Crave Me (The Good Ol' Boys #4) (27 page)

“Is that why? Is she why you left Oak Island? What am I, the rebound girl?” I asked, needing to know.

“No, baby. You’re the only fucking girl for me.”

“Don’t lie to me again. That's bullshit.”

“I'm not lying to you. I don’t have anything here for me. I never did. That's the reason why I left. My relationship with my parents… with my dad, with the boys… it’s… I love them, don't get me wrong. I would be there for them at the drop of a dime. Even Lucas, and he fucking hates me. I left because I almost killed Alex in a car accident. I drove drunk and raced a friend through the fucking woods. We hit a tree, Briggs.  I was in a coma for a week.  Alex was in a coma for a few days too. You've seen my scars. I had to have brain surgery. I suffered several broken bones and was in physical therapy for months. Shit went downhill fast after that. Especially my friendship with the boys.”

I took in every word he was saying. Finally hearing his truths, his sad story.

“My parents want me to be something I’m not. They always have. They have never accepted me for who I wanted to be, and it’s a big part of why it took me so long to figure out who that person was. I’ve always felt like I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t smart enough, I just wasn’t enough. Alex and I have always been the closest. I think it’s because we’re really similar in the sense that we have always just wanted to be one of the good ol’ boys. She didn’t even start wearing girl clothes till she was almost eleven. Thinking she was one of us since the day she could fucking crawl. She’s always been there for me. No matter what. She was there. Somewhere along the way I confused that relationship, and I thought I loved her. I thought she was the one. Up until I met you… I still thought that.”

He kissed the tip of my nose, hugging me closer to his body.

“And you’re right, she’s part of the reason I left. Lucas and Alex are meant to be together. I’ve always known that. I think a huge part of me just wanted a connection with someone. To feel loved and accepted. I never had that before you. From the second I laid eyes on you, I wanted to know every last thing about you. Everything I thought I felt for Alex didn’t even come close to what I feel for you. The night we met, the night I had my first conversation with the girl who had purple hair and tattoos, I realized how wrong I was, how I had misinterpreted my feelings for Alex. 

“You know why, Daisy? Because the day you walked into my life I started living again.
You
gave me a reason to start living again instead of just surviving.”

I smiled.

And it felt like forever since I had last done it. He grabbed my expression in the air and placed it near his heart. Grabbing the sides of my face, looking deep into my eyes.

“I love you. Daisy Mitchell. Briggs Martinez. I’m so fucking in love with you.”

I bit my lip, my eyes filling with tears again.

“You will never be alone again.”

I nodded, fresh tears falling down my face. He kissed them all, wiping them away with his lips. Then he kissed me again.

“I fucking love you,” he repeated against my mouth.

He picked me up off the chair, grabbing me by my ass. I wrapped my legs around his waist. We kissed fervently as he carried me to the bed. Gently placing me on top of the mattress, with his body lying on top of mine. He took his time savoring me, making slow, passionate love to me all night long.

There wasn’t an inch of my skin that he didn’t touch, kiss, or lick. There wasn’t a moan or pant left for me to voice after he thoroughly made love to me the way we wanted.

The way we both needed.

I was lying in his arms, kissing the scar near his heart. He was covered in ink now, but it was the only one I wouldn’t let him get a tattoo over.

It was my scar.

It belonged to me.

I peered up at him with loving eyes and whispered,

“I love you, too.”

We decided to stay around Oak Island for a few more days.

I showed her all the spots the boys, Alex, and I used to go and cause trouble at. Sharing a part of my world with her.  I even took her to the dock where I used to go to be alone and draw. By the time we made it there, it was already nightfall. We sat at the edge of the wooden planks with our feet splashing in the water, like I had done so many damn times as a kid, getting lost in my own thoughts.

Something came over me and I pulled Briggs in front of me to straddle my lap. It was hotter than Hell out, and she was wearing a dress. I slipped my cock through the zipper of my jeans and slid her panties over. Lifting her just enough to thrust my dick inside of her. She let out a loud moan that echoed off the water.

We made love just like that. I wanted nothing more than to make new memories with her there. To replace all the sad ones from my childhood.

We didn’t hangout with the boys, Alex, or my parents. I had enough emotional bullshit to last me a lifetime. I didn't need them causing more drama around Briggs. I just wanted to make new memories with her in a town I’d spent the last three years running away from.

I loved every second of it.

I even tried to show her how to surf, but the second she saw a shark she flew the fuck off the board and said there was no way in hell she was getting back on it. She laid out on the beach reading instead, while I surfed the entire day.

It was like I was reliving the best parts of my childhood all over again. Except the love of my life was right there with me. The way it was always supposed to be.

I was paying for it though. By the time we got back to the hotel my back was fucking killing me. I took down two more Oxy’s and smoked a joint with Briggs on the balcony. How the girl found a drug dealer in Oak Island while I was out surfing was beyond me.

We landed back in New York the next evening.

“It’s good to be home. I miss my bed,” Briggs said, putting the key into the lock of her apartment.

“I miss fucking you in your bed.”

She grinned, turning to face me.

“Our bed,” she simply stated with a huge smile on her face.

I leaned in and kissed her lips.

“Our bed,” I repeated, pushing her back against the door, kissing her hard and deep as she fumbled to get the door open.

I heard the lock release. I walked forward not breaking our connection as she walked backwards into the apartment. My hand immediately went to her panties, reaching inside to touch her pussy.

“Jesus Christ, you can't even keep your fingers off my niece’s pussy long enough to walk through the goddamn door!”

“Uncle!” Briggs shrieked, shoving me away to pull down her dress.

“You’re lucky it was my fingers and not my tongue. Knock on the fucking door next time before you make yourself at home in our apartment,” I spewed, pissed that he was there unannounced and uninvited. 

He cocked his head to the side, arching an eyebrow. “Our?”

“Did I stutter?”

“Austin…” Briggs coaxed, gently placing her hand on my chest, trying to get me to back down.

Martinez didn't scare me.

“This isn’t even her apartment. It’s mine. I pay for it. Briggs, how about the next time you ask someone to move in, they are aware of who fucking owns it first.”  

“There won’t be a next time. I’ll start paying for it. Just tell me who to make the check out to," I said, not cowering down.

I really hated this fucker and everything he stood for, including all the shit Briggs told me she went through because of him. How the man couldn’t fucking hug her or console her as a child. Why he couldn't tell her that he loved her was beyond me. I couldn't imagine being a child raised in the middle of this lifestyle.

It was something I couldn’t fucking fathom.

He grinned, narrowing his eyes at me. Contemplating what he was about to say. He looked back and forth between us before his stare settled on Briggs.

“I’ve decided to make some changes. You want him involved in every aspect of your life, peladita? I can’t stop you… but I’m personally over the fact that you’re spreading your legs for the goddamn help again.”

I stepped toward him, and Briggs held me back.

He scoffed, standing. Placing his hands in the pockets of his slack. He rounded the corner of the island unfazed. Stopping about a foot away from us. Briggs stood right in the middle, waiting to intervene if needed.

“Since you’re so fucking involved in my business and what’s mine," he paused, looking at Briggs, "including this apartment, I’ve decided to promote you.”

“No!” Briggs yelled, stepping toward him between us. “You can’t fucking do this, Uncle! I won’t let you. He’s not—”

“Baby, I don’t need you to answer for me,” I sneered, pulling her aside to stand in front of Martinez.

Man to fucking man.

His eyes glazed over. It was quick, but I saw it.

“What you did in Colombia took some fucking balls. I can appreciate a man that protects what he thinks is his. You would have shot Hector in the fucking face had Briggs not stopped you. Without even batting an eye, I know you would have pulled the fucking trigger. I was ten when I had my first taste of blood. I murdered a man point blank, protecting what I thought was also mine.”

“Uncle, please… don’t do this,” Briggs whispered, her head bowed with an expression I couldn’t see.

“I don’t need both of you. Austin here,” he nodded toward me, “is now in charge.”

“What?” I replied, confused.

“You want to be boss man? Well then here’s your fucking chance.”

I knew my uncle was going to do this.

The second he told me that he was done playing it my way…

From the moment Austin put the goddamn gun to Hector’s head, I fucking knew my uncle’s dark cold eyes would dilate. He would see an investment, something of value to him.

Something that was mine.

He would see a different side of the man that I had been trying so desperately not to change. Not to let this life take over. The man that would do anything to protect me, the man that if given the chance would thrive on the power, the respect, the goddamn lifestyle that I hated with everything inside of me.

The man that he could control.

I would have never brought him into this life if I’d known he had a home to go back to. I should have left him back in Oak Island where he belonged. I should have saved him from my uncle. Protected him like he protected me.

But leaving him wasn’t an option.

I love him.

The mere thought of not being with him every day was too much to bear. I knew I was being selfish, but I was finally happy for the first time in my life since... At the end of the day Austin was a grown ass man, and all I could do was standby and watch it happen.

Praying to God that it wouldn’t change him. That he wouldn’t turn into what my uncle wanted me to become.

My worst nightmare.

“You want me to take over Briggs’ job? I can’t do that to her,” Austin stated with a sincere tone, shaking his head.

My eyes lit up, glancing over at him, thinking I won. That this may lean in my favor.   

“I could never take this away from her. It’s—”

“She will be right there with you. Won’t you, Briggs?”

My uncle locked eyes with me.

I spoke too soon. I glared at him. I loved Austin too much to ever leave his side. Especially when it came to this life. Uncle knew I wouldn’t say no. He knew he had me right where he wanted me. Austin was his ticket to my soul.

“He doesn’t know what—”

“And that’s why you’ll teach him. I’ll have someone else take over the traveling for the time being. He will run New York with you. Look at it this way, he will have plenty of time to fuck you in your own bed,” he mocked, interrupting me from the pitiful excuses I had.

It was the first time in over fifteen years, after everything he had put me through, made me see, made me experience, that I wanted to tell him that I...

Fucking. Hated. Him.

Uncle’s phone rang, breaking through my plaguing thoughts. He grabbed it out of his suit pocket. Putting a finger out in front of him before he turned answering the phone.

“Habla,” he ordered, “
Talk
,” walking out onto the balcony, shutting the door behind him.

Austin grabbed my chin, making me look up at him instead.

“I don’t want you to do this,” I blurted, unable to hold back my emotions.

He jerked back, offended. “What? You don’t think I can do it?”

“I don’t want you to do it,” I repeated with a stern tone that time.

“So, it’s good enough for you but not for me? Is that what you’re saying?”

“I don’t want you in this life.” I roughly pulled my face out of his grasp.

“Look at me. It’s a little too late for that, Briggs. It’s your life, and now I’m a part of it. At least this way I won’t have to worry about your safety anymore.”

“What about yours?” I countered.

“You don’t think I can handle myself, baby?”

“There’s a lot more that goes into this lifestyle than what I’ve been showing you. I’ve kept you in the dark for a reason. You don’t know what the fuck you’re getting involved in. You’re signing your life away to the devil, and you don’t even fucking realize it.”

“As long as it keeps you by my side. I don’t give a flying fuck where my life goes.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying. You have a family and friends back home. What about them?”

I was trying anything and everything to get him to open his eyes and see the picture clearly.

“I don’t give a fuck about anyone but you, Briggs. All I know this gig makes a shit ton of money. I know that it keeps you in the lifestyle that you’re used to. I can’t give you this life without him, do you understand?”

I shook my head. “I don’t care about any of that. Fuck the money, fuck this apartment, and fuck him,” I viciously spewed, pointing to the balcony.

“I care!” he argued. “None of this belongs to you, Briggs. I can do this for a few years, and I can set us up. We can get married, get a house, have you barefoot and pregnant in our kitchen.” He grinned and my heart melted.

He was saying everything I wanted to hear. Everything I ever wanted.

A home.

A life.

A family.

Us.

He stepped toward me, grabbing my chin again to look deep into my eyes.

“I love you. Trust me. I know what I’m doing. Let me take care of you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

I took a deep breath. My resolve fading.

“Austin… I don’t—”

“I would never lie to you. I promise it will only be for a few years, baby. That’s all I need to give you your dream. To give you a happy life.” He grabbed the sides of my face, caressing my cheeks with his thumbs. “I want to marry you, Daisy. I want the white picket fence. The three kids I plan to knock you up with. The dog. The cat. The whole nine yards, baby. I want to give you the life that you deserve. No more sad stories. Only happy ones from here on out.”

“I want all that too,” I whispered.

My uncle walked back in from the balcony. Austin kissed the tip of my nose, murmuring, “You’re my girl.” Then he turned to face him.

I would forever remember this moment for the rest of my life. Two words. Two simple words.

“I’m in.”

Since the death of my parents…

Austin was the first place I ever called home.

He was also the first person to ever destroy it.