Daddy's Boy (10 page)

“Ryan, Rachel’s boyfriend.” Ryan said in a voice that wasn’t exactly mean but it wasn’t nice either.

“Do I know you?” Olivia asked getting up to stand by Jonah and staring at Ryan with an odd look.

Ryan turned his attention from Jonah to Olivia. Taking a quick step back Ryan shook his head, a slight panic in his eyes. “No we don’t. If you will excuse me I’ll just go find Rachel.”

“You know him?” Jonah snapped.

“Oh calm the jealousies Jonah you were a man whore before you met me. So that’s Rachel’s boyfriend?” Olivia said turning to look at me, earning her a glare from Jonah.

“I guess.” I said hating myself for how jealous I sounded.

“You want her back don’t you?” Olivia whispered.

Yeah I wanted Rachel back. But want wasn’t the problem, my deal with Jack was.

“We need to find Jack.” I said watching Rachel smile at Ryan. I needed to find Jack and make a new deal.

“I did something bad.” Olivia whispered, looking at Jonah with a worried look. “Ty and I called Darcy to see if she was really back in town.”

“Olivia Rees what in Gods name did you do!” Jonah yelled causing everyone in the coffee shop to look our way.

“Nothing because she didn’t pick up mine or Ty’s call.”

“I told you to lose her number Olivia.” Jonah hissed, every muscle in his body so tight all it would take was a little move and the boy would probably pull something.

“I’m sorry,” Olivia hissed back. “Is Darcy not on your approved list of people I can call now Jonah?”

Goddamnit Olivia was out of her damn mind.

“The person who killed my fucking father? No she is not on the approved call list Olivia.” I snapped speaking before I thought about what I was saying. Olivia’s eyes filled with tears as Jonah immediately pulled her head into his chest, holding her tight and whispering in her ear. Shit. “Olivia sweetheart I’m sorry. All I meant to say is contacting Darcy is dangerous. I have Kay, Ben and Cole out looking for her. You need to let me deal with this.”

Wiping her tears away and lifting her head Olivia nodded, “I understand. Sorry. Jonah I need to go home and let Miss Daisy and Rocco out before I have to go to the animal shelter, drive me?”

“Of course baby. Mason walk her out. I’ll be right there.”

“Sure thing.” Mason said standing up and handing me Lucca.

Jonah waited until Mason had Olivia outside before he turned murderous eyes on me. Murderous eyes I deserved for lashing out at Olivia. Jesus, I was such an asshole.

“Did the boys find Darcy?” Jonah asked through clenched teeth.

“No, she is keeping herself on the down low, no one has seen her. And before you ask no one has heard anything about a possible cop abduction.”

“Fine, they find anything you call me.”

“I will.”

“Good. Now I understand you’re having a hard time dealing with what happened to Vinnie but−”

“I’ve already dealt with Vinnie’s death.” I hissed.

“No you haven’t, but you need to before you really hurt someone you care about. Up until a month ago Vinnie controlled us, he made us into something we were never meant to be. Vinnie’s not here anymore brother so stop letting him control you. And stop acting like an asshole, you’re not one but you’re doing a hell of a job pretending to be one.” Running his hand over Lucca’s wild hair Jonah smiled down at him. “If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Lucca.”

****

Lucca stirred as I laid him down in his crib but didn’t wake up. It was my first full day at being his dad and it was a day I wouldn’t give back for anything. Parts like making Olivia cry I would change, the rest I wouldn’t change for the World. Until today I never really felt like a dad as I’d left Rachel before Lucca was born and hadn’t held him until last week. Maybe it was holding him or just being close to him but now I felt like a dad. I also felt like if Rachel was to take Lucca away from me it would break my heart beyond repair. If Lucca had already been born when Jack came to me with his deal, would I have chosen differently? At the time when Jack made me pick between Jonah and Rachel I thought I was doing what was right. Protecting Jonah and keeping my unborn son away from the drug business, but now I wasn’t a part of the drug World so why was I still staying away. If I went back on our deal could Jack still take Jonah down?

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Rachel asked making me jump like a little girl.

“Shit you scared me.”  I whispered, moving away from Lucca’s crib so I didn’t wake him.

“Sorry I just wanted to make sure he went down ok before I went to bed.”

“Out like a light.” I whispered getting into bed.

Nodding her head Rachel came into the room shutting the door behind her. Walking across the room Rachel crawled onto the bed, sitting on what used to be her side of the bed.

 “I saw what happened at the coffee shop with Olivia. Want to tell me why you lashed out at her?”

Shit. “I was an asshole.” I said feeling even more guilty that others had witnessed it.

“Want to talk about it?” Rachel whispered back in that voice that always went right to my heart.

It was the voice that said she understood and no matter what I said she would still love me. It was the voice that got me through all the shit Vinnie threw at me. Suddenly feeling like I was going to cry, something I didn’t do nor would I ever do, I quickly turned off the lights.

“If you ever want to talk Denny, I’ll listen.”

Would she really listen after what I’d done to her?

I felt the bed move as Rachel went to get up and spoke quickly before I could stop myself. “I don’t want to talk but will you stay with me tonight?” I just needed one night of peace, one night without Vinnie invading my dreams and turning them to nightmares. One night that didn’t end with me drinking myself to unconsciousness. The only place I’d ever found peace was wrapped in the warmth of Rachel’s arms. I needed that peace now more than I’d ever needed it before. 

“Yes.” Rachel said crawling under the covers as Vinnie’s voice left my mind.

Chapter 9

I was warm, really warm. Warmer than I could remember ever being. Rolling over warm flesh smacked against my chest.

What the hell?

Chicks did not stay after sex. Shit. I avoided the awkward kicking them out moment like the fucking plague.

Opening one eye I was met with shiny blonde hair and creamy white skin slightly pinked from the warmth of the bed.

Rachel.

It was a dream come to true to wake beside Rachel. A dream I never thought I would have again. Boy did I ache to touch that beautiful skin. The need so strong my body began to tremble. Fuck me I wasn’t this person, this person that was weak and needy. But goddamnit was I feeling both those things. What the hell was wrong with me?

Screw it, this would never happen again so I was willing to play the weak and needy man to have it.

Lightly my fingers touched her face skimming her skin as my fingers trailed across her high cheekbone, down her slender neck, over her beautiful chest, across her stomach and stopping on her hips as stunning hazel eyes slowly opened.

“What are you doing Denny?” Rachel whispered.

“Pretend with me.” I whispered back bringing my lips to hers.

Like nothing had happened between us, Rachel surged up, her lips connecting with mine. Tongues tangled, teeth bit, hands rubbed and squeezed and clothes flew off.

I was moving across Rachel’s neck, my lips sucking, teeth nibbling, and tongue licking, every part of my mouth tasting nothing but Rachel. A taste that was a mixture of salty skin, and warm honey, nothing in this world could ever compare to Rachel’s taste. Rachel’s nails clawed up my bare back causing us both to moan. Pulling her legs over my shoulders I was about to find complete peace, a place that could only be found when connected to Rachel when Jonah’s yelling voice pierced my peace, bursting it like a bubble.

Rachel’s entire body went stiff as the lust fell from her eyes.

“Lucca!” She screamed pushing me off her body and scrambling off the bed.

My face hit the pillows as my heart beat wildly and my body refused to explain to my brain what the hell I’d been thinking.

Weak and needy Denny, nothing more, nothing fucking more.

“Lucca’s gone!” Rachel screamed wrapping her robe around her body as she ran for the door.

Moving without understanding how, my heart sped up a little more as I grabbed boxers and ran after Rachel.

“Sweet Lord.” Olivia hissed rubbing her hand over her forehead. “I’m going to have a freaking bruise for a week. What is with everyone always running into me.”

“I’m so sorry Olivia I thought Lucca was missing.”

“Where the hell is Lucca?” I snapped not caring who ran in to what.

“Olivia got him from his crib earlier.” Rachel said, a little breathless as she rubbed her chin the place I was guessing Olivia had hit.

“Jonah and I heard you guys up with him in the middle of the night so I thought I would take him this morning so you could get a little more sleep. Now come with me you have to see this.” Olivia said turning and running down the stairs.

Rachel avoided my eyes as she followed after Olivia.

In the living room, stretched out across the couch Mason lay with a sleeping Lucca flung across his chest. Lucca’s little baby hands holding on to Masons clean-shaven face.

 “I’ve never seen Mason look truly happy.” Olivia whispered, smiling like a lunatic. “Maybe Lucca can break through that shell around his heart.”

“If anyone can do it, it’s Lucca.” Rachel said proudly.

And God did I hope she was right.

Backing quietly out of the room so we didn’t wake them, I headed into the kitchen for some much needed coffee. No, coffee wouldn’t do it, alcohol was what I needed but that would have to wait until tonight. Maybe I would drown out Vinnie’s voice with alcohol tonight. Rachel wouldn’t be back in my bed to do it.

“Where’s Jonah?” I asked sipping the hot coffee.

“He just left for the tattoo shop. Apparently a wall was built where it shouldn’t be or something. Didn’t you hear him shouting a minute ago?”

Oh we heard him I thought as Rachel’s face went bright red.

“Right I should probably head over there.” I said quickly walking out of the room; Jonah’s temper wasn’t going to get the tattoo shop built any faster. I also needed to get away from Rachel. What had I been thinking? “Kay’s going to work with you today Rachel, I’ll take Lucca with me and Cole is taking you to class, right Olivia?”

“Yup.” Olivia yelled as I walked up the stairs. “And Jonah and I are taking everyone out to dinner tonight so I need everyone ready by six.”

****

The sun was out and it wasn’t very cold so Lucca and I walked to the new tattoo shop, as it was right down the road from Risk.

The builders working on the shop were standing in a circle outside when Lucca and I walked up.

“What’s going on guys?” I asked wondering why I was paying them to stand around and talk.

“The blonde guy is on a tear. Thought he was going to make our boss cry so we thought we better step out.”

There’s the Jonah I knew, making grown men cry was like a sport to him.

“You sure you want to take the kid in?” One of the guys asked looking at Lucca in my arms.

“Yeah, he’s not the one who fucked up.” I said opening and shutting the door.

The front of the tattoo shop, which was a waiting and front desk area was already done. All that was needed was paint on the walls and furniture. Behind the front desk were a couple of offices and down the hall the tattooing rooms were being built.

Not wanting to take Lucca into a half built room I yelled for Jonah. Claws clicking on the wooden floors had me bracing for the devil dog to dive. Instead Miss Daisy followed by Rocco, stopped short her paws sliding across the wooden floor as she eyed Lucca. Shit, devil dog was going to eat my son. Surprising the hell out of me Miss Daisy walked calmly towards me, lifting her face to Lucca’s feet and sniffed. Crouching down Miss Daisy’s tongue shot out licking at Lucca’s feet, making the kid break out into giggles. Guess the dog wasn’t a devil after all. Rocco the grumpy shit just flopped on the floor, drool pooling around his mouth.

“We’ll be back this afternoon to take the wall out Jonah.” The head contractor said walking in to the room with Jonah following close behind.

“Good.” Jonah barked as the guy rushed out the door.

“I don’t have time to find new builders Jonah, let’s try not to scare these ones off.”

“They fucked up. So I yelled, they fix it, no one quits. It’s all fine”

“You’re such a simple man brother.”

“Shut up. Why are you here? I thought you would be at the coffee shop with Rachel.”

“I should be but I kind of messed up. Now she won’t even look at me.”

Perching on the edge of the desk Jonah raised his eyebrows at me, “what did you do?”

“We almost had sex.”

Jumping off the desk Jonah threw his hands into the air, “goddamnit Denny you couldn’t have waited one more day?”

What the hell? “One more day was going to change the outcome how?”

“It would have saved me five hundred bucks.” Jonah spat out.

Son of a bitch. “You guys were betting on me and Rachel screwing?” I asked not at all surprised.

“Of course we did.” Jonah said without a hint of apology. “So what happened?”

Putting Lucca on the ground so he could play with Miss Daisy and Rocco, I ran a hand through my hair and prayed I could tell Jonah without blushing like a little girl or revealing just how desperate I was for Rachel’s touch.

“We stopped before it started thanks to your loud mouth yelling through the house. Then she spent the whole morning avoiding me. She only came out of the bathroom to pack Lucca’s diaper bag and give the kid a kiss. She wouldn’t even look at me when she was telling me what time Lucca needed to be fed.”

“Ouch, think she’s regretting letting it get that far?”

“Big time.” I said, removing Lucca’s death grip on Miss Daisy’s ear.