by K. L. Donn
Climbing out of his car, he quietly jogged to the back to keep his eye on her. Not seeing her at first, he grew worried until he heard light humming closer to the water’s edge. Scanning for any signs of her, his gaze settled on a small figure sitting in the sand about half way between the house and sea.
Not wanting to startle her, he shuffled through the sand so she would hear him. Coming upon her still form, it only took a second before he realized she was crying.
Sitting behind her, he wrapped her in his arms, rocking her gently. “What’s going on, Deedee?”
Turning into him, she seemed to breathe his scent in before answering. “I just…I wish it was a different time. A different place. I wish I weren’t me.”
Her words spoke to him in ways nothing else had because he understood completely. Some days, he wished for a different life...to be someone he wasn’t. To be the man worthy of her. He would do everything in his power to make her happy.
“I just want to go home, Dominic. I want to see me mam. Can you understand that?” She looked up to him, searching his eyes, showing him her desperation to go home. To have the normal life she’d always craved.
“I got you, Dee,” he told her. Not promising he would take her home. Not promising he wouldn’t either.
“I can’t go home, though, can I?” Defeat was in her softly worded question.
“You will, Princess.”
“But I can’t. I talked to Mam. Da’s friends were in Dublin. They’ll never stop looking for me.” The heartbreak in her voice was evident. She was eighteen and alone. Lonely for so long, he couldn’t even imagine how she’d felt all these years. Cut off from the only family member she had. “Not that it matters,” she continued. “You’re making me go back anyway.”
Never in his life had Dominic felt so horrible about trying to do what he thought was right. He wasn’t bringing her back to Bradshaw because he’d ordered it. His idea was to bring her closure. He knew her better than anyone and understood she had a ton of anger towards her father that she needed to get out. She had to let the man know how she felt about the way he’d treated her. But if she was hurting this bad over just the thought of it, he didn’t think she was going to do it.
“Come home with me, Princess,” he told her. Meaning his home. Not her father’s.
“Please don’t make me go back to him, Dominic.”
“No, Princess, my home. I want to take you back to Maryland with me.”
The confusion, fear, and hope in her eyes made him smile. She wanted to go home with him but was afraid he was lying to her. “Have I ever lied to you, baby?”
“No, Dom,” she whispered huskily.
“Then come home with me, Deidre,” he said again placing a finger under her chin, tilting her head up so he could see her startling green and black eyes. Nodding her head, he watched her as he lowered his mouth to hers. Placing a feather light kiss against her petal soft lips.
If it weren’t for the fact that it wasn’t the right time and place, he would have deepened the kiss, but he knew she wasn’t ready for the way he needed to own her completely.
Pulling away, he was happy to see a small smile grace her face. When her eyes fluttered open, he beamed at her showing his pleasure at her reaction. Getting up, he helped her to her feet where they made their way back to her home.
Four
As the plane touched down, Deidre’s death grip on Dom’s hand finally relaxed. Flying had always terrified her. Left her in a feeling of limbo like an out of body experience. Dom had laughed at her fright at first until halfway through their nine-hour flight, she still hadn’t unclenched her hand from his.
“Relax, Princess, we’ll be out of here in a few more minutes,” he told her as the plane landed roughly.
When it was their turn to disembark, he kept his hand on her waist. Not once did she lose his touch. She felt wanted for the first time in nearly ten years. Like he couldn’t stand the thought of not having contact with her.
She’d never been to the United States before, and the sheer amount of people in the busy airport astounded her. It was slightly claustrophobic. She could feel her chest getting tight. Just when she was about to go into a panic, Dominic leaned into her from behind whispering, “I’ve got you, Princess. We’ll be gone soon.”
With one hand on her shoulder and the other around her waist, she tried concentrating on his touch alone. Grabbing hold of the hand on her stomach, she squeezed, letting him know she was okay. His lips on her neck had her smiling.
Opening her eyes, she looked up to him. In his gaze, she saw so much: passion, life, possession. It was the last emotion that had her closing them again. The intensity with which he watched her left her breathless for a whole other reason.
He wanted to own her.
*****
It had been a long time since he’d felt perfection against his lips, if ever. Having Dee’s soft skin and scent invading his senses had his cock hardening in ways it shouldn’t be. But he couldn’t help it. The shift in his feelings for her was nearly overwhelming.
He’d always cared about Dee but in a familial sort of way. Now, it was purely sexual. The thought of devouring her body, bringing her the purest form of pleasure had his blood boiling out of control. The faster he got her home the better.
They needed to talk about these new feelings they both had for each other. He was sure she’d only ever seen him as a pain in her ass before. But now, she looked at him with a hunger he didn’t even think she understood.
Pulling her alongside him, they went to baggage claim before going outside to wait on his friend Casey to pick them up. The two men had gone to the same high school and grew up as enemies until they’d graduated when they realized just how juvenile they were. Enlisting in the Army Rangers together at eighteen, they weren’t sure what to do with their lives but figured they could protect their country and get an education out of it. Everything was going as planned until an IED attack in Kabul when they were twenty-five. It put Casey out of commission and had them both re-evaluating their lives.
Casey had lost his right leg and spiraled out of control for a few years, supplementing with drugs and alcohol. For the longest time, Dom feared he had lost his best friend, his brother in arms until he’d needed him a few years ago after the whole Brooke fiasco. Now Casey was clean and sober and had finally accepted the hand he was dealt.
It took him some time, but with Dom’s help, he’d taken his life back. Got himself under control. Now he worked with Dom as his research guy.
“Well, looks like you made it back in one piece,” he heard Casey say from behind. Turning, he smiled wide upon seeing the shock in his friend’s eyes when Dee showed herself beside him. “Hot damn, who is this?”
“Don’t,” he growled, completely prepared to take his friend down.
“Ho-ho, it’s like that is it? Okay, okay, I can take a hint but damn.” His eyes kept travelling up and down her body in appreciation. While he understood it, he didn’t like it. Especially when she hid behind him again.
“Case!” he snapped. “Eyes up.”
“Yeah man, sorry. Let’s get your shit and go. Someone’s anxious to see you.”
A puzzled look crossed Deedee’s delicate features. Smiling, he helped her into the back of Casey’s truck before tossing their luggage into the box and climbing in himself.
Case shot him a look basically asking him if she knew. Shaking his head slightly, it was a quiet ride back to the farm they both lived on.
*****
What the hell did that look mean? Deidre wondered skeptically. Dom’s friend was cute in a boy next door kind of way. He had shaggy surfer-type hair, bright blue eyes, and he was tall as hell—standing almost as tall as Dom’s nearly six and half feet. He had a limp as well, that seemed to go with his laid back attitude.
As they left the airport and took an exit onto a highway, she wondered where they were going. She had assumed Dom lived in Baltimore whe
n he said they were flying there but hadn’t thought to ask about specifics.
Leaning forward she whispered, “Dom? Where are we going?”
He turned to look at her and must have seen something he didn’t like because he ran his knuckles along her cheek softly and placed a small kiss on her forehead. “I...we live on a small farm about an hour away.”
“We?” she asked looking between them.
Laughing softly, he told her, “Case lives in another house not far from my own.”
Nodding her head, she sat back looking out the window as the scenery rolled by. She felt her eyes getting sluggish. It wasn’t long before they must have thought she’d fallen asleep because Casey asked, “She doesn’t know yet?”
“No. Now fucking shut it before you wake her up,” Dom growled.
“Yeah, okay. Geez. Your time overseas has you awfully pissy, man.”
“I am. Her father wanted her, yet I’m bringing her home with me.” Dom sounded angry about that.
“Didn’t he send her away? Why does he want her back home?” Case seemed puzzled by that. She was, too.
“He did. I was going to let her go after bringing her to him. Fuck,” he growled. “She was supposed to be a job. I protected her as a kid.”
“But?”
“But that’s changed. I can’t let her go. Hell, I won’t let her go. Ever. Fuck him and anyone else who tries to put hands on her. She’s mine,” Dom claimed. Her insides went fuzzy with hope. He wanted her. Dominic wanted her. It had been so long since anyone took an interest in her.
The ride was quiet after that. For the first time in years, she was able to fall asleep with hope in her heart.
*****
Pulling up to the gates of their small farm, Dom took in his first breath of relief. While Deedee slept in the back seat, his mind stayed on what her father wanted her for. She was eighteen now and could legally do anything she chose. So the fact that he wanted to see her was baffling because not once in the last seven years had he tried to make contact unless it was necessary.
Climbing quietly from the truck as Case shut it off, it wasn’t long before he heard the front door slam and small feet running towards him.
Bending down, he prepared to be knocked on his ass by his very enthusiastic child.
“Daddy!” he screamed as Dom caught him.
“How you doin’, kid?”
“Good,” he answered trying to look in the vehicle. “Who dat?”
Turning around, he saw that Deedee was now sitting up, shock written across her features. Putting his son down, he went to open her door when she threw it open nearly hitting him.
“Princess,” he murmured, going to reach for her when she drew away from him. Oh hell, fucking no! Grabbing her hand roughly.
“Don’t, Dominic,” she warned him. Anger in her voice, and tears in her eyes.
You’re an idiot, dude. She thinks you have a woman waiting here. Fuck!
“C’mere, kid,” he told his son.
As soon as the little boy fully saw Deidre, he went running up to her pulling on the hem of her shirt so she’d kneel down. “Hi,” he whispers to her when she met him on his level. “My names Axson,” he introduced, offering her his hand, too.
A smile lit up her face as she shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Jaxson. I’m Deidre.” The fact she understood his son couldn’t pronounce the J in his name amazed him.
Looking back to him, Jax’s eyes were furrowed in confusion before looking back to the woman in front of him. “But Daddy call you Pincess?”
Laughter lit her eyes. “He did, didn’t he? He’s funny like that. He calls me three names,” she whispered conspiratorially.
The look on his son’s face was comical, at best, as he asked, “You have fhree names?”
“Alright, Jax, that’s enough. Let’s go inside. Where’s Angela?”
“I don’t know!” he screamed running back in the house.
“Shit.” The last time he’d said that she’d been glued to a chair.
“You have a son.” He heard Dee whisper behind him. The look on her face was devastating. She looked betrayed.
Five
He has a son! She couldn’t believe it. Well, actually she could. He was an amazing man. Of course, he would be married and have babies. Who wouldn’t want to be the mother of his children? But shit, he could have warned her. He kissed her, for crying out loud! Led her to believe there was something between them.
“You snake!” she shouted at him slapping his arm hard enough to sting her hand.
“What?”
She’d clearly surprised him? Stupid jerk.
“You kissed me! You have a child here, and you kissed me! I can’t believe you would do that.” He’d been in her life for less than twenty-four hours; how could it hurt so much already? The betrayal was eating at her.
Storming past him before he could say anything, she walked by Casey to get to the house. His stupid smirk didn’t help any. “Hear him out, doll,” he whispered as she passed.
Slamming through the door, she wasn’t sure where to go next. Hearing laughter from the back of the house, she followed the sound. The sight that greeted her was something she’d expect to see in a movie.
“Oh, hello, dear,” the woman who seemed stuck to the chair greeted her sheepishly.
“Uh, hi. What happened?”
“Well, the young mister thought it’d be quite funny to glue me to this darn chair. Again.” She shot a look of frustration towards the back of the room. Following her gaze, she found Jaxson peeking around the corner of the wall from what appeared to be a mud room, giggling.
Squatting down, Deidre crooked her finger for him to come to her. He was hesitant at first but finally shuffled towards her. A look of sadness on his tiny face.
“Hi, again,” she said when he finally reached her.
“Hi, Pincess.”
Smiling at what he called her she asked, “Did you do something you weren’t supposed to?”
Looking between herself and what she assumed was a housekeeper, he shook his head no.
“Are you sure?” she asked him. “You know telling a lie is a bad thing, right?” Nodding his head, he shrugged his shoulders.
Leaning towards her, he whispered in her ear, “Unca Casey did it.”
Pulling away, she looked into his eyes. Seeing how serious they were, she tended to believe him. “Does he do it often?”
“Uh huh.” So serious.
“Do you take the blame?”
“Sumtime. You hab pretty eyes, Pincess,” he mumbled, tracing her eyebrows.
Smiling softly, she brought his fingers to lips kissing the tips. “Thank you, sweet man.” He puffed up at that.
Footsteps coming towards them had her standing up. Placing Jaxson behind her, she faced the men as they came in the room.
Dom took in everything with a quick glance, frowning as he saw the housekeeper stuck to the chair. His eyes darted to his son’s. “Jax! What did I tell you about doing that?”
Jaxson wrapped his little arms around one of her legs, shaking his head back and forth.
“Go on, sweet man, tell him,” she encouraged.
“Unca Casey did.”
“Rat!” Case laughed when Dom took a swing at him.
“Why you rotten scoundrel!” The housekeeper hollered at him, looking like she’d like to throttle him herself.
“Angela, this is Deidre.” Dom interrupted the mini fight that was about to break out between her and Casey.
“Nice to meet you, young lady. Next time my ass won’t be glued to a chair,” she growled with an affectionate smile.
“A pleasure, Ma’am.”
“Princess?” Dom called her. Looking to him, she could see the confusion in his eyes. He didn’t understand why she was mad.
At the moment neither did she. Jaxson was the cutest little boy she’d ever met. But the question remained: Was he involved?
Walking to her, he pulled her and his son into his arms, whispering in her ear, “Only you, Princess. No one else.”
She wanted to believe him, but everything was so new. She was in a foreign country basically running away. Her life seemed to be hanging by a thread, and this man and his adorable son were prepared to steal her heart.
*****
Dom could see the doubt in her eyes. He should have told her about Jax but was afraid she wouldn’t come with him. Then on the plane, she’d been terrified, so he didn’t want to stress her any more than she was. Now, he wished he had.
Nuzzling her neck, he enjoyed the feel of her body against his, the way she melted into him even when she was mad at him. With Jax hanging onto both of their legs, he was able to keep his cool. Just barely.
What he really wanted to do was take her to bed and show her just how much he planned to take care of her. He was becoming a man obsessed and didn’t mind one bit.
“Dominic?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Can we make this work?”
Leaning back, he looked into her stunning eyes needing to see what she wasn’t telling him. Fear and longing were so prominent. “We can, baby. I’m not letting you go.”
As she gazed down at his son rubbing his blond head, he saw love on her face for Jax already. He couldn’t blame her; the kid was a lady killer.
“I want to,” she whispered still not looking up. Just sharing secret smiles with Jaxson.
*****
Deedee spent the better part of the night tossing and turning, never able to get her mind to settle long enough to rest. She was still in a state of shock that Dom had a little boy. He was a wonderful father, attentive and loving. Everything her own wasn’t.
Jaxson was the sweetest little three-year-old she’d ever met, too. So inquisitive, he couldn’t let the fact Dom called her by three names go. He wanted an explanation that she couldn’t give because she didn’t understand it either.
