Laura sits on the edge of the bed clutching her phone to her chest as she hears Luke's voice whisper softly in her ear. "I regret every fucking minute I chose to keep it all from you, I love you." Suddenly feeling his strong arms wrap around her, his scent telling her he is close by.
Laura then turns and sees his face inches from hers, "How Luke? I don't know how you can fix this...But I also don't know how I can do this without you." her voice pangs feeling heavy with sadness.
"Like we always do babe...", Luke tells her sounding very cryptic. She looks up at him in confusion waiting for him to further elaborate. "I know you feel it."
"Feel what?", she asks perplexed by his words.
"The energy...", he says leaning into her, his hand reaching for her breast. His mouth a breath away from hers as he speaks again, "The energy that draws me to you."
"Of course I feel it...", she moans letting her body betray her. Then in an instant Laura is straddled over him as he lays back in bed. "I feel you everywhere."
"I think so...", she replies a little confused by his comment. "Make love to me." she demands as she sits up to untie her robe. Luke's hands reaching up to help her slip the silken material off her shoulders.
"I got it.", says Phoenix. He is so excited to get cereal for a snack today. Usually Laura does not allow them to have cereal too often, but she knows they will have a late lunch once Benjamin picks them up. Phineas meanwhile sits at the table crunching on his own bowl of cereal that mom just prepared for him. Phoenix on the other hand, insisted he make his own bowl today.
"All I'm saying is you need to fucking accept the hand you've been dealt. Whether you believe me or not I am on your side. Vegas, the casino, and the family name is all you got son. The quicker you realize that the easier this will get. Trust me." David says trying to assure him, but he knows Baz may need the whole story before he agrees to go back to Vegas willingly. "Listen you didn't hear this from me, but your mother was in a bad situation when she was your age, having you is what saved her, gave her purpose. I know she is rough around the edges, but she wasn't always like that. She did what she had to do for all of us to survive."
"I love you Laura. No matter what, that will never change.", he rambles as he watches her. Laura's eyes are locked onto his as he pushes the robe down her arms exposing her bare skinned body beneath it. "Did you feel that?", he asks her.
"Yes...", she softly replies, feeling the charge of energy from his touch.
And like many times before Luke takes her by the waist flips her, his body now hovering over hers. His scent and the warmth of his body waking up her senses like a shock of static electricity. "Make love to me.", she demands again.
"You have to forgive me baby.", Luke tells her kissing her softly.
"Why?", she asks feeling euphoric, as his stubbly beard grazes her cheek. All she wants to think about in this moment is their bodies, but he keeps saying the weirdest things.
"For what I did to you.", he says pushing up off her his hand reaching down into his underwear. "That day in the kitchen...I know you feel it." He says again.
"I don't understand. Feel what Luke?", she asks perplexed by his words again. "I want you to make love to me. Make all the pain go away." She demands for a third time knowing that when their souls collide it is a moment of pure, raw energy. Something she never wants to lose, but fears it might not be enough this time to hold things together.
Luke begins to lean back over her, "The baby...". He hoarsely mumbles spreading her legs farther apart.
"Baby?...", Laura repeats. "What baby Luke?"
"Inside you babe.", he says, leaning his body back over hers. "You know it's there. I can feel it."
"How do you know?", she asks, finding their conversation odd, but she continues with it anyways. "It's too soon to know."
"No, it's not...", he says pressing into her. "You know deep down it's true. Don't deny me the truth too. What if this baby is what saves us? It's what we both want." He says to her rocking his body softly against hers.
"How can a baby save us, Luke? You can't undo the damage that was done. I need to be able to trust you again."
"We can try...Laura don't give up on me.", he begs her. "Don't let me go...We need each other to survive this."
Then Laura moans softly, her body tingling from head to toe as she feels herself float, "Mmm...Luke.", she moans again, her body clenching around him. "A baby can't save us...Only you can.", she says as her eyes flutter closed feeling her orgasm build.
Laura stirs in the bed, the vivid dream making her whole body tingle. "Luke!", she shouts in her sleep, still clutching onto her phone. She fell asleep watching an old video of him and the boys. She recorded it on her phone many months ago, on her birthday actually, before everything turned bitter and sour between them.
"Momma daddy not here!", says a small voice waking her from the odd dream. Phoenix stands at the foot of the bed clutching his snoopy stuffed animal.
"Phoenix why are you awake?", Laura asks him realizing it's the middle of the night now.
"I have a bad dream.", he says with a pout.
"Me too pumpkin, come here.", she says to him. Phoenix walks over and climbs into bed with mom. She knows he is missing Luke too. He is definitely picking up on the tension.
"Where is daddy?", Phoenix asks her as he tightly clutches his stuffed animal.
"Taking care of some very important business. He'll be back home tomorrow. He said he misses you, and he'll see you and your brother soon.", she reassures him. Laura leans over him and kisses the top of his head, "Get some sleep you have a busy day tomorrow with Aunt Michelle and Uncle Benjamin..."
Laura wakes some hours later and decides it is probably best if the boys stay home with her this morning until Benjamin comes to get them. She cringes at the thought of any gossip or nosy moms at the preschool asking her about Ruby and Rufus. Laura also decides to try and stop thinking about that weird dream and worrying about being pregnant. Right now she is more worried about Luke and their marriage.
Laura peeks in on Phoenix to see he is still sleeping there in the bed. He has been deeply affected by the conflict between her and Luke lately and she can only hope that things will all work out for the sake of their entire family. She tries so hard to shake the odd feelings that the dream gave her, but she is not sure if she can. It is like her subconscious mind is telling her she needs to tell Luke, but she fears that it will only drive this wedge that is already lodged deep, even deeper.
Later into the morning Laura is in the kitchen with the boys, glad she decided to spend the morning with them. After getting them up and packing bags for the weekend. Laura is allowing them to have a mid morning snack before Benjamin gets here. "Careful that carton of milk is heavy.", she instructs Phoenix as he attempts to pick up the milk.
After a little bit of assistance from mom, Phoenix climbs down off the kitchen step ladder carrying his big bowl of cereal to the table all on his own with a big smile on his face. Laura watches carefully just in case she needs to help, not wanting to have to clean up cereal all over the floor, but Phoenix insists again he can do it himself. He is growing up fast...too fast, "Careful pumpkin, take your time."
Phineas' eyes go wide when he sees big brother carrying his big bowl of cereal to the table. "Mama!" he blurts thinking Phoenix is gonna spill it.
"It's okay, Fin...I'm watching him." Laura says as Phoenix walks across the kitchen with her following right behind him.
"I'm almost five, Fin. You're too wittle to do this...", Phoenix boasts in a serious tone as he struggles to carry the heavy bowl stomping along in his brown cowboy boots. He decided to try and dress like Uncle Benjamin today excited to spend the weekend with him.
"Not quite yet, you still have about 3 months before your birthday. Remember it's in the summer.", Laura reminds him, but being a four year old his sense of time is still being developed.
Phoenix gets the bowl up on the table then climbs up on the chair and looks over at his brother. "Uncle Benjamin said I can ride a horse, but you're to wittle Fin." Phoenix teases his brother.
"I not too wittle...", Phineas replies as he scoops more cereal into his mouth. "I can ride a horse."
"Nuh uh...Not by yourself, Uncle Benjamin said so..." Phoenix says as he looks over at Fin. "Right, Mama?"
Laura momentarily gets distracted by her phone, hoping she might hear from Luke soon. She is still getting plenty of spam texts and calls about yesterday's big scandalous reveal. "I think you are both still too young to ride by yourself." She replies, as she reads a text message from Chad. He is attempting to apologize about his phone call last night and inviting her to coffee to make up for it. Laura decides to reply later...
"I'm gonna be five, and Fin is only two. He's too wittle to ride a horse. He's a baby.", Phoenix teases scrunching his nose and making a face at his brother.
"I not a baby!", Phineas squeals in protest. Phoenix really knows how to tease him.
"Yes you are Fin, you still wear a diaper.", Phoenix quips. Phineas has been a struggle for Laura to potty train and lately she has not had the energy to push him on the training either.
"You a poopy head!", Phineas squeals at his brother in frustration.
"Phineas, you can't call him names. That is not nice.", Laura scolds him. All this tension and fighting is rubbing off more on the boys more than Laura realized. She sure hopes that her and Luke can work it all out this weekend. "Where did you learn that?", Laura ponders.
Phineas looks up at his mother, "He call me a baby. I not a baby." Phineas reminds his mother.
"No you're not a baby, but you still cannot call others names it is not nice. I need both of you to behave and to listen to what Uncle Benjamin tells you. Especially when it comes to riding horses." Laura reminds the both of them. "You are both still too young to ride by yourself."
"I can ride a horse?", Phineas asks his mother, who is quite good at conversation for a two year old.
"Only with Uncle Benjamin and you have to do what he says.", Laura reiterates to him. " The both of you...Okay?"
Phineas nods, "Okay, mama..."
While Laura is keeping her morning busy with the boys trying to keep her mind off of Luke and everything they need to talk about, Luke is at work. Peter and Luke hang out in the front of the store like they all discussed while the other 3 wait in the back. They're not sure when Margot's men will show but they are all pretty sure it will go down today.
"I can't believe you have a fucking brother man...", says Peter as he works to put records up while Luke works on the till.
The store has just opened for the morning, the pair waits for customers to arrive even though Luke was hesitant to open up shop today. They all agreed it is best to not draw any unwanted attention. So to keep things running as usual while they sit and wait. "Not as messed up as you fucking my mother.", Luke mumbles.
Peter turns around and walks towards the stack of records, "C'mon man, gimme a break already! I was a fucking horny eighteen year old..."
Luke sighs, he has had more than enough time to get over this drama. "I know, but it's my mom you fucked. That's just wrong man, I mean what the fuck?" For Luke, him and Peter were like brothers and the idea that his mom and Peter were intimate multiple times over the years just freaks him out. "You were my brother man...", he mumbles afraid to let these feelings go that he has been holding onto for over a year.
Peter continues to stock records and talk, "I still am man, I'm fucking here...right now! The shit with your mom has been over for years. Besides you know me...How many times do I let my dick do the decision making?", he jokes.
Luke kinda laughs defiantly and shakes his head somberly at the same time, "One too many times." He vocalizes, then begins to realize now how Laura feels when she gets upset about Rufus. The betrayal and the trust that is broken between them because he again chose to keep secrets that he should not have kept from his wife. "Fuck...", he mumbles as he sets up the till for the day. It seems everyone has secrets lately, some worse than others.
Peter turns thinking something is wrong with Luke for holding a grudge for so long, "What?!" he blurts frustrated and upset. "I can't fucking apologize for shit over and over. At some point you have to get over it.", Peter snaps.
Luke snaps back, not in the mood either. "I'll get over it when I fucking feel like it, okay?"
Peter stops what he is doing and walks towards Luke's direction, "Maybe I should go. No point in doing this shit if you're gonna be a bitch about it."
"Then go!", Luke snaps. He still has not completely processed the anger from that day at the party where he overhead Peter and his mother. "So I don't have to fuckin' drag you out."
Then just like that the air in the room gets even more intense, "You wanna take a swing at me? Is that what this shit is about?" Peter pushes as the two continue to argue with each other.
Meanwhile in the back room David is getting restless waiting around for Lorenzo to show up. "Why didn't you just tell me you wanted out. I could have helped you with this instead of it turning into this shit storm."
"And risk mom finding out about everything? Hell no! Eva and I had to do this on our own."
"How fucking stupid are you?", David rhetorically asks, knowing his son is far from it. "You knew your mother would find out. I think you just didn't care now look at the fuckin' mess you created."
Baz spins in his chair ever so slightly, "Guess I learned from the best." he goads his father, David instantly falls for it.
"You fuckin' bastard, trying to double cross me and your mother just put more targets on your back, and Eva's. Not to mention dragging your brother into this shit!", David has done some stupid stuff in his life, but this little stunt that Baz has failed to pull off is really coming undone now. "I think you've been thinking with the wrong head for way too long. Time to man up, Sebastian this shit is serious!"
"This is exactly why I had to do what I did! You and mom never listen to what I want!", Baz rants. All his life his mother has controlled nearly every aspect of it, preparing him to be able to take over one day. "I don't want any of it, I never did."
"Well you're shit outta luck cuz you don't have anyone else to take your place.", David tells him. "You know there is no way outta this. Even if you try to run away. I'm still dragging your ass back to Vegas."
Baz pops up outta his chair, "Over my dead body am I ever going back! You can't drag me back there. Just tell mom I got away."
"You know I can't fucking do that Sebastian...", David says disappointment laced in his voice.
"What kinda hold does mom have on you?! Take the money and the product back to her. I don't fucking care, just let me and Eva go...", he begs his father.
"Sebastian, the whole reason you were born was to carry on after your mother. If I let you get away then I'm for sure a dead man and I'd rather keep all of me intact for a little while longer. You and Eva can get through this you just have to convince her that you're both gonna stay and carry on the family legacy. It's the only way, you two can't stay on the run forever." David says trying to talk some sense into him.
Again back in the main space of the shop, Luke and Peter continue to let the drama escalate between them, "You fucked my mother!", Luke nearly shouts as he walks up on Peter. "You crossed the wrong fucking line man!"
"I know I did, so take a fucking swing at me if it makes you feel better!", he tells him. "I'm fucking sick of this shit already. We all have shit we're not proud of including you!"
Luke stands there and stares him off for a beat considering the implications of starting a fist fight with Peter right now. He knows Peter was young and dumb when this affair started with his mother. He knows how closed off Peter can be when it comes to sharing his feelings and secrets he does not want anyone to know. Luke on the other hand always had his secrets aired out like dirty laundry because of his public relationship with Rufus for many years. So everyone always knew his, and now here he stands toe to toe with Peter over something he knows is now so trivial compared to everything else that is currently going on in his life.
His perspective on the matter begins to shift as he opens his mouth to speak, "You know what Pete...". Then the door chimes with their first customer for the day. A man dressed in all black strolls in, and the hairs on the back of Luke's neck stand up. "Can I help you?"
"I came to apologize sha.", the man drawls in his creole accent. It's the same man that was here the other day with his sister. The one who grabbed his hand and freaked Luke out. "My sista canna be intense, but she means well..."
Peter scratches his head in confusion as Luke responds to the man standing there in front of them. "It's okay...No harm done."
"Dis may be sha, but she canna see I tell you...Sometimes her visions are too intense and give me the frissons, no?", he smiles. "I know her intentions are well and many times she is right."
"Look man, I get it. Like I said it's okay. I dunno what you're trying to tell me or sell me, but I'm very busy today.", Luke says in a calm manner hoping this guy leaves. His sister really did scare him, but he is not gonna admit that.
"Mais, you misunderstand me...I know you can feel dis shift. Today your fate is decided, no?", Lucien adds. "If you choose ta let her go it will be your undoing. I seen it and it gives me the frissons!"
"Choose who?", Luke asks confused thinking he is talking about Rufus because all of that is so public and fresh news right now. "Look man if Rufus put you up to this shit. Tell her it is not gonna fucking work."
"No...No. You misunderstand me again. I see da future. Today is the day! The shift in your timeline. Dis one my sista saw in your hand. You must choose wisely!"Lucien reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a crumpled up business card. "Here take dis. I canna say more you must figure it out on your own sha..."
Luke reluctantly reaches out and grabs the old, warped business card from Lucien's hand. Lucien says one last thing before he leaves. "Remember...She is your timeline...Good luck my friend. Mai la, you gonna need it!" Then just like that Lucien is gone and out the door, leaving Luke and Peter standing there speechless as the two men start down at the odd business card.
"What the fuck was that man?", Peter says completely spooked by all of it. "I don't think this is one of Rufus's games she is playing. That guy sounded like he was fucking for real?!"
"You can't seriously believe this guy is legit?!", Luke replies. "C'mon this has Rufus drama stamped all over it! She wants nothing more than to break up my marriage."
Peter scratches his head. "I dunno you've done plenty of that shit all on your own without any help from Rufus. What exactly happened with this guy's sister?"
"Nothing, man!", Luke explains. "She just grabbed my fucking hand the other day and tried to get a reaction out of me. It fucking worked that's for damn sure, but you don't seriously believe this shit? They're just trying to make money."
"Did this happen before or after the news about Ruby?", Peter asks him.
"It was the night before, I think. Why?", replies Luke.
Peter shakes his head, "Fuck...I dunno man. That guy seemed really fucking serious. I'd burn that fucking card if I were you." Peter says feeling strange and superstitious about all that just transpired.
"Then take it. Go fucking burn it. I got work to do." Luke says to him.
Peter immediately jumps back nearly falling over. "Oh no! You're not passing off that 'Ju Ju, Voodoo' shit on me! I got enough problems of my own."
"Pete, it's a fucking piece of old paper.", Luke says as he waves the card out between them. The writing is very old and the paper is thick like it was hand written almost a century ago. "Whatever let's get back to work."
Down the small hall and in the back room Baz and David continue to do their own arguing. "No! Eva and I are not going back...Maybe you should leave dad! Skip town before Lorenza shows up. I can handle him." Baz pushes against his chest urging him to go.
"Sebastian...Stop being so hard headed. If I leave then who is here to vouch for you, huh? Lorenzo won't believe a word you're saying he is very loyal to your mother. He will kill Eva and drag you back to Vegas, and you know it!"
"Fuck you! You have no fucking idea what I'm dealing with. Mom hates Eva, why would she ever accept her?! We have no other choice."
Eva steps in as she has continued to watch them argue. "Baz baby, I think your father is right. We need to face your mother. It's the only way."
"C'mon you don't expect me to believe all that?! When has mom given a shit about anyone besides herself and the casino?!", Baz replies frustrated with all this cryptic nonsense. "Just fucking tell me already. I think I deserve to know!"
"She never wanted this life...It chose her. Even though she is good at it, the people she answers to expect no less of her..." Baz nods as he continues to listen to David speak. "When she found out she was pregnant, her father was furious...She had no where to go."
Then suddenly familiar voices can be heard floating down the narrow hallway. "Shhh!..." David reaches behind him and pulls out a handgun. "Wait here." he whispers.
David creeps over to the doorway making sure to not make a sound as all three of them listen to the voices in the main room of the record shop.
"Luke Cooper.", says the voice. "You look a lot like your father. Too much I'd say." The voice quips with anger. "You have the money?"
"Oh shit!", says Baz as Eva gasps. "Is that..." David puts a hand out signaling them to be quiet...
To Be Continued!...
We will pick back up with Part 3 On Saturday January 27th ^_^
Thank you to My Patreon members for your continued support!
Dallas, Robin, Danie, Susie, Cathryn, Jackie, Whitney, Kennith, JC, Sugar Magnolia, Nicole, Heather, Lily, Susie, Jackie, Tray, Nan, Jess, Malia
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