Chapter 23

When fighting with me, remember that I have beautiful tits, and I’m not afraid to use them.

-Text from Ellen to Jessie

Ellen

I bit my lip as I watched the guy at Best Buy ring up the exact computer that Linc had been told he would need to continue his design projects.

He wouldn’t actually be gaming on the gaming computer that I’d just bought but designing games. He’d learned the basics at school, and he picked it right up, teaching himself through YouTube videos.

I winced at the total.

“That’s going to be four thousand, two hundred, and sixty-four dollars,” the man checking me out said. “Would you like to buy Microsoft Word for this, too?”

I quickly shook my head. “No.”

Another hundred bucks would push me over the limit on my credit card, and I wasn’t going to do that. Plus, if he wanted to, he could just use a free service for that if he needed it.

“Here,” I handed him my card.

The man ran it, and I breathed out a sigh of relief when it went through without any problems.

“Alrighty, then,” he said. “Do you need help taking this out to the car?”

I looked at the box that was sitting on the floor, then looked up at the man.

“Yes.”

The box was as big if not bigger than I was, and I damn well knew I couldn’t lift the thing into my trunk.

“Okay, if you’ll let me help this customer, I’ll get right on th…”

“I’m with her.”

I looked up to find Ghost standing there watching me with a huge grin on his face a mile wide.

“I don’t think I’ll need that help anymore,” I told him. “I’m pretty sure Ghost can handle it.”

The guy that rang me up stared at Ghost for a few short seconds, and then nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure he can handle it, too.”

And that was when I saw the appreciation in the man’s eyes. He was staring at Ghost like a slab of beef.

I kept my chortle inside as Ghost picked up the computer effortlessly, then started walking out without another word.

I followed him out, my mile long receipt that included the warranty that I’d gotten for an extra two hundred dollars on it flapping in the wind.

“I was on my way to get this, gathered some cash from the boys,” Ghost said. “Though, I was going to put it on my credit card, too. But I see that you beat me to it.”

I nodded, surprised to hear that many words come out of Ghost’s mouth.

“I wanted to get it for him,” I replied as I hurried to get in front of him. “Seemed like if I was there for all of the rest of Linc’s birthdays, it would’ve added up to this.”

Ghost grunted.

“It’s going to piss Jessie off.”

I didn’t argue with that. It would piss Jessie off. Greatly so.

I opened the door to my car and stepped away, allowing Ghost the room to maneuver the big box into my car. When he had it in place he said, “I’ll follow you to Jessie’s, and we will get this set up.”

I grinned in excitement.

I’d wanted to do that, too, but I didn’t have much knowledge about computers. I’d also told the Geek Squad guy that I didn’t need any help with the programs due to the fact that I wanted to have it in place before Linc arrived from school.

“That would be awesome,” I said, jumping up and down in excitement. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

I arrived at the house ten minutes later, and Ghost pulled in beside me, staring at the house with a longing look on his face.

“What is it?” I asked as I stepped out of the car.

“Nostalgia,” he muttered, almost to himself. “Got the keys?”

I held up my key ring and he nodded.

“Go unlock the door and we’ll get started.”

I did as directed, and walked to the middle of the living room and stared.

“I don’t know where to put it,” I said. “I didn’t think much about furniture when I was buying it.”

Ghost grinned.

“It’s a good thing the boys bought a desk. They’ll be here in a little bit to get it set up. In the meantime, I’ll use the tabletop to do what I need to do.”

And that was how I had nearly the entire club, sans Aaron who was working, at Jessie’s house, getting his son’s big birthday gift ready to go.

We’d just gotten the computer settled on the desk in Linc’s room when I heard the front door open and close, signaling either Linc’s or Jessie’s arrival.

Since both were supposed to be home around the same time, I had no clue who to expect as I turned to face the door.

Seeing them both walk in was a surprise—but still a good one.

“Oh shit, Dad. You got it!” Linc crowded. “Thank you!”

Jessie took one look at what we’d done, then turned and stalked in the opposite direction.

The back door slammed, and I looked at Ghost in concern.

“Go. It’ll be okay.”

I did, but I didn’t have the same confidence that Ghost did, apparently.

I was biting my lip when I pushed through the back door and looked at him.

The moment he saw me, he opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again.

I could tell that Jessie was mad. So mad, in fact, that he couldn’t even find the words to speak what he was feeling.

“Jessie,” I said. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Jessie’s eyes narrowed, and I wondered if that pulsing vein in his forehead bothered him when he got like this.

“Not a big deal…” he murmured carefully, his voice so tight and controlled that I wondered if he would lose it.

The door behind me opened and closed, and Linc appeared at my side.

“You helped dad get it?”

I ignored the words and focused on Jessie.

“Exactly, not a big deal,” I repeated.

“Dad…” Linc tried to interrupt. “Dad…”

Jessie held his hand up, silencing Linc so effectively that I would’ve applauded him had this not been such a volatile situation.

“Go back in, son. I need to talk to Ellen.”

Linc didn’t go inside, but he backed away, torn.

He, apparently, could sense the mood, too.

“I’ve done it all by myself for fourteen years now, sweetheart, and I’m doing just fine. Take it back. I was going to get it for him for Christmas.”

I refrained from saying that Christmas was just a little less than a year away.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“No,” I refused. “I’m not taking it back. You can kiss my ass, and Linc can be happy with the stupid computer.”

“You will take it back. That’s my kid, and if I say he can’t have the computer, he can’t have the computer.”

I gritted my teeth as irrational anger started to pour through me.

Suddenly, I was mad. So mad, in fact, that I let him have it with both barrels.

“It’s my due!” I screeched, likely sounding like a flaming harpy, but I didn’t care. I was so goddamned mad that I couldn’t help it. “It’s my due!” I repeated.

Jessie froze, his anger all but freezing in the realization that this was something that I was just as passionate about as he was.

“Ellen…”

I shook my head.

“No,” I snapped. “You stole fifteen years of presents that I would’ve given him. Fourteen years, Jessie James. That’s half of my lifetime, and nearly half of yours!”

His lips thinned.

Linc shuffled warily as he tried to figure out what in the hell to do.

It was good that he was just standing there, because had he given his father a target, he would’ve likely blown to pieces and thrown the new computer in the trash.

“Ellen,” Jessie said, startling me with the softness in his tone. “Go take a seat on the couch.”

Before I could comply, his phone rang, causing him to curse.

The moment he answered the phone and started to speak shortly to someone on the other line, Linc turned to me.

“He’s being called out for an emergency,” Linc said. “He’ll be gone half the night.”

My brows rose. “Does this happen a lot?”

He shrugged. “I guess. They’re putting a new forty-two-inch pipeline in, and Dad’s the big wig top welder who’s over everyone else. Someone calls in, he’s the one to take their place if they can’t find anyone willing to take the shift. He’s paid more, but he also has to deal with more shit than he thought he would have to. We’re hoping, once this pipeline gets finished, that it’ll slow down.”

I swallowed, suddenly sorry that this boy, who was only seventeen, had to deal with his father being gone half the time.

Jessie grunted and dropped his hand from his ear, shoving the phone into his pocket before transferring a look between me and Linc.

“I gotta go in,” he said without preamble.

Then he was gone, leaving me to watch him leave, wondering whether this round went to him or me.

Fifteen minutes later, Linc and I continued to stare at each other in wariness.

“Dad had it rough after he left you.”

The son of the man who I was still in love with and an exact replica of Jessie at the same age, looked at me with such wariness in his eyes that I almost reached out and pulled him into my arms.

I had a feeling a badass teenager on the way to adulthood wouldn’t appreciate that, though.

“Are you okay with this?” I gestured to me and then the house around me.

Linc’s grin was ferocious. “Happy as fuck, to be honest.”

I glared at his use of such a naughty word, not that I didn’t use it myself. But he was now seventeen. Weren’t seventeen year olds supposed to watch their mouths?

“I don’t need a mom, Ellen,” Linc said into the silence between us. “But a woman who my dad loves, who makes him happy—and who also cares about me?” He stopped, staring at me for a few long seconds while I took my time to catch my breath and control my tears. “Yeah, I’d like one of those.”

My grin split into a full-out smile. “Thank you, Linc.”

He threw one arm around my shoulders. “How about we order pizza, then play on my computer!”

I snorted. “How about I order pizza and open a bottle of wine while I watch HGTV and you play on your computer?”

He winked down at me. “Sounds like a deal.”

***

It was hours later when Jessie finally made it home.

I was in bed, lying on the side that I’d used since the first night I’d slept in the same bed as Jessie, facing away from the door when he came in.

He was quiet, so quiet that I knew he thought I was sleeping.

He toed off his boots near the door, and then stripped his clothes off at the end of the bed.

All the while he watched me.

The light streaming in through the slightly open bathroom door gave just enough illumination so I could see almost everything—including the look in Jessie’s eyes as he watched me sleeping in his bed.

I also didn’t miss the erection tenting the front of his boxer-briefs as he let his jeans fall to the floor. Nor the way he trailed his hand down the length of his tightly honed belly to dip underneath the waistband of said boxer-briefs.

He palmed his erection, all the while not taking his eyes off of me once, and slowly stroked himself.

I resisted the urge to squirm—barely—and watched him.

Wetness pooled between my thighs, and I had to restrain myself from rubbing my thighs together.

I was bare underneath the covers, and just the top of my breasts peeked out over the blanket covering me.

He pushed his underwear down, giving me a good view of his firm erection, and what a fine erection it was. Long, thick, hard and veiny.

Veins that I liked to trace with my tongue…

I shifted unconsciously on the bed and rolled to my back, my bare leg poking out from beneath the blanket.

The move, although rather innocent, didn’t seem like it as I watched him watch me.

I could tell that my breasts were exposed, and that if he cared to investigate any further up my leg, he’d find me naked as the day I was born.

I bit my lip to keep from moaning as he slowly lifted the covers from my body, allowing him to see exactly what I’d wanted him to see when he came tonight.

I wanted him to find me—naked and willing—in his bed. I wanted him to forget all his problems, and use me in the process.

I wanted to be his girl. I wanted to be his old lady. I wanted to be his wife. His confidant. His person. I wanted him to be the Johnny to my June. My best friend. I just plain wanted him. The good, the bad and the ugly.

And as soon as he saw that I was completely naked underneath the comforter covering his bed, he no longer cared that he was waking me. He took what he needed, and I gave him everything that I had to give in return.

He put his knees on the bed, dropping himself onto his belly as he settled between my splayed thighs.

Then he took a slow, tentative lick, followed shortly by another.

And I knew he knew I was awake.

Maybe he had all along.

The look in his eyes told me he wanted this, and badly, so I spread my legs further and gave it to him.

Allowed him to eat me—lick, suck, and nip—to his heart’s content.

Not that it was a sacrifice or anything. Jessie Ryan James was a fucking God when it came to the art of cunnilingus.

He was skilled and generous, and those two qualities gave a woman the perfect man who would see to her needs first before he saw to his own.

And that was exactly what Jessie gave me.

Twice.

And by the time I was gasping in pleasure, he was ready for one thing.

My pussy.

He rolled me over to my stomach and then snatched a pillow from the top of the bed.

He shoved it unceremoniously underneath my hips, and then knee-walked up the bed between my thighs.

When I felt the hard knob of his cock press against the puffy, engorged entrance to my body, I was already on the verge of keening.

“You’re killing me,” I gasped as he held himself still after he’d breached my entrance with the head of his cock.

He moved his body over me, hovering on his knees, his fisted hands resting on either side of my head, and growled.

I tried not to squirm and push for more of him when he clearly had a plan in mind. A plan that appeared to include squirming and pleading.

Instead he surprised me by saying the three words that I’d been longing to hear.

“I love you.”

A smile overtook my face, and I lifted my arm, reaching back to rest my hand on his bearded face.

“I love you more.”

He thrust fully inside of me, and I closed my eyes. Not intentionally, mind you. It was a reaction, and something that happened every time this man filled me.

“You pissed me off today,” he said, dropping down so that his mouth was only inches from my ear.

I placed my hands over his, threading our fingers together holding him to me. “I know.”

“But you were right,” he growled, bucking his hips into me.

“Yeah?” I panted, too turned on to gloat.

“Yeah,” he rasped, letting his beard trail down the line of my neck. “But I think we both know that. Don’t we?”

I nodded.

He was right that I was right. I knew it. He knew it. The members of his MC knew it.

It was just a hard pill to swallow when you couldn’t provide something for your kid that they so desperately wanted. But we were a team now, or at least I hoped we were.

But with each thrust of my man’s hips, those thoughts drifted away leaving me to focus only on the feel of Jessie inside of me. By the time I was climaxing half a dozen strokes later, I was ready to do just about anything—say just about anything—to get the man to finish me.

And finish me he did. Thoroughly so.