Epilogue
Two year anniversary
It was our two year wedding anniversary today and we spent part of it putting the finishing touches on an ad we were working on for the bar. Final revisions just so happened to be due today which was a bummer.
I helped out in the bar when I could, but it was mostly to feel like I could be more than a wife and mother. Not that I didn’t love being a wife and mother, because I did; it’s what I lived for. But I liked feeling in the loop with life outside of taking kids to school, cooking and cleaning.
As I looked down at Lan sitting behind his desk while I gave him suggestions, I couldn’t help but be physically aware of how edible he looked in his tight white shirt and jeans; one particular muscle straining against his zipper. I started massaging his shoulders and before I knew it, I couldn’t keep my hands off him.
My hormones needed him. We needed a quickie.
That’s how we ended up on the couch in his office...
“Lexi, baby, we’re supposed to be working,” Landyn breathed in my ear as he slowly worked my clit.
“Mmmm hmmm...” I moaned as I lifted into his hand.
“Lan, please hurry,” I begged. Immediately he filled me with his cock and didn’t stop moving. His hand fisted in my hair and he forced me to look into his eyes. Possession was written all over his face and I was astonished to see he was still on fire for me. That he was still desperate for me after all this time and everything we’ve gone through.
After two kids, a couple more barely there stretch marks and boobs that breastfed two babies instead of one, he still wanted me more than ever before.
“I love you,” he murmured just before taking my mouth with his. The hand squeezing my ass tilted my hips up and angled them in a way that pushed him into my g-spot. I licked my lips and moaned against his mouth.
“Just what I was waiting for, baby. Keep licking your lips for me.” His movements gradually became harder and harder until finally he slid in one last time and didn’t pull back out. He continued to work his hips so that he rubbed against my sweet spots, both inside and out.
“Lan!” I called out as I came so hard everything went black for a split second. After a few more harsh pumps I heard him grunt into my neck just before he bit down softly and came inside me.
“Are you okay?” he whispered in my ear. I nodded. He lifted off me and I frowned. I hated his body leaving mine. “I’m just getting something to clean you up,” he said right before walking to the bathroom and coming back out with a washcloth; one of the many I kept in stock for occasions just like this.
After he cleaned me up we got dressed.
“Are you still cooking tonight? You sure you don’t want to go out for dinner?” Lan asked. “I could make reservations at that seafood place you like.”
“No, I have something special planned for us, and Trish offered to keep the girls at her apartment tonight. I think she’s still leaning on the girls to keep her occupied.” I shook my head at the thought of my best friend. “No matter how hard she pretends, I know she’s not back to her old self yet.”
After two years of hoping, Trish had yet to hear anything from Tony. She tried repeatedly for months to talk to him to no avail. Sure enough she heard plenty about him from other women. Tony had since become closely acquainted with most of the women Trish and I knew.
It was obvious this was planned on his part and I even understood why he did it, but because I knew the whole story and Trish was my best friend, it was very disturbing. Last I heard he moved away.
My best friend wasn’t the same anymore. Sure, she acted the part well enough, but she lost all her spark. She threw herself into work at the veterinarian clinic and she had no outside life other than me, Landyn and my girls.
Oh yeah... and Adam.
“Lexi, baby, Trish is a grown woman. She’ll be okay,” Lan said, breaking into my thoughts.
“I know that, but I can’t help but worry. I wish she would meet someone else so Tony would become only a memory. I almost wish she would hook up with your brother.” I made it sound as though Adam was a last resort and Landyn rolled his eyes at me.
“Tell me again why you asked him to take you to the grocery store and not me. What time is he picking you up?” He sounded annoyed, but I couldn’t ruin the surprise for Lan.
I looked at the clock. “He should be here already. I told you, I have a lot of things to buy and I need help,” I rose up on my toes to kiss him.
“I’ll see you in a couple of hours. Don’t come home without calling first,” I ordered.
His eyebrows drew together. “What are you up to?”
“I told you it’s a surprise. Don’t spoil it.” I lifted again to give him one more kiss.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too.”
Outside, I met Adam at his Tahoe.
Adam had become a permanent fixture in our lives. He was the brother I never had. I could honestly say that I loved him like one. He was always with us and always driving Landyn nuts because he never stopped flirting with me.
Trish and I kept our promise of trying to find him a good woman, but they never made it past the first date. He never got serious about any of them and there were a few that wanted it; badly. This man had so many secrets and it drove me crazy.
“I can’t believe you’re pregnant again.” Adam said as he drove out of the parking lot cutting off my thoughts.
“I know, neither can I, but this is it, no more kids,” I told him. I loved both my girls with all my heart, and I would love this baby just as much, but three was the perfect number for me.
“Do you want it to be a boy?” he asked as he glanced at me questioningly. I thought about how to answer. “I know the right answer should be ‘I don’t care as long as the baby’s healthy’ and I really do feel that way, but after two girls, I’d honestly like a little boy. It would add a different dimension to the house.”
“A boy would be fun,” he said wistfully.
“Don’t you want kids, Adam?”
He glanced at me. “I love kids Lex, you know that, but I worry about what kind of father I’d be, or husband. Look at the kind of father mine was; the way he treated his own son... sorry, sons and wives. I’m afraid I’d turn out just like him.”
I was almost speechless... almost. I had heard a few horror stories about their father, but both Lan and Adam tried to keep me in a bubble so I was pretty sure I hadn’t heard the worst of them.
“Adam,” I spoke softly. “You could never be like your father. You treat my girls as though they’re yours. They love you and I know you love them. I can only imagine how you’d feel about your own.”
“You’re right Lex, but it takes a mother and a father to make a family. I might be good at the baby making part, but I haven’t found the future mother of my kids yet, and I refuse to just be someone’s baby-daddy; I want the whole package, white picket fence and all. If it doesn’t happen, then it wasn’t meant to be.”
He could be so depressing sometimes. I didn’t mention the fact that he already had the house and white picket fence; he just needed the family to fill it.
Adam parked when we got to the store. I got out the SUV, he met me on my side and I continued to speak as we walked. “Trish and I have gotten you tons of dates, but you always find something wrong with them. You have to give them a chance Adam.” I stopped quickly in front of him and spun around. He looked down at me questioningly.
“And you have got to stop having sex with them before you even get to know them. You’ll never find out if they’re mother material that way,” I hissed at him through my teeth.
He grinned at me. “No can do Lex. What better way to find out if they’re mother material?”
Unbelievable!
“You’re an idiot,” I determined for the thousandth time since I’ve known him, and then I walked away and into the store.
While we walked around picking up all the ingredients to make Landyn’s favorite filet mignon with mushroom wine sauce dinner, and surprise “We’re having another baby” cake, Adam kept throwing random items into the cart and it was really grating on my nerves.
“Would you stop that?” I nearly shouted after taking out the second package of Double-Stuf Oreo cookies he threw in my cart. When Adam didn’t come back with a smart ass remark, I looked up at him to see that his back was stiff and he was staring straight ahead.
Great, what now?
Ryan stood a few feet in front us looking back and forth between me and Adam. He was with a woman; a beautiful red-headed woman who was staring at Adam in horror.
*****
I hadn’t heard anything about Ryan since he got out of jail after serving his time. A week after his attack on me and from what I heard, a drunken bender, he finally showed back up at his parent’s house.
Adam continually kept me and Lan up-to-date with the progress of the case. Everyone assumed Ryan would get off with nothing but a slap on the wrist, but it just so happened that Landyn knew “someone of importance” that worked in the legal system. Apparently, they were in the military together.
Ryan eventually served six months in jail, twelve months’ probation and was ordered to attend anger management upon release. I knew the day the verdict was coming down, but I refused to go to court and watch; Adam called me with the news.
It was exactly three months after Laura was born that Adam came to the bar after closing to let me know Ryan had been released...
Landyn was just about to lock the doors when Adam showed up. As soon as he walked through the door I knew something was up. He walked straight up to me with determination set on his face and in his stride.
I was leaning against the bar and my eyes traveled to Landyn who looked just as curious as I was. When Adam made it to me he grabbed my arm and pulled me into his embrace.
I was stunned at first and then grew worried. “Adam, what’s wrong?”
When he spoke his voice was remorseful. “I have bad news.” “What?”
I heard his long exhale. “Ryan was released earlier today. I just found out, I’m sorry.”
I breathed a sigh of relief because I thought he was going to tell me something way worse. “Adam, it’s not your fault. We all knew he was getting out soon.” His arms tightened at my response and I glanced again to Landyn who was now glaring at the hold Adam had around my waist.
Shit!
“I know it’s not my fault, but if you were hurt because I wasn’t able to at least warn you, it would have killed me. Over the past few months, I’ve fallen in love you and my nieces and I’ve only loved two other women in my life, one being my mother.”
My eyes grew round and I pulled back from Adam as far as he would let me. “What?” I whispered.
“What the fuck do you mean you love her?” Landyn shouted offensively. He was now standing at my side and it sounded like he was keeping a very small hold on not ripping Adam apart.
Adam pulled away from me a little further, but still kept an arm around my waist as he turned his body to face Lan.
Adam grinned and one eyebrow rose. “I meant that I love her as a sister jackass. I honestly don’t know how the hell she puts up with you.”
I breathed another sigh of relief. He never stopped harassing Landyn and I should have known better. Landyn narrowed his eyes at Adam. “Well then, I’d appreciate if you’d stop groping my wife.”
He wasn’t groping me, but I could tell Landyn was still mad. I looked up at Adam and he looked down at me smiling before he let me go and turned back to face Landyn. “Don’t worry brother, I love you too.”
He turned back to me once again. “Lex, I’m here for you if you ever need anything, and I’ll especially be here when you’re ready to leave this asshole,” he said pointing toward Landyn.
I shook my head at him trying to hold in my laughter. “Adam thanks for coming by, but you better get out of here before Lan bursts a blood vessel or something.”
Adam smiled once again before bending and placing a light kiss on my forehead. He turned, glanced at Lan, smirked and walked away. “Love you too brother!” Adam called out once more right before walking out the front door.
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at the shocked expression on Lan’s face. He looked lost. I started laughing so hard, I was doubled over slapping my palms on my thighs. “Babe, you look like no one has ever told you ‘I love you’ before. Do I not tell you enough?” I cried through my laughter.
When his eyes hit mine something in them froze me in place. I promptly stopped laughing.
He stalked up to me. “You think this is funny? Did you like him touching you?” Landyn growled. I didn’t know what to say so I shook my head.
“Take off your clothes,” he demanded. “What?” I asked in a small voice.
He ignored me and started unbuckling my jeans and slipping them off my hips himself. When they fell around ankles his hand hit my core. “I’m feeling the need to mark my territory and I want you right here. Right now.”
“What?” I asked again, this time in a whisper. I was too distracted by what he was doing with his fingers. Suddenly his free hand went to the side of my face and his mouth found mine. He kissed me hungrily. His tongue wrestled with mine as his fingers swirled over my clit.
“The door’s unlocked,” I breathed into his mouth.
He back away from me. “Fuck the door. Take off your jeans completely.” He started to unzip his jeans and I watched him pull out his beautiful erection and stroke himself. I licked my lips.
“Fuck,” Lan hissed, while watching me watch him. “Lexi, baby, hurry up.”
Screw it; if someone walks in they were getting a free show.
I bent down, slid off my shoes and wiggled out of my jeans. I also took off my shirt.
Lan started to come back toward me, but I stopped him. “Unh uh, take it all off Lan. If someone walks in on us, they’re walking in on both of us; not just me.”
He didn’t hesitate. When he was completely undressed I bent over in front of him and gave a quick lick to his tattoo before dropping completely to my knees.
I wasted no time taking him as deep in my mouth as I could considering his size. Lan’s hands fisted in my hair as I worked him in and out, sucking hard. I heard his breathing become ragged and he dropped a hand to my throat where he could feel my pulls.
“Get up baby, I need to be inside you now. I don’t want to finish like this.” I took a few more pulls before releasing him and standing up.
As soon as I was upright, Lan’s hands went to my ass and he lifted me up and onto the edge of a bar stool. He spread my legs wide and claimed me.
“Lan,” I moaned. His mouth found mine and our tongues danced. He continued to pump in and out smoothly; almost gracefully. His hands still squeezed my ass, and I joined in and ran my hands down is muscular back to grab his.
When his movements increased, I knew it was coming. I licked my lips and cried out his name.
“That’s it baby,” he groaned as my body orgasmed around him.
He continued a few moments longer and then called out my name and came.
******
I hadn’t heard anything else about Ryan since.
So, this was uncomfortable to say the least. What was he even doing on this side of town?
Adam reached out and grabbed my hand, but he didn’t look at me. He was focused on something or someone else. I glanced at the red-headed beauty that held his interest and watched her eyes move to our hands quickly before looking away.
“Nice to see you, Lex. Waste no time moving from one guy to the next I see. Wasn’t he the cop on my case?” Ryan said in an ugly snarky tone.
He obviously hadn’t changed.
Adam jerked me out from behind the cart still holding my hand and got right in Ryan’s face. He towered over him. “If I were you I wouldn’t even look at her unless you’re ready to go back to jail asshole. And stay the fuck away from Mia,” he roared. I heard the red-headed beauty gasp. Ryan’s face paled and he didn’t respond.
Adam turned to the red head. “Let’s go, I’m taking you home.” The hand not holding mine wrapped around her waist and he ushered her forward while he dragged me behind. Her stunned eyes looked back at me with guilt. I could only imagine how this looked to her.
“I can walk without your help, thank you very much,” Mia snapped at Adam. He glared down at her.
“I think I know better than anyone just how well you can walk,” he snapped back, his last words clipped, but he still didn’t let her go. “Walking away was about the only thing you were good at.”
I had no clue what they were talking about, but it didn’t sound good. The redhead swallowed hard and turned her face away. “You’re still an asshole,” she said in an angry whisper.
“If that helps you sleep at night honey, then I’ll be the biggest asshole you’ve ever met.”
“Adam!” I called out in shame. Why was he being so rude to her?
“Stay out of it, Lex,” he ordered and I was about to open my mouth with a comeback when he looked at me. I saw pain in his eyes; serious pain. The kind of pain that told me this woman had hurt him.
I kept quiet as we made it to the vehicle. Adam put her in the back and made me sit up front. “Where am I taking you?” he asked and she gave him quiet directions to a townhouse a few blocks away.
When we arrived, Mia jumped out of the vehicle before Adam even had it in park. “I’ll be right back,” he grumbled, fuming, and then got out and followed her. I watched through the window as they had a heated conversation outside her front door. For the first couple of minutes, I saw nothing but Mia’s mouth moving rapidly as she spoke. Adam had his back to me.
Mia kept turning her face away like he was verbally slapping her, until finally it appeared the tables had turned and he began looking away from her. I was dying to know what they were saying and was tempted to roll down the window.
As the conversation grew intense and their bodies moved closer to each other, my face inched so close to the window I nearly bumped it with my nose. Then, without warning, I watched as Adam grabbed the back of her head and his mouth crashed down on hers.
Oh. My. God!
The redhead was a statue only a brief second before she relaxed into him. Finally, he lifted his head and said something to her that made her freeze up again. She spoke once more and he turned and walked away without a backward glance. The redhead didn’t move until Adam had the door to his Tahoe open, then she opened the door to her apartment and disappeared inside.
“I don’t want to talk about.” Adam clipped furiously at me just as soon as he shut his door. “I loved her and she left me, that’s it. Don’t ask.”
He was so infuriating!
The ride to the second grocery store was in silence. I guess Adam realized I still needed to go shopping since we left the last store in such a hurry I didn’t get what I needed or anything at all.
When we finished and were finally at home, Adam helped me unload everything in a rush and I couldn’t even talk him into staying for a while. “Give the girls my love. Tell them I’ll stop by later this week.” He came around the kitchen counter, gave me a quick hug and then took off.
As soon as possible, this redhead and I were having words.
Not long after Adam left, Trish brought the girls over to help me cook, bake and decorate. They were also a big part of the surprise.
“So, are you excited about the new baby, Layla?” Trish asked.
“Yes! I’m ready to babysit. I’ll be a big sister twice! They’ll have to listen to everything I say,” Little Miss Princess answered cheekily. Layla was a great big sister and I couldn’t ask for a better daughter or helper. She was amazing.
Laura, now at a little over a year old, adored her big sister. She followed Layla around everywhere and sometimes she even slept in her sister’s room. Whenever Laura was fussy, Layla was able to sooth her in an instant.
They were my little angels.
Every time I thought about my family I felt blessed. Now my family was about to get even bigger. I couldn’t wait to share the news with Landyn; he was going to be ecstatic.
Immediately after Laura was born he wanted to start working on baby number three, but I wasn’t having that. No way! I wanted to enjoy Laura as a baby. Now was perfect though. By the time this baby is born Laura will be two, Layla will be eight and they’ll all grow up together. I couldn’t wait!
Landyn was amazing with the girls. They were “Daddy’s Little Girls” that’s for sure. He helped take Layla to school when I was near the end of my pregnancy with Laura and feeling awful. He also kept Layla occupied when I needed to rest and they even had their own special time.
When Laura was born Lan cried like a baby himself. He loved on her and me incessantly. He thought Laura was a miracle and that I was the miracle worker for giving him this gift. He knew Layla was his gift as well, but to actually see the birth of your child was another thing altogether.
I knew he’d never look at me the same again. If I knew he loved me before, the love he had for me now was out of this world.
He helped with night feedings and changing diapers. I never had to ask him for anything, he just knew when I needed help; we were a team.
******
The food was almost ready when Landyn called and said he was down the street. I shuffled the girls and Trish around so that they would be ready.
About five minutes later, when Landyn finally strolled into the kitchen, we all screamed “We’re having another baby!” Landyn stopped mid-step and his eyes took in his surroundings. There were pink and blue decorations that read “It’s a boy!” and “It’s a girl!” hanging from the walls and covering the countertops. There was a huge three-tiered pink and blue chocolate cake in the middle of the island and all us girls wore either a pink or blue shirt.
His eyes finally hit mine and they were glassy. So were mine. “You’re pregnant?” he asked softly.
I nodded. “Yes, and it’s not twins. I just did the pink and blue decorations because it’s too early to know if we’re having a boy or a girl,” I said choking up.
He rubbed at his eyes harshly. “Come here girls,” he demanded in an rough, unsteady voice. He opened his arms demanding a hug. I quickly picked up Laura because she was too slow, and then we all ran to him. He kissed us all over and over, as he repeated “I love you.”
“Trish, come get in on this, you know I love like a sister; you belong here just as much as any of us.” Landyn said. I looked at my best friend as she cried and walked over to join in the group hug.
I backed away a little and told Landyn, “We’ll have a romantic anniversary dinner, just us, next weekend if that’s okay. I made enough food for everyone and it feels like we should eat together as a family.”
Landyn grinned at me. “Lexi, baby, whatever you want.”
Everyone helped put the food on the table and just as we were all about to start digging in, I heard a car horn blasting from outside.
“What the hell?” Landyn growled.
We both got up to see what all the commotion was, but we didn’t even make it to the front door before someone started knocking. When Landyn threw the door open, I could have fainted.
It was Tony.
His clothes were ratty and dirty and so were his hands, his eyes were bloodshot; he looked like a man possessed.
“I need Trish! Where is she?” he asked franticly.
“Oh my God,” I heard Trish breath excitedly from behind me. Her tone was hopeful.
“She’s here,” Landyn’s deep voice replied as he opened the door wider, silently inviting Tony inside.
When Tony’s desperately searching eyes hit Trish’s face, his body tensed. His face grew taut and I watched as his eyes speared hers with hatred. He looked murderous.
I heard Trish gulp.
“This can’t be happening,” I whispered, suddenly realizing I spoke louder than I’d intended when Landyn’s arm snaked around my waist and pulled me close to his side. His head lowered and I felt his breath on my neck just a moment before I felt his lips move against my ear.
“Lexi, baby, look at them. Get ready. This is gonna happen,” he replied in a sexy, low voice that only I could hear.
Shit! Poor Trish.
The End...
For now.