Page 95 of The Rescue

I lean down and kiss Crystal, careful not to smudge her make-up, but she grabs the back of my neck and kisses me harder and with need. The soft hum that escapes her lips vibrates through me and my cock starts to harden. This woman is good at turning me on in a split second. She teases me with alight flick of her tongue, and I’m about to rip off her dress and cancel the party when she breaks the kiss.

“We should get going, we don’t want to be late.”

Oh she knows what she’s doing, and I’m going to get my payback later tonight.

“Oh I see what you’re doing.” I growl at her.

“I don’t know what you mean.” She has a coy smirk on her face.

“Just you wait until I’ve got my head between your legs later tonight, then we’ll see who the tease is.”

Her throat works up and down, as she bites her lip. I run my thumb along her jaw and down her neck. She shivers under my touch, and I find a small amount of pleasure that she gets worked up easily.

I grab her hand and lead her down the stairs and out the backdoor of the cafe. I’m about to lock the door when my mum comes down the back lane. I wasn’t expecting her to come here, we were going to meet at The Drunken Duck. My thoughts immediately jump to the worst and I start to panic.

“Mum, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

She scans my face and she smiles softly at me, and then at Crystal.

“You look handsome in your kilt. Crystal you look beautiful too,” she offers us both a compliment.

It does nothing to ease the unsettled pit in my stomach. Crystal gives her a genuine smile, I think it’s the first time that she’s done that.

“Thank you, Susie. You look great.”

My mum looks down at her dress and fiddles with her handbag. “Thank you, it’s been forever since I’ve been able to wear this dress. I’m surprised it still fits.” she laughs nervously.

“You look lovely, mum. Is everything okay?”

“Aye, everything is okay. I wanted to give you this before the party.” She rummages inside her handbag, and she hands me a small little black book.

I run my thumb over the golden embellished words ‘recipes’ on the front. I look up from the book to my mum, my head suddenly flooded with memories of this little recipe book.

“Nan’s recipe book?” I ask, my voice laced with shock.

“Aye, she wrote all her recipes in it when she found out I was pregnant with you and gave it to me. Now it’s time for me to pass it down to you. I’m sorry I never got to teach you the recipes in it.” Her voice is laced with regret.

I see all those years of hurt behind her eyes because she never really got to use them, we never got the sit down family meals. I swallow the lump in my throat as I flick through the pages and see my nan’s elegant writing.

“Thank you, this means a lot.” I give my mum a hug.

I can feel her relax as soon as my arms are around her, and I feel her smile pressing into my chest. I feel Crystal shift next to me, and I realise we’re already running late to the party. I break the embrace with my mum giving her arms a squeeze.

“I’m quickly gonna go put this upstairs, I’ll be back in a sec.”

I give Crystal and my mum a quick smile before I unlock the back door of the cafe and rush upstairs and put the recipe book on my nightstand. I thought my mum threw away that book years ago. Her keeping the book is so sentimental in so many ways. I smile to myself as I make my way back downstairs and outside. I’m barely at the bottom of the stairs before I hear a commotion outside of voices shouting. Panic pricks away at my skin as I rush out the back door to find Crystal shielding my mum behind her. I don’t hear the words being said but, Crystal is standing her ground firm and isn’t taking any shit. My focus is on her, and I don’t even have to look over her to understand what’s going on.

He has the nerve to show his fucking face, and is yelling at the woman I love.

I thought I’d never see my dad again, and even if I did see him again, I never pictured it being like this. I make my way over to my mum and Crystal.

“Back off, you asshole!” Crystal huffs at him.

He looks over her shoulder and spots me walking towards them, the smug grin on his face makes me feel sick.

“Son, get your fucking woman to shut her mouth,” he points at Crystal.

I don’t remember stepping between Crystal and my dad, but the way he spoke about Crystal has me seeing red and a raging inferno is boiling away inside. Years and years I’ve pictured this, picturing what it would be like to see my dad again. I’d wonder if I would feel terrified like I was when I was a wee lad. But as I look at him, I feel nothing but pure hatred and anger. He’s looking a lot older than I remember, the years of alcohol and smoking has finally caught up with him. I stand eye to eye with him, man to man and I try to keep calm.

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