Without Exception (The Without Series Book 1)

by K E Osborn

  Xander shakes his head. “No, it’s fine. What can I do to make it up to you?”

  Levi sits taller. “Stay guard on the shadows tonight.”

  My chest squeezes. He really just wants to feel protected. I wish I could give him that comfort, but I will never be able to. I don’t have the genetics where he feels safe and secure.

  Xander glances back at me, and I nod. “Done. We have more to discuss with you when we get home. You okay with having a family dinner?” Xander asks.

  Elation floods through me that he’s talking about family dinners already. He really is going to make this thing work.

  Levi shrugs. “As long as there’s ice cream. No donuts. They were gross.”

  I snort out a laugh. “I’m never going to live those donuts down, am I?”

  Levi smirks, looking back out to his schoolmates who are all watching us in the car. I can’t help but feel proud of him for not putting on a show in front of them.

  “Let’s go home,” I call out.

  “Yes, let’s go home,” Xander replies, making me smile as he pulls out onto the road, making Levi smile the biggest he has in weeks.

  ALEX

  As we walk inside Tomi’s home, it takes me back to the first time I was here. The first time we made love. The first time I truly knew I was done for with her. I knew I was in deep. I knew we would end up together. But whether we could weather the storm that hit when she found out about me was another thing completely. We seem to have made it through the hurricane, now we just have to deal with the cleanup.

  We walk inside, and it looks exactly the same. Utterly perfect. Levi strolls in and sits on his sofa in the family room and glances at me to follow him. I sit, and as I peer up at Tomi, she nods at me. Levi goes to start up his video game, but I place my hand out to stop him. He eyes me suspiciously as I take the lead. “Levi, before you start playing, there’s some things Tomi and I want to talk to you about.”

  Levi sits back in the sofa, his stature tall like he’s alert and listening. Tomi slides onto the armrest of the sofa sitting next to me in support. The three of us together as a family. Well, technically the four of us, just Levi doesn’t know that yet.

  I reach up grabbing Tomi’s hand and link her fingers with mine, making Levi smile. “You two are back together.” It’s more of a statement than a question.

  “Yes, is that okay with you?” Tomi asks.

  Levi shrugs. “I like having Xander around.”

  My chest fills with pride. I love this kid, and knowing I’ve made an impact on him like he’s made one on me means everything. “Levi, how would you feel if I was here a lot more?”

  His eyes dart around the room like he’s thinking on that. “Like for breakfast after you sleep here?”

  I smirk. “Like if I slept here every night, and my things were here, too.”

  His eyes stop darting around the room as he looks at me. “You want to move in?”

  I bob my head. “Only if you’re okay with that?”

  He hums under his breath like he’s debating it. “Will I still have my room?”

  Tomi leans forward. “Of course, Xander will share my room.”

  Levi nods. “Okay.” His voice is high-pitched like he’s excited. “Will you get married now?” he asks as Tomi stiffens beside me.

  I glance at her, and she’s calmly avoiding eye contact. We’re not at that place just yet. We’ve only just gotten back together, and I need to prove to her that I’m in this, that I am trustworthy and that I only have this family’s best interests at heart.

  I’m never going to fail her again.

  I need to prove that to her before I even think of asking her something this huge.

  I know it.

  She knows it too.

  I glance back at Levi and shake my head. “No, buddy, we’re not getting married. Not yet, anyway.” I add that in to let Tomi know I see that future for us. “But there is something else we need to tell you.”

  Tomi stands from the sofa and shifts to sit in front of Levi on the coffee table. I think she wants to take it from here. So, I let her. This subject is a little more life-altering than me moving in, so it has to be broached with care.

  She leans in, and he looks from her to me and back to her. He obviously senses there’s more and starts to panic. “You’re keeping something from me,” he blurts out as Tomi licks her lips, letting out an exhale. I rest my hand on her thigh to let her know I’m here if she needs me.

  “Levi, I found out some news. Something that’s going to change all our lives,” Tomi starts.

  Levi looks from her to me again as his face lights up. “We can go back to the shop after school?”

  I tense up knowing that the shop is all but gone, but another one is being built in its place as we speak.

  Tomi exhales. “No… no, Levi, the shop’s gone.”

  His face falls like it’s broken his heart all over again. It stabs me right through mine once more. I hate I was a party to his heartache.

  “In a few months there will be a new shop, Levi,” I tell him.

  Tomi glares at me like I’ve said the worst thing possible.

  Levi’s eyes open wide like that’s the best thing I could have possibly said. “We can go there after school?”

  “We haven’t finished discussing what’s going to happen with that shop yet, Levi,” Tomi grunts sounding more than a little annoyed at me as Levi’s face falls again.

  “We haven’t?” I ask a little confused. I thought it was a given she was going to go back into the studio. It’s there, for her, why the hell wouldn’t she take it?

  “No, we haven’t, but that’s beside the point. We’re not here to discuss the shop right now, Levi. We have other news. Something very exciting.”

  Levi tilts his head while I sit here reeling.

  Is she really not going to start up the new Hope & Faith Ink?

  I can’t think of that right now, it’s a discussion we need to have in private later. Right now, is a celebration of life, so I need to be in the moment.

  “Levi, we want you to know how important you are to both of us.” Tomi beams love oozing from her.

  I sit forward nodding my head in agreement. “Absolutely.”

  He furrows his brows obviously sensing something is coming.

  Tomi looks Levi in the eyes and exhales. “Xander and I are having a baby.”

  Levi, scrunches up his face, and I think for a moment he’s going to react, but then he exhales. “So, you have one…” he points to her stomach, “… in there, now?”

  Tomi sniffs and nods. “Yes.”

  He shifts on the sofa like he’s taking this all in. “Will it scream?”

  Tomi winces. “It will cry. Yes.”

  He hums under his breath like he’s deep in thought. “Okay,” he says in his high-pitched voice, again shocking us both.

  Tomi sits up taller as I open my eyes wide. “Okay?” Tomi asks for clarification.

  “Yes, okay. I will be an uncle.”

  Tomi slowly smiles. “Yes, you will.”

  Levi smiles. “I will be a good uncle.”

  Tomi lets out a breath she was holding as I squeeze her thigh. This wasn’t the reaction we were expecting, but it’s definitely one we will take. “Yeah, buddy, you sure will,” I tell him as he smiles to himself.

  “You sure you’re okay with this? The baby will take up space in the house, and it will cry and sometimes smell and change the way we have to do things.” Tomi can’t seem to take the good outcome and roll with it.

  Levi shrugs. “I will love peanut. I will be a good uncle.”

  I want to rush forward and embrace him, but I know he would tense up if I did that. Instead, I tilt my head at him as Tomi giggles. “Peanut?” she questions.

  “It’s the baby’s name.”

  I raise my brow. “Peanut. We can work with that for now.”

  “‘Cause I love peanut butter,” Levi clarifies, making me smile.

  “Okay,” Tomi
chuckles.

  “And I’ll love the baby—”

  “Okay, you’re getting yourself excited now. How about you turn on your game and relax a little while Xander and I go make dinner?”

  Levi smiles, then leans forward taking Tomi into a tight embrace. “It will be hard. But we will be okay.” He pulls back, and I see Tomi’s eyes glistening as she leans in kissing Levi on the cheek. “You’re so freaking awesome, you know that?”

  Levi nods. “I am.”

  I let out a laugh as Tomi stands, grabbing my hand as Levi’s attention turns to the television and his game. Tomi looks at me, her cheery demeanor fading as she glares at me while we head for the kitchen.

  She leans into my side, her mouth against my ear. “We need to talk… in private.”

  The tone of her voice sends a shudder down my spine.

  She has that look about her, the one that tells me she’s pissed off, and her anger is aimed directly at me.

  Again…

  TOMI

  I’m furious right now as we walk into the kitchen. I don’t even know where to begin. Today has been such a dramatic range of emotions for me that I feel like I’m getting freaking whiplash. Xander seems tense like he knows he’s in hot water as we round the corner out of earshot of Levi.

  I turn to face him folding my arms over my chest in defiance. “What the hell was that?” I blurt out.

  His eyes widen as he stuns back seeming shocked by my outburst. “What’s going on right now, Tomi?”

  I scoff. “We didn’t finish discussing me going into the new tattoo studio and yet, here you are, telling Levi it’s a done deal. You can’t do shit like that with him, Xander.”

  His brows furrow as he takes a step closer to me. “It is a done deal.”

  I scoff, turning to walk away from him. “No, it isn’t. You think I’m going to waltz into a new place and just accept this handout from you. I don’t do that kind of shit, Xander. I work for what I get, I don’t get things handed to me like you.”

  He shakes his head, stepping up to me again. “Tomi, you’re not getting it handed to you. We’re a team now. We’re going to be a family. I’m the man of this house, and so I need to provide for you, for all of you.”

  I scoff and throw my hands in the air. “You think I can’t provide for us? Just because you’re some hotshot, wiz-bang business mogul that you’re the one going to be bringing in all the money?”

  He slumps his body. “No. That’s not what I meant at all, Tomi. You’re twisting my words. You’re just as capable as me, that’s why I want you working. But I know with the mortgage on this house and with Levi’s school fees, you can’t afford all of this and the rent in the new shop…” He exhales. “I don’t expect you’ll let me help pay for the mortgage or Levi’s school. So, let me help our family, Tomi. Let me help by paying the rent on the shop so you can pay for what you need to. I want Levi to keep going to his school, or if you want to move him to a better one, we can do that, too. I’ll happily help to pay for something more if he needs it.” He reaches out to grab my hand as I soften toward him. “But if we’re going to be partners, Tomi, you’ve got to share the load. You hear what I’m saying?”

  As angry as I was at him, the asshole is making sense. I want to be able to provide for Levi, but the truth is that Xander out-earns me at every turn. I need to bow out of this fight. I see he’s only doing this to help us, even if I don’t want to admit it.

  “Damn you, Xander,” I spit out.

  He smiles, pulling me to him, wrapping his arms around my waist as my arms loop around his neck. I stare into his deep sapphire eyes. They’re just as brilliant as I remember as we stand here in each other’s arms with our eyes locked together.

  He really is stunning as his gorgeous lips slowly turn upward, causing his left cheek to dip in, the dimple making him even sexier if that’s possible.

  Yeah, damn him.

  He leans in slowly pressing his lips to mine. It never fails, that tingle is right there like it always is. Even when I’ve been mad as hell at him, he has the power to make me weak at the knees. I can’t explain it as I open my mouth to let his tongue dance with mine. His hand snakes up into the back of my hair holding me to him as mine thread through his brown locks at the nape of his neck. The slight five o’clock shadow he has going on tickles my face as we kiss slowly, but passionately, in my kitchen, in our kitchen.

  “I want pizza for dinner,” Levi yells from the family room, making me laugh into Xander’s mouth as we break apart.

  He looks down at my stomach and exhales. “Is pizza okay for our baby?”

  I smile. “Certain ones are okay.”

  He holds me tighter. “Then it looks like that’s our first meal as a family.” I lean in kissing him briefly again before he pulls back leaning, so he’s closer to the edge of the kitchen. “Pizza it is, Levi.”

  “Okay,” he calls back in his usual high-pitched way, making me smile at Xander as he comes back in to cuddle me.

  “You’re going to spoil him, aren’t you?” I ask raising my brow.

  Xander leans in, his forehead against mine as he looks deeply into my eyes. “I’m going to spoil all three of you.”

  After having a nice family dinner and both of us putting Levi to bed for the first time, I’m lying in bed while Xander takes off his clothes. I’ve missed looking at his amazing physique. Not only does he have the body of a god, but the tattoos he sports make me more excited, especially because I know they’re all inked by me.

  Xander pulls back the sheets, sinking in as I smile up at him. He leans down pressing his lips to mine briefly, then pulls back, his face shows me how content he is right now. “I honestly never thought this day would happen for us, but fuck am I glad we’re here now.”

  I relax back onto the bed as he leans over me. “Me, too. We still have a little way to go, but this is going to work. Levi adores you. We have a way of talking things through now that we’re being honest with each other. I know we can do this.”

  He slides over the top of me and moves downward, taking the sheets with him as he goes. I giggle, watching as he pushes himself between my legs. I think for a moment his head is going between my thighs when he stops just above my stomach. His hand smooths out over the top of my flat tummy as he stares down at my navel. “I think we can, too. We have to, for the sake of peanut in here.” He leans down, placing his lips tenderly on my stomach sending a river of goosebumps cascading all over my skin at his tender touch. I bite down on my bottom lip as he looks at my stomach as if he can see right inside. “I’m gonna give you the world, peanut. No matter what life throws at you, what hurdles we might face, I’m always going to be the best father I can be… for you. I promise because you might only be the size of a pea, but I love you… so, so much already.” Tears flood my eyes as my hands move down and into his hair. He glances up at me, the sincerest of looks crossing his face. “And your Mom, very much.”

  I grab his hair, yanking him toward me. He edges up over me as I pull his lips to mine, and we kiss as he tries not to lay his weight on top of me. So, I spin us. He falls to the bed on his back, and I straddle him feeling his cock harden against my pussy. I lean down kissing him, passionately. I haven’t felt his body against mine for so damn long, I need him right now. All of him.

  My fingers grip into his hair as I kiss him, our tongues intertwining ferociously like they’ve been apart for a century as I rock on top of him, the delightful friction causing my clit to throb in the most deliciously painful way.

  His fingertips dig into my ass cheeks as he aids me in rocking on top of him, the tension building between us as I moan into his mouth. The feeling of our bodies, skin on skin, finally being together again, is like all the atoms in the air are charging, like my aura is aligning finally, and everything feels like it is back on its right path. He’s my home, and when I’m with him, everything is where it is meant to be.

  One of his hands snakes up my back and into my hair, his fingers threading throu
gh my tendrils as he clamps down on my locks. He yanks my head back, breaking our kiss as our eyes stare at each other panting for breath. “Sit back, Tomi, I want to look at you,” he demands.

  I do as he says and sit atop him, straddling him either side of his cock, I feel it throbbing beneath me, and all I want to do is move a little so he can slide inside me, but I know he has something else in mind first.

  “God, you’re beautiful.” I smile at him as I place my hands on his stomach for balance as he shakes his head. “No, I want you to touch yourself.” My eyes widen. “Feel how beautiful your breasts are.”

  Excitement rolls through me as I smirk, rolling my hips on him again. He flares his nostrils in obvious pleasure as I lick my bottom lip and run my hands slowly up my thighs, his eyes following my every movement, desire plainly written all over his features. My hands slide up my sides, over my tummy as they make their way to my oversensitive breasts. Since pregnancy’s taken hold of me, my nipples are off-the-charts sensitive.

  I draw my bottom lip in by my teeth, my eyes hooded as I stare right at Xander, his cock throbbing beneath me. My hands slide over my breasts, my back arching a little at the feeling of my fingers gliding over my nipples. I squeeze them, forcing a long breath to leave me as I start to rock on top of Xander, again needing some friction. His fingers dig into my hips as he helps me rock. My eyes don’t leave his while I tweak my nipples all the while massaging my breasts. The sensation rolling over me is sending a river of pleasure through me. He knows what he’s doing as one of his hands slides over my hip and down between my legs.

  Yes.

  I moan as his finger presses down on my clit. I can’t keep this intense eye contact any longer as my head throws back at the shot of excitement running through me. I grind down on him as his breaths come in quicker. I know he’s turned on by this as well as the pleasure that ripples inside of me.

  His finger circles on my clit as I continue to tweak my nipples, the powerful current flowing over me is making me pant out heavy breaths as I try to keep my voice down.