Athica Lane: The Carpino Series (16 page)

“Pillow, baby,” he softly reprimands with a slight warning to his whisper.

I slowly drag my arms back up above my head to hug my pillow, feeling it pull my breasts as I go. 

“There you go,” he approves.  “Now you can relax.”

“Seriously?” I hear my voice go high, because there’s no way I can relax and he knows it.  I can barely breathe being spread bare to him like this. 

The next thing I know, my hips jerk when I feel his finger easily slide through me.  I lift my head to see him between my legs and he’s looking up my body with a half grin.  He pushes my legs high off the bed and as soon as I feel his mouth on me, I let my head drop. 

Holy shit, again.  That feels even better. 

And then Cam does what he promised he would do.  He ate me.  He licked, sucked and kissed.  He used his fingers and went at me with full gusto.

He was right.  I came hard.  Harder than last night.

Hard
.

He kept on, with one orgasm rolling into the next, or maybe it was just a really long one.  How would I know?  His strong hands kept me where he wanted me and there was no way I could stop him, even if I was crazy enough to want him to stop.  My body shook and shook until I couldn’t take it anymore.  I tried to be quiet.  Really I did, but I have no idea if I succeeded.  All of a sudden I feel his body over me and his mouth is on mine.  He tastes salty and he smells like me. 

I never thought I would like that, but on Cam, I love it.  Tasting and smelling me on him, him taking my mouth afterwards as if he liked it as much as I did?  I
really
love that.

I try and catch my breath, still feeling the tingle from my teeth to my toes.  I wonder if everyone’s teeth tingle or if Cam is just extra skilled at giving orgasms.   

“You good?” he asks, giving me most of his weight. 

I lift my heavy eyes to look at him, but can only manage a nod.

He presses his erection through his underwear in between my legs making me shudder from where I’m still tender. 

“Oh,” I breathe and can’t help but lift my hips because he feels good there.

“Whenever you want, baby,” he says pressing into me again and I open my eyes to look him.  He goes on, “No hurry.”

Well that’s easy for him to say.  He feels really good there, but I am starting to fade.  I think Cam reached his goal.  I’m about to pass out.

“I feel bad,” I sound sleepy.  “What about you?”

“I’m good,” he grins.

“Yeah, but you’re all,” I let my eyes go big because I’m not used to talking the way Cam talks to me.  “You know, hard.”

His grin gets bigger, “I took care of myself today and I’ll keep doing it until you give me the green light.”

“You did?” I ask, surprised.

His grin turns into a smile, “Yeah.  I’d combust around you if I didn’t.”

“Really?”

“Really.  Now, if you get talkative I’m gonna be forced to eat you again.  Not that it’s a hardship, because baby, the taste of your pussy?  I’m addicted,” he keeps up with the sexy talk.

“Quit talking,” I groan.

“You gonna sleep?”

“Yes,” I say on a yawn. 

He reaches over and grabs my panties and t-shirt, “Put these on in case the kids come in.  Tomorrow they’re going to their mom’s and I want you naked all night. You can be as loud as you want.”

I forgot the kids have to go to Bekki’s tomorrow.  For some reason, I don’t like the thought of them leaving to go to her.  I can’t imagine how Cam feels.

I pull my panties up and tug my t-shirt over my head.  I really am tired, but say, “I’m brushing my teeth before I let you touch me tomorrow night.  Two days in a row is two too many.”

He pulls me into him and growls, “Stop talking and go to sleep.”

I ignore him, leaning up on an elbow and look at him.  Cupping his jaw with my hand, I brush his goatee with my thumb.  And for the first time ever, I lean in to kiss him without him kissing me first.

He allows this.  It’s long and sweet and lingering.  When I pull away, he tightens his arms around me.  I look down into his normally bright blue eyes that appear indigo in the low light of his bedroom. 

“This might sound stupid,” I start, but pause before continuing on a whisper.  “But I like you, Cam.”

His face softens and he murmurs, “Baby.”

“I really, really like you.  I’ve never liked anyone so much.  Thank you for being the way you are with me.”

His arms shift me tighter and his eyes close slowly, “Shit, baby.”

“I just wanted you to know,” I say and he opens his eyes to look up at me.

He doesn’t say anything, but he leans up to kiss me, giving me way better than I gave him.  Rolling me to my side, he finally breaks his kiss whispering, “Go to sleep.”

I snuggle into him, “Goodnight, Cam.”

Again, he doesn’t say anything but I get another squeeze.

And I smile.

*****

I feel her body go slack and she rolls away like she did last night.  I tried to pull her back but it didn’t work so I let her go, as I did just now. 

Her brother was right, she’s selfless.  And giving.  So much so, it almost hurt to hear her say her simple words to me before she fell asleep.  I couldn’t give her anything back and I hate myself for it. 

I wasn’t lying when I said I’m addicted to her pussy.  She’s so fucking sweet. I’m becoming addicted to everything about her.  There’s no way I can leave her be.  Especially now that she’s in my bed and under my roof.  A roof I finally found some peace under because it has not one thing to do with fucking Bekki.

I move closer and dip my hand under her shirt, touching her at the small of her back.  There’s no going back now, whether I should let her be or not.  Not when I’ve finally found something to make life sweet. 

*****

“Brian, it’s me.  Don’t piss me off by not returning my calls.  It’s been two days, we need to talk about what happened.  This is my fourth message.  Call me,” I say frustrated and press the button to end my call. 

I just dropped off the order to my client.  They’re hosting an after work retirement party, it was a bunch of heavy appetizers.  The three hundred sausage meatballs took forever to roll but other than that, it was pretty easy.  I’ve been busy with food all day.

That was all after my second day of boot camp.  There’s no way I’m going tomorrow—I’m putting my foot down.  Although, I’ll have to put it down gingerly because my stiff, sore muscles are really setting in.  I’ve no idea why people love it so much.  I have an event on Thursday, I’ll use it as an excuse, not to mention I’ll need to be able to move my body to pull it off on time. 

I woke up in Cam’s bed this morning, on my back with my leg hitched to the side.  The second I opened my eyes, I could feel his hand resting on my thigh.  This made me smile, thinking he’s touchy-feely in his sleep, too.

It was a circus, but we all got up and around in time with Cam making sure the kids were ready to go with Bekki after camp this afternoon.  I haven’t known Jordy and Cara long, however it was plain to see the anticipation on their faces—and not the anticipation a child might have before going to a candy store or an amusement park.  No, this was bad anticipation and I know Cam saw it because he got quiet as well. 

It’s early evening and since I’m done with my event for the day, Cam told me to meet him back at his house.  He had a clinic at The Shed he had to fill in for at the last minute.  He texted earlier saying he would be home a couple hours late, told me to help myself to anything and have my teeth brushed. 

Funny guy.

I haven’t heard back from Brian since our ugly scene Sunday night and he’s starting to piss me off.  After multiple messages, he’s giving me the silent treatment.  Even though the scene was ugly, I don’t think I deserve the silent treatment since we’ve been friends for so many years.  While I might’ve ignored his interest, I certainly didn’t lead him on. 

My cell rings, it had better be Brian.  He’s never been good at holding a grudge, I’m surprised it’s taken him this long to call back.

I answer on the first ring with a cheery, “Hey.”

But I don’t hear anything. 

“Hello?” I try again.

“P-Paige?” I hear a small voice come across the car speakers.

I frown as I make my way to the west side of town, “Yes.  Who’s this?”

I hear something else in the background when he answers, “Jordy.”

“Hey, there.  What’s up?” I ask frowning, wondering why he’s calling when they’re with their mom.

“I – ” the phone shuffles around before he says, “stop, Cara.”  When he comes back to me, he explains, “Um, dad didn’t answer and Cara wanted me to call you.”

“You can always call me.  What do you need, sweetie?” I ask.

“Uh…Cara’s scared,” he says.

“Why is she scared?” I ask, perplexed.

“Well, there’re people yelling outside the apartment. They’re right outside the door. She won’t stop crying,” Jordy explains, his own little voice shaky, hinting to the fact he’s as scared as his sister but trying to be brave.

“Has your mom done anything?” I ask angrily.  Seriously, her kids are scared and I can hear Cara crying, what in the hell is wrong with that woman?

“Um…,” Jordy starts but doesn’t say any more.

“Jordy?” I call out for him.

“She’s not here,” he says in a small voice.

I grip my steering wheel and try to control my voice, “What do you mean she’s not there?”

“She said she had to go somewhere, but she’d be back,” he explained.

“Sweetheart,” I go on.  “Who’s with you?”

“No one.  Just me and Cara,” he says.

Bekki left her kids by themselves?  I flip my signal and change lanes, quickly doing a U-turn.  I hear Cara give a little shriek in the middle of her cries.  I cannot believe that fucking woman left her kids by themselves.

“Jordy?” I call for him.

“Yeah,” his voice shakes.

“You hang tight, sweetheart.  I’m coming for you,” I say and press my foot to the pedal.

“Someone just banged on the door!” Jordy exclaims, not controlling his fear any longer.

“Go hide in the bathroom,” I demand.  “Take your sister with you, there should be a lock on the door.  Go now, but don’t hang up.  I want you talking to me until I get there.  It’s going to be okay, but you need to be quiet and tell me what you hear.  Can you do that?”

I hear the phone shuffle and him say, “C’mon.  Paige said we need to hide in the bathroom.”

“Are you in?  Lock the door, Jordy,” I try to keep my voice even, hoping I don’t sound like I’m in a panic, even though I’m in full-on-panic mode.

“Okay, we’re here,” he says.

“Good, can you hear anything?  What’s happening?” I ask as I make a quick turn and think I might only be a few minutes away.

“Just some yelling still.  But they’re not banging anymore,” he says.

“Is Cara calming down?” I ask.

“A little,” he says.

“You were so smart to call when you couldn’t get a hold of your dad.  He’s going to be so proud of you, Jordy,” I praise him.

“Really?”

“Of course, sweetheart.  Just keep your sister close.  I’m pulling in the parking lot now,” I explain.

“Okay,” I hear him breathe a sigh of relief.

I drive around and look up where Bekki’s apartment is on the second floor.  It has an outside entrance, the entire complex is much newer and nicer than mine.  I pull into a parking spot where I see three men standing outside the door, and even from here, their conversation appears intense.  All three are wearing jeans and a variety of old t-shirts, nothing too scary, but they’re big guys.  Who knows who they are or why they would be arguing outside Bekki’s apartment. 

“Okay, I’m here and can see your mom’s apartment.  I’m going to hang up now, but do not come out of that bathroom unless I call you back.  Do you understand?  I don’t care what you hear, do not open that door.  Can you do that?” I ask.

“No, don’t hang up!” he sounds panicked all over again.

“I’ve got to call someone for help, but I have to hang up the phone to do that.  I’m right outside in the parking lot.  Remember, I’m really close to you.  Keep talking to your sister, try and keep her calm for me,” I tell him.

“Okay,” he says, but doesn’t sound convinced.

“Keep your phone close and I’ll call you when you can come out to me,” I say.

“All right.  Um…bye,” he mumbles and we disconnect.

I dial and hit call immediately.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”

“My name is Paige Carpino and I’m at,” I have to look around to see where I am.  “Sorry, I’m at the Villa Pines Apartment complex on West Elm.  I don’t have an address, but my…um…friend’s kids just called me and their mom left them alone in the apartment.  There’re three men standing outside the door arguing.  The kids are seven and five, I told them to lock themselves in the bathroom, but the oldest said they were banging on the door.  I just got here and can see them from my car in the parking lot.  They look like they’re arguing.”

“I’m dispatching our closest units.  You said the children have been left unattended?” she asks.

“They said their mom left. I’m a friend of their dad.  They’re divorced and when they couldn’t get a hold of their dad, they called me.  I haven’t had a chance to call him yet.  I’ve been on the phone with the kids and once I got here, I called you right away,” I explain quickly. 

“That was good.   What are the men doing now?” she asks

“They’re just sort of arguing.  Wait, one just pushed another one.  I can’t hear them from here, how much longer until the police get here?” my heart is beating fast, worried that Jordy and Cara are scared senseless and hope they stay locked in the bathroom.

“They’re close, looks like their ETA will be a few more minutes.  Can you describe them to me?” she asks.

I describe what I can see from here and remotely wonder why when you need something now, time seems to stand still. 

“Oh hell, they’re banging on the door again,” I panic into the phone. 

“Ma’am, the police should be there momentarily,” she tries to calm me down.

One guy puts his hand to the knob and starts shaking the door. 

“They’re trying to get in!” I say and without thinking, I climb out of my car.  “I’m going up there.”

“No, stay in your car, Ms. Carpino.  Wait for the police,” she insists.

“They’re trying to break the door in.  The kids are in there, there’s no way I’m staying in the car,” I say.  The guy who was shaking the door handle has gone to banging it with his shoulder, using all his big bulky weight.

I walk as fast as I can without running, hoping not to appear in a panic. 

“Go back to your car,” the dispatcher demands.

“No,” I breathe as my short legs take the stairs two at a time.

I hear the banging on the door get louder as I head up the stairs.  The second I turn the corner, all three men stop what they’re doing and turn to look at me.

I drop my hand, but don’t disconnect the call. I stop where I am, leaving some space between us and try to say as brightly as I can, “Oh, hey.  Are you here to see Bekki, too?”

The three men, who are bigger than they appeared from the safety of my car, look to each other and frown before looking back to me.  One guy has shaggy ash blond hair and the other two resemble each other.  They both have medium brown hair but one wears his short while the other’s is longer, almost to his jaw and slicks it back, sort of tucked behind his ears. 

“Who are you?” the long hair guy asks me.

“Me?” I ask, and for some reason I cannot think of a name that is not my own at the moment.  Who sits around thinking of the perfect alias for such a situation as this?  I’m pretty sure I could come up with a perfect scary state-of-affairs pretend name if I had the time and wherewithal, but of course I’m coming up blank.  “Oh, I’m just a friend of Bekki’s.  We had plans to grab dinner, but I’m late.  That’s why I’m all out of breath from running up here.  People keep telling me I should work out, those stairs did me in,” I breathe deep and try to fake-smile.

“You had plans with her tonight?” the ashy blond frowns.

“Yes,” I frown right back and try to buy myself some time, thinking the police must have stopped at Sonic for a limeade, it’s taking so long.  I do my best to sound put out, “Wait, who are you all?  She and I had plans.”

The guy with short dark hair, who’s also a fan of AC/DC’s
Highway to Hell
if his t-shirt speaks the truth—which I find a bit apropos at the moment—crosses his arms and says, “That’s interesting, because we had a meeting with Bekki, too.”

“Huh,” I mutter.  I go on, trying my best to get them to leave, “Well, maybe you got your days mixed up?”

“We didn’t get our days mixed up,” the blond says taking an aggressive step toward me. 

“Oh.  I’d be happy to tell her you stopped by,” I add, but before I get the last few words out of my mouth, I hear them. 

Sirens, ringing through the air getting louder by the second, like the sweetest music I’ve ever heard.  I’m pretty sure my dispatch friend sent the cavalry.  They’re coming in chorus, like a heavenly troop of angels.  If I could, I’d put it at the top of my playlist and for anyone who really knows me knows, if a song makes it to the top of my playlist it’s a really big deal.    I love my music. 

Bekki’s three scary friends and I all look to the parking lot to see squad cars filing in dramatically.  It’s like we’re at the climax of a really good police drama. 

I count four squad cars before I hear, “What the fuck?”

I look over and the three guys are all looking quickly to and fro between the police, me and each other.  I turn back to the parking lot and it’s plain to see the police officers are quickly heading our way.

“You call the cops?” the one with long greasy hair bites out angrily.

“Let’s get the fuck outta here,” his close-looking relative yells.

I try and look confused myself as to why the police are here, shaking my head a bit.  I’m pretty sure they don’t believe me, because the next thing I know I’m pushed to the side and land against the wall.  I feel the pain in the back of my shoulder right before my head snaps back hitting the brick.  Losing my balance, I fall to the side and my phone clatters to the ground, all my weight landing on my elbow. 

By the time I look up, the three guys are running around the corner and I hear lots of yelling voices.  I push myself up with a wince, pain shooting through my arm and move to collect my phone. 

I see the call is still connected and call out, “Hello?”

“Are you okay?  What happened?” she probes.

I look up to find an officer coming my way, talking into a radio and say, “I’m okay.  They’re gone and the police are here.  Finally.  I’ve got to call the kids to open the door.”

“Okay.  But next time, do what we tell you and stay in your car,” she says, sounding put out. 

Seriously?  Next time?  Holy shit—there had better never be a next time.

I don’t say goodbye and hang up to dial Jordy when the officer gets to me, stooping low to ask if I’m hurt.  I put my finger up, silently telling him to hang on and say to Jordy when he answers in his small, scared voice, “It’s all good, sweetheart.  You can come out to me now.”

I lean against the wall and cringe, thinking I’ll probably have a bruise on my shoulder and say to the officer, “The kids are coming out.  Their mom left them home by themselves and they’re scared.”

The officer narrows his eyes and shakes his head as he radios more garbled police language through the radio with a bunch of codes that I don’t understand.  I do hear the words, “unaccompanied minors, abandoned and EMS,” before the apartment door flings open. 

The next thing I know, Jordy and Cara throw themselves at me on the hard ground where I’m sitting against the wall.  They’re scared, trembling and Cara’s crying outright while Jordy’s barely managing to hold it together.  I wrap them up in my arms and breathe a sigh of relief, forgetting about the pain in my head, shoulder and elbow.  

I look up to the officer and say, “I need to call their dad.”

He looks down with a warm smile, “We’ll do that.  You’re busy with something more important right now.”

I squeeze the kids tighter and nod, telling him how to get hold of Cam.  And for the first time throughout the entire debacle, I think about how Cam is going to react to the mother of his children leaving them alone, not to mention the company she’s keeping that put his children in harm’s way.  I pull the kids in close, thinking I’m a big fat chicken because I’m thankful the police are going to make that call instead of me, and I’m not even the one he’ll be angry with. 

Yep.  Big fat chicken. 

*****

I pull into fucking Bekki’s apartment complex, listening to my tires squeal as I come to a stop next to a group of cop cars and an ambulance.  Why’s there a fucking ambulance here?  They didn’t tell me anyone was hurt. 

I’m surprised I didn’t get stopped on my way, breaking every law to get here as fast as I could.  I don’t know much, other than my kids are okay and are currently with a friend of mine who got to them during a scuffle outside my ex-fucking-wife’s apartment.  My “friend,” also known as Paige Carpino, got to them before the police could, but got caught up in the scuffle first. 

And all because fucking Bekki left my seven- and five-year-old kids by themselves. 

It’s all I could do not to come undone before I got here. 

I run up the stairs, taking them three at a time and find a group of police officers talking in the breezeway.  They all turn to me at once.

“Cam Montgomery.  You called. I’m their dad,” is all I say.

One of the officers gives me a chin lift and moves out of the threshold where the door is standing open to Bekki’s apartment, saying, “They’re in here.”

I move through the doorway and crackling of police radios only to see Paige sitting on Bekki’s couch with my kids glued to her.  Cara’s sitting in her lap, snuggled in tight with Paige’s arm wrapped around her and Jordy’s attached to her other side where she’s holding him close, his arms circling her waist.  A guy dressed in an EMT uniform is sitting on the coffee table in front of them with a tiny flashlight, examining Paige’s eyes. 

“What the hell?” I growl and as soon as I do, they all look to me.  Cara jumps out of Paige’s lap in a flash, running to me.  Jordy doesn’t move a muscle but his eyes tear up and if it’s possible, he burrows further into Paige.

I pick Cara up as Paige looks on with apologetic eyes and says softly as she shifts Jordy closer, “It’s all okay, now.  The kids aren’t hurt, they’re fine.”

“What happened to you?” I ask frowning and move to them with Cara in my arms. 

“She isn’t showing any signs of concussion.  I don’t think she hit her head hard.  Her shoulder and elbow took the worst of it.  She shouldn’t need to come to the hospital unless she wants to.  She has full range of motion, some swelling that will turn into ugly bruises, but other than that she’s good,” the EMT answers me.