Uncovering His SECRET (9 page)

“The pageant called.
It wants its hair back,” I tell the blonde, purposely trying to
keep her distracted while Isa gets her gun out.

“Bless your heart,”
she responds.

“You can come up with
a better insult than that,” I reply, letting some Texas back into
my voice.

“If you were worth my
time, I probably could.”

“You shouldn’t
underestimate me. It never works out well for anyone who does.”

“I’ll take my
chances.”

“That’s your first
mistake,” I say as I shoot her in the arm, thanking God that Brad
is able to drop to the floor and get out of the way as all Hell
breaks loose.

Faith comes through the
door, guns blazing, leaving Isa and Darcy to take care of Yasmin. I
crack my neck and motion for Blondie to bring it. I know we need to
keep her alive to question her, but I need to fuck her up just a
little bit.

“What are you going
to do to me?”

“Hurt you. Just like
you hurt my friend.”

“We just used her as
a lesson. Hall wasn’t cooperating.”

“Hall men rarely do.”

“I need his nephew.”

“Join the club.”

“You want the
formula, too?” she asks, her eyes widening.

“No, I just want the
man. But just like you can’t have his formula, I can’t have him.”

“Maybe I should be
taking you instead of his uncle.”

“Please try. Pretty
please with a cherry on top.”

“You’re crazy.”

“That’s one of the
nicest things anyone has ever said to me.” At her look of shock, I
continue. “No, really. You’d think I was a direct descendent of
Hester Prynne with all the shade thrown my way. I’d have been
burned at the stake long ago if that kind of thing was still legal.”

“I can’t compete
with that. At all. Just go ahead and take me in.”

“No fight?”

“Um, no. I’m
actually a little freaked out and scared by you.”

“You keep saying
those nice things, and I’ll think you have a crush on me.”

“Can someone else
arrest me? Anyone else?” she looks around, pleadingly. I love
messing with pageant girls. Always have, and probably always will.

“I’ve got her,
Teeg,” Faith tells me with a laugh.

“Fine. Take away my
fun. But don’t worry, Beauty Queen. I’ll be seeing you again
soon. You can think of some more pretty things to say to me while
we’re apart.”

“Is she for real?”
she asks Faith as she’s led out of the room.

“Yep. There’s not
one fake thing about her.”

I smile cheekily as I
turn back to Brad. He’s smiling right back at me. “You sure know
how to clear a room, my dear.”

“I’ve had a lot of
practice.”

“I know.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to go to
the hospital with Yasmin, then.” I turn to where she’s being
loaded onto a gurney by the EMTs who arrived a few minutes ago. “Can
you take Brad to my place, Darcy?”

“I’m not going into
hiding.”

“Yes. You are. You’re
the closest thing I’ve had to a father for the past eleven years,
and I’ll be damned if I’m going to lose you. You can stay in
Faith’s old place.”

“I love you, Tegan.
You’re the daughter I never had, and I would never put myself in
the line of danger.”

“Unless it was to
help a kid. I get it. That’s what your support staff’s for,
though. You’ve trained everyone well, and they’ll step up.”

“Only for you will I
do this.”

“Thank you.”

“We need to go,
Teeg,” Isa tells me.

I hug Brad and follow
her outside. The ambulance doesn’t have room for me, so I grab my
bike and follow them. Yasmin lost consciousness, so I’m really
worried. She shouldn’t have been put in this position, and Brad
shouldn’t have been, either. We need to figure this out, and soon.
Before anyone else gets hurt.

Caleb

Ethan’s trying to
pretend like he’s not worried. He keeps telling me how tough Tegan
and her friends are, which I already know. I can tell he’s scared,
though, and I keep trying to distract him with movies. I’d throw in
a video game, too, but I’m not sure if I should lift his
punishment, even now. This parenting stuff is just as hard as I
thought it would be. Well, with all our other issues, it may be
harder right now.

We’re both out of our
seats the second we hear the door opening. It’s Uncle Brad and
Darcy, and Tegan’s not with them. My heart is racing hard. If
something happened to her, and the last thing we did was fight…I…I
don’t know if I could survive it. Hell, even if we weren’t
fighting, losing her like that would do me in.

“Where’s my mama?”
Ethan asks, tears in his eyes.

“She’s fine, E.
Yasmin Griffin got shot, and your mom wanted to go to the hospital
with her,” Darcy says.

“Will Yasmin be
okay?”

“Yes. She’ll
probably need surgery, but her injury wasn’t too bad.”

“I should go to the
hospital, too. Scott might need me.”

It’s my uncle who
pulls Ethan into his arm as he answers him. “Your mama wants us
here, Ethan. She’s worried about everyone being safe. You can call
Scott later and let him know you’re thinking and praying about
Yasmin. Okay?”

“I’m worried about
Mama too, Uncle Brad. That’s my job, you know. I’m the man of the
house.”

Well, shit. I’d be
lying if I said that didn’t just hit me in the heart like a bullet.

“Yes, you are, Ethan.
You do a wonderful job. No one could do it better.”

“Well, maybe my dad
could,” he says, making me smile.

“That would involve
him putting his pride aside as he removes his head from his ass. I’m
not sure he’s ready to do that yet.”

“Gee thanks. It’s
nice to see you still have the same sense of loyalty that you did
when you left eleven years ago.”

“Darcy, can you stay
with Ethan while Caleb and I have a talk upstairs?”

“Of course. Faith’s
apartment will be open for you when you get there.”

“Thanks.”

“Are you going to
punch him for Mama?” Ethan asks him.

“Probably,” he
replies.

We ride up the elevator
in silence, and the silence continues for the first few minutes we’re
inside the apartment. I look around and take in the giant kitchen
that’s covering most of the first floor. And then I subtly move in
front of the knives. I don’t really believe my uncle will hurt me,
but now that I have a good idea why he left us all those years ago, I
know that his loyalty lies with Tegan.

“You don’t deserve
her, or that boy,” he says, finally breaking the silence.

“You’ve known about
him all this time and never told me?”

“When I came to visit
and brought up her name, you spewed so much venom that it’s a
wonder the trees didn’t shrivel up and die.”

“She cheated on me. I
loved her more than anything. I would have done
anything
for her. Yet my love wasn’t enough to keep her out of some other
guy’s bed.”

“You believe what you
want to believe. You did it then, and you’re doing it now.”

“I believe the
truth.”

“Greg’s truth?
Because I sure as shit know you never asked Tegan what really
happened that night. Why is that, Cal?”

“People saw her.”

“Did they now?”

“You obviously think
you know something.”

“No. I’m sure I
know
everything
.”

“Then why don’t you
enlighten me?”

“It’s not my story.
If you wanted to hear the truth, you’d ask her. But I don’t think
you want that. You didn’t then, and you don’t now. I asked you
why, but I’m pretty sure I know that, too.”

“Everyone here thinks
she’s so damn wonderful and special.” So do I, if I’m being
honest with myself.

“She is, and you know
that, even if you’re too stupid to admit how much she means to you.
If you can’t ask her about that night, you need to let it go.
Because they’ll be no chance for the two of you if you don’t.”

“How do you know I
even want that chance?”

“You’re right.
Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part. The old romantic in
me. You do what you want, Cal. You always have, and I expect you
always will. No matter what it costs you.”

“I’ll see you
tomorrow.”

“Yes, you will.
Goodnight.”

I’m not mad enough to
just walk out, so I walk over and hug him. I love my uncle, and it
hurt when he left, coming back only once or twice a year. It hurts
even more that he’s taking the side of the woman who nearly
destroyed me. But I know he’s right. I need to face my demons and
fears, or let go of them. And then I need to get my woman back. Then
again, maybe I need to do that first.

It’s a little too
quiet when I get back into Tegan’s apartment. “Ethan,” I call
out, worried all of sudden, even though I know this place is secure.

“He went home with
Darcy for the night,” Tegan says, coming out of the kitchen.

“Hey.”

“Brad’s all
settled?”

“I guess.”

“Ethan said he was
going to punch you, but you look okay.”

“He threw some
emotional punches at me, but nothing physical.”

“I never wanted to
come between you.”

“Well, you did.”

“I know.”

“Did you eat?”

That’s not what I
should be asking her, but I’m just not ready for the heavy stuff
yet. Or ever.

“No. I was going to
make a sandwich.”

“I saved you some
dinner.”

“Really?”

“Well, Ethan saved
it, but I cooked.”

“He takes good care
of me.”

“Since he’s not
here tonight, maybe I could fill in.”

“What do you have in
mind?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Anything?” she
asks as she walks closer to me.

“Yes,” I say,
moving towards her as well.

“I want you to kiss
me, Caleb.”

* * *

Tegan

He reaches for me
without hesitation, and I melt into him as our lips meet for the
first time since we were teenagers. It’s the same, but also
different. His lips are just as I remember them in my dreams. Soft,
yet demanding. I can feel him holding back, trying to keep himself
from taking control too soon.

I tilt my head to slant
my lips at a different angle, and then I open for him, sucking at his
lips until he finally gives me his tongue, His scruff is rubbing
against my face as our mouths play. It feels so good, but I want
more. I
need
more.
Even if it’s just for one night.

I slide my hands under
his t-shirt and start pushing it up. He breaks our kiss to reach back
and pull it off for me. “Teeg.”

“Make me yours again,
Cal. I want to be yours. Even if it’s just for one night.”

My words snap that
control that he was holding onto, and he lets out a growl as he picks
me up and carries me to the couch. Instead of laying me down, he puts
me on my knees, facing the back. This is definitely new.

“If you’re going to
be mine, I need to have my hands and mouth on all of you. Then I’ll
put my cock in your pussy and fuck you all night. Is that what you
want?”

“Yes. God, yes.”

He slides my shirt up
and off of me and then pulls my jeans off. I’m back to kneeling,
only now I’m just in my lacy bra and panties. “So very pretty.
Did you wear these for me today?”

“Yes,” I admit.

“I like that, Teeg. I
like it a lot.”

He runs a finger down
my arm, and I shiver under his touch. “Are you going to take your
jeans off, too?”

“If you ask nicely.”

“Will you please take
off your jeans so I can suck your cock?”

“No.”

“You don’t want me
to?”

“Oh, I do. But right
now is Tegan Time. So spread your legs and show me how wet you are.”

“My panties are still
on.”

“These,” I say as I
grab each side and pull, tearing them right off her. “Are no longer
a problem.”

“I liked those.”

“You’re going to
like my fingers and mouth better. Just not yet.”

I groan, but it turns
into a moan when he licks a path up my spine, removing my bra along
the way. He licks, kisses, and nibbles on every inch of my back
before moving up to my shoulders and neck. I’m squirming, and
shaking, and he’s nowhere near the places I thought were my
erogenous zones yet. I know my skin’s going to be red from all the
beard burn tomorrow, but damn if it doesn’t feel good.

After biting my left
earlobe as I arch my back, Caleb lets go of my hair and turns me
around. “Fuck, Teeg. You look good enough to eat, and I’m very,
very hungry tonight.”

He lays me down and
gives me sweet kisses all over my face, before sucking gently on my
neck. He keeps his hands on the armrest above me, and I know he’s
doing it to make himself as crazy as he’s making me. It’s going
to make it more explosive for both of us; although, I hate that we
both know that. We didn’t learn it from each other.

“You’re tensing
up,” he says, leaning back to look at me.

“Just thinking too
much.”

“I’m supposed to be
making you feel so good that all you can think about is how many
times you can come in the next several hours.”

“I-I just wish there
was no one else, ever.”

“There’s no one
else now. And I don’t want there to ever be anyone but us again.
That’s what matters.”

That right there is one
of the reasons I love this man so much. He knows just what to say. He
almost always has. I grab his face and pull his mouth to mine. He
lets me be in control for a few minutes, before nipping my bottom lip
and giving me that wicked hot smile of his again.

His mouth descends on
my collarbone, and each side gets a nice long lick. I arch my back as
he starts licking the sides of my breasts. They’re small little
licks, and as he starts doing it on the undersides of them too, I
realize exactly
what
he’s doing. He’s licking the small stretch marks I have there.
I’ve never been ashamed of them, or hidden them, but no one’s
ever worshipped them. That’s what he’s doing, he worshipping my
breasts. I nearly come out of my skin.