Loving Justice (El Camino Real Book 2) (21 page)

Justice’s remorse knew no bounds. It was true. His only defense sounded weak. “I was young. Stupid. Believe me, the moment she left, I realized what I’d lost.”

Weber nodded. “Many times we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone.”

“Is that all she told you?” Hampton questioned him, looking at Justice pointedly.

He searched for the right words. “She told me the time she spent with her mother, going back to school and how close she is to you two.” Was there more? He wasn’t sure what they were expecting him to say.

“You’d better sit down.” Hampton motioned toward a chair. Justice sat down, realizing he was about to hear something huge.

“Charlee didn’t know it when she left, but she was pregnant with your baby.”

Justice stopped breathing.

“After everything that happened, she wasn’t paying attention, didn’t expect it. Her mother noticed the changes in her appetite and that she hadn’t mentioned having her menses. One morning, so Charlee says, she mentioned wishing she had the courage to call you.” Hampton laughed wryly. “She told her mother she didn’t know what she’d say to you. Her mother told her to tell you she was pregnant.”

Justice stared, his heart hammering. “What happened to the baby?” Every thought in the world was flying through his brain.

Hampton and Weber touched Charlee through the covers, establishing a connection. “She lost it, right after she lost her mother. There was no apparent reason. It just wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”

Not meant to be? Justice turned to the wall and slammed his hand against it. “A baby? My baby?”

“Settle down, King,” Hampton warned. “None of this is her fault.”

Turning, he came to the bed. Tears were streaming down his face. “Why in God’s name didn’t she tell me?”

A moan from the bed caused all of them to jump. “She’s awake.”

Charlee opened her eyes. “Justice?” Their words had been filtering through her mind. The baby. He knew about the baby. “Forgive me, Justice. Please forgive me.”

Hampton grabbed Weber’s arm. “We’ll go get coffee.” He looked Justice straight in the eye. “Tend to her.”

Justice didn’t have to be told twice. He came to her, engulfing her in his arms. “You’re okay, thank God, you’re okay. I was so scared. What would I do without you?” He squatted by the bed, so he could look into her beautiful brown eyes. “You’re not the one who needs to be forgiven, it’s me.”

“No, no.” She touched his face. “I wanted to tell you so much. I just wasn’t brave enough.”

Before they could talk more, a nurse and her father came in to check on her, and Justice had to step away and let them do their job.

*  *  *

This time he didn’t take no for an answer. After Charlee was checked over and deemed well enough to be checked out, she was released. There was no sign of concussion. Hampton and Weber were able to visit with her while the paperwork was completed, then Justice took her home. His family all stood on the porch while he carried her in. “Make way, make way, I’m carrying in a hero.”

“Heroine,” Abby corrected.

“Semantics.” Justice laughed. “Could you fix Charlee some soup? I don’t think she’s had anything to eat today.”

“Charlee can speak for herself,” she said in a huff. “And I can walk.”

No one paid any attention to her protest, other than Jase kissing her on the forehead as Justice carried her by. He carried her suitcase while Cade held the door. “The twins had to return for football practice, but Shiloh did call and wants you to call him ASAP.” Cade reported all of this while his wife hurried to the kitchen.

“All right, I’ll give him a call as soon as I have Charlee settled. I’m taking her up to bed.” He started up the staircase.

“I’d rather sit in the living room.”

“No, ma’am, we need to talk.” Justice had some things to say and they couldn’t wait.

“Oh.” She grew still in his arms.

When they entered his room, she looked around. “Don’t you think a guest room would be more appropriate?”

“No, I don’t. I’m too old to be sneaking down the damn hall.”

“Oh.” Well, if he intended to sneak, things couldn’t be too bad. He sat her on the edge of the bed, then started piling and plumping pillows. Charlee wanted to giggle at the big man who was trying to be so considerate. “I don’t need so many.”

“Hush and let me take care of you.”

“I saw her, Justice.” Charlee spoke up.

“Saw who?” he asked confused.

“La Llorona, I saw her when I went back after the small boy. She was crying out for him to come to her.”

Justice didn’t doubt her a moment. “You saved him. You didn’t let her win.” He took her hand. “I can’t believe how close I came to losing you again, this time permanently.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him.

“I intend to take care of you, I’ve missed out on too much already.”

Ah, there he’d said it. “You want to talk about the baby.” Charlee’s heart pinched in her chest.

“Yes, I want to talk about our baby.” He went to his knees in front of her.

Our baby. She didn’t miss that. “Okay.”

“I got you pregnant.” It was a fact. She nodded. “You left me and you didn’t let me know.”

There was hurt in his voice. “Yes, I’m so sorry. I wanted to. I needed you.”

“Why?” One word—one word that held a world of anguish. “Didn’t you think I’d want to know?”

Charlee hung her head. “I didn’t think you’d believe me. I didn’t know how to face you, to tell you.”

Her confession broke his heart. Justice laid his head in her lap. “I would have believed you. I should have been there for you. I can’t believe you went through something like that alone.” When she started to say something, he stopped her. “And don’t tell me that you had Hampton, I’m so jealous of those two I could nearly die.”

“You have no reason to be,” she whispered.

“Can’t help it.”

He crawled up in the bed next to her. “Scoot over, you’re a bed hog.”

“Am not. You’re just so big.” She scooted over, making room.

“You like me big.” His sounded pretty cocksure.

“I do.” She nestled down against him, grateful the truth was out in the open. “It was a boy.”

Justice sighed. “I feel like there’s a hole in my chest. I didn’t know him, but he was part of me.” He pushed her hair out of her eyes. “A baby. Our baby.”

She wanted to say they could have others, but he’d never made any declaration—neither of them had. And he’d have to be the first. She just couldn’t put herself out there like that, not anymore.

“Did you want him?”

His question caused her pain. “More than I wanted life.”

Laying his head on her breast, he grew still. She stroked his hair, and they held one another, thinking of what might have been.

A slight knock on the door caused Justice to rise. “Come in,” he called. It was Abby with a tray. “Here’s all of us some soup, I hope you don’t mind if I join you?”

“Thank you and please do.” Charlee sat up in bed. “How’s the sinkhole?” She couldn’t believe she had forgotten to ask. This was her job and here she was lying abed.

Justice took his bowl, pulling a chair over next to the bed with his foot. “It’s full. Everything seemed to work. When you feel better, we’ll go check it out. Cyrus said you’ll be able to do some seismic tests to see if everything is stabilized below the surface.”

“Great.” She smiled weakly. After the onslaught of emotions about their baby, nothing else seemed important. Still, it was her job to be concerned. “How about the road crews?”

“They’ve already begun.” Justice explained.

“That’s a relief,” Abby added. “It will be good to have the King’s Highway passable again.”

Charlee giggled. “When Justice was young, he thought they called it the King’s highway because it all belonged to your family, from Mexico City to Louisiana. They had no idea the King being referred to was the King of Spain. It was called that because the trail was a commissioned.”

“Really?” Abby grinned. “I never knew that. Tell me other things about Justice I don’t know.” She licked her spoon and watched her brother squirm.

“Let me see…” Charlee considered what to say.

“Be careful, my Indian maiden, you have to sleep with me tonight.”

“Watch it, paleface.” She teased back.

Abby waved her spoon in the air. “Oh, oh, I have to tell you about this outfit I saw in town. You got to see it, a white fringed leather crop top with short-shorts. We’ll go buy it for you at the first opportunity.”

Justice groaned. “Abby, please. Don’t do the girl sex talk in front of me.” They all laughed.

“Well, I guess I’ll leave you two alone.” She kissed them both on the cheek. “I am so glad you’re safe. That was a wonderful thing you did today, but a very close call.”

When she was gone, Justice gave her a heated look. “I’m going to run some bathwater and let you have a soak, and then I’m going to make love to you. Any objections?”

Charlee swallowed. “I can’t think of one.”

He did as he promised, and she felt like a princess when he carried her to the bath, undressing her tenderly, kissing her face, her lips, and her throat. When the cool air brushed her nipples, she shivered, and he moved down to her breasts, worshiping them with his mouth. A quiver of anticipation rippled up her spine when he sank to his knees in front of her, peeling away her damp panties with his teeth. “Nice touch,” she whispered.

He chuckled. “Don’t make me laugh, I’m in seduction mode.”

When she stepped out of her underwear, not an inch of her remained hidden. She marveled at the difference love could make. No longer did she feel inadequate, awkward, a gawky tomboy that no man would want. Times had changed. If the hot stare Justice was giving her was any indication, she was definitely his type. “You do want me, don’t you, Justice?” The question slipped from her lips before she could call it back.

Justice kissed her beneath her breasts, then over the place where their child once rested. “I don’t think you have any idea how much you mean to me.” He stood to his feet, swept her up, and lowered her in the warm water. “You’re my treasure, that’s what you are.”

Charlee luxuriated in his attention. He took off his shirt, leaned over the tub, and washed her tenderly. Not a spot on her body felt neglected. Finally, he laid down the sponge and got serious. Cupping her nape, he crashed his lips with her, taking complete possession. His other hand was busy between her legs, delving between the delicate folds, making her arch and whimper. She threw her arms around his neck, even as she lifted her hips, opening her thighs wide.

Their kisses didn’t cease, even when he took her so high she exploded in his arms. He captured her sweet cries in his mouth, and she welcomed his hunger, returning it tenfold.

Standing, he picked her up. “I’m desperate for you.” Setting her down, he wrapped Charlee in a big fluffy towel and dried every bit of the dampness from her body, paying special attention to the tender place between her legs. “I can’t get enough of you,” he confessed.

Charlee gripped his shoulders as he carried her to the bedroom. He didn’t lay her down like she expected. Rather, he set her down and undressed. She couldn’t take her eyes from his male perfection. The rippling muscles of his chest fascinated her and his impressive erection drew her hand and made her pussy clench. Once he was nude, he picked her up by the waist. “Hold on to me.” Justice guided her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. “Now put me in.” His dominating attitude made her wet. Still standing, he brought her down on his cock until he was fully seated. She purred, curling her nails into his shoulder and scraping her teeth on his chest.

“You’re so strong.” She marveled as he began to move her up and down on his thick shaft. Charlee braced her heels on his hips and helped him, pushing herself up and off and back down. “Oh, oh, oh, this is so good,” she moaned, letting her head fall back. To be mastered like this, controlled, fucked so completely was all she’d ever dreamed.

“Kiss me,” he demanded. She lifted her head to meet his descending lips. Their kiss was perfect, a combination of raw and tender that made her whole body tremble.

Needing more leverage, he went to the bed, laying her down. Looking down at her, he fisted his cock, anxious to get back inside. She was so beautiful, so delicate, so eager to accept him. It was a complete and utter turn-on. Justice moved over her, covering her neck in kisses, trailing a path of fiery nibbles and bites over the full swell of her tits. “You are precious to me,” he murmured against her skin. She closed her eyes, the look of complete rapture on her face going straight to his dick. She lifted from the bed, pushing her tits up until her nipple brushed his lips. Christ, he wanted to close his mouth over those tender peaks and suckle until she moaned and begged for more. With a shuddering breath, he licked them, just licked, tracing the round puffy areola with his tongue.

He got the reaction he was after.

“Justice,” she keened. “I ache. Suck them. Please, open your mouth and suck them.”

“God, you’re hot.” She was panting for him, and he did believe the woman was going to burn him alive.