It was mid-afternoon. The end of summer was fast approaching, and thankfully the heat was beginning to subside. Gone were the days of 100+ degrees during the day. Now, things warmed up to a manageable 80 before cooling back down just before sunset. A Duck Dynasty marathon was on the TV. Willy and his family were on vacation in Hawaii, where crazy Uncle Si had convinced himself he could find ancient Mayan ruins.
Morgan was laying in bed, giggling at the exchange between the heavily bearded men on the screen. She was no history major, but the last time she'd checked the Mayans were in Mexico - quite a few miles away from Hawaii.
Under her head was Justin's chest, rising and falling with steady breathes. It had been his idea to watch this program in the first place, and he chuckled when brothers Jep and Jase made a smartass remark to their uncle. She'd come to find that when the Marine did have a few hours of free time, he spent it doing things that she never would have considered for her own life, like work out and watch dumb TV shows. But, the show they were watching was the least of her concern. He could watch whatever he wanted, and long as he stayed here.
Justin had arrived around 10am, after being invited to breakfast by Chloe the night before. The little girl had been so excited, she'd only slept a few hours the night before. Morgan spent the morning making them waffles and scrambled eggs while they played Chutes and Ladders at the table. Then, they'd built a blanket fort in the living room, and Chloe MCed a Talent Show inside. Justin played air guitar, and Morgan told bad jokes. It was nearing 4pm now, and Chloe had passed out about a half hour prior; exhausted from the restless night and satisfied with her time with Mr. Justin.
Afterward, the adults had retreated to Morgan's bedroom, where they laid down on top of the blankets. She'd started to lay down on the pillow next to him, but he's lifted an arm and pulled her close until her head rested on his chest. He was solid, and warm, and her head seemed to tuck perfectly under his chin. Fingertips softly brushed against her side, skimming over the fabric of her dress bodice.
Not even in her wildest dreams -- well, maybe in some of them -- did she ever think that she'd be laying here cuddling with him; or with any man for that matter. Devon was never big on affection. He knew how to turn on the charm when he wanted to get some at the end of the day, but other than that he didn't pay her much physical attention - unless fighting counted. But, laying here with Justin, she realized what she'd been missing. His arms around her, his smell surrounding her, hearing the beat of his heart, and the rumble in his chest when he chuckled. She'd never felt so safe, or warm, or wanted, or... content. She was content with him, just like this.
He turned his head, resting his cheek against her head while twirling a lock of her hair around his fingers. Morgan closed her eyes, melting against him, trying to soak it all in. It didn't matter what was happening on the TV. Si, Jep, Jase, Willy and whomever else could get into whatever silly, unnecessary shenanigans they wanted too. She just wanted to be here, and memorize everything about this moment.
"Bitch, I don't give a fuck what happened! You better tell me who it is."
Justin sat up and Morgan's eyes opened, their picture perfect moment ruined.
"I told you, DJ, I don't know who it is. Stop! Let go of me!"
"Well, tell me who it is!"
"You're scaring my baby! Stop!"
Voices were rising from the walkway outside her window. A woman was yelling at a man to stop pulling on her, and other voices were rising in the background telling him to step back and 'don't touch her'. Morgan could feel the change in Justin's demeanor. The muscles in his arms flexed, and his jaw line was set. He pulled himself from underneath her, and stalked over to the window where he peered out into the courtyard.
"What's going on?" Morgan asked.
"36A," he said, referring to an apartment where the tenants were known to cause a disturbance on a biweekly basis. "They can never keep their shit inside."
"You better stop! I'm finna call the police! Don't touch me!" The girl was yelling.
"What?! What?! Bitch, you threatening me with the law now? You gonna call the man on me? What?!"
More voices started to rise from the grassy knoll in the middle of the complex, and Morgan sat up.
"What's going on now?"
"Nothing," Justin said. "There's a bunch of people out there with them, trying to break it up."
"Tasha, you can't call the police. You're not even hurt."
"So?! That don't matter. He ain't got no reason to be grabbing on me like that. He's scaring my son."
"You're not going to go out there?" Morgan asked.
Justin had posted himself by the window, peering out through the slightest crack between the blades of the blinds. His eyes were focused as he watched the scene unfold.
"I'm not on the clock," he said tightly.
As if on cue, he spotted two guards approaching the group. He hadn't spent much time working with the day shift guys, he preferred having the cover of darkness on his side. But, from the few training exercises they'd done together they seemed to be a good group. Better than Dale - but then again, most things were better than Dale.
"Still Tasha, there's no need to call the law. Don't you understand why he's upset? They're talking about him!"
"They're talking about me too! Yeah, I get why he mad. But, whoever this is has been stalking me. I got no control over what they say about him. They just texted me last night talkin 'bout 'I know where your man live. I know where that punk ass lives'. I can't control them. And the police need to be involved cause I been dealing with this for two years."
Justin stepped back from the window and looked at Morgan.
"What is it with all these dumbass guys stalking and putting their hands on women? And what's with you women putting up with it? Is there something in the water in this place?"
Morgan shrugged, looking down at the pink and white sheets folded over the black and white bedspread. She'd gone down to the police department to file a report on Devon. Since the evidence from the break-in and spray paint were already cleaned up, and there weren't any witnesses of him committing any crimes, they hadn't been able to arrest him. But, now there was a record of his antics, and the next time he pulled something it'd be that much easier to get a restraining order. The record would also come in handy once they finally went to court over Chloe. Morgan was hell-bent on full-custody, and now she had an even better chance of receiving it.
Rising from the bed, she walked into the bathroom, running a brush through her hair. Listening to the commotion outside was bringing back too many memories. Today had been a happy day, she wanted it to stay that way.
Sensing her shift in mood, Justin glanced over. She was facing away from him, bent over at the waist. Her long curls hung down almost to the floor, swinging back and forth as she ran a red brush over her head. This time she wore a little blue sundress, dotted with tiny green flowers. Normally it would have come down nearly to her knees, but with the way she was bending over, he was guessing only about an inch of fabric was keeping him from seeing her underwear.
Glancing out the window again, he saw that the group outside had finally begun to disperse. The upset woman was being escorting toward the parking lot by the two guards, while the man and his friends headed in the opposite direction, back towards their apartment. He'd have to check the log book later and see what that as all about. Walking back to the bed, he plopped down with a sigh.
Morgan looked up when she heard the bed shift. Justin was laying on his back, feet still planted on the floor. His eyes were closed, Uncle Si's antics on the television screen long forgotten. He looked stressed - troubled somehow. One of his hands was pinching the bridge of his nose, rubbing aggressively at his eyelids.
"You alright?" Morgan asked, setting the brush on the counter.
The guard didn't move.
"Yeah," he said. "Just had an early morning. Ran a few miles before I came over."
Morgan nodded, though he couldn't see it. Safe from being caught, she started to drink in the details of his body. His toned arms, lightly masked with fine brown hairs. The tan, bronze skin running up the outsides of his biceps to his neck. The half-hazard way he'd flung himself onto the bed had lifted his plain black tee-shirt, revealing a sliver of skin just above his waistband. Normally, she would never allow herself to openly admire him. She was pretty sure he'd look at her funny and call her a 'weirdo'. But, he seemed fairly lost in his own far off world right now.
Unintentionally, her eyes scanned his frame again, this time zeroing in on the zipper of his pants. It wasn't that she was in the mood or even sexually deprived. Truth be told, he'd come over the night before on his lunch break, but food hadn't exactly been what was on his mind. Even so, watching him now she couldn't help but realize that in all the times they'd been intimate, he'd never been the one to submit. He was accustomed to being in charge, in all aspects of his life. She was always so overcome with desire that she let him take the lead. Maybe, it was time for a change?
He looked so vulnerable laying there; so unsuspecting. But, what if he wasn't into that 'assertive, dominant female' persona? It would be the most humiliating thing in world if she tried to initiate something physical and he rejected her - even more so than the infamous cantaloupe she'd dropped on her foot during their first meeting. She'd only barely begin to gain her sexual confidence with him, a rejection would shatter it. What if she didn't do it right? Didn't move the way he liked? What if she felt.... different to him that way? Not all positions felt the same.
Her eyes must have been boring a hole into his body, because he swiftly lifted his head, cracking open one eye to look at her. Their eyes met, and he smirked. The room had been silent for a few minutes, and she was just standing there staring off into space with a nervous look on her face.
Weirdo.
Morgan watched him drop his head and close his eyes again, her thoughts still running rapid. The one thing she did know for sure about this situation, was that she would never know until she tried.
Gathering all of her courage, she slowly crossed the room, making her way to Justin's form. He was still on his back, feet on the floor, his knees slightly spread. She gnawed at her bottom lip, silently praying to God that he didn't open his eyes right then and ask her what the hell she was doing. Climbing up onto the mattress, Morgan threw a leg over him, and straddled his waist.
Justin's eyes opened, and all he could see was her. Her dark curls hung down to her waist, her dainty blue dress floating over his hips. The top was pulled tight, held in place by thin spaghetti straps. He wasn't sure if she didn't know, or didn't care, but it looked like her breasts were about to bust out any minute. He'd spent more time staring down her top than watching the show, just waiting for her to take one deep breathe too many. With the way she was sitting on him now, if something did snap they'd come flying right at him - which wasn't exactly a bad thing.
Placing her hands on his chest for balance, Morgan waited to see what he'd do. His eyes were open, watching her curiously as she stared down at him. Then she felt his hands grip her arms, forcing her torso to lower. They were flush to one another, chest to chest. She could feel each inhale he took, his flat stomach pushing against her.
Without a word he lifted his head, pressing their lips together to pull her into a kiss. He flicked his tongue against hers, and sucked her lip between his teeth. She moved her lips against his, setting a slow, delicate pace. He felt a small hand rest on the side of his face, and her weight relax into him.
Gentle fingertips started to glide over her body, tickling her knees where they pressed against his sides. Slowly making their way up her thighs, smoothing over her butt and the edge of her boy shorts, pressing into her soft flesh. He was subconsciously rocking her hips against his, his erection starting to grow beneath her. When their lips parted he made a beeline down her breastplate, burying himself in her cleavage.
Morgan lifted her head, watching rays of sunshine stream in through cracks in the blinds. Apparently it didn't matter what position they were in, he would always be in charge, and he would always feel good. His lips were leaving steamy trails over her skin; nipping, sucking, teasing her endlessly. Hands were holding her tight, pressing her down on him. He was full grown between her thighs, rubbing against her perfectly.
The room was getting hot, and she needed a moment to regain her bearings. The plan had been for her to seduce him, not for her to be his toy on top.
Pushing against his chest, Morgan sat up in his lap. His hands moved under her dress, up to her waist. She looked down, cocking an eyebrow when she found that both of her nipples were exposed. At some point he'd managed to fold down the blue floral bodice, allowing her to spill over. Now they were hard and erect, begging for more attention. When she looked up at him, he was laying back with a smirk.
"I couldn't help myself," he said simply. "Those things are awesome."
Morgan snorted.
"Instead of you wrinkling my dress, why don't I just help you out and take this off?"
"Thank you."
Justin watched as she reached for the hem of her dress, pulling it over her head in one swift motion. Her curls spilled down over her shoulders, perfectly framing the red lace push-up bra she'd been wearing underneath. Her brown skin seemed to stretch on for days, finally leading down to a pair of matching, red lace panties. His eyes widened a split second before his hands reached for her again. Morgan felt her body being pulled down again, his arms wrapping around her back. Her hair fell around them like a dark curtain.
"You're too sexy," she felt him mutter against her collarbone.
He was cradling her against him, holding her so close she could barely breathe. Justin felt like his body was trying to devour her; soak her in and drink up as much of her as he could. In a short while he wouldn't be here anymore, and all he'd have were memories of moments like this. Memories of her hair tickling his face, her soft exhales in his ear, her weight on top of him, her soft center pressed against him, lips sucking at his, the smell of vanilla that always seemed to float in the air around her. She was so beautiful with her caramel skin, big brown eyes, and thick hair shining in the sun light.
In an instant, he needed her in the worst way. He needed all of her. Using one hand to keep her close, he reached between them with the other, undoing the buckle on his pants. Morgan vaguely felt him move, her mind too lost in the moment to bother trying to comprehend. It wasn't until she felt him lining her hips up with his and a throbbing, sturdy erection thrusting into her that she finally came back down. She moaned with surprise and he paused, Chloe instantly coming to mind.
But the sleeping child seemed to be the furthest thing from Morgan's mind. She sat up, shoving his shirt up to his armpits so her fingers could splay against his pecs. He pulled it off entirely, then folded his arms behind his head to comfortably take in the view.
Fine.
If she wanted to be in control he could let her do that.
For now.
She stared down with those piercing eyes, looking right through him. Her irises were wide with lust and desire. He forgot everything: how to speak, how to move. Again, all he could do was feel her. Feel her hips slowly start to swivel and swirl to their own beat. Feel her smoothly gliding up and down his rigid shaft. Feel her twitch and squirm against him, trying to keep quiet when something felt too good. He felt her thick thighs flex against him with each twirl of her hips.
She was an amazing sight for sore eyes; lost in her own world, eyes closed, head tipped back. Her breasts were bouncing with each movement, barely contained by the thin material. Justin came to his senses long enough to reach around and undo the hooks of her bra. She felt his hands palm her breasts, his palms rough against her nipples. When he let go she didn't care. She was completely lost, only able to focus on the sensations of their erotic union. It was an entirely different angle, bringing on entirely different tingles. She could feel the butterflies starting to gather deep inside. They were fluttering back and forth, tumbling over each other, growing tighter and tighter.
The eruption hit hard, rolling up her spine and vibrating down her legs to shoot out of her toes. She lost control, her insides spasming and contracting on their own. Justin hooked a hand behind her head, pulling her down and tucking her face against his shoulder. There, she could make all the noise she wanted without bothering - or waking- anyone else. He could feel the intensity of her orgasm. He'd seen the twisting of her face and felt her nails scratch lines in his chest. Wetness seeped down into his lap and onto the bedspread.
Instinctively, her pleasure triggered his, and as he felt his own butterflies threaten to erupt he couldn't hold back his dominance anymore. His hands dropped to her hips, holding her low and still. Then he started to thrust up into her, hard and fast. Morgan bit down on his shoulder, struggling to muffle herself. But, he didn't stop, not even when the pain shot through him. His thrusts continued, deep and relentless. Finally she heard the low grumbles in his throat, the signature groans of his own orgasm. He held her hips captive until he was done, forcing her to take all that he had to give. When he finally let go, her skin stung where his fingertips had pressed into her.
Morgan collapsed onto the bed at his side, her leg still strewn over him. She was still laying there, trying to catch her breath, when his fingertips graze along the line of her calf. Justin was taking in the subtle glow of her skin, highlighted by the light sheen of sweat that had developed over her.
Several minutes passed, both of them laying there in silence. Morgan had just begun to fall asleep when she heard his voice.
"I have to clock in soon," he was saying. "I'm going to take a shower."
Morgan nodded, half surprised and half delighted that he felt comfortable enough to shower here. It had been three months since their first encounter, yet there were no titles and they'd only spend the night in the same bed once. Sometimes it felt like their relationship was stagnant instead of moving forward.
Her eyes opened just long enough to walk him strut into her bathroom. He was shirtless, his undone pants hanging low on his hips. Tough, tan skin was stretched over lean muscle, his back rippling with each movement like there was a caged animal laying within, dying to escape. But she didn't have much time to think about all that. Her eyes narrowed on his shoulder blades, spying two black and gray tattoos - one on each side.
How did she not see those before? All the times they'd been together, and she never noticed to large, dark tattoos emblazoned on those big, broad shoulders? But, in her defense, he hadn't spent that much time walking around shirtless. Generally when they were together, he was so eager to get her naked and get to the deed that his clothing was commonly overlooked. Plus, the ink was on his back. Who would spend much time looking at his back when there were other, much more interesting things going on at his front?
"I didn't know you had tattoos," she said, sitting up.
"Yeah. Got them when I was fresh out of boot."
"Well, come here," she held out a hand. "I want to see them."
Justin strolled back over to the bed, sitting down on the edge with his back to her. He felt the mattress shift under her weight, and smiled when a sexy brown leg appeared on each side of him. He felt her fingers brush his skin, examining the images. One of them was the Marine Corps emblem, wrapped in angel wings, with a cross in the foreground. The other appeared to be some kind of soldier, snarling and hunched over.
"Ok, what am I looking at?" Her fingers running over the man's thick boots.
He smiled, slightly turning his head to explain.
"It's a twist on a valkyrie," he said. "Back in the day, ancient Nordic warriors were some of the fiercest soldiers in the world. Their belief in Heaven was different than everyone else's. They called it Valhalla. It was a place where only honored warriors went. They believed that valkyries were angels, and watched over the warriors on the battlefield. When someone died with honor, a valkyrie came from Valhalla and took the honored spirit to the Hall of Heroes to spend the rest of eternity with their brothers."
"So, the valkyrie is kind of like a Warrior's Angel?"
"Yes, exactly like a Warrior's Angel," he smirked softly. "You're only seen with honor in death if you stood and fought. Cowards run. Kind of like the Marine Corps motto: death before dishonor."
Morgan sighed. Until recently, she'd never let the reality of his occupation sink in. Family Day had changed that. Stories of his adventures had opened her eyes to possibilities. But, hearing him speak about it now, seeing the ink etched into his skin, made it all entirely too real.
"And this one?" She trailed a finger over the emblem. "I know it's the emblem, but what are the wings and the cross for?"
His expression changed, and he turned away from her, quickly moving to his feet.
"It's just a symbol," he said. "I gotta shower."
Without another word he got up and walked into the bathroom, leaving Morgan confused on the bed.
~*~
Justin pushed open the front door to his apartment, simultaneously pulling off his sweaty gray t-shirt and wrapping it around his neck. He'd just finished his usual morning run. Even though it was still somewhat early, it didn’t stop the weather from being warm. He walked over to his fridge, pulling it open and retrieving a cold bottle of water. He twisted it open and chugged down half the bottle. His body wanted the whole thing, but he knew from experience that downing too much water right after exercise would make you nauseous and bring on cramps. Recapping the bottle, he tossed it onto the counter and began to rummage through the cabinet just as his cell phone started to buzz from the counter top.
He reached over to grab it, his eyes scanning over the screen and reading 'Pops'. He swiped a finger over the green button and put it to his ear.
"Hello?”
“Hey there son! How’s my favorite Sergeant?”
Justin chuckled as his ever cheerful tone. It was Staff Sergeant, actually, but whatever.
"I’m good Pop, how are you? How was the vacation?”
“Well it definitely a vacation! Plenty of Mai Tai’s and beautiful women, but leave that part out the next time you talk to your step mother. That’s an order,” his father teased.
Justin shook his head with laughter, grabbing a box of honey buns that Morgan had left behind when she and Chloe spent the night. Now was as good a time to polish them off as any.
"Yes sir.”
“Sorry we couldn’t make it to the Family Day son."
"It's alright. You didn't miss much. Same hot dogs and party games as last year."
He thought of Morgan spending the afternoon leaning against him on the wooden bench, asking questions about military acronyms and giggling at PT stories. But, he kept those details to himself.
"I figured as much. Besides that, how’s everything? How's it going with the job at the complex?”
Justin made his way into the living room and plopped down on the couch, tearing at the wrapping on a honey bun.
"Good. I've really gotten a handle on everything. It's a lot quieter, and the loitering is almost non-existent. It’s boring now, which makes my job easy.”
“That a boy. I knew you'd have it cleaned up in no time. Looking to move on to something better?"
Justin sighed.
"Doubtful," he said. "There's another possible deployment coming up in a few weeks.”
“You sound down about that.”
“Yeah, of course. No one looks forward to a deployment.”
His Dad chuckled.
"Son, I'm your father, and as long as you been in the service you've always been very indifferent when it comes to news like this. But, now it seems as if you're not happy about this. The only thing I can think of that ever gets you down involves a girl.”
Justin took a bite of his honey bun, chewing slowly as pictures of Morgan and Chloe ran through his thoughts causing a slight tug in his chest.
"Her name is Morgan.”
“Ahh there it is," his Dad replied knowingly. "How'd ya meet her?”
Justin grinned to himself leaning back against the couch.
"I met her at work. Somewhat like a damsel-in-distress type of situation."
"You never could resist being a knight-in-shining armor. Tell me about her?"
Justin shrugged, not knowing where to begin.
"She's beautiful. Sweet, strong willed, smart, gentle, a big heart. And she has this daughter that's just--.”
“Oh? She has a kid?”
“Yes," Justin smiled. "Very much like her Mother. A ball of energy, very charming."
“Kids always are, especially when they're being raised right.”
"She is," Justin assured. "They're great."
He sat up, running his hand over his face.
"I’m not so sure about this though, Pop."
“Why, son? Not sure about what?”
“The deployment, my PTSD. It’s a lot to deal with. They deserve to be with someone who is going to be around them. Someone who can protect them, provide for them, take care of them. Be loving and affectionate and shit. I won’t be able to do that during deployment. And even if I stayed here, shit, I am so emotionally screwed up. Hanging out with me would do more damage than anything.”
Justin heard his Dad sigh with heaviness.
"Son, you really care about this young lady?”
“Yeah. I’m just not sure how to execute the situation properly in order for it to be a success. She has a lot of issues with the father of her child. He is a completely dickwad that I’ve already had the pleasure of running into, and I can’t stand for them to be in that situation. They need my help.”
Justin found himself pacing the floor of his living room, the anxiety building more and more as he talked about it. The pressure was already making him begin to sweat. How was he supposed to keep his mind on missions if he worrying about Morgan fighting her own personal war with Devon? It would not only hurt him to be away from her, but the men in his unit would ultimately be the ones paying the price.
His anxiety during combat was bad enough, but adding other worries on top of that? He'd be a ticking bomb by the time they headed back home. That wasn’t something Morgan needed in her life.
“Justin, listen to me. First off, this isn't a mission like out in the field. So, you can't necessarily approach it like that. There's nothing to execute here.”
Point taken.
“It sounds to me like you genuinely care about this woman and her daughter. But, before you can take care of anyone you have to be able to take care of yourself, son. That last deployment has taken a toll on you mentally, your PTSD is something you need to take care of. The doctor told you, if you don't stay on top of it, you'll start to lose control.”
Justin sighed as he stood in front of his patio door. He pulled the thin, silver chain connected to the blinds, revealing the small park area his complex had built for the kids. A little play area stood off to the far left of a large grassy space where some adults were playing with their smaller children before the midmorning rush of big kids arrived.
“Have you expressed any of these feelings to her?”
Justin turned his back to the window and began to pace again.
"No."
"Have you talked to her about Chad? Does she know about your diagnosis?"
"Not yet. I’m not really sure how to express all this. I don’t know where to start..”
“Well son, you have to start somewhere. Sounds like she's trusted you with her secrets, now it's time for you to trust her with yours. This is something you both need to talk out together. You can't have much of a relationship without communication. But, I can tell you this: women are the most beautiful gift God can give a man, and no one is more deserving of that than you. Now that you have them, you have to treat them right. If you care for her, tell her. As you know, life is too short to just sit on the sideline hoping for something to happen. Sometimes you just got to take the proactive steps and make them happen - especially when you love her.”
Justin's steps came to a halt in the middle of his living room pondering his Dad's words. Love. Was he in love with Morgan? Could she be in love with him?
“That makes sense.”
“Good. She seems like one hell of woman if you're this bent out of shape. I would really love to meet her sometime.”
Justin laughed wiping the dampness from his forehead with the back of his hand. It was a bit too soon for Meet the Parents, but, one day.
"You will, Pop. You will.”
~*~
It was a Thursday afternoon, much like any other Thursday afternoon. It was bright and sunny, and comfortably warm outside. The clothing store was starting to get busy. People were starting to get off of work for the day, and now had time to run errands and spend a little money before going home to start dinner. It also helped that all of the summer dresses were on clearance, in preparation for the approaching Fall season.
Morgan was busy with the register, ringing up an older Hispanic lady who was buying three dresses, a dozen pairs of shorts, and a million pieces of jewelry. From behind the counter she could see her co-workers working the floor, answering customer questions and setting them up in dressing rooms. There were still several hours before closing, hopefully they didn't run out of energy too early.
"What's your return policy on these?" The woman asked, holding up a khaki skort.
"With the tags and receipt you get a full refund. If you lose the receipt, you can get store credit within 30 days."
The woman nodded as Morgan packed her items in a white plastic bag and finished the transaction. When they were done, she handed the woman the large bag.
"Thank you," the woman smiled.
"Thank you, have a nice day."
Morgan watched the woman walk away, heading for the double glass doors at the front of the store. She raised a slightly wrinkled hand to shield her eyes as she stepped out into the heat. Morgan watched for a moment, then started to turn her attention back to her job when something in the distance caught her eye.
She narrowed her brows, trying to focus on a figure sitting low in the driver's seat of a white Crown Victoria. Devon drove the same type of vehicle - at least he had when they'd been together. The driver was slumped down in the seat, a black faceless mass covered in darkness thanks to the shade being thrown by a nearby tree.
Even without seeing his face she knew it was him. A cold chill ran down her spine. Why was he here? How long had he been there? What was he doing?
"Excuse me."
Morgan turned back to the register, finding an annoyed face staring back at her.
"Are you open? I want to buy these."
"Yes, sure. Sorry about that."
Her half-hearted apology fell on deaf ears as the woman turned to a nearby pile of discounted nail polish.
Morgan rung up the items, her hands begin to tremble from the surge of adrenaline in her veins. Every time she looked up into the parking lot, her eyes sought out the white car in the back row. The driver was still there, unmoving. What if it wasn't Devon at all? Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her; some screwed up side effect from paranoia.
She bid the customer a good afternoon after finishing the transaction, and smiled softly before turning her attention back to the car. The driver was now dangling a lit cigarette from the window. She squinted her eyes a bit as she began to discreetly make her way towards the front , subconsciously straightening things up along the way.
Since Morgan couldn’t make out the driver's face she began to inspect the car, taking note of the details on the exterior. Nothing jumped out to help confirm her suspicions that it may in fact be Devon. That was, until a beam of light from sun found its way through the trees and shone directly into the car, spotlighting the suspect right in the face.
Her heart began to beat rapidly as Devon’s face came into view. He sneered back at her. She quickly dropped the scarf she'd been holding in her hands and quickly darted through the aisle, making her way over to the store phone. She was unaware of the looks and stares she got from her co-workers and most importantly, her boss. She hurriedly grabbed the receiver with trembling hands , trying to clear her head before dialing 911. She turned her head back toward the store window, looking out at the car again. But, as soon as she placed the phone to her ear she heard him crank on the engine. The car pulled out of the parking spot, peeling out the shopping center, and barely avoiding slamming into a minivan as made the turn onto the main road.
It wasn't long before Morgan was standing outside the store, talking to the police as they took down a report. She sighed as she repeated all the details of the incident to the officer who'd been dispatched. She shuffled back and forth on her feet, growing exceedingly uncomfortable as people slowly walked past them to the store, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. She wondered to herself why Devon would be sitting outside her job, watching her. She hadn’t heard anything from him in a few weeks, and now here he was out-of-the-blue.
The officer told her that because Devon hadn't threatened her in any way, and was no longer on the scene, there was nothing they could do under the law. All Morgan could do was roll her eyes and kick herself. Justin had been right. If she had filed a report when he first spray painted her car the police would have records of all the crazy mischief he was causing, and she'd be able to get a restraining order on him. Now, this was beginning to get out of hand - almost more than she could handle.
As soon as she finished with the police, she headed back inside the store to continue on with the rest of her day. It would be hard with the way her nerves were rattled, but she needed the money. She could call Justin on her way home. He had a way of always calming her nerves. She'd barely stepped through the door when she heard her manager called out to her.
"Morgan, can I see you in my office please?”
She nodded, following behind the manager as they walked into the stockroom and down the hallway which lead to her office. Once they entered, the woman closed the door behind them.
“Is everything alright, Morgan?”
Morgan nodded, rubbing her hands together nervously.
"Yes ma’am. I just got a lot going on today. I’m sorry-.”
“Something has been going on, you were on edge for thirty minutes before the police even showed up. What’s that all about anyway?”
Morgan reached back to massage the back of her neck.
" It’s just my child’s father. He's been a bit of a handle full lately, but I can assure you that it’s being taken care of as we speak.”
Her manager sighed removing a pair of thin silver glasses from her slim face. The wrinkles under her eyes became even more noticeable.
" Morgan, I understand, but this police activity has made some of the customers a bit uneasy, not to mention your co-workers. I can't have this situation getting out of hand and effecting everyone’s work abilities because they are afraid of a hostile situation.. You're a great worker, Morgan, and I don’t want to have to lose you. But, I have to give you a warning that if anything like this happens again I am going to have to terminate you.”
Morgan bite down on her bottom lip, lowering her head and her eyes to the ground.
"I understand.”
“I hope you do. I am going to go ahead let you have the rest of the day off so you can get this situation cleared up. Tomorrow, I expect everything to be business as usual.”
She opened up the office door, allowing Morgan to step out.
Morgan went into the break room to get her things, then headed out of the building as quickly as possible. Her senses were on high alert as she walked to her car. The officer was still parked out front, punching keys into his computer, and that gave her some comfort. But still, as comforting as that cop was, he wasn't as reassuring as the Marine was. The moment she sat down in the car she locked the doors and pulled her cell phone out of her purse to dial Justin.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
She'd been fine up until that moment, but just hearing his voice brought all of her emotions to the surface. A tear spilled over the brim of her eye, and she whipped away the rest.
“What’s wrong?” Justin asked right away.
He could tell by the sound of her voice that something was up.
“Devon is stalking me.”
“Stalking you? What do you mean?”
She sighed, putting her head down to rest on the steering wheel.
"He came up to my job and watched me from his car. As soon as I realized that it was him I called the police, but he took off. Now my boss is threatening to fire me because of the incident. The police activity is bad for business. I am so sick of this shit, Justin. I should have listened to you the first time - I should have filed that report.”
“Morgan, don’t beat yourself up about that. You did well this time. You started a paper trial on that asshole, and now you have something to hold against him in court. That's what matters."
“What good will full-custody do me if I can't afford to take care of Chloe? This was the second time in less than six months that Devon has threatened my livelihood. What am I going to do if I lose this job? I am so tired. Why wouldn’t he just leave me alone?”
"Because he's an immature shithead," Justin said matter-of-factly. "Don't stress yourself out over this, it's exactly what he wants. You did the right thing by calling the police. Just keep doing it."
"What's the point? There's nothing they can do. He's just going to keep popping up and popping up. He's never going to go away."
“He will,” Justin said softly. "One way or another, he will."
~*~
Justin sat in the driver's seat, slowly gnawing a hole into his cheek with his molars. It was around noon, so the warmest part of the day had yet to hit. Regardless, he was parked off to the side under a tree - which provided both shade and camouflage. Dark Oakley shades covered his eyes, and he was tapping an empty plastic water bottle against his knee.
One row ahead and a few spots over, Devon sat in his white Crown Victoria. Devon had pulled into the lot about ten-thirty, and immediately leaned the seat back to a comfortable position after parking. Justin had arrived around nine, the same time as Morgan's shift started. Justin had started to think that maybe the coward wouldn't show, knowing Morgan had called the police on Devon the day before. But of course, like any true fool, there Devon was - back again.
Justin wasn't entirely sure what his plan was, he just knew he wanted to be here. Morgan thought he was spending the morning on base, meeting with superior officers. She had been on his mind all night. Every time his eyes closed he heard the confusion and worry in her voice as she described the warning her boss had given her. He knew that as tough as she tried to appear, and as strong as she actually was, deep down inside she was afraid of Devon. Not just of his physical strength, but also what his wrath was capable of. She was working so hard to build a stable life for Chloe, and Devon's impromptu temper tantrums and stalking were threatening her financial security. If the police were unable to step in and intervene, maybe he could.
So far Devon had yet to do anything that would warrant a call to the cops. He'd parked his car, leaned the seat back, and apparently settled in for a nice long afternoon. He was in the perfect position to stare into the storefront window, and so far his eyes hadn't left the view.
Looking beyond the Crown Victoria, Justin could see Morgan's frame in the window. She was turned away from them, holding up a long blue dress on a hanger and speaking animatedly with a redheaded woman and a young brunette girl. Every so often she would glace back over her shoulder, her eyes seeking out the white car in the lot. Every time, her throat would flex as she tried to swallow her fear.
The silent exchange only happened a few times, but every time it made Justin's blood boil. This asshole knew exactly what he was doing. No doubt, it was his intention to get her fired. He probably figured that if she lost her job and had no means of supporting herself, she and Chloe would have no choice but to move back in with him. There was no way in Hell that Justin was going to let that happen. Even if it meant giving her the keys to his apartment while he was deployed, no way was she going to be forced back into that deadbeat's house - or his bed.
Who the hell did Devon think he was harassing her, intimidating her, following her like he was? He treated Morgan like she was property, even though in every psychotic phone call he would profess that she was the love of his life. The loser didn't love anyone except himself.
So much aggravation was coursing through Justin's body that he was having a hard time convincing himself not to get out of the car. He'd a run-in with Devon before, and while the guy had no problem putting his hands on Morgan, he'd looked more than a little frightened when a grown man had stepped to his face. But, if Morgan's boss had threatened to fire her over something simple like the police taking a report, there was no doubt she'd be jobless if there was a full-on brawl a few feet from the door. Even so, Devon was begging for an ass-beating and Justin had no problem obliging. Maybe going toe-to-toe with a real man was what Devon needed.
Out of nowhere, as if God had heard Justin's thoughts, Devon's brake lights came on and he began to back out of the parking spot. Justin put on his seat belt, waited for the Crown Victoria to pass him, and then pulled out of his spot to follow. He stayed a car or two behind Devon as they headed down the main street and pulled into the parking lot of a gas station. Devon parked off to the side, and Justin pulled up to one of the unoccupied pumps, pretending to need gas.
He watched through the rearview mirror as Devon hopped out of the car and strolled into the store, returning a few minutes later with a bottle of Mountain Dew and a big bag of Cheetos. He was whistling to himself, a little pep in his step, and Justin's eyes narrowed deviously. They were away from Morgan's job, and Devon was totally oblivious to his presence. If Justin wanted to step in, it was now or never. His vision started to turn red, and he felt himself square his shoulders. The Marine inside was fighting to come out, and Justin was sick of holding onto his self-composure.
He quickly hopped out of the Audi, walking along side of the gas pumps to remain undetected for as long as possible. Devon was sitting in the car, the door wide open and one foot still on the concrete. He was fiddling with the knobs on the radio, humming to himself as one of Jay-Z's rhymes pumped through the speakers. When Justin reached the car, he pushed the door open wider, and reached in to grab Devon by the collar. The man came tumbling out and fell to the ground, the open bag of Cheetos spilling onto the cement around him.
"What the fuck?!"
Devon scrambled to get his bearings, his startled eyes flicking up to meet Justin's face.
"Mall cop?"
Realization set in, and then a second look of shock as a closed fist came hurling towards his face.
Justin seemed to be standing outside of himself, watching his body crouch down over Devon, hitting him over and over. With every swing he saw a flash of Morgan's face - a silent scream as Devon threw her onto the lawn, shame as she'd argued with Justin about what to do after Devon had broken into the apartment, fear when she'd been threatened with losing her job. Devon never had a second to think of defending himself. Every time Justin send his fist hurling forward, he pulled back only to let it fly forward again. He wanted Devon to feel as helpless, disoriented, and defenseless as Morgan had all those years she stayed with him. It wasn't until a bypasser, pausing at the glass door of the convenience store, shouted out to him that he finally stopped.
"Hey! Hey, stop it! I'm calling the cops! You better get outta here!"
Justin stepped back into his body, sending a glare at the man near the door. The bypasser didn't speak again, but he also didn't leave. Then Justin looked down at Devon, who was dabbing at the steady stream of blood coming from his broken nose. His shirt was smeared with orange powder from the crushed Cheetos he'd been laying on. The movements had caused Justin to lose his breathe, and he inhaled deeply before speaking.
"Stay away from Morgan," he said simply.
Devon didn't respond, and Justin turned his back, preparing to head to his car. A low chuckle stopped him in his tracks.
"It kills you, doesn't it?"
Justin's brow furrowed, and he turned to look at Devon.
"What?"
He didn't really care about anything that this douche bag had to say, but he was willing to humor him for a moment.
"It kills you that you'll never be able to be me. Just because you're some rent-a-cop, strolling around that complex with your sidekick backing you up, you think you're better than me? You're not. We both know that as soon as you move on to another job you'll forget all about her, and she'll come crawling back to me on her hands and knees. I was her first love. I was the one who took her virginity. I'm the one that made her who she is. Chloe is my kid. She came out of my nut sack. No matter what you do, white boy, I'll always be on Morgan's mind. Those are my girls - for life."
Justin's arm burned, itching to reach out and hit him again. Obviously the nose wasn't enough, maybe he needed a busted jaw to go with it? Justin stomped his way back over to Devon. The man on the ground scurried backwards, pressing himself against the door. He winced, preparing himself for the next blow. Justin smirked inside at the utterly pathetic display.
"Listen to me, you disgusting piece of human filth," he said lowly. "Those are my girls now. Do you understand? Morgan is mine, and she's never going back to you. It's time for you to find a new goal in life, and someone else to obsess over; because if I ever see you following her again, if you threaten them again, if I ever so much as suspect you're even thinking about contacting Chloe, I will hunt you down like the piece of shit you are and splatter your worthless fucking brain all over the sidewalk. It would bring me so much pleasure. And I promise there won't be any witnesses around to stop me. I won't need any sidekicks to back me up. It'll be just you and me, Devon, just you and me."
Devon's eyes widened for a split second before he caught himself and fixed his face. This time he didn't say a word as Justin turned and walked back to his car.
Author's Chapter Notes:
So much juiciness we had to split it in two! Enjoy!
Story Tags: boyfriendj kitchensex interracialj abusiveex justin soldierj alternateuniverse
