Chapter 33

THIRTY-THREE

ELLIS

“I’m really fucking nervous.”

“Why are you nervous to see your own mom?” Tavish asks as we stand outside my mom’s front door.

We’ve been back from the island about four days, but I haven’t had the opportunity to see her yet. It took a bit for them to actually piece everything together enough to be comfortable letting my mom and sister go back to their lives. We don’t know the outcome yet and likely won’t for months. But at least things seem to be heading in the right direction.

“I’m not even nervous to meet her; why are you nervous to see her?” Tavish asks.

“Because I didn’t know she was like some badass going around hunting people down, pretending to be the cartel, and running bitches over with cars.”

That makes Tavish laugh.

“How are you not nervous?” I ask. “Even if we hadn’t gone through all of this, I’d be terrified to meet the mom of the person I’m dating.”

“I’ve never been nervous a day in my life,” he says. “I mean… besides being a little nervous about you.” He mumbles the last part, like I might not understand it if he speaks fast enough.

“What about me? Why the hell would you be nervous about me?”

“Because you’re so good that I’m afraid I’m going to fuck up.”

“How could you fuck up?”

“You’re going to wake up and be like ‘Oh right, this guy is fucking strange.’”

“I mean… I knew you were strange from the moment I met you, and I’m still here, right?” I tease.

The door opens and Mom stares at me. “How long were you going to stand on the porch?”

“Probably a very long time.”

She keeps staring at me, and I feel like I’m under a spotlight. “What happened to your face?”

“You should have seen it a few days ago!” Tavish says, which doesn’t help in the slightest.

Mom glances over at him. “You must be… the guy.”

“I’m definitely a guy,” he agrees.

“Mom, this is Tavish.”

She looks him up and down. “I see.”

“I know you said we couldn’t stay long, but I just wanted to see you quickly before you had to head to work.”

She’s still eyeing me, and I can tell she’s trying really hard to pretend to be mad at me. Or… maybe she really is mad at me, but my mom’s never been able to stay mad for long.

“Quickly?” she says. “You’ve stood on the porch for five minutes. And you showed up looking like you were on the wrong end of a fight.”

“I was on the wrong end of a lot of fights. I really can’t fight.”

Mom raises an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“He tased a man, though,” Tavish says.

“Was that supposed to make me feel better? What the hell were you doing tasing a man?”

“Definitely shouldn’t mention the finger,” Tavish mutters.

I glower at him, which makes Mom’s look get worse. “Mom, I just wanted to see you and prove to you that I have all of my limbs and fingers and toes. And I met a hot guy and we’re dating, and I promise I’m okay.”

She scrutinizes me for a long while. “You’re going to worry me to death.”

I hold my arms out and she grabs me, pulling me into her and squeezing me nearly to death. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“For what?”

“For everything.”

Mom’s quiet for a moment. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Hmm… sure. We’ll both pretend that,” I say. “But you’re definitely not threatening me with a grounding again. I know some shit.”

She squeezes me tighter, proving to me that death is on the horizon. “You don’t ever worry me again, you hear me? No one, and I mean no one, is going to threaten my kids and get away with it. And you’re definitely not going to threaten me. I saw Sienna beat you up so many times.”

“I promise I’m super safe now. I’ve made some really sketchy friends.”

She kisses my cheek before kissing my forehead and then my cheek again before letting me go and examining Tavish. “What do you do for a living? You said you’re a PI?”

“Yeaaaaaah.” That did not sound convincing at all.

Mom’s narrowed eyes tell me she also didn’t find it convincing. “Where’s your business located?”

“Mom—”

“It’s called Wellstone. If you ever need anything, just don’t ask for Leland,” he says.

She scrutinizes him before reaching over and hugging him. “Thank you for keeping my stubborn son safe.”

“He kept me safe too,” Tavish says.

I laugh at that ludicrous statement. “I did no such thing. I didn’t help at all.”

“Now, you two better come over for dinner tomorrow, you hear me? And the next day. And every day this week.”

“Got it,” I agree as she hugs us both again before she lets us leave.

“Your mom’s got a wicked hug. She should have just hugged Jasmine and none of this would have happened.”

I laugh as I get into the car with him. “Maybe she should have. Thank you for letting me sit in the front seat this time instead of the trunk.”

“You’re welcome,” he says as he drives to Leland’s house.

Leland is off lying in the grass in front of his fence, which is weird enough as it is, and even weirder yet when I see that he’s wearing pajamas with Sasquatch all over them.

“Hey, I brought you guys stuff,” I say as I get out.

“Color me interested. Can I murder someone with it?” he asks as he gets up to join us.

“According to you, you can murder someone with anything,” I remind him as I head into the house with the containers. Waylon is playing a video game and Jackson is wandering through the kitchen when the three of us walk in.

I jiggle the containers a bit. “It’s, ummm, definitely nowhere near what I owe you. And I’m actually not sure if I could ever pay you off. I currently rent or I’d have to like sell my house and possibly my soul to even partially pay you back. So I thought maybe I could just bake you some food until I find someone willing to buy my soul.”

“We’ve adopted you, which means you never have to pay us back,” Leland assures me. “You’re my child now. But I’ve decided to rename you to The Fence Junior.”

I eye him, rather displeased by the name. “Please don’t tell me you’re also wanting to see Jackson’s tush on me like you constantly want to see it on The Fence Senior.”

Leland laughs as Jackson just sighs, evidently resigned to his fate. Seems like a pretty damn good fate, judging by the way he loves Leland so much.

I peel off the top of the container, revealing fence-shaped cookies I worked on far too long this morning. When I started on this endeavor, I had absolutely no idea it was going to take half of my sanity.

Leland gasps as he snatches one. “They’re… beautiful. This is more than enough.”

“It’s not… but I’m glad you like them.”

“I can pretend they’re the real fence as I destroy them with my teeth,” Jackson says, looking quite excited about the idea.

I smile. “Perfect.”

Jackson reaches for one, but Leland grabs the whole container. “You cannot eat them. They’re too special.”

Waylon, who is curious what’s happening, wanders in. “Ooh! Cookies.”

“They are not for eating.”

He gives Leland a look. “But… they look so good and… you said you’d give me anything I ever wanted.”

“You sly little pest,” Leland growls, passing a cookie right off as Waylon smiles and takes it.

The look on Jackson’s face shows clear confusion. “What the heck? Why’s he get one and I don’t?”

“What about those two guys your… friends kept a hold of during all of this?” I ask.

“Oh, Bondage Boy and Sleepypants. Right…” Leland trails off.

“Leland?” Jackson asks. “Did you forget about them?”

“Maybe a little bit. It’s fine, Tucker’s much better at remembering to take care of people than me. They’re totally fine. I suppose we should let them go, shouldn’t we? I still kind of like the sleepy one. Oh, Ellis, you forgot your ugly little vase here,” Leland says as he tries to protect his cookies and ignore Jackson’s look of dissatisfaction.

“This is sooooo good. Can I have another?” Waylon asks as he holds his hand out.

“How about you share with those two, and I’ll make you another batch next week?” I say.

“Didn’t you say you’d never make those cookies again even if your life depended on it?” Tavish asks. “You said, and I quote, ‘I would rather ride on Fred’s lap than make these cookies.’”

“I know, but look how happy he is.”

“You’re such a sucker,” Tavish says. “Now come on.”

He plucks the vase up and tosses it to me.

I grab it and look at him in horror. “What if I hadn’t caught that?”

“It’s fine!”

“Do you understand how much this vase and I have gone through together?” I ask.

“Kind of.”

I hug it to me as I chase after him. “This vase and I… we skydived. We were threatened. We were both touched far too much by Fred.”

“You were the one with your dick pressed against Fred’s ass.”

“Don’t remind me,” I whisper.

Tavish laughs as we head out to the car where I hug the vase as he drives toward his home.

“You know… since your rental doesn’t allow pets… your bird has been pissed that you’re not at my place. I’m pretty sure she hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you.”

“I’m just saying…like… maybe you start staying over some nights and stuff… so Jolene’s not lonely and will be happy.”

“Will Jolene be the only happy one?”

“Sure as fuck not.”

“I mean… I guess staying the night at your house here and there isn’t a big deal, right? Old me would have panicked and overthought this a million times, but I’m a new, slightly scarred and traumatized me.”

“Yeah?” Tavish asks.

“Yeah… like you want me to spend the night tonight?”

“I sure do,” he says as he pulls into the driveway. “I hope that bird stops screaming now that you’re here.”

“Has she been bad?”

“PISSED the moment you walk out.”

“Aww, she’s lonely.”

“She has a massive cage and is still not happy the instant you leave.”

We head inside and I look around before deciding the new kitchen table is the proper place for the vase.

“We’ve been through a lot together, Mr. Vase,” I say as I set the vase down and shift it a little. “So very much.”

“Sure have,” Tavish agrees as I notice a little crack on the edge.

“Aw, I think it got cracked.”

“Did it?” Tavish asks. He picks it up and I watch as the vase shatters in his hands. “Huh.”

I stare at him.

“Whoopsies.”

“I… I risked my life for that vase.”

“It was a pretty expensive vase.”

“I held that vase as I jumped out of an airplane, which probably shouldn’t have even been possible ,” I say. “Like why didn’t the velocity whip it out of my hands?”

“Yeah, bet that’s when it got weakened. You had quite the grip on it. Ah well.” He dusts it to the far edge of the table like I might not notice.

“What do you mean ‘Ah well’? My vase!”

“I’ll buy you a new one. Want to have sex?”

“Not until that TV stand is built.”

“What? Really? That sounds horrible. Come on, Ellis.”

“Better get moving while I let Jolene out.”

“I’m going! I’m going!”

I head back to Jolene, who is thrilled the moment she sees me. She dances and hops her way after me as we reach the living room where Tavish has removed everything from the box and is now sticking partway out of it. Like I can only see his bottom half. Jolene flies over to the top of the box and starts dancing on it, liking the sound it makes beneath her feet.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask.

“I gave up, Ellis. It was too hard.”

“You know what else is going to be hard when you’re finished with this?”

He unzips his pants. “Take me now.”

“You’re so ridiculous.” I reach down and grab his ankles, pulling him from the box before dropping down on him. “Would sex first rejuvenate you enough to build it?”

“Sure would help,” he says as he grabs me by the hand and pulls me down to kiss him.

“Yeah, I bet it would. We need lube and a condom.”

“Already got them,” he says as he flashes them at me.

“How the hell did you get those so fast?”

“I’m prepared.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

He grins as he whips my shirt off and tosses it.

“You murdered my vase.”

“It couldn’t handle my heat… but can you?”

“I’m not afraid of your heat,” I say, pulling his pants down while he peppers kisses down my neck. Then I push up off him.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m rewarding you for your new table,” I inform him as I shed my remaining clothes. “Didn’t I promise you that you could fuck me against your table?”

“Oh, fuck yeah you did,” Tavish says as he scrambles after me. He’s so busy trying to get his pants off from around his ankles that he trips and nearly falls. Then he rushes after me, skidding across the kitchen floor on his socked feet before hooking me around the waist and pushing me against the table.

“I’m never going to be able to eat here again after this,” I say.

“Who the fuck eats at the table anyway?” he asks.

I feel his cock rub against my ass as he places a hand against my back, pressing it down until my chest is against the table.

“Fucking hell, what a delightful image. I’m so glad you forced me to buy a table,” he says as he gently smacks my ass.

“Yeah?” I ask as I push my ass back against him. His finger runs down my back so softly that it makes me shiver before it dips down between my ass cheeks. I hear the snap of the lubricant lid, then feel his wet finger running over me before pushing inside me. He knocks my feet apart just a bit as his slicked cock presses between my thighs.

Another finger joins the first, sliding within me, preparing me for the cock that’s to come. His cock brushes against my balls, rubbing between my thighs as my own cock aches for attention. I reach down and stroke myself as he runs soft kisses down my neck and back.

“I want you to fuck me.”

“It’d be my pleasure.”

“It’d be more pleasing if I wasn’t looking at my destroyed vase.”

“Shhhhh, forget the vase.”

“I’m trying, but it’s all I can see.”

“Yeah? Well… what about paying attention to what you can feel instead?” he asks as he pulls his fingers free and presses the head of his cock against my hole.

“Hmm, I think I’m starting to forget about the vase,” I mutter as he slowly opens me up.

“Yeah?”

“I think,” I say. “Hmm… yeah, definitely helping.”

“Good,” he responds as he pushes inside me, his hand sliding around my waist to grip my cock. And once he’s pressed deep inside me, he begins to move, drawing back just enough to drive even further. His hand on my cock, the feel of him deep inside me, pushes pleasure throughout me. With each thrust, his cock fills me up.

I’ve always lived my life being careful, avoiding situations outside my norm, but here I am, throwing myself at life with this man, and I don’t think I could ever be happier. As he touches me, kisses me, and fucks me, I’m drawn deeper and deeper into his embrace.

Tavish makes me feel things I’ve never felt. There’s nothing that I feel like I can’t do with this man. I feel like I could accomplish anything. Not only does he make me feel like a stronger person, he’s made me become one. And maybe it was inside me all along, but I needed him there to guide me. Yeah… maybe I’m not running around stopping bullets or taking down bad guys with watermelon candy. Maybe I’m not willingly jumping out of airplanes and leaping in front of cars, but I would do it for those I care about. Even if I didn’t know a damn thing I was doing, I would do it all for this man.

“I think I love you enough I’d run back to Murder Island for you,” I admit.

He laughs before kissing me. “I think I love you enough that I’d willingly go to Murder Island for you.”

So much pleasure and happiness wrap around me as his cock drives deeper inside me, as his hand pulls me closer to the edge until I can’t take any more. Until he comes inside me with a groan, his hand drawing me over the edge as I reach my own limit.

My breath is heavy as he pulls out of me and flips me over to kiss me. Pulling back and looking into Tavish’s vivid blue eyes, I say, “I’m afraid I’m rushing things, but I can’t get myself to slow down. This is just… not… not how I normally am, you know?”

“I mean… that’s how I live my life. I never knew where each day would take me, so I just lived each day like it was my last.”

“Yeah?”

“I mean, we already jumped out of an airplane together. Can’t get much more reckless than that,” he teases.

“That’s very true. Now, we’re going to go work on that TV stand. Would it help if I was naked for the assembly?” I ask.

“Definitely wouldn’t hurt,” he says.

Once we’ve cleaned up and gotten rid of the shards from the vase so Jolene doesn’t get into it, I head over to the instructions butt-ass naked and flip them open.

“Grab board A,” I say.

“I got a board for you, alright.”

“I don’t want that board. I want board A. That goes with board B. I got B right here.”

“So picky.”

“My board is thicker,” I say as I touch the tip of my board to his.

“Sure is… But what do you think of my D?” he asks as he picks up the board next to him.

“I think you’re a bit premature. Definitely don’t need your D yet.”

Tavish grins and tosses it to the side before reaching for the board I’m holding.

Life clearly has a way of spinning things around even when you think you have everything all figured out. I had absolutely no idea I’d be here a couple of weeks ago. Even though we haven’t known each other for long, I feel damn happy that every day from here on out, I’m going to get to know more and more about this man.

And hopefully make his house feel like a home.