War And Peace: This Is Me, Baby Part 17

Calder: Ren, she's not here.

Panic slices through me, and I nearly knock back the kitchen chair I was sitting in to bolt to the front door. As soon as I open the door and look down at my house, my heart nearly explodes.

"She's gone!" I holler over my shoulder to Dad and Gabe.

I've already taken off running down the road to my house. I'm barefoot and not nearly dressed warm enough for the chilly November air but I don't want to lose any time. While on my run, I dial Brie's number. It goes straight to voicemail.

"Fuuuuck!" I yell as I pound up my driveway.

When I sling open the front door, Luciana and Calder look over their shoulders from the couch in confusion.

"She's gone," I breathe out as I hurry to my room to grab a pair of shoes. Snagging a hoodie on the way back out, I bark at Calder. "I need your keys, man. She's gone."

My brother jolts to his feet. "I'm coming with you. Luci, go over to Brie's until I get back."

We both trot back out to his Tahoe and, by this point, Dad and Gabe are in the driveway both looking as panicked as I feel.

"She's not answering. Dad, pull up the location on her phone and text me the address. Gabe, keep trying to call her. I knew something wasn't right when she left in such a hurry," I growl as I climb into the driver's seat.

Gabe hands off a sleeping Toto to Luciana before he and my father take off running back to her house. I don't look back as I peel out of the neighborhood.

"So she's just gone?" Calder questions in confusion.

"Yep," I huff as I gas it down the road.

"Where the f.u.c.k are we going?"

"I don't know," I roar and beat my fist on the steering wheel. "Keep calling her but keep an eye out for Dad's call."

I've just merged onto the highway when Dad calls. Calder puts him on speaker.

"Phone records show some texts from an unknown number. Looks like some guy named Diego Gomez." He rattles off the address to a seaside restaurant. Thank f.u.c.k I'm already headed in the right direction. "Gabe and I are ten minutes behind you. Don't do anything stupid." I can hear Gabe snarling in the back ground. "Hold on," Dad grunts in annoyance.

"THAT'S THE CRAZY COLOMBIAN c.u.n.t!" Gabe bellows. "She's not f.u.c.king safe with him. I'm going to cut his eyeb.a.l.l.s out if he so much as looks at her."

I run my fingers through my hair and hit the accelerator. Calder's knuckles turn white as he holds on to the dash. I'm easily going ninety-it'll be a miracle if I don't get pulled over. We weave in and out of traffic as Gabe tells me how dangerous Diego is. And he doesn't even know the half of it. The a.s.shole terrified the h.e.l.l out of Brie and made promises of brutality. She can't handle someone so ruthless and powerful by herself.

The ride should take at least thirty minutes but Calder and I fly into the parking lot in just under twenty-three. I don't even shut off the ignition before I'm clambering out of the Tahoe and hauling a.s.s into the restaurant.

"Hispanic male. Scary looking. Younger Hispanic woman wearing a grey hoodie," I huff out. "Have you seen them?"

The hostess nods. "Yeah, they just left, actually. Maybe five minutes ago."

I nearly knock Calder over in the doorway but then shove past him back into the parking lot. I see my truck but it's empty. I'm about to go f.u.c.king nuts when a black Town Car slowly rolls past. Charging for it, I launch myself on the hood of it to stop it. An old man with a grey beard and an equally old woman stare back at me in horror. The man slams on the brakes and I slide back off the car.

"Over here, crazy!" Calder hollers. "Jesus! You trying to get killed?"

My gaze snaps over to his. Beside him stands my favorite person. And she looks unharmed.

"f.u.c.k, Brie!" I trot over to her and nearly tackle her. With a groan of relief, I wrap my arms around her and crush her against my chest. "What the f.u.c.k? You scared the s.h.i.+t out of me!"

She stiffens in my arms. "I had to go."

My palms find her cheeks and I glare at her. "The f.u.c.k you did! You just snuck off and met with a man who's known for being a psychopath. Alone! What were you thinking, G.o.ddammit?!"

She huffs and tries to push away from me, but I refuse to let her go. "I had to!" Her lips tremble as the fear from meeting with him becomes present. That p.r.i.c.k scares her. h.e.l.l, he scares me.

"Come here," I growl and smash my lips to hers. She kisses me frantically as if I have the power to erase whatever stressful situation she just encountered. When our lips break apart, she starts to sob.

"I-I didn't think about it. I j-j-just wanted to get my jewelry back," she cries against my chest.

I squeeze her tight and kiss the top of her head. "We do this s.h.i.+t together, Brie. Please. You've got two babies you need to protect. You can't do that alone. You've got to stop trying to fix all of these problems by yourself. I'm here. Let me be here for you."

She nods. "I'm sorry, Ren. I'm so sorry."

I'm stroking her hair and a.s.suring her everything will be okay when another car flies into the lot. Seconds later, Gabe jerks her from my grip.

"What the f.u.c.k, Brie baby?" he snaps but squeezes her tight enough that I'm afraid he'll crush her. "I'm going to kill that motherf.u.c.ker! Where the h.e.l.l is he?"

She pushes away from her father and launches herself back into my arms. "He's gone. I made a deal with him."

Dad gives me a wide-eyed stare while Gabe kicks the gravel under his feet.

"We don't make deals with that f.u.c.ker," Gabe snaps.

I squeeze her to me and level him with a calm-the-f.u.c.k-down stare. "Let her talk."

She sniffles and lets out a sigh. "He wanted to know every detail of the Rojas operations. I told him because he promised me protection. He promised protection to all of you."

Gabe grips at his hair and shakes his head. "Oh, sweet girl," he growls. "And you believed him?"

Her chin tilts up and she looks at me. Uncertainty flickers in her brown eyes. "I trusted him to do the right thing. I honestly don't have a choice. Camilo is p.i.s.sed. He wants to get me back for selling off Duvan's a.s.sets. That old man is scary. The things he's done to people for far less..." She shudders and buries her face against my chest.

"This was stupid-" Gabe starts but I cut him off.

"Enough," I snap. "She did what she thought she needed to do. You and Dad keep digging into the cartels. I don't trust them at all. Not even Oscar. So find out what they're up to. Let's stay ahead of this." Looking down at Brie, I kiss her nose. "And you," I murmur. "Please don't do that ever again. You scared the s.h.i.+t out of all of us. Promise me, baby."

She nods. "He scares me so bad." Her body trembles again as if the thought of him simply terrifies her.

"I want a gun," I bite out to Gabe. If anyone can get me illegal and untraceable s.h.i.+t, it would be him. "For all of us. Luciana. Calder. Me and Brie. I'm not going to feel settled until we all have a way to protect ourselves."

Gabe is already storming back to Dad's vehicle but he's nodding. Dad grips my shoulder and gives me a firm stare. "I'm going to find out where they're holing up. If I have to leak the info to the Feds, I will. We're going to get rid of this threat," he a.s.sures me before stalking off after Gabe.

Calder holds his hand out for his keys. "Drive the speed limit on the way home, you crazy freak. I'd really like to go to that movie later and I can't do that if you and Brie are splattered all over the highway."

I chuckle and toss his keys at him. Once he's gone, I guide Brie over to my truck. I open her door for her. She shakily sits down inside. By the time I'm inside with her, she's somber and quiet but much calmer than before.

"Are you okay?" I question.

She swallows and nods. "I just hate when he touches me." Then a beat of silence. "It reminds me of him. Esteban." Her body shudders. "I can't ever go through something like that again."

Rage blooms in my chest, and I fist my hands. If that p.r.i.c.k were here, I'd bash his head in. "He better not ever touch you. As long as I have anything to do with it, he won't."

Her lips tug into a half smile as she relinquishes my keys. "You're cute when you're protective."

Smirking, I shrug my shoulders and start the truck. "Must mean I'm cute all the time."

It's been nearly a month since Brie gave us the disappearing act scare. We've all been on high alert, but I have to say, sleeping with a gun under my pillow each night certainly helps. Brie is always on edge, and I hate that she has to live her life that way.

"I can't deal if she's going to be there," Brie murmurs as we walk hand in hand to my house. I can see Mom and Dad's car in the driveway next to Calder's. No trace of Gabe and Hannah, thank G.o.d.

"Dad already asked them not to come. I think Toto will be there, though," I tell her.

She doesn't pull a face at the mention of her sister. "I thought your dad was a vegan."

"He is. Calder told him he could eat vegetables but we were having turkey on Thanksgiving for once," I say with a chuckle.

Brie laughs. "I actually like your parents. Do you you think this is hard on them? Especially your mom?"

I let out a breath of air. "Yeah. Gabe is the villain in her eyes. He's the villain in mine too. But he's also your dad and the father of my adorable niece. It's complicated, but I think we're doing better than most families with this much baggage."

She stops when we get to the front porch. I can hear voices inside and can smell food already.

"I can't imagine my daddy doing those terrible things to Baylee. My heart begs me not to believe her, but I saw the look in her eyes. I've seen that same terrified look in my own eyes in the mirror whenever I think about Esteban and what he did to me. Why would he hurt her?" she questions, her chin quivering.

I stroke her bangs from her face and kiss her forehead. "I don't know, babe. I don't know. But Mom has always kind of been a bada.s.s. And I can kick your dad's a.s.s if I need to. He's not hurting anyone else in this family ever again."

"Do you think he's hurt other women?"

I think about all the stories Dad told me recently about their past. Gabe was more than a villain. He was psychopathic and predatory. Dad told me about the other women he "trained." Something tells me that Brie doesn't need the image of her dad tarnished further. She has enough going on in her head right now.

"I'm not sure," I lie. "But all that matters now is that he's trying to be a better person. He's good to my sister, even though she doesn't deserve it. And he loves you and Toto with everything he has. I'm not saying he's a good man," I tell her with a sigh. "But I'm not saying he's completely bad either. He's still your dad no matter what he's done or no matter what he will do."

She nods and lifts her chin. "Thank you."

Smirking, I nuzzle her nose with mine. "For what? For this morning? I can still taste your sweet c.u.n.t on my lips."

A squeal erupts from her and she shoves me, but a grin turns her full lips up. "No, punk. Thank you for being my friend. I mean, you're more than a friend because we practically live together, but you know what I mean. Thank you for being a friend and a lover. Thank you for being you."

I snag her wrist and haul her into my arms. Twisting her so her back is flush against my chest, I splay both palms on her much fuller stomach. Next week, we get to find out the s.e.x. "One day I'm going to be more than just a friendly lover," I murmur against her hair. "One day I'm going to be so much more, Momma."

She relaxes against me, and I kiss her neck. The front door opens and Calder steps out with his hands on his hips. He's not wearing a s.h.i.+rt, no surprise there, but he's wearing a stupid ap.r.o.n that says "Kiss the Cook" on it.

"Everyone's waiting to eat while you guys practically f.u.c.k on the front porch," he chides. "Seriously. If my mashed potatoes get cold, so help me, I'm going to kick your a.s.s."

Brie laughs and pulls away from my grip. She gives Calder a kiss on the cheek before going inside.

"You're more of a woman than Martha Stewart is," I tell him with a smirk.

"Laugh it up now, f.u.c.ker," he grumbles. "You won't be laughing when you come in your pants after you taste those mashed potatoes."

"Make your own gravy?" I taunt to get a reaction out of him.

When he gags, I snort with laughter.

The punch to my gut was worth the look of pure horror on his face.

A BOY AND A girl.

I'm still in shock. Two healthy little babies according to the sonogram. The moment was bittersweet. Duvan wasn't there to share it with me but Ren was. And despite not being the father, he was thrilled.

"Any word from Oscar?" Ren questions from the doorway of what will be the nursery. We've still yet to decorate it. The only thing I've bought so far is a glider. Sometimes, I sit in here for hours. Especially when Ren is distracted with his online courses. It relaxes me. In a way, I feel closer to Duvan in these quiet moments while I absently stroke his ring, which hangs at the base of my throat. Just his memory, our babies, and the quietness. During those times, we're the family that we'll never truly get to be.

"Not in a month," I tell him with a sigh before turning my attention to him. Big mistake. He's just gotten out of the shower after a workout over at his house. The white towel hangs dangerously low on his tapered hips revealing a delicious V and a happy trail of hair that leads right to his impressive c.o.c.k. Said c.o.c.k, although flaccid at the moment, can be seen bulging from behind the towel. The doctor warned me my hormones would be off the charts. And lately, now that my morning sickness has gone away for the most part, I find myself physically craving Ren's c.o.c.k inside of me. A lot.

He saunters into the room past me and looks out the window. The window in the babies' room faces the ocean. When it's warmer, I'll be able to open it and hear the waves cras.h.i.+ng.

"Do you think Vee is okay?" he questions. His shoulders are tense and it squashes all of my s.e.xual thoughts as reality rushes back in.

"I don't know. I'm worried about her. She's just gone. Oscar filed a police report ages ago. Of course the cops have no leads. Has your dad found out anything else?" I ask as I stand and make my way over to him. His back tattoo is completely finished now. Every time I see it, I want to cry. The tree is big and strong and takes up most of his back. But it's what's under the tree that steals my heart. A fierce tigress with a no-nonsense gleam in her eyes. Curled up in front of her are two baby cubs. I don't have to ask him to know that he's the tree. And truth be told, I see him as the tree in my life. Steady. Unyielding. Protective from the harsh storms that always seem to whip my way from every direction. The fact that he cares for all of me, including my little cubs, has my heart stammering in my chest. His love is too much sometimes. I feel undeserving of it.

"Dad will find something. I'm sure of it," he says softly.

He relaxes once I wrap my arms around his solid middle. My cheek presses against his colorful back and I let out a sigh. His palms cover mine on his lower stomach and we remain silent for a bit.

"What if she's dead?" A choked sob escapes me.

Ren turns in my arms and hugs me to him. "Shhh," he murmurs. "Don't talk like that."

Tears roll out, and I once again curse myself for all of these stupid emotions swirling around me twenty-four-seven. Vee is tough but she's also sheltered. I'm afraid if something bad happened to her, she wouldn't be able to cope.

"Calder was making lasagna when I left. Wanted to know if we were coming for dinner. Luciana misses you," he tells me, changing the subject.

I yawn and shrug my shoulders. "We can go but I'm so tired. I hate that I'm sleepy all the time."

He chuckles and kisses my forehead. "How about you just relax? I'll go grab us a plate in a bit and bring it back. Luciana can come visit tomorrow."

I give him a wicked grin as I tug at his towel. "Maybe you should tuck me into bed first."

Before the towel even hits the floor, he scoops me into his arms and charges back to my room-I say it's my room, but he's practically moved all of his clothes into the closet and drawers. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like his c.r.a.p all over the place, mingled with mine. It feels homey and comfortable having him here all the time.

He strides into the room and sets me on the bed. All I have on is one of his T-s.h.i.+rts and a pair of panties. Both get torn from me in a matter of seconds. Before I can utter another word, he climbs on top of me and is inside of me before my next breath.

s.e.x with Ren is fulfilling and exciting.

But the part I crave the most from it is that I can feel his love pouring from him like a never ending fountain. I drink greedily from it. I try to reciprocate the best I can but I'm not as good at it. He makes it seem like loving me is as easy as breathing.

"We won't get as many of these moments when our babies get here," he murmurs against my throat as he thrusts into me. "Gotta steal them while we can."