“Hey Care Bear.”
“My Biker Troll.”
I smile, “I’ve missed you, sweetheart.”
I open my arms and she walks into them. I wrap them around her.
“I’ve missed you too,” she whispers against my neck. I pull away slightly, looking at her. She’s so beautiful. There are tears shining in her eyes and they slowly leak to the surface, but it is okay. I know these are happy tears and I kiss them away. I bend down to graze my lips against hers, I mean it to be just a touch, but after all this time away from her? I can’t help but make it deeper.
My tongue pushes into her mouth, teasing, dancing with hers and I drink down her taste like a dying man savoring his last meal. I kiss her until neither of us have the air to continue. Then I just hold her close and place a kiss on her forehead.
“I’m sorry Care Bear, I know that’s not enough, but I’m so fucking sorry.”
“Just take me and munchkin home Jacob.”
With those words? I feel alive again.
Carrie
I
t’s late, but
I’m not sleepy. I’m lying in Jacob’s arms in our bed. He brought me home immediately. We made love, had a very late dinner and now I’m lying in his arms. I should be exhausted, but I can’t shut my brain down. It is impossible. When you’ve lived your whole life for one dream and that dream is in your arms? When you get that dream after thinking it was gone forever? You can’t sleep. You’re afraid to sleep.
Jacob pulls my hand up, looking at it. His thumb presses into my palm, his fingers brush against mine.
“What are you thinking?” I ask, watching as he continues playing with my hand, curling my fingers and his together.
“I’m better Carrie, losing you woke me up, but…”
“But?”
“You have to know, I’m not magically healed. I still… shit Carrie…panic is just a breath away. I’m terrified of you touching me sometimes. I have this anger inside of me and there are times I just want to scream. I can’t promise that you won’t, that I…”
He turns to get out of the bed and I stop him, curling tighter into him.
“Jacob. I’ve known about your attack since before the first time we made love. Don’t you think I get it? We’ll get through it together.”
“Carrie, I wasn’t attacked…I was…”
“You were forced,” I interrupt him, my heart breaking. “You didn’t do anything, Jacob.”
“You can’t pretty it up, Carrie. This…there is no way to make this pretty. I was raped.”
The last word is broken and whispered so quietly it breaks my heart.
“It happens, Jacob. I… it happens.”
I feel helpless and ill equipped to battle this. I want to have this magic word to heal him and there’s nothing. I have nothing.
“It doesn’t happen, not to a man. How can you want me, Carrie? I wasn’t even strong enough to defend myself. How can I protect you or our baby?”
“Stop it, just stop it. You were held down and stabbed and you fought with everything you had in you.”
“How do you…”
“The dreams Jacob, the dreams and that scar on your side. Most of all I know, because
I know you
. Rape is a crime. You were a victim, not weak. You’re one of the strongest men I know.”
“Carrie…”
“When I was five years old crying and hurt in the school parking lot all by myself, who picked me up, doctored my leg, held me and told me he had me? Who told me it would be okay? Who Jacob?”
“Sweetheart, you were…”
“When I was the one who was almost raped Jacob, who stopped it? Who stopped it and held me close and told me he had me and it would be okay?”
“Carrie….”
“If I had been raped Jacob, would you have thought me weak? Would you have been unable to care about me?”
“Fuck, no. I love you, Care Bear.”
I let the tears fall at his words, but I ignore them, this is too important.
“When I had a gun pointed at me and thought I was going to die. Who saved me, Jacob? Who made it all okay? Who?”
He doesn’t say anything, but he looks at me differently.
“When there was a bomb and we didn’t have time to get away, who not only got us out but covered me with his body and protected me? Who made it all okay?”
“Carr…”
“Who Jacob?”
“What about all the times I failed you. When I hurt you? When I failed…”
“WILL YOU STOP? When it counts Jacob, always, when it has counted you have been there for me. I would trust you over anyone I have ever known to watch over our child. Let the rest go. We’ll work through it, together.”
“Together?” He asks and I hear the hope in his question.
“It’s all going to be okay, Jacob,” I say earnestly.
“And we’ll live happily ever after,” He whispers, his voice full of warmth.
His lips come down softly against mine. He kisses me gently, reverently and slowly. His tongue slides into my mouth as his hand brushes the side of my face. The kiss is full of emotion, full of tenderness and most of all, full of promise.
“I love you, Carolina Grace.”
“I love you, Jacob
Dancer
Blake.”
“Just Jacob to you baby, just to you.”
“Okay that’s it,” I say slapping his chest. “Stop being sweet. I need my badass Biker now.”
“Is that right?” He asks on a laugh, pulling me over top of him.
“Yeah, I’m a biker’s old lady now, so there are certain things expected.”
“What’s that?”
I give him what I hope is a saucy look, full of challenge.
“Cock. Old Ladies need lots of throbbing, hard cock.”
His head goes back with laughter and his dark eyes shine up at me with happiness.
“I’ll see what I can do, Care Bear. I’ll see what I can do.”
Dancer
I
hold Carrie
close. The last round of lovemaking wore her out. Me too, but it’s a good feeling. I find myself studying her hand again. For so long I feared being touched, still do. Yet, now there’s something different…something special in the feel of Carrie’s hand. I haven’t let her touch me everywhere, but I’ve let her do more than I ever dreamed possible and she’s right. It’s a start. I can face the future with her by my side.
I watch her sleep. She has a smile on those beautiful lips and I take pride in knowing that I put it there. I gave her that smile. I vow to give her more of those.
My hand slides down to Carrie’s stomach, resting gently where our baby is. I told her I believe it’s a girl. The truth is, I don’t care. Girl or boy as long as it is healthy and Carrie is okay, I will be the happiest man on the planet.
I let the darkness surround me. I listen to the delicate whispers of her breath. I let that soothe me. I let that be my focus as sleep takes hold of me. I let Carrie be what she has always been, my anchor and the reason I exist.
Sleep claims me and tonight, I don’t dream of the darkness. I don’t dream of pain and misery. This dream is completely different. I am standing in a hospital room, I watch as a nurse wraps mine and Carrie’s baby in a blanket. She puts a beanie cap on this perfect, little head. A head covered with light strands of hair, the color of her mom’s. The nurse looks at me, but my eyes won’t leave that of my beautiful daughter.
“Mr. Blake? Would you like to hold your baby?”
“What?” I ask, trying to pay attention, but still hypnotized by this little creature.
“I asked if you’d like to hold your baby, Daddy.”
Daddy
. That one word shatters the darkness and heals my soul. That one word gives me…Peace.
And they lived happily ever after.
Read on for a teaser for what happens next with the Savage Brothers MC
Claiming Crusher
Coming in 2015
I
push my
chair back tilting it and bringing my feet up, I rest them on my desk. My eyes follow the perfect crease in my three thousand dollar Armani suit. You have to pay for perfection, demand it really. From where I am sitting I can see my secretary buttoning up her black, silk blouse.
A shame really, because it will ultimately cover up the marks I left moments earlier on her body. I had come oh so close to choking the life out of her. She blacked out this time. Just the memory of it causes my dick to jump and I wonder how quick I can finish this call. Will I have time to take her again, before my next meeting? Maybe I’ll force her to suck me off and hide under my desk. If she’s a good little dog, I’ll give her what she wants later. She’s always begging for it. As dangerous as I am, she still craves more. It’s good, it’s an aphrodisiac knowing she’s getting off on it—but only because it makes me push it further. I have to, because if not, I don’t get to see the fear in her eyes and motherfucker, I crave the fear.
“Hurry Donald, I have someone waiting on me.”
At my words, my secretary turns and looks at me, her brown eyes flash in understanding.
I take my feet down, slide my seat back another couple of inches and motion under my desk. She walks towards me, but I shake my head no. She stops instantly, such a good little pet.
Naked.
I mouth the word. She nods her understanding and begins undressing.
“Mr. Kavanagh, we’ve found her.”
I freeze. The little bitch has been missing for four fucking years.
“Where?” I demand, waving my secretary off. My dick being jammed down her throat is the last thing on my mind now. She picks up her clothes and quickly exits, having seen this mood enough to know to run for cover.
“She’s in a small town in Eastern Kentucky.”
“No fucking way.”
“Yes sir, do we apprehend her and bring her to you?”
I consider this as it would be the easiest and ultimately the cleanest alternative. But alas, I do not do clean nor easy.
“No. Watch her, evaluate the situation. I want pictures tonight. I will decide after that.”
“Yes sir, there might be one slight issue.”
My hand tightens on the receiver. I will not have anything stand in my way now. It will not happen.
“That is?” I prompt.
“She seems to have taken up with a gang.”
“A gang? That does not sound like Melinda. Perhaps your incompetence is showing again, Donald.”
“No sir, the hair is different, but this is definitely Mrs. Kavanagh.”
“A gang?”
“A motorcycle gang, I believe they call themselves the Savage Brothers.”
A motorcycle gang? Well, well. My Melinda never ceases to amaze, too bad I’m going to kill her.
“I expect a detailed report tonight. Do not disappoint, Donald.”
“Yes, sir.”
I hang the phone up and turn my seat around to stare at the landscape of the downtown Manhattan skyline. The different shapes and sizes of the skyscrapers jut and point in a strange pattern which is strangely beautiful. The water in the distance is calm and the blue reflects and shines in the sun. My hands grip tight on the arms of my leather, cushioned chair.
Finally Melinda is in my grasp. I vow she will not get away this time.
Thank you for purchasing Saving Dancer Book 2 of the Savage Brothers MC. I hope you enjoyed it. A Wedding Novella will be out soon entitled
Loving Nicole
and look for more of
Claiming Crusher
in the summer of 2015.
TURN THE PAGE FOR AN EXCITING EXCERPT FROM THE AMAZING MAYRA STRATHAM’S NEW BOOK
ETCHED IN STONE
April
Excerpt of Etched in Stone, Book 2 of Six Degrees Series by Mayra Statham
Liz
Two Months Later
Edwards Automotive Charity Breast Cancer Gala
E
very part of
my body aches.
My shoulders are burning from hand rolling the various types of dough for different pastries. My feet are aching from being on them since three this morning. It doesn’t help that I stuffed them into incredibly sexy peep-toe pink sling backs that Lucy let me borrow, because they went perfect with my dress.
My hands feel heavy and are probably swollen, but as I gaze at the table in front of me, all I can do is let the feeling of accomplishment flow freely through me. All the aches and pains are completely worth it as I look at the extravagant dessert table in front of me.
It’s incredibly satisfying to see the fruits of your labor. Being able to mix simple ingredients, like flour and sugar with your own hands and somehow magically they become beautiful pieces of edible art.
The table is beautiful, exquisite really. Better than I dreamed possible.
I admire the long beautiful table draped in expensive cream tablecloths that probably cost more than what I’m wearing, excluding Lucy’s shoes. It made my beauties even more beautiful, they were definitely worth the investment. Tess, my business partner and friend, thought I was nuts spending that much on tablecloths.
Sweet sophistication!
My edible art is sitting and waiting on beautifully colored cake stands arranged at different heights with accent trays in shades of pink and cream. The cream puffs sit in the center of the table, gorgeous and fresh. While some have powdered sugar sifted on top, others are drizzled with chocolate to add a little more sweetness. Some have a dollop of cream and a piece of a locally grown strawberry sitting on top. The cupcakes, I agree with Tess, she had been right to add the iridescent powder that made them sparkle under the soft lighting in the elegant Beverly Hills Hotel’s Crystal Room. Rectangular trays hold a variety of cannoli. Mini strawberry cheesecakes float at different elevations on the expensive pink tinted crystal cake stands. The two employees that will be manning the table are already standing by, dressed in pastry chef uniforms, white and pristine. They are the perfect finishing touch.
I watch Tess chat with Laney, the owner of Ritz Events. Who also happens to be the Gala’s event coordinator and they are both smiling. A huge wave of relief sweeps through me, it is obvious that Laney is extremely happy with the dessert table. Our bakery, Izzy Tizzy’s, is making a name for itself in Southern California.
I love that, at our bakery, we cater to everyone. We appeal to the stay at home mom seeking a moment of refuge, Hollywood celebrities, even to the workers from the industrial side of town picking up their morning breakfast and coffee. However, the obscene price we are paid by the rich and famous makes me nervous. Even after a full year of being in business, I constantly worry that my creations aren’t good enough for the clientele we serve.