A Million Wishes (29 page)

Since his parents had died he hadn’t done much praying. Feeling like God failed them and fate was just an evil bitch, faith had left him. His parents wouldn’t like that. They had been very spiritual people. Dakota had tried to find his faith again, they all had really. Going to church services and trying the youth programs with the different foster families they had been with. But when time and time again they were shuffled around and unable to depend on anyone else again, faith went out the window. Now the only thing he depended on was his desire to be successful enough to take care of the twins and help them with their college education. The Taylor kids weren’t going to be a statistic. Not if Dakota had anything to say about it.

The twins were still in counseling, going once a week to talk about their feelings and work through the loss of their parents. Dakota had been lucky enough to have a mentor in his track coach. He was more than a coach. Mr. Leonard Tankersley, fondly known by all the kids as Tank which fit him to a T since he was nearly six and a half feet tall and built like a tank, was his friend, his confidante. Tank had been raised in the system from 13 years old. He understood what Dakota was going through and the loss he felt from being forced to separate from his younger siblings. Tank had come from a family of 6 kids. His birth parents were drug users that ended up in a long stint in prison. Foster care had to split his siblings up. It had taken him nearly a decade to get them all together again, so he could empathize with Dakota’s desire to succeed and provide for the twins.

Tank was also the one that encouraged him to let go of his anger and to stop blaming God for his parents deaths. His friend and mentor always talked to him like he was an adult, not a kid. He knew if he went to him with problems or worries he would shoot straight with him and be real. One of their most influential conversations changed Dakota’s life forever. He had been on a down slide. Complaining about this, that and the other when Tank had put his hand on his shoulder and told him to shut up and listen.

“
Bruh, shit happens, sometimes good shit, sometimes bad shit. Stop whining about it do something about it instead. You have a dream. Get it. Work for it. Nobody’s gonna get it for you. You want those twins of yours to have a better life than you and not struggle so hard? Work it out bruh. Only you can make you succeed. I can give you all the emotional support and advice in the world but one thing I guarantee you bruh, is that if you set your mind to it and go after your dream while you have this college opportunity, ain’t nothing or nobody than can hold you down except yourself. Some people are doers and some people aren’t. You are a doer. You got it in you to succeed bruh, but your negative attitude ain’t gonna get you nowhere.”

Dakota teared up and rubbed his eyes with his fists and looked away. The truth wasn’t easy. He had been whining, feeling sorry for himself for the way his life had been since his parents died.

“
I’m not trying to be a hard ass Dakota. You know I love ya bruh, I’m proud of what you’ve done so far. You could have given up and skipped out on college but you worked hard, kept your grades tight and here you are. Now is the time to get your stride and snatch up every opportunity in your sites. Stop wasting time being mad at them for dying and leaving you with this responsibility you feel and do your damn best to make them proud. You feel me?”

Nodding his head and wiping his eyes one last time, Dakota stood tall at his full 6’1” height and drew his shoulders back. “I got you Tank. Thanks man. I needed to hear that.”

From then on Dakota never looked back. He set his goals and focused on them fiercely. He was determined not to fail. He refused to be a statistic and damned if his little brother and sister would be either.

Every time he spoke to the twins or saw them he talked to them about their grades. He encouraged them to seek out what they wanted to be and to set goals for themselves. He tried his best to lead by example. While other classmates and even his roommate went out and partied on the weekends or took girls out on dates, Dakota was either steadying or working out if he wasn’t able to see the twins. On occasion he would give in to pressure from friends and go out, but it wasn’t often at all. He had too much he wanted to accomplish to waste his time or hard earned money on unnecessary things.

So today when Dominique called him and told him about their new foster parents, and invited him to dinner, he had not only been shocked he’d been excited…thankful even. After meeting Noah and Mikayla and being offered a place to stay and work for the summer, he felt even more thankful. No one really knew just how scared he had been that he was going to end up homeless. No one knew just how lonely he was either. He always had a brave face and devil may care attitude, but inside he still yearned for the family life he had grown up with. You never realize just how much you take for granted until that’s taken away from you. He hoped and even prayed that his siblings found a real family now. They deserved it. They needed adults they could depend on and not have to worry all the time that they were going to get handed off to someone else again, especially Dominique. He needed stability, someone to calm his fears and insecurities. Delilah needed someone who could encourage her to overcome her shyness and sadness. She had always been such a bright and joyful kid. Always smiling and laughing. Lately it seemed she had lost her smile so seeing her laughing with the Cane’s and being excited had nearly brought him to tears.

The fact they embraced him, tried to make him comfortable with them too, and that he was welcome to visit the twins was the icing on the cake. Lying in his dorm room with the music on low he was honestly counting his blessings. He knew it had only been one day, but he just had a feeling about the Cane’s. They seemed so nice and happy. The little bit of background he learned about them he was impressed. The fact that Mikayla was a bestselling author and Noah being a Navy SEAL was impressive, but it was even more impressive that he was overcoming his injury the way he seemed to be. It was inspiring to see that a man lost his career because of losing half his leg obviously wasn’t letting it hold him back any, not one bit. He was strong enough and had a big enough heart that he was using his new found wealth and his personal experience to help encourage others to be the best they could be.

He couldn’t ask for better role models for the twins to finish growing up with. There was one thing that bothered him though. Something he wouldn’t tell anyone else. It made him feel like the twins wouldn’t need him anymore since the Canes could give them everything, literally. How would he fit in?

Restlessness kept him tossing and turning throughout the night. Fear of losing his siblings to this great family made him angry and made him feel silly at the same time. Honestly he was so happy they had finally been placed in a safe and happy home. Maybe he was a little jealous. Maybe it was just that he was afraid they wouldn’t want him around anymore. Most likely it was the fact the Cane’s wanted to adopt Dominique and Delilah and that would make him feel like the odd man out.

He flipped over in his bed one last time and punched his pillow, giving up on sleep and getting out of bed and tossing on his track gear. It was barely 4 am but he needed to do what always helped him clear his mind. Run. Leaving the dorm, hopping the steps two at a time and venturing over to the lawn, he started his stretches. Shame washed over him for his jealously. He felt childish for it. Maybe Tank would have time to talk it out today. He always had a way of putting things in perspective so that he could give him a verbal and mental kick in the ass and get his mind right. But for now, he needed the road beneath his size 12 running shoes. The sound of rubber soles slapping down on the pavement had a way of soothing him like nothing else.

Chapter 25

Friday morning was clear and warm already. Noah had left to take the kids to school and turn in the paperwork on the change of foster care. Miki planned on writing up a grocery list and making calls to their families and her best friend Gina to plan a get together on Sunday. As they had laid in bed the night before after finally getting the twins settled down from all the excitement of seeing their brother, they decided to have a picnic with whatever family could come, and introduce them to the kids, all three of them. While they talked they were in agreement it was a package deal. Just because Dakota was graduated from high school didn’t mean he didn’t need family as much as the twins. The tight bond between them all deserved to be kept together no matter any of their ages.

There wouldn’t be any pressure from them but there would definitely be love, support and encouragement. She was already planning to arrange a time with him that she could take him shopping for summer clothes too. She had noticed how worn his jeans and sneakers were although he was neat and clean in appearance it was clear he, just as the twins, needed some new things. Once school was out today they’d be picking up all three kids and heading to the furniture store to pick out bedroom suites for the new house. Everything in Momma’s house was getting donated to charity. After that, they would probably go get dinner then bring them home and give them a tour of the almost finished new house. Just a few minor things needed to be done, and the final inspections, before they could move in. School would be out in two weeks so Miki was hoping it would be complete. Saturday there would be some work going on around the property, but she figured the kids would be happy to chip in and help out.

When they got up this morning Dom was already asking questions about the gym and training course, wanting to check it out and Noah told him they’d see it tonight after school and errands. It would probably be fun to him and his brother to help work on it, and maybe even add in ideas about it as well. As for Delilah, well, they may sneak away and go get a manicure or something before starting to work on the food preparation for the picnic. The darling girl said she enjoyed cooking so it would be fun to bake up some treats and prepare the potato and pasta salad together. She might even dig out her mother’s home made yeast bread recipe. Miki hadn’t had that since she was a little kid, but she remembered it was so good it practically melted in your mouth.

Deciding a shower was in order after she made the calls she needed to make, she hastily stripped and turned the water on steaming hot, stepped under the stream of water and sighed. Noah would be back soon but she needed this relaxing little pick me up to clear her mind so they could get everything done they had to do before the kids got out of school. It didn’t take long before she was toweling off and digging through the closet to find something to wear. She settled on a pale yellow sun dress that flowed over her hips and stopped about mid-thigh. After slipping it over her head she knelt in the closet to find her other sandal. That’s how Noah found her. Her silky thighs peeking out from the hem of her dress and her damp wavy locks of fire draped over her shoulders, hiding her face.

Gripping her hips he pulled her bottom back against him and growled. “Wicked tease.”

Miki yelped in surprise and would have fallen forward if he hadn’t had such a tight grip on her hips. “Noah Cane you scared the life out of me!”

“
Mmm…babydoll you gave me quite a different reaction when I saw you here.” He chuckled and swatted her bottom, still holding on to her.

“
Let go Romeo, we have things to do. I’m looking for my other shoe.”

“
Nuh uh. We’re parents now. That means we take advantage of situations like this where we’re alone.” His fingers threaded through her hair at the base of her neck and he tugged it, wrapping it around his fist and leaning over her to lick the nape of her neck.

“
Noah…ohh. I…umm…we should…” Miki purred and rocked her hips back against his. “Dammit Noah I can’t think straight when you do that.”

“
I know kitten. I was counting on that.” He pulled harder and she arched her back, turning her head as much as his fist in her hair would allow. He captured her lips in a fiery kiss. As soon as she parted her lips in a purr his tongue delved in her mouth and licked over her tongue growling all the while. Her one shoe she’d found dropped to the floor and Noah knew he had her complete attention now. His sweet, sultry kitten writhing in his arms whispering out his name in that breathy little sigh she made. That quick he was rigid for her, aching with pulsing heat for her, his sweet Miki girl.

In that moment he wanted nothing more than to reduce her into a whimpering mass of kitty cat purrs and gasping breaths. Tugging her dress up and over her head, he dropped it to the floor and turned her to face the mirror of her wardrobe. Lily white skin with fiery locks of curls draped her curvy figure. Her green eyes were so smoky and her teeth had caught her full bottom lip between them as she braced her hands on either side of the mirror.

“
Noah….please….”

“
Yes kitten….”

One arm slipped around her waist and beneath the band of her white cotton panties. “Such a naughty girl, kitten. So needy. So perfect. So very wet. So mine.”

Her head lolled back and she made the most beautiful whimpering sound. Hips rocked against his thick fingers and when his palm pushed her white lace bra over the fullness of her breast and tugged her nipple she cried out, her head falling forward.