by Brook Greene
I take a step back as Spencer looks speechlessly at Kent. “Who… no.” He shakes his head in denial. “That’s not possible.”
“Oh, son, it’s happening.” Kent points to the two men behind him. “These two agents will make sure you get back to the office safely.” They take him into custody. “Give me his phone.” One agent reaches into his dress coat, handing over the phone as Agent Spencer puts up a futile fight. “And now the other one.” Agent number two digs into the other side, producing another phone and hands it to Kent. “Now, if you don’t mind,” Kent says as he steps to the side, opening up a way for Spencer to exit past him. “I need to be debriefed by my team.” We all wait and watch the silent war going on between Kent and Spencer, but everybody in the room can see the intimidation of the older man, and can feel the power shift in the room as the asshole is escorted out.
The door slamming behind Spencer has us all smiling until we look back to Kent’s somber face. He points at Leo. “Get Oz on the fucking phone, I need to talk to him.”
I look to the door and back to Kent, shooting up to my feet in a panic. “Oz, why?” A sinking feeling hits the pit of my stomach.
“Well, boys, I was never retired.” He sits down in his usual seat and I have to say, even though it doesn’t look like the best of circumstances, I’m glad to have the old man back. “I was taken out of service because there was talk of a mole. The best way to find him was to place him with the best and see how the best were used.” He levels his eyes at us. “And when by some chance you started looking into Hollis’s background, red flags started going up all over the fucking place.” He points at the door. “And that dipshit doesn’t know how to cover his tracks.”
“So we were right, the mayor is into some bad shit?” I feel the sinking feeling start to lift, and it’s almost excitement that comes over me.
Kent points his finger at me. “Now he, on the other hand, knows how to cover his tracks. We have nothing on him. The network is widespread and there are thousands of contacts that shuffle information, false and real, all over.” He sits up, clapping his hands together with a smile on his face. “Looks like were back in the game, boys. You up for it?”
Leo hands Kent his burner phone. “Oz.”
Kent takes the phone, sitting back in his chair. “Where the fuck are you?”
Eno looks down the table at us, flipping two thumbs up with a shit-eating grin on his face. Adrenaline starts to pump through my veins and I laugh at myself for even fucking thinking I could retire from this shit. I now have the backing and means to put that fucker away for her, and get him the hell out of our lives.
Chapter Twenty
Part Two
The Wedding
Hollis
In the days following me meeting my birth father, Roman and the others have become busier than they have been in the past couple of months, and I know it has everything to do with that day, but I don’t ask. Instead, I immerse myself in work and wedding planning, which is proving harder than cleaning two teenaged boys’ bathroom.
“Of course it has to be at the First Baptist Church, it’s the biggest in town,” Piper says before popping a fry into her mouth.
“But I’m not inviting that many people, Piper.” I look over at her. “The smaller church that Ima and Hugh attend will be just fine.”
“I agree,” Avery adds. “Hollis doesn’t want it big, Piper.” She adjusts baby Gia in her arms. I reach over and rub the tuft of soft black hair covering her tiny head. She’s getting so big, and to think my actions put her and Avery’s life in jeopardy. She notices me and asks, “Do you want to hold her?”
Without thinking, I offer my arms to her and watch as she places the beautiful sleeping baby into them. Looking down at this miracle in my arms has the motherly instincts coming out in me. Roman and I have never discussed children, we can barely get our shit together to get married. But I know one day I want to have his children and prove to the world I’m a better mom than mine ever was.
“Sometimes I wonder if it would just be easier if we eloped.” My head flies up when I hear the gasp coming from the direction of Piper.
“The hell you say. Not with that amazing dress I have hanging in my house and the delicious menu I have planned for the reception.” She looks at me with a steely determination in her crustal blue eyes.
Finally, I just shrug and give in. It’s not worth the energy to fight her. “Okay, fine, have at it, but don’t go nuts. Remember the phrase low-key please?”
She sits straight up in her chair, clapping her hands together. “Yay. I knew I would wear you down.” She reaches into the overly large bag she has hanging on the back of her chair and pulls out a notebook and pen. She slaps the book down on the table and opens it up. “Okay, we have the dresses, now we need to get the boys into the bridal shop for a tux fitting.” She twists her mouth as she writes furiously. “Do you want us color coded, or just have the men in sleek black tuxes like they all wore to the benefit?”
All the heads at the table jerk around to look at me. “Um, I guess just the black would be good.”
The heads jerk back around to Piper, watching her jot down more notes in her book. “Okay, good. I’ll get the appointments made and it’s up to all of you,” she challenges with her pen at the other women at the table, “to make sure they make them.”
“Matthew won’t need one,” Tessa says as she gathers the pieces of cut up hot dog back onto Jackson’s plate.
Piper makes another note. “Oh yeah, that’s right. Okay, so it’s just the rest of you that have to make sure the boys make their appointments.”
The rest nod as she goes right back into the planning. “Okay, what flowers are you wanting? Peonies are my favorite.” They jerk back around to me. It’s like they’re watching a damned tennis match.
“Peonies? Good Lord, Piper,” Josie speaks up. “Those are too expensive, and they’re your favorite.” She tilts her head at Piper as she looks at me.
“Yeah, they smell amazing and are beautiful, but that’s just too much for the small wedding Hollis is wanting.” Avery looks over to me. “With the color of our dresses, I would suggest something like Lilies or Iris’s. Leave the stems long and have ribbons hanging down from them. That would be gorgeous.” I’m so thankful for the level-headed ones of our crazy bunch, who save me when I have no clue what the hell to say. I’ve never thought about flowers because I never needed to.
“Yes, but Piper, please remember, don’t go crazy. Small, remember?” I warn her again, and she just waves her hand through the air between us as she makes more notes. I sigh, knowing I’m going to regret handing over the planning of my wedding to her.
“Have y’all figured out where you’re going on your honeymoon?” Tessa asks.
“No, we haven’t talked much about any of it really. I don’t even know if he wants to go on one.” I feel almost ashamed at the lack of communication that goes on between me and Roman about anything in our lives, and I know it’s something we’re going to have to fix. “I do know one thing.”
They almost looked shocked. “Great, what is it?” Piper has her pen ready to write down whatever it is I’m getting ready to say.
“I don’t want the traditional music. I know Roman loves the blues, so I would love to play that in the ceremony. I can go through his playlist on his IPod in his office and have that ready.”
Piper’s writing, her eyes wide with excitement. “This is going to be awesome. Big brother does love his blues.”
“I have a few songs in mind that he really loves and listens to over and over.” And for the first time, I’m starting to feel a little bit excited about marrying the man I love. I know most of the time a wedding is all about the bride, but I want mine to be unique and include the groom, other than his expected role, even if it’s just the little piece of the music he loves.
Piper’s looking down at her notebook as she talks. “I’ll get the tux appointments made and text you all the time. I’m sure we’ll get
it done faster if we have them all there at the same time, because Lord knows they can’t do anything without holding each other’s hands. They’re like a bunch of girls,” she adds, shaking her head with a smile.
Her head flies up to me. “Date! We need a fucking date! Shit, the most important thing, and invitations. Holy shit, how in the hell did I forget that?”
I hold up my hand, stopping her. “No invitations. There’s no need for them. All the people I want there can be invited personally.” I snag a fry off my plate and lean back in my chair, thinking. “And as for the date, let’s do it a month from today.”
A panicked look comes over Piper’s face. “A month? A fucking month to get all this shit together?”
“Piper, language,” Emily warns as she and Caden join us at the table. “What are we talking about?” They both sit, and Emily reaches for the notebook that’s lying on the table in front of Piper, reading it. “Hollis, you did not?”
“I did,” I confirm that I had given in to Piper. “Where have you been?”
“I spent the night at Nana and Papaw’s,” Caden answers as she tickles Jackson’s neck, making him squeal.
“Oh,” I say, smiling over at a slightly blushing Emily. “Home alone with a tall handsome cowboy, huh?” She tries to look sheepish but fails miserably.
“Of course she was, Aunt Hollis. I was at Nana and Papaw’s,” Caden says again, holding out her tiny hands to either side of her body.
“Alone time with Leo would be amazing,” Avery groans, taking Gia back from me and placing the nipple of a bottle at her eager lips. “Don’t get me wrong, I love this little shit machine, but to be alone with that man gets me all tingly just thinking about it.” She looks around the table, misty-eyed. “Makes me think of the old days.”
“Are y’all kidding me?” Tessa snorts, leaning back, making a show of her big belly. “I don’t know how in the hell Matthew gets it up for my fat ass, but he’s constantly bending me over something.”
Josie snickers, making Tessa cut her eyes over at her. “Yup. Tessa, I love you, I do, but seeing your ass up in the air over that couch the other day is something I can’t get out of my head.”
Tessa rolls her eyes. “You and Eno should knock.” She smiles as she throws a fry across the table at a laughing Josie.
Josie bats the fry away. “Sorry, we’re not on kid sex time.” This garners her a glare from Avery and Emily, along with Tessa.
Emily clears her throat. “You’re all just as bad as the boys.”
“Give it time.” Tessa points at me, Josie, and Piper. “Someday, you three will be begging us to come get your minions so you can have alone time with your man.” Emily and Avery both groan their agreement. Jackson screams and Caden giggles, the sound making Gia’s big black eyes dart around to the noise. Her two-tooth grin makes me smile. My girls, my family. I would’ve never dreamt I would be sitting at a table with these women planning my wedding to Roman Jefferys. This is a dream and I feel like a princess.
~~~~~~
Roman
She’s standing at the kitchen sink and I walk up behind her, letting my lips drift over the soft skin of her neck. “How was your day?” The light scent of vanilla and lavender from her body wash fills my nose. I place my hands on her hips and pull her into me, rubbing my cock against her fine ass. She lays her head back on my shoulder and closes her eyes, letting out a soft moan. “Damn, it feels like forever since I’ve been inside of you.” Even though we’d had sex this morning, I could go again. I’m never going to get enough of this woman.
I turn her in my arms and smile down at her. “Hey, baby.” She snakes her arms around my neck, pushing up on her tiptoes to kiss my lips. I push my tongue past her lips, caressing her tongue with mine.
“Hey yourself.” She hasn’t looked this happy in days, and I knew time with the other ladies would give her the boost in confidence she needed. “Oh!” I reach around and take out the envelope I have tucked in my back pocket, handing it to her.
She furrows her brow as she studies it. “What is it?” She stops when she turns it to the front and reads the return address. She begins to worry her bottom lip, and her wide eyes dart from the letter in her hand up to mine, then back to her hand again.
“Open it,” I say as I reach around her for a tumbler. I step away from her and pour myself a drink, then lean against the counter to watch her open it. “Go ahead,” I encourage her, fighting a smile.
She gingerly rips into it and takes out the blue cardboard like paper it contains. She gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. “It’s a,” she stammers. “It’s a social security card, Roman.” Her watery eyes stare back at me in disbelief. “Is it real?”
“Yes, baby, its real,” I say, reaching out to pull her to me. I turn her hand and read the name printed on it with our address under it. “You are officially Hollis Keaton, for now.” I narrow my eyes at her. “Not long, I hope, before you change it to Hollis Jefferys.”
“But how?” She falls into my arms, resting her head on my chest, just looking at the legal document she’s holding in her hand.
“I know a few people.” I kiss her temple and wipe away a tear from her cheek with my thumb. She turns and looks at me. “When we reported the social we thought was yours, they used the information we did know was correct and filed for one for you.”
“Oh, wow.” She looks back down at her card, rubbing her thumb in circles over it. She turns again, engulfing me in her arms, kissing me all over my face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
~~~~~~
Hollis
It’s hard not to cry when your man has done what Roman has for me. I’m a real person, registered and legit. I’ve never had a card, just a number my mother made me memorize. He’s laughing as I kiss him all over his face. “Okay, baby, I get it.” He looks at me, smiling. This man is beautiful and he’s mine, and he wants me as his.
He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me up the stairs. Laying me down on the bed, he reaches his hand out and I hand over my card, not really wanting to let it go. He lays it on the bedside table and reaches back, grabbing his tee and pulling it over his head. “So how much planning did you get done today?” he asks as I let my eyes drift down his perfectly cut torso he’s made his canvas. The tattoos covering him are a work of art, just like the man who wears them. He got them for me because of my scar, scarring his own body to show his devotion.
“Piper got a lot done.” I sit up on my knees and run my hands through the light dusting of blond hair on his chest, and let my finger follow it down to the waistband of his jeans.
“Piper?” He grabs my wrists, stopping me from unbuttoning his pants.
“Yes, she wasn’t happy with the rate I was getting stuff done so,” I say with a shrug, “I let her take over.”
“Fuck, Hollis,” he groans, letting his head fall back.
I lay my palms flat on his chest, stopping him this time. “No, look at me.” I wait for his face to tilt down to mine. “Avery had my back on driving home the point of keeping it small. We got the flowers, tuxes, venue, and food figured out. Now all I have to do is let your sister take care of making all that happen.” I smile up at him, feeling kind of smug that I made my choices, but Piper’s doing all the hard work. “All I have to do now is show up and look pretty.” He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “I have to approve everything before it’s ordered or paid for.” I rub back down his chest, and this time, I get his button open and his zipper down. “Where were we?”
I push his jeans over his hips and down his thighs, rubbing the thick muscles as I go. I lean back up and take the waistband of his boxer briefs, tugging them down too. His thick cock springs free and I lick my lips as I see the first signs of pre-cum on the tip. I wrap my hand around the base and lick the head, spreading the liquid around with my tongue.
I open and take his head in, running my tongue around it before I back off. I look up at him to find him looking down at me with
lust in his eyes. “Fuck, Hollis.” He tangles his hand in my long hair as I take more of his hard cock into my mouth. This time, I twist my hand with the motion as I come off him again. “Oh, baby.” His head is thrown back and his eyes are closed as I set a rhythm of running my mouth down his shaft, then following it back up with my hand. His tip hits the back of my throat each time I go down, and he groans every time I pull off. I reach around and grip his hard ass with my hand, using it to pull him into me in short, hard jerks.
“Oh yeah. That’s it, baby.” He moans as I work him over, and his hips have started to thrust with my movements. “Hollis, I’m close.”
I hum, but I don’t stop. This is about him and his pleasure.
“Fuck!” he roars as he releases into my mouth, and I swallow him all down. I feel the fingers of his other hand lace into my hair, pulling me off his cock. He pulls me up and leans down to kiss me. “Oh, baby, that was amazing. Thank you.”
~~~~~~
Roman
I kiss her softly, my head still hazy from the fantastic orgasm. “I love you,” I whisper against her swollen lips.
I love you—,” She quickly pulls back, covering her mouth with her hand as she hurries off the bed, heading toward the bathroom where she slams the door behind her.
I reach for my pants. Pulling them up as I run after her, I press my ear to the door, hearing the sounds of vomiting coming from the other side.
I knock lightly. “Hollis, baby? You all right?” The room on the other side of the door goes silent right before the toilet flushes and the faucet turns on and off again.
The door’s jerked open and I step back as a pale Hollis stands in front of me, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“What the hell was that?” She shrugs at me, looking like she’s going the throw up again. “Wow, talk about an ego killer,” I say, trying to lighten the mood.
She smiles sheepishly up at me. “That’s never happened before.” She covers her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry. How fucking embarrassing.”
