Scarlett and Bo get out of the car. “Get your bags, ladies. We aren't staying here.”
Where are we going and how the hell are we getting out of here if we aren't staying? I grab my bag. I can't help myself when I look out the window on the garage door.
“Carmen, get away from the window.” I step back and walk backwards. I see the SUV. It is definitely; one of my dad’s. All of his vehicles are painted in a dull black. “Carmen, let's go.”
I turn around, Bo and Scarlett are at the door in the back of the garage. I follow them through the door. It takes us to another part of the garage. This guy Smith hands Bo a set of keys.
“Take the work van. I'll take care of your car later.”
“Thanks, Smith.”
We get into the white work van. I sit on a five-gallon bucket. Scarlett sits on another one next to me. It isn’t very comfortable, but if it gets us out of here; I’m not complaining. I cross my fingers we don't get caught.
I heard Scarlett tell her brother I was with her. I want to ask if he said anything about me being with them. I'm afraid of what the answer might be, so I don't bother to ask. She is talking to Bo anyway. I don’t know how Scarlett can sit here so calmly. I sit here a nervous wreck. But, they don't know my father like I do. He would use all three of us to get what he wants. He is the most narcissistic person I know. He doesn't care about me. He doesn't care about Cole, either. He uses whoever he can to get what he wants. He will gladly use Scarlett to get Cole back, he'll use me to save his deal with Chad and he'll use Bo to his advantage as well. I sure hope Blake finds us before my father does. I close my eyes, I hope he can set aside his anger for me and not pass me back to the devil. I just need him to listen to my side of the story. He'll understand that none of this is my fault.
“We are here,” Bo announced.
“Are you sure we are far enough away from town?”
“If we go too far it will take Blake longer to get here. This is a fancy hotel; do you want to go out into the sticks? I don't. From my experience the cheap motels are the first place they look. If you believe his minions saw us, and they know we turned away from a roadblock it's where they will check first.”
“Okay.”
“So, Scarlett and I are going to go in and get us a room. You stay put. We will come get you once we check-in. None of us will leave the room once we are in. We will wait to hear from Blake.”
“Got it.”
I settle into the room alone. Bo got a suite that has two bedrooms. They are watching TV together in the other room while I lay here staring at the ceiling. I can't stop thinking about Blake and Cole. I haven't got a clue how Blake will get out of town. If my father had one road leading out of town blocked, he has them all blocked.
Rolling over onto my side, I pick at the bedspread. It is covered in light pink roses. I start to think about the day I found out I was pregnant. I went for a walk and I ended up at the bridge where I met Blake. I had picked a few red roses somewhere along the way. I stood on the bridge for quite a while just remembering being there ready to end my life, when out of nowhere this blonde headed guy on a motorcycle showed up. I watched him pull over to the side, thinking, please just go away. He removed his helmet and I took one look into his eyes knowing he wasn't going anywhere. He saved me, and I stood there eight weeks later with his baby inside me. I prayed he would come back. I begged the blue skies up above to bring him back to me, to our baby. I took the roses I had picked and removed each petal one by one. Letting one fall to the river below, saying he loves me. The next one he loves me not. The last one that fell from my fingertips, he loves me. I walked away from the bridge that day with hope. Hope that Blake would come back, and we would raise our baby together.
Chapter 21
When is all this shit going to end? Christ, it is one thing after another and I feel like I'm being pulled in ten directions at once. I called Reed’s girlfriend to find out where she’s at. She was still at the toy store. I asked her to checkout with whatever toys she had and if there were any kind of hats to get one for Cole. Then I told her to walk two stores down to the hardware store, tell the owner I sent her, and she needs to use his office. I was happy when she texted saying she made it. Now, I need to figure out how I am getting out of town unnoticed, but first I'm going to get my son.
I ride my bike into town. I turn down the alley and park my bike behind the hardware store. I saw Reed’s old lady’s car parked on Main Street as I passed. I pound on the back door and Mr. Ripley opens the door right away.
“I need your help.”
“What do you need, Blake? I will do whatever I can to help.”
“I need a way out of town where nobody can see me.”
“I heard about the roadblocks from the wife. What is that about?”
“You saw my boy, right?”
“I sure did.”
“Well, he was kidnapped as a baby. So, I stole him back. Now the prick who took him wants him back.”
“I could drive you out of town in the trunk of my car.”
“I'm not sure I want to put my kid in a trunk.”
“Yeah, good point.”
“I will be back. I want to check on Cole.”
I take the stairs leading to the office. I walk in and Cole is playing with matchbox cars. He jumps up to his feet from the floor to show me his hot rod.
“Awesome car, Buddy.” He goes to get another one and shows me that one too. “Did you have fun with Kara?”
“Broom, broom,” he says. I'll take that as a yes.
“You can play a few more minutes, but then we have to go.”
“Okay.”
“I'm calling Reed to come pick you up. I want your car to stay parked where it's at for the night.” She nods her head and doesn't ask why. “I'll be right back.”
I go back downstairs and find Mr. Ripley. “I have an idea,” he says.
“Let's hear it.”
“My brother. He can get you out of town. I called him, and he is already on his way over.”
I turn when I hear pounding on the same door I just used, I look at Mr. Ripley. He goes to the end of the hall to open the door. I follow along, making sure this isn't a set-up. I put my hand on the gun in my waistband on my back. He opens the door and introduces me to his brother.
“So, what is this great plan?” He steps aside and points out into the alley. I peek out. “You've got to be kidding me?” I say with a laugh.
“It's the best I can do.”
“Ripley, how the hell do you think I'll get my son in that?”
“We wait till he takes a nap. We don't have to close it unless they check the back during the roadblock.”
I have to admit his idea just might be the best way for me to get across the town lines. “Okay, let's do it. As soon as Cole is napping we leave.”
“Great. I have a suit up in the office. I'll close the store and ride along.”
Mr. Ripley’s brother says, “We don't necessarily have to wait for him to nap.”
“I'm not doing it unless he is sleeping. I don't want to scare my kid.”
“Give him a small dose of cold medicine and he will be asleep before you know it.”
I think about his suggestion for a split second. “No, I am not doing that.”
“What if we are at the roadblock and he wakes up? My wife is a nurse she could tell us just how much to give him.”
“No, that is not an option. You worry about getting me out of town, I'll take care of my son.”
“You got it, Blake.”
A long hour later, Cole is sleeping. I pick him up and carry him down the stairs and out to the hearse. I climb into the empty casket, grateful he didn't wake up. They put the bag of clothes and toys between my feet. Twenty minutes is all we need for him to stay asleep. I give them the address of where I want them to drop me off.
I ride in this casket with Cole sleeping on my chest. I think about being a kid and having leukemia. I start to feel claustrophobic. Sweat forms
on my forehead. I could have been in one of these years ago, six feet under. The second time it came back, the doctors didn't believe I would beat it again. Years of treatments, and many scares later, I was cured. I lay here awake in a casket. It makes you see life from a different perspective. I'm going to do anything, no matter what, to keep Cole safe and away from his grandfather, Mr. Blackwell. He will never get to my son, ever again, even if I have to tear him and his organization apart piece by piece myself.
I sit in a chair in the corner of the room. It's dark in here besides a light that shines from the attached bathroom. Carmen is sleeping and has been sleeping since I arrived three hours ago. At first, I came in here to see what she was doing when she didn't come out of the room when I got here. I left her sleeping and went back out to the living area. I watched as my sister got to know Cole. He was shy at first with her, but he let Scarlett play with his new toy cars. I came back to check on Carmen an hour ago. She was still asleep. I sat down in this chair and haven't moved. I just sit here thinking while staring at Carmen. It seems like it has been forever since I have sat in silence to really think, to sort out all the messes and what my next move might be. I already decided on the ride here what I am going to do to protect my son. Now, I need to know exactly how I'm going to stop Blackwell and Chad.
“Blake.”
“Hey, Buddy. Want to come sit up here?”
He nods his head and I lift him up to my lap. He wraps his arms around my neck and rests his head on my shoulder. I rub his back as I lean my head back to the chair. I close my eyes and just enjoy holding my son. I loved him instantly and I'll love him forever.
Chapter 22 ~ Carmen
I wake with the room dark but with just a tad of light coming from the master bath. I lift my head; I can smell him. I fully turn over and turn the small knob on the table lamp. Blake sleeps in a chair in the corner of the room with Cole snuggled to his chest. I put my hand to my mouth and tears fill my eyes. I have waited so long to experience this moment. I have dreamed about this a thousand times. The man I love holding our son. Cole is just a little over two years old and I wish could have seen Blake's face the day Cole was born. To watch him pick his son up for the first time. I don't think I'll ever forget the hurt he had in his eyes, carrying Cole out of the orphanage. It isn’t the way it was supposed to be.
I get off the bed and tiptoe over to them. I run a hand down the back of Coles head. His blonde curls are loose, and he has his daddy's mouth shape. I run the back of my fingers down Blake's cheek. He doesn't wake. I kiss my son's face and then I kiss Blake on the lips. His eyes open and he sits up straight. I back away when I see the sleepiness in his eyes turn to what I know is anger. He gets up from the chair and leaves the room. I run after him, stopping at the door frame. Blake puts our son down on the sofa and covers him with a blanket. He then throws pillows on the floor next to the sofa. He comes toward me like a lion on the hunt for its prey. I walk backwards into the bedroom, the backs of my knees hit the bed.
“You only have a few minutes to tell me why the fuck you didn't tell me I'm a father.”
“I swear, Blake, I tried to find you when I learned I was pregnant.”
“You had my number. I didn't give you some fake fucking name either, Candi, or is it Carmen today?”
“My father heard about you. He erased your number and closed down my shop. I loved you, Blake, I still do.”
“You could have found me.”
“I looked for you for months. How was I supposed to find you? You never told me your last name. I watched you leave my tattoo shop that day and get on your bike. I ran out into the street as you drove off, wishing you would come back for me and take me where ever you were going. You didn't. Instead I watched you disappear from my life.”
“You could have told me the night you asked about my tattoo.”
“And say what? Hey, Blake, by the way you’re a dad, and oh yeah, you should know he was kidnapped when he was two weeks old. There was no easy way to tell you. Christ, Blake, do you even realize how many fucking times we were alone, and your club shit disrupted us. I want you, Cole and me to be a family. I have wanted that from the day I learned I was pregnant. I'm already your wife.”
“No, you are not.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I never sent in our marriage paper to the clerk.”
“I know, but I did. I took it from your pocket and dropped it in the mailbox.”
“Before or after you saw my back?”
“You went to take a shower and I stepped outside to get some air. I saw the drop off box and went back to the room and got it from your leather jacket.”
“Why? You were pissed I forced you to marry me.”
“I don't know, I just did it without thinking.”
He looks at the door then back to me. He turns away from me and walks out of the room. I fall to the bed, my ass hitting the soft mattress. I stare down at my feet. Blake hates me. He is never going to forgive me.
“Tell me about the day our son was born.”
I look up at him. He stands there with his hands on his hips. He raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to speak. “I went out for a walk around the garden and while I was out there I started feeling contractions. It was mid-afternoon about that time. When I knew for sure it was labor it was around four o'clock. I was in labor for ten hours before I tried to go to the hospital. My father refused to let me go. He told me I would deliver the baby at home. It was another twelve hours before his help told me I could start to push. Cole was born at three in the afternoon. He came out with blonde peach fuzz. He cried the whole time until they let me hold him. It was difficult to get him to breastfeed, but he caught on eventually.”
“You were breastfeeding when your father stole him from you?”
“Yes. I kept Cole in my room next to the bed. I wanted to make sure I would hear him wake. I woke up and he was gone.”
“I'm going to kill that fucker.”
Blake starts pacing the room. I don't know what to do to calm him down. I get it, though. I'm pissed, too, and if I could kill my father myself; I would. Blake kicks the leg of the chair and it slams into the wall. He stands there staring at the hole in the wall. I go over to him and get up on my tiptoes. I wrap my arms around his shoulder from behind him.
“We have him now, Blake. We have each other and we can be a family.”
He removes my hands from his chest. He spins around grabbing my face. His lips are rough when he crashes his to mine. His hands fall from my face and takes hold of my ass. He lifts me off the floor, and I wrap my legs around his waist. He then sets me down on the dresser, removing my shirt from my body. I undo my jeans and lift my ass when he gets his finger into the waistband. I remove my bra while he rips my thong at the sides.
Blake's fingers spread my pussy open, shoving a couple of them inside. I let out a breath as his fingers rub the ribbed spot inside my body. His body bends at the waist, sucking a nipple into his mouth. He then kisses his way down my body, stopping at my navel. He picks both my feet up and puts them on the dresser. He places his hands on my inner thighs. I watch as his tongue licks my pussy then dips in between my folds. I close my eyes. Good God, he knows how to use his mouth to pleasure me. I grip onto his head, pushing my lower body closer to him, wanting his tongue deeper. He starts to play with my clit and I cum with his tongue inside me.
Blake stands up and kisses me. I reach for his zipper. He undoes the button himself and I push his jeans down. He pulls his shirt off and drops it to the floor.
Blake's cock is hard as can be, pointing straight at me. I hold his shaft as he lines it up with my pussy. He pushes the head in and I throw my head back, letting out a moan. Thrusting his hips, his cock pumps in and out of me.
“You’re my wife, Carmen?”
“Yes.”
He pulls his manhood out and puts me to my feet. He then turns me around. I see him in the mirror. His hands cup my breasts. Then both of them slide down my torso. One stopping on m
y stomach, the other one between my legs.
“I'm going to put another baby in you, Carmen. Give Cole a brother or sister to grow up with. You know what I have to do first, right?”
I swallow the saliva in my mouth. “Yes.”
“Do you want that?”
“Yes.”
I tilt my head, when Blake's teeth bite my neck. He takes my hand placing it between my legs. I rub my wet pussy and his finger pushes mine inside with his. My upper body falls into his chest. My pelvis arching forward. I'm so very close to orgasming again.
“Leave your finger inside my pussy.”
Blake's hand goes to the center of my back, pushing me forward. I spread my legs wider apart, and he plunges his manhood inside me. He holds my hips as he fucks me hard. My breasts bounce with each slam of his hips. I watch him in the mirror as he closes his eyes and throws his head back. I pull my finger out and play with my clit. I cum and so does Blake at the same time.
“I love you, Blake.”
Blake looks over his shoulder to the door. He pulls out and gets his jeans from the floor. He slips them on then leaves me standing here with his orgasm dripping out onto my thighs. I grab for my t-shirt and then get a pair of panties from my bag. I can't say I'm not hurt that he left me standing here alone.
Chapter 23
I left Carmen in the room with cum dripping out of her tight pussy. She might not have heard the thump in the other room, but I did. When I get out to the living room, Cole is on the floor. He must have rolled off and I am thankful I put the pillows on the floor. I pick him up and put his head to my chest. He is still asleep. I carry him to the bedroom with me. When I walk into the room, Carmen meets me halfway. She kisses Cole on the cheek then looks at me. I grab the back of her head, her hand grabs onto the waist of my jeans as I kiss her. Her other hand is on my bicep, so her arm is hugging Cole.
Club Comrade (Secrets Within A Club Book 1) Page 8