It feels like a few minutes later, Huck is calling my name. “Jacob, we’re here.”
I wake up and we’re in front of his house. “Roxanne is still here with Chelsea so I figured you could ride home with her,” he explains.
“Yeah, man, that works.”
Stepping out of the truck, Roxanne and Chelsea meet us outside. Roxanne takes my arm. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
Huck calls to me as we walk away. “Don’t forget, cardio tomorrow.”
I raise my hand. “Got it.”
She walks me to the passenger side. “Get in, I’ll drive. We quit drinking when you guys called so it’s been a few hours. I’m good.” I don’t care to argue because I’m tired. The next thing I know, she’s waking me up at her house.
Once we’re inside, she turns to me. “Do you need to shower or anything?”
“Nah, just a bed. I showered there so Marco could check out my injuries.”
She shrugs. “Okay, do you need anything? Ibuprofen, ice packs, a beer?”
She’s so worried, it’s funny. “I could use some personal attention,” I say, raising my eyebrows.
She laughs. “Some personal attention you say. Well, maybe I can help with that if you aren’t too sore.”
“Oh babe, that part works just fine. We will have to go a little easy though.”
She takes my hand, pulling me into her bedroom. She walks into her bathroom and comes back with a cup of water and some ibuprofen. “I know you said you’re fine, but you should probably take these anyway.” I take the pills and swallow them with the water. “Good, now let’s get you out of these clothes,” she says with a grin.
She pulls my shirt over my head slowly and reaches down to help me remove my shoes and socks. Once she’s done, she reaches up and pulls my gym shorts down along with my boxer briefs. Now that she’s level with my cock, she smiles and leans forward, taking the tip of it in her mouth. She moves her hand to caress the base and starts to move up and down along the shaft, pumping with her hand as she sucks and licks. This wasn’t what I meant for her to do, but damn if I’m going to object. She keeps going until I’m getting close. I really don’t want to finish like this. “Babe, if you don’t stop, I’m not gonna make it.” She shakes her head, telling me that she wants to keep going. Soon I feel my balls tighten and my heart race. “Fuck.” I squirt hot liquid in her mouth. “Fuck. Babe.”
She finally pulls away, wiping her mouth. “Damn, Roxanne, this isn’t what I wanted to do. I had a plan for you in that damn bed.”
“Well, it was my plan for you. You need rest. I’ll be fine. Now, go to sleep.”
Following her orders, I crawl into her large, comfortable bed and quickly find sleep.
The next morning, after finding myself in a comfortable routine of sorts with Roxanne, I go to the gym.
Walking in, I hear the sound of someone hitting the pads. Going into the training room, I see the newest member of their team, Sergio, sparring with Huck. It’s funny to see these two in the same gym considering they used to be huge rivals. Huck sees me come in and he signals for Sergio to stop. He motions for me to come over. “Go do the cardio rotation but back off by twenty percent. Once that’s done, get out of here, ibuprofen and rest.”
I nod and make my way to the cardio room, starting on the treadmill like always. About five minutes in, I hear the door open and close. My sister gets on the treadmill two away from me. “Good morning,” I call out.
“Morning,” she mumbles as she starts the machine.
Finally having enough of her silent treatment, I stop walking and go over to her. “All right, Sloan. Let me have it, because quite frankly I’m fucking tired of you acting like a brat.”
She hits the auto stop on her machine and turns to me with fire in her eyes. “Oh, you think I’m acting like a fucking brat? Well I think you ARE a fucking asshole!”
“I know you don’t understand what I did, but I did it to keep everyone safe. Now, I’m sorry if you don’t comprehend that, but it’s too bad. I’d never wanted to worry Mom and Dad. You were a college kid and then you were a single mom, so I wasn’t putting that shit on your plate, too. Also, I haven’t been really into things in a long time. For the most part I did really work construction. Yes, I consulted on some cases, but nothing major until now. So get over yourself. I thought you would move on past this but you seem to want to keep dragging it out and I’m tired of it. Your husband is over it and tired of it. Let’s fucking move on.”
She takes a deep breath and glares at me. “Look, I’m trying here, but you act like I’m just supposed to get over what, twelve, fifteen years of lies. Time that I thought you were still in the fucking Army. I thought you were overseas or something and that was the reason I hadn’t heard from you. Not that you were here in the United States but still couldn’t call me.” She shakes her head and looks up, fighting back tears. “Lox says I should invite you and Roxanne to come over for dinner one night. Everyone is coming over Saturday for a cookout, why don’t you guys come over then and I’ll work on my attitude? Sage has been asking for you and it’s not fair to him.” She huffs. “Plus, I can’t really stay mad at you that long, especially after I’ve gotten to tell you off.”
I nod. “Fine, we’ll be there Saturday. Just give me a time.”
“Noon,” she says before turning back to her treadmill.
“Okay.” I go back to mine and get started.
After a few minutes of silence, she speaks softly. “How did your fight go?”
“I won. Barely, but I won.”
“Good. You don’t look too bad. Lox says he and the rest of the guys have been sparring with you. Says you have some raw talent.”
“Thanks. They’ve helped me a lot. I had some training in martial arts, but nothing like this. The guys really made it a skill.”
She keeps walking and staring forward. “He kept me updated even when I didn’t want to be.”
I take a sip from my water. “Your husband is a good man. He’s proven that time and time again.”
She clears her throat. “I told Roxanne. I’m not upset with her over that stuff from years ago. Is it something I really wanted to hear? No. But it doesn’t make me see my husband differently,” she gives a small giggle, “well, other than why he’s so determined to be in charge in our bedroom.”
I snap my face to her. “I don’t need to hear that shit.”
“Anyway. Like I said, she and I will have no problems. I think Lox will eventually come around. I think his pride being wounded just resurfaced after several years. Well, that and fucking Sly won’t shut up about it.”
“Tell me about it. I think he’s asked Rox every time he sees her why it wasn’t him. Idiot.”
“He’s always been an attention whore. Hell, he’s married and has a hot wife, but my husband got one up on him years ago and he acts like it was yesterday.”
I have to laugh, because that is exactly how he’s acting. “You’re right and it pisses Lox off.”
“Yep, but that’s Sly. You gotta love him. He’s like a puppy, you just can’t be mad with him. He gives you those big doe eyes and you just have to move on.” She laughs as she’s talking.
“Now that’s what I like to hear.” We both turn to see Lox coming in the room. “My girl and her brother laughing.”
Sloan flips him off.
He cocks his head to me. “She tell you that she had Marco facetime her last night so she could see the fight?”
“Shut up.” She points at him.
I shake my head. “Nope.”
“I needed to know you were okay. I understood why I couldn’t go, I just needed to know. I’m at ninety-five percent of Lox’s fights, hell, the other guys, too. So it was a little unnerving for me not to know what was going on.” She mumbles something else under her breath.
“Don’t worry, sis. It’s okay to love me and hate me at the same time,” I say with a laugh.
Lox looks at me. “She tell you about the cookout this coming up weekend?”
“Yes, asshole, I told him,” she snaps. We both turn our heads to her. “Well, did you really think I wouldn’t tell him?”
Lox stands at the head of her machine. “Acting how you’ve been acting? Yes. I thought you might not tell him.”
She turns off her machine and wipes her face with her towel. “I’ll see you later, Jacob. Lox, dear, I hope you like that nice sofa you picked out because unless Sage or Linc are willing to share a bed, that’s where you’re sleeping.” With that, she turns and walks out.
He shrugs. “Well at least if I do that, I won’t have to feel her cold feet or listen to her snore.”
I can’t help but bark out a laugh at the thought of my sister snoring. “Sorry, man, I tried to get Mom and Dad to do something about that snoring for years, but they were against surgery.”
He laughs as he walks from the room and I hear him calling out to her in the hallway. “Baby, come back here and talk to me.”
I can’t help but laugh as I stop the treadmill, moving over to grab my jump rope.
CHAPTER 18
ROXANNE
I’m actually taking the time to read a book, when there’s a knock at the door. I see Jacob through the peep hole. “Hey,” I say, swinging open the door.
“Hey,” he replies.
I laugh. “I should give you a key.”
As soon as I shut the door, he has my back pressed against it. “So I owe you for last night. I’m not the kind of guy to let my debts go unsettled.” He grabs me under my ass and lifts me up, putting me back down in front of the couch and yanking my shorts and panties down. He pushes me back to sit down, spreading my legs wide and delving in with his mouth. He devours me as he licks and sucks, nipping at the insides of my thighs and using his thumb to rub my clit. As everything builds inside of me, I go over the edge, screaming out. Calling out his name. I fall back into the couch and sigh, realizing it’s not just a key to my house I want to give him, and that scares me.
I sit stunned in my living room with my pants around my ankles, trying to shake the awkwardness. I grin. “Thank you for the reimbursement. It was much appreciated.” He grins as I pull my clothes back into the right place. “Now, do we need to continue this in the bedroom?”
He shakes his head. “No. I’m beat, but I wanted to do that for you.”
“Well, thank you. Now, will you tell me about last night?”
He laughs. “Okay, so I did see him at a distance. I don’t think he’s put it all together yet. I had Huck take some casual shots of the people surrounding him while acting like he was looking at shit on his phone, so we can see about some face recognition. I need to talk to Raines.”
“So are we going to trust him?” I question.
“I don’t see where we have much option. In my gut I know he’s always been straight with me. I have to go with my gut on this one. I hope you feel the same way.”
I sigh. “I wish we could do this on our own, but I know we can’t. If we don’t talk to him, we run the risk of fucking up majorly.”
“Well, I also think the guy I fought last night is an agent. Something about him just—it sets off my radar. I may be wrong, he could just be some stupid fuck, but it was like he knew last night was part of a big audition.” He rubs his face. “I haven’t told the guys. I need to figure this shit out before I put ideas in their head. Also, if we do have another agent involved, we have to figure out the what, when, where, who, how, all that shit.”
I pull my legs up Indian style on the couch. “Yeah. If he is, we could blow our case and his if we aren’t careful.”
He nods. “Okay, so my sister invited us to her place this coming Saturday for a cookout with everyone. Just a heads up.”
“Okay, sounds good. If you’re good with it, I am.”
He rubs his chin. “Okay. Huck sent me those pictures so I’m going to get with Raines. Try to figure some shit out.” He stands up. “I’m gonna run over to my place and grab some shit. I’m tired of washing and wearing the same fucking thing. It also appears I’m not leaving here anytime soon.”
I laugh. “And what if I kick you out?”
He leans down close to my ear. “You won’t. You like my dick too much.”
Fuck, the vibration from his voice sends tingles down my spine. “Go before I take you to my bedroom and tie you up.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “You won’t get the upper hand on me, woman.”
I slap his ass when he turns around. “Just go, get your crap and get back here.”
He acts silly, swaying his butt on the way out the door.
The cookout comes along and once again, I’m freaking out. I should be okay with this group of people, but I’m just praying that no one—well, mainly Sly—brings up mine and Lox’s past. That could be really freaking embarrassing. Once again, I’ve stared down gunmen and felt less nervous.
After we get out of the car, I reach into the backseat, grabbing the pasta salad I’ve made for today. They said not to bring anything, but my mother would come back from the dead to beat my ass if I came to someone’s cookout without bringing something. I think it’s in the southern woman’s handbook or something.
Jacob goes straight into the house. It’s a modest, cream-colored house with dark brown shutters. Stepping inside, it’s decorated in a very modern theme. I can tell Sloan likes style, but she’d never break the bank to do it. There is a little girl in a bright yellow dress with hot pink cowboy boots running through the living room chasing a little boy, who is screaming. I know from pictures he has to be Lincoln, Jacob’s nephew. Sly comes into the living room. “If you two wake up Selah and Harm, there are going to be some sore butts from spankings.” Both of their faces are comically funny as they stop.
He looks up to see us. “Oh, hey guys. We’re all between the kitchen and the back yard. Mostly the guys out back and the females in the kitchen. Come on.” He stops me and points to the little girl, who has decided to sit back in front of the television. “The little blonde devil is my oldest, Krista. Her partner in crime is Linc, Sloan and Lox’s youngest.”
I follow him into the backyard. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to make any jokes today,” he says with sincerity.
I smile. “Thanks, that makes me happy. I’m just hoping that Sloan and Jacob make some progress today.”
He nods and we step into the backyard. I see Sage wrestling with Huck over near the huge play set. When Sage looks up to see us, he breaks away from Huck and comes running to Jacob, giving him a huge hug.
“Hey, buddy. I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you, too, Uncle Jacob.”
Lox comes over. “Hey, guys.” He looks at my hands. “What do you have there?”
I look down and realize I’m still holding the pasta salad. “Oh. Some pasta salad I made.” All of a sudden I feel like Baby in Dirty Dancing. I might as well be saying “I carried a watermelon.”
He motions with his hand. “Follow me. We’ll put it in the fridge.”
Once we step inside, I breathe a sigh of relief when I see Chelsea and Liz. I also see Kara, Sloan and Jade. But there is a tall African American girl standing in the corner. Lox speaks to everyone. “Ladies, Sly just got on to the kids for making noise and now you guys.”
They shush him and Chelsea smiles with a mouth full of what looks like brownie batter. “Hey, girl,” she says, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
I smile and nod. “Hi. Lox told me to bring this in here. It’s just some pasta salad.” Here I go with the fucking watermelon again.
Sloan smiles, taking it from me. “Great. We can always use extra food. The way these men eat, it’s like feeding a pack of damn horses.”
Liz comes over and gives me a hug. “Hey, girl. This is Breanne. Breanne, this is Roxanne.”
I give her a big smile. “Hi, Breanne. Nice to meet you, I’ve heard only great things about you.”
She smiles. “Thanks. Nice to meet you, too.”
Kara and Jade make their way
over to me and make conversation. Before long, the nerves I’d been feeling before coming here are pushed down. We have a great time watching the kids run around and play and holding babies. The adults tell stories about each other and well, they play, too.
Later that night, it hits me hard that I could’ve had this. I could’ve had the house, the husband, and the kids, but I chose the agency.
A couple of weeks seem to fly by. Between him training, me actually going and training a little to do some refresher on my tactical skills and my teaching, we don’t have much time to think. He has a fight tomorrow night with another guy from the gym in Miami. We’ve been over to his sister’s and some of the others’ homes a few more times and weirdly, I found myself saying things like, “We’ll have to do this one day at our place. We should do a game night at my place.” It’s honest to God one of the strangest feelings I’ve ever had, but comforting and natural at the same time.
On Thursday, I order Chinese on the way home from work for dinner and before walking into my house, I grab the mail from the box. There is a manila envelope with my name and address on a printed label with no return. I carefully open up the envelope and pull the documents out. It appears to be the medical examiner’s report from my father’s death. My father died of a heart attack, I don’t know what the big deal is about this. But something tells me to keep reading. As I flip through the pages, there is a note.
Agent Gilliland,
Dear, it’s been a long time. Just know I keep tabs on you. I know where you are. I chose to leave you alone, as you, the thorn in my side, are one I wanted to tend to personally. As my time draws closer, I wanted to let you know that when I return to the outside world, your father’s fate could very well be your own. Your father did have a heart attack, but was it natural or not? I don’t guess we’ll ever know. The poor medical examiner is no longer in practice as he was accused of killing his wife. That’s neither here nor there though. Remember, you have no one left. Nothing to fight for, but I do. I remember your words to me. What was it? They were very rude…ah, let’s see. “Fuck you, Wes Lowe! I hope you enjoy getting ass raped in prison. You might have killed my family, but your ass damn sure won’t kill me. When you fucking die, I’ll dance on your motherfucking grave, you son of a bitch!” Well, I can assure you that it will be me dancing on your grave, you fucking bitch. Oh, by the way. By the time you get this letter, I’ll already be out on the streets. I didn’t want you to have the opportunity to screw shit up for me again. Funny how I set it up that way. Just know I’ve been thinking about you.
Jacob (Exposed Marco's MMA Boys #5) Page 9
