“But at some point, Kyle was old enough to take care of Jaxon, right?” Akira shook her head. “Why was he in the system for so long?”
Jaw hard, Andrea dug her nails into her arms and faced Akira. “I hope you know I’m not stupid. I get why you want to talk to me. You played shit well back there and I respect that, but I’m not exposing anything until you promise me my nephew will be safe. If he is, I’ll do whatever it takes to get him away from Kyle, then ghost. Trista was messed up. But Kyle is dangerous.”
“Andrea, I love Ford. And his son is already part of my family. I swear to you, we’ll protect him.” Akira held her breath, only releasing it at Andrea’s slight nod. “And you if you need it.”
Andrea gave her an amused look. “That’s sweet, but I’ll be fine. I’ve been trapped because Kyle knows I’ll do anything for that kid. If Jaxon’s in a good place Kyle’s got nothing on me.” Her tone sharpened. “But don’t underestimate what Kyle can do.”
“I won’t, but I need something I can go to the lawyers with. Something that will prove Jaxon will be better off with his father.”
“That shouldn’t be hard.” Andrea sucked her teeth. “Or…at least I hope it won’t be? He’s fucking mean to that kid. And he’s always grabbing him and shaking him. I knocked him in the head once with my shoe to stop him. He threatened to call the cops on me. I told him to fucking go ahead.”
“I…” Akira folded her hands on her lap, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t want this to come out the wrong way, but why didn’t you ever go to the police yourself? Or child services? They would have helped?”
“Would they have?” Andrea shook her head, rubbing her thighs again. “Kyle pretty much raised me and they didn’t do shit when I complained about him being rough. It stopped when I got old enough to fight back. Which didn’t take long, I was fifteen when my mom died.”
“So your mom was alive when—”
“When Trista was fucking minors? Yeah. She didn’t care. She had Trista when she was just a kid herself. She decided to relive her childhood after having Kyle. Then ended up with me.” Pressing her eyes shut, Andrea seemed to pull herself together suddenly, and cleared her throat. “That doesn’t matter. Jaxon is a good kid. He needs to be free of my whole fucking family. You get a lawyer or whatever on this, you move fast, and I’ll tell them everything. Then I’m gone.”
“I can do that.” Akira grabbed a pen and paper from her purse and jotted down her number. “Give me yours as well. I’ll call you when everything is set up.”
“Deal.” After writing down her number, Andrea turned to watch Jaxon play again, relaxing as though she finally believed things could get better. The uncertainty that had weighed her down before was gone. “Ford’s changed a lot, and I feel bad for him. He isn’t the first person Kyle’s manipulated. Tried to see what he could get if he pushed hard enough. I think he wants him so he can prove he can have everything Trista did and more. Do what she tried to, only better. He’ll never give up custody of Jaxon. He might have eventually let him live with Ford, but he’d keep that power. Last time he focused this much on one person, it was the wife of a police chief. He fucked her on camera and blackmailed her with the video. Got money, got sex, and got her to distract her husband at just the right time so some dirty cops could get away with a bunch of shit.” Andrea stroked her chin. “Things were going great for him, then one day, he suddenly ‘found Jaxon’s birth certificate’ and we needed to leave right away. Bring him to his grandfather and find his father.”
Akira stared at the other woman. This was huge. If what Andrea was implying meant what she thought it did… “He got caught.”
Andrea cocked her head. “I don’t know for sure, but if someone did, he’d probably be pretty cooperative. Maybe Jaxon wouldn’t have to face a bunch of lawyers and social workers.”
“Which is what Ford’s been trying to avoid.”
“I figured as much.” Andrea stood. “We should go before Kyle gets suspicious. He’ll be on the next plane with Jaxon if he thinks he’ll lose his control over the kid. This is the most legit game he’s ever played. Low risk. He knows Ford. Knows he won’t bring the law in if he can help it.”
Fisting her hands on her thighs, Akira inclined her head. “But he doesn’t know me.”
The other woman gave her a stiff smile, but there was some fear in her eyes. She’d just laid down all her cards leaving herself vulnerable to a stranger. But then she looked over at Jaxon, blinking fast. “That’s what I’m counting on.”
Chapter 23
Ford kept scrubbing the stain, not sure what to say as Cort left the garage, then came back with a couple of beers. Things had been going well lately, but every day still felt like he was standing on the edge, about to fucking crash and burn. He’d promised Cort he’d bring a friend every time he went to pick up his son.
Cort had thought that meant Kyle would back off.
So had Ford.
They’d both been wrong.
He scrubbed harder, then dropped the brush, pretty sure he’d start removing the color from the fabric if he kept that up. He took a swig from his beer and leaned against the table, watching Cort’s throat work as he took a few gulps.
Fuck, he loved this man. He always had, in some way or another, but they’d reached a whole new level. One Ford wanted to explore more than anything. But Cort was still protecting him. As he always had. As he probably believed he’d always need to, but what kind of fucking relationship would that be?
Cort wasn’t his guardian. He wasn’t one of his fathers. He was his best friend. The one person who’d always been there. Never really as equals though. He’d always been stuck cleaning up Ford’s mess.
Even with the mother of your kid.
Ford had wanted to clean up this latest mess on his own, but ended up only digging himself in deeper. How far would he let Kyle push him before saying ‘No’? Thinking about it now, he still didn’t know. And he knew Cort might not forgive him once he saw through all the lies and evasions. If he let Kyle fuck him, would Cort look back at the one time Ford hadn’t been able to go there with him? That another man had been Ford’s first when Cort had been right here? That kind of thing had to fuck with a guy’s head, right?
Then don’t let that happen. Kyle might be able to force me to do a lot, but he can’t have that.
He set down the beer and turned to Cort. “You know… It wasn’t you.”
Cort’s brow furrowed. “Come again?”
Ford inhaled roughly. “At the party. I didn’t freeze up because of you. I got off on being used for a bit, but…I don’t know, part of me figured sucking a lot of dick would be good experience. And another part of me was just there, in the moment. It was dirty and fun and fuck it, I enjoyed myself.”
“I had fun too, Ford. It was my idea to have the party in the first place.”
“I know, but…” He reached for his beer, going still when Cort grabbed his wrist. The man wouldn’t let him find his courage in the bottom of a bottle. He swallowed hard. “I’ve fucked at parties before. It didn’t mean anything.”
Nodding slowly, Cort turned Ford so his back was against the table. Placed his hands by Ford’s hips. “But with us, it’s different. And I get that. I haven’t been taking my time just for you. It’s only been a few months since things changed between us. I want it to mean something. I want us both to be ready.”
“I am ready.”
“No, Ford. You’re fucking scared.” Cort stopped Ford from shaking his head by firmly framing his jaw with his hand. “I’m not stupid. I’ve seen the way Akira looks at you. How worried she is. I haven’t heard anything, so I’m assuming her and Jami have talked. And bringing Luke didn’t go as well as you hoped. Am I right?”
Ford looked down. He had no clue how to answer—wasn’t sure he needed to.
“You have two choices. You tell me you want the man dead and I will kill him. This will end.” Cort’s grip on Ford’s jaw tightened when he tried to jerk away.
“Or you be the shady bastard I know you can be and do what you have to, while giving that fucker nothing. You make sure you can see your son. You make sure that bastard doesn’t take off with him. But while you’re doing that, you trust me to fucking get it. Because I’ve been where you are. With your father.”
Eyes wide, Ford stared at Cort. “He made you—”
“That homophobic asswipe? No. But how often did he make me ‘discipline’ you? You talked back to him once and I punched you in the face and split your lip. Just the one time, but I’ll never forget it. I knew if I didn’t hit you then, he’d make the other guys do much worse.” Cort pushed away from the table, as though his own memories made it hard for him to be near Ford. “He made me destroy your first fucking guitar over a bad grade. Trash your Xbox when you got suspended. I was there to protect you, but I was also used against you. And I let him use me because it was the only way he’d let me stay.”
Ford tipped his head back. “Shit was so fucked up back then. But I understood what you were doing, even when I was pissed and hurting. We both know you’re the only reason I’m still alive.”
“Goes both ways, my man.” Cort inhaled slowly. “Do you know how often I woke up in that fucking cell, knowing that might be the day one of my dad’s enemies took me out? Wondering why I didn’t let them? Sutter had people watching my back, but it would have been so damn easy to stop fighting. He came to visit one day and he could tell I was ready to give up. You wanna know what he said?”
Meeting Cort’s tired eyes, Ford wasn’t sure he wanted to know. But he nodded because Cort needed to tell him.
“He’d been afraid he’d ruined me. That I’d end up following in his footsteps. Or dead. Instead, I’d proven I was the kind of man who’d put someone else first and he was fucking proud of me. And if you’d earned that kind of loyalty, maybe you weren’t so bad after all.” The edge of Cort’s lips twitched. “He still thought you were trouble—and he wasn’t wrong. But the way he saw it, when you find someone worth sacrificing everything for, worth being your best self with, you don’t give up on that.”
That made sense. And if whatever Sutter had said got Cort through years in prison, Ford was damn grateful. But he couldn’t see the man being on board with where their relationship was now.
Had Cort even told him? “So he doesn’t have a problem with…” Ford gestured from himself to Cort. “Us?”
Cort shrugged. “I don’t think he’d give a fuck, but we haven’t discussed it if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Oh.”
“You’re so worried about what people think.” Cort cupped Ford’s cheek in his big hand and brushed his thumb over Ford’s bottom lip. “That’s what’s fucking with you. Am I gonna hate you for doing what you have to for your son? Will Akira forgive you the next time you do something shady? Will your sisters decide they’re done with your shit and ditch you?” Cort let out a heavy sigh. “What do we have to do to make you believe we’re not going anywhere?”
Ford let out a bitter laugh. “That’s easy to say when you don’t know what I’ve done.”
“I’ve killed a man, Ford.” Cort’s expression hardened. His fingers dug into Ford’s jaw. “I’m responsible for Tim’s death. You’re still here. There is nothing you could do that would drive me away. I know what you’re capable of and it’s nothing I can’t forgive.”
Grabbing Cort’s forearm, Ford’s eyes narrowed. “Tim’s death isn’t your fault. That’s all on my father. If I’d just—”
“We’re not playing the blame game.”
“Then what exactly are we doing?”
“Did you forget already?” Cort huffed out a laugh, gliding his hand down to circle Ford’s throat. “You were trying to convince me to fuck you.”
All the air left Ford’s lungs as he stared up at Cort. He wanted this, wanted it more than he could say. So long as he had Cort and Akira, so long as he knew they’d still love him when all was said and done, he could get through anything. There was something possessive about the way Cort held him, cementing his earlier words, making them even clearer as his calloused fingers pressed into Ford’s skin. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
Lowering his hand, Cort flipped the button to Ford’s jeans open, then undid his zipper. He teased his lips over Ford’s as he freed Ford’s dick. “Pass me that lotion, just a bit to your left…that’s it.” He gave Ford a hooded look as he unscrewed the container onehanded and scooped a little of the homemade lotion out. “My hands tend to be a little rough. This will help.”
“I don’t mind you rough.” Ford shivered as the cool lotion, only partially melted in Cort’s palm, slid over the heated flesh of his dick. Groaning as Cort languidly stroked him until his full length was slick, he reached for Cort’s belt, hoping to urge him on.
Cort released his throat and grabbed his wrist. “Hands on the table. Don’t move or I stop.”
That tone. Fuuuck! The hairs on the back of Ford’s neck stood on end as he positioned his hands, doing his best to hold still as Cort toyed with him. Usually he was the one jerking off Cort, or getting on his knees. Having the tables turned on him, twice now, took the control from him completely. Much like it had been taken at the party.
Only, this time, there was no one else there to make Ford question if this was what he really wanted. He wasn’t floating on endorphins from a scene, or reacting to the commanding tone of several different men because he was in the zone.
He was reacting to Cort.
Just Cort.
And that meant so much more.
“There we go, I enjoy you like this.” Cort gave Ford a slow, deep kiss as he ran his hand at a steady pace up and down his dick. “I don’t mind torturing you to get you here, but it’s not always practical.”
Ford smiled against Cort’s lips. “Not always, eh?”
“Mmm.” Cort tightened his grip, then nipped Ford’s bottom lip. “I don’t know how I went years not even fucking tempted to touch you, and now not a minute goes by that I don’t remember how you taste.”
“You didn’t seem to be a fan.”
Cort let out a low, irritated sound, but there was laughter in his eyes. “No, I don’t like the taste of cum. But I fucking love the taste of your lips.” He sucked on Ford’s bottom lip. “The taste of your skin.” He brought his mouth down to Ford’s throat, flicking his tongue against Ford’s pulse. “The taste of you hot and sweaty and right on the edge, begging me to give you everything.”
“Cort…” Ford’s back arched as Cort stroked him faster. “Please…”
“Like that. Perfect.” There was a darkness to Cort’s tone, the one he usually got before he pulled out the whip. He didn’t slow his pace, but he latched his hand to the back of Ford’s neck and held his gaze. “We do this my way or not at all. Do you understand?”
Ford quickly nodded.
“Good.” Cort released Ford’s dick and took a step back. “Shirt and jeans off. Keep the boxers.”
Words didn’t mean much for a minute. Then the last one did. Ford wet his lips with his tongue. “Boxers?”
Arching a brow, arms folded over his chest, Cort simply waited.
Questions would get Ford absolutely nowhere if Cort was in the mood to play. He’d seen the man pull this with Akira often enough to have a clue as to what was about to happen. Akira was submissive to the core, so she enjoyed the long game, but Ford wasn’t sure he’d survive it.
Wanna bet you don’t have a choice?
He removed his shirt. Straightened his boxers over his slick—and painfully erect—dick. Then kicked off his jeans.
“Good boy.” Cort’s lips curved into a slow smile as Ford’s jaw ticked. He reached out for a rag to clean the lotion from his hands. “Your first time with me isn’t going to be in the fucking garage, so stop sulking. I plan to take my time with you. Spend a few hours making sure you’re ready.”
“Hours?” Ford shook his head. “You’re joking, right?”
“Why would I be joking?
Having you walking around like this, not sure what I’ll do to you next, so fucking desperate you’ll take anything I’m willing to give you?” Cort rested his hip against the edge of the table. “It works for both of us. I get to enjoy the view and you have plenty of time to change your mind.”
Heat swept across Ford’s cheeks and down the back of his neck. All right, he didn’t object to having Cort’s attention on him for the next few hours. And fuck it, if the man wanted to play games, Ford was pretty good at them himself.
He stepped away from the table, rolling his shoulders and smirking a little at the way Cort’s gaze slid over his bare chest. “I won’t change my mind, but you might give in sooner than you think.”
“Are you gonna test my control?” Cort seemed amused at the idea. “You’re missing the point. Go ahead and tempt me. I’ll have as much, or as little of you as I want, whenever I want. But you’ll stay on the edge until I’ve got you under me, stretching you out with my dick and seeing how loud I can make you scream my name.”
Ford’s mouth went dry. He cleared his throat. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk this dirty to Akira.”
Cort shrugged, then put his hand on Ford’s shoulder, massaging the tense muscles and staring at him until Ford met his eyes. “She needs gentle from me. You don’t. Not right now. You’re horny and demanding and that’s fine. We’ll see if that changes by the time I get you in our bed.”
“And until then?”
“Finish up in here. I’ll go put on something for supper.”
After Cort left, Ford stood there for a while, frowning at the remaining stains on the coveralls and cursing his still hard dick. He’d been so sure Cort was finally going to fuck him. Instead, they’d started some kind of scene with no end in sight.
Maybe that’s the problem. Having sex with the man you love isn’t an end goal. It’s supposed to mean something.
But he’d been focused on what had been happening with Kyle. As though sleeping with Cort first would…would somehow make letting Kyle use him any less fucked up. But Cort didn’t want their first time to be about claiming him. Any more than he had at the party. This was something they would enjoy together, no matter who else was involved.
OverTime (The Dartmouth Cobras Book 9) Page 27
