by Dawn Martens
“I’m sorry, Blake,” I whisper, knowing this is the end of us.
“Adoption?” he asks, sounding somewhat hopeful.
I shake my head no. “None.”
“What does this mean for us, then?” Blake asks me.
I gulp. I’m gonna be sick. I don’t want to lose Blake, ever. But I can’t do this. “I’m sorry,” I say on a sob. He wants children, but I can’t give him children. I can’t go through that again.
He comes around my counter, pulling me into his arms, his face going into my neck. “I love you, Corinne. I’ll always love you. But I can’t sacrifice this.” He kisses me softly.
This is it, the end of us. Forever and always. Finished.
BLAKE
I leave Cori’s condo upset. It takes everything in me to keep from going back, shaking the fuck out of her, and telling her too bad so sad. I want forever with Corinne. I want children with her. I know she never did tell me about the child that was taken from her, the one Angel told me about, and since it’s such a hard thing to bring up, I decided against it. But it’s been years. I know that Angel and the guys are still working hard to look into the Mercers and the little boy that Cori had, but so far, just dead ends.
I get back to my condo, and I feel like punching the fucking wall. But I can’t because the buyers might back out if they see the damage. Everything is fucked now. I had plans to move in with Cori. We were basically already living together, and now it’s all screwed.
I just lost my girl. I’m losing the condo. What’s next? Fuck!
I call up Adam and ask him if he’d like some company, and he tells me to come on over. I make it there quickly and walk in.
“Hey, man, what’s up?” Adam asks, seeing my solemn face when I walk in.
“Cori and I just broke up,” I tell him brokenly.
His face turns to shock. “What? Why?”
“I need a drink,” I say, moving to his living room and throwing myself onto his couch.
He brings in a bottle of Whiskey and a glass, setting them on the coffee table in front of me. “Okay, now tell me what the hell happened.”
“She doesn’t want kids,” I tell him.
He frowns. “But, she’s already had one.”
“Doesn’t matter. She said she doesn’t want any, ever. I told her I did, and it was something I couldn’t compromise with her on.”
“Shit, man. Why don’t you just talk to her about what you know, about her kid?”
“I’m not pushing shit on her. You know her, Adam. If she’s not ready to talk about something, she won’t budge on it.”
“Yeah, but with this, you should just do it. Fuck, Blake. Something like this, you have to fucking talk.”
That pisses me off. “Look who’s talking. You’re the dick that’s losing his wife because you wouldn’t fucking talk to her.” I sneer at him.
His face goes blank. “I’ve tried, though. At least it’s better than giving up like you are doing.”
“Fuck you, Adam. You’ve given up. I also heard the entire story of how much of a cunt you were to your own wife. I hope Clara files those papers.” I shouldn’t have said it. Fuck. Why am I being a dick right now?
“Whatever, Blake. Finish the bottle. Puke your guts out. Crash on my couch. Hopefully tomorrow you won’t be such a tool.” He stalks off, and I hear him slam his bedroom door shut.
Chapter 44
Cori
Work has been awkward. Blake barely speaks to me, but sometimes, I catch him staring at me out his window. I want to talk to him, something, but I can’t, because I am not changing my stance right now about what he wants. I will get married, we can do that and be happy, but I don’t want more children. I can’t do that.
When Blake does talk to me, it’s reserved, and he only talks to me about filing this or getting coffee. Now, on day four, I’ve had enough, and I’ve started looking to find another job. Melissa is finishing up her nursing degree, and since she’s about two days away from her due date, she’s thankful that she doesn’t have to delay getting her degree.
I print out my resume, hoping like hell Blake will give me a good reference. Then I think differently of it, so I put Marcy’s name on references, followed by Jasper, Mason, and Vinny’s. If anyone is a good reference, it will be the Angels Warriors.
I hear the elevator ding and look up, seeing Marcy walk toward me, scowling.
I go to say hi, but she puts her hand up to stop me. “Don’t talk to me. I can’t believe how stupid you are being about this. Blake loves you. He stopped fucking everything skanky for you. He wanted a life with you, and I know you want that, too. So what’s the problem? You don’t want kids? Bullshit. I think it was just your way of pushing Blake away. Well, congrats. You’ve done it. I never thought you were a selfish bitch before, but I know now I was wrong.”
Her words cut through me. She casts me one last glare and walks away, back to the elevator.
My phone rings at my desk, and I pick it up. “Hello? Lexington, Blake Lexington’s office, Cori speaking. How may I help you,” I answer.
“Hey, it’s me,” I hear Clara say.
“Hey, where are you?” I ask her.
“Listen, um, I’m not coming in. Think you could do me a favor, and after Adam leaves work tonight, can you pack my things up for me?” she asks.
“Um, yeah, sure. What’s going on?”
“I’m done. I filed the papers. It’s over. I’ll call you next week, let you know when I can grab my things from you. Thanks, Cori.” She clicks off, and I put the phone back down.
I work quietly at my desk for a few hours, and as I’m about to pack in for the night, the elevator dings open and my dad walks in. “Hey, Cori,” he says to me.
“Hey, Dad. What’s up?” I ask him.
He holds up an envelope and looks grim. “Need to see Adam.”
“Oh dear,” I breathe out.
“Yeah,” he mutters.
He walks off down the hall to Adam’s office and knocks. “Sorry to do this, kid.” He hands Adam the brown envelope and waits while Adam opens it up.
“She did it?” he whispers, upset.
He moves into the office, slamming his door shut. I hear him smash a few things, and lots of banging.
“What’s going on?” Blake asks, coming out of his office.
My dad speaks up. “His divorce is finalized,” he says, sounding upset for him.
“Shit,” Blake mutters.
“Cori? You done for the day?” Dad asks me.
“Yeah, was just about to head out,” I tell him.
“Good,” he says with a smile. “Come have supper with me.”
I smile. “Okay.”
We walk out of the office to the sounds of Adam tearing his office apart.
BLAKE
I leave work with Adam and Marcy. Both are having life issues like I am. Clara didn’t show up for work today; instead, Sam did, giving him papers declaring the divorce was finalized. Adam had a shit fit in his office and broke down crying. I found Marcy in the break room earlier crying; I guess her girlfriend was cheating on her, so they broke up.
We’re a bunch of sad idiots tonight, so we’re going out to a bar I used to frequent before I started dating Cori. We grab a seat in a booth along the back wall and pile in. A server comes over, and we order a pitcher of beer and some wings.
“Have you talked to Cori at all?” Marcy asks, breaking our silence.
I shake my head no.
“She needs the stick out of her ass,” she complains.
“It’s not what you think, Marcy,” I defend.
She raises a brow. “How isn’t it? She only said no to kids because she just wanted a reason to push you away, and look at you—you’re letting her do it.”
“That’s not it. Cori already had a kid,” I blurt out. Shit, everyone is finding this shit out now, and Cori doesn’t know we all know.
“What?” she mouths.
I fill her in, telling her about the foster care
and her mother, but she waves me off as I start those topics as she already knows. Cori already told her. So I get right to the part about her baby. Marcy starts crying.
“I was such a bitch to her today. I’m going to have to apologize.”
Silence engulfs us again as we drink, and as I’m about to order another pitcher, I see her. Shit.
“Blake!” Stacy squeals when she sees me.
Marcy glares at her, and Adam looks annoyed.
“I haven’t seen you in forever. I heard that you were dating that skanky whore Cori, and I couldn’t believe it. But here you are, not with her anymore. I knew you couldn’t be that stupid,” she says in her whiny ass voice.
“Listen here, bitch. Cori is my best friend. They are fine, happy. We’re just having a guy’s night out. Now leave before I punch you in your fake ass tit,” Marcy growls at her.
Her mouth drops in shock. For the first time, she is speechless. She huffs and puffs, trying to find her words, failing miserably. Adam shakes his head with laughter. Marcy is still scowling at her.
“Why are you still standing here? Shoo! Go away.” Marcy swats at her like a fly.
“Blake?” Stacy whines, still not moving away.
“Did you not hear what she said? Go away,” I say without even glancing her way.
“Fine!” she says, stomping her foot and walking away.
Chapter 45
Cori
Another week passes, and work just keeps getting more and more awkward. The worst part is that he left me a note on my desk this morning, asking me to send a flower shipment to some woman. Fucking dick is moving on, and it’s only been two weeks. How could he do this?
My cell phone rings as I finish the online flower order, and I grab it. “Hello?”
“Is this Corinne Treyton?” a man asks.
“Yes, it is. How can I help you?”
“I’m calling from Ashley’s House, and I wanted to call you personally to offer you a position here.” Ashley’s House is basically a shelter for women and children. I applied there last week.
“Are you serious? Yes. I would love that,” I tell him excitedly. The sooner I get away from Blake, the better. I’ll be able to move on without having to see his handsome face every single day.
“Can you start in two weeks?”
“Yes, and I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”
“Sorry about that,” he chuckles. “Name’s Ashley.”
“Wait. What? That’s a girl’s name.” I hear him burst out laughing. “Oh, I’m so sorry. That was mean.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says, a smile in his voice. “Looking forward to meeting you in person.” He clicks off, and I smile.
I slip a note under Blake’s door, letting him know I’m off for lunch, and meet Marcy down in the lobby. She called me the other night, apologizing for what she said. I told her it was fine, so we’re moving on from it.
I smile when I see her. “What’s got you so happy? Blake and you finally talk?” she asks, sounding hopeful.
“No, I got the position I applied for at Ashley’s House in Devon.”
“What?” she whispers.
“They didn’t call you? I thought they would. I listed you as a reference.”
“No, they did, but I didn’t think you’d really go through with this.”
“I need to leave, Marcy. You have to understand that. “
“I do, but this is shit. First, Clara leaves, and now you. I need to kick Adam and Blake’s asses.”
Clara left us a week ago. I have talked to her since, and apparently, she was going to work it out with Adam, went to his house to chat, but her sister opened the door. She was hurt, and that same day, she took the signed papers to the courthouse and had them filed. Now, they are officially divorced. She said she can’t be pining away after a man that can’t choose her.
I feel for her. It sucks, but last night, she called saying she got a job working in Airdrie as a receptionist for my dad. I think it’s kind of cool, not totally losing her.
It sucks, but we are all moving on with our lives. I will miss working for Blake, but I can’t be around him and not be with him. It hurts too damn much. And my sister is so freaking happy all the time now that her and Dray are solid and starting their family.
Chelsea spends most of her time with Randy. It’s kind of cool how fast those two are moving with their relationship, but I’m happy because they both deserve it. Chelsea does after being with stupid ass Keller for so long, and Randy for having me string him along.
“If you leave, Cori, I’m going, too,” Marcy declares.
“Don’t,” I say, shaking my head. “You love this job. Don’t leave because of me.”
She shakes her head at me. “Come on. Let’s go eat,” she grumbles.
Blake
Cori comes back from lunch looking different. The flowers I got her to order were for my sisters, but she doesn’t know that. I was hoping for a reaction out of her, letting me know she still cares at least, but she gave nothing away.
The phone on my desk rings, and I answer. “Blake here.”
“It’s Angel. We need to talk.”
“What time? I’m open all today.”
“I’ll be there in about twenty. I’m in town already.” He clicks off, and I put the phone back on the desk.
I walk out to where Cori is and smile sadly. Ever since we broke up last week, it’s been weird between us. I’m scared to lose her completely, especially since I know she’s been looking into getting a new job. I might have lost her in my bed and my life, but I refuse to be without her altogether, even when we both finally move on.
I miss her—the softness of her curves, her snarky comments, all of it. But I want a family, and she doesn’t. I understand why she doesn’t, but that shouldn’t stop her from moving on with her life and starting over, forgetting about her past.
“Cori, Angel will be here soon. Please let him come right in my office,” I say. Without waiting for her to reply, I walk back in my office. I want to say more. I want to shake her and tell her I love her.
Fifteen minutes later, Angel walks into my office, frowning at me. “What’d you do to her?” he demands.
Sighing, I rub the back of my neck. “We broke up.”
Angel clenches his jaw. “Why?” he barks at me.
I tell him about what happened, how and why we broke up, and his face softens. “Maybe, after today, you’ll get her back.”
I sit forward in my chair with hopeful eyes. “What do you have for me?”
“Bad news, man. We found the body of the baby Cori had,” Angel says gruffly. “They fuckin’… Fuck! They buried that child in their family plot east of town. Even threw in a picture of the kids’ father and Cori.”
“You’re shitting me,” I whisper.
“Fuck, man, no. Of course, Reaper loves a little grave digging every now and then, dug the body up.” Angel holds a file up.
“What’s this?”
“The results of the DNA test, also a picture. Fuck, man. I’m sorry to tell you this, but the baby that Cori had was yours.” He tosses a file on my desk, but I don’t reach for it. I sit back in my chair, stunned.
“What the fuck? How is this possible?” I know the possibility was there when we first talked about this, considering the drugging and the reports from others that once lived there. But for this to happen to me, and to Cori, I just can’t believe it.
“I’m gonna have to bring Cori in on this, man. Sorry, but she needs to know everything. Zippo has surveillance on the place, and we have more than enough to raid it and get every single kid out and to lock those fuckers up.” He opens the file he tossed on my desk and flips a few pages. “We also have statements from all past foster children that lived in that house. They are all willing to come forward and testify against them.”
“Fuck,” I mutter. I press the button on my phone. “Cori, get in here.”
“I’ll call in some others, even Melissa. You go o
ver the case with her, but wait until I’m back to talk about the baby.” Angel gets up and walks out of the room with his phone.
Cori comes in, looking confused. “What’s up?”
“That case I’ve been working on? The one I closed?” She nods. She doesn’t know what family, though. I never told her. “We found more intel on them.”
She smiles brightly. “That’s great.”
“There’s something you need to know, though.”
“Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good,” she states, frowning.
“It’s not. This house is the one you were saved from.” Her body stills, and tears form in her eyes.
“Finally,” she breathes. “I need to tell Melissa.”
“Wait. Angel will be back in a few, and there is more, but I can’t tell you yet.”
Chapter 46
Cori
I’m not liking this. Blake’s face doesn’t look right. I’ve never seen him look like this before. Something is seriously wrong. I take a seat in one of the chairs by his desk and fidget. I’m worried about what more is going on.
Not long after I sit, the door opens, and Angel, followed by Lilly, Zippo, Reaper, T-bags, and Melissa come in. Melissa looks confused as to why she’s here.
“Melissa, go sit with your sister. We have something to share with you both,” Angel says to us gently.
She comes to me instantly and stands by me, arm on my shoulder. Lilly comes over, too. The rest of the guys have grim looks on their faces.
“First, the family you stayed with, your old foster family, are being brought down. Tonight. We’re going in hard,” Angel starts. “Second,” Angel looks to me, eyes boring into mine, “we found your child.”
The room feels as if it’s closing in on me, and I can’t breathe. This is something I didn’t tell Blake. I put my head down, not wanting this to get out, not after we broke up because I told him I didn’t want kids.
“Breathe, Corinne. It will be okay,” Melissa says, tears clogging her throat.