Chapter 57
Dax
I let Finch off the leash the moment we get to the backyard. She runs around, and I throw a ball at her. She takes it, runs to her favorite corner, and starts digging.
“Everything okay with Josie?” I ask.
“Your sister’s fine. What happened?”
“The Brennans had their business raided. It was a day after they received a shipment, and the police took them into custody.”
Mom nods her head and exhales. “Good. And who is going to handle them?”
“The Titans will take care of that part. I’m sure the Brennans will get bail eventually. Once they’re home, that’s it.”
“Not the wives or children,” Mom warns. She sighs.
“I hate that it came to this. Violence has no place in this business. I made that clear with Neal when he started. When he died, and we took over, it was my one rule. That’s why this has worked.
That’s why we had to stop working with the Titans in the first place. Now, we’re in bed with them again.”
She paces, so when she walks past me, I wrap my hand around her wrist.
“Mom, it will be okay.”
“Will it? I saw a couple of unmarked cars following me. I don’t know if it’s the Brennans, the Titans, or the feds.
And what if they come after Cori or Josie?
” She shakes her salt-and-pepper hair. “As much as I abhor violence, it’s best if we end the Brennans now.
Their wives don’t know anything, and it won’t lead back to us.
Hopefully, they will slink away because the Titans don’t have the morals we do. ”
“I have people watching Cori and Josie. I don’t want either one of them to know.”
She wraps her arm through mine. “I had a wonderful time with Cori. I’m so glad she decided to stick her nose where it didn’t belong and follow you.
Even though I warned you not to go through with your plan of forcing her to marry you.
What were you thinking?” She swats my chest with her free hand.
“If you had just waited a few hours, but no. You never listen.”
I let out an unguarded laugh.
“It worked.”
“It worked until it didn’t. That’s why you had to call in the big guns.”
Months ago
“Son, what are you doing?” Mom yells from the kitchen while I peek through her living room blinds.
Corine Lamb is parked just a few hundred feet away, holding a pair of binoculars while she looks at my mother’s house.
This is the third time she’s followed me this week, and she’s about as subtle as a flashing neon sign.
She nearly rode my bumper the entire ride here. I cut down several side streets. A real professional would have aborted their mission, but not the beautiful Ms. Lamb. She’s either oblivious or brave, but she’s already started something that she won’t be able to walk away from.
Beautiful, strong, and nosy. I could do a lot with that. Yesterday, she sat at a table next to mine at Seven Heaven, and all I could focus on was the scent of her perfume and the sight of the fork going into her mouth. At one point, our eyes locked, and she slowly pulled the fork from her mouth.
She knows what she’s doing. What she doesn’t know is that I’m tired of being alone, but the way my life is, I can’t just be with anyone. I need someone who will accept me and my business, and if King can find a woman like that, I can, too.
“Son?” Mom’s footsteps are as light as a feather.
I had no idea she was walking toward me until she rested a gentle hand on my shoulder.
She peeks through the blinds and whistles.
“She’s tenacious,” she says. “And brave.” She chuckles.
“I love that. She followed me to the nursery yesterday and watched while I picked out my plants. She didn’t buy a single thing.
” Mom shakes her head and chuckles. “I almost asked her over for lunch.”
“Her nosy ass would have accepted.”
“Ask her out.”
“She’s not the type you ask out.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t like the sound of that. I raised you to respect women. Every girl deserves to have a handsome man ask them out.” She slams the blinds shut and purses her lips at me.
“If I do that, she won’t accept. I have to be creative.”
“Oh, well, let’s figure it out over dinner.” She takes my arm and pulls me away, but I’m intrigued and dying to know what the hell she thinks she’s doing. She must be suspicious or have figured out who I am, but how?
I know King wouldn’t tell Eden. Corine Lamb is doing her own recon, but the question is, what is she going to do with that information once she confirms it?
“We have the town. Who cares if Shadow Cove residents know who you are now? You did that, sweetheart.” She points to a chair, and I sit and wait for her to put the food on the table.
“We did that, Mom. You’re the one who decided to go through Cousin Hazel, and it was your idea for me to bring in King and Preacher.” If my mom has one talent, it’s reading people.
Ripley King was a short-order cook at my dad’s old diner. One day, he saved a waitress from her abusive ex, who had a gun to her head. He nearly beat the guy to death. Mom was there, and after that, she convinced me to hire him at one of our nightclubs.
We dealt with drug traffickers then. The plan was for me to expose Ripley and wait for his reactions. He noticed, but never reacted.
We had wanted to come to Shadow Cove, but I needed a plan. Shadow Cove was our path away from drug traffickers. We’ve since dealt with gun peddlers, a few corrupt politicians, fraudsters, and several illegal gambling rings.
“She’s best friends with Ripley’s girl,” I announce over dinner. Mom raises her brows. “I think she’s a suspicious little thing. She’s also Lamb’s daughter.”
“Oh, that opportunist.” She purses her lips in disapproval. “With a daddy like that, she’s going to need a good guy in her corner.”
“I don’t think she likes good guys, or she wouldn’t be following me around.”
“Well, find out if you can trust her. That’s the first step. If you can’t, she’s not the one for you.” I don’t reply. I gaze toward the window, wondering if the end of my loneliness is only a few feet away. “Look at me,” Mom orders, and I do. “Have I ever led you wrong?”
“Never. I still remember what you told me about Ripley. You said he was all alone in the world and had nothing. He was angry, but he wasn’t heartless, and he could be loyal to the right person. I had to be that person.”
“I also told you to make him the face so you can live freely. Why did I tell you that, son?”
“Because people would bend to him faster. You said it was the way of the world and unfair, but we have to make it work to our advantage.”
“Because?”
“We have to use people’s stereotypes against them. Let them believe what they want because it’s not our job to change their minds. Every weakness is an advantage.”
“And how do we know how they think?”
“By doing our due diligence.”
“Do it on Corine Lamb. If you can, charm her. I was a young woman once. She’s intrigued, which means she’s attracted to you.
If she thought you were a troll, she would not be here.
See if there’s any chemistry. And bring her here for lunch soon.
You’ve been alone for a while, and you’re not getting any younger.
If this is getting in the way of you settling down, we can shut this down now. We have enough money.”
Now
“Maybe I shouldn’t have brought Cori into this.” Mom rests her head on my shoulder. “If anything happens to her—”
“Nothing will happen to her, and this will be over soon. I’ll call Steel Titan myself.”
“Stay away from him,” I warn. “But let’s go back inside before my nosy wife comes looking for us. Funny how she never suspected you.”
“Son, that’s my superpower. No one ever suspects a Black, peri-menopausal woman.” She links her arm through mine. “That’s their first mistake. They never see me coming, and that’s the way I like it.”
We find Cori in the kitchen, swiping on her iPad. The table is set, and while Mom goes to wash her hands, I pull my wife’s back into my chest and nip her ear.
“I have something to tell you,” I whisper. Just as I expected, my nosy bride faces me with eyes wide in anticipation. I take her chin and look down into her dark eyes. “I’m in love with you.”
“I already know that, dummy.” Her words are playful, but she blushes and casts her eyes down.
“Do you, though? I don’t think you know how much.” She puts her hands to her cheeks. “Look at me.” Our eyes lock. “You’re everything to me. I’ll put you first before everyone and everything.”
“Even Finch?”
I let her go and raise both hands. “Don’t get crazy, now.”
She hits my chest, but I grab her hands and pull her to me.
“Even Finch.” I rest my chin on top of her head. “But I’m not getting rid of her. And another thing, bribing you into marriage is the best thing I've ever done. I’d do it all over again.”
“Yeah, well, no one would willingly marry you.”
“We’re a perfect match. I’m a lucky man.”
“You are.”
I take her chin again and look down at her.
“You’re a brilliant, beautiful woman with a fat ass.
” I give it a good squeeze and she jolts.
“You’re a nosy thing, too, but that’s how I got you, so I’m not mad about it.
But you’re loyal and sweet, and despite you blabbing to your friends about me, I will trust you with my life.
I know you were running your mouth to them way before I confirmed anything. ”
“And they warned me to leave it alone.”
“I’m so glad you didn’t listen.”
“Eh.” She shrugs, but I see tears pool in her eyes.
“Me, too, but if you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.
” Her chin trembles and she drops her gaze.
A lonely tear slowly slides down her flawless cheek.
I don’t wipe it away. She’s perfect in every state, and I want to bask in a rare moment of her vulnerability.
“I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you happy, fulfilled, and my priority.
I meant what I said on our wedding day. Everything I have is yours, including this.
” I take her hand and put it on my heart.
“Everything else I own is just things. You can have all the money and everything it can buy, but this.” I press her hand to my heart.
“This is the only thing that you can break. I’ve never trusted another woman with it, Cori, but I want to give it to you. ”
Tears roll down onto her lips. She purses them before she licks the salty liquid away. Her eyes probe mine, and I know what she’s asking.
“You’re such a fucking asshole,” she finally says. “Why would you do this with your mother a few feet away?”
“I just wanted to tell you.”
She pulls away from my chest, and her eyes meet mine again.
“You’ve always been so thirsty.”
“Only for you, sweetheart.”
She takes a deep breath. “You know that I love you, too.”
“I know, but I can’t get enough of hearing you say it.”
“Is this why you’re saying these sweet things? When you’re not being all super villain and thinking of ways to trap an innocent girl into—”
“Sweetheart, you’re a lot of things, but innocent isn’t one of them. You’re Shakespearean, and that’s the way I like it.”
“Well, you can be sweet when you want. And giving.” I rub myself on her.
“I’ll give you some of this dick right now.”
“Shh.” She looks around to make sure my mom isn’t there. “But I admit, the dick is huge, and you know how to use it. The body is nice, too. But the main reason I love you is Haddie. She’s the best.”
I tighten my arms around her and hold her close. She cries into my chest while I rub her back.
“Your nipples are pressed against my chest. Now my dick’s getting hard.” Her head whips up, and she looks at me with wide eyes before she bursts into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” My mother strolls back into the kitchen and takes a seat at the table.
“Cori told me she loves me. Her nipples got hard, and now I’m turned on.”
“Daxton!” Cori punches my arm and shoves me, but my mom laughs.
“Well, let’s eat, and I’ll get out of your hair. Get started on my grandbabies. Dax, get us some wine.” While I do what she says, she takes my wife’s hand. “And no pressure on the babies.”
“No pressure. You only mention it every chance you get now," I remind Mom before I pour three glasses of wine.
“But I volunteer to provide childcare. Whether you want me to watch the baby full-time or a few days a week, I’m here. Don’t worry about a thing.” She serves herself food as if everything is decided.
“Mom, you act like Cori is already pregnant.”
“Bite your tongue. I have zero maternal instinct.” Cori shoves a forkful of potatoes in her mouth before she mumbles, “I think it’s harder for women with no maternal instinct to get pregnant. It’s backed by science.”
I try not to roll my eyes. Instead, I wink at her.
“Nonsense. I got pregnant with Daxton when I was just fifteen. I had never changed a diaper or held a baby, but the moment they placed him into my arms, I became a mother.” Mom slaps her hand on the table to prove her point.
She reaches over and taps my cheek. “I birthed two great kids, and now I have a bonus daughter.” She taps Cori’s cheek, too. “Who will give me grandbabies.”
“I thought we’d never get rid of her.” I lift her shirt over her head and toss it into some dark corner.
She’s braless, and my hands cup her soft breasts.
She jumps into my arms, and I nearly sprint up the stairs and into our bedroom.
Finch is fast on my heels, but I manage to close the door, keeping her out.
I drop Cori on the bed, and we quickly undress ourselves. By the time I’ve removed all my clothes, she’s naked and spread-eagled on the bed. My head goes right to her pussy, and I eat her like a hungry man.
I lift my head to find her looking down at me while biting her bottom lip.
“Get on your knees,” I order. She doesn’t fight me. For once, she does as she’s told, and I stand over her and press my dick at the entrance of her lips.
She opens wide and takes me in deep. I hold the back of her head, guiding her, while I throw my head back and feel her mouth on me.
“Oh, God,” I moan. I stroke the back of her neck. “Stop,” I reluctantly say, and she obeys. I climb on the bed and lie on my back. I point at my hard dick. “Put that in your mouth and put your pussy on my face.”
I slide a finger in her pussy and lick her clit. It doesn’t take her long to come on my face. Her little moans cause me to lose control, and I come in her mouth. She chokes and coughs, and I feel some remnants on my skin. I rub her back, and she comes up and cuddles to my side.
“Don’t go to sleep. I want to fuck you.”