by J. L. Beck
“He won’t be. I’m removing the cameras as soon as we get back to the cottage. His hold over us is gone. I’m done playing nice baby. You and our unborn child are all that matter now.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead, relishing in the feeling once more. Being able to kiss her and touch her again after weeks of going without was like tasting water after going without it for months.
“Then I’ll come,” she agreed and my heart skyrocketed out of my chest. I cradled her tightly against my chest wanting to be able to put an end to all the bad shit taking place in our lives right now.
“I’m going to put a stop to all this bad shit baby. I’m going to make things right and then I’m going to be the best damn father and man you could ever imagine.” I promised her knowing I would never be like my father. Never.
The sound of my cell phone ringing echoed through the bedroom. I was wrapped up in Zane’s warm embrace and didn’t want to move but the phone kept ringing and ringing.
“Who the hell keeps calling?” Zane groaned into my hair, his hard length pressing against my backside.
“I don’t know.” I yawned, reluctantly rolling over to grab the damn thing. My mother’s name flashed across the screen. There was no outrunning this. Zane and I would have to face them head on.
I swiped my finger across the screen answering the call. “Good morning.” My mother’s cheery but slightly angry voice filtered in through the speaker.
“Why’re you calling me?” Somehow I had found strength. The very strength needed to stand up to my mother.
“Excuse me…” Silence. “I’m your mother. You answer the phone when I call you. I’m already extremely disappointed in you and the things that I’m forced to clean up. Do you know what everyone would say about Gerald and me if they found out you were having your stepbrother’s baby?”
I was so enraged with my mother and her sick twisted need for others’ approval on her life.
“I’m your daughter, your child. Do you hear the things you’re saying? Do you even realize how insane you sound?” I could hear the audible gasp fall from her lips.
“Insane? I’m not the one sleeping with my brother. That is beyond messed up Brooke. I’ve already received phone calls from people that have seen you together on campus. Do you not care that you’re ruining mine and Gerald’s reputations?” I shook my head, squeezing my phone hard enough to break it.
“Your reputations can go to hell.” I didn’t even know why I was still on the phone with her.
“If you want to continue to go to college you’re going to get an abortion. I will pay for it but I will not pay for another one. You need to understand…” Her voice trailed off in my mind. I heard nothing after the word abortion. It was then that my mother had officially died to me.
“Leave me the fuck alone. I will not get an abortion. Rip me from classes, take the cottage, take my car, take it all but I will not…” Venom clung to my words. “Bow down to you. I will not do what you want me to do.” I hung up then, my hands shaking as I threw the phone across the room, the phone shattering against the wall.
“Whoa…” Zane’s voice cooled my heated blood just enough for me to stop shaking with rage.
“She told me to get an abortion….” I couldn’t even believe the words I had just spoken out loud. My own mother, the person who gave birth to me, wanted me to abort her grandchild. A child she had yet to meet.
Zane’s facial features twisted in rage. “If murder were legal I would kill her right here right now.” My stomach churned and acid rose in my throat burning a path of fire up my esophagus.
I was off the bed and in the bathroom before Zane could say a word, last night’s dinner spilling from me and into the toilet.
“I’m sorry baby…” Zane appeared next to me, his cool touch pulling back any stray strands of hair that lingered against my face.
I couldn’t even speak because vomit continued to make its way out of me. Zane stayed right next to me, rubbing comforting circles against my back. When my stomach finally settled exhaustion seeped deep into my bones.
“I hate her. I’ve never hated someone but I hate her.” The words just came. I didn’t care if there was no taking the words back, they were the most truthful things I had said in weeks. I tried protecting Zane and me from them but once our baby came into the picture there was no way I could continue to lie.
I wanted Zane to have a part in our baby’s life and the only way for him to do that was for me to come forward and tell them all that I was pregnant.
“Don’t let what she said to you work you up. I’ll never let them hurt you again. Never…” I wanted to weep because I was so blessed to have the man I had spent the last month trying to push away right here beside me.
With Zane’s help I got up off the floor and brushed my teeth. I could feel his heated gaze on me the entire time and I knew that he wanted to make love to me again, just like he had last night, his body proving to me in more than one way that he was in this for the long haul.
“Zane…” I was breathless once I finished whirling around on him, his hands reached out and landing on my shoulder as he kept me at a distance.
“I want you so badly right now that it’s driving me crazy but I need you to be okay and you aren’t. So instead of doing what I want right now I’m going to tuck you back into our bed and go talk to my father.” I shook my head at him, my lip wobbling as emotions swarmed me.
“No. I won’t let you make some sick twisted deal with the devil.” I shrugged off his hands and collapsed against his chest praying he would see through his need to make thing right.
“I’m what he needs to keep his business going Brooke.” He pulled away enough for me to see his face, a seriousness riddling his features.
“I don’t understand what you mean. If he needed you he wouldn’t have done any of these things.” I was confused, a throbbing pain forming between my eyes.
“He needs me. I’m the heir to the company. If I’m no longer employed by him he has to sell out to one of his colleagues and knowing my father, he would rather stab himself in the eye than do that…”
The smile that pulled at Zane’s full lips made him look evil. A shudder ran down my spine. I didn’t want the man I loved making deals with his father, a man that couldn’t be trusted but what else did we have? If we wanted them off our backs and out of our lives we had to use whatever it was we could get our hands on.
“I don’t want you making deals with your father. He can’t be trusted Zane.” I voiced my concerns but Zane seemed too caught up inside his own head to care. All I could do was pray that everything worked out for the best because if it didn’t, I wasn’t sure what Zane and I would do. Our parents had a strong hold on both our futures, and now our baby’s.
“I swear to you Brooke, I’m not him. I’m doing this for us, for our baby…” His hand trailed down to my belly resting against it gently.
I bit my bottom lip in indecision. I wanted him to do whatever he had to do to get them to leave us alone but I didn’t want to lose the man I loved to his father.
“I can’t lose you again…” I confessed, my voice soft. Zane’s fingers gripped me by the chin, forcing my eyes to meet his. Love like I had never seen before swam in those seaweed blue eyes of his.
“You won’t Brooke baby… I’ll always be here. I’m not going to make a deal with the devil. I’m going to force his hand in a matter that I know I have the control over. If he wants his company to land in the right hands then he will do as I say. If he refuses to listen then I’ll walk away.” A little bit of relief washed away the anxiety I was feeling but still, the fact that Zane would be negotiating our future with his father terrified me.
Resting my head against Zane’s chest I listened to the steady beat of his heart beneath all the skin, bones and tissue that separated us. He was a part of me and I couldn’t lose him. Not now, not ever.
You can’t be here…” My father’s office assistant called out to me as I shoved past her and in t
he direction of his office. I didn’t care what she said, or whatever rules he had in place to keep me away. I was going to plead my case and if he refused to give in to my demands then I would walk away just as I had the first time.
“Father…” He looked up at the sound of my voice, his eyes growing large with dare I say a smidge of fear?
“Zane what a surprise it is to see you here.” The shock on his face didn’t meet his voice so he wasn’t that shocked.
“I’m here to cut a deal. I want you to leave Brooke and me alone.” I spoke with conviction refusing to take no for an answer. Brooke and my future counted on this deal. My father tapped his fingers against his desk lightly.
“I’m not really in the mood to cut deals Zane. Sandra and I have concerns about you two being together and obviously now that you’re having a baby those concerns have changed.” He smiled at me like he had the upper hand or something.
I leaned against his desk, staring him straight in his evil eyes. “I know you need me. I’m not stupid. I’m the heir to this corporation. It’s the reason you pulled me from college and offered me a high paying salary.” I narrowed my eyes. “I know that without me you’ll be forced to sell the company or sign it over to a colleague.”
The look on his face changed from cocky and knowing it all to pure anger. He hated that I was right and I knew I had him right where I wanted him then.
“It would be a grave mistake to pass up on such a large fortune don’t you think?” he snarled. There was no convincing me to stay unless he did what I wanted and that was leave Brooke and I alone.
“No. I think it would be stupid to sell it to someone that you don’t want to… There’s nothing like working for years to just hand it over to someone else…” I sneered hitting him right where it hurt.
He signaled to someone behind him and I turned on my heels taking notice of the two guards that were out of breath and heading down the hall.
“What awesome security you have…” I pushed from his desk and settled into a chair in front of it instead, letting him simmer on everything I had said. If he thought he could get me to break, he thought wrong. I was playing for keeps with the things I already had. I didn’t need this company. I could take a job somewhere else making just as much money, if not more.
“What do you want?” His voice was grating against the headache that was starting to form behind my eyes. All of this was a ton of stress and I was doing my best to hide the fact that he was stressing me out.
“I want you to leave Brooke, me, and our unborn child alone. Sandra called and told Brooke she needed to get an abortion this morning and that’s not something that she should have to deal with.” My father’s tongue darted out onto his bottom lip as he examined my face for any cracks in the wall I had put up.
“Truthfully, if you were smart you would make her get an abortion…” he started but I cut him off.
“Say one more word about Brooke and I’m leaving. I don’t have to give you my time. I can find a job working for one of your competitors. I can take care of my family and be the best man possible…” I snarled showing my teeth. Maybe it was in what I had said to him or maybe it was the fact that he knew I was serious, I didn’t know right then but he seemed to realize I was really going to leave and he was going to be forced to sell out to someone who didn’t give a fuck about his company.
“I’m not doing this for you…” he hissed, the wrinkles that marred his features became more evident as he started at me. “I’m doing it for the company because even if I hate you, I would rather my company be in the hands of family.”
A smile pulled at my lips, it was my turn to have the upper hand and I would. “Good, then you’ll do as I want or you’ll be leaving your company in the hands of those that couldn’t care less about it. Understand?” A part of me died that day because I knew having to make a deal with my own father meant that our relationship was over, or whatever was left of it was.
“What is that you want? I will order Sandra to leave Brooke alone.” I rubbed at my chin for a moment before speaking again.
“I want Brooke to be able to finish her degree, I want the cottage put in our name and I want my income to stay the same. I will not work in the office but instead from home.”
“That’s quite a list you have…”
“Do all that I asked or I will walk out of this room right now and never turn back around. I don’t need you. You need me.” I pointed at him, watching the flames flicker in his eyes. I wasn’t going to negotiate with him a second longer if he refused to agree then I would do just as I stated.
Seconds ticked by without a word said from him. I needed to call his bluff because he didn’t think I was serious. I stood shoving from the chair and heading toward the door. As soon as my foot met the threshold he spoke.
“I’ll do it. I will have my lawyer draft up the documents and send them to you.” I twisted around, elation filling my belly. Brooke was going to be so fucking happy and we could finally do whatever we wanted without a worry in the world.
“Good choice Dad.” I smiled. He blinked at me, his fists clenched on his desk. He hated being forced to do something that he didn’t want to. I gave him one last glance before walking out of his office.
The man wasn’t getting any younger and I prayed some day that he would come around and be the dad that I had always wanted him to be. For now though, I had my own child to get ready for and a future with Brooke to focus on. With my pride still intact I knew exactly where it was that I was going to go now.
I walked around the jewelry store looking at all the sparkling diamond rings. Each one was different and though they were beautiful they weren’t the right fit for Brooke. I knew the moment that I saw her ring that it would be the one.
“Can we help you sir?” A salesman questioned, and I lifted my eyes acknowledging him.
“Yes. I need something that is elegant but somewhat old fashioned.” I continued to eye the rings in front of me while the salesman walked away and came back a second later.
“Something like this?” he questioned and I looked up at him and then down to the ring in his hand. It was perfect with a large diamond in the center and two pearls that accented it on either side. The band was thin and had intricate details on it that made the ring look older than it was.
“That’s perfect. I’ll take it.” I would bring the ring in to be sized perfectly as soon as I got done using it to propose to her. I wanted her to know that I meant what I said. She was important to me and the baby that was growing inside of her was too. This ring would signify that importance.
“That will be twenty five thousand dollars.” The salesmen smirked as if he didn’t expect me to have the money to get the ring. I ignored him, having dealt with enough bullshit for the day and pulled out my credit card handing it over.
Shock filled his features as he walked away to run the card. The ring sparkled as I moved it back and forth in the light.
It was perfect, absolutely perfect and it would look great on Brooke’s finger showing every man in the world that she belonged to me.
I was a happy man. I had the girl and I had saved us from a gloomy future.
Six months later
The nursery for little Ellie Mae was coming along perfectly. The crib was put together and all the clothes were hanging in the closet. It had been months since we last heard from Gerald or my mother. According to Zane, a deal his father couldn’t refuse had been made.
Whatever the deal consisted of, I didn’t care to know. Zane was home every day all day with me and I was still taking classes at least until our little girl decided to make her appearance. Life was good and I wasn’t sure it could get any better.
“Brooke baby…” The sound of Zane calling to me made my heart skip a beat. I turned in the direction of the door waddling my way to it.
“Yes honey,” I cooed as he came around the corner. There was a tiny black box in his hand and for a second I wondered what it could be.
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�I’ve thought about this day for what has seemed like months.” I bit my lip to stifle the cry that wanted to spill from my mouth. There couldn’t be a ring in that box, could there?
“Oh God, that’s not what I think it is, is it?” I questioned my eyes dashing from the box and up to his. The smile on his face grew and I knew then that he was going to ask me to marry him.
“It is and it’s an extension of my love. I’ve wanted to be with you since the moment we first met. Dealing with our hateful parents was harder than I thought it would be but it was so worth it because it pushed us together. It gave me the courage I needed to take that step with you.” He dropped down to one knee in front of me, his eyes full of love.
My hands were shaking as Ellie took to kicking the crap out of me. Never in a million years did I think this is where Zane and I would be. He had me wrapped around his finger and honestly I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.
“Will you be my wife Brooke? You’ve been my best friend and girlfriend but will you be my wife?” Tears sprang from my eyes.
“Of course I’ll be your wife,” I choked out, my emotions getting in the way of the words that I wanted to say.
The boxed flicked open and my eyes honed in on the beautiful diamond that was snug between two pearls.
“Jesus Zane, this is beautiful. It had to cost you a fortune though…” He plucked it from the box and placed it on my ring finger. I examined it as it sparkled even in the dim lighting of the hall.
“What it costs doesn’t matter. I bought it six months ago, the day I made the deal with my father. I knew then that I was going to marry you and now I finally asked you.” He pushed from the floor coming to a standing position. Both his arms wrapped around my swollen front.
“I love you Zane and I’m thankful, we’re thankful for you.” I hoped that he knew how much he meant to both Ellie and me.
“It’s not you that needs to be thankful. You’ve strived to do the right thing so much and this time it’s me who gets to return the favor. Having you as my wife will be the greatest gift ever.” His words sealed our fates together. I knew I wanted him as my husband and to be the father to my kids. Pushing up onto my tiptoes I placed a kiss against his firm lips, his fingers delving into my hair making me moan as tingles of pleasure zinged down my spine.
