by Lee Wardlow
AJ snarled at our much larger brother. “She is playing me. She’s been sleeping with me and dating him,” he revealed.
I shook my head at AJ. “Maybe she wouldn’t be dating him if you did more than sleep with her,” I suggested. “Ask Elijah about that before he finally took Jenny on a date.”
My brother glanced at his wife. Then he looked at AJ. “Ben might be right.”
“Shut the fu…”
“Watch your language AJ,” Rachel informed him invading our circle of men. “I want a dance Ben.”
I cringed inwardly. I don’t think I had ever danced with my mother. She took my hand and started tugging me to the dance floor. I peeked over my shoulder at my brothers seeking their help. They were sniggering at me. The bastards. Elijah didn’t have to dance with her at his wedding.
In the center of the dance floor, she put her hand on my shoulder and waited for me to take her in my arms. I rolled my eyes and obliged her. I put my hand at her waist and took Rachel’s hand.
“Happy?” I asked.
“Did that kill you?” She countered.
Not really. I led Mom around the floor without any effort. “I love you Ben.”
I glanced down at her with concern. “Are you okay?”
She sighed. “Why do you have to ask that whenever I tell you that I love you?”
“I just wanted to be sure you weren’t dying or anything,” I clarified.
“Smartasses. I raised a lot of smartasses.”
I surprised her when I pulled her closer and kissed her temple. Rachel had tears in her eyes then. “I love you too, Mom. I appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, Asia and Disa.”
She smiled through her watery eyes. “I love the three of you. I’m happy for you,” she declared. “Now, to marry off the other assholes.”
I chuckled at her. “So, you can have more grandchildren?”
“That wouldn’t hurt,” she agreed. “But I want to see them all be happy Ben.”
“Do you approve of Lilah because Matt likes her.”
Her eyes traveled across the room where Justin was monopolizing Lilah as usual while Matt avoided her like she had the bubonic plague. “Ben, that woman is complicated. She is hurt, and a little broken right now but then again, so is Matt.”
I nodded.
“I feel about her like I do Merci. I don’t want to see any of them get hurt. I’m just not sure what is right for them.”
I understood her feelings. I felt the same way.
“Any reason you asked for this dance? You didn’t dance with Elijah at his wedding.”
“He would have felt awkward. Elijah is Elijah. I didn’t want him to feel that way.”
Yet she could make me feel awkward. I shook my head at her. Then I hugged her close. I understood that statement about Elijah though.
He wasn’t comfortable with many people. Jenny was one of the few. Me too. He loved our mother, but he would have been mortified if she had asked him to dance with her even though it was just family and friends at the farm where they were married.
“You danced with Matt too at his wedding to Layla,” I stated.
“I did,” she agreed.
The song ended and at first, I held onto my mother. “Ben are you okay?” She asked me when I didn’t release her right away.
“I am but I wanted to hug you just a second longer.”
She laid her head against my chest and patted my back. She understood. I wasn’t her little boy anymore. I probably hadn’t gotten a hug like this since I was thirteen or fourteen. Too big to behave in any manner that showed I loved this woman. “I love you, Rachel.”
She knew deep down that we liked to call her Rachel behind her back. The moment was broken. She pulled out of my arms and smacked my ass before she walked away from me. I glanced over my shoulder and before she got too far, Mom turned and winked at me. I laughed at her or with her. She was chuckling as she walked to my dad. He wrapped her in his arms and hugged her. I was glad that they were doing so well.
I rejoined my brothers who were giving me funny looks. I wasn’t sharing anything about that dance with them. It was between me and Mom. If they wanted to find out what went on with a mother – son dance, they needed to find a woman and get married themselves.
It was nearly midnight when everyone left. I finally got to take my bride home. Mom and Dad took my daughter for the night so Disa and I could have a night alone. We didn’t go to the trailer. We went to a cheap motel in Severe. It wasn’t fancy, but it was away from everyone where no one knew where we were.
Disa had packed a small bag for us. We weren’t going to need much tonight. Tomorrow I wanted to take her for breakfast then it was back to normal for us just as man and wife.
In the summer, I promised her I would take her somewhere. She didn’t care. Disa understood that work was just too busy for me to leave right now. Christmas was just around the corner. We would have a few days there to spend together.
We were in our room and starting to undress. I watched Disa taking down her hair while I took off my vest and laid it on the bed. I removed my tie and unbuttoned my shirt then she turned her back to me, so I could unzip her dress. She let the straps slowly slide down her arms. I brushed her hair aside and caressed her neck with my lips. I felt her knees give and a soft moan of desire escaped her sweet mouth.
I wrapped my arms around her belly and held Disa on her feet. She tipped her head to the side; her long hair cascaded over her shoulder covering her breast where my grandmother’s pin was clipped to her bra.
Turning Disa in my arms I let her gown slide to the floor, leaving her in just her satiny bra and underwear. I assaulted her mouth with my own. Her fingers were struggling with the buckle of my belt while my tongue danced in her mouth, teasing and tormenting her.
She broke our kiss. Then, slowly pulled my belt from my pants with a snap. She tossed it to the floor and unzipped my pants shoving them down my hips. Her eyes were on fire with passion. I wanted to take her and shove her to the bed. She pushed my hands away from her. I frowned.
“Tonight, I give you pleasure first,” she declared. I kicked off my shoes and my jeans. She caressed me through my boxers and I inhaled roughly.
I loved her touch.
Her eyes teased me. They promised me that I would enjoy tonight. She yanked my boxers to my feet then she shoved me back on the bed. Disa crawled across my body, straddling me. Her desire for me as obvious as mine was for her.
Her tongue traced patterns across my chest. I let my head fall back against the bed. I closed my eyes lost in the sensations that she was creating in my body. A burning fire for her started in my groin and was working its way up to my chest. I could barely breath I wanted her so badly.
She rubbed against me. Her satin clad bottom was like torture for my engorged cock. I groaned. She loved every aching minute she was causing me. She removed her bra and laid it on the nightstand. She rubbed her hands across her own tits and I nearly lost my mind. I loved it when she touched herself.
She was an angel with innocence and a wanton woman at the same time. She had bewitched me with her looks and her loving kindness. I was lost without her. I reminded myself it would be years before I had to worry about being without her again then she did the unthinkable. Something she hadn’t done yet.
She sucked my cock and I grabbed her head in my hands. I almost forgot to breathe. “Disa,” I groaned her name. I watched her loving my body with her hands and her mouth. I gasped for every breathe that came from my lungs. I let her have her way with me until I thought I was about to come in her mouth.
Then I yanked her to me. I stared at her sweet, innocent face. I rolled Disa to her back before jamming my hand down her underwear. I had to touch her.
She was mine now. Always. Forever.
I slipped a finger inside her. She was ready for me. I wanted inside her in the worst way. I slid her underwear down her legs and she kicked them over the side of the bed.
She pulled my face to hers and
kissed me harshly. “Ben,” she whispered my name against her lips. “Go down on me, now.”
Shit, how could I refuse such a sweet request. I slid down her body, pressing kisses along the way. I got between her legs and spread them wide gazing at her over the slope of her belly. I held her down with a hand pressed firmly at her belly button. Then I sucked her clit into my mouth and drove her wild with my mouth and tongue.
She tried to squirm, but I wouldn’t allow it.
Disa groaned as my lips and tongue gave her pleasure like I had never given her before. She tangled her fingers in my hair and begged for mercy. I didn’t let up. I wasn’t going to until she came on my lips.
I ran my tongue across her sensitive bundle and she arched off the mattress. “Ben, please.”
“Please what, baby?” I had to make her beg for it.
She groaned. “Please make me come.” Her voice quivered in anticipation. Her eyes were tightly closed. Her arms went over her head and she clutched the sheets.
I gave my woman what she wanted. I made her come hard and I made her practically scream my name. I didn’t stop there. I got on my knees and stroked myself. Her body was fluid and satisfied. Her legs were lying open ready for me to be inside her where I belonged.
I slid in gently because I knew she was sensitive but that didn’t stop the loan moan that rolled from between her lips. She ran her fingers down my chest. Then she touched herself. I could feel her fingers touching me where our bodies connected, and I almost lost my shit.
Her eyes were blazing locked on mine as I stroked her body, thrust after thrust. I loved the easiness that happened between us. The comfort she felt with me. She touched herself over and over until she was wiggling beneath me. She was going to come again and damn, if it wasn’t a beautiful sight.
When she came, she smiled at me. Then she licked her fingers and I groaned. I crushed her with my weight. She took all of me, wrapping her legs around me. She dug her nails into my back then my ass.
“You had better make me come again, Benjamin,” she whispered in my ear.
I did just that. Slowly stroking her body with my own. Then I found my release. Her body throbbing against mine caused mine to let go. My orgasm hit me hard and fast. I didn’t have time to pull out.
I sighed.
“Something wrong?” She whispered.
“You know what’s wrong,” I said chuckling at her. “At this pace we’re going to have two children before next year.”
She cupped my face between her palms and looked at me. “Ben, honestly, I wouldn’t mind. Would you?”
It would make us busy. Too busy for each other? “I just want to have time for us.”
“I’ll always make time for us,” she promised.
Then I rolled us together, so we were laying side by side. I caressed her cheek. “I would give you whatever you wanted, Disa.”
“Then let’s just see what happens.”
I kissed her nose and laid on my back. She snuggled into my side and rested her head on my chest. Later, when she was asleep, I got up and hung up her dress. I picked up my clothes and laid them over a chair. Then I brushed my teeth, took a piss and climbed back into bed with my wife.
That the strangest thought. I had a wife. A strange thought but the best one. I slept the rest of the night in complete peace with her by my side.
Epilogue
My last hurdle to get over was today. My court date that would make Asia’s custody solely mine was at three o’clock. More than ninety days had passed since Jasmine left Asia. The courts now considered Jasmine to have abandoned our daughter. She was no where to be found so we were moving on.
I was married.
There had been no repercussions from the attack at the compound orchestrated by my brother and his explosives expert Jace. A boss woman if ever I met one. I liked this woman. She made Heath smile. I wondered if he realized what a grinning fool he was when she was around.
Hawk had confirmed that Ron Parson was no longer living at the compound but that didn’t mean he was no longer a threat to us. I didn’t believe that for a minute he wasn’t plotting something, neither did my brothers. Lilah was still a huge threat to him.
Disa and I were happy but looking over our shoulders all the time. I met Samson Hallows in the lobby of the courtroom.
“This is cut and dry,” he reassured me, and it was.
The judge granted me sole physical and legal custody of Asia Hatfield, my daughter. He did recommend that if Jasmine ever returned to Sherwood that I try to come to a parenting agreement with her. I told him that I would, but I prayed every day that Jasmine didn’t come back into our lives.
I shook Mr. Hallows’ hand outside of the courtroom and headed to my truck. I tried calling Mom’s cell phone to let her know it was over. She had a doctor’s appointment today, so she had left Asia and Disa with Seth at her house. She didn’t answer my call which I thought was strange.
I tried Disa’s cell phone and was relieved when she picked up right away. “Hi baby, it’s done,” I answered her sweet hello.
“I’m so glad,” she told me.
“Any word from Mom. I tried her phone. She didn’t answer.”
“None,” Disa replied. She sounded worried. It was four o’clock in the afternoon. “She should have been back by now.”
“Yes, she should have,” I agreed glancing at the clock in the dashboard. “I’m going to call Dad at the pub. I’ll be at Mom’s shortly.”
“Okay,” Disa replied.
The front of the house that had been shot up by Parson’s man was fixed now. The signs that there was ever any trouble there were gone. Matt couldn’t say the same thing. The remnants of his burned, out barn was still like it was the night of the fire.
In the spring he was going to build a new one. He wasn’t in any hurry. He wouldn’t need it until next fall when the harvest started.
I called the pub and Amy one of the servers had to get Dad to the phone. “Have you heard from Mom?” I asked when he said hello. “I tried to call her to tell her about court.”
“Nope. You know her though. She’s probably shopping and left her phone in the console when she went inside.”
“Probably.” I agreed. I told Dad about court.
“Congratulations son. Good news.”
“I’m heading to Mom’s. Talk to you later,” I told him.
“Yep. Tell her to call me later,” he said.
“I will.” We disconnected our call and I focused on the road.
I arrived at my parent’s house fifteen minutes later allowing Seth to leave for the pub. He had kitchen duty as always and was just waiting on me to get home.
In the living room, Disa met me with my daughter. I kissed my wife then took Asia from her. My baby was over four months old. I kissed her neck making her giggle. She had personality and charm. She cooed at me and smiled when she saw me now. I loved this child more than life itself.
The doorbell rang and we both turned towards it. “Must be a delivery.”
“I’ll get it,” Disa said.
“No,” I handed her Asia. “I’ll get it.”
Something was eating at me that I hadn’t been able to reach Mom. I opened the door and there was a special delivery man. “For Simon Hatfield,” he said.
“My father isn’t here right now.”
“You can sign for it. You’re over eighteen.” He handed me the envelope. I signed my name and shut the door. I looked at the envelope that only had my father’s name on it.
My heart slammed hard in my chest. I knew this wasn’t good. I ripped open the envelope. “What are you doing?” Disa asked watching me open my father’s envelope.
My eyes met hers. “Something is wrong,” I told her.
I peeked inside the envelope. There were some pictures. I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply. I knew at least one of them was of my mother. I could see her dark hair in the picture.
I needed to sit down. I reached behind me and locked the front door.
Then I guided Disa to the dining room where I could sit.
I sent a group text message to my siblings telling them to come to Mom and Dad’s, everyone except Seth. He couldn’t leave the pub anyway and I didn’t want him to alert Dad that something was wrong just yet.
Then I waited for them to arrive.
One by one.
Danni and Walker were first.
She wanted to know what was wrong. “Just wait until they all get here.”
She held India close to her. My sister was afraid.
AJ was next.
Then Heath who came alone leaving Lilah and Merci at his cabin by themselves. I guess I should have told him to bring them with him. Maybe they shouldn’t be left alone anymore.
Matt arrived with Justin. He put him in the living room with cartoons on the television. “What the hell is going on?” Matt asked.
“We need Elijah,” I declared. “Then we’ll talk.” My hand rested on top of the envelope. My brothers weren’t patient men.
Jenny and Elijah arrived a few minutes later. Elijah had come straight to Mom and Dad’s from work. He stopped only to pick up Jenny and Jeremiah.
“All right Ben, we’re all here but Seth and I noticed he wasn’t on your group text. What the hell is going on?” Matt asked me.
I opened the envelope. A letter was inside so I took it out first and read it to my siblings.
You became complacent.
Too comfortable.
You should have been more aware.
I’ve been watching and waiting.
I have something of yours.
Now the ball is in your court…
“What the hell,” Matt snapped. He snatched the letter from my hands.
I took out a picture of my mother and a sob escaped my throat. AJ snatched it out of my hand. He rubbed his hand across his jaw. Heath took the photo from him.
“Son of a bitch,” he snapped. Matt looked over his shoulder.
“What do we do?” I asked. “You declared war on the man and now he has our mother.”
“Give Lilah to him,” AJ said.
I heard Disa whimper. I knew what she was thinking. How could we? I understood her feelings about Lilah. The woman had stood up beside her at our wedding. I reached for her hand.
