Pierced (Love like Yours Series Book 2) Read online

  “I love you.”

  “I love you more.” She whispered as she leaned up to kiss my lips. I met her halfway and kissed her softly, sweetly – a complete contrast to the moment prior.

  “Marry me.” I insisted.

  She waved her left hand, the one wearing my ring, at me. “I think I remember agreeing to that already.” She teased.

  “Today… marry me today.” I kissed her again.

  She just giggled against my lips.

  I sighed in defeat and hoisted her up into my arms. I carried her to the bathroom to join her for my second shower of the day.

  2. Ellerslie

  I smiled as I threw on some leggings and a long navy blue knit dress. Lawson was constantly on my mind, dominating my thoughts. The man didn’t know how to do anything by halves. He was always all in. Shivers raced up my spine.

  He was all in with me.

  The quote he’d sent me a few days ago ran through my mind.

  “If you’re going to love someone or something then don’t be a slow leaking faucet – be a hurricane.” – Shannon L. Alder.

  He didn’t love quietly, or softly. Lawson loved me like a raging bull… he loved me like a hurricane.

  I checked he was still in the bathroom before I raced downstairs to make sure I had everything set up the way I wanted it.

  “Sit.” I told Zef. He sat immediately – all of those classes we’d taken him to were really paying off.

  I tore out of the room and hid behind the door in the hallway to wait for him.

  A few minutes passed before he came downstairs.

  “Hey boy.” I heard Lawson walk into the room towards his dog. I heard the tinkle of Zefer’s collar as he gave him a pat.

  I waited patiently.

  I heard him chuckle, he’d found the note.

  I couldn’t hold back a smile as I imagined him reading the words.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a friend to your party.”

  “El?” He called out in a concerned voice. “What friend pretty girl? What party?”

  I peaked my head around the door and got caught by his piercing eyes. I stepped out, pulling the lead gently behind me.

  Lawson’s eyes followed the lead down behind my back until they landed on the tiny puppy sitting on the floor.

  “Happy birthday.” I squeaked. Fuck, I was so nervous.

  What if he hates it…

  His eyes widened as he pointed at the puppy. “Is that ours?” He asked.

  “He.” I corrected him. “He is ours – well yours, it’s your birthday.” I rubbed my hands together nervously. I couldn’t get a read on Lawson, it was unnerving. I screwed up my nose. “I might have already named him though…”

  Fuck! What if he doesn’t want a puppy?

  Lawson had taken a few steps towards me and now he crouched down with his hand slowly extended towards the dog. “What’s his name?” He asked without looking at me.

  “Frank.”

  “Frank?” He asked, humor in his voice. “You gave our puppy an old man name?”

  Our puppy…

  I snorted. “I think it’s funny.”

  Lawson petted the puppy’s head. “Do you think its funny Frank? Huh?”

  Frank, having heard the name I’d spent several hours teaching him, perked up and jumped playfully at Lawson and licked his hand.

  “Where did you get him?” He asked as he picked Frank up.

  “As in right now?” I asked with my head cocked to the side.

  God they were so cute together.

  Lawson nodded. “And where did you buy him?”

  I grinned. “I’ve had him stashed at Quinn and Logan’s for about five nights. That’s where me and Zef snuck off to this morning”

  Lawson chuckled. “I bet Q loved that.”

  I waved my hand at him. “She’ll get over it, it was just one pair of heels.”

  Lawson’s loud laugh moved through my body. I loved hearing him laugh. He tilted his head towards Zef. “Have they met?”

  I nodded. “They sure have. I’ve had Frank going to day care with him all week.” We had Zef booked into a dog day care for the past few months, he went there most days while we both were at work.

  I called Zef over and took the lead off Frank. Lawson put him down and the two dogs sniffed and nudged each other. It was obvious they were happy to see one another.

  “I heard from one of the ladies there that a whole heap of dogs and been brought into the local animal rescue recently. A breeder hadn’t been caring from them properly. I called in to see if I could help out… and when I saw this little guy’s mom, I just knew I had to take a pup when they arrived. She had a litter of three, one didn’t survive, and Frank here was just such a sweetie.”

  We’d briefly talked about getting another Doberman one day, but I think Lawson had expected to get an adult dog, like he had with Zefer.

  Frank began chewing the rug on the living room floor and Lawson frowned. “He’s gonna chew everything and piss everywhere right?”

  I laughed as he pulled me into his arms. “It’s just stuff cowboy. I’ll buy you a new rug.”

  He kissed my forehead and ducked his head down to look into my eyes. “Thank you baby – for the dog.” His lips met mine.

  “You’re welcome.” I breathed and leaned into his body. We turned and watched Zef walking around the living room, Frank right behind him. It was freaking adorable.

  “You’re never allowed to take those two out alone okay?”

  Lawson looked at me quizzically. “What? Why not?”

  “You were unbearably hot with just a dog… but a puppy? Jesus.” I complained.

  Lawson shrugged at me innocently. “You brought the puppy baby.”

  “I clearly didn’t think this through.” I muttered under my breath.

  He smirked and kissed me again. “Don’t worry pretty girl, you’re the only one I see.”

  ***

  I spent the rest of the morning making Lawson’s breakfast and baking him a birthday cake. He’d tried to tell me that he didn’t need one, but I was having none of it. He was getting a damn cake.

  We left it on the table to cool and headed to Logan’s house to pick up all of the puppy supplies. I’d gone a little mad in the store and brought a whole heap of shit we probably weren’t even going to need. Lawson hadn’t even told me off for it – he just shook his head and smiled while he loaded it all into the truck.

  We’d had a late lunch with Logan and Q, and they were coming over for dinner tonight too. Lawson didn’t know, but I’d invited some of our friends over to help celebrate his birthday.

  Lawson’s mom had called and sang him happy birthday, he’d told me it was a tradition that she and his nana had done every year – it was adorable.

  I’d organized for Reeve and Lisa to pick up the takeout I’d ordered for tonight, so after shooing Lawson out of the kitchen, I’d iced his cake and then we’d taken Zef and Frank for their first walk together.

  I looked over at my handsome fiancé. We were sitting on the back wraparound porch. It was my favorite spot, it overlooked the water and it was so beautiful to watch the sun rising and setting from here. Lawson was leaning back in his chair, relaxing. He had Frank in his lap and was stroking Zef’s head, which was also in his lap. I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of the three of them. I smiled as I looked at it on the screen.

  “That’s one for a frame.” I told him as I spun it around so he could see.

  He was wearing grey sweatpants and a black hooded sweatshirt, but he was still hotter than hell. The man could rock a sack and still look like a god. His dark hair had fallen forward onto his forehead and I was itching to lean over and run my hands through it. The more casual he looked, the more privileged I felt – it was something that hardly no one else saw.

  He was watching me, as I was watching him. I could feel his eyes prickling my skin.

  “You’re giving me that look pretty girl.”

 
My lips curved up into a smile. “I know I am.”

  He shook his head and chuckled deeply, his gravely laugh sending shivers down my spine.

  “It’s the dogs, I swear. No one can resist a man with a puppy, let alone a man that looks like you with a puppy.”

  His eyes held a challenge. “Whose saying you have to resist?”

  I wiggled a finger at him. “Uh uh. Nope. You need a shower. We have plans.”

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “We do?”

  I nodded in confirmation. “We do. And as sexy as you look right now, I think you should shower and change.” I held out my hands for the puppy and Lawson reluctantly handed him over before kissing me on the head and going inside with a goofy smile on his face.

  3. Lawson

  I looked around the room and smiled. Logan and Quinn were here, Lisa and Reeve, even Rome and Josh. El had organized Thai takeout for everyone and she’d forced me to sit still while she turned out the lights and had everyone sing me happy birthday, candles and all.

  I smiled at the thought of her beautiful face as she’d watched me blow out the flames. Her eyes sparkled and she had a huge grin on her face – it was glaringly obvious that El loved birthdays.

  My phone rang loud and shill from my pocket. I sat my beer down and pulled it out. ‘Mom’ flashed across the screen.

  Weird… she already called.

  “Hey mom.” I answered. “What’s up?”

  “Lawson.” Her voice was choked with tears.

  I was up and out of my seat in a flash. I stalked into my office and shut the door behind me.

  “What is it Mom?”

  “Oh Lawson.” She sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”

  “What? What’s happened? You need to talk to me.”

  “It’s your father.” Her voice was no more than a whisper.

  My father?

  “I don’t have a father.” My voice was laced with venom.

  “Michael. I’m talking about Michael.”

  “I’m aware of that. What the fuck has he done to you now?”

  I hated the man. He had treated us like dirt; he’d left us when we needed him. He wasn’t worth anything to me, and I was furious that he was still able to cause my mother pain.

  “He’s dead.” Her sobs filled the line as I bounced the words backwards and forwards in my head.

  Dead?

  I heard the door open behind me and spun around to see El pop her head in the doorway. She must have seen the confused expression on my face; she slid in the door and shut it softly behind her.

  “He’s dead.” I repeated. I didn’t know if I was talking to my mother or to El. I just needed to hear the words come out of my mouth.

  My mother didn’t respond.

  “Lawson?” El asked softly. I met her big blue eyes, and saw how worried she was. “Are you okay?” She walked slowly towards me.

  “He’s dead.” I repeated again. “My father… Michael. He’s dead.”

  I heard El’s gasp and felt her hands wrap around my waist. It took me a moment to recognize it as her comforting me, for the father I’d just lost. But that wasn’t the case. The man was nothing but a sperm donor – he was a stranger to me. I felt nothing.

  “How?” I asked.

  “Car accident. A woman was killed too… I need to tell Quinn.” My mother choked out.

  “I’ll tell her.” I told her sternly. “She’s here with me now.” There was no way I wanted her calling Quinn while she was in this state.

  I got no response, but I could imagine her nodding into the phone.

  “I have to go Mom, I’m sorry, I’ll call you tomorrow. Can you call Aunt Carol? Have her come and stay with you?” I asked her gently. I knew my mom still loved Michael Pierce. I had no fucking clue why – the man was an asshole, but the fact of the matter was that she did, and I knew she was hurting.

  “She’s on her way over here now.”

  Hearing that had me feeling a lot better about things. I didn’t want my mom on her own dealing with her grief.

  “Okay good. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  I dropped my phone on the desk and tugged on Ellerslie’s hair so that her face tilted up towards mine.

  “I’m okay baby. He hasn’t been my father for a long time.”

  She nodded. “I know. But he’s still your dad. I’m sorry Lawson.”

  I pulled her back in close and rested my chin on the crown of her head. “Could you please go and get Q baby?”

  “Of course.” El pulled back away from me. “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

  I wasn’t sure how Quinn would take it. I knew she shared some of my hatred for the man. But just how she would feel… I didn’t know. She was younger when he left and she didn’t remember a thing about him.

  “I don’t know pretty girl.” I sighed. “I sure hope so.”

  El came back a few minutes later with a confused looking Quinn.

  “What the hell is going on?” Quinn demanded with her hands on her hips.

  “I’ll give you two some space.” El said quietly, shooting me a sympathetic glance.

  “No!” I told her quickly, reaching for her hand. “Stay. You’re part of our family too pretty girl.”

  El gave me a small nod, but I saw the fire blazing in her eyes – she loved the idea of that as much as I did.

  “Mom just called me Q. She’s had some bad news.” I gently led Quinn by the elbow and sat her in one of the armchairs. I sat in the other, and El perched on the arm of Quinn’s chair.

  “Okay…” Quinn glanced backwards between El and I. “Is Mom okay? Fuck she’s not sick is she?” I saw the panic in my sister’s face.

  “She’s fine.” I reassured her. I squeezed her hand. “It’s Michael.”

  “Our dad?” Quinn asked, clearly confused by the mention of his name.

  I took a deep breath and looked Quinn straight in the eyes. “He’s been killed in a car accident. I don’t know much more than that… just that there was a woman killed too.”

  Quinn opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.

  I squeezed her hand and El wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry Q.”

  I watched a single tear fall from Quinn’s eye and roll down her cheek. It broke my heart more than the news of our father’s death.

  “God I’m so stupid.” Quinn spat out suddenly, wiping the tear from her face. “I don’t even know him.”

  “It’s okay to be upset honey.” El told her softly, hugging her shoulders.

  “But I shouldn’t be! He’s never been anything to me – to us.” Quinn looked back at me. “He’s not our father.”

  I shook my head. “He gave up that right a long time ago.”

  Quinn let out a short, bitter laugh. “I guess I just assumed that one day he’d wake up and realize he’d fucked it all up. He’d turn back up in our lives and I’d at least get a choice.” She sniveled and wiped her nose on her hand. “I would have told him to fuck off – but still, at least it would have been my choice.”

  I understood what Quinn was feeling. Hell, I’d been there myself. Five years ago I’d even gone as far as to dig into his whereabouts. I found out what he did for a job, where he lived, if he was married…

  At the time, he lived in Salt Lake City; he was single and was in charge of a large company. He was doing well for himself. He’d never had any more children. I’d hadn’t told Quinn about any of it – I’d been embarrassed by my curiosity towards the man who’d abandoned us and left my mom heartbroken. I’d seen enough. The only thing that had stuck with me was the photo I’d seen of him, it was like looking into a mirror. I had his eyes, his skin tone, his hair… I was the spitting image of Michael Pierce.

  “It’s his loss.” I told Quinn. “He’s missed out on seeing how amazing you are. He’s not worth knowing Q, you didn’t miss out on a single thing.”

  “What happens now?” She asked quietly.

  “I have absolutely no idea. I
’ll call Mom tomorrow and see if she knows anything more.”

  “I’m going to go and tell everyone that we’ll call it a night. Do you want to stay the night Q?” El stood as she spoke.

  Quinn nodded. “I’d like that.”

  El gave me a small smile and left the room.

  “Will you want to go to the funeral?” I asked Quinn after El shut the door.

  “I have no idea. I don’t even know where he lives.”

  “Still in Salt Lake City I presume.”

  She looked at me in question.

  I sighed. “I tracked him down a few years back. I don’t even know why I did it.” I scrubbed my hands over my face.

  “What else do you know?”

  “He was single, no other children, big CEO, flash house…” I told her. “I look like him.” I added quietly.

  She nodded. “Mom told me that. She said you were the exact image of him. She said that our eyes are from him.”

  I nodded. Looking at the picture of my father had been like looking at a future version of myself.

  ***

  I watched as El opened her eyes, blinked a couple of times and snuggled back into her pillow. I chuckled as I felt her hand reaching out, blindly feeling around for mine.

  I rolled over and clasped her hand in both of mine. “Good morning pretty girl.”

  She yawned loudly and opened her eyes again. “Good morning.” Her eyes assessed me and narrowed. “You didn’t sleep.” She accused.

  I shook my head. “Not really.” I admitted. “I was thinking about Quinn and Mom. Then I started to worry about Frank downstairs in his crate, so I had to go and check on him.”

  “You need to sleep.” She scolded me – the softness in her eyes telling me she wasn’t really mad, just worried.

  I knew she was right; the next few days would be hard on my mom. I needed to be strong to support her.

  “I’ll take a nap later, after I find out if my mom knows anything more.”

  “How did she know in the first place?”

  I shrugged. I had no idea and I hadn’t even thought to ask her.