“Hey, that was once, and I was drunk.”
I glance over my shoulder to see Cade leaning in the doorway. “Excuses, excuses,” I say, shaking my head.
“You look good with that baby on you.”
I smile. “Thanks.”
We walk back to the living room and Cade glances over at me.
“I’m gonna go clean up the kitchen. I told Gabby and Linc to go catch a nap.”
“Good; maybe they can get a few hours of rest.” We hang out the rest of the night, taking care of Marshall. I hadn’t realized I dozed off until Linc wakes us up.
“You guys wanna crash here or are you gonna head home?” “Oh shit, Linc, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for us to fall asleep. We were supposed to be helping you. Not the other way around.”
“Daria, its fine. It’s ten-thirty. Gabby and I got like a good three and half hours of sleep. Thank you; it was great. The baby is fine; he’s still asleep.”
I nudge Cade. “Hey, sleepyhead.”
He sits up and rubs his face. “Damn, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
Linc motions that it’s no big deal. I pull Cade up. “Come on, let’s go home.”
On the way home, he looks over at me and smiles.
“What?” “You were just a natural tonight. You looked so comfortable. So, if we are having a baby, I know we’re going to be okay.”
~*~*~ The rest of the week seems to creep by. Cade tries to talk me into getting a test from the pharmacy, but I want blood work. I know this early there can be false positives or false negatives. I need answers, not more questions.
Finally, we are on the way to meet my dad for lunch.
“I think he’s about to tell me goodbye. Is it weird that I feel sad and relieved at the same time?” “No, baby. It’s like when my dad left. I really didn’t care that he was gone, but I did care that my ‘dad’ was gone. Does that make sense?”
I nod. “Yeah, I guess so.” Lunch with my dad is actually lighthearted. He tells Cade about when I was three and got mad with my mom for brushing my hair, so I went into my room and locked the door. I took the pair of scissors out of the desk and cut almost all of my hair off.
It was definitely not as tension-filled as dinner the other night. When I realize that I need to get going because of my appointment, I’m kind of sad. Dad hands me a couple of business cards with agents’ phone numbers. That’s his way of letting me know that he’ll be leaving soon. I’ve already noticed that his driver and bodyguard have been replaced, which means they are feds acting as his men.
Walking out of the restaurant, he motions that his car is parked just down the block. “Dad, I love you. I know that there have been times that I’ve said I didn’t, but I really do. So, please, call me when you are leaving. I don’t care if it’s just a hang up or a blank text with a smiley face. Just something.”
He pats my back hard as he hugs me. “I’ll see what I can do. I love you, too. Take care of yourself and your mother. I know I won’t talk to her before I leave. Tell her that I still love her like the day I met her. She checked me out at the local WinnDixie. I thought I’d never met someone who looked so much like perfection. I gotta go. I think some of my associates are starting to get suspicious.”
I nod, wiping tears. “I love you, Dad. Like I said, anything to let me know you are okay.” I watch him walk to his car and get in. I turn around and Cade takes me into a big hug. I know Cade loves me and that’s the only reason he came today. That says a lot for Cade’s character. I know he hates my father for the sheer principle of what’s happened to me but he’ll swallow his pride for me.
Suddenly I’m blown forward with Cade.
“Cade, what happened?”
I feel warm liquid on my face. Wiping my face, I see blood. “What the-?”
I look up to see Cade with a look of horror on his face. I turn around my world ceases to exist as I know it.
Chapter 22
Cade
Turning around to see Sam’s Cadillac blown all over the street was not something I expected to affect me like it did. It’s like time goes into slow motion. Daria asks me something but it’s muffled. My ears are ringing and suddenly they pop. I hear blood curdling screams. I look down to see that Daria has shot to her feet. The next thing I know she’s taken off running. Taking off after her, I grab her around the waist.
“Baby, you have to stop. You can’t help him.”
Still trying to pull away from me, she screams. “Dad! Dad! AARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!” She is sobbing uncontrollably and she sinks to the ground. I reach down and pick her up, placing her on a car hood and looking her over. She has a gash on her forehead where she hit the sidewalk. Sirens scream and a paramedic runs over to us.
“Ma’am, Sir, are y’all okay?”
“She got hurt when we fell. I think that’s all, though. I don’t think I have any cuts or anything.”
“No, sir, I don’t see any on you. Ma’am¸ I’m gonna take you over to the ambulance and look at this cut, okay?”
She nods. “Is my dad okay?’
He looks at me confused.
“Her father was in the car that exploded,” I explain. He looks at her and then at me holding her hands. “Ma’am, it doesn’t appear right now that anyone in that car survived. I’m not allowed to confirm anything officially.”
We nod as I walk her over to the ambulance.
After a few steri-strips are put over the cut, a detective comes up to ask us questions.
“I’m Detective Burns I need to ask you guys a few questions.” We nod. He starts with who we were there to meet. Why we were there? He pulled Daria to the side and asked her some private questions about her dad. I know she and I were both vague as to why he asked us to lunch. I guess he got as much as he could from Daria about her father. So he tells us to stay put while he talks to some other people.
He finally comes back and releases Daria to go home, letting her know he may need to speak with her again. He also lets me know that the coroner’s office will be calling to ask where she wants the remains to go.
I call her mom and Jim, along with our friends. Her parents say they’ll meet us at her apartment. She doesn’t speak the entire ride home; she really didn’t say very much at the scene once she quit screaming, either.
We pull into the apartment complex. Walking to her apartment, she finally speaks. “Cade?”
“Yeah?”
“My dad is dead. I saw it happen.” “Baby, I’m sorry. I wish I knew what to say. I love you.” “Thanks. I know. I mean quite honestly I don’t know what to say either. It’s like a bad dream or something. I think I’m gonna go get in the shower.”
“Okay, but be careful around that cut. Remember what the medic said.”
She nods and walks back to the bathroom. Her parents arrive and it’s clear that her mom has been crying. I direct her back to Daria’s bedroom where Daria is in her bathroom taking a shower.
Jim looks at me. “What happened?” I shake my head. “We were having lunch with Sam. He was telling Daria goodbye, because he’s, well, he was, retiring. We finished lunch, and then we watched him get into his car and pull away. As soon as we started to walk to our car, the explosion blew us to the ground.”
“Donna was always afraid this was going to happen. Thank God Daria wasn’t in the car with him. That was always her biggest fear, especially after her attack in high school.”
“I’m not gonna lie, Jim. I’m worried about Daria. With everything that she’s been through, I just hope she can get through this.”
“I understand, son. I may be Donna’s love now, but Sam… he was her first real love. I know she fell head over heels for that man. When I had to tell her, she crumbled and then she told me she was sorry. I just comforted her. In a way, it does hurt to see her so distraught over that man, but I’m her love now. When you get to be our age, you see things differently. You’re no longer jealous over petty stuff. You realize that, just because you got over being in love with
someone, it doesn’t mean you don’t still love them. Donna always loved him, even more for the fact that he gave her Daria.”
“He brought Donna up at lunch today. He wanted her to know he still loved her like the day he met her when she checked him out at Winn-Dixie. He still thought of her as perfection.”
Jim shakes his head. “Sam was always one for words. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he still loved Donna. He never wanted to divorce her. He finally gave in when he saw how miserable she was. She was always scared that something would happen to her or Daria. So he let her go. Sure, when he found out we were dating, it got awkward. I’m sure Daria told you he’d been my boss at one time.” I nod. “Well, he could be as intimidating as the devil back then. Finally, I just told him I loved Donna and wanted to help her make a safe life for her and Daria. He finally let it go and was actually comfortable with the fact that I was there and understood his situation.”
“It’s no secret I wasn’t one of his biggest fans, but what I saw happen today was like something out of a movie. I was ready for him to move so that maybe Daria could have some peace. But I never wanted this to happen. The detective said the coroner’s office would be calling about where to send the body. I’m sure Daria is going to need Donna’s help with all of this.”
“Yeah, Sam really didn’t have any family left. His parents died when we were all in our thirties. His older brother was killed in Vietnam. Really, Donna and Daria have been his only family for years.”
I hear the bedroom door open. Daria and her mother appear in front of us and sit on the sofa. I pull Daria to my side.
“Did you take some medicine?” “Yeah. I also took some of my anxiety medicine.”
“Cade, thank you for calling us, and just for being there with Daria,” Donna says.
“It’s no problem. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Jim takes Donn a’s hand. “Cade said the coroner’s office will be calling Daria to make the arrangements. Maybe you two should go ahead and discuss how Sam would want things. That way, when they call, if Daria is too upset, Cade can let them know.”
She nods. “Of course.” Not long after we finish discussing the memorial plans, our friends show up. Donna’s face lights up when she gets to hold Marshall. The rest of the night feels like I’m moving in a fog. I can only imagine Daria feels even more like that. The girls take to Daria and won’t let her go. Her friend Lanie called as well; she saw it on the news.
My mom and Richard call to say they’ll be coming for the memorial service once plans are finalized. Looking at Donna holding Marshall, it hits me. With everything that happened today, Daria didn’t make it to her doctor’s appointment. Damn.
Finally, yesterday, he went to the store and bought a test. I still haven’t taken it.
Chapter 23
Daria
Thoughts for the day… How do you know it’s been a bad couple of weeks? Well, you quit your job after getting manhandled. You think you might be pregnant. You find out your dad is moving away when he “retires.” The day you’re supposed to go to the doctor to find out if you are, in fact, pregnant, your dad is killed by a car bomb.
Since he was somewhat of a criminal, you, at the age of twenty-two, are forced to make the memorial arrangements. Why a memorial? Because all that was left of him was bone fragments and ashes. I guess his “associates” found out about his deal with the feds after all.
You realize that you never made it to your doctor’s appointment. Your boyfriend has been your rock. He never even said anything about the missed doctor appointment.
Finally, yesterday, he went to the store and bought a test. I still haven’t taken it. My father’s lawyer just called to tell me that everything he owned was left to me, with the exception of some properties he left to my mother. All of his stocks, investments, life insurance, and money are mine. I hang up the phone in shock, realizing that I’m basically a millionaire. I now have a beach house in Florida, a house in my hometown, three cars, and enough insurance, money, and investments to buy a small country.
I walk into the living room where Cade is sitting. He looks up. “Hey, baby, what was that about?” I let out a big sigh and sit down beside him. “Tha t was my father’s lawyer and long-time friend. He wanted me to come in to talk about my father’s assets; I told him I was not up for traveling home at this time. So, since he’s known me my entire life, he went ahead and went over it with me over the phone. Basically, I’m a very wealthy woman. I have a beach house in Florida that I never even knew my father had. I have a house in my hometown that I’m probably going to sell because I never want to live there. Then I have some cars, stocks, investments, and insurance money. The only other person he left anything to was my mom. She got the mountain cabin, the Costa Rican property, and a horse ranch in Colorado, which I didn’t know he had, either.”
“Wow. That’s a lot to take in. Where’s the house in Florida?”
“Oh, you are going to love this. Destin.”
“Are you serious? So Sam had a beach house literally less than two hours from my hometown?”
“It would appear so. I guess, technically, I have a beach house there now.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
He messes with his cell. “Have you thought about taking that test yet?” “I’m going to. I just I need a little bit. I’m sorry, Cade. You have been so patient with me. I know you’re just as nervous as me about this, but processing all of this has been a bit much.”
“You should talk to Linc. He could give you the name of the guy who helps him.” I nod. “Yeah, I mean, I want to do what’s right. I don’t want all of that money. I feel like some of it should go for something good. I know that most of it was illgotten. I’m conflicted about it all.”
“You’ll think of something. You’re awesome like that. It’s just one of the many reasons I love you.” He kisses my forehead.
I take a deep breath. With all that’s been going on, I haven’t had the desire or the urge to have sex. I’ve been moving along in a cloud of fog. But something just woke up my libido and said, “Hey, we need some sex.”
I reach up to his face and kiss him hard. “I’m going to go take that test.”
“Okay. Do you want me to come back there with you?”
“Yeah, because either way it comes out, I need you to fuck me.”
He almost trips walking across the living room. “Okay.” We walk into my bathroom. “Are you sure you’re okay with the answer to this test either way? I don’t want you to feel trapped.”
He grabs me around the waist. “Do I want to have a baby while we’re in college? It probably wouldn’t be the best time, but if it’s our time, then it’s our time. Hell, we don’t know why anything happens. We don’t even know if we have tomorrow, so if you are, I’m going to love you and worship the hell out of you for the rest of my life. If you’re not, I’m going to love you and worship the hell out of you for the rest of my life.”
I nod, blinking back tears at the most beautiful thing anyone has ever told me. “Okay, here goes.” I pee on the stick and wait for what seems like the longest few minutes of my life. I pick up the stick when the time is up.
“Well, Cade. We’re going to be parents.” He leans back against the door. Slowly, his face lights up and he grabs me, picking me up and throwing me on the bed. He makes short work of our clothes kissing his way down my body. Once he reaches the apex between my legs he licks and sucks on my clit until I’m screaming his name. He makes his way back up my body, taking my one of my nipples in his mouth. He starts slowly pumping in and out of me. After a few minutes we roll so I’m on top riding him. I sink down on him and lean back up almost letting him slide completely out of me. I slam myself back down and start riding him like I’m being judged at a contest. Until I’m coming apart around him and he is shooting his hot load inside of me. We rest for a little while, before he wakes me up to take me again. My neighbors beat on the adjoining wall around three a.m., which was
the exact moment I was up against the wall having my third orgasm of the night.
~*~*~
I don’t wake up until lunchtime. I look over at Cade, only to find an empty bed. He left a note.
Hey Baby Momma,
I’ve got practice. I’ll see you in a bit.
Love, Cade I sit on my couch, thinking about everything. I’m a college student. I’m going to be a mother. My dad just died and left me a shit ton of money. I’m in love with the most awesome person on the planet.
I need to call Gabby; she’ll know what to do. She’s been through this. How am I going to take care of a baby? I’ve changed my major like five times. Hell, I’m just going back in a week after a psychotic emotional breakdown. Man, when life decides to delve out shit, it means business.
Picking up my phone, I scroll to Gabby and call.
“Hello?”
“Gabby, hey, are you busy?”
“Nah. Just me and Marsh hanging out here at the house.”
“Can I come over for a little bit? Or if you just wanna get out, you can come over here?”
“Ooo. Marshall and I will be over there soon. I’m dying to go somewhere.”
I laugh. “Okay, see you soon.”
Within forty minutes, Gabby is at my door. I open the door. “Thanks for coming by.” She sets the carrier down. “No problem. Marshall and I had to get out of the house. So what’s going on? You look like you’re about to puke.”
“I’m pregnant. I’m a millionaire. My dad just died. Where should I start?”
She sits back against the couch. “Holy shit. Does Cade know?”
I nod. “Yeah, he’s happy. Wait - about the baby or about me being a millionaire?”
“Shit. Both, I guess. I was talking about the baby, though.” I explain everything to Gabby: the houses, the money, even the fact that this baby was conceived either right after she gave birth or in a bar storage room.
Fighting Temptation Page 11
