Chapter 8
Next Play
Tasha
I wake to LaSalle dropping kisses all over my face. Opening my eyes, I lock on his gray ones as he stares back at me. A groan leaves my lips as I smile and reach to cup his cheek.
“What time is it?”
“Four thirty.”
“Oh wow. After that bath, I couldn’t hold my eyes open. I hadn’t planned to sleep that long.”
He pecks my lips. “You deserved the rest. If you’re not feeling up to it, we can reschedule and spend the night in.”
“We will do no such thing. I’ve been excited about tonight for weeks now. I want my time before life calls you away from me.”
This time, he leans in and takes my lips in a passionate kiss. I moan into his mouth and grasp the back of his neck to hold him to me. LaSalle cups one of my breasts and squeezes.
“I said nothing about not spending time together. I would be happy to stay home in an empty house with you. I think we can find something to occupy our time.”
“That sounds very enticing, but the house won’t be empty.”
“What do you mean? Bobby and Paige are taking the kids for a sleepover, aren’t they?”
“They are, but Maldonado will be here. Sammy might not stay the night. Maldonado will be here in case he wants to return.
“Being that his birthday is coming, I’m giving him the option. He’ll hang out for a while, but I do believe he’ll return before the night is over,” I say.
He groans. “I was looking forward to having you all to myself.”
“You know Sammy.”
LaSalle runs his hand from my breast down my side and around to my backside. He then grabs ahold of my ass and squeezes. Looking me in the eyes as he bites his lip, he lifts a brow as if to tempt me into changing my mind to stay home.
“I will make you a deal.”
“Oh yeah, what’s that?”
“We go out on our date, and I will talk our son into staying the night at Bobby’s.”
“Deal,” he says and gives my ass a slap before pecking my lips, then going to stand.
Sitting up, I climb from the bed and head to get ready for our date. I stop as my phone lights up on the nightstand. Seeing it’s text messages from the group chat with the girls, I smile and grab the phone on my way.
Val: Has my nephew decided what he wants for his birthday?
Dean: He told me to wait. He would let me know at the right time.
I snort. Sammy told me and LaSalle the same thing. However, I did purchase him a new hoverboard and the tablet he’s been looking at.
Pam: The boy is up to something.
Sim: He will let us know when he is ready. It is best not to overwhelm him. His gift could be playing a part in his decision. Micheal and I will wait for his request.
I smile at Sim’s reply. It’s such a Sim response. However, I do believe she’s right.
Sammy is holding out for something— what, I haven’t figured out yet. We’ve all been trying to come up with gifts to get him for his eleventh birthday. At this point, I do believe my son will have a bunch of envelopes filled with cash at his party.
Me: He hasn’t told me anything yet. I’ll try to ask him one more time before the kids leave for Bobby and Paige’s.
Pam: Hey, Dean. Are the Blacks still flying in for the party?
Dean: Ronan says the entire family will be here. Granny McGowan included.
Val: Good Lord. We’re in for a time.
Pam: I’m here for it.
Me: I believe everyone has RSVP’d.
Tam: We just landed. Brad wants to grab something to eat before we get to Lynn and Trevor’s.
Reese: Oh, I was just about to text to see if you guys got in. Nico and I are already out to dinner since my mother and father have the kids.
Tam: Just touched down, can’t wait to see you. Brielle is driving me crazy about getting to hang with all the kids. We might be staying a little longer on this visit. I feel bad that we haven’t been in New York as much this year. She pouts whenever she finds out Brad has been here without her.
Me: Traveling with smaller children isn’t easy. Totally get why you’ve cut down your visits.
Tam: I’m so excited to be here and spend time with all my girls. See you guys tomorrow, and let me know if Sammy comes up with something. I already have some cash for him, but if he wants something else, I’m on it. Love you guys.
Me: Love you all. I need to get ready for my date with my husband.
Val: Code for she’s going to get slutty for her husband. I will babysit the next one anytime you need.
My heart sinks. I have put on a brave face after Lucia. I’m sure Val doesn’t mean anything by her words.
None of them know about the depression I went through. LaSalle and I hide it well. However, the girls do know we’re trying again.
I don’t think there will be another one. Many would call me greedy, but I love my children. They just seem to be growing up so fast.
Of course, I’ve been blessed with four of my own and three bonus children, but having one more would feel like completion to me. It would go a long way to heal my loss.
Lucia will never be replaced, but I think another baby would help me to process her loss a bit better. Besides, a family of ten just sounds better in my mind.
I haven’t told any of the girls my feelings on the topic, so I can’t blame Val for her hopeful words. Maybe I’m too focused on the desire to have another. I blow out a breath and shake my head as I put my phone down and hop in the shower.
Tonight. Tonight, we will kick back and relax. Then we can come home and make another baby.
No pressure, Tasha. It will come when it comes.
I think of all we’ve been through, knowing it’s not over. Maybe it’s just not time to be pregnant again. Lord knows I pushed it during each one of my last four pregnancies.
LaSalle is likely to wrap me in Bubble Wrap and hide me in a closet this time if things aren’t wrapped up completely. If I have anything to do with it, it will be over soon. I can’t stand the losses we’ve taken.
Some have been more devastating than others, but they all have come with their own brand of pain. That will not happen again on my watch. Not if I can help it.
LaSalle
“What’s our next play?” Logan says on the other end of the phone.
I grunt as I wave at the kids in the back of Bobby’s SUV. He decided to come get them himself. Good thing his place isn’t that far away. All my kids in one vehicle for a long-distance drive, no thank you.
No one in their right mind wants that, especially not with Paulie tattling on everyone. I’d probably have to kill someone for leaving him on the side of the road.
Trust me, he’s mine and I’ve thought about it. I shake my head at my thoughts and refocus on my call. This matter needs to be addressed.
“I think we are all looking at the same picture but seeing different things,” Uri says before I can answer.
That we are. Uri has no idea how right he is. This is way more complicated than any of us understands.
“This is Misha we’re talking about. His intentions often override the course he takes. I’m not saying his actions are right; I’m saying I want to show him respect and allow him to do what he needs,” I speak up.
“Even if we all hate the results?” Logan says.
I sigh. The O’Briens have reason to be angry with the results of Misha’s actions and secrets. They have caused them the most harm.
“To be honest, I was ready to pull his coattails on this one. Then I started to understand his conflict. This isn’t an easy fix.”
“The fuck it isn’t. Listen, I can hold off the wolves for only so long. He’s going to need to make a decision,” Logan bites out.
If the situation weren’t so serious, I would laugh at him calling his brothers wolves. In this instance, he would be right. His brothers are ready to tear some shit apart—and rightly so.
“Bloody hell. Why do I feel like I don’t want to know why he hasn’t already?” Uri groans.
“Because most likely you’re not going to want to.”
“On that note, I am hanging up. I have enough on my hands. Val has fired another design team and is talking about showing up at one of the former designer’s houses to scalp her for talking to her out of pocket,” Uri says.
I smirk. That sounds like Val. If you can’t get the job done, she’s going to get rid of you and disrespect is out of the question.
“Aye, I promised I’d take the kids for a movie. I need to get them out of the house before they tear the place up. Keep me posted on the Russian.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on his lot in Astoria. I’ll give them one thing: if they want you to come up missing, you’re as good as gone. I just wish he would make that happen for this other little problem.”
I sigh. It’s not as easy as that. Trust me, if it were, he would have handled it already.
“Hold on, before you go, there is another issue I need to bring to your attention,” I say.
“Ah fuck, what now?” Logan groans.
“I received a call from Gambit. You might want to have a talk with your cousins.”
“Jesus, Mary, Joseph, how did that swamp keeper become my problem?” he grumbles.
Issac Mullens, the man known as Gambit, isn’t a stupid man. He knew he made our list, so he made himself useful and luck happened to be on his side. The same men who are driving him crazy saved him from a visit with Uri and Val.
“Since the triplets decided to take residence in his Bayou. To be honest, they’re just as crazy as he is.”
“Aye, that’s the reason he’s still on my kill board. He’s smart and useful, but if you ask me, he’s better off dead.”
I snort. “I have a son who says otherwise,” I murmur.
“Which is the only reason he’s still alive,” Logan mutters.
“I thought Sammy said he would not be around forever. He did not say we would not be the reason he is not,” Uri says.
“Aye, those were just my exact thoughts. Although if he’s calling about the Slaughter House, we might be the least of his worries.”
“I only mentioned it to you as they are your cousins. I’ll deal with it if you don’t want to be bothered,” I offer.
“Nah, I’ll call Maximillian first to know just what I’m walking into, but I’ll handle it.”
“It’s Tobias’s name that came up.”
“Aw, fuck. Ya have to be kidding me. I swear the other two stole all the oxygen at birth and warped that one’s brain.
Not that either of those two has a lick of sense.
” He pauses and moves away from the phone.
“Cillian, Cormac, if you two don’t sit your asses down.
Break something else and the two of ye will stay here while everyone else goes to the movie.
I’m not talking to ye again. Do ye hear me? ”
I stifle a laugh as Logan barks in a tone only a father can use or understand. His frustration can be heard through the phone. I can only imagine the pouts on Cillian and Cormac’s faces.
“You go handle that. I’ll give you a call if I hear anything. For now, we take our cues from Misha’s moves, and you can handle Gambit when you have the time.”
“Aye, I’m gone.”
“Aw fuck, Val, no—” I hear Uri growl before the line goes dead on his end.
I shake my head and turn to look in the full-length mirror by the front door. I’m dressed for our date and ready to go. I went with all black for tonight, leaving my dress shirt open at the top with no tie.
My dress shoes are shining and everything fits to perfection. I lift my arm and flick my wrist to check my watch, then fix my onyx and platinum cuff links. They were an anniversary gift from Tasha last year.
They happen to be my favorite pair. My wife knows me and gets it right every time. I frown at my reflection, wondering why everything in my life couldn’t be as simple as choosing a pair of cuff links to wear for the night.
The balance of power in the Alliance can be tedious. Right now, we’re experiencing one of those moments. There’s what I know and what I think. I’m at war with what I think we should do for the safety of everyone and what I know my friend needs to do for himself.
Misha is complicated. If I step on his toes with this, I will have to kill him. That’s not what I want.
That’s not what the Alliance is about. However, the longer I allow this, the heavier it seems to become. I’m exhausted at this point.
It’s like we’re taking two steps forward and ten steps back. However, when I put myself in Misha’s shoes, I get it. He has a family to think about as much as all the rest of us do.
It’s best if we all respect that and remember Misha has been there for all of us when we’ve needed. That’s why I’m allowing this grace. We owe it to him.
“You look handsome. Are you ready?”
I turn to my wife with a smile. However, when I face her, my mouth falls open and I become speechless. She’s in a pair of purple strappy heels with a deep-purple one-shoulder satin-looking dress that stops right above the knee.
The heels make her shapely brown legs look much longer than they are. I can already feel her thick thighs around my waist as I push into her tight heat. Good luck on making it through the night before I take her hard and fast.
I clear my throat. “You look amazing. Yes, I’m ready.”
I hold my arm out for her. She comes to me and wraps her arm around mine. I lean in to kiss her lips.
“I have a feeling this is going to be a great night,” she says with a smile.
“Me too, baby. Me too.”