by Blue Saffire
“Wait, about that. Like, you still work for my dad?”
I bite my lip. I’ve been wanting to ask this question for a while. I still don’t know how I feel about it.
“Technically, I’ve never worked for your father. It was a favor. I still work cases for Black and Lock, but I’ve been doing a lot remotely since you’ve been living with me. Felix is a beast with drones, I’ve done a ton of surveillance right from this couch. I still clock billable hours.”
“I haven’t been on a bounty and we haven’t been called in for any of the heavy stuff we specialize in. So Dad hasn’t needed me there,” he explains.
“But you could be called away?”
I don’t know why that thought makes me so nervous. The thought of not having him around puts knots in my belly. I search his face for the answer as I hold my breath.
“Yeah, but it would have to be for something big and you would be protected. I’ll never leave you unprotected.”
I fall into silence as I think this over. I don’t know if I’ve gotten used to the reality of my life yet. I’m trying, but at times I feel so disconnected from what I know and what’s real.
Ryan’s stomach growls, drawing me from my thoughts. I look at him incredulously. He lifts his shoulder. I can’t help but laugh.
“Dude, we just ate.”
“I’m a big guy. I need my nourishment.”
“But you had the equivalent to two stacks of pancakes and like a pack of bacon to yourself. Where does it go?”
“First, it was that turkey bacon shit you eat. I farted that out two minutes after eating it. Second, I burned the pancakes off as you were riding my cock not too long ago.”
“Once I flipped your ass over to put you to sleep I used up all that fuel. You’re forgetting that you just woke up from a nap. It’s been a minute since we ate,” he says with a cocky smile.
I palm my forehead. “Why? Why do I get myself into these conversations?”
“I’ll order some Chinese. You want to watch Goonies?”
“How is that your favorite movie?” I say through my laughter.
“I was annoying as fuck when I was little. I got on everyone’s nerves and they’d come up with shit to get me back. Noah and John thought locking me in the room in the dark to watch it would scare me.”
“I freaking loved that movie. Chewy.” He mocks the movie, causing me to laugh more. He starts to laugh with me as he continues the story. “They got in so much trouble. Mom was the one to find me locked in the dark.”
“Oh my God. That’s so bad. I know she kicked their butts.”
“You have no idea, but I wasn’t done with them. I pissed in Noah’s bed a few days later. When Mom went to put away his laundry while we were at school, she smelled it.”
He falls onto me as he laughs, cupping my belly. He looks up at me with tears of laughter in his eyes. I’m trying my best to hold my own laughter in.
“When we got home she lost it on him. ‘How ole are ye? Ye pissed the bed and didn’t have enough sense to pull off the sheets to put in the wash?”
“‘Why are ye pissing the bed? Someone fucking with ye at school? Do I need to come up there? Ye need to see a therapist?”
“We all had our ears pressed to his bedroom door to listen as she reamed him out. I swear, he sounded so confused. He had no idea what she was talking about, which was only pissing her off more. She thought he was lying to her.” He gasps with laughter.
“That was mean and nasty,” I say as my laughter gets the best of me.
“You have seven boys, you will learn that we do some of the nastiest shit ever. Especially to each other. I could tell you some stuff that would totally gross you out.”
“Please don’t.”
He kisses my stomach. “I know that I mentioned it before, but I hope you’re up for more than one. I know you want a career and have dreams, but I’m willing to do whatever we need for you to have support. I’ll be a stay at home dad if I have to. These last few months have shown that it’s an option,” he says with a plea in his eyes.
His golden puppy eyes nearly have me promising him as many babies as he wants. However, I stop myself before I can make that promise. The truth of the matter is, I’m scared out of my mind as it is.
“I’ve yet to figure out how to be a mom. I might suck at it,” I murmur.
He moves up my body to my lips. Placing a gentle kiss against my mouth, he says, “I think you’re going to be an amazing mother. I put my life on that. Think about it. We can visit this discussion again after we’re married.”
With that, he gets up from the couch and leaves me stunned. I look after him as he saunters away as if he said nothing at all.
Married? He’s serious about that, isn’t he? It’s not the first time he’s mentioned it.
Hello, Carmen. Ryan Black is in love with you and he wants to get married. Time to let that sink in.
Chapter 40
Inevitable Paths
Carmen
“I hope she made some curry goat and rice and peas,” I say as I rub my belly. We pull up to my parents’ house and my stomach agrees with me. “Oh God, if Daddy made Miso soup or Yakitori I’m bringing the entire pots home. You have my back, right?”
Ryan laughs and shakes his head. My parents invited us over for dinner. I’m excited and so ready for time with my family and some good food.
“I’m sure your mother went all out. As much food as she brings to the house, I can only imagine what she’ll do from her own kitchen,” he says and leans to kiss my cheek before he gets out of the car.
I dig in my bag for my phone. Heather had promised she’d text us all a few pictures of the baby. She and Braxton are going out tonight and she dressed their little doll up and couldn’t stop gushing about it. She’s such a cute little girl.
I poke my lips out when I don’t find any pics. I was hoping they’d come in before I get distracted with my family. I’ll have to check again after dinner.
Ryan helps me out of the car and we head into the house hand in hand. I lean into his side. He squeezes my hand and kisses the top of my head.
I look up and smile, those golden eyes beam back at me. Placing a hand on my belly, reality hits me. I’m walking into my parents’ house with my family.
He kisses my nose. “What?”
“Nothing.” I shake my head as we cross the threshold.
I stop in my tracks as we round the corner into my parents’ living room. There’s a house full of people looking at us. Pink and blue balloons are everywhere.
Ryan moves behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, palming my belly. “Surprise,” he says in my ear.
“Surprise,” everyone else cheers.
“He didn’t want us to scare you.” Braxton laughs. “He was afraid we were going to stress you and the baby.”
“Do you ever shut up?” Ry snaps back at him.
I turn my head up to look at Ryan. He looks down at me and smiles. I guess now I know why he was acting all nervous today. I thought it was about having dinner with my mom and dad.
“You did all of this?”
“Ha. Hell no. My mom and yours did. My job was to get you here.”
“You tell a lie,” my mother says. “He has been in on everything we’ve done. He picked the cake and made the guest list.”
“Aye, he did his fair share to make sure it was perfect for ye, lass,” Cass says.
“Thank you,” I say to Ryan, lifting on my toes to kiss his cheek, he bends for me to reach, but turns his face after my lips brush his skin to peck my lips.
“You’re welcome.”
“Hey, we didn’t come here for that,” Roni says.
The crowd laughs, causing me to look around at all the smiling faces. So many people. I can’t believe how many people are here.
Faces from the wedding in Italy, even Gigi is here. I’m overwhelmed with a sense of family and friends. This is beyond what I expected for my baby shower.
Ryan
/> The smile on Carmen’s face is worth dealing with my mother and hers. They were going to drive me crazy with this shower. I’ve been distracted from planning our engagement as I’ve helped them out with the little details they asked me to see to, but that smile is worth everything.
“Does this mean you’ll stop harassing my wife?”
I turn to look at Nick and give him a cocky grin. “What? And leave you to raise my kids. I think not,” I taunt.
“You know, one of these days I’m going to forget who you are and kick the ever loving s—”
“Nick,” Sephora says in warning as she walks up.
She places her hand on Nick’s chest and the man melts under her touch. I smile as I watch the gesture. I don’t blame Nick for his possessive ways at all.
“I get it now. I know exactly how you feel,” I think out loud.
“I can see it in your eyes,” Sophie says. “She’s good for you. I like her.”
I turn to look across the room where Carmen is talking with Val and Tasha. I narrow my eyes and tighten my fists. Not the most innocent women in the room.
LaSalle can fool himself if he thinks his wife isn’t a killer. I smell that shit on her. It’s only a matter of time before that side comes out around here.
It’s been two months since Italy and Carmen has finally stopped jumping out of her skin at the smallest sound. I’m not so sure I want her getting too close to danger. Don’t get me wrong, I like Val. I’m still getting to know Tasha, but she seems cool if you look past what lies beneath the surface.
Nick places a hand on my shoulder. “It’s nothing we can avoid. We’ve brought them into our world, now we teach them to survive within it.”
“For the record, she was in it before me. Even if it was without her knowledge. And I never asked to bring her into this world.”
He snorts, causing me to turn and look at him. “You think this is a choice. We were all destined to be right here. She’s Kevin Briggs’s niece. That links her to Nate. Nate’s wife is good friends with Uri Donati, which links her to Val.” He nods to the women across the room. “They were going to cross paths. This, my friend, was inevitable.”
I look around the room. There’s a good portion of the Alliance here. Nick’s words couldn’t be truer. We’re all connected in some way. Six degrees of separation.
This has been in motion since way before Toby requested his seat. As I told Carmen before, I hate the silence and it’s been too silent concerning this Alliance. I’m not naïve enough to believe that it’s all been squashed so easily.
“We’re not here for any of that today. Can we not talk about anything other than babies and happy things?” Sephora says.
“You are right,” Nick says as he smiles at her.
“Come, I want to play the next game and I need a partner.”
I watch them as they go before turning to look across the room again. The group of three has grown. My mom and Carmen’s have joined the group along with a few other women.
“What’s with the look?” Wyatt asks as he walks over and hands me a bottle of water.
I notice the label on the bottle and smile. Baby Black. It has one of the sonogram pictures I provided my mother with on it as well.
I nod toward LaSalle, Uri, and the group they’re standing in. “You ever think Toby getting involved was a bad idea?”
“We were never going to avoid getting sucked in. I’ve come to grips with that. All we can do now is protect our own. It’s been quiet, but we’re still watching and waiting.” He bumps me with his shoulder. “Forget all that shit. This is your baby shower. You have a beautiful girl and a baby on the way. You’ll pop the question soon and we’ll be having another wedding.”
“I can’t believe the baby will be here in a month. I don’t know if I should get excited or puke.”
“A little of both,” he says and smiles. “It’s the best feeling in the world. I can’t explain it. It’s like watching the perfect sunrise, catching the perfect wave, and falling in love all rolled into one.”
“They’re everything to me. Carmen, the baby. I knew she was going to be a part of my life from the first time she fell into my arms, but this has become surreal. I’m going to be a father. Fuck. Who let that happen?”
“Bro, I’ve been asking the same thing,” he teases.
He tugs me into a head-lock and kisses the top of my head. “You’re going to make an awesome father,” he says in my ear. “If you fuck this up, the six of us will be here to kick your ass until you get it right.”
I shove him off, but I’m smiling as I do. “Five hundred says my kids are the least screwed up when they grow up.”
He barks out a laugh. “You’re so on. Hey, Noah, John,” he bellows across the room. “Get over here. You’re going to want in on this one.”
I shake my head as all of my brothers, not just John and Noah head in our direction. If this is what my future looks like, I’m fine with that. I can handle whatever comes to my door.
Chapter 41
Private Calls
Ryan
“We had so much fun,” Tasha says at LaSalle’s side. “I’m so glad we were able to make the trip.”
“Thank you for coming. It was so nice getting to know you more,” Carmen says with a huge smile on her lips.
“Likewise, I’m happy to gain another little sister.”
“Be lucky you live in California,” LaSalle says as he looks down at his wife lovingly. He places a hand on her belly and leans to kiss her lips. “We have a hard time finding our wives in New York. Maybe this baby will slow this one down.”
Carmen gasps. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes, and I thought we agreed to wait to announce it,” she says as she glares at LaSalle with no real heat at all.
These two make a perfect couple. That hidden look I see in Tasha’s eyes, I also see in LaSalle’s. There are people that are dangerous, but not smart when it comes to the execution of their transgressions.
Then there are those that will wait you out, plot their move, and have all the pieces move toward their desired outcome without anyone being the wiser. The King and Queen on the Chessboard. If I had to pick who to watch in this group, these two would be the ones.
“I’m a proud papa. I wasn’t going to hold it in much longer.” LaSalle gives her a smile and all the little frustration she may have had seems to melt right away.
“Well, since the cat is out of the bag. I’m exhausted. We’re going to be going soon. Come, we want to take a picture with all the girls,” Tasha says, grabbing ahold of Carmen’s hand and calling for the others to join them.
LaSalle moves in closer, catching my gaze. “You are one of the youngest that have fallen under my covering, but you’re bright. Kiyoshi sees this too. He talks about you as much as Ne.”
I turn to look at my soon to be father-in-law. Well, that’s still a conversation I need to have. He sees us and lifts a glass in our direction. I nod before turning back to LaSalle.
“I’ve gotten to where I am because of my brothers. My brothers have watched my back for as long as I can remember. Toby is lucky to have you. When he becomes distracted, you will see for him. You’re the observer.”
“I’m trusting that. The Alliance won’t work because of its leadership, it will work because of its foundation. That foundation is all the men around each member at the table.”
“You need anything, you come to me. Never hesitate to ask.”
“Can I ask why I’m getting this offer?”
“My son has mentioned you by name. You and your family. It’s the first time he’s been so specific about details so far in the future. A member of your little family is important to him.” He smirks at my confusion. “I’ll explain one day. We’ll talk more soon. Congratulations. For now, addio.”
I’m left totally confused as I look after him. I’ll be asking more questions soon. I rub at my chest as it grows tight. I’ve heard about Ellen and her gift.
Is he telling
me his kid has the same gift?
Man, I don’t know how I feel about that or if I want to know what that kid has seen about me and my family. I look toward Carmen. That happy smile is still there.
I can’t see my life without her. Whatever that kid has seen has to be some good shit because I’d lose my mind if anything happened to her or our baby. I shake the eerie thoughts off as Roni catches my eye.
She nods at Val a second before she starts up the stairs behind the group picture taking. No one has had access to the second level. Everything has been down here.
Paloma has set up a nursery here for the baby. I’ve been here a few times to help set it up. She revealed it to Carmen earlier tonight while everyone was distracted with food and drinks. It’s possible that Roni could be headed up to take a peek, but I doubt that.
Something else is up. I can feel it. I’m too nosey to let this go. I take out my phone as if I’m focused on it and ease my way around the room.
I’m almost to the steps at the back of the house through the kitchen, when Paloma appears. She beams from ear to ear. I curse in my head, knowing I’m not going to get upstairs in time to find out what Roni’s up to.
“Ryan,” she says, tugging me into a smile. “My daughter found a man as pretty as she. Come, let me fatten you up.”
My greedy stomach wins out over my curiosity. I follow her right over to the food. What can I say? This woman cooked so much good food, I’m not passing up thirds.
Roni
It’s been two months since I’ve had the baby and for a while, I thought I’d give this all up. That is until tonight. When Val gave me this phone and told me to answer the text, I have to admit I was curious.
Val has been one of the few in New York that I’ve allowed to get close to me. It’s something in her eyes that made me trust her. I was relieved when she started training for the Briggs.