35. Theo
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
THEO
I’m about to march her into the bedroom when the doorbell rings again.
“Ignore it,” I urge as I slide my tongue into her mouth again, needing to get her naked and in bed before my parents get back.
The doorbell rings a second time. “I’m going to throttle whoever is at the door.
” The sound of her giggling as I stomp to the door makes my cock even harder than it was.
I pull the door open to find Burke, his back to me, hands on his hips.
He turns around, and I can see he’s not a happy person. “Hey, I’m sorry to do this, but is Collins here?”
“She is.” My shoulders go back. “What’s going on?”
He looks past me. “Hey, Collins. I’m sorry to interrupt. I went by the station to talk to you, and Captain told me you called out sick.”
“Yeah, I didn’t feel well.” Her face has become pale.
“This isn’t going to take long.” He waits a moment. “Can I come in?”
“I’m not sure,” I answer. “Listen, Collins doesn’t need stress right now.”
“I get it,” he says, his eyes showing understanding, “but I have to do my job.”
“Then come in,” I huff out. I slip my fingers through hers as we walk gingerly to the living room.
She sits down at the edge of the couch. “Am I in trouble?” Her bottom lip trembles, and I let her hand go to wrap my arm around her shoulders.
I kiss the side of her head. “It’s going to be okay,” I whisper, and she looks up at me, worry all over her face. Anger now fills my body, and I vow to never ever let her fucking parents and their actions touch her ever fucking again.
“They did something,” she says, “I can feel it.” She turns to Burke. “What happened? Am I in trouble?”
“You aren’t in trouble,” he reassures her, “but—”
“There is no fucking but,” I snap at him. “She’s freaking out, and you are not helping. What part of ‘she can’t be stressed’ are you not getting?”
“Theo.” She puts her hand on my leg.
“Like I was trying to say, you aren’t in trouble, but your father is. Normally, this wouldn’t be your concern, but since he was arrested at your house . . .” I feel her whole body go tight under my arm. “I take it they did not have your permission to be in your house?”
She puts her head down, and I look up at the ceiling. It takes everything in me not to jump off the couch, go down to the jail, and bail him out just to beat the shit out of him.
“No,” she states softly. Burke looks at me, his eyebrows raising. “They said they would be staying at my place since I was staying here, but I told them not to. I guess I’m not surprised they didn’t listen to me.”
“Okay, well that answers that.” He leans forward and puts his elbows on his knees. “There was stuff we found in your house when he was arrested that needs to be discussed, things your father is saying are your property. He said all he was doing was staying the night.”
“What things?” she asks, her voice soft.
“There were four credit cards on the kitchen table in the names of a couple people in town.” She gasps. “We also found some items that were stolen from Caleb’s jobsites.”
“She didn’t fucking steal any of the tools, and you fucking know it. I was with her the last time she was home, and they weren’t there. If she isn’t at work, she’s here at my house. I pick her up and drop her off.”
“I’m sorry, Theo, but she’s going to have to answer this,” Burke declares.
She glances at me, then meets Burke’s eyes. “They’re not mine. I didn’t take any of that stuff. I haven’t been home in about a week. I didn’t steal anyone’s credit cards either. I would never.”
“I know that,” he says, “but I have to follow up.”
“I want to press charges,” she states. Burke’s eyes look like they are about to pop out of his head. Her hand goes to her belly. “It ends now. I refuse to let them interfere with my life again.”
I smile at her, kissing away the tear that slips down her cheek. “You do what you need to do for you.”
“It’s for us.” She turns to Burke. “I didn’t give them permission to be in my house. So what is that, trespassing?”
Burke lets a sly, proud smile slip out.
She presses on. “And I got a call from my bank a couple of weeks ago about a check that was cashed. They forged it. I want to press charges for that also. I don’t know how to do that.”
“You’re going to have to come in and do a police report with whatever proof you have.”
“Okay,” she agrees. “What else do you need from me?”
Burke goes over a list of things she needs to include in her complaint.
“I’m going to assume you aren’t going to bail him out,” he says as we walk him out.
“I am not,” she declares. “I refuse to.”
He gives her a nod. “Good. It’s about time. Come down later to give a statement, okay?”
“It depends on how she’s feeling,” I interject.
He glares at me. “You better be good to her.”
I close the door as he gets in his cruiser, then pull Collins against me. “Are you okay?”
“No.” She shakes her head against my chest. “I’m not okay. What the fuck? They were going to pin it on me?”
I kiss the top of her head. “I’m proud of you.”
She nods and pulls away. “I’m going to put my feet up for a while,” she says, heading for the couch.
The doorbell rings. Again.
“It’s Grand Central Terminal in here today,” I huff out, yanking the door open to find Ms. Maddie with Everleigh.
“Hi,” I say, masking my irritation with a grin.
“I’m sorry to intrude,” Everleigh starts, shifting the boxes in her hands and side-eyeing her mother. “She refused to wait until she saw Collins.”
“Come in.” I move away from the door and welcome them in. “She’s in the living room.” Ms. Maddie is already halfway there.
“Mom,” Everleigh hisses, “we spoke about this.”
“Ms. Maddie, this is a nice surprise.” I walk into the living room to see the surprise on Collins’s face.
“We heard you weren’t feeling well,” Ms. Maddie says, giving Everleigh a conspiratorial smile, “and, well, we came to drop off a couple of meals to help you get through the next few days.”
“What my mother means to say is, she’s a nosy little busybody, and—”
“I am not,” Ms. Maddie defends. She smiles at Collins. “How are you doing, pretty girl?”
“I’m okay.”
“You look a little tired. Have you been getting enough rest?”
“Mom,” Everleigh snaps, “that’s rude.”
Her eyes widen. “I’m sorry, Collins, I don’t mean to be rude. I was just saying you need rest. Are you resting enough?”
“I don’t think that’s better,” I mumble.
“Oh, really, Mom. I told you that you need to wait until she’s ready to tell us she’s pregnant.” She flicks her eyes to Collins’s shocked face. “Oh, sorry, but she won’t stop until she gets it out of you.”
“You know? Who told you?”
“Brock told me,” Everleigh admits, “and I mistakenly told my mother. I’m so sorry. I swear I would never ever say anything.”
“It’s okay,” Collins says, letting her off the hook. “It’s not going to be a secret for much longer.”
“Well, we brought you some food”—Everleigh holds up the boxes—“and some sweets.”
“This is,” Collins starts, “this is too much.”
“Nonsense,” Ms. Maddie counters. “We just came to drop these off, and we’ll be going.
” I walk over with the intention of taking the bags from her, but Ms. Maddie ignores me and heads to the kitchen, lifting the bags onto the counter herself.
“We’ll get out of your hair so you can rest.” She kisses Collins’s face. “I can’t wait to meet the baby.”
“Mom.” Everleigh puts her boxes on the counter. “I’m taking her out of here.” She pulls her away from Collins. “You call me if she bothers you or if you need anything.”
Collins puts her hands on her mouth when they walk out of the room, and the door slams shut.
“I’m sorry I told Brock,” I say. “I didn’t think he would tell anyone because, well, he usually just grunts, so—” That makes her laugh. She’s about to take another step toward me when, of course, the doorbell rings.
“I’m getting a dog that chases people away,” I grumble.
“I’ll get it this time,” she offers. “You put away the food.”
But I don’t put the food away. I follow her. I’m right behind her as she opens the door. No way am I letting her out of my sight with her mother on the loose.
“Mrs. Lambert,” she says, “is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes,” the older lady standing on my doorstep replies, smiling. “I just thought I would bring over a little something for you and Theo.”
Collins glances at me in confusion, and I shrug. I’ve never seen this woman in my life.
“I heard the news,” the woman goes on, “and I went by the station to drop it off for you. One of the boys told me you were sick, so I tried here before going all the way to your house.” She holds out a bag with tissue paper sticking out of the top.
“It’s just something I was doing and thought about you. Well, it’s for both of you, really.”
Collins accepts the gift. “Do you want me to open it now? I can.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I’ll see you next week because I started on a blanket.” She smiles. “I’ll let you go rest.” She turns and walks back down the steps.
“Blanket?” Collins mumbles, taking out the tissue paper. She pulls out a pair of white crocheted baby booties. “Oh my,” she whispers, touching the white ribbon. “Mrs. Lambert,” she calls, and the woman turns back, “you made these?”
“Of course, dear. They have a matching hat and jacket. When you find out what you are having, we can add some color to it. I hope you like it.”
“I love it.” She touches the soft booties. “This has to be the nicest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Just wait until you see the blanket.” She shrugs one shoulder before sliding into her car.
“Let’s go inside and get you sorted,” I say, guiding Collins back to the living room.
“I always thought she hated me. I thought everyone hated me.” Big tears are at the bottom of her eyelids.
“Collins,” I hold her face, “I told you, there is no way anyone who knows you can hate you. Not even a little bit.” I kiss her lips. “You are so loved. Now do you believe me?”
Her head falls to my chest, and she nods at the same time the front door opens. My parents are back.
“The next days you have off,” I murmur in her ear, “I’m telling everyone we’re going away. I’m locking the door and I’m not answering it.” She looks up at me and giggles. “I love you, Collins”—I kiss her lips—“more than I can even say.”