The Harder They Fall

by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

  “Damon came down hard on you.”

  “I deserved it. I really hurt Mark, right in his soft spot.” Paul sighed.

  “Yeah, you did. But it’s all good now right?”

  Paul smiled. “Yeah, it’s even better.”

  They watched as Tanner drove up and got out of his car. He saw them sitting there and nervously walked to the club door.

  “Oh no, not yet, Tanner. I think you have something that doesn’t belong to you.” Tyler hopped off the hood and approached him.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Tyler.”

  “Get the jacket now.” Tyler dragged him to his car.

  “What jacket?” Tanner played innocent.

  Tyler pulled him to his face; they were inches apart. “Give me the jacket or I’ll let Paul loose on you.”

  Tanner looked over at Paul; he was still sitting on the hood of Tyler’s car, smiling and cracking his knuckles.

  “Fine.” Tanner got the jacket out of his car.

  “Stop this now, Tanner, or you’ll lose a lot more than you want.” Tyler snapped. “Damon wasn’t just shitting you when he said you’ll lose a lot of friends if you don’t knock this crap off.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” Tanner pushed him aside and went into the club.

  “You’re no fun, Tyler.” Paul frowned.

  “That would have been way too easy for you, Paul.” Tyler laughed at him.

  They went into the club and Paul immediately noticed Mark at the bar. He walked over and hugged him hard.

  “You smell good.” Paul nuzzled Mark’s neck.

  “Yeah? You feel good.” Mark grabbed his ass.

  They watched as Tanner and Heather got into it on the other side of the club. Damon nearly fell off his stool he was laughing so hard.

  “He’s got some explaining to do,” Paul laughed.

  “Yeah, well it’s not our problem now, is it?” Mark smiled at Paul.

  “Let’s dance.” Paul moved him onto the floor and pulled him in close.

  Mark snuggled into Paul’s chest, relaxed and let Paul lead him.

  “Mark?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Thanks for giving me another chance.”

  Mark stood on his toes to touch Paul’s lips with his. “Any time.”

  ~*~

  They left close to ten, and Mark followed Paul back to his apartment. He had called his parents and told them he was staying over.

  “You didn’t even lie?” Paul asked in surprise.

  “I’m eighteen, Paul.” Mark smiled and pulled him close. “I want you to meet them.”

  “Oh, Mark…I don’t know.”

  “Hey, my mom wants to know who her son is shacking up with. Please?”

  Paul looked at that face. Jesus, he couldn’t deny Mark anything. Somehow, he had wormed his way into Paul’s heart.

  “Okay.”

  “Thank you.”

  Paul kissed him slowly. Mark’s fingers played with his hair and Paul sighed in contentment. Mark deepened the kiss and Paul basked in the warmth coming off Mark’s body. He wrapped his arms around him and lifted him up pulling him in even closer. Their tongues tangled and Mark moaned softly in his mouth.

  “Paul,” Mark groaned.

  Fuck, that turned him on! He carried Mark to the bedroom and lay him down on the bed. Paul took Mark’s mouth in a passionate kiss, touching every inch of skin. Mark’s hips canted into his touch and Paul deepened the kiss, ravaging Mark’s mouth the way he wanted to ravage his body.

  “Touch me, Paul,” Mark moaned.

  His pants were gone in a nanosecond and then Paul was stroking him. He was so hard it hurt. Paul shifted down his body and Mark arched from the bed as Paul covered his hard cock with his mouth. He moved his hips, loving the feel of Paul’s tongue and teeth as he sucked and nibbled him. He fisted Paul’s hair, pumping his hips faster into the hot, moist mouth. Paul increased the suction and Mark let out a loud cry, shouting Paul’s name as he came.

  Paul swallowed and ran his tongue up Mark’s abdomen, leaving a trail of hot kisses along the way.

  “Enjoy it?” Paul licked Mark’s lips.

  “Fuck, yeah!”

  “Grrrr, I love it when you talk dirty!”

  “Does it turn you on?” Mark laughed.

  “I love it! That innocent-looking face hurling out curse words? Goes straight to my cock.” Paul pinched his ass.

  “You fucking asshole.” Mark cracked up.

  “Oh yeah, baby, say it again.”

  Mark laughed uncontrollably as Paul tickled him.

  “Hey now, you know that tickling is a form of torture, right?” Mark tried to look serious.

  “I can think of other ways to torture you,” Paul whispered deviously.

  “Really?” Mark wrestled him down and took Paul’s mouth in a crushing kiss.

  Paul broke the kiss and just took in Mark’s face. He traced a fingertip over a cheekbone, across his jawline, and along his bottom lip, all while looking into his incredible eyes. “I’m so sorry I hurt you, babe.”

  Mark’s cheeks flushed and he turned to wipe discreetly at his eyes. “It’s okay.”

  “Hey.”

  Paul turned Mark’s face back to him. A single tear slid down his cheek and Paul’s heart clenched in his chest.

  “Oh fuck, Mark, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  Paul hugged him tightly, he felt like shit. God, he had never wanted to hurt him. He should have known he could trust him. Mark’s arms encircled him and he squeezed him again. He never again wanted to cause Mark any pain. He pulled away and looked at Mark’s face; his lips were slightly parted and his eyes were still a little wet. God, he was beautiful. At that moment, he knew he was in love with Mark.

  “What is it, Paul?” Mark asked.

  Paul snapped back to Mark’s voice. “Nothing. I’m just worried about you.”

  “You know what I was going to talk to you about today when I got out of school?”

  “What?” Paul brushed his hand across hair that had fallen into Mark’s face.

  “Having sex.” Mark blushed.

  “You think you’re ready?”

  “Yes. I am.” Mark palmed Paul’s face. “I want you to be my first.”

  Paul’s heart ached at that statement. Jesus, the feelings he had for Mark. “You’re sure?”

  “Yes. I am.”

  “Okay, but not today. How about Friday?”

  “After the football game?”

  “Sure, you can come home with me and shower.”

  “Oh, I bet you’d like that, huh?” Mark rolled him over and straddled him.

  “I’m going to love watching you in action.” Paul grabbed his ass.

  “You’re coming to the game?” Mark looked shocked.

  “Hells, yeah. I’m going to cheer on my boyfriend.”

  Mark smiled and kissed him. “I can’t wait.”

  Paul looked at that face and smiled. He loved seeing Mark happy and he was going to make sure he stayed that way.

  Chapter 10

  Isabelle was in a bad mood. Jacob was trying to keep his distance but he only had to breathe and she was on him about something. Bethany looked at her son and smiled. The poor guy would never win.

  “Isabelle, why don’t you sit down?” Jacob smiled at her nervously.

  “Oh sure, so that I can’t get back up? You know they give you a due date. That’s the day you’re supposed to have the baby. It’s a DUE date. I am four days overdue. Do you know what that’s like, Jacob? Do you?”

  “No, Izz. I’m sorry. I don’t”

  “Yeah, well I was supposed to be having a baby four days ago. Guess what? I’m still pregnant. What if I don’t file my taxes when they’re due? I’ll tell you what happens — I have to pay a penalty. A due date should mean something, dammit. Why do they even bother giving you one?” Isabelle paced, mumbling.

  Stefan called to find out if they were coming to dinner, and Bethany’s attention was divided bet
ween him and Isabelle’s nattering. Izzy tilted her head, trying to listen.

  “Is that my dad? Tell him that I can’t come to dinner because my fat ass won’t fit in the car anymore!”

  Jacob rolled his eyes and Bethany smacked him in the chest with the back of her hand.

  “I don’t understand it! I want to have this baby!” Isabelle stopped pacing and looked down at the floor. “Um, Mom?”

  “Oh, Stefan, Isabelle’s water just broke! Meet us at the hospital!” Bethany hung up and got Isabelle’s bag out of the closet. Her eyes fell on Jacob sitting on the couch with his mouth open. “Jacob!”

  Jacob snapped alert. “Oh... yeah...okay.” He got up and helped Isabelle.

  Isabelle wailed the whole way to the hospital. “Oh, FUCK! I take it back! I take IT BACK! I’m not ready yet…I’m not ready yetttttttttttt!!!!!”

  She was screaming bloody murder and Jacob was scared shitless. He didn’t know whether to comfort her or leave her alone. Isabelle grabbed his hand.

  “Jacob, you will never touch me ever again,” Isabelle cried.

  “Izz, please. What can I do? Tell me how to help.”

  “Have the baby for me, goddammit!”

  Isabelle doubled over in pain. Her blood-curdling screams filled the car and Jacob held his head in his hands.

  “Mom, is this normal?” Jacob yelled.

  “Calm down, Jacob. Yes, it’s normal.”

  “How is that normal?” Isabelle had his fingers crushed in her grip.

  “OW…MOTHER FUCKER!” Isabelle screamed

  Stefan and Jordan were waiting when they got to the hospital. They heard Isabelle all the way outside.

  “Jesus, sounds like someone’s killing her.” Stefan waited for them to bring her in. She was still screaming when they rolled her through the doors in a wheelchair.

  “DADDY!” she wailed.

  Jordan didn’t want to go near her but Stefan shoved him forward.

  “Oh, honey, I know you’re in pain but I promise you won’t be after the baby’s born.” Jordan tried to be supportive and reassure her while maintaining a distance out of her reach.

  “How the hell would you know?” Isabelle screamed again.

  He was going to discipline her but Stefan shook his head. They watched as a nurse moved her into a birthing suite. Jacob followed, looking scared to death.

  Stefan held his hand. “Are you all right?”

  “No offense, Dad, but Iraq was less scary.” Jacob slowly entered the room behind Isabelle.

  Jordan cracked up. “A war zone is less scary than our daughter in labor.”

  They heard Isabelle scream again, and then let loose a long string of profanities.

  “Christ!” Stefan looked at Jordan.

  Bethany walked up behind them. “Chicken shits.”

  “MOMMMMM!”

  Bethany smiled. “Gotta run.”

  Bethany went in and they headed for the relative safety of the waiting room. Jacob came out two seconds later massaging his hand. They looked at him, heads tilted to the side.

  “I’m going back in, it’s just that I think she broke some fingers and Mom said if I complain even a little bit in front of Isabelle, things could go bad quickly.”

  They heard another blood-curdling scream come from her room.

  “That’s not bad?” Stefan pointed to the room.

  Jacob went back in the room and tried to comfort his wife. She was breathing hard, her hair was soaked with sweat, and she looked possessed.

  “Honey, I wish I could take your pain away.” Jacob smoothed back her hair. “Are you in a lot of pain?”

  “How ’bout when we get home, I shove a bowling pin up your ass fat end first?” Isabelle screamed again.

  Jacob looked at Bethany. She shook her head and smiled.

  The doctor came back in and checked Isabelle. “You can push now.”

  “Oh that’s just fucking priceless, doc.” Isabelle screamed again.

  “Come on, Isabelle, give a good hard push.” Bethany took her hand.

  Isabelle sat up and pushed; her face turned beet red, and she screamed even louder than before. Jacob was watching the doctor between her legs. The sheet was up just slightly and Jacob could see the top of a head.

  “I see the head, Izz!” Jacob was smiling.

  “Come on, Isabelle, I need another push.”

  Isabelle was tired; the whole ordeal was taking its toll. “I can’t…I’m so tired.”

  “Isabelle, you need to get the baby out. Come on, honey, push.” Bethany was pushing her back into a sitting position.

  “I’m so tired, Mom,” Isabelle cried.

  “I know, baby, but it’s almost over.”

  Isabelle pushed hard, screaming so loud Jacob thought his eardrums would burst. Then there was a soft cry and Jacob saw the doctor holding a tiny baby girl. Jacob started crying.

  “She’s beautiful, Izz.”

  Isabelle managed to sit up. “Let me see my baby,” she insisted weakly.

  They cleaned up the baby and put her in Isabelle’s arms. Isabelle counted her little fingers and toes. She looked up at Jacob with tears in her eyes.

  “She’s our baby, Jacob!”

  Jacob sat on the edge of the bed, hugged Isabelle, and kissed her forehead. “Yes she is.”

  Bethany went out to the waiting room to give Stefan and Jordan the news. “It’s a girl!”

  “We have a granddaughter, Stefan!” Jordan hugged him.

  “Come and see her.” Bethany took their hands.

  Isabelle was propped in the bed holding her daughter. Stefan and Jordan couldn’t turn off their smiles. The newborn had a full head of dark hair, and she was crying.

  “Well, her lungs work,” Jordan laughed.

  “Yep, they sure do.” Jacob smiled at his daughter.

  Isabelle looked at her fathers. “You want to hold your granddaughter?”

  Stefan stepped up and lifted her carefully. He put the pacifier in her mouth and she latched on. Her little eyes closed and she grabbed Stefan’s finger. Jordan was looking over his husband’s shoulder.

  “She’s beautiful, Isabelle.” Jordan smiled at his daughter.

  Stefan handed the baby off to Jordan. She made a quiet noise and went back to sucking.

  “She’s in perfect health, Mr. and Mrs. Sanders.” The doctor smiled and left the room.

  Jordan placed her back in Isabelle’s arms. “We’ll let you get some rest. We’ll bring the family to see her when you’re discharged.”

  “Okay, Daddy, thank you.” Isabelle smiled.

  Stefan and Jordan found the kids in the living room when they got home.

  “So?” Heath was on the edge of the couch. “I can’t believe you didn’t call!”

  “It’s a girl.” Stefan smiled.

  “Awww…we have a niece!” Damon hugged Heath.

  “I told Izzy we would wait before we all descended on her. She needs rest. And to get her voice back. Your sister would make an excellent sailor.” The sight of her proud and excited siblings warmed Jordan’s heart.

  “Well, we better get going. Long day tomorrow and we have to be at the football game.” Heath winked at Damon.

  “At least it’s a home game. We play Sabino again — always fun!”

  They left and Stefan and Jordan were sitting at the kitchen counter after calling Charlie with the good news.

  “Well, we’re grandparents. I knew this day would come.” Stefan looked around the house. “Pretty soon it will just be me and you.”

  “Hot damn!” Jordan waggled his eyebrows.

  “Dirty old man.” Stefan smacked him.

  “Let me show you how dirty I can be.” Jordan pulled him up by the arm.

  Stefan looked around the house as they made their way to bed later. Damon and Tyler were asleep, and it was so quiet. He knew it wouldn’t be long before there were no kids living there and it would always be quiet.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” Jordan pulled Stefan’s face to
his.

  “Nothing, I’m okay.” Stefan smiled and palmed Jordan’s face. “Come on, Doc.”

  Stefan pulled him to the room, taking one last look at the nearly empty house. He sighed and closed the bedroom door.

  ~*~

  Damon’s team hit the field greeted by a roar from the crowd. Mark looked up, spotted Paul with Damon’s family right away and waved.

  “Okay, you know what we have to do. Nothing has changed when it comes to these assholes.” Damon smiled at his team in the huddle.

  They took control of the ball right away and ran a touchdown on the third play. Fort Worth dominated the game and was up by twenty points in the second half. Damon knew that they had to hold on to their lead.

  Mark heard Paul yelling in the stands.

  “Run them over, baby!” Paul yelled.

  Stefan and Jordan were laughing. Caleb and Heath had been yelling the whole game.

  Damon threw the ball and watched in horror as Sabino’s cornerback hit Tyler hard, laying him out. The other players dogpiled him.

  “FUCK!” After the referees pulled the other team away, Damon realized Tyler wasn’t getting up. “Dad!” Damon screamed into the stands, but Jordan was already halfway to the field.

  Damon turned on the Sabino team. “You motherfuckers!” He flew at the nearest players and the rest of the team backed him up.

  “Damon!” Jordan yelled.

  Damon turned as his father and the trainers were stabilizing Tyler’s neck, careful not to move his helmet in case of a neck injury. There was blood and Tyler wasn’t breathing normally.

  “Fuck! He’s got a collapsed lung.” Jordan looked at an official. “Call an ambulance.”

  “What?” Damon sunk to his knees in front of Tyler. “Tyler?”

  “Finish the game,” Tyler barely rasped.

  “No! I’m going to the hospital with you!”

  Tyler shook his head imperceptibly.

  “Beat them.” Tyler mouthed, and closed his eyes.

  “Tyler?” Damon bent over him.

  “Damon. You heard him.” Jordan placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, trying to calm him. “He’ll be okay; you can come to the hospital right after.” He smiled and wiped Damon’s tears.