Torn by Love (Scarred by Love Series Book 4)

by C. A. Harms

  I had fallen asleep with Tanner wrapped around me and his hand stretched out protectively over our baby. I had spent my pregnancy with an overbearing, overprotective man. One that had barely let me breathe without offering assistance. But his actions only caused me to smile. I loved my alpha male. He made me feel safe and protected.

  The streetlight just outside shined brightly. I had woken up a few minutes ago with a cramp in my side, and I hadn’t been able to fall back to sleep. Instead I pushed back toward Tanner, and his grip tightened around me a little more.

  Another cramp hit me just as I started to doze off, and this time a groan fell from my lips. I looked over at the clock on the nightstand to see 3:48 a.m. staring back at me. I spent the next ten minutes counting the seconds between the cramps and attempting to stay calm.

  After crawling from the bed, I slowly walked across the room and slipped into the bathroom. I closed the door behind me and braced myself on the vanity just as another blast of pain hit.

  Warm liquid seeped down my legs and soaked my pants. Reality hit. “Tanner,” I yelled.

  I could hear the rustling of his feet, and the bathroom door flew open. His eyes grew wide as they zoomed in on my pants, which showed the evidence that it was time to meet our little surprise.

  “My water broke,” I whispered.

  “I can see that, babe.” He guided me toward the bedroom and directed me to sit down on the bed. “Let’s get you changed and then loaded up in the car.”

  He turned around and quickly moved around the bedroom, where he gathered a change of clothes and a light jacket. After helping me get dressed, he threw my bag we had packed last week up over his shoulder and stood next to me, smiling. “Let’s go meet our baby.”

  Tears filled my eyes as I nodded and followed my husband out of the room.

  ***

  “Push, Lil. You’re so close, doll,” Tanner coached as the doctor and nurses worked around me. “You can do it.”

  He kissed my forehead and looked at the doctor, who was perched between my legs. All my modesty had taken a backseat for the moment. I no longer cared who could see my girly bits; I just wanted this to be over.

  “Okay, Lily, on this next contraction, I need you to give me all you got. Bear down and push with all you have,” Dr. Morgan directed.

  I tiredly nodded and gripped Tanner’s hand as tight as I could.

  “Here we go. One, two…” The counting faded away as I pushed as hard as I could. I felt intense pressure just before I heard the sweetest sound. A cry, followed by Dr. Morgan’s voice. “We have a boy.”

  My gaze shifted to Tanner, and I found his eyes reddened and wet. A tear spilled over as he stared at the dark-haired angel the nurse carried in our direction. His gaze never left our son, not even for a second.

  The nurse placed our baby onto my chest, and Tanner immediately rested his hand over our son’s back. The size of his hand made our child seem so small.

  “We have a son,” he whispered. The vibration in his voice was so unlike him. A strong sense of love washed over me. My husband was in awe. Tanner had just instantly fallen in love with our son, and I was on the verge of sobbing. Watching him scan over our baby, taking in every single detail of his tiny, perfect body, was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

  Tanner bent forward and pressed his lips to mine. “Thank you,” he whispered. “You’re amazing.”

  “Well, it looks like your dad’s name lives on, baby. We have a little Tucker Parks.” Tearing up once more, I said a silent thanks to my father for bringing both Tanner and now our son Tucker Logan Parks into my life.

  ***

  Riley

  The double doors just outside the waiting area opened, and all heads turned in their direction.

  Tanner appeared, smiling brightly, and seeing my brother’s happy face made me happy.

  “We have a son,” he announced, and Max immediately fist-pumped the air.

  “Seven pounds, two ounces, and he has a full head of dark hair.” He paused as he took in a shuddering breath. “He’s beautiful, just like his mommy.”

  My mother and I stood and made our way over to Tanner. We both engulfed him in our arms, and his body vibrated against ours. Tanner was not emotional, and he was not the type to show weakness. He was so much like Max it was scary.

  But in this moment, the moment when he became a father, he no longer hid his feelings. He was forever changed, and everyone in this waiting room felt it.

  I know the feeling. The moment Zander looked into my eyes after our baby girl was born, I knew he was a goner. He lost it, and little Zoey has had her daddy wrapped around her finger every day since.

  Each one of us has felt the love a child invokes in a person, and today Tanner and Lily felt it to.

  I pulled back, and Tanner wiped at his eyes. “I’m gonna get back in there. I just wanted to let you all know. I’m sure you can all see him soon.”

  “We’ll be right here waiting. Tell Lily I love her and I can’t wait to see my gorgeous grandson.” My mother kissed Tanner’s cheek, and he smiled back at her.

  My father patted him on the back. “Get back to your girl and tell those doctors not to keep this grandpa waiting too long. I need to kiss that beautiful wife of yours and thank her.”

  Tanner rushed off, and the room was full of smiles.

  I made my way back over to my husband and took a seat next to him. He tapped his lips with his fingertip, and I kissed him softly.

  “Makes you want another one, don’t it? So you feel the rush and the excitement of the moment all over again,” Zander asked.

  “Um, no, I think one is enough for right now. Let’s at least get through the first two years before we start planning for more.” Zander had already told me he wanted Zoey to have lots of brothers and sisters. He hated being an only child, and after seeing how my brothers and I behaved around each other, he wanted that for our kids as well.

  ***

  Zander

  Being a part of the Parks clan felt amazing. I loved the support they gave each other freely and the unbreakable bonds between them all. Zoey had and would forever have more than enough people standing behind her no matter what. My little girl would never feel alone. I planned on giving her enough brothers and sisters to make that bond feel even stronger.

  Riley, Zoey, and I still visited my mom every Sunday. I would make sure that every one of my children knew what a wonderful woman she was. My father, on the other hand, could rot in hell. I had no desire to share my children with him. He was warped and nothing but a cheating bastard. Last month I found out that his wife Victoria caught him in bed with his secretary. Karma was a bitch, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She should have left his ass the first time he cheated, but she was dumb enough to believe he could change.

  Grant was still the same piece of shit, living off his parents to appear successful. Knowing I was striving without the help of our father made me feel superior. I was better than the both of them combined.

  The life I now led with my wife and our daughter was one most men only dream of. We had enough love and compassion to last us a lifetime. As long as Riley was by my side, I felt like I could conquer the world.

  ***

  Carson

  As we walked into the hospital room to meet my newest nephew, every member of my family had a smile on their face.

  “Everyone, meet Tucker Logan Parks, our son,” Tanner said with pride. I was also proud of him. He stepped up to the plate when Lily was falling apart and allowed her to lean on him to become stronger. Throughout it all they became one. Much like me and Kate.

  I walked up behind my wife and wrapped my arms around her waist. She placed her hands over mine and lightly shook her head. I smiled against her neck and kissed her softly.

  “I’m not saying anything,” I whispered.

  No one knew that soon she and I would be back in this very spot, bringing yet another Parks into the world. We had found out two days ago that Carle
y would be a big sister, and we didn’t want to steal Lily and Tanner’s thunder, so we would wait to announce our news. We wouldn’t wait too long, though, because I wanted to shout that shit from the rooftop. There was nothing like knowing Kate was once again carrying my child. That thought brought out a whole lot of manly shit inside me. You know, that “pound on your chest and shout ‘I am king’” bullshit. Yep, I had it all.

  “He looks just like his daddy,” Lily said as everyone leaned in to get a better look. “Look at his upper lip, the fullness, and that heart-shaped curve.” She had all of us analyzing little Tucker’s lips. “See? Just like Tanner’s.”

  Our eyes shifted from Tanner to Tucker. “Back up, man,” Tanner complained, swatting Mason as he got a little too close. “Kelly, rein him in.”

  We all chuckled, and Mason pulled him into a bear hug as Max came in from behind.

  “Okay, boys, no roughhousing around my grandson. He’ll soon have enough to learn when it comes to fighting off his crazy uncles. Give him some peace for now,” said my dad, the surgeon and the greatest man I knew. He didn’t realize just how much we all strived daily to be even remotely like him.

  “You guys can hold him,” Lily offered.

  It didn’t take long before Tucker was passed around from person to person as we all got the chance to take a closer look.

  When Kate took him in her arms, my smile only grew wider. I hoped she was carrying our son. I would love to have a little boy who looked like me. Carley had grown into her mommy’s clone, and her attitude was also a mirror image of Kate’s. Kate had created a little diva that I was sure one day would cause me some trouble. Setting her and Kate loose in the shopping mall may break me. A son to balance things out didn’t seem like too much to hope for. But if I ended up with another daughter, I’d be all right with that too.

  ***

  Kate

  Holding Tucker close, I couldn’t help but wonder if this time we would get a son. Well, we had a chance to at least end up with one if not two boys.

  My cheeks hurt from my smile and the knowledge of the secret I had yet to share with my husband.

  Mrs. Parks, this confirms you are, in fact, pregnant, and those two darker spots on the sonogram show me we were right. You are having twins.

  Twins, and Carson had no idea.

  “He’s perfect, Lil, absolutely perfect,” I said as I looked up at my sweet friend. Who would have thought when I met her years ago at college that we would be right here today—sisters by marriage.

  Tanner adored her. You could see it every time he looked at her. They’d had their struggles, but in the end, they were stronger.

  Carson reached over my shoulder and touched Tucker’s cheeks. “Right there. You see what I mean?” he asked Tanner.

  “He does not have a dimple,” Tanner argued.

  “Yes, he does. Watch.” Carson touched Tucker’s cheek once more.

  “Will you stop tickling my kid?” Tanner nudged him with his shoulder.

  “Admit it, your son has a dimple,” Carson insisted. “He has Lily’s dimple.”

  Another moment of silence followed as everyone stood around, watching for this mysterious dimple to appear. Just as they all began to argue about it once again, Baby T flashed it.

  Lily beamed, and Logan was the one who fist-pumped the air this time. “Lil, he got Dad’s dimple too.”

  I looked up, and Lily’s eyes met mine. They were glossy and shimmering in the light of the delivery room. I passed Tucker on to the next person in line and made my way closer to Lily, leaned over, and hugged her tight. “You know your dad is watching over you, and he sent you these two men for a reason. Tanner and Tucker, they’re a gift from him. He sent them to watch over his girl.”

  She nodded her head against mine.

  “You wanna secret?” I asked, and she squinted. “You can’t tell a soul. You promise?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  “I’m pregnant.” I beamed when her eyes widened. “The best part is Carson has no idea that we’re having twins.” Her mouth fell open, and I laughed. “Shh, remember you can’t say anything yet.”

  “I won’t,” Lily assured me.

  I was about to burst at the seams, and it felt so good to confide in someone. I planned on telling Carson later tonight, but sharing the news with Lily now put a smile back on her saddened face. It felt like the right thing to do.

  ***

  Max

  “So what do you think, buddy? Another boy. Aunt Ry let us down, but Uncle T and Aunt Lily pulled through. We need more Parks men.” I looked down at my son as I rocked him from side to side. He grunted and pursed his lips as he stretched his arms above his head.

  Bree and I were the first to give my parents a grandson. There for a while it appeared we were all destined to be surrounded by gorgeous women, but then Ryan came along. Our little man changed the dynamic of the entire family.

  It was still hard to believe I had a son. A son that could melt me in an instant, a son that would forever be my best friend.

  Bree wrapped her arms around me from behind. “You coming to bed?” she asked.

  “Yeah, just telling my buddy good night.” I smiled over my shoulder and kissed her temple. “Give me just a few.”

  “Make sure to stop by and tuck Paisley in. She’s waiting for you.”

  Another little girl that could weaken me with one smile.

  I put Ryan in his crib and tucked his blanket tightly around him, then leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Daddy loves you, bud.”

  After making a quick stop to tell my little angel good night, I entered my bedroom. Bree was curled up on her side, lightly snoring. I stood in the doorway, taking a few moments to remember just how lucky I was.

  ***

  Bree

  “Are you coming to bed, or are you just gonna stand there and watch me sleep?”

  The light from the bathroom lit Max’s face as he smirked at me.

  “This big bed gets awfully lonely without you to share it with,” I said.

  He pulled his shirt up over his head, and I rolled over onto my back, allowing myself to get a better view. He still made my heart race. Max was one sexy man, and he was all mine.

  He knelt on the end of the bed and slowly crawled toward me. He licked his lips, and his eyes raked over my body. I had gone to bed in just a skimpy pair of panties and a tank top. I knew exactly what he was feeling from the look on his face.

  As he lowered his body over mine, he placed kisses along my neck before nipping at my ear. “You are so fucking sexy, B,” he growled.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist and ground against him.

  Quickly the room filled with moans and the sound of our bodies moving together. I lost my mind every time Max touched me. Within seconds, I became a mess of desire, and there was nothing I wouldn’t do for him.

  Minutes later as we lay next to one another panting and trying to catch our breaths, a small whimper filtered in from the baby monitor.

  We both listened as Ryan continued to grunt and whine. After a short while he calmed himself and from the sounds of it, fell back to sleep.

  “God, I love that kid,” Max said in the darkness. “I love the life you’ve given me, baby.” He curled his arm around my waist and pulled me toward him. “Thank you.”

  Curling in closer, I fell asleep with my other half—the man who loved me so hard and made me feel like nothing in this world could ever hurt me as long as he was by my side.

  ***

  Kelly

  “Isabella and Mariah are down for the night.” I entered the bedroom without even looking toward my husband. “I’m exhausted, my feet hurt, and I’m dying for a hot shower.”

  I dropped my clothes to the floor in the bathroom and leaned into the shower, flipping the water on.

  Sometimes life got crazy. With Mason traveling sometimes for weeks at a time, I was left to handle everything on my own. He just got home a few hours ago from his most recent trip.r />
  I stepped in the shower and tilted my head back as I let the hot water run over my face. Isabella has been fighting an ear infection for the last week, Mariah had started dance classes, and work had been a madhouse. The stress of it all was weighing heavy on me, and I planned to pass everything on to Mason and take tomorrow off. It was time I had some recovery time.

  I was so wrapped up in the relaxing feeling of the water beating my sore muscles that I missed Mason stepping in behind me. I was startled when his hands trailed along my sides and wrapped around my waist

  “I put in for the office job,” Mason whispered against my temple.

  I turned in his arms and looked up at him. “Why? You loved traveling.”

  “I love you and my girls more. I don’t like being away from you for days. I’m missing out on too much.” He leaned forward and kissed me. “You take on too much, and I need to be here more.”

  “Mason, you can’t.”

  He stopped me by placing his lips against mine once more. As his tongue traced them, I opened to accept his assault.

  “I miss you, Kel. I miss us.” He kissed me again. “I don’t like being away from you. The traveling doesn’t appeal to me like it used to. I want my family, every day.”

  In the beginning Mason and I were sort of thrown into family life after an unplanned pregnancy at a young age. Yes, we finished college, but it wasn’t easy. Without the help from Rayann, I’m not sure Mason and I would have made it.

  We’d gone through a lot of hard times. But here we were, together and stronger than ever.

  I wrapped my hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down to me. I was so tired, but having Mason here with me gave me a rush.

  He turned our bodies and backed me up against the wall of the shower. “I miss this too,” I whimpered. “I need you, Mason.”