Broken Soldier: A Lost Hearts Novella: Novella One (Lost Hearts Series) Page 7

  I pace back and forth in the driveway. I want to go out and drive around, but something tells me to stay put and wait. Parker should’ve been home by now. I heard the sirens in the background, before he hung up. He hasn’t answered any of my calls since.

  I twist my fingers in my shirt nervously. I just know something isn’t right. My heart stutters, as headlights move up the street, I scramble out of the way, when I recognize the truck to be Parker’s. I hurry to the passenger door, after he pulls to the back of the driveway, tugging it open, I hop up into the truck.

  There’s a storm rolling over his face. I can tell in the tension in his body he’s pissed. I move to climb into his lap. His head drops into my breasts. Running my hands through his hair, I kiss the top of his head.

  “What happened?” I whisper.

  “Toni learned an important lesson,” he rumbles. “I want you to be more careful from now on. He’s taking things too far and he has no idea who he’s dealing with. He’s a spoiled child, that makes him dangerous.”

  “Oh, my God. He pulled you over,” I gasp.

  Parker shrugs. “He had some friends do his dirty work. I’ve been through worse. I’m sure a few unpaid suspensions will make them all second guess the action next time.”

  “That asshole, now he’s messing with the one thing he does do for Isaac,” I growl.

  Parker’s strong hands knead my back. “I’ll help out. You don’t have to worry about it,” he lifts his head to kiss my chin.

  “That’s not the point. You’re right he is such a child. I should’ve listened to my brother, he tried to warn me. I’m so hard headed,” I huff.

  “He’s wasted enough of my night,” he kisses my lips, his hands running under my dress. “I love how your skin feels beneath my palms.”

  I can feel him growing beneath me. My juices flood my panties from his slightest caress. I love his touch as much as he loves touching me.

  “Pull into the garage. We’re not making it inside,” I moan against his lips.

  “You never have to worry about me coming home,” he rasps. “My heart will always find its way to you.”

  I melt into his chest, as he speaks to my unspoken fear. I needed those words more than he will ever know. Someday they will be words that I cling to.

  Chapter 13

  We’re Not Over

  Lakia

  My entire body is sore, but I’m not complaining. If the windows in Parker’s truck could talk they’d be singing to the rafters. The man is an insatiable beast. I didn’t think I could possibly take any more, but I was the one that straddled him this morning with a nice wake up call. I guess that means I’m no better than him.

  A knock at the backdoor startles me. It leads right to the stairs of the garage apartment. I’m in the middle of washing my hair in the kitchen sink. I reach for a towel, wiping shampoo out of my eyes.

  “Babe, did you forget your key?” I call, while patting my hair dry.

  I open the door and the air shifts. I peek through the towel to see Toni glaring at me. He moves forward, backing me into the house, throwing me off guard.

  “Son of a bitch,” I grind out.

  “Your little boyfriend cost my partner his fucking job,” he fumes.

  “You cost Vern his job, asshole,” I toss back. “It should’ve been you.”

  “He had complaints against him already. They axed him. I only got probation,” he rakes a hair through his hair looking crazy. “Fucking commissioner took your boyfriends side. Wouldn’t even hear us out.”

  “Well, next time you’ll stop to think about the BS you pull,” I shrug.

  Toni moves quickly, crowding my space. “I did what I needed to do to protect my family,” he bellows.

  “Your family? You sound like a lunatic. You don’t pay your son attention unless it benefits you or gets my attention. You and I have been over for—”

  He backs me against the wall and slams his palm against it. “Stop saying that shit! We’ve never been over! We’ll never be over,” he yells in my face.

  “If you don’t get the fuck out of my face. You better go get some help, Toni. This ends today. You jump in my face like this again, it’s going to be a problem,” I say low and menacingly.

  “What? You’re going to get your boyfriend on me,” he taunts.

  “I’m quite sure the last time I watched, Enough, it wasn’t the new boyfriend that fucked that psycho ex up,” I lean into his face, showing him he’s not the only crazy one in the room.

  He licks his lips, backing off a little. He reaches up to touch the scar I left with that lamp so long ago. I nod at him.

  “Don’t push me, I have a son to think about,” I warn.

  “If I can’t have you, no one can. Don’t push me, Kia,” he warns back.

  “Make sure your insurance is paid,” I fold my arms over my chest. “Do one good thing for our son.”

  “Bitch,” he hisses.

  I shrug. “Bet I won’t be the dead bitch in the end, Bitch,” I toss back. “Remember, Toni, I’ve never made you a promise I didn’t keep.”

  His nostrils flare, but he turns and takes his ass out of my house. I sag against the wall. That man is going to make me make good on my word. I know he is.

  Chapter 14

  Something’s Off

  Parker

  I’m no fool and I know my woman too well. She’s been distracted the last few weeks. She’s planning something and it’s more than a book.

  I don’t like how quiet her ex has been. He’s been off the radar since his suspension went into effect. I get the feeling I’m looking at two sides of the same coin.

  Lakia’s distraction stems from that asshole. I’m going to deal with his ass, as soon as I prove he’s behind this distance I feel. I’ve given him this much of a pass, given the fact that he’s Isaac’s father.

  I blink a few times. A curse rips from my lips. I’ve been stewing in my thought’s while driving around. I’m starting to believe that stress is a trigger for me.

  I pull the truck over and try the breathing exercises Dr. Winsor suggested. I rub my eyes, trying to focus. I still only have tunnel vision. I throw my head back against the seat.

  I’m spiraling. I know I have somewhere I need to be. I look at the address programed in the GPS, but it doesn’t give me a clue as to where I’m going or why. I tell myself to push through and just get there.

  I shake my head and start off again. I drive carefully, relieved, when I realize I’m coming up on my destination. I turn into a residential street. It’s a cul de sac. The GPS leads me to the last house on the block. I pull into the driveway and cut the engine. My brows knit.

  “Why are you here, Parker?” I quiz myself in frustration.

  The moment the front door opens and the gorgeous woman and small boy come out, it hits me like a ton of bricks. My vision doesn’t clear, but I know why I’m here.

  “I’m here for them. My family. My woman and my boy,” I mutter.

  Sighing, I get out of the car. It’s time I have a talk with Lakia. She needs to know what’s going on with me. It’s only right I tell her if I want to take this next step.

  Chapter 15

  Best Friends

  Lakia

  Something is different about Parker today. I noticed it from the time he arrived at Mama’s house. I wish I knew what I could do to make it better.

  I bite my lip, as I watch him with my son. No matter what’s going on with Parker, he never lets Isaac feel neglected. He has been running around the backyard, with Isaac for a few hours now. At first, he called out encouragement to Isaac, while he tore through the yard, soon he was right out there with him.

  I lean in the doorway out of their sight, as they take a seat on the back steps. I know I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but I can’t seem to pull myself away. These are the two most important men in my life. I’d stop the world for the two of them.

  “Hey, Uncle Parker,” Isaac says thoughtfully.

  “What’s up, buddy,�
�� Parker replies.

  “I was thinking. You love mommy and I know she loves you. Maybe you should be my daddy,” Isaac says hesitantly, but it’s apparent he has been thinking about this for a while.

  “You know what? I think you’re a very smart boy. I was thinking the same thing. What do you say? You think she’ll have me?”

  I’m stunned. I listen to the pause Isaac takes, as if he’s thinking it over. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath, until my baby speaks again.

  “Well, you’re nice to her, you cook and help clean the house, while she writes her books. You’re my best friend, I don’t see why not,” Isaac finally responds.

  My heart squeezes. My little boy is so sweet. I don’t think I can become anymore choked up, until I hear Parker speak up again.

  “Yeah, well, you’re my best friend too. We’ll have to see if your mama can handle how broken I truly am. If she’ll have me, I want to make her my wife and you my son,” Parker says, as if answering his own thoughts.

  “You mean your vision and your memory?” Isaac asks.

  There’s a pregnant pause, my brows furrow. My mind moves slowly to string Isaac’s comment together. It’s his next reply to Parker that crashes right into me.

  “So, you figured me out, huh?”

  “Yeah, sometimes, when we’re playing you forget things and sometimes, when we’re doing puzzles you slow down when your vision stops working,” Isaac says.

  Wow! How the hell did I miss that? Or did I?

  Chapter 16

  Be Honest

  Parker

  Lakia’s making me nervous. She’s been watching me closely all night. I feel like my skin is going to fall off if she watches me anymore closely. I peek over at her as we pull into the driveway.

  She rode over to her mama’s in her mama’s car, so we rode back home together. Today was a good day. I had a revealing chat with Isaac. That kid only confirmed I’m moving towards the right thing. I’m not getting any younger. I want Lakia as my wife and I want to have more children. Calling Isaac my son will just be a bonus on top of that.

  “I’ll carry him inside,” I say, as I open Lakia’s door, before getting Isaac out of his booster seat.

  I think I wore the poor little guy out today. He doesn’t even flinch, as I place him on my shoulder and carry him towards the house. I kiss his forehead as I walk, wishing him sweet dreams.

  Lakia and I work together to get him into his Black Panther pajamas and into his bed. I remember when life was that simple for me. It seems like centuries ago now.

  “What are you thinking about?” Lakia whispers, as we make our way into the living room.

  “My childhood, things were so simple once,” I smile down at her.

  “Are things so complicated now?”

  “I don’t know about now, but they were once or twice along the way,” I admit.

  “Like when,” she bats those pretty lashes at me.

  I don’t think she knows how beautiful she is. She wraps me around her finger without even trying. I now know the hole that was once in my heart was waiting for her to come and fill it.

  “While my uncles were all in the military, my father had wanted to live the simple ranch life with my mother. After her death, things changed. I needed to get away and I ran right into the army,” I begin to tell her.

  “Uncle Wayne had hoped I’d join the Navy, but I wanted to rebel in every way. It was my decision, my choice. Today, I think it was the best decision I ever made. It’s the decision that led me to you,” I reach to tug her into my chest, before she can take a seat on the couch.

  “Is that right?” she beams up at me.

  “Yes, Ma’am. The army led me right to love,” I smile at her.

  “If you love me, be honest with me,” she locks eyes with me, looking into my soul. “Tell me why they discharged you. It had to be something bad enough to keep you from performing. What aren’t you telling me?”

  With a sigh, I lift her, coaxing her legs around me. I walk over to her favorite spot in the house, the window seat. I sit with my back to the window, caressing hers.

  “I had some damage to the nerves in my leg from the burns. They didn’t think I’d recover from that, but what sealed things was the sporadic loss of my peripheral vision. It comes and goes with no warning. I also had brain trauma. I lose pieces of my memory from time to time,” the words spill free, feeling like a weight being lifted.

  She nods, eyes searching mine. “The glasses. It dawn on me you never wore glasses the few times I saw you in the past,” she murmurs.

  “Their supposed to help, but they hadn’t done much,” I sigh in frustration.

  “Were you having trouble today?”

  “Yeah, I forgot where I was going and my vision went on the way to your mama’s. I followed the GPS to figure out where I was headed,” I admit.

  “That’s why you set all your destinations, even to the store down the road and back,” she muses, understanding lighting up her eyes.

  “I have a few things I do to adapt,” I nod.

  “Jake, Baby, none of that will keep me from loving you. I figured there was more. My son is just more observant than I am,” she clamps her mouth shut.

  I narrow my eyes and smile at her. “You were listening to our conversation?”

  “Maybe,” she bites her lip.

  “How much did you hear?”

  She makes the cutest face, wincing. “Well,” she drags out. “I may have heard a lot more than you would have wanted me to.”

  “Marry me,” I breathe.

  A gasp leaves her lips, her bright eyes fill with tears. I take her lips in a gentle kiss. Her fingers lace into my hair and lock there.

  “Marry me,” I say against her lips. “I want to call you my wife and Isaac, my son. I want you to give me more children. Marry me, Baby Girl.”

  “Yes,” she says through her tears. “Yes.”

  I cup her face and devour her lips. I can taste the salt of her tears, mixed with the chocolates she had earlier at her mama’s. I groan.

  I’ll get to kiss this woman for the rest of my life. I will savor her like this, until I’m old and grey and can’t move to get my hands on her. Even then, she’ll know that I love her with everything I am.

  I swallow her small whimper. My hands are actually trembling, as I move them down her face, over her neck, still lower, until I grasp the sides of her ribs. Lakia lifts the blouse she’s wearing over her head, tossing it aside. I unclasp her bra, discarding of it as she did her shirt.

  I lift my arms as she tugs my t-shirt up. It hits the pile next. I take my time kissing her shoulders, running my hands up and down her back. She feels as soft as satin. My hands make another trip down, pushing her skirt from her hips. She stands, allowing the fabric to fall to the floor.

  I lift to stand, toeing my boots from my feet. We both work to get my pants and boxers down my legs. I’m already rock hard from the thought of making her my wife.

  “Come here.”

  She comes right to me. My arms going around her waist, lifting her back onto my mine. I sit once again, this time reaching between our bodies to toy with her button.

  Her face buries in my neck, one of her palms splay the window behind me. I bring her to climax, once, twice, close to a third time, but she has other ideas. Cupping my face, she rocks her hips over my hard shaft coating it.

  I groan as her slickness slides over me. I slide into her on the next pass, my hands cupping her face as she cups mine. We stare in each other’s eyes and I’m so grateful for the ability to have this sight.

  “If I lost my sight overnight, I would brag for years about the night I stared into the rays of the sun,” I husk out, as she rides me so slow, it feels like I’m being tortured, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “Jake, I love you,” she whispers, on a moan.

  “I love you too,” I groan. “I love you more than you’ll ever know.”

  She shivers. My name spilling from her lip
s. Both her hands press to the window behind me, her breasts push into my face. I pull a nipple into my mouth sucking and licking around it. I can feel her gush, as I draw the tight bud deeper into my mouth.

  “Yes,” she gasps.

  She rocks her hips in circles, then up and down again. I’m right with her, meeting her stroke for stroke. Neither of us in control, both sharing in the load. I move my arms to band around her back, holding her to my chest. Her head falls back, her tight curls spiraling out around her head like a crown. It’s one of my favorite looks on her.

  I claw my fingers across her back, knowing I’m not going to be able to hold on like this much longer. I push Lakia right to the edge, watching the beauty of her going over.

  Standing, I switch our positions. I place her on the bench seat, lifting her legs onto my shoulders and clench her waist. I begin to increase the pace, hitting her spot over and over. Squeezing her legs together, I move them over one shoulder.

  Her hands go over her head, pressing to the cool glass. I place one hand over hers and the other I find my own purchase against the window. I drill into her, lifting her body from the bench.

  I can see when she’s about to lose it and start screaming. I cover her mouth with mine, but I don’t let up. I slow again, when the slapping sound starts to ring through the room.

  “Oh, my God,” she whisper groans.

  “You drive me crazy,” I pant over her. “I can’t get enough of you.”

  I feel her clench around me and groan. I pulse inside her. Our bodies having a conversation of their own.

  “I think we both lost our minds,” she giggles. “Maybe we should move this into the bedroom.”

  I shake my head. Damn, she’s right. I shift her legs again, lifting her from the bench and start for the bedroom.