77: The Shadows Part 1
Luci
I let Cole stay up late when Easton texted he was on his way home. I have a strong suspicion
he will need some Cole hugs after whatever was said. “Let’s practice your lines for the
program again.”
Banning had picked up Barrett after dinner and we practiced both sets of lines then with some
of the interpretations cracking me up.
We go through them and decide to color a few pictures before Easton walks into his bedroom.
His face is its usual cold mask but his eyes are flashing. He softens as he stares at us
though. “Hey buddy.” Cole runs to jump at him and he lifts him to hold his head against his
chest with his face buried in his hair.
“Daddy, are you ok?”
“I am now. I needed the biggest hug ever. It’s missing something though. Hmmm..”
Cole turns his face up to him. “It’s missing Luci.”
“Yep.” He holds one arm out to me and I go join them. “Better. Are you tired, Cole?”
“Uh huh. Luci let me stay up to see you.”
“Because she’s the best. I have an idea. I need to eat, but what if we have a sleepover in
Daddy’s bed. All three of us.” He stares up at me.
“Really?!” Cole grins.
“Yes really. Think we can convince Luci?”
“If we give her the please eyes, Daddy. It works. I got extra cookies the other day.” Cole
whispers loudly.
“Ratted out…. Not the please eyes.” I protest teasingly.
Cole gives me the exaggerated pouty lip while both turn on the sad eyes. “Fiiiine.” I relent
dramatically.
“Yes!” Cole celebrates by pumping both arms into the air.
“Let’s get you settled in there first. You’ll be asleep when we join you.” Easton tells him as he
walks that way slowly rubbing his back.
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77: The Shadows Part 1
“That’s ok. We can all dream about flying seahorses and fish Luci said about. A dream party.”
His eyes are already drooping.
“Yes, they are riding into battle against the seagulls who keep scooping them out of the ocean. They shoot jellyfish at them that wrap around their faces and make it hard to see.” I tell
him and Easton laughs.
He’s out fast as we tuck pillows around him. “You really want both of us to stay with you?” I ask as we leave through Cole’s room so I can turn everything off.
“Yes. After that, I need you both nearby. Let’s go join Dad. We can tell it all at once.”
I listen to the story as the two of them eat. Kingston and I exchange glances. His is grim.
“This is about power, Easton.” I nod, slowly agreeing. He glances between us. “Not once did
she ask how Cole is doing. Not once did she care if she affected him negatively by ignoring
him. All she keeps saying is she will have you and him back. Nothing, not a syllable about
how she’s sorry she cut you off with it hurting her so greatly or she will work to earn your
forgiveness. Just that she’ll have you two with her again. Her wording is really important I
think. How it hurt her because she “couldn’t have you two” and how she knows you love her,
you miss her. That “have” word is the key. Never once has she said it was because she missed
Cole nor has she asked for your forgiveness in any way. She mentioned earning a chance for forgiveness but I think that’s the only time she’s used that word. Nor has she said she loves Cole, only you. I need to do some reading. This sounds like she knows she lost her power over you. We just need to know what precipitated her coming back. I mean honestly, as devoted to
her as we remember you being, she could have held onto you if she truly wanted a
relationship. She could have asked you to visit or just texted you. You’d have stuck with her.”
I speak up after that. “He’s right. She knew exactly when you stopped sending pictures. That
probably told her she was losing her hold on you. As long as you kept in contact with her, it
meant there was a connection. That left and I would guess it might be because she had
something else she had a hold over. She wasn’t completely alone.”
Jackson nods slowly as he listens. “You were no longer an easy option in her back pocket.
Maybe Mother said something about matching you up with someone and Vivienne told her.”
“Possibly. Marco will be at the school in the morning. I’ve already called the administrator and
explained the situation. I’ll meet you at the school, so Cole can meet him. Luci, I want you to
meet him too, because he will follow the two of you home each afternoon.” Jason says. “I
want to know if she shows up near you, Luci, because you’ll get a shadow too. For now, I think
she’s focused on Easton and Cole.”
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8 Paint
77: The Shadows Part 1
I nod. I would prefer not to need a bodyguard. Easton walks me back to the guest room so l can change. “You need to study?”
“No, I did earlier today.”
He pulls me into his arms and kisses me slowly. “In the morning, I need cardio….with you.”
I laugh. “Is that what it’s called?”
“Done right, yes. Along with expanding your vocabulary and working on your self–confidence.”
He grins slowly. “Now let’s go have family sleepover. I’m in the middle.”
Cole sleeps through us climbing into bed. Easton’s tension immediately eases the second we
are curled against him. I stay awake past him and take a look at their matching peaceful
faces.
When I wake to my alarm, Cole is against my side. Easton must have moved him against me
when he got up. I sneak out and take my shower before I wake him to get him ready. At the
school, I stare at Marco in amazement like Cole does. I saw him the other night though not up
close. He’s enormous, but he crouches down to greet Cole and shakes his hand. “Mr. Cole, I’m
going to be here with you during the day and then I will follow you and Miss Luci home.”
“Ok. Do you like cookies? Because we have cookies some days when we get home.”
“I love cookies. See these arm muscles, nothing but cookies in there.” He grins at Cole who
laughs at that.
We leave him there and it bothers me greatly that he needs a bodyguard.
“It shouldn’t be that way, right?” Easton says, frowning as we drive away.
“No.”
“I agree. Rather be overkill than wrong in hindsight though.” He mutters before parking in front
of my door. I laugh after he unlocks the door and lifts me over his shoulder. “You realize you
are going to have to duck to get in the doorways more than normal.”
“Yep. Head hazards everywhere I go.” He sets me on my feet by the couch and I take my coat
off checking to make sure I have the costumes packed away to deliver this afternoon. Coco
would kill me if I let his secret out of the bag.
Once again, I laugh as he lifts me over his shoulder. “Cardio, you don’t work out sweetness so I
need to make sure you get your heart rate up a few times a day.” He grins setting me on my
feet but then I see his eyes narrow as he glances over my shoulder.
“What is that?” He walks over and lifts the frame from my nightstand. “The tree lighting
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77: The Shadows Part 1
picture I knew about, but this….” He faces it my way and it’s him sleeping with my rabbit.
“I think it’s….sweet.” I offer up innocently.
“Sweet….right. Sneaky Luci.” He sets it back down, walking my way with a very stern
expression. “The things I tolerate because I love you.”
“Is there a list?” I laugh.
“Yes there is.” He tugs my sweatshirt off. “Are you ready to hear it?”
“Not a chance I’ll say no to that.” I fire back.
He kneels down and pulls my leggings off along with my shoes before looking back up at me.
“That picture is number one. A very glaring number one.” He presses a kiss to my stomach
before slipping my panties off and stuffing them in his back pocket. That’s going on his list.
“Attitude from you is number two.” He undresses quickly and moves to sit on the bed propped
up against the pillows. He crooks his finger and I tilt my head considering it. “See attitude.” He
reaches over into the nightstand before straightening up and holding up the stuffed rabbit as I
crawl onto the bed.
“Here’s number three. The insolent stuffed bunny in your bed instead of me.” He tosses him
over to the chair before gripping my upper arms and hauling me to straddle his lap.
“Number four is this bed that I do not fit in.” He’s unhooking my bra and slipping it off now.
“You expressly said you didn’t care that you don’t fit in it.” I protest. His hand slides up my stomach to my throat before gripping the back of my neck. I shiver as he does it. “Refer back
to number two.” He whispers as he pulls my lips to his and kisses me long and hard. He
breaks the kiss finally only to start kissing down my neck and across my collarbone.
“Number five is not getting to spend enough time with you.”
“Sounds like maybe this is not going to work out if you have to tolerate all that.” I tease him as
I try to catch my breath. His mouth is moving all over my torso but not lingering long enough
in any one spot driving me crazy.
“Lucky for me, I know how I can forget all your flaws and keep you.” I struggle to refocus as his
fingers slip between us and he groans while my whole body trembles as he begins to work
them inside me.
“Wait you said that wrong…” I manage to stutter out.
“No baby I did not. Step one is you are going to look at me like you always do, like you love me despite my shortcomings and flaws.”
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77: The Shadows Part 1
“They aren’t flaws, they are pieces of character, like your panty klepto issue.” I run my fingers through his hair, smiling at him.
“Just like that. You passed step one. Step two is you are going to ride me Luci and show me what you like and what you want.”
“Easton, I haven’t….”
“I know. “Remember I want you to learn what you like.” He reaches for the little packet and
tears it open with his teeth. “Do you want to?”
I nod, knowing I can trust him. He grips my hips and helps me take him in. “f**k Luci…” He breathes out as his head falls back. I shift and he groans, lifting his head. “I swear you are
******g perfection, Luci. You move how it feels best to you. You’re in control.”
I stare at him for a minute and he slowly smiles. Easton doesn’t give up control easily. “I love
you sweetness. I will give you anything you need and I think you need this after this past
week.”
The strong rush of emotion washes over me and I lean forward to crash my lips into his,
pouring all my feelings into that kiss. His fingers dig into my hips as I do and he responds. “I
love you.” I whisper when I end it. I slowly begin moving, trying to find a rhythm that works.
“Good girl. Take what you want.” His hands trace patterns over my torso while he whispers
how much he loves me, encouraging me. “Easton, I want more.” I tell him.
“That’s my confident girl. Hold onto me and I’ll give you what you want.” I grip his shoulders as
his hand fists into the back of my hair firmly but not painfully. “Hurts?”
“Nooo.” I say as he begins to thrust his hips up into me and he moves my head back to kiss
along my jaw. I lose the ability to breathe as the tension builds before finally breaking and I
scream, digging my nails into his shoulders as his hand is the only thing holding me upright.
He isn’t far behind me and I collapse against him with my head on his shoulder as he catches
his breath.
When he runs his fingers slowly up my back, I lift my head. He smirks. “Cardio, I told you.”
I roll my eyes, knowing he can’t resist commenting.
“Number two is going to be hard to overlook.”
“Can I send your flaw list I put up with later today?”
။
“Only if you are prepared to let me help you forget them.” He checks his phone. “We have time
for a shower before we need to leave.”
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+8 Points
77: The Shadows Part 1
“So are you planning to terminate this relationship based on my flaw list?” I ask as he opens
the door.
“After careful consideration, I think I can handle them except for number five. That one must be fixed soon.” He locks the door before pulling me against his side. “You have one final today, right?” I nod and he kisses my temple. “You’ll pass if easily. You knew all the answers the other night.”
“Ok you two. Stop making me jealous this early in the morning.” Syd’s teasing voice calls out
and I turn to see her leaning against my car.
“Syd, you ok?” I ask worriedly.
“My car won’t start. I was about to call you for a ride when I saw you leaving.” She grimaces.” Dad’s going to come by later to look at it.”
“Let’s go.” I turn back to Easton. “I know to wait for you before you say it.”
He leans down to whisper in my ear. “You’re learning like a good girl.” When he straightens up,
he grins. “Besides, who else will you hide behind?” He opens my door and I give him a
mischievous look. He shakes his head. “Don’t even think about it.”
“I was only going to say, Jackson can be twin base.” He simply turns and walks away. I laugh
as I start the car.
