Keeping Her (The Lexington Series Book 2) (6 page)

“Look kids, I don’t know how to do
this.” He began.

Erica spoke up. “James, what’s going
on? I thought maybe something happened to you or Sam. I was worried sick but
you’re both here and you seem fine.” She said confused.

James sighed. “Oh Erica.” And then a
tear escaped. Once that one fell it opened the flood gates and he let out a
sob. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him for comfort. I had no
idea what was happening but he was usually so strong.

“Dad?” I whispered. He opened his
eyes and looked down at me.

“You know you only called me dad
once.” He told me. I did refer to him as my dad or father in introductions but
I normally call him by his name. I could only remember that night after Dan
raped and beat me when he was looking for me that I called him dad. I pushed
those scary memories from my mind and focused on the present.

I shrugged, “you’re my dad. Now can
you tell us what’s wrong? I’m freaking out over here.” I admitted.

He gave me a tight hug and kissed my
hair before letting me go. He met Landon’s eyes. “Sam and I were at her parents
about an hour away. I got a call saying that I was listed as an emergency
contact in his phone. Dean got into an accident on his way to the hotel and
they have him here. He was going through an area where the street lights
weren’t working and with this very low visibility he ran into a pole. He’s hurt
really bad. He’s in surgery and they’re trying to help him but the last I heard
was that he was in critical condition. He has only a small chance of making
it.”

My knees gave out and James caught
me. I heard Erica sob and I couldn’t stop it. The fear I felt before was
nothing compared to what I was experiencing now. I let out a strangled cry and
someone grabbed me. I didn’t care who it was and I let them hold me as I clung
to them. I felt the shoulders underneath my arms shake and I looked up into
Landon’s eyes. His eyes were glossed over with unshed tears and he was trying
to hold me together. This was his dad. I hugged him tighter and leaned my body
into his. James ushered us out of the room since they might need it for anyone
else that might come in that night.

We went back out to the waiting room.
Nick and Landon seemed to be trying to hold it together while Erica and I were
a mess. I was sitting on Landon’s lap where he placed me with my arms wrapped
around him. He was rubbing my back telling me everything would be ok, but I
think it was for both of our benefits. When the tears subsided Landon passed me
a tissue. I used it to collect my tears then wiped my nose on the shoulder of
his shirt.

“Did you just wipe your snot on my
shirt?” he asked.

I looked up at him guiltily. “No?” I
said. But it came out more as a question.

His eyebrow rose, “you still lying
about that?” he asked.

I nodded because I was. It’s not the
first time I’ve had a breakdown and ended up wiping my nose on him. When he
calls me out on it I automatically deny it. 

He leaned his head down so his mouth
was by my ear. “It’s going to be okay Lucy.” He told me.

I nodded and met his eyes. “Landon I
love you.” I told him.

He gave me a sad smile. “I love you
too Lucy. You know that and I’ve been waiting for a while to hear those words
from you but now isn’t the time for that. I know you love me babe. You never
took off the swings I saw them at dinner.” He said bringing his hand up to toy
with the necklace.

I leaned up and kissed him on the
side of his mouth. He turned his head and placed a soft slow closed mouth kiss
on my lips. When he lifted his head I sighed and sunk deeper into him. I looked
up to see Nick and Mel watching with sad smiles. They were happy about us but
fucking torn with this situation. It was in that moment I realized how much I
needed Landon. Just like before when I needed help the first person I sought
out was Landon and as always he was there. He didn’t give me any shit. He
sensed my fear and knew I needed something and he didn’t even think about it. I
tightened my grip on him and I ignored his questioning stare.

We were sitting in the waiting room
for about six hours. No one could do anything but worry. James was raising hell
every 30 minutes for an update but they kept telling him they won’t know until
he comes out of surgery. James was a frantic mess. We were bordering on hitting
the seventh hour when the doctor came out.

“James Fielder?” he asked.

My father jumped from his seat.
“That’s me. Please give me an update.” He pleaded.

The doctor nodded and looked down at
his chart. “Dean suffered some traumatic injuries. He had already been sitting
in the car after the accident for a couple of hours before someone saw and
reported it. He suffered a massive amount of internal bleeding and damages to
his organs. We did everything that we could do for him, but it appears we got
to him too late. We couldn’t save him. I’m sorry to tell you this sir, but he
didn’t make it.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
That was it, confirmation that we had lost Dean. Why did this happen? Landon
shed tears but he didn’t actually cry and I became concerned. James didn’t want
anyone driving so we walked over to a hotel two blocks away. Max woke up on the
walk I guess from getting so wet. We checked in and the hotel had a souvenir
store that sells clothes. We all got some dry gear and headed to our rooms.
Landon and I shared a room and Max wanted to come with us but I asked him to
stay with Samantha. Landon needed time to mourn and I didn’t think it would be
healthy for him to witness us breaking down especially since he didn’t know why.
We went to the room and I got in the shower he came in with me and I grabbed a
rag without a word and began washing him. When I was done he did the same. I
didn’t bother with my hair. We got out and dried off then went into the room.
We climbed in bed naked since the sweat suits we found weren’t going to work
for bed.

He grabbed me and pulled me close. He
held me tightly. I brought my hand up and ran my fingers through his hair. I
looked up into his eyes and saw nothing but pain there. “Landon?”

“Yea Lucy?” his voice was gruff.

I rubbed his face and changed my
position so I was on the pillow next to him. I grabbed his face and brought it over
mine. I placed a gentle kiss to his lips and told him, “It’s okay to cry.
That’s why you have me. We both loved him, but he was your dad. We can cry
together but I can be the one to hold you while you do. Don’t save it for when
you’re alone. I love you.”

He nodded and the first tear fell.
They were sitting at the corners of his eyes waiting for escape. I got up and
turned off all the lights so it was pitch black and got back in the bed, when I
did he tried to grab me to hold me. “No.” was all I said. I rearranged the
pillows and laid back. I put my hand behind his neck and brought his head down
to rest over my heart. He turned his body to face me. He had an arm around my
stomach and entwined his leg with mine. I felt his tears on my chest and I
rubbed my fingers slowly through his hair. I placed frequent kisses on his hair
and forehead and I rubbed his back. My tears went straight to the pillow cases
soaking them. I held and comforted him until I felt his body relax. I thought
he was asleep until he poked his head up and placed a kiss to my lips.

“I love you angel.” He murmured.

“I love you too. I’ll be your angel
forever LJ” I responded thinking of the engraving on my bracelet and thinking
of the nickname that Dean used for him. He put his head back over my heart and
placed a soft kiss there. Somehow we found sleep that night.

LANDON

I woke up hoping that everything was
just a dream. My eyes opened and I realized that I was lying on a warm soft
body that was holding me. Lucy. I didn’t dream any of that shit. It was true,
my father died from a car accident and I was laying her with Lucy. The pain
escalated fast and I felt like I was dying all over again. I tried to control
it but it was too much. The tears started again and I held on to her tighter. I
started to feel hands running through my hair and it helped ease me. My face
was sitting right above her breast so I turned my head and placed a kiss to the
top of it. I tasted my tears on her and I liked it. Her body shuddered and I
couldn’t help myself. I needed all of her comfort. I picked my head up and my
eyes met sad hazel ones. I leaned up and kissed her. Really kissed her the way
I’ve been imagining since the day she ran from me. My dick was hard the instant
our lips met. I mounted her and started to run my hands all over her. I started
at her neck and worked my way down. I thoroughly massaged her soft big tits
then made my way down her body. My fingers found her clit and I began to rub
her. She was already soaking wet. I eased a finger inside of her and felt her
flood my hand. My dick dripped with precum, it was begging for her.

I picked my head up. “Lucy, I need
you.” I admitted.

She nodded and whispered “I need you
too. Please Landon?”

Fuck I loved when she begged and that
made more cum leak from my dick. I gripped her thighs and she threw them around
my waist. I didn’t wait I pushed myself into her until I was fully seated deep
inside her. I moaned, god I missed this. She was fucking made for me. She fit
me like a fucking glove and I’d be lying if I said any other pussy on this
planet was better than hers. I made love to her but it wasn’t that soft candle
lit shit. No, this was that pure animalistic need. I pounded into her showing
her how much I missed her, missed this. I wanted her to know she was still
fucking mine. She met my thrusts and before I knew it she was milking me. That
spurred me on and I grabbed her and flipped her over. As soon as she was in
position I thrust right back into her and she cried out. My baby was a screamer
and that didn’t bother me one bit.

“Landon. Oh god.”

I kept pounding into her. I gripped
her hair. I’m normally careful and make sure when I touch her it’s gentle but
this time I wanted her to know that this was serious. “Lucy I’m going to
fucking come in you do you understand me. And then I’m going to do it again and
again and again because you are mine.” I put my hand down and gripped her hip
so I could steady her. I needed more and I was going to take it. “You fucking
hear me girl? I’m not fucking around. I refuse to lose anyone else.” She was
making all types of noises but I couldn’t stop myself. “LUCY” I growled and she
came again. She had my dick in a vice grip and it was driving me insane, but I
didn’t have enough yet. “Answer me.”

“Landon I’m yours. I’ve only ever
been yours. It’s too much…” she continued.

I didn’t care. “It’s not enough until
I say it is. Take me baby.” She moaned and her pussy twitched. “Lucy you can’t
leave me now. I swear to fucking god I won’t let you. You have to know that it’s
over. That is it… you’ve used all your chances.” I leaned down when I felt the
tingle up my spin and my balls tighten. “You will
never
lose or get rid
of any of our fucking kids again do you hear me? I fucking love you and those
kids… they’re our love. We’ll use birth control or whatever but promise me.” I
demanded.

Her pussy clenched and she screamed
out my name with her orgasm. I needed to come but I held back. I pushed into
her even harder and deeper. “FUCKING PROMISE LUCY!” I demanded again.

“I promise” she said softly as she
was coming down. As soon as I heard the words there was no holding back. My
dick twitched and I was coming
hard.
I planted myself as deep in her as
possible trying to coat all her insides with me and after the fifth spurt I was
empty and collapsed on top of her. I kissed her softly.

“Baby I fucking love you, you know
that right?” I asked.

She rubbed my back and sighed. “Yes.
And I fucking love you too. But you’re heavy.”

I rolled off of her onto my back and
she climbed on top of me. When she got herself comfortable I covered us with
the blanket. “I’m so sorry and so mad Landon.” She said softly. “All this time
we spent fighting and not speaking… it was all just a waste. Anything could
happen at any time and we just wasted fucking time being mad at each other. I
don’t want to ever waste time again.” She confessed before she fell asleep.

 “Me either.” I whispered and dozed
off.

My phone rang and I woke up. I looked
down at Lucy lying peacefully with her entire body on top of me and I sighed. I
didn’t want to wake her, but I didn’t know who was calling. I maneuvered her off
of me gently and her eyes opened briefly but she got comfortable into the
pillow and passed out. I found my phone and it was a message from James saying
for us to meet him at 5pm. We were in the hospital well into the morning so I
guess they were giving us time to rest. I checked the time to see it was only
noon. I crawled back into the bed and spooned with Lucy. She didn’t stir but moved
her body as close to mine as possible and sighed. I kissed her head and went
back to sleep.

We met up with James at 5:00 in the
lobby. The storm had passed and it was muggy out. He informed us that he would
take care of the funeral arrangements and has already notified the school so
they would excuse the additional days of absence. We would need to meet with my
dad’s lawyer after the funeral and get the details of his estate. Samantha came
down shortly after with Max. No one had told him what happened, but he was
still weary I guess he could sense the sadness in everyone. He’s always been
perceptive for his age. He went right to Lucy and grabbed her hand. She bent
down and gave him a kiss on the forehead and ruffled his hair. We left the
hotel and headed back to the house. Mel was sitting on the stoop waiting for us
to arrive. When we got there she went straight to Nick and threw her arms
around him. Her face was red and puffy like she’d been crying a lot. Her face
mirrored pretty much everyone’s. I was happy she was there for Nick. Lucy made
a quick dinner and we ate in silence. I kept watching Max and he looked
confused. Fuck. How was I going to tell him this? What was going to happen with
him? I knew Lucy was concerned for him as well because she watched him with a
hawk eye.

When we got home Lucy suggested that
we have ‘the talk’ with Max. I was dreading this moment but it needed to
happen. Lucy and I waited for him to get situated before we went to his room to
talk, truth be told I was just procrastinating as long as possible. When we
went into the room Max was laying on the floor coloring. Lucy sat down on his
bed and called him over, once he took a seat next to her she held onto his
hands not saying anything then her eyes met mine. She was just as stuck about
this as I was.

I walked over to where they were
sitting and kneeled in front of them. “Max we need to talk to you about
something ok?”

He nodded. “Ok.” He said with a
smile, and that almost broke my heart.

Lucy cleared her throat. “Well little
man, your dad was in a very bad accident.”

Max’s face instantly fell. “What
happened to him?” he asked worriedly.

“Well you remember that day it was
raining really hard and you were a little scared?” she asked and he nodded.
“Well that bad rain made it hard to see the road and your dad got into an
accident.”

“Like when you had an accident? When
is he coming home?” Max asked.

I felt my eyes sting. Dammit I wish I
could just tell him that he was coming home tomorrow and that it would be true.
“That’s the thing Max. His accident was really bad, worse than Lucy’s. The
doctors tried to help him and everything but he got hurt too bad. Dad went to
heaven with mom.”

His eyes instantly watered and the
tears started to fall. “But mom never came back.”

Lucy grabbed him and settled him on
her lap and began running her fingers through his hair. I sat down next to her.
“I know little man, I know. But daddy is an angel now. As long as you don’t
forget him, he’ll always be here even if you can’t see him.”

Max nodded. “You’re not leaving too
are you?”

I shook my head. “No Max, I’m not
planning on going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Am I going to see daddy again?” He
asked sadly.

I shook my head. “No, at least not
for a very long time.”

He cried into Lucy’s chest and she
held him. When he was done he asked if he could come with us, which I expected.
He would be afraid of someone else leaving for a while probably. I took him
from Lucy and carried him to the room. He fell asleep on my chest clinging onto
Lucy’s hand.

The funeral would be in two days.
Lucy made some quick soup since no one wanted to go out and really didn’t have
an appetite. The natural mother instincts in her forced us to eat but I was
happy it was something light, had it been anything else I’m not sure I would’ve
been able to keep it down. Lucy and I stayed holed up in her room for the most
part and Max was there with us constantly. I would wait until they were both
asleep before I let my emotions get the best of me. Lucy was a softy and I
didn’t want to continue to get her worked up along with me as she’s been going
through it herself. Truth be told, I preferred some time to mourn in peace. I
was staying awake or zoning out for hours replaying all of the years in my
head. My dad was the constant. I remember when my mother got sick, my father
was so sad it was constantly written on his face. I remember a time when my mom
would smile and my father’s eyes would light up. That’s how I knew for so long
that Lucy was it for me. The first time she smiled at me it’s like all of that
cliché stuff happened. You know, birds chirped, the clouds opened up and the
light was only shining on her. I won’t forget how her hazel eyes glittered and
she had all of those small straight white teeth on display for me, and all I
did was offer to catch her if she fell off the monkey bars because she was so
afraid.

Watching my parents growing up, I
knew that’s what you needed out of life when it came to love. They truly loved
each other and us. It wasn’t something you observed, you felt it. You sit in
the room with the two of them and it’s practically radiating off of them to
fill the entire room. I hugged Lucy closer to me and she tightened her arms
around me and took in a deep breath like she was sniffing me then sighed, her
entire body relaxed and her breathing evened back out. I kissed her forehead as
I thought about the years I spent telling my mother about her. She would give
me this knowing smile and just nod to what I was telling her. On the last few
days I
really
had with her before her sickness completely took over and
she needed life support I asked her if she sent Lucy to me. She shook her head
and told me that god sent me an angel because I deserve her and I need to make
sure she knows how much I appreciate her. I readjusted Lucy so she was lying on
her side and I spooned her and let sleep come. Right before I fell out I
whispered softly in her ear, “I love you always Lucy.”

To my surprise she answered me in a
voice thick with sleep. She might’ve been sleep talking. “You too Landon.”

James and Sam got us all clothes for
today. No one has been out or really doing anything. The only time I saw the
others was in passing to get food from the kitchen. Lucy hasn’t been in the
mood to cook, however she’s been at least making sandwiches or quick things and
making everyone eat. She’s also been making sure that there was lemonade or
something to drink in the house. She didn’t want to go to the supermarket so
how she did it was beyond me. She was resourceful that’s for sure; it makes me
think about how she learned all of this. I had asked her before and she told me
that when she was younger and lived with her mother, sometimes she wouldn’t
come home or would forget to cook or bring in food. After a while she became
self-sufficient otherwise she would have had a lot of hungry days. The thought
twisted my stomach. Even when I hated her, if I had known that her mother
didn’t feed her that day I would’ve taken her food. I won’t say I would have been
nice
about it but I would’ve made sure she got it and ate it. Deep down
I never really wanted her out of my life. She told me she was worried before
she met my dad that maybe her mom met someone that lived far and she’d be
moving to another City or something. Right, over my dead fucking body. Even
back then, my dad probably would’ve had to check me into a mental institution
had that happened because I would’ve lost my damn mind.

Lucy showered first and got dressed
as I went to get myself cleaned up. I’m not going to lie this was my first
shower since we got back home it’s probably
everyone’s
first time
washing in a couple of days. When I came out she had on her black dress and she
looked amazing. Now don’t judge me, I think she looks good in everything or
nothing but she looked conservative. This wasn’t a look she does often so I
indulged myself a little and took my time scanning her while she was putting on
knee highs. I put on my pants and shoes and threw my belt through the loops. I
sighed as I tossed the black button up on my shoulders. I couldn’t believe I
was going to my father’s funeral. I felt my emotions getting the best of me and
I sat down and put my head in my hands trying to get myself back under control.
I sat like that for a while until I felt a hand on my shoulder.