I reached out for my son, but the space beside me was empty.
Panic tore through me, and I shoved back the blankets, racing to the living room.
It was dimly lit, the lamp beside the couch the only light on in the big room. Hunter lay on the couch on his back, bare-chested, eyes closed. Josh lay on him, thumb in his mouth, out cold, his little face tucked under Hunter's chin. Hunter's muscular, inked arms wrapped around my boy, protective and strong. Perfect.
My gaze lifted back to Hunter. His eyes were open.
"Hey," I whispered.
"Hey," he said back.
"Did he wake?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks for taking care of him."
He just stared at me, then shook his head and held out a hand. "Come here."
I went to him, climbed onto the couch beside them. Hunter wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into his side. One arm around me, one around Josh. My heart squeezed, but it wasn't in pain; it was in happiness. I turned into him and kissed his pec. "I missed you."
His arm got tighter. "Missed you, too."
We were silent for a while. I absorbed his heat, the comfort he was giving me. Then I tilted my head back, looking up at him. "What's going on between Neco and Ruby?"
"Don't know. She likes to mess with him, and he's a glutton for punishment."
"Oh." I thought about that for a bit. "I think Neco's attracted to her."
"Maybe."
"No maybe about it."
"Something happen?"
"Let's just say, he couldn't hide it," I said against his shoulder.
He chuckled. "Shit."
"Yep."
He was quiet again for a little while then gave me another squeeze, and said into my hair, "You doing okay?"
"Yeah." Things were far from okay, and we both knew it, but for now, this moment-I was more than okay. I was content. For the first time in a very long time.
I snuggled closer, wrapped my arm around both my boys, and closed my eyes.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Hunter
I woke to wet fingers slapping my forehead.
Opening my eyes, I looked up to see Josh, who was supporting himself with a hand on my head, leaning over, face so close to his mother's they were touching noses. "Wake up!" he yelled.
Lulu's eyes popped open. She blinked a couple times before a huge smile spread across her face. Shit, the woman was gorgeous. She grabbed Josh around the waist and pulled him closer, tickling him. Our son lost it, laughing his ass off and wriggling like crazy. Lulu chuckled and I couldn't stop the huge-assed grin that spread across my face. I could get used to waking up like this every morning. My woman, my son tucked in beside me, safe-happy.
Having to leave her last night had sucked, but we'd gotten a line on Pierce. The stupid fuck still hadn't left New York. He either had some seriously big balls or was fucked in the head, because he'd been spotted at the funeral yesterday. He'd stayed back, obviously disguised, but he'd been there, outside the church. The cops had gone after him, but he'd gone underground. He'd screwed himself, not running, not getting as far from Lulu as he could, when he could.
The guy's only hope now was staying low and waiting for the dust to settle, then making a break for it. I wouldn't let that happen, though. I had too much to lose now. And that sick fuck was a threat to the two people that mattered most to me.
Lulu quit tickling, and Josh scrambled off the couch and over to his toy cars. She shifted to her side then lifted up on her elbow, looking down at me. Her eyes shone, bright and beautiful. She was looking at me in a way she hadn't for a fucking long time. Some of that pain that she wore like armor was gone. She still had a way to go, but there was a lightness there that made my gut clench. Shit, she took my breath away.
The last week she'd been grieving-hell, she'd been in shock. As much as I wanted her straining beneath me, I'd have to be the biggest kind of asshole to expect that from her. So I let her be.
I'd give her all the time she needed. But waiting for her to make that shift, to finally turn to me for more than comfort, was fucking hard. Not pushing like I wanted to nearly killed me. I'd gone three years without this woman, and not a night passed in all that time that I didn't dream about her, even when I hated her for what I thought she'd done. I'd still craved her. So when she slid her fingers across my jaw to cup the side of my face, I stilled. And when her gaze dropped to my mouth and she ran her thumb below my lower lip, I sucked in a sharp breath.
"Morning," she whispered, then leaned in and pressed her mouth against mine.
It wasn't a peck. No, she moved her mouth against mine in a way that had my heart pounding in my chest and my dick throbbing against the zipper of my jeans. I dropped a hand to her hip, pulling her in closer, the other thrusting into her soft hair and taking over, sliding my tongue across her lower lip, nipping. She opened for me, gave it back, tongue moving against mine in a way that told me just how hot she was for me.
If I didn't put on the brakes now, though the idea made me want to growl in frustration, no way could I stop from taking this further. Jesus, I didn't fucking want to, but I couldn't let this get out of control. So I slowed things down, and it seriously fucking hurt to do it. My cock wasn't thanking me for it, that's for damn sure. I gave her ass a squeeze, because I couldn't help it, and ended the kiss. "Morning," I said against her soft, now sexily swollen lips.
Her smile got bigger, brighter. Beautiful.
"I like that, babe," I said.
"What?"
"That smile you got going on this morning."
Her fingers flexed against my shoulder, then she bit her lip. She glanced away then back, holding my gaze. The bright in her eyes turned liquid.
"You put it there. It's only fair I share it with you." Then she leaned in, shoved her face against my throat and started breathing heavily, doing her best to hold it together.
Fuck.
I ran my hand up and down her back. Jesus. Did she have any idea what that meant to me? Any idea at all? "You keep saying shit like that, Lulu. I'm gonna want to take you to my bed and fuck you. Look into your eyes while you come, telling me again and again how I put that smile there." I slid my hand down her smooth thigh then up under my T-shirt that she'd claimed to sleep in-which fucking pleased me to no end-and cupped her ass. "You in my bed, looking at me like that, saying shit like that to me. There'll be no going back. I'll keep you there, you know that, right?"
She stilled, just for a beat, and then she moved in closer, tits soft and warm against my ribs, and kissed my neck. I felt it like she'd pressed her lips to the head of my cock. "I want that." She kissed me again. "I want all of it."
Now it was my turn to go still. Her voice had come out muffled, since her mouth was against my skin. So I wrapped my arms around her back and shifted to my side, so we were facing each other. "What did you just say?"
She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I want it." Her eyes locked with mine. "All of it."
"You want it all?" My voice came out a shaky rasp when I repeated her words. I didn't give a fuck. It wasn't a question, because she'd said it now, which meant there was no going back.
"Yeah," she whispered.
"You know what you're saying?"
"Yes."
"You're giving us another shot. You're in my bed every night. You, me, Josh, we're a family." A tear streaked down her cheek. I brushed it away with my thumb. Another fell straight after, and I swiped that one away as well.
She slid her hands into my hair, holding me captive with her beautiful gray eyes, and damn near destroyed me with her next words. "Yes. If you'll have us."
"Fuck, Lulu." I cupped the back of her head. "It's all I've ever wanted."
My other hand was still up the back of her shirt. I smoothed it down her side then around and back up over her soft belly, to cup one of her full tits. Its softness overflowed my hand. When I swiped my thumb over a stiffened nipple, she moaned softly.
Lulu's knee was bent over my hip, and she wriggled against me. Fuck. I wanted her naked under me, now. Her cheeks were flushed, breath coming in little pants. "Hunter . . ."
It was at that moment our little spider monkey scrambled onto the couch. He leaned in close and wrapped his arms around my neck, so we were nose to nose. He'd obviously been trying to get our attention for a while, which had failed for obvious reasons.
"Pancakes!" he yelled.
"I think you've created a pancake monster," Lulu said, giggling beside me.
"No shit," I mumbled and grinned over at her, heart so full I thought it might actually burst.
"Shit!" Josh mimicked.
Lulu's smile vanished, and she narrowed her eyes. That was my cue to haul ass and go make the damn pancakes. I did it with a stupid-assed grin on my face the whole time.