Chapter 20
Kimber
Two Months Later
I saw my mother in the store, and without a word, I walked by her.
“Kimber!” she called out.
I kept walking.
Suddenly, all I heard in my head was the line from Finding Nemo.
Just keep swimming.
Fitting.
I grabbed the last of the groceries that were on my list and went to pay for them.
Thankfully, I hadn’t seen my mother in all that time.
Unfortunately, I spoke too soon.
I sighed when I saw her standing next to my car, “Move.”
She shook her head, “Kimber, I need you to listen to me.”
I stood there as I stared at her. Not saying a single word.
Then she rushed out with, “We’re broke. Okay. Holly Anne took us to the cleaners. We need you to marry Allan.”
Ah, Allan. The one who offered Grey an obscene amount of money for me.
And my man turned him down.
I felt a smile pull at my lips.
My mother thought it was for her, and I knew she did when her eyes lit. “You’ll do it. Good. The wedding is this weekend. I knew I raised you right.”
I shook my head, “That’s funny. You thought I was smiling for you. Aw, how sweet. Nope, I was smiling because my man turned down his last offer of three million.”
Her eyes went big, “Three million? Why? You're not even worth the seventy-five thousand he was going to give us because we told him you’re a virgin.”
I felt my spine snap straight.
Then, in a tone I’ve never used, I whispered in a deadly tone, “Come again?”
Her mouth opened, then closed, then she tilted her head to the side in confusion, “What?”
“You were going to sell my virginity?” I asked in a bewildered tone as my voice started to rise.
“You thought it would be a good idea to sell my virginity? To a man I don’t know?” I got louder.
“Kimber, keep your voice down.” She shushed me.
“You were going to sell my virginity because the fucking piece of shit you married, who I hate, that I came out of, knocked some bitch up?” I was yelling.
“Kimber! Don’t be crude. And lower your voice this instant.” She snapped.
“I will fucking not. You’re a cuntwaffle. You know, I actually considered having a DNA test, because I could not believe that I came out of your rancid vagina.”
I shook my head. “You backed him when he disowned me. You stood there and didn’t say a word to defend me. Why do you hate me so much?”
She scoffed, “Oh, grow up, Kimber.”
I tried to infuse every ounce of hatred I felt for this woman into my glare, and from the way she stepped back, huh, it worked.
Then, in a soft tone, I said, “You were going to be the only grandmother our children would ever have. I hope you're happy with all the choices you’ve made.”
And with that, I bumped her out of my way.
Had I stood there for another minute, I would have seen regret flash in her eyes, but I was past the point of caring.
Maybe someday I would reach out... but I didn’t see that happening any time soon.
Probably never.
I was shaking my head at the crap my child would never have.
But then... I was smiling because my child had aunts and uncles in abundance. He or she was going to be just fine.
I had just unloaded the groceries in my car, returned the buggy, and climbed in when my phone rang.
I grinned.
Then I answered it, “Hello?”
“Hello? Baby girl. Fucking hello?” he growled.
I smiled, “Yes, husband. That is usually a proper greeting.”
“Kimber Adams, where are you?” he asked in a low tone.
I was still smiling, “Damn, but that sounds so good.”
“Kimber!” he snapped.
I stayed silent.
“Oh. You want to have your ass spanked. Is that it?” he asked in that low tone again.
I stayed silent again.
“You went to the store. You loaded groceries into your car by yourself. Didn’t you?”
“Maybe,” I said.
“Ass. Home. Now.” He growled.
I got my ass home.
I also planted my ass on our couch while he unloaded the groceries.
I further kept my ass planted on the couch while he put the groceries away.
Then I waited.
And just like with my man, I didn’t have to wait long.
I sat there as I watched him stalk toward me, a predator’s grin on his face.
By the time he was done... my ass was painted red.
I fucking loved it.
Precum came out of the tip of his cock.
I bent my neck and licked it off.
He growled.
I moaned.
And that was why we were late to the clubhouse for Sunday night dinner.
***
See... when I met Grey, I had been ranting and rambling that night and blamed it on the alcohol.
And this time at the clubhouse... I couldn’t blame it on the alcohol.
But I could blame it on pregnancy brain.
Everything that happened with my mother earlier came out of my mouth.
And... well... everyone took offense on my behalf.
So troubled on my behalf that I smiled when, not even a week later, the news showed Robert and Jenna Stevenson were officially bankrupt.
The news also circulated that Holly Anne had a come-to-Jesus’ moment and made a rather hefty donation to a center for troubled youth.
My brother Keith... fled the country.
And as for Kourt... she shouldn’t have tried to come back to the clubhouse in a disguise and try to break into the safe.
That was her fatal mistake.
***
I had just wiped my hands on the dish towel after I did the dishes.
I smirked.
I had finally beaten him to them when the front door opened, and my man walked in.
I dropped the towel on the counter and headed in his direction.
At the sight of me, he smiled, but something was off.
I didn’t know what it was, but I would.
I lifted my brows.
He got my look.
Then he asked, “Will you go somewhere with me?”
I nodded, “I’d go anywhere with you.”
He smiled then kissed my forehead.
Six hours later, I was staring at the hotel that we had stopped at for the night.
I looked at Grey, “Umm, care to explain?”
He shook his head, “Not yet.”
Something was rolling off him in waves. Something I’ve never sensed from him before.
What in the world was going on?
And that night, as I curled up next to him, for some reason, he held onto me even tighter.
It took hours for me to fall asleep.
We drove for another six hours the next day, and then... we parked in a stadium parking lot.
I looked at the sign through the windshield. ‘Home of the Dolphins’ was written in orange lettering.
I looked over at Grey only to see him climb out of the truck and close the door. I watched as he rounded the hood, came to my side, and opened my door.
His hands came to my hips as he helped me down, and for once, I didn’t give him shit for his overprotective side.
He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me tightly to his side.
Then side by side, we walked into the stadium.
Two hours later, I still didn’t have an answer for why he would be like this at a football game.
“Come on, bud. Come on.” Grey murmured under his breath.
I lifted a brow and looked at where he was staring, or I should say who he was watching.
Thankfully, we were close enough that I could make out his form and his number but that’s it.
“Who is that?” I asked.
He glanced at me, and seeing what I saw in his eyes, something that was nothing short of pain, I twisted my body and then wrapped him in my arms and squeezed.
And I stayed like that until his body seemed to loosen after another play.
I felt him bury his face in the side of my neck where he whispered, “That’s my nephew. Warren Caprise.”
I stilled.
His nephew?
But how was that possible?
That meant she had to have given birth at... Grey answered my train of thought, “Fourteen.”
I felt the air in my lungs go still. Fourteen?
“Was she?” I asked, not wanting to put a voice to that heinous act.
He shook his head, “No.”
I winced. “I’m so sorry that happened.”
He shrugged, “Shit happens for a reason.”
I bumped my shoulder with his, “I wouldn’t say having a child is shit.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, “Smartass. You know what I mean.”
I did.
He was right. Shit definitely happens for a reason.
Then he shared, “Got word, this is his last game. He’s retiring after this. Too many knee issues.”
And then I watched as the player who wore number twenty-nine raced to the sidelines and took off his helmet.
Then on the jumbo screen I saw his face and felt my body freeze.
“No. Fucking. Way.” I growled.
I felt Grey’s eyes on me, then I snapped, “That little shit!”
Grey’s body tightened next to mine, “Baby?”
I was fuming.
That little turd!
I snapped my head to the side and narrowed my eyes on Grey, “It runs in the family I see.”
His eyes went wide, “What does?”
“Having a major malfunction!” I shouted.
“Baby, calm. What...” he started, then stopped, and winced.
I glared, “You. Did. Not. Tell. Me. To. Calm.”
He stayed silent as his eyes pleaded with me to understand.
But I was good and mad.
Seeing how close we were to the sidelines, I stood up, then climbed over Grey’s lap, and stalked down the stairs and to the railing.
Grey shouted, then trailed after me.
You know that scene in Bones , where Dr. Brennan goes to the prison, and all the inmates realize she’s pregnant and keep away from her... while I was living that moment in real time.
I powered on.
Then, when I reached the railing, I put two fingers in my mouth and whistled as loud as I could.
I got a player’s attention, then I pointed at the shithead.
The player shook his head at me.
Fine.
I turned to the side and revealed my belly. I was showing at five months and I didn’t hesitate to use my pregnant belly to get my way.
His eyes went wide, then he nodded, raced to the shithead, tapped him on the shoulder, and pointed at me. I watched as the shithead shook his head, then looked at me, then looked back at the field.
I was glaring at him when, ever so slowly, his head turned back around.
I glared and crooked my finger at him.
I was close enough that I saw him swallow.
Yeah, boy. You're in trouble now.
He slowly made his way to me as Grey did the same thing.
Then I watched as he jumped up on a bench and looked up at me, then he rushed out, “You were gone before I could apologize.”