by D. A. Young
“Do you have a fucking problem?” she snapped aggressively at him, causing other pedestrians to also eye him suspiciously.
Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. “You’re Casey Sullivan’s lady, right?”
A sliver of unease ran through her as she reached into her purse for her phone. She wanted to get a picture of him and show Casey. Suddenly she felt herself being propelled forward into oncoming traffic as people screamed and cars honked as she frantically tried to find her footing. Her hands and knees felt like they were on fire as they scraped the hot asphalt, and she glanced into the panicked driver’s eyes of the car heading directly for her. Through the chaos, she could hear the man as his words rang in her ears:
“You should be wary of the company you keep!”
***
Whiskey Row…
‘Aunt Sideeee, wake up!” Ruby ordered as she patted Sidra’s face with her small hand until her aunt opened her eyes. Satisfied that she’d gotten her way, the little girl climbed into bed with her and snuggled next to her. “It’s playtime!”
Sitting up, Sidra held her close and tickled her, loving Ruby’s squeals. “Who’s Auntie’s baby? Tell Auntie!”
“Me Auntie’s baby!” Ruby screamed delightedly, and Sidra laughed at her joy.
“You got owie, Auntie Sideee?” Ruby’s concerned expression was touching as she frowned at the bandages on Sidra’s knees.
“I did, but they’re getting better,” she reassured Ruby who leaned down to kiss the gauze Band-Aids.
“Owie better?” Ruby asked hopefully, making Sidra’s heart swell with love for her kind and thoughtful goddaughter. Now, the man who had pushed her made her heart pound with another feeling that was the exact opposite, and heaven help him when Casey found him. The driver of the oncoming car had barely managed to avoid her and swerved into the next lane to do so, hitting a bus in the next lane. Several witnesses told the police what the man had done and the direction he’d run, but he was long gone.
For as long as she lived, Sidra would never forget the terror of that moment, and she relived it on Casey’s face as he wildly burst into her cubicle at the emergency room.
“Baby, are you okay? How’s Bean?! Where’s the fuckin’ doctor at? Why isn’t he in here with you???” he yelled.
“Ssssh! Casey, I’m fine now. I can’t lie; it scared the hell outta me, but we’re all good here. I need to know if you’ve had any client disputes?” she asked and told him what the man said, watching as his face first paled with fear and then turned red with fury.
“You know something about this?” Sidra asked him, grabbing his face to keep him focused. “Casey, do you know this man?”
“I don’t know the man, per se, but there have now been two incidents that have happened…Never did I imagine something like this would happen and to YOU of all people. I’m gonna fix this, baby,” he vowed as the doctor came in.
The one highlight of all the insanity was that they got to hear Bean’s heartbeat for the first time, and Casey and Sidra turned into a happy teary-eyed mess as they listened to how strong it was.
“Yes, lovebug, owie is better,” Sidra said and hugged her goddaughter, smiling devilishly as she came into contact with the small monitor her parents had attached to Ruby’s pajamas. Hmmmm.
Sidra got out of bed with the little girl and whispered into the monitor. “Oh, don’t play with that, baby! That’s the special tape Auntie made with Uncle Casey last night. If this got into the wrong hands…”
She lay back down on the bed with Ruby and listened to two sets of feet running up the stairs. Rookies. The door to her bedroom burst in, and Ruby’s wild-eyed parents entered. “Good morning! Lovely morning, isn’t it?”
“Give it to us!” Jack demanded, holding his hand out with a ferocious scowl. “We want the tape!”
“You’re awfully cranky this morning, Jackson. Why is that exactly?” Sidra reached into her robe pocket and threw the small black object at Jack.
Ruby looked at Jack with confusion and a wobbly lip. “Daddy, why mad?”
Jack looked at the object and relaxed as he passed it to his wife with a slight smile. “That’s actually pretty funny, brat.”
Sidra crossed her eyes at him. “That’s what you get, buster. I told you I was doing my best.”
Noelle, who was holding baby Jack, struggled to catch her breath. “Do you have any idea how it feels to carry this kid and run up the stairs?!”
Puzzled, she looked down at her hands and laughed at the small roll of black tape labeled with the letters ‘XXX’ in white. “Very clever, Sid.”
“Just getting started, and the day is young,” she beamed proudly. “It feels so good to be here!”
Casey appeared in the doorway, freshly shaven and carrying his shaving kit and toiletries. “Mornin’, y’all. What’d I miss?”
“Your woman gettin’ the best of us bright and early,” Jack replied, taking baby Jack from his relieved wife. “C’mon, Ruby.
“We’ll leave you to get dressed. I reserved a table for us at The Pink Champagne,” Noelle said.
“That sounds like a great idea,” Sidra said around a yawn. “I’ll be right down.”
“The hell you will,” Casey said as he closed the door behind Noelle and took off his robe.
Sidra propped herself up on one elbow and watched him approach the bed in his naked glory, his erection growing under her approving eyes, and that broad-shouldered, muscular build with tight abs being blessed by the early morning sunlight. “Is this really happening? You’re over your fear of Bean seeing and hearing you?”
“I talked with the doctor, and he assured me I’m all good. So this is really happenin’, love,” Casey replied huskily as he peeled the covers back to reveal her body clad in a navy and white striped nightshirt. “That’s the only drawback of comin’ to visit. With Ruby’s unpredictability, you have to stay dressed at all times.”
Sidra sat up, allowing Casey to peel the shirt off of her and toss it over his shoulder. She grabbed his hand and pulled him down to nestle between her legs. They exchanged slow, lazy kisses as her hands trailed down his muscular back and taut ass, lightly raking her nails across his skin just the way he liked. Goosebumps spread like wildfire over his body and she laughed into his mouth. “Gotcha.”
“Indeed you do, darlin’. The question is what are you gonna do with me?” Casey smiled, pulling back to stare down at her lovingly. Her face, still soft from sleep, radiated beauty and serenity. This was what Bean was doing to her. Opening her up to forgiveness, love, and its infinite possibilities. He still couldn’t believe how strong the baby’s heartbeat had been. When they’d finally come home from the hospital last night, he’d still expected her to rip into him over his reprehensible behavior with Dominick, and he was braced to hold his tongue and take it. Instead, she’d laid her head in his lap and told him about Dominick’s background, Nina, and her visit to Nero.
“It was wrong of him to not inform me of his real identity, but I get it, and so should you. We all want love but fear being rejected because of our imperfections. And we all have them. There’s not a one among us who is unflawed and perfect, Casey. Surely, you understand that?”
Grudgingly he could admit she had a point and would make a strong effort with Dick-Dominick, for her and their baby. His eyes moved further down to her perfect breasts that were a little fuller. He stared hard at her abdomen, inspecting for changes, but it was too soon, and he gently rubbed her there. “You gonna answer me?”
Sidra pretended to ponder the question and laughed as he growled into her neck and reached between them to slide the head of his shaft up and down her increasingly wet opening, making her weak with pleasure. “It’s simple, Case. I’m going to love you until the end of time.”
Casey seized her lips in a hungry kiss as her body welcomed him in, and he drove deep inside of her just the way she liked. Her long legs wrapped around his waist as he rode her body and she fed him kisses. “You
’re so fuckin’ perfect, Sid. God, my pussy drives me crazy; it’s so good and I can’t get enough of it or YOU.”
Sidra couldn’t speak because his lips were on hers again as he stretched her arms above her head and fucked her crazily. He went so deep, that her juices were gushing out with each thrust and down between her ass cheeks as she convulsed with pleasure.
“So wet, baby. Gimme them titties,” he ordered, and she arched high thrusting her breasts to his lips and crying out as he bit her nipple and drew it into his mouth roughly. “Now put your face down and keep quiet unless you want Ruby to know what Uncle is doin’ to Auntie.”
Casey withdrew slowly, and Sidra rolled over eagerly onto her elbows and knees. First testing her band-aid knees, before signaling to him all was good. Casey bent and licked her juices running down her thighs nipping at them the closer he got to her pussy. He plunged his tongue deep into her, and Sidra screamed into the pillow, trying to shift away as she came, but he locked his hands on her thighs and carried on pleasuring her mercilessly.
Sidra stopped fighting his oral skills and the carnal pleasure he was giving her as her body became weightless with ecstasy. Her man, for all his prim and proper exterior, was sooo damn freaky and nasty that he had her completely whipped, but it wasn’t enough for her. She wanted in on the action. “Casey, stop being such a selfish bastard! I want to taste you too!”
“Another time. Come fuck your man.” He gently lifted her and turned her around and lowered her onto his manhood. Sitting back to have her rock on top of him, his face shiny with her juices. Sidra licked his face clean, sighing with pleasure as he thrust up and she moved down. She nudged until he leaned his back against the wall and she leaned back on her arms to support her weight and they both watched her pussy rise and fall on his cock. His fingers teased her sensitized clit gently, and she gushed for him even more.
The new position increased the friction against her g-spot, and Sidra could feel the tremors of her orgasm growing within her body as she welcomed it, moving faster and faster as Casey gripped her waist tighter and tighter. He snatched her to him, pulling her lips to his and groaning his pleasure as they clung to each other and went headfirst over the edge, falling into ecstasy together.
When Sidra left the room to take a shower, Casey pulled out his phone and reviewed the text Graham had sent him.
I have the information you requested.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“I’m loving this place!” Sidra exclaimed as she sat down at the table along with Noelle and Avery at the Pink Champagne. “Why have we never been here before?”
“Because Noelle holds us captive at her house with delicious meals,” Avery joked.
“Whateva, heffas! I thought it would be nice to chit chat without tripping over all the testosterone in the house,” Noelle said as she perused the menu. “It’s a great spot to hang out, and when you move here, Sidra, this will become the official happy hour spot. Here comes the owner Pearl Mignon. You’ll like her; she’s a really nice lady.”
They watched the older pretty lady approach their table with a welcoming smile as a waiter followed behind with a full tray. “Bonjour, ladies! How are you doing today?”
“Bonjour!” the women chorused, and then Noelle introduced them to one another. “Pearl, these stools are fabulous! Did Americana Traditions design them?”
A flicker of sadness crossed Pearl’s face before she smiled. “Yes, Guy created them. I think you’ll enjoy the special menu I’ve created for you. There’s a summer sangria with strawberries and cantaloupe. We have marinated green olives and cheese crostinis, clams with prosciutto, Moorish pork skewers, paella, and salt cod fritters with aioli.”
As Noelle and Avery exclaimed over the numerous dishes set before them on the table, Sidra was fighting a battle with her stomach. It heaved traitorously as the spices from the marinated olives and clams assaulted her nose. Carefully, she pushed her chair back and slowly stood up. “Excuse me one second. I have to go to the restroom.”
She paced her walk, breathing only through her nose as she went. This was a really bad idea, she thought as she finally made it into the ladies’ room. Thank goodness it was empty. Sidra ran into a stall and relieved her stomach. When she was done, she reapplied her makeup and rinsed her mouth out. When she exited the bathroom, Pearl was waiting for her with a sympathetic smile and a tall glass that she held out to her.
“I created a ginger-lemon spritzer for you,” she said cheerfully and added, when Sidra shook her head, “Don’t worry, it’s non-alcoholic and will hold your stomach down. I’ll keep them coming to the table.”
Sidra drank thirstily from the glass, relieved that the cool, delicious beverage was doing what Pearl promised. “You are a lifesaver! Was I that obvious?”
“Just a little bit,” Pearl admitted. “I don’t think your friends caught on, but I was watching you a little more closely.”
“And why is that?” Sidra asked suspiciously as Pearl laughed.
“It’s just that Guiles talks about his friends a lot, and I was trying to picture you selling real estate,” she confessed
“Oh, honey, that’s not why he calls me that,” Sidra said with a friendly smile and took another sip of her drink as she eyed the older woman speculatively. “So, you and Guiles, huh?”
She watched with fascination as Pearl blushed a thousand shades of red at the question. Well daaayum. Now, who would have thought Pippy was laying pipe down that good? Not Sidra that was for sure. “I see. Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my friends. Thank you for the drink, Pearl.”
Sidra went back to the table and sat down, giving her friends a big smile. She could get through this meal as long as she didn’t look at the clams. Carefully, she picked up a crostini and nibbled on it. “So, what are we talking about?”
“D.J.’s birthday is coming up, and Max has invited him to the farm,” Avery explained.
“That sounds great. We got him the telescope he asked for,” Sidra said and reached into her purse for her phone. “Listen to this; I created it for his astronomy time. I call it “Galileo’s Groove”. I think he’ll really like it.”
They bobbed their heads to the smooth beats laced with techno base until it ended, and then she switched to another one. “And this playlist is called “Adventures in Ruby Land” and this last one’s “A Gentle Giant’s Lullabies.”
“Sid, these are amazing! How long have you been working on them?” Noelle asked excitedly then narrowed her eyes. “And who exactly is the ‘Gentle Giant’?”
“You seriously have to ask that?” Sidra raised her eyebrows at her. “I can smell the Icy Hot mixed in with the perfume on your arms from your adventure up the stairs earlier today.”
“Leave my baby alone, bish!” Noelle reached over and tugged on one of her curls. “When are you putting the color back in your hair? I miss it.”
“Oh, not for a while. It was time for a change,” Sidra replied noncommittally. “I’ve been working on the music in my spare time. The kids are inspiring me in ways I never thought possible. We’ve come so far from our New York days. I remember when it was everything to be in a club spinning music and screaming ‘Fuck That!’ at the top of my lungs along to a Kid Cudi song.”
“Or that awful time when I was in denial about Pierce,” Avery agreed. “I still can’t believe that I thought he was everything I ever wanted. He was in such denial about who he was, that he was willing to go through with that farce to prove a point and make his mother happy.”
“What if I was still at home being smothered by Alicia? No Ruby or baby Jack makes for a bleak future,” Noelle said as she looked at her friends. “Jack tells me every day how blessed he is to have met me, and I feel like it’s the other way around.”
“We all are lucky that the two of you met and decided to take it one step further,” Sidra said, holding up her glass. “Can I get a witness?”
“Amen,” they chorused, clinking glasses.
“An
d now, with you and Casey becoming parents and tying the knot, the future has never looked brighter,” Avery chimed in with a sly smile at Sidra.
“What-who-I’m not pregnant!” The protest was feeble and reeked of falseness, even to her ears.
“Then here, have a clam,” Noelle offered as she shoved the plate under Sidra’s nose and watched with glee as her friend turned green. “Yup, positively green and your -ah-cleavage…”
Sidra jerked back from the offending plate and crossed her arms defensively. “What about it?”
Avery popped an olive in her mouth and spoke delicately. “Well, that’s just it…you now have one.”
Sidra sucked her teeth at them as they high-fived each other and laughed shamelessly. “The both of you are giving my middle finger all kinds of life! Do not open your big mouths until I inform Casey that you know. We wanted to wait until after our doctor’s appointment this week.”
“Oh, another baby! I can’t wait to spoil him or her. I’m going to save all of the kids’ things for you,” Noelle said. “Congratulations!”
“But I thought Darby was getting all of baby Jack’s hand-me-downs?” Sidra cracked.
“Yes, congratulations, and you’re terrible,” Avery scolded. “How are you feeling?”
Sidra placed her hand on her tummy. “Real talk? I’m so happy and scared at the same time, I don’t even know what to do or say! I feel so protective of ‘Bean’ and Casey… I just want everything to be just perfect! I’m confused about Nero because he’s such a douchebag that I want to stay away, but he’s created a shit storm that he needs help dealing with. I feel so protective of Dominick but want to annihilate Nina. I feel like my emotions are cue balls that are just scattered all over a table.”
