by Amy Davies
“Where, baby?” Luke is next to me, trying to get me to look at him.
“There, in the red t-shirt.” I feel the cold air surround me as Luke leaves me and exits the studio. I see Dex and Jay hot on his heels. Someone steps close to me and I turn to see one of the clients standing next to me.
“I’ll stay here until the boys come back. Is that okay with you?” I nod and look back to where the three important men in my life are standing, confronting the man who almost ended me. They’re in a heated argument because I see Dex and Jay’s shoulders are up, showing they are angry. Luke, well, my beast is huffing and puffing in anger also. Luke steps closer to Tim, and I’m scared hell punch him. I move around the front desk and the client and run across the road. Thank God no cars are coming.
I hear Luke screaming at Tim.
“You will stay far a-fucking-way from Ivy and Carter, do you hear me? They are mine now. You fucked up, arsehole. Now leave,” Luke growls. Tim’s eyes are blazing with rage. He shifts his gaze from Luke to me as I close the distance. The boys don’t see or hear me until I am right next to Luke because they are blinded by the rage they have towards Tim.
“Ivy, you miss me, sweetie?” Tim’s voice drips with smugness. I close in behind Luke and wrap my arms around his bicep. Tim’s face turns from smug to rage in a flash. “Well, you moved on quick, you slut.” Tim looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks. He has bags under his eyes, his hair is sticking up all over the place, and his clothes look grubby.
“Don’t speak to her—don’t fucking look at her,” Luke spits out angrily. Tim smirks, his eyes bouncing between Luke and me. I know he’s going to say something to rile the boys up even more, but more so Luke.
“Have you had a taste yet? She tastes like fucking heaven, doesn’t she?” Tim licks his lips, and a shiver runs through my body in disgust. Luke tenses even more, his muscles turning to stone beneath my palms. He steps towards Tim and I grip his biceps to stop him, but I’m no match for his strength, so Dex and Jay step up to help me hold him back.
I look at Tim and try to muster up the reasons why I stayed with him for so long, or even why I didn’t see the type of man he was when we first met. He’s like a stranger now, nothing like he used to be. I never would have thought that he would let himself go like this. Tim was always so prim and proper.
“Leave!” Beasts demands, but Tim just chuckles at him. A crowd has gathered, and I hope no one calls the police.
“Man, I swear to fucking Christ you had better leave before we let him go, because believe me, you do not want us to unleash the beast on you,” Jay pipes in.
Tim shakes his head but keeps his smile firmly in place. “I don’t have to do shit. She belongs to me, so does the brat,” he says to Jay, then looks at me. “Get your shit. We’re going home. No more fucking around. I let you meet your brothers and slag around with this prick, but now you will come home, where you belong.” I gasp and Luke lunges forward, too quick for anyone to stop him. He lands a punch on Tim’s jaw, and his head snaps back before he falls to the floor.
I stand there shaking as Luke lands on top of Tim, laying punch after punch. Dex and Jay struggle to pull Luke off him. I hear shouting and turn to see the two clients come running across the street to help. They pull on Luke and hold him down as one of the men watching the scene play out picks up Tim.
“I suggest you fucking leave.” He crosses his arms across his massive chest and nods in the direction of the street. “I saw and heard everything. You threatened his girlfriend and her son.”
“I didn’t say fuck all like that.”
“I believe you did. Now, who do you think the police will believe: a raggedy piss-ant like you, or an army corporal like me?” I gasp and cover my mouth with my still shaking hand. I feel arms wrap around my shoulders and scream, even though I can see Tim in front of me. The fear of his touch races through my body, until I hear his voice.
“Shh, baby, it’s just me.” I can see the men saying something to Tim, but the blood pounding in my veins is drowning out any sound except for Beast’s soothing voice. “I’ve got you. Shhh, babe.” His arms tighten around me and I melt into his embrace. My heart rate slows, and my hearing comes back as the guys still speak to Tim. I snuggle closer to Luke’s chest, but my eyes are fixed on Tim, turning to walk away. But he stops and looks back at me.
“I’ll see you soon, Ivy. Real fucking soon.” I shiver as his threat sinks in. I have to go. He can’t get a hold of Carter—or me, for that matter. I have to leave. My heart rate spikes again, and I think I’m going to have a heart attack. I pull out of Luke’s arms and step away. My eyes flicker around the street, making sure Tim is gone before I move. He can’t see where we’re going. He can’t find us again.
Luke must see the fear on my face because he steps up to me again and takes my face in his big hands, tilting my head up, forcing me to look him in the eyes.
“No! Don’t even think about it. You aren’t going anywhere.”
“How?” I ask, confused by how the hell he knew what I was thinking.
“I can see it in your eyes—you wanna run and hide. Not. Happening. Do you hear me? You are not leaving me—us.” He nods towards my brothers. Dex and Jay look angry but concerned for me.
“But, Lu—”
“No fucking buts. You are not leaving me. Do you honestly think I won’t hunt you down? I need my peaches in my life, babe, don’t take that away from me.” He sticks out his bottom lip and pouts. I try to hold the giggle in but fail. This is what Luke Baker does to me. He helps me forget all the bad and reminds me of the good in my life.
“We can’t lose you, sis. We only just got you. We won’t let him hurt you, or Carter. Do you believe me?” Dex asks. My eyes bounce between Dex and Jay. Jay offers me a genuine Carter smile and Dex just grins and nods, imploring me to believe him. He doesn’t need to implore me; I do believe him—them.
“I believe you. I trust you.” I swing my gaze up to Beast. “I trust all of you.” I offer him a watery smile and he leans in and kisses my lips. He kisses me long and soft, taking his time with me. His tongue coaxes mine, playing the seduction game. I shouldn’t be getting turned on after everything that just happened, but I can’t stop my body responding to his.
He has this power over my mind, body and soul.
I feel his hand slide down and squeeze my bum, and I squeak, making him chuckle against my mouth. I pull back and rest my head on his chest, taking deep breaths. Slowly, I glance to the left and then the right, hoping no one is standing around looking at us. I let out a sigh of relief when I see no one is paying any attention to us. Luke walks us back into Castle Ink and the rest of the day is uneventful. The boys all talk about keeping an eye on me, and they thank the two men that helped out with Tim.
All I can do is pray that Tim takes what the boys said seriously and stays away.
*****
The day has worn on me, and Luke and Carter are trying their best to get my mind on the now, but Tim’s words are still rattling around my head. He was never one to let things get away from him, and I can only imagine what he was like when he noticed I’d left and taken Carter with me. He never much cared for us, but he liked the image of having an almost-wife and a son.
I have to make sure he never gets his hands on Carter. Lord knows what he would do. He looked slightly unhinged this afternoon.
“Mum, come and play,” Carter says. My gaze snaps to my boys sitting on the floor, playing Rocket League on the Playstation. I offer my son a smile and stand up, before turning towards the kitchen.
“Let me get a drink and I’ll have a go. Do you boys want anything?”
“Nope.”
“I’m good, babe.” Neither of them looks at me as they answer. I chuckle and walk into the kitchen to get my drink. I rest my hands on top of the kitchen counter and close my eyes, dragging air into my lungs in big gulps. I need to get a grip on things. I know that Beast and my brothers would never let anything happen to us, but I also know T
im. I yelp when big arms wrap around my waist.
“You okay?” Beast kisses my bare shoulder, thanks to my top being a tad too big and falling off one side. It says ‘Bra off. Hair up. Cuppa in hand.’, courtesy of Addison Cole. I lean back into his body and relax my tense muscles. His scent hits my senses. He smells all woodsy, which is from his shower gel that he leaves here.
I feel safe in his arms, and he almost makes me forget about everything that’s happened with Tim. Almost. I have that sliver of fear that he will get his hands on me, and when he does, he will kill me. I’ve made sure that he never gets his hands on Carter. What Luke and my brothers don't know is that I changed my will a few weeks ago, making sure Luke gets custody of Carter if anything happens to me. I went into great detail with the solicitor about what Tim had done to me. I provided all the evidence they needed. I had to explain why I didn't go to the police when all the abuse was happening. That hurt like hell to talk about, but I’m glad I did it.
“I’m good, Beast.”
“You sure?” I nod and turn in his arms to face him.
Bloody hell, my man is handsome.
I lift my hands up to cup his perfect jawline. It should be bloody illegal for a man to have this good of a facial structure. I smile up at him and he returns the smile, his eyes going soft as they take in my happy expression. I go up on my tiptoes and lay a gentle kiss on his plump lips.
“I’m good, Luke Baker. As good as I have ever been. You make me happy—you make us happy, and for that I can’t ever thank you enough. Not many men will take on another man’s child, but you have been more of a father to Carter than him.” I sneer the last word.
“Move in with me.” I look into his eyes to see if he is messing with me, but they tell me he is one-hundred-percent genuine about us moving in with him.
“What?”
“Move in with me. I want both you and Carter at home with me. I want to come home from work and have you in my place. I want Carter to come home from school to my house. Our house.”
“Are we moving in with Luke, Mum?” Carter comes sprinting into the kitchen, yelling his question. I blink a few times and take in what I’m being asked. Is it too soon to move in with him? We’ve only been a couple for a few months. Bugger, I need to think on this. But do I really?
“Think about it, please?” Luke offers. I nod and turn to my baby boy.
“Time for bed, mister.”
“But Muuuum. One more game.”
“Hey, you heard your mother. Bed, now,” Luke chides.
“Fine,” he says as he sulks off.
“I’ll be there in a few to tuck you in, okay?”
“Okay. Night, Luke.”
“Night, kiddo.”
I kiss Luke on the cheek and give him my best smile. “I promise to think about it, okay.” I don’t stay and wait for his response; I leave the room and get Carter ready for bed. I know I will move in with Luke, but I need to think things through and prove to myself that we aren’t rushing into anything. I did that once before and look where it got me.
Chapter 20
Luke
It’s been two weeks since Tim showed up and scared the hell out of Ivy and threatened her and Carter. I’ve been on pins thinking that he will come and hurt them. I’ll kill the bastard and bury him where no one will ever find his body if he so much as touches a hair on their head.
Ivy and Carter are mine. Always will be.
“Luke, what do you want for dinner?” Ivy’s voice carries through from my kitchen to me in the garden. I’m chilling with a beer in hand, watching Carter play with Ramsey and Hetch, Penny and Liam’s dogs. They’ve gone away for the weekend and we got lumped with the fucking dogs. Ivy can’t say no to anyone, well, except me. She still hasn’t agreed to move in here with me. Carter loves it here. We’re close to the water and the garden is fucking massive.
It’s mostly grass but I do have a decking area where I’m currently sitting. It has framework all around and above me, with a patio sofa, chair, and a matching table. Further down the garden there is a sunken seating area with a large firepit that we use in the summer and spring.
I had to add in a washing line as Ivy likes to hang the wet clothes to ‘blow dry naturally’. I’m a man, we chuck things in the tumble dryer or throw them over the bannister. But oh well, at least she’s happy. I remember when we were growing up that my father always made sure the garden was clean and the grass trimmed down, so me and my sisters could play. The days we spent in the garden playing games were amazing. I broke my arm one year when I climbed the tree at the bottom of the garden. My dad soon cut the sucker down.
“Not bothered, babe. Whatever you want to make is fine with me.”
“So, salad, then?” she says, poking her head out of the patio doors. I spin around to look at her, mock horror on my face, making her giggle.
“Salad? Do I look like a fucking rabbit or a supermodel to you?” She shrugs at me.
Shrugs!
Oh, the little minx.
“Well, that’s what I’m having,” she adds.
“I am a growing boy; I don’t eat salad.” I almost gag on the word. What kind of man does she think I am? Salad. Sheesh.
“I think you’ve grown enough, don’t you?” She winks at me. I dart out of the chair and run up the few steps to the patio doors that lead to my girl. I take her in my arms and back her up into the kitchen and against the fridge. I kiss her neck, sucking just enough to make her squeal and rub against me.
“Luke!” she squeals again, bringing her hand up to the spot where I can see the love bite has formed. Oh shit, she’s going to go ape shit; she hates them. She says they look tacky and dirty. “Oh, you didn’t.” She bolts from me and into the downstairs bathroom. I slowly follow her, covering my dick just in case she decides to sack me again. I scared her the other night by coming up behind her in Castle Ink, and he sacked me right in the balls. I fell to the floor like a ton of bricks, while Dex and Jay were pissing themselves laughing. Fuckers.
“Luke Baker.” Oh, the full name in the motherly tone.
I’m in the dog house. Bollocks.
“Yes, my lovely. My sweetheart. My peaches.” I give her the sweetest tone I can muster up, but fuck me, it doesn’t work, going by the look on her face.
“Really?”
“I didn’t suck that hard,” I state, leaning against the doorframe, crossing my arms.
“Obviously you did!” She points to the mark on her neck. I lean in, and yeah, I got her good.
“So, does this mean no shagging tonight, then?”
“Umm, nope.”
“A blowjob?”
“Luke,” she huffs.
“Wank?”
She gives me a stern look and shakes her head. Fucking hell, I love it when she’s all fired up, makes my dick hard. I close the gap between us and she holds her hands up.
“Nope. Not happening. Do not touch me, Beast.” I bounce my eyebrows at her because I know what my touch does to her.
It makes her forget why she’s pissed at me.
“But I want to apologize, babe.”
“Then do it from over there.” She points to the doorframe. She still won’t let me touch her, so I cross my arms over my chest, knowing full well that she loves my arms. Her gaze roams over my biceps, and she licks her lips.
Gotcha!
I step closer, and before Ivy can react, I lift her up and sit her on the vanity. Her legs wrap around me automatically, and I smile at the little fact of knowing that she trusts me to lift her up and not let her fall.
I will never let her fall.
“No fair, Beast. Bugger it,” she whispers, and leans into me, resting her head in the crook of my neck. “Every time,” she mutters against my skin.
“Every time, what?”
“You don’t play fair when you use the arm porn.” Her lips lay a kiss to my shoulder and I shiver. Yes, I am man enough to admit that my woman’s touch makes me shiver and shake in my fucking boots.
“I didn’t think you would, that’s why you use it against me.” She chuckles and lifts her head so our gazes meet. Her eyes suck you in, the same colour as her brothers. My eyes bounce back and forth between hers while my mind tries to force the words out of my mouth, but something is stopping me. What if she doesn’t say it back to me? That will fucking crush me.
“Muuuum, Luuuuke, I’m Hank Marvin. Are we eating tonight or what?”
Ivy’s eyes widen in shock at the way Carter is speaking. I shake my head and step back when she pushes against my chest.
“Carter Daniel Bilson, where did you learn to speak like that?” Ivy says, marching out of the bathroom in search for our boy. I follow suit and find Carter sitting at the dining table, Peaches towering over him with her hand on her hips.
“I only asked a question,” he moans.
“But still, I taught you manners, Carter. Where have they gone? This isn’t you.” Carter shrugs and I step up to the table and crouch down, so I’m almost head height with him.
“What your mum is trying to say, is you should never forget your manners, okay? They don’t cost a penny, so use them as much as you want. I know that you’re growing up, but you will still respect your elders. Got me?” Wow, I sound like my dad. “I’ve been there, kiddo, and believe me, this is only just the beginning of the whole manhood saga, but please, for me and your mum, please be polite and respectful.”
He nods and looks at Ivy. “I’m sorry, Mum. Can we eat now, please? I’m hungry. Or, as Luke says now and again, ‘I’m Rome’.” She looks at me with a confused expression on her face.
“Fast and the Furious reference?” She shrugs. What? “Please, tell me you’ve seen the films?”
“Nope. Are they good?”
“Good? Bloody hell, woman, have you been living under a rock? They’re flipping epic.” When did I stop swearing around Carter? Fucking hell.
