Never Let Go (Brothers From Money Book 9)

by Shanade White

She was mumbling and at first he couldn’t understand anything she said, but he tried harder, pushed though the burning heat his own body was creating. A few of her words came through more clearly. She was talking about a baby he decided, but couldn’t figure out what that had to with him. Finally exhausted, he started to drift off to sleep, the last thing he heard was Brooke pleading with him to fight. His last thought as darkness slid across his consciousness was, “I promise, princess, just hold on, I’m coming back.”

  It took days, but Calvin stayed true to the promise he’d made and turned the corner, finally opening his eyes one morning when Carter and Brooke began to quarrel about something. “You need to get more sleep,” Carter said. “It’s not good for either of you and we can’t carry you both out of here.”

  Brooke said something back to him but so quietly that he couldn’t hear. Carter hissed something back at her, then made a sound Calvin knew all too well. It was the sound he made when he wasn’t getting his way and he knew that Carter was about to lose his temper.

  “Hey, what are you two fighting about?” he managed to say.

  Brooke was across the hut and kneeling next to him so fast, it took him a second to gather his thoughts. “What are you doing here?” he finally asked, deciding that was the first thing he wanted to know.

  She hadn’t quite gotten control of her emotions, so Carter answered for her. “She’s been charming the natives into helping us save your life,” he said, kneeling down on Calvin’s other side and beginning to examine him. “She’s even managed to get us an escort back to the village, including men to carry you down.” Satisfied with Calvin’s condition, he added, “You had us scared for a little while there. I’m going to give you two a few minutes alone, but, Calvin, you need to rest.”

  Carter gave them some time alone, but neither said a word the entire time; there weren’t words to express what they felt. The words would come later, for now Brooke simply rested her head on his chest and breathed a sigh of contentment when he twined his finger through her hair. They were both sound asleep when Carter came back into the hut. Instead of waking Brooke up, he covered her with a blanket from her pallet and let them sleep.

  Once Calvin began to recover, he did so quickly and was soon well enough to travel. They prepared for the difficult journey through the jungle. Many of his wounds had healed completely, but his broken ribs would make the trip especially painful and Carter was hesitant to give him too many painkillers. True to his word, the chief had assigned not only a guard but men to carry Calvin on an improvised stretcher to the village where they’d arrange for better transportation, possibly even an air lift.

  Brooke said goodbye to Mary right as they were leaving, wanting to wait until the last possible moment. Although they could barely communicate with words, they’d formed a bond that only women put in a difficult situation could. Wishing that they could stay in communication but knowing that it was impossible, Brooke waved as they headed into the jungle knowing that she’d probably never see her again. It would be a long time before the words South Africa would even be spoken in her home. Calvin had already expressed his wish to be out of the country and to never return.

  When they got to the village, the natives helped them find a place to stay for the night and gave them their satellite phones back. Cooper had Donovan on the phone in minutes arranging for transport out of the village for the next day. The trip had been especially difficult and Carter had given Calvin a strong sedative and painkiller when they finally got settled in.

  “He needs to rest tonight and then tomorrow we can move on,” Carter had said when Cooper got Donovan on the phone.

  Brooke collapsed on the pallet next to Calvin just as exhausted as he was. The trip hadn’t been that easy on her either and she was glad to rest for the night. Carter made them both eat something, but had brought it to the room then left them alone to sleep. Brooke slept soundly, waking in the morning with Calvin wrapped around her, his hand on her belly which was clearly round with the child she was carrying.

  Not ready to tell him yet, she slipped out of bed, knowing that if he woke just then he’d know her secret for sure. She found Carter and Calvin in the little kitchen of the house where they were staying making plans for the day. Carter shot her a dirty look, then nodded his head when she heaped some food on a plate and headed back up to the room she and Calvin were sharing. She knew that he wanted to her to tell Calvin about the baby so he could fuss at her openly, but she wasn’t ready for the anger she knew she’d be facing when she told him.

  Donovan came through and arranged for a van to transport Calvin to the next village. It would be a difficult trip since the road wasn’t in very good shape, but no helicopter pilot was willing to fly that far into dangerous territory. They simply had no choice but to make their way slowly and painfully down the mountain. The days took on a familiar pattern, they were up early and had a big breakfast, not sure where their next meal would come from, then into whatever transportation Donovan had managed to find.

  At the end of the day, Brooke and Calvin collapsed onto any bed they were offered, ate the food Carter or Cooper gave them, and fell asleep. It took far longer to make their way out of the jungle this way, but it was the only choice with Calvin still hurt. When they finally arrived in the capital, they were all exhausted, and Carter insisted that Calvin spend a few days in the hospital, partly because he wanted to be sure he was fine and partly to get Brooke to rest a bit.

  Calvin had been in the hospital for a few days and was beginning to feel like his old self. If he’d thought that he loved Brooke before, he was completely and totally committed to her now. She’d come halfway around the world and saved his life, that alone was testament to how much she loved him. Not for the first time, he cursed himself for almost ruining what they had by being stupid and stubborn, not wanting to take help. If he’d listened to Donovan, none of this would have happened. The government and the natives would have taken General Santiago down and he would have been off the hook.

  But watching Brooke sitting in the chair next to his bed, her hand in his, his heart swelled with love. They’d be fine, nothing would ever come between them again. He’d learned his lesson, he’d never hide anything from her again. He knew deep down that if he’d told her she would have made him take the more sensible route, but he’d stubbornly refused to share his troubles with her.

  He was drifting off to sleep thinking about getting out of the hospital and being alone with Brooke when Carter came into the room. He stopped in doorway assuming that Calvin was asleep and said, “You and I have an appointment with a sonogram machine down the hall.”

  Brooke jumped to her feet and shushed him. “Be quiet, I don’t think he’s quite asleep.”

  Calvin was so sleepy that he was having a hard time following their conversation and wondered what a sonogram was. “When are you going to tell him? He’s going to figure it out soon enough. Are you afraid he’s going to be angry? Because I promise you, he’s going to be, at first at least. It might help if you could tell him that the little one is healthy,” Carter said, only pieces of what he was saying penetrating Calvin’s brain.

  “I might be a little afraid. Carter, we never talked about having kids or getting married or any of that. How am I supposed to tell him that the decision is already made for him?” Brooke was suddenly unsure how she was going to tell him.

  “Okay, calm down. Do you really think my brother is going to turn his back on you?” Cater asked, looking Brooke in the eyes.

  “No,” she finally answered. “But I don’t want us to only be about the baby. I love him. I don’t know if I can stand it if he doesn’t feel the same way.” Brooke completely forgot who she was talking to, but Carter understood her fears.

  “Hey, look at me. That man,” he pointed to the bed where Calvin was lying, “loves you more than he’s ever loved anything or anyone. I’ve known him my whole life, and once he commits to someone, it’s for life. Tell him, Brooke. He’
s going to be mad at first, but trust me, he loves you and he’s going to want you for you. The baby is just a nice bonus.”

  Brooke let all the air out of her lungs in a giant whoosh, Carter’s words calming all her fears instantly. Impulsively, she hugged him. “Okay, Dr. Carter, let’s go see how this little monster is doing,” she said, resting her hand on the little bump under her shirt.

  “Well, what a pleasant surprise to have such a cooperative patient. Shall we?” Carter said, holding the door open for her.

  She ran back over to the bed and gave Calvin a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be right back. I just have to take care of something real quick.”

  Chapter 14

  Calvin frowned as she walked out of the room thinking that he should be able to figure out what was going on and frustrated because he was tired of life going on around him. Something was definitely going on between his brother and Brooke, but he just couldn’t figure out what it was. As he dozed, he embraced the possibly that she was cheating on him, then discarded it just as quickly. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t that. No longer able to fight sleep, he fell deeply asleep thinking of Brooke and her new sweeter scent and the softness of her body pressed up against his.

  The next morning, Carter finally let Calvin leave the hospital; his blood work looked good, his ribs were healing, and Brooke had gotten some rest. They’d rented rooms at a chain hotel in town wanting the feeling of being home, a place they all three longed to be. Donovan had gone home once Calvin was safely out of the jungle, waving off their thanks, only reminding them that blood or not, they were linked like family.

  Brooke had been fussing around all day, keeping her distance from Calvin, afraid that the slight bump would give her away. She just couldn’t figure out a way to tell him about the baby without shocking him. She’d been trying for hours to come up with the right words, but they just weren’t coming. Calvin was becoming annoyed with her constant avoidance of him, and she knew that he wasn’t going to let it go on much longer. The time had come, but she had no idea what to say.

  Calvin had been watching Brooke find silly things to do as if she was avoiding him. Part of him knew that she was just worried about his broken ribs, but another part of him was afraid that something had changed. He couldn’t figure out what it might be; everything had been fine between them when he’d been in the hospital, but suddenly it seemed like she didn’t want him to touch her.

  Finally, he got to his feet and crossed the room and grabbed her to make her stop fussing with the flower arrangement on the table. Turning her to face him, he looked into her eyes, surprised to find tears forming in the corners. He tried to pull her into his arms, but for the first time ever, she resisted, pulling away from him and crossing the room. Clearly hurt, he just looked at her waiting for an explanation.

  “Brooke, I know somethings going on, you and Carter have been whispering together a lot lately, whatever it is just tell me. If you’re finished with us, just let me know, don’t make me guess,” Calvin said, his voice betraying the hurt he was feeling.

  Brooke couldn’t bear the hurt in his voice. “Promise me that you won’t be mad,” she said, tears streaming down her face.

  Calvin’s heart melted at the sight of her tears. “What could I be mad about? You saved my life again. Brooke, what’s going on?” he asked again.

  Brooke took a deep breath and just blurted it out. “I’m pregnant.”

  Calvin just stared at her for long minutes, waves of emotion leaving him speechless. Finally, he asked, “What?”

  “I’m pregnant.” When he heard her words, all the little snatches of conversation that he hadn’t quite understood finally made sense.

  Those same emotions rushed thought him again: happiness, excitement, love, and then anger and suspicion. “When did it happen?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

  Brooke took a deep breath, knowing that the anger was coming, “The night I made you dinner and we had the champagne and strawberries,” she said, unable to meet his eyes.

  There was a pause and she knew that he was doing the math in his head. When she looked up at him, his face was a mask of anger. He crossed the room in three strides and grabbed her by the arms, “You came here...went into the jungle...when I think...” Calvin just sputtered, his emotions all over the place.

  Brooke finally managed to meet his eyes. “I didn’t have any choice. I wasn’t prepared to lose you too,” she said, pleading in her voice.

  Calvin was still mad more than anything else, but he took a deep breath, knowing that Brooke’s biggest fear was people she loved dying. “But, Brooke, you took such a risk coming here. Did my brothers know?”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t tell them either. Carter figured it out a few weeks ago,” Brooke admitted.

  Calvin was still holding her arms. Realizing that he was gripping her harder than the meant to, he relaxed his grip. “Has he been taking care of you?”

  “He didn’t give me much choice,” she said, smiling at the memory of Carter’s bullying care.

  “And?” Calvin’s anger had long ago evaporated, replaced by concern for Brooke and the baby.

  “We’re both fine,” she said, meeting his steely gaze. “I’m sorry, Calvin. I know it seems like a bad decision, but don’t you understand how much you mean to me. Without you, my life would be empty. I love you so much it would be like losing the best part of myself.”

  Calvin reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, then framed her face with his hands. “I love you too, Brooke. I’ve been wanting to tell you that for so long and then I thought that I’d never see you again. I’m sorry I got mad,” he said, gathering her into his arms.

  Brooke stifled a sob, not wanting to ruin the moment with tears, but hormones won out and she began to cry. Her tears were interrupted by laughter when Calvin felt her belly pressing against him, the tight little ball just a bit warmer than the rest of her body. He sucked in a shocked breath and pulled back to look at her in amazement, his eyes getting very big when he realized what he’d just felt.

  She took his large hands and placed them on the gentle swelling under her shirt and held them there, looking up at him. He looked at her and then down at where her hands cover his on her belly. “Oh, Brooke,” he said, then picked her up and swung her around, not even noticing the pull on his ribs. “That’s our baby.”

  Laughing, she said, “Yes, Calvin, this is our baby, and he or she is going to be a Christmas baby. Calvin seems pretty sure of that.”

  “We need to go home right now,” he said, then grinned and added, “Well, maybe not right now.” Then he started pulling off her shirt.

  Before Brooke knew it, her shirt was on the floor and Calvin had her pants down around her ankles. “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice already a little husky.

  “I’m going to make love to the mother of my child, then I’m going to do it once more before I take you home tomorrow,” Calvin said, taking off her bra and panties.

  Once he had her completely naked, he knelt down on the floor and pressed his face into her stomach, then kissed it and said, “Little one, you and I will get to know each other later, right now I want to make your mom a very a happy woman.”

  When he got to his feet, he wrapped her in his arms and said, “I love you, Brooke.” Then he pulled her over to the bed and laid her down.

  She watched as he removed his clothes, the tears still running down her face. Although he’d lost a lot of weight since his injury, just the sight of his body made hers begin to hum, the electricity between them leaping to life. When he finally laid down next to her, she pulled him to her and said, “I love you, Calvin.”

  When his mouth found hers, the fireworks exploded like the first time he’d kissed her, leaving them both breathless. Calvin ran his hands over every inch of Brooke’s body, relearning each sensitive spot, until she was writhing with need, the moisture between her legs silky and warm
.

  “I want you so badly, Brooke, I want know all of you,” he said, his fingers sliding into her dripping core.

  When his fingers slipped inside her, Brooke was lost to the power of what he could make her feel. Reeling with the raw desire that gripped her as pleasure flooded her body, she pulled Calvin’s head to hers and kissed him like she’d never kissed him before. The kiss was raw and demanding, fueling Calvin’s passion until he knew what he wanted from Brooke. Sliding between her legs, he began to kiss his way down her body.

  Kissing and licking his way to her breasts then taking a hard peak into his mouth, Calvin laughed huskily when she nearly came up off the bed. But all too soon, he left her breast to trail kisses down her stomach, stopping to kiss the swelling there, before sliding further down. When he kissed the inside of first one thigh then the other, Brooke was panting with need, a tight knot of pleasure building deep inside her.

  As he slowly moved his lips closer to her dripping center, Brooke stiffened suddenly conscious of what he was planning. “Relax, my love, let me give you this,” he said, then spread her legs even farther and ran his tongue over her clit.

  The pleasure his tongue created was instantaneous and blinding, Brooke forgot to be embarrassed and gave her herself to him, opening her legs and thrusting her hips up. He teased her, licking and sucking until writhing under him she burst. Her hands threaded into his hair as her body bucked with the pleasure. She cried out his name, almost afraid of the intensity of the orgasm he’d just given her.

  As her body began to relax, he slid back up her body and captured her mouth in a kiss that soon had her squirming under him, desperate for him to be inside her. “I want you, Calvin. I need you,” she said, breaking the kiss and wrapping her hands around his throbbing erection.

  She stroked him several times, but he grabbed her hand and stopped her. “I don’t have the strength to resist when you do that.” But Brooke pushed his hands away, determined to give him as much pleasure as he’d given her.