Forever Faith (Downtown Book 6) Read online

  Over three hours later, I finally make it to the hospital. Not having my charger to my phone, it died before I had the chance to get any updates from June. She finds me racing down the hallway toward the maternity floor.

  “June!” I grab onto her shoulders, out of breath. “What’s goin’ on? Where’s Faith? I need to see her.” I’m worried as fuck.

  “Come with me.” June smiles and seems calm while guiding me to Faith’s room.

  “Are she and the baby okay?”

  “Yes, thank God.” She exhales. “The doctor said the pains were from her hips expanding from the baby and some Braxton Hicks.”

  “Holy Hell.” Thank fuck it wasn’t anything too serious. We stop at Faith’s door.

  “I’ll let Faith explain it to you, though.” June squeezes my arm and then proceeds to leave so I can have some alone time with my wife.

  Faith’s head turns when I enter her room. “Hey, baby.” I quickly make my way over to her side and take hold of her hand, kissing the top of it, then her forehead, and lips.

  “Hi.” She gives me a tired smile, looking like she hadn’t slept all night.

  I sit on the bed, not letting go of her hand. “How ya feelin’?”

  “Good. I’m fine. Just some stupid Braxton Hicks. I’m being discharged soon.”

  A wave of relief hits me, but at the same time I’m pissed that I was so far away when this shit occurred. “Fuck…wish I’d been here for you.”

  Faith places a hand on the side of my face. “Stop it, rock star. You can’t always be here, you know that. You have your music career.”

  “Fuck my career,” I reply, irritated with everything that has to do with my career. “You’re more important than any of that shit. I won’t take anymore gigs. Not until after the baby is born. I can’t. I don’t want to.”

  “Oh, Lucas…” She sighs.

  I shake my head. “Don’t try to change my mind, baby. My heart stopped beating the second June told me you were here. I thought I’d lost you both. It was torture trying to get to you.” I never want to feel that helpless ever again.

  Wrapping her arms around my middle, Faith presses her face against my side and says, “I’m glad you’re here.” She sounds as relieved as I feel.

  I tightly hold onto my wife. “Always. Never leavin’ ya again. Not even for some fucking toothpaste. I’ll order it online if I have to.”

  She laughs. “Okay.”

  We silently hold each other for a while before I bring up the elephant in the room. “So, you and June…”

  “We’re solid.”

  I kiss her forehead. “Good.”

  “You didn’t have anything to do with it, did you?”

  “Maybe.” I smile.

  Looking up at me, she takes my face into her hands and whispers, “I love you. Thank you.” Her eyes express more emotion than her words do. I can see how deeply she loves me and that she would do anything for me just as I would for her.

  Just as we’re about to kiss, we get interrupted. “Knock, knock.” I see June sneaking her head inside the room. “Hey you two. Ready for some visitors?”

  I look down at Faith. I don’t want her being bombarded from the guys if she’s still not feeling good. “That okay with you, baby?”

  She smiles. “You don’t even need to ask. Bring them in, June.”

  Faith loves the attention she’s getting from the guys. Seeing her happy and healthy is all that matters to me right now. I don’t talk with anyone, so I step outside into the hall until each of my bros have their time with her. I really wanna have a smoke, but I don’t want to leave Faith, so I’ll just stay put.

  Danny’s the first one to exit the room. Although we’re not on good terms with each other, him being here means a lot to me and Faith. “Danny boy…thanks for comin’ by.”

  “Dude, what makes you think I wouldn’t? Faith’s my sister. We’re family,” he argues.

  I shrug. “The way things have been lately, I wasn’t sure—”

  “Shut the fuck up. I may be an asshole at times, but I’m not a total dick. Yeah, we’ve got tons of shit to patch up, but in no way are you and Faith outta my life.”

  I let what he just said settle before I tell him, “I want back in, bro.” The frown upon his face surely tells me he’s not going for my request.

  “That’s another thing, Luck…you fucked up.” He points his finger at my face, making me want to grab hold of it and break it in half. However, I refrain from causing another rift between us. “It’s not gonna be easy trusting you again. Not after going behind our backs with Stax.”

  If only I hadn’t screwed everything up we wouldn’t be here at odds with one another. How long will it take for my best bro to forgive me? This downright sucks. But before I get the chance to reply, Slim and Wayne come out of the room. “You think this is the best place to talk about the future of our band, guys? Let’s take this to another place and time,” Slim suggests.

  “Yeah, Slim’s right,” Wayne puts his two cents in. “How about we meet up this week?”

  Slim pats me on the shoulder. “Go back inside with Faith. I’ll talk with the guys.” I don’t argue and stroll back inside Faith’s room. No sense of getting into things with them when we clearly won’t solve anything tonight.

  Jason’s still with Faith when I enter. He’s hugging her goodbye. “Take care of yourself,” he tells Faith.

  “I will.”

  As Jason walks away from her, he stuffs his hands inside his front pockets and walks toward me. I give him a chin lift. “Thanks for comin’.”

  “Glad things are okay.”

  “Me too.”

  “Talk later, brother.” He quietly leaves the room.

  For the rest of the evening, I stay by my wife’s side until she’s discharged in the early hours of the morning.

  “Mom, I’m fine. Stop hovering over me, please,” Faith complains. We just got home and the second we walked in, Helene was on Faith like white on rice.

  I’m right behind Helene as she tucks Faith into bed. “I can’t help it. My baby needed me and I wasn’t here.”

  I’m feeling the exact same thing.

  “God,” Faith groans. “You and Lucas both need to get over feeling guilty for being away. June was with me and the baby is fine and perfect. You’re here now, so please, enough. Okay?”

  “Yes dear.” She kisses her daughter’s cheek.

  “Okay, Lucas?”

  “Yeah, baby. Yeah.”

  “Finally.” She exhales. “Now, can I just watch some TV? I’m behind on This Is Us.”

  “Whatever you want darling. Whatever you want. But, I’m right down stairs. You call me if you need or want anything.”

  “Fair enough, Mom.” Although my wife is smiling and ready to veg out watching TV, I can see how tired she is. So I give her a kiss on the lips and shut our bedroom door behind me as Helene and I exit.

  After Helene leaves, I gather my tired ass self and go into the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee. The guys are on their way up, so I need to fight falling asleep before we hash out my place in the band. Just as I take my final drink of my coffee, the doorbell to the suite buzzes.

  Let the fun fucking begin.

  One by one the guys slowly walk inside without a word. Huddling in a half circle in the middle of the living room, they stand there in what I can see is an uncomfortable silence. It’s never been this way before, and truthfully, it’s fucking bullshit. There’s only one way to cut this shit out and that’s for me to speak up first.

  “Okay. So what’s the verdict? Am I back in or not after our contract is up?”

  “Trust is a big issue right now, bro,” Danny says with a scowl on his face. “And as much as we want to keep JINKS together, you even havin’ the slightest itch to move on without us doesn’t fly with any of us.”

  I’ve been up for what seems like twenty-four hours and I’m tired as fuck. With that said, I’m losing my patience with Danny. “Cut the shit. Am I in. Or am
I out? Give me a fucking clue on what’s going to happen, Danny-boy. Stop dodging my question.”

  “We want him back, dude,” Wayne says, surprising me.

  Danny glares at him. “Shut it, Wayne.”

  In one quick move, Wayne is up in Danny’s face, pissed as all hell. “Don’t you fucking tell me to shut it, or I’ll pound your face into the floor so hard you’ll be sorry you ever said that to me.”

  Slim pushes Wayne out of Danny’s way before he really does pound his face into the floor. I’ve seen it and it ain’t pretty. “Hellz, you two, knock it the fuck off.”

  “He’s making this decision without us!” Wayne points to Danny.

  “Fucking Christ, I thought we were on the same fucking page.”

  “Apparently not,” Wayne tells him in a snarky tone.

  Then Jason steps in. “Danny…it’s you who doesn’t want him back. We do.” To say I’m shocked over this revelation is an understatement.

  Danny’s face is scrunched up with a pissed and confused expression. He really doesn’t want me back in. What the hell? “Seriously, Jason? Just last week we all happened to not want him back.”

  “That’s just it.” Jason shrugs. “That was last week. This is today.”

  “Exactly,” Slim says. “Faith being in the hospital changed everything. Family comes first. Luck’s our family and we want JINKS to be based only with family. We can vote on it, and I bet you’ll be outvoted. So, suck it up buttercup. Lucky’s back in. Forgive your brother, and let’s make some fucking music. Life’s too short to dwell on a porchdick move. Clearly, he knows it was a mistake.”

  Danny, being the stubborn asshole that he can be, keeps his hands on his hips and continues to glare at each of the guys.

  “Bro…come on,” I plead. He gives me a death stare, obviously not wanting to reconcile.

  Then Slim tells him again, “Don’t be a dick, Danny. Forgive your brother.”

  On that last note, Danny storms out of the suite still angry and irritated as fuck with me. I’m not so sure how to help make him see I’m not going anywhere and that JINKS is where I belong.

  I’M NOT SURE HOW LONG ago I fell asleep, but Lucas wakes me up as I feel him slip under the covers. He pulls my body toward him until my back is against his chest. He wraps an arm across my chest and nuzzles his face into my hair. He kisses my ear then nibbles on it, only to make me want to turn myself around so we’re now chest to chest. I gently kiss my husband at the same time he guides his hand down to my butt. He gives it a tight squeeze.

  I moan inside his mouth, wanting more. I’m craving him. “Mmm. Make love to me, rock star.”

  We continue to kiss and tenderly touch each other. “Not sure that’s a good idea, baby,” he tells me while he slides his fingers inside the front of my panties. He glides a finger up and down my wet clit, intensifying my need for him.

  “You heard the doctor, she said intercourse is completely okay. So, please…” I cup his balls with my hand and begin to tickle them with my fingernails. “I need you inside me,” I whisper against his lips. He growls out my name and quickly flips me onto my back, discarding all of my clothing. I love when he gets animalistic on me. Since he comes to bed naked anyway, he’s able to have me at any time.

  Wrapping my wrists into one hand, Lucas brings them up and above my head and then guides his dick inside my aching, hot pussy with the other. I suck in a breath as I feel him at the very top of me. Slowly, we start moving in sync with one another. My legs wrap tightly around his back as he drives deep and hard inside and out of me. We kiss with as much passion as we had the days we were younger and getting to know each other. It’s just more intense now that we’re married and having a baby. I can’t imagine how it’ll be when we’re old and gray. Will we always be this passionate about one another? The love I have for Lucas is beyond anything I have ever felt for one person. He’s my rock, my soulmate, my better half. Life would be nothing without him. Without us.

  “Fuck… Your pussy’s so hot and tight,” Lucas says, out of breath. “Gonna need to go faster, baby. Need to fuck you.”

  My clit is rubbing against him and by all means I need to go faster too. I want to come together. “Then fuck me.”

  After we made love, Lucas filled me in on what happened between he and the guys. I’m not too surprised Danny had left angry and continues to hold a grudge against his brother. He has a difficult time letting bygones be bygones, but it doesn’t mean I will let him continue to wallow in his self-pity. I need to speak with him. So this morning, while Lucas is sleeping, I give Danny a call. I don’t care what time it is, we have to hash this nonsense out.

  Closing our bedroom door, I walk into the kitchen and hit the call button. After a couple rings, Danny finally answers. I don’t even bother with a greeting, I jump right in. “What’s going on with you, Danny? How come you’re the only one who can’t forgive Lucas?” I blurt out rather unkindly.

  He groans on the other end. “Shit, Faith…what do you want me to say, huh? My best friend and brother hurt the fuck out of me. I turned down those load of shits when they came to me—”

  “Hold on a minute!” I interrupt him. “Stax House came to you, too?”

  What in the hell?

  “Yeah, about the same time they talked with Lucky.” He sounds accusatory, the big jerk. Like my husband had anything to do with it.

  I’m completely flabbergasted. “Wow.”

  “But unlike Luck, I didn’t have to think twice about ditching my family for them. Not fucking once.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything to Lucas?” I’m trying to keep my cool here, but it’s kinda hard when you’re pregnant and all sense of calm goes out the window in the blink of an eye.

  “It was right when you guys went on your honeymoon. When you got back, all hell broke loose about him going up to L.A., I didn’t think it was necessary.”

  “Like hell it wasn’t!” I snap. I lose my cool and am now desperate for some fresh air. So I go out onto the balcony and rip Danny a new one. “Oh my God, Danny, you’re such a hypocrite. I can’t believe you were so angry with Lucas and actually had the audacity to threaten him by kicking him out of JINKS, when you of all people kept this huge piece of information to yourself. What in the hell are you going to do when Lucas hears about this? Because I sure as hell am not going to keep this from him. You know what? On second thought, if I were you, I’d tell him now before I do. But be ready to get thrown in the middle of oncoming traffic; you’re going to the hospital big brother.” I hang up before he even has the chance of having the last word.

  Holy shit!

  The nerve of Danny. What a fucking prick and douchebag move. How will Lucas handle this sudden turn of events? If I know my husband, he’s going to kill Danny for sure.

  Still out on the balcony and overlooking the city, the warm arms that keep me feeling safe and loved are now wrapping themselves around my middle. “G’mornin’ baby.” Lucas kisses the side of my neck and gently rubs his hands across my belly.

  I lean my body into him. “Hi.”

  “You’re tense. What’s wrong?” Shit. I really didn’t want to start our morning off by getting into the Danny drama. But something like this can’t be put on hold. Lucas turns me around and lifts my chin up. “Look at me. What’s wrong?”

  I sigh, dreading this moment. “I have something to tell you and you’re not going to be too thrilled about it.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  Explaining to him about what Danny blurted out to me…let’s just say, Danny won’t have his two legs to help him run away; Lucas is going to slaughter him.

  Lucas left in a calm, yet raged frame of mind. He was so calm it actually scared me. I hope he doesn’t hurt Danny too badly, because I’m not looking forward to bailing my husband out of jail and for the entire world to find out on social media. The last thing we need is more bad publicity.

  Kicking my feet up on the couch, I close my eyes for a few minutes until I get a text from
June saying she’s on her way up. Just the medicine I need to help clear my thoughts about what’s happening between Lucas and Danny.

  I open the door for June. “Hi!” she says with a great big smile, pulling me into her arms for a hug. “You look wonderful. Much better than how you were a couple days ago.”

  We walk over to the couch. “Yeah, that wasn’t a good day,” I sigh as I plop my butt down.

  June places her purse and a jumbo size gift bag on the coffee table. “I’m so glad you and the baby are okay. I was so scared.”

  “To be honest, so was I. Thank God it wasn’t anything major.” I rub my tiny baby bump. The thought of losing the baby makes my heart hurt. I’m not so sure I could have handled the loss as well as June had when she miscarried her and Phillip’s baby. She’s the strongest woman I know and made a tragic loss into a positive life lesson. I look up to her and admire her bravery.

  The mood begins to get a bit melancholy so June switches the subject. “Okay, onto happier thoughts. I have a few things to get this day started on a more positive note.” Just like June to switch the mood around. She grabs the gift bag next to her and begins pulling stuff out of it. “The full first season of Outlander, since you haven’t had the decency to even watch it. Shame on you, by the way,” she playfully scolds me.

  “Whatever.” I laugh. “What else do you have in your Mary Poppins carpet bag?”

  One by one she takes out items for us to do together. “Home manicure and pedicure kits. A baby name book so we can look at names, because I’m sure that hasn’t been on your mind lately, along with a pregnancy journal, a box of chocolates to scarf on while watching our show, and last but not least,” she hands me the last item, “a baby heartbeat sound amplifier to listen to your baby’s heartbeat whenever you want.”

  I’m excited and overwhelmed with joy. “Wow, June… Thank you. This is so cool and so sweet of you.” I begin to cry. June has made my day. It’s been a crappy few weeks, so having my best friend shower me with these inexpensive yet endearing gifts means the world to me.