyatt says there’s going to be an opportunity for me to change crews. What would you think about moving up to Fredericksburg?” he asks.
My heart skips a beat. “Moving?” I ask.
He nods. “Same pay, same company, and same position but with everything going on. Wyatt did some digging and found it for us. We’ll still be close enough that we can come down here whenever we need to, but far enough away…” His words trail off and I know what he’s implying.
“I don’t know if I could get a job at this point,” I say, placing my hand on my stomach.
Rylan frowns, obviously not having thought about that. He reach
es out, covering my hand with his. “I want to do what’s right for us,” he says, his voice softer, his tone gentle and calm.
I nod. “I know,” I say before I gulp.
“I have to leave on Tuesday, let’s think about it while I’m gone,” he suggests.
Wyatt clears his throat and we both turn to look at him. He’s got a grin on his face. “Just to say. When you get back from working this hurricane, you’ll have enough for first and last for a small apartment. I think you guys can make it with one paycheck. Sure, shit will be tight, but I think it can be done.” He shrugs.
“What do you mean I’ll have enough for first and last?” Rylan asks.
Wyatt takes a huge bite of his chicken fried steak and chews it while we stare at him. “We get paid for sixteen hours a day minimum, every day we’re gone. Then anything over forty hours is overtime, and we work seven days a week while we’re gone. Storm is what linemen live for. Storm paychecks are what makes the work worth it all.”
“Shit,” Rylan hisses.
“That sounds like it could be a lot of money,” I whisper.
Wyatt chuckles. “Typically we work a hundred hours a week minimum.”
“Fuck,” Rylan coughs. “Pack up, sweetheart. When I get back, we’re moving.”
“But everyone we know is here,” I point out.
Rylan lifts his hand, wrapping it around the side of my neck and gently squeezes. “I know, but that means that he’s here, and so is his wife. They aren’t going anytime soon. I want to know that when I go to work, you’re safe. Right now, I don’t know that, and it kills me.”
Sticking my tongue out, I wet my lips and my head jerks in a nod. “Okay,” I breathe.
“Okay?” he asks.
I nod again. “I want this with you. I want whatever is meant to be. I also want to be safe. I don’t feel safe either. I can’t go into the store without fear of her being there, or someone else in town saying something mean to me. I don’t want to live like this forever and you’re right, it isn’t going to just go away,” I agree.
Rylan’s lips twitch into a smirk, his thumb tracing my now wet bottom lip. “All right, sweetheart. Get your shift over with. Put in your two week’s notice and let’s take a fucking leap.” He grins.
Leaning forward, I brush my lips across his quickly before I stand. “I’ll see you in a few hours?”
He grunts, his teeth nipping my bottom lip before I straighten my back. His hand comes out and brushes my stomach as I walk past him. I can feel Rylan’s eyes on me as I make my way to the other tables and check on them one-by-one.
By the time I make my rounds and am able to come back to his table, he and Wyatt are gone. Their bill is paid, and there is a large tip. I know Wyatt’s left that, he’s always been generous, but I could tell he understood my concerns about money.
The fact is, Rylan doesn’t make that much right now. I know that if he sticks with this job, that one day he will make enough for us to live off of. We’ll never be rich, we’ll never be anything other than people who live from paycheck-to-paycheck and I’m perfectly okay with that.
I know what being poor is, and I know what having parents with no ambition is. I am not that, Rylan is not that, we will work our fingers to the bone for our family—at least I hope that he will, because I know that I will.
RYLAN
I walk through the grocery store with Wyatt, trying to figure out what I’m going to make Channing for dinner tonight. Wyatt is laughing at me as he puts his food in the cart. It’s all junk, apparently leaving on storm work means eating shit out of bags and boxes. He’s got chips, sunflower seeds, jerky, cookies, and energy drinks along with a couple cases of water in the bottom of the buggy.
“She doesn’t have a grill, so I’m fucked,” I groan.
Wyatt laughs again, then reaches for a premade meal container in the refrigerated case. “Normally I would say this is a waste of money, because you could make this shit for less. However, you can’t make this at all, so it’s not a waste. You’ll be gone for a couple weeks so spending a little on Channing before you go, isn’t a waste either, it’s a necessity,” he explains as he shoves the container against my stomach.
I grip it with both hands and look down. It’s a complete dinner for two. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. “It’s good too, I’ve bought it before.” He shrugs.
The price isn’t bad, and it was made here fresh, or so it says on the box. “This works, you think I should get her some cookies or some shit?” I ask, looking behind me at the bakery.
“I think you should get the woman some cake,” he grunts.
I smile thinking about the cake that she wanted last time we were here. Marching over to the cake display, I bypass the single pieces and go for the actual bakery case.
“Can I help you darlin’?” the lady behind the counter asks.
Eyeing the small round cakes, I ask if she has any chocolate cakes. “I have an eight-inch round, chocolate cake with chocolate icing,” she says bending down. I watch as she brings out the cake.
“Channing is going to hate you or love you, I can’t decide,” Wyatt chuckles from behind me.
“I’ll take it,” I state.
The baker smiles and I watch as she boxes it up. We leave the store. Me with my packaged meal and cake, Wyatt with all his junk food. “I’m worried about leaving her for an undetermined amount of time,” I say as Wyatt drives us toward the duplex.
He nods. “Want me to have Louis keep an eye on her? He said he was going to be in town for the next month. I know he gets bored as fuck out here sometimes.”
Thinking about his words, I bite the corner of my lip. I don’t want any man to keep an eye on Channing. However, I’m not stupid. I’ll take whatever help I can get, and who better to entrust her safety with, than a heavyweight champion?
“The man in love with her says fuck no,” I announce with a smirk. “The man who is worried about her safety has to say yes to an offer like that,” I point out.
Wyatt shakes his head and shifts the truck into park in front of my house. “Louis ain’t like that,” he says. I snort, every man is like that. I am not a fucking fool, nor was I born yesterday. “I’ll tell him no contact,” he offers.
I shake my head, wrapping my hand around the handle of the truck. “I trust her,” I state.
Wyatt’s eyes roam mine. “Don’t believe James. She wouldn’t leave you for him, not even if he offered her a wedding ring.”
I lift my chin. “See you in the mornin’,” I call out.
Leaving my cousin, I make my way into the house. Locking myself inside, I put everything away so that it will be chilled for dinner.
I want to say that my cousin is right. Channing would never leave me for James, or anyone else. However, I am man enough to admit that I am not that secure in my relationship with her yet. We’re new, and not only that, I don’t trust that I have all of her that way. I know where my head is at, I know that she’s the one for me. There’s no other woman out there that can hold a candle to Channing. I just hope she fucking feels the same way about me.
Chapter Seventeen
CHANNING
I moan, my belly full, my body sated, and warm as I curl against Rylan’s warmth. His arm wraps around my back and pulls me even closer against his side. Placing my arm around his stomach and my head on his chest, I sigh. “Do you have to leave?”
He grunts. “Louis Kingston is going to keep an eye on you, but yeah, I have to go,” he mutters.
Lifting my head, I look into his eyes. Unsure if I truly heard him correctly. “Louis Kingston is going to keep an eye on me?” I ask.
Rylan frowns slightly, then lifts his chin. “Wyatt suggested it. Apparently, Louis gets bored out here. It won’t be twenty-four-seven or anything, I just worry.”
“James won’t do anything. He’s all talk,” I state.
Something dark crosses his features and he shakes his head. “Yeah, well I’m not so sure about that, plus his bitch has alre
ady assaulted you. I can’t be here, so Louis will be around. Wyatt will leave you his number in case of an emergency before we go,” he grumbles.
“Do you not want him to look after me?” I chance asking.
He frowns. “I don’t want anyone but me anywhere near you. It sounds fucking psycho when I say it out loud though,” he growls.
I giggle, leaning forward and pressing my lips against his. “No, you don’t. I get it. I wouldn’t like some other woman looking in on you, either,” I admit.
He rolls us over, holding himself above me, but fits his hips between my thighs. I moan when his cock presses against my tender center. Rylan dips his head, his lips touching mine, his tongue slipping into my waiting mouth and he tastes me.
His kiss is hot and wet, long and delicious. I never want him to stop, not ever. I whimper when he pulls away from my mouth, then again when he begins to kiss down my neck, toward one of my breasts. He sucks my nipple into his mouth, gently lavishing me with his tongue.
Lifting one of my hands, my fingers dive into his hair. I hold him against me, my eyes sliding closed as he sucks, nibbles, and feasts on my breast. The undivided attention he’s showing sends shivers down my entire body.
“Ry, God that feels amazing,” I sigh.
Arching my back so that my breast is shoved even closer toward him, goosebumps break out over my entire flesh. He groans, opening his mouth wider to take more of me. Gripping his hair tighter, I grind my teeth together as my hips roll, searching for relief, practically begging for it.
He releases my breast and slowly kisses down my body, over my stomach and then his mouth hovers against my pussy.
“Rylan,” I hiss as I feel his warm breath wash over me.
“Just like this. I like you just like this, Channing. Wet and waiting, fucking shit, you’re gorgeous, sweetheart,” he murmurs.
My eyes are pinched closed, my head shifting from side to side, trying to calm myself, to relax. I can’t. I’m a giant ball of need and want. His tongue tastes my center, sliding through so damn slow causing my thighs to shake. I don’t know how on earth he can say I look gorgeous, not when I’m a needy mess like this.
CONVICT: An Unfit Hero Novel Page 13
