Perfectly Imperfect (Men of Whiskey Row Book 4) Read online

  “I can’t, Lena! She is everything I ever wanted in a child: strong, smart and vibrant. She is no one’s pushover!” he exclaimed passionately. “I see so much of YOU in her.” His voice lowered several decibels. “Do you ever miss-”

  Lena cut him off abruptly. “No, I don’t. Everything happened the way it was supposed to. Life’s too short for regrets, Nero.”

  “I don’t believe you, Lena,” he boldly stated. “You are too passionate a woman to have remained celibate, despite your dedication to your cause.”

  The last part was said with so much derision that Lena had to count backward to refrain from cursing him out. Nero couldn’t stand that she’d taken up such a powerful crusade, which would make him a laughing stock if Lena were foolish enough to go back to him. And image was more important to Nero than anything.

  “My passions and causes are no longer your concern,” she informed him frostily.

  Nero pounced on her statement, “So someone is taking care of those-”

  “Be blessed, Nero,” Lena said sweetly and disconnected the call. “Motherfuckers never learn…”

  Chapter Twelve

  Casey rifled through the large cardboard box on Sidra’s living room floor. He pulled white tee-shirts out and rolling his eyes at each logo he read. Men. Ain’t. Shit!!! Don’t ever say what your man won’t do because he’ll do it with a smile. Make America Great Again: Give men lobotomies AND vasectomies. “I can’t believe you hid all of this stuff from me.”

  “‘Hid’ is such a strong word,” Sidra replied. “I think I like ‘selective house cleaning’ much better.”

  He snorted at a coffee mug that read: Love a man if you want to be disrespected for the rest of your life. “In the time that we’ve been dating, I’ve been here six times. I think I would have recalled seeing any of these items displayed proudly. Do you believe this stuff?”

  “I think that my mother believes her truth,” Sidra shrugged as she glanced at him. “It’s what got her through a very hard time in her life, and there’s some truth to her words. She’s given a lot of hurt women something to believe in and focus on that’s kept them moving one foot in front of another. No one is forced to attend her rallies.”

  “True, but the message she is sending is a dangerous one,” Casey cautioned. “Someone could sue her if anyone gets harmed; surely you recognize that fact. I respect that your mother is a self-made woman and turned her life around, but I plan on marryin’ you, and I’m not lettin’ anyone stand in our way. If your mama wants to be all up in my business like she promised, you should let her know I’m not as nice as a ‘catalog salesman’.”

  Sidra pulled the shirts out of his hands and crawled into his lap until he was forced to lie back on the floor with her stretched out on top of him. She leaned on her elbow and smiled down at him sexily. “Mom was just playing. Gawd, babe, I wish you were a salesman who showed up on my door with your sexy ass, tryna sell me somethin’…I’m buyin’ errythang you got…”

  Casey smiled at her, the words soothing a little of the sting of rejection he’d felt at her mother’s comments. “So, are you still spooked about where we’re goin’ with this? I met your crazy-ass mama and am aware of your daddy’s and sister’s state of fucktivity, but I’m still here lovin’ you, sound good?”

  Sidra stared down into his strikingly handsome face. She’d memorized every one of his perfect features when she first laid eyes on him. The stern mouth that brought her so much pleasure with its touch and smile. She couldn’t imagine ever kissing another mouth. Those rich hazel eyes that burned fire when angered, or smoldered when aroused. It still boggled her mind and would for the rest of her life that he loved her as much as she loved him. The thought of life without him would be an unbearable life sentence… “She might not come around, Case.” She hastened to reassure him as a storm gathered in his expression. “I don’t want to lie to you, and especially with you being a lawyer…well, to her, you’re her worst nightmare come true. Like history might repeat itself. I made it clear tonight that I am going to be with you, so if you’re good, I’m good. You just don’t get to change your mind.”

  Sidra allowed the hand cupping her nape to draw her down gently and their lips touched briefly. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Tell me your secrets, and I’ll tell you no lies, Sidra Jane,” he whispered enticingly, encircling both arms around her, loving how perfectly they fit together.

  “I never in my life knew I could be this happy,” she whispered back. “I always thought that in order for a relationship to work, you had to constantly fight, scream, and play mind games with each other. That’s how couples communicated with one another. That you couldn’t be in love unless you were constantly crying over the other person, do you know what I mean?”

  “Yeah, babe, I think I do. That’s what it was like for you?” Casey’s heart ached at her wistful smile.

  “Nero and Lena had me all kinds of fucked up for sure. I felt like love sucked big, hairy unwashed balls,” Sidra confirmed, laying her head on his chest with contentment, his strong heartbeat was music to her ears. “But you changed that for me because this right here, us, I sure as hell never saw coming, and I can easily say that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. People are so damned concerned about your feelings, but I don’t think they realize how vulnerable I am as well because you own my heart, body, and soul, boo. Stopping Earth from revolving around the sun would be easier than stopping my love for you from growing, Casey Sullivan.”

  Casey was too overwhelmed to speak. He tried to push past the boulder-sized lump in his throat but couldn’t, so he squeezed her tighter. They lay there content to savor the moment of their hearts beating in sync. Fifteen minutes passed, and he could feel her body getting heavy as she drifted off to sleep. He tested his throat and found he could finally speak in a somewhat normal voice. “I want that in writing. Big, bold, black writing and in a card-sized version too, so the next time you feel like gettin’ above your britches wherever we’re at-”

  “Boy, bye! Hush up and take your woman to bed,” she laughed sleepily as he readily complied.

  ***

  Past…

  He was running, heart about to explode and terrified out of his mind. He cut through bushes, and low branches hit him in the face, but he couldn’t stop. Thwack! Thwack! The sting made him want to cry out, but he couldn’t make a sound for fear of giving himself away. Where was mama, Jackie, and Darby? He wanted to scream for them but dared not make a sound. He could hear them gaining on him and found a new level of speed in his terror-filled escape. Up ahead, he could see the cabin. Not that much farther. If he could just reach the porch, he would be home free! That was the deal, right? Reach the porch and nothing happens. He could still hear them, so close and gaining ground. A whistle was heard. Fifty feet…forty feet…twenty feet…ten feet…yes! He was going to-

  Sharp teeth latched onto the back of his sweatshirt, and he was lifted from the ground and he shook relentlessly. The foul breath of the beast made him want to throw up. Terrified, he cried out helplessly, “Lemme go! Lemme go!”

  For his efforts, he was shook again as the beast’s comrades came closer and breathed their foul stench into his face. Fangs glistening with drool, their eyes promising a bloody death if their master gave the word…

  A whistle rang out, and he was automatically flung to the cold, wet ground as his adversaries breathed over him, reminding him of his loss. Then three sets of footsteps could be heard crunching through the leaves and coming towards him.

  “Yer boy’s got some speed on ‘im,” Dipper Fontaine crowed. “He almost made it to the porch this time.”

  “Had them dogs dead to rights,” Patrick Sullivan argued. “Ya gave the order for them to speed up. That wasn’t part of the agreement, Dipper. Ya didn’t say a damn thing about it!”

  “Didn’t think I had to, ass wipe,” Dipper countered. “They’re huntin’ dogs who were huntin’. Seems kinda self-explanatory to me.�
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  “Now, calm yer britches, the both of ya!” Ludie Van der Kemp injected. “Yer both right.”

  “I want a chance to win my money back,” Patrick snarled.

  “Yer already in twenty bucks with me,” Dipper argued. “I want my money. Yer the one who was braggin’ about the boy’s speed. You really thought he was gonna win against my prized bloodhound, pit bull, and mountain cur?! Pay up or I’ll reward my dogs with his scrawny hide.”

  Slowly, Casey rolled over, and the dogs growled louder, making his stomach hurt with fear, and he almost ruined his sweatpants. His eyes met Patrick’s green contempt-filled ones, and he longed to show his hatred of the man. What kind of sonofabitch bets his five-year-old against trained hunting dogs?

  “Three outta five,” Patrick offered, pulling a twenty out of his pocket and waving it under the other man’s nose. “I’ll double the bet.”

  Dipper looked at the money with greedy eyes. “Hell, what do I care? I ain’t the one who’s gotta explain it to his mama if he comes home in pieces. I’ll take your bet.”

  He walked off with Ludie following behind and gave another whistle. In an instant, the dogs were gone, and it was just him and Patrick. His father walked over, reached down, and snatched him up by his sweatshirt.

  “Ya little shit! How dare ya embarrass me in front of my friends?!” He slapped Casey’s face, but the boy stayed silent despite the ringing in his ears. “Yer gonna win me back my twenty because if you don’t, I have no problem lettin’ the dogs have your runty little ass!!!”

  “I won’t! Ya can’t make me!!” Casey cried out rebelliously and hit Patrick in the nose with his small fist.

  Patrick’s eyes filled with rage, and he raised his arm up and swung his meaty fist down-

  “Nooooooo!” Casey came awake with a yell. Gasping for air, he looked around wildly, slowly coming to his senses and realizing he was in Sidra’s apartment and in her bed. He felt her silky-smooth arms come around him, and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder.

  “You’re okay! Sssssh, tell me about it, Case,” she urged gently and pulled him back to her. He shifted so that he lay against her soft bosom, and her arms cradled him close. Slowly, she ran her fingers through his hair, and Casey slowly relaxed, though his heart was still racing as he breathed in her familiar floral and green apple scent. “You’re okay. It’s you and me, baby. Isn’t that what you always tell me? I’m here for you, Casey.”

  It was silent in the room, save his ragged breathing, and Casey closed his eyes against the rage roiling inside of him. Tell me about it. What good would it do? The person he really wanted to hurt was dead. The coward killed himself before his sons could grow older and exact their revenge. There was no point in talking about shit. He turned his head and captured her nipple in his mouth, loving the way it pebbled under his tongue as he teased it just the way she liked. Sidra’s fingers clenched in his hair as she sighed, arching her back, and urging him to take more of her as she tried to form a coherent sentence. “Casey…I want to talk about… you…”

  “Hush, sugar. Can’t you see I’m busy?” Casey shoved her legs apart and nestled between them. He switched his lips to her other breast and suckled harder. “I can smell my pussy. It’s nice and wet for me, isn’t it?”

  “Always for you, baby. Always. But I don’t want to do this…oooh…we need to talk…,” Sidra said feebly as she weakly turned away from his seeking lips. He was making her feel sooo good, but they shouldn’t... Casey bit her shoulder, and Sidra’s body shook under his dominating nature. His hands slid under her and palmed the globes of her ass as he bit her neck, clavicle, and jaw. She stiffened and then relaxed in anticipation as his fingers rubbed her French star slowly, catching the moisture dripping from her pussy and slowly penetrating her. Yassss.

  “There’s nothing to talk about, Sidra,” he hissed in her ear and she knew he believed that. “Right now, I want this ass. Are you gonna give it to me, darlin?”

  His finger was moving in out of her deliciously slow as his mouth found hers. Sidra’s arms circled his neck as she explored his mouth, and they exchanged breaths while Casey added another finger threading them in and out of her ass with ease.

  “So tight, I can’t wait to take you,” Casey murmured triumphantly against her lips, and Sidra froze.

  “No!” She pushed at him, and he slowly withdrew his fingers from her and sat back. “Who the fuck do you think you are?!”

  “What’s the problem, Sidra?” Casey asked impatiently, and her eyes fell to the thick, rigid cock laying against his thigh, the swollen head glistening with precum. “Don’t act like you don’t want this as much as I do!”

  Sidra sat up and pulled the bedsheet around her as she glared at him. “You’re the damn problem! Stop distracting me! I don’t want to have sex with you right now. I want to talk! Isn’t that what you’re always all over me about?!” She mimicked his voice, “’Talk to me, Sidra Jane! Let’s talk about your feelings, Sid. But when it comes to you, it’s like pulling teeth! Just talk to me and tell me what’s wrong!”

  “What do you want to know?!” Casey roared in her face, unable to help himself. Hot shame at how helpless he’d been and still felt held him paralyzed. All he wanted to do was just forget about it and have her drop it. “I already told you there’s nothing to talk about! Why can’t you just shut the fuck up about it?!”

  CRACK! His head jerked back with the stinging slap she gave him, and he closed his eyes and counted to ten. When Casey opened his eyes, Sidra was staring at his clenched fists as a letter opener clenched tightly in hers. Those pretty eyes said that she would show him how they’d barely skimmed the surface of crazy if he made a move. Slowly, he relaxed his fists. She watched but didn’t change her stance. He was filled with shock, horror, and agony. “Baby, I’m sorry!!! I would never-”

  “Leave,” she whispered, and when he didn’t move, “NOW!”

  ***

  Whiskey Row

  Three weeks later…

  “Uncle Casey, go deep!” D.J. shouted as he wiggled away from Guy and Holt and threw the football as far as he could.

  Casey kept his eyes on the ball and caught it with ease and then began the process of evading Guy and Holt to make it to the end zone. Holt was fast, but Jack was able to block them. Guy was even faster but unfortunately for him, he’d never had the pleasure of being chased by trained bloodthirsty beasts as Casey had. He lunged into the zone with ease as Ruby threw her arms up and shrieked, “Tuuuussshhdown! Good job, Uncle Casey!”

  Casey picked Ruby up and bussed her cheek loudly. “Thanks, Punkin!”

  Ruby scratched her face. “Beard itchy. Cut please.”

  Casey rubbed his scruff-covered jawline and grimaced. Since leaving Sidra, he hadn’t heard from her. He’d said he was sorry a thousand times, but she wasn’t budging. There was no returning his calls or emails, and while he knew she was touring with Dick, she could at least give him a call even if it was just to tell him to fuck off. Dammit, he missed her! He couldn’t sleep or eat unless he was here because this was the next best thing to being with her. Noelle and Avery were making it their mission to fatten him up as they fussed over him, much to their husbands’ dismay.

  Ruby placed her tiny fingers on his face and squeezed his cheek. “Where Auntie Sidieee? I want Auntie!”

  “So do I, Punkin,” Casey agreed morosely as he held the little girl close, and they sat down in the grass together. He spied a ladybug and plucked it up, letting her see it crawling around his palm. Fascinated, Ruby’s eyes were huge as she practically shoved her face into his hand, and the startled ladybug flew away as Ruby shouted, “Bye-bye!”

  “What are you guys talkin’ about?” D.J. asked as he came and plopped down next to them, tossing the football in the air. “Is Aunt Sidra comin’ this week? I Skyped with her the last two weeks, but she hasn’t shown up here. I miss her.”

  “Nah, she’s not comin’,” Casey snapped and then snatched the football from his nephew.


  “Sounds like you screwed up really bad. I’ve given your situation some thought, and I think you mighta been put in the friend zone and didn’t get the memo,” D.J. observed thoughtfully. “You know…like you’re no longer a boyfriend. Just a boy who’s a friend. If you want…I can give you some pointers?”

  Casey bristled indignantly, “I don’t need pointers from you! I can get my woman back all on my own.”

  D.J. laughed, “How? Right now, you’re as useless as a back-pocket on a t-shirt! But you’re not alone. Seems to me that Holt is now in the same zone. See for yourself.”

  Casey turned around in time to see Kat shaking her head and slowly pulling away from Holt. He could certainly identify with the frustration on his childhood friend’s face.