Chapter Twenty-Eight
Got You Covered
Sammy
I swallowed hard and slowly nodded, “Yeah. Sure.”
His humor left me swinging at his upper arm again, but I wasn’t fast enough. He dodged the jab and opened a door that I’d thought was a pantry at first.
“Wait here,” he warned, before jogging down the steps. It was dark as hell down there. From what I could make of the room, with the light trickling down into it, the place was about the same size as my bedroom back home.
I heard a scraping sound, then natural light flooded the room.
“Alright,” he invited.
I closed the upstairs door and cautiously descended. There was no need, the stairs were in excellent repair. The entire basement guest room was, really. It didn’t smell like a basement or storage area, and I assumed it was because of the other exit. I gravitated toward it and realized it led up toward the backyard, kind of like a storm cellar entrance.
He sat down on the bed, and I moved back toward him and made quick work of cleaning the wound.
“Head up,” I requested.
He did as asked, and I manipulated the skin as best I could and superglued the wound closed.
“It isn’t the surgical strength stuff they put on my belly, but it’ll do. I hope.”
“It’ll be fine. I appreciate it, really.” He smiled, then his gaze dropped to my belly.
“When did you have it done?”
I waved my hand. “I went for my follow up a few days ago. They’re pretty confident they took more than necessary, but I only have two tiny, glued areas and a spot on my belly button.”
He reached for my hand and tugged me down to his lap.
“Is it close to healed? Do you have to go back?”
I bobbled my head, “They don’t need to see me again, not for– a while. I’d have to look at the card in my purse.”
“Alright. If it acts up, you tell me…” he insisted.
I smiled, “My parents haven’t even asked how it went. I don’t think they knew I did it, or that they’ll be relying on my brothers for grandchildren.”
I sucked in a breath, without meaning to and he curled me into a tight hug. “You’re fine. Everything will be fine. There is more to life than kids. Some people have kids that grow up and don’t even speak to them anymore. They get on just fine. You will, too.”
I clung to him, resting my head on his shoulder.
“I wish I’d met you before our lives got fucked.”
He laughed, “My life was fucked long before you was ever a thought, girl. Believe that.”
“Oh, my God,” I scoffed, shaking my head against my resting place, “You’re only like six or seven years older than me, stop it.”
He kissed the top of my head and groaned.
“What?” I lifted up.
He shook his head, staring into my eyes for a long while before he gave a low moan, his fingers sliding into my hair and tightening as he drew in close.
“God, I want to–” He moaned and clicked his teeth in front of my mouth.
The tingle at my scalp and his raw energy had me mesmerized. No one had ever handled me like that or spoke to me that way.
“I don’t know what time school gets out.” He exhaled, “And Rumi will want to see me. I need to tarp your car too. Before someone sees the plate or model.
“I– don’t think you should be outside,” I quietly stressed.
Menace smiled. “I knew you cared.”
I rolled my eyes, and he snaked forward, his mouth claiming mine. I kissed him back for the first time without hesitation or restraint, letting him deepen it until he was feasting on my lower lip and gripping my hair again.
“Fuck,” he whispered. “Stay here and try not to break any more of my ribs when I climb into bed with you this time.”
“No promises,” I chirped.
He shifted me away and slapped my ass, causing me to leap and hiss.
“Menace.”
“Mhm?” he murmured, the devil in his eyes as he strolled out that storm cellar door.
“Get that bed warm, woman,” he called from outside.
I hadn’t gotten much sleep, and the linen smelled fresh, so I stretched out and fell asleep effortlessly. I was vaguely aware of damp arms and a fresh soap smell snaring me at some point, but it didn’t really wake me up fully. It was the slamming of the front door upstairs that woke me up.
The solid bang sent me into my usual startle response. I arched like a cat and flopped, throwing myself out of the bed. I awoke on the way down, but this time, something landed on top of me. Fingers plastered to the back of my head, and Menace blanketed my body with his.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I panicked further, squirming and scrambling beneath his weight.
“I don’t know,” he passionately exclaimed, “I woke up to a nasty boom and you took cover, I guess I was just… helping you? Keeping you safe?”
His nose buried in my hair where it draped over the side of my neck, and he sniffed.
“As you can see, all is well.” I hissed at him, my heart still trying to slow its pace.
“Well– Yeah, but… now I’m all snug against–” He ground against my ass, and I froze beneath the hard, prominent length of his cock through our clothes. “I swear to fuck, that thing looked like art, Sammy… but it feels like heaven in the flesh.”
His lips pressed to my neck, having finally nuzzled his way through my hair while I lay there in shock, absorbing his words and losing myself to the rush of his lips over my pulse point.
I gave in a moment and rolled my ass against his thick promise. A sound lodged in his throat that made me tingle from head to toe.
The basement door banged at the top of the stairs, and he shoved his way off me, scrambling back to the safety of the bed and the sanctuary of the covers as an excited, “Uncle Menace!” was called.
Feet were already sounding over the stairs.
“Rumor Remington, I said stop!” Octavia called, appearing in the doorway just as Rumi froze a few feet from the bed, having finally spotted me.
Her brown eyes were round and fixed on me.
“Now look what you’ve gone and walked in on.” Octavia called, not yet realizing I wasn’t in the bed.
When she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she, too, froze. Confusion weighed her features for a moment, then she collected her daughter by the shoulders and steered her upstairs.
Menace laughed and I glared once I found my feet.
“Why did she stare at me like that? What the hell are you laughing for?”
“I don’t know. They’re probably wondering who you thought you were kidding throwing yourself on the floor like that. As if anyone would believe we wasn’t laid up together.”
“Wh–? You’re theone that scrambled to the bed.”
“Fuck yeah, I’m in boxers.” He laughed, and reached beneath the covers to adjust himself, “And– morning struggles.”
I raised a brow, and he threw the blanket aside and stood. Those thin, white prison boxers were tenting ridiculously.
I caught myself staring at it, and heat flooded my cheeks. His smile was a little too cocky, and triumphant. That smart mouth of mine and competitive nature couldn’t leave it unslapped.
“Huh.” I cocked my head, “How didn’t I feel that?”
He tipped his head a little and laughed, his eyes lighting up, all but calling bullshit as he shifted off that bed with lion-like speed and gathered me by the waist, pulling me against him.
“I seem to remember someone throwing their ass back for more contact with it.”
“Bold of you to assume I wasn’t searching for any contact.” I snorted but melted into his kiss.
I tapped his hip and pulled away after a moment, “Stop making your niece wait. You heard her excitement.”
He nodded and moved to a tall, metal wardrobe. It reminded me of a two-piece locker combo. There wasn’t much in there, but he found a pair of jeans that didn’t sag off his hips too much and we went upstairs.