Life Begins (23 page)

Chapter 24

              “That bitch is pregnant, again?” Gary shouted, pacing back and forth through the living room of his small house. “That whore. Can’t even keep her damn womb under control for even a short period of time. What the fuck.” He tossed the snifter of brandy he held in his hand at the wall, dark liquid staining the ivory that had been his choice of color.

              He couldn’t believe that she would be so stupid, when he had been trying to make their relationship work. She wasn’t supposed to be having another brat. He wasn’t going to deal with another man’s brat, not when he didn’t even want his own.

              He paused in his pacing. No, they weren’t his children anymore. The state of Illinois had made sure of that, giving him what he wanted. No legal responsibilities. But he didn’t have the woman that he’d always wanted. That one girl that every boy back in high school had wanted, and even now, she still garnered looks, even with a stomach sticking out, making her look bloated and disgustingly fat.

              He couldn’t stand watching her stand around with another man. “That’s why I’m going to have to take care of things myself.” He already had the gun to take care of business. Now, he just needed to have a plan. “Bitch thinks she can leave me? Not in this lifetime.” He pulled his cellphone out from his back pocket. He had just the right man to do a little reconnaissance for him. It meant dealing with a thug, which he hated, but sometimes, it was the only way he could get what he needed done.

              “Yo, man. What you want?”

              The lack of culture in the voice made Gary cringe. “Hey, Tyrone. I need you to do me a favor.”

              The smack of lips was loud through the phone. “I ain’t doing shit for you, man. You still own me for the last favor.”

              “And I’m going to pay you. I just need to you help me out this time by taking care of a man. I’ll pay you big for this job.” And it would let the stupid niggah do exactly what he wanted to do.

              There was a long pause at the other end, so long that Gary feared the hoodlum had hung up on him. But no, what was happening on the other end became clear as soon as he heard the sexual growl of a man receiving something good to his cock. Gary couldn’t complain, because he would love for it to be him getting his dick wet, but that would have to wait until after he took care of this unpleasant piece of business.

              “Niggah, are you in?” he finally demanded.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

              “Yeah, man. As long as you give me ten grand for the trouble.”

              “Fine. I’ll send you all the information you need to know. Just make sure that the man is dead. Deader than dead, if that makes any sense.”

              “Whatever. Just make sure you got my money.” Then there was a click and then dead silence. Gary took a seat on his coach, feeling a little more like he was in control this time. If Josie thought her new husband was going to keep her safe, then she was sorely mistaken. She belonged to him, and it was time now that she acted like it.

~*~

              Nothing felt better to Josie, than laying in her bed at night with her husband. His body was like a furnace, but she never minded that because she simply liked the feel of his muscles against the soft curves of her body.

              This night was no different. Now that the kids were fully both of theirs and Gary was firmly out of her life, Josie was able to just relax. As long as her husband’s phone didn’t ring and he was forced away to do something that would cause her to worry.

              “What is wrong?” she heard him say in the dark, even his left hand tapped against her hip to gain her attention. “You are tense and not resting. Doctor has said that you need to do more resting.”

              She sighed. “I know. I’m just thinking about everything that has happened and I am counting my blessings.” She carefully propped her elbow on her husband’s chest so that she could see his face. “I no longer have to deal with Gary.”

              He did that weird thing with his lips that had them twisted into a sneer that only he could accomplish. “I am glad you are content. I am tired and am wanting wife to also be tired.”

              “But what if wife is not feeling tired? Are you really that sleepy that you cannot spend time with me?” His sigh should have been her answer, but she did not allow it to distract her. She played with the thick chain he kept around his neck, wanting him to get the meaning of what she wanted.

              He finally seemed to get it. “Pregnancy hormones are making you bad wife.”

              She shook her head. “No. Pregnancy hormones are making me a very good wife.” She brushed her knee over his groin, finding him thickening nicely for her. “I know that you really like a good wife, especially when she is being bad.”

              She climbed over him, making sure that she brushed nicely against his body. Even with her t-shirt on, she felt the heat of his body searing her. Then, his hands were brushing the fabric away from her, his callused fingers caressing her soft skin. Josie couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips at the feel of him seducing her when she’d wanted to do the seducing.

              “Sit up.” She did as he asked, letting him take off her top to reveal her enlarged breasts. She arched her back, anticipating the moment when he would begin to play with the sensitive globes. He didn’t make her wait for long, his large hands slowly moving to cup her. His thumbs brushed against her aching nipples, causing her to groan as electrical waves of pleasure ran through her body.

              Already, she could feel her panties growing damp as her lower lips quivered. She allowed her head to fall back as her hips began to move against the hard bulge pressed against her. Her husband tugged on her nipples, just hard enough that it caused her to collapse forward against him. “You are going to look at me while I play with you.” She pressed herself tight against him, just so that she could reach his lips. “Be careful of the
beba
,” he whispered against her.

              She pouted, but made the choice to roll to her side so that she wouldn’t have to lay on her stomach. She propped her left leg over his hips, pushing herself as close to him as possible. There was just something addictive about his lips. She could kiss him all day and never get tired of it. He always moved slowly against her, as if he wanted to just taste every part of her, like she was a fine wine to be savored. It forced her to slow down, even when she just wanted to rip both of their clothes off so that she could mount him.

              It set her body on fire, even more so than when he played with her breasts. She clutched his hand, holding him tight against her chest. She ignored his laughter against her. “Relax.”

              “No,” she told him. “I’m so ready for you now.” Who needed patience when she was this revved for his body? So, she slid to her back, freeing her hands to begin tugging at her panties. The soft fabric against her skin needed to leave immediately.

              Her husband propped his head on his hand, watching her movements with an amused quirk to his lips. “This is why you wear nothing to bed.”

              She ignored, tossing the slight piece of fabric to the side. Once again, she rolled to her side, wrapping her arms and legs around him. “Never mind that. Why don’t we just get to the good stuff and then you can give me a lecture about what I should be wearing to bed later.”

              For all that he appeared so calm and collected, she could feel the tension in him. His cock alone, tried burning a path to her sex. She reached a hand between them, grabbing hold of him and finding him leaking with pre-cum. “Take me,” she whispered against his lips. “You know you want to.”

              His eyes tried to stare into her soul, before she finally found herself on her back, his hips planted firmly between her thighs. She ran her hands along his shoulders, moving to his perfect ass, hoping that it would entice him to move. Her feet planted to the bed, giving her a bit of leverage to thrust against him. His cock was like an arrow. His head found her hole, and with both of their work, began to press inside.

              Josie kept pulling him close, wanting more than anything for him to possess her. She relished the stretch that her muscles always went through with him, the feeling of knowing that he was so male and so in control that he could make her body obey his every whim. Even the way that he covered her made it clear that she didn’t have free reign over her body, that he was the able to move her to his will.

              She widened her legs, making it easier for him to thrust inside of her. The burning pain thrilled her, giving her something that she only ever got to experience with him. It never took her long to come, but in this moment, her body fully craved it. She shuddered, her orgasm coming upon her swiftly. “Oh, yes,” she whispered for his ears.

              He thrust into her, deep and strong, keeping his movements slow in a tease. Her body practically melted beneath him. She felt every inch of him, feeling as if she could even feel the veins in his cock against the sensitive walls of her pussy. She could only lay back and give in to the pleasure, letting her husband put in the work to make her feel good.

              She had no idea how long they lay locked together, only that they did and that her pleasure never seemed to end. It was a very good thing that baby Juljiana had started sleeping through the whole night.

~*~

              All of the plans were set. Gary had hired some incompetent thug to try and kill him, meaning he was making plans to give Žarko his self-defense excuse. Now, he would just have to play the game right. Good thing he’d always been good at chess.

              “He is not even real gangster,” Srecko said over their phone conversation. “He is trying to make connections to find you, but cannot even pronounce your name.”

              Žarko laughed. It wouldn’t make a difference. No one in the real criminal world would talk to a common thug. They were too uncouth and prone to being profiled and arrested. No, Gary would have done better going to a real gangster, one with true connections. “Take care of this would be assassin. I don’t have time to play with him.”

              “It’s already done. Apparently, he had a real thing for pretty girls. But, don’t worry,” Srecko said at Žarko’s grunt. “Adrijan used the fools own gun.”

              “And the girl?” As he employed no females in his organization, he could only assume that the girl was either a girlfriend of one of his men, or a random. Either way, he wouldn’t trust that she would be able to keep her mouth shut.

              “In safe keeping, since she’s a mouthy little bitch.”

              Žarko watched his family playing in the backyard. Josie had Juljiana and Josif in the baby pool, while the girls played splashing games with the little ones. Nenad stood close at hand, making sure that Josif didn’t get too vigorous in his playing, but it was also clear that Nenad knew that Žarko had important business to take care of. “Who is watching her?”

              “Danijel, although he’s eager to be replaced. Says he’s willing to put a bullet in her, she’s too much to deal with.”

              Žarko sighed. He really hated to bring harm to women, but sometimes, it was a necessity. “Pick me up. Let’s see if we can convince her to shut up.” If not, he would have to do what he had to do to keep his family completely safe.

              He slid open the glass door to approach his family. “
Tata
,” Desa called out, waving to him. “Tell
majka
that the
bebe
can handle being in the big pool.” The little girl even gave a pout that was absolutely adorable on her rosy face.

              “I keep telling her that we don’t have the proper equipment for Josif to go in the big pool, and Nenad didn’t bring a swimsuit to sit in the pool holding him the whole time,” Josie said while standing to her feet with Juljiana. The baby held her hands out for her father to hold her, and Žarko found that he simply could not resist her.

              He gave her a kiss on her chubby cheek, his eyes mostly taking in the beauty of his wife in her white short shorts and fitted red tank top. She ran her hands through her dark curls. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked him. Ah, how he loved that she could tell his moods without him having to say a word.

              “I have to go to work. Srecko is coming to pick me up, so I want you to stay here with Nenad.” All the kids seemed to cry out about his leaving at the same time, but Nenad only nodded at the silent instructions.

              Josie stared into his eyes for a long moment, most likely trying to figure out what he was about to do, and if she should maybe try and talk him out of it. She wouldn’t. They both knew that, but, it wouldn’t stop her from trying as she wasn’t the kind of woman that wanted to see others come to harm.

              “Be careful,” she finally said with her lips, although her eyes told him a much different command. Don’t do anything you can’t come back from. He really hoped that he could stick to that.