19
Ember
It’d been a week since I witnessed my closest and dearest friend smash her Mustang into a tractor, then flipped multiple times in her blue beauty, and landed in a snowy ditch. I’d never seen anything like it and never wanted to experience such horrifying terror again.
Birdie had survived. Her injuries were minor, mostly cuts and bruises. She’d been so lucky. But you wouldn’t know it looking at her.
Her heart had died that day. Raymond destroyed her, and I feared she would never be the same.
I watched her from the chair in her bedroom. Despite her minor injuries, she spent four days in the hospital on a seventy-two-hour psychiatric hold. The sheriff had believed she had tried to end her life because she hadn’t swerved and plowed into the tractor.
Her mom and dad had raised hell, defending Birdie. She’d lost control of the car, but the sheriff wouldn’t budge.
Nobody believed Birdie would try to take her life. The notion was absurd.
No matter what Raymond had done to her, she’d go on living her life and showing him what he’d given up. She’d live a long and amazing life just to spite him…with a broken heart.
“How much longer?” Birdie asked me.
I checked the timer on my phone. “One minute.”
I’d come over to take the pregnancy test we’d been shopping for before Birdie’s life imploded. Dante had been incredibly sweet and told me I could take it privately with Birdie, but not to tell him the results. He wanted me to take a second test with him.
Nothing seemed to bring Birdie out of the dark place she’d fallen into. Not surprising, since the man she’d loved since she was a teenager got another woman pregnant and basically told her to get over him.
He was such an asshole. I hated Raymond.
“Do you feel pregnant?”
I smiled at my bestie. Talking about me having a baby was the only topic that seemed to bring Birdie joy. Everything else made her close up.
“Don’t think so.” I shrugged just as the timer bell rang. “Never been preggers before.”
“Well, even if you’re not, you will be. Dante is determined to put his baby in your belly.”
I giggled and jumped to my feet. “Tell me about it. He’s relentless… And I love it!”
“Don’t peek. Just bring the test over here so we can look together.” She was lying in bed. Not because she needed to, but because she was depressed and wouldn’t leave her bedroom. She was avoiding Raymond; I was sure of it.
I picked up the stick off the bathroom counter and carried it out.
“This is it.” She did a little clap.
“Ready?”
She bobbed her head.
I blew out a sharp breath and moved the test in front of us. We both peered at the results window and stared in silence.
“I’m sorry, babe.” Birdie tugged me to sit on the bed beside her, and she hugged me. “It’s gonna happen, and when it does, it will for sure be Dante’s baby.”
“Honestly, I’m okay. Relieved even.”
Birdie reared back. “Really?”
“Yup. Really. I think it’s because I have hope for the future now that Dante and I are together. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. Strangely, I haven’t had any pain.”
“I’m so happy for you.” She relaxed against her pillows. “I need to talk to my parents.”
I sensed something was up. “About what?”
“About me leaving.”
“Leaving? Why?” My heart plummeted. I didn’t want her leaving me. “And what about Sadie’s wedding?”
“My parents want me to go somewhere safe until they find the person screwing with my life.” She wiped a stray tear off her cheek. “I’ll be here for the wedding in June. I’m sure it won’t take them that long to find the asshole.”
“Where will you go?”
She took her phone out from under her blanket and showed me a text. “Saint messaged you and invited you to Montana?”
“It appears that way, but my dad might have put him up to it. He didn’t say where he wanted me to go.”
“And you want to go to Montana?”
“Yeah.” She exhaled and put the phone away. “So much has happened the past few weeks. I need to get away from it all. It won’t be forever.”
It sure felt like she was saying good-bye for good. “June is three and a half months away.”
“It’ll fly by. I’ll be back before you know it. But I need this, Em. I can’t see him with her. They’re having a baby together.” A stream of tears streaked down her face, and I couldn’t hold mine back anymore.
“I know.” I hugged her tightly. “I know you need to go. But I’m going to miss you like crazy.”
“We’ll still talk all the time, and you can come visit me in Montana.”
“I will.”
“Good. Can you get my parents for me so I can tell them?”
“Sure.” I went out to the living room and found Storm watching a car show.
“What’s up?” he asked when he noticed me.
“Birdie wants to talk to you and Maddy.”
He turned the flatscreen off instantly. “Angel, Birdie wants to talk.”
“Coming!”
I returned to Birdie’s room. “They’re coming. I’ll go.”
“Don’t go. I want you to stay. For moral support.”
“Okay.” Dang it. I was terrified of being here when she told Storm where she wanted to go. Hopefully, Montana was where he wanted her.
A soft knock came from behind me. Maddy.
“Come in,” Birdie said.
I moved to the side to let Storm and Maddy be by their daughter. My stomach twisted into knots, and I felt a little sick to my stomach. Stupid nerves.
“We’re listening,” Storm said.
“I’ll leave like you both wanted, but I want to go to Montana.”
“Montana?” Maddy’s face brightened, while Storm’s darkened. I’d guess they both had strong and vastly different opinions regarding Saint.
“Yes. Isn’t that where you want me to go hunker down?”
“Yes,” Maddy said enthusiastically.
“No,” Storm grumbled.
Knew they weren’t on the same page.
“Well, I want to go to Montana. Saint invited me.”
“Fuck,” Storm said through gritted teeth.
“Whatever you want, sweetheart.” Maddy hugged her. “All I want is for you to be safe and happy.” And the floodgates burst open.
Oh, no. This was what I was afraid of.
Storm wrapped them both in his arms, and I lost it. Darting out of the room, I ran into the bathroom and sobbed. I needed Dante now…
Dante showered me with kisses. I’d asked him to take my mind off Birdie leaving and to knock me up.
I thought he might be disappointed that I didn’t take a second test like he wanted, but he appeared to understand since the results weren’t positive.
“You’re gorgeous, Em.” He kissed each breast, swirling his tongue around the nipple, the way I liked. Then he moved to the other and stimulated into a firm bead.
It was tough to maintain self-control when all I wanted to do was jump his bones and get lost in sexual pleasure.
He suctioned his mouth around my nipple and sucked vigorously. He drove me wild and could make me come this way a dozen times.
I moaned as I writhed under him.
He released me with a pop. “You make the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard. I fucking love fucking.”
“Then get to it.” I arched my back, tempting him to take me back into his mouth. Doing this was like an unspoken request for more. One he’d told me repeatedly, he’d happily fulfill.
“I hear you.” He gripped my thigh and took me back into his mouth. He sucked and nibbled. Nibbled and sucked, going from one of my tits to the other, and back.
“Oh, yes… Dante!” A spectacular orgasm formed, and the second he pinched my clit, I shattered in ecstasy.
Kiss after tantalizing kiss, Dante commanded my body to yield to him. I spread my legs, and he settled between them, then drove his cock inside me.
“Dante!” I screamed and dug my nails into his shoulders, slicing through his skin as he fucked me hard. It was exactly what I needed. “Just like that. Don’t stop!”
He pounded me against the mattress and chased away all the sad thoughts plaguing my mind.
All I saw was sweat glistening on Dante’s handsome face.
All I heard was him grunting and huffing as he railed me.
All I felt was passion and love surrounding us.
He worshipped my body so perfectly. I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve him, but I was grateful he’d chosen me.
Dante slowed down to prevent himself from coming too fast. I ached for hard and fast, but I didn’t stop him from making love to me.
A low moan drifted out of my mouth as I pulsed around him. He moved down and kissed my stomach. “Soon,” he whispered.
For a moment, he hovered above me and looked lovingly into my eyes. Something overcame him. His brown depths shimmered with emotion. I captured his face in my hands and kissed him softly.
“What is it?”
“I just remember how scared I was when I thought you were in the car with Birdie.” A tear rolled down his face. “I love you, Em. I can’t live without you.” He continued moving in and out of me.
“I love you too.”
“I promise to never let you down or betray you.” He deepened his thrusts. “You can always depend on me.”
I had a feeling he was thinking about Raymond and what had gone down between him and Birdie. I couldn’t imagine ever forgiving Raymond for breaking Birdie’s heart. As much as I hated the idea of leaving, I was happy she would be with Saint. Although she had said he was a one and done guy. But who could resist Birdie? Besides Raymond.
“I mean it, baby. You—”
I didn’t let him finish and ravaged him with kisses to help take his mind off his cousin. No one else should be in our bed, except for us. Not even thoughts of other people.
Dante picked up speed and took us over the edge. We held onto the other and moaned through our climaxes.
He filled me with his cum and it dripped down my ass crack. Every time we had sex, we made a mess. I needed to buy more sheets. Doing the laundry every day was ridiculous.
“I love you, Em.” He cuddled me.
“Love you too.” Content and sated, we drifted off to sleep.
I felt a million times better, but in a few days, I’d be bawling my eyes. I wouldn’t think about now…