by S. M. Shade
All the kinky stuff gets tossed aside and I make love to her slowly before bed, trying to show her how much I love what she’s done for me. How much I love her. She wraps her warm little body around mine as we drift off to sleep.
When I wake to the sight of her sprawled out on top of the covers, naked and inviting, I know just how to start the day. Still deeply asleep, she barely moves when I spread her legs wide and cuff her ankles. Worried she might be afraid if she wakes unable to move, I leave her hands free.
She arches her hips at the first swipe of my tongue, responding to me even while she sleeps. Her eyes don’t stay closed for long, and a low moan fills the room. “Well, good morning,” she says, her voice sleep husky and sexy.
“Don’t mind me. I haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“It is the most important meal of the day,” she murmurs, grabbing my ears and pulling me against her.
I can make her come almost instantly this way, but I draw it out, bringing her close a few times until she starts cursing. “Fuck…Mason.”
“I can do this all day, love.”
“You want me to beg? Please, please make me come.”
“I want you to marry me,” I blurt.
She freezes and stares down at me in shock. “What?”
“You heard me.” I nibble on her, right where I know she’s most sensitive.
“Mason!” Her hands clutch my ears and jerk my head up. “You did not just propose while going down on me.”
I didn’t plan to, but that doesn’t mean I’m not serious. “I’ll do it again however you want me to. As many times as I need to ask.” I end the discussion by planting my face back between her legs, eating her ravenously until she screams my name, pulsing under my tongue.
She’s quiet as we gather our things and leave the hotel. As we near home, she turns to me. “I need to think about it. I love you…I just…it’s so fast.”
“You’re mine, Evie, forever. You know it as well as I do. I’ll be right here waiting when you accept it.”
* * * *
A few days after my birthday, Evie asks me to accompany her to meet her dad. “He’s in a hospice. They don’t expect him to live much longer,” she explains. “I’m going against my better judgement.” Sweet brown eyes meet mine. “I don’t want to go alone.”
“I’ll be right beside you, love,” I reply, kissing her temple.
The hospice is just outside the city. Surrounded by flower gardens, it sits beside a small pond. A walking path wide enough for a wheelchair to traverse winds around the building, dotted with benches and rest areas. Some of the more ambulatory patients are sitting with family or wandering along the path.
William Perkins is in no shape to be outdoors. Evie’s hand tightens in mine when she approaches the emaciated man tucked into a hospital bed. “I’ve got you, Panda,” I murmur, sitting beside her on the small sofa adjacent to the bed.
“Everly, it’s so good to see you.” William’s voice is weak, but steady. “You look like your mother, your beautiful mother.”
“Thank you,” Evie replies, shifting in her seat.
“I’m so glad you came. I know I don’t deserve it, but I wanted a chance to explain.”
Evie nods, her hands twisting in her lap. “I need that. There are things I need to know.”
“I didn’t want things to be this way.”
“Why did you leave me?” Evie demands.
“To keep you alive. I was in deep with some bad men. I admit, I’ve done some shit in my time, sold drugs, weapons.” Coughing, he winces before continuing. “But I never hurt anyone.”
“I was working for the Rivera brothers one night, and we were going to a customer’s house to collect. He was in debt to the brothers up to his eyeballs. The plan was to scare him and take whatever he had of value. At least that’s what they told me.
“The man couldn’t pay, and they beat him nearly to death. When they were done with him, one brother went upstairs, and I heard a gunshot. He said he shot at the safe, and I had no reason not to believe him.”
Shame and regret flood his withered face. “Until I saw the news the next day reporting the death of the man and his eight month pregnant wife.”
“No,” Evie whispers.
“I couldn’t live with it. I hadn’t done it, but I was there, complicit. I went to the cops and told them everything. Promised I’d testify if they’d keep you and your mother safe. I picked you up and we were on our way to meet with an FBI agent when they found us. I tried to outrun them, but they rammed the car and flipped us into the reservoir.”
Thin skinned hands scrub the tears from his eyes. “Your mother didn’t make it. When they told me you survived, I’d never been so relieved and terrified. I knew the brothers would try again.
“The marshals came to the hospital and convinced me the best way to keep you safe was to give you up. Since you were young, they wouldn’t have a problem finding a good family to adopt you. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. I loved you, Everly, I love you, but I would do it again if given the choice. The alternative would’ve given you a life of paranoia and fear. Moving constantly and changing schools. I didn’t want that for you. The marshals fed the networks a fake news story announcing our deaths, changed your last name and put you in the foster care system.”
“Did you know they told me you were dead?” Evie demands.
“Yes, when I went into witness protection, the whole world had to think I was dead. I thought you’d be better off without me. You’d grow up with a normal family who loves you and have a happy life.” His frail hand grabs hers. “Did you? Were you happy?”
Indecision clouds her face, her desire to shock him with exactly how much hell he left her in darkening her eyes. She allows his hand to stay on hers as she replies, “I’m happy. I have good friends and a man who loves me.”
“Were your new parents good to you?”
Here, she decides to tell the truth. “I never had parents. I bounced from foster home to foster home until I was ten. Then I went into a group home until I aged out.”
“Fuck. Everly, I’m sorry. I know that isn’t enough, but…”
“The money,” Evie interrupts. “How did you get it? Am I living on blood money?”
“No. I told you, I never hurt anyone. Look.” He sighs and rests his arm back on the bed. “Not all of it was earned legally. I ran a gambling ring for years and dabbled in other low brow activities. Most of it couldn’t be traced back to me which is why the marshals had to let me keep it. I told them to transfer it to you on your eighteenth birthday.” He gives her a soft smile. “From what I hear, you do a lot of good with it.”
“Doesn’t make it right,” Evie grumbles.
“I guarantee you do more good with it than the cops would.”
Nodding, Evie asks softly, “Did you remarry? Have more kids? Do I have any siblings?”
“No. No one could ever compete with your mother in my heart,” he replies, and a monitor starts beeping beside his bed. His face has paled since we arrived.
A nurse rushes in and puts something in his IV. “I’m sorry to cut your visit short, but he needs to rest,” she advises.
Quicker than I thought him capable of, William snatches Evie’s hand. “Can you forgive me? For your mother’s death, for leaving you?” The desperation in his eyes puts tears in Evie’s.
“Yes, I forgive you. I understand.” She gives him a tentative hug before promising to return.
Silence weighs us down on the ride home. It tears me up watching Evie struggle with her emotions, trying to tell herself she doesn’t care. I wish there was something I could do to make it easier for her. I’m awed by this woman. After all he put her through, she couldn’t hurt him with the truth of her childhood abuse.
“When is Parker bringing Cody home?” she asks dully, curling up on the couch.
“Not until late. He took him to the drive-in theater.”
“Do you just want to order-in your dinner tonight?
I’m not hungry.”
Her whole body sags when I wrap her in my arms. “I know it’s hard, love. I’m so damn proud of you.”
“For not losing it?” she scoffs.
“For being a better person than I’ll ever be. Why didn’t you tell him the truth of what happened to you?”
“I wanted to,” she replies with a bitter laugh, and I kiss away the tear running down her cheek. “I planned on it, but the man I want to scream at doesn’t exist anymore. There’s an old dying man wearing his eyes.”
“Do you want to go back?”
“I don’t know. I think we said what we needed to say. I just want to put it all behind me. Be happy without all the drama.”
“Sounds good sweetheart.”
Chapter Thirteen
Evie
Ian meets me for lunch at his favorite fast food chicken place. We haven’t seen much of one another lately. I don’t want to be one of those girls who ignores her friends because she’s dating a new guy.
“So, fill me in,” he says, flopping into the booth across from me. “What have you been doing? Besides Mason.”
I toss a greasy French fry at him. “It’s been a long week. I met my father.”
Ian chokes on his drink. “You did?”
“Mason tracked him down. He’s dying of cancer and it was sort of now or never.”
“How did it go?”
“Okay, I guess. We only stayed a few minutes. He said what you’d expect anyone to say on his deathbed. ‘I love you, I’m sorry’ et cetera.”
Ian grabs my hand as I wave it about. “Stop. Drop the bullshit. You met the father who gave you away, the father you thought was dead. Quit making light of it and tell me how you’re doing.”
I never could put shit past him. “I feel guilty that I don’t feel enough. I didn’t feel a connection to him, and I should, shouldn’t I? My father was a big, strong guy. This frail old man is a stranger to me. I’m sorry he’s dying, but it doesn’t hurt like it should.” I take a bite to cover my embarrassment.
“There’s no right way to feel in your situation. I’m glad you had a chance to say good-bye, Ev. You might not feel much now, but someday you’ll be happy you did.”
I look into my best friend’s dark eyes. “Have you ever looked for your parents?” At least I’ve always had an idea where I came from. All Ian knows is his mother surrendered him when he was four.
Pain flashes across his features, followed by anger. “No. I don’t remember them. They didn’t want me. Why would I want to meet them?”
“For the same reason I did. To learn the truth, cure the curiosity.”
“I’m not curious. I don’t care.” His stubborn expression tells me it’s time to change the subject.
“Sounds familiar,” I reply, grinning at him.
“Maybe we were separated at birth. You could be my sister,” he teases.
“I couldn’t love you more if we were.”
“Same here, Ev.”
“Okay, enough feelings. Tell me what you’ve been up to.”
Blowing his raven hair out of his eyes, he grins. “I have a date this weekend. Laura’s her name. She’s hot as hell, and fun too. Fantastic in bed.”
“Two points for knowing her name,” I taunt, and he shakes his head at me. “She must be smoking if she earned a repeat performance.” Ian isn’t known for sticking with one girl long. Like past the morning after.
“For your information, this will be our third date, smartass.”
“Yeah? If she makes it past this one, I want to meet her,” I tell him.
I’m gifted with the little half smile that drives the women crazy. “You need to make sure she’s good enough for me?”
“Isn’t that what you did when you crashed my date with Mason?”
Feigning innocence, he sits back. “I didn’t crash your date. You hadn’t left yet. And yes, I had to make sure he deserves you.”
“And the verdict?”
“You’re perfect for each other.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him about Mason’s proposal—minus how he did it—when my phone rings with Alex’s number. “Hi, Alex, everything okay?”
“Evie, where are you?” His voice is wrong, high and fearful.
“Having lunch with Ian. What’s wrong? Are you okay?” A million scenarios run through my head, none as bad as the actual explanation.
“You need to get to Community Hospital now. Mason’s been shot.”
* * * *
If I never have to set foot in this hospital again, I’ll die happy. The trip here was a blur. I know Ian was talking to me, trying to comfort me, but all I could hear was the beat of Mason’s name in my ears. The harried looking lady at the desk looks at us with little interest.
“Mason Reed,” I gasp. “He was brought by ambulance. How is he? Where is he?”
“Are you family?”
“What the fuck difference does that make?” I snap. “Tell me if he’s alive.”
“Ev,” Ian warns, giving the lady a charming smile. “She’s his wife,” he lies. “We just got a call saying he’s been shot.”
The woman types the information into her computer. “He’s in surgery. You can go to the waiting room on the third floor. A doctor will be with you shortly to advise you of his condition.”
Alex runs down the hall toward us as soon as we step out of the elevator. We embrace each other and he says, “He’s alive, in surgery, that’s all they’ll tell us.”
“What happened?” Ian asks as we’re lead to a small waiting room where Parker leans against the wall, a fierce expression on his face.
“Officer Roberts called him to help on a domestic. The guy came back as Mason was leaving with the woman and child. Before anyone saw the gun, he shot him…twice. Roberts fired back and killed him. Called an ambulance, then called me.”
Fear settles deep within me and I barely recognize my own voice. “Shot him where?”
“In the chest and stomach.”
My legs fail me and I drop into a chair. “No, no, this can’t happen to him.”
Parker turns and slams his fist into the wall before stalking out. “Let him go,” Alex advises. “He’ll be back.”
“Reed family?” A tall man covered in scrubs enters the room.
“Yes,” Alex replies as we both jump to our feet.
“I’m Doctor March. Mr. Reed has sustained two gunshot wounds. Fortunately, they missed his heart and other vital organs, but he has suffered massive blood loss. We had to remove his spleen to stop the bleeding, but we now have it under control.”
“Will he live?” I interrupt.
“He’s very weak and we’ve had to restart his heart twice. The next few hours are crucial.”
Oh god. He’s saying he may not make it. That he could die. “Can we see him?” Alex asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“He’ll be moved to intensive care when he’s out of recovery. The nurse will let you know.”
“Thank you,” I whisper. Alex runs off to find Parker and tell him the news.
Ian wraps me in a hug, and I take comfort in the familiarity of his arms. “He’s alive, Pup, and he’s one strong son of a bitch. He’ll make it.”
“I need to tell him yes,” I sob.
“Yes?”
“He asked me to marry him, and I said I had to think about it. Why did I do that? He has to be okay. I have to tell him yes.”
“You will. You’ll talk to him again.” He steps back and sweeps my hair off my face. “And I want photographic evidence of you in a wedding dress,” he adds with a teasing grin.
“You’ll have to wear a suit.”
“I rock a three piece. You better pick at least one hot bridesmaid.” He takes my hand and leads me back to my chair. “Come on, now all we can do is wait.”
Alex and Parker return and the waiting begins. It’s the hardest four hours of my life. I’m inundated by memories of Mason. Standing outside my apartment insisting I go on a da
te with him, smiling down at me as I cuddled a baby panda bear, whispering filthy things in my ear as he fucks me. Pushing me outside my comfort zone, teaching me to trust, changing me. Loving me.
“Where’s Cody?” I ask.
“With Macy and Devon at Mason’s house. He’s fine. Doesn’t know,” Parker replies.
“Are you okay?” I ask Parker, moving to sit beside him. I’ve been so focused on my own fear and pain, I haven’t given a thought to his brothers.
“I wish Roberts hadn’t killed the guy. So I could do it…slowly.”
“While I watch and cheer you on,” I agree. Our revenge plans are interrupted by the nurse.
“Reed family? Mason is settled in his room. You can see him now.”
“Thank you,” I cry, jumping to my feet.
She leads us to another smaller waiting room. “Only two at a time,” she cautions. “He’s heavily sedated.”
As bad as I want to dart to him, I can’t do that to his brothers. Squeezing each of their hands, I whisper, “Go.”
After fifteen minutes that seem like an eternity, Alex returns, his eyes red and swollen. “Go on in, Ev. Parker’s still in with him.”
Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of my huge, strong, larger-than-life man looking so small and helpless. Dark circles ring his eyes and his skin is white as the sheets beneath him. Wires and tubes lead every which way and a heart monitor beeps monotonously.
I’m equally shocked by the sight of Parker sitting with his face buried in the edge of the bed, his shoulders shaking with sobs. I run my hand down his spine, and he turns, wrapping his arms around my back and pressing his face to my stomach. I don’t know how long we stay that way, crying and holding each other.
I run my hand through Parker’s hair, so like Mason’s. His hair was just beginning to grow back out again. “Sorry, Ev,” Parker says as he sits up, his voice hoarse.
“Don’t be.”
“He practically raised us. Aunt Linda and Uncle Logan took us in, but it was Mason we always went to when we had a problem.”
