Chapter 68
Cassidy
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WE ARRIVED IN the common room to find Maverick playing pool with Hawk, Booker, and Lily. “Mom!” he called. “I’m winning.”
“Wow, kiddo, that’s awesome.” I grinned and made my way to him. I cocked my head and asked Hawk and Booker, “You’re not turning my kid into a shark, are you?”
Hawk chuckled, and Booker shrugged.
“I can’t be a shark, Mom,” Maverick said. “I’m a human, but did you know that sharks have to keep swimming or they die?”
“I think I heard that somewhere.”
His eyes went to Carter, as though just noticing him, and they widened before tugging on my hand. I leaned down and he whispered in my ear (loudly), “That looks like Uncle Carter.”
“That’s because it is.” I smiled and straightened. “Maverick, meet Carter.”
Carter hunkered down beside him, which was good, since he was four times the size of Mav. “Hey, buddy. Your mom’s told me so much about you.”
Maverick stuck his hand out and shook Carter’s hand, just the way I’d taught him, and I had an immediate moment of pride in my son.
“I’ve seen your pictures and my middle name is Carter,” Maverick said. “Are you really a pilot?”
“I was. I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like to anymore, but yes, I still fly.”
“That’s okay,” Maverick said. “Mom doesn’t dance as much as she’d like to anymore, except when she’s dancing with Kevin, but sometimes she dances in our living room. Maybe you could do that too.”
I bit back a giggle at my son, the encourager, trying to help Carter find a way to do what he loved.
“It’s your turn, Maverick,” Lily said. Her little voice incredibly sweet and adorable. I wondered if I should talk to Payton about a marriage contract.
“Thanks, Lily,” he said, and chalked his cue like a professional.
Carter stood close to me, his front touching my back as we watched Maverick try to maneuver a stick taller than him on a table he could barely reach.
“Who’s Kevin?” he whispered.
“A friend.”
“A dancer.”
I smiled as Maverick set up his shot. “Yeah. We take a ballet class together a couple of times a month.”
I felt Carter relax. “So, he’s gay.”
I snorted. “Not even close.”
Carter’s body locked again, but before he could say anything further we heard a feminine voice call, “Ace?”
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He and I turned as one to see the woman he’d been making out with earlier standing next to one of the sofas.
“Yeah, Lis?” he said, his voice somewhat irritated.
“Can we talk?” she asked.
“Be nice,” I whispered, and turned back to the pool game.
“Yeah,” he said, and walked away.
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Ace
I didn’t want to talk to Lisa. I wanted to stay and watch the game with Cassidy, but I supposed I owed Lisa some kind of explanation.
Following her down the hall and into one of the meeting rooms, I closed the door behind us and leaned against it. “What’s up?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’s up“?” she snapped. “You fucked me last night and we had plans today and you fuckin‘ blew me off.”
I frowned. “We’re not exclusive, Lisa.”
“I know we’re not exclusive, Ace, but I changed my plans to be here today, and you know it. You better fuckin‘ explain why you took off and left me without a word, and I swear to God, if it’s about that tiny little bitch out there, you and I are gonna have a problem.”
I saw red as I shoved Lisa gently but firmly up against the wall, my hand on her chest. “You ever fuckin‘ call her a bitch again, Lisa, you are gonna have a bigger fuckin‘ problem than me blowin‘ you off.”
She scowled up at me. “Fuck you, Ace.”
“No. Never again, Lis. Why don’t you go ahead and fuck off?” I lowered my hand and walked out the door.
“You’re a fuckin‘ asshole,” Lisa yelled as I made my way back to Cassidy.
It was for me, but I refused to waste any more time… or breath on the whore down the hall. I arrived in the common room to find Cassidy leaning over the pool table, her perfect little ass on display for everyone, and I felt irritation rear its head.
I noticed Train, one of the young recruits, eyeing her and headed to him immediately. “Look away, Train, or I will fuckin‘ remove your eyes from their sockets.”
“Sorry, Ace,” he grumbled, and walked toward the kitchen.
The recruit taken care of, I turned back to Cassidy, only to find Mack, one of my brothers, leaning over her showing her how to make a shot. Mack typically ran with Booker, but when he wasn’t, he was usually somewhere with a woman… or two. Man- whore would have been a far softer description of the young attorney, and I didn’t want him anywhere near my woman.
“Mack,” I ground out.
“Ace.” Mack grinned, but didn’t look at me or remove himself from Cassidy. Instead, he ran his hand over her arm and repositioned it. “Like this, babe. It’ll put less spin on the ball and you’ll be able to get it in the pocket.”
Cassidy pulled her arm back and shot the cue forward, the clack of the white ball hitting a solid, and then her little squeal of victory as the solid slid into the pocket. I went hard at the sound
“Ohmigod, it worked,” she said. “Thanks, Mack.”
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Chapter 68
Anytime, babe.”
“Fuck off, Mack,” I hissed.
“Carter!” Cassidy snapped. “Language.”
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“Yeah, Carter, there are kids around. What’s your problem?” Mack glanced at me with a shit–eating grin on his face, still touching Cassidy.
I faced my brother, my back to the kids and mouthed “fuck off” gain before inserting myself between Cassidy and Mack, shoving the man out of the way. Mack’s response was to laugh, although, he did put distance between us.
I wrapped an arm possessively around Cassidy’s waist and pulled her close, only to have her worm her way out of my hold and step closer to Maverick. She sent me a look that spoke volumes, though, and I frowned at her. I picked up that she didn’t want public displays of affection around her son, at least not yet, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
I crossed my arms over my chest and watched as Hawk helped Lily make a shot, even though it was boys against girls. Lily stared up at her dad with hero worship in her eyes and I hoped I’d have that one day. I wanted nothing more than to have kids with Cassidy… I just had to figure out how to make it happen sooner than later.
A few minutes later, once the girls had “won” the game, Cassidy declared it was time to get Maverick home and into bed.
“Aw, Mom, Lily and I were going to play Super Smash Bros.”
“I’m sure Mrs. James and I can figure out a time for you and Lily to have a play date. Maybe at our place,” Cassidy countered. “So, you can play another day.”
“But we don’t have Super Smash Bros,” Maverick whined.
“But we do,” Payton interjected. “You can come over anytime and play.”
“Can I, Mom?” he begged.
Cassidy nodded. “I will set something up with Mrs. James, okay?”
Maverick let out a fist pump and grinned. “Awesome!”
“Did you leave anything in the playroom?” Cassidy asked.
“Oh, my DS,” he said.
“I’ll help you find it,” Lily offered, and the two made a run for the playroom.
I watched them go and then smiled down at Cassidy. “Brings back a few memories, huh?”
She nodded and turned away, but not before I caught the sheen of tears in her eyes. I slid my hand to her neck and gave her a gentle squeeze, kissing her temple.
“I guess we should exchange phone numbers,” she murmured, and pulled her phone from her pocket, effectively pulling away from me.
I took her phone, entered my info, then texted myself. I was handing her phone back just as Maverick and Lily returned, portable gaming console in hand.
“Found it,” Maverick declared.
“Good job.” Cassidy took a few minutes to say her goodbyes and then I walked them to Cassidy’s car.
“Get yourself buckled, Mav,” she instructed. “I’m going to talk to Carter for a minute.”
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“Okay, Mom,” he said, and climbed into the car…
What’s your week like?” I asked.
“I work full time, so I’m usually home by six after I pick May up from daycare.
“You don’t work tomorrow, right?” I was having a difficult time not touching her, but I understood her need to go slow with Maverick around.
She smiled. “No, I make it a point not to work on Sundays.
“We’re gonna do something, then.”
“We are, are we?”
I nodded. “And Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday- getting the picture?”
Cassidy giggled. “Yes, I’m getting the picture, but I have a busy week, so I can’t promise we’ll see each other every day?
“Yeah, you can.”
“Carter, I can’t just drop everything in my life because you decree we will spend every waking moment together. I dance on Mondays, Mav has karate on Tuesday nights, then swimming on Thursday nights. Not to mention, by the time I’ve worked a full day, picked him up from daycare, cooked dinner, bathed, and put him to bed, I’m usually collapsing into bed myself. Maybe we can just plan the weekend after next.”
“Hell, no. I’m not waiting that long, Cass.”
“Well, I’m driving down to my parents on Friday night, so I don’t know when else we’ll manage it.”
“Fuck!” I snapped.
Cassidy growled in frustration. “Six–year–old kid right there, buddy.”
I squeezed the bridge of my nose.
“I should go,” she said.
“Baby, wait.” I slid my hand to her neck. “Tomorrow, we’ll sit down and figure it all out.”
“What if I have plans tomorrow?”
“Then you need to change them.”
“Ohmigod, Carter, you are an idiot.”
I grinned, leaning down to kiss her. She pushed at my chest, but I wouldn’t budge. We were close enough to the car that, even if Maverick cared about anything other than his video game, he’d only see my side. I broke the kiss and stroked her cheek. “I’m bringin‘ you breakfast.”
“You don’t even know where I live.”
I chuckled. “What does May like to eat?”
“He’s a six–year–old boy. What did you like to eat when you were six?”
“Anything with sugar.”
“Well, there you go. Nothing’s changed.”
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Okay, Mom,” he said, and climbed into the car.,
“What’s your week like?” I asked.
“I work full time, so I’m usually home by six after I pick Mav up from daycare.”
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“You don’t work tomorrow, right?” I was having a difficult time not touching her, but I understood her need to go slow with Maverick around.
She smiled. “No, I make it a point not to work on Sundays.”
“We’re gonna
do something, then.”
“We are, are we?”
I nodded. “And Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday… getting the picture?”
Cassidy giggled. “Yes, I’m getting the picture, but I have a busy week, so I can’t promise we’ll see each other every day.”
“Yeah, you can.”
“Carter, I can’t just drop everything in my life because you decree we will spend every waking moment together. I dance on Mondays, Mav has karate on Tuesday nights, then swimming on Thursday nights. Not to mention, by the time I’ve worked a full day, picked him up from daycare, cooked dinner, bathed, and put him to bed, I’m usually collapsing into bed myself. Maybe we can just plan the weekend after next.”
“Hell, no. I’m not waiting that long, Cass.”
“Well, I’m driving down to my parents on Friday night, so I don’t know when else we’ll manage it.”
“Fuck!” I snapped.
Cassidy growled in frustration. “Six–year–old kid right there, buddy”
I squeezed the bridge of my nose.
“I should go,” she said.
“Baby, wait.” I slid my hand to her neck. “Tomorrow, we’ll sit down and figure it all out.”
“What if I have plans tomorrow?”
“Then you need to change them.”
“Ohmigod, Carter, you are an idiot.”
I grinned, leaning down to kiss her. She pushed at my chest, but wouldn’t budge. We were close enough to the car that, even if Maverick cared about anything other than his video game, he’d only see my side. I broke the kiss and stroked her cheek. “I’m bringin‘ you breakfast.”
“You don’t even know where I live.”
I chuckled. “What does May like to eat?”
“He’s a six–year–old boy. What did you like to eat when you were six?”
“Anything with sugar.”
“Well, there you go. Nothing’s changed.
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Chapter 68
Tll be at your place at seven,” I said.
“If you are, I will maim you.”
“Nine, then.”
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Cassidy threw her hands in the air. “Fine. Come at nine, but as soon as you get there, you can watch Maverick while I go back to bed.”
I dropped my head back and laughed. “Okay, baby. Whatever you want.”
“I really should go, Carter. I hate driving this late.”
“Want me to drive you?”
“No, it’s okay.” She smiled up at me. “I need a little time to process.”
I stroked her cheek and kissed her quickly. “Text me when you’re inside and safe.”
“I’ll try.”
“Do.”
She rolled her eyes. “Still bossy.”
“Still stubborn,” I retorted.
stubbor
Cassidy sighed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I nodded and watched her climb into her car and drive away.
