Page 57 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

PACEY

C losing the sliding doors, I turn and look around the small room. Mom looks worried sick and I hate that we have made her feel like this.

“What's your plan?” she asks, her eyes passing over the three of us.

“We've been told—” Riggs says after an exasperated sigh.

“So, you don't know?” she cuts him off and he furrows his brows at her.

“Ma,” I step in, and she glares at me and I back the fuck down.

“This is too big to not know everything.”

“I agree ma, but we do know everything,” Tripp backs us up and he is normally the quiet one.

She shakes her head from side to side and drops her gaze.

“We've been told that they'll attack at dusk,” Riggs says, slightly rushed as he tries to get the words out.

“Where are they hitting first?”

“The ranch,” I sweep in and run my hand around the back of my neck.

“Then where?”

“Then they'll take out mine and Pacey's homes, they admitted they torched the Boot,” and I wish he had kept his mouth shut because the way my mom clutches at the thin material over her chest and silent sobs break through her has my heart obliterating in my chest.

“Ma,” my voice cracks as I step forward and pull her into my arms, placing her head on my chest.

Tripp rolls his eyes and flips Riggs off who grunts in response.

He knows he fucked up because he has kept quiet.

“Ma,” Tripp's voice floats through the room like the calm ocean. “Dixie's dad is behind this, so is Marty,” and she lifts her head from my chest and looks at Tripp.

“What? Marty as in our Marty...”

“He is not our Marty,” Riggs growls, his whole body tensing at our mom's words.

“How could he,” a tear rolls down her cheek and I hate that she is crying over these worthless pieces of shits.

“Because he is a spineless cunt,” Tripp answers her and Riggs nods in agreement.

“Exactly what he said,” Riggs nods, pointing at our brother.

My lips twitch into a smile and it feels almost wrong to be smiling in a situation like this.

I comfort my ma until she is ready to push away from me. She paces the small room and me and my brothers exchange looks.

“So then boys...” her steps falter as she halts, “what's the plan and how can I help?”

We go through the plan another three times, letting mum interject where she thinks we may need to be more cautious or where she thinks it may not work.

“Where do you want us?” she crosses her arms across her chest and stands a little taller.

“I have already agreed that you will all go to Nate and James', along with Titus and his family. They're our neighboring ranch,” Riggs says, scrubbing his hand across his beard. “I don't want to risk them getting hurt.”

“That's a smart plan.”

“Nate told us they have a bunker that runs under their land. Not that I think it'll come to that but he is just being over cautious.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” she admits.

“Plus he is going to help us, getting us comms and he has pulled some strings to get some people here if needed.”

“I like this Nate, make sure we invite him and his family for dinner,” and Tripp chuckles.

“Let's just focus on the job in hand, ma,” I scoff a laugh, and she nods, her own lips pressing into a smile.

“Fair,” she winks, and Riggs claps his hands together.

“Right, so we go home, try and sleep and chill and whatever the fuck else you want to do...” his lips twitch, “we will meet tomorrow, ten a.m. at Sunny's. Then I’ve agreed she will go to Nate's too. Not getting her wrapped up in this shit show.” I nod.

“Ma.” He holds his hand out for our mom and she slips it into his palm as he pulls her in for a hug. “We've got this, I promise,” he presses his lips to the top of her head.“It's time for us to end this war...” he murmurs before lifting his head. “Live by the ranch...”

“Die by the ranch,” Tripp and I say together before we all huddle, protecting mom, if only for a moment.

“You boys are my purpose, my biggest blessing but also my biggest worry...”

“We will be safe ma,” I say quietly.

“I know,” her voice trembles. “But just in case I haven't said it in a while, I love you all.”

And I don't know why, but that felt like the last time I would hear those words.

My chest aches but I ignore it.

I just needed to get through tonight.

Closing the door on my family and turning the lock, I let out a heavy exhale and it felt like I had been holding it for hours.

Morgan appears at the top of the stairs and I watch as she floats towards me. Silk pink nightdress, the lace trim sitting high on her thighs, her golden hair framed around her face.

“Fuck, you look like a god damn angel,” raspiness wraps around my tone.

She hovers on the bottom step and I walk towards her, wrapping my arms around her waist as I pull her against my body.

“But I need you to ditch the wings and the halo tonight, Sunflower.” I whisper as I lower my lips to hers and my heart jolts in my chest like a wild mustang galloping across the planes. Loving her was easy, thoughtless... like breathing.

“I can do that,” she breaks the kiss and pulls my arms from her waist and lets her fingers trail to link through mine before she turns and leads me up the stairs.

My hand rounds the curve of her ass, my body laid over her back as I tease my lips down her spine, tracing soft kisses.

“Oh god,” her voice trembles as my cock slips in and out of her, her back arching as each stroke pushes her closer to the edge.

“I am besotted with you,” I whisper my lips now dusting across her shoulder, her arousal coating my cock.

Her eyes meet mine over her shoulder and my heart slams against my chest.

“You close baby?” her pussy tightens around my cock, wetness gathering between our bodies and she moans a hum.

Pulling myself up, my fingers curl around her hips as I lift them a little higher and slide my cock to the tip, edging in and out of her.

“Pacey,” her eyes roll in her head, her teeth sinking into her arm, her face still turned towards me.

Rolling forward, my cock slides deep inside of her and my once slow pace is now replaced with hard pounds into her.

“Yes,” she moans, turning her face back around and my fingers tease up her back and wrap in the root of her hair as I tug her head back.

“Come for me wife, make a mess,” I grit my teeth as I pump my own release inside of her just as her orgasm crashes through her.

I wish I said I had slept, I was lucky if I managed an hour.

Nerves were rip pooling in my stomach, anxiety laced my skin and my mouth was dry.

I'm on my back, eyes pinned to the ceiling, hands resting on my stomach and a thin sheet over my legs.

Slowly, I turn to look at my wife, to look at the love of my life who is still asleep next to me and I would do anything to stay here and sleep the day away but we both know that isn't an option.

Today was the day.

Rolling over, I wrap my arm over her body and drag her towards me as I bury my face in her neck and inhale her scent.

“I love you, Morgan Rivera,” I whisper against her skin before I dust a kiss on her neck, trailing them to her ear, her cheek and finally pressing my lips against her temple.

Her eyes flutter and all I can do is watch her with intent like it is the last time I will ever see her pretty face.

My mind drifts and I find myself wondering what I would see in my last seven minutes and I know it's her.

“Hey,” her voice croaks as she snuggles into me and I hold her tightly against my body.

“I didn't want to wake you,” I admit placing kisses against her delicate skin, my fingers trailing up and down her bare skin.

“I'm glad you did,” she murmurs, “I would have been really sad if you sneaked out of our bed Mr Rivera without saying a proper see ya later .” Her ass rolls over my already hard dick and I moan in her ear, nipping at her lobe.

“You’re a bad girl,” I whisper against her ear, my fingers skating up the side of her thigh, teasing them under her silk nightie.

“You make me bad, Sheriff,” she teases and my hand skims down and dips under her leg as I lift it, her back to my front.

“I suppose I can spare a few more minutes,” I groan, a wicked smile crossing my lips, my hand tugging my boxers down and lining my cock up at her opening, I slip inside of her wet cunt in one roll of my hips and her erotic moans make my skin burst into goosebumps.

“Oh god,” her arm lifts, her hand cupping behind my head as she pulls my lips towards her, our tongue dancing as I fuck her slow, pushing us both to our orgasm and suddenly, I am terrified of losing her.

She follows me downstairs and out onto the decked porch, the sun sitting high in the dusty blue skies, the soft chirp of the birds in the distance, the sweet smell that surrounds the air and I welcome the warm breeze that wraps around our bodies.

I hate that I am leaving her.

“Okay, so you know the plan, yes?” I turn to look at her as I hold my hat between my fingertips and let it hang in front of me and she gives me a nod. She is dressed back in her pink silk nightie, her hair messy from this morning, the evidence of the night before surrounding her.

“Dressed and straight over to Nate's.”

“That's the one baby,” she steps towards me and places her hand on my chest, her spare hand reaching up as she places my hat on her head and my heart slams against my chest.

“Promise to come home to me,” her voice is a whisper in the summer wind.

I swallow and my throat bobs as I try and rid the thickness that coats it.

“Promise you will be safe,” her fingertips curl and pinch my dark gray tee as she clings onto me, my heart racing in my chest.

“I promise,” my voice cracks and I hate that I have lied because I have no idea whether I will make it home.

We're going into this with no idea what is going to happen.

They're out for blood.

“I love you Pacey,” she blinks and a tear escapes, trailing down her pretty face. My thumb catching her tear.

“I love you Sunflower,” I tilt her face up, her lips parting as she waits for me to kiss her. Her breaths are short and tremble in her intake, another tear slips and my heart aches in my chest. “You're my wildest forever, my wildest dreams and my wildest love.”

“Why does this feel like a goodbye?” she breathes against my lips.

“There are no such things as goodbyes,” I dust my lips over hers, squeezing my eyes shut as my own tears escape, “only see you laters.” My lips finally touch hers as I kiss her like it's the last time because honestly, it feels like I will never kiss her again.

Stepping back, she lifts my hat from her head and holds it out for me to take. I nod, gently pulling it from her fingertips as I place it on my head.

“See you later then,” she whispers.

“See you later then,” I choke and turn on my heel, taking one last look at the sky before I see Dusty walking out of the stables.

“Ready sheriff?” he asks as I walk down the steps and take my horse from him.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I admit, footing the stirrup as I climb onto the back of Chase.

He follows suit and kicks his horse on, and I look over my shoulder at my wife, the most beautiful smile on her face and my chest caves, aching as I reluctantly pull my eyes away and leave her behind on the porch, not knowing if that was the last time I would ever see her.

And that breaks my fucking heart.