The Garden Of Sin Ch. 02

Tina's eyes widened as his stomach pressed to hers. "Jack! Don't!" she gasped.

"Tell me you love me," he growled as he looked into her wide, green eyes.

With a whimper, Tina bit her lip. "I love you," she finally relented.

Jack smiled. "I love you too, baby." Reaching down to grip her thigh in his hand, he lifted her leg, then slammed inside of her.

She wasn't quite ready to take him, and his abrupt entry into her lukewarm body made her eyes close on a wince. When he began to move in slow, hard strokes she quickly heated beneath the onslaught, but it didn't stop her from glaring up at him.

"You are such a son of a bitch," she gasped as he continued to thrust between her legs.

Jack's mouth parted as his eyes closed. "And you are mine," he said thickly before his lips descended to latch onto her shoulder.

"I'm not wearing my diaphragm," Tina panted as his fingers dug into her.

A groan escaped him as he pushed into her harder. Releasing her wrists, Jack reached out to cup her face as he lifted his head to look at her. "I need to kiss you, baby. Don't bite me. Okay?"

Before she could utter a response, his mouth took hers searingly as his tongue pressed for entrance. When her lips parted beneath his without resistance another groan escaped him as he swooped in to take advantage.

After plundering it's depths to his satisfaction, he finally released her mouth to press his forehead to hers as his breath escaped him roughly. His movements between her thighs were now rhythmic.

"I love you. I fucking love you! Oh God, baby. I'm going to cum," he groaned.

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Jack shook as he turned off the ignition to the car. He didn't need to check the paper to make sure the address was correct. He had memorized it the moment he had looked at it. This was the place.

It was a tiny blue house with white shutters on the outside of it, and two small green bushes in front. This is where she lived now. For the longest moment he just sat there looking at it, willing himself to move.

He had spent so long looking for her that now that the moment was at hand, he was terrified.

What was he going to say? What could he say? A million things came to mind, but nothing felt right. How could he possibly find words to make amends for all that he had done. There were none.

Running his fingers through his hair in agitation, Jack felt his insides clench. This was the defining moment of his life, and he was too chicken shit to get out of the car.

What if she wouldn't listen to him? What if she did listen, and then told him to go fuck himself anyways? What if she had already found someone else, and they were waiting with her in that tiny blue house. Could he control himself?

He had to. He had made a promise to God and to himself that he would never hurt her again, and he aimed to keep it. No matter what greeted him once he knocked on that door, he would have to just deal with it. He didn't have any other choice.

Closing his eyes with a grimace, Jack took a deep breath, and reached for the handle to get out of the car.

************************************************

Tina pressed her lips to her daughter's tiny forehead as she rocked on her feet. "Your Daddy is coming to see us," she told her softly. "You get to meet him today."

Walking in a slow circle, she gazed into her daughter's beautiful blue eyes. Her father's eyes. Natalie glanced back sleepily as her mother kissed her again.

"He should be here soon," she told her nervously. "I think you'll be asleep before he manages it though," Tina said with a smile as Natalie's eyes began to droop.

Stepping from the living room, Tina entered her bedroom, and approached the wooden crib that sat against the wall beside her bed. Lowering her daughter into it gently, she lifted her tiny blanket to cover her up as her small head turned, and she closed her eyes.

Sliding her fingers along her soft cheek, Tina smiled lovingly before straightening. "Wish me luck, kiddo," she whispered softly.

Leaving the room, Tina pulled on the door until it was almost shut. She left a small gap of a few inches in case Natalie began to cry. Dealing with Jack was going to be distracting, and she wanted to be able to hear her in case she woke.

She had just stepped into the kitchen, and had decided to make a pot of coffee, when there was a light knock on her front door. Immediately, her heart leapt into her chest as she turned to look at it. He was here.

For a moment she felt an immense sensation of panic that was difficult to tamp down. What have I done, she thought. This was a mistake. He knows where we are now. He's going to take complete control of me again. How can I possibly fight him with a baby to protect?

Her thoughts ran rampant for a full thirty seconds before she took a deep breath. Everything was going to be alright. She wasn't alone anymore. She had her family, and she had Bill next door in case anything went wrong. Straightening her shoulders, she stepped forward to answer the door.

The sight that met her once she opened it made her gasp. Her husband stood on her porch, and his large frame seemed to dominate the space. He was still tall, and imposing, Still as beautiful as she remembered. What made her gasp was the look in his eyes as they met hers.

He looked tortured. The whites of his eyes were etched with streaks of red, and the bright blue that she so distinctly remembered had faded to a dull color that she barely recognized. Her mouth parted when she saw him visibly begin to shake.

"Hi, Jack," she said softly.

His gaze dropped from hers as he stared at the ground. His brows lifted, and his lips parted to respond, but nothing came out. He seemed to strangle for a moment before his gaze lifted to her again. There was a well of tears in his eyes that he seemed to be trying to blink away.

Pressing his lips together tightly, he frowned for a moment, and then his expression crumbled as he took a step forward.

He didn't lift his hands to touch her. He kept them at his sides. Once he was standing in front of her, he lowered his head until his face was buried against her neck, and let out a sob.

It shook his entire frame as Tina's eyes widened in surprise. Of all the things she had expected, this had definitely not been it.

When she lifted her hand to place it hesitantly on the back of his head, his shaking increased. A cry of agony was ripped from his throat, and then his tears fell freely. He had held them in so long, it was as if a damn was bursting inside of him.

"I'm. Sorry. I'm. So. Sorry."

When she lifted her other hand to his back, he finally raised his arms to crush her to him. Another sob escaped him as he squeezed her to him tightly.

"I was wrong. Everything I did was wrong. I'll do whatever you want. I'll be whatever you want. I just need you."

He was beyond desperation as he made the plea. His entire being felt painfully tight as he held her. When she pulled back, he had to fight to keep from latching onto her. He wasn't ready to let go.

He was too ashamed to look at her, and kept his eyes on the floor as her gaze roamed over his face. When she took his hand, he finally looked up in surprise.

"Come on," she told him softly.

As she walked through the kitchen, he followed her obediently, letting her pull him behind her. When they reached a door, she hesitated for a moment before looking back at him.

"I need you to be quiet. Can you do that?"

Nodding dumbly, Jack watched as she pushed the door open slowly, and led him inside. When she pulled him to the side of the bed, and crawled inside of it, Jack's eyes widened a fraction as she turned to hold her arms out to him.

Without a moments hesitation, he went into them, and clutched her slight frame to his chest as he laid down beside her.

"I love you so much," he breathed into her hair as he squeezed her.

Tilting her head back, she lifted a finger to her lips, then pointed to the crib. "Just hold me, Jack," she whispered.

Immediately complying, Jack pulled her closer to him, and slid one of his knees between hers. Once she was pressed against him fully, he dropped his chin to the top of her head, and closed his eyes. A ragged breath escaped his throat. He felt like he was where he belonged.

They lay that way contentedly for the longest time until Jack's exhaustion finally caught up with him. With the love of his life encased in his arms, he finally fell asleep.

************************************************

When he awoke, it was to the sound of a soft cry of displeasure. Opening his eyes, Jack panicked momentarily when he saw that Tina was not beside him, but then he lifted his head, and saw her standing beside the bed. His chest sagged in relief as his head dropped back to the mattress.

When she turned to approach him, his bright blue eyes widened at the tiny bundle she was holding.

"Do you want to meet your daughter, Jack?" she asked softly.

His heart thumped within his chest as he pulled himself into a sitting position until his back was pressed against the wall.

Biting his lip, he gazed at the bundle again fearfully. "I don't want to hurt her," he said worriedly.

Tina smiled as she sat on the edge of the bed. "You won't hurt her."

Lifting the baby towards him, she pressed the bundle into his arms before he could protest any further. Once she was cradled in the crook of his arm, he looked down into her soft blue eyes, and felt completely stunned.

"She's beautiful," he breathed in amazement.

Tina's smile widened as she looked at him. "She has your eyes," she informed him.

Jack couldn't tear his gaze away from the tiny face before him. "She looks like you," he said in awe. "What did you name her?"

"Natalie," Tina replied.

Jack's nose scrunched as he looked at her. "You named her after my mother?"

"Your mother had a beautiful name. I thought it was fitting."

"It's good," Jack said softly as he looked down at his daughter.

"You're a father now, Jack. If you want to be a part of her life, a part of our life, nothing can be like it was before."

Jack's eyes widened as his daughter lifted a tiny hand towards his face."It won't be," he swore.

Lifting his head he looked into Tina's eyes with determination. "Being apart all this time made me realize that you were right about everything. I've spent the better part of this year hating myself thinking about all the things I have done. All the things I did to hurt you. I don't want to be that person anymore."

His eyes closed for a moment at the memory of the pain he had endured being without her. "I want to be the man you deserve. The man you both deserve."

Tina gazed into his sincere blue eyes before shifting to her daughter. "I hope so, Jack. If you do well at it, she'll end up loving you as much as I do."

Jack closed his eyes again as he fought back tears. "I love you. Both of you. I'm never going to mess this up again."

Reaching out for her, he pulled her against his side so that she was curled against him. When she dropped her head to his shoulder, he turned to press his lips against her hair before looking back down into his daughter's smiling face.

His prayers had finally been answered. He was home.