We were the same size, and like the shoe hoarder I was, I took them with pleasure. However, it seemed like they were molded for her feet alone and were going to kill me.
“You’re a bad liar. Thank God I keep you locked away.” I laughed, crawling on top of him.
“I’m a great liar. We’re just born with a strong pair of bullshit detectors.”
“Raising three boys—four if I count you—it was a required skill.”
He chuckled, but didn’t reply.
“Sedric, what are you about to do?”
“Shh…” he whispered, just holding me.
I stopped struggling, allowing him to just hold me. It was what he did, what he always did. He held onto me as if he were worried I would never forgive him for whatever he was about to do, but I always did. No matter what, I always would.
We sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms, and I felt sixteen again. I felt like that same loud mouth, know it all, rash, love-struck teenager who saw her prince charming and went weak at the knees the moment he looked my way.
“What?” he asked, as I smiled to myself.
“Nothing,” I said, and in one swift motion, he flipped me onto my back and pinned me under him.
He glared into my eyes with a smirk on his lips. “Woman, what is so damn funny?”
“Man,” I lifted my head up to him, “I said nothing.”
“The hard way then…”
“Sedric, don’t…” before I could stop him, he ripped my shirt open. “Damn it all to hell, Sedric, that shirt was a gift.”
“My gift will be so much better.” He kissed my neck and with one hand, he ripped my bra from my chest.
“Really?” I dared him, crossing my arms over my chest, but the moment they covered my breasts, he pried them away.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he whispered, one of his hands wandering down the side of my arm, which were pinned over my head, until he reached my nipples. He played with them as he stared into my eyes.
“Sedric…”
“What better way can I show my wife I care, than to give her pleasure?” he whispered again, kissing my lips before trailing the side of my jaw. “Give us both pleasure.”
“Father, Liam wants…” Neal burst through the door before I could speak. “Jesus, mother fucking Christ of Nazareth, my eyes!”
I grabbed for a pillow, and Sedric reached for his gun in a fit of rage.
“What have I told you about knocking?” he roared, before firing a round at Neal’s head.
Neal ducked but it took off piece of the door. “SORRY…”
“Neal, I swear, if you don’t leave, I will skin you!” Sedric shouted, getting off the bed once I was covered.
Neal’s head dropped, and I tried really hard not to laugh. He looked like he did when he was a child and caught us doing the same thing.
“Liam said…”
“I don’t care what your brother said. I don’t care if the goddamn moon is falling out of the sky. Get out, boy!” he roared.
His throat was going to be sore in the morning.
“Father, I’d rather die at your hands than at Liam’s…or worse, Mel’s. Give me one second to tell you and then I will run faster than Forrest Gump.”
That did it, I couldn’t hold back from laughing, and Sedric glared at me, forcing me to place my hand over my mouth.
He stood in front of Neal, not that he could see since he was forcing his eyelids shut, and put a gun to his skull.
“Sedric…”
“You rather I kill you than Liam or Mel?” he asked, and I wanted to smack him over the head.
Neal smirked. “You would kill me quickly, and then mom will kick your ass. Liam and Mel would take a page out of George Bugs Morgan’s book, and hang me by my testicles with piano wire from a ceiling. Then burn my eyes out with cigarettes. Then maybe go after Olivia too, just for the heck off it. So yes, I fear them much more than I fear you, because they are bat shit crazy.”
Sedric’s jaw clenched.
“Neal, what is it?” I asked, before Sedric really did pull the trigger.
“Aviela DeRosa is in Chicago, and Liam thinks she’s related to gramps somehow. Gramps isn’t home yet, but we’re on lockdown. Which means…”
“I taught you the damn rules, I know what it fucking means, you dumbass!” Sedric snapped, pulling Neal by the ear just as he used to. “Out.” He pushed him out the door.
“Liam wants a family meeting…”
“Tell your brother that your mother and I are having our own meeting. With the grace of God, maybe we can have another child to replace you three knuckleheads!” he said, slamming the door in his face.