Crave Me (The Good Ol' Boys #4)(48)

“Give me the phone. Austin?”

“Hey, Dad," I replied calmly, waiting for the wrath of my father.

“Well, look who finally decides to call. Do you have any idea what your mother has been going through? Do you have any idea what you have been putting us through?”

“I’ve been sending postcards, telling you I'm alive and fine."

“That makes it okay? That makes it better? You drop out of college without even discussing it with us and disappear. For months!” he argued.

I leaned my arm and forehead against the payphone. Not wanting to have this f*cking conversation. I just needed money this once to survive the night.

“I knew you wouldn’t approve. I knew you wouldn’t understand.”

“You bet your ass I don’t understand! After everything we have done for you!”

“Dad, I’m fine. I’ll come home when I’m ready to.”

“What are you doing in the meantime, huh? Partying? Wasting your life away? Where are you?”

“I’m in Detroit. I’ve been working and getting by for the last eight months, Dad. Believe it or not, I’m capable of taking care of myself?”

“Then why are you calling? After all this time? Why not just send another postcard.”

I took a deep breath. “It’s freezing out and there’s no work. I tried to use my ATM card but it was denied—”

“Of course it was. I told you. I warned you… I gave you a chance to get your shit together. I’m not going to support you wasting your life away. I cut you off the second you left. You want to f*ck up your life then you do it on your own dime. I’m not paying for it.”

My eyes widened, jerking my head back in shock.

“Wow… you didn’t even think I could do it on my own,” I stated as a question. "You’ve never believed in me."

“Why would I? You obviously proved my point or you wouldn’t be calling asking for money. Now would you?”

I scoffed. “Do me a favor, old man, and don’t worry. This won't cost you anything, except your son, which doesn’t seem to matter to you anyway. The next time you wonder where I am… if I’m dead or alive? Just remember this conversation. I have no friends, and now…” I paused to let my words sink in.

“I have no parents.” I hung up.

It f*cking killed me to say that to him. At the end of the day they were still my parents, regardless of all the bullshit.

I love them.

I stood there feeling like a huge piece of my heart was torn out, breaking on the concrete beneath my feet. I wanted them to understand it wasn’t about the money or them cutting me off. I could do this on my own. I was grown-ass man, an adult. I guess I was just expecting unconditional love.

Isn’t that what parents are supposed to do? No matter what?

The phone ringing pulled me out of my internal struggle. I debated on answering it, but my hand moved on it’s own and before I knew it, the phone was against my ear.

“Austin…” Mom coaxed, her voice a soft whisper.

I leaned my head against the payphone, not caring how cold the metal was. My eyes burned so damn bad from the tears waiting to fall. I had closed my lids to keep them at bay and relieve the ache.

“Austin… please keep sending me postcards. Just tell me where to send the money, but please don’t stop letting me know you’re safe. I don’t care where you are or what you’re doing. I just need to know you’re okay,” she added.

I listened intently, holding back the tears that threatened to fall, one by one, right after the other.

“We love you, Austin. Your dad is just hurt. You’re our baby. Austin... Austin, do you hear me? I love you.”

A single tear fell from my face and I murmured, “I love you, too.”

And I hung up the phone.





<>Briggs<>


“Fuck you feel good,” he rasped against my ear, softly kissing down the side of my neck. His lips felt as smooth as I remembered, making their way down to my breasts. Licking and sucking my nipple into his mouth.

My breathing hitched when he cupped my * with his rough, calloused fingers.

“I want to f*ck you with my fingers,” he groaned against my mouth, biting on my lower lip.

He gripped the back of my neck with his strong, warm hand. Holding me in place, working my clit, back and forth in slow torturous movements. He deepened our kiss, pushing me to the brink of ecstasy. My legs, stomach, and body quivered, tightened, and spasmed all at once.

Our breathing escalated. My head fell back as my mouth opened wider. It was forceful, urgent, and demanding. The way his tongue sinfully played with mine. He tasted like whiskey, cigarettes, and weed, with a hint of peppermint, causing a loud, moan to escape my mouth.

My back arched off the bed when his fingers slipped inside me, angling straight for my g-spot, as if he knew my body better than I did.

“Here…” he huskily groaned, hitting my sweet spot over and over again. “You’re going to come,” he stated, taking me over the edge.

I panted, fisting and clawing the sheets all around us.

He kissed every last inch of my skin as he slid down my body. When he reached where I wanted him the most, I gazed down at him through hooded eyes, while he stared up at me with a piercing blue gaze that tore into my soul.