CHAPTER FIFTEEN

TYSON

“Where is she?” I keep my head down, tighten the last bolt on the wooden beach swing us guys built for the women, and cringe from the screeching, high-pitched voice hollering at me. My hands clench at my sides. I recognize that tone. It sounds just like her sister. The sarcastic thing is, Lynne’s voice is full of kindness, whereas this voice has malicious animosity dripping from the fangs ready to suck the blood out of you. It shrieks spoiled brat. Goddamn. I hate these fucking people.

Lynne has blocked them all from her phone. Tossed every photograph in a box and swears she feels less emotional stress, and here comes the killer princess to try and cause her havoc. I know damn well Richard passed on the message that she is done with all of them. My guess is, she’s here for her own selfish reasons. Her mother sent her to do her dirty work. I’ll bet my ass on it. Hell, I’d bet my life. She probably doesn’t have a clue what the fuck it is he’s done. Wouldn’t matter to Laney anyway when all she cares about is what it’s going to look like. Dumb-ass bitter bitch.

It’s been a little over a week since we went to see Thomas. Every time we call, he tells us the same damn thing. “It’s the state. They move on their time.” I don’t think they realize that we don’t have time. This isn’t a normal adoption. Lynne should be able to jump right through the hoops of every law invented to adopt a foster child. They are her brothers, for fuck’s sake.

The problem with all of that is, her father could be ten steps ahead of us before the state even lets us know.

She’s been going out of her mind with worry. Even though Jude and Theo came back with the best news for her, she still is. Those kids want to be with her so bad that they begged the Hills to talk to Lynne.

The genius that Jude is made it happen. They’ve been video chatting nonstop. Even I’ve met them on screen and Christ, they are wonderful.

They look so much alike it’s crazy, and yet every time I see them, I know which one is which.

Their personalities are different. They both love to talk, except I noticed Jacob uses his hands when he does, whereas Joshua tends to be so loud Lynne is constantly telling him to lower his voice. That’s one of the reasons for this swing. He can be as loud as he wants to be out here playing while she watches them. There’s another thing I noticed about them right away, too. Jacob’s eyes are a darker shade of green than his brother’s, and thank fuck they resemble their biological mother more than they do Richard. I mean, you can see him in them, but Lynne was right when she said they are nothing like that bastard at all.

On top of all of that, she’s been working her ass off at her office. Patients are booking, and she’s even negotiating a contract with the hospital to be on call one night a week for emergency situations.

I sigh, glance up to Jude and Tyson, who are now walking toward me with beers in their hands and deep frowns on their faces. It’s obvious they don’t like our visitor, either.

“Tyson, please tell us where she is. She’s our sister. We’re worried about her.” Ah, so both of her bitchy-ass sisters decided to show up. This voice sounds more like their mother. Straight up bitch. Thank God, all the women are off doing whatever the hell women do. Shopping and nails. Hell, I have no clue. As long as Lynne continues to smile every day, she can go off and do whatever the hell she wants. But these soul suckers here, they will never speak to her again if I have my way about it.

“Her sisters?” Jude queries, bends his head to stare them down over his glasses, and passes me a beer. I nod.

Taking a long swig, I finally turn toward them, lift my shirt, and wipe the sweat off my face. I’m dirty as fuck, smell just as bad, and they couldn’t have picked a better time to show up here. They think I’m the thin layer of scum floating around on top of the water. Well, I’m about to show them that I own the whole dirty-ass pond.

“It’s obvious she isn’t here. If she were, you’d be gone already.” I can see them both rolling their eyes from where I stand. Bitches. The fucker inside of me wants to verbally call them that and so much more. But the man in me taps it down. Now, if her mother were with them, I’d call her and these little minions a hell of a lot worse than bitches.

“They afraid to get their shoes dirty or what?” I bust out laughing at Jude’s comment. One look at them and he has them pegged.

“It appears so. I bet those thousand-dollar shoes are perfectly lined up on the edge of the grass. God forbid the witches get sand in their shoes,” I sputter. These women have always brought out the worst in me. Never could stand either one of them.

“Well, can you at least tell us if she’s…”

“If she’s what? Alright? Depressed? Climbed back in her hole? I’m not telling you shit, except to get the hell out of here. She doesn’t want anything to do with you. What part of that don’t you understand? For fuck’s sake, leave her alone. She’s finally living. I’m so sick of this shit coming from you people that I’m about ready to start slapping people upside the heads.”

And she is living. In spite of her being worried, Lynne is blossoming in every direction. Especially with Cora and Vivian. I’ve never seen her this happy, and I’ll continue to be the son of a bitch I am to make sure she stays that way. I’m tired of this shit. It’s messing with my head. Women or not, if they have the guts to show up here, then they better accept what’s going down. They aren’t getting anywhere near her. Not one of them.

“We’re her sisters. We love her. We’ve done nothing for her to cut us out of her life.” Hearing Larissa say that causes me to snap. I’m going to rain the wrath of hell on them. They can take it right back to their parents for all I care.

“I’m going to say this one time. I suggest you listen.” I stalk their way. My eyes feral. My body is all kinds of tensed up. “You have no control here. In fact, you do not exist after today. Love isn’t a convenience. It doesn’t come with a price tag that deflates your wallet or your time. It doesn’t come with one at all. It’s freely given. And neither one of you have given it to her. If you loved her, you would have known the hell she went through. You would have put a stop to what your parents did to her, and she would be my wife. Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with all of you?” I don’t even flinch when tears start streaming down Larissa’s face. I know she’s been the only one who has tried to make peace within her family. Peace isn’t what Lynne needed. She needed them to stand up for her. She needed her fucking sisters.

They both take several steps back as if my words slapped them across their face. I hope they run back home scared. Tell Daddy I attacked them, too.

“Is she happy?” Larissa asks.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It most certainly is. Our mother won’t leave her house. She’s worried.” This is coming from Laney. She’s so much like her mother it literally makes me sick.

“Do you really think I don’t have anything up here to know what the fuck you all are trying to do?” I point to my head. “It was my business years ago when she had cancer. You sure the fuck weren’t worried about her then. Did you make it my business? Did you come and find me so I could help her? Fuck, no, you didn’t. I’m going to tell you the same thing I told your father when he stepped onto this property. If you ever come back here again, I’ll toss your asses in jail. Leave her alone. We do not want you here. She’s tired of you interfering, and this time there isn’t a thing any of you can do to rip us apart. For God’s sake. Get a clue. You can leave now. I’m done wasting my time on you. And ask your mother to tell you the truth about why she isn’t leaving her house.” I turn my back on them the same way they did her. I head straight to the ocean, where Jude and Riddick are, knowing full well they’ll be gone when I turn around. The part of me that loves Lynne wishes they would stick around and show Lynne they truly do love her. They won’t. Our mother is worried about her. Who the hell do they think they’re talking to? Ellen won’t leave because she scared Lynne will run to the press if all hell breaks loose. Dumb as a fucking rock. Every last one of them.

“Damn. This situation is similar to Cora’s in certain ways yet different. How can people come from the same set of parents and one be loving and caring, while the rest are made up of evil?”

“I wish I knew, Riddick. If I did, our women wouldn’t have gone through hell,” I respond.

“I don’t get why everyone is so hell-bent on talking to her. It’s driving me fucking crazy trying to figure this family out. I can’t find a damn thing on any of them. Other than Richard’s infidelity.”

Something about that word ‘infidelity’ doesn’t sit well with me. It’s a nagging intuition that drives me to ask Jude to step up his game one more time.

“Jude, brother. I need you to do something for me, and I need it quick.”

***

“Thank you for sticking up for me today.” I shoot Lynne an arrogant grin, then grab her by her ass and tug her down to me. Her long legs straddle my hips. Her hair in those two short, messy braids is making my brain go straight to the gutter.

I wanted to wait until after dinner after we had our nightly chat with the boys to drop this shit on her. She knew something was wrong the minute she walked through the door with several bags of items she bought at some second-hand store she loves. Entirely different than the women who stepped out of their fancy-ass car today.

That’s the thing about her and me. One of the many things time can’t erase. Simply put, we know each other, and when something is weighing heavily on the other person’s mind, everything else waits. Whatever is bothering us, we were always putting that first. That will never change.

I asked Jude to check into something for me. This something could lift the last nail in Lynne’s coffin if my notion is spot-on. She could finally be free of every last one of them. Move the fuck on and we can start our lives together. Me, her, and the kids. My gut is telling me I have this all figured out. The guys, too, after I told them what was rumbling inside of my head. Now I feel guilty as fuck for not sharing this with her. I can’t do it. Not until I know for sure. So, right now, I’m thankful her sisters showed up. Keeps us both distracted from what’s really pondering away on my mind.

I meant it when I said she’s unbreakable. She is. But this will prove it more than anything. It will show her that she has the upper hand. That she can call their bluff and beat them at a game she’s been trailing behind in for years. It will shut them all up. For good.

“They’ll be back. I’m sure of it.” I grab her ass and grind my cock into her pussy. My attention going back to her.

She lets out a deep sigh. Frowns for a split second and presses her body into me. God, she feels so good. Here in my arms. Our devotion to see our lives become one hanging in the thick pull of the air. No matter what happens, I got her.

“I’m sure they will. Either that or I’ll see them in court. I don’t want to talk about them anymore. They don’t exist, remember?” I remember, alright. It’s her I’m worried about. She claims it doesn’t bother her when I know it does. Lynne may have it in her to despise her parents, but her sisters? Not so much.

“I don’t have an issue with you having a relationship with them.” Biggest lie I’ve ever told.

“Tyson. I will always care about them, but no. When this all comes out, they will be on his side. They haven’t changed one bit. They didn’t come here because they care about me. They came here to upset me. I mean it. I’m better off without them all. In the little time I’ve had to get to know Cora and Vivian, they’ve made up for all I’ve lost with Larissa and Laney. I don’t need them. I need you. The boys. Our family. Trust me.” Right there I remind myself why I fell in love with her in the first place. She has a heart so full of love to give you can’t help but gravitate toward her. The same goes for all the women in our lives. It sucks her family can’t see that. Sucks for them, because they honestly have no clue what they are missing.

“I love you.” Those three words easily come out of nowhere. I’ve been dying to tell her. To hear her say it back to my face. Now seems like the best time to tell her. It has nothing to do with her family. Nothing to do with anyone except her and me.

Love doesn’t even come close to what I feel for her. There isn’t a word to describe it. There’s nothing stronger, purer than falling so deep that it’s the only thing in your life that you are sure of.

A smile as bright as the sun soars across her beautiful face. Every one of her smiles seems to be better than the last. She unmans me with them. Leaves marks all over me when I see happiness settling deep in her bones.

Dark green eyes glisten back at me. I wait. My breath is floating between the thin space separating my mouth from hers.

“I’ve waited and dreamed for so long to hear you say that. I love you more than anything, Tyson Corelli.” Christ. My dick. Hanging by a string. Pulled. Toward her.

“I know, baby.” In time, I hope I can call her a Corelli. Maybe have a couple twins running around this house with the same last name. Time will tell. We have so much of it now.

“This isn’t moving too fast for us, is it?” She sighs, eyes open big and wide.

“Fuck, no. It’s been moving around the orbit for long enough. Besides, I could give a shit what others think. This is our story. Everyone else can go fuck themselves.”

“I think I heard something similar to that not long ago.” She giggles. Grinds down on me and slides her hands up my arms. Wrapping them around my neck.

I’m content. At ease. And then she ups the ante when her fingers skim down my chest, twine around my back and straight into the band of my shorts.

“These need to come off.” They sure the hell do.

She scoots back a hair, slips her hands to cup my ass, and I lift enough to help her guide them down. Her eyes are erotically wild. When she licks her lips, my cock can’t help but leap into a straight-up standing position. He’s more than ready for her attention. Eager as fuck to have her wrap those lips around him and suck.

“Jesus. Fuck,” I roar. My head is instantly slamming back against the couch when she cups my balls and rolls them. She slides the rest of the way off me. My fucking head lolls to the side when I see her head dive down, her mouth open up, and her tongue start sliding up my length.

Tranced. Every damn time.

“Lynne.” She ignores me. Her fingers are wrapping around my base. He mouth is in tune with her hand as she starts a wicked little game of hand-mouth combo on my dick. Up then down in synced momentum.

I don’t think she realizes what she does to me. The power she has and holds. Christ Almighty. If she stops right now, I’m going to lose one hell of an orgasm.

“Not going to bullshit, Lynne. Your mouth is driving me insane. Won’t take but a few more minutes and I’m going off down your throat. Don’t think for a damn minute we’re stopping there, either.” She glances up at me with eyes as bright as a stick of dynamite about to go off. They are on fucking fire.

“Shit,” I groan. My balls are squeezing tight in the palm of her hand. She knows how to play, to win, and I’m fighting like a bull not to grab her braids, yank her head back, and come all over her tits.

I roar out her name when the urge to release hits me hard. My body goes still. Everything around me fades away. Except her. The woman on her knees in front of me.

“Get up here, dirty girl.”