Forgotten Awakenings (Awakenings #2) (9 page)

Elle laughed. “As tempting as that sounds, I can’t leave them, Lucia. Not even when I’m terrified.”

“What made you decide to start a relationship with my brother, Callum, and Sadie?”

“Oh, um . . .” Elle paused, surprised by the sudden change in topic. “I don’t know. I mean, Sadie and I had been together for a long time, and I knew I loved her, but when we met Derek and Callum, there was just something about them. Something different than most guys. I was scared, because I hadn’t let anyone love me in so long, not since my ex, but it was like no matter how hard I fought against the attraction I felt for them, the harder it came to say no.”

“I envy you,” Lucia admitted, almost sounding ashamed.

“Why?” Elle wondered.

“Because you love them and refuse to let them go, even though people give you shit for it. Like you’re doing something horrible by loving them. I don’t know. I guess, I just wonder what it’s like to be loved so much that they can’t breathe without you.”

“It’s . .  .” Elle trailed off, unsure how to articulate her words. “I don’t know how to explain it, to be honest. It’s intense and amazing and . . . just right.”

“Don’t hurt him,” Lucia whispered, causing Elle to look at her. “I know you love Derek so much, but don’t hurt him. Please?”

“I won’t,” she said. “Hurting him would kill me.”

Lucia nodded, but didn’t say anything else as she climbed out of the car. Elle wasn’t sure why she felt the need to protect her brother from being hurt. Was she afraid that Elle would take off and leave them behind? Had she given everyone that impression?

With a sigh, Elle followed Lucia inside the restaurant, smiling at the man perched up behind the counter with a goofy grin on his face. She’d met Thomas Warner at a party he and his wife, Leigh, threw last summer. He’d been a college friend of Callum and Derek’s. After one of their guest tried to demand Elle dance with them, she had a minor panic attack. That was the night she told Derek and Callum about Leo.

Elle had been terrified that they’d push her away, but like always, they’d surprised her and reassured her that she was worth loving. That night, everything in their relationship changed. They went from being four people testing the waters of the unconventional, and became lovers. That was the night Elle fell in love with them, and, boy, did she fall hard.

“Hey, you,” Thomas laughed as he rushed around the corner and wrapped her in a tight hug. He pressed his lips against the side of her head before whispering, “We’ve been worried about you.”

“I know,” she murmured, holding onto his arm as she took a step backward. “But I’m okay.”

“If you say so,” he scoffed, shifting his eyes to where Carlos and Felicia were embracing Lucia. “Derek’s family?”

Elle nodded. “His parents and his little sister.”

“And are they good people? Or should I be prepared for another scene?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow as he looked down at her.

“If you’re referring to the wonderful experience we had with my parents, then no. They know how to behave in public,” Elle snickered. “Well, most of the time, anyway.” She shifted her eyes up to Thomas. “How’s everything with Leigh and Tyson?”

Thomas pressed his lips together, but the pink that flooded his cheeks told her everything. Elle had been surprised to learn that Thomas wasn’t the straight-laced boy she thought he was. One night while they were at a club, Thomas ran into his ex-boyfriend, Tyson. The fact that he was married to Leigh, who also dated Tyson once, threw Elle and Sadie for a loop, but they explained how their unique relationship, and in the end, decided they wanted to see where their little threesome would take them. Now, almost eight months later, they were happy.

“Oh, look at you,” she teased, reaching up to pinch his cheeks. “That good, huh?”

“Better than I ever expected,” he admitted. “They should be here soon, actually.”

“I’m glad.” Elle shifted her attention back to her family. “Guess I’ve stalled long enough.”

Thomas laughed as she walked over to everyone, sliding into the chair between Derek and Callum, wincing as she settled in her seat. Her leg had ached all day, which wasn’t unusual, but today the muscle throbbed more than normal. She tried to be discreet as she dug her bottle of pain reliever out of her purse and popped a couple into her mouth, swallowing them without any water. When she looked up, she saw Carlos watching her with a frown.

“So, um, how are things in Arizona?” she asked, trying to get the attention off her.

“Good,” Carlos replied. “Busy, of course, and hot.”

“You like the heat, though, Pop,” Derek pointed out, draping his arm on the back of Elle’s chair.

“I did,” he said, quietly.             

The doors to the restaurant opened and everyone looked over as Tyson and Leigh rushed in, their arms filled with grocery bags. Thomas hurried to them, taking the bags from Leigh before leaning down to kiss her. Elle shifted her attention to Carlos as Thomas leaned over and kissed Tyson, wanting to gauge his reaction to the two men. He smiled before looking back at the table, catching Elle’s eye. He winked, almost like his subtle way of reminding her that all he wanted was for his children to be happy.

Why couldn’t all fathers be so understanding?
she wondered.

“Elle! Sadie!” Leigh giggled, rushed over to them, nearly yanked them out of their chairs, and wrapped her arms around them. “I haven’t seen you in forever!”

“It was just last week,” Elle scoffed, but when Leigh raised an eyebrow, she said, “What?”

“We haven’t had lunch in at least two months,” Leigh argued.

“Hmm, really?” Elle asked, frowning.

“Yeah,” she said, softly. “You look great, though. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, you know.” She waved her hand around. “I’m managing.”

Then, turning to her future in-laws, she smiled. “Leigh, this is Felicia and Carlos Flores, Derek’s parents, and Lucia, his sister. Everyone, this is Leigh. She runs this place with Thomas and Tyson.”

“It’s nice to meet all of you,” Leigh said, pleasantly.

“You, too,” Felicia said, smiling. “Tell me, Leigh, what do you recommend off the menu?”

“Oh, that’s a hard one, since I think everything is great, but the fajita chicken salad is my favorite,” she replied, before leaning toward Carlos and saying, “Though, the steak burger is to die for.”

Carlos laughed. “Sounds good to me!”

“Excellent!” She cheered. “Why don’t I grab you some drinks, and then I can get your order submitted?”

With nods, everyone rattled off their drink choice. Ten minutes later, they were enjoying a cold drink and had ordered their dinner. Leigh grinned before walked around the corner and slapped the ticket on the counter, telling Tyson and Thomas to move their asses. Elle almost laughed, knowing how she kept her boys in line.

“So,” Felicia started, drawing everyone’s attention to her, “how’s life? None of you tell us anything anymore.”

From the corner of her eye, Elle noticed the way Lucia shifted in her seat, clearly feeling guilty for not running to her mother the second she needed help.

“Ma, we talk almost every day,” Derek grumbled.

“But you don’t tell us anything,” she argued. “Have you set a date for the wedding?”

Derek shook his head as he turned and gave Elle, Sadie, and Callum a look. They honestly hadn’t talked too much about their upcoming nuptials.

“We’re still playing with dates,” Sadie lied, placing her hand on her stomach. “With the baby coming, I’m not sure if I want to wait until after she’s born, or get married before she’s here.”

Felicia smiled as she watched Sadie rubbing her stomach. Like Lydia had been, Felicia, Helina, and Claudia had been thrilled to learn they were getting a granddaughter. Elle’s mother cried, once more reminded her that they could be on the first flight out if needed.

“Elle, honey, are you okay?” Carlos asked, and when she looked over at him, she felt the tears swimming in her eyes trickle down her cheeks.

“I’m fine,” she murmured before picking up her tea and taking a sip.

“No, you’re not,” he said, causing her to turn her attention to him again. “You know it’s okay to be angry after what happened to you.”

“I know,” she whispered, feeling everyone watching her.

“And it’s okay to let others help you,” he added.

Elle sighed.

“Why haven’t you let your mother come visit you?” Carlos asked, bluntly.

Elle pressed her lips together, her hand curling into a fist.

“She worries about you,” Felicia said, adding to the guilt Elle already felt for being a horrible daughter.

“Ma, stop,” Derek groused, sliding his arm from the back of Elle’s chair to her shoulder and tugging her against him.

“No, mijo, I will not stop,” Felicia argued before looking back at Elle. “Your momma worries about you. She cries all the time.”

“You talk to her?” Elle asked, sniffing through her tears.

Felicia nodded. “When they were here for Christmas, I thought she might need someone to talk to, someone to be there when she found herself doubting her support for you. And then you were hurt and they got the first flight out, but instead of letting her hold you, you pushed her away. You broke her heart.”

“Ma!” Derek yelled, but turned to Elle as she clenched her jaw tight as she stood up, pushing her chair back and bracing herself with her cane.

“I broke her heart?” Elle cried, softly. “You sit here and make me feel guilty for not wanting my mom to see me broken and weak. I need her so much, Felicia, but I don’t want her to see me like this.”

“Why not?” she pleaded, pushing herself to her feet.

“Because then she won’t love me anymore!” Elle wailed, causing everyone to gasp. “I’ve never been the daughter she wanted. I was the slut who fucked everyone. I drank and broke the rules, and because of that she never loved me. But she was just starting to be the mom I’ve always wanted and what happens? A crazy bitch comes after me because I fell in love with
your
son and Callum. Because I let myself be honest with who I am, and for the first time in my life, I believed that I could have it all.”

Elle brushed the tears off her cheeks as she took a step backward. “I want to be the strong, confident woman I was for her. I want her to be proud of me.”

“She already is,” Carlos said, placing his hand on Felicia’s shoulder and pulling her back into her chair. “Please sit.”

Stiffly, Elle sat down and placed her cane against the table before dropping her hand to her thigh, massaging the aching muscle.

“We’re sorry if we’re overstepping our bounds, but we care about you, Elle,” Carlos said, quietly.

“I know,” she murmured. “And I care about you, too. But I’m trying to keep myself together when I’m terrified all the time. Because the fact is, Trixie’s still free, still out there to finish me off for good.”

“We won’t let her get to you again, beautiful,” Derek vowed.

“You can’t know that for sure,” Elle whispered, shifting her eyes up to his. “I know you’ll try. You’ll do everything you can to keep me safe, to keep Sadie and the baby, Callum, Lucia, and everyone else in our family safe from her and anyone else that tries to hurt us, Derek, but you might not be able to.”

Derek brought his hands up to her face, and leaned in so that his lips were almost touching hers. “I swear to God, or Buddha, or whoever the fuck I need to, that I will protect you with my life, Elle.”

And closing the distance between their lips, he kissed her, with more passion than they normally showed in front of their parents. While his declaration was sweet and enduring, even admirable, Elle feared most of all that his life would be on the line when Trixie came after her again. Losing Derek would be the death to all of them. The four couldn’t survive without each other — that much Elle knew.

Nine

“Elle, move your sexy ass!” Derek yelled as he rushed downstairs while fastening the buttons on his white dress shirt.

She looked up from her seat on the couch, where she’d been strapping her feet into a gorgeous pair of heels that Sadie had convinced her to wear, and smiled. “I’m ready, lover. It’s the other two who are being slow as hell.”

“Probably because they’re too busy fucking,” he snickered, falling onto the couch next to her. “Like we should be.”

Her checks warmed. “We don’t have time. The show starts in an hour, and it’ll take us thirty minutes to get to the club.”

Derek sighed and closed his eyes, a devilish smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“What has you so happy?” she asked, shifting so that she was facing him.

“Just imagining that you’re straddling me,” he murmured, his hands lifting off his lap like he was gripping her hips. “You’re not wearing panties and my pants have been pushed down to my knees. You’re clenching your pussy with every shift of your hips, sucking my dick deep inside you. God, you feel so good, baby.”

Derek bit his lip and moaned as he thrusted his hips upward. Elle took a shaky breath as she moved so that she was indeed straddling him. Derek’s eyes flew open and he smiled when she reached for his belt buckle, undoing it quickly before dipping her hand inside and wrapping her fingers around his cock. He was hard and ready. Putting all her weight on her good leg, she pushed herself off his lap while he shoved his pants to his knees and stroking him.

Elle shimmed her dress around her waist before slowly lowering herself onto him, feeling every inch of him slid into her pussy.

“Goddamn,” he groaned, his head falling back against the couch. His hands gripped her hips firmly as she shifted up and down, back and forth, squeezing the walls of her pussy around his cock.

“Harder,” Elle begged, her hands resting on his chest. “Please, baby, harder.”

Derek growled as he began meeting her thrusts, fucking her harder and faster. Elle was trembling, shaking with need and lust and desire. She slid her hands up his chest, tangling her fingers in his hair as she pulled him up so that their chests were pressed together.

Their months met in a fiery kiss, tongues brushing and hands clutching. Elle could feel her orgasm building, her body quivering from the feeling of her lover inside her.

“Hot damn,” Callum called out, pulling Elle and Derek’s attention to the bottom of the stairs, where he and Sadie were watching them. “Wish I were in the middle of that.”

“Me, too,” Sadie purred, her hand rubbing her belly.

“Baby, come for me,” Derek groaned, his hands sliding around from her hips and wrapping around her torso. He leaned his head on her shoulder, his warm breath brushed across her skin. “Please, please, please,” he panted.

Elle tightened her fingers in his hair and pulled his head back, looking him in the eye as she clenched the walls of her pussy once more around his cock.

“Oh, God!” he cried, thrusting himself deep inside her as he came.

Elle whimpered as her orgasm followed his. Tears filled her eyes and she felt silly for getting so emotional during sex. Leaning her forehead against his, she tried to keep her tears from falling.

“I love you,” she whispered.

Derek smiled. “I love you more.”

“No way,” she scoffed.

“Oh, yeah. Trust me, I love you so much, my heart aches for you,” he said, the conviction in his words hitting her like a ton of bricks.

“Let’s just agree to disagree.”  Elle pressed her lips against his before sliding off his lap, doing her best to hide her wince as pain filled her thigh. “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” Callum asked as she grabbed her cane and headed toward him and Sadie.

Elle’s cheeks turned bright red as she said, “Gotta clean up. Can’t go out smelling like sex and with come dripping from my pussy, can I?”

“You could,” he suggested, smirking as he stopped her from walking past him and slipped two fingers under the skin of his dress. He pushed them into her, causing Elle to gasp, and then brought them to his lips, sucking the juice off his fingers. “Delicious.”

“You . . .” Elle laughed softly. “You will have to wait until tonight. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Don’t put panties on,” Sadie snickered. “I just might feel the urge to drag you into the ladies’ room and eat your pussy.”

“Oh, Lord, you two,” Elle murmured, shaking her head as she walked upstairs. “Insatiable. Completely, insatiable.”

The sound of her lovers’ laughter followed her as she walked through their bedroom and into the bathroom. They were going to be the death of her, but it was a death she’d gladly take.

—FA—

Forty-five minutes later, Elle, Sadie, Callum, and Derek pushed their way into Dante’s, a trashy, grunge bar that had more peanuts on the floor than in the bowls that littered every bar top and table in the place. They’d rose to fame in the Bay Area by offering musicians and bands access to their stage. Dozens of artists had been ‘discovered’ belting love songs at the top of their lungs. Their pictures covered the walls and every band who wanted to make it begged and pleaded with Dante’s to allow them to play. And tonight was Nick’s turn.

Elle tightened her hold on Callum’s arm as they fought through the crowd. Ivy and Lucia were seated at a large table to the left of the stage. The two women had become good friends over the last few weeks and spent the day being pampered at the spa. Elle was touched when Ivy extended the invitation. It wasn’t that having Lucia around bothered her, but she worried that she had become too dependent on her.

“You’re late,” Ivy sang, laughing as she slung her arms around Elle. “I was starting to get worried.”

“Sorry. Derek’s slow,” Elle said.

“Am not!” Derek exclaimed, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. “Think I proved just how fast I am, baby.”

“Not something a girl wants to hear, lover,” Elle snickered before turning in his arms and placing her hands on his chest. She shifted her eyes up to his, giving him the most innocent look she could. “And I never said I was disappointed that we were late, either. I can still feel you inside me.”

Derek moaned just as Ivy and Lucia yelled, “Ew!”

Elle laughed as she looked over at their sisters. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” Ivy sniggered.

“You’re right, I’m not,” she agreed, pulling Derek into the seat next to her.

She leaned her cane against the table and looked past Lucia, who was sitting on her other side, to Sadie and Callum, who were cuddled together on the far end of the table. They caught her eye and smiled, and she felt her skin warm.

“So, is Nick nervous?” Elle asked, diverting her attention back to her sister.

“Yeah,” she said, nodding. “He spent all afternoon texting me song choices, saying he couldn’t decide which ones they should play. Kind of hard to talk to him when I was ass-deep in a rainbow hair-dye, you know?”

“No,” Elle snorted. “How deep is ass-deep exactly?”

“Very,” she scoffed. “Anyway, I finally had to tell him I was busy and to annoy Aaron.”

“And Aaron’s the drummer?” Elle asked.

“Yeah. They’ve been friends since high school. They started Taj their senior year. Been trying to jumpstart their career ever since,” Ivy explained, picking up her bottle of water and taking a chug. “If you want a drink before the show starts, you’d better hurry.”

“We’ll grab them,” Derek said, kissing Elle’s cheek before standing up. “You need refills?”

“Sure,” Ivy said before drinking the last of her water.

“Nothing for me,” Lucia murmured, drumming her fingers on the table. Elle knew she was nervous about being in the club, nervous about so many people, nervous about life in general.

Callum followed Derek to the bar, angling his body so that he was facing their lover while looking around the room. His eyes met Elle’s and he smirked, causing her shiver. That man . . .

“Elle!” Sadie exclaimed, reaching across both Ivy and Lucia and grabbing her arm. “Look!”

Elle shifted her attention to the stage, where Sadie was pointing, and gasped, her hand flying up to her chest. Standing on the stage with Nick was the man who had stopped Leo from killing her.

“What’s wrong?” Ivy asked.

Elle shook her head as she stood up, unable to tear her eyes away from the tall, blond-haired man. “I . . . Who’s guy that with Nick?”

“Who? Aaron?” Ivy asked, scrambling to her feet and placing her hand on Elle’s shoulder, startling her. “Do you know him?”

Tears flooded Elle’s eyes as she nodded, causing them to sprinkle down her cheeks. “He saved my life.”

“What?” Ivy asked.

But at that moment, Nick laughed and turned toward their table, pointing right at Elle. Aaron’s eyes met hers and his expression turned to shock. He leapt off the stage and started toward the table. Elle found herself moving toward him before she could stop, meeting him halfway.

“You,” they said at the same time, laughing heartedly.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Elle whimpered, her fingers coming up to cover her lips.

“That makes two of us,” he chuckled, his voice deep and gruff. “I came back to the hospital after giving the police my statement, but you’d already been discharged. The D.A. didn’t need me to testify, and she was a little resistant to give me your address, given the circumstances.”

“Yeah, he, um, he took a plea,” she said, softly. “He’s still in prison. Thank goodness,” she added as an afterthought.

Aaron nodded, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes as he looked past Elle to where Sadie, Ivy, and Lucia were seated. “So you’re Ivy’s sister, huh? I’ve heard a lot about you. And I see you’re still friends with Sadie. That’s her name, right?”

Elle smiled and nodded. “And you’re Aaron the drummer.”

“Only part-time,” he scoffed. “My real job, as my momma calls it, is a teacher.”

“You’re a teacher?” Elle blurted out, noticing the tattoos that were covering both his arms.

Aaron smiled wide. “Hell yeah. I teach kindergarten. Kids think I’m fucking awesome!”

“I’m sure they do,” Elle snickered, but before she could say anything else, Nick called out to him, motioning for him go back to the stage. “Guess it’s about show time.”

“Yeah,” he murmured, looking back at her. “Maybe we can catch up afterward?”

“Um,” Elle paused and looked over her shoulder to where Sadie as now sitting with Derek and Callum on either side of her. “Sure. There’s some people I’d like you to meet.”

“Okay, I’ve gotta get my ass up there before Nick has a stroke,” Aaron said, taking a step back. “I expect you to yell and scream for us. Promise?”

“Depends on how good you are.” Elle smirked before turning and walking back to the table.

Derek, Callum, and Sadie were immediately on their feet, but only Sadie looked excited. The other two looked pissed, which amused Elle. Didn’t they know that they were everything to her?

“Was it really him?” Sadie asked, reaching out and grabbing Elle’s hand. She tightened her grip on her cane before nodding. “Oh, my God!”

“I know,” she exclaimed, shifting her attention between Derek and Callum. “Guys, that’s Aaron.”

“The Aaron?” Callum asked, the jealously fading from his features as he looked up at the stage in awe.

“As in the Aaron that stopped the asshole?” Derek clarified, his eyes shifting between her and the man on the stage.

Elle nodded. “The one and only.”

“Oh, shit,” her murmured, shaking his head. “Wow.”

“Yeah, wow about sums it up,” Elle agreed, blowing out a heavy breath.

“I don’t understand,” Ivy groused, huffing. “How do you know Aaron?”

Elle’s lips trembled as she said, “He’s the man who saved me from Leo.”

Ivy’s eyes flew open and she gasped. “Are you serious?”

“I haven’t seen him since the police showed up at the hospital to take our statements. Since Leo took a deal, neither of us had to testify and I never saw him again. You’ve talked about him, about the band, but I never put two and two together,” she explained.

“What are the odds?” Ivy mused, but the lights in the bar dimmed and the lights on the stage swiveled toward the Nick and Aaron, who were now joined with the other two members of Taj, Jonas and Abe. “Oh, show time!”

Elle laughed as she settled in the chair between Derek and Sadie, and turned her attention to the band. Aaron looked over at her and smiled before striking his drumsticks against each other and yelling, “One, Two, a One, Two, Three, Four!”

As Aaron struck the top of his snare drum, Jonas and Abe joined in on the bass guitar and keyboard, respectively. But it was Nick who pulled everyone’s attention to the stage. He wrapped one hand around the mic stand and the other around the top of the microphone, pressing the length of his body against it just before he began belting out the words.