Captivated by Your Love (The Blue Heart Series Book 2) (15 page)

Knocking on the door I waited, I wasn’t a patient man. The door slightly creaked open and Camden poked his head out. Camden was my eight-year-old son. He was a good kid, I loved him something fierce and would lay down my life for the little guy. He lucked out because he was the spitting image of me. Not that his mom was bad looking. He was tall for his age much like I was, had my dark hair and of course the blue eyes. He was my little clone. I knew one of these days he was going to be a heartbreaker. Heck, he already talked about his little girlfriends.

“Hey, Dadddy!” His eyes lit up like the Vegas strip and he came crashing into me. I hugged him tightly to me. I missed the hell out of him. It had been a while since seeing him last. I didn’t get to see him often enough. Eventually I would have to either sit down and have a long talk with April or I would have to take her back to court. Our arrangement just wasn’t working for me. Not in the slightest. If I had it my way he would live with me full time.

“Hey, little man, I missed you yesterday. Did you enjoy your visit with your grandparents?” I was supposed to have him yesterday but it was his grandma on his mom’s side birthday so I agreed to let him go celebrate. I tried to be nice but the shit pissed me off.

“Yeah, it was fun. What are we doing today?” I looked over my shoulder at Abbee sitting and staring at us from my truck. We had gone and gotten my truck earlier. Abbee had wanted to come along. I was pretty sure she was just as excited to see him as I was. She loved kids if her occupation was anything to go by. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to tell him that she was his stepmom. They had met and hung out on a few occasions when I was over at Damien’s but I was sure this would be a shock to him. It wasn’t that they didn’t get along great because they did. She would get down on the floor with him and really dig in and play with his toys. It was refreshing. She just didn’t pacify him, she spent time getting to know him.

“I thought we would go to the arcade.” A huge smile spread across his face and his dimple popped out. That was the only difference between us, he had one dimple, which he had inherited from his mother.

“Awesome!” He ran back inside. “Mom, Dad’s here.” He came back with a lightweight jacket on. “I’m ready.”

“Hi, Justice, how are you?” April came to the door and greeted me. She reached out to me and gave me a hug. We were cordial so I didn’t mind hugging her.

“Doing fantastic actually.” I smiled back at her.

“Good. So you are going to drop him off at school tomorrow?” Since it was Sunday he had school in the morning.

“Yeah, got it covered.”

April bent down and gave Camden and hug and a kiss on the cheek. “See you after school tomorrow, honey. Be a good boy for your daddy.”

“Alright, Mommy. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Camden strolled out the door and grabbed my hand. We walked to the car and he stopped. “Bee’s going with us?” His eyes brightened, showing a look of excitement and surprise.

“Yes, she sure is. She’s going to be spending a lot of time with us from now on.” I didn’t know how I was going to break it to him that I got married.

“Cool, I really like her Dad. She should be your girlfriend.” He looked up at me with a hopeful look in his eyes. I knew he secretly craved that two parent family. At first he didn’t understand why his mom and I weren’t together. But eventually he started to accept that it wouldn’t work. We really hadn’t even tried to work together as a couple. We were so different and better off as friends.

“How about we talk about it in the car?” I rounded the car, opened the door and helped him climb inside. I quickly secured his seatbelt and I hopped in the driver’s side.

Abbee turned around and addressed Camden. “Hey, buddy, how are you?”

“I’m great. I’m so glad you’re going with us. This is so cool.” My son liked to talk and he certainly wasn’t shy around other people. His mom had really done a good job with him and of course the time I had with him I tried to mold him into a good kid as well.

“I’m excited too.” They high fived as I set off towards the arcade.

“I think you should be my dad’s girlfriend.” I looked in the rearview mirror to see a huge smile covering his face. Little did he know.

“Well um...” Abbee sputtered; she didn’t know how to answer him. She looked at me with her eyebrows drawn and gave me a look that she needed me to bail her out of the situation.

“What I think Abbee is trying to say is that she is more than my girlfriend.” I didn’t want to tell him in the car but since he wouldn’t let the issue rest, I guessed now was as good of time as any. I wanted it to be private between the three of us or maybe even him and me. But he seemed so excited about having her in my life, I didn’t feel like he would take the news bad. At least I hoped not. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if he didn’t like her, but I though he secretly might have had a crush on her. Lord help me. As long as they got along I was golden. I wanted the two most important people in my life to be happy.

“Really?” He looked at me with a hopeful look. Kids his age were so damn innocent. It was his simple expressions that got me every time.

“Yes, we actually got married and she’ll be your stepmom now.” He just sat there. The smile hadn’t fallen from his face but he looked like he was thinking really hard about what he wanted to say next.

“So does that mean she is my mom then?” he asked in confusion.

“No, son, she’s your stepmom.” I replied to him, and then grabbed Abbee’s hand and interlaced our fingers. I glanced at her and she had a huge smile on her face, somewhat mirroring the look Camden had on his. I smiled back at her.

“Oh, okay, because Joey at school, his mom got remarried and he calls him Dad so I wasn’t sure. But he said he adopted him.” He turned to Abbee. “Abbee are you going to adopt me then?”

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and thought for a moment. “No, sweetie, I’m not going to adopt you. You have a mommy.” Abbee was handling this situation like a pro and my heart swelled even more for her than it already had. I had a moment and thought of her with a child that we shared. I wanted that like fucking soon. Her round with my baby in her belly. If only we hadn’t lost our baby. My lips turned down into a frown.

“So what do I call you then?” He raised a curious eyebrow.

“Well, you can call me Bee,” she said to him

“Call her Abbee, Camden.” I corrected her.

“Seriously, Justice.” She looked at me through narrowed eyes.

“What? It’s your name. The one you were born with that your parents gave to you.” I wanted my son to call her the proper name.

She turned around to Camden. “How about you call me whatever you feel is best.”

“Okay. So does this mean you are going to be living with my dad then?” Damn the kid was full of questions today. Kids his age were so curious. Things were always so new and interesting to them.

“I sure am,” she answered him with excitement. I was so happy that she would be living with me. I often got lonely which is why I was always stopping by Damien’s. We still needed to go over to Damien’s and pick up all her shit. Since I was off for a while I had planned on renting a truck and then us lugging it all over there. Maybe I would get one of my brothers to help. I could get all of them, then we could have some beers and shoot the shit.

“Where will you sleep?” Shit. He was so damn curious.

“Camden, she will be sleeping in my room with me.” Fuck, we were going to have to be extra quiet tonight when we fucked because Camden was in the house. So far Abbee wasn’t a screamer but there were still some moves I planned to make on her that were sure to elicit a yell.

“Are you two going to have a baby?” Abbee looked at me and her face fell, her eyes looked like they had lost their sparkle and her lips were turned down into a frown. I knew she was thinking about the miscarriage because I was thinking about the same thing. If it weren’t for that mother fucking bastard, Jensen, we would have been expecting our baby. Although the situation that baby was created out of wasn’t ideal, it would have still been ours to love and raise. Fuck.

I would do anything at this point to put a smile back on her face again. We were at a stop light so I turned to her and mouthed I love you to her and squeezed her hand. She squeezed it back and mouthed that she loved me too. Someday soon I would give her a baby but I needed to make sure she was ready for that step. Yes, I dove in head first into this marriage but bringing another life into our relationship was something I needed to handle with kid gloves, especially since she was so fragile.

I planned on taking care of her fragile heart. She hadn’t been too upset since we had been back to Vegas. But honestly, she really hadn’t had time to think about anything since we were always doing something. I knew she was still hurting. I hoped that she would see a therapist to work through some of her issues. She was so low while she was in Detroit, barely functioning, that at that time I thought it might be good for her to get on antidepressants. I didn’t have a problem with her taking medicine. I was sure some people thought it would be a sign of weakness, but not me. Not admitting you need help is weakness.

“Camden, bud, no we aren’t having a baby and I think that is enough of the questions for now.” I gave him an “I mean business” look and he turned his head and stared out the window.

I turned my attention back to my bride and said softly, “Are you okay, baby?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine it’s just that it still hurts. I haven’t thought about it as much since we’ve been back. Life has been so crazy.” She paused and took a deep breath. “But it breaks my heart.” She looked down and back up to me and a lone tear escaped her eyes. “We created a life together.” She squeezed my hand again and then looked down. I wanted to pull the car over and hold her in my arms to help comfort her.

“Don’t worry. God has big plans for us and so do I.” I parked the car, leaned over the seat and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. She brought her eyes from the car floor and looked at me and then I saw a hint of a smile.

“I love you, Justice.”

“I love you too, Abbee.”

“Hey, does anyone love me?” Abbee and I both started laughing. Damn kid.

“Of course we love you, silly.”

We walked into my parent’s house. Abbee and I hand in hand, our fingers interlaced. Camden was in front of us bouncing up and down as he took long strides trying to reach his grandparents quickly. He was close to my mom. He was the first grandchild and my ma spoiled him rotten and really, so did my dad. They had been so supportive with me when I first found out that April was pregnant. When he was born and it was my first weekend to have him, my mom came over to the house and stayed with me teaching me everything I know now: how to change a diaper, warm a bottle and how to get a baby to stop crying. She really had been my crutch in the grand scheme of parenting and I felt blessed to have her in my life. I knew she was going to be so upset with me when she found out that I went and got married and she wasn’t a part of it. I was just waiting for the moment when she would smack me upside the head.

“Grandma, we’re here,” Camden shouted. My mom came around the corner and took him into her arms, lavishing him with her hugs and kisses. Love that only a grandparent could give him.

We walked up to them and I could feel Abbee’s hand start to tremble in mine. She was nervous. I was as well but I was trying to keep it together.

“Oh my goodness, Justice, you brought Bee. I’m so happy to see the two of you.” She came over, pulling us into her arms giving us both kisses on our cheeks.

“Hey, Ma, how are you?”

“I’m doing good, just been slaving away in the kitchen all day cooking my family dinner.” I could smell the delicious food wafting in from the kitchen and my stomach growled.

I looked at Abbee. “Sweetheart, you are in for a real treat with my mom’s cooking. It is the best. Wait till you try her meatballs.” My mom made the best damn pasta and meatballs that I had ever had. Of course I grew up on it so naturally I would love it. But I had been to lots of restaurants and none of them compared.

“I can’t wait.” Abbee looked up at me and smiled.

“Let’s get you all something to drink,” my ma said to us. “Camden, I know what you want.”

“Chocolate milk of course,” he said to her with a toothy grin.

“One chocolate milk coming right up.” She looked between us. “Son, I know you want a beer and they are in the fridge in the garage.” She turned to Abbee. “Sweetheart, would you like some wine? I just opened a lovely bottle of Merlot that I have been drinking while cooking.” My mother laughed and Abbee joined her.

“Yes, that sounds wonderful,” Abbee replied. I think we were both going to need liquid courage to face the night we had ahead of us.

“Your brothers should be here soon. Your sister is up in her room taking a nap.” My sister still lived with my parents. I honestly didn’t know how she did it but she had said she didn’t plan on moving out anytime soon. I was waiting for her to have a big blow out with my parents and come running to my house to stay. There had been nights when she had stayed in my guest room because she needed a break. We were tight so of course I always let her come over anytime. I loved my sister.

We all walked into the kitchen and my mom went and got a wine glass for Abbee. She poured the wine and handed it to her. Abbee reached out to grab it and my ma paused. She looked at me, then at Abbee and then a huge smile formed on her face but quickly turned to a hard line.

Fuck.

I think she just spotted Abbee’s wedding ring.

“Abbee, darling, what is that on your ring finger?” She looked at me again, her gaze penetrating. “Justice Blue?” she questioned me.

“Ma, we just got married last night.” She walked over to me and hit me upside the head.

“How could you, Justice?” I thought her eyes were going to bulge out of her head they were so wide and angry.

“It’s all Abbee’s fault, she forced me,” I said to her, and then I couldn’t hide the grin that spread across my face.

“You are such a liar,” Abbee said to me. Her little face turned red and I could tell I just pissed her right the hell off as well. “Justice Blue, don’t start a fight with me you know you can’t win.”

“Oh, is that right, I can’t win?” Shit we were going to start fighting again. I growled at her. I always had to win.

“Well, not if you are going to tell your mom things that we both know aren’t true. You basically dragged me to the wedding chapel.” She looked me straight in the eyes and I saw the fire in them.

“Bee, I like your spirit, you seem to handle my son just fine,” my ma interjected.

“Oh I can handle him alright, he just can’t always get his way,” she said to me. She was being a bit bitchy; maybe I shouldn’t have woken her up early this morning so I could fuck her.

“Why are you being crabby with me, Abbee?” I asked her. I didn’t really want to fight.

“Justice, for the last time my name is Bee. I’m crabby because you’re trying to make your mom think that I was the one who dragged you to the wedding chapel.” She huffed out a breath.

“Don’t worry, Bee, I know that isn’t true,” she reassured Abbee and then turned to me. “How could you? You know I would want to be there.” She frowned at me and my heart sank even further. I felt badly that I had let my mom down. And now Abbee was all mad at me.

“Ladies, I’m sorry I’m being an ass.” I told them both.

“Did you just admit that you were being ass, Justice Blue?” Abbee asked me and then her lips slightly hinted a smile that I knew she was suppressing. “I thought I would never see the day.”

“Justice, I will try to forgive you but only if you allow me to throw you two a reception.” My ma loved her parties. No doubt she would probably try to cook for everyone.

I looked at Abbee and she smiled at me and gave me a slight nod. “Yeah that would be awesome.” I loved parties. I turned to Abbee and brought her into my arms and placed my lips over hers. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, please forgive me.”

“And, darling, where are my manners?” My ma set down the wine glass and then pulled Abbee into her arms. “Welcome to the family. I’m so glad you and Justice finally came to your senses.” She looked at me. “I saw the way you two looked at one another and just knew. A mother always knows when her son has found the perfect girl.” She was right. Although she never said anything to me, it was her knowing smiles she gave me whenever she was around Abbee and me.

“Thank you, that means a lot to me, Mrs. Blue,” Abbee said to her with a genuine smile.

“Oh for heaven’s sake you better not call me Mrs. Blue again; we are family. Call me Ma or Luciana.” Damn she wanted her to call her Ma, that was fucking huge.

“Okay, Ma,” Abbee said to her and my mother’s face lit up.

“How about that glass of wine now?” She turned to me. “Justice, I think you need to get some champagne so the family can toast you. It is in the fridge in the garage.” I thought it was a little odd that she had champagne on hand since it was only brought out for special occasions. But who knows. “Did anyone see where my adorable little grandson ran off to? I still owe him chocolate milk.”

“I’ll go find him,” Abbee told my mom.

I walked out to the garage just as the door was opening from the outside. Reeve came trekking though. “Hey, man, what’s up?” he asked me.

“Just getting a beer and champagne.” I reached into the fridge, grabbed a bottle of beer for Reeve and handed it to him and then took one out for myself.

“Why the hell are you drinking champagne?” he asked me, and I couldn’t control the smile that spread across my face.

“You didn’t?” He looked at me with a surprised expression. He knew how I felt. On a drunken night I had told him that I was going to put a ring on Abbee’s finger.

“Yeah, we did last night.” I grabbed out two bottles of champagne and then shut the door to the fridge. I felt a little lighter at the moment now that I had told my ma that I had gotten married. Reeve was finding out and that was another weight lifted off my chest. I was still concerned about his intentions towards Abbee. I knew he was attracted to her since I had seen him flirt with her on countless occasions. I just hoped that he didn’t actually have any real feelings for her because she was mine.

“That’s great, bro.” He gave me a man hug. “I’m really happy for you.” He pulled back and then got a playful look on his face. “You know if you hadn’t married her then I would have.”

I growled at him and then looked at him with pure rage encasing my face. My hackles rose and I was preparing to take my brother outside and kick his ass. “Shut the fuck up, dude. Don’t make me take you outside and kick your ass.”

He started laughing a deep belly laugh. “I totally had you.”

Thank fuck he was just joking. I really was going to beat the shit out of him. “That’s not fucking funny, Reeve.”

“It was priceless.” He continued to laugh and walked inside. I followed behind him my hands full.

He went into the house and went straight for Abbee. He swung his arms around her and placed his lips on her cheek. I growled. “Congratulations, sister, welcome to the family.” He held on to her a little longer than I would have liked and I found myself growling again. They pulled away.

“Jesus, Justice, are you growling at us?” Abbee asked me. “Because it is getting a little ridiculous. Reeve and I are just friends.” She rolled her eyes at me.

I walked over to them and they broke apart, thank fuck. I brought my lips down to her ear and whispered, “I warned you about rolling your eyes at me, firecracker.” She looked up at me and rolled her eyes again and I playfully smacked her on the ass.

“Hey, now none of that grab ass.” My dad came into the room with Camden and my sister on his heels. “What’s this I hear that you two got married last night?” Shit, now I was going to get the inquisition from my dad.

Abbee just looked at him and I smiled. “Sorry we didn’t tell anyone.”

“Yeah, well it really hurt your mother.”

“And me,” Destiny chimed in from behind him.

She came over to Abbee and me, giving us both hugs, and then she punched me in the arm. “I’m mad at you.”

“Well step in line,” Sydney peeked in and said. Great. Sydney, Damien and baby Lucy came into the room and I knew I was going to get a tongue lashing for sure.

“What is this, everyone gang up on Justice and Abbee? We are happy. You all need to be happy for us,” I addressed them all.

“I heard and I’m glad as hell. Way to go, bro.” Sebastian walked in and gave Abbee a hug and kissed her on the cheek and then came to me and gave patted me on the back. “I would have done the same thing.” My little brother was getting wiser and wiser. He seemed so quiet, yet when he spoke his words were deep and meaningful. He may be a man of few words unlike me, but I was realizing just how alike we really were. I had never seen a bossy side with us, but maybe that was because he didn’t have a woman in his life. I had a feeling he was going to be hell on wheels when he found the right woman.

“Thanks, Sebastian,” I told him and messed up his hair.

“Hey watch the hair, dude” he said, and headed for the garage to get a beer with Damien in tow.

“Is everyone ready to say the blessing and eat dinner?” My mother came over to where we were all standing. My stomach growled again. Camden came over and stood between Abbee and me. He looked up at us and smiled. I was so glad he was happy about Abbee and me. We had had a really good time at the arcade. I think the most fun he had was when he was playing skeeball with Abbee. They had a blast.

We all said the blessing together and then sat down and started digging in. I loaded up Camden’s plate and he started eating with gusto. I watched Abbee put small portions on her plate. “Here, sweetheart, let me help you.” I took her plate from her and started piling it high with food.

“Justice, I can’t eat that much.” Her eyes got large. She was a petite little thing but who could pass up my ma’s cooking? It was the best.

“Eat what you can. What you don’t finish, I’ll eat.” I turned to Camden. “Buddy, remember, clean plate ranger.”

He looked up at me. “Yup.”

Ma, Abbee, Sydney, and Destiny began talking. The rest of us were fairly quiet concentrating on our food, we were hungry men with appetites after all. I looked around the table and smiled. There was nothing better than being here with my family. I had my son on one side of me and Abbee on the other. I couldn’t have been happier in this moment. I felt beyond blessed there was so much fucking love filling the room. Baby Lucy started babbling and I looked over at her and then Abbee. Again, I imagined her with a round belly carrying our child. I wanted that with her. I wanted to see a life grow inside of her a life that I had put there. Then I thought of the baby we lost and my smile faded. Someday…