Midwest Fighter (Kendall Family Book 2) (17 page)

There’s a hint of surprise in his big brown eyes when he pushes one hand into the deep pocket of his shorts. It makes him both adorable and sexy. “Ev never mentioned you were in it for charity.”

“That’s because I haven’t told her or Katie. I don’t want them to think I’m any less motivated to make our business a success. I’m every bit as excited about seeing our designs out in the world. Charlie has already convinced some of his friends to sport a few of our best creations in hopes they’ll get photographed and generate some hype. I have yet to decide if that makes me want to pop the top on a bottle of bubbly or hurl for days on end.” Setting my hands over my stomach, I laugh. “Guess I won’t have much of a choice in the matter. This wee one has already made it hard for me to keep anything down.”

A tick ripples over his jaw when he glances down at my belly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Evelyn told me your uncle’s a suspect in your dad’s murder. You’ve been through so much already. You’re always protecting everyone else, James. I figured it was past time someone protected you.”

His dark eyes narrow. “I wasn’t raised to run away from my responsibilities.”

Pulling on his arm, I let him up the steps and direct him to sit on the edge of the bed. “Full disclosure, healthy relationships aren’t my forte. Neither is becoming a mum. Clubbing while downing half a bottle of Jack,
that’s
the type of task I’m fully capable of performing. I suppose it isn’t completely my fault considering I was raised by a woman who was more interested in getting high off narcotics than attending her daughter’s primary school concerts.” I lower down to straddle his lap, biting back a pleasurable moan when his arms wrap in a lover’s embrace and I’m brought closer to his broad chest. “You say you want to be in my life, then you must be made aware I’m far from perfect. I’ll do things that’ll make you second guess your decision, possibly even send you running.”

“I have imperfections too. We can fight past them together. I’d fight to
the death
for you.” Suddenly his hand is on my belly. “I’m going to take care of you
and
our baby the way you both deserve.”

Heart fluttering with his declaration, I lift my fingertips to brush across his wide lips. “In that case,” I pause to briefly replace my fingers with my lips, “I just happen to be in dire need of being taken care of in this very moment.”

His expression hardens ever so slightly. “You still haven’t told me why you’re living with Nolan.”

All at once pleased that he’s wearing gym shorts without the hassle of a zipper, I slip my hand inside and reach for his gloriously hard cock. “We’ll have all the time in the world for that later,” I whisper before claiming his lips.

T
he moment Sharlo
takes hold of my dick, I fucking lose it and hoist her up into my arms, bringing her back down to lay in the center of the hotel bed’s plush comforter. Though her eyes widen, she giggles and quickly pulls her tank top off over her head with her bottom lip caught between her teeth. It never fails to amaze me how she’s so willing to give all of herself to me, despite my fucked-up mistakes.

I run the pads of my thumbs underneath her see-through lace bra, loving it when her tits become rock-hard from my touch. With a devilish smirk, she tries to nudge me back.

“Let
me
take care of
you
,” she begs, lightly touching her fingertips to my tender eye. “You’ve been through so much tonight.”

“No. I neglected the one person I care about most. I should’ve been there when you found out about the baby. I want to make it up to you.” I lean down to press a gentle kiss on her lips. “Tonight’s all about you.”

Releasing a soft sigh, she gives me a smile that makes my heart skip. After unhooking her bra and pulling it off her arms, I cup her beautiful breasts in my hands and take my time enjoying them, giving each perfect swell the attention it deserves with my mouth. Her fingers thread through my hair and yank hard enough for me to get the hint: she wants me.
Now
.

My lips wander down to her soft belly and give it a tender kiss. It’s crazy to think our child’s somewhere inside. “Hi, little butterfly,” I whisper.

Sharlo chokes out my name in a happy cry. Continuing to drag my lips across her vanilla scented skin, I move down her hot little body until I’ve reached the skin just above her short skirt. She makes a throaty noise when I dig my fingers into her hips and nip her flesh with my teeth.

Now my name falling from her lips sounds like a desperate plea, so I hook her skirt with my fingers and pull it down, none too careful. I’ve been fantasizing about this moment for so many goddamn weeks that it physically pains me to not be buried inside of her already. She’s gasping as her warm little fingers meet mine to tug at her panties. Finally, I’m given the kind of fan-fucking-tastic view I’ve been dreaming about every night since I left.

I waste no time in sticking my tongue inside her warm slit. She mewls like a jungle cat, tugging my hair at the roots. As I continue to taste her sweetness, digging my fingers into her peachy ass, she grinds her hips against my face while cooing in approval. I suck and tug on her little bud with my teeth until she’s making carnal noises in her throat and shuddering against me. I’ve never heard anything as fucking hot as Sharlo coming apart because of something I’ve done.

The need to take her vibrates through my core as I rise back up to study her pink cheeks and eyes glazed over with lust. It’s hard to tell if she’s coherent when she tugs at my shorts, licking her lips with the sight of my cock springing free.

“It would seem I’ve missed some parts of you more than others,” she teases among a darkened gaze.

Chuckling, I kiss my way back up the curve of her neck until I meet her lips. She claims my mouth with a stuttered breath, kissing me with renewed purpose. A flame of hope burns bright in my gut. She’s the only thing I’ve ever selfishly wanted. If we can find a way to make this work, to raise our child together and live as a family, I’ll die a ridiculously happy man.

She slithers down beneath me, perfect aligning my pulsating dick with her opening, and guides my hips until I’m sliding inside, hissing through my teeth with the glorious feel of her surrounding me. I take my time stroking in and out, twisting my hips and savoring the blissful look that comes over her feminine features as she moans my name.

Heart bursting with joy, I lean down to ravage her lips once more before muttering, “I’ll never let you go again, little butterfly.”

A swell of ecstasy erupts at the base of my spine with the feel of her sweet little pussy clenching around me, squeezing my cock for all it’s worth. When I move to pull out of her, she clamps down on my shoulders and meets my gaze.

“Damage has already been done,” she teases with a twinkle in her eye.

Once I’ve finished erupting inside of her, I collapse against the mattress. Snuggling into my chest, she says, “That was lovely, but if it’s alright with you, I’d rather reprieve that long of a break in the future.”

I wrap her in my arms, groaning when the feel of her skin on my cock makes it harden again. Ignoring it, I bury my face in her hair and inhale her scent as well as her essence. How did I have the strength to leave her?

“You have no idea what you do to me,” I say, blowing out a long breath.

“Something favorable, I hope.” I can hear the humor in her tone, but the way she tilts her head back to look me in the eye, it’s easy to see the doubt lingering behind her beautiful blue eyes.

“I’m staying for good this time. I’m not going back.”

She props herself on an elbow, her expression lit with hope. “What about the farm?”

“They’ll have to find someone to take my place. My cousin seemed interested in coming back. Maybe he’ll take over. And Nolan said there’s good money in MMA fighting. I have enough in savings to live off until he sets me up for some real fights.”

Fighting against a bright smile, she rests her hand on my chest. “You need to properly think this through. I don’t imagine a family business is something you can so easily step away from.”

“I
have
thought it through. Every day since I left you. Farming was never my thing. I only stuck around after high school because someone needed to keep an eye on our dad.” I lift my hand to stroke the back of her head with my fingers. “Now that he’s gone, the things that are important to me have changed. My siblings are old enough to make their own mistakes without me there to clean up after them. Being a good dad is my number one priority now.”

“I’m worried your expectations are set far too high.” She lets her head drop against my chest and breaths out a quiet little sigh. “I haven’t the slightest idea how to be a proper mum. There are days when I think it would be best to give the little nugget away so it has a fair chance.”

My fingers clamp into her skin harder than I intend. No fucking
way
I’m letting her give my child up for adoption. “We’ll learn the parenting thing together.” I loosen my grip on her and bury my face inside her hair. “I promise you won’t have to do this on your own.”

Rather than saying anything in return, her fingers trail over the edges of my chest, back and forth, until she’s breathing steadily in my arms. As I stare at the ceiling, I find myself amazed at how fucking happy she has made me. For the first time in what feels like forever, my heart has made room to love someone other than the family I grew up with.

* * *

S
unlight fills
the room when I wake to an empty bed and the sounds of loud gagging. I stumble across to the massive bathroom and find a naked Sharlo bent over the toilet. When she catches me watching her from the doorway, she lets out a surprised squeak before slapping a hand over her heart. Guilt for making her jump washes over me like a tidal wave.

“You scared the shit out of me!” she gasps from behind a curtain of hair. “Look away. You mustn’t see me like this. I’m hideous.”

“You’ll always be beautiful to me, little butterfly.” I cross the room and lower to the tiled floor at her side. Taking her silky blond hair in one hand, I press my lips against her clammy neck. “Sorry I scared you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine, I promise. Just a bit nauseated. Can’t decide which is worse—these sickening spells or times when dinner makes a repeat performance.”

“Why are you so jumpy?”

She makes a choking-laugh noise before shaking her head. I help her back on her feet and wrap her in my arms. When she slumps against me, her shoulders begin to tremble.

“What’s going on?” I demand, kissing the top of her head. “Tell me, baby.”

“Bloody hormones have made me a diabolical mess,” she mutters, pulling back to meet my stare. Her hands raise to either side of my jaw. “Before I say one word, you must
promise
me that you’ll stay calm.”

“Sharlo,”
I warn with an impatient growl.

Dropping her hands to my arms around her, she pulls in a stuttered breath. “I’ve been living with Nolan because it would seem I’ve caught the attention of a nutter.”

Acid rises in my chest, making it harder than a motherfucker to swallow.
“What?”

“It’s all under control. It was nothing more than prank calls and a few letters that made about as much sense as Ozzy Osbourne delivering a commencement speech. Nolan thought it was best if I stay with him for a time to see if it would stop, and it has. I’m simply a bit over-sensitive because of the baby.”

“What did the letters say?” I bite out.

“Nothing to get all worked up over, sweetheart. Someone with a knack for jealousy and foul language, hardly worth your time. Some detectives took the notes as evidence.”

“The police were involved?”

“They came to investigate a broken window. The important thing is that I was never physically harmed. It merely left me angry I wasn’t able to take the edge off with a shot of something strong.”

I grind my teeth together in an attempt to keep my shit together. I should’ve done more to get in touch with her while I was gone. I was fucking around back home while someone was trying to scare the shit out of my girl. The way she keeps trying to make the situation seem less serious, it seems they succeeded.

“Stay here,”
I say, moving away from her.

Her little feet slap against the tile behind me. “Wait! Where are you going?”

In record time I’ve thrown on my shorts and sleeveless shirt. Sharlo hangs on my arm as I storm toward the suite’s entrance.

“Please,”
she cries. “You mustn’t leave when you’re this angry. Look at me! I’m perfectly fine. Whatever you’re thinking of doing can wait. We need to talk this through!”

Looking down at her tear-streaked cheeks, I feel like I’ve been gutted with a filet knife. I refuse to sit around yet again while the cops fail at catching the person responsible. I bend down to give her a deep, caressing kiss that should leave no doubt in her mind what she means to me. Her lips, salty with tears, part when I slip my tongue inside, and she reaches up to clutch my hair in her fists. Her quiet whimpers are absorbed inside my mouth as I kiss her with everything I have to offer.

When ending the kiss, I shake my head and stare into her beautiful eyes. It scares the living shit out of me when I realize my entire world has become invested in only her and the life she’s carrying. “Don’t ask me to stand by and watch while someone hurts the woman I love,” I tell her.

Her swollen lips parting with a quiet gasp are the last thing I see before taking off running down the hallway. “We don’t even know who did this!” she calls after me.

But I have a pretty fucking good idea, and I’m going to make the son of a bitch pay.

* * *

T
he sun is
high in the sky by the time I pound on the door until it feels like my fist will punch right through. After scoring an address from one of the guys at the gym, I hardly remember getting in a taxi and giving the driver the house number. I forgot my cell phone in the hotel, but at least I had the sense of mind to grab my wallet.

“Answer the fucking door, Vaughn!” I roar, pounding again. “We need to talk!”

The door finally swings open, banging against the wall inside. Freddie’s face is as raw as hamburger from my punches, and one eye has swelled shut. Looking like he just rolled out of bed, dark hair sticking up every which way and wearing nothing more than a pair of boxers, his dark brows pull together with a scowl.

When his mouth opens, I don’t give him the chance to say anything before I tackle him to the ground. My already sore muscles scream in pain as we fall back into a rickety stairway and begin to wrestle. Neither of us are at full strength so soon after the fight, but I manage to get him in a headlock before long.