by Goode, Ella
I rear up and arrow my heavy cock into her dripping wet cunt. She screams out, loud enough to wake Jax. I take her mouth then, swallowing all her sounds as I pound into her. Again, I’m not gentle and I lack finesse, but how could I be smooth and practiced in this moment? It’s like our first time when we were driven by love and lust. All that matters is that my hard, swollen shaft is engulfed inside her small, tight channel and that my mouth is on hers, feeding her the air she needs to survive.
Her nails score across my back and the pain only propels me harder. She’ll be bruised later. She might not be able to walk tomorrow, but I’m determined to fuck her until she feels me every time she moves, until the memory of me can’t ever be taken from her.
She comes on my dick, milking the shaft with a thousand butterfly kisses a second, but even then I don’t stop. I’m a man possessed. It’s been nearly three years since I had my hands on her, three years since my cock has been encased in the silky embrace of her sweet cunt, three years since I held my love. She comes again and I finally let myself go.
Cum shoots out of me, flooding her heated canal. “We’re making a baby right now,” I vow.
“Yes, please. I want that so much, Jonas.” Her hands grip my biceps as I drive into her, still hard, still wanting. I won’t ever stop.
“I’m going to give you everything. All the love, all the babies, all the everything.” It doesn’t make sense, but I don’t have the words to express to her what she means to me. I can only tell her with my body that I will love and cherish her forever, so even though I just came, we’re not done. We will never be done.
Chapter 18
Darby
Jonas sleeps with his whole body wrapped around me. His hold on me is tight, as though he never wants to let go. He has always been a cuddler, but I could feel his need to keep me close. I don’t blame him. Even though we’ve been apart, I still consider myself the lucky one. Not only did I get to spend the last two years with Jax, but now I no longer have to live with not having Jonas. I knew in my heart that something was missing but to what extent I didn’t know. So I think Jonas is the one who lost more in this situation.
I can feel kisses being peppered across my neck as Jonas begins to wake up. “I love you,” he whispers into my ear, making me close my eyes and savor those words.
“I love you, too.” Tears sting my eyes. We’ve lost three years but we’re lucky that it wasn’t more. It’s all so hard to wrap my mind around. I knew his grandma hated me. No matter how hard I’d try to get her to come around, she never did.
It tore me up inside that Jonas was always fighting with her. I never had a family before and I didn't want to rip someone else from theirs. I tried to make it work but failed every time. Eventually, I just stopped trying, knowing that whatever I did would never be good enough for her.
“I went to see your grandma.” I say, remembering the day of the crash. I’d been upset when I’d left this very place. I’d lost control of the car. All I can remember of the crash was that the rain along with my tears were coming down so hard that I couldn’t see. I’m not sure if that’s what caused the crash or not. The next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital bed.
“I’m so sorry.” I can hear the pain in Jonas’ voice.
“I’d found out I was pregnant that morning. I was going to try to make peace with her. She wouldn't even see me.” I bark a humorless laugh. “She’d tried to convince me that you went away on business all the time. That you had a mistress.” I roll my eyes.
“I would never.”
“Jonas. I know that.” There has never been a doubt in my mind that he was unfaithful to me. Even when everything came rushing back to me I knew in all the years I’d been gone that he would have never moved on. This man loves me. That’s the one thing that his grandma had underestimated: our love. I might not have remembered us but my heart would see no others. It knew deep inside that it belonged to another.
“I can’t believe she went this far. She fucking moved you out of this state. Made you think you were all alone.”
“Without you I am all alone,” I remind him. Jonas and his sister have been my whole world since I met them. They were the family I never had. The one I was going to build one with. They taught me what family could be. They taught me that I deserved love and happiness.
Jonas lifts his head to look at me. “Without you I’m alone. I’ve done nothing but search for you and go through the motions for the last three years. The only thing that’s kept me going is my sister and the small hope that I might find you again.” I reach out, touching his face. I don’t think I’m ever going to let myself be more than a few feet from him again.
“What do we do now? Will she ever let us be?”
“She’s not going to have a choice.” I see the determination in Jonas’ face. I almost feel sorry for his grandma. Almost. When Jonas sets his mind on something, there is no going back. I know that better than anyone. He’d only known me for ten seconds and he told me I would always be his.
“You can’t work like you did. I can’t be away from you ever again. Especially now that Jax is in the picture. He needs his dad.”
“I promise you. You’ll never be away from me again.” His mouth comes down onto mine as he kisses me deeply. I get lost in him as he pulls me tight to him.
“Mommy?” My eyes fly open at the sound of Jax’s voice.
“You kiss Daddy.” He lets out a giggle. That sound always brings so much joy to my life. I turn my head to look at him standing next to the side of the bed. We’re going to need a crib asap. Jonas reaches down, pulling Jax into the bed with us.
I need clothes, I mouth. We’re both naked under the sheets. He gives me a nod as he falls back onto the bed. He tosses Jax into the air and catches him, and the sound of our little boy’s laughter fills the room. I slip from the bed, running toward the bathroom to snag a robe. I find a pair of pants for Jonas and head back to the bed.
I watch as Jonas throws Jax into the air over and over, making him burst into laughter. I fight the tears that once again try to break free. This is a sweet moment. I should be happy but I hate how much time they have missed together. I know better than anyone that time is precious and I don’t plan on wasting another second of it.
“You think I can get Mommy to marry Daddy today?” Jax looks over at me.
“Daddy?” He points to Jonas again. We’d told him earlier but I think he is really starting to put it together.
“Yes, that’s Daddy.” I sit down on the bed with them, tossing the pants to Jonas as Jax crawls toward me into my lap. “Your daddy is actually asking me now. Not ordering.” I kiss Jax on top of his head.
“You already agreed to marry me a long time ago.”
“I don’t think you asked me then either. You just put a ring on my finger. If I remember correctly.” I lift my hand.
“It’s just a ring. I can buy you a million more.” He sits up, grabbing my hand and kissing the spot my engagement ring once sat. “I made the mistake of asking you and not marrying you that same day. I won’t be making the same one again.”
“This is going to piss your gran off.” I smile. “I don’t need a dress. That will take too much time.”
“There’s my woman.” His hand goes to the back of my neck, pulling me down to press his mouth against mine. I smile against his lips as Jax tries to mimic the actions of his daddy. He leans down, placing a kiss on my cheek. That is the small silver lining in this. Jax will be a part of the day I promise his daddy forever.
Chapter 19
Jonas
I send Darby off to Melody’s house for my showdown with Gran. Gran will get ugly. Despite her wealth and her position, she has no problem going low if it suits her.
Try not to kill the old woman, Melody texts. Or if you do, make sure it looks like an accident. Check the will first tho! You never know. She might have left Willits to the gardener’s son.
Which gardener?
That’s right. She has five.
Isn’t there someone in charge?
Me.
I put the phone away. I’ve let Gran terrorize everyone for far too long. Dad can’t come home. My sister’s parenting and life choices are constantly criticized and the wedge she drove between me and Darby almost worked. If I hadn’t found her at the Wards’, we could’ve spent the rest of our years apart. It’s a sickening thought and I shove it out of my head as I stride toward the double doors leading into Gran’s wing in the house.
I don’t bother knocking. I just slam the doors open and walk right through the opening. Gran is seated in one of her antique chairs she no doubt pilfered from some bankrupt European estate. Her head is bowed over a book in her lap and she doesn’t bother to glance up. She knows what’s coming and she’s pretending like she doesn’t notice.
I stop in front of the windows her chair’s facing and start pulling the shades apart. “A little dark in here, isn’t it? Hard to read without decent light.” I glance at the book in her lap. It’s about architecture and it’s upside down. Her eyeglasses are still on the coffee table. Gran is rattled. I keep my smile to myself and reach over to flip the book around.
She clears her throat. “I didn’t ask for the curtains to be opened. The sun is bad for my skin.”
“You don’t look a day past eighty,” I declare.
Her glare should’ve melted me on the spot. We engage in a short staring contest before she returns her gaze to her book. The room sits in silence with only the sound of pages flipping breaking through now and then. Outside, a few colorful birds hover around a feeder until a black crow settles on the top and scares them away. One of the gardeners comes over with a broom to clear the black bird away but the small birds don’t return. The crow has spoiled their feeding spot and no one feels safe.
I turn back to Gran. “I heard that the Duke of Caron is having a boating party next weekend. He bought a new 600 foot yacht that he plans to sail from Nice to Monaco.”
“The Duke of Caron is trash. He bought that title like he buys yachts,” she snips.
“Much like our family bought everything in this house, yet we pass it off as artifacts of our superiority. I’m certain that the new ship will feel luxurious enough that the new money smell won’t make you sick.”
Her mouth tightens to the point of disappearing. “I’m too ill to go.”
“Then you’re too ill to stay on as the chairperson of Willits.”
Her head snaps up. “So you finally get to the point.”
“You knew what the point was the minute I found Darby.” I allow some of my anger to seep through. “I’m done with you. Either you go or I do and if I go, that will be the end of Willits. Melody has no interest. You don’t trust Dad—“
“With good reason,” she interrupts testily.
“With good reason.” I shrug. “So who will it be? Mason Page from Finance? Reese Templeton from Marketing?”
“I will cut you off,” she declares. “If you walk away because of that—“
“Careful. Don’t say something you’ll regret,” I warn.
“Something I regret? I regret I didn’t send the girl to Alaska! I regret I didn’t marry you off when you were eighteen! I regret everything!”
I push away from the windows and start toward the doors.
“Where are you going?” she cries.
“You’re having a tantrum. Melody always says it’s best to ignore a child when they’re having a fit. You’ll wear yourself out and when the storm is over, we can talk like reasonable adults.”
“The storm will never be over!”
“You don’t say.” I leave the doors open as I exit. In my suite, there is shit everywhere. George gives me a sheepish smile when he sees me at the door.
“It’s taking some time, Mr. Willits. You have a few years of life invested here,” he says.
“That’s fine, George. Take your time. It doesn't all need to be packed away today. Do you have my cases ready?” I’d asked for just a few pieces of clothing so I wouldn’t have to order anything right away. Darby can fill out the rest of my closet.
“Yessir.” He proudly rolls out a large trunk. “It’s all prepared here and I have someone picking it up in an hour.” His face falls. “We will miss you dearly, sir.”
“What is going on here?” demands Gran from the entry.
“I’m moving out.”
“You already have a penthouse.”
“But, at your request, I’ve always kept space here with the understanding that I’d bring my family here—which I’ve done, but they’re not welcome, so I won’t be back.”
“George. Unpack all this,” she says imperiously.
George freezes.
“No, George. Keep packing. I’m done here. With all of it.”
“What do you mean?” Gran cries.
“I’m not going to play your games. You hurt Darby immeasurably. You kept me from my own son. You can forgive me today but tomorrow you’ll demand other things. And I’m done with it. Cut me off. I’ll build a new company with my family and we will be happy while you will sit in this mausoleum with your pilfered antiques and rot away in loneliness.” I pocket my keys, nod my head at George and fly down the stairs. The shackles of the Willits empire weighed heavily on my shoulders and now that I’ve made my decision to leave, I feel like I could lift the entire house. My pace picks up, nearly running to my car. I slam it into drive and speed down the long driveway. I should have left years ago. When I met Darby, I should have taken her away instead of trying to force her to fit into the mold that Gran had decided we should all fill. That was my mistake and I almost lost Darby. Now that I have my second chance, I won’t waste it.
Chapter 20
Darby
“I could kill her,” Melody says for the tenth time since I’ve gotten to her house.
“She’s not worth the jail time.” I pick up my lemonade, taking a long drink. I missed this. Not as much as I missed my Jonas, but I always loved coming over to see Melody. Veronica was like a niece to me. I can’t count how many times we talked about me having a baby. Someone for Veronica to play with. I’ve missed so much, which is a hard pill to swallow, but I can’t dwell on it.
“They have missed so much time together.” Melody reaches out, giving my hand a squeeze. Echoing my inner thoughts. “We’ve missed so much time together. And for what?” I can see the tears brimming in her eyes.
“We’ll make it up.” I watch Veronica and Jax play together. Veronica thinks she’s gotten herself a new baby doll. She’s been all over Jax since we walked in the door. “I hope they are as close as Jonas and you are.” I’ve always loved their relationship. Melody and Jonas have a bond that can’t be broken. It didn't matter what their gran wanted. I always admired Melody’s strong spirit. She’d gotten some of that from her gran but unlike her, she had a heart.
“They will. I have no doubt about that.” Melody smiles, looking out into the backyard and watching them play in the giant wooden playhouse. It’s almost big enough to be a real house.
“Jonas built it. He was here whenever he wasn't working or looking for you. He would do anything to keep busy. It hurt me to see him that devastated while trying to deal with the loss of you myself.”
“What is wrong with your gran? Why would she do this? This is beyond hate.” She’s even cut Melody out of her life for the most part. Melody's husband told her to do whatever made her feel happy. Even if it meant separating herself from her gran. It baffles me that Gran has all of this family right here but she doesn't care about them. Family is all I’ve ever wanted. There is no price tag you could put on it.
“As much as I hate her sometimes, other times I feel bad for her.” I nod in agreement. She has no idea what she’s missing out on. No matter how much I do hate her, I’ll always be thankful for her giving me Jonas and Melody. “I’m just glad you’re back. When we thought we lost you, we lost him, too.”
“I promise you, I’ll never willingly leave Jonas. I love that man.”
>
“I know that.” Her bright blue eyes that match Jax’s and Jonas’ fix on mine. “It’s why I thought you were dead. I know the way that you two look at each other. I see it every day when I look at my own husband.”
“There is a lady here with a dress,” Melody's husband says from the backdoor.
“He had a dress sent here?” I stand up from my chair. I shouldn’t be surprised in the least. Jonas always did whatever he thought would make me happy.
“He said you were getting married today,” Melody reminds me. I didn't forget. I just thought I was going to get married in blue jeans right here in the backyard. “We had already picked one out before everything happened. Remember?”
“I do.” Melody had planned a few small things for the wedding. Nothing had been set in stone. The dress was something I’d tried on one day when we’d been walking past a bridal store. We had been so excited about it.
“I called and told them to bring it over.”
“Are there more surprises? Is that what Jonas is off doing right now?”
“I think we all know what Jonas is doing,” Melody's husband says. Yes, he is dealing with Gran. I have no idea how that will go but I’m guessing not well. I tried to reason with her once. That had cost me years of my life. I refuse to let that woman take anything else from me.
“Daddy!” I hear Jax scream from the playhouse. It’s going to take a while to get used to hearing him say it. I look over to see that Melody has tears in her eyes again as she watches Jax run through the grass into Jonas’ open arms. Jonas picks him up, swinging him around as he giggles uncontrollably. My heart explodes with happiness. Jax can feel it, too. From the moment he laid eyes on Jonas, he took to him. Calling him Daddy was second nature to him.
“You going to be my best man?” Jonas kisses his cheek. Jax will agree to do anything Jonas asks him.
