Always Us (Always and Forever 2)

“Hey, sweet girl, you had me on edge when Trey called me all frantic like he did. You’re okay, right?” We all watch, me more so in wonderment as Kathy cradles Shayla’s face in her skinny hands and holds her stare.

“I’m safe now with you guys and it makes me feel more than okay, surprisingly.” Kathy smiles, accepting her answer and pulling her in for a brief hug.

“Oh, we love you.” Kathy is truly a rare breed. I thank my dad for finding her and opening his heart to love after it caused him so much heart ache the first time he thought he found it.

“Love you, too.” Pulling away, we all say hello to Kathy before we unpack the overnight bags we threw together.

Walking into the house, Kathy helps us get our rooms squared away. I walk into the bedroom I usually stay in when I visit and right on the nightstand is a picture of me and my dad on his wedding day with Kathy. I was a goofy looking teenager, shaggy hair, a lot leaner body, and a funny grin on my face. My dad looks dressed to the nines in his tux, the look on his face indescribable.

“I miss him.” Holding up the picture, I sit down on the bed, thinking back to that day.

“I know, baby. We all miss him,” Shayla reminds me, coming to stand just to the side of where I?

?m sitting.

“He was so ecstatic this day, I remember it, don’t you?” We had so much fun between the four of us friends. It wasn’t just because we were fucking around and making complete asses out of ourselves on the dance floor, but mainly because we were seeing Pops carefree.

“I do, you and Kingston got into a cake fight, chasing me and Lana around after you two covered yourselves in it. I was surprised Pops wasn’t pissed as all hell.” I chuckle, my shoulders rising and falling.

“He couldn’t get mad, he loved my ass too much.”

“Yes, he did.” My eyes leave the picture and travel to her. Shayla lifts her shirt and runs her delicate, tiny hand over her lower stomach. “He must love us since he put in such a good word.” I feel that familiar sting in my nose, the burn behind my eyelids; so many emotions come bubbling to the surface.

“Come here,” I tell her, rhetorically. Pulling her straight into my lap, her legs dangling over my knees. Placing my hand over hers, our foreheads meet like magnets.

“I needed to hear that, you make me believe it.” I haven’t fully healed from my loss, but every day I find it easier to not cry—to not let anyone see me lost like I was when my dad first died. I was a wreck for weeks, and then when Gwen came in, I tried to heal. I became really good at faking it.

But lately, with all the terrible shit going down, I’m finding that resolve crushing under the pressure and reopening my old wounds.

“Baby?” Shay’s sweet voice is like a beacon of light in the darkest hours.

“I miss him; I had to be strong when Gwen came back.” I pause, saying her name is like tasting acid. “I still feel numb inside, missing him like crazy. I want so badly to go to him and tell him to make all this shit better like he always did. What kind of man needs his dad to fix things like I do?” I mumble under my breath, voicing my thoughts subconsciously.

“A real man, a man capable of feeling, a man capable of surviving the pain.”

I don’t speak for a long moment, I just stare her over, looking deep into her eyes, trying to figure out when and where I did right in my life to deserve Shayla Donovan.

“I’m a lucky bastard, and the only way I’m fucking living with any ounce of happiness is because of you and our babies.” My hand still hasn’t moved from her stomach, it stays glued there, rubbing over the tiniest pregnant belly I’ve ever touched. She’s pregnant with twins, which means she will show faster, but not fast enough. I want Shayla round and glowing, carrying our little nuggets.

“You make us happy.” She refers to our children, and I about topple over onto the floor to wash her feet like Judas.

“You are my divinity, my fucking life, baby. I’m going to worship you every damn day of our lives.” Tilting my face into hers, I get her lips on mine. Gentle caresses of our tongues while she fists my hair.

“I want you to make love to me,” she moans into my mouth before my tongue licks across the top of hers, I’m fucking starved.

“We’re having movie night, Kings and Lana are waiting, but I swear I will take care of you tonight, I will fuck you to sleep, slowly and thoroughly,” I promise her, nipping at her lip. She moans, and I feel her physically shiver.

“I want slow and lazy. I want to feel it all, baby,” I whisper against her cheek as I make my way to her ear. Licking along the shell, I bring my point home, get her good and ready for later. “I want to feel the pull of my cock, sliding in and out while your greedy pussy begs him to stay.”

She moans, throwing her head back. I nip at the thin column of her tiny tan neck, avoiding the distinguishing bruises that make me want to revolt.

“Trey, don’t tease me.”

“I’m not teasing, just promising, and maybe more so warning you. I swear we’ll never get to sleep tonight. It’s nearly one in the morning.”

“Let’s start this movie night.” Kingston’s voice booms from the door, causing us to look over and see him and Lana in their pajamas, ready to go. I look over at Shayla and nod reluctantly. We stand and make our way to the living room.

“Kathy went to sleep, so we can watch a scary movie,” I say, flipping through the new releases. I’m on one side of the sectional, Shayla laid out on top of me, clinging to me. Kingston and Lana are spooning on the floor next to us in a sea of blankets and pillows.