Brothers Black 6: Ryan the Joker (Brothers Black Series)

by Blue Saffire

  It only takes him a minute or two to return. My clothes are no longer in his hands. Ryan sits on the bench seat in the shower and pulls me onto his lap.

  Once I’m settled, he starts with washing my face. His touch is gentle but firm. When I see the rag come away with blood I gasp.

  “It’s going to be fine. Did you come straight here without stopping?”

  “Yes, I remembered where you told me the key was. I came in through the back. I was too scared to stop. I felt like someone was following me after class. When I got to my car, I saw a guy moving out the corner of my eye.”

  “I don’t know what made me do it. My mother’s voice was playing in my head. I just strapped on the blades and turned to protect myself.”

  “When they drew their guns I freaked. I did everything my mother always taught me to.” I stop talking as I see that man’s hand fall to the ground all over again. My lips tremble.

  Ryan tilts my head back. He kisses me softly. “You did the right thing. You’re here and you’re safe.”

  He pecks me gently again, this time his lips linger on mine a little longer. When he pulls back, he looks in my eyes and reaches for my hands. I don’t realize how much they’re shaking until he cups them in his and covers them with the rag. He scrubs at my hands as he holds my gaze.

  “It’s going to be fine. I’m here. I’ll take care of everything. Relax, baby. Can you do that for me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  He continues to care for me. The more he does, the safer I feel. I’ve never been robbed before. Nothing like this has ever happened to me.

  I’m sure I could’ve handled it better. However, knowing that Ryan says he’ll make this all better speaks to something deep within. I believe him.

  I know he’ll make this right. Once he starts to wash my hair, I relax even more. His long fingers soothe me. I don’t even know when I drift off against his chest.

  Chapter 19

  Come Away

  Ryan

  After carrying Carmen’s naked body into the bedroom, I dried her off, placed her in one of my T-shirts and tucked her into the sheets. She fell asleep while I washed her hair. I could tell when she started to come out of shock.

  The anger that ran through me threatened to explode from within. She was shaking so hard when I got here. I never want to see her like that ever again. I felt so helpless and pissed. I barely hid my anger from her.

  It’s been about an hour since I kicked off my shoes and climbed in bed with her. I’m still coiled tightly with anger. My thoughts have been racing as I plan our trip.

  Placing a hand on her belly, I think about the pregnancy test I stopped to pick up. I think I probably would’ve tossed all caution to the wind had I known for a fact she’s pregnant. I swear, I still almost shot that fucker in the head even after she chopped his hand off. I probably would have if I weren’t in complete awe.

  “I’m hungry,” she mumbles sleepily right before her stomach grumbles.

  I kiss the back of her head. “I’ll order something. You want pizza or Chinese?”

  “Pizza sounds good. Oh, wait. You want to do one of those other delivery thingies and get Greek or something?”

  I snort. “Fuck out of here. So the driver can take a shit with our food or eat half our shit? Have you seen some of those guys? I swear they deliver food to case your place and come back to rob you later. Nah, I’ll pass.”

  She giggles and it’s the sweetest sound in the world. It loosens some of the tightness in my chest. It’s welcome after the way I found her.

  “Seriously, Ry?”

  “What? Man, babe, you’re already taking a chance with your life with the kitchen staff at the restaurant. No telling when the cook wants to spit in your food. Now you want me to add another person to the process that’s not even in the food industry and has no regulations. Nope.”

  She laughs louder. “You know you just ruined all delivery services for me?”

  “Good. I can’t have you taking chances with our baby.” I pull out my phone and order a couple of pies from my usual place.

  Carmen turns to face me. “My appointment,” she gasps.

  I peck her lips. “Don’t worry about it. I called and canceled. When you’re ready, I left something in the bathroom for you.”

  She wrinkles her brows. She was so out of it earlier. I don’t think she saw when I put the two test boxes on the counter. I nod my head toward the bedside table. “There’s some water.”

  She turns to look at the bottled water. Reaching for it, she chugs half the bottle. She falls silent, snuggling into me.

  It doesn’t escape me that she doesn’t head into the bathroom. I think she’s in denial about the reason she’s been dizzy a few times and has yet to have a period since we’ve been dating. Honestly, a small part of me has too, so I don’t push.

  About thirty minutes pass as we wait for our food. We lie there as I hold her until the doorbell rings. I kiss her head and climb out of bed to answer the door.

  Not wanting her to have to get out of bed, I head into the kitchen for plates to take up to the room with the pizza. When I get back to the room, Carmen is no longer lying where I left her. I put the pizza and plates down on the dresser and turn the TV on. I get ready to find something on Netflix when a pale-faced Carmen stumbles out of the bathroom.

  “What’s wrong?” I rush to wrap my arms around her.

  She looks up at me. Her lips parted, but no words coming out. I brush her damp hair back off her face and search her eyes.

  “We’re having a baby,” she says just above a whisper.

  I don’t react for a few moments. I heard her. Deep down I already knew, but it still doesn’t keep the shock from registering for a beat.

  “Damn, my pull out game really is trash.”

  “Ryan,” she groans.

  I kiss her lips. “I’m sorry, baby. Wow, I’m going to be a father,” I croon as it begins to set in.

  “Ry… I… this is not going to go over well with my father. I haven’t even told him about you.”

  “Well, baby, you’re going to have to tell him sooner or later. Listen, I still want to take you away. How about we spend the summer someplace where we can really get to know each other? We figure us out and when we get back we can worry about everyone else.”

  She’s shaking her head before I can get the words out fully. I already knew this was going to be a challenge. I can’t tell her what’s going on and she’s afraid of her father.

  “I can’t, Ry.”

  “Yes, you can. You’re an adult. Heck, baby, we’re about to start a family. You and I need this. Your father is going to have to get over it if he has a problem with us. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “You don’t understand. My father is strict—”

  “You’re twenty, Carmen.”

  She stops and bites her lip. I get it. Different cultures, different upbringings. I know her brother well enough to know that her father and mother raised them a lot different from how I grew up.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Hey, did you know that Wyatt’s really good friends with Nicholas Lincoln and his wife is a friend of mine. Six degrees of separation. It was meant to be,” I say. She looks at me curiously. “Your aunt works for Nick, right?”

  “Yeah,” she says cautiously.

  “Good, Nick will vouch for me. If you think your father is going to have a problem with you coming away with me for the summer, we’ll get your aunt to cover for us,” I say.

  I know I don’t need any of this, but she doesn’t know that. After all, her father doesn’t want her to know, so I go with it. It’s what I’ve been planning in my head since I left her father’s office.

  The wheels turn as she thinks my words over. I grin when she slightly nods her head. Her eyes light up as something crosses her face. I’ve got her.

  Carmen

  I nod my head. “Okay.”

  After what I did today, it might not be a ba
d idea to disappear for a while. Ryan is right. If I talk to Aunt Mariah, she’ll cover for me.

  Question is, do I want to tell her about the baby? Should I tell her she’s covering for me to spend time with my boyfriend? Should I get Uncle Kevin and Nick involved?

  “I’ll give Nick a call,” Ryan offers.

  “No.” I lick my lips and cover my stomach protectively. “I’ll call my aunt. I’ll handle it. She’s the best with my dad after my mom. She’ll know what to do. I don’t want to get you into this.”

  He searches my face for a moment. Next thing I know, he’s consuming my mouth. I lock my fingers in his hair.

  When it dawns on me that I’m pregnant with his baby and I’m pretty sure I’m in love with him, I give back as good as I’m getting. Ryan grabs my backside and pulls me into his erection.

  I moan and suck his tongue into my mouth. He makes a rumbling sound in the back of his throat, but my stomach growls back at him. Ryan breaks the kiss and places his forehead to mine.

  “You need to eat,” he breathes. “Then, I’m tearing that pussy up and putting you to sleep.”

  My mouth pops open. I still don’t think I’m used to him saying things like that, but he wouldn’t be Ryan if he didn’t. I shake my head. I noticed my phone on the nightstand earlier.

  While Ry gets us pizza, I move to grab the phone. I call my aunt to set things in motion. I chew my lip as the line rings. It takes a few rings before she answers.

  “Hey, you,” she sings into the phone. “What’s up?”

  “Hey, auntie.”

  She laughs. “What can I do for you, Nene?”

  Yup, I’m a spoiled brat. I pull the auntie card whenever I need something. I’ll admit it.

  “You asked what I wanted for my birthday,” I reply and pause to bite my lip. “I have something I want. It’s not something you have to buy. It’s more like something you can do for me.”

  “Okay, I’m listening,” she says.

  “I want to go away for the summer. I don’t plan to tell my father where or with who and I plan to take the summer off from school. Do you think you can cover for me?”

  There’s a pause on her end. I hold my breath. If she says no, I’m going to have to face my father much sooner than I would like. I’d rather run from all of this. I’m scared as shit.

  “This is the last time, Nene,” she says my name with the Japanese intended pronunciation. “You’re getting too old for this. I will not place a wedge between myself and my brother because you don’t want to speak up to him. You will have to face him from here.”

  My heart sinks. She’s bailing on me when I need her most. However, a small voice in the back of my head tells me she’s right. I’m going to have to grow up. I have a baby of my own to think about.

  “Thanks, Auntie.”

  “Hm,” she says sounding so much like my dad it sends a chill through me.

  I’m going to have to face the music once I return. By then, I probably won’t be able to hide the pregnancy for long. If I’m right, I’m around six weeks pregnant as it is.

  This would only happen to me. One night, one night I decide to be reckless and this is the result. I wish… no, I don’t think I would change that night.

  As Ryan comes over and places a plate with pizza in my lap, I know I wouldn’t. I watch him as he turns and plucks up a slice as he texts with one hand.

  “I’ll call you with more details soon.”

  “Okay, I’ll figure out what to tell your father when I know where you’re going and with who,” she says.

  I palm my forehead. I should’ve known that was coming. I nod as if she can see me.

  “All right. Call you later.”

  We hang up and Ryan comes over to sit on the bed already on his third slice. I pick up my pizza as my mouth waters. I’m starving.

  “Don’t worry about packing. I’ll run by your place to get you a few things. John is coming over to pick something up for work. He’ll sit with you while I’m gone. We fly out first thing in the morning.”

  “Will I need my passport or anything?”

  “Yeah, you’re going to need it.”

  I smile. I should be freaking out. I may have killed two men and I’m pregnant, but honestly, I’m excited about spending an entire summer getting to know Ryan better.

  As he looks at me with a hungry gaze, I can’t help getting excited about all the sex we’ll get to have. Ryan makes sex something I want to put on my daily planner. He’s just that good at it.

  As if reading my mind, he reaches between my legs and starts to massage my already wet lips. I moan around the pizza I’m chewing. He leans to whisper in my ear.

  “You have no idea all the ways we’re going to get to know each other. I can’t wait.” He circles my clit with his thumb. “My baby is inside you. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

  And I believe that. With everything I am, I believe him.

  Chapter 20

  Heading for Love

  Carmen

  I sit on the beach with a virgin pina colada in my hand and the sun beaming down on my face. I’ve been having way too much fun on this island. I wish this was my life twenty-four seven. I’ve felt like a princess since we arrived two weeks ago. Ryan has waited on me hand and foot.

  A small staff has been in and out to clean and stock up the place, but they don’t say much or bother us. We’ve been here relatively by ourselves. We spend mornings and afternoons on the beach and we make love throughout the day whenever Ryan sees fit to peel me out of my clothes and make me cry for him.

  Good tears. Tears of pleasure and oh so much joy. I think my orgasms are getting better the further along I get in the pregnancy. I should be about two months pregnant now.

  That’s still so insane to me. When I return home to California, I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do. I close my eyes and sip my drink while I place my hand over my stomach.

  “You look so fucking sexy.”

  I open my eyes to find Ryan standing over me in soaked board shorts. He’s been swimming all morning. I think of the shark tank and smile. He’s a shark all right.

  “Are you ready to go eat?”

  He bends to peck my lips then my forehead. “Are my babies hungry?”

  “Yes,” I groan.

  “Let’s go. We’ll get dressed and head into town.”

  I put my drink down, throw my hands up and do a little dance. I’ve been wanting to go for some Caribbean food. I miss my mom. We text, but there’s nothing like spending time with her and eating her cooking.

  I go to stand and Ryan lifts me into his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist and he starts for the house. My face hurts from smiling.

  When we reach our bedroom, he takes us straight into the bathroom. Soon he has us both naked as he backs me into the shower. From the smile on his face, I know it’ll be another hour before we leave.

  I don’t mind.

  Ryan

  I love the smile on her face. This trip has been great for our relationship. Carmen has been carefree.

  Back home her father was always a part of her decisions and hesitation. Since we’ve been here she’s been living life for the moment and not what she thinks her father would want. I haven’t pointed that out, but I’ve noticed.

  “Full?” I murmur against her temple as we ride back to the house. I place my hand on her belly and kiss her soft skin.

  “Yes,” she groans covering my hand. “I totally overdid it.”

  I chuckle. “My little guy needs his strengthen,” I tease.

  “Little guy? You think it’s a boy?”

  I grin. “Yup.”

  She turns her face up to me and smiles. “Want to bet? I think it’s going to be a girl.”

  I shrug. “You’re on. What do I get when my boy arrives?”

  She taps her chin and her eyes sparkle. “I don’t know. It has to be something good. I think I want another vacation or something when I win.”

  I peck her lips. “Y
ou’re on.”

  “What do you want to do when we get back? It’s still pretty early. Are you going back into the water?”

  “No. I want to lie back and chill. I never noticed how much I’m all ways moving. This is the first time I’ve been still.”

  I think about that for a moment. While it’s a half-truth, it’s true. I’m always alert for danger, but it’s still not half as busy here as it is back home in the office.

  I’ve been able to think more here. Don’t get me wrong. I miss the office and work, but the quiet time has made me take the time to think about what’s next.

  We have a baby coming. I want a future with this girl. The more time I spend with her the more I know I’ve fallen in love and I’m ready to take that next step.

  However, there are huge lies dangling over our heads. I can’t help feeling like with one string pulled, it will all fall apart. I frown at the thought.

  “Hey, where’d you go?” her soft voice brings me back to the present.

  “Nowhere.”

  She searches my eyes. I smile at her and tug her closer to my side. She snuggles in, placing her hand on my thigh.

  “You promised me a game of scramble. You ready to lose?”

  I laugh. “If you promise not to cry when I whip your ass, sure, we can play.”

  She scoffs. “You are so on.”

  Simple. That’s the word for how easy our relationship has become. I didn’t know how much I needed Carmen until I found her. Slowing down, smelling the flowers, that’s what’s been missing from my life.

  We climb from the car and head into the house. I look around and nothing seems out of place. I chose to come here because we’ve used this place a time or two for training. My dad has gotten creative with practice missions since we were old enough to start training.

  I also chose it because it reminded me of Carmen. Her Barbados roots stand out as much as her Japanese ones. I thought she’d like coming here. The privacy was also a huge factor.

  “I’m going to drop a deuce. Get the game set up,” I say as I head for the bedroom.