by Wolf, Alex
“That’s it. Fuck that dick like a dirty little slut.”
“Holy shit, Decker.” Her words come out on a pant.
Her body quakes, her orgasm coming on quick. She squeezes around me, and I can’t take it any longer. Her tight, wet pussy grips down on me and sends me over the edge. I shove her down flat on the bed, pinning her with my hips and chest, and I shove as deep into her as humanly possible. I let loose and come inside her once more as she rides out her orgasm.
We remain joined until her breathing evens out, and I kiss down her neck, shoulders, and back.
“Decker?”
“Yeah?”
“I hate to ruin the mood, but I have to tell you something. You’re not gonna like it.” Her eyes are half-hooded like she’s about to pass out.
“Is it about us?” I sit up, a jolt of fear slamming into my chest.
“It’s work.”
I breathe a sigh of relief as she goes on to tell me about Donavan’s lawsuit against her client.
Fucking Donavan.
I need to go through and review everything in the documents, but I already know it’s him trying to tank the merger.
“Don’t worry about it right now. I’ll take care of it.” I pepper kisses all over her, until she falls asleep. I slip out of bed and turn the fan on. It’s hot in the room and I want her to be comfortable. I want Tate to know I cherish her, and I’ll do whatever it takes to take care of her.
I watch her sleep, hoping like hell when all is said and done, I get to keep her. I want her to be mine. I don’t want her going back to Dallas, and I’ll fight Weston and my brothers if I have to. I don’t want her anywhere else, but with me.
Not now.
Not ever.
I want Tate Reynolds for the rest of my life.
Tate
My body aches as I stretch. I wake up in Decker’s king-sized bed, but the other side is empty. My clothing is folded and lying on a chair. There’s a note on the pillow.
Tate,
Last night was perfect. I’m in the kitchen. Put these on and join me for breakfast.
Decker
There’s a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a V-neck white tee laid out for me. They’re both my size.
Did he go buy pajamas while I was asleep?
I help myself to a shower. His private bath is immaculate. On one side is a clawfoot tub with an adjacent open-door shower with so many heads I don’t know if I can figure out how to work the freaking thing. I find towels in his walk-in closet attached to the bathroom. I’m sure Jenny has some girlie shampoo and soap upstairs but I’m not about to ask. I pick up the black bottle and take a whiff. It smells like Decker. I’m not washing my hair here though. I snag a scrunchie from my clutch and sweep my hair up to keep it from getting wet.
I look down as the water cascades over my body and see the bite marks on the insides of my thighs. I think back to what Decker said and a wave of tingling courses through my body.
“When you’re getting dressed tomorrow, look at the mark I’m about to leave right here. Let it remind you who this pussy belongs to.”
Fuck, he’s so damn possessive and just, hot.
After my shower, I slip on the pajamas and walk through the house.
The smell of bacon wafts down the hallway and my stomach growls. Decker worked my body out good last night. I’m a little sore, but in the best way possible. I walk into the kitchen to find him cooking breakfast. He’s wearing that goofy apron again. Jenny sits at the breakfast bar with a book, eating a bowl of fruit and yogurt.
“Morning.” Jenny smiles at me.
My cheeks must turn some shade of pink. I hope she’s okay with me staying over, but I guess it’s a little too late for her to complain. She doesn’t seem to mind one bit, though, judging by her reactions. She seems genuinely happy her father is happy.
“Hope you’re hungry. Dad’s cooking enough to feed the neighborhood.”
Decker sticks his tongue out at her. He walks over to me with a mixing bowl, stirring pancake batter. His lips meet mine and I pull back to smirk at him. “Show off.” I glance at the spread taking up half the counter space. Sitting in front of us are eggs, bacon, fruit, yogurt, sausage, and now the man is making pancakes.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d prefer. So, I made a little bit of everything. It’s overkill I know.” I swear he looks embarrassed by his actions and it’s adorable.
“It’s sweet. Thank you. I don’t eat a heavy breakfast, though.” I grab a piece of bacon and help myself to one of the mugs of coffee.
“Told you, Dad.”
I listen to the two of them bicker and, oddly, I don’t feel out of place. I’m enjoying myself and get the impression Jenny likes having me here too.
I continue sipping my coffee and crunch a piece of bacon between my teeth. It’s not lost on me that Decker cooks bacon the appropriate way, crispy.
The two of them go out of their way to make me feel welcome and keep asking me if I need anything else. After the third “no” they take the hint I’m content watching the two of them in their element. Decker finishes making the pancakes and fills his plate when the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it. It’s probably, Joselyn.” Jenny pushes off from the counter.
“Her bestie.” Decker sits down on a barstool.
“Bestie, huh?” I laugh at his attempt at teenage vernacular.
“Yep. They’re Gucci.”
“Okay, just stop, Decker.” I put a hand on his forearm.
He grins. God, the first day I walked into his office, I never thought I’d hear him cracking dad jokes. This is all surreal.
“Dad, there’s some lady at the door.”
Decker groans and drops his fork. When he gets up, he freezes. His hackles rise and his face turns fiery red.
I glance back to see what pissed him off. I’ve only seen him look this mad once before, and it was at his office.
Sure enough, it’s the same reason today. Jenny walks into the kitchen with Monica, and I can see the whole story written on the poor girl’s face. She knows Monica’s her mother.
I should worry about how Jenny processes the moment, but all I can think about is how this woman ruins every single great moment between Decker and me.
“What the hell, Monica?” Decker’s tone is low but deadly.
“I tried calling, but you never answered. Guess I see why. Too busy playing house.”
I know it’s not my place to get involved but Jenny is on the verge of tears and Decker is about to pop a blood vessel. I feel protective of them even though our relationship—or whatever this is—is still new. “Get out.” The words tumble from my mouth before I think them through.
“What?” Monica glares at me and looks to Decker.
“Don’t look at him. Look at me.” I don’t know what I’m doing, but I can’t stop speaking. “You shouldn’t be here. When Decker is ready to talk, he’ll call you.” I move toward her and she takes a step back.
“You don’t tell me what to do.”
“You need to leave. Now.”
Jenny rushes to her dad and he wraps her in a hug. He moves her out the back door onto the deck. I’m not sure how he’ll feel about me butting in, but this woman is ridiculous.
“He owes me.” Monica’s bottom lip quivers.
“He owes you?” I laugh. “Decker owes you nothing. If anything, you should be grateful he raised your daughter and doesn’t sue your ass for child support. He’s a lot nicer than I am, lady. I’m sure he’ll get your money for you. He always keeps his word. But you bother him or upset Jenny again, you’ll deal with me. Are we clear?”
“Crystal,” she murmurs. “Tell him I’ll be waiting out front.”
I nod and she spins around on her heels and flips her hair, leaving me alone in the kitchen. The backdoor opens and Jenny bolts up the back staircase to her bedroom.
Decker stares at me and, for the first time, I can’t read how he’s feeling.
“Umm… Monica’s
waiting out front for you to write her a check.”
He nods.
“Is Jenny okay?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s always known about Monica.” He sighs. “Just never met her.”
“Sorry I butted in. Figured it’d give you a chance to get Jenny away. I just felt protective of you guys.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the sentiment.”
I can’t tell if he’s mad, happy, or just indifferent. He’s keeping his cool way better than I would’ve thought he could. Maybe it’s the fact Jenny is here. I admire his restraint at the moment. He’s stoic—fatherly. I guess that’s what being a good parent means. Not losing your shit in front of your kids, no matter how bad you want to. “If you want me to go, I get it. I know it’s not my place.”
Decker steps in close. “I care about you, Tate, and I love that you stuck up for Jenny and me.” He leans down and gives me a quick kiss.
“Shouldn’t you go out there?”
“Let her squirm.” He kisses me harder. A few minutes pass and he eventually pulls away to deal with Monica.
Decker
I can’t believe Monica had the nerve to come here knowing Jenny would probably be home. I walk into the living room and peek out the blinds. She’s waiting in the doorway. She has on tight jeans and a purple top cut way too low, showing off the boob job I’m positive I paid for. If not me, some other unsuspecting sap footed the bill. I wonder if the poor bastard she’s met has any freaking clue what he signed up for with this piece of work. Looking back, I can’t believe I fell into bed with her, but when you’re young you do stupid shit.
The worst part is, I know Monica’s a good person. I think it’s the way she was raised. From what I could gather her parents were both this way. Always looking for a handout, never working for anything. It’s hard to assign blame to someone for the way they are, when it’s all they’ve ever known.
There’s a black sedan parked on the street with tinted windows. I can’t tell if anyone else is in it or not. Monica stares at the front door waiting for me to come out. I need a few minutes to get my temper in control. If I walk out there now who knows what I’ll say to her. I don’t want to yell loud enough for Jenny to hear. On top of everything, regardless of what Monica does, she’s still Jenny’s biological mother. My daughter is part her.
I’m glad Tate stepped in so I could get Jenny away from the situation as soon as possible. I know I’m being overprotective; Jenny is fourteen. She’s a young woman now, but I don’t see myself ever not shielding her from dangerous people. Dangerous in the sense they could harm her emotionally as well as physically. I tried playing it nice in my office when she showed up. It’s time to take the gloves off. This shit has to end. We had an arrangement, and Monica broke it coming here.
I honestly thought Jenny would be more upset. All she said to me was, “Is that my mother?” I could’ve lied to her, but I didn’t. We don’t lie to each other. I don’t keep anything from her, and I won’t start now.
Jenny was upset, but she’s a tough kid with a good head on her shoulders. She’s always known her mother wouldn’t be in the picture. I took her to therapy when she was little to make sure it didn’t cause any abandonment issues. I rake a hand through my hair and go into my office to grab my checkbook.
Monica doesn’t deserve a dime for pulling this shit, but I want her gone from our lives for good. I won’t have her setting Jenny back or hurting her more than she already has. Taking a deep breath, I open the door. Monica wipes at her eyes but I don’t give a damn if she was crying. I did my best to stay on good terms with her—paid her a ton of money, and this is how she repays me.
I keep my voice down to a whisper, but by the end it’s almost a whisper-scream. “What the fuck were you thinking, showing up? At. My. God. Damn. House. We had an arrangement.”
“Sorry, Decker, I just started thinking after our talk the other day. I saw that picture in your office and wondered if she thinks about me or asks about me. You know? It was stupid, I know that now. It’s just I’m her mom and we’ve never met. She’s beautiful, though, and so polite. I didn’t mean to upset her, I swear.”
“How selfish can you be? Did you even ask yourself what showing up here might do to her? And for fuck’s sake, she’s a child. Of course she wondered about you, when she was five years old, but not now. She knows you’ll never be part of her life. That was the agreement. You don’t get to say, oh oopsie it’s been fourteen years but guess what, I’m your mom. I know you and, in a month, or hell a week, you’ll be with the next man and Jenny will be a fading memory. I’m not having it.”
“She probably thinks I’m a monster anyway.”
“Don’t.” I shake my head and point my finger. “Don’t pull that shit. Not right now. I’m too upset.”
“What shit?”
“That psychological manipulation, where you say things like that. Assume I’ve painted you in an unflattering way, and that’s why she wants nothing to do with you. It’s not true. Fact is, we don’t talk about you much. But we used to. And I have never uttered one bad thing about you to that girl in there. As a matter of fact, I embellished on the good side. I don’t want her thinking her mother is a bad person. Why would I do that? She’s half you, you get that, right?”
Monica stares at me with surprise in her eyes. Like she thought this whole time I’ve told Jenny she’s the devil.
I sigh. “Look, you can’t be here.”
“I understand. I wasn’t thinking.”
“You never are, are you?”
“That woman seems to care about you guys a lot. It’s the same one from your office, isn’t it?”
“That’s none of your concern.” I open the checkbook, but she keeps on.
“I may not be mother of the year, but I still care about you and Jenny.”
I snort. Monica’s only out for number one. “I guess we’re moving on to manipulation tactic number two, where you pretend you care about us now. Look, you’re the woman who gave birth to Jenny. Nothing more. So, don’t come here acting all righteous like you’ve ever given a damn about her or me.”
“That’s not true.” She frowns.
“We’re done here. Tell me how much so I can sign this check. And once I do, this is it. It’s the last one, so make it count. I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to hear from you. I don’t want you to think about Jenny or me again. We’re dead to you.” I was fine giving her money when she kept away but this stunt today sent me over the edge.
“That’s it? You’re just buying me off?”
“That was the deal fourteen years ago. I’m just expediting it to a lump sum payout. Give me a number.”
She looks at her feet and mumbles, “Fifty.”
My jaw ticks but I prop the checkbook on the front door. I fill out the check and rip it from the book. “I give you this money and you promise we’re done, or I’ll let Tate have a go at you. She’s one of the top attorneys in the country and she’d love nothing more than to haul your ass into a courtroom. You don’t want to be on the other end of that.”
“I promise. I told you I’m leaving Chicago.”
“Good.”
Monica takes the check and starts for the end of the driveway, then turns back. A tear slides down her cheek. “I’m not a monster, am I?”
I shake my head. There’s nothing I’d like more than to shake the shit out of her, but I just can’t be cruel. Not too harsh, anyway. I don’t know if it’s because of our past, or because I see a little bit of Jenny in her. “You’re not a monster, Monica. You’re just—” I shake my head, searching for the words. “You didn’t have the best examples growing up. I’m not blaming your parents for who you are, but it makes a difference. There are a lot of good things about you. I really do wish you the best, and hope you find whatever makes you happy. It just can’t be our daughter.”
Monica nods. “You really are a great father, and you’ve been good to me over the years. Can’t say the same for myself. I’m sorry
.”
I walk out to her, because I don’t want her to think I hate her. I just want her gone. Once I’m in front of her, I put a hand on her shoulder. “I forgive you, okay?”
She nods and tears stream down her face, even more this time.
“If you show up in Jenny’s life without permission again, there will be serious problems. Maybe when she’s an adult she’ll contact you. That’s up to her.”
“Okay.”
I turn toward the door. “Good luck, Monica.”
I walk to the porch and never look back.
Tate
I go upstairs and seek out Jenny. She’s in the TV room lying on a dark brown leather sectional flipping through the movie channels. I knock gently on the door. “Can I come in?”
She shrugs her shoulders.
I enter and smile when she selects Twilight.
“Team Edward or team Jacob?”
“You like Twilight?” She seems skeptical.
I collapse into the armchair. “Totally. I read the books two times.”
“No way.”
“Way!”
She laughs.
“I started out team Jacob because I accidentally read New Moon first, but the second time I came around to team Edward.”
“I’m team Rosalie.”
I freeze. “What?”
“Bella should have chosen herself. She had these two guys who were both right and wrong for her for different reasons, but she should’ve kicked them to the curb and gone for that nice guy, Mike.”
“Smart girl.” I know she’ll eventually appreciate the brooding bad boys like the rest of us, as long as they turn into redeeming nice guys once their layers are peeled back. Sort of like someone I think about at that exact moment.
We get about ten minutes into the movie when Decker joins us. “There you are.”
He comes into the room and grabs my hand. “Come with me.”
“No way. Jenny and I are watching a movie. You’re welcome to join us.”
