Page 71 of Close to Falling

I grab my beer and look at the man to my left, noticing it’s the same man who came to the shop.

“What are you doing in here, Dawson?”

“I need to know what’s going down with Rozz,” I say.

“We got it handled at the moment.”

“Are you sure about that?” I question. “Because I’ve got his kid, and if those fuckers come anywhere near him or my girl, there’s going to be a problem.”

“We gave them Rozz and some money to stay away from the kid and your family. If they don’t, then we will go from there.”

“You gave them Rozz?” I ask like,what the fuck?

“Don’t question our moves, Dawson. You don’t have a say.”

“You fucking took away someone’s dad. That kid’s going to be devastated.”

“That’s not our problem,” he says, standing up. “You need to go.” I clench my jaw and suck on the back of my teeth as I stand. Taking one last sip of my beer, I look the man over in front of me with disgust before I make my way to the door. “You know your Pops is getting out in a few weeks,” he calls after me.

I turn around. “You tell him hello for me, would ya?” I say with a lift of my chin and narrowed eyes. He gives me a dirty smile.

“I think it’d be best if you did that,” he says. “The old man will want to see you.”

“Not my problem.” I throw his words back at him before I walk out.

***

In that safe, I found custody papers. Rozz had signed over his parental rights, giving us full custody of Fisher. It was all done under the table with a lawyer he knew. We haven’t heard anything about him in weeks. I don’t even know if he is dead or alive. The police have come by to question us and question the fact we have his kid, but we told them the truth. He signed over custody to us and disappeared. I’ve also heard Pops has gotten out. I haven’t seen him, but I know it’s only a matter of time before he comes calling for me. I watch Maddie as she tucks Fisher in. The kid is the same age I was when I was taken from my dad. Two different reasons, same association. I want him to go somewhere with his boarding, and maybe Landon will take him under his wing and help him get away from all of this. My girl’s mind has been taken off having a kid, and that stupid mess about me leaving her hasn’t been mentioned again. She doesn’t get it. The love I have for her doesn’t fade, and I’m never going anywhere. She tucks a stray piece of hair behind her ear as she turns away from Fisher and walks toward the hallway where I am leaning against the wall. Wearing only one of my old T-shirts and a pair of shorts I know is under it but I can’t see, she has never looked sexier to me.

“Is he asleep?” I ask as she shuts the door.

“Maybe.” She shrugs. “He misses his dad. It breaks my heart.” She leans against the other wall.

“Yeah,” I agree, looking her over. “It’s been a while,” I add as my eyes scan her legs. She bites her bottom lip and looks over my face. I grab her hand and lead us away from the kid’s room. Walking into our room, I shut the door and push her up against it. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are?” I tell her. Her lip lifts a tad, but she isn’t full of herself. She probably doesn’t know. I grab her thigh and lift it around my waist, rolling into her and letting her feel what she does to me. “I’d give you anything.”

“All I want is you.” She closes her eyes when I hit her in the right spot. I need her. I grab her by the waist and lift. She wraps her legs around me, bringing her lips down to mine, kissing my mouth and running her hands up the back of my neck. I’ve loved this woman for as long as I can remember. The first time I saw her I knew it. I was a punk kid always looking for trouble, but once I met her, my thoughts shifted. I was still in trouble a lot, but she was always in my head. Her dark hair, the light freckles on her shoulders, the tiny birthmark behind her ear. I kiss it and bite her earlobe as I lay her down onto the bed. Taking my shirt off her, I run my lips over her collarbone as she grabs at my sweats. She takes me in her hand and runs her fingers up and down, giving me chills. I slide her shorts down, and she puts me where I always wanna be. I sink in, and she closes her mouth to stay quiet. Her love could bring a man to his knees, and her lips could make you forget any others. Her laugh is infectious, and I hear it when I flip her over and let her take control. She’s riding high only on me these days, but I remember a time when she had two habits. I’m glad one of them is finally gone, and I can have all of her. That’s all I want for the rest of my life—all of her.

“Tell me,” she says as she grabs both of my hands with hers.

“I love you, B. I’ll love you till I die, baby.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Summertime sun shines bright above us as we sit back on the bleachers and watch our boy do his thing. This is his third competition, and the kid is good. I slide my shades on, and my eyes look over to Sarah who has her phone in her hand.

“Landon will be in tonight,” she says, putting her phone down.

“You talking to him?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“We should do dinner one night then.” I look back at the park and watch Fisher jump up onto a rail. He lands perfectly, but then loses his balance and falls. “Is he hurt?” I ask River as I stand up.

“No, B. Sit down. You don’t want to embarrass him,” he says.

I roll my eyes. “I’m not going to embarrass him. I’m just making sure he isn’t hurt.”

“He’s going to get hurt. You know that, right?” River looks at me.

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