by Sky Winters
“Starving,” she agreed.
“I’m no Gordon in the kitchen. How about I run out and grab us a pizza?” he offered.
“Sounds great. Thanks.” Corinne watched from the window as he darted across the way to the strip mall and disappeared. She was just turning away when she caught a glimpse of something in the corner of her eye.
She swung back around, pressing her palms against the window and narrowing her eyes. In the alley, just across from her, feet from where Steve had disappeared, she saw Marcus, hair messy, beard longer than ever.
She quickly backed away, letting the blinds fall closed and ran to the kitchen where she found the biggest butcher knife she could and held it ready, behind the counter, as she stared at the back of the door, waiting.
It was the longest twenty minutes of her life until the door handle moved and her heart raced. But the moment Steve stepped through the door with the pizza, she relaxed and set the knife on the counter before he could see.
“Sorry it took so long,” he said, setting it on the table and flipping the box top open to release the incredible smell into the air. “There was this guy who kept asking about the station. That happens sometimes. People get all weird around us like we’re super heroes or something. He especially wanted to know about Gordon, but that’s not unusual. Your new man is something of a real local hero, you know. No one puts out fires faster or easier.”
“You’re a hero, too,” Corinne agreed, sitting down and taking a piece of gooey cheese pizza. “What you do is amazing – risking your life for innocent victims.” But she suspected it wasn’t a fan who’d been asking for information. Why couldn’t Marcus just leave her alone?
Maybe she should confront him. Find out what it was he wanted from her. She’d never have any peace unless she did and she didn’t want Gordon ruining his life because of her shithead ex.
“I’m going to take a walk,” she said after her third piece of pizza. You don’t mind, do you?”
Steve looked nervous. “I said I’d watch out for you, but I can’t leave the fire house. I have to stay in case there’s another emergency.”
“That’s okay.” Corinne smiled, putting on her flirt. “What could happen? I’ll only be gone like ten minutes.” Then, when he still looked uncertain, “I’m feeling kind of nauseous, I need fresh air.” Corinne rubbed her stomach for effect. Her jeans had already grown tight so she was wearing a flowing dress and pressed the material down around her to show off the bulbous shape.
“Oh. Okay. But if you need anything just text.” Steve grabbed her phone and punched in his number before handing it back.
“Thanks,” she said and tried not to rush out the door.
Corinne glanced both ways before dashing across the street. She glanced in the alley first, but saw no sign of Marcus. She checked the pizza place and a couple of other stores, but there was no sign of him.
Not ready to give up, Corrine texted him quickly. Where are you?
The answer came a minute later. With a mutual friend.
Corinne froze. What did that mean?
A picture appeared and she stared, waiting for it to download all the way. When it did, she nearly dropped her phone.
It was Eileen, naked on her bed, seemingly unconscious.
WTF? She typed.
No answer.
She texted Eileen, hoping it was some photoshopped gag.
Nothing.
Corinne hurried back across the street, feeling ill. She called the police on the way and waited impatiently for an hour until she received a call back, trying to pretend for Steve that everything was fine. She was relieved when he finally went off to the kitchen to work on chopping veggies for dinner and the others eventual return.
When the police called back, she pressed the phone to her ear and listened, walking to the far corner of the station house so he couldn’t hear.
“Nothing?” she asked. “You’re sure?”
All the police found was a drunk naked woman in her own bed who chased them away when they woke her. No reason to suspect any foul play.
“Someone had to teach that cocky bitch a lesson,” Marcus said from behind her.
Corinne spun around to face him right there in the fire station.
“Steve!” she yelled.
“The normal?” Marcus asked with a chuckle and gestured toward the small kitchen with a nod of his head.
Corinne whizzed past him and approached the small space with a sense of dread as Marcus plopped down at the table and took a piece of pizza. Steve’s feet came into view first, followed by the rest of him. He was out cold. She dropped to his side, fear pounding in her head and chest.
“He’s alive. He didn’t even see what hit him,” Marcus said around a mouthful of pizza. “I’m not stupid. I know how to cover my tracks.”
“What do you want from me?” Corinne asked, standing up. Anger took over and infused her with courage.
“I want you to be a good little wife and come back to me where you belong. I’ll even accept your bastard kid as my own.”
Corinne hugged her stomach again. “What the fuck did you do to Eileen?”
“I gave her what she needed. A good fuck to put her in her place. She’s still just a bitch no matter how big she is. Now she knows I’m not shooting blanks.”
“You raped her?” Corinne’s voice rose an entire octave.
Marcus shrugged and tossed his half-eaten piece of pizza back in the box. “She begged for it in the end.”
Corinne’s hands shook with rage as she clenched them into fists at her side. “Bullshit.”
“Jealous?” he asked, standing up.
Corinne stopped in her tracks. Marcus was fucking insane. Criminally insane. She knew he was a loose cannon, but not like this. He’d hurt – almost killed two people just to get to her. “I’m never going back to you,” she said, as calmly as possible. “I can’t stand you – the real you. I was a blind idiot not to see it before.”
“That so?” Marcus asked, stalking forward and backing her into the counter. “Because either you’re coming back to me,” he whispered, curling a lock of her hair around his finger and laying his other hand on the swell of her stomach. “Or you and baby aren’t going to be long for this world. And believe me, no one will ever bother looking into your death.”
Corinne shoved at his wrist, but he yanked her by the hair and slid his other hand up to her breast, which he squeezed so hard she cried out in pain. “I remember how you liked it rough,” Marcus said, nipping at her neck. “I bet he doesn’t make you scream like I used to.”
Corinne let out a sob as his hand wandered from her breast to her skirt, which he gathered up so he could reach beneath. “Does he know how you like to be stroked?” Marcus asked, shoving his hand in her panties.
“Get. Off.” Corinne groped behind her and grabbed the nearest thing possible, smashing it down on his head.
The cup shattered, glass splintering around them and sprinkling the ground. Marcus grabbed at his forehead and stumbled backward.
“Bitch,” he growled, muscles straining and swelling beneath his shirt, eyes burning yellow. His teeth began to grow, long fangs protruding from his mouth as he shifted before her eyes.
But before he could morph completely into the wolf and no doubt rip out her throat, the sound of sirens sang outside the walls. The roar of a giant engine stopped and masculine voices wound their way into the station house.
Marcus howled and darted out the front door.
Corinne was still frozen in place when the men came in, sooty and worn out, but in good spirits until they saw Steve on the ground and Corinne shaking and clutching the edge of the counter.
“Corinne!” Gordon ran to her side and pulled her into his arms, alternating between holding her and examining her at arm’s-length to make sure she was okay.
“What the hell happened?” the chief with the mustache asked. “Steve? Are you okay?” He helped his man unsteadily to his feet.
“I do
n’t know,” Steve said, “I must’ve just blacked out. Corinne. Is she okay?”
“I’m okay,” Corinne said, finally finding her voice. “I was scared. For Steve. I… I didn’t know what to do.”
Marcus was unhinged. That was certain. And he’d already hurt her friend she thought was invincible. What if he did something to Gordon? Or worse, to the baby? She couldn’t let him near the baby. She had to get away.
“It was Marcus, wasn’t it?” Gordon asked in a low voice, narrowing his eyes like he could see right through to her thoughts.
“No,” she protested, looking straight back into his face. “Lord, no. I think Steve fell or something. I went out for a walk and when I came in, I found him like that.”
“Well, as long as everyone is okay,” Chief said, still looking puzzled. “Why don’t you take the lady home, Gordon? She’s pretty shaken and in her condition…”
“Of course. Thanks, Chief.” Gordon led Corinne out by the hand, guiding her to the car.
“I know it was him, Corinne. He’s got you scared out of your wits. What did he do?”
“Don’t be paranoid,” Corinne said, leaning back into the seat. “Let’s talk about happy things, okay? Tomorrow morning is our appointment with Dr. Fontaine.”
Gordon sighed deeply, but placed his hand over hers. “That is exciting.”
“Have you thought about names?” Corinne asked, already planning what she had to do about the situation in her head.
“I like Emilia if it’s a girl,” Gordon said.
“That’s pretty,” Corinne agreed, “But I have a feeling it’s a boy.”
“Really?” Gordon sounded truly excited. “Well, something strong like… Charlie, maybe?”
“Charlie,” Corinne repeated. “I like that.”
She hated how much it was going to hurt him when she had to leave. But he couldn’t know and it was for his own good. She couldn’t live with herself if she selfishly stayed and he was hurt by Marcus. It wasn’t fair to Charlie to take him from his father, but he was in danger, too. Even if she went back to Marcus to calm him down now, who’s to say what would happen in the future?
No. She had to leave. To disappear. And no one else could know. She’d start over somewhere else where Marcus couldn’t get to her or Charlie. And she’d do it as soon as Gordon went to work tomorrow. Right after the doctor appointment.
Chapter 7
The appointment the next morning was bittersweet. Gordon doted on her as always and the doctor surprised them with a private sonogram, saying that in the case of dragon shifters, the babies were so large and grew so rapidly, they should be able to see it already.
Sure enough, with her belly bare and cold jelly on top, when he pressed the instrument down over her stomach, the image formed on the small black and white screen before them, revealing a tiny peanut-shaped baby with the smallest arms and curled-up legs she could imagine. He wiggled there, the umbilical cord safely tying him to her, and when he stretched a little, both she and Gordon teared up.
Every time she saw Gordon’s face, so full of happiness and love, she had a harder time imagining going through with her plan. But she had to, she reminded herself, not just for him, but for that tiny innocent child inside of her.
“Can you tell what it is?” Gordon asked the doctor.
“Not yet,” he said with a smile.
“It’s a boy,” Corinne insisted. “Charlie.”
Gordon squeezed her hand as the doctor admitted that many times mothers seem to have a strong sixth sense about these things. “But just in case, don’t go painting the bedroom pink just yet,” he warned.
When they got back in the car, Corrine’s stomach sank. It was almost time.
“Let’s go look at baby furniture. We can grab lunch after and talk about redoing the duplex,” Gordon said.
“Don’t you have to go in to work?” she asked, panicking slightly. It sounded like a dream day, but she couldn’t get sucked into the false illusion any further. Her possibility of a beautiful future with Gordon and Charlie disappeared the night she agreed to marry Marcus.
Reflexively, she checked her phone again. Eileen refused to answer her texts, which made it all the worse.
“They can manage without me,” Gordon said. “If there’s a big fire, they’ll call. I already cleared it with Chief.”
“Oh. Wow.” Corinne didn’t know what to say. Could it really hurt to have fun for one more day? Sadly, the answer was yes. She knew it the minute they stepped in the baby furniture store with all the cribs and blankets and toys.
“I’m buying this,” Gordon said, picking the tiniest little outfit off a rack. It was a onesie that looked like a little fireman’s outfit.
Corinne sucked in a breath and tugged him along toward the back wall where a set of dark maple furniture was decorated with a castle theme. She touched the mobile above the crib and a tune played as a tiny knight, princess and dragon spun slowly around.
“Sold,” Gordon said with a chuckle.
He picked out a stuffed dragon with a long green tail and snout and bought that and the outfit before they left.
They were in the middle of lunch, laughing as Gordon told her stories about his parents and sister, when he got the call from the station.
“Fire in your old neck of the woods,” Gordon said, checking his cell. “Looks like some careless shit with a cigarette. I’m so sorry, baby.”
“It’s okay,” Corinne said, checking her own cell. It was one in the afternoon. Plenty of time to go back, pack, and get on the four o’clock bus. “I’ll use a ride app and go back to the duplex.”
“All right. I’ll be there soon. I promise.”
Corinne grabbed hold of him when he reached down to give her a peck. She pulled him close, inhaling his spicy scent and melting into a passionate kiss, right in the middle of the restaurant.
“Wow,” he said, when she finally let him up for air.
“Go get that fire,” she said with a smile. She had to steal that goodbye kiss even if he didn’t know what it really was yet. It broke her heart to leave him. Damn Marcus.
She watched him go after throwing some money on the table and she ordered a ride home. She’d take the fireman outfit and dragon with her. It would be something she could give to Charlie someday from his daddy.
Tears flowed freely down her face as she rode home, sure the driver thought she was crazy. It didn’t matter though, who cared what he thought? When they got there, she leapt out of the car, typing in a tip on the app and rushed up the steps to the door, the small package on her arm.
Next door, the stroller kept on the porch felt empty and sad and she hurried to open the door and get inside where she wasted no time throwing open her small suitcase and stuffing in the few clothes that still fit her. Then she threw in the rest of her meager belongings, except her mother’s candlesticks. Her heart ached with the idea of leaving them behind, but not only would she be tempted to sell them, she wanted to leave something important of her own behind as a gift to Gordon.
“Daddy can’t know why we’re leaving,” she told her stomach. “Or he’ll do something dumb like the big macho man he is.” Talk about real alpha male…
Corinne wiped at her tear-streaked face as her phone buzzed in her pocket. Hopeful that Eileen was finally answering her, she pulled it out. But when she saw it was from Marcus, her hand began to tremble.
Packing up to come home?
Corinne dropped the phone and spun around, half expecting him to be in the room. When she saw nothing out of the ordinary, she ran to the door and locked the deadbolt. Then she rushed to the window overlooking the street below and peered out, searching the sidewalk and street.
Nothing. Not even any passersby. It was oddly deserted for the time of day – or maybe Corinne just never paid attention before. She couldn’t let herself get paranoid. That’s what Marcus wanted. To throw her off and get into her head.
“Just keep with the plan,” she told herself.
But when she approached the suitcase on the bed, once again the phone buzzed. This time it was an actual phone call.
Corinne stared at the phone like it was a grenade ready to detonate.
It didn’t say Marcus. And it wasn’t a blocked number.
Corinne snatched it up and answered in a shaky voice. “Hello?”
“Hang up and your boyfriend’s dead.”
Marcus.
“Don’t touch him,” Corinne said through the thickness in her throat. “This isn’t his fault. It’s between you and me, Marcus.”
She sat heavily on the edge of the bed, feeling lightheaded. But she had to keep her wits about her.
“Aren’t you the heroic little slut,” Marcus said with a laugh. “Just do as I say and no one gets hurt.”
“What do you want?” Corinne grasped the blanket hard to try to stop the trembling.
“You’re packing, so that’s a good sign. But then why didn’t you answer your text?”
“How… how do you know what I’m doing?”
Silence.
“Answer the question, Corinne. Are you coming back to me or not?”
“What if I say no?” she countered, pressing her eyes shut and squeezing yet more tears from her lids that slid down her cheeks.
“Then no one gets you. You are mine, and you’ve been very bad.”
“You had no problem fucking other women before I found someone else!” Corinne screamed at the phone.
“Baby, I’m an alpha male. We’ve been over this. I have needs that you just weren’t satisfying.”
“Fuck you, Marcus. You’re no alpha male. You’re a runt of the litter. Your family probably threw you out for being a parasite.” Now Corinne trembled with rage instead of fear.
Marcus hung up.
“Ahhhhh!” Corinne screamed in frustration and threw the phone at the wall. After a few moments of heavy breathing, she gathered her wits and closed her suitcase. It was time to leave. If she left Gordon, then Marcus wouldn’t have any reason to bother hurting him.
He had to be okay.
“I figured you’d be stupid enough to choose this,” Marcus said.
Corinne spun around to find him standing in the doorway.
