He slid back, releasing her lips, and went right back into being serious and giving orders.
“Water bottle?” Reeves asked as Big John stepped back.
Tiny moved over and went to grab a water bottle as Reeves hopped up onto the back of the truck next to her. He turned slightly, cupped her cheek so she would look up at him, and squinted. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Having fun?” he asked.
“Yes,” she whispered, and he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her tenderly.
Reeves was finally letting down that guard he seemed to have that she was certain had something to do with her initial lies to him. He wasn’t trusting. She wasn’t either, but with spending more time together, that distrust would ease away. When he released her lips, she looked into those dark green eyes of his.
“I love your eyes,” she whispered, and he squinted.
He eased his palm along her ribs to her hip. “I love your body.” He winked.
She chuckled. “Nice, Reeves,” she said, turning, but he quickly cupped her jaw and turned her back to face him.
“I love everything about you and especially having you close and getting to know you better.”
She smiled. “That’s better.” He shook his head.
“You know what I would like to do?” Flint asked, pressing between her legs, causing her to turn away from Reeves and focus on Flint. He slid his palms up and down her thighs and then over her hips and under her sweater in the back.
“I’d like to get into the truck with you and have another long make-out session. Maybe get a closer look at this tattoo you’re hiding.” He pressed his thumb into the waist of her blue jeans. She reached back and lost her balance, but he caught her with one hand.
“I don’t think so, Flint.”
“It was fun, making out in the truck, wasn’t it?” he asked her, and she couldn’t resist nodding her head. It was fun, and it helped to break down the walls she had built up and had led to spending time with them again today.
“See, I want to know what the tattoo is of and if there are any more hidden along this beautiful, sexy body.” He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and felt completely aroused by his muscular body. These men were in top physical condition and so experienced their kisses were like magic. When he released her lips, he slid his palm over her ass then back up her sweater again, inching his fingers around to her breast. She gasped and went to pull back, but he pressed closer. His fingers teased her large breast and then slid back and forth over her nipple. His ability to do this with one hand and one arm wrapped around her indicated how much bigger he was than her and it aroused her completely, too much. He pressed his mouth to her neck and suckled.
Tiny joined in, sliding his hand up her back to her neck and under her hair. He gripped her hair and slightly tugged so she tilted her head back, giving Flint better access to her neck. Then Flint moved along to the other side of her neck, suckled, and kissed her skin as Tiny pressed his mouth to hers. When they finally eased up, she was panting for breath, eyes closed, and then exhaled.
Big John chuckled.
“This cold water bottle is doing nothing to cool me off.”
She opened her eyes as Tiny and Flint released her then fixed her sweater.
Flint caressed her lower lip. “Perfection.”
She shyly lowered her eyes and then ran her fingers through her hair.
She watched them as they guzzled down bottles of water and listened to the music playing. People were walking around the parking areas and traveling through town taking in the sights. Everyone was so friendly. She loved the town of Repose. She swallowed hard as she thought about Cass and baby Evan. If she could only convince her sister to get away from Jerry and maybe move here with her. That fantasy thought was instantly stopped by a realistic one. Cass would never leave Jerry, and Jerry would never allow it. He was abusive, possessive, and commanding. Cass was at his beck and call, and the longer Sam lived there with Cass, the more she would see and the worse things would surely get. As it was Cass hardly even paid attention to the baby unless the baby was hysterically crying if Jerry was around. Jerry came first, and there was no doubt Sam would have been in the same position if she weren’t as defiant and strong willed to avoid the lives her mother had and her sister was heading toward.
She looked around at the Christmas decorations and all the lights. She wanted to come back when it was dark and see the full decorations shining and sparkling.
“What are you thinking about?” Reeves asked her.
She glanced at him and those gorgeous green eyes, all those muscles, and dark hair.
“What it all looks like at night.”
“The lights?” Big John asked, and she nodded.
“Well, stay with us and you’ll see,” Flint told her.
“I don’t know if I can. I have work tomorrow and have to stay until closing.”
“Where?” Tiny asked. She glanced at him and then lowered her eyes to her hands and wrung them together until Big John touched them and covered them with one hand.
She looked up at Big John.
“Why can’t you tell us?” he asked.
“She doesn’t want us visiting,” Reeves said, and she glanced at him and once again could see that distrust, but how could she tell them when she didn’t want them to know anything about her life and her burdens?
“Is that true? You don’t want us to visit you at work?” Big John asked her. She glanced at him then looked at Tiny and Flint, who now crossed their arms in front of their chests and had scowls on their faces.
She took a deep breath and felt that anxious feeling in her belly.
“It’s just a bar and club. It’s a few towns from where I live and more than an hour from Repose. It would be foolish to drive the hour.”
“We wouldn’t mind so we could come see our girl,” Big John said and stroked her jaw.
She looked at him, and tears filled her eyes. “There are things going on in my life right now. Changes I’m making.”
“What changes?” Reeves asked.
“Well, getting a job in a couple weeks at the Filing Station, maybe looking into an apartment to rent closer to Repose and my friends.” She lowered her eyes. She didn’t want to tell them to be closer to them, too, or they might think she was being instantly clingy or something despite her trying to keep her problems and her debt to Jerry secrets.
Reeves took her hand and squeezed it gently. “To just be closer to your friends?” he asked her. She swallowed hard. He raised one of his eyebrows up at her, and she licked her lower lip.
“Would it be okay if I said to be closer to you guys, too?” she cautiously asked and felt her cheeks heat.
“Fuck yeah,” Tiny said, and she chuckled.
Reeves clenched her jaw. “Hell yeah, way okay.” He kissed her lips.
He pulled back, and she nodded.
“I have some responsibilities and things to resolve and work out, but I hope to get things accomplished in the next few weeks.”
“Well, if there’s anything we can do to help you out, you let us know. We care about you,” Big John told her.
“I appreciate that.”
“What do you say to dinner Saturday night? Maybe come here around lunch time and we can walk around town then head out for dinner?” Tiny asked her.
She smiled. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, that sounds perfect.”
Big John leaned forward and kissed her softly. Just a small, tender kiss from a very big, muscular, rugged, bearded man like Big John. He released her lips, and then she pulled him close and hugged him. She remained that way, letting the uneasy feeling slide further away and hope fill her heart and soul, thinking maybe she could find happiness after all.
* * * *
Reeves watched Sam drive away in her black Jeep. His heart felt heavy every time she left them. The talk about her having issues t
o resolve and not wanting them to know where she worked and where she lived gave him insecurities and reservations on who she was and what life she had, wherever the hell she came from.
Flint gave his arm a tap. “Hey, she said yes to a date for Saturday night. It’s a step in the right direction and in gaining her trust.”
“Gaining her trust? You think so? You all aren’t concerned over her hiding where she lives and works and these problems she has?” he asked.
“Of course we are, but she isn’t our woman yet. She’s young, has been hurt before, and considering the guy was her first and only, I would say she’s holding back out of fear of being hurt, used, and cheated on, again,” Tiny said, adding to the conversation.
“Listen, we’re older, we’re big men, and there’s definitely a lot of fears and reservations for her. I understand that. It pisses me off to know her ex cheated on her and then struck her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she looks at each of us and thinks, what if they hit me? That we could do some serious damage to her,” Big John stated.
“Jesus, what the fuck?” Tiny said and ran his fingers through his hair.
“You’re right, Big John. She does seem to stare at each of us and look a bit timid. We forget how big we are, as well as being pretty direct and demanding,” Reeves stated.
“We’re drill instructors. We’re used to yelling, cursing, demanding, and disciplining. We’re bound to scare her now and then. We just need to control our usual commanding ways around her. I think we’ve been pretty good,” Big John said.
“Yeah, you haven’t broken anything in front of her or gotten into any confrontations,” Tiny said.
“Very funny, wise ass. You make it sound like I’m a troublemaker.”
“Big John, you just seem to find yourself in the middle of situations, especially at bars where guys try to prove who is more masculine and stronger,” Tiny said.
“You’re right there with me putting some of these wannabes in their place, so don’t fucking act so calm and perfect.”
“I’m far from perfect. Sam is young, gorgeous, sexy, and an eye-catcher. We are bound to be jealous and get into some confrontations protecting her virtue,’ Tiny said.
“We can protect her virtue just fine in our presence and especially in our beds,” Flint said, and Reeves chuckled.
“Hold those thoughts. It’s going to take a lot more time with her getting to know her and what her life is really like. We don’t need to complicate it by sleeping with her too soon. Besides, she didn’t seem ready for anything more than some make-out sessions and some petting,” Reeves said to them.
“I’m good with that. You feel how full her breasts are, and that ass? Fuck, our woman is hot, and she is going to need our protection to keep the men away. I want her committed and off-limits pronto,” Tiny stated.
“We all do, and it will get here soon enough. Let’s focus on Saturday and making it special,” Big John said.
“I hope nothing gets in the way and ruins it or she comes up with an excuse to not show up,” Reeves said.
“Stop being so pessimistic. She made a mistake lying to you. Get over it. She was intimidated by us. We’ve worked through that, and we will continue to work on gaining her trust. Now let’s focus on that. Nothing will get in the way of our date Saturday. You’ll see,” Tiny said.
Reeves nodded, but his gut clenched, making him wonder if something would screw it up. As much as he hoped not, the fact that it might still seemed a real possibility. All he could do was wait and see. He glanced toward the direction she’d left, knowing she was long gone. I miss her already. This isn’t good at all.
* * * *
The week had passed, and Sam made plans to have dinner with the guys in Repose Saturday night. It was Wednesday, and she was working at Cotton John’s, and the place was jammed packed as usual. It was a positive thing, though, because she was making good money and even had a job to bartend at a private party and she got to keep all the tips. She hoped to make at least two grand in tips tonight. Maybe by next week she would only have a couple of grand left to pay and she could start looking for a place to rent. She really needed to talk to Kendra, Laci, Thylane, Merica, and Brazille. Maybe one of them had room for her in their apartments. Cherokee still had the cottage. Maybe Sam could find out how much the rent was there, then when the job opening came up at the Filling Station in two weeks, she could work there and put this town, this life, and bullshit behind her. She felt lonely and also missed the guys, which was silly. She really needed to try and act more experienced and tough around the men.
Tiny, Big John, Flint, and Reeves were big men. Big John and Tiny were intimidating, older, and so rough around the edges it was crazy. She should be scared of them and worry about angering them, but she wasn’t. She felt so protected when she was and taken care of with them. She missed the scents of their colognes, the feel of their strong, muscular arms around her, how they would softly touch her, caress her hip, her hair, her chin when they bent down to steal a quick kisses. It was heaven and made her feel like happiness could be achieved with them.
Was it silly or some fantasy dream? She couldn’t help but question her emotions or their actions. All because of the betrayal she’d experienced and the pain to her heart. She couldn’t go through that again and definitely not times four. But, boy, she really did miss them and being strong sucked right now when feeling them nearby really built her self-confidence and made her feel different. Stronger and simply beautiful. They even gave her their full attention when they were with her and complimented her. That was different. She prayed it wasn’t an act.
“Hey.”
She looked up, immediately recognized the voice and the hard tone. Her eyes locked onto Vinny. He was tall with dark hair and wide shoulders, wearing a dark navy blue shirt and black jeans. He looked good, like he was on the prowl, and as he stepped closer with a few other guy friends, who all checked Sam out, some women walked by and said hello. He gave one a wink, and Sam was instantly disgusted.
She turned around to walk down the other side and asked Brian, the other bartender, to take care of Vinny and his friends. She wasn’t serving him.
Vinny definitely got pissed off as he changed spots and headed toward her.
“Hey, I came here to see you.”
She looked up and then handed two mixed drinks to customers who’d ordered, and then she took another order from two guys.
“Sam, come on, baby, I want to talk to you.”
“About what, Vinny? Can’t you see I’m busy working?”
Then there was no one else but him and his friends to serve drinks to. He gazed at her body. She knew she looked good. The tight top dipped low enough to reveal her deep cleavage and also was cropped, showing off her tan belly and belly ring. Add in the tight hip-hugger jeans and she looked good, which got the big tips.
She placed their drinks down, and he took out a roll of big bills, making her widen her eyes and then squint at him in annoyance. Here she was busting her ass and he was loaded. If he wanted to make up for cheating on her and being a dick, he should pay the last few grand she owed Jerry. She couldn’t believe she even thought that. Then he would say she owed him. The scumbag.
As he placed a hundred-dollar bill down on the bar, she went to take it to make change, but he covered her hand with his.
“We need to talk, baby.”
She stared up at him. He was older, supposed to be so mature and some special kind of soldier or something, but to her, he seemed to be doing something illegal. She didn’t know, and she didn’t care. The days of loving him, of being infatuated by his charm, good looks, and macho attitude were over. Besides, her mind was constantly on four other men who’d definitely come out of left field and affected her. They were older, experienced, more mature, and seemed to know how to treat a woman right. She didn’t even worry about the age difference. It wasn’t a concern at all.
He leaned closer. “What time do you get off?”
“I’m not inter
ested in anything you have to say. Besides, I’ve worked a double shift. I’m tired, and all I want to do is head home. Please, go do your thing, Vinny. I’ve got nothing to talk to you about.”
“I think you’ll want to hear me out. I want to be friends. I know I fucked up.”
She raised her hand up and shook her head. “Don’t try it. We’re done, and there’s no chance ever that we’ll get back together.”
“I wouldn’t say that. Things have a way of working out.”
She looked away from him and went to make a few drinks. A couple of minutes later when she went to refill his glass of Jack on the rocks, he took her hand. “I saw your mother.”
“What? Where?” she asked him, thinking her mother never left the house and wasn’t even trying to make any money to pay off the debt.
“At the brewery on Fisher Avenue.”
She shook her head. “No. No way she was there. You’re mistaken.”
He took her hand. “She was there with some guy, Maverlick or Melbrook or something. She looked decent, a little run-down, but her man didn’t seem to mind. She was sporting some jewelry, too, and even pulled some bills from her purse.” He eyed her over as if she were a fool working her ass off as a bartender when she could be with him and be his doormat…woman.
The tears stung her eyes instantly. Where would her mom get money like that, and if that boyfriend of hers gave it to her, then why not pay off the five grand? She was hurt but also angry.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I know you’re struggling to make ends meet and to pay off Jerry. I was pretty pissed off to see your mom partying it up while you work like crazy.” He reached up and stroked her cheek. A tear fell, and she quickly wiped it away and pushed his hand away.
“I don’t need this. I don’t care. I owe a few grand more, and then I’m done. With all of it.”
“We’ll never be done, baby. I own you. I popped that cherry. Taught you how to satisfy a real experienced man in bed. You learned how to do me just right. What do you say we get together later, and maybe if it works out, I can help you with the money situation, too? I’d do that for you.” He gazed at her breasts.
Sons Of Justice 4: Her Beast of Burden (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 5
