One year later.
'Good morning daddy.' Marcus climbed down the stairs at my home in North Carolina.
It was my last game of the regular season. So Marcus is here with me until playoffs start.
Jade is in Texas with her team, Philadelphia, for their last game against Dallas. She has the first flight to North Carolina booked after the game's over.
'Good morning son.' I pick him up even though Jade told me, repeatedly, not to when she dropped him off yesterday. She says he needs to become less dependent on me. He and I have grown so very close in the last year.
I shuffled his hair up and he frowned.
'I'm not a baby dad.'
I smiled at his pouty face. 'I know you're my baby boy.'
He shook his head, despite the smile on his face. 'I'm no baby. I'm five!'
'Don't I know it.' I let him down as he chased after my dog, Diesel.
Diesel was the only thing I could find that tires Marcus out. After the first couple months of me chasing after him for long periods of time, I realized that he was just an untamable ball of energy. Diesel is a sixty pound Doberman with a thick brown fur and black, beady eyes. They run around, swim, and play with the football all day long. By the end of a long day with Diesel, Marcus is ready to pass out beside me in my bed.
My phone ringing sets me back into reality.
A picture of Jade, Marcus and I at the beach over the summer flashed across my phone.
'Hello?' I answered with a smile on my face.
'Good morning handsome, how's my boy today?' Jade's smooth voice had me leaning against the wall for support.
I chuckle. 'I'm doing great-'
She cuts me off, 'I was actually talking about our son.'
I roll my eyes. 'Of course. He's playing with Diesel right now in the back yard.'
'Awesome, tire him out before I arrive.' She laughs through the receiver. 'Now Blake, how's my man doing?'
I groan. I haven't touched her in four months. Other than last week when she flew with Marcus too North Carolina, I picked them up from the airport and we had lunch. The best thing I got was a chaste kiss goodbye when she boarded a second plane back to Philadelphia. 'He's missing you.'
She hums in appreciation. 'Where's Marcus again?'
I peaked out the back window and saw him and Diesel in the sandbox, I built for him.
'Sandbox.'
I hear shuffling and then a zipper.
My breaths become labored. 'Jade?'
'Yes..' She sighs.
'What are you doing?' I open my bathroom and slip in, locking the door.
'I've missed you too Blake. I wish you were here with me, in me.'
'Fuck baby.' I leaned against the sink and glance down at the growing tent in my sweatpants.
'Hmm. I love when you call me baby.' A small whimper escapes her mouth and I realize what she's doing.
'Are you.. touching yourself for me Jade?' Like I already know the answer, my hand slips into my pants and grips my fully hard shaft.
'Oh yes.' She grunts. 'I wish it was your thick fingers fucking me..'
My eyes fluttered close as I pumped my hand faster. 'What are you wearing Jade, baby?'
'That red lace bra you bought me for my birthday.. and that's it.' A soft moan ripples from her lips, those plump lips I can almost taste. 'What would you do to me if you were here Blake?'
Her sultry, lust filled voice, flips a switch in me. 'First off, I would be rubbing that clit..'
'Fast?' She begs.
A smile teases my lips. 'No baby. Slowly, agonizingly slow. Punish you for how hard you're making me right now.'
She giggles, 'Are you stroking your dick for me?'
'Mhm, only for you baby.'
'Yes, go faster.'
I obeyed. 'If I was there, I'd bend you over that bed and pound into that dripping pussy from behind.'
'God Blake.' Her voice is breathless and I know she's close.
'Are you going to come baby?' I grunt as the pleasure floods through my veins and makes my thighs shake.
'Yes. Come with me Blake.' I hear the desperation for a release in her voice.
'I'm coming Jade, baby.' My eyes roll back as her whimpers send shocks of euphoria through me.
'Blake!' She screams out as I picture her squirming body as she envisions me through her orgasm.
I grip the sink until my knuckles turn white and the waves of pleasure have subsided. 'I love you Jade.'
'Oh baby, I love you too.'
I clean myself up and fix my pants.
The smile on my face suddenly vanishes when I hear a series of thumps and then a cry erupting through my house.
My phone forgotten, I take off out of the bathroom and in search of Marcus.
'Marcus!' I yell for him.
I hear a cry first and then his voice. 'Daddy!'
My sock clad feet pound against the wooden floors as I set out to find my son.
'Marcus?' I see him laying down beside the cement stairs that lead off the back of my porch. I kneel down beside him, 'What happened buddy?'
He uncovers the area of his calf that his hands were covering and my eyes widen. There's a huge gash cutting down his leg, blood oozing from the deep wound. 'Diesel was too fast, daddy. I tried to keep up with him but I fell.' His lip quivered and his sky blue eyes seemed brighter with the tears covering them.
'It's going to be okay baby.' I take him in my arms and carry him inside. Sitting him down on the kitchen counter, I lean down to inspect the wound.
'There were rocks daddy..'
At the sight of his tears I feel my heart sink. This is all my fault, was the only thing I could think of. He fell because I was worried about my sexual desires instead of my son's safety. My heart breaks in my chest as he sucks back sobs.
I straighten up and look him in the eyes. 'You're okay Marcus. Daddy's going to take care of you.'
Pulling him against my chest, wrapping him up tight as he cries into my shoulder.
'I'm going to take you to see a doctor, okay Marcus?' I set him down in his car seat in the back of my truck. 'Have you ever been to a doctor?'
He nods. 'Mommy took me there a little bit ago. She was sad, daddy.'
My eyebrows scrunch up, but I shake that away for right now. 'We'll talk about that later. Right now we're going to the doctor.'
*~*~*
'He's going to need stitches.' Doctor Brady tells us.
I nod and look down at Marcus.
The pain's not bother him anymore, due to the medication. So he's sitting on the spinning chair, leaning against the observation table, coloring.
I smile and then refocus my eyes on the doctor. 'That's fine.'
With a smile and a nod he leaves us alone behind the curtain.
'Marcus?'
Lollipop and all, he looks up at me with his big blue doe eyes. 'Yeah?'
'You're going to get stitches on your leg, okay?'
He nods. 'So they'll take this sticky stuff off?' He motions to the bandage and gauze wrapped around his calf.
'Yeah, buddy they are.'
*~*~*
Four hours and three lollipops later, Marcus is all stitched up and charming the nurses instead of wanting to go home.
'Okay, okay. Come on ya' little flirt.' I smile at the young nurse and she blushes.
'Have a good day Mr. Rivers.' She twirls her blonde hair around her index finger and batts her eyelashes at me.
My kind smile turns tight.
Blondes were never my type.
I'm more of a brunette kind of guy.
Oh my god.
Jade.
I never called Jade.
My hands lunge towards my pockets in search of my phone.
Shit.
I left my phone on the counter in the bathroom.
Springing to action I pick up Marcus and drag him out to the truck. Throwing his crutches in the back after I buckle him into his seat, I make my way home as fast as the speed will allow me to.
Approaching my driveway, I hold back curses, for the sake of my son's innocent ears, when I see two cop cars in my driveway and a rental car.
'Come on buddy.' I help him with his crutches as he limps his way to my front door. I open the door, the door I left unlocked, and helped Marcus inside.
'Oh my god! My baby.' I hear a familiar distraught voice.
Jade's hair was in a messy ponytail with bloodshot eyes and dark circles underneath them. She clings onto Marcus like it was the end of the world. 'What happened baby boy?'
Marcus looks down at his new bandages. 'I was playin' with Diesel and I fell.'
Her blazing blue eyes snapped to mine. I can almost hear her teeth grinding with anger. Keeping her eyes with mine, she speaks to the officers. 'You can go, officers. Everyone's accounted for.'
I vaguely hear them leave, too distracted by the smell of my impending doom.
'Marcus honey, can you go finish that drawing for mommy to see?' I decide that Marcus shouldn't hear wants about to be said.
Marcus places his crutches back under his arms and makes his way across the room and into the kitchen so he can color.
'Jade, before-'
She holds her hand up and I take that silent, shut up, and listen.
'Don't even dare to explain yourself right now. There is nothing, nothing, you can say to me that won't make me want to kill you.' She hisses.
My chest burns and I step to her. 'He fell, I panicked. I needed to get him to the hospital.'
Her wide, angry eyes were overwhelmed with tears in a second. 'You should've called me.'
'I know, baby. God, I know.' I ran a frustrated hand through my hair.
She shoots me a disgusted look. 'Don't baby me right now.'
I frown and look down. 'I'm so sorry, Jade. I never had to take him to the hospital before I-I just wanted to make sure he was okay.'
'I completely understand that. It's called being a parent.' She rolls her eyes. 'It's being a co-parent that seems to stump you.'
I take her hit like a man and shoot one right back. 'Says the girl who's lying to me.'
Her head whips to me. 'What?'
'Marcus said something about you being in the hospital a little bit ago, and that you were sad.'
She blinked at me. 'I-I- Blak-ke-'
I watched her try to find words. 'What Jade?'
'I had to go, you had a divisional game at home. I was in Philadelphia..'
'That's what it always comes down to, doesn't it?' I spit before thinking.
'We both have important jobs, Blake.'
I deadpan, 'But we both have a kid also, Jade.'
'So, what do you want me to do?' She raises her harsh whisper to a slight yell.
'I want you and Marcus to live here with me.'
She shakes her head in disbelief. 'You want me to give up everything I've worked for, for some guy?'
Okay, that stung. 'Some guy, huh?'
Her eyes widen like she just now registers what she said. 'Oh shit, Blake. I didn't-'
'It's fine, Jade.' I groan and cover my face, exhausted from the day. 'I'm going to go make something for Marcus to eat.'
She eyes me. 'Okay.'
'You hungry?' I asked her as I pushed past her stiff body, on my way to the kitchen.
'Uh- sure.'
I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the chicken breasts that I planned to make for Jade when she got here anyways.
I cut it up and dipped it into a marinate before I started grilling them.
Grabbing a few things from the refrigerator, I tossed a salad together and then mixed the grilled chicken in with it.
'You hungry Marcus?' I slide a bowl of salad and a cup of apple juice to him.
'He doesn't eat salad.' Jade cuts in.
Marcus picks up his fork, while I smirk. 'I eat daddy's salad.'
Jade frowns and grabs the bowl I offer her. I slide her a water bottle as I stand across the counter, eating my salad.
'This is good, Blake.' Jade smiles up at me.
Despite my heavily beating heart, I merely nod a thank you.
Her smile curves downwards and I quickly finish my food.
'I'll do the dishes.' Jade offers.
I don't argue. 'Fine. I'll put Marcus to bed.'
Jade brushes past me as I make my way around the counter to help Marcus. 'We'll talk later?'
I look into her eyes and I desperately want to be cold and distant. Show her how hurt her statement made me feel. But instead I nod, 'Yeah.'
With Marcus yawning in my ear I carry him up to bed. I lay him down in his room and he immediately sinks into the covers.
I place a soft kiss to his forehead. 'Goodnight son.'
Walking to the door and closing it half way, I hear a soft whisper. 'Good night dad.'
'Blake..' I feel a hand on my wrist when I turn away from Marcus' door.
I pull away my hand from hers and I motion to her to follow me into my bedroom.
'You want to talk? Then talk.'
Long chapter my lovely readers!
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-H