After wiping his nose with the back of his hand, Jack wiped it on his jeans, nodded, and broke out in a wide grin. “Okay, Dad.”
Pretending everything was cool was difficult since Chas was seething inside. The heat of his anger steadily rose. Fuckin’ bitch! How dare she tell Jack that bullshit? All she gives a fuck about is spreading her legs and taking cock.
Jack’s small voice broke into his thoughts. “Ms. O’Leary gives us the bestest candy. She gives us the regular-sized candy bars, not the tiny ones, or the hard candy like other teachers do at school.”
Happy that Jack appeared to have moved on from their conversation about his sorry excuse for a mother, Chas said, “Sounds like you really like Ms. O’Leary.”
“I do. She’s the best. She makes reading fun, and she always brings us snacks, and stickers, and other stuff. She’s real pretty, too, don’t you think, Dad?”
“Uh… I didn’t really notice, but she seemed nice enough.” Who in the fuck was he kidding? Didn’t notice? He couldn’t believe the hot redhead with the cat-shaped green eyes was his son’s teacher when he’d walked in. Someone that curvy and built had no business hiding away in a library full of books. And her sassy-as-shit mouth made his cock grow hard.
The sexy librarian was definitely someone he’d love to have sucking his cock as he watched her big jugs sway with every bob of her fiery head.
“How long has she been helping you?” Chas asked.
“Since school started. I dunno, maybe three weeks? She’s been the librarian since I was in second grade last year.”
Chas didn’t remember any librarian looking like her when he was in school. Images of white-haired, older women came to his mind when he thought about the librarians from his school days. If a hot-looking woman like the O’Leary chick had checked out books when he was young, he would’ve been an avid reader. Just thinking about her blushing face with a light dusting of freckles across her cheeks and nose drove his cock forward. He didn’t need to have a hard-on in Maybelle’s Ice Cream Parlor with his eight-year-old son. Seeing the hot librarian again seemed like a good idea, though. He’d love to know what was under all those clothes she wore over her soft, curvy body.
“Can I have another ice cream, Dad?” Jack’s small voice said.
Glad to have his thoughts turned from sexy curves, he said, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. You just finished a big-ass banana split after a pizza dinner. If you have anything more, you’re gonna have an upset stomach for sure.”
With large, blinking eyes, Jack said, “Please, Dad? Please?”
Shaking his head, amusement danced in Chas’s eyes. He ruffled his son’s hair with his hand. “Bud, don’t try that shit on me. You’re cute and all, but that’s not gonna get you more ice cream.” Looking at the wall clock, whose hands were ice cream cones, he said, “We gotta get going. I know you have homework, and it’s getting late.”
Throwing his dad a crestfallen look, Jack slowly slid out of the booth. Chas stood up and pulled his son toward him, his arm around Jack’s small shoulders. “We’ll come back. We always do.”
The rain had stopped, and Chas took out a large towel and dried off the seat of his Harley. After strapping Jack in, he jumped on and blended into the traffic on the wet streets.
Chas stopped in front of a small, brick house. Hearing a loud squeak, he looked at the house and saw his ex-wife open the screen door, her scantily clad body illuminated under the glow of the porch light. Smiling broadly, she stepped down on to the porch and said, “Hey, Jack. Come up here and give your mommy a hug.”
Jack walked slowly up the porch steps and twisted out of his mother’s arms when she seized him and squeezed him tightly. “Bye, Dad!” he yelled as he ran into the house, the screen door shutting behind him.
Leaning against a brick column, Brianna slid her hungry gaze up Chas’s body. “You look real good tonight, honey,” she told him in a thick voice.
Brushing her off, Chas said, “I wanna talk to you ’bout something.” After taking two steps at a time, he walked past her, and leaned against the brick wall.
“Do you like what you see?” Running her hands over her body, she lingered on her ample cleavage while her pink tongue skimmed her upper lip.
Shaking his head, his lip turned downward. “You look like a club whore.”
Blowing a kiss at him, she said, “Thanks for the compliment.”
“It wasn’t a compliment. You been drinking? I can smell the rum from here. Fuck, Brianna. We need to talk.”
“I just had a couple to relax my nerves. Things have been tight, you know? You wanna talk? Sure, darling, come on in.” She opened the screen door.
“We can talk here on the porch.” Sitting on the brick ledge, he looked at her. “Close the door. I don’t want Jack hearing us.”
Shutting the door behind her, she sat on the swing next to Chas. “Do you want a beer?”
Shaking his head, he said, “What you pulled today was bullshit. Why in the hell didn’t you call me earlier to pick Jack up? He was sitting there for forty-five fuckin’ minutes alone, not knowing where the hell you were. What the fuck, Brianna?”
Defensively, she replied, “I thought I’d be able to pick him up, but I was involved in something and lost track of the time. Hell, the kid knew someone would pick him up. If he didn’t, then he’s stupider than I thought.”
Chas bristled. “Don’t ever fucking call our son stupid again. Never. You’re his goddamned mother, and you should be building him up, not tearing him down. If I hear you’re calling him shit like that, you’ll regret it. Got it?”
She shrugged and pulled her top down a little bit.
“And the only thing you were involved with was fucking some jerk. Next—”
“You jealous?” Her eyes lingered on his crotch.
“No way. I actually feel sorry for the bastard. Next time you’re fucking, make sure you’re done before you have to pick Jack up, or call me when you start. Shit, you’re a mom. Fuckin’ act like one.” Chas clenched his fists as he spoke.
“It’s a fucking pain in the ass to pick Jack up so late at the library two times a week. I got things to do.”
Chas stared at her, his eyes narrow. Hitting a woman wasn’t his style, but if it were, he would’ve popped her for what she just said. “What the fuck else do you have to do except sit on your ass watching lame talk shows during the day and spreading your legs for losers during the night? What’s so hard about picking your son up? He needs help, and he’s getting it. You selfish bitch.”
“It’s easy for you to say it’s not a big deal, ’cause you’re not the fuckin’ one who’s doing it. And to make this shit even worse, that chubby, tight-ass librarian wants to add two more days to work alone with Jack. Fuck that. I’m not doing it. She probably can’t get a date so she has nothing better to do, but I can get a date and I’m not blowing another two evenings. No fuckin’ way I’m picking the kid up another two days.”
Chas glared at her. “Don’t worry your peroxide-blonde head about it. I’ll pick up Jack. He told me at the ice cream parlor that he wanted to do the extra sessions. We should be happy she wants to help him.”
“Well, chubbo set up a meeting for us at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon. Think you’ll be able to make it? You always seem to have something to do,” Brianna said.
“I do. I work. Remember what the word means? Yeah, I’ll be there. Stop calling Ms. O’Leary names. Jack likes her, and I don’t want him to hear your viper tongue. Got it?”
“Whatever.” With half-lidded eyes, she moved toward him and touched his forearm lightly. “You’ll have to come pick me up for the meeting, ’cause my car is in the shop again. Will you do that?”
Stepping away from her, he said, “Yeah, that’s fine. Be ready at around two forty-five. And Brianna, don’t wear your slut clothes, okay?” His boots echoed on the concrete steps as he left the porch and made his way back to his Harley.
“Bye, honey. See you tomorr
Without a reply or a backward glance, he mounted his bike and took off. Anger shook him as he rode against the wind, his hands gripping the handlebars so tightly, the whites of his knuckles shone under the full moon. Brianna was a crappy mom, but she was still his son’s mother, and sons needed their mother. Chas’s relationship with his mom was awesome, and he didn’t want to deprive Jack of having one with Brianna, but a gnawing feeling had been picking at his gut for the last few months.
When Jack told him Brianna called him stupid, Chas had seen red. Having a mother in his son’s life was important, but if Brianna was being emotionally and verbally abusive, it was more detrimental for Jack to live with her than to not be with her. Making a mental note to call Cara in the morning to see if she thought he stood a chance in obtaining sole custody of Jack, he pushed down on the gas and sped toward his house.
He’d pick up Brianna in his Jeep; there was no way he was having her on the back of his bike. Dread at having to spend time with her, the only glimmer of light was that he’d see the pretty librarian again, hopefully in one of her sexy skirts hugging all her curves. He’d like to get to know her a whole lot better. He was surprised that he was attracted to her, since he tended to like trashy women who laid it all out for him to see. But with her, it was different. He found her long skirts and buttoned-up blouses extremely enticing. He definitely wanted to see more of her.
The meeting may not turn out to be so bad, after all.
Chapter Three
Humming to herself, Addie marked off the newly arrived books for her after-school reading program. Securing the library position was a dream come true. Even though she had a degree in Library Science, she’d never had the chance to work in a library since she’d married Ian soon after graduating. She was tickled pink to have the job and work with children who had reading issues, and it made her greet every day with a smile.
Addie loved kids and always thought she’d have a big family. Being an only child, she’d longed for a brother or sister, especially when her parents had died right before the end of her senior year in college. If she’d had a sibling, it would’ve been easier for her to have dealt with the robbery and murder of her parents.
Ever since she could remember, her mother and father had owned a jewelry store on Humbolt Street in Chicago. As a child, she’d loved looking at all the sparkling gems and gleaming gold. The store had heavy bullet-proof windows and doors, and customers had to be buzzed in. Near the cash register, her dad’s trusty 9mm Glock added another security layer. Addie remembered how her mother had balked when her dad had insisted she learn how to use the weapon. The locked doors, thick windows, and gun had given Addie a false sense of security surrounding her parents.
When her weeping aunt had called Addie at college with the tragic news, her brain had frozen. She couldn’t comprehend what her aunt had told her; the only thing that registered was that her parents were dead, and she was twenty-one years old and alone.
For several years, her parents’ murder haunted her dreams. In their appointment book, there was one name listed as a potential buyer on the date they were killed. They were robbed of all their jewelry, gold bars, and cash, then they were each shot with a single bullet to the head. The jewelry never appeared on the black market and their four o’clock appointment—Carl Jergensen—disappeared without a trace.
Even though her parents had left her financially well-off, the raw ache she’d experienced dealing with it all alone made her decide that when she married, she’d have a large family. She often wondered if the reason she’d married Ian shortly after she’d graduated college was because she’d been heartbroken, and his vivacious personality had made her feel alive again. Her parents had met Ian a few times, but they’d disapproved of the twelve-year age difference between the two, and they hadn’t trusted him. They’d kept telling her there was something about him that rubbed them the wrong way, but they couldn’t put it into words.
After their murder, Ian’s love of life whisked her off her feet and gave her back the sense of security and belonging that had been destroyed the day she’d lost her parents. Once again, she had someone to love and lean on. After a small wedding and exquisite honeymoon on the Greek Islands, they returned to Chicago and settled in their high-rise penthouse condo. Addie had never been happier and prayed she’d become pregnant soon so they could start a family.
In her wildest dreams, she’d never imagined she’d be running for her life from Ian and the police. Instead of hiding out in a town in the Rocky Mountains, she should’ve had two children by now and been helping them with their school activities. How her life had changed in the last few years.
“Hello, Ms. O’Leary. How are you?” Jack’s feet pattering on the floor pushed the memories to the back of her mind.
She looked up from the reading table and smiled as he ran toward her—he was such a cute boy. “Hello, Jack. How was school?”
“It was pretty cool today, ’cause we got to see a movie about lizards and stuff.”
“Sounds pretty interesting. And from the last book you read, I’m sure you know a lot about them.” She looked over Jack’s head and spotted him as he came through the main door, his dark hair messed up by the strong wind. The minute he stepped inside, he zeroed in on her, his black eyes practically staring a hole through her. Despite the warmth in the library, she shivered.
Walking next to him was a tall, busty blonde dressed in skintight jeans and a tighter sweater. Numerous silver bangles, rings, and chain necklaces seemed to weigh her down. Above her cleavage, tattoos of butterflies and tiny flowers colored her skin. She was pretty, and had the figure of a model except for the large breasts. Self-conscious, Addie wished she hadn’t eaten the whole plate of cheese and crackers the previous night. Each extra calorie she consumed always went to her hips. Sometimes, she wished she had less curves and more height. At five-foot-four, she always had to wear high heels to look good in her longer skirts and pants. The blonde, pretty and sexy, was a good match for the gorgeous and built Chas.
“Jack, get back here!” the blonde yelled.
Jack escaped behind the book stacks about lizards and dinosaurs.
Standing up from her chair, Addie extended a hand to the woman, flashed a smile full of teeth, and greeted warmly, “Hi, I’m Ms. O’Leary, Jack’s reading instructor.”
Ignoring Addie’s outstretched arm, Brianna looked her up and down, tossed her head, and said with disdain, “I’m Mrs. Vickers, Jack’s mother. So, you’re the one taking up all of Jack’s free time.”
As anger surged through Addie, her body tensed, and a desire to scream at this rude woman took hold of her. Swallowing hard, she bit her tongue, lowered her hand, and said sweetly, “Yes, I’m the coordinator and instructor for the after-school reading program. Jack has improved in just the short time he’s been with me. I know you must be proud of him and his progress.”
A flush crept across Brianna’s cheeks as she threw a look at Chas. Hard, flinty eyes met hers. Rubbing her neck, she replied, “Of course I am.”
“Good, I’m glad we’re on the same page with helping Jack develop stronger reading skills. Let’s go into one of the reading rooms.” She directed the tall, obnoxious blonde and the sexy biker toward a room with glass walls. Inside, there was a pressed wood table and six chairs.
Addie stood aside, allowing Brianna to enter. As Chas walked in, he paused, leaned down, and whispered in her ear, “Nice seeing you again, teach.” He inhaled deeply. “Love the way you smell. Can I join your reading class?” His soft laughter tickled her skin, sending electric tingles down her neck and arms.
“Chas? Get in here.” Brianna’s annoyed tone matched the frown on her face.
Chas went into the room and walked around the table, passing the chair Brianna pulled out for him. Taking the one across from her, he sat down. Addie tried to compose herself—a difficult task after Chas’s remarks. She sat at the head of the table.
“Jack is a very bright boy, but his reading skills are weak. Even though he has made vast improvements in the past month, he is still behind in his grade, and even in the reading circle. He would greatly benefit from one-on-one tutoring. The private lessons would help him excel and increase his self-esteem.”
The whole time Addie spoke, she was aware of Chas’s presence. Motor oil mixed with a fresh scent of earth and wind drifted in the air, and she clutched the table to keep herself steady. Jack’s sexy father was making her lightheaded and driving her fucking insane. His black-as-ink eyes boring into her didn’t help her situation any, and from the dagger looks his ex-wife threw her way, Addie was positive she noticed it, too.
“Chas, are you listening to what she’s saying?” Brianna’s too-high voice jarred Addie nerves.
He gave Addie a lazy half-smile, never taking his eyes off her face. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Mesmerized by those eyes, she couldn’t drag her gaze away.
“Well, are you? Listening?” Brianna said through gritted teeth.
Nodding, Chas reclined further in the chair, his gaze never leaving Jack’s instructor.
Pushing back in her chair, Brianna hissed, “I’m the one who has the burden of taking him to these reading… uh… whatevers. Twice a week is too much already. No way am I coming here four times a week. This is a big pain in the ass, and since he’s improved, I’m sure he’ll keep getting better. I simply can’t do it.” She gathered her purse and jacket and stood up. “Let’s go, Chas.”
Pulling herself away from Chas’s intensity, Addie stood up. “Please, Mrs. Vickers, don’t go. You don’t understand that even though Jack’s improved, he is still below his grade level and the weakest reader in our group. Even though I’m very busy running the library and other programs, I’m willing to fit Jack in because he’s a very bright kid, and it’d be a disservice not to give him the extra help. He feels like he’s stupid because of his reading disability, but I can get him where he needs to be, and his confidence will soar. I think he really needs this.”
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