The Job Pt. 05

Author's Note: This story was edited by Tim413413. His work was embarrassingly difficult. I actually think he spent more time on this than I did. Thank you sir!

*****

Marissa was having trouble with the meat loaf. Xavier kept trying to crawl away and her hands were covered in meat. "Sebastian, come watch your brother for a minute," Marissa called. She desperately wanted to have dinner ready when Doug came home. Sebastian rounded the corner with sunken shoulders.

"Mom, I was playing," Sebastian said sadly.

"Just watch him for a moment, Honey," Marissa repeated and smiled when Sebastian straddled his brother and waddled along with Xavier's crawling. She cursed herself when she tried to open a lower cabinet with the back of her hand. Doug had baby-proofed the whole house when Xavier started crawling. Marissa gave up, rinsed her hands and maneuvered the internal plastic catch with her clean hands. She retrieved an old loaf pan from the cabinet and re-dirtied her hands by hand packing the meat mixture into the pan.

Marissa washed her hands again. Then she set the oven temperature and placed the pan inside. She now had thirty free minutes and walked into the family room. Sebastian was still dutifully standing over the curious Xavier. "Thanks, Honey, I'll watch him now," Marissa said happily. Sebastian took off back to Tristan. Probably to build some new mystical object.

The last four weeks had been the best of Marissa's life. There was a sense of stability. Doug and the boys had become incredibly close. They never had a good father figure like him in their lives. Now she saw young gentlemen growing, not the fearful cowering kids Kyle and his like were trying to create. Marissa stood behind Xavier and let him explore.

Marissa had fallen in love with Doug, although she hadn't told him yet. It had taken her all of three weeks to just have a normal conversation with him. He still couldn't hold her eyes for long when they did talk. She remembered her promise to Jayden; she'd let Doug make the first move. She had almost broken that promise three times. Marissa feared, as did Jayden, that any strong advance on her part would be followed by Doug's panic and the end of any hope of a relationship. She couldn't risk the boys' happiness because of her greedy heart.

Marissa even remembered the exact moment when she fully committed her heart to Doug. Sebastian had been playing with a wooden car he had found on a shelf. Doug had explained it was a Pinewood Derby race car he and his dad had made. Doug talked about how they had made it and the race they won on a scout outing. Marissa could see how important the car and its memories where to Doug. She reminded Sebastian to play with it carefully. There were a lot of 'vrooms' and 'scerreeeches' as Sebastian pushed the car around the family room and into the hall.

It was the sudden silence that had attracted Doug's attention. He entered the hall and stopped cold. He yelled for Sebastian in a rather strict voice that shocked Marissa. She ran to the hall and saw the racer in three parts up against the wall. Sebastian entered the hallway slowly and Marissa cringed, looking at the tears in his eyes. They all remembered the punishments Kyle could inflict.

"You can't just break something and leave it," Doug said into Sebastian's tears. "You have to fix it."

"I don't know how," Sebastian cried, expecting a beating.

"Well, I suspect it will take a lot of sawing, hammering, drilling and sanding." Doug smiled at Sebastian. "Get your brother, we're going to need his help." Sebastian's tears stopped and a smile crossed his lips as he rushed off to find Tristan. Doug kneeled and began picking up the pieces. Marissa stood there staring at Doug. He was teaching them responsibility as well as continuing to bond. Doug even looked like he was having fun doing it.

Marissa's men were in the basement for two hours. There were all sorts of noises from machines they couldn't possibly need for such a small car. She opened the basement and yelled down that it was getting late.

"We're almost done," Sebastian yelled back and appeared at the bottom of the stairs, wearing large plastic goggles and covered in sawdust. He looked so serious.

"We gave it bigger wheels," Tristan called from behind his brother. He was also in oversized goggles, covered in sawdust and sporting a smile too big for his face. The biggest child appeared behind them both. He was also covered in sawdust and wearing goggles.

"How about ten minutes more?" Doug requested. Marissa knew at that moment, looking down at her sawdust-covered family in the funny goggles, Doug was the love of her life. She nodded okay quickly and closed the door before Doug could see her tears. He was everything she needed, everything she wanted. 'He just needed time,' she told herself. She swore she would give him all the time he needed.

The doorbell brought Marissa back to the present. She lifted Xavier to her shoulder and went to answer the door. The door was halfway open when her world came crashing down. She tried to close it quickly, but Kyle kicked it back open. Marissa screamed and began backing up in a panic, trying to shield Xavier in her arms.

"Bitch, I fed your bastards for a year. You think you can just leave?" Kyle shouted vehemently, spittle flying from his mouth with every word. He looked around, making sure the "hotel guy" wasn't around. Kyle knew the grease monkey was a wimp so he wouldn't be a problem. "Get your ass in the car. We're going home." He spit out the orders.

Marissa reached for the phone sitting on the end table. Kyle backhanded her across the face which sent her backward and started the tears. She was gripping Xavier too hard and he started crying. "Get your slut ass in the car right now!" Kyle snarled as he continued to advance on her.

Doug drove up the road to the house in a good mood. He really liked going home at night. The boys were always happy to see him and Marissa seemed happy also. He wished he knew how to tell her how he felt. Doug was terrified she only tolerated him because she needed him. He had no idea how to approach her or read her signals. Women were so confusing and he didn't want to chase her away. It had been a long time since he had felt this happy. The last four weeks had been the best time he had had in years.

Doug spotted the blue Mustang as he pulled up. He shook his head at the poor condition it was in. Who would let such a classic car go to pot? He hopped out of the truck, wondering who was visiting.

Kyle had Marissa backed up against the wall. He loved the power he could exert over her. She cowered perfectly and her lithe body was a perfect fuck machine. He was already getting aroused by her tears. He grabbed her by the chin, knowing she wouldn't move with her youngest in her arms.

"You're going to regret running out on me," Kyle said sardonically. Marissa's shaking was turning him on more. Sebastian looked slowly into the room from the kitchen. He had heard the shouting. Marissa was crying when she saw Sebastian peek around the corner.

"Run, Sebastian!" Marissa screamed in terror. The thought of her boys in Kyle's hands again frightened her more than the beating she knew was coming. Kyle swung and caught Marissa in the jaw. He didn't use his full force. He had no desire to fuck a dead girl. Marissa screamed in pain and she dropped to the floor, trying to protect Xavier.

Doug was running for the door. The scream terrified him. He pulled out his phone and dialed 911 as he entered the house. He saw Marissa on the floor holding Xavier tight. Blood was coming from her mouth. Above her was a scruffy man about a six inches taller than he. Doug was completely out of his element.

"I'm calling the police!" Doug shouted, hoping the man would leave. Kyle turned and smiled. This wasn't the hotel guy; this was the grease monkey. Kyle walked quickly to Doug and swung before Doug even knew he was in a fight. Doug's knees buckled as the fist caught him in the right cheek. Pain shot through his head and his vision flashed. He dropped the phone. Kyle followed up with a fist directly to Doug's nose. That collision caused a crunching sound. Doug's face exploded in pain as his ass hit the floor. Blood poured from his broken nose and his vision clouded.

Sebastian had had enough. He didn't want Kyle in the house. His mother was crying and Doug was bleeding. He did what any five-year-old would do in a stressful situation. He ran up to Kyle's leg and bit down hard. Kyle screamed and swung backhanded at Sebastian's face and the boy went flying into the wall.

"Sebastian!" Marissa screamed and started to crawl to him. He wasn't moving and her heart was breaking.

Pain disappeared from Doug's face. It was replaced with anger, then rage. His vision cleared and he stood up. This was his house and no one hits his kids.

"Get the fuck out of our house!" Doug yelled as he moved forcibly at Kyle. Kyle laughed and swung hard at the grease monkey. He caught him in the jaw again and blood splattered onto the couch. Doug barely felt it as he reached up and grabbed Kyle's collar. Marissa reached Sebastian who was moaning on the floor, his face already starting to bruise. She pulled him to her lap, wondering why her family wasn't allowed to be happy.

Doug swung harder than he knew he could. Years of hoisting wheels, tires and fenders had molded his muscles into a fierce coiled spring. His fist connected with Kyle's cheek and bones broke in both Doug's hand and Kyle's face. Kyle's vision disappeared and pain filled his brain. He tried to raise his hands before the next one came, but he was too slow and Doug was too enraged.

"You will never hurt my family again!" Doug screamed as the image of Sebastian flying into the wall replayed in his mind. Doug shattered Kyle's nose. Kyle's legs gave out and he dropped to the floor. Doug followed him down and swung again, connecting with Kyle's jaw and more bones broke. Marissa panicked at the change in Doug. She hated seeing him like that. Kyle was out cold and Doug kept swinging. "You hit my boy you son of bitch!" he screamed while he pummeled Kyle's now-lumpy flesh.

"Doug, don't kill him!" Marissa yelled. Two men burst through the front door carrying shotguns at the ready. One was only in his teens, the other nearing forty. Marissa instinctively covered Sebastian and Xavier. The older man handed his gun to the younger one and grabbed Doug around the shoulders.

"He's done, Doug," the older man said forcibly as he pulled Doug off Kyle. "You got him good, buddy. You got lots of help now." There were sirens in the background. Doug was shaking, pain began to reappear in his face and his hand hurt like hell. He looked over to see a shocked Tristan staring at him from the kitchen. No kid should have to see what had just happened.

A woman with short blond hair, maybe thirty-five, entered and surveyed the room. She was obviously not a squeamish woman and took over immediately. "Bobby, put up those guns and see what kind of towels you can find in the kitchen," she ordered as she moved toward Marissa. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked as she looked over Sebastian's bruised face. The sirens were getting closer.

"I think so," Marissa said slowly. Bobby returned with a handful of towels and gave them to the woman. She took one and wiped the blood from Marissa's chin.

"I'm Maggie and that's my husband, Tom, and Bobby's my boy. We're Doug's neighbors from down the way," she said as she nodded toward the east. "Debbie called Tom when she couldn't get a response from the 911 call. Figured we could get here quicker than the sheriff." She finished cleaning Marissa's face and looked sadly at Marissa's shirt. "I think it's ruined and such a pretty color too."

Kyle was unconscious and wheezing heavily. Tom picked up Doug's phone off the floor.

"You there, Debbie?" Tom queried into the phone.

"Yep, we're going to need some paramedics. Everything's quiet now and I hear the sheriff," Tom continued before hanging up. "Yeah, I'll talk with you later." He placed the phone on the table and helped Doug sit up. The flashing lights shown through the windows as the sheriff pulled up. Tristan ran to Doug and hugged himself close to Doug's leg. Marissa saw how natural it was that her boy sought and gained comfort from Doug. Doug hugged Tristan while hoping Tristan wasn't scarred permanently by the fight.

The sheriff ran in and slowed when he realized the action was over. He looked around and had no idea why a hermit like Doug had a house full of people. "What happened here?" he queried to anyone who would answer.

"That's my ex on the floor," Marissa said, pointing at the wheezing Kyle. "He tried to take me and my boys with him. Doug wouldn't let him." She smiled at Doug and inwardly cringed at his bloody face.

"Is he the one who hit you and the child?" the sheriff asked as he pointed at Sebastian's bruised face.

"Yes. He enjoys beating people," Marissa answered.

"Is that how it happened, Doug?" the sheriff asked as he kneeled next to Kyle.

"Pretty much," Doug answered without the help of his nasal passage, "I tried to call you guys and get the guy to leave. When I saw him hit Sebastian I kind of lost it. I didn't mean to hurt him so bad, but he hit the boy."

"It looks like you were within your rights, Doug." The sheriff consoled him as he handcuffed the unconscious Kyle. "He's lucky you didn't have a gun." He looked back over to Marissa."Ma'am, can I ask you what you're doing here?" All the heads in the room turned to Marissa. It was a small town and this was unknown information. Marissa realized she didn't know how to answer.

"Marissa and her boys are staying with me for a while," Doug said, looking into Marissa's eyes. Everyone looked at Doug, then back at Marissa. Marissa blushed at his look and smiled. There was going to be new gossip in town.

<<<<<>>>>>

It was well past midnight when they all returned from the hospital. They had promised the sheriff they would give their statements formally in the afternoon. They had promised Maggie they would stop by for dinner in two days. Sebastian's and Marissa's injuries were superficial and looked much worse than they felt. Doug had his nose set and his hand put in a partial cast. The boys were exhausted. They were asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

Doug donned his pajama bottoms and crawled into bed. He was sore all over, but felt good that he was able to defend his home, Marissa and the boys. It was more than he had expected of himself and he was a bit proud.

Doug's bedroom door opened and Marissa strolled in without knocking. She was wearing only her nightgown. He was surprised to see her this late and in his room. Women were truly confusing. Her face looked serious or at least he thought it did. She moved directly to the side of his bed and sat down. Doug's insides began to panic.

"You called it 'our' house," Marissa said quietly while looking into Doug's eyes.

"What?" Doug stalled, not understanding what she was saying.

"You called it 'our' house. You said 'my family' and 'my boy,' " Marissa said as she put her hand softly on the side of his head to bring his eyes back to hers. "Is that how you see us?" Doug had never felt anything as nice as Marissa's hand on the side of his face. It was so soft and warm.

"Ah...I was pretty...you know," Doug stuttered while looking into Marissa's gorgeous eyes. Her hand was caressing his cheek and he flushed at the attention. She wasn't looking away or trying to leave. She was there with him and softly touching his cheek. He could stay this way forever. "Yes, that's how I feel," he said with conviction and prayed she didn't pack and leave. The opposite happened.

Marissa brought her bruised face down to his. She lightly kissed his taped nose and then moved her lips to his and softly touched them together. Doug experienced heaven for the first time. Marissa's lips fused with his and his entire body warmed and the pain from his injuries left his mind. Her lips were as soft as they looked and melded wonderfully with his. He felt a stirring between his legs.

Marissa broke the kiss and brought her lips to his ears. "I love you too," she whispered softly. Doug's heart cried out with joy. This was worth a hundred beatings, a thousand. He pulled her close with his good hand and felt her warmth against his skin. She was so beautiful, so warm and so heavenly. Marissa returned the hug and kissed his neck softly. Happiness swelled through her body and she felt his hand pull her in. She was his, and he was hers. Jayden was wrong - no one was running for the hills.

Marissa rose from the bed and grabbed the hem of her nightgown. She slowly lifted it over her head and stood before him in only her panties. Doug was mesmerized. He saw her thighs, then her panties, then her tummy, followed by her breasts. The nightgown then revealed her glowing bruised face. Doug swore to himself that no one would ever hit her again. She was too precious. His eyes returned to her stomach and the flowery letters that formed "Sebastian" and "Tristan." He smiled and reached out a shaking hand and touched the letters.

"Where's Xavier?" Doug whispered, mesmerized by her painted skin.

"Haven't had time yet," Marissa giggled as she steadied Doug's hand with her own. She loved him touching her. It was so gentle, so tentative and so very needy. She smiled at the tent forming under the sheets. "Might have put it down my arm. Where should I put Douglas?" Marissa moved his hand slowly up her tummy. Doug looked into Marissa's eyes with a surprised expression. "I want all my boys' names on me," Marissa proclaimed softly as she moved his hand over her breast.

Doug's heart was beating so fast he thought it might explode. His hand covered her soft, pillowy breast and Marissa had put it there. He ran his finger lightly over the nipple and Marissa mewed. He wished the cast would fall off his other hand. Marissa leaned closer, allowing him easier access as he explored her breasts for the first time. She had nursed the boys with those breasts, making them all the more precious. Marissa kept leaning closer, bringing one breast closer to his mouth.

Doug was a little confused and worried. He didn't know what Marissa wanted him to do. It was easy when she pulled his hand to her breast. Now her breast was inches from his mouth and he had a strong desire to kiss and suck on the soft, pretty flesh. The breast moved closer and he tentatively kissed it just below the nipple. Marissa giggled at the light kiss and Doug took that as a sign. He began kissing around the nipple, relishing the soft texture. The sounds Marissa was making made Doug braver. He lightly licked her nipple. It was stiff, yet spongy at the same time. He grabbed it with his lips and tickled the tip with his tongue.

"I like that," Marissa cooed as she slowly ran her hand down Doug's chest and under the covers. The muscles that took down Kyle and helped her boys fix a wooden car were there. They felt so smooth covered by only a trace of soft hairs. She continued lower to his stomach and the top of his pajamas. Marissa felt Doug's hips jerk as she neared his manhood. She sensed he was wound up like a spring and knew he wouldn't last. This was all too new for him. She wished he could have been her first like she was his. They could have learned together.

Doug felt the cover being pulled aside and embarrassment flushed onto his face. He could feel how hard he was. He knew what was going to happen if Marissa continued lower and he struggled to shift away from her hand. Marissa buried her face into his neck and kissed it to soothe his mind. The kisses' tingling traveled down Doug's neck and entombed themselves in his chest. He stopped struggling so he could enjoy her lips on his neck.