The second the door closes behind them, Brandon instantly loses his shit. He runs around, he jumps, he high fives everyone he passes, but what’s more is the smile that lights up his face.
Imogen laughs as she watches him with adoration. I slip my hand behind her back and pull her in close. “Do you think he took it well?”
“I don’t know,” she jokes. “He looks devastated.”
I laugh as I bend down and kiss her. “Are you coming for this?”
She beams up at me. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
With that, the three of us pile into my truck and we get Brandon to his new home. He jumps down from my truck and the smile still hasn’t left his face. I walk around the back and grab his things before heading for the door.
Imogen takes the keys from my hand and unlocks the door for me before ushering Brandon into our home. “Welcome home, kid,” I say.
He looks around as though he’s never been here before, but I guess to him, he’s seeing it in a whole new light. He bypasses the living room and kitchen as he’s already seen them and we follow him down the hallway. “Where’s my room?” he questions.
“Your room?” I gasp. “Are you supposed to have one of those?”
His face falls and I chuckle behind him. “Relax,” I grin as I point out a door a few steps down. “It’s just here.”
He practically runs to it before grabbing the handle and giving it a twist. He pushes it open and steps through the threshold. His eyes go big and he instantly looks around. He momentarily forgets that he’s trying to act cool while he looks through the room. “Oh, cool,” he says as he takes in the TV and play station, then turns to find the laptop on the desk. “Wow. Thank you,” he gushes before taking in the size of the bed.
I’ll have to sit him down and set some ground rules with him, but when it comes down to it, I don’t think I’ll have any issues. He’s proven to me that he’s a good kid, though sometimes a little careless with his decisions, so I’ll have to put a lock on his bedroom window in case he feels like escaping in the middle of the night. But if I provide him with a home he feels safe in, then I won’t have a problem.
The night flies by and before I know it, we’ve had dinner, Brandon is showered and in bed, and I’m lying on the couch with Imogen in my arms. “So,” I start, wondering how the hell she’s going to take his. “It was Brandon’s turn today, what about yours tomorrow?”
“Huh?” she grunts.
I sit up and adjust Imogen so she sits in my lap facing me. I look into those beautiful eyes that I’m so deeply in love with and let her have it. “I want you to move in with me and Brandon,” I tell her.
Her mouth pops open and I see the wheels in her head starting to turn as she tries to comprehend what the hell is going on. “I…um. What?”
“I want you here, Imogen,” I repeat. “I know it’s quick and I know it freaks you out, but it feels too right for it to be wrong.”
“But,” she argues.
“No, buts, babe,” I tell her. “I want you here with me. I want you to come home to me every night. I want to share my life with you. No, scratch that. I want to build a life with you. You’re my world, Imogen. You always have been and you always will be, so it’s about time you face the facts that no matter if it’s now or in ten years, this is exactly how we’re going to end up. It’s your call, babe. Do you want to start this thing with me now, or waste time doing it later?”
She raises her arms and loops them over my neck before gently pressing her lips to mine. “You’re serious?” she questions. “You’re that crazy about me that you want to see me here every day?”
“Every day,” I confirm. “When you’re in your pajamas. When you’re running around, late for work. When you crack the shits because me and Brandon are picking on you.”
“You’re not going to get sick of me?” she asks as she leans forward and kisses me again.
My hands slip under her shirt and run up the bare skin of her back. “Never,” I murmur with my lips on hers.
She pulls back slightly and rests her forehead against mine. She closes her eyes and lets out a shaky breath. And just when I think she’s about to tell me no, she goes and blows me the fuck away. “I love you, Caden,” she murmurs.
My eyes close with the overwhelming relief rocking through my body. I knew she did but hearing it from her sweet lips is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever experienced. “Say it again,” I tell her.
With that, a smile crosses her lips. “I love you,” she repeats.
“Thank fuck for that,” I whisper before running my hand straight up her back and into her hair. I kiss her deeply when it occurs to me that I can no longer fuck her on the couch. I wouldn’t want Brandon to come out and see something that would scar him for the rest of his life.
I’ll have to remember to take her to my room before we get carried away, but before I do that, I need to get an answer out of her. “What do you say, babe? Are you going to put me out of my misery and move in here?”
I see the smile in her eyes before it completely lights up her whole face. “If I did, I’d have to stop my sessions with Brandon.”
“Honestly,” I grin. “I think he’d prefer living with you than having to talk about his feelings all the time.”
She rolls her eyes. “He’d be reassigned with a new therapist,” she mumbles.
“Babe,” I demand. “Just answer the damn question.”
She squishes her face to mine and kisses me one last time. Her lips lift into a smile against mine. “I’d love too,” she finally says, making my heart explode inside my chest.
I hold her close to me as complete joy takes over me. “I fucking love you,” I tell her.
“I know,” she grins back at me. “But just so you know, you’re responsible for telling Cole.”
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Epilogue
Imogen
12 Months Later
“Go, Brandon,” I scream as he pummels his fists into his opponent. He does a bit of that fancy ass footwork that Caden’s been teaching him and then stuns the crowd as he takes down his opponent with the stupid tornado kick that he’s been working his ass off learning.
The place is filled with people and I’m thrown back to my childhood when I used to be dragged along to all of Cole’s competitions.
I guess nothing has changed over the space of fifteen years. I used to stand with Caden then, and I’m standing with him now.
It’s been an absolute pleasure being Brandon’s foster mother over the past twelve months. After a few weeks of living with us, Brandon completely became a different person. He was no longer shy and jumpy, but an outgoing child ready to explore the world.
I knew that this was a part of his cheeky personality, but it seemed to only come out when he was with either me or Caden and now that it’s a permanent deal, he’s morphed into the child he should have always been had it not been for his disgraceful parents.
To our relief, they’ve never come searching for him and I know Brandon still thinks about and misses his mom from time to time, but it’s best this way. Maybe as he gets older he could search her out and possibly build a relationship with her one day, but for now, he’s good being our little side-kick. Well, little is an understatement. He had his twelfth birthday not long ago and he towers over me now. When I first met him, we were pretty evenly matched, but now, he’s a monster. I swear, it’s not natural for someone to grow so quickly, but Caden assures me it’s normal.
It’s strange how naturally Caden and I took to being Brandon’s foster parents. It happened almost instantly. I mean, sure, there were a few times where I was lost for words or had no idea how to handle a situation, but when I lacked, Caden was able to pick up. Say like… when I walked into the bathroom without knocking and saw something I really wish I could forget. I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s healthy for young boys to explore in that way.
The crowd cheer and I find
myself jumping up and down with excitement as Brandon is declared the winner of his very first fight. I feel like a proud Mumma as I watch my boy celebrate in the middle of the ring.
“Fuck, babe,” Caden scolds as he protectively wraps his hands around my swollen stomach. “Stop jumping like that. You’re going to give my baby a headache.”
“I’m sorry,” I grin. “I can’t help it. I’m just so damn proud of him.”
The emotion is too much for me to bare and I break down into sobs as the tears stream down my face. “Shit,” I cry as I make a fool of myself while trying to fan my face to help keep the tears at bay, but it’s no use.
Caden can’t help but laugh as he pulls me into his side. I press my face into his chest and use his shirt to dry the tears off my face. His arm winds around my waist and holds onto my stomach as our little girl attempts to kick his hand away.
The day I found out I was pregnant was one of the scariest days of my life. I was terrified it was too soon for us to be having a baby. We’d only been living together for about four or five months and I completely freaked out, but naturally, Caden did his thing and helped me to see that this happened at a perfect time.
From that day on, I fell more and more in love with the little alien that’s been growing inside me, and now I’m desperate to meet her, and so is Brandon. He’s stoked to be getting a baby sister, but no one is readier than Caden. He tells me every day that he’s been waiting a lifetime for this moment with me and every time he does, it warms my heart like you’ll never know.
The way he loves me is something I’ll never tire of. It’s intoxicating and thrilling. It’s like a big fluffy blanket that you can’t help but sink into. It keeps you warm and protected and no matter what, you know you’ll always be safe with it.
I never thought I’d be able to tell a man that I loved him, but the second I did, I’ve never looked back. Letting those words out was like coming home and I couldn’t believe I’d waited so long to tell him. When I think back to the year we had of meaningless sex, I realize it wasn’t meaningless at all. I could never pinpoint when it happened, but I’d say I was in love with him a lot longer than I ever realized. Hell, I might have loved him since I was a kid. It’s something I’ll never know, but either way, I’m glad he forced me to see what was right in front of me.
My arms circle my baby as I feel her kicking and moving around. If it weren’t for this incredible man, I’d never know this kind of happiness. I’d never know that this is exactly what I needed to find that feeling of completeness. It’s incredible. My heart has never been so full and every day, it continues to grow.
Brandon comes running down from the ring and barrels into us. Caden catches him a moment before he squishes me and gently pulls him into us. “Congratulations,” Caden says as Brandon looks back up at him and beams.
“Thank you,” he says.
I wriggle out of Caden’s hold and wrap my arms around the kid who changed my life. “That tornado kick was badass,” I tell him.
Pride rips across his face as he looks at me. “You saw that?”
“Of course,” I laugh. “I’d say it was the best damn tornado kick I’ve ever seen.”
“Whoa,” a familiar voice cuts in at my right. I look across to see Cole scowling at my comments while he presses his hands to my stomach. I don’t even think he realizes he’s doing it by this stage. He’s just so damn excited to be an uncle. I almost feel sorry for the little girl inside me. She’s going to be surrounded by all these strong men, she’ll never get a chance to fall in love, but then, maybe I don’t want a man taking her away from me. “You mean, best tornado kick you ever saw, right after mine, of course?” Cole grins.
“Sorry,” I laugh. “Brandon’s got you on this one.”
At that, Brandon snickers and grins like it’s the funniest thing in the world. “And me?” Xander questions, shoving his body in between the crowd to get to us.
“Yep, you too,” I tell him with absolute confidence.
Our teasing banter has Brandon’s face lighting up and the look pulls at my heartstrings. Even more so when Cole and Xander congratulate him and have him fangirling over them.
As the boys talk, Caden can’t help but pull me back into his side. “You’re going to be an incredible mommy,” he tells me.
I stretch up onto my tippy-toes and press my lips to his. “I wouldn’t if it wasn’t for you teaching me what to do.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he says, repeating the silly argument we’ve had since the day I became pregnant.
‘I’m not being ridiculous,” I tell him. “Without you, I never would have had the chance to become a foster mother to Brandon. I never would have learned what it was all about, and without you, I’d never get the chance to meet this beautiful little girl inside me. You’ve given me everything I never knew that I wanted and I’ve never been so happy.”
“Do you have any idea how good it feels to hear you say that?” he murmurs against my lips.
“Yeah,” I grin. “I bet it feels just as good as when you tell me you love me.”
He smiles against my lips before really kissing me. “Ugh,” Brandon complains. “Not again.”
“Yeah,” Cole grunts with a scrunched-up face. “I’m with the kid. Knock it off.”
I can’t help but laugh. With my baby kicking and the loves of my life surrounding me. I’m in heaven. All that’s left for me to do, is watch my man be an incredible father to our little girl while I fall in love with him over and over again.
The end.
Sneak Peek
Luke – Rebels Advocate (Book 3)
Chapter 1
Lexi
I stand before the house that’s going to become my home for the foreseeable future and it’s a heap of shit.
What the hell possessed me to buy this crap? I’ve been flipping houses for the past four years, and usually, I go for something that just needs a facelift, but this? This needs to be completely gutted and rebuilt.
I don’t know what I was thinking when I took on such a big project. My last few projects needed new kitchens and bathrooms, new carpets in the bedrooms, and fancy ass floorboards in the living spaces. Then after a fresh coat of paint, they looked incredible and I made a shit load of money on it.
I would spend a bit of time demolishing all the old crap I didn’t like and then hire a carpenter to get the room ready, then it’s as easy as going down to the store, picking out what I like and getting them to come and install it.
But as I look up at this fucker, I know I’m going to have to get my hands dirty, hell, I’ll probably break a few nails in the process too. It will probably cost me a bomb to renovate, but it’s on a great street with parks and a school. It’s perfect for a young family and I know after the hard yards, it will be worth it.
I walk up the cracked concrete pathway that leads to the front door and start taking note of all the things that need to be fixed. I’ll need new light fixtures out on the porch. New windows and doors and a crap load of landscaping.
I pull the keys out of my pocket which I just picked up from the realtor and unlock the door. As I push it open, the first thing that hits me is the god-awful smell wafting out of the carpets. I groan as I step through the threshold. The place is damp and has been locked up for, who knows how long, making the smell seem so much worse.
Before I even look through the rest of the house, I crack every single window in the house and slide them right open to hopefully dull the stench that wafts up from the stained carpets. I mean, how the hell do people let their homes get so bad?
My mental note of things to do keeps growing to the point I dash back outside to my truck and grab a notepad and pen. I instantly start jotting things down. I head back inside and continue making my way around the house and by the time I’ve made it the whole way around, I have a complete plan in mind, and unfortunately, it’s going to cost a lot of money.
Just freaking great. I really should have thought this through a littl
e better, but my stupid need to take on impossible challenges just keeps getting in the way.
Even with this daunting task ahead of me, I’ve never been so excited and I can’t wait to get started. I know I’ve only just walked through the door and it’s only ten past seven on a Monday morning, but I just don’t care. I want to get this show on the road.
First things first, I need to get one of those big dumpsters so I can strip this place down to its bones. I look around for somewhere to sit and decide nothing here is worthy for my ass to sit on just yet. I head back out to my truck and sit in the driver’s seat as I search through my phone for a local dumpster guy.
The second that’s ordered, I hop out of the truck and walk around the back. I grin as I look down at my trusty sledgehammer.
Hell yeah. There’s nothing better than demolition. You know, grabbing that sledgehammer and using all your might to tear something down. It just gives me this twisted sense of satisfaction and I don’t even care that it’s wrong. It’s fun and I love it.
I duck into my truck and grab my speakers out of the suitcase in my back seat before heading back into my rundown house. I plug in the speakers, thrilled that the electricity actually works and I bust the music up as loud as it can go as I can’t possibly do this shit without it.
Now, the real challenge is working out where the hell to start. I guess it comes down to what’s more important. Bathroom. Bedroom. Kitchen.
Hmmm, I’ll start with the bedroom.
Taking my sledgehammer, I dump it in one of the four bedrooms and head back out to my truck to grab the heavy bag of tools that I’ve collected over the past few years.
As I stand back in the bedroom, I take a deeper look around. It’s going to need a lot of work. The walls have holes and water stains which are probably from the bathroom in the adjoining room. The carpets are old, worn and stinky, and the room could probably use a proper closet.
Caden: Rebels Advocate (Book 2) Page 17
