CHAPTER EIGHT
Are you okay?
Four Months Later
It was a sunny day in Saloosa and I and the baby were making the most of it. I had him in a wrap and as I walked, he happily cooed against me.
I could certainly see why. He was warm and snuggled in against me with a belly full of rich milk and the sun was shining after several days of wind and rain, who wouldn’t be happy?
Going by people on the sidewalk, I greeted each of them in turn. All of them wanted to know the latest about the baby and I did my best to humor them, often having to repeat myself over and over, but their interest was genuine and so I responded in kind.
Reaching the jail I was disappointed to find that Caleb was gone. Janet wasn’t around either, nor were any of the other deputies.
Going back out onto the street I debated about what to do. I turned to go left when my gaze happened to land on the Diner parking lot just down the street.
It being midafternoon it was an odd sight to see the parking lot of the Diner to be so full of customers. What was more striking than that were the types of the cars filling the parking lot.
They were all very expensive and of a distinctly urban taste. Not at all what you typically saw in a place like Saloosa.
As I gazed with misgiving at the cars I felt my heart slowly freeze over. It had taken them a very long time, but finally they had come for me.
I looked to the left and then to the right as fear threatened to overwhelm my heart. Turning I quickly reentered the jail.
Going to Caleb’s office I worked swiftly. Before long I had a baby proof little nest made and sliding Roland out of the rap I laid him down gently on the blankets.
He cooed with delight and reached for me. I kissed his little fingers and leaned down to nuzzle against his little face one more time, deeply breathing in his baby scent.
I dislodged his fingers from my hair then and forcing myself to do what was best for him I got up. His face wrinkled up and he began to cry.
Crying myself, I reached into a desk drawer where I knew Caleb kept an extra handgun. Finding it, I checked to see if it was loaded. It was.
Going to the door, I tried Caleb’s cell phone number only to get his voicemail. Again, I tried and still got his voicemail.
I left a message detailing my fears and at the end, I finished with, “Honey... I…. if anything happens to me, Roland is by your desk in the jail on the floor. I… I love you!”
Hanging up feeling like a bucket full of tears as my newborn wailed in the background, I opened the door and stepped outside. I needed to get away from the jail if my son was going to have the best chance to survive.
With an expressed cry of alarm, I saw that it was already too late. They were in the street and headed straight for me.
I turned about both ways only to see scouts of theirs coming down the sidewalk in both directions. Everything within me shaking, I whispered, “Oh God, please help me! You cared enough about me to give me the new life that You did and I’m grateful, but please don’t let them kill my baby! I’ll do anything you ask! I…”
“Anya.” The feeling of a voice spoken directly into my spirit brought me to a place of utter stillness.
In a very deep beyond the physical realm way I held still listening for more as the tattooed henchmen that my mother country was prone to manufacturing came step-by-step closer.
“Put the gun in your pocket and stand in belief that I will deliver you.”
With resolve I slid the gun into my dress pocket and when I did that I felt strength from somewhere invisible straighten my back and give me courage where I’d had none before.
“Hold your ground and know that I will surely deliver you and your son.” Came the voice from within once more and seizing all my hopes and dreams together in one moment I released them to my Creator all at once and the tears disappeared from off my face as if they’d never been there.
The men came within ten feet of me and stopped. There were twelve of them.
“Anya this country air and bright sunshine has done you good, but now we go back.”
Staring the speaker fully in the eye I said, “I can’t do that Victor. I have a new life here. A family, which is more than I ever knew in Russia. Your brother was a pig and you know he got exactly what he deserved.”
Victor shrugged with a gregarious smile, “This is true, but I cannot pick family can I. Yuri was family and… you know our ways Anya. Now do not make scene and I will see to it that things go smoothly for you.”
I shook my head no. Victor nodded and several of his men moved forward toward me, all of them smiling.
The audible shucking of a shotgun had the motions of everyone coming to a halt with an almost frozen in time like quality. Slowly the heads of the men before me turned to behold the old veteran that I had worked for two years for at the Diner.
He may have been old, but there was still fire in his eyes and the pressure of the finger that squeezed against the trigger of the express gun still had passion to its touch as if it had found the embrace of a long lost lover.
“Like hell you’ll take our Anya away. No Sir, that just ain’t gonna happen.”
Victor laughed coolly and as one the whole mob drew out their arsenal of guns and took aim at the old man.
“What you do now, old man? Shoot all of us with pop gun?”
“If I only get the chance to take out one of you buckos, be sure it’s gonna be you that I gut like a pig before I fall. Anyways, I ain’t alone.”
Red dots appeared on the shirt fronts of every Russian mobster and beyond that there were the movements of townspeople and business owners alike from all around the scene as they advanced with an eclectic array weaponry that could only be defined as a bit of everything since the American Civil War. There were at least 3 to 4 shooters for every Russian on the street and as for the two scouts on the sidewalk, they now stood with ashen faces as the muzzles of shotguns were pressed up against their heads by each of the town’s two deputies that had come up behind them unawares.
I felt a breeze of movement and with relief I saw Caleb step up to my side from behind me. He had Roland.
Tenderly he pressed Roland into my arms and I took him gladly. Just as smoothly Caleb turned to face those in the street, even as with one hand, he eased me to be standing behind him.
I let my forehead fall to rest forward with profound relief against Caleb’s back and listened as he said, “The thing about families is that there are good ones and there are bad ones. Anya came to us and she worked hard to become a member of this family, this community. I have no respect for you and what you call a family, when the only stated desire of it is the destruction of all other families that come in confrontation with you. This might come as a shock to you, but what you have isn’t a family, it’s a cult. Right now, though you get to decide whether you want to sacrifice everything on behalf of your culture, of death and violence, because if so we’ll give it to you.”
Victor looked about and then shrugged good-naturedly as he said, “What matter? Today, tomorrow, one day we see that justice is done. Relax cowboy and spread your Russian whore wide for a few days more. We can wait. We are very good at waiting.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not. Caleb lifted a hand and a rain of darts slammed into all Russian boots on the ground. Stumbling about they all clutched feebly at the tranquilizer darts buried within them.
Leaving the sidewalk Caleb came up to look down upon Victor. Blinking Victor gazed up at him in shock to hear him say, “Another place and time and we’d have just gunned you all down like yellow bellied sons of the skunks that you are. Can’t really get away with that sort of justice in a civilized society anymore though. Maybe that’s a good thing. Right now I’m kinda thinking it’s not. What I do know though Victor is that the lot of you are all here on phony visas, and have stated your plans to abduct an American citizen off native soil. In addition to that, several agencies have come forward with an express desire for information you boys have and one way or another, they’re going to get it out of you, especially seeing as how your country is disavowing your presence here. Tell me Victor what do they do with stool pigeons in your family?”
Victor’s gaze reflected horror at the worse than just death sentence that had just been passed down upon him and vainly he fought to grasp at his fallen gun, but the sedatives had done their work. Black vans peeled to a stop all around and the members of a Russian mob group long suspected of trafficking in missing Soviet era nuclear ordinances were tossed inside like sacks of rice.
The vans left and what was going to be the topic of conversation for years to come got started off well and truly as the owner of the Diner announced that he had a case of scotch to crack open.
*********
As the crowd dissipated towards the Diner Caleb turned from staring after the vans to come back up on the boardwalk where I stood.
“Are you okay?” He asked with every measure of concern, even as his voice echoed the same emotion as his eyes did.
I nodded, smiling in return.
He looked back to where the vans had disappeared and said, “I wanted to kill them all so badly, but…. I’ve been assured that none of them will ever see the light of day again. Still…..”
“But if they come back one day you will be ready for them, won’t you.” I interjected softly.
“Yes, ma’am.” His words were what calm assurety of purpose were made of.
What he had spoken he would also do. I nodded, smiling, intrinsically knowing that my man was ready to die to protect me and our son.
What more could a woman ask for in a man.
Moving closer I asked, “What time will you be home this evening?”
“Um I… about usual, I guess. Why?”
Smiling, I gave him a look that said more than my words did, “I will be ready for you.”
I watched the color rise in his face and then very uncharacteristically, he said, “Oh heck, I’ll come with you now. You two are in charge.”
Both deputies saluted with grins on their faces as together Caleb and I headed for home. Our baby was contentedly asleep in my arms and life seemed as natural as it could be as I felt my man’s hand come to rest on my hip and pull me into his side as we walked.
The sense of belonging somewhere finally was just too sweet of an emotion, not to celebrate in some way. Glancing up I caught his eyes as we walked and said suggestively, “You know I think you could come the other way in me and besides….. my ass could use a little rest.”
He grinned and let his hand slide back to fondly grasp half of the inverted heart that was my derrière and say, “But I love your ass.”
“As you wish Master.” I said softly, meaning every word of it.
Caleb immediately relented and said, “But I like your idea Honey that is if you’re sure it’s not too soon.”
Honestly, I admitted, “It is a little early, you’ll need to go gentler than you like to cowboy, but I just really need to have you back in me.”
Caleb nodded and softly said, “Likewise.”
I found myself crying as we walked, but they weren’t tears of sadness. Joy, it was an absolute joy to be alive.
We made it to the house and I put Roland down into his comfy little cradle. What a big day he’d had without even really knowing it.
I felt my husband’s hands slide over my hips and come together to clasp over my stomach as we both stood there staring down at something we had both made, but that God had given an eternal spirit to. After a long moment I turned and pressed my face into the open collar of Caleb’s shirt and inhaled deeply of his spicy but yet reassuring male scent.
The ache between my legs was real and gazing up into his eyes he must’ve seen the passion that I had for him there because he said warningly, “Slow. Remember, we’re going to take it slow.”
Feeling mischievous I said, “But I don’t like it slow.”
“Tough, but that’s the way it’s gonna be.”
Smiling, I said, “Yes, Doctor.”
He rolled his eyes and then gallantly lifted me up into his arms to carry me towards our bedroom. I had no doubt in the world that I was in for a session of very tenderly done lovemaking.
He was going to drive me nuts and since that was the case it was only fair for me to do the same to him. Bringing my lips to his ear I said, “You know if going slow gets to be too hard for you to take sugar you can always pull out and use my ass. As hard as you like baby.”
He groaned and shook his head, but said nothing. He set me down on my feet and together we undressed each other profoundly grateful to have the moment that we did to continue celebrating life with each other for one more day. We stared at each other for a long moment and then he broke the moment by lifting his hands to cup both of my engorged breasts and say, “I may love your ass Honey, but I love these to.”
I groaned with expectation as his head lowered. As his warm lips took full suction on one of my breasts I felt my whole world shift pleasurably to the rhythm of him finding sustenance directly from my body.
Already I could feel an orgasm rising up from within and I did nothing to stop it as it crowned and broke out onto the surface of my reality and had me arching my body against my lover as he consumed me and yet at the same time built me back up all over again to crash hopelessly lost in the grip of the pleasure that he gave me. Breathing heavy I leaned against him as sweat broke out all over my body.
“Baby…. Darling…. Please!” I begged, as his lips left my one breast to kiss their way over to the other.
His eyes flicked up to meet mine and I passionately moaned out, “I need you! I need you in me! Now!!!”
Lazily he shook his head no dragging his lips intentionally across my engorged nipple that had already started to leak milk copiously. Then, keeping eye contact with me he spoke directly against my areola and the pressure and intensity of his gaze had me orgasming on the spot even as his words filled me with the promise of even more pleasure to come, “No, no Honey. We’re going to take things really slow remember. We need to make sure you’re nice and relaxed and really, really wet.”
“I’m soaked!” I exclaimed, only to gutturally groan as his mouth formed a hard suckle that had me once more arching into him as my body wantonly did its best to please the one who gave it so much pleasure. By the time he was through I was a quivering mess and barely registered the fact of being laid down upon our bed.
My eyes shot open then as for the first time in a month I felt him once more within me. Every fiber of my being came alive with the urgency to be fully one with him once more.
His lips, tasting sweetly of my own milk were upon mine and hungrily I invaded his mouth with my tongue only to find that he’d saved some of my milk for me. Groaning with appreciation I drank from his lips even as my thighs came around him tightly.
I was fully purposing to pull him all the way in, but strangely he wouldn’t let me. His hands held me still as he slowly worked his way shallowly in and out of me.
I cried out with something close to anger, even as my fingers turned into claws that sank into his sides. In every way I begged him to push deeper, but with a rumble of laughter, he shook his head no and continued to take me as he had promised to.
In the frustrated pleasure of being stroked to the point of ecstasy, but no farther I opened my eyes to gaze at him. He grinned and consolingly sank deeper into me and like a crying baby suddenly getting its mother’s milk I quieted down.
Groaning, I rubbed at where my fingernails had sunk deeply into his sides as a form of apology, but truly the man was driving me crazy. Our gazes met and cajolingly I begged, “Faster. I can take it.”
Smiling, he shook his head no and kissed me.
Sighing loudly, I said, “You’re enjoying this torture!”
“Every second of it.” He affirmed deeply.
His hand worked between us and then he was rubbing me where it felt best and helplessly I seized about his shaft, but still his movements remained slow. Breathing heavy my body feeling like it was in continual orgasm now I groaned and moaned for more, but he gave it to me slow.
The man’s will was made of iron and I knew I could not break it nor did I wish to. Truly, I was the happiest of women and yet surely he was going to kill me with the pleasure he both gave and withheld at the same time.
His voice rumbled in my ear, “Remember what you said?”
Gasping and moaning as I was caught on the rise of another wave of an orgasm that just wouldn’t stop I opened my eyes and did my best to focus only to hear him say, “You told me to go slow as I could go and then when I could go no longer in that way to take your ass hard, as hard as I want to.”
“Yes!” I exclaimed eagerly as the promise of hard movement by his shaft in me was what was needed most.
I made to turn over and present my ass, only he wouldn’t let me move and my impassioned eyes opened with consternation. Deeply he said, “I’m not done going slow yet.”
I couldn’t help it, I screamed, but it did me no good. I’d challenged him and now I was getting the time of my life and with helpless wonder I succumbed to it and let him give me orgasm after orgasm.
I was nearly passed out when I felt the movement of the sheet against my cheek. I’d cried out with so much passion for who knew how many hours that my eyes were swollen and hard to open and yet they did as I felt the head of his big cock press into my soaked anus and effortlessly dominate it open for the invasion of his shaft.
My back arched and I gave a deep gasp as I felt the entirety of his cock take my ass all the way to the hilt. He’d put me on my knees at some point and I would’ve moved forward and away, but his big hand caught my hair and pulling hard he brought my head back.
There was nowhere to go other than to helplessly quiver about his cock. There was nothing of the gentility left that he’d treated me to for hours and truly now he was taking me up on my dare to the fullest degree.
Sounding completely guttural and wildly possessive he gritted out near my ear, “You're mine!”
His masculine declaration was undeniable and I nodded my head as much as his grip on my hair would allow even as his cock withdrew only to stretch me full again. Gasping, I kneeled submissively before my man as he took my ass hard and as he pounded his cock into me a different kind of orgasm rose up within me and I gave myself over to experiencing it even as I heard my voice begging him to go harder and somehow he did.
*********
Startled, my head lifted up off the bed. The first thing I noticed was that it was getting dark outside
The second thing that came upon the heels of that reality was fear for Roland. He must be starving!
Jumping off the bed, I staggered as my mind had to rapidly catch up on the reality that my body still felt as if it was drugged by passion. I stepped out of the bedroom expecting to hear Roland crying, only to hear Caleb talking.
I stopped still as I saw Caleb sitting shirtless on the couch with Roland cradled in one big arm up against him. An empty breastmilk bottle sat on the coffee table.
Caleb must’ve thawed some of the milk that I had frozen and Roland seemed quite satisfied as he listened to Caleb read from a storybook he was holding up with his other hand. I drew closer to the idyllic scene and Caleb glanced up and stopped reading.
I waved my hand quickly for him not to stop. I never wanted a moment like this to ever stop.
He began reading again and though formally contented Roland became fussy because he’d seen me. I took him from Caleb and sat down.
Within seconds Roland was latched on and smiling I watched him watch me as he drank my milk with a fervor that matched that of his father. Roland glanced over to Caleb as Caleb continued to read and together we both listened.
I didn’t know what was going on in the world outside, but inside this house we were a family.
Turning my head, I whispered into Caleb’s ear, “I love you.”
His reaction to my words was to put his strong arm around me and pull me into his side and together we all sat there enjoying a day to the fullest. A day wherein I had almost lost everything and would have if it hadn’t been for the Grace of God.
It was really something to know how much my God loved me and in my darkest moments - the moments of extreme trial - He was there.
As hellish as my life had been in order to reach this sublime moment it had all been worth it in order for it to play out as it was right now. Tomorrow I would go on armed with the spiritual confidence I had gained this day and with each new day and the trials I faced in them, I would meet them with God’s assurance that He would help me overcome and get beyond the moment of hardship to the times like these that truly were the essence of what living life to the fullest was all about.