35. Kai
After our talk the other night, I feel like a new man. To have Cordi tell me how proud of me she is felt damn good, and I’m ready for freestyle. I swear I’m about to grow wings and actually fly away.
“How are you feeling, babe?” Cordi asks me, preparing her camera for freestyle with a different lens.
“Great, I feel really good,” I admit, and she smiles brightly, lifting her camera to snap a picture. “You don’t usually grab pictures this close.”
She shrugs. “I’m trying new things.” I nod and kiss her cheek, slapping her butt as she turns. She winks and walks to the stands to where Mom is.
Mom seemed fine coming in today. She didn’t seem nervous or overtly concerned about anything, which made me feel a little better. If we keep her moving between my brothers and me, then she will be harder to track down. She might go to Bali with Liam for the hell of it. At the very least, it will keep my father guessing.
It’s my turn, and I take my last look at Cordelia, thinking about what we’re going to do after I’m done. My blood buzzes with adrenaline, and I smile to myself.
I glance at Mom next to Cordelia and see a man in the row behind them. He has a baseball hat on, but he’s not looking around like every other spectator. Mom’s bodyguard clearly hasn’t spotted him because he’s dressed like a fan. Idiot. The man behind them is staring at my wife and mother. I glance at my jumps, suddenly feeling pulled in two different directions. Even if I dropped my bike now and sprinted up there, leaping over the six-foot pit wall, there’s no way I’d reach him in time before he took off. Clarence is huge, which is great from an attacking standpoint but not for chasing. The organization makes every spectator go through metal detectors, so I doubt he has a gun. But I suppose he could have gotten through with a knife. Although hands can be weapons, too.
In other words, I have to hedge my bets that he’s here to mess with our heads instead of hurt either of them. I’m called up next and take a deep breath, willing the icy sliver of fear wrapping itself around my spine to thaw. I have a job to do right now, and that’s not die.
I finish my last one-handed hart attack and kick up dirt over to where Mom and Cordi are leaving the stands. The man is gone. I stop near them and yell, “Meet me at the garage.” Cordi looks at me funny and nods. Clarence smartly seems to realize that something is off, so he stays close to them as they head back to our team area.
Flipping my kickstand, I pull my helmet off and start packing up immediately. I need to get them out of here now. When Mom and Cordi saunter over to me, Mom’s face is her usual, serene expression, meaning you have no idea what she’s thinking. I nod at Clarence, and he turns to watch the surrounding area.
“We need to get back to the trailer. Now,” I mutter to Mom as calmly as I can.
She catches on that there’s a problem and grabs the few things I had waiting by my bike.
After we get back to the trailer, I hustle them in and leave Clarence standing outside.
“I’ll be right back. I need to make a phone call.”
Cordi opens her mouth as if to say something, but Mom grabs her hand. “We’ll be here,” Mom says. Cordi shuts her mouth, and I close the door behind me. Clarence nods to me, and I grab my phone from my locked toolbox to dial Emerson while looking around the perimeter of the campers. Everything seems quiet and normal.
“Em, someone was here watching Mom and Cordi. He’s at least five-ten, brown hair, and fit.”
“I’ll call Liam,” Emerson grunts.” Are you sure he wasn’t here for you?” he asks.
“No, I’m not, but I didn’t like the way he was looking at them.” He’s silent for a moment, and I keep checking my surroundings. Every instinct in my body tells me something is off.
“Hello?” Liam says.
“Someone was watching Cordi and Mom,” Emerson says.
“Dammit. I’ll check cameras,” Liam spits. “What’s the plan? If they are putting eyes on Cordi and Mom, it makes me think our esteemed father has multiple games at play.”
“And we don’t know the new rules,” I mutter.
“Okay, Mom needs to move hotels tonight. You both need to move the RV, get on the road, or get a hotel. Your next stop is Cali, right?” Emerson asks. I grunt in agreement.
“I think Mom and Liam need to go on a surf trip,” I say.
“Awe, come on, man. I was just with her for two months. Emerson, it’s your turn.”
“Yeah, because she wants to be in the gym with me all day and night.”
“Why don’t you…I don’t know, maybe go somewhere new?” I suggest.
Liam laughs. “Yeah, because our ray of sunshine, homebody, brother wants to go somewhere. Hell, Emerson going somewhere would tip them off.”
“Asshole,” Emerson grumbles.
“Okay, guys, so one of you is going to come here, and then what?” I ask.
“And then Liam takes Mom somewhere,” Emerson answers. “I’ll do recon on mom’s house, yours, and the beach house. Liam, you, and Cordi act like everything is normal. Go to Cali as normal, and I’ll meet you there.”
“I can’t run with her, Em. She’s pregnant. Stressing her out is bad for the baby.”
“It’s against my better judgment, but you should head home after your comp. I’ll call Mom’s security company and add someone to your house.”
“Are you sure we’re not making them sitting ducks?” Liam asks.
“Cordi needs a good bed and a roof over her head without moving every twenty-four hours. No one will get to her. I know it’s a risk, but she needs rest,” I say.
“I’m still amazed you’re married, to be honest,” Emerson says.
“And she’s pregnant, Emmy. Our brother is going to be a Daddy,“ he says.
“Stop calling me that,” Emerson grits.
Liam continues talking, completely ignoring Emerson, “I thought you might become a monk at some point, Kai. You know, like some kind of Evil Knievel monk.”
I huff a laugh despite the reality. “Never thought I’d be a husband or a father, either.”
“I get it, Kai, just be careful. Watch out for each other. I guess it’s better to be somewhere you know than in a place you don’t,” Emerson says. “Liam will be there in a few hours. Go tell Mom the plan, and I’ll leave you to decide what to tell your woman.”
“There are no secrets between us, Emerson.”
“That’s probably a good thing,” Liam mutters.
“See you soon. Be careful,” Emerson says.
“Will do.” I hang up the phone and go back into the RV.
Stepping back through the door, Mom looks at me knowingly. Cordelia is leaning back on the couch, calm but worried.
“Alright, I don’t know if you noticed, but someone was watching you.” Cordelia gasps, and my mom remains still as a statue. “We don’t know who it is, but we will take the hint. Liam is on his way to get you, Mom, and Emerson is going to check out everything else. You need to switch hotels, just in case. I think you and Liam should take off somewhere.”
Mom nods and gets on her phone.
“Kai, what does this mean for us?” Cordelia asks, strength radiating through, even though her eyes are full of fear. Most women would regret a man who put them in danger, but not Cordelia. She is loyal, almost to a fault, and I love her even more for it.
“We’re getting on the road tomorrow morning and going home. We’re going to act like nothing is up because it will tip them off. We’re going to go to Cali as planned, and you’re not going to leave my sight.”
“Do you think that’s smart?”
“I think it’s the best option we have right now,” I tell her. She throws herself into my arms, and I hug her close, inhaling her honey scent.
“Tell me it’s going to be okay,” she says into my chest.
I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her tighter. “It’s going to be okay, I promise,” I whisper into her hair.
“I would say don’t make promises you can’t keep, but you’ve kept every single promise you’ve made to me.”
“And I always will. Come on, let’s get ready for bed,” I tell her, rubbing her back.
“You don’t want to hang out with the guys?” she asks quietly.
“No, I want to go to sleep with you in my arms,” I tell her.
“Okay, my darlings. I have a new hotel. I’ll leave you two to it,” Mom says.
“Good, text me when you’re settled.”
“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” she asks.
“No, Mom. Is there anything you want to tell me?”
She lifts her chin. “No, but do you…” she says, hesitating. “Do you think I should call him? I—“
“No, Mom. Absolutely not. You will send Emerson over the edge if you even suggest that to him. They are clearly trying to intimidate us.”
“Then why are we running?” Cordi asks.
My heart thumps, and I hold her a little tighter. “We’re not running. We’re being careful.”
“But that doesn’t mean they can’t find us in another country or state, darling,” Mom says.
I sigh, trying to ignore my frustration. “We’re between a rock and a hard place. We don’t know what he wants, and asking him outright will make it worse. So, while we figure it out, this is the plan.”
Mom looks between Cordi and me, sighing. “Alright, well, if I don’t see you before you leave, be careful. I’ll call you from wherever we are.” I let Cordi go and hug my mother, kissing her on the cheek.
“I’ll see you soon, Mom,” I say. She kisses me on the cheek and then hugs Cordi before stepping out of the RV. I dip my head out and look at Clarence. “Keep your eyes peeled.”
He nods and follows Mom to the car.
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I watch Mom and Clarence leave, then reach for my gun I keep in the small cabinet next to the door. I don’t turn to look at Cordi, knowing she’s nervous, and leave to walk the perimeter. My teammates aren’t here because their RVs are quiet. They’re probably out partying since we have a little time off. Reece has his lights on, but the blinds are down. I walk around our trailer a few times. There are no new campers or random faces. Taking a deep breath, I tilt my head back, looking at the moon. Everything is going to be fine.
“Kai?” Cordelia calls for me right as I step into the RV. I lock the door behind me and put my gun back. I have a couple in the bedroom, too, for easy access.
“Here, babe,” I call and grab a bottle of water. I pull my dried, sweaty shirt over my head and undo my pants to jump in the shower. I flip the lights off in the kitchen and climb the two stairs to our bedroom.
Cordelia is in bed wearing her grandma night dress, and I smile at the sight.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, sitting up.
Twisting the top off the water bottle, I down it.
“All good, baby,” I tell her, wiping the dribble off my mouth. She stares at me for a moment, then closes her eyes.
I finish undressing and hop into the shower. By the time I get out, Cordelia is asleep. I check the windows one more time before slipping into bed.
“You’re being especially paranoid right now, and I’m trying not to let it stress me out,” she says with her eyes closed.
I scoot closer to her so we’re nose to nose, almost sharing a breath. She peeps her eyes open one at a time. The light of the moon shines through the window past the blinds, making her eyes look darker. Titling my head, I kiss her because I need to feel her lips on mine, knowing she will calm the paranoia sitting on my chest.
Cordelia pulls back and kisses my nose. “I’ve been thinking,” she says quietly.
“Uh oh, watch out.”
She huffs and pushes my shoulder like she’s mad. “I’m being serious, Kai,” she mumbles.
I chuckle and pull her closer to me. “I’m sorry, baby. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
She sighs and lifts her hand to run her fingers through my hair. I close my eyes, sinking into the soothing feeling, and almost fall asleep.
“I’ve been thinking about baby names,” she says.
“Okay,” I mumble, sleepy.
“Did you have any ideas?”
My heart picks up, and I open my eyes. She’s staring at me, waiting for an answer, and I don’t know what to say. She hasn’t directly told me she wants me to be this kid’s father legally. We haven’t worked out those details at all, and the custody paperwork is still in process. So, of all things, I didn’t think my opinion on a name would be considered. “Honestly, no. I…I didn’t think you wanted my opinion.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” she whispers.
I grab her hand and kiss her fingers. “I realize the lawyers don’t think it’s going to be an issue for sole custody, but I didn’t want to push you on how I played into that, even if I’m your husband.”
She sighs and clasps my face. “Thank you, because I had no idea where to start, and it brought up a lot of crap about my parents. So thank you for doing all of that for me.”
“You’re welcome,” I mumble. I want this kid to be mine. I want my name on his birth certificate. After this little guy, when she’s ready, I want more babies with her. I find myself thinking about it all the time. But we’re relearning each other, and the last thing she needs is my overzealous desire to keep her pregnant while we navigate this new life. Even though she looks so damn good pregnant.
“I still want your opinion on a name, though,” she whispers.
I grab her hip and squeeze it gently. “I hadn’t really thought about it. Tell me what you had in mind.”
“What does your name mean?” she asks.
I smile at her in the dark. “It means different things in different cultures. I think that’s why my mom liked it. But it means the sea.”
“Oh, that’s pretty.”
“I looked up what your name means.”
She smiles against my lips. “What does it mean?”
I kiss her. “It means jewel of the sea.”
She gasps. “That’s…wow that feels…”
“Almost like it was predestined?” I suggest as my heart kicks. I’ve felt it since we were kids. She has always had this pull on me. Every time she was close, I wanted to be next to her. Everything she wanted to do, I said yes before my brain had a chance to catch up.
“Yeah,” she says, breathily.
“It’s like we were fated from the beginning,” I say, getting quieter as I speak.
”I know we were,“ she says, grabbing my face, kissing me so deeply it makes my heart do backflips. It feels like I’m floating in the air right before I get back on my bike in the middle of a jump.
“I was thinking something really classy like Theodore because then we can call him Theo for short. Or maybe Thomas or Finn.”
I hum, thinking. “I like Theodore, but what about Henry or Hayes? Maybe Jackson or Noah.”
“Oh, those are good ones. I like Hayes,” she says. “Hayes Coldwell, I like the sound of that.”
I freeze for a moment. “You want him to have our last name?”
“Of course I do. It’s my last name, so it will be his.”
I smile to myself. “In that case, Theodore Coldwell sounds like a really good name.”
“So Theodore or Hayes,” she says.
“Yeah, I like those.” I close my eyes, and she nudges her face into my chest.
“Okay, we can decide later. At least we narrowed it down,” she sighs, and as I hold her to me, I can only hope that I’ll be around to see his little face and give him his name.