Shattered Promises

by J. R. Grant

  Laying her down on the bed, I stand over top of her beautiful body. “Have I told you how beautiful you look today?”

  Lifting her legs in the air, she starts to pull her yoga pants down, and then reaches for her white, silk panties. “Yes, you tell me all the time.” She laughs. “But I need you to show me. Show me how beautiful I am, Hawk.”

  “You don’t have to ask twice.”

  Laying down, I pull her nipple into my mouth and suck on it. Grabbing a hold of her other breast, I rub my fingers over top of her perfectly sized bud and pinch it.

  “Please… I need you inside of me,” she begs, lifting her hips.

  Grabbing a hold of my shaft, I push her legs open and gently slide inside of her. Once I’m all the way in, the pressure around my dick begins to throb. Lani wraps her legs around my waist as I thrust myself in and out of her swollen spot.

  Pulling on my shoulders, she brings my head down and kisses me fiercely.

  “You make me so…horny…oh…this feels good. I’m going….”

  Running my finger along her clit, she cries out in sheer ecstasy, making me lose myself right behind her.

  Once our breaths are evened out, I rest my upper body on my elbows and stare into her deep brown eyes.

  “I love you, Lani Renee’. Thank you for giving us a chance.”

  She smiles and pinches my nose. “I love you too, Parker. Thank you for never giving up on me.”

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  Lani

  My feet sink in the sand, the softness and warmth are soothing to my skin. The waves today are a perfect height; not too big and not too small. It’s a sunny day in June, and the crowds in Ocean City spread out across the beach.

  I’m kicked back in my chair, soaking up the sun, enjoying this beautiful weather. There’s nothing more relaxing than being intoxicated by a huge dose of Vitamin D. Having a tan makes me feel so much better about myself. I can’t explain it.

  I lean my head back to make sure the sun covers my neck when suddenly, I’m splashed with ice cold water.

  “Ahhh…” I jump up from the chair screaming, and turn around ready to kick someone’s ass.

  The boys are laughing hysterically with their buckets in their hands.

  “You little turds,” I cry, my body now covered in goosebumps. Damn them.

  “That water is like ice. How have you guys been swimming in it?”

  Zakrie’s lips are purple, he’s standing still before me shivering.

  “You get used to it once you go all the way under,” Justin says as he reaches down for his juice box.

  “Come swim with us, Momma,” Zakrie insists, as he walks over and starts pulling on my arm.

  Ummm….. No thank you. That water is way too cold for my liking. I prefer a warm ocean, not an ice box. Besides, it’s not a good day for me to be out there.

  “She can’t,” Parker tells him, walking up next to me.

  Pulling me in his arms, I squeal and try to push him away, but his hold around me is too strong. God, he’s freezing.

  “Let go of me, Hawk. You’re freezing!” I beg.

  I hate getting the goosebumps. Then I have to shave my legs all over again, and shaving right now, as big as I am, is nearly impossible. Had Parker not helped me last night, I would have never been able to see what I was doing. And trust me, the last thing these beach goers need to see is a big, fat hairy pregnant lady waddling in the sand. That would be a sight.

  “Well, when’s she coming? I want you to play with us like you used to.”

  “I’m sorry, love bug. I’ll sit in the sand and play, but it’ll be next summer before I can get back in the water again. I’m too far along right now and honestly, I would prefer to deliver your sister in the hospital, not in the ocean.”

  “Go grab your toys and buckets, Zak. Mom and I will help you build a castle,” Parker tell him and then walks in front of, me and places his hand on my stomach.

  “And you, little momma, need to hurry up and make your grand entrance. I’m getting a little impatient wanting to meet my other princess.”

  The things this man says will melt your panties. God, I love him.

  <> * <>

  Parker and I didn’t wait very long before getting married. In fact, after proposing to me on the Tuesday after Labor Day, he asked the boys for their permission to become my husband that same night, and we were married by Thanksgiving two years ago. Saying yes to marry Parker Johnson was, by far, the best decision I have ever made in my life. Besides my two favorite little men and our princess in my belly, Parker holds the key to my heart. His love is untouchable, his dedication is fierce, and the way he takes care of me makes me swoon over him every single day.

  Parker sold his house in West Ocean City and together, we bought a piece of property on the water in Fenwick Island. It’s beautiful! The neighbors are friendly, the beach is fifty steps from our backyard, and more importantly, the boys love it. There are five bedrooms and three and a half baths, which will accommodate our growing family.

  Nine months ago, I found out I was pregnant. We’re having a little girl, and she’s due any minute. I can’t wait to finally meet her. If she would hurry it up a little, I would be happy. My body this time has been stretched to the max.

  Justin and Zakrie have seen their father maybe five times since our divorce hearing. According to Mr. Phillips, my attorney, Kade completed his anger management sessions and attended six weeks of counseling by himself as well as three sessions with the boys.

  At first, I was stressed out, wondering how they would do with having a new brother around, and if Kade had really changed after all the time that had passed. But when he stopped calling and asking to pick up the boys, I gave up hope. Kade never changed like he had said. If he did, he has one hell of a way of showing it over the last two years.

  I heard stories floating around town that Kade was on drugs. Albeit I’ve never been one to ponder on rumors, I’ll be honest, my mind had been wondering a lot lately. I guess I’ll never know the truth. It’s only for the best I stay disconnected from the Foster family anyway. After the way they treated me and the boys during the separation, I realized I never meant anything to any one of them. I just hurt for my kids. Thankfully, they’ve not been missing out on life. Parker and his family have taken Justin and Zakrie in as their own.

  In more ways than I can count, I can’t thank God enough for our happiness. I’ve learned a lot of things in life; some good and some bad, but in the end, I was given a second chance at love, a second chance at happiness, and I couldn’t be more thankful. When you’re blessed with a man like Parker Johnson, you would be overjoyed too. It was getting there that seemed to be the hardest part. But now that we’re all settling in and things are finally starting to look up, I can’t imagine my life being any other way.

  Parker

  I rock back in the chair slowly, keeping her snug against my chest. To hold her in my arms is a miracle. The sun shines through the bay window, lighting up her eyes. I can’t thank God enough for my family. I always knew I loved Lani, but no amount of love in this world could ever compare to our daughter. She’s everything I’d ever dreamed of. Her curly brown hair and perfectly puckered lips, makes me smile. Summer Renee’ Johnson owns me.

  Humming, “Angel Eyes” in her ear, my heart is filled with warmth and love.

  “Isn’t she perfect?” My queen asks, wrapping her arms around me.

  Yes, I said my queen. Lani will always be my princess, but since Summer was born, she has officially become my queen. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “She looks just like her mother, of course she’s perfect.” I smile.

  She kisses my lips and then reaches for our daughter. “You better get to the office. You’ve got three meetings this afternoon.”

  “I know, but I’m not ready yet. Five more minutes, okay?” I insist, not wanting to give up our baby girl.

  “Okay, I’ll be in the kitchen.” Turning on her h
eels, my wife walks out of the room, leaving Summer and me alone.

  “I’ve waited forever for you, my little princess. I promise I’ll never let you down. You have me wrapped around your tiny little finger, and you’re only a month old.” I laugh, but it’s the truth. I can’t imagine ever telling this little girl no. With me, she can have whatever her heart desires.

  “Dad?” Justin peeks his head around the corner.

  “Hey buddy, what’s up?” I whisper, so I don’t wake the baby. She just fell back asleep.

  After Kade dicked the boys again and stopped coming around, Justin asked if it would be okay to call me Dad. Maybe I should have waited? Hell, I don’t know. But I refused to let those two down. Ever. They have been through more shit in their young lives than someone in their twenties. I wasn’t about to disappoint either one of them.

  “Parker, can I ask you a question?” Justin comes in and sits down on the bed.

  I just gotten in from the gym and was about to jump in the shower.

  “Shoot,” I tell him, as I pull my clothes out from the closet.

  He waits a minute before he speaks. And when he does, I’m beyond shocked.

  “Can Zak and I call you Dad?” he blurts out.

  I can’t believe my ears. I knew the day was coming, but never thought about it being this soon.

  I set my clothes on the dresser and take a seat next to him on the bed. Tipping my chin down, I take a deep breath and try to come up with the perfect speech, when I notice Zak standing in the door way, staring at me intently.

  “Come here,” I motion him inside the room.

  He walks in and takes a seat next to his brother. I stand up and walk in front of them and squat down. Once I’m eye level with them both, I stick my hand out for each one of them. Without hesitation, Justin and Zak take it.

  “I have been in the both of your lives since the day you were born. You should know by now how special you are to me,” I say.

  Shaking their heads, they agree.

  “Never, ever, do I want to take your dad’s place. I know he’s not been around, and I know you’re hurt. I can’t blame you one bit. But what I want to say before I give you my answer is, that no matter what happens between you and Kade, I’m always here. I won’t judge you, ridicule you, or hurt you in any way. I’ll always be your mom’s Hawk and your Parker, regardless. Got it?”

  Zak looks at Justin with a questionable look, and Justin nods his head, letting him know it’s okay. No matter what has happened, these boys continue to stick together. I couldn’t be more proud of the two of them.

  “But will you be our dad?” Zak says, his eyes filling up with fear. “We love you, and you’re like a father to us anyway. I hate not having a dad anymore, and now that Summer’s here, we want to feel included too.”

  I hate this. I could never leave them out because of the baby. These boys mean the world to me.

  Men like Kade deserve to have their dick cut off and fed to the wolves. They don’t deserve to reproduce children. Kade needs his ass beat for what he has done. This shit has nearly killed my family. I refuse to allow these boys to hurt any longer. From here on out, they’re both mine. There’s no going back. I have taken them in as my own already, but after today, I refuse to tolerate anymore. I’ve been patient enough.

  “Buddy, just because our baby girl is here doesn’t mean I’ll love you any less. You’ll always hold the key to my heart. Both of you,” I say, as I look into their eyes. “I’ll be your Dad, your best friend, your uncle, your godfather. Any way you want me, I’ll be yours. All you need to know is that I’m here, and I’m never going to leave you.”

  Justin jumps into my arms first and starts crying, followed by Zak. I hold them both against my chest and allow the tears to stream down my own face.

  “Thank you,” Justin whispers, and my heart breaks even more.

  I never did anything to deserve these boys’ love, but I’m one hell of a blessed man to finally have it.

  “I love you both more than life itself, and nothing will ever to change the way I feel. I promise.”

  From that day forward, all of our relationships changed. The boys treat Lani and me with the upmost respect, if that’s humanly possible. They’ve always been extremely respectful, but now, they appreciate relationships and bonds so much more.

  Justin walks in the living room, taking a seat beside me. “Nothing. I just wanted to come see you before you left. Mom said you won’t be home until late.”

  “Yeah, I’ve got a couple of meetings. What’s going on?” I ask. I can tell something’s bugging him, the look on his face gives it away.

  “Nothing, I just don’t like when you’re gone.”

  Both boys have come a long way since the divorce. With Kade being a dick and not coming back around, Justin and Zakrie have clung to my side. Not that I blame them, I only wish their father would wake the hell up. These kids have so much life in them, so much love, Kade is truly missing out.

  “You want to come with me? I have some things you can do if you want. It’s up to you?”

  Looking at me with big eyes, Justin replies, “Yeah, sure. Let me grab my iPad and a drink. I’ll meet you in the car.”

  He turns around and starts to run out of the room before coming back beside me. Leaning down, he gives his baby sister a kiss on the cheek and whispers, “I love you,” before walking away.

  It’s moments like this that aren’t replaceable. You can’t take the ones you love, the people you care about, or your time on earth for granted. I made the worst mistake of my life by never telling Lani how I felt. So many years wasted, so much time had passed. It was only by the grace of God she and Kade split up, or I would have never been given the chance to love her, a chance to have a family, and a future together. I could have lost the love of my life forever. Instead, I not only got the girl of my dreams, I now have two amazing, loving little boys, and a gorgeous little girl I’m head over heels for. No matter what happens in the future, I will take care of them; love them, honor and worship them, and never let them down, as long as I have breath in my body.

  The End

  Acknowledgements

  First and foremost, I want to thank God for giving me the strength and courage to finish this book. Writing Shattered Promises took me back to a very dark place in my life, a place I never wanted to relive. While this story is fictional, there are real parts of my life that were used. With a lot of prayer, love and encouragement, I was able to piece it all together.

  To all of my family: Thank you for believing in me. I know I’ve spent a lot of time tucked away in my office, skipping out on doing a lot of fun things, but one day, I hope you’ll see this was all for you. I love you all times infinity!

  Alison: I love you! You have helped me so much, when no one would give me the time of day. Words cannot express how thankful I am for your friendship.

  Jenn: You’re encouragement every single day has blessed me more than you’ll ever know. Thank you for your friendship, reading my crazy stories, and pushing me to never give up. I love you!

  To my betas: Where do I begin? I would be lost without each and every single one of you. Thank you for pushing me and never letting me give up. I know I have driven y’all crazy, but you love me, lol. I love you all!

  To all of the bloggers who have helped support me along the way, thank you. I couldn’t have made it this far without each and every one of you stepping out and giving me the chance.

  About the Author

  J.G Grant is a thirty something mom of three amazing children who complete her world. Her life is hectic, and on most days, she doesn’t know which way she is coming or going, but she wouldn’t change a thing.

  When she’s not tending to her kids or at one of their sporting events, you can catch her on the beach, soaking up the sun with her kindle or notebook in hand. She’s a hopeless romantic that loves getting sucked into a mushy book.

  The day her imagination started running wild was the day she became u
nstoppable. With high hopes and great expectations for the future, she cannot wait to share her stories with the world.

  Social Media Links

  http://www.facebook.com/authorjrgrant

  http://www.twitter.com/bookjunkie34

  http://www.authorjrgrant.com

  ~Lost Until You~

  Coming in July 2014

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About The Author