Tough Love (Hidden Secrets)

by Belden, P. J.

  “We want our payment now too.”

  “Bring it on because lord know asshat here didn’t do it.”

  “Watch it,” he growls, but leaves the room.

  The twins tag team me, and again, it was another pleasurable experience. Well at least it was good payment. It would have totally sucked if they sucked.

  Back out in the meeting room, I address each of the men. Together we come up with a plan. We head out to my place to get things ready to go. There was a bit of recon to do before we could achieve the goal. The night carried on with talks of what needs to be known and what will be done.

  Before I head to bed, I ask any of them if they wanted payment for the work they’ve done. Of course they all jumped on it. I sent her a text before I fell asleep surrounded by some damn sexy men.

  Just wait you stupid whore. You’ll be able to see your parents soon.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Shannon

  Everything was a whirlwind after Eli was rushed to the hospital. They kept him at the hospital for a few days before he was released. Jane was having a hard time letting him out of her sight. Jack seemed to be a bit clingy too. When Eli started to get worked up about all the attention, everyone seemed to back off a little. Not far off of course, but they weren’t hovering over his every move. It was heart breaking. This was the same guy that joked with me about having a girlfriend and loved taking my brothers. Now I wonder if that was pushing him too much.

  Jack was happier now. Seeing Eli back to himself helped Jack get back to his normal sleep. He had held me so tight that night that I thought he’d break me in two. He still holds me tight but it wasn’t like it was that night. He’s smiling more now. We started getting the office under control and Larry has a great case built against Rachael. After contacting all the business, Jack paid a percentage of what was padded as an apology for not keeping a better company. All in all the companies were actually more interested in going after Rachael than Jackson which was really good.

  The evidence against Rachael was piling. I’m not a whiz at computers, but I’m pretty good. Jackson paid for some computer geek to come and look through the system for anything else and found a lot more than I did. Jack and I have decided that I will just stay on full time because he loves seeing me and the boys start school next year. Jackson said even if they didn’t the nurse on staff, loves the boys and agreed she’d have no problem watching them during her off times.

  It was a lot to think about and adjust to, honestly. Jackson has fully moved into my house. The boys are super excited about that. I love having him there. At first, I thought it was going to be awkward, but it wasn’t. He’s helped me with Sebastian’s night terrors so I’m not completely exhausted. Jackson hasn’t complained yet about how much time Sebastian and Atreyu can take up, but honestly, I didn’t expect him to either.

  Lately, I’ve had so much on my mind. I need to talk to Jackson about it all, but with everything with Eli I just didn’t want to take anything away from him. This stalker isn’t really laying off like I’d hope that she would. Then after the text I got almost a week ago now, I feared not only for myself but everyone else. I mean she kidnapped the boys, what’s stopping her from doing something else. It scared me because I didn’t want to be the reason that something happens to someone else. I couldn’t live with that…again.

  Today was my day to check on Eli. He said he loves it when it’s my turn to check in on him because I’m not as fussy over him. So for the first time in a week, my lunch hour was not spent having some quiet, but spectacular, office romp. It was going to be spent trying to cheer up Eli.

  Knocking on his door, I heard him yell for me to come in. Opening the door, I walked into the living room and he wasn’t there. I walked into his office he wasn’t there. To the kitchen, he wasn’t there either. I walked up the stairs to his room, knocking lightly.

  “Eli?”

  “Come on in Shannon. I could use your help.”

  Opening the door, I could see a suitcase on the bed. Looking around, Eli comes walking out of the closet with a handful of socks. I watch him pack his suitcase with a smirk on his face the whole time. The little shit head was going to take off. He waited for my day to do this too. Oh man I’m going to be in so much trouble.

  “Eli? Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

  “I’m not trying to do anything, but live what I have left. Please don’t stop me from doing this. I can’t explain it all to you right now, but I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t important.”

  Sighing, “How long are you going to be gone?”

  Smiling, he hugs me. “I don’t know. I’ll call and check in often, but I’ve just found something that I can’t continue on without knowing. Please.”

  “Okay, but I can’t lie to Jackson.”

  “You don’t have to just tell him that I’ve found his reason. He’ll know what I mean. I think,” he winks.

  “I’m so glad to see you doing better, Eli. I…” my voice broke and I dropped down to sit on the bed.

  “Hey,” he says kneeling in front of me. “I know this is a shock to everyone, but no bigger a shock to you guys than it was for me. They practically told me, dude you’re dying, what do you want on your headstone.” He leans forward and catches my eyes. “I don’t want to be treated like I’m dying. It’ll make me regret whatever time I have left. Please don’t be like the rest of them. Let me be me. Treat me like the old Eli, please.” He pleaded softly.

  “You know they won’t do that. They’re going to worry about telling you anything that would work you up. They’ll worry about you doing too much.”

  “Okay, but I’m asking you Shannon. I’m asking you to not treat me like I’m weak or fragile.”

  Smirking, “I haven’t yet, have I?”

  He gave me a big sloppy kiss on my cheek and hugged me tightly. “Thank you!” Then he went back to his packing.

  Leaving Eli’s today seemed different. I was so glad he had a brighter outlook on his prognosis. It could really bring down the best of them. Eli was a force to be reckoned with. He was an inspiration to others around him and more importantly to me. No longer was I going to let the past bring me down. I was going to grab a hold of my present and push forward with a vengeance.

  I was practically skipping into the office. I still had about a half hour before I had to go back to work. Knocking on his office door, he called out a “Come in”. Opening the door, I see him going over a file with his brow furrowed. Quietly, I locked the door, unbuttoned my shirt and leaned on his desk.

  “With a look like that it seems you need a distraction,” I purr.

  His head snaps up, his eyes immediately falling on my cleavage. He clears his throat. “I could indeed,” he whispered huskily.

  Walking around his desk, I close up the file and set it on one of the shelves behind him before sitting down on his desk in front of him. He leans back and smirks at me. The smirk told me that I was leading the dance. I loved it when he let me have him completely. It was moments like this that I felt so powerful.

  Scooting off the desk, I kneeled between his legs. It was time to make him forget for a second. Running my hands up his legs, I lick my lips in anticipation. My hands run over his quickly hardening cock. Unzipping his pants slowly, I run my fingertips over his boxer clothed erection. He sucked in a breath as I reached inside his boxers holding him firmly in my hand. With the other, I undid his pants the rest of the way and pulled him free from the confines of his clothes. Stroking slowly, root to tip and back again, I blew gently over the head before twirling my tongue around, lapping up the little drops of pre-cum.

  Blowing softly again, “I love that this is mine to devour whenever I want, that you get this hard because of me,” I whispered.

  Enclosing my mouth around his head, I flicked my tongue over the slit and sucked gently. He moaned and shifted his hips forward. Pulling him slowly in my mouth, savoring every delicious inch, I lowered my mouth further down his shaft. As Jackson moan
ed, my eyes looked up just as his head dropped. Heady with power, I began to move more vigorously, suddenly craving his release more than my own. Jackson let out another deep moan and his fingers thread in my hair.

  Knock! Knock! Knock!

  Jackson tried to stop me, but I wasn’t having any of that. He groaned and caught my eyes in a darken, heavy lidded gaze. I winked at him and began to work him faster. The knock sounded again.

  “Yes,” Jackson croaked.

  “You have a call on line one, Dr. Williams,” Nancy called through the door.

  Groaning, Jackson’s breath hissed out as I pushed him further into my throat, sucking harder. “Take a mmmessage please.”

  “They say it’s important,” Nancy calls back.

  “Oh fuck! Shit!” Jack hisses.

  “I’m sorry Sir, but if they hadn’t said it was important…”

  “Oh fuck me!” He roars.

  “Sir?” Nancy sounds confused.

  “Give, give me a second please,” he moans.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Jackson grabs my head, holding it still and starts to thrust his hips into my mouth in a frenzy. He pushed further and further into my throat. The loss of control made me hotter than I’ve ever been. Working my hand faster on his shaft as his thrusts picked up even faster, I could feel him thickening. Hungry for his release, I worked my hand faster and sucked harder. On a very deep growl, his hands tightened even further in my hair as he pumped into my mouth faster, cumming hard and long.

  Jackson falls back against his chair, breathing heavily. I restore his appearance, stand up and correct my shirt. Leaning down, I kiss him softly on his lips. As I was about to pull away, he grabs me around the waist and pulls me onto his lap kissing me deeply.

  “You’ll be rewarded for that when we get home and punished,” he said with an evil glint in his eyes.

  “We’ll see,” I smirked at him.

  “Nancy probably thinks I’ve lost my freaking mind.”

  “And you had,” I laughed.

  Getting off his lap, I walked out of the office and out to the reception desk. Nancy smiled up at me.

  “You’re back early.”

  “Yeah, Eli decided he didn’t need much company today,” I laughed.

  “Sounded like Dr. Williams was pretty happy you were back early,” she laughed.

  Laughing, “Yeah you could say that. Don’t tell him you know.”

  “Oh my dear, I love teasing that man so I can’t promise you anything,” she winks at me as she got up from the chair.

  “Good,” I laugh and Nancy soon joins in.

  “What are you two laughing about?” Jackson asks walking out of his office.

  “Oh nothing Sir. I need to get off… No I mean I need to beat off. Oh suck me. Never mind will you excuse me?” She says with a smirk and I double over in laughter.

  “Oh, you two are just a riot. Maybe you both are fired. How about that?”

  “Oh you can’t fire me. I know too many of your secrets,” Nancy said smirking as she patted his arm.

  I batted my eyes at him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “You won’t fire me because well, you love me,” I say sweetly.

  He growls, “That I do.” He laughs and I move back to my desk and the day continues on.

  We were finally back to operational order and things were running smoothly. It made the days so much easier and not nearly as long. Every other day we’ve gone out to see the boys at the ranch. They are having so much fun out there and learning a lot. Tobey has been helping Sebastian with his focusing by allowing him to work on the ranch alongside him. Sebastian is really responding well.

  In a week, he will be undergoing surgery to have the mass removed from this throat. Jackson has suggested that we run it through testing for cancer beforehand. The idea that it could be cancerous scares me, but more so that it hasn’t been suggested up until now to have it tested. I worried that damage could already be done. Then Jackson will tell me that nothing was happening to Sebastian because he was made to do something amazing in this world. That man was so perfect with the boys and with me, I loved him so much more every day.

  “You ready to head home, Princess?”

  Looking up, I smiled at Jackson. “Yes, in just a second.” Entering in the last payment and saving, I stood up and grabbed my purse. “Okay ready now,” I said smiling.

  We walked out to his car and drove home. I knew I needed to tell him about Eli, but I worried he’d get angry at me for letting him go. He was suddenly super protective over all his siblings. His main focus was Eli, Mary, and Kayla. Then he’s worried about Nick. He’s real tore up about this Jennifer walking away. Jake remains in the forefront for his worry. He’s afraid that Jake’s going to end up killing himself. Honestly, I feared the same thing. I’ve asked Jack what started Jake down that path, but Jack says Jake has never said. We both worry with the added stress of Eli’s condition that it’s going to push Jake over the edge.

  “Hey,” he reaches over and takes my hand. “What’s the long face for?”

  “Just thinking, sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize,” he said as he climbed out of the car and walked around to my side.

  “I need to talk to you,” I said hesitantly as we walked inside.

  “Okay?” He said almost sounding nervous.

  Sitting down on the couch, I began to play with my ring. “Eli told me to tell you something,” I started.

  He sat down and took my hands in his. “Just tell me, Princess.”

  “He left for a while,” Jack flew up from the couch getting ready to scream so I hurried on. “He said to tell you that he found your reason.”

  Jack froze. He stared down at me for a moment. Suddenly he smiles, “That’s what he said?”

  I nodded. “He begged me to let him go and not treat him like he was weak. He just wanted to be himself and not have to regret any of the time he had left. I told him I couldn’t lie to you. Eli said I didn’t have to. He said you’d understand.”

  He nods, smiling, “I do. He’s found Amber.”

  “Oh my God! He’s got some happiness in his sadness,” I said teary eyed.

  “We both did. For a while after Hannah had passed, I’d see Eli and Amber together and it pulled me deeper into the dark. Don’t get me wrong I was happy for my brother, but I just couldn’t stop from thinking why did mine have to be taken from me. I really pulled into myself, hid away from everyone. Then you came along with your bright light making me see everything for the first time.”

  “Jackson,” I breathed.

  “As scared as I am for him to leave, I understand why he did. Honestly I’d do the same thing.”

  “So you’re not mad at me for letting him go?”

  His brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would I be mad at you?”

  “Because you don’t like him being out of ear shot let alone away, I worried you’d get upset that I let him leave.”

  Kissing me lightly, “Never Princess.” He kisses me again deeper. “I believe I have a reward and punishment to repay,” he says with a wink.

  Jackson followed through all right, over and over again. Collapsing to the bed in a sweaty exhausted heap, we lay there enjoying the moment. Rolling over, I sprawled across his chest and threw one of my legs over his.

  “Mmmm, best blanket in the world. Are you sure you have to go to the sisters day tomorrow?”

  I laughed. “Yes, Kayla told me that since she’s eight and a half months she isn’t going to have much time right away. Mary said this is her last moment she’ll be able to get out from under Tobey’s thumb,” I laugh again.

  He wrapped me in his arms, mumbling something. I couldn’t understand, but soon we were both asleep.

  * * *

  We all met at Mary’s and drove in to the restaurant. I could see right away what Mary was talking about. Tobey fussed over her as she walked out to the SUV that they rented. Jason wasn’t much different towards Kayla. Watching their men with them cause
d me to look at Jackson. He was watching his sisters as well. There was a look in his eyes that had my heart tightening in my chest. He’d have a child about the boys’ age right now. His eyes met mine and he mouthed ‘I love you’ and I mouthed it back. The boys then ran out dragging Jackson away. I laughed as he tried to keep up with them.

  Soon enough we were all in the SUV heading off toward the restaurant. Kylee was driving. Mylee sat in the passenger seat Mary and Kayla sat in the second row and Colleen and I sat in the third row seats. Reaching into my purse, I pulled out my gifts for both of them.

  “Here,” I said handing the boxes over the seat. “The boys and I wanted to get you gifts.”

  They both looked at me surprised, but took the boxes from me. They opened them and first pulled out the snow globes. Inside were a picture of each of them with their significant other and the other side was their latest pregnant photo.

  “That’s from the boys. Sebastian finds them relaxing so they figured they were perfect for you guys.”

  They both just nodded their heads stunned at the thoughtfulness from the boys. Then they pulled out the smaller box from me. They looked at each other then opened them together. Both gasped as they pulled them out of the box. Tears filled their eyes and they turned to me, silently asking for an explanation.

  “The center piece there is the symbol for strength. It has your birthstones in the center. The symbol on the left is for courage, it has your initials on there. The right side is a symbol for guardian. That has you’re man’s birthstone in it. Then the band clasped across connecting the chains, is obviously your last name—or will be—then on the top of the first letter is your birthstone again and the end of the last letter is his. I’ve paid already for the birthstone of your babies to go in, all you have to do is take it to the jeweler when their born. I figure if you want you can add to it as you add to your families.”

  They sobbed out a thank you and squeezed my hand. I turned to Colleen and handed her a box.

  “I know Colbie is already here, but I figured that I wasn’t around then so I can still give you your gift. It means the exact same thing as theirs. Jack has told me a little about what each of you have gone through and I thought to show exactly how brave and exceptional you ladies are, I’d get you necklaces in reminder of the good that has come from the dark.”