“I’m calling the police,” Tobias said, rushing to his office phone.
“Libby, what’s your address?” I asked, grabbing my cell phone and heading for the door.
* * *
I couldn’t remember ever feeling so afraid in my life as I hurried to Libby’s house. The emotions that had been running through me all morning were too much to handle. First, I’d merely been concerned, although that concern had been steadily rising. Then when Libby admitted Joanna had been staying with her, there had been a brief moment of relief.
But to find out the whole story, that Libby hadn’t been home, a window was broken, and Joanna had become unresponsive to even Libby’s calls, that was when ice cold fear seized me and refused to relent.
I sped down the highway, my only thoughts being of getting to Libby’s house and praying that Joanna was there, unharmed.
“You call me immediately when you get there,” Tobias had said as I ran out the building. He’d called the police, giving them Libby’s address. He was staying behind to meet with other detectives, show them her picture and fill out a report.
“I will. I promise,” I told him.
Now I could only hope that I would have good news to tell him when I got there.
Turning off the highway, following closely behind Libby’s car, I knew I had reached the right block when I saw the ambulance and police vehicles parked along the street. My heart practically dropped to my toes.
I hastily parked right behind Libby, and both of us leapt out of our respective cars, racing toward Libby’s house.
“Hey! Hey!” several police officers called after us. They hurried over, blocking our paths.
“I live here!” Libby shouted. “I live here! My friend was staying here! Is everything okay? Is she okay?”
“Calm down, ma’am,” one of the officers said.
“Where is she? Where’s the woman who was staying here?!” I demanded.
“And who are you, sir?” another officer said, stepping over, while the other proceeded to speak with Libby.
“I’m…I’m looking for the woman who was here…I…” But then my eyes landed on the ambulance truck. In the back of it, I saw a headful of curly hair that I instantly recognized as Joanna’s.
“Sir! Come back, sir!” the officer yelled after me, but I paid him no mind as I rushed toward the ambulance.
“Joanna!” I yelled.
At the sound of my voice, she raised her head. “Anderson?” she said weakly.
My stomach turned with nausea. Her face and arms were bruised and full of scratches.
“Hold on, sir. Are you family?” an EMT said, stopping me just before I could get to Joanna.
“Yes,” Joanna answered for me. “He is. Let him through.”
The EMT reluctantly stepped aside, and I wasted no time scooping Joanna into my arms. Her body shook as she sobbed into my shoulder.
“Who did this to you? What happened?” I asked.
“It was Zander,” she said. “My ex. He found me.”
“I’ll kill him,” I said, not even caring if police officers were around to hear me make such a statement. I grabbed her face and kissed her, my relief at seeing her alive and well so immense that I almost felt like I was going to faint.
“I don’t know how he found me,” she said in disbelief.
“We’ll handle him. I promise,” I said, reaching to pull my cell phone out my pocket. I sent Tobias a quick message, letting him know that I was with Joanna and that she was all right.
“Sir, we have to take her to the hospital,” a different EMT said. “Only family members are allowed to ride with the patient.”
“He is family,” Joanna said again.
The EMT turned toward me. “What is your relation?”
“He’s…he’s the baby’s father,” Joanna said to the EMT.
I felt another powerful wave of lightheadedness. “I’m…I’m the what?” I said, sure that I must have misheard her. “Joanna, what did you just say?”
Joanna’s bottom lip trembled as she stared up at me. She took a deep breath. “I…I have to check on the b-baby. I wasn’t sure how to tell you. But…but…” She paused and took another deep breath. “Anderson, I’m pregnant.”
CHAPTER 27
Joanna
Anderson opened the door to his apartment and escorted me inside. After I’d been released from the emergency room, and it was determined that the baby was all right, he had insisted that I go home with him.
“I don’t want you alone tonight,” he had said. “And I don’t want you back at Libby’s, no offense. I know that’s probably the last place Zander will show up to again, but still…I just want you with me. Is that all right?”
I’d nodded. “Yeah. That’s all right.”
“By the way, you should know that everything is fine with your brother now. We talked. He’s okay with us.”
At that, I couldn’t help smiling despite how freaked out I still felt about everything. That was at least one weight lifted off my shoulders. “Then it’s even more all right.”
“Here, sit down. Relax,” Anderson said, walking me over to the couch in the living room.
“I’m fine, really,” I said. “You don’t have to keep pampering me like this.”
Anderson smirked. It was the first time I’d seen him smile over the past few hours, which had honestly had me quite worried. I couldn’t recall ever seeing him so angry before, although I knew his anger was strictly toward Zander rather than the other circumstances around us. But it was hard, for both of us.
“You better get used to it. After all, you’re carrying my child. I’m going to spoil you rotten from now on.”
I smiled and shook my head, although that felt like the second weight that had been lifted off my shoulders. “What am I going to do with you?” I said.
He winked. “I have a few ideas. Maybe I’ll show you in a little while.”
I shook my head and chuckled.
“Do you need anything?” he asked, his tone turning serious once more.
“Um…yeah, hand me my phone. Let me call Tobias.”
Anderson nodded. “Yeah. I know he’s dying to hear from you by now. I told him you’d call once I got you settled in,” he said as he brought my purse to me.
“Thanks,” I said.
“I’ll be right back.”
I watched Anderson disappear farther into the apartment, and then I took a deep breath and called my brother.
“Joanna! Are you all right?” he said the instant he answered.
“Hi, Tobias. Yeah, I’m all right.”
“I’ve been so worried about you,” he said after a long pause. “And…I have to tell you that I’m sorry for the way I acted. For the way I overreacted. I was out of line. I’m sorry.”
I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “Thank you,” I said.
“So, you sure you’re okay? Everything else is fine? You can disagree with me if you want, but it’s time to do something about Zander now.”
“Yes, I know that.” And I genuinely meant it. I had gone into complete shock when Zander attacked me at Libby’s house. We’d got into a bad fight, resulting in me throwing a vase at his head, but missing and breaking a window instead. Neighbors heard the crash and began knocking on the door, trying to check if everything was all right. Zander had made a run for it, escaping out the back door. And then I’d sat on the floor for a long time, in complete shock I guess, more scared than I had ever been in my life. I didn’t know what to do, and I was terrified for the baby. Even worse, I had been terrified to call the police or ambulance. I was in denial, and had fallen into the illogical thinking that if I didn’t say anything, I could pretend nothing had happened, at least until I snapped back to reality and was ready to face it. The next thing I knew, morning had arrived, and then police and an ambulance started showing up on the premises even though I hadn’t touched the phone.
“Joanna, you still there?”
“Yeah,” I sai
d, snapping out of my thoughts. “Anderson is already on the case. In fact, he said he was going to see you about finding some of the best private investigators and lawyers to handle Zander.”
“Yeah, I’ve already started looking.”
“And Tobias, there’s something else.”
“Yeah?”
I waited for a moment, halfway hoping he would tell me that he already knew because Anderson had already told him. But from the way he quietly hung on to the line, I realized I didn’t have that luxury. I took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant,” I said and laughed nervously afterwards. “Hope you’re looking forward to being as doting of an uncle as you are a big brother.”
There was another long silence and I halfway thought he somehow hadn’t heard me.
“Wow. Congratulations, sis,” he finally said. “I’ll be looking forward to meeting my future niece or nephew.”
Whether he really meant it, or was just being polite, I couldn’t quite tell.
I looked up to find Anderson returning, giving me a reassuring smile.
“Well, I’m tired. It’s been a long day. I’m going to get some rest,” I said.
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later, Jo. Love you.”
“Love you too,” I said, and ended the call.
“Sounds like that went well,” Anderson said.
I nodded and smiled. “Yeah, it did. He’s really come around.”
Anderson came to my side and sat down, wrapping his arm around me and kissing my temple. “I figured you could use a relaxing bath after what you’ve been through.”
“Sounds heavenly,” I said, suddenly realizing just how stiff and achy my muscles felt.
“Come on,” Anderson said, gently taking me by the hand. I stood and let him guide me to the bathroom, where he had run a warm bubble bath that I already couldn’t wait to sink into.
I turned around, gently kissing his lips. He slowly began to disrobe me, tossing my clothes aside, and then holding my hand as I stepped into the tub.
I sighed as my body submerged in the warm water and I breathed in the fragrance of the bubbles.
“So,” Anderson said, taking a bath sponge and running down my back. “I’ve already talked to a few lawyers about what’s going on. They’ve advised me that I can’t—or that I shouldn’t, rather—set out to kill Zander on my own.”
I laughed. “Okay. I figured that much.”
“They’re more than willing to help me out on the case.”
“Good. And Tobias said he’s already looking into some lawyers and investigators too.”
“Yep,” Anderson said. “So to put it simply, Zander isn’t going to get away with this. His days of facing no repercussions are over. He’s about to learn the hard way that if he ever comes anywhere near you again… god help him.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead again. “Because no one messes with my family.”
Family. My throat closed up when I heard him say it, and my vision blurred with tears. After everything that happened with Zander and the revelation I was pregnant, I felt more emotional than ever. I leaned against him and let my head fall over his shoulder, closing my eyes.
“Thank you, Anderson. I…” My heart swelled with a potent emotion, and it dawned on me.
I was in love with him. I loved Anderson. And now, I couldn’t imagine my life without him, the father of my child.
“I love you,” I told him, my pulse skyrocketing. He was all I ever needed.
I held my breath as I waited for him to say something. He snaked his arms around my waist, holding me like he never wanted to let me go.
“I love you too, Joanna. I love you so much.” I broke into a huge smile, feeling like everything had come to its place.
He loved me. Anderson Lawrence, my brother’s best friend and my old crush, loved me. I was euphoric.
I turned my head and kissed him, showing him just how much I loved him. “You’re a true gem,” I whispered into his mouth and nibbled it.
“And you’re my everything.” He kissed my earlobe, which brought fire to my insides.
“I want to make you happy. I want you safe.” His lips grazed my neck before he took my earlobe into his mouth and licked it. “But right now I want to make you feel good.”
He lowered his hand from my stomach to my mound, and I moaned in response. His fingers found my clit instantly, while his other hand covered my breast.
“That does feel good,” I muttered, my whole body warming when he started pleasuring me. “Please, keep touching me. I love when you touching me…”
“I love it too. You just feel so good. Your lips, your body, your pussy… I can’t stop thinking about you and all those things I want to do to you. The mother of my baby.”
His fingers moved in circles, and I curled my toes when a bolt of pleasure coursed through me. My pussy started throbbing faster as he quickened his pace.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Just like that…” I writhed uncontrollably. I thought he was going to make me come like this, but he did something even better. He lowered his fingers and penetrated me with three digits, which felt more than amazing now that my mound was pulsating like crazy.
“Ah! Yes… Don’t stop…”
I thrashed my head against his shoulder as he pumped me with his fingers, pushing me toward my much-needed release. I was so close, my moans getting louder, and I couldn’t stop rocking my hips.
“I’m so close… Ah… Anderson!”
I screamed when the first wave hit me, overcome with the sweet sensations.
“That’s it, my love.” His lips grazed my neck. “You’re so beautiful like this.”
As soon as the last tremor passed, I turned around and straddled him, taking his shaft into my hand. “I need you,” I said, unable to look away from his piercing eyes. They were devouring me, making breathing an almost impossible task.
“Take all of me,” he responded in a raspy voice.
I sat down on him, letting him slide inside me inch by inch. When he hit my cervix, I felt so full, getting exactly what I wanted desperately. I began moving on him, our lips joining together. This time we went slowly, each thrust filling me with immense pleasure as I rocked myself on him, and the world stopped to exist. His tongue caressed mine languidly, his hands on my hips guiding me up and down as our bodies moved in perfect harmony.
Soon, this wasn’t enough, and I started moving faster, chasing the orgasm that was so close.
“I love you,” he said and threaded his hand through my hair before he pulled me in for another kiss.
I let my hands roam all over his firm chest, basking in the feel of his skin against mine. His hand cupped my breast as our kiss deepened, everything in me tightening on the edge of another mind-blowing climax…
“I love you too. You’re so good to me… I’m going to come again…”
“Yeah. Come for me.”
As soon as his voice trailed off, my orgasm started, stronger than the previous one. Anderson didn’t stop, ripping through my spasming walls forcefully, and it was almost more than I could bear.
“Ah!”
I threw my head back, confounded when another orgasm started—before the first one even finished! Never breaking our eye contact, he impaled me onto him repeatedly until he reached his release too.
“Joanna! Fuck!”
He pressed me against his chest just when his climax started, his arms around me holding me tight.
“This was amazing,” I muttered, a bubble of laughter rising in my throat.
“You’re amazing.”
We remained silent for a while as he held me against him. Then, he said, “I want you to stay with me.”
“I will,” I muttered sleepily, letting my eyes close.
“I mean, I want you to move out of Tobias’s place and come to my place. I’ll feel better knowing you’re here, so I can keep you safe.”
I let my lips curl into a wide smile, overjoyed that he was actually asking me to move in with him.
“Yes. I wil
l. I’d want nothing more than that.”
CHAPTER 28
Anderson
After bringing Joanna home from the emergency room after the Zander scare, the passing weeks had calmed down considerably. She returned to work, and each evening, the two of us went home together. She had moved out of Tobias’s mansion to stay with me at my apartment, and I didn’t want to jinx myself, but it practically felt like living the happily ever after that I never even realized I wanted.
Nevertheless, Zander never strayed too far from my thoughts. I always knew that if he had managed to find Joanna at Libby’s house, there was always a chance he could find her at my place too.
Tobias and I had managed to find some top-notch private investigators to figure out how Zander had managed to find Joanna in the first place. She remained adamant that when she left him, she had snuck out and hadn’t told him anything whatsoever about where she was going or who she would be staying with.
As it turned out though, Zander was a man who had some deep connections of his own.
The investigators we’d hired came to the conclusion that Zander had dug into Joanna’s past, figuring out where she grew up, what schools she had attended, and subsequently, places she was likely to have history with.
Places she might run away to…
“He may have gotten in contact with some old school friends of hers that had been keeping track of her from afar. Former friends who knew about the successful businessman her brother had become,” one of the investigators, Mike, told me one night over the phone as I checked to see how things were going.
“Hmm. That makes sense,” I said. “Any updates on where he is now?”
“Why? Are you planning to personally intervene?”
“No,” I said, even though it felt like an uncomfortable lie coming out of my mouth. My hands still itched to ring themselves around Zander’s throat. Every time I thought of that man, I wanted to hit something. It sometimes made me queasy to think that he could have seriously hurt Joanna and my unborn child…
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