Crystal

I wake up to the sound of him losing his temper. He yells at someone on the phone and I sit up in bed, my shirt had ridden up and I realize what he saw. Shit. I didn’t want him to. I bend my knees, lifting them to my chest, then rest my arms and head on them. He’s running his hands through his hair, tugging as he goes. He doesn’t see me until he turns to pace the floor. He pauses, not saying a word. “I’ll call you back,” he mutters into the phone. His intense stare is hitting me straight between my thighs. I’m no longer covered by the blanket and I wonder if he can see how turned on I am.

He sets the phone on the dresser without taking his eyes off me. I’m nervous because I know he’s mad. I don’t believe he’ll hurt me, but what if he doesn’t want me anymore?

“You didn’t tell me everything. In fact, now that I think about it, you didn’t tell me anything about what happened after I called you.”

“You didn’t ask. You were cocky, and I left with you.” His face alters to hide a slight disappointment. He must feel like I had no choice but to go home with him. I did though. I have enough money to rent a place, or I could’ve asked Morgan if I stay with her again. It wasn’t as if I was leaving for good yesterday. I just needed a break from the existence of Boomer.

“Well, now I’m asking. Tell me what happened.”

“That’s not asking, but seeing that you’re already pissed, I’ll tell you.” He jerks his head like I struck him. Then moves slowly towards the bed, sitting next to me.

“I’m not ever going to hurt you, Crystal. I’m mad, but at him, at myself, not you. This is some serious shit.”

“After you called, I hung up and went into the bedroom. I started to get my bags together. He called me out for a second. Nothing unusual about that. You know, I never feared him before. Then well, I told him to give me a minute because I was in my closet. He didn’t. He rushed into the room and slammed me onto the bed. He tried to kiss me, and I bit his lip. That’s when he punched me in my ribs. Then I beat his ass.

“You beat him?” I know I’m little and Corey is a giant half-muscle half-fat motherfucker.

I smile sheepishly because I don’t want him to think I’m all butch and stuff. I’m very girly, but don’t fuck with me. “Yes, I told you my brothers are MMA fighters. They’ve been training for years. My sister and I as well. I wasn’t going to let him hurt me.”

He lowers his head and presses it against my forehead. “I’m sorry, baby. I should have been there to protect you.” I slide my hands off my knees and cup his face. He’s so handsome and I know he has unnecessary guilt. As a man and former soldier, he’s used to protecting others. I look into his hazel eyes, then kiss him. It’s soft and tentative because I don’t know how to handle us just yet. He growls and deepens it, wrapping his arms around me and lowering us down on the pillows. He kisses me, long and hard. Losing control, our hands start roaming over each other. His hand comes up my shirt, grazing the bruise. Unable to stop myself, I flinch from the pain. And the moment is over. He pulls back, fixing my shirt then stands up, running his hand through his hair.

“I’m sorry,” I stammer out. It sucks that he pulled away and the mood is lost.

“For what, Tigress. You’re the one with the injuries I touched.”

“I’m sorry I flinched. I didn’t want you to stop.”

“It’s for the best. Trust me that when we go at it, I will not be holding back. At. All.” He makes his point and I know he’s going to fuck me until I can’t walk.

“I need to go to work, Crystal. If you want to run to the school and submit the stuff, you can use one of the cars in the garage.”

“Oh, they didn’t bring mine down, did they?” It’s not a great car and it’s ancient, but it’s the only one I have.

“Nope. You had the keys.”

“Besides, it’s a beater. We’ll sell it. And you can drive any here.” I roll my eyes because even though he’s bossy and presumptuous, I like that he’s worried about my safety, and it has broken down on me several times this year. I needed to invest in a new one, but I wanted some job stability first. I get off the bed and go downstairs where they left my belongings. I didn’t know where to tell them to put it, so I made them leave it there. I need some clothes to wear. They did a good job packing, but it bothers me that they were in my underwear drawer, and it’s the least organized box. It’s like they just dumped the contents inside it.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, just wondering if they went through my underwear or not.”

“No, they were told not to touch a single pair or I’d bury them.”

“Caveman.”

“Best believe it. I have to get ready. I’ll be out of the shower in ten.” He cuts out, darting up the stairs. I’m sorry to have missed the sight. I hear the buzzer, and thankfully Jackson taught me how to use the little security system. I can see it’s Morgan. I open the gate and she drives up with another woman I don’t know. Instant jealousy hits because Boomer’s upstairs showering.

“Who is it?” he asks.

“Your sister and some other woman. So, you better keep your naked ass upstairs.”

“Don’t worry. You’re the only one I want to see my dick and I want it to be soon,” he shouts before closing the bedroom door. I’m laughing too much as I answer the door.

“Hey, girlie!” Morgan says as she walks in.

“Hey. I didn’t know you were coming over.” I feel completely embarrassed.

“Stop it. Girl, you look like it’s a bad thing to be with my brother. I’m not tripping about it at all.” The other woman comes in and I have no idea who she is.

“Oh, sorry, let me introduce you to Blade’s sister Roxie. Roxie, this is my new bestie and my soon-to-be sister.”

“What? It’s not like that.”

“The fuck it ain’t, Tigress,” Boomer says as he joins us, completely dressed. Apparently, the shower was forgotten since his sister stopped over.

“Hey Morgan, Roxie. What brings you here this early?”

“Coffee and girl talk.”

“Well, Crystal is heading to the elementary school this morning.”

“Sure. We’ll go with you. Go get ready.”

“What are you up to?” he asks his sister.

“Nothing. Just want to hang with my friends.”

“Okay, but we still need to have a serious talk.”

“I know, I know.”

“Don’t give me attitude. I’m leaving, but don’t get my woman into trouble. Or you’ll be moving in here.”

“Fine. Have a good day. Did you make coffee?”

“No, I’ll stop at the diner and pick up a cup.”

“We need a Dunkin in this town,” Morgan complains.

“Like seriously, that would be a brilliant idea. I mean shit, there’s enough people to keep it operational.”

“Better yet, how about a coffee shop?” Boomer offers.

“Yes, especially since we won’t have to pay franchise fees or anything. I could totally open one,” Morgan informs us.

“Lay out your plans for me. I still have a few buildings worth using for it,” Boomer says.

“Are you serious, Garrett?” Morgan asks. There’s enthusiasm in her voice.

“Only if you are. I want you to be successful and happy, Morgan,” he says, pulling her in for a hug.

“Oh, I’ll prove it to you,” she exclaims. Then Boomer’s phone goes off.

“Excuse me a minute, ladies.” He walks down the hall to his home office. I took my own personal tour after he left yesterday.

“So…are you going to get ready? It’s better if you show up as early as possible. They are preparing for the new school year so there are no kids until next week. If we wait until they’re settled in maybe you can get an interview or even just give them your info. They really need teachers in a bad way. I mean, there’s only about six teaching kindergarten through fifth.”

“Wow, so it if I can’t get a job with them, then I must suck.”

“Ha. I think they’d except someone with a ‘C’ average at this point,” Roxie says. She’s been almost completely quiet. I don’t know if it’s because Morgan is a natural extrovert or Roxie doesn’t know me. I hope it’s not due to her being interested in my man. We’d have a problem if that’s the case.

“Well, come on. I’m going to make coffee while you change.”

“Okay.”

About an hour later, we make our way to Sam Houston Elementary. It’s a large building for a small range of students, but I assume it’s because they are planning on growing the school. As I get out of the car I'm a bundle of nerves. This is a big deal and I want to make a great impression. It's bad enough that I didn't schedule this appointment in advance so hopefully, they'll see me. I leave the girls in the car and head towards the entrance. I don’t want anyone to recognize Morgan. I’m not worried about them because at least four of Boomer’s prospects followed in a large SUV.

There's a cute little receptionist who lets me in the building. She’s got gray hair and it’s coifed into a nice tight bun. She’s probably in her mid to late forties and I wonder if she’s related to one of the few people I’ve met already. Her nameplate reads, Mrs. Patricia Daniels Main Office Receptionist.

“Hi, how can I help you?” she asks.

“Hello, I’m Crystal Miller and a fresh out of the box teacher. I'm interested in a position and was told there may be some opportunities here. She smiles widely before I even finish my short spiel.

“Have you brought your paperwork?”

“Yes, I have,” I reply with a matching grin. “Great. As it happens we are looking for new teachers. Our classes are getting larger and there are not enough teachers in the town. If you wait right here, I'll go speak with the principal.” She gets up and leaves with my paperwork. I look around and the office has a very friendly vibe. I smile as I think about the possibilities for the future. I know because Boomer owns the whole town or at least half of it with his brother, that I don’t need to work should we continue as more than whatever this is. But I’ve always wanted to give back. My parents worked hard and did the same. My mom’s a teacher and loves it. She’s retiring in the next few years, but I’ve always wanted that life.

It’s only another minute before she comes back out. “Mr. Daniels will come out shortly. He’s in the middle of a few things, but is very interested in meeting with you, Ms. Miller.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Daniels.” She’s the wife of the principal. I nod, then take a seat and admire the scenery. I turned off my phone before coming inside because I didn’t want to give off the impression that I was attached to it.

“So, did you just move into the area?” Mrs. Daniels asks.

“Yes, I was supposed to only visit a friend for a few weeks, but then I heard about a possible position. And well, if all things work out, I’ll move here permanently.

“That’s wonderful. I’m glad you decided to venture in.”

The door behind the receptionist opens and a tall, older man comes out. He’s just as distinguished and good-looking as his wife.

“Hello, Ms. Miller. I’m Thomas Daniels. Please come in.” He leads me into his office and I know immediately that he’s a little more than eager to have me here.

I hate that I’m leaving the girls out in the car, but it’s for the best. After about thirty minutes, I’ve got the job. It starts tomorrow as we prepare for the first week. I can’t wait to share the news with Boomer. I step out of the building with a smile as wide as my face. The girls are sitting on the hood of Morgan’s car with grins of their own.

“Girl, did you get it?” Morgan asks, meeting me halfway.

“Yes, I did,” I squeal. We bounce around in a small circle. “I have to call Boomer.”

“Get it, girl. Maybe he’ll want to celebrate a little later,” she says, nodding and winking. I’m surprised she’s not grossed out because it’s her brother.

I call and he picks up on the second ring. “Hey, Tigress, how did it go?”

“I got the job,” I squeak out.

“Congratulations. Does that mean you’re starting soon?”

“Yes, tomorrow actually. He ran a background check while we talked. You weren’t kidding when you said they needed people. I’ll be teaching kindergarten for now.”

“I’m so happy for you, baby.” I can hear a lot of machinery in the background.

“Where are you?” I ask.

“A demolition site in the next town over. I’ll be at the home office in about four hours.”

“Okay, but I’m going to shopping for more work appropriate clothes. I have some, but I feel like since I’m dealing with the younger kids, skirts and pretty blouses aren’t the way to go. In fact, they recommended sneakers and jeans.”

“Make sure the prospects stay with you. I don’t want you out of their sight.”

“It’s cool. I’ll be back to the house around the same time.”

“I can’t wait to see you.”

“Same here, Garrett.”

“Fuck, baby. You can’t call me by my name while I’m at work. I love hearing you say it. I’m fucking hard as hell now.”

“Well, there better not be any bitches around. That thing is hard to hide.”

“No, just men. Be good for me.”

“I’ll try.” I end the call before he can scold me. “Did I hear shopping?” Morgan cheers.

“Let’s go spend some money,” Roxie says. It’s one of the few things I’ve heard from her.

I’m so tired by the time we get back in the car and I think the prospects feel that way, too. “I need to get home and take off these damn heels.” I love my shoes and these red backs are my favorite, but after so many hours a girl needs rest. I can’t have Boomer seeing me walk around like a baby giraffe. All the way home, Morgan talks about her plans for the coffee shop. She jotted them down while they waited for me. They sound good and with a town of this size, I could see it doing well. It won’t be a big money maker, but any helps. Besides, there are moments when we all need coffee and we’re away from the house.

Morgan pulls up to the gate and it opens before she hits the code. I see Boomer standing on the porch. He comes down as Morgan parks. “Help her get all her shit. You have to be careful, Garrett. Your woman can shop.”

“And I bet you got twice as many for no reason.”

“You’d win that bet, sir,” she says. She’s bubbly and sweet. I hate that someone tried to take that sunshine away from her. I wonder if she’ll ever tell Boomer about it. She asked me privately today if I had. She seemed thrilled that I didn’t and that scares me. I’m stuck in the middle and have a feeling one day shit will hit the fan.