After a few hugs and a really good cry my friend leaves me at the airport so I can leave Las Vegas, and travel home to my husband who is eagerly awaiting my return. I don’t know how to tell him. Will he leave me? This will devastate him. My truth is killing me…
**
Royce
My life steps off the escalator and my world is right again. I know she was only gone nearly two days, but it feels like it has been weeks since I have kissed her mouth. She looks tired and I can tell something is on her mind.
She’s being so quiet. She’s scaring me.
“Hey, you okay?” I brush her red hair behind her ear.
“’Just tired and overwhelmed from being in Vegas. I’m better now that I am here with you. I don’t like being away from you,” she coos against my lips, kissing me softly but guarded.
Brandi must forget that I can tell when someone is lying to me, but I figure she will tell me once she is ready. We agreed not to keep secrets so it hurts that she doesn’t feel ready to confide in me.
I drive her home and we ride in silence. She seems to be in deep thought, and having some sort of internal debate within herself. She has started to speak, but stopped herself nearly five times.
Finally, I am exhausted with watching her struggle. “Just spit it out. Whatever it is I can handle it, and we will get through it together. I’m your husband. I need you to trust me.” I pull the car over at the beach and ask her to go for a walk with me.
Hand in hand we walk down the beach in silence aimlessly. Kids are splashing in the water with their dog. It’s a beautiful sight. Normally I would enjoy being here, seeing all the happy faces, but right now I am terrified that something has happened and I’m going to lose my wife.
Finally, she takes a deep breath. “I’m pregnant Royce.” She looks over at me and I stop dead in my tracks, and the sadness in her eyes breaks me. I thought she would be happy to tell me something so wonderful. I know it’s soon and we have been through a lot, but I want this with her.
“Why are you so sad about it? This is great news.” I grab her in my arms swinging her around, but she is shaking her head no.
“Not good Royce. I am a little over three months.”
She stares at me like she is waiting for me to connect the dots. I think for a moment and then it hits me, the words I seen on a poster that belonged to Kline when we were packing up his things, ‘history repeats itself because motherfuckers don’t listen.’ It registers that she is still waiting for me to say something. "You’re afraid the baby could be Parker’s aren’t you?”
I hate that he has touched my wife in the most intimate of ways, but I can’t change what’s already come to pass.
“Yes. I’m so scared Royce. I don’t want to lose you, but the thought this baby is his terrifies me. I don’t want to raise the child of a murderer. I can’t and I won’t.”
“So you won’t. It doesn’t matter to me. This baby is a blessing, and I will love him or her. I am the father. We don’t need any test to tell us that. I am your husband and I am the father,” he says again. “If you had an abortion could you live with yourself?” I swallow, thinking long and hard on that. It isn’t baby’s fault. He, or she didn’t ask for this, and I won’t take their life because I want to be selfish and know for sure that when we have a baby it belongs to me without a doubt. I’d never ask her to have an abortion.
“No, I couldn’t do that, but I don’t know Royce, if this baby is his—I don’t know how I will be able to love it.”
“You can and you will because this baby is a big part of you, sweet pea. This child will be raised with love by us. I don’t need to know whose DNA it has. This baby is mine because he or she is yours. Do you understand what I am telling you? I know this news is killing you. But we will get through it together. Be happy about this. We deserve to be happy.”
“Royce…” She buries her head in my chest as we stand and watch the sunset. I kiss her head and whisper to her all the things I love about her.
“You’re beautiful Brandi. No one has a bigger heart. I know you are going to be the best mom. I love that you are concerned that I wouldn’t support you, but I want this with you. So are you going to have my baby?”
“You are sure…this is a huge commitment Royce…”
“I married you didn’t I? I am surer now that I love you than I was the day I told you that one day my chest would bear the names of our children. Now let’s go home and celebrate.” I’d be a liar if I said that the thought of raising Parker’s child doesn't hurt, but I love Brandi enough that it doesn’t matter. We can get through this. We can survive anything. Together.
**
The conversation I just had with my husband went nothing like I thought it would. He took the news so well. I am freaking out. How can he be so calm? Does he really believe we will get through this? I know it is possible for this baby to belong to Royce just as much as it is possible for it to be Parker’s, and I guess if I tell myself enough that this baby is my husband's it makes it true.
I know that for a while this is going to be hard for me to accept, but I want a family with Royce. I just wasn’t expecting to have one so soon. As we walk to the car I get an eerie feeling like we are being watched, but I know Parker is behind bars, and I am being paranoid. He will not define me and my life. I told Royce the truth, and I feel like I have been set free for the most part.
My husband drives me home and I allow him to spoil me rotten with dinner, a massage, and a bubble bath.
After he rubs me down with his hands, his tongue takes over. He kisses my navel and whispers, “Hey, pea, I’m your dad. I’m going to love you more than anyone. I’m going to talk to you every day as you grow bigger and stronger. I want you to know my voice, and when you hear it, you will know I’m your old man. I’ll love you for always. No matter what you do in life, you’ll always have your mom and me.”
Could this man be any more amazing?
“I love you Royce, and I promise no more secrets.”
Secrets have the ability to destroy a life within seconds, if you keep them they only grow stronger. They fester and bubble, until they eventually spill out, killing those they are meant to protect. I miss my brother, and I am devastated he will never get the chance to meet his niece or nephew, but I think he would be happy for me. Whether I have a boy or girl, my baby will have my brother’s name incorporated as a middle name. It is actually Royce’s idea.
I look over at my husband as he sleeps looking so sure of our happiness, and I feel a peace I’ve never felt before wash over me. I think my brother is smiling down on me, and letting me know that this is going to be a good life…
Kline
Lying in this bed only makes me stronger. I’m determined to make a comeback like no man has ever seen before. Everything I loved was taken away from me, but I’d do it all again to protect my sister, and when the times is right, we will be reunited. I have a plan to make Parker Garrett pay. He’ll be released from prison one day and I’ll be waiting. I’ll be watching.
Parker- Three years later...
“Garrett, you have mail.” I take the envelope from the guard and eagerly open it. She is just as beautiful as I remember. I flip through the photos quickly until I get to the one I have been waiting for. He is getting so big. I can’t wait to meet him…to hug him…I love him so much. My time in here is coming to an end. I will find out my release date next week. I can’t wait to be reunited with her and meet my son…our son.
“Why are you so happy?” I look over at my cellmate and laugh at his question.
“I hope to be getting out of here next week. And I received new photos of my family today.” Like a proud father I show him the latest picture of Jonathon Kline, my little JK as I have nicknamed him. I look over his photo once more and I smile, daddy is coming home soon. We have a lot of lost time to make up for. His eyes are so striking they are a beautiful shade of blue grey. I can’t wait to be reunited with my love. She misses me…she wants me…sh
e loves me… My sweet Elizabeth we will be a family soon.
**
I walk out of prison a free man, ready to take back what’s mine. The sun is shining; all will be right with the world soon enough. I already have a flight booked. The car I ordered pulls up right on time. I open the back passenger door ad slide across the leather seat.
The driver’s partition comes down halfway. “Where to Mr. Garrett?”
I look up and there is something oddly familiar about his voice. I can’t place him.
“Home, I’m going home.” I smile thinking about Elizabeth and how happy she’ll be when we are together.
I’m still smiling when the driver aims a gun between my eyes and pulls the trigger.
The End.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Dirty Love. I hope you enjoyed the first book in this series. Each book will read as a standalone and focus on a new couple, who are willing to fight dirty to get what they want.
xx,
Glenna
About the Author
Glenna Maynard is a Kentucky native with a passion for romance, best known for her bestselling romantic suspense novel I'm with You and The Black Rebel Riders' MC series. When she isn't arguing with the voices in her head or drinking reader tears, she enjoys watching classic TV shows with her two children and longtime leading man.
You can also find Glenna on several social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Blogger, Google+ and Goodreads. You are also invited to join her reader group on Facebook just search for Glenna’s Rebels.
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Dirty Love (Fighting Dirty Series Book 1) Page 13
