His Price

by Leah Holt

  Making a direct line for him, the people in front of me were a blur. Voices chimed into my ears, but the sounds were a blend of just wordless tones. I wasn't stopping for anyone, a fire was burning inside me, and there was no calming the flames.

  Half way across the room, I broke into a run. My dad's eyes enlarged, his back stiffening against the wall. Pressing a hand to my chest, my mother stepped between us. “Hegan, enough! No more fighting!”

  Wrapping my fingers around hers, A worried expression fell over my face. “He took her, he took Noella.” Looking over my mother, I stared at my dad. “Did you tell him to do this? Why, huh? Why did you have him take her?”

  “What are you talking about?” My mother glanced between us, brows raising high. “Who took Noella?”

  “Stefan, he took her and I think he's bringing her to your boat. Where is it?!” Rocking on the balls of my feet, fear had started to roll up my spine. I could taste it, a mix of rotten meat with sour lemon. The flavor was creeping to the surface, coating my mouth.

  “Hegan, why would he take her? Maybe she needed to go somewhere, the poor girl was just embarrassed.” Cocking her head, she glared at my father.

  Holding up her jacket, I yanked the items from the pocket. “Without her jacket? With out these?” Shaking the wallet, I stepped in closer to my father. “Where is your boat docked?”

  “Hegan, I didn't tell Stefan to do anything with Noella. Look I'm sorry, but—”

  Cutting him off, I said, “But nothing! Where is your fucking boat?!” I had been so fixated on us, that I hadn't noticed the entire party had stopped. Every eye was set on us; on me. But I didn't care, let them gawk at me; none of them meant a fucking thing to me.

  “It's at the marina, dock twenty.” My father placed his hand over my shoulder, squeezing firmly. “Go, go get her.” Letting the ice pack fall from his chin, he jammed his hand into his pocket, pulling out his keys. “I'm calling the police, but you go get her. I know you really care for her, Hegan. And I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted like that.”

  I didn't know what to say. Never in my life had my father admitted he was wrong, or apologized for something he'd done. It didn't matter if his wrong doings were thrown in his face, he never admitted to them.

  But now, right that moment, he did.

  “Thanks,” I said. Curling my fingers around the warm metal, I turned and ran through the room. I didn't stop, I ran until I hit his car. With the cold handle in my grasp, I flung the door open. There wasn't time to think, only time to act.

  Noella needed me, that was all I could think about. And nothing was going to stop me from saving her. My father was serious, he hadn't told him to take her. If he had he would've said it, he would've gave some lame excuse for his actions.

  Except, he was just as shocked as I was. His face hung, eyes filled with the same fear I had tasted. Stefan had decided to do this on his own, it was his idea to take her, no one else.

  My foot slammed down on the pedal, tires peeling out on the ice as I tore out of the driveway. For the first time in my life, I realized I had meaning; an actual purpose that was more than just money and pussy.

  Noella; Noella was my purpose. She was the one thing I'd finally found that actually brought me happiness. She made me feel, really feel. It's hard to explain having gone an entire lifetime with no true emotions.

  But she breathed a new life into me, gave me a new outlook on the world. I was meant to find her, she was meant for me.

  Watching the road, the lines meshed into one large strip, the lights flying by in a flash. The marina was a fifteen minute ride, but it felt like eternity. The car couldn't go fast enough, no matter how hard I pressed my foot down, the dial was in slow motion.

  Fuck! Come on! I wanted to wish myself there, wish myself standing there on the dock. She needed me now, not after he did whatever he was planning. And I wasn't exactly sure how long they had been gone for.

  I was counting down the exits in my head, only two left, that was all that stood between the marina and me. Gripping the steering wheel tighter, my blood was boiling inside my veins. I could feel the heat stir up deep inside my muscles, straining against the skin.

  The one thing I couldn't wrap my head around was why Stefan had done that. He had stolen her, yanked her from my home, and right out from under my nose. I hadn't seen this coming, never did I expect he would run off with Noella.

  But he was going to understand how bad he fucked up. A piece of me hoped the cops got there before I did, for his sake. It was only a small piece of me that wanted that, the rest wanted to beat the living shit out of him.

  And that's exactly what I planned on doing.

  Pulling into the marina, I turned the car off and took a deep breath. Stepping out of the car, the only sound around me was the waves crashing against the deserted boats. It was an eerie silence under the crisp clear sky; the stars were sparkling, moon shining down with a blazing glow.

  I thought it seemed much brighter than usual, I had a clear view of the walkway and docks. None of the wood was covered in snow, it had melted away from the salty air and high waves that smacked against the sides.

  Squinting my eyes, I could see a faint glow of light up ahead. The small windows were dark, but the light peeked out around the edges of the curtains. That was where I knew I needed to be, where I'd find Noella.

  Walking as gingerly as I could, I didn't want to make a sound. I needed to be a whisper in the air, a shadow in the night. Stefan might have expected me to be coming, and if he didn't...

  All the better for me.

  I tried to stay hidden, darting between the other boats, listening for any movement; but there was nothing. Slowly, I approached the boat; 'Bernadette' printed boldly on the side. Watching the windows, I waited to see if anyone was walking around inside. Straining my ears, I tried to make out the soft muffles behind the walls.

  It's now or never. Just go already! Noella needs you! Moving my feet as quick and quietly as I could, I climbed onto the deck. Pausing briefly, I tilted my head closer to the door. I could hear her crying, then I heard the one thing I never wanted to hear.

  Stefan yelled, “Shut up!” A loud smack rang through the air, and Noella let out a small yelp.

  That was it, my rage took hold. He had hit her, I heard him hit her. And no one was ever going to touch her that way. Stefan wasn't going to lay another hand on her, I was going to break both his arms.

  Flaring my nostrils, everything seeped out of my brain. The only color I saw was crimson. Gripping the metal bars in front of the stairs that lead underneath, I held myself up and kicked the door open.

  My muscles had engorged, squeezing around the fabric of my shirt. Stepping inside, I set my sight on Stefan. He was standing only a few feet away, gun held up to his nose.

  “Well, isn't this sweet. You came after all.” His lips curled up, eyes batting his lids coyly.

  “Let her go, Stefan.” Taking a long step, I walked towards him.

  His chest rolled, releasing an evil laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me? I should shoot you both, save me the trouble of having to see your faces anymore.” Bringing a finger to his eye, he scratched the corner. “Looks like you're about to get what you deserve.”

  “Did you not hear me? I said let her go.” Balling my fists, I glanced over at Noella.

  She was tied up, knees scrunched to her chest on the floor. A red welt swelled under her eye, body trembling. “See, I knew he would come for me, Stefan. You fucking asshole,” she said, inhaling deep breaths.

  “Why are you doing this?” Shaking my head side to side, I took another step in. “Put the gun down, or you're really going to regret this.”

  “You're in no position to tell me what to do. Not anymore.” Turning the gun sideways, he slid closer to Noella. “You don't get it, none of you fucking get it!” Lifting his thumb, he cocked the pin back.

  “Get what?” Holding my hands up, palms out. I wanted him to think I wasn't a threat, maybe get him to drop h
is guard. Then I would make my move. He had a gun, he could shoot me if he wanted too. But I wasn't going to let him harm Noella, I didn't care if he shot me, as long as she was able to get out.

  “Do I have to spell it out for you? You're an ungrateful bastard, Hegan! Everything our father did for you, everything that I should have too, and you treat him like shit!”

  Our father? Did he just say our father? “Yeah, I know I haven't exactly been the greatest son, but it goes both ways. He could have done things different. Did you just say our father?” Cocking my head, brow arched, I tried to get myself between Stefan and Noella.

  His lips parted, chuckling. “Are you seeing it yet? Look at me!” Holding his arms out wide, he glanced up and down himself.

  That was my chance, I charged him. Hitting him hard, I wrapped my arms around his waist. Falling to the floor, the gun went off. My ears buzzed, the deafening pop split through the cabin. Holding his chest down, I pulled my hand back and laid a hard blow into his face. My knuckles hit the soft flesh, a crunching sound billowed around me.

  And I couldn't stop, punch after punch rained down onto Stefan. I hit him until all the air seemed to escape his chest. His body went limp and lifeless, head angled towards his shoulder.

  Pressing off him, I stood and turned towards Noella. She was yanking the rope from her wrists, freeing herself. Shifting her gaze to me, she yelled, “Hegan! Look out!”

  I tried to duck, but Stefan laid into my skull with his elbow. Dropping to my knees, he kicked me in the back, my head was twirling, vision fuzzy. Rolling to my back, Stefan was standing above me, holding a knife from the counter.

  “Hegan!” Noella yelled, sliding the gun that he'd dropped my way. Wrapping my fingers around the handle, I held it up and fired. Stefan stumbled backwards, eyes open wide, staring at me with a shocked expression.

  The sound of sirens started to roll in the distance. Holding his shoulder, Stefan slid down to the floor. “He's my dad too, half of this was mine, Hegan. You never deserved any of it.” Letting his head fall back, his eyes closed.

  Climbing to my feet, gun still held firm on him. “What?”

  “I'm your brother, well your half-brother.” The air from his chest heaved out, head tilting towards me. “Brandon doesn't know it yet. That's why I went to your house that day, not for the butler job. But I was too nervous to tell him, and when he asked if I was there about the job I froze.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? So why didn't you say anything?” I wasn't sure if that was another ruse by him, or if he was being honest. I didn't trust him, never did, and certainly not after he just tried to kill me.

  Shrugging his shoulders, Stefan made an aching noise. “I don't know, then I found out about his plan for you to have a baby and when she came along, I knew I'd never get what was owed to me.”

  “I don't care about the baby, Stefan. I told my dad that tonight. He can keep his fucking money, I don't want it. Noella...” Eyeing her from over my shoulder, I said, “She's all that matters to me, nothing else.”

  The loud pounding of feet echoed over the boat. “Drop the gun!” A police officer yelled from behind me.

  Letting the gun fall to the floor, I held my arms up. Noella ran over to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. A large group of armed policemen rushed into the cabin, swooping the weapon up, and taking Noella and me out of the boat.

  I was shocked, I had a half brother that was fucking crazy as hell and tried to kill me. Standing at the ambulance, I watched them put Stefan into another one and drive away. Noella draped her arms around my chest, head resting firmly against me.

  Looking up at me, she asked, “Did you mean that? That you don't care anymore about the money or having a baby?”

  “Every word of it. I don't need that shit to get what I want, I already had what I wanted.” Slipping my thumb under her chin, I pulled her to my face. “I only need you, all the money in the world couldn't make me as happy as you do.”

  Flickering her eyes between mine, lashes fluttering, I pressed my lips against hers. They were warm, soft velvet against my skin. Breaking the seal, she hovered her lips against my cheek. “So what are you really saying, Hegan?”

  The words weren't hard to find, they had been sitting on my tongue all night. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” Her whisper sent chills across my body, a feeling I never experienced until then. “And just to let you know, I'm pregnant.”

  If I hadn't been dizzy already from the blow to the head, I would have been when she said that. Grabbing her shoulders, I pulled her back. “Are you fucking with me?”

  “No,” she said with a smile. “I took the test earlier today, and it came back positive.” Her fingers swirled across my chest, tugging gently on my shirt.

  My heart started to race, even wilder than having the gun to my face. Noella was pregnant. She was having my baby. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I lifted her up, and spun her in a circle. I hadn't really thought about how I would've reacted; or what I would've thought if she had actually gotten pregnant.

  But it was nothing short of elation. I'm going to be dad. Wow, a baby.

  I couldn't believe it. I was going to be a father.

  Life would never be the same. Everything about the world I knew, looked different. It changed in a split second.

  And that was a welcomed feeling.

  Epilogue

  Noella

  “You ready?” Hegan asked, slipping the shirt over his head. A soft smile lifted across his face, eyes beaming as he looked me over.

  “Yeah, I'm ready.” Reaching for the nightstand, I attempted to sit myself up. Grunting, I rolled back onto the bed. “I think I need a little help.” Chuckling, my stomach hurt as it bounced up and down.

  His laughter couldn't be contained, I watched his chest rapidly rise as he tried to inhale between breaths. “It's a good thing I'm here, otherwise you'd be stuck.” Stepping to the edge of the bed, he held his hands out.

  Wrapping my fingers around his palms, I squeezed tightly. Hegan's muscles formed beneath the short sleeves of his shirt. Rolling into a firm ball, the other muscles followed, contracting in a wave as he pulled me to my feet.

  Trailing a finger down the center of his chest, it rode the steps of his abs back to his shoulders. “Thanks,” I said, leaning in and kissing his cheek softly.

  “Anything for you and my little guy in there.” His hands fell to the large basketball resting under my sundress.

  I was eight months pregnant, and ready to pop. And that day couldn't come soon enough. It was hot as hell out; the middle of August was not an easy month for a pregnant woman.

  The week before we had gone grocery shopping, and I swear the hot flash that hit me was like nothing I ever felt before. Instantly sweat beaded up on my neck, my face turned a cherry red, and I found myself sitting in a cooler with the frozen vegetables.

  Resting my hand on the small of my back, I made the attempt to look down at my feet. They were there at one time, I remembered having feet.

  And ankles, and a vagina. Yes, my vagina, a sight I have long forgotten what it looked like. I couldn't wait to have this baby and finally see all of me again.

  “God, I'm a whale.” Palming my belly, I turned sideways in the mirror. Jolting slightly, I gripped the edge of the dresser.

  “Are you alright?” His eyes filled with concern, placing a hand on my back, he wrapped the other around my stomach.

  “Yeah, yeah I'm fine,” I said, trying to push the air back into my lungs. “Jackson just gave me one hell of a kick. Maybe he didn't like my whale comment?” Smiling, I straightened my back, tugging my shoulders towards each other to stretch.

  “Well, he's right. You're not a whale, you're beautiful.” Spinning me around, he looked right into my eyes. “The most beautiful thing I have seen in my life.” His thumbs ran down the line of my jaw, cupping under my neck.

  Tilting into his hands, I looked up under hooded lids. “Really? Because I feel like a hum
an host. Like my body's not my own anymore, it's been taken over.”

  “Stop it. You're carrying my baby, and that in itself makes you more beautiful than you can ever imagine.” Pressing his lips against mine, he kissed me with such passion. I could feel him in my nerves, in my soul.

  Hegan had been sent here for me to find, or rather for him to find me. Everything we had been through was worth it, all for this moment. The love of my life, holding me in his arms; made me feel like the most special person in the world.

  And we were having a baby, a piece of both of us was going to be brought into this world. A little version of us.

  I've been trying to guess what Jackson would look like. Would he have my eyes? Maybe Hegan's dimple in his chin? It was exciting to think that in no time at all he would be here, and I would have my answers.

  “So, where are you taking me for lunch? I'm kind of in the mood for a cheeseburger.” Licking my lips, I opened my eyes wide. That had been my craving, burgers. I couldn't get enough of them. Well, burgers, and coffee cakes. I'm pretty sure I've eaten a pallet sized dose of coffee cakes these past three months.

  I'd been warned the cravings would hit and they'd be unstoppable. Holy shit, my mom was right! I hadn't had a coffee cake since I was at least five, and now I couldn't get enough of them.

  “What a surprise, a burger. Well, you're just going to have to wait and see, it's a surprise.” Winking, he slid my purse off the dresser and pulled it over my arm.

  “Really? You're going to tease a pregnant woman?” Tisking, my head swayed side to side. “I don't know, Hegan. That might be a bad move on your part, the couch could end up being your bed for tonight.”

  “Ha! Is that right?” His mouth hung open, cocked to the side in a huge smile.

  “Yeah,” I said, nudging him in the ribs.

  “I doubt it. You couldn't do that even if you really wanted too.”

  “Oh yeah, and why's that?”

  “Because, how the hell would you get up during the night if you had to pee? I wouldn't be right there to help you.” His eye brows lifted high. “Then you'd be in a wet mess.”