by Anna Brooks
“Brunch.”
“Brunch. You know me well enough to know I’m not gonna put up with the shit he just pulled. I don’t give a damn who it was; nobody’s gonna come to my house and corner you like that. Nobody. But let’s get something else straight right now.” He drops the soapy ball on the ground and spins me back then puts his hands on both sides of my neck, his thumbs resting on my cheekbones. “I never left the picture.”
My knees wobble, and I grab onto his arms. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t even know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“That I’ve loved you for years. That you’ve been mine, and even if I wasn’t here, I still took care of you. That I will always take care of you.”
“You what?” My throat is dry despite the steam swirling around us and the water cascading down. “What did you do when you weren’t here?”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to. Just know that your father isn’t the only reason the boys stayed away.”
I open my mouth to get pissy, but he’s right. It’s better if I pretend to be ignorant. It’s not like I would have ever wanted anybody else anyway. He was always it. He was the one. The guy who was nothing but a fantasy. He’d never want me the way I wanted him, and even when he was saying it to me at first, I wasn’t sure I believed it. Now? Yes. Now I’m pregnant with his child, and I know how he feels. But back then… years ago? No. “Why would you do that?”
“This is one of those things to check off the list, isn’t it?” He chews on his lip a second. “It’s because I knew you felt it too. I knew we just had to wait until the time was right, and if I told you then, you’d have tried to convince me. I might be patient when it came to waiting for you, but there’s only so much a guy can take. And if you kept looking at me like you did the night of that fuckin’ party…”
“You took off after that.”
“I know.”
“You kissed me and then you left.”
He nods. “I know.”
“I missed you.”
He dips his head down and rests his forehead against mine. “I missed you too, precious.”
“Just because you’re sweet and hot doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about Chad.”
His breath feels cool against my warm skin when he huffs. “Of course, you didn’t.”
“Why don’t you like him?”
“Because he wants you. I’m not a fan of anyone feeling something for you below the waist.”
I roll my eyes. “I feel bad. He looked so defeated.”
“No need for you to think you have any bearing on how he feels about himself. He’s a grown ass man; he knew what he was doing and what the result would be.”
“I had no idea he ever felt that way, and before you say I told you so, he never said one thing to me. I mean, we had brunch every Saturday for a few months, and aside from when I’d see him in class, we barely talked. We were friends, but it’s not like we were attached at the hip or anything. He flew all the way out here to be turned down. I mean, seriously, who does that?”
Royce slides his hands down from my face and grabs my hips. He pulls me as close as he can with a baby belly in the way. “You’re impossible not to love, Paisley. I know it, he knows it, and anyone who has the balls to tell you is a threat to me. I could tell he was gettin’ close back in New York. I told him you were mine when you went to the bathroom at brunch. That’s it. What you saw here was me losing my shit because he had the guts to come into my house and disrespect not only me, but you.”
“He didn’t—”
“He did.” He cuts me off. “Any guy who’s gonna walk into another man’s home and tell his woman that he’s got feelings for her… that’s disrespect.”
“How did you even know what he was here for?”
His lips graze mine. “You, my dear, are not subtle.”
“What’d I do?” I pull my head back to look into his eyes.
“Your reaction when I walked in. If it was just a friendly visit, you wouldn’t have freaked out about it.”
Dammit. I drop my head, irritated and a little bit confused.
“Talk to me.” He nudges my head up with a finger beneath my chin.
“I feel like I should be mad at you.”
“But you’re not?”
I shake my head. “No. Because all the things you did were because you love me. And because I love you, too, I know I’d do some crazy stuff to keep the skanks away.”
He smirks. “So you forgive me?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. I like that he’s like this with me. I saw it as soon as I was adopted. Erik treats Polly like she’s the best thing in the world, and even though sometimes he’s overbearing, it’s just because he loves her and wants to keep her safe. He’s the same way with me, but obviously in a different way because I’m his daughter. I’m glad I have a man who makes me feel as safe as my father does.
Royce’s fingertips ghost around and up, then they circle my nipples. “You know what that means, right?”
“What?”
“Makeup sex.”
* * *
A week later, I couldn’t fight the cravings anymore, so I dragged my butt out of the house and went to my favorite ice cream shop alone. Royce has been super busy with the merger of the two companies. He’s been pretty tight lipped about his dad, but from what Erik tells me, things are going well.
I’m currently sitting by myself and enjoying some signature Scoopy’s triple berry. Once I’ve devoured the very last bite, I throw my trash away and head back to my car.
One thing that I love about living in California is the sun. I grew up here, sure, but when I went away for college and didn’t see it every single day, I realized just how much I loved the sun. I think if you live here your entire life, you don’t appreciate it as much as you should.
New York was brutal. This West Coast girl did not fare well in the cold. I would never admit this out loud, but it was part of the reason I didn’t want to go back to school there. I know it makes me a baby, but I don’t care. I want sun, not snow.
When I get to my car, I see a paper on my window. Thinking it’s a flier, I rip it off and start to ball it up, but one word stands out. I spread it back open, and when I read the rest of the writing, I vomit up the ice cream.
That should be my baby. It will be.
“Oh, my God.”
My fingers shake, and my knees wobble. I try to open my door to get away from any possible threat, but I slip on my puke, and my hands fly out to catch myself.
“Are you okay?”
I scream when someone touches my shoulder, and I look over to see Brinley bending down to pick up my keys.
“No. Someone… a note. I need Royce.”
“Okay. Do you want me to call him?”
“I just need him.” I reach to grab my keys, but she pulls them back.
“Let me drive you. You’re shaking.”
I try to argue, but she puts her skinny arm around my waist and leads me around the car. I lock my door the second she closes it, and when she gets in, I hit the lock button for all the doors. “Where is he?”
“Royal Ace Security.” My arms tighten around my belly, a motherly instinct to protect my baby kicking in at breakneck speed.
She doesn’t ask for directions, and I concentrate on breathing. My stomach is so nauseous, and I feel like I’m in another dimension right now. Fear is choking me so hard the easy breathing I’ve been doing with Royce up and vanished.
Before she’s stopped my car all the way, I open my door, run into the building as fast as my pregnant ass can move, and don’t stop walking when Polly calls my name. “Hey, honey. I didn’t know you were comin—”
I interrupt her. “Where’s Royce? I need Royce.” I cover my mouth when acid threatens to come up again.
“He’s in his office, I think, but what—”
I rush past her and push open his door only to find it empty. Auto pilot hurries me on, and I r
ush to the conference room and finally see him. He’s laughing with my dad and another man who I don’t know, but the second he sees me through the glass, the laughter ceases immediately, and he jumps up.
I reach him just inside the room and practically collapse on to him. “What’s wrong?” He brings me over to a chair and sets me down, squatting in front of me. “Baby, what happened?”
“Paisley, what the hell?” Erik asks.
I hand Royce the paper currently balled in my fist; it takes him a second to grab it from my shaky hands, but as he’s unfolding it, I tell him, “You can’t let them.”
“Can’t let who what?” He scans the words, and the entire room goes solid with the anger rolling off him. “What. The. Fuck?”
“Talk to me, Paisley. I need to know where you found this.”
I ignore my father and grab Royce’s face. “You can’t let them.”
“I won’t.”
“You can’t let them take our baby.”
There’s commotion in the room, but all I see right now is my man. He leans forward, one hand on my belly and the other one he hooks around the back of my neck. He pulls me closer, and I bury my face in his chest. Next to my temple, his voice strong and confident. “I won’t let anybody take our baby. I fuckin’ promise you that.”
Royce
“Someone is going to die.” I pace the floor of what we call the boiler room upstairs. My thoughts of vengeance too fucked up to even think about sitting still. Somebody wants to ruin what I have? They want to take away my baby? Hurt my woman… my life?
No. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let it.
“We’ll get him.”
I stop long enough to lock eyes with Erik. “Then I’ll kill him.”
“Royce, son, we’re not mercenaries.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I snap at my father. “Did you find it yet?” I ask Q.
“Still searching. Need a few more minutes.”
“Hurry the fuck up!”
Erik finally stands and blocks my path. “Relax.”
“I am not relaxing now. She’s my fucking life, Erik, and someone—”
“I know,” he interrupts me. “But right now, she’s across the hall with her mom next to her. She’s safe. You need to calm your shit if you want to be productive. We’ve had this conversation before, but it holds true now more than ever. You can’t see clearly enough if your vision is red.”
He clasps my shoulder and walks over by Q who is currently hacked into the city’s cameras. I don’t know how he does it, and I don’t care. “Fuck, I can see her car right here.”
I rush over and watch as she walks across the screen. God, she’s beautiful. But the front of her car is just cut off, and we can’t see shit. “Keep watching. Maybe they walked around it or something,” Erik instructs.
“No shit.” Like this is my first time looking through video surveillance.
We watch as minutes and minutes go by, and she finally comes back. Half of her is cut off but we all see the minute she leans over and pukes. But then a shadow approaches her, and I recognize Brinley. See her helping her to the car and driving her away. “Shit, she drove her here?” Thank God someone was there. I can see how shaken up Paisley is in the footage, so who knows what could have happened to her if she tried to drive herself.
“Who’s that?” Erik asks.
“Brinley.” I push past him and go across the hall. “Baby, where’s Brinley?”
Her eyes widen, and she throws the blanket off herself. “Shit.”
“It’s okay.”
“I ran in here and didn’t even… she has my keys. She never came in?”
I shake my head as I’m already rushing downstairs.
“Wait.”
“Paisley, just stay there.”
Stubborn and scared and pregnant, she ignores me. “I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
I wait for her at the bottom of the stairs and then hold my arm out. “Wait here.” She ignores me and pushes open the other door, a sob leaving her at the sight in front of us. “Fuck.”
“Brinley, oh my God.” She rushes out into the rain and bends down.
The girl is soaking wet. What are the chances it’s raining right freaking now? She’s just sitting on the sidewalk across from Paisley’s car, holding her keys. “Paisley, go back inside.”
Behind me, I hear murmurs and then Erik steps up and lifts Paisley by her arms. “Royce’ll get her inside. You don’t need to be out here.”
I crouch down in front of Brinley, and she doesn’t even raise her head. Her red hair looks black it’s so dark from the rain. “Brinley?”
My voice must snap her out of whatever trance she’s in. Bright green eyes stare back at me. “Keys.” She lifts her arm.
“Why don’t you come inside? We’ll get you dried off.”
“I’m okay. I’ll just walk back.”
“Let’s just get you dry, and then we’ll figure that out, okay?” I hold my hand out, and she hesitates. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”
“That’s what they all say.” She ignores my proffered hand and pushes herself up. Carter is at the door and motions for her to go in.
Polly is waiting for us with a towel and smiles, though sympathy is written all over her face. “Hi, sweetie. I’m Polly.” She wraps the towel around her shoulders. “Why don’t you come on upstairs with me? We’ve got some dry clothes and Paisley’s heating up some soup so we can get you warm?”
“I really don’t need anything else.”
“Nonsense, come on.”
Brinley nods and follows Polly up to the break room, which is really more like a small apartment. She looks back at me. “I’ve got the girls; you deal with the other stuff and find whoever the hell it is.” Then she closes the door.
I walk back into the boiler room, and Q looks up. “I’ll keep combing over this shit to see if I can find something. Royce, give me dates of when you guys went to the doctor.”
“’Kay.”
“They’re not gonna get prints off that,” I tell Erik as I angle my head at the baggie with the note in it.
“I know, but it’s worth a try.”
Yeah, some try. The paper is so dirty and wet, it’ll be impossible to narrow down a print.
We talk some more and come up with what we’re gonna do. After another half hour, I’m satisfied with our plan, but I need to get her back home. “I need to take her home.”
Erik nods. “I’m sending Gio and Carter with you. What are you gonna do about the girl?”
“I don’t know. Not really my priority right now.”
Just then, Polly walks in. “We’re bringing Brinley home with us.”
Erik sighs because he knows he’s already lost the battle. “She’s not a stray dog, Polls. We can’t just bring her back to our house.”
“Yes, we can. She’s alone; no family, no friends. She’s cold, she’s wet, and she helped our girl. I am not sending her back to sleep in her fucking car.” Then she leaves, and Erik pinches the bridge of his nose.
If my entire life wasn’t being threatened right now, I’d laugh. Instead, I give a chin lift to the guys and walk out of the room, stopping only when my father calls my name. He comes to stand in front of me. “Nobody’s going to hurt your girl or your baby, you hear me?”
“Yeah.”
“Son, look at me.”
I raise my head and look back at an older version of the face that stares at me every day in the mirror.
“You’ve got this.”
“I know.”
“Your girl is beautiful, and your baby is going to be, too.” It sucks they had to meet for the first time like this, but I was glad when both parts of my life finally met.
Then he does something he hasn’t done since I was sixteen years old. He grabs my shoulder and squeezes. That’s when I lose it. I drop my head, and he pulls me in, wrapping an arm around me and hugging me like he used to… and I let him. For the first time in years, I hug my father.
>
Chapter 16
Paisley
“Hi.” I slowly open the door to Brinley’s room. “How are you doing?”
It’s been a week since the threat, and Polly won’t let her leave because she really likes her. I do too. She’s super shy and quiet, but really sweet. I’ve been hanging out here a bit more because Royce won’t let me be home alone.
I wouldn’t want to be, either. I’m scared shitless. Not gonna lie about that. Being with Royce and always having someone else around makes me feel safer.
Brinley sits up from the bed and smiles at me. God, she looks so different than she has in the past. Her hair is super shiny, and her skin isn’t so pale.
She hasn’t opened up about her past or why she lives out of her car, but she’s really nice. I always thought she was anyway. “Hi. I’d say I’m a five and a half.”
That’s good. The highest number yet. “That’s great. Hope you don’t mind if I hang out. Royce went to the office.” Plus, truth be told, she is a stranger, so nobody wants her here alone when Polly goes to the store. One of the guys is outside just to be on the safe side even though this house is a fortress.
Her cheekbones are more prominent when she smiles. “He sure does love you.”
“Yeah, he does. I got lucky.”
“Hmm.”
“So, uh, what do you do for fun? To keep yourself occupied?”
She swings her feet back and forth. “Well, when I’m not fighting off men who want to rape me or digging through the trash to get some food, I sleep. I like to sleep as much as I can because it makes time go by fast. I just want to be able to wake up one day and not be in this life anymore.”
I don’t know how to respond to that. My heart goes out to her, but I only offer a smile and then ask, “Want to go downstairs and watch a movie?”
“Whatever.” She shrugs and stands up.
I follow her downstairs, and we sit on opposite ends of the couch. She holds up a picture of me on my sixteenth birthday. “You got a car for your birthday?”
“Yeah,” I reply sheepishly.
“Wow. You have the perfect life.”
