by C. M. Steele
The guys were in the corner talking about a something, but Nat’s stomach growled.
“Ooh, someone’s hungry. Bro, don’t you take care of your woman?” I couldn’t resist digging.
“Baby, I’m sorry. Let’s get something to eat.” He hobbled to her, and it worried all of us that he was walking around. I hated that he was still so fucked up.
“Should you be walking around so much?”
“Not much, but I should be using a crutch or a cane. I’ll be fine, especially after you give me a kiss.” They started to kiss, and Tim turned to me with suggestive eyes, but I didn’t think Cam was in the mood to watch us kiss yet.
“We’ll meet you down in the lobby in about ten minutes. I still need to get some clothes on. Pick a place, Van,” Cameron said.
Thankfully they put the fight behind them for the time being. We were all starving, so we decided to go to breakfast. The tension during breakfast wasn’t as bad as it could be, but I hoped the guys could talk it out later.
~~~~~
We were about to go back to our room when Cam asked me to talk to him. He pulled me aside for a minute.
“What’s up, bro?” I asked, he looked nervous.
“Are you happy?” he questioned with concern plastered on his face.
“Extremely happy. I fell in love with him from the first moment we met. He’s been a gentleman about us for a long time now. He gave me time to learn what I wanted with school and everything. I’ve missed him so much, I couldn’t focus. That was why the weight fell off so fast. Think about how much you love Nat. That’s the way we feel about each other. It’s perfect.”
“He’s a good man. Don’t drive him insane.”
“I’ll do my best. Thanks, Cam.” I hugged my brother as tight as I could without hurting him. After that I couldn’t stop smiling all day. It didn’t help that once we were back in our rooms, Tim wanted to make sure I was well fed.
18
Tim
Everything was set for Vanessa and I to marry. Cam had several crazies that had all been quarreled and dealt with, or so we thought. There was at least one more that became my enemy. He was the one who tampered with Cam’s car, but he was more than that to me. He tried to touch my woman.
Natalie was at the office with Cam when she received a death threat against Cam. I ran up to figure out what was going on. The moment I got up there I got a rude awakening. My walkie talkie went off and Clint one of my team chirped, “Sir, it’s all clear, and we’ve got a name.”
Immediately, I went into protection mode. “Cam, take her back to the house and we’ll take care of the fuck.”
Cam wasn’t having that and snarled, “Who is it?”
I asked Clint for a name. “It’s Martin Mann.”
“That fucking perverted professor. I’ll kill him.”
“You know the guy?” I asked, wondering if he knew Natalie. I was extremely surprised and super fucking pissed when he replied.
“Yeah, he tried to fail Vanessa for not submitting to his advances. That’s why I was there, and I dealt with the situation. He was fire and arrested.” I never heard of any of this before.
“What? And no one told me?” I snapped before punching the wall and storming out of the building on a mission. I was going to find him and put a bullet in his head. The little bastard came on to my woman, and then threatened her. She needed a spanking too. Why the fuck didn’t she tell me? We were going to talk later and get some shit straightened out.
I walked back into the mansion looking for my woman. “Where’s Vanessa?”
“She’s in her room.”
I rushed up the stairs and stormed into the room. She was just getting dressed when I came in. I would have been so fucking turned on, but I was really fucking pissed.
“Vanessa, when the fuck were you going to tell me about the sick professor?”
“Oh, you know?”
“When are you going to learn that lying to me isn’t a fucking good thing? I’m so fucking pissed right now, that I could kill him. Did he touch you?”
“No, he was always really nice to me. I didn’t even notice because I was hooked on you, so I had no idea that he had other intentions. When I wasn’t doing well, he made a proposition. I told him to go fuck himself. Then I got a failing progress report.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I roared. She was being sexually harassed and she didn’t think it was important to tell me.
“Because look at you; you’re a beast. You would have killed him.”
“He deserves to die,” I admitted. It wasn’t just because he messed with my woman, but he was really psychotic. The fucker was deadly and it worried me that she had no idea who she had been around. That man could have done anything to harm her.
She gave me a look like I was a little out of control, but she didn’t know the truth. “I don’t think it’s all that. He didn’t touch me or anything.”
“He’s the one who went after Cam.” Vanessa needed to be warned.
She gasped and collapsed on the bed, tears streaming down her face. I didn’t mean to hurt her, but I did. I picked up her and sat her on my lap. “I’m sorry, Tim. I didn’t know. It’s all my fault. If I didn’t tell Cam about it to begin with, he wouldn’t have come after him.”
“No, sweetheart. He would have come after you. Your brother did what was right. He protected you. Since it wasn’t a violent crime he got away with a slap on the wrist and decided to come for your brother and no doubt for you next. He’s insane, but I won’t let him hurt you.” I tilted her chin to steal a kiss before I added, “Now don’t lie to me again, or I’m going to have to lock your ass in our house so you can’t leave and get into shit. Give me a kiss because I’ve got some shit to do.”
“Please tell me you aren’t going to go after him.”
“No. I won’t promise that because he’s dangerous. He’s made more threats against Cam and he’s in the area. Stay inside until we tell you it’s safe. Understand?”
“But I don’t want you to go out either.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t care. I have to make sure you’re safe.” I kissed her roughly then walked straight out of the room before she could try to talk me out of it. Not that she could, but I didn’t want to waste time. Mann was too much of a wildcard.
I searched the area where his phone pinged. It was down the street from the house that Cam purchased for him and Natalie. My phone buzzed. It was the alarm company; the house had been broken into. I knew he had to have snuck inside. Sneaking around to the back, I thought I would catch him by surprise, but the fuck was devious. Mann had to pay for everything, and he knew it. Cornering a wild animal could be dangerous, and Mann was definitely cornered. The house was dark. I tried to turn on a light switch, but it wasn’t working. I had a sinking feeling that he cut the power. Too late, the police and everyone in on the search for Mann would be here in a matter of minutes. I crept through the house, hunching over to leave less space for him to strike. I didn’t know the new layout of the place, so I didn’t notice the ottoman, hitting it with my calve. The noise echoed throughout the silence of them empty house.
That was when Mann popped out of the doorway, firing several shots. I felt the burn on my side. Son of a bitch actually shot me. Without time to react, I shot back at him, not sure where he was, but he took off running. I reached for my middle to check the damage. I was losing a lot of blood. Stumbling to the nearest exit, my hand hit something wet on the back of the sofa. I raised it to my face. Fuck, it was gasoline. With my gun in my hand I hurried to the exit before I ended up trapped. The smell of fire and smoke was coming from the kitchen. The smoke was building when I found the exit. Making my way, I spotted him again and shot at that fucker, striking him once before rushing out the front door.
My head was spinning, and I couldn’t breathe deep enough. I knew that if I didn’t get help soon, I’d be at the mercy of the fire and Mann if I didn’t kill him. My body buckled and I collapsed on the stone pavement. Crawlin
g away from the house, I opened my eyes to see Clint and Cameron coming toward me. I shouted a warning, “He’s armed.”
I could hear Clint telling me to hang on, just as I heard footsteps behind me. Shit, Mann was still alive.
“You! You need to die. You ruined me for that little whore,” he snarled at Cam, coming closer to us. I reached for my gun just as I heard several loud pops, and Mann’s body fall behind me. After that everything went black.
19
Vanessa
The moment Cam came home, I was downstairs wanting answers, but he was gone just as fast as he came. Tim left the house, and I wondered if Cam knew where he was going.
“Where did Cam go?” I asked, looking around my father and at the front door.
My dad wrapped his arm around my shoulder, giving me a squeeze before he said, “There was a break-in to their new house.” I gasped because I knew that it wasn’t just a random incident. With everything going on, it had to be Mann.
“It’s Mann, isn’t it? Daddy, where’s Tim?” I asked. My hands were shaking with nervous anxiety.
“I don’t know where he’s at. Cam said he couldn’t get a hold of him. As for the house, it could be Mann or just someone who saw the furniture moving in. We don’t know, but Cam is going to the place to check it out with Clint and the cops. Why don’t you go sit down, baby? You don’t look like you feel well.”
“I’m worried about them. It’s all my fault.” I started to pace the room back and forth from the door to the window and back again. My dad stopped me in my tracks.
Looking me in the eyes, he said, “Vanessa, get a hold of yourself. You know damn well that no one is to blame for this but that bastard. He wants revenge for getting caught. Do you know there were several girls who caved to the pressure? You and your brother saved so many more from that abuse of power and loss of dignity. It took a lot to tell Cam. We are very proud of you for doing so.”
“I didn’t know that about the others,” I admitted softly. The news shouldn’t have shocked me, but it did. I stood there lost for a moment in a world of confusion. Cam had been right to do what he did, but at the same time it almost cost him his life and even now, his and Tim’s lives could be in danger.
“We didn’t want to tell you, but you needed to know.”
I looked up from my feet back to my father’s face and stated, “I still need to find Tim.”
“Go check on Natalie, while I make some calls okay. I’m sure if she’s up she’s probably freaking out too.”
“Okay.” He was right. Natalie loved Cameron so much that she would be pacing their rooms. So I headed upstairs to check on her. I knocked on her door, but she didn’t answer. I didn’t hear any pacing or anything. Testing the handle, it was unlocked. She was passed out on the bed. I closed the door quietly and tiptoed back downstairs.
The moment I got down there my dad asked about Natalie. “How is she?”
“She’s sleeping. Any news?”
“Not yet, but can you do me a favor and tell your mother that I’ll be in my office?”
“Sure,” I muttered and went to find my mother. She was in the kitchen, baking of course. She loved to cook. I loved to eat. It was a wonder that I was so damn skinny. Although being home and full of love, I managed to put back on some of the weight I had lost.
“Mom, dad…said that…” I had to hold my nose. Something smelled funny to me and I wanted to puke.
She had her head down waiting for me to finish. “Yeah?” she asked, pulling the cookies out of the oven.
“He’s in his study.” The instant she placed the pan of cookies on the stove top, I almost lost my cookies. I ran to the bathroom down the hall and started to wretch until I was dry heaving. My mother was at my side.
“Sweetheart, what’s the matter?” She rushed in the bathroom, running the tap on the sink. Grabbing a cloth, she wet it and tried to wipe my brow. I took it from her and stood up.
“What kind of cookies were those?” I asked as I leaned down on the sink trying to get my stomach under control.
“Your favorite, Oatmeal raisin.” My eyes bugged out when I thought about why my favorite cookie was now my nemesis.
“Vanessa, could you be pregnant?”
“I’ve been taking the pills on time every day, so I don’t think so.” I was confused. My mom was standing too close for my liking.
“Come here, Van. We can go upstairs.” She grabbed my hand, but I had to stop her.
“Can you take off your apron, mom? It’s making me sick.”
“Sure, come on.”
We climbed the stairs and my head started to spin. Maybe I was getting really the flu or something. We walked into one of the upstairs bathrooms and she pulled a hidden supply of pregnancy tests.
“Honey, here pee on this.”
“What if I don’t have to pee?”
She flipped the faucet on and sure enough it wasn’t long before I had the urge to pee. “Now, go ahead.”
“Why do you have these?”
“I have two daughters-in-law and a daughter who is getting married. Call it mother’s intuition.”
I peed on the stick, my mom forgetting any sort of boundaries. “Don’t be embarrassed. If you are pregnant, bathroom privacy will be at an end.”
Within seconds our lives had changed. I was having Tim’s baby and on my way to the hospital. I knew something bad would happen. Tim had been shot.
~~~~~
My parents drove me to the hospital. I pressed my head on my mother’s shoulder as she caressed my hair. “He’s going to be okay, Van,” my dad said, training his eyes on the road.
“How do you know?” I asked, hoping that he knew something and it wasn’t just wishful thinking. The nausea came flooding back, but it wasn’t because of our baby. It was for my love.
“Because Cam told me that’s what the medics said.”
“I hope they’re right.” My mom hugged me tight.
The hospital was a few miles from the house. Arriving there didn’t take long, but it felt like forever to get there. I wanted to see him and know that he was going to live. The hospital was crowded with press and police. From what my dad told us there was a fire at the estate and gun play, making it a big story. Before they could hound me, Clint pulled me away and took me to the secured elevators.
“Clint, is he okay?”
“He’s still in surgery. They said he should be out any minute.”
“How, where?”
“He was shot in his side. Between the smoke and loss of blood he passed out, but woke up in the ambulance. He was asking me not to tell you, like somehow this was a secret.”
“Really, after the shit he gave me for not telling him about Mann in the first place?” I ought to kick his ass.
A half hour later, he was wheeled into a private room.
He groggily called for me. “I’m here, Tim.” I stepped to his side.
“Babe, I’m sorry. Come, climb in bed with me. I need to hold you.”
I stepped up and laid on his uninjured side. The nurse rolled her eyes, but gave me a smile. Bitch was jealous. It was all good. I got my man and he’s alive. “Don’t be sorry, just get better.” I laid my head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around my waist, tucking me into his body.
“I’m so glad you’re alive. Our baby needs his father,” I said softly.
“What?!” I laughed when he looked at me with in surprise.
“Surprise!”
Epilogue
Vanessa
I looked down at the white stick below. Seeing the two pink lines seemed to be a given. In our ten years of marriage, I’d been pregnant seven times. Apparently birth control was ineffective. I was that small percentage that fucked up the birth control numbers. It never worked. Breastfeeding had been the only thing to stop me from getting knocked up, but it didn’t last long. The biggest gap between our children had been one whole year. Number seven would be coming.
“Mama, I gotta pee!” Erica squealed.
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“Use the other bathroom,” I told her through the door.
“But Mama. My chair is in there!” Damn it, rolling my eyes I opened the door for my three-year-old daughter. She was our only girl and a big pain in our asses. Cam and Simon cracked up every time I complained about the tiny terror. They said she was just like me when I was little.
She rushed passed me and sat down on her princess potty chair. She gave me a big smile, then the nosy little one snatched something off the sink. “Oh mama, what kind of toothbrush is this?” Shit, I forgot to take the damn test off the sink.
“It’s not a toothbrush. Why does it have two pink lines mommy?”
“Why don’t you give that to me? It’s for only Daddy and I, Okay?”
“Okay.” She finished using the bathroom and washed her hands using her step stool to reach the faucet. We got her the step stool because she tried to ninja it up to reach everything.
We opened the bathroom door and Tim was standing outside the door. “Wow, what’s with the party in the bathroom?”
“It’s not a party, Daddy. I had to use the potty, and mommy has a funny toothbrush with two pink lines for you.”
I blushed and looked up at Tim with a shrug holding the test in my hand. He moved around little miss and pulled me into his arms.
“Yes, I told you that I’d knock you up again.” He cheered, fist pumping and everything. The man was turned on by my growing belly.
“Daddy, what is knock up?” We forgot the little parrot was still standing there.
“Nothing sweetheart.” We both blushed. With her we had to watch everything we said or did. Last week she caught us in bed together and asked why we were wrestling with no clothes. For a huge home, there doesn’t seem to be enough space.
“Okay. I’m going to go play.” She skipped down the hall to her playroom.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do with her.”
