Chapter Seven

Richie watched as he disappeared, Shit he thought, this didn’t go as he had seen it the first time Kidd had handed him the letter. He turned to Cesca. "I am so sorry darlin, this must be a lot to take in right now," Richie said.

She stood there trembling, her eyes huge in her petite face. "I.... it can't be true, it can't be. God wouldn't be that cruel would he?" She shivered as her mind ran over the happenings of the last hour. "He shouldn't have said that about you. It was mean."

"Darlin, its ok, it was just his temper talking, I have known the guy for a long time trust me he'll calm down. And I know I am not one to stick my nose in, but you need to listen to him, he's not as bad as you think he is, he did try and look for you" Richie said softly as he rubbed her back gently.

She whimpered as tears started to fall, "He made me so mad, he made you back off." Her gaze flew to his eyes, an emotion close to terror rising as she struggled with the words. "You're gonna back off aren't ya? I know you've been friends a long time, you're gonna; you don't wanna," She closed her eyes and tried to settle the rapid beat of her heart. Just her fucking luck. Gonna lose her mom, find a guy that sets her heat to racing and gonna lose him too.. all to find a father she didn't really WANT.

"Oh hey... now, I am not going anywhere ok? I promise, as I said he just needs to calm down, it will all work out baby girl, I promise but until then I wont leave you" he whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

She pressed against him, pulling in his scent on a drawn out inhale, her tiny hands began to coast along his spine to his hair. She wasn't asking for forever, she knew forever didn't exist but she wanted him, all of him, all 48 and some odd months of him more than she'd wanted anything else in her life. "I'll... well..." She looked up at him, "Did you know her?"

Richie nodded "Yeah I did, Jon loved her a lot back then he really did Ces, but things got complicated and someone will need to explain that to you maybe your mom. But don't worry about that now darlin, we'll just sit tight and wait till Jon calms down, but boy" he chuckled at the memory, "Your temper comes from your Dad's side, let me tell you that much," he said gliding his hands down her back.

She pressed a kiss to his chest, her good humor returning. "He's not gonna tell me how to live my life Richie. Not now or ever." She looked up and caught his deep brown gaze with her determined blue gaze. "I want you, YOU the guy ok? Your damned job don’t mean crap to me, and I don’t care if your 30 or 50 or 80, numbers don’t faze me." She laughed softly, "Mom told me to find a nice guy, and I did."


Richie chuckled softly tousling her hair. "And who am I to deny a woman her noodle soup?" he asked with a tease in his soft brown eyes.

The heated smile she offered him would have burned through steel had it been given a chance. "I like the way you think Dark Prince." She reached up to tug on the braided silver dangles in his hair and grinned as she leaned into his body, her head tilting to accept his lips on hers. Whimpering softly she melted into him, letting the shock and fear and hurt be washed away by silky lips and the calloused fingertips that knew just where to tease.

"Mmmm" he groaned as he backed her back to the bed "I think I need a lil nap before our next round darlin" he grinned wickedly as he steadily walked backwards with her.

She let him guide her until the back of her knees felt the bed. Falling backwards she grinned and parted her legs, giggling as he fell in between them as if he'd been born to be there. "A nap hmm?"

"Darlin as much as I would love to see ya scream my name for the third time in less than an hour, I need to get my reserve back up so I can make love to you all night long," he purred as he snuggled her into his chest pulling them up on the bed. His mind wandered back to Jon; he was so angry with him, and they never fought, well not like this. He couldn’t leave Cesca now, he'd grown so close to her in the short amount of time that he'd known her and he didn’t want to give that up now. Not ever. Hopefully Jon would see reason once he calmed down.

She turned and tangled her legs with his, her tiny hands reaching up to hold onto his hair as she snuggled into his body, her nose rubbing against his cheek. "A nap sounds good," She murmured against his skin as she smiled.

"Rest well my sweet Cesca," he whispered as he closed his eyes and took in her sweet scent, again feeling her heavenly little body in his arms; his mind drifted off .