****
Trish tried to kick at Roger and get free of him to make a run for it, but he had literally landed on top of her. He lifted up enough to yank her around to face him.
“You fucking bitch! You stabbed me! I’ll kill you for that. First, you steal my wife from me, filling her head full of all sorts of lies, then you stab me? You’ll pay for that.” Trish braced for another blow, but instead he lifted her head up and slammed it into the floor two or three times. Trish began to see stars for a minute, but they began to fade to black when Roger grabbed her around the throat and started to squeeze tightly.
She couldn’t breathe. In the back of her mind it registered that Roger really could kill her. She couldn’t die! This couldn’t be it, for God’s sake. She had two kids to raise. She had Jake. She had way too much to live for to let this sick bastard end it all. She hadn’t even told Jake that she loved him yet.
Trish began to struggle in literally a fight for her life. She clawed at his face, his eyes, but he didn’t loosen his hold. She tried to pry his fingers off her neck, but they wouldn’t budge. He leaned into his hold on her neck and in so doing, she could move her legs a little more. She kicked up and tried to rack him, but she didn’t get a solid connection. Still it made him loosen his hold on her. She sucked in air as hard and fast as she could and tried to wiggle free, but Roger had already recovered and aimed his beefy hands toward her neck again. She reached up and hit him as hard as she could right in the nose and he yelled in a combination of anger and pain. He closed his fist, ready to repay her, and she thought even if the hit didn’t kill her outright, it would knock her out, and he’d finish strangling her. Either way, she’d be dead.
Roger’s fist began its descent, and Trish closed her eyes, but he never landed the blow. Instead, he got off her and she heard a loud crash. When Trish opened her eyes she realized Roger hadn’t gotten up on his own power, that he’d been lifted up and apparently slammed into the wall. Trish recognized Jake as the man who now beat the hell out of the man who’d beaten the hell out of her.
Trish had never seen this side of Jake before. He’d only been gentle with her. She didn’t know he possessed this kind of raw fury. With cold determination, he continued to hit Roger, even when he’d lost consciousness. Afraid he’d kill him, she crawled over to where the men were and, not having the strength to stand, reached up and grabbed at one of Jake’s legs.
Jake had never felt so furious in his life. He’d been in fights before, but he’d always kept his head, and when the guy fell down, Jake regained control and ended it. He never even realized the filth who had dared to hurt Trish had lost consciousness. His blind rage allowed him no intention for stopping any time soon until he felt someone grab his leg. When he looked down and saw Trish reaching for him, he released his hold immediately on the bloody pulp in his hands and he dropped down to the floor.
“God, Trish, are you alright? Let me take a look at you. Where are you hurt, honey?”
Just like that, he returned to the man she loved. She could hear sirens in the background and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Honey, talk to me. You’re covered in blood. Tell me where you’re hurt.” Jake frantically began running his hands over her body in an effort to find out where the blood came from.
Finally, Trish rasped out a reply. “Most of it’s his blood. I stabbed him with the letter opener. Jake, I’ll be okay. I love you, Jake. Don’t ever let me go. I love you.”
Jake pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “Jesus, Trish, I love you. I’ll never let you go, honey.”
“I was so afraid I’d never have the chance to tell you. I love you. So much. God, I love you.” Trish buried her face in his neck, and Jake picked her up and carried her toward the front where two police officers had just entered. Calling out to them, he told them where they could find what was left of the man who’d dared to touch his woman. As realization set in, Trish started shaking and crying.
Jake turned on the entry and reception lights and sat down in a chair with Trish in his lap. He heard the screech of tires and Josh, Eva, Cade, and Callie ran in, the women refusing to listen to the men who kept telling them to wait outside.
“What the hell happened here, Jake?” Cade walked in first to find a crying, shaking, bloodied Trish on Jake’s lap.
Jake looked up at the group and gave them the rundown as far as he knew it. Then, Trish lifted her head, and all four of the new arrivals either gasped, groaned, or winced when they saw her bruised, bloody face. Jake got his first good look at her and wanted to go back after the asshole in the back room all over again. One side of her face had swollen so much that the eye on that side had almost shut, she had a cut on the opposite cheekbone, and her lip bled from a cut in the corner. He lifted his hand to tuck a strand of Trish’s hair behind her ear, and Trish winced.
“Oh, Jake, your poor hands, honey. You need to get some ice on them. They’re already swelling.”
“Sweetheart, if anyone needs ice, it’s you. My knuckles will be fine. In fact, they’ve never been better. It is so worth it knowing the bastard who touched you got a bigger dose of his own action. Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine. As long as I have you, I’ll be better than fine. Thank God you came. I thought you weren’t coming home until tomorrow.” She buried her face in his neck and held on for everything she was worth.
“Change of plans. I missed you and the kids and wanted to make it in time for family night. We’ll call them in a minute, so they won’t worry. The cops will want to talk to both of us and Diane, and that’s likely to take awhile. You might want to have them spend the night over there.”
Trish nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. I don’t want them to see me like this until I’ve had a chance to prepare them, so they won’t be as scared when they see my face. I haven’t seen how it looks, but it feels huge. I probably look like the creature from the black lagoon.”
Jake kissed her forehead – pretty much the only spot on her face that didn’t appear to be bruised or bloody – and said, “You look beautiful, honey. Thank God you’re okay. What the hell happened?”
“It’s all my fault.” Diana walked over to the group. “Roger’s been threatening me for months, and he came here tonight for me. Trish put herself between us, and he took it out on her. I’m so, so sorry. You’ll have my resignation in the morning.”
Trish struggled against Jake’s hold stood shakily and walked over to Diana and reached out for her hand. “I won’t accept your resignation, Di. What in the world would I do without you? Someone I love once told me you’re only responsible for your own actions, not anyone else’s. None of this was your fault. Roger obviously has major problems. Thank God you found the strength to leave him. I so respect you for that. After tonight, I’m guessing it’ll be a long time before he sees the light of day outside a prison setting. I’ll be pressing charges. I hope you’re okay with that.”
“Of course, I’m okay with that. I’ll press charges, too. Thank you, Trish. Thank you for intervening for me, and thank you for wanting me to stay. I’ll never be able to pay you back for your kindness and your friendship.”
One of the police officers came out from the back and approached the group. Josh crossed over to stand by Jake in case he needed any legal representation, but after Trish and Diane gave their statements, they cleared Jake. When Roger finally regained consciousness, they led him outside in handcuffs, and he cursed everyone around him on his way out to the police car.
Eva sat with Diana while the police questioned her and offered her support as someone who’d survived a similar situation. Callie sat with Trish, and Cade and Josh stayed close to Jake. Medical personnel showed up, and gave Trish and Jake icepacks. Jake’s knuckles and hands were cut up and swollen, and Trish’s comparison to the creature from the black lagoon described her fairly accurately. They finally got home to Jake’s ho
use a little after eleven. By that time, the adrenaline rush had dissipated, and both of them dragged.
They walked inside and directly to the bedroom. “I need one of your shirts to sleep in, preferable one you’ve already worn.”
“The one I’ve already worn has blood on it, honey. Why would you want one I’d worn, anyway?”
“Because it smells like you, and I’ll sleep better.”
Jake handed her one of his t-shirts out of his drawer. “No used t-shirt, honey, but you’re in luck. I’ll be sleeping right next to you and holding you close. Isn’t that better than a t-shirt?”
“Good point. God, I’m exhausted.”
“You’ve had a rough night. Let’s go to bed.”
They climbed into bed, and Jake curved his body around Trish’s, spoon style. He leaned over and kissed her temple.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue tonight, Jake. I told him you’d go after him when you saw my face. In the middle of everything, that old song from the fifties ran through my mind, ‘my boyfriend’s back and you’re gonna be in trouble’. I just didn’t think it would be so soon. I thought for a minute there, that he would kill me. I couldn’t breathe, and I kept thinking I couldn’t die, because I had to raise the kids and tell you I love you. I love you a lot, Jake.”
“I cannot tell you how happy that makes me to hear you say it. Finally. And you’re welcome. I’ll be your knight in shining armor any day. I’m just sorry I didn’t get there sooner. Every time I look at you I want to beat the hell out of that asshole all over again. Are you sure you’re okay, honey?”
“I am now. Just stay with me, okay?”
“I’ve told you before, Trish. I’m not going anywhere. I love you.”
Despite their aches and pains, they both slept soundly late into the morning.
Trish had the best of dreams. She was lying in bed with Jake, and he slipped his hand underneath the hem of his t-shirt that she wore and nuzzled her ear. She moaned when he cupped her breast in his hand, waking herself up.
“Ummm. That feels good.”
“It’s going to feel a whole lot better in a minute. Roll over.” Jake pressed against her shoulder until she laid on her back and started kissing her eyes, her nose, her chin, her cheeks, and moving down to her neck, being careful to avoid the worst of her scrapes and bruises. Trish pulled off her loaner t-shirt and cast it aside.
“God, I’ve missed you, Jake. Make love to me. I need you.”
“That would be my pleasure, Trish. I’m going to love you all over. And then, I’m going to do it all over again. How does that sound?”
“Perfect, just – ah – perfect.” Jake laved her nipples, already tightly beaded just from thinking of what lay ahead. He suckled her until she moaned and writhed beneath him. He continued to move slowly, thoroughly, until Trish thought she’d lose her mind. After enjoying the feelings he invoked, she decided to take her turn to be on top, and pushed at his shoulder until he rolled to his back, and she moved to straddle him.
Jake placed his hands on her thighs, rubbing up and down. Her skin felt so incredibly soft, he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of touching her. Trish braced both of her hands on either side of his head and peered down at him, her hair putting her face in shadow.
“On second thought, I think I’ll make love to you.” She rubbed against him, and he moaned. She never took her eyes off of him as she leaned down to take his lips with hers, searing him with a lust that left him breathless. He ran his hands up and down her back, pausing at her hips to press her against him more fully. Both moaned loudly.
Trish reached down between them and ran her thumb across the tip of him, coating him with the bead of moisture that had accumulated there. Jake hissed in a breath and closed his eyes. She lifted her hips and placed him at the wet entrance of her body, taking only the tip inside her, then lifted back up, teasing, torturing.
“Trish, you’re killing me. I have to have you right now. Put me inside, honey. Have mercy.”
Again, she teased just the tip of his length, making him groan. She attempted another pass, but he grabbed her hips and slammed inside her. Trish’s sultry laugh sent shivers through him. She began to pull up again saying, “Patience is a virtue, Jake.”
“And not one of mine, Trish the dish, at least not where you’re concerned.” He looked into her sparkling blue eyes and arched deeper into her. This time, Trish moaned and closed her eyes.
“God, I love how you fill me so full. It feels so good.” She caught her breath as he ground his hips against hers and rubbed her just right for maximum pleasure.
Jake reached up and cupped her breasts in his hands, rolling her nipples between his fingers and thumbs. She sighed his name, and he began to move, setting a leisurely pace that she mimicked and followed. Soon, she began to take control again, moving faster, taking him deeper.
Jake could feel the tension building in Trish, as she began to move more quickly and her breaths came faster. She’d closed her eyes to concentrate on the sensations Jake caused her to feel. She began to quicken even more, her breathing ragged as she approached her goal. Jake strained so hard to bring her to climax, the chords in his neck stood out. He watched the intensity of the expressions crossing her face and thought her magnificent, lost in passion. He grabbed her rear and pulled her down to meet him over and again until she shouted her release aloud, and he allowed himself to join her seconds later. She fell across his chest gasping for air, and he enveloped her in his embrace. They were both slick with sweat and continued to run their hands over each other, memorizing the moment along with the feel of each other’s bodies.
As their breathing slowed down and their bodies began to unwind, they held each other as the shudders passed, kissing, touching, stroking until they lay quietly in each other’s arms.
“I love making love with you, Jake. I love you.”
“You can’t possibly know how much it means to me to hear you say that. You had me worried there for awhile. I didn’t know if I would ever win you over. I wanted to be with you for months before I ever asked you out. You were so adamant about never marrying again and vowing never to be in another serious relationship, I didn’t know if I’d ever get a shot. I decided to play it safe and offer my friendship first, and you were okay with that, unless I offered to help you with something. Then you’d just get mean.”
“I would not! I’ve never been mean to you. Stand offish, maybe, reticent to get involved, certainly, but never mean. You said something to me once about wanting me to choose to need you. I’ve thought a lot about it, and you’re right. Choosing to need someone is different from being reliant on them. I choose to need you, Jake. I can make it on my own, but I choose to be with you, Jake. I love you, and that makes me happy.”
“It makes me happy too, honey. You make me happy. So … how about making it permanent? We can wait as long as you want to, but just so you know, I have every intention of marrying you. I think we should call a family meeting and run it by the kids. I think they should be part of this decision. What do you say?”
“I say I love you, yes I want to marry you, and yes, let’s talk it over with the kids. Of course, you know you’ve got it made. They already want you for their father.”
“I knew if I played my cards right and won over the kids, you would see the light and fall into my trap.”
“If this is a trap, color me caught. Your sister wants to know how much you paid them to ask me if you could be their father.”
“Although it turned out not to be necessary, I’m not above bribery to accomplish my goals. You, Trish the dish, were my goal from the start.”
Epilogue
Six months later
“Are you sure Dad’s wearing one of these?”
“Yes, I am, Trevor, now be still so I can attach the bow tie. Lexie, please get off the floor in your pretty dress.”
Trevor wore a grey t
ux with tails with a light pink shirt, a miniature of the one Jake wore inside the church. Lexie had on a beautiful pink dress with a full skirt that went down to nearly her ankles. It matched her mother’s dress exactly.
Callie popped her head in. “Are y’all ready?”
“Yes, Auntie Callie, we’re ready. Momma is just fixing Trevor’s tie. Is Daddy out there already?”
“Yes, ma’am, he is waiting for y’all at the end of the aisle. I think he’s scared you might change your mind and kick him to the curb.”
Lexie shook her head, sending her curls all over the place. “Uh uh, Auntie. He’s mine and Trevor’s and Momma’s forever. We’re marrying him today.”
“Well then, you better come on out here. How about you, Momma? Are you ready?”
Trish smiled radiantly. “Speaking of Momma’s, you’re getting pretty rounded. It’s going to be quite a contest seeing who gets the biggest, you or Eva, not to mention who comes into the world first. Still no news about whether you two are having boys or girls?”
“Nope. We’ve all decided to be surprised. But secretly, we’re hoping for one of each, and we don’t care who gets what.”
“Why one of each?”
“So they can marry each one of your two. We’ve got to keep this in the family, you know. Nobody else will be good enough for the dads.”
Trish laughed with Callie and took hold of both her children’s hands and walked through the door after Callie had a chance to take her seat again. Happiness nearly overwhelmed her as Trevor and Lexie escorted her down the aisle to Jake and took their places between the two of them.
As they repeated their vows and exchanged rings, the new, happy family stood together embracing each other and the new life they would share. The children had talked things over in the family meeting and figured they were getting a real good deal here. Not only would they gain a new dad, they would also gain two aunts and two uncles, a granddad, and pretty soon, some cousins. What a bargain.
After Jake placed a ring on Trish’s finger, he hunkered down and placed a gold necklace around Lexie’s neck with a heart pendant and told her it declared that she was his girl, too, just like her Momma. He gave Trevor a gold medallion of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of families, and told him it symbolized his role as the other man in the family, and that it was both their jobs to watch out for and protect the women together.
By the time the ceremony ended, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The priest introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Dubeck and family. Jake had already started the procedure for legally adopting the kids to make it official. As they all walked down the aisle together, everyone stopped and commented on what a beautiful family they made.
About the Author
Elaine Dyer was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. She is or has been a model, beauty contestant, teacher, Literacy Coach, supervisor, professor, mother, wife, sister, daughter, Auntie, friend, and most recently, author. She enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with family and friends over good food, wine, and margaritas. She continues to live in El Paso with her husband, son, and daughter, and thoroughly enjoys living vicariously through her many heroines.
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