Mended Hearts

by Tammi Lynn

“Ugh! You’re killing me here! I need some gossip.”

  “Still don’t see Cassie much anymore?”

  “I swear the only time I do see her is when she does show up here at work. She’s never home anymore, or I’m not home when she is.” Her head drops a little.

  “Hey don’t worry, I’m sure everything’s fine and she’ll come back around.” I may need to have a talk with two biker brothers. “Ouch.” I feel a sharp kick to my ribs and my stomach rolls. “I’ll be right back.” I run as fast as I can to the bathroom before ridding myself of all my lunch. Ugh. I don’t get sick much with this pregnancy but when I do it hits me quick. I only have a little over an hour left of work and can make it that long.

  Rinsing my mouth out in the sink I go back out to my desk and Felicia is just putting the office phone on her desk down and on hold. “Cade’s on line one for you.”

  “I swear he has like a fucking sixth sense or something, every single time I get sick.” I shake my head and sit to answer the phone on my desk. “Hey, Cade.”

  “How are you feeling?” Knew that was coming.

  “I’m fine, got a little nauseous, but fine now.”

  “Fine?” Damnit.

  “I’m good, wonderful, and all of the above.” I say with enthusiasm.

  “Liar, you need to just start your maternity leave early. You should be home off your feet.”

  “Cade, I’m literally off my feet now, I work in an office and sit in a chair all day.” He’s so stubborn and grouchy and I fucking love it.

  “Baby Girl, you know what I mean.”

  “She’s not even due to arrive for another four months, Cade. I’m not leaving work so early in the pregnancy, I want to work.” At that moment another kick to my ribs hits and I have to drop the phone on the counter to run back to the bathroom. Shit, he’s going to be pissed. When I get back to my desk I pick the phone back up but the lines gone dead. Oh well, I’ll just have to deal with that later.

  “Everything okay?” Felicia looks over at me in concern.

  “Yeah, she just keeps kicking my ribs really hard and it makes me dizzy and nauseous. It’ll pass.”

  We get back to work and it’s about fifteen minutes later that we hear a motorcycle pull up outside. Fuck! Felicia’s eyes widen in excitement and I groan.

  “You wanted gossip? A little drama?” I wiggle my eyebrows at her and laugh. “You get it in three, two, one.” The stomp of Cade’s motorcycle boots outside the door is heard before the door opens and he storms in. He comes right through the break in the counter, I think he’s going to head for me, his eyes burning into mine and I stand. “Cade, what are you doing?” Turning his focus he walks right past me and down the hall to Jim’s office, entering and closing the door. “What the fuck?” I look at my co-worker with large eyes.

  “What is he doing?” She’s craning her neck trying to look down the hallway.

  “I have an idea and I’m going to kill him.” He doesn’t want me to work anymore until after the baby is born. To his credit I did pass out again last week due to dehydration, but I’m used to working. With Miklo in the last month before I had to leave for maternity leave I was working sixty hours on my feet doing retail to make sure my maternity pay would be as high as it could be.

  “No you won’t, you love him too much.”

  I blush. “I do, way too much. Him, Jayson, Roman, and Jesse are it for me, I didn’t find one penguin with a stone, I found four. If for some reason this doesn’t work out, I don’t even want to try again.” I wouldn’t be able too, there would be no mending my heart after that loss.

  “I love, your love story.” She sighs.

  “How’s your own working out?”

  It’s her turn to blush and she’s just about to tell me when the back office door opens and Cade comes walking down it. “Get your purse, Baby Girl.”

  “I’m not leaving, Cade.” I place my hands on my hips, letting him know I’m serious. He raises a brow and smirks, taking a step closer to me. I take one back but hit the edge of my desk. He takes another two steps till we’re standing toe to toe, I can feel his breath fan across the top of my head. I’ve got to stay firm.

  “Baby Girl.” His voice saying that nickname always makes me want to melt.

  “I’m staying.” My words come out a little shaky and I clench my thighs together, his alpha attitude is hitting all the right spots and turning me the fuck on.

  He saw the movement of my legs and his smirk widens. “No you’re not.” Reaching behind me he grabs my purse and puts it up his arm before resting his arm across my back and swooping me up in his arms.

  “Cade! Let me down!” I try squirming but he has a firm hold on me and I can’t break free. “I can’t just leave.” Felicia has her hand over her mouth trying not to laugh at my pain and enjoying the show.

  “You can now.”

  “Cade! What did you tell Jim?” Cade walks me right through the office to the door and pushes it open with his boot.

  “Call me!” I can just see Felicia making a phone motion to her ear before I’m whisked outside and set down next to Cade’s bike.

  He throws his leg over and gets on the bike. “Get on, Baby Girl.” He tries handing me a helmet. I turn right around to try and walk back into my job but don’t make it far. He reaches out and grabs the back of my pants waistband to stop my feet from going any further. “Baby Girl.” A growl rumbles in his throat. “Get on the bike.”

  My arms cross and I still don’t turn around, his hand still holding me where I am. “I thought I wasn’t even allowed on the bike anymore?” Am I acting like a brat? You bet I am, but come on this is a little overboard.

  “Yeah, I didn’t think that one through, kind of just flew over after I heard the phone drop. I don't want to leave my bike and we can pick up your truck later. Last time, until after the baby is born. Now get on.” He pulls me backward until my ass hits his leg, and he turns me.

  I glare down at him. “What did you say to Jim? I like this job, I don’t want to lose it, Cade.”

  “We just had a conversation about how you won’t be coming back until February, that gives you until three months after the baby is born.” My jaw drops. Is he serious right now?

  “You did what?” I can’t believe him, if he wasn’t so irresistible and mine, along with being so frustrating, I’d strangle him.

  “He’s cool with it, says your Aunt has already been in his ear.” Oh really? My Aunt, is going to get a call very soon. “Now I won’t tell you again. Get. On. The. Bike. Baby Girl.”

  I let out a groan and throw my hands up in the air in defeat before snatching the helmet from his hand and my purse from his arm. He’s still going to pay for this. Throwing my purse over my head I put the helmet on and get on to straddle the bike behind him. I was sad he hadn’t been letting me ride with him anymore, so I’m secretly excited to be back on. I used to be scared, but now I love the thrill. I love being wrapped around Cade.

  We get to the house and I climb off, placing the helmet on the seat I try storming inside but he grabs me by the hand, and starts pulling me behind him. Ooh first the bike ride and now this game with Cade? Fuck I love this, he has my blood boiling, making me want to jump him from behind. But no, I’m mad at him right now.

  We go through the front door and he starts to head upstairs, but I shake my hand free and run to the couch, throwing myself between Jesse and Roman who are playing video games. I snatch Jesse’s controller from his hand and start playing for him. Have to stay busy, can’t give in to the brooding asshole. Sigh. I love when he gets like that.

  “What the heck, Beautiful?” Jesse pulls me into his lap, not really mad at me for stealing his controller. “Did you need to be saved from the big bad wolf?”

  Roman looks over at us and then we all look over at Cade behind us with his arms crossed and laugh. He turns and storms right back out the door. “Thanks guys, can’t give in just yet.”

  “You really going to stop working?” Roman looks at me w
ith hope and I want to kiss him for it. So I do and lean over to give him one, almost falling off Jesse’s lap.

  “I don’t want to but at the same time, Miklo comes home in a few days and then he’ll be starting football tryouts, and if he makes it practices and games. I’d like to be there for more of that. I’ve always had to work.” I’ve been there for so much, but I’ve also had to miss so much. “I’d get to be there all through basketball season too.”

  “Good, I’m glad you’ll be home more.” Jesse wraps his arms around me and places his hands wide over my belly, resting his forehead on my back.

  I stand up and hand him his controller back. “It’s hot in here.” I remove my blouse and throw it onto the back of the couch. “I’m going to go upstairs and work on my scrapbook.” My skirt drops to the ground next and I’m standing there in only my bra and panties, both men’s eyes running up and down my body. “Miklo’s about to start his freshman year and I haven’t finished up his eighth grade year yet.” I walk around the couch to head upstairs. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  “You need any help, Beautiful?” Both guys necks are turned to watch me walk and I shake my ass a little more than necessary.

  “That’s okay, I got it.” I walk up the stairs and go into mine and Cade’s room.

  I still have some boxes needing unpacked in the corner and search through them to find all my scrapbooking stuff. Finding a space in the middle of the floor I spread everything around me and grab my box of photos. Grabbing a stack out I place them beside me and open up the scrapbook. I have one from when he was born to toddler years but this one starts from when Miklo was in preschool, all the way up until just before Christmas. I haven’t really had time to sit down and work on it since then. Looking through all the years brings tears to my eyes. I miss it. Crazy I’ll get to go through it all over again with this baby girl. I wonder how different a girl will be?

  I work on the book for hours, adding page after page of memories. I got a few of Miklo and Dre from their basketball game, ones of Miklo on his bike, with Killian and Andie, him with each of the guys, playing basketball with Jesse. All the way up until a month ago at his graduation and before he left to stay the first part of the summer with Dre. I miss him.

  Placing the last photo in, one of him hugging me and lifting my feet from the ground, a cloud of pink powdered smoke behind us, I lean back to stretch my back. The baby has been kicking and punching me like crazy for the last hour and I can’t get comfortable. I see one last stack of photos in the box and pull them out of the box. I forgot about these, again. The pictures I took for Cade’s birthday are tied together in a red ribbon and I pull one side to open it. There’s a lot of pictures. Jesse was having a blast snapping them, and I got to say they came out pretty good. Pre belly, body still banging, we turned a lot of them black and white, amping up the sexy factor with the leather and Cade’s bike.

  Rolling over I bring my knees up beneath me to stand and groan. What is she doing in there? Kickboxing? I look at the clock and it’s a little after ten. Cade’s still not home and the others came in to tell me goodnight around an hour ago. Cleaning up my mess I then take the boudoir photos and lay them all out on the bed for Cade to see when he gets home. He he he, eat your heart out my love. Let’s see if he can resist those.

  Still only in my bra and panties, because I just can’t keep cool and the house is currently kid free, I walk down the hallway to the stairs. Maybe some milk will help settle her, then I need to decide whose bed to crawl into since Cade is absent. It’s dark downstairs and I can barely see a plate of cookies on the counter when I open the fridge door.

  After drinking a glass of milk and not being able to resist eating a cookie, I know give the kid sugar Mia, smart, I walk back up the stairs. Jayson’s leaning against his doorway, shirt off with a pair of shorts on, when I get to the top, causing me to stop. “Can’t sleep, Sweetheart?” He holds out a hand to take mine, pulling me into and against him. He just made my decision on who to stay with.

  “She won’t stay still.” I whine against his chest. The baby kicks out hard again and Jayson stiffens.

  “Holy shit, I felt that.” he rubs his lower stomach. “Did it hurt?”

  “No, it doesn’t hurt, but it does get uncomfortable when she starts doing gymnastics.” He places a hand on my stomach and starts rubbing soothing circles. The baby kicks again and he pulls his hand back with a small grin.

  “Come on, let’s try something.” He pulls me into his room in front of a rocking chair.

  “When did you get this?” It’s beautiful, made in oak with intricate rose etchings along the tops and sides.

  “I’ve actually had it a long time it’s just been at my moms. I got this before Emma was born and used to rock her to sleep in it.” He takes a cover from the back and sits down. “Take a seat, Sweetheart.” He pats his leg and I sit in his lap. Laying the blanket over our legs he reaches to the side and grabs his guitar from leaning against the wall. He places the back of it against my stomach and wraps an arm around me to play. The vibrations of the chords being strung reverberates through the guitar to my stomach and Jayson’s sweet voice begins to sing a melody.

  Laying my head back against Jayson he slowly starts to rock as he plays and sings, and the baby begins to calm. I love this man with every beating pulse of my heart. How did I get so lucky? I have everything with the four of them.

  I don’t remember falling asleep, but I’m woken when I’m lifted up and carried. I keep my eyes closed expecting Jayson to lay me in his bed in no time but the trip continues on. I take a peek out one eye only before opening them both when I see Cade looking down at me. I was expecting him to be angry when I saw him next but all that’s in his eyes now is a lustful fire. Oh yeah, the pictures. Well played Mia, well played. Now, do I play coy and hard to get? Or give in to the lady downstairs and beg him to take me? Both sound fun and I’m instantly awake.

  Walking into our room he shuts the door and lays me down on the bed across the pool of pictures. “When did you take these, Baby Girl?” His tone is curious, not accusatory. “They clearly aren’t recent.” Ouch.

  “Clearly.” My snarky attitude has him narrowing his brows at me and I mimic the pose back.

  “You know what I mean, Baby Girl.” he leans down over me and holds himself up with one hand. With his other hand he starts running it up and down my legs, between my thighs and I start to squirm.

  “They were for your birthday.” His face falls and his eyes close.

  “I’m so sorry.” His hand trails up to rest on my stomach and I wait for the kick. She always moves for him. As long as she doesn’t go crazy again. She doesn’t disappoint and lightly moves beneath his warm hand. He leans down and kisses where his hand left and braces himself over me.

  Staring up into his eyes, how could I ever even blame him for the whole Nichoal fiasco anymore? I reach up and run my hand under the hair falling long over his forehead and down his cheek. He should let me trim it for him, I’ve never let anyone cut mine or Miklo’s hair over the years so I’ve gotten pretty good at it. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

  “I’ll always be sorry for every tear I make you cry, every heartache I cause your beautiful heart, and any minute I miss not being next to you.” He kisses me and I swear my heart pauses, if anything is beautiful it’s the words coming out of this gorgeous mans mouth. A man I get to call mine.

  I deepen the kiss pulling him down closer till he hovers just above me, he won’t let himself put any weight down on my middle. Grabbing the bottom of his shirt I pull it up his chest and over his head, letting him pull his arms out one by one. Throwing the shirt aside I run my hands up his torso and over his strong tatted arms.

  Cade grabs two spare pillows and pulls me till my ass is just at the edge of the mattress, he lifts my hips and places the two pillows beneath me, tilting me up at an angle. Placing a finger over my panties he rubs my clit through the fabric, teasing me. I lift my hips higher and he removes my
black cotton boyshorts, tossing them to the floor.

  I lean up on an elbow and reach behind me to unclasp my bra, before falling back down and removing it from my arms. Cade removes his jeans and boxers, letting them fall to the floor. Grabbing his dick in one hand he strokes it a few times before lining himself up with my pussy.

  “Let me know if you need me to stop.” They’ve become more gentle with me as the weeks have progressed, all afraid of hurting me or the baby, I find it adorable. I do miss Cade being a little rougher though. He pushes in and fuck does it feel good.

  He starts at a slow pace. “A little faster, Cade.” I tilt my hips as far as I can, and he brings himself to a medium pace, hitting all the right spots. My orgasm builds but doesn’t release and I start moving my pelvis against him every time he buries himself balls deep.

  Noticing my frustration, he wraps my legs around him and reaches down to lift me up before kneeling down on the ground and straightening his legs. He never came free of me the whole time and now I’m straddling over him his dick fully seated inside me. “Ride me, Baby Girl. Chase it.”

  He doesn’t have to tell me twice, I place my hands on his chest and start rocking back and forth and lifting up and down. I start off slow until I’m riding him hard and fast, my clit grinding against him. When my orgasm hits, it hits hard and I’m clenching around Cade and digging my nails into his chest.

  “Fuck, Baby Girl.” He leans up onto one hand and places the other behind my back thrusting his hips upward in a few quick thrusts before he’s jerking inside me and falling back down to the carpeted floor.

  I collapse on top of him, our bodies slick with sweat and hold him tight.

  Putting my arms on his chest I look into his green and he smiles, wiping some damp hair from my face. “Where did you go all afternoon?” I refuse to think the worst, but still curious as hell.

  “Went and watched some baseball with Davian for a few hours and then just drove around for awhile. Wanted to give you time to cool off.” He laughs.

  “Well I don’t know about cooling off, but I’m okay with it, Cade. I’ll stay home till February. Wait, you were at Davian and Felix’s? Did you see Cassie?”