12. Huntley
Chapter Twelve
HUNTLEY
Another week blazed forth and my feelings for River ignited stronger each day.
We slept together.
Of course I didn’t mean in the biblical sense or even in the same bed. We had, however, stayed on the phone all night while we slipped into slumber two other times after that first night when she’d asked me to stay on the phone with her.
Each morning as we woke, River’s awkwardness and the embarrassment in her groggy voice lessened. God, her sleepy tone was sexy as hell and brightened my day. It also made the morning wood a bit harder as well. It was a good thing she wasn’t there to see what she did to me.
I wasn’t sure if she’d ever be ready to see a reaction like that or hear how she made me feel, but I was a patient man. Nobody had ever made me want the way River did. I wanted her friendship, her trust, her body, and her heart. But as I said before, I would take what I could get and cherish anything she was willing to give.
With my mind stuck on the beautifully complicated woman, I finished my workout and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from my face.
“Hey man, how’s it going?”
Glancing up, I tossed my towel in my bag and greeted Braxton. I had mad respect for the man after getting to know him since he opened No Surrender. We had shared military backgrounds and even our personal pasts as time went on. He was a standup guy and so were the partners he was in business with.
“Can’t complain, things are going well.” Especially with River in my life , I thought. “How is business and your family? Did Embry skillfully take all your money yet?”
He rumbled with laughter. “All is good and my little doodlebug has certainly tried.”
His daughter was a master at collecting money for her swear jar. However, when I say jar, I’m pretty sure she’d filled a thousand of them by now. Those times I’d been around her, I had to watch my mouth for sure.
“So, you ready to come work for me?”
It was my turn to laugh. Braxton had been asking me that for over a year. I’d never taken him up on it because I loved my job. However, it was tempting to work part time for him like Bronson did, but then I would have trouble being there for my mother.
“You never know, man. Maybe one day I’ll take you up on that. You run an amazing business here.”
We shook hands. “We’d be lucky to have you at any time.”
I grabbed my bag and threw the strap over my shoulder. “Thanks, that means a lot.”
“Are you off to work?” he asked.
A slow smile spread across my face. “Nope.”
Braxton tilted his head as he stared at me. “Why do you look like the cat that just ate the canary? You have this satisfied, almost sneaky smile on your face. ”
I grinned. “Naw, I was just invited to game night with River and the kids.”
He wasn’t completely off though. When he said satisfied, he was right on that count. I was pretty happy to get to see them after a week and be included.
“Ahh, now I understand that smile of yours.”
I raised my brows in curiosity. “Yup, but what is your shit eating grin for?”
Braxton threw his head back and roared with additional laughter. “I was just thinking, wait until all the ladies find out.”
I groaned, causing him to crack up even more.
“Welcome to the club, buddy.”
“What club would that be?” I asked him.
He slapped me on the back. “The one where your woman has you wrapped around her finger and all the other women are in your business every chance they get.”
“She doesn’t?—”
“Hold your breath and don’t try to deny it. It’s written all over your face just from getting invited to game night. As soon as you said her name, you got a dreamy look in your eyes.”
I shook my head at his choice of words, but I didn’t protest any further.
Because I liked the sound of it when he said, my woman.
Her guard was down and it was a beautiful sight to see.
I knew the week hadn’t been too easy on her since the three-day suspension for Lennon still took place after he’d hit the kid at school. River knew there was a school policy and she, along with Lennon, had accepted it. But Bre wouldn’t attend without him .
The only good news by the end of the meeting she had with the principal was that the kid who had groped Bre—which was sexual harassment—was expelled when more witnesses came forward and it was all brought to light.
When we talked the night after the decisions were made, I wondered what actually happened to Bre. The kid had gotten what he deserved but something told me what he’d done was worse than what I’d been thinking. So, I asked, even though I wasn’t sure she would tell me.
To my surprise she told me everything in great detail. I don’t think I’d felt fury in my life like I did by the time she was done. The prick didn’t just touch her once like I was thinking when Lennon told me someone touched her without permission. Her brother was protecting her from everyone knowing the rest.
No, the kid had pushed her into a janitorial closet and made lewd comments about how he knew she wanted him. When he tried to kiss her, forcing himself on her, Bre managed to hit him with a bottle of cleaner off a shelf and get free. When she found her brother in the hall, the kid followed her and proceeded to do what Lennon had mentioned.
When I heard how she got out of the situation, I was so fucking proud of her.
But then the shithead—out of pure stupidity in my opinion, because he probably wanted to feel like he had the upper hand—touched her again and ran his mouth in front of everyone. However, it wasn’t everyone he should have been concerned with right then.
No, that was Lennon.
I was sure the kid would do anything for his sister, something he’d proven.
Because that’s when all hell had broken loose.
River asked Bre if she wanted to press charges, but the young girl just wanted it to go away and since the kid wouldn’t be attending the school any longer, we all hoped she would get through it okay. From the comments River had made, she was working on her past still and I knew she’d been hurt before.
I wanted nothing more than to find all the fuckers who’d hurt her, Lennon, and River so I could make them pay. But that wasn’t what they needed. It would be satisfying though. No, they needed exactly what I was witnessing right then.
Family, people they could trust and count on, along with an abundance of laughter. And there was no shortage of laughter as Bre ribbed her brother and mother over losing the game of Charades against her and me. That’s what they deserved.
“We slayed it!” she yelled, pointing across the table where the others sat. Then she turned to me and raised her hand for a high five, which I gladly gave her.
I glanced at River and her eyes shimmered with glee at seeing her daughter having such a good time.
“Rematch,” Lennon told her with a teasing growl.
“Fine, but I want ice cream before we beat you again.” She looked at me. “Come on, winners get theirs first and that’s us.”
Bre stood and stuck her tongue out at Lennon playfully. It was a whole different side of her. Of all of them. I rose from my chair and started to follow the girl into the kitchen. I looked back at River who had a happy smile on her face.
I was a lucky man to have been invited to join their family for game night.
Still watching River, she said to me, “What are you waiting for? Are you going to go get your ice cream or what?”
“Yeah, Warrior, I’m going.” I winked and watched her blush .
As I walked off, I heard Lennon say to her, “It’s kind of weird that he calls you that, but it fits.”
I slowed my steps, eavesdropping and wanting to hear River’s reply.
“Why do you think it fits?”
The woman was oblivious and didn’t realize how strong she was. I didn’t know much about her life but even I knew that the nickname was right for her.
“Because after everything you have been through, you still made room in your life for Bre and me. And because you’re one of the strongest people I know.”
Lennon was spot on. I found myself wondering not for the first time about her past and hoping one day she trusted me enough to tell me.
I didn’t have to turn to know River was choked up at her son’s words when she told him, “Thank you, but you two make my life worth living and me stronger for having you in it.”
Tears pricked my eyes. God, they were killing me.