“What did he say?” I peel the wrapper from my treat and take a big bite.
“That I was being ridiculous and that if I loved him, I wouldn’t pressure him.” We both roll our eyes. “I told him what I want and if he can’t give it to me then I don’t see the point of us staying together. And then I gave him his ring back and I packed my bags.”
My eyes go wide. “What? No way. I’m so proud of you.”
“Well um…I was wondering….do you have room for me on your couch just until I find something. I have a little money saved, but the apartment is in Matt’s name, and I can’t stay there.” Matt and Tina rent an apartment, but they don’t even sleep in the same bed. He says they were breaking enough rules by living together.
“Of course. What about your job?”
She shakes her head. “I quit.”
“You loved that place.” Tina was working as assistant manager at a hotel.
“Not really. I liked it because I got an hour lunch that I could spend with Matt and we would have gotten a great discount on the ballroom when we got married but I feel stupid and relieved. I felt like there was something wrong with me, but I see now its him with the problem.”
“Good. You deserve to be happy.”
I give her the key to the apartment and tell her to go make herself at home.
The rest of my day is going great until the door dings and Sawyer walks in with a little girl. My breath catches in my throat. She’s a spitting image of him. Sharing his dark hair and dewy green eyes. “Hey,” his voice comes out low and my body quivers at the freaking sound. Why does this man make me so damn crazy? I immediately look at his left hand for a wedding band and smile to myself when I don’t see one but that doesn’t mean he isn’t married or involved. I have to be careful with him.
“Who is this?”
“This is my daughter, Thea.”
“Hi, Thea, my name is Camreigh, are you here for a cookie or a cupcake maybe?” The adorable child looks up at her dad.
“Actually, we came to tell you that we are cooking you dinner. What time do you get off?”
“Um...what?!” Did he just tell me that he was making me dinner with his kid?
“What time should we have dinner ready?”
“Uh…” I feel completely on the spot. I know I was just bitching about him not coming around, but this is too much too soon. Though I guess at some point he is going to figure things out. Maybe I can go and see how he is with his daughter and take things from there. “I get off at four but need to take care of a few things after. My best friend is here and going to be staying with me. I don’t want to just abandon her.”
“Bring her along. Do you remember where I live?”
“I think so…,” I trail off feeling so confused by this man.
“Good.” He winks at me then squats down to his daughter. “Pick whatever you want but you can’t have any until after dinner.”
She moves to the glass display wearing these cute little white sandals with bows on the front and a purple dress. Her tiny hands press on the glass making fingerprints, but I don’t mind it. “Dis’un.” She points to a double chocolate fudge cake with white chocolate flowers on it. Kid has good taste.
I put the cake into a box and ring them up. Sawyer sends Thea to a table to wait while he pays.
“So um…should I bring anything?”
“Just yourself.”
“You don’t mind if I bring Tina?”
“Nah, I’ll invite Vegas.” I smirk at that. Tina won’t know what to do with that man.
**
“We’re going to dinner with who?”
“I know it sounds crazy. And no, I haven’t told him that I am having his baby. He just sort of showed up to help me move in and he remembered me, and one thing led to another and we had sex again three times.”
My best friend starts laughing. “He must have devil dick.”
I make a huh face. My mouth falls open and my eyes are overly round with exaggeration. “Devil dick?”
“Yeah. Dick so good it must be possessed by the devil himself.”
“What the hell would you know about devil dick?”
Tina shrugs. “I know stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?” I smirk at her through the bathroom mirror, touching up my makeup. Just some lip gloss, mascara, and blush.
She bumps her hip against mine. “None of your beeswax. Now move and tell me about Vegas.”
“He’s good looking if you find serial killer’s attractive.” I do my best to hold a straight face.
Tina’s hazel eyes go wide as a teacup saucer. “What?!”
“I’m kidding don’t spaz out on me. Though I still owe you for that whole concert disaster. He’s cute. A total bad ass. Tattoos, dark eyes. A real flirt.”
“Okay. That sounds promising. I’m nervous. I’ve never gone out with anyone but Matt. And hey that disaster brought you this.” Her hand moves to my belly and gives me a little pat.
“I know but don’t think of it as a date we are just four people and a toddler eating a meal together. And what the hell do I do about my situation with Sawyer? I never planned on seeing him again and now he is inviting me to dinner with him and his kid.”
“Just breathe. Stress isn’t good for you and the baby. You’ll know when the timing is right.”
“Promise you won’t bring it up until I find a way to tell him.”
“I promise. Now what are you going to wear?”
Chapter 8
~Sawyer~
“Thanks for all your help this week, man. Thea, tell Uncle Vegas thank you.”
“Tanx, Unca V.” Thea gives him a big hug and a slobbery popsicle kiss on the cheek. He’s busted his ass this week helping me with watching Thea while I went to the hospital to check on Marissa. The EMTs had to Narcan her ass when they arrived at the house. Stupid bitch nearly killed herself shooting meth. She’s lucky that she didn’t die. We had a good talk once she wasn’t a damn zombie.
She knows she needs to get her shit together but whether or not she will remains to be seen. One good thing is she agreed to give me full custody of Thea. I promised her if she gets her life straight, she is welcome in her life again but until then no contact. I won’t have her bringing that crap around our daughter and popping in and out of her life. It’s been one hell of a week that really put things into perspective for me. I know what I want. A good woman who won’t be doing stupid shit like Marissa’s dumb ass.
“No problem. You’d do the same for me. Now if you are done with my ass, I’ll be heading out.” He puts Thea down and she goes to her toy box and pulls out a doll.
“Thought you could stay for dinner. Camreigh is coming and bringing a friend.”
Vegas snorts. “What is this a double date? We back in high school now. You making your specialty…dino nuggets, macaroni and cheese, with corn.”
“Shut up. I’ve broadened my menu. I’m making spaghetti and your bitch ass is making the salad and garlic bread.”
“I am?” He laughs pointing to his chest.
“Fuck yeah you are.”
“I do like garlic bread.” He smirks at me and goes to the living room and asks Thea to help him.
The three of us set to preparing the meal. I handle the noodles, meat, and sauce while Thea does her best to spread butter on the bread and sprinkle garlic salt over it. The front door opens and closes and Grim walks in. Crazy bastard never waits for me to tell him to come in. He lives with Striker and Karly AKA Baby technically, but he is always at the Roadhouse.
“Aren’t you two a cute little picture playing house. What’s for dinner?” The teardrop tattoos on his face are fading with his age. He was one mean SOB in his younger days. Hell, I still wouldn’t cross him.
“Spassketti,” Thea tells him.
I walk over to where he stands leaning against the entryway of the kitchen.
“Marissa is over at the Roadhouse. Thought you should know.”
“Appreciate it, old man.
” Guess she isn’t going to take the offer of rehab that was given to her.
“Who ye calling old?” he grins. “Rebel says she been liking the needle. Don’t have to tell ye we don’t want the shit around here. She’s tweaking. Thinking of sending her down to Texas on the next run. That gonna sit well with you?”
I don’t hate Marissa, but she knows how things are ran here. I look over at Thea who is oblivious to the fact that her mother would rather stick a needle in her arm than be a mother. She’s grinning and giggling using a butter knife to spread the garlic salt and butter over the bread. I don’t want whatever is plaguing her mother to ever touch her.
“Yeah. Do what you need to.”
Grim nods at me and winks at Thea. “See you girls later.” She giggles at him calling us all girls.
“Why don’t you go put some napkins and forks on the table,” I tell my princess so I can tell Vegas what Grim said about Marissa.
Thea gets down from the chair she was standing in without help, and I hand her the forks and napkins. She loves to do anything that makes her feel like a big girl. I wait until she goes to the other room before speaking.
“Marissa is over at the Roadhouse. Bitch is tweaking again. Her ass is gone.”
“Good fuckin’ riddance. I respect that she gave you Thea but you shoulda put a stop to her being around long time ago. I know you didn’t want to see it, but cunt has been in a bad way for a while. I tried talking to her. Even threatened a few dealers but when someone is hooked there is no stopping them. I know that and you know that. It was only a matter of time before she spiraled and hit bottom. This is it. Her do or die time. Whether or not she fails or flies is on her, not you.”
I know what he says is true, but I still feel guilt for Marissa because she is the mother of my child. For now, until she decides to get her life straight, she has to be dead to Thea and me. There is no place for her with us.
I finish up the sauce and put the bread in the oven. Vegas starts putting food on the table, and I wait for Canreigh to show. I hear the crunch of her tires on the gravel out front. Vegas is peeking out the damn blinds in the living room to see what her friend looks like. I walk out onto the front porch to greet her. Dressed in a mint green sundress that shows off her curves, my eyes go to her stomach. It looks almost perfectly round. I shake my head and tell myself that I am seeing shit. It’s just the shape of her dress.
“You came.” I pull her into me and give her hip a squeeze before pecking her lips with mine. She seems surprised but kisses me back.
“I don’t know if you remember Tina, but this is my best friend and Tina this is Sawyer.”
“Hey.” Her friend gives me a small wave and steps onto the porch.
“Hope you brought your appetite. Come on in.”
They follow me inside and Vegas and Thea are sitting on the couch pretending they weren’t just staring out the window.
“Hi, Thea. Remember me from the bakery?” Camreigh hands Thea a teddy bear shaped cookie wrapped in plastic.
Thea nods and grins at her. “Tanx you.”
I feel awkward as hell and like everyone is staring at me.
I clear my throat and introduce Tina to Vegas. I can tell the fucker is taken by her. Tina is short like Camreigh. Her chest isn’t big, but she has a sweet ass.
Chapter 9
~Camreigh~
I was nervous the whole drive to Sawyer’s place. I thought having Tina with me would keep me from being freaked out. I am still not sure how to feel about this whole thing. I went from having a one-night stand with the guy to having him show up to help me move into my apartment to him inviting me to have dinner with him and his daughter. The five of us are sitting at the table, and I have to say that Thea, his daughter, is adorable.
“Did you cook this or order takeout?”
“I’ll have you know my man here slaved over the stove for you and even had me chopping the veggies for the salad,” Vegas says, shooting me a wink.
“I’m impressed,” I muse, taking another bite. Spaghetti is an easy meal, but he did good. I’m very particular about sauce. I don’t like anything too sweet or chunky. My only hope is that it doesn’t cause me heartburn. I feel as though I can look at water and it develops. Vegas and Tina seem to be hitting it off better than I could have hoped. My bestie needs her a good time. Maybe not as good a time as I had with Sawyer, but still, she deserves a man to show her what it is to be desired. What it is to be touched by a real man who wants to give her nothing but pleasure.
Maybe Matt does love her but their whole relationships seemed so one sided. Not that I am the authority on relationships. I obviously don’t know anything about them. I can’t even bring myself to tell Sawyer that I am carrying his baby.
Watching how gentle he is with his daughter…seeing firsthand that he is a great father is reassuring. He is going to find out eventually with us living in the same town and I know the man needs to hear the truth from me. I just don’t know how to say, “Oh hey, by the way I’m pregnant. You’re the father even though I told you when we slept together the first time that pregnancy wasn’t a concern for me. Surprise!” I don’t see that going over well even if he is a great dad to Thea. It doesn’t mean the man wants another kid by some chick he hardly knows. Namely me.
“Ready for cake?” His green eyes shine at me with tenderness.
“Sure.”
“I thought you said the baby hates chocolate,” Tina says, then she slaps a hand to her mouth, and freezes.
My face drops and the room goes quiet other than Thea yelling for her cake.
“Cake, Daddee. Cake.” She yanks on the sleeve of his shirt with her spaghetti stained fingers.
Sawyer is staring at me and though his mouth is open like he is going to speak no words are coming out.
“I’m sorry, Cam,” Tina whispers. I shake my head with a weak smile. It’s not her fault. Not like she spilled the beans on purpose.
I look back to Sawyer. “Can I talk to you in private?”
“V, can you get Thea some cake please.”
“Yeah, man. You got it.”
Sawyer nods at him and his chair makes a screeching sound as he pushes it back. I follow him out to the front porch where he is leaning over the railing looking down at the ground. I can’t tell what’s going through his head. I’m sure he is feeling a range of emotions. I’ve had months to get used to the idea of being a mother. Sure he is already a father but he didn’t sign up for this with me.
“How long?”
“What?”
His head snaps up. His dark hair lays over his forehead and those green eyes cut into me like daggers. “How long have you known?”
“Almost two months give or take a week.”
“How far along?”
“Around three and a half months.”
“It’s mine?” The words come out as more of a statement, but I answer him anyway.
“Yes. Listen…” I don’t get to finish because he is cutting me off.
“Were you going to tell me?”
“At first, no, but then you showed up to move my couch, and I panicked. I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again. Hell, I didn’t even know your name and you didn’t know mine. It was one night but then a second night happened, and I didn’t hear from you at all for weeks and you came into the shop today with Thea. I thought maybe I’d come here tonight and see how you were with her and that I would make up my mind. But I knew at some point no matter what happened here that I would have to tell you. So, yes, Sawyer. I’m pregnant and you’re the father. Whatever you decide I will understand.”
“Whatever I decide.” He laughs bitterly.
“Well…yes. I don’t expect anything or want anything from you. I mean, sure I’d like you to be involved if that’s what you want but if it’s too much…”
“What do you want, Camreigh?”
“What do you mean?”
Sawyer steps into my space and backs me up against the side of the trailer
. “What if I told you that I want you. What would you say to that?”
“Want me how?” I ask him, but I believe I know the answer.
“You—the baby. I want both of you. The first time around with Thea’s mom, I did things the wrong way. We may have started that same way, but I’m willing to give this a shot. You, me, the baby, and Thea.”
“You don’t even know me.” Though deep inside of me there is a part of me who longs to have a family of my own. My family is dead and gone other than Char and Cooter. My baby and Tina are all I have in this world who matter to me.
“No, but I know you like it when I bite you here.” His head dips down and his teeth grazes the space between my neck and shoulder. Warmth pools between my legs as he repeats the motion. “I know you like it when I put my tongue here.” Sawyer runs a hand up the skirt of my dress and rubs a finger over my clit through my cotton bottoms. I let out a whimper. I’m weak for him. Addicted to his touch. Addicted to as Tina put it his devil dick.
Chapter 10
~Sawyer~
Camreigh moans into my mouth. Her mind might be saying no, but her body is crying out for me. “You’ll never know unless you give it a shot,” I grit in her ear, grazing my teeth along the shell of her ear, continuing to rub her sweet spot. She’s soaked. She wants me. We both know it but if she wants to put up a fight, I’m up for the challenge. In the end I’m going to get what I want—her.
The front door opens, and she jerks from my hold, flushed and breathless. Vegas smirks at the scene. “The cake monster passed out after two bites of the damn thing. She is in her bed. I’m gonna give Tina a ride. You two don’t do anything…fuck who am I kidding you’re about to fuck right here.” He chuckles and pulls Tina through the door. She gives Camreigh a wave and they go to his bike.
Camreigh accepts my hand, and I lead her inside. She sits on the couch and waits while I check on my princess. Thea is sleeping peacefully with a chocolate ring around her mouth. I grab a baby wipe and clean her off the best I can without disturbing her. I place a kiss on her forehead and turn on the monitor before closing her door.
Devil Dick (BRRMC Roadhouse Tales Book 1) Page 4
