Justice Is Always Ready (A Graham Family Story, 1) by Aliyah Burke

sat down in the living room. Standing over the
sink, her hands deep in the hot, sudsy water, she took harsh ragged
breaths while she clenched and unclenched her fists.
    “ You okay, beautiful?”
Justice’s deep timbre preceded his light touch on the small of her
back.
    Tilting her head to the side, she
found his expression concerned. She struggled to hold on to her
control but it hovered just out of her reach. Her mouth moved but
nothing came out.
    His fingers pressed along her spine.
“I’m right here, Kassidy. You’re not alone.”
    And like that the rope of control
rested securely in her grasp. She closed her eyes and nodded before
sending him a thankful look.
    “ What can I
do?”
    “ Rinse.”
    “ Let’s get to it,” he said
with one final lingering touch.
    His hand dropped away and
she missed the warmth of his caress instantly. He settled his body
next to hers and she ogled him  blue suit coat that was being
removed and hung over a chair, pristine white sleeves of his shirt
had been rolled up to his elbows. The dark chocolate of his skin
mesmerized her. Such strength lay in those arms and hands. And such
tenderness.
    Her mind drifted to the boat where
he’d used those large hands to bring her such exquisite and
concentrated pleasure. Over and over again. She bit her lip as the
memory flowed over her, his scent, his feel, his everything.
Him.
    “ Kassidy?”
    Dragging her gaze up to his, she felt
more shivers grow at the molten look of passion he had in his.
“Huh?”
    Justice roved her face, lingering on
her lips before he cleared his throat. “You seemed lost in
thought.”
    Was I ever.
    The blush couldn’t be stopped. At his
arched eyebrow she said, “I was, a bit.” Swallowing hard she did
her best to focus on the task at hand, not the gorgeous man beside
her. It wasn’t easy.
    She and Justice said their farewells
around five-thirty. He held her car door for her once Libby had
been loaded up.
    “ I want to hold you,
beautiful,” he said in a low tone.
    A craving she longed for as well.
“Follow me home.”
    He said nothing, just shut the door
and headed to his car. She watched him back out of the drive, then
waved to her parents one more time before heading home. When she
arrived, he was already there and waited on her front steps. Tears
threatened again and she took several deep breaths while he trekked
toward her.
    “ Come here, beautiful,” he
drawled after she and Libby were both out.
    Without hesitation she moved into his
arms, feeling safe and secure in his embrace. He reached past her
and grabbed Libby’s bag before guiding her toward the front door.
Her movements were a bit stiff and uncoordinated as she unlocked
the door. Once it had closed them off from the eyes and ears of the
outside world, she found herself swept up in his embrace. She sank
into him, not wanting to be anywhere but where she sat. In his
arms.
    When he laid them down on her bed, she
stared at him. He sat up and shrugged out of his suit coat again
before lying down and drawing her flush to his hard body. The
masculine scent of him totally surrounded her and enveloped her in
a cocoon of safety.
    “ What happened today,
Kassidy?”
    She squirmed closer, not wanting to
talk. This time she allowed the tears to fall. In her ear, Justice
murmured soft words that helped calm her. When the tears stopped,
he repeated his question.
    “ What happened today,
Kassidy?”
    “ She lied to
me.”
    “ Your mom? What did she
lie about?”
    “ Whatever is going on with
her. I asked and she lied. Stared me straight in the eye and lied
to my face.” Kassidy shoved away from him and left the bed. She
paced back and forth by the foot of the bed, running a hand over
her face in frustration.
    Justice remained on the bed, lying
there watching her. Not in judgment, just watchful.
    “ I’m their daughter, what
the hell is so bad they can’t or won’t tell me?”
    He said nothing. Just continued to
watch her with calm eyes.
    “ I