Page 68 of Cherish

“Answer it.”

The call is complete in under two minutes. By the time I hang up, I know she’s in town for the paternity test, and I’m to report to the lab as soon as possible.

“Is it dangerous to the baby?”

“No. It’s a blood test for her and a cheek swab for me. She’s coming to town and will go to the lab on Tuesday. The lab isn’t far from the hospital, so I’ll try to get over there sometime Tuesday too. We’ll know within a week.”

The party goes on for hours after the phone call, and I’m unable to relax and enjoy it, but I refuse to let Natalie ruin another one of Alex’s parties. I laugh at the appropriate things, and talk at the right moments, all the while my heart is practically beating out of my chest. I ignore the looks Mr. Reilly keeps throwing at me and focus on Alex. She doesn’t seem to be upset by the call. She’s happy as she laughs and talks to everyone.

By the time everyone leaves, Mellie volunteers to clean up and we go to bed. Something snaps inside of me the second I get Alex naked. My mouth on hers is savage, as if I’m trying to brand her with my kisses. I suck on her breasts so hard, I leave purple bruises on her fair skin, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Her kisses are just as possessive, and her teeth leave marks along the side of my neck. When I finally slide inside of her, I don’t give her any time to adjust to me. I take her roughly, throwing one leg over my shoulder and going as deep as possible. Her nails dig into my skin, drawing blood, but I don’t stop. I go deeper. I thrust harder. Satisfied only when she starts to shudder and say my name. I capture her mouth and steal her breath. I explode inside of her, her name a rushed whisper against her wet mouth.

“Hey,” she says, breathless as she grabs my face with both hands, “I’m not going anywhere.”

I drop my eyes and rest my forehead on hers. “Promise me, Alex. Promise me you’ll always be here.”

“I love you, Jason. I’m yours. Always.”

CHAPTER 44

JASON

“Say it again.” I hate to wake her. It was a busy day and a long night last night. Despite my early hours, I couldn’t let her get to sleep. I took her over and over again. Each time, she was just as willing and desperate as me. “I need to hear it before I go.”

Knowing exactly what I need, she lifts her head, sleep marring her features and says, “I love you, Jason. I’m yours. Always.” I finally kiss the top of her curly head and walk out of the room.

With no time to make coffee, I put on my shoes in the dim light by the front door before walking out. I don’t notice the car until my feet hit the sidewalk.

He hops out of the gray Silverado and walks to the passenger door, opening it.

“Get in,” he orders. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he slept in the car, but his clothes are different, and despite the early hour, he looks well rested.

“I think I’ll walk.” I turn and start my walk to the train station, but he runs and blocks my path. “You don’t intimidate me, Mr. Reilly. I don’t know what your problem is with me, and I don’t care.” The probing stares I received from him all day yesterday flash through my mind, irritating me worse than they did yesterday.

“I don’t have a problem with you. I want to get to know my future son-in-law.”

“You could have done that yesterday, but you didn’t. I know you’re a retired detective or whatever, but I’m not a criminal, and I don’t appreciate you barging into my home yesterday and treating me like one of your suspects.”

“Jason, get in the car. Let me buy you a cup of coffee and drive you to work.” When I don’t budge, I get a very terse, “Please.”

Without another word, I walk to his car and climb in. Unsurprisingly, the car is spotless. He navigates the empty streets and pulls into the drive-thru of a Dunkin Donuts. He orders two large coffees and two doughnuts.

“Listen,” he says, a few minutes later, “I don’t have a problem with you. I do what I always do. I study people. You got a little more attention because you’re going to marry my daughter.”

“Oh, stop. You didn’t even know she existed until a few days ago. Stop acting like the protective father.”

He comes to an abrupt stop at a red light. “That might be, but she’s still my daughter. My flesh and blood, and I loved her mother. If I had known, I would have been her father in every sense, but I’m not here to talk about that now. I was studying you because I wanted to know what kind of man you are. I can tell a lot by the company someone keeps. You love your sister and invited her in. That means you’re a man who’s about his family. You’ve known your best friend since you were teenagers, and you and his wife treat each other like family. You have a home. You’re loyal, and you love my daughter. I see the way you are with her. You calm her down. She was freaking out, but after talking to you, she was calmer. I like you, Jason, and I don’t like very many people. I can count them on one hand.”

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been surprised in my life. Most recently was when Mellie agreed to move in with me, followed by meeting Alex. This is another surprising moment.

“Well, you might want to work on your face then.”

He snorts right before he takes a large gulp of coffee. “Not much I can do about this face after sixty-six years. I’m going to need your help with her. You’re her touchstone, Jason. I need you as a friend.”

“You got it. She’s lost a lot. It was always her and her mother, and then when she died, she was alone. She’s worried you and Tina coming into her life might be too good to be true, or a setup for another loss. Trust me, she wants this. She has a big heart. You just need to be consistent. Get to know her.”

He nods as he lets my words sink in. When he comes to another red light, he turns his eyes back on me, the same probing expression on his face.

“I can do that. Now, tell me what happened at the last party. When it came up, you looked like a man worried he was about to lose everything. I know that look well, so start talking. Let me help.”

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