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“Where you off to?” I glance at Rochelle, noticing my daughter is growing up too damn fast. I swear she keeps getting taller.
“I’m going out with Colter.”
I raise my brow at her. “Papa’s boy?”
“Yes.” She smiles, batting her lashes.
“Is this a date?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I think so. I really like him.”
“You know the rule.”
“You already know him, so I didn’t think it’s a big deal. You like Colter and Papa is one of your best buds or whatever.”
“Whether or not I like him ain’t got shit do with him taking my daughter out.”
Ruthie comes out of the kitchen licking chocolate frosting off her fingers. “You leaving?”
“You knew about this?” Of course she did.
“I didn’t think it’d be that big a deal.”
Ignoring her, I turn my attention back to Rochelle. “He picking you up?”
“Yeah, then we’re grabbing Alexa and going out to eat.”
Hearing Alexa’s name freezes my blood.
I walked away from her. Our last conversation sounds inside my head.
“Why you gotta make shit so damn hard for me, pretty girl?”
A tear slid down her cheek. “Because I wish you'd choose me. That you'd show me I'm worth the fight. That somewhere buried deep in that black heart a part of you loves me.”
I cupped her jaw, my heart split in two. I'm living a double life. Caught between heaven and hell. “I care about you, baby. You’re the only woman I go on my knees for.” I went to my knees and practically begged her to understand. I never asked for any of this. Hell, she didn’t either. I never expected to fall for her.
“Hello.” A hand waves over my face. “Earth to, Dad.”
“What?” I grumble.
“So can I go?”
“Yeah whatever, but I want a word with him first.”
“Thanks. You’re the best dad ever.” She comes in for a hug.
Ruthie mutters, “That’s debatable.”
Fucking cunt. I’ve been trying my damnedest to appease her. Keeping my enemy close, working her for information on her bastard father. He’s at the top of my list. He’s not an easy man to get to. He started asking too many questions when Alexa turned back up a few days after I dropped her at the train station and Todd didn’t. Called up Lily’s old man, Bronson. Sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. Pressing for answers asking if there had been any new girls brought in.
Only person who knew about Alexa other than Slick was Grudge. I trust Slick. He wouldn’t have turned on me nor Lily, now Grudge that’s debatable. The fucker has a temper and when you piss him off forgiveness doesn’t come easy hence the name. I don’t think I’ve gotten on his bad side, though he did feel slighted when Lily turned him down, but hell that was years ago.
No. Lion’s got eyes on me. And if anything, he knows about Alexa, but the bastard has kept quiet. I know his secret and he knows mine.
“Is it okay if Alexa spends the night?”
“I don’t know if you hanging out with her is such a good idea.”
“She’s my best friend, and I have barely seen her since she got back.”
“Don’t her folks want her at home?”
“They kicked her out.”
“Where is she living then?” Ruthie questions, looking concerned.
Rochelle shrugs. “She’s been staying with Carla, but she can’t live there. I was hoping she could stay here.”
“Here?” I nearly choke the word out.
“She can stay tonight, but your father and I will need to talk about it. Her folks won’t let her come back?”
“I mean, you know how strict her dad is. He’s pretty pissed about her running off with Todd. He dumped her at some motel and left her stranded.”
Fuck me. My fist curls around my beer. She made up a story about that piece of shit. I know she probably did it thinking she was helping to protect me for what I did, but I don’t want her involved. Alexa never should’ve returned.
A knock sounds at the front door. “That’s Colter,” Rochelle says with a squeal. “And, Dad, be nice please.”
I grunt in response as she flies toward the door practically floating. Jesus. I’m not ready for this shit.
“Hey, Colter. Um...can you come in for a sec. My dad wants to talk to you.”
Colter breezes in every bit his father’s son. Dark hair swept back in a ponytail, showing off the shaved sides of his head. Tattooed and dangerous. He looks too damn old to be taking out my princess.
“Murder.” He extends his right hand, and I spy a Tasmanian Devil tattooed on his forearm. I give him a firm shake and it pleases me that he’s not nervous. I respect that he had the balls to show up and face me like a man.
“Colter. Rochelle tells me you’re taking her out tonight.”
“That’s the plan.” He grins at my daughter and my first instinct is to wrap my hand around his throat and toss him out on his ass, but I won’t. Papa’s a good man, and I know Colter is a good kid. If Rochelle is going to date anyone, I’d rather it be him. I know he’ll treat her right or answer to me and his old man.
“Where you taking her?”
“Dinner and a movie.”
“All right. Want her home by ten.”
“Dad,” Rochelle wines and Colter chuckles under his breath.
“Eleven-thirty,” Ruthie overrides me.
“Fine, but not a minute later. Understood.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You kids have a good time. And, Colter. Not a hair on her head, feel me.”
“I’ll keep my hands to myself if that’s what you mean.”
“Lips too.”
“Oh, my God, Dad. Stop.” Rochelle grabs her date by the hand and drags him out the door.
I hear them leave and Ruthie goes back to the kitchen. I follow her. “We need to talk.” I place my beer on the counter and fold my arms across my chest.
“What about?” She sprinkles candy over the cupcakes.
“Alexa.”
Ruthie looks up. “What about her?”
“She can’t move in with us. We don’t need to involve ourselves in whatever trouble she’s gotten herself in.”
“Let me worry about it. You’re a man so you don’t understand these things. It won’t be permanent. I’m sure her parents will come around. I’ll talk to them, but in the meantime, I think she’s safer here then out there on her own. Don’t you?”
I know she’s right but having my greatest temptation and one weakness under my roof is asking for trouble I don’t need. “Why don’t I talk to her father and see what I can do?”
“Sure. Whatever. Help me get these boxed up, will you? I promised I’d drop them off to Lucy for the bake sale for the new uniforms for Ro’s squad.”
“Sure.” I swipe one for myself and Ruthie swats at me.
“These aren’t for you.” She comes in for a kiss. One I don’t want to give, but one I know I can’t deny. Keeping her happy is important more so now than ever. Her tongue presses against my lips and as much as I don’t want to, I give in. Gripping the back of her head, I hold her where I want her, but inside my head it’s not my wife I’m kissing.
Closing my eyes, I see Alexa clear as day. The image slices through me like a damn knife piercing through my heart. Why the hell did she come back? I break away from Ruthie when she practically purrs and starts rubbing up on me like a kitten.
“I don’t have to take these just yet. We can take advantage of having the house to ourselves, honey.”
“I gotta get to the clubhouse.”
“James, you said you’d try.”
“I know what I said.”
She shoots me a seductive smile. One that doesn’t have the effect she was hoping for. Down on her knees she yanks my zipper down and undoes my belt. “Let me send you off properly then.” The bitch strokes my shaft and licks her lips. I may not love her, but I’m sorry enough to let the cunt suck my dick.
Wrapping her lips around the head, she goes to town on my dick, working hard to make me come. I grip the back of her head and fuck her face as hard as I can, hitting the back of her throat with every deep stroke. “That’s it, you dirty fucking slut. Suck me till I come down your throat.”
She gurgles, nearly gagging on me, but I don’t stop. Tears escape the creases of her closed eyes as she suctions that mouth around me tighter.
“Fuck yeah, Ale-Ruthie. Swallow for me.” If she heard my slip up, she doesn’t show it.
Unable to take anymore she pops free, my warm seed still spurting out onto her lips. Her tongue darts out to capture the rest and lick me clean. When she’s finished, I tuck back into my jeans and get ready to leave.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“Yeah?”
“I want another baby.”
“A baby?” My heart seizes in my chest. The last thing I want is to have another kid with this bitch.
“Yes, James. Ro is getting older. Soon she will be off to college and starting her own life. We always talked about trying for a son, but then you fucked everything up and went to prison. I know that’s all in the past. I just don’t want to wake up one day and have any regrets. I stopped taking my birth control.”
“Don’t you think the timing is bad. We can hardly be in the same room together and you want to bring another kid into the mix. Why? You think it will make me stay? Keep me on a leash?”
“No. I want more for us. I want you to be my husband again. My father wants someone to pass his legacy on to.”
“You father? What the fuck does he have to do with this? You been running your mouth to him again behind my back?”
“No. But if I want to talk about our marriage with my father I can. You don’t control me, James.”
“That’s the truest thing to ever leave your mouth. Why would I want to have another baby with you when I can barely stand the sight of you? You weren’t always such a miserable controlling cunt.”
“Take it back.”
“Or what?”
“Don’t push me. You won’t like it when I push back. Remember that.” She flips her hair over her shoulder and storms off.
She forgets that if I go down so does she.
Fucking hell I didn’t see this coming. I scrub a palm over my face and tug on my beard. Another kid. Over my dead body will I have a son. I’m not tainting my bloodline with any more of Lion’s DNA. It’s a wonder Rochelle is a good kid. With Ruthie as her mother and my sorry ass for a father it’s a motherfucking miracle she isn’t as fucked up as the rest of us.