“Nothing to explain, Meredith. My mother told me everything. I think the only thing she left out is how you can sleep at night knowing what you did to me. And, now, you’re trying to sue me.”
“I can explain.”
“No, you can’t,” I cut in. “There’s not one single thing you can say to explain how you, a woman, no less, orchestrated a plan where a fellow woman was taken advantage of at her most vulnerable. Not one fucking thing. I don’t know who’s worse, you, her mother, or the piece of shit Travis. What I do know, is I’ll be pushing for her to lock your ass up.”
“She was blackmailing me,” Meredith said.
“Who?” Tuesday asked.
“Your mother.”
“Doesn’t matter. Don’t care what she was holding over your head. What you did, the part you played is so fucked, it doesn’t begin to explain what you did,” I continued.
“I know. That’s why I’m here. I can’t live with it anymore. She made me file the lawsuit, too.”
“And why would she do that?” Tuesday asked.
“Because she’s still blackmailing me. She gets the agency’s cut of your bookings. When you wanted to slow down, I was relieved. I thought you were finally making your exit and the blackmail would end. But she caught wind and told me if I didn’t force you to continue, she’d go public.”
Tuesday was shaking in my arms. Goddamn, was there no end to all the ways Gladys made her daughter’s life misery? Fucking bitch.
“So, what? You came here to lay this shit at Tuesday’s feet to clear your conscience so you can sleep at night?” I asked Meredith.
“No. I came here to tell Tuesday, in person, how sorry I am. I was contacted by a Nick Clark from the FBI. He was asking questions about Travis Manning. I’ve already sent him all the correspondence between Gladys, Travis, and me, too. I’ve admitted the role I played, and he’s made me aware Tuesday will be pressing charges. So, I just came to say I’m sorry in person.”
Good to know my brother hadn’t shared who I was. Or who he was to Tuesday.
“I hope you’re not expecting forgiveness,” Tuesday said.
“I’m not. I know what we did to you is unforgivable.”
“You can leave now,” she told Meredith.
“Okay. Well . . . I’m—”
“Save it. I don’t care how sorry you are. I don’t care why you did it. You think you understand what you’ve done to me, but you’ll never fully understand until you see pictures of yourself out on the internet. You’ll never know until you are emotionally raped. And make no mistake, that’s what it was. I was forced against my will to see and read the most disturbing things about myself, all because you and my mother thought my career needed a boost.
“Forced. Do you understand that? I didn’t ask for men to send me pictures and videos of themselves. I didn’t ask to read death threats, which, by the way, have started again. All thanks to you and my mother and your greed. And don’t get me started on Travis and what that pissant got out of it. So, you can take your apology and shove it up your ass. Nick was right, I am pressing charges. But, even then, you won’t understand how badly you hurt me.”
My arms gave an involuntary squeeze at Tuesday’s bravery. I was so proud of her for standing up for herself. Not that she’d given me any indication she wasn’t the type of woman who would, but after the showdown with her mom and then the fire I knew she was worn down. But hearing her give it straight to Meredith proved how tough she was.
Brady was already at the storm door holding it open. When Meredith was slow to move, my dad stepped closer and without a word ushered her to the door. I stopped paying attention to them and turned Tuesday in my arms. I needed to see her face to gauge her reaction to this latest trauma. When her eyes met mine, I was surprised at what I found. Hurt and betrayal. The emotions weren’t surprising, it was the fact she was showing them openly.
“I’m all right,” she said.
“Yeah, you are. I’m proud of you.”
“You are?” Her nose scrunched, and she looked at me in shock. “For what?”
“Sweetness, the past two days have been rough. Yet, here you stand, strong and tough. So damn proud of you.”
She gave me a small smile before her forehead collided with my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her close.
“Now I just want the rest to be over so we can move on and put this behind us,” she said with her forehead still against me.
“Soon, Tuesday. Very soon,” my dad told her.
“I hope so.”
I looked over Tuesday’s head at my father. When our gazes met, his slid from anger to determination. There were a lot of times in my life I was grateful to have such a good man in my corner, and each time I thought I couldn’t be more thankful, I was proven wrong. I could. If my father said he was going to assist in making this end for Tuesday, he would.
Nolan Clark never made a promise he didn’t intend to keep.
30
Tuesday
“Did you know you have a freckle behind your ear, next to your hairline?” Jackson asked.
We were lying in my bed after a very long and full day. He was down to his boxers, and I was in the tee he’d taken off and a pair of panties. I was also trying my hardest not to jump him. And he was trying to torture me by pointing out my freckles. He had to be close to done. There was no way I had so many in places I couldn’t see, like behind my ear, next to my hairline.
I knew he was trying to lighten the day we’d had. After Meredith had left, Ethan had shown up. Then Nick was called, and he came over. Next Mercy had called about the fire, then she and Jason had shown up. The initial findings had come back; the fire had been purposefully set in the business office.
The good news was, there was off-site back-up for the patient records and billing. The bad news, it had been manually turned off over thirty days ago. Mercy’s case was going to take a hit, but she was confident the fire only helped prove guilt once they could narrow down the players involved.
Ethan’s face had gone from furious to stone the more he learned what had transpired over the last two days. I think he was feeling it the most, what had happened to me and what was still happening. Not that Nolan wasn’t a father, but he just had boys. And Nick’s kids were still tiny bundles of baby goodness. But Ethan had a little girl whose tenth birthday was coming up, and he was a cop. He knew what kind of evil lurked on the streets, but what had happened to me was different, there was no stranger danger. The people who’d taken advantage of me and hurt me were people I trusted. One who was supposed to always protect me. One I’d stupidly thought loved me. And one I’d thought was a friend. So, Ethan was getting an unfortunate lesson, though I figured he already knew, on how vulnerable his beautiful daughter was. Which sucked.
After all that ruckus was over and everyone had left, we’d headed to Jackson’s so he could pack a bag. Emma was staying with Gran, and he was staying with me.
I wasn’t surprised to find Jackson lived in an upscale condo complex. The buildings were nice, the landscaping immaculately kept. Jackson’s unit was in the newest part of the community, nestled in the very back of the housing tract. His floorplan was open and the whole downstairs was one big open room with his kitchen and a bathroom off the left side of the living room. His furniture was modern and sleek. Upstairs there were two bedrooms, another bathroom, and a laundry room. His bedroom was huge with double French doors that led to a balcony. He’d told me he’d picked this condo because of the view. You could lie in his bed with the doors open and see nothing but trees.
“What has you thinking so hard, Sweetness?”
“I was just thinking about your place,” I told him.
“What about it?”
“How sad it is that, with you being a man and all, your pad is decorated way more than mine is.”
“I noticed that, too.”
I turned in his arms so I was facing him. “When I moved in here, everything was so screwed up, I didn’t
have the will or energy to do anything to this place. The longer I lived here with bare walls and bland color, the more I got used to it. That’s what’s packed in the garage. All of my paintings, boxes of books, knickknack shit, throw pillows, that kind of stuff.”
“Now you won’t have to live with bare walls and bland color. The Manor is far from boring.”
“It’s not boring,” I agreed.
“Hey?” Jackson’s hand stopped trailing up and down my arm and went under my chin, forcing me to look at him. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s a big house,” I told him unnecessarily.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t think I’m going to move in right away.”
“I can understand that. So, then, we’ll unpack your garage and brighten this place up.”
“You understand?”
“Sweetness, Gran’s house could fit five of my parents’ houses in there and still have room to spare. It’s huge. It would get lonely. So, yeah, I understand. I also understood before I saw it why it meant so much to you, but after being there, seeing it myself, spending one morning in that kitchen with your grandmother smiling, all that morning sun spilling in making it all that much more beautiful—I really got it. You wanting to keep the house in the family is not selfish. You not wanting to move into it right away, isn’t either. And your grandmother won’t think it is either.”
He got it.
Completely and totally understood how I felt. I would move in, I wanted to live there exclusively, but I needed to sort out the rest of my life first. I wouldn’t move there, only to bring all the shit swirling around me to the place that has only ever known love.
“Thanks for taking care of everything today with your family,” I told him.
His features softened, and his hand slid from my chin up and across my cheek before he tucked a hank of hair behind my ear.
“Don’t have to thank me for that, Sweetness.”
“Yet I did.” His lips twitched in amusement, and I returned his grin.
“You have no idea what that pretty smile does to me.” He used the pad of his thumb to trace the curve of my lips. “It’s like magic.”
His hand moved, down my neck, my shoulder, skimming its way over my arm, to my hip, and finally to the back of my thigh. He hitched my leg up and over his and let it rest but didn’t let go. I was trying to stay focused, he looked like he wanted to say more, but all my concentration was on the thrill of his touch.
“Every time you aim one my way, Sweetness, it never fails to do two things.”
His voice had deepened and that sent a thrill through me, too.
“What are those?” I managed to ask.
“Makes all my blood rush straight to my dick, and at the same time hits me in the heart.” His hand dove into the back of my panties and he cupped my ass. It didn’t take long for his fingertips to slide lower and find my already drenched slit. “Sweetness,” he groaned.
This time, when he spoke, I didn’t get the thrill, I got fireworks. That’s because two very thick fingers drove deep. My back arched at the intrusion and my eyes drifted closed.
“Makes me want to fight for the rest of my life to be the one who gets to see it.”
Did he just say, the rest of his life?
“Sweetness?”
“Huh?”
“I’m gonna fuck you now.”
Bright lights were sparking behind my eyes and all I was seeing were flashes of purples and reds and blues. I lost his fingers but only so he could yank my panties down my legs, then rip his tee over my head. By the time I had my wits about me he was looming over me. Turbulent, lust filled, brown eyes stared down at me, but all I felt was adoration.
“Baby, you are so fucking beautiful, but it’s what’s beneath all that beauty I can’t get enough of. I’ll take the long way, the hard way, the shortcut, whichever way I have to go to keep it. I want it all, Tuesday. Whatever way I have to prove it, I will. I want your beauty, I want your smiles, I want what’s underneath it all, and I promise to protect it.”
“Kiss me, Jackson,” I whispered, unable to take anymore of his sweet.
“That’s my line,” he protested.
“Well, it’s mine right now.” I smiled up at him and something sparked, I saw it. His face changed, and I knew blood was running south, and nervousness hit. Which was silly considering not only had I already had sex with him, but he’d kissed, licked, and nibbled every inch of me. What hadn’t happened was, I hadn’t had the chance to do the same. Smartly, I wasn’t going to ask for the chance to return the favor. Not right now, when Jackson looked like he was getting ready to devour me.
“The pill?” he asked.
And even though it was hard to think when Jackson’s hard body was pinning me to the bed, and I could see his pectoral muscles flexing as he held himself above me, I knew what he was asking, therefore, I answered, “Yes.”
“Fuck.”
That was the last thing he said before he drove his dick in deep.
My breath fled, and I’d swear on all things holy I’d never felt anything better.
Nothing better.
Not ever.
And he hadn’t even kissed me yet.
“Mouth,” he clipped.
I righted my head and gave him my mouth. Jackson went down on his elbows and both of his hands fisted my hair. I followed suit and plunged mine into his and gave it a tug, forcing his lips to press harder on mine.
I felt it. It was all around me, surrounding us. More than lust. Better. Bigger. Heavier. The profound realization that we were encased in love. Jackson was moving inside of me, his tongue was dancing with mine, our bodies connected in every way they could be, but it was more. I could feel his heart pounding and he was healing mine. I knew it, down to my soul, just him driving deep was knitting me back together.
His words had started it, his steadfast pursuit had further helped, and our bodies finally connected in a way that was honest had cemented it.
“Wrap those long legs around me, Sweetness.”
He jerked my leg where he wanted and came up on his knees bringing me with him so I was sitting on his dick and he was back on his haunches.
“Lift one up, baby.”
I looked down to see what he wanted. “One of these?” I asked, cupping both of my breasts, pushing them together but making sure I teased him by gliding my thumb over my nipples.
“Goddamn,” he groaned, before he demanded, “Give me one, Sweetness.”
“Ever heard of the word please, handsome?”
“Please,” he growled. When I lifted a breast, he didn’t waste any time sucking my nipple into his mouth.
“Jackson,” I panted as his tongue circled my nipple. “More.”
I started unlocking my legs from around his back so I could plant my knees on the bed when he moved and I was again flat on my back, but Jackson was still upright.
“Hands above your head. Flat against the headboard.”
My arms went over my head and when he started drilling hard, I understood the wisdom of his request. I was keeping myself steady and he was holding my ass up high with one hand, and the other was working my clit.
“Good Christ, I’ve never seen anything as sexy as my cock disappearing into your pussy. Dippin’ in and coming out covered in your cream.” His gaze lifted from our connection, lingered on my breasts moving with the rhythm of his thrusts. I felt that everywhere, like a physical touch. There was no hiding he liked what he saw, even if he hadn’t just told me he did. I wished I could see what he was seeing because it sounded hot as fuck. “Yeah, I’m burning that fucking fence down and anything else you try to hide behind. You’re mine. All mine, Tuesday. No matter what, I’m keeping you.”
My insides spasmed, and his eyes flared. “Take it, baby.”
His thumb on my clit worked faster, and I couldn’t hold back, not my hips reaching up to meet his thrusts, not the shout of pleasure that tore from my throat.
“Hell, yeah, Sweetness.
There it is.”
Sweet, sweet bliss.
* * *
It was sometime after we were done, after we’d both cleaned up, and he’d gathered me in his arms. Jackson kissed the top of my head while his arms were holding me close and he murmured into my hair, “The beauty that is beneath is so much more than I imagined. It’s everything.”
Jackson fell asleep.
I did not.
I was wide awake thinking of all the ways I’d almost fucked up.
But I hadn’t.
I was happy. And, if I’d let him, Jackson would work to make us happier.
31
Tuesday
“Knock, knock.” I opened Mercy and Jason’s front door and yelled.
“Why do you always announce your arrival?” Jason asked as he shoved his phone and wallet in his pocket while standing close enough to the front door he might need to get his hearing checked from my announcement.
“Um. Because I don’t want to walk in on the two of you playing hide the sausage.”
Same excuse I always gave. I had a key but I didn’t use it unless they knew I was coming over. And I still yelled when I opened the door. One part for their benefit, the other part to save my eyes from seeing things they couldn’t unsee.
“Stop calling my dick a sausage,” Jason demanded.
Mercy joined us in her entryway and, obviously, found his outburst funny because she laughed before she told me, “You know he gets rather offended when you insult his manhood.”
“I didn’t say what kind of sausage. And for the record, I wasn’t referencing those little cocktail wieners. I was thinking more along the lines of a Bratwurst.”
“Seriously, Mercy. Make her stop.”
She didn’t make me stop. She was almost bent double and cracking up when she added, “Luckily for me, you are correct.”
“Christ,” Jason mumbled.
He was full of shit and I knew it. Not only were his lips curving up, but we’d been through this skit a hundred times. I asked if they were playing hide the sausage and he complained I’d called his penis a sausage.
Claiming Tuesday: The Next Generation Page 19
