~Ben~

This, right here, is everything I’ve ever wanted in my life. She fits perfectly in every way. Her body is absolutely every fantasy I’ve had, but more than that, we fit together like this, curled up together, like two pieces of a puzzle.

I kiss her head, and keep playing with her hair, tickling the back of her neck where her sexy little tattoo is, and I can tell by her sweet little moans that it feels good.

“I was young,” I begin, not exactly excited to tell this story. “And in college.”

“It’s amazing how many stories begin with that.” She snorts and traces the muscles in my upper arms, along with the tattoos there. Ironically, the one she’s tracing right now is her tattoo.

“Someone should put a book together of stories that start that way,” I reply.

“I’m sure it’s already been written.”

“Hm.” I kiss her lips when she tips her head back.

“Okay, keep going.”

“Okay, so I was young and stupid, and I can’t confirm or deny, but I might have also been drunk.”

“So you were drunk…”

I laugh and keep going. “I’d already started my right sleeve, so I went in to this tattoo and piercing place pretty regularly, and there was this girl.”

“The other way most stories start.”

“Yes. But I have to say, if you’re uncomfortable—”

“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “You’re no virgin, Ben. Keep talking.”

“So, this girl was the piercer at the tattoo shop, and the guy who did my tats set me up with her. She was nice enough, not much drama, pretty fun to hang out with.”

“How long did you date her?”

“Oh, maybe three months?” I shrug. “Not long because she eventually talked me into getting the piercing.”

“And is this a Prince Albert or an Apa?” she asks, and I have to stop and stare at her.

“How do you know the names of these?”

“Um, I’m not dumb,” she says and slaps my arm. “And I went to college, too.”

“Right.” I don’t want to think about that. “This is a Prince Albert. And we stopped dating because once this happened, I was sore for about six months. She didn’t warn me that that was a side effect.”

“I always thought it was an urban myth that the piercing did anything for the girl during sex, but I can now attest that it’s true.”

“Really?” Now I’m fascinated. I push her onto her back so I have better access to the rest of her body. “How so?”

“Well, it definitely brushed against the other urban myth several times.”

“Your G spot?”

“Oh yeah,” she says, nodding vigorously. “Definitely found that sweet little spot.”

“Huh.” I rub her belly, tracing circles around her navel. “I know how to find that spot without the metal.”

“I doubt it.”

I cock a brow. “You don’t believe me?”

She shrugs one shoulder as if it’s no big deal. “Most men think they know how to find it, and most definitely don’t.”

“Shall we bet on it?”

“What would you like to bet?”

She’s smiling so widely, her hazel eyes shining with humor and lust, and it’s all I can do not to pin her down and fuck her mindless.

“The loser has to order pizza and get dressed to get it when it arrives.”

She moves her head from side to side, as if she’s thinking it over, and finally nods. “Deal.”

Oh, sweetheart, you’re about to lose this bet.

I kiss her pubis and urge her legs apart. She readily complies and when I position myself between her thighs and glance up at her, she’s staring down at me with pure lust and hunger.

I kiss the crease of her leg and her pussy and she grins. “That’s not it.”

“Ha ha.”

I push two fingers inside her and make a come here motion that sends her head back on the pillow, thrashing back and forth.

“Holy shit!”

I grin and keep going, adding my thumb to her clit, and watch in fascination as she comes hard. She reaches above her to push on the headboard as her cheeks and neck flush. When I feel the last spasms, I pull my fingers out and smile up at her.

“I want sausage on my pizza.”

“How do you know it worked?”

I can’t help it, I stop and stare at her for a second and then bust up laughing, pulling her to me.

“You crack me up.”

“I guess it’s a win-win for me,” she says. “I just had another orgasm and I get pizza.”

“That’s a great way of looking at it.”

“Are you hungry now?” She’s searching for something, frowning.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t find my phone.”

“It’s probably still in the pool room. I’ll go get it.”

I dash down the hall and find the pool room just as we left it, the lights still on, balls scattered on the table. Her handbag is in the couch, so I just grab the whole thing and bring it back to her. She’s sitting on the side of the bed, her clothes already back on.

“Oh, thanks.”

“You got dressed.”

“Well, yeah. I have to order pizza and get it from the delivery guy. I don’t think you want me answering the door in my birthday suit.”

“No, but I wasn’t ready for you to get dressed yet either.”

“Don’t sulk,” she says as she pulls her phone out of her bag. She frowns when she looks down. “Beau’s been blowing up my phone.”

“Go ahead and call him.”

She nods and presses the phone to her ear. It doesn’t take him long to answer.

“Hey, what’s up?” She’s silent as she listens, and then her eyes widen and she smiles happily. “Really? She is? Oh my God, Beau.” Her eyes fill with tears and she sniffles. “Of course I’m crying. No, they’re happy tears. Oh, I’m so happy for you. Please hug her for me, and tell her I want to see her tomorrow. Okay. Good night.”

“Well?”

“Did he blow up your phone too?”

“I don’t have any idea where my phone is,” I reply. “I’ve had other things on my mind.”

“Well, Mallory is going to have a baby.” She pulls a tissue out of her bag and blows her nose. Jesus, what else do women carry in those things?

“That’s awesome.”

“I know.” And now she breaks down in tears again. “She’s always been afraid to have kids because the girls in her family inherit her paranormal abilities, but Beau is so good for her, and I’m so h-h-happy for them.”

“I see that.” I tug her hand and pull her up into my arms, rocking us both back and forth. I wonder if she’s torn when one of her siblings says they’re going to have a baby. Is she happy for them and sad for herself at the same time?

I don’t want to ask her that now. I don’t want any ghosts here tonight. So I kiss her temple and wipe the tears away.

“We’ll congratulate them tomorrow.”

She nods, the tears drying up.

“Are you hungry?” I ask.

“Yes.”

“Let’s order that pizza then.”

***

“Today was a kick-my-ass day,” Ethan, my general manager, says the following evening as we’re closing up the studio.

“Anything you need help with?” I ask him.

“No, nothing crazy, just busy. I had two women come in together today and join Shelly’s class.”

“That’s great.” I started that class right after we all discovered just how badly Savannah’s ex-husband abused her. “We might have to add another of her classes each week. It’s pretty full.”

“It’s great for us, but it’s fucking sad that there are that many women who need to defend themselves against men who are supposed to love them.”

“And that’s just the ones who have discovered the class and are brave enough to come,” I reply.

“I know.” He sighs. “I have some more paperwork to catch up on, but I’ll be right behind you.”

“I can stay.”

“No, I’ll literally be thirty seconds behind you. I’ll lock up on my way out.”

“All right, man, have a good night.”

He waves me off and I snag my keys off my desk. It’s after dark, but that’s not unusual on Thursdays when I work late. I don’t expect my staff to always take the evening classes, and I don’t mind doing them, so I teach late on Thursdays.

I walk out of the door and take two steps toward my car when I’m suddenly grabbed on both sides.

“What the fuck?”

I spin, almost freeing myself, but two more men join them. They’re massive, outweighing me by at least fifty pounds each.

“Take my wallet,” I say, hoping one of them loosens his grip on me long enough to grab for it, but no such luck.

Thug number three punches me, square in the mouth, cutting it open.

I kick up, using the first two as leverage, but they grab my legs. Thank God I’m fast and I pull back before they can plant their elbow in my shin, breaking it.

“Hey!” I hear Ethan yell and they immediately drop me, but just before they let go completely, Thug One mutters in my ear.

“Stay away from her.”

And then I’m lying on the street and the four of them are running away.

“What the fuck?” Ethan asks as he helps me to my feet.

“That’s what I said.” I dab my lip. It’s bleeding.

“They’re wearing masks,” he says as we watch them disappear into the night.

“And they didn’t say much,” I reply. “Let’s go back in so I can grab a towel. I’m not going straight home from here.”

“No problem.” He picks my keys up from the sidewalk. “Did they mug you?”

“No.” I follow him into the studio. “I told them to take my wallet, hoping they’d loosen their grip on me, but they didn’t take it.”

He narrows his eyes.

“I think it was one of our girls’ ex-husband. He said, stay away from her.”

“Assholes,” Ethan mutters. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, the lip is the worst of it.” I shake my head and toss the bloodied towel in the hamper. “I’m gonna go get a drink with my friends. Would you like to join us?”

“Nah, my wife has dinner waiting.” He smiles. “We need security cameras outside, now that we have the girls coming here. Obviously their exes are pissed.”

“Of course they are. The women they got off on hurting can hurt them back now.” I nod and hold the door for Ethan, then lock it behind us. “And you’re right. I’ll make some calls tomorrow.”

We’re parked near each other, and soon Ethan waves as he gets in his car and heads home to his wife.

I’m going to The Odyssey, the bar Declan and his wife co-own, to meet up with the guys. It’s in the Quarter, which is hopping tonight. Spring always brings more tourists to New Orleans. I park about a block away from the restaurant.

“Hey,” Eli calls out, catching my attention. They’re all gathered around the bar.

They’re all here, which is rare these days with everyone busy with their own lives. Declan is behind the bar with his friend, and the other co-owner of the bar, Adam. Beau, Eli, Rhys, and Simon are sitting on stools, nursing beers and flipping each other shit.

That’s what we do.

“You’re late,” Rhys says, then frowns when he sees my face. “Who gave you the fat lip?”

This attracts all of their attention, but I wave it off. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Here’s some ice,” Adam says. “What does the other guy look like?”

“There were four of them,” I reply, starting to feel sore where the fuckers grabbed me, and my lip is swelling like a son of a bitch. “Jumped me outside of work.”

“Jesus, Ben,” Beau says with a frown. “Mugging?”

“No, I think it’s one of the students in Shelly’s class’s ex.” I shrug and take a sip of cold beer. “I’m going to have to beef up security outside.”

“How do you know that’s what it was?” Simon asks.

“One of them told me to stay away from her.”

I take another sip, thinking it all over. “You guys don’t think it could have been related to Lance, do you?”

They all frown and Eli shakes his head no. “He’s in prison. And no one here is going to help him.”

“He’s in maximum security,” Beau adds. “I sincerely doubt it has anything to do with Savannah. What you suggest makes the most sense.”

“You’re right.”

“I never thought I’d see the day that Ben got his ass kicked,” Adam says with a smile.

“Oh, you should have seen him last week,” Eli says. “Savannah gave him a shiner.”

“Shut up,” I reply, glaring at my so-called friend.

“This is not good advertising for your business,” Simon says, joining in on their fun. He’s the newest man to join our fold, marrying Charly about a year ago.

“Sure it is,” Rhys says, slapping me on the back. “He’s a walking billboard for why people need to take his class.”

They all laugh, and I join in. It’s ridiculous. I haven’t taken this many shots without giving it back ten-fold in years.

I’ll be working out extra hard this week.

“Congratulations, man,” I say to Beau and lean in for a man-hug. “Was this a surprise?”

“Yes and no,” he says with a shrug. “We decided that we would like to have kids, so we threw birth control out the window, and she got pregnant the first month.”

“Over-achievers,” Rhys says with a grin.

“Are you having more babies?” Declan asks Rhys who shakes his head.

“No, we’re happy with the two we have. I got snipped last year.”

We all stare at him in horror.

“It’s far easier for me to take care of it than for her, so why not? I protect her. That’s what I fucking do.”

“Good man,” Simon says with a nod.

“What about you guys?” Eli asks.

“Charly and I don’t want children,” he replies with a shrug. “And you’re all reproducing enough for us to spoil and love them. Changing nappies isn’t really my forte.”

“I don’t think changing nappies is any of our forte,” Eli says. “But I sure change my fair share.”

“Are we really talking about babies in a bar?” Declan asks. “Here, let’s do a shot. We’re grown men for Christ’s sake.”

We laugh, and I pass on the shot. One beer is plenty for me.

“So, what exactly are the girls doing over at Van’s place?”

“Another séance,” Beau says with a sigh. “But Mallory said there aren’t any spirits in Van’s house, so I’m pretty sure it was just an excuse to get together.”

“Gabby said they also wanted to start planning for Mallory’s baby shower,” Rhys adds.

“Again with the baby talk,” Eli says, rolling his eyes.

“I want to know how things are going between Van and Ben,” Declan says, watching me closely.

“They’re fine,” I reply, intending to leave it at that.

“You’re going to have to say more than that,” Simon replies.

I sigh and glance around at these men who are brothers to me and can’t help but chuckle.

“How do I navigate this?” I ponder out loud. “I mean, you’re my best friends, but you’re also her brothers. I can’t win here.”

“Tonight we’re friends,” Declan says. “Unless you say something we don’t like.”

“Exactly,” I reply and laugh, then scowl because it made my lip hurt.

Fuckers.

“I don’t know what you guys want to know. Let’s start with that.”

“I want to know if you’ve started having sex,” Adam says and then laughs when the others glare at him. “What? She’s not my sister.”

“We can kill you and make it look like an accident,” Eli informs him, but Adam isn’t bullied in the least. He just laughs again and walks down the bar to help a customer.

“Seriously, this is the part that made Van and I think that we shouldn’t be together.”

“Fuck that,” Beau says with a scowl. “We love you both. If it doesn’t work out, we still love you both.”

“After we beat you up,” Declan adds.

“You can try,” I reply.

“Obviously it’s not hard; just look at your face,” Rhys adds, earning a glare from me.

“Okay, I’ll just say it all at once, like tearing off a Band Aid.” I clear my throat and stare at my beer glass. “I’m in love with her. She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever known, and she’s finally mine. I’m not going to do anything to fuck that up. Yes, we’re intimate, and yes, we had a few discussions to make sure she was ready, and that she trusts me.”

“So you’re not pushing her too hard,” Declan says.

“No, but what you all need to remember is, your sister isn’t made of glass. My God, she survived something that would have destroyed a lesser person. She’s not fragile. And she’s done a kick ass job of healing herself.”

“You’re right,” Beau says. “She’s not fragile. But she’s ours, so we are going to ask these questions, especially given what she did live through.”

“You know that she’s a different person than she was,” I reply, looking my best friend square in the eyes. “She’s…Savannah. She smiles and laughs easily, she’s confident in herself. She’s happy. And I like to think that I have a hand in that.”

“You do,” Eli replies. “She and I spoke, and you are an important part of her happiness these days.”

“You look good together,” Simon says. “I know I’m new around here, but when I first met her, Savannah was still sorting it all out. I’d say she has it sorted.”

“And it’s about fucking time that she’s happy,” Rhys says.

“Jesus, we’ve told you for months to make a move,” Beau reminds me. “I’m glad you finally took our advice.”

“That’s not what I did.” I shake my head. “I just couldn’t handle it anymore. Being near her, but not with her. Can any of you imagine the torture of that? Being a part of your woman’s life, but not having her as your woman?”

“No,” Rhys says, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine it.”

“I love her,” I say again. “And I’ll protect her and love her for the rest of my life.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ben quite this sentimental,” Simon says with a grin. “Good for you, mate.”

I shrug. “Despite the cut lip, and all the feelings, I’m still badass.”

“Of course,” Eli says. “We’ll see just how badass in the gym tomorrow.”

“I’m going to kick your ass.”