"Come on dad, let's just go." Paul stood with his hands gripping his father's arm.
Vivian was picking up the things she and Paul dropped. She went into her purse and put a ten dollar bill on the counter to pay for her things she picked up. Even though that was way over what they owed, she didn't care about the change, she just wanted to leave the place.
Jake was too angry to speak. He turned, tears still in his eyes, grabbed Vivian by the arm and rushed with her out the door, Paul moving quickly behind him. Not since the wedding had she seen him as angry as he was right then, in fact, he hadn't been that angry with Shawn, just drunk and acting a fool. Not when he'd gone after Laek Chan, had he been so mad as now. Even though he was hurting her arm, she didn't make a sound. Didn't fight him, or pull against him. She simply rushed to keep up with his long strides toward the truck. They reached it with Paul right on their tails; Jake opened her door, and lifted her up without ceremony or warning. She had to duck quickly in not to hit her head, she'd gone up so fast. The moment she was all in, he slammed her door closed. Turned to walk to his side, he had to remember his son was with him.
"The sandwiches dad." Paul reminded him.
Jake sniffed, wiping at his eyes and face, took a couple of deep breaths, still unable to speak, nodded and took the sandwiches he offered him.
"You okay dad?" He asked gently.
Jake shook his head, he wasn't okay. He felt that he'd been punched in the stomach. The horror of what Leigh was suggesting to him, left him feeling as if he wanted to weep, right after he broke every bone in his body. Right after he peeled every inch of skin from his body.
"Let's get back on the road, now! I want you in front of me, not behind - you understand. Put it to 70 and keep it there. Let's go."
Paul nodded and rushed to his truck, his heart pounding because he wasn't sure what was going on, and why his dad had changed from being what he'd always known about him, into this person who was so violent. While he'd heard tails of his father's fights, this was the first time ever, that he'd seen him actually violent. All other times, he'd been getting into mischief, laughing about it, joking with them. But this side of him, was different.
Back in the truck, back on the road, Paul did as Jake instructed, he pulled out in front of them, leading the way home and stayed there. In the semi, Vivian sat quiet, trying to find her breath, daring not to speak. Beside her, Jake drove, still furious. It took five minutes or more, for his tears to stop rolling, for him to stop sniffing and wiping at his face. She couldn't imagine for the life of her, what had been said to make him like that.
Twenty minutes went by before she heard him audibly exhale as if relaxing back into his seat.
"Eat your sandwich." He finally spoke to say.
"I'm okay." She didn't have an appetite now.
They went quiet again, she was dying to ask him what that man Leigh had said to him, but wasn't sure if she should.
"I had contemplated, taking you with me, on a few of my trips. I'm not gonna do that now, not now - no."
She looked at him, surprised that he'd considered that, and now, felt disappointment because she would have loved to go with him. "Can I ask, why?"
"Because I'd end up killing someone, or some two, or three or four, or how ever the hell many I would have to, and - I'd end up serving time, you'd grow tired of waiting for me to get out, and fuckin' divorce me. So, better all the way around, I leave you at home."
"Oh ... okay." She answered quietly, still unwilling to mess with him right now.
"You are - mine now - Vivian Cooke McPherson, mine. It's all done except the vows - you will not have the name, McPherson, and be fucked with, it's just not done. It sure as hell will not be done to mine - no way in hell. No - way - in hell." He took his eyes off the road to gaze at her, and then back again. Reaching over, he took her hand in his, holding it. "I hate all the ugly in this world Lil'girl, I hate it. I never understood, just how ugly it is, until you. I promise you this, with me, you will never have to be afraid. No matter how fucked up I may act at times, no matter what things I may say to offend you, things I might do, that might hurt your heart; that's all just because, I simply - screw up sometimes. But Lil'girl, you have my word, no one - no fucker on this earth, would I stand by, and let hurt you - no no - no no no. I don't like being crazy, but I can be - Lord above knows, I can be." He kissed her hand again. "Eat your food baby - we'll be home soon."
Vivian still wasn't hungry, but she picked up the bag anyway, choosing to open his sandwich. "Here, take a bite, I'll hold it for you." She leaned towards him as close as she could, holding it before his mouth, Jake opened wide and took a bite of his sandwich, glancing at her as he chewed and winked at her. Vivian sat back, and for the rest of the way home, ignored her food, but fed her future husband his, feeling a strange bond swirl and curl around them, that would make it impossible to leave him, no matter what he did.
* * *
L.A...
Sylvia lay in bed, unable to sleep, she'd been tossing and turning for a while, as Jesse James had been doing the same. Once more, she sighed and turned again, this time facing her husband. She stared at him in the dark of their room, wondering, how could he sleep with her tossing and turning as she was? She scooted closer, with her eyes fully adjusted to the dark, she could make out his features; the low light from their clock radio helped as well. Leaning up a bit, she leaned in and stared. One of his eyes opened to look back at her. She smiled, "I was wondering if you were sleeping." She spoke low, smiling at him.
He quirked a brow, "With you tossing and turning? No, I'm wide awake, what's wrong, your back hurting?"
"No." She answered laying back on her pillow.
"Um, tummy hurt?"
"No."
"Hmmm, Jesse James moving around a lot?"
"Yes, he is. But that's not why I can't sleep." She admitted.
"I see, hungry?"
"Nope."
"Want some water?"
"Nope."
"Hmmm, okay, I give up, what's wrong?"
"Well, I was kind'ah wondering what's wrong with you?"
He leaned up, propping his head with the heal of his hand, brows drawn quizzically, "What's wrong with me? There's nothing wrong with me." He returned, still wondering what was going on with her.
"Oh, I see." She chewed into her bottom lip and then sighing turned to her back, rolling her head to look up at him, "You turned off by me already?" She finally asked.
Shawn's mouth came open, surprised and then burst out laughing.
"Shhh, you gone wake up the kids laughing out loud like that."
"And you wouldn't want that, now would you?" He commented knowingly, grinning, fully understanding now.
"I'm glad you think it's funny."
"I'm sorry, and to answer your question, I will never be turned off by you."
"It's been days, since - you know, you've made love to me."
"I know, I think we should give Jesse James some breathing space, some growing space, don't you think?"
"I feel fine, really I do."
Shawn scooted close to her, leaning over her, he kissed her brow, "How about I take care of you? It's me that needs to lay off."
"But, that's part of it, what I like, you - entering my body."
"Considering how tight you are, I think my fingers will please you just the same."
Sylvia covered her face, blushing, "I can't believe I'm having this discussion with you like this."
"Why? I'm your husband, who else should you be having it with?" He began caressing her thigh, slowly gathering the hem of her gown up, which was to her mid-thigh, so there wasn't much to gather, caressing her soft skin, leaning down, he kissed her temple, moving his lips over her skin, to her ear, running his tongue along the shell of it, to her ear lobe, sucking it into his mouth, nipping it. Because she had already been in the mood, Sylvia was breathing deep, moving her thighs apart for him, turning towards his mouth to kiss him. Their lips met, with Shawn giving her
tender, loving tastes of his tongue, his lips moving over hers, coaxing her tongue out to meet his, which it did. Down low, his fingers encountered her nestled heat, she was swollen and wet, gyrating towards his fingers as they took their time, teasing her a bit, before moving into place to stroke her. Sylvia's deep breathing caused her to gasp in his mouth, she was so aroused she could barely hold still, and cried out when his two middle fingers rubbed over her throbbing nubbin, parting her nether folds to slip into her wetness, soaking his fingers in it as he rubbed and caressed her.
"Ah! Ssss oh Shawn." She cried out, lifting her pubic area, rolling her hips, massaging her mound against his fingers as if she could grab hold of them with the mouth of her vulva, pushing at them as if hungrily begging to be penetrated. The tip of Shawn's middle finger teased around the entry, done deliberately to drive her insane. Sylvia whimpered and humped towards his fingers, that he used to bring her to the height of her passion and need. "Sha-awn." She cried his name, begging him for mercy.
"Look at you - you are so slick, swollen, let me rub here a bit. Aaaah baby, you have a bonafide hard on - your little clit standing at full attention, sssss yeah." He moaned in her mouth, his tongue tracing the inner lining of her lips, while his fingers wove their magic.
"Shawn... please!" Sylvia couldn't stand it any longer, she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pressed it to her grinding heat, just as he inserted his two middle fingers. Sylvia's head dug back into her pillow, biting down on her bottom lip, she came so hard she dare not let go of her lip or else she'd be screaming. Shawn leaned there biting into his lip not to grin from the death grip she had on his hand, all he could do was thank God there were no teeth down below or his two fingers would be history, bit off and sucked up and in to be delivered with Jesse James. Her climax lasted a moment more before her body went limp, and his hand was let go of; he leaned down and kissed her brow, "Feel better now?"
She smiled, nodding her head, and then yawned. With lazy lids, they barely opened to look up at him, "What about you, don't you need it too?" She asked softly, as if drunk with it.
"I've got what I need, and when I need a bit more, don't worry, I'll see to that too."
She made a face, "Not without me, right?"
"My aren't we greedy." He joked. She laughed, turning to her side, pulling his hand and arm with her, pressing her butt against his groin to spoon with him, as she placed his palm on her tummy where Jesse James still stirred now and then. Shawn resumed his position, fixing his head back comfortably in his pillow, fusing the front of his body with the back of his wife's, sighing contentedly, they both went to sleep.
Chapter 270
Wisconsin...
They'd arrived home in one piece, going straight to Shawn's and Sylvia's pad because of the late hour. Jake assigned Paul to Mundo's bed, while he and Vivian pulled out the sofa sleeper in the basement to rest for the night. Paul said his goodnights to them pretending exhaustion and went right up to the room he'd be sleeping in, stripping down to his underwear, he was on the phone right away, calling Jackie. Again, she answered on the second ring, saying right away, "So you made it safe and sound, good."
"Yes we did, and of all things to happen, my dad got into a fight at a truck stop."
"What? A fight? You kiddin', is he all right?"
"He's fine, but when we left, the other guy was still on the floor, hope he's okay. Well, I think I hope he's okay, after all, there was a reason my dad felt the need to nail him. My father's not what you would call, a fight starter."
"So how did it start then?"
"I don't know, one moment I was ordering sandwiches, Vivian put in her order and walked away, a bit later, she comes back to me, and before I can pass her a bag, all hell breaks loose in the store part of the truck stop. There is my dad, pummeling the hell out of this other trucker."
"Oh my goodness! I bet he said something to her. If not to her, then about her to your dad."
"Know what, I bet you're right. Whatever it was, my dad was livid - so mad, he had tears in his eyes, not like my dad. The notorious scrapper in the family is my uncle Shawn, now him, I can see it, but this has blown me away about my dad. He's usually a practical joker, Mister flirt - for instance, if it wasn't for Vivian, I wouldn't even trust my dad around you."
"What?! What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just what I said, my dads reputation is for being a lover, not a fighter."
"Em mmm, and soon, you'll have that same reputation."
"No, not me. I'm not interested in going from woman to woman, I'm a simple kind of guy - one is enough for me."
"Is that right?"
"Yep."
"How do you know that, unless you play the field a bit?"
"I have no desire, to play the field. I know what I want, have always known what I wanted. Even with food, I can look at a big banquet, and tell right away what I'll like, what I won't, even if it's filled with foods I haven't tried."
"I see. Good for you, there's nothing wrong with that."
"I want you Jackie."
"Paul, we've already had this discussion."
"Having had this discussion doesn't mean it's going to change the way I feel."
"Since you're home now, safe and sound, we need to call it closed, here and now."
"Say what you will, close me off all you like, I won't give up hope, of us, maybe, being together one day, I won't."
"Yeah you will, this is all new to you now. You lost your virginity to me, and because you're such a sensitive, kind hearted person, you think this is it for you. In a few weeks, you'll be forcing yourself to try and remember what I look like."
"You couldn't be more wrong. Get the divorce okay? And after you do, be fair to me, wait for me to come back to you. I'm going to finish school, earn my degree, start making real money, then come back there so we can start again, okay?"
Jackie chuckled, not at him, but at the dreams that his young heart full of passion built to believe in.
"You don't believe me, do you?"
"I believe with all my heart and soul, that you'll go to school, earn top honors, get your degree and become successful, earning loads of money, yes - I do believe that."
"I'll write you Jackie. I'll call you too, if you'll let me. You'll always know where I am, what I'm doing. Will you write me back?"
"No."
"Okay, I'll write you anyway. I'll show you what I'm made of, that way when I come back there, you'll be ready to give in to me."
"Does your father know about this?"
"It's none of my father's business. This is between you and I - us! I'll be back for you Jackie, but for now, just look for my letters."
"After the third or fourth, you'll meet some pretty little blonde with blue eyes who'll catch your eye, and you'll regret everything you're saying to me now, because you'll know, that I was right."
"We'll see. I best get some sleep, goodnight Jackie."
"Goodnight Paul."
They hung up at the same time. Jackie laid down, shaking her head, smiling - thinking how cute he was. Paul laid down, with such a strong sense of determination, he began to lay out the plan for the next year and what he intended to accomplish in it. When it was all said and done, he would show back up at her door, and see the look on her face when she realized he'd meant every word.
In the basement...
Vivian was trying to catch her breath, unsure if she were with the same man or not. He'd made such gentle, sweet love to her, it almost brought tears to her eyes. It was the last thing she expected after what happened at the truck stop, some how she thought he might be stirred up and hyped due to that, but he was anything but. He touched her, kissed her, with such tenderness, it left her speechless. And not an ounce of discomfort, it was as if he would not allow himself to hurt her. As it was, for a moment after they'd gone to bed, she hadn't been sure he was going to make love to her. He'd gone out for a cigarette, came back in, with her already in bed, laid down, covered up, pulling her into this arms an
d then, for a moment, she held her breath waiting. She thought after a while, he'd gone to sleep. But then, he turned to her and said softly, "I can't waste this night, it could be the one to get you pregnant." He said it as if he were explaining why he was going to make love to her after all.
Now that he was done, with them both temporarily sated, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, stroking her arm, her back. "I have to get up early..." He spoke softly, yawning, "...need to be at the yard, no later than seven, was gonna get there at five, don't think I'll make it by then."
"I'll get up and fix you breakfast if you want?" She whispered to him.
"Emmm, if you want, I'll ah - be making love to you again, before I'm up." He thought he should make her aware of that.
"Oh..." She murmured. "... still - if it's like it was this time, that'll be okay."
He pulled her to him, kissed her brow, "Vivian, I'm so sorry - for all the times I've hurt you, I don't mean to hurt you baby. I don't mean to hurt you."
She rose up to look down at him, "What is going on with you? This is not like you?"
"What is not like me?"
"This - this tender, gentle - caring, none shocking-..."
"What an asshole!" He cursed himself, "...Vivian I never want you to think, that I treat you like that because I don't respect you, because you're black."
"Jake - I never thought that." She caressed his cheek in the dark, "What makes you say that? I never thought, the way you were with me, was because I'm black, not ever."
"Good, because I could never be that way with you. I would never demean you, belittle you, hurt you, because - I think I'm better than you. Because my being white, means I get to do anything the fuck I feel like because no one will care! That's not me! I could never be that way with you, not ever!" He declared.
"Tell me, where is this all coming from? Does this have to do with that man, that Leigh? The fight you had with him?"
Jake went quiet, looking away from her. All he could think about was what he meant. He'd heard it here and there now and then about such things. White males luring black women into a few dates, making them feel comfortable with them, then taking them on a little trip, where some returned, changed forevermore, and some, never returned at all. He'd heard, through the grapevine, bars and truck stops, some of the things done and had walked away because he just didn't want to know. Didn't want to hear it. Tonight, at that truck stop, one such walking piece of slim actually set eyes on his Vivian for such an event. The very woman who now belonged to his family, his mother's choice for him, her black velvet. The idea so repulsed him, sickened him, that if the attack had been out of sight of others; Jake knew, he could have easily killed him and walked away never looking back; if so, only to make sure he was indeed dead. He had done some pretty low and despicable things in his life, but to do something like that, and to his Vivian? He felt sick once more. It upset him so, he almost hadn't made love to her tonight, because after touching that Leigh, he hadn't wanted to touch her with the same hands. All the times he'd been lustful, preying on her for his own pleasure, made him feel small and ashamed because he now saw Leigh and all the white males like him, with leering, lustful, drooling mouths surrounding some poor black woman trapped with them because of the set up of a heartless evil white bastard leading her to the kill. Tears rushed to his eyes once more making him sit up.
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