Chapter 6
Six
WRYAN
I t’s been a shit week. I’m suffering from morning sickness again, to the point where the doctor is considering putting me on anti-nausea meds. I really don’t want to. I’ve gotten off of all my meds to ensure the baby doesn’t have any issues. We’re monitoring my heart rate and blood pressure religiously now that I’m off my daily heart medication.
I was doing so well until I ran into Tanner, and he denied everything. Just this Tuesday, I was served with paternity paperwork, and he’s pursuing fifty percent custody. My brother is pissed, and my parents are pushing me to hire a shark attorney to go after him for child support. But I don’t want anything from him except his desire to see our daughter.
I don’t want to be doing this right now. All I want is to hide out in my bedroom. My parents insisted I move in with them after I fainted, worried I was pushing my body beyond its limits. I just wish they would let me live my own life. I’m strong enough to take care of myself. I have been doing it for years. I’ve made my money by investing it properly. I still have the rental agreement for the apartment, and I’ve decided that I don’t care what my family says. I’m going to move out on my own and prove to them I can take care of myself.
I walk across the lawn, following my brother, who insists I can’t be far from him. He’s convinced that my crazed fan is going to come after me. He says it’s my fault for posting on social media. He has no clue what I share with the public or how I keep everything separate. No one knows I’m pregnant. I haven’t had any public appearances since Paris, specifically because I want to keep my child safe from the prying eyes and nosey people of the paparazzi. I can’t even figure out how my fan found out I was back in the United States. When I was in Paris, my publisher only got a few letters, as far as I know.
“Hello, Wryan.” Jasmin walks up to hug me. She chuckles when she pats my stomach. “If you need help or have questions, feel free to give me a call. Are you coming back to Frozen to work?” Jasmin is not only a paramedic, but she also works for Frozen Tattoo and Piercing, where I worked as an artist. I should swing by and see if I can consult again. I loved working there, and I like that it’s someplace for me to go to get out of the house.
“I’d like to. I need to stop by and see Leif and Erika.” She hugs me again before she moves over to her husband, Ryan, who’s holding their one-year-old son.
Trevor, another paramedic, approaches me next with his new wife. I’ve heard about her but never had the chance to meet her. She’s really pretty and only a few inches taller than I am. She’s pregnant too.
“I heard you were in Paris,” Trevor says by way of greeting, and I know what he’s getting at.
I notice one of the other guys standing close, listening in. He’s the one I want to withhold information from, but I also want to be loyal to Lorelei and protect her secret. Trevor is her older brother, and he has no clue, just like her parents, that she had a baby. I’m not supposed to know, but I was happy to be there for her.
“I was in Paris.” I hedge.
“Did you see my sister?” he asks, and I watch Karston move closer.
I’m not usually good at lying, but I will try for her. “Was she there?” I ask, attempting to sound surprised and failing miserably. His wife, Emersyn, tries to cover her smile.
“You know she was, Wryan.” He picks up on the lie instantly.
“Okay, yes, I knew she was there, but I can’t say if I saw her or not.” It’s not a lie, and I’m able to pass it off better. I walk away before they can ask me more.
Karston is watching me still, and as the day wears on, he continues to try to get me alone. I’ve managed to avoid him until he corners me as I come out of the bathroom.
“If you are still in contact with Lorelei, can you tell her I need to talk to her?” he says in his deep, gruff voice. “I need to explain.”
“No.” I move away from him and then stop. This is my chance to stand up for my friend. I turn back to him. “I wouldn’t give her a message if you were the last man on the face of the earth. I don’t help people who hurt my friends.” I watch as his face falls, and I walk away from him.
I don’t want to be here any longer. I hate that my brother forced me to come, and I hate that he told Julian and Ridley I didn’t need protection. I walk off, heading toward Frozen Tattoo in the art district. It’s about a mile from here, but I could use the exercise. Plus, I’m tired of fending off questions about the fight at the hospital and whether Tanner is the father of my baby. The latter is mostly from women. I know he’s handsome, but they don’t have to act like I’m going to get them a date now that he’s done with me. Shit, I didn’t have him in the first place. We just scratched an itch.
As I’m walking down the sidewalk, I realize I didn’t tell my brother I was leaving. I send him a quick text.
Me
Heading to Frozen to talk to Rika.
JD
You aren’t supposed to be alone. I’ll head that way.
Me
Don’t worry. I’m almost there. I’ll text you later. Have fun with your friends.
I wish he would understand I used to navigate larger cities than this on my own. I’m not a baby.
When I’m a block from Frozen, I get the sense I’m being watched. Maybe I should have let J.D. join me. Just as I’m about to cross the street, a black Range Rover with tinted windows pulls up to the curb next to me. The passenger side window rolls down, and I look in to see Tanner.
“Want a ride?” he asks me with a smile. His whiskey-soaked voice causes my body to respond, and I have to close my eyes to stop the flutter in my belly as I feel my nipples pucker.
“No.” I cross the street behind his car. I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how deeply he hurt me. Or that my body still responds to him.
“Wait, Wryan. I was wrong,” he yells, and I turn around.
He’s out of his car and walking toward me. I try not to watch his swagger or how his long legs look good in his tan trousers or how the sleeves of his pullover strain against his muscular arms.
I hold on to the hurt and anger I felt when I got the papers on Tuesday.
“Wrong? What were you wrong about? Sleeping with me? The parentage of our daughter? Or, wait, maybe it was the fact that you thought I was fucking my brother and bodyguard at the same time. Was that it?” I turn away again, but he grabs my arm. Before I can yank it out of his grip, I hear a deep voice.
“Let her go right now before I bounce your pretty face off of the sidewalk like a basketball.”
I gasp and turn to find a man I’ve never seen before standing there. He’s the same height as Tanner, but he’s massive in size. He reminds me of Shakespeare with the way he stands. It’s a military baring I’ve learned; my father is the same way. They don’t slouch.
The man looks at me with his chocolate brown eyes and tan skin. “I’m Rio. Commander told me to tell you”—he pauses for a moment—“dragons are real.” It’s the code phrase I set up with Andreason and Black Securities. “I’m your security for the day.”
“I thought my brother fired you.”
“You didn’t.” He shrugs and then looks back at Tanner. “You going to let her go?”
“I need to talk to her,” Tanner argues with him.
“From what I understand, the time for talking is over.” Rio turns to me. “Keep walking, Little Bit, and I’ll catch up.” I can’t decide what to do, but I don’t want to be hurt anymore, and that’s all that Tanner has done lately.
“Not right now, Tanner.” I look up at him and turn away before the pain in his eyes makes me give in.
Before I make it down the block, Rio is by my side again. “You shouldn’t have walked off by yourself.”
“I couldn’t stay there any longer. It’s like they don’t even know me.”
“Who?” I know he doesn’t know who I’m talking about, but I still need to get it off my chest.
“My family. When I was growing up, they took care of me. They don’t understand that while I was in college and this last year, I’ve taken care of myself. My father and brother don’t believe that I make a real income with my books. I’ve learned to invest my own money and have a perfect little nest egg. But they don’t see that. They see that I’m pregnant and not in a relationship. That I don’t work a traditional job. I don’t get it.”
“Sometimes you just need to do you and let them watch you succeed without their help.”
“Yeah, that’s why I have my own place. I’m going there after I make this stop.”
“Okay, you’re the boss.” He chuckles.
I like him. Not the way I liked Shakespeare, but he’s a good example of what I want my relationship with my brother to be like.
As soon as I open the door, Erika almost barrels me over. Her husband, who I met at Christmastime, walks out from the back of the salon. Grayson is dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt, and he has their little girl strapped to him in the baby carrier. Her little pink hat pokes out the top.
“You’re here. I read about the attack at the con in London. Was it you? You just disappeared after that, dropped off of the face of the world. Was it?” Erika asks, not giving me a chance to respond.
Rio chuckles, but I ignore him. I need a friend here who knows everything. She’ll help me. She always has.
“Yes. I was the one who got attacked. It was just a reader upset that I’m changing the direction of my writing.”
“Really?” Erika leans back, tucking her chin and giving me a look like she thinks I’m crazy. “I believe that as much as I believe the hottie behind you is your boyfriend.”
“Hottie? Princess, don’t make me spank you in front of company,” Grayson says, and she fidgets, shifting her legs.
“Yes, Sir.” She’s the former Domme I told Tanner about. She’s now fully embraced her role as a sub with her husband. I don’t blame her. I’d be his sub too. He’s undeniably sexy and charming. “Sorry, but I know when one of my sister-in-law’s men is around. She must have a standard for who she hires.” She gives Rio an appraising look.
“Princess,” Grayson warns.
Erika turns toward him with a flourish, a hand on her hip. “You can stop. You know who I’m devoted to, and I’m sure he can spot my ring from across the room.” She flashes a huge diamond ring and band surrounded by pink diamonds. It’s a beautiful setting. I wish I hadn’t missed so much, but I needed to stay away. “Come on.” Erika turns back to me and takes my hand in her tattooed one. I notice some of my drawings inked on her skin. Her tattoos are primarily black and gray, covering almost every surface of her body. She’s beautiful.
She leads me over to the sofa, and we sit down. Her husband and Rio follow behind us. Grayson begins to gently bounce when their baby starts making noises.
“Before I get into the story, I want to know who this little one is. I heard you were pregnant with a girl, but I don’t know anything else.”
“This is Zara. She was born on March first. When are you due?”
“Christmastime.”
“Did you know you were pregnant when you were attacked?”
“No. That’s how I found out.”
“Dang, girl.” She laughs. “So, what brings you in?”
“I was wondering if you would like me to come back for some consulting and drawing?”
“We’d love that,” Leif says from behind me. I turn as he steps out of his office. He’s got his hand wrapped around Ridley’s, and I realize they must be a couple.
“When do you want me to start?”
“How about Tuesday?”
“Sounds good.”
We visit a while longer, and I tell them more about what happened in London. I find out that Ridley and Leif are married and adopting a baby together. As I get ready to leave, a man steps inside the shop. I don’t recognize him, but Ridley and Rio seem to.
“Don’t let her walk anymore,” Rio says to the newcomer. They part ways, and Rio walks out the door. The man walks up to Ridley, and they talk among themselves for a moment before he approaches me.
“I’m Browser.” He smiles. Erika may be onto something. Just like the other guys who have worked with me, he’s cute and impressively large in a muscular way. He has tattoos all over, and his hair is shaved close to his head.
“You’re the one who helped with my website?”
“Yeah, thought you’d prefer it to be restored and locked, but inactive. Commander wanted it shut down completely.”
“I really appreciate that, especially since I had a book release and needed to be able to have it announced to everyone. I don’t know who Rogue is, but please thank them for me. I’ve heard a lot about them. Commander is Mr. Black, correct?”
“I’m Rogue.” Ridley joins us, and I look between the two of them for a moment.
“Wait, as in the X-Men ?”
“Yes. I’ve always loved X-Men . When Gambit got his name, I was like his little sister, so it just stuck. Now it means so much more because of my abilities as a tactician.”
“I like it. There’s a Gambit too. Will I meet him next? You know, in the comics, Rogue and Gambit get married, right?”
“No, Gambit doesn’t work for Andreason and Black Securities. If we ask him or Striker to come in, it’s usually because all our men are busy. Plus, he’s married now.” She looks at her husband and smoothes a hand down his chest. “Our Gambit is like my brother, never even thought of him that way.”
“That’s funny. Well, I’m ready to leave. I’ll be going to my apartment tonight.”
“Excellent. We have it ready for you. We even swung by your parents’ and picked up Eddie. He’s waiting for you at your apartment. There was also a delivery left for you. Don’t worry. It’s not from your attacker,” Ridley says.
“Thank you.” I’m curious about what I got, but I can’t wait to see my boy.
I think about the fact that my brother, again, didn’t want me to have Eddie with me. J.D. is a good paramedic and has witnessed the effects of my heart condition, but I think he has an issue with jealousy. My brother has always been overprotective of me, taking the role of big brother seriously. Before Eddie came into my life, J.D. was there to watch over me. Maybe he feels Eddie took his job away.
Regardless of what’s going through his mind, I eventually need to sit down and have a serious conversation with my brother. However, that’s not going to happen right now while I’m pregnant and dealing with Tanner. That’s enough stress on me.
I hug Erika and Leif goodbye before Browser and I walk out. He leads me to a black SUV and opens the back door for me. On the drive to my new place downtown, I mentally list everything I need to do in the coming days and months. I have to get supplies for the baby and a car for myself. I also need to hire an attorney. I don’t mind Tanner getting to know our daughter and having visitation, but I won’t give her up completely.
When I step inside my fourth-floor apartment, Eddie is there to greet me. I move further into the space and notice a basket on the bar. I walk over to inspect it and find a sketchbook and graphite pencils—all things I would use. There are also candles, bubble bath, and several other personal care items. They are all vanilla chai scented, my favorite. I pull out the card and sit down in a chair as I take in the note.
Kitten,
I apologize and would like to have lunch with you soon.
Tanner
I hold the card to my chest, thinking for a moment that maybe he does really care, but then I remember he doesn’t even believe I’m carrying his child.