by J. E. Parker
Standing, I pulled myself from her body.
It may sound sick, but the caveman in me wanted to pump his fist in the air when I glimpsed my come leaking from her sweet pussy. Eyes locked on the sight, I sent up a silent prayer it would take root.
Please, God… Let that shit do its job.
Clara stood and turned to face me.
Her heavy tits bounced from the slight move and I bit back a groan.
“Brantley,” she fussed. “For heaven’s sake, answer the dang phone.”
I smirked. “Yes, ma’am.” After pulling up my pants, I crossed the room and grabbed my phone from the place on the floor where I’d discarded it after finding Clara bent over my desk, waiting for me. “This is Morgan,” I answered without looking at the Caller ID.
“The kids and me are on the way, assclown,” my jackass brother said. “Should be there in about five minutes.”
In the background, Liam and Declan laughed while Bella fussed. “We don’t say that word, Uncle Evan! We say bottom!”
“Sorry, princesa,” Evan replied, making me chuckle.
At that moment, my little girl sounded so much like my Firecracker that it made my heart swell. Seriously, Bella may have looked just like me, but she was morphing into Clara’s mini me.
Speaking of…
I glanced over at Clara, who was standing in the bathroom that connected to my office, cleaning herself up. “We’ll be waiting outside. Just park beside my Rover. The spot should be empty since Clara rode with me today.”
“Yeah, will do.”
It was the last thing he said before ending the call.
Tucking my shirt into my pants, I buttoned my slacks, and fastened my belt. “Kids are five minutes away.” I stared, mesmerized as Clara ran her fingers through her messy hair, doing her best to smooth out the fiery waves. “I told Ev we’d meet them outside.”
Nodding, my girl turned to face me.
Straightening out her dress, she strode my way.
Her rounded hips swayed with each step she took, drawing my attention.
Fisting my hands to keep from reaching out and grabbing her, I lifted my eyes, focusing my gaze on her beautiful face. “I’m ready to get this done, bella dama.”
And by this I meant completing her move.
It had been three weeks since she agreed to live with me and three days since we started transferring stuff from her place to mine. The fact that it was taking so damn long was frustrating as hell, but I knew this was a huge step for her, and as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t rush her.
Not too much anyway.
“Me too,” she replied, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I want nothing more than to fall asleep in your arms every night for the rest of my life.”
The smile that spread across my face was huge.
Ridiculously so.
“You make me so damned happy,” I said, resting my hands on her hips.
Standing on her tip toes, Clara placed a soft kiss to my lips. “I hope so,” she replied, seconds later. “Because you’re stuck with me from here on out.”
I smirked. “Am I supposed to complain?”
“Not if you know what’s good for you,” she smart-mouthed back at me.
“Sassy,” I replied, rubbing a knuckle down her jaw. “I like it.”
With a roll of her eyes, Clara dropped her arms from my neck and stepped back. “Let’s go. Evan will be here any second, and I miss my kids something fierce.”
“Our kids,” I corrected her.
She bit back a smile and faked exasperation. “Whatever you say, Pretty Boy.” Grabbing her purse off the corner of my desk where it sat, she pulled it over her shoulder and turned toward the door. Without saying another word, she walked out of the office.
Like the love-sick fool I was, I followed behind her, my eyes glued to her back.
Sliding my hands into my pockets, I whistled as we headed out the door, down the hall, and into the parking lot where Evan’s truck sat idling next to my SUV. Filled with nothing but contentment and peace, I was walking on cloud nine.
Little did I know that was only moments away from changing.
Clara
It was a little after four when Brantley parked his SUV in front of my apartment for what would be the last time. Mixed feelings churned in my belly at the thought. On one hand, I was so dang happy to be moving in with him and Bella, but on the other, I felt like I was losing a small part of me.
My apartment was a dump but it held a whole lot of memories.
Memories I held close to my heart.
Shifting the car into park, Brantley took my hand in his, and gave my fingers a light squeeze. “What are you thinking about, Firecracker?”
A small smile played on my lips. “I’m thinking about how much I‘ll miss this place.”
Brantley looked at me like I was crazy. “What the he—” Barely stopping the curse that nearly slipped free from his lips he glanced in the backseat at all three of our kids. Attention focused on each other, they paid Brantley nor I any mind. “What the heck are you talking about?”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Pretty Boy,” I teased. “I’m not saying I want to stay or anything. I’m just saying that the boys and me made a bunch of memories here.” The smile tipping my lips heavenward grew. “You and I made a couple here too.”
Brantley smirked. “We did, didn’t we?”
I nodded. “In there”—I pointed toward the dilapidated brick building—“is where I fell asleep in your arms for the first time. Or did you forget that?”
“Nah, bella dama, I didn’t,” he replied, his eyes locked on mine. “Long as I live I’ll never forget that night.” He paused. “It was one of the best nights of my life.”
“Mine too.”
I sighed as I looked out the windshield. “That was the night ya know…”
Leaning my head back against the headrest, I trailed my fingers over the back of his knuckles. His skin twitched beneath my touch making the army of butterflies that lived in my belly take flight. I loved how a simple touch from me affected him so.
“It was the night that what?” he asked.
I turned my head; our gazes met. “That was the night I started to fall in love with you.” It was the simple truth. “When you woke me up from that nightmare and held me in your arms… that sealed my fate.”
Running a palm over his stubble covered jaw, Brantley stared out the windshield much like I’d done seconds before. “Not for me,” he replied. “You may not have known it, beautiful girl, but you already owned my heart before I ever stepped foot in your apartment.”
Lifting my hand, I pushed a thick lock of hair that had fallen across his forehead back into place. “I love you, Brantley Morgan,” I whispered, trailing my fingers down the side of his face. “Always.”
His eyes slid closed. “Clara, baby—”
“Daddy!” Bella hollered from the backseat, interrupting him. “When is Papaw Keith gonna be here with his big truck? Grandmama said he was gonna help Clara and the boys move their stuff to our house.”
Twisting in his seat, Brantley looked back at all three kids. “Him and Anthony should here any minute. You guys want to head inside so we can get started packing?”
Bella and Declan nodded.
Liam, however, asked, “How come Uncle Evan didn’t come with us?”
“He had to work, Buddy. Just like Hendrix, Pop, and Felix.”
“That sucks,” Liam replied, disappointed that all the guys wouldn’t be there.
Scrunching her nose up, Bella shifted in her seat doing a dance I recognized. “You need to go potty, baby?”
She nodded.
“Alright,” I said, unbuckling my seatbelt. “Let’s go y’all.”
Within seconds everyone was out of the SUV and standing on the sidewalk. We were about to head down the breezeway that led to my apartment when Brantley’s phone rang. “Damn it,” he cursed, pulling it out of his pocket. Glancing down at the screen, h
e clenched his jaw tight. “Clara, bella dama, can you take the kids inside? I need to take this”—his gaze dipped to Bella—“without little ears present.” Confusion must’ve been written all over my face because a second later, he continued. “It’s my attorney. The one I hired to deal with you-know-who.”
Like lightning on a stormy summer afternoon, realization struck. Nodding, I looked down at the kids. “Come on, little people. Let’s head inside. We’ve got a million things to do and we’re burning daylight.”
With no need to be told twice, the kids started to walk.
I followed behind them, leaving Brantley standing on the sidewalk.
“Clara.”
Coming to a standstill, I looked over my shoulder at Brantley. Holding the phone to his ear, his watchful eyes were locked on me. “Lock the door the minute you step inside. I’ll knock.”
Knowing he was still worried about the Ari situation, even though I didn’t think he should be, I smiled and nodded in his direction instead of tossing a handful of sass his way. “I will. Don’t worry.”
“Clara,” Bella whined, pulling my attention to her. Dancing in place, she held the front of her denim shorts, and danced in place. “I gotta pee-pee.”
“Alright, boys, move your booties,” I urged, taking Bella’s hand in mine. “The princess has to potty.”
The boys laughed as they both took off at full sprints down the breezeway and toward our apartment door. Without sparing Brantley a second glance, Bella and I followed right behind them.
Within seconds, we made it to the familiar door.
Blowing out a breath, I slipped my key into the lock. Caught up on getting inside as fast as possible, I didn’t even realize that the lock was already disengaged. And without realizing that, I twisted the knob and pushed the door open, unaware of the situation that the kids and I were walking into.
A situation which would only end one way.
That one way? Very frickin’ badly.
Clara
Something is wrong.
The lone thought echoed through my head the moment the kids and I stepped foot inside my apartment. Nothing looked out of the ordinary but the air was charged with an evilness that I hadn’t experienced since Colin’s death. The darkness filling the space surrounding me was so much stronger, so much more terrifying than the fear that consumed me when I dreamt of my dead husband or felt his ghostly presence during a panic attack.
I didn’t have a clue where it originated from, and I didn’t care to find out either. The only thing I cared about was getting the kids out.
Only problem was, it was already too late.
The source of the evil radiating through the air like nuclear waves had us in their sight, and they weren’t about to let us go.
Not without a confrontation and an ensuing fight.
I’d just taken a step back toward the door when movement from the left side of the living room suddenly caught my eye.
In an instant, I swung my gaze in that direction.
When I saw what, or rather who, had captured my attention, unease mixed with fear snaked up my spine.
“Well, well, well,” the person, a woman who I’d never seen before, said. “If it isn’t Clara O’Bannon.”
The moment Bella sucked in a shaky breath, I frickin’ knew who it was that stood less than fifteen feet in front of me, her icy blonde hair pulled up into a sleek ponytail.
“Chastity,” I replied, my heart in my throat. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you,” she said, not sparing her terrified daughter a single glance. “It seems that you and I have a lot to discuss”—she paused—“starting with my husband.”
“Mom,” Liam said from beside me. “Who is she?”
Chastity sneered at my oldest son but said nothing.
Acting on instinct, I silently grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him behind me, using my body to shield him from Chastity’s view. I did the same with Bella, and then with Declan.
I wasn’t sure what she was there to do, but there was no way I would let her anywhere near the kids. To get to them, she’d have to get through me, and unlike in the past, I wasn’t weak.
If she wanted to take me on, she was going to have one hell of a fight on her hands.
Adding a dose of starch to my spine, I stood tall. Raising my chin in the air, I looked her right in the eyes, and said, “You and I have nothing to discuss. If you have an issue with Brantley, you need to take it up with him personally.” I hooked a thumb and pointed over my shoulder toward the door. “He’s right outside. Why don’t you go talk to him?”
When Chastity didn’t move, I blindly reached toward the door behind me, searching for the knob. Before I could wrap my fingers around it, her face contorted and an expression that could only be described as uncontrolled rage danced across her perfect features.
Shit, I thought. This isn’t good.
Reaching inside the oversized purse that was slung over her shoulder, one which I hadn’t noticed until that moment, she pulled out a small object which she clutched tightly in her hand.
I glimpsed something metallic and for a moment, I thought it was a gun.
Thankfully, I was wrong.
“Chasity,” I said, my heart rate accelerating. “Put the knife away.”
At my words, Bella whimpered and grasped the skirt of my dress in her fingers. Chastity still hadn’t looked at her and that unsettled me as much as the weapon she held in her hand.
“You don’t get to make demands of me,” she snapped, her tone filled with malice. “Not when you’re the one who is trying to take everything from me.”
It was stupid, so dang stupid, but I fired back, “I’m not taking a damn thing from you. Everything that I have, you threw away.” Right or wrong, it was the truth. “So don’t stand there and act like I stole something from you, when you never cared to keep it in the first place.”
Acting like a full-out bitch toward the obviously crazy woman holding a knife probably wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done, but damn it, for her to stand there and imply what she was implying made red bleed into the corners of my vision.
With each second that ticked by, I wanted nothing more than to charge her, the knife that she held in her hand be damned, and claw her eyeballs out with my freshly painted nails. Just knowing what she’d done to both Brantley and Bella combined with the fact that she’d broken into my apartment and lied in wait for me to arrive made every crazy gene I possessed—and admittedly there were quite a few—rise to the surface, demanding blood.
Who the hell does this woman think she is?
Feeling the fear that I’d experienced upon first stepping into my apartment dissipate, I crossed my arms over my chest and plastered on my best bitch face, the same one I used to reserve for Dickie.
“I will only ask you this once, Chastity,” I said through clenched teeth. “Please leave.”
A vicious smile tipped her lips up as she pointed the knife at me. She was trying her damndest to intimidate me, but I wasn’t the least bit afraid. The puny knife she held in her hand was nothing compared to my dead husband’s fists. Worst-case scenario—she could cut me, maybe even stab me, but I wouldn’t die.
The knife was too small, the blade too flimsy.
Don’t get me wrong, it would hurt like hell if it sliced into my skin, but it wouldn’t mortally wound me. Not unless she nicked an artery, which wouldn’t happen. To do that she’d have to get close, and well, I refused to allow her to get within five feet of me or the kids.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she retorted, her voice icy. “Not until I get what I want.”
The urge to roll my eyes was strong. Seriously. “This isn’t Burger King, Chasity,” I snapped. “You don’t get to have it your way.” I chuckled to myself, proving that I’d indeed lost my mind. I mean, there I was, staring down my boyfriend’s knife-wielding psycho ex, and I was giggling at a stupid joke.
Yep, I’ve totally lost it.
Chastity’s expression changed from rage to confusion. “I don’t understand,” she whispered, almost as if she was speaking to herself more than me. “What does he find so intriguing about you?” Her gaze raked over my body, taking in every inch of me. “Your nothing like me.”
Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner ladies and gentlemen.
Forcing a smile, I reached back and touched each of the kid’s shoulders. They were silent and most likely terrified, but I wanted them to know that I had them. It didn’t matter how scary the bat-shit crazy lady holding the weapon may be, I’d die before I let her cause them harm. “I’ve got you, babies,” I whispered so only they could hear. “Trust me.”
Bella leaned into me, pressing her face to the side of my thigh.
Then, for the first time since we entered the apartment, Chastity took notice of the child she’d given birth too. When she saw her snuggle into me, her eyes flickered, and a mask of pure evil slid over her face.
My hackles instantly rose.
“Isabella,” she hissed, “come here. Now.”
I immediately grabbed Bella’s arm, halting any move she might make.
“Bella,” I snapped, “isn’t going anywhere.”
Chastity eyes flared, but she didn’t pull her stare from Bella. “Come, Isabella. I won’t ask you again.”
Wrapping her arms around my legs, Bella shook her head vehemently.
The move only pissed Chastity off further.
“You listen to me, you little brat!” Chastity yelled. “I am your mother and you will do as I say!”
That was the moment that Declan spoke for the first time since entering the apartment. “She is not a brat!” He fiercely yelled back, surprising me. “Bella is a princess and you’re a mean witch!”
Chastity snapped.
Swinging her maniacal gaze to my youngest son, she lifted the knife into the air. An enraged yell escaped her throat as she charged toward him, her intent shining brightly in her eyes.
Just like it had the night Colin threatened to harm my sons, something inside of me snapped. Maternal instinct took over and the need to protect my child roared to life in my chest. My heart pounded, my adrenaline surged, and my feet moved.
