Page 52 of Jacked and Jaded

Looking over at Trick, he could see he was faring better. His cute little girl had her hands gripping his shaggy blond hair. As long as she didn’t lean backward, Trick should be fine. Reagan was adorable in her princess outfit, complete with crown and sparkly shoes. She got her coal black hair and piercing blue eyes from her mother. Michelle, Trick’s ex-wife, was a raging bitch and Jackson had truly been happy to see Trick boot her to the curb. His son, Keegan, walked beside him, a mini-me version of his old man. He had the same blond hair and brown eyes as Trick and until Calliope pointed it out, he hadn’t seen it, but the kid already had a natural swagger. God help them all.

Jackson spotted the kiddie rides and nudged Calliope in that direction. He stopped in front of one that was basically a merry-go-round that also had dips and hills. Ryker and Reagan both wanted to ride it, but Keegan opted out. He went to buy the tickets, then got in line. Calliope and Bellamy had taken Keegan with them and were standing off to the side, along the fence surrounding the ride. Fuck, she was really something. His eyes zeroed in on the way her dress hugged her tits and hips. Finding her bare earlier beneath it had completely undone him. All he could think about was fucking her. He didn’t care who was in the house or that Ryker might catch them. His dick wanted inside her and that’s all that mattered.

“Dude.” Trick bumped him with his shoulder. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be having those kinds of thoughts when you’re in line at a kiddie ride.”

Jackson smiled and shrugged. “Can’t help it. She does it for me.”

Trick smiled, happy for Jackson. The line moved forward and soon it was their turn to load their kids on the rides. Reagan ran immediately to a pink sparkly car, declaring it was a “princess car” and Jackson followed Ryker over to a motorcycle. He fastened him in, then watched the carnival worker double-check it. Getting the thumbs up, Jackson followed Trick out the exit and stood behind Calliope, his hands on her shoulders. He gave her a quick squeeze just because he loved to touch her.

The ride finally started to move, slowly at first, then just a little faster after that. Calliope pulled her phone from her purse and started snapping photos of Ryker every time he made it around the circle. His smile lit up his whole face. His kid was truly a miracle. He was always easygoing and always happy. Except if you tried to eat his Fruit Loops or tried to play with his cars and motorcycles. Then he could Hulk it out with the best of them. With that said, he wouldn’t want him any other way.

As Ryker was enjoying his ride, Jackson scanned the crowd out of habit. He checked out all the people standing around the kiddie ride with a quick glance. He skimmed over someone his brain was telling him to back up and check out again. He went back and whatever had triggered a warning in his brain was no longer there. He shrugged it off and focused on the ride once more.

When the ride finally finished, the carnival worker unbuckled Ryker and lifted him off. He came running at the waist-high fence instead of the exit, straight at his dad. Jackson didn’t care, he reached over and picked him up. “Did you have fun, buddy?”

“Yes! So much fun!” He watched Trick reach over and pick up his princess. She clapped her hands on her dad’s face and chattered on about loving to ride in the princess car. Out of nowhere, the image of him and Calliope having a little girl with dark hair and turquoise eyes came to him. Until then, he had put the idea of more kids on the back burner. Maybe he could talk her into moving things along? He’d have to convince her to get off the birth control shot she was taking first.

“I want another wide!” Ryker shouted.

“Yes. I know. Hang on a minute.” He settled his hand on top of his son’s head and pulled him into his leg. “Trick, why don’t you take Keegan on a ride and I’ll take Reagan with me. She can ride with Ryker.”

Trick looked down at his son to gage is reaction to the idea. Keegan’s face was so hopeful it was funny. “Okay. You sure you want to take my princess with you guys?”

“Yes. Come with me, Princess Reagan.” Jackson reached out and took her out of Trick’s arms and placed her on the ground on his other side, that way he could have a kid on each side. “We’ll meet up by the food trucks or the picnic tables.”

Trick moseyed away with Keegan and disappeared into the crowd, looking for something not so kiddie oriented.

Jackson took the kids to the swings next. He paid for the tickets, stood in line, then got them situated in their seats. He went to the exit and stood with Calliope and Bellamy again while the kids flew by on the swings. He could hear them laughing as they came toward them and zoomed past, and it was contagious. They were all laughing along with the kids, having a great time. Calliope pulled out her phone again, but this time took video. “I’m going to show this to Zoey later. She’ll love it.”

Jackson was grateful that Calliope was able to move past the history between himself and Zoey. And he was amazed how quickly she’d fallen in love with Ryker. In her shoes, he wasn’t so sure he could get past it. Call him a selfish asshole, but the only children he wanted Calliope having were his.

This was really the first year that Ryker was old enough to come to the carnival and ride the rides. Last year, Zoey had him during the carnival and she said he wasn’t the least bit interested at the time. Well, what a difference a year makes. The kid was all about the rides this year. He took them on three more rides, then herded everyone toward the food trucks.

They had to walk past the long row of games to get there, and Ryker found a big gray dinosaur he wanted. He told him after they ate, he’d bring him over and they’d try to win it. They waited in three different lines to get food that everybody wanted before they could head toward the section where picnic tables were set up. He directed them to a long one where a family of four just vacated.

He made sure Ryker had everything set up within reach, while Calliope did the same with Reagan, before he dug into his burger and fries. The kids were eating hot dogs and chips with root beer and Calliope and Bellamy decided on steak kabobs. They were halfway finished when Trick and Keegan joined them. He grinned around his burger, seeing they’d both opted for burgers and fries also.

“Hey, thought you might want one of these.” His dad came up next to him, holding a beer out for him.

“Hey, thanks, Dad.” He accepted the drink and took a big swig. “Ah. That hits the spot.” He looked around his dad, but didn’t see his mom. No way he would come to Redemption Days without her. His mom loved this carnival. She even loved the rides. “Where’s Mom?”

His dad chuckled and shook his head. “She and Maureen are on the Scrambler. Tom’s waiting for them to get off and escort them over so they don’t get sidetracked on the way.”

“Mom’s on the Scrambler?” Calliope laughed. Yeah, Jackson knew she was remembering that when their mom’s got together they tended to act like teenagers. No one really knew for sure what they might try next.

“Yeah. They were cackling like little kids when I walked away. And that was while I watched them the first time. They got off and immediately got back in line for another go.”

That sounded like them. He shared a smile with Calliope.

“Hey, Race. How’s it goin’?” Jackson greeted the Sons president.

“Goin’ good.” He tipped his head toward Bellamy. “Who’s the new edition?”

Jackson wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. “That would be Calliope’s friend, Bellamy, from Boulder.” He turned to her and introduced Race. “This is Race, he’s,” Jackson got cut off from telling her he was the president when Race butted in with, “one of his club brothers.”

“Oh, nice to meet you.” Bellamy extended her hand and he shook it.

A couple more brothers showed up and he introduced her to them, too. “This is Tuck, Jed and Chris.”

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