Authors: Kassanna
“Want to tell me what’s up with you?” She stopped in front of him.
“I was wondering the same thing with the big daddy comment?” He stalked up next to her, pushing the exterior door open.
“Since you were openly laying claim, I was just helping you along.” She winked as she eased by him. “How is Chase? Did you at least check on Ms. Sadie before you came to the police department?”
“You’re changing the subject and for now, I’ll let you. I wouldn’t have left the kid if I wasn’t sure he was all right. There is a lot of soot in his lungs, but the doc thinks he’ll be okay. Chase is strong. I’m not sure if it was luck or stupidity that Dante set fires in the garbage cans instead of in an open space. The small blazes created a lot of smoke, but didn’t go anywhere.”
He wouldn’t tell her how the soot in their son’s lungs was so thick it had blocked his airway. He would take that knowledge to the grave. Dante had tried to kill their boy in the most painful way possible, by suffocation. It will take Chase weeks to recover.
“Did you mean it?” Silacious whirled around to face him.
Had he spoken aloud? The woman could change subjects quicker than a fish could change directions. “Mean what?”
“I’m your woman, you’re my man…” She dropped her head and mumbled. “Never mind. I want to see Chase and check on your grandma.”
He closed the gap between them and cupped her jaw raising her face. Gently he skimmed his thumb over her bottom lip. “I was stupid once. I don’t want to make a mistake like that again. I realize it’s asking a lot, but I want another chance. The opportunity to be the man you ne-want.” He corrected his words quickly. If she denied him, it was his own damn fault.
He exhaled, ready to take his lumps as they came.
“I’m not the same girl from high school.” Her eyes softened. “I—”
He dipped his head, pressing gentle kisses along her lips. Softly he traced the seam her lips created with his tongue. She opened for him and he slid his tongue past her teeth to wrestle with hers. Minty sweetness exploded across his taste buds as he licked deeper at the inner recesses.
“Ow—oh.” Her fingers tangled in his hair and her nails scraped his scalp.
He lifted his head and closed his arm around her shoulder, holding her against his body. Soft breasts pressed into his chest and his cock thickened in his pants. He couldn’t lose control in front of the parish police station. Bad as he wanted to wrap her legs around his waist so he could fuck her against the car—no. She was hurt, they had time. “Sorry, I got a little carried away.”
Tonight, tomorrow, he had days, weeks, months, years to show her how much she truly meant to him. Andy reared back, looked down at her lips, and pressed another soft kiss to her mouth.
“Baby, it’s better we get to know each other since I’m not the same man.” He released her as he ambled to the passenger side and tugged the lever to open the sedan door. “Get in the car, woman, I’ll give you the ride to the hospital to tell me yes.”
“And if I say no?” Her tone was a seductive purr.
“Then I will find a quiet place to have relations with you until you do agree, that is.” He waggled his brows.
“Relations? Lord, but I ain’t heard that saying in years.” Silacious chuckled. “Careful I might get stubborn just to see how far you’re willing to go.”
“Do your worst, baby.” He smacked her behind as she slid into the seat. “I look forward to it.”
Epilogue
Machines beeped and the ripe smell of disinfectant scented the air. Beyond the blinds, slivers of the starry night sky was clear through the slats.
Andy walked up to the bed and stared down at the man he once called his friend.
The green glow of the heart monitor bathed Dante’s skin. It was his first time seeing the guy in years. Shadows under his eyes gave Dante a demonic look and after everything Silacious shared about the way she was treated, he suspected Dante’s appearance was fitting.
He should have seen through the lies and talked through the bullshit. Instead he ran away and lost ten years he should have spent with his family. Andy curled his fingers around the raised bed rails and brushed the cool metal of a handcuff.
Silacious and his Memaw did a number on Dante. Between the two women, he took a bullet to the belly and although he wouldn’t lose his dick, it would be quite a while before the asshole could use it again. The son of a bitch deserved so much worse than he received.
“I hate you.” Dante’s lips barely moved as he uttered those few words.
Andy leaned in closer. Dante’s beady eyes were open. Had the fucker been watching him the whole time? “The feeling is mutual.”
“What do you want?”
“It’s been a while, Dante, I wanted to see how the years have treated you.” Andy breathed through the anger burning along his nerves.
Fuck that
. He reached over the bar and pressed on Dante’s belly.
Deep grunts were followed by soft moans. Dante tried to slink to the side.
Beneath the thin covers he could feel the bandage protecting Dante’s stomach. He jammed his fingers against the wound. “You’re not in pain, are you,
brother
?”
“Fuck you, you’re no family of mine.” Venom filled the mumbled words.
“I figured that out years ago.” He dug his fingers into the wound’s indentation. “Actually, I stopped trying to understand why you did what you did. Now I just want you to pay for fucking me over…for beating my woman and trying to kill my son.”
He snatched the pillow from under Dante’s head and flipped it over the man’s face.
Tubes and wires twisted violently as his ex-buddy thrashed in the bed.
“I do have one favor to ask,” Andy grunted. The muscles in his forearms flexed as held the pillow in place. “Just die.”
“Jethro LaRue Andersen.”
Andy glanced over his shoulder to find his Memaw standing in the doorway, her dark figure outlined by the hallway lights.
“If you want him dead, I’ll be the one to kill him. He ain’t worth ruining your life for and I have already lived a long time.” She shuffled into the room.
Dante’s body slowly stilled. The bastard needed to feel what he put Chase through. The pain of not being able to breathe. Andy pushed down harder. The lines on the monitor above them slowed and the accompanying number quickly dropped.
“You a LaRue and you Cajun. Respect your blood. That bastard don’t know shit about honor, but you do. Son, don’t let this asshole take you to a place you can never come back from.” Sadie clutched his arm. “He’ll pay one way or another, you got my word. Now let the asshole breathe.”
“Memaw.” The thought of just letting go was a physical pain that made his stomach cramp.
“You’re not judge and jury. Let God mete out the punishment here; you got enough on your plate. A shoulder wound ain’t shit. I’ve suffered worse. Chase is all right, as well as Silacious. Count your blessings, boy, and embrace your family.”
Andy yanked the pillow up. Dante bowed up off the mattress, sucking in air.
He should have finished off the punk ass. Andy dropped the pillow on the floor and swiveled around, stalking toward the exit. “Death is too fucking good for you.”
“That’s my Jethro. Don’t worry, Lulabelle will bust that ass wide open.” Sadie LaRue cackled. “Lord, but I wish I could be a fly on the wall when that happens.”
“Do I even want to know who that is, Memaw?” Andy glanced over his shoulder.
Sadie gently pushed him over the threshold. “I got friends in
low
places. Lulabelle is currently serving time for robbery. I’m going to take care of this family like I always have, but it’s time for you to step up. Take Sil and Chase back home with you create good memories to replace the bad ones. It’s your turn to enjoy your happy ending.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Andy waited beyond the door to take his grandmother back to her room, then he would get Silacious from Chase’s room.
They had a lot of making up to do.
The End