Touchdown

Chapter 33

Broken Plans

Gilbert

I’ve been pacing since I arrived here at Hamilton’s apartment as I try to wrap my head around the shitshow today has been. My plan is broken.

I’ll have to rethink everything. Zah is still mine. I’m not giving up that easily. Coswell has another think coming if he thinks he’s just going to walk in and fuck everything up for me.

“What are you going to do now? This project falls apart without your money. No wedding, no money, Gilbert. That’s a huge problem for me.

“I stuck my neck out and vouched for you. You have to get that money and make good on this. You hear me, bro?”

“I hear you,” I bellow.

I glare at Hamilton as he tells me something I already know. I started to make some investments because I was so sure I was going to seal the deal.

I had no idea that motherfucker was coming back. He hasn’t been here for twenty-four hours and she’s shutting me out. I can’t believe this is happening.

So what, her mother fainted. We should still be getting married tomorrow evening. Old bitch ruined everything. My mind goes back to the moment when I was so sure nothing could get in my way.

The wind blew through my hair, the salty sea air filled my lungs, and the feeling of success buzzed through my veins. The day couldn’t have gone better. I played my part perfectly.

“So, how is everything going?” Hamilton crooned on the other end of the phone.

“It’s going better than I could have asked for. She was here today, and get this … she’s pregnant. I was right, something did happen in Vegas.

“My intel was spot on. Either that little pill she bought didn’t work, or she didn’t take it. Coswell dropped her right into my arms with this one,” I crooned.

“Wait, pregnant? How does that work for you? Your grandmother will never accept another man’s bastard child.”

“She’ll never know the child isn’t mine. She assumed the kid was mine without even asking questions. I went with it, so did Zahirah.

“I’m going to get the girl, the money, and the empire. The little brat will be the cherry on top to burn Coswell to his core. His brat will call me Daddy while I fuck his girl every night.”

“You’re sure she’s going to marry you?”

“Zah’s a sweetheart. She’ll do anything for a friend. Once I get the engagement ring on her finger, Grand will help me get to the finish line.

“Zah won’t know how to break her heart. Once we’re married, she’s mine, no turning back. Coswell will have to watch me take care of his little family and there isn’t shit he can do about it. Who’s the loser now?”

I’ll never forget how he spat those words in my face after breaking my jaw and telling me to stay away from Zahirah. It killed me to pretend that I was over it to remain connected to his circle. Zahirah never knew why I disappeared for the two months it took for my jaw to heal.

“Remind me never to piss you off. Dude, you’ve been playing the long game since he kicked your ass and told you to stay away from Zah in high school,” Hamilton chuckled.

He’s the only one I’ve ever told my plan to. I couldn’t trust anyone else like I could trust him. He knows some of my darkest secrets.

“I knew back then he wanted to fuck her himself. Acting all high and mighty like they were too good for any of us. As if she were too good for me to touch.”

I had a feeling Coswell was going to end up with Zahirah. It was the way he looked at her. The two never could stay away from each other.

When Zah told me she was going to Vegas for that asshat’s game, I knew I had my shot. Those two were going to fall in together and I’d be able to take her.

I’ve been working my way in as her friend for years now. She’s never responded to my flirting, but I haven’t allowed that to deter me. All I needed was the right opportunity.

“I thought you liked her. This is really only about revenge?”

“Oh, I like her all right, that’s what’s going to make taking her from him so much sweeter. I bet she fucks like a slut. I can’t wait to destroy that fat ass.”

“Well, good luck. See you when you get back. Glad your trip was worth it,” he said.

I grinned and ended the call as I looked out at the sea. The trip had gone very well. It had been more than worth it.

I knew my grandmother would approve of Zahirah. It doesn’t hurt that I’ve wanted her for years. I’ve always shown Zah the sweet boy my grandmother believes me to be.

Not the bastard my father disowned and walked away from. I got lucky that I killed him before he could breathe a word of all the things I’d done to get expelled and disowned.

I lifted my glass of champagne into the air and gave a toast to my success. Patience gets you everything. I’d have Zah and my revenge.

“To the life I was always meant to have and my gorgeous fiancée. I’m going to be a dad,” I muttered to myself and grinned.

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll come up with something. Just buy me a little more time,” I say to Hamilton as my thoughts come back to the present.

“Are you sure about this?”

“I never fail. You know this.”

“If you say so. I’m not helping you bury anymore bodies, so leave me out of any of that.”

“Remember, I have no problem collecting or disposing of the bodies all by myself,” I say and give him a grin.

I’m sure he has read between the lines when his face turns pale as a sheet. Now is not the time to overestimate one’s value. I shrug and turn to leave his apartment. I have a plan to save.

Zahirah

“Thank you,” Aaron sings as Bentley hands him his plate of nuggies and rice.

I can’t help smiling as Bentley palms Aaron’s little head between his hands and kisses the top. My son looks up at his father with a big smile on his face.

“Good manners, buddy. Nice job,” Bent praises.

“Nice job,” Aaron repeats.

He picks up his fork and begins to eat his rice. “Hot sauce, Dada. You forgot Aaron’s hot sauce.”

Bentley looks up at me. I shrug and get up to get the hot sauce for my baby. He won’t eat rice without it.

“Oh, he’s serious.”

“Yeah,” I snicker. “I put a little water in a bowl and mix it in before pouring it on his rice.”

“He, um, hangs with Eddy a lot?”

“Is that where he gets it from?”

“I think so. Your dad gave him hot sauce once when he was little and he had to have it on everything after that.”

“Oh my God, I totally forgot about that.”

“Eddy loves him. He offers to babysit for me all the time.”

I wish I could take the words back the moment they are out of my mouth. Bentley’s face clouds over with anger and silence falls over the room. Aaron humming as he eats is all you can hear.

“These are his cups? Does he drink juice or water with his meals?”

“Water please. Thank you,” Aaron answers for himself.

“You can use the blue sippy cup. The yellow one is his morning cup for milk.”

“Nuggie, Dada?” Aaron asks as he holds up one of his nuggets.

“You would share with me?”

“Yes. Good job, Aaron. Good boys share.”

“Thank you, buddy. You eat your food. I’m not hungry this time.”

“Okay. Eat-eat, Mommy?”

“Mommy is going to have a sandwich.”

“PBJ, yum.”

“He’s so smart. I mean, he’s not even one,” Bentley chokes out.

“He gets a lot of attention and modeling.” I shrug.

“What happened, Zah? If I’m doing the math right, you were pregnant when I found out you were first engaged. Gilbert Manning? Really?”

“It’s more complicated than that.”

“Not too complicated to come to me. You were having my baby.”

“You were seeing someone. I didn’t want to get in the way,” I snap back.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“That influencer. The one you were dating last year.”

“Baby, I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but I haven’t been dating anyone. And even if I was that’s no excuse for you not telling me about my son.”

“I … it was all over the internet. I thought.”

“You thought wrong. Shit, you’re talking about that crazy chick, aren’t you?”

He groans and pulls a hand down his face. Aaron looks up at him; I can see the wheels turning in his little head. He then looks at me.

“Shit. Shit.”

“Aaron, no. That’s a never word.”

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry. Buddy, Daddy didn’t mean to say that. Zah, I’m going to go for a walk. I need some air.”

“Aaron walk with Daddy?”

Bentley looks at me, his expression conflicted. I can see he doesn’t want to say no. I nod, and he lifts Aaron into his arms.

I stand staring after them as I rub the back of my neck. This has been a long-ass day. I feel like I’ve just lived the last ten years in one day.

I knit my brows as Bentley’s words sink in. I grab my phone and begin to Google. The more I read, the dumber I feel.

None of it was real. That woman had made up the entire relationship and the rumors. Bentley had to press charges and get a restraining order.

I’d never dug too deep into their relationship because it hurt too much. If I had known the truth, I would have told him about Aaron sooner. It didn’t help that Gilbert always cautioned me against reaching out to Bentley.

“Shit,” I mutter.

Bentley

My son is adorable and so smart. I need space from Zah, not him. So when he asked to walk with me, I couldn’t say no. He made it half a block before he wanted me to pick him up.

I could only laugh and lift him into my arms. By the next block, he was fast asleep. I don’t mind, having him in my arms is enough for me.

“Where should I put him?” I ask as I enter Zahirah’s house once again and find her sitting on the couch.

“I’ll show you to his room,” she says and stands.

She’s changed out of that sexy-ass dress since we’ve been gone. I might be mad as hell at her, but she’s still gorgeous as ever. I still can’t believe she was going to marry Gilbert.

“Do you want to put him in his PJs?”

“Yes, please.”

She nods and goes to collect his little pajamas. I move to the little bed and sit down on the floor beside it. I then pull his shoes from his feet.

My boy is knocked out. I stare down at his face and smile. I can see so much of Zah, but there’s a ton of me.

“He’s so beautiful,” I murmur.

“He is. Best thing I’ve ever done.”

I look up into her eyes. Hearing her say that answers a number of my questions. I take the little train pajamas she’s handing me.

Gently, I remove his T-shirt and then his shorts. I chuckle at his tan lines. I have a son.

His little toes are so cute. Once I dress him in his nightclothes, I turn with him in my arms and place him in his little bed. I kiss his head and stand to leave.

I wait out in the hall, staring up at the ceiling. This has been unreal. The tiny human in there is my son.

“Do you want to talk?”

I turn to find Zah peering up at me. I move to crowd her space and pin her to the wall. She places her hands on my chest as I lean my arm over her head and look down into her eyes.

“I want what I came here for,” I say.

“What did you come here for?”

“You. You’re not his. You shouldn’t be marrying him.

“That’s our son, my son. I’m here for you both. He can’t have you, Zah. He doesn’t deserve you.”

“I’ve never been his.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. No matter how he touched you, you have always been mine.”

She shakes her head. I get ready to set her straight, but she reaches to cup my face. I turn my head and kiss her palm.

“No, Bent. You don’t understand. It was all fake. We were never really engaged.

“We were friends. He asked me to come over to hang out one day in Spain. Long story short, his grandmother thought I was his girlfriend, and he asked me to play along.

“Then I got sick while there and she realized I was pregnant, and she assumed the baby was his. The whole crazy situation spiraled out from there.

“It was never supposed to get to the wedding. I don’t know how things got so far, but that’s over now. I don’t owe him anything. I want my life back. I’m tired of pret—”

She moans into my mouth as I cut her words off with a passionate kiss. I have my hand down the front of her sleep pants and my fingers in her pussy before I can think about what I’m doing.

“Tell me you don’t want me, and I’ll leave,” I breathe into her ear.

“Bentley, I … I don’t want you to go, but I don’t think—”

“Don’t think, baby. Just feel. Let me make you come.

“This night is going to get ugly once we get to the real shit, so let me give this to you.”

She lifts on her toes as she whimpers, and I continue to finger her. I cover her mouth with mine once again, kissing her deeper. I miss her so much.

I’m still angry, but I need this as much as I need air. I can’t help but groan as it sinks in that she never allowed that bastard to touch her. This pussy is still mine.

Her legs begin to shake, and she comes all over my hand. I look down into her eyes and grin as I pull my hand from her pants and stick my fingers into my mouth.

“Where do we go from here?” she pants.

“I have a lot I want to say to you. A few sorries and a lot of groveling and explaining. You didn’t deserve Vegas, and I probably deserve the last year.

“You and I need to communicate more. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to be apart.

“You and Aaron are my world. I thought you were done with me and that you moved on. Honestly, hearing that you thought I did too …” I shake my head.

“I get it. I understand why you didn’t come to me. I had planned to let you go, but I couldn’t without hearing from your mouth that you don’t want me anymore. I came to hear you say it.”

“Bentley, my heart has always belonged to you. I came to Vegas because I missed you. I thought we could at least start to be friends again and take things from there.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted. Then I had too much to drink before getting back to my room and you appeared like an angel in that dress. I lost my shit, and everything went to hell from there.”

“You might want to work on not using that word.”

I snort and lean in to kiss her. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. He’s so smart, baby. You’re doing an amazing job,” I say against her lips.

“He is pretty amazing. I love him so much. Thank you.”

“Thank you for what?”

“Giving me our son. The best sex of my life turned into my greatest blessing. I love being a mom.”

“Best sex of your life?” I scoff and lift a brow.

She bites her lip and nods. I palm her ass and drag her body into mine. I’m so hard, but we should take our time and talk a whole lot more.

“Come on. Show me the rest of your house and Aaron’s morning routine.”

“You say that like you plan to be here in the morning.”

“Zah, I’m home, baby. You know you’re all I’ve wanted. Having you in my life has always been my endgame. I’m so sorry I didn’t handle things better.”

“We all did the best we knew how.”

“We have time to get into that. Come on, it’s been a long-ass day.”