Scars and Tats

by Kristi Pelton

“I love you,” I cried, clawing at his cheeks—making sure he was real. That he was there. The tears were happy ones. “I love you, Jackson.”

  “God, Mela. I love you too. I never knew how truly lost I was, and trust me, it had nothing to do with geography,” he panted. “And, I’ll tell you something else. There was a point in my journey to your doorstep that I thought death was inevitable. I had no hope. But then…”

  With his fingers, he tucked my hair behind my ears.

  “But then, fate changed its course. And now someday, I get to tell our kids that one of my best memories was a shotgun in my face. I get to tell them that their mother was bad ass once upon a time.”

  As the wind dried my tears and my lips pulled into a full-blown smile, I stared into his electric blue eyes. There was so very much I wanted to know about this man.

  What was his favorite food? His favorite music? His favorite movie? I didn’t even know what religion he was. Was he republican or democrat? As I gazed at him, I realized none of that really mattered. We could argue about our beliefs and have great make-up sex.

  My eyes flitted away in thought.

  The weight of his hands on my biceps drew my attention back to him.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You seemed lost in thought.”

  I grinned. “Do you know what I would say to Beck if he came home when he was thirty and told me he was crazy about a girl he’d only known for three weeks? Less than actually.”

  “I hope that WE tell him to marry that girl,” he chuckled, but his laughter faded too quickly. “Mela.” He inhaled the deepest of breaths and my stomach flipped. “The night that Ian was killed…” He paused. “I was at the charity event. The senator said you were trash. It pissed me off and I called her out.”

  My jaw went slack as that moment four years ago came crashing back. I’d completely forgotten about her horrible words that night. Ian’s death…the accident and what transpired afterward trumped everything.

  “Your eyes,” I whispered, glancing up at them. “I remember them. You said I was beautiful and not to let anyone ever tell me any differently.” The memory was vivid. Clear.

  “Look at me,” he demanded with a hint of a shake.

  I did.

  “I believe with everything I am that this was meant to be. The last four years of my life was me…making my way to you. Every step of the way. I believe that, Mela. I ran into you that night for a reason. I was assigned that case for a reason. My father.” His eyes closed tightly for a short second. “That all happened for a reason. And the massive blizzard that I clearly didn’t know was coming—they were all signs. You were the reason, Mela. I see that.”

  His words overwhelmed me. I’d run away my entire life from someone or something, but I’d never wanted to stay more than right now. Nothing about Jackson Winslow scared me. My entire life I’d wanted to disappear. Be invisible. And this man saw me for everything I wanted to be. My heart swelled. As I inhaled a deep breath, the smell of smoke drifted through the air.

  I swiveled around to see the chimney smoke swirling in the wind that had picked up. A sudden chill accompanied in the breeze.

  “Looks like a storm may be brewing,” Jackson said with a grin.

  “You gonna go on a hike?”

  He shook his head. “No. There’s no place I need to go. There’s no place I’d rather be. Where’s Beck?”

  The chances of my heart exploding—high.

  “He’s getting to know his aunt.”

  Jackson rubbed his hands together. “That’s good. Because there will be nothing rated G or even PG13 happening in this cabin tonight.” He chewed on his cheek. “Actually, there will be no rated R either.”

  Instantly, blood seeped into my cheeks and I squirmed.

  “How about you give me a kiss for the paparazzi’s sake?”

  From my tiptoes, I brushed a kiss over his lips. “We will keep it rated G for Beck’s sake. He’ll see these photos someday.”

  “True. Good call. Come on,” he said, folding my hand in his and leading me to the cabin.

  With his free hand, he grabbed the gun. “Remind me to reload this.”

  “It’s not loaded?”

  “Baby, I’m a United States Attorney. I can’t point a loaded weapon at you,” he teased. “But I’m also in love with you, so I really can’t point it at you.”

  I giggled, loving hearing him say it. I’d never get tired of it. Ever.

  Stepping into the cabin trumped everything. I was home. WE were home. I wanted to cry…I thought we had lost this, that we’d never come back. When he suddenly released my hand, the tears faded and a sense of panic settled in.

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  The blue in his eyes flickered with mischievousness as he grabbed a piece of the poster board like he’d used the other day in the video. I watched as he propped it outside the front door.

  DO NOT DISTURB—the sign read.

  Epilogue

  “Happy Birthday to you!” we all sang in unison but horribly off key.

  The nine twinkling candles shot fiery sparks, and Beck laughed as he tried to blow them out. Rock circled the table with his phone, videoing and capturing every second of the day. Rock and the motorcycle guys always came to every event for Beck. Their philosophy was that no one would ever fuck with Rock’s nephew. My worry was that Beck might not have a single friend because of them.

  Yet, here sat Beck’s entire third grade class around the table that Layne had brought inside the gym for the party.

  “How about I cut the cake and get it on plates while you kids start the WOD?” I suggested.

  Beck’s fists shot up in the air. “Yes! Come on, guys.”

  “And girls!” I shouted.

  My workout girls and now five best friends—Molly, Grace, Sydney, Kimbra and Bella were all here for his birthday as well. The poor boy had celebrated his first four alone, so I still had some fair making up to do. I prayed that the last five parties had made up for those first isolated four. Without even asking, the girls grabbed the cake and started plating it up.

  “I’ll help,” Jackson offered, his eyes wide with desperation.

  I shook my head and stuck my bottom lip out. “No, baby. You have to do the WOD with the kids.”

  He shook his head. “No…” A painful grimace contorted his face. “Layne said it’s box jumps and wall balls and pull ups.”

  The gym girls behind me giggled.

  My eyes met Jackson’s. “Yes. And after that, it’s going to be burpees and sprints.”

  A child’s shrill cry echoed over the room. All of us spun around to find Ari waddling toward us, manhandling a toddler across her belly that now extended beyond capacity.

  “One of your kids loves me. This one hates me,” she said, extending Carter to Jackson.

  “Ari! Hand him to me. Jackson has to do the WOD with the kids.”

  Hurriedly, Jackson grabbed his mini-me and back stepped away from me. Carter immediately quieted with the gentle touch of his daddy’s hands. His three-year old tantrum quieted.

  “I can’t do the WOD now,” Jackson laughed with a shrug. “Dang it.”

  “Daddy, come on!” Beck yelled, guilting Jackson even more.

  As Jackson turned around, still rejoicing, he ran smack into Rock.

  “Rock will do the WOD, won’t you Rock?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Rock joked. “I’ll do it if Ari does it.”

  Ari was attempting to sit in a comfortable position and didn’t hear the conversation because Layne had turned on the music. Her engorged belly held two babies. Out of the two of us, she was the one blessed with twins—after agreeing to have one child with Rock. Just one, which was all she wanted. As she fanned herself, she glared at all of us, flipping us the finger when we couldn’t help laughing.

  Beck and the kids were having a blast working out together. Leave it to Beck to be the one kid who wanted to have his birthday at Crossfit Inked. My awesome gym wives were helping t
he kids do the exercises. I was one lucky woman to have those girls.

  Carter sat on Layne’s shoulders now, and in no time Layne would have him working out too. My eyes darted around the gym for Jackson. It wasn’t until his arms snaked around my own swollen belly that I figured out where he was.

  His hot breath on my neck still sent a wave of goose bumps fluttering out over my skin.

  “You know?” he whispered, rubbing his palms over my stomach.

  My body relaxed into his, allowing him to take my weight for just a minute.

  “They say an orgasm can induce labor.”

  I giggled. “You told me the same thing with Carter, Jackson. It didn’t work. Raking leaves is what worked.”

  “I know. I know. But I heard it works really well with the third child.”

  I laughed. “I’m not due for three more months. But you should tell Rock that secret trick.”

  Jackson’s rock hard cock pressed into my lower back and admittedly, I was turned on. “I already told him. In fact, look.” He pointed to Rock and Ari.

  Ari’s finger was in Rock’s face. She was giving him a piece of her mind, which was never good. In good spirit, Rock took it all in with his hands on his hips and a grin on his face.

  When it seemed everyone was distracted, Jackson led me into the men’s changing room.

  “We are so not doing it in here,” I said, plugging my nose.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” he said.

  Immediately, I pursed my lips and raised an eyebrow.

  “Ok, I would do that,” he chuckled but not at Beck’s party. “I just wanted to do this.”

  His mouth covered mine…his kiss going from 0 to 100 in a heartbeat. When I moaned, his grip on my shoulders tightened, his tongue thoroughly tasted my mouth, and a raspy groan of his own slid up his throat. We both broke free in search of air. Our foreheads and noses touching.

  “Mela Winslow,” he panted. “The first time I saw you my heart whispered that you were the one.”

  I cocked one eyebrow.

  “Ok,” he conceded. “The very first time I saw you my heart said ‘she’s going to fucking kill you.’ But after that passed and you became the pain in my ass that you still are…it whispered that you were the one.”

  My lips pulled into a smile.

  “Every day of my life was one day closer to you. I just didn’t know it until I knew it. Whether this little critter in here…” he said rubbing my belly. “Is a boy or a girl, our family is complete. Don’t you ever doubt my love, my loyalty or my commitment to you.”

  I would never grow tired of hearing him say those things. Words never came as easily to me, but I tried to make sure he understood the magnitude of my love.

  He lifted my shirt and kissed my distended stomach, then my C-section scar. “No more scars for us. Inside or out.”

  “MELA!” a sheer scream of panic bolted both Jackson and me out of the locker room.

  Everyone in the room was staring at Ari, who had just screamed.

  “My water broke!” she cried.

  Turning toward Jackson I said, “Can you finish the party?”

  “Yep. You go. She will want you there every second.”

  Rearing up on my tippy toes, I kissed him. “Thank you.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Ari was already waddling toward the door as Rock grabbed her purse. I quickly caught up with Rock.

  “You ok?” I asked.

  Rock dragged his hand down his face. “Mela, I love her so damn much, but she scares the shit out of me.”

  My head fell back in laughter.

  “It’s not funny. She’s scary.”

  “Well Rock, I tell you what. I have no problem standing up to her. Trust me, after all this time, I got your six.”

  Rock kissed my cheek as we followed Ari out the door headed for the hospital.

  Another set of twins was making their entrance into this world. Living a normal life felt good…it felt right. As we got into the car together, I prayed none of us would ever have to hide again.

  Beck hadn’t asked about my scars yet, but someday I knew he would. They all would. And I’d tell them the truth. When I was at my lowest of lows, a beautiful man saved my life. But it wasn’t until his life was taken that I truly found the love of my life.

  We are all on this earth for a reason. Every day is leading you somewhere even though you won’t know it until you get there.

  Acknowledgements

  As a writer…I am hopeful that my words touch someone or a lot of someone’s. ☺ Every single one of us has our own burden to carry. Some burdens are heavier than others. BUT, I truly believe that God wouldn’t place a burden on you if you weren’t capable of handling the weight. And always trust that the road you travel is the one you are meant to be on…it will all make sense one day.

  Thank you so much to the readers who support me. You are the reason I write. I include this in every book- but I have to say—there are so many authors out there that are SO much better than I am…but you give me a chance and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

  Leading my list of thanks always goes to MCM—Megan, Clista and Madison. Hugs. Lisa and Tera—thank you for being there any day or night. Same goes for Amber W—thank you for the help throughout the year. #boysrule Ketty-this is the year to meet! Sandra and Tracy—thanks for coming to the signings! Elaine and Janet—forever friends. Vanessa—thanks for your continued support. The girls that I started out with—Jazzy J, Riza, Heather, Laura…thank you.

  Anne and Tijan—thanks for every answered question.

  A special shout out to Give Me Books for their help, The Indie Bookshelf and Beth for her unwavering support and Totally Booked (Jenny!) for always supporting me. There are so many blogs…I can’t even begin to name them but Book Obsessed, Eye Candy Bookstore (Carrie!) and instagram The Book Bistro…Thank you.

  My fantastic gym wives in real life—Miss, Rach, Lacy and Jamie (special shout out for proof reading!) I don’t have a clue what I’d do without you. Marquis—thanks for putting up with us!

  Mom and Dad—thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do, the support you give and for loving me regardless of the f-words and sex scenes in the books. ☺

  Kevin, Ben and Zach…thank you for allowing me computer time…a lot! I love you.

  Go Cubs! Go Jayhawks! Go Ducks!

  K, B, Z…1

  Other Books By Kristi Pelton

  dibs

  Slick

  Pure Will

  Sessions Interrupted

  A Haunted Heart

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