The nails-on-chalkboard grinding of cleats announced my son’s arrival. Great. Family chat about Dad’s love life. Fucking perfect.
Bray looked between me and Jessa. “Who’s she? Dad, did you see that hit? Right before he threw it, I was praying for the fastball. Stupid a—um, idiot gave me heat. Huge mistake.”
“Of course I saw it. Still hasn’t landed. Hell of a shot, Bray.”
Jessa elbowed Bray in the stomach without looking at him, and Bray swung toward her. “What the heck, Jess!”
“We have important things happening here, Brayden. Dad has a girlfriend.” She kept her eyes on me, her grimace solid, and moved her hands back to her hips.
Brayden rubbed his stomach. “Okay . . . and you hit me why?”
Jessa threw up her hands. “Hello!”
“Mom has a boyfriend, so what’s the big deal? What’s her name, Dad?”
“Valentina,” Jessa supplied.
“Cool,” Brayden said, and took a seat beside Jessa, who remained standing. He dug through his bag, making sure he had everything. Bray’s room looked like a fucking tornado hit it, but the one thing he was on top of was his baseball gear.
I reached out and grabbed my daughter’s hands. “What’s on your mind?”
She shrugged hard and rolled her eyes, trying her hardest not to cry in front of her brother. That was my girl. “I don’t need another mom. We covered this subject, Dad.”
I became Dad when she was worked up. I grinned. “You’re right, we’ve been over this, and what did I say?”
She glanced down at Bray.
“Don’t look at me,” Bray said. “Dad’s talking to you. I’m cool with it.”
Jessa turned her attention back to me. “You said I will only ever have one mom and one dad. I know that. I know I’m the best thing Mom ever gave you—
“Hey,” Bray cut her off. “You’re not an only child.”
Smart-ass. I had to bite my lip not to at least chuckle, because it’s the same shit I’d have said to my sisters. “Bray, let her finish. Go ahead, Jess. I’m listening.”
She kicked Bray’s hip with the side of her foot. “I was saying . . . we’re the best gifts Mom gave you, fine, but I don’t want to meet her.”
k
“I’d like to ask you to please keep this between us. Don’t tell Jaxx you told me,” Vikki said, pulling me out of hyper-analytic mode.
“You have my word, Vikki.”
“Thank you, honey.”
As soon as we were both cleaned up, I held the door and we walked back to our party.
“Do you believe in fate, Valentina?” Vikki asked as we walked.
I turned to smile at this lovely woman who, unlike my mom, had to endure losing a daughter. Watching the combination of pain for Julia and what looked like hope for Jaxxon cross her face, I finally had a little glimpse of what my parents went through when I’d gone missing.
“I’ve always believed in God, but when I was taken, after they told me what happened, I had questions. Things I didn’t understand. I still don’t. I don’t understand why tragedy falls on and infects the innocent, and I don’t mean my situation. I was spared, for some reason. As for fate . . . I don’t think I ever really believed in fate until the night I recognized Max. I only met Max because of Jaxxon. In which case, after meeting your son and therefore, your husband, I’ve reevaluated my opinion regarding fate.”
Vikki kissed my cheek. “As I have tonight,” she whispered as we entered our dining area.
The hope in Vikki’s voice caught me off guard, and that was just what it was—hope. It was in the desperation underlining her voice.
Vicki and I came back in and went to take a seat along with everyone else for dinner, but Jaxxon held me back a second. “You sold me out, baby. There will be consequences.”
“Counting on it,” I threw back, and pecked his cheek before sitting next to Annie.
The dinner was spectacular. Mom loved Jaxx—one less headache for me. I sat there listening to the people I loved the most, talking and enjoying each other’s company with a huge smile—it was like my face muscles were stuck in one of those weird clown smiles I hated.
Jaxxon leaned over. “They’re only here for dinner. Dessert is just us.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Dessert here, but leave room. I’ve got something waiting at your place too.”
I turned to him. “Haven’t you done enough?” I waved my hand around the room. “What is it? Give me a hint.”
“A little somethin’ with peanut butter and honey.”
My cheeks grew hot and I glanced around the table as Jaxxon’s chest rumbled with laughter. “I’m not even going to ask what you plan on doing with that.”
“Judging from how red your face is, that’d be best.”
I thanked everyone for coming, especially Jaxxon’s parents, who’d come all the way back from Washington as the servers cleared the table and set up for dessert. The larger table broke into two, so when we walked back into the little room, it was set for just me and Jaxx.
He pulled out my chair and sat in the one across from me, but the table was so small we weren’t very far apart.
I reached out with both hands and he placed his over mine. “I don’t even know how to thank you.”
He drew my hands closer to him, forcing me to get up, move around the table and sit on his lap. “I can think of a few ways you might go about expressing that gratitude.” His warm lips caressed mine for a brief second. “But before I get to the XXX-rated version of thank-you, what do you have going on two weeks from yesterday?”
Locking my fingers behind his neck, I leaned back. “I teach in the morning. After that, nothing. Probably work, but you have the kids that weekend.”
He let out a long sigh. “About that . . . I missed Linc’s birthday. In order to get back on Bridge’s good side, I’m taking Linc, Cass, Jess, and Bray to Magic Mountain. I need an even number. You do amusement parks?”
I nodded, as yet another huge smile spread across my face. “An even number?”
“Yep.”
“You’re sure about this? More importantly, are they sure they want to meet me?” I wanted to meet Jaxxon’s children, but we’d put that off until we were sure what was going on between us was serious. This was a monumental step, and not something I took lightly.
“Do I ever do anything I’m not sure of? Especially when it comes to my kids?”
I shook my head. “No. No, you don’t.”
“Yeah. They want to meet you. Might have something to do with you being a badass with four black belts.”
I giggled. “I can see the belts possibly being a lure for Brayden, not so much for Jessa.”
“When she heard you put me on my ass, she was in. Couldn’t believe a woman could put her dad down. It hurt to own up to, but it hooked her.”
“So you got me the in.” I nodded. “The rest is up to me?”
“You up for it?”
“They’re your children, babe. Of course I am, as long as they’re okay with it. And yes, I do amusement parks. I’m a roller coaster junkie.”
“Why am I not shocked?”
I cut off his laugh with a kiss. “Then I’d be honored to meet Jessa and Brayden.”
“All right, sugar. Done deal.” He kissed the tip of my nose before moving to my neck.
I pulled back and rested my hands on his shoulders. “Since we’re on the subject of plans and schedules. What are you doing June tenth through the fourteenth?”
“Fuck, baby, that’s like two months away. No idea. But for you, I’ll clear my social calendar. Why, what’s up?”
“Ever been to New York?”
He narrowed his eyes at me, smoothing his fingers up and down the tattoo on my arm. “You know . . . this is the first time we’ve been out somewhere and you haven’t worn long sleeves.”
I glanced down at his fingers stroking over my inked skin, thinking how used to his touch I’d grown. Every time Jaxxon touched
me, it was a caress, no matter what part of my body he touched—damaged or not.
I shrugged and met his gaze once again. “I didn’t think about it. I just liked the dress.”
“I love that.” He lifted my forearm to his mouth and kissed my tattoo.
I pulled back to stare at him. I was over hiding my tattoo, but that was not the subject at hand at the moment. “So, are you going to answer my question?”
His eyes danced with a wicked glint, but a sense of seriousness surrounded him. “New York. Yeah, I’ve been there. Why do you ask?”
“I’m sorry, was my invitation not clear enough?”
I jumped as he slapped the one cheek of my ass accessible from my position on his lap. “No, smart-ass, it wasn’t. You asked if I’ve ever been to New York. Was there more to the question?”
I rolled my eyes, knowing he knew damn well what I was asking. “Jaxxon.” I leaned forward . “Would you like to go with me to the conference in June?”
“Hmm,” he mumbled, “Question . . . ” He held me away from him, studying my face. “Do you need me to go with you to New York?”
To be honest, my heart kind of dropped a little. Did he not want to go? I shrugged, keeping my eyes locked to his. “No. I don’t need you to go with me. I want you to go with me.” I stood up and looked down at him. “For the record, I don’t need you to do anything with—”
His roar of laughter cut me off. “Easy, Sparky.” He grabbed the front of my dress, between my breasts and pulled me down for a quick kiss on the lips, but he tightened his grip not allowing me to pull away. “For the record, I’d go if you needed me to, no question, but I’m glad you asked because you want me to go. I’m in.” He let go of my dress and swatted my ass, nodding to the other side of the table. “Go sit, before I make you straddle me in this restaurant and we get arrested for indecent exposure.”
Settling back in my seat, I couldn’t help but admire how striking he was. He wore a dark forest green shirt, which brought out the green in his eyes. The material stretched across his broad chest, emphasizing his pecs and biceps in a way that made me want to go home right now. There was nothing dirty or shameful about what I felt for him. He was so honest and straightforward with me; he left nothing for me to hide behind. He didn’t allow for guilt or insecurity, and it drew me to him like nothing I’d experienced before.
I’d gotten so lost admiring him and examining what I felt for him, I’d missed the black velvet box he’d slid in front of me until he nodded at it. “That belongs to you.”
The phoenix pendant.
I stared at the box and then glanced back up at him. “Thank you.” I opened the box, took it out, and held it up to the light. Even the first night, I’d noticed how intricate and beautiful the handcrafted artwork was.
My eyes met his once again. “It’s beautiful, and you designing it makes it priceless. Thank you.”
“Come here,” he said, taking the pendant from me. “Lift your hair.”
After he’d hooked it, I sat back and looked down at the fiery bird of rebirth laying against the navy blue of my dress. It was stunning.
He leaned forward and took it between his fingers. “I stand by this call. This is all you, Valentina. You rose up from a fucked up tragedy nobody should ever experience, especially as a baby, and then you did it again as a woman. I love who you are.”
I couldn’t help it. I stood up to go sit on his lap again and looped my arm around his neck so we were face to face. “I love you.”
He fisted a hand in my hair and slowly led my mouth to his. His tongue ran the seam of my mouth and I opened to him, meeting the soft strokes of his tongue with mine. He pulled back and caressed the side of my face. “I love you back.” He handed me a menu. “You know what you want for dessert.”
“I do, but it’s not on the menu.” I tossed the menu aside and teased my lips over his, until he groaned and yanked me closer.
“I’ll get the check.”
“You do that,” I suggested, running a finger over his wet lip. “Now, what was it you mentioned about peanut butter and honey?”
“It makes delicious fucking body paint.”
“Hmm.” I put a finger to my lips and narrowed my eyes at him. “On one condition.”
An evil sparkle lit his eyes. “Name it.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Remember you said that.”
He looked up at the ceiling and laughed as I threw the words he’d once said to me back at him. “Okay, Sparky. I’ll bite. Name your price.”
A smile spread across my face. “King Lear on the heath. I want to hear it.”
“Fucking Bridgette.” He shook his head, but pulled me to him by my nape so our mouths were almost touching. “What do I get if I nail it verbatim?”
I kissed him softly on the lips before leaning over to his ear. “What do you want?”
“You in nothing but the heels and edible body paint.”
“You’re on. Better bring your A game. I pretty much know Lear by heart.”
He bit down on the tendon between my neck and my shoulder blade, making me so wet I squirmed in his lap. “Consider yourself good and fucked, sugar.”
God, how I loved this man. I couldn’t wait to get home and be his canvas.
Epilogue
Valentina
June—New York City
I didn’t think I’d ever spoken as much in my entire life as I had over the past three days. The introduction of the new line exploded with the flood of new writers in attendance. When I got behind the podium to present, the ballroom had been packed. The only reason I didn’t lose my shit on stage was Jaxxon on the side, waiting for me.
He’d been perfect. If I needed him with me for dinners, he was there. Whenever I needed him, he’d come find me wherever I was in the hotel, which made the entire conference bearable. When I met with a client, or my employers, he worked from the hotel room or by the pool.
The best part of the whole damn thing, at least for me, not so much for Jaxx, was him being propositioned everywhere he went by writers, cover artists, even agents—a drawback to being six-foot-seven and hot as hell. He was a perfect gentleman, declining their offers to model, but it became somewhat of a game to me. How many offers would he get, and how did he plan on keeping me from telling his family?
We’d just entered the hotel on our last night in town. I hadn’t wanted to go out. If I’d thought LA was bad, it was kindergarten compared to New York in the chaos department.
Jaxxon insisted since I was here, I had to see parts of the city I hadn’t on my previous two visits, so he pretty much played crazy protective tour guide, and we hit what he claimed were all the must-sees. We had dinner at a famous Italian Restaurant, walked down Times Square, through Central Park, and took the subway back.
Yes, the subway, where people were squished together like goddamn sardines. The only way I got through it was to hug him and bury my head against his chest while he held onto me, but he didn’t care as long as I agreed to go on it once.
He hit the button to the twenty-seventh floor as we got into our hotel elevator. “So, New York. What’d you think?” He leaned back against the wall and pulled me between his legs.
Resting my hands on his chest, I stared up at him before letting out a deep sigh. “Like I need a twenty-minute shower, but with you it was fun. Sometimes your bossiness is a bonus.”
“Told you you’d get used to me,” he teased, as the elevator doors opened to our floor.
I chuckled over my shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, you’re okay.”
“Okay?” he mocked, letting us into the room. “Get your ass in the shower. Okay, huh . . . ”
I showered, while he responded to some phone calls, and emerged squeaky clean a half hour later, wrapped in a gigantic, white fluffy towel.
I went to stand by the large windows looking down on the colorful city while Jaxx took a shower. From our floor, I could see the entire skyline over Times Square with all its brilliant lights, making the city seem
even more alive than when I was actually on the street. I was so captivated, I didn’t realize Jaxx had come up behind me until he ran his warm lips along the slope of my neck.
My smile slipped a bit when his hands came around the front to latch onto my towel. I moved back, away from the window, but his large body was like a brick wall, stopping my retreat. “Um, what are you doing,” I laughed.
“You know one of the perks of being on the twenty-seventh floor of this hotel?”
“We get an amazing view?”
“One-way windows. We can see out, nobody can see in,” he murmured against my neck as he pulled my towel loose.
“Jaxxon! How do you know for sure?” I grabbed for the ends, but he was too fast and covered my hands with his, dropping my towel to the floor.
“Architect—I checked out the hotel. Can’t see a fuckin’ thing. Brilliant design.”
Of course he’d know . . .
“Nobody can see us, sugar.”
I had a moment of panic, jerked up and covered my breasts, but he pulled me back against him, his face in my neck.
“I’m about to show you the benefits of the twenty-seventh floor,” he rasped, running his lips over my ear and biting down on the lobe. He took both my hands in his and placed them against the window. “Keep ‘em there.”
As soon as my hands hit the glass, he grabbed my hips and pulled me back into him so I was bent over at the waist. He pressed his cock against my naked core, and even through the material of his towel, my body welcomed him. He kicked my feet farther out to the sides and ran a hand over my hip down between my legs. I closed my eyes and tuned into him.
“Eyes, baby. Open ‘em.”
When I opened my eyes and looked at the window’s reflection, I saw his huge, muscled body behind me, his wet hair hanging loose around his shoulders. “Jaxx, let’s move this—
“No. Right here.” He slipped a finger through my slit and down to my entrance. “Going off how fuckin’ wet you are, I’d say you’re okay right here.”
Phoenix (Flames & Ashes Book 1) Page 42
