by Lauren Hunt
After some back-breaking work, all four bodies were lined up next to each other outside. “We're not digging with our hands are we?” I asked, wiping the sweat from my brow.
Ryker picked up a shovel. “I'll dig. I need you back inside cleaning the blood off the floors. There's some cleaning supplies underneath the kitchen sink.” The thought of all that blood made me a little woozy but it beat digging in the heat next to the worst smell I'd ever experienced.
“What chemicals will get blood out?”
“Doesn't matter. We just need the place to look clean.”
I understood. We didn't want to give anyone a reason to look in the first place. I went inside and to the kitchen. There wasn't much in the way of cleaning supplies. Just some surface cleaner and some dirty rags.
I worked on the two blood stains while watching Ryker dig outside with his shirt off. Sweat dripped off his inked chest. I wanted to feel his warm naked skin against mine. I couldn't even go an hour after sex without desiring him again. Maybe a few times a day wouldn't be enough?
I finished cleaning and went out to check on Ryker's progress. The hole in the dirt wasn't very big but he had twisted and crammed the four bodies into it. Once it was covered, there was only one thing left to do.
We stood at the edge of the lake and watched as the Murphy's white SUV sank into the water front first. I held Ryker's hand and closed my eyes, feeling the sun on my face.
It was all over.
Ryker turned to me and held my hand. “I love you, Tempest.”
My heartbeat spiked. Was this really happening right now?The crazy thing was that I loved him too. “I love you too, Ryker.”
Ryker smiled and kissed me. I melted right away in his arms. Things were moving so quickly but I couldn't help the way I felt. This man was the one for me and there was nothing I could do to change that.
“What do we do now?” I asked.
“Go back to my place?” Ryker suggested, slipping a hand down the back of my jeans.
“I don't know if I can wait that long,” I replied, leaning over and unzipping his jeans.
“Baby, you're the best,” he moaned as I put his entire length into my mouth.
Chapter Ten
Ryker
One Month Later
When I killed the Murphy brothers, I didn't realize that I'd be out of a job. I never held a real job my entire life. Being an enforcer was all I knew. Tempest wanted me to take over the Murphy family since their was nobody to take charge anymore. The thought had crossed my mind but ruling an empire was never an ambition of mine. I didn't have the brains for it. The only thing I was good at was beating the living shit out of people.
Tempest decided to go back to school to finish her degree. She had overcome so much and now was the time for her to regain her old life. She still got cravings for heroin but I was always there to keep her focused on what mattered. Tempest started going to an addicts anonymous that seemed to being helping too.
I wanted her to feel normal again but I couldn't tell if I was holding her back. I was apart of this dark life that she was trying to get past. She still hadn't contacted her parents. They still believed she was missing or dead. I tried to talk her into calling them but she told me she didn't know what to say to them.
It was almost noon when I decided to drag myself out of bed. Tempest had woken me up at the crack of dawn to ride my morning wood until I came inside her. I didn't even have to move. She did all the work until I found my release. I didn't even bother getting up to clean myself up. Tempest kissed me on the lips softly and let me fall back to sleep. A guy could get used to being woken up like that every morning.
I went into the bathroom and took a shower to wake myself up. Tempest had spread her makeup all over the bathroom counter until there was no room left for me. I never thought I'd be in this type of situation. Normally chicks were gone the next morning and never left their stuff. I realized we were going to have to get a bigger place.
I noticed something in the wastebasket as I dried myself off with a towel. A white and pink stick. It couldn't be what I thought it was.
I picked it out and noticed the box underneath: Pregnancy test. I grabbed the box and examined the stick. What did a blue plus sign mean? I checked the box and dropped everything to floor—Tempest was pregnant...with my child.
But why didn't she tell me?
Every fear in the back of my mind crept into the forefront. Tempest thought I wasn't good enough for her. She didn't want to have a baby with me. I didn't want to believe that she would have run away.
I went to my sock drawer and pulled out a small jewelry box. The large diamond on a silver ring glittered in the sunlight. I never got a chance to tell her how much she meant to me. I never got a chance to give her this ring and spend the rest of my life with her.
I had to find Tempest to tell her how I felt. Maybe it wouldn't be too late.
Tempest
My entire body was frozen in ice as I saw the blue plus sign on the stick. I didn't even need to check the instructions to know for sure. My period was two weeks late and that could only mean one thing: I was pregnant.
But how could this have happened? I'd taken my pill every night like clockwork. I opened the bathroom door and checked to make sure Ryker was still asleep. Our little early morning fuck session would keep him knocked out for awhile. I sneaked over to my side of the bed and grabbed my pill container off the nightstand.
I went back to the bathroom and inspected my pill. Everything looked correct. I breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't my fault. We must have been very lucky then.
I sat down on the toilet and tossed the pregnancy test into the trash can. What was I going to do? Should I wake up Ryker and tell him?
No. Not yet. I needed to confirm it. No use freaking him out if it's nothing. I'd have to skip school today and see a doctor.
–
“Well Ms. Turner, you're a hundred percent pregnant,” an old man with spectacles and a white lab coat told me.
Tears came streaming down my cheeks. I didn't know whether to be happy or scared out of mind.
The doctor took a seat next to me and cleaned his glasses. “I take it from your reaction that this wasn't planned.”
I shook my head, my throat closing up. “I've only known the guy for a month. I don't even know if he wants to be with me, let alone have a kid.”
Would Ryker even make a good father? He was a killer for god's sake. Maybe it was time to run home? My parents would know what to do. But how could I ever tell them everything that happened. Would they even want me back after finding out that I became a drug addict?
A nurse with short brown hair popped her head in. “Doctor, I have Mrs. Penbel in waiting room three.”
“I'll be right there,” he replied. The doctor turned back towards me. “Tell your man the truth. You might be surprised by his reaction.”
The doctor was right. Ryker had done nothing that should make me think that he would react badly. I just imagined he would tell me that it was over and leave me for good. But Ryker was a good man. We loved one another.
I checked my cellphone—Ryker had insisted I get a new one when I moved in with him—two missed calls from Ryker. I couldn't call him back because he'd be able to tell that something was wrong in my voice.
I sent him a quick text:
Tempest: Class got canceled today. Be home soon!
Ryker replied instantly:
Ryker: I'll be here.
I thanked the doctor and jumped into my brand new Mazda 3. Ryker had also insisted on buying me a brand new car. I tried to refuse, reminding him that he was out of work and shouldn't spend that type of money on me. He wouldn't even hear me.
My sweaty palms clenched the steering wheel as I drove back home. How was I going to break it to him? “Oh hey Ryker. By the way, I'm having your baby.” Sounded stupid when I said it out loud. “Ryker, will you have a baby with me?” That sounded like I was giving him the honor of being a father.
Nothing that came to mind sounded good. I'd just have to wing it.
I unlocked the door to our apartment and found Ryker sitting on our couch with his head in his hands. He immediately got up and came to me, his eyes on the verge of crying. What happened? Was that why he was trying to call me?
“I was so worried,” Ryker said, embracing me. His musky scent almost lifted me off my feet. I wanted to stay safe in his arms forever. Ryker pushed me to arms length and looked me in the eyes. “I want to have this baby with you.”
My jaw dropped. Every nerve in my body relaxed. He wanted to have the baby. “How did you find out?”
Ryker laughed. “Wasn't very hard. You left the pregnancy test in the bathroom.”
“I guess I was so blindsided that I didn't even think of that. You're not mad are you?”
Ryker looked offended. “Mad?” He grabbed both of my hands. “How could I be mad? I want to do this with you. And actually I was planning to do this in a couple weeks but now is a better time.” Ryker got down on one knee and produced a small jewelry box. It popped open and sitting on a bed of clouds was a silver engagement ring with the biggest diamond. “Tempest, you're the one. There's nobody else I'd rather spend my life with. I love you.”
I couldn't turn off the waterworks if I tried. I was so shocked and happy at the same time that I couldn't form a reply to Ryker. He just sat there on his knee, holding the ring up.
“Any answer would be great right about now.” Ryker looked worried.
I nodded up and down, shedding tears everywhere. “Of course the answer is yes.”
Ryker put the ring on my finger and I couldn't help but admire how beautiful it looked on me. Ryker finally got off his knee and hugged me hard.
“Promise me you'll love me forever,” I whispered in his ear.
“I promise with all my heart,” he replied softly.
Epilogue
Tempest
Five Months Later
Ryker scratched his head as he looked down on the mess of wooden pieces. This man used to have to beat the life out of people. A baby's crib was his new enemy now. He picked up and unfolded the white instruction manual. He looked like an explorer, standing on a vista, looking at his map.
“I don't know how anybody is supposed to figure this shit out,” he said.
I watched him from a rocking chair in the corner of the bedroom, trying to hold back my giggles. Moving boxes were stacked against every wall. We'd only just moved in a few days ago. This bedroom was going to be for the baby. “Take a deep breath, honey.”
Ryker took my advice and inhaled sharply. “I think I need a break.” He set down the map on the pieces of the crib and knelt down next to me. “Is our boy going to like his room?” he asked, putting his hand on my stomach.
“I was thinking of going with dark blue on the walls with white sailboats.”
“White sailboats?” Ryker repeated. “Why don't we just paint the room pink and give him Barbies?”
I playfully shoved him away and my chair rocked backwards. “How about race cars then?”
Ryker smiled and showed his teeth. He had been so carefree and happy since our wedding. Like nothing could stop him from being happy. “Sounds good to me. Clay is going to love it.”
“Clay? What kind of a name is that?”
“A boy's name of course.”
“I was thinking of something more like Justin.”
Ryker pondered for a moment and began talking to my stomach. “Are you a Justin, little guy?” Ryker looked up at me. “I think we have a winner.”
Time was moving so fast. One day I was a drug addict, getting high as much as possible. The next, I'm married, pregnant, and happier than ever.
I eventually called my parents and explained everything that happened. Ryker insisted on it after the engagement. He had been insisting on a lot of things lately. They weren't too enthused about me getting married so quickly but their minds changed when they met Ryker. I even invited Sarah, making her my maid of honor.
Once thing I didn't understand was how we were able to afford so much. I was almost done with school and Ryker still hadn't found a job yet. We had just bought a four-bedroom house in a nice suburban neighborhood. A small cry from the crack house I lived in while I was an addict. I didn't think to question it. I just thought that Ryker had some money saved up. But this was different.
“How are we paying for for all this?” I asked, motioning to the entire house.
Ryker grinned and felt my belly again for the baby. “All thanks to the Murphy brothers.”
I cocked my head to the side. “What do you mean?”
The baby kicked and Ryker felt it, keeping his hand on me. “I was the only one that knew where the O'Malleys kept their money. We inherited it all, baby. We have enough to live on and never work again.”
“Holy shit! Why didn't you tell me before?”
Ryker looked down at the floor. He thought I was mad. “I didn't want you to quit your dream of finishing school.”
I lifted his face by his chin. “I love you more than anything, Mr. Ash.”
“And I love you, Mrs. Ash.” Ryker kissed me, his hand sneaking down my shirt and feeling my up my breast. “God damn, your tits are absolutely gigantic now.” Ryker pinched my nipple and I felt that familiar desire between my thighs—that same desire that led me down this pregnant path in the first place.
“We've christened every room but this one,” I said, twirling my hair with my finger.
Ryker bit down on his bottom lip. “Mrs. Ash, you're a dirty girl.”
I giggled as he kissed my neck.
Life couldn't get any better.
I couldn't be with a better man.
Read on for a complete version of Rebel's Baby
Embrace Me
Copyright 2016 Lauren Hunt
All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer: This ebook is a work of fiction. Any resemblance characters in this story may have to real people is coincidental.
No section of this book may be copied or reproduced without the author's permission.
Description
Kayla and I never got our happily ever after. Two weeks before our marriage, I was put in prison for a crime I didn't commit.
Four years later I walk out a free man, but Kayla has moved on and wants nothing to do with me. She still believes I'm guilty. Those beautiful eyes will never forgive me and it's the hardest thing to swallow.
She can hate me all she wants but I won't let her take my heir away.
Chapter One
Kayla
Time no longer mattered when I painted. Everything in my mind drifted away out to sea. My vision narrowed to a tunnel as the brush stroked against the blank canvas. Nothing came close to the calming effect of art. It put you on another planet—away from all the stress and distractions of the real world.
But there was no paint on the brush.
My hand made the movements of a conductor, guiding an orchestra, swiping the dry brush along the canvas, hoping for inspiration to strike. The white rectangle was telling me nothing. A faded image came into focus. I quickly dabbed my brush into some yellow and flung it onto the canvas before the image in my head dissolved. After some blue paint, I thought I finally had something.
A beach and an ocean, Kayla? That's so amateur. What were you thinking?
I sighed and dropped the brush to the ground. A painting of an ocean wouldn't be good enough for my first art show. I needed a piece that would wow the audience. Something that could evoke an emotion. Get people talking about me.
All that schooling and I couldn't come up with anything. A Bachelor's in Art couldn't help with being creative.
My phone rang. A welcome distraction. “Barbara Ann” by the Beach Boys boomed out of my vibrating phone. I checked the screen and smiled.
“Hey Lily!”
“Kayla, why the hell haven't you called me?”
Lily was my roommate freshman year of college. Even though she was also an
art major, we couldn't have been more different. Lily was too preoccupied with boys to really focus on art. Her idea of painting was throwing some streaks of paint on a canvas and calling it a day. I couldn't knock her for it though because she produced some really beautiful pieces. She had natural talent. I on the other hand did not. It took me weeks to produce a somewhat passable painting, sometimes not seeing the sun for days.
