“No,” I put a hand between us, “and you definitely want this news first.”
“Okay, hit me.”
“I’m pregnant.”
I watch as the words sink in. At first he’s confused because we had tabled this discussion. Then I see the absolute pure elation in his eyes. They are filled with so much joy they become glassy.
“Really?” he asks as his hand instantly moves low on my belly.
“Really. I took the test this morning.”
“Fuck,” he falls to his knees and kisses my belly. “Are you upset? I know we weren’t going to do this right away. Maybe wait a few more years.”
“I’m so far from upset. I’m over the moon to be having another. This is the last one, though.”
His eyes twinkle in the dappled sunlight of the clearing. “Of course.” He nods with a grin. “Last one for sure.”
“Levi Franklin Marsh.” I stretch my arm out between us. “This is the last baby you will put in me.”
“Sure thing, Ives.” He knocks my arm out of his way and pins me to the tree. “I think it’s time to celebrate, don’t you?”
His fingertips ghost over my side and up to my breasts, which are already feeling fuller. I’m surprised I miss the early signs. He reaches behind me and unties both strings holding my top on. His pupils dilate as my breasts fall free. Even on his knees my golden god is still tall enough to be perfectly level with my breasts.
He watches me as he gently tugs on my nipple until it’s a hard nub. I shift against the tree as desire heats my core. His lips wrap around my other nipple. He catches me off guard by biting down on it hard. My hand moves into his sandy blonde hair and holds him against me while he drives me insane with gentle caresses and assaults with his mouth.
His other hand makes quick work of untying my bottoms as he whips them off. His fingers travel right to my clit, which is already completed soaked, and throbbing with need. He kisses a trail down my body to the apex of my thighs. I already know what he wants so I hook my leg over his shoulder and brace myself against the tree.
The bark is rough against my skin but the feel of his tongue caressing and tasting me allows me to only focus on how good he feels. I come with force when he adds to two fingers and strokes my g spot. He licks and strokes me through the final tremors like the champ that he is.
“Turn around,” he orders gruffly. “I need you so much Ives.” His shorts drop to the forest floor.
His hands grip my hips as I grab the tree for balance. His knee slides between my legs, opening them wide for him. He rubs the head of his cock from end to end, gathering all my juices to help him ease inside me.
“I don’t think I can be gentle this time, Ives.” His voice is strained as he hovers just outside my entrance.
I look over my shoulder at him, “Give me everything, Levi.”
His name hasn’t even passed my lips when he’s slamming full force inside me. He moans while I gasp in pleasure at the feeling of stretching around him. The clearing is silent aside from the sound of panted breaths and muttered curses. He reaches around to play with my clit right before he comes, never accepting his own pleasure without making sure I have mine too.
I feel his orgasm surge inside me as mine peaks. He pulls me up so my back is against his front and kisses my neck. His arms lock around me in the sweetest, tightest embrace. “I love you so much, Ives.”
“I love you, too, Levi.” I drop my head back against his shoulder as we both catch our breath.
CONNOR
FIVE YEARS LATER
“Dad!” Elle bangs her fist on our bedroom door. “Dad!”
“Jesus,” I mutter under my breath as Lily grumbles beside me. “What?”
“Are you serious?” She’s standing in the door with her arms crossed glaring at me.
My brain isn’t functioning on full power yet but the sarcasm is always at the ready. “Never.” I look over at my phone, five in the morning. Why is she up and dressed for a workout already?
Fuck.
“I’m getting up. Give me five minutes.” I fling the covers off and start walking toward the closet. “Actually,” I stop abruptly, “pull all mats down in the gym.”
I promised her we could do before school sparring sessions starting on the first day of their freshman year. Lily and I joked about getting some of her aggression out before school everyday. She and Nora might be nearly identical but their personalities couldn’t be more different. Elle is the pissed off female version of me. Fierce. Zero fucks given. Ready to reign hellfire down on anyone who gets in her way or hurts someone she loves.
Nora, on the other hand, is quiet and reserved. She’s genius level smart and already has two years of high school courses under her belt before she’s even started high school. The teachers and administrators at Founder’s Prep have all tried to get us to move her up a grade level or two but she refuses to leave Elle.
I slip on a pair of sweats and grab a t-shirt. Lily is just getting out of bed and it takes every single ounce of effort on my part not to drag her back into bed for a morning quickie. She must feel my attention on her back because she pauses and looks over her shoulder.
“No.” She raises an eyebrow at me. “I will not be held responsible for you being late to your sparring session with her on her first day of school.”
“I have two minutes. We can make it happen.”
“Wow,” she turns and puts her hand over her heart, “as enticing as that offer is. Hard pass.”
“That’s not the only thing that’s hard,” I prowl toward her.
She retreats with a giggle but I snag her arm right before she gets to the bathroom door. I wrap my arms around her in a tight hug and grind my erection into her while I make growling noises against her neck. Even after decades together her laugh still sets my heart on fire. I smile against her neck then give her a peck on the lips.
“Later,” she drags me to her for another deeper kiss.
“You’re definitely getting it later.”
She breaks away with a smirk and pulls her nightgown over her head with a sassy wink. I have to start thinking unsexy thoughts to get my dick to calm down on the way down the two flights of stairs to our basement gym.
We bought sixty acres of land outside Founder’s Ridge with Levi and Griff we all decided to send our kids Founder’s Prep. Our houses are spread out far enough for privacy but we put a sports complex in the middle of the three residences. There’s a pool big enough for lap swimming, tennis and basketball courts, and a pool house. The property is fenced and gated with enough security cameras to rival the White House.
By the time I get down to the gym, Elle’s already got everything ready and she’s looking at the clock. She’s thin but muscular. Her hair has the same texture as Lily’s but instead of blonde it is a deep brown. The most striking thing, though, are her eyes. One blue like her mother, one green like mine. Those eyes are currently narrowed to slits raging in annoyance that only a teenage girl could give to her father.
“It took you six minutes.”
“Clock’s fast. Give me your hands.” I start taping her up as soon as she complies.
“Bullsh-” She stops herself when I glance up at her. “Bull.”
She started doing martial arts as a preschooler and has never stopped wanting to learn new techniques and ways to defend herself. I’m happy to help her along that path, thankfully she and Michael have an innate desire for it. I used to try to get Nora interested but she’d rather be off in the library, a nose in her books and head in the clouds.
I spend the next half hour letting my daughter use me as a punching bag. I correct her form once in awhile, but generally her technique is spot on.
“Do you have your schedule memorized?” I ask as she’s unwrapping her wrists at the end of our session.
“No but Nora does,” she smirks.
“You can’t rely on each other forever.”
“Sure we can. We were womb-mates. Besties since conception.”
I give her a look out of the corner of my eyes. “Keep an eye on her. If FPA is anything like it was twenty five years ago, you’ll need to stick together.”
“I’ve been going to school with most of these kids since kindergarten. I think they know they’re the ones that need to watch out for me.” She puts her gloves up and darts out of the gym without a second look back.
I check the time, wondering if Lily’s still getting ready. The thought of cashing in on that quickie calling me as I take the stairs two at time. She wasn’t on the main level of the house so she must still be in our room.
I shut and lock the bedroom door behind me, walking quietly toward the bathroom. She’s standing at the vanity putting on some makeup when I walk up behind her. She hasn’t put clothes on yet, just standing there in her bra and panties. Her skin is still warm from her shower when I wrap my hands around her waist, my thumbs rubbing circles on her lower back.
“I’m here for that five minutes,” I whisper in her ear.
“Twice as long, how’d I get so lucky?” She moans and drops her head back on my shoulder as I slip my hand in her panties and tease her clit.
“I’m feeling generous.” I push her face down on the counter, kneeling behind her as I slide the scrap of lace covering her down her hips.
“Pussy for breakfast. My favorite.”
She makes the cutest little sigh as I tease her with my fingers. I bend and press a kiss behind her knee, kissing a path up the back of her leg to where her thigh meets her ass. I bite down on her cheek right as I slip my fingers inside her.
“Fuck, Con.” She arches her back trying to tempt me to use my mouth.
I bite her other cheek, happy with the mark left behind. I can feel her pulse pounding against my fingers. “Already throbbing for me?” I tease before licking her clit.
“Connor,” her voice trembles with need. I fucking love hearing her say my name like that.
“Yeah, baby?” I smile against her cunt, licking each lip slow and deliberately.
“Fuck me.”
My control snaps and I take her clit into my mouth with the perfect amount of suction. My fingers pump in and out of her cunt as the evidence of her desire coats my chin and fingers. Right before she comes I stand and pull my aching cock free.
I don’t tease. I don’t talk dirty. I just slide right into her, both of us moaning in pleasure. Her fingers are gripping the edge of the counter. I watch my cock sliding in and out of her for a minute. The sight has never and will never be old to me. Then I look up, making eye contact with her in the mirror.
The intensity of our love and passion for each other feels like it could shatter the glass in front of us. I pull her to standing as we both start to come, one arm wraps around her belly, the other around her chest. “I fucking love you, Lily.”
“I love you, too.”
LILITH
THREE MONTHS LATER
The cold November wind whips across Lake Michigan, ripping hair from my ponytail and stinging my face. The saving grace is the sun shining down on me and the bright blue sky above. The white-capped waves crash on the rocks below where I’m sitting.
I come here every November on the day Dad died. It’s never gotten easier to accept the void in my life that his murder caused. Yet, this place, the same rock I sit on every year brings me peace. It’s like I can feel him sitting beside me.
“Nora and Elle started high school this year. At FPA, if you can believe that.” I chuckle. “Never in a million years did I think I was going to get in that truck with you and have my life change so drastically. Nora is so smart, Dad. She’s already taking accelerated high school courses and will probably be taking college classes soon. Elle would beat your old man ass in the ring. She’s so tough and a little crazy but we love her and so would you. Michael might as well be Connor version two point oh.”
“Speaking of Connor, he’s good. VI just won a huge award for its work with wind turbines and solar panels. Don’t ask me to explain it. He still gives me shit regularly but as usual I give it serve it right back to him. Victor and Ciara are good. They’ve retired and spend half their time in Founder’s Ridge and half their time in Europe. Although, they have a hard time staying away from the kids.”
“I’m okay,” my voice cracks as a tear falls, “I miss you though. So much. Some days it feels like yesterday that I crawled in that hospital gurney beside you.” I rub my thumb over the pendant that Victor gave me on our wedding day, the one created with Dad’s ashes.
I feel a warm presence at my back and know immediately that it’s Zion. He holds me while I sob, a few tears escaping his eyes, too. He rests his chin on my head and we stare out over the lake for a few minutes.
“He’s always with us,” Z says. He comes here to this spot every time he needs to think or needs that fatherly feeling. My dad was as much his father as he was mine.
“I know. This year is hard.” I turn in his arms and hug him back. “I can’t believe it’s been twenty years. I’ve experienced more life without him than with him.”
“Can’t think about it like that, Lil. We just have to hold on to the memories we do have.” He kisses my forehead. “Come on, I’ve hugged you for over three minutes, Con’ll throw down if he finds out I touched his woman that long.”
I snort because it’s true. He still growls if Levi puts his arm around me and he’s my cousin. “He is a possessive fucker.”
“Yeah, but he’s our possessive fucker, right?”
He holds the door of his car open for me and gets intercepted on his way back around. The parking lot we’re in isn’t full but there are some people. Zion stands out in any crowd but especially after he led the Bulls to a national championship last season. He signs a few autographs and takes some selfies with fans.
“That is still so cool, seeing you with fans like that,” I say when he gets behind the wheel.
“Yeah, well they noticed us having a moment and waited until I got you in the car. Apparently you talking to yourself and crying was creepy and unapproachable.”
We both laugh at that and then enjoy a few moments of peaceful silence.
“What do you think Eric has Con and the kids doing?” I ponder.
“Paper Mache animals or something equally artsy and messy.”
“I hope it involves glitter.”
“Rainbow glitter.” Z smiles. “Seriously, though, I’m so glad your kids don’t mind helping him when you guys are in town.”
“I know, but they love Eric. He’s as much a part of the family as anyone else now, even if you guys don’t want to get married.”
We pull up to the community center we started years ago. The building has murals on each wall painted by local artists depicting important Chicagoans of color and inspirational quotes. Most of the kids we serve here are black or Hispanic and they’re all impoverished.
The after school program serves roughly two hundred and fifty families from three different schools. We’re looking at buying some more land to add a second center soon. Our waitlist is four times as many families as we can safely take care of. Between Z’s fame in the city and my resources in the background not one family has to pay a single dime for their kids to come here. They just have to sign a pledge saying that they will stay away from violence and drugs.
The best thing when we walk through the front door is that everyone is so used to seeing Z that the kids barely even look up. Eric has a full art class, the students are finger-painting on easels. Con and our kids are spread throughout the room, helping and encouraging everyone. My heart melts when Con looks up at me with paint splattered on his nose and forehead and flashes his genuine smile, the one that shows his deep dimples.
“Do you guys have to look at each other like that all the time?” Michael mutters with a fake gag. “You’re so gross.”
I look over at him, at thirteen he’s stuck somewhere between boy and adolescent. His dark hair falls past his ears usually but he’s pulled it back in a stubby ponyt
ail. I know that someday his jaw will fill out to be just as chiseled and handsome as Con and Victor’s, he’s the third generation look alike, right down his forest green eyes and cutting glare.
A swell of love rises in my chest as I pull him to me for a hug. I give a shuddering breath, fighting back tears all over again.
“Ewww, mom. No affection.” His voice is disdainful but I don’t miss the lightning quick squeeze he gives me.
Z goes over to chat with Connor, no doubt giving him a full report of my morning with Dad. They both give me a warm glance. Elle is working with a couple little boys who are trying to paint a dog. I walk over to where Nora is sitting in a corner with a little girl, reading a book to her.
I crouch down to their level. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“Amara doesn’t like the way the paint feels so we decided to read books while everyone else works.” Nora explains.
“I see. What are you reading?”
Nora lifts up the book so I can see the title. “Nevertheless She Persisted.” I nod in approval. “That’s a good one.”
“She picked it,” Nora gives Amara a smile.
“It’s my favorite, did you know the stories are real?” Amara asks me.
“I did. That’s one of my favorite books, too.”
“It reminds me of my mom,” she says shyly.
“Me too,” Nora smiles down at her.
Acknowledgments
As I sit here having just finished the final edits on Surrender I can’t help but reflect on the journey of the past ten months. I wrote and published this series during arguably the most challenging year I’ve ever experienced. These characters feel like family now. They gave me an escape, a place to go to for love, for laughter, for found family when the world was crumbling or my four lovely children were driving me up the wall.
There are so many people to thank as well. First and foremost my family, I want to thank them for their unconditional support. I want to thank my husband for being the best IT guy on the planet and always talking me down from technology induced freak outs. I want to thank my kids for being my own personal hype team, with minimal roasts. I want to thank my parents for reading my books and their unending support.
Surrender (The Titans of Founder's Ridge Book 3) Page 19
