To Protect Serve and Betray: A BBW Romance

by Leila Lacey

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Seth stepped away from Alena after her parents, sister and brother in law arrived giving them some family time. He went to the waiting room to call his parents

  “Hello?” Melissa answered the phone

  “MOM!” he said breaking down in tears. He held his fear and sadness in as long as he could. As soon as he heard the sound of his mother’s loving and understand voice, the damn of his emotions broke loose. He explained everything.

  “Oh, my God Seth! I am so sorry. How is Alena doing? Is she holding up okay?”

  “She is trying,” he answered wiping his face and trying to pull himself together. She’s such a trooper mom. I’m so scared for him.”

  “Seth, did you pray?”

  “Yes!” he replied unequivocally, “I prayed, I prayed twice. I don’t know if he’ll be listening to many of my prayers at this point. Considering the last couple of years,” he said holding his head in his hands.

  “Son, the Lord will never forsake you. Just go to him, ask for forgiveness and you are forgiven. Do you need me and daddy to come down? We could be there in twenty minutes,” his mother offered.

  “No! No, mom I don’t want to bring anything up for you about Shawn. Besides, he’s in the pediatric ICU. So, he can only have two visitors at a time. You would just be standing around talking to me.”

  “I am okay with that. You are an exceptional conversationalist son,” she teased.

  He chuckled a little. “Thanks Momma I needed that” he said

  “I am here if you or Alena needs me. Call me and let me know how things are, okay?”

  “I will,” he said hanging up.

  He paced the waiting room for a while crying. Trying to understand how two such beautiful human beings could have so many terrible things happen to them. He wondered if Ajani really knew how much he loved him and wished he was his father. This was one of the times his brother’s sense of humor would’ve been so great to have around.

  But no—Shawn was dead. He was dead because a monster had a vendetta against Seth. So many pinned up emotions all willed to the top and came spilling over. Seth screamed louder then he ever had in his life, and started to kick over chairs and tables in the waiting room. Punching holes into walls.

  “Seth?” Vanessa asked with shock on her face. “Lena is looking for you.”

  Drying his eyes quickly, he adjusted his shirt and stood a chair up that was in her path. “Okay, I am on my way”

  Looking around in shock “Holy temper tantrum he-man what happened in here?”

  Looking around he said, “Too much pain with no relief.”

  Smiling sadly Vanessa walked up to Seth and took his hand. “You love my sister and my nephew don’t you?”

  He took a moment to answer, should he tell Alena’s sister he loved her before telling her? His spirit took over and answered for him. “Yeah. Yeah I do very much,” he said quietly.

  “Have you told her?” she asked him.

  “No.”

  “You should tell her. Tell her now…don’t wait. Life is too short if you love someone they should know it,” Vanessa pleaded.

  “I just don’t think now is the perfect time to tell her.” Right now, was the worst time in Alena’s life, he couldn’t make this about him. Couldn’t make some grand gesture. Not now, when she needed him to stand up for her and show her his love rather than profess it.

  “Tell me what?” Alena said walking into the waiting room.

  “Nothing—”

  “That he needs to talk to you for a minute privately and I am going to sit with Ajani while you two talk,” Vanessa said as she left the waiting room, closing the door behind her.

  * * * *

  Alena stared at Seth and made a few mental deductions on her own from the look on his face and the mess in the waiting room. “Seth I know this is a lot. Having a sick kid and emotional woman dumped in your lap. It’s okay if you want to leave. I understand. I can text you with updates on Ajani if you want?” she said quickly while looking everywhere but at him

  He walked close to her, placing his hand under her chin lifting her head up to look him in the eye. “Alena I love you, and I love Ajani. There’s nothing short of a bomb that could get me to leave you alone now. Nothing!”

  “I—but what did you want to talk to me about?” she stammered doing the Holy Ghost shout in her head. Staring into his beautiful eyes. “Did you just say you love me?” She took a step back realizing what had just happened.

  “HA!” He chuckled while wrapping his arms around her again. “Yes, I did say I love you and it’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Well, it’s what Vanessa thought I should talk to you about” He smiled as he leaned in to kiss her cheek then her neck wrapping her in his arms and lifting her off her feet.

  Alena was still astounded that he could pick her up so easily. All two-hundred pounds of her was swung into his arms like she was the size of Ajani. “Hmmm…so you told my sister you loved me before telling me?” she asked relaxing into his arms.

  He popped his head up “SEE…I KNEW that was going to get me in trouble. But in my defense, she guessed. I didn’t tell her.”

  “I’m just kidding” She stood on her tiptoes and put both her hands on his cheeks pulling his head down to hers. “But I do have something I want to say to you.” Alena didn’t think she would ever have these feelings again—about anyone. Now, gazing into Seth’s green eyes, she should have known God would answer all her prayers.

  “Hmmm…And what is that?” he asked softly nipping at her lips.

  “I love you too,” she moaned.

  “YOU DO?” he asked in surprise, stopping the kiss. “You love me? Really you love me?” he exclaimed.

  “Yes, I do. You didn’t know?” she asked in surprise.

  “No! No! I didn’t know. I didn’t think you would be ready to even think about having those feelings for another man, but now that I do?” Seth picked Alena up and swung her around, kissing her as she squealed

  “Seth put me down. I am too heavy!” she said laughing.

  “You’re light as a feather to me and I love you so much baby,” he said placing her back on her feet

  The kiss was a tentative kiss it seemed almost chaste, Alena knew it meant he felt unsure of how or if…he should heat things up.

  Although she wanted to get back to Ajani, she wanted to let him know how much it meant to her to have his love. She started to kiss him back more intensely sliding her tongue slowly in and out of his mouth. She slowly slid Seth’s hand up her body to one of the naughty parts of her body.

  Groaning, Seth gave her large delectable breasts a little squeeze

  Alena moaned in pleasure which was a signal to them both they needed to step back before they were too far gone to remember Lena’s vow to remain chaste until marriage.

  “We...” he started to say but stepped back and cleared his throat.

  “Yeah, we need to stop. I have to get back to Ajani.”

  “I know. Come here,” he said pulling her back into his arms. “When Ajani is all better, we will get into this further okay?”

  “Okay,” she said smiling. She kissed him on the cheek and went to the door. “Seth. I am so glad God brought you to us.”

  Seth stood there with a look of shock on his face.

  Alena wondered why this wonderful man did not even know what a gift he really was, as she entered her son’s hospital room.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  It was now day five of Ajani’s treatment and the doctors were about to take the tube out of his chest, then take him off the life support ventilator. The treatment plan had worked and Ajani’s lungs were reflated. He’d been doing well with the support of the breathing machine, they had said. Now, they needed to wake him up and see if he would be able to breathe on his own.

  Alena’s parents were at the hospital for hours every day.

  Marcus’ parents came on the first day, but there was still tension between the two families
, so Alena agreed to keep them updated hourly by phone. .

  Today, they wanted to be here when Ajani woke up. Jeffrey came along with them this time, Alena was surprised to see him.

  Although, he’d come and asked her forgiveness and requested to spend time with Ajani. He’d only actually come by once, months ago. Hazel said he’d fallen off the wagon and was going back to rehab.

  They were all standing outside Ajani’s room waiting, when the pediatric ICU doors opened. Seth and his parents walked into the door.

  Alena turned and walked into his arms glad he’d made it back in time.

  “I am sorry baby my parents called and wanted to be here,” he told her not paying attention to the crowd of people she’d been standing with.

  Before anyone knew it, Jeffrey sprang out of the group toward Seth. Swinging his arms right and left each punch connecting with Seth. First his jaw, then his stomach—then his jaw again. Jeffrey yelled profanities at him as he swung his fists over and over.

  The women were screaming and two male nurses, Seth father and Alena’s father were trying to pull Jeffrey away from him.

  “Jeffrey are you crazy? What is wrong with you?” Alena shouted, kneeling down next to Seth while holding his head in her hands.

  “ME! ME? What the fuck are you doing with him? What kind of loyalty are you showing to my brother?” Jeffrey yelled starting to lunge at Seth again, trying to shake off all the people that were holding him back. Luckily, hospital security arrived and kept him from getting to him again.

  Alena was still on the ground with her head spinning.

  Seth spat the blood that had formed in his mouth out on the ground mumbling, “Lena I need to talk to you alone.”

  “Marcus is dead. I have a right to love someone else. If you ever paid attention to your brother you would know he would want me to be happy!” Alena shouted at him “

  “Lena, baby I need to talk to you,” Seth said again this time a little louder and more insistent.

  “Bitch, are you really standing up for this bastard?” Jeffrey said angrily before lunging at Seth again. “You son of a bitch!”

  “What’s going on out here?” one of the doctors said coming out of Ajani’s room. “This is an ICU ward not a back alley!”

  “TELL HER!” Jeffrey shouted. “Tell her right now you mother fucker or I will!” he yelled still trying to get his hands on Seth again.

  “Tell her what? Seth? What do you need to tell her?” Seth’s father asked.

  “Jeffrey what in the hell are you talking about boy?” Mr. Banner chimed in.

  “Lena I need to—baby, can we go so we can talk in private?” Seth said to her sadly.

  Alena got a painful sinking feeling in her stomach making her want to throw up. How did Seth know Jeffrey? What was going on between them? Why was Jeffrey so angry? And why hadn’t Seth told her he knew his brother in law? She stood up and started to back away from him.

  Seth reached for her. “Lena Baby…”

  Alena shook her head whispering, “No, tell me. Tell me now, what he is talking about”

  “Baby, my…” Seth started. He never imagined it would be this hard to say the words.

  “That mother fucker killed Marcus!” Jeffrey yelled, taking care of it for him.

  “What?” Alena, Hazel and Tabitha said at the same time.

  Alena backed even further away for him, the room was spinning like a carousel, she could hear car horns in her ears, she couldn’t breathe—why couldn’t she get any air? As if she were falling down a rabbit hole while looking him in the eye Alena remembered where she knew him from now. He was one of the cops who had pulled them over on her wedding day. She’d seen him on the news walking into court as the states witness when that dirty cop was on trial.

  Seth tried to get closer to her but Alena’s father stood between them.

  She doubled over in pain and started to scream at the top of her lungs. “NOOO!”

  Nurses started to cry from the sound of her pain wrenching screams. Alena screamed again, “WHY? WHY, TEL ME WHY? Why did you do this to me!” she cried as she doubled over. Her mother was trying to console her, her father searching for a chair.

  Seth’s parents stepped back toward the exit, realizing what he’d done. Melissa was in tears wanting to hold Alena and apologize for all the hurts her family had caused her.

  “Lena baby please let me explain. I wanted to tell you. I tried to tell you. I—”

  “YOU KILLED MY HUSBAND!” she screamed at him. “You killed him, you killed him!” This time it was Alena, who lunged at Seth connecting her first blow across his face. Then hitting him there two more times before pounding on his chest as she screamed words no one understood.

  Her father wrapped her in his arms pulling her away from Seth and sitting her down in a seat.

  “Lena baby, I am so, so sorry. I never wanted it to happen like this. I wanted to help, just be a help to you and Ajani if you needed any. I never expected to become friends and then fall in love with you. Baby please, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you!” he said with tears streaming down his face.

  “You killed my husband, you son of a bitch! You shot him down like a dog in the street because of the color of his skin!” Alena yelled. “YOU TOOK MY LIFE AWAY!” she screamed bending over in tears. She felt dirty and like the worst kind of trash. “As if that wasn’t enough you came into my life and made me lov—oh God, I can even say it!” she moaned

  She’d let the man who killed her husband and gotten away with it to kiss her, touch her, spend time with Ajani. Something Marcus had never gotten to do. “Oh God, please don’t let this be happening to me. Please?” she prayed looking to the heavens as she rocked back and forth, trying to soothe the pain in her heart and stomach.

  The silence in the NICU was louder than the noise of her screaming. Family, doctors, nurses and all of them looked like they wanted to help her, to ease her pain but none of them knew how.

  “Lena baby, please. I am so sorry!” Seth said trying again, to reach out with her.

  “GET OUT! GET OUT NOW SETH OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL KILL YOU TONIGHT!” she screamed.

  “Lena…” he tried again but was cut off by the sound of Ajani’s tiny voice.

  “Mommy, I want mommy!” he said to the nurse that was beside his bed

  She turned to run to his beside. With everyone following.

  * * * *

  When Seth went to take a step toward Ajani’s room, security stopped him. “Sir, I am going to have to ask you to leave. The pediatric ICU is for family only and you are not family”

  Seth thought it was ironic, the same guard that was putting him out was the same guard that had been so kind to him. Now, he looked at him with disgust and frankly, Seth couldn’t blame him.

  “Come on son, she’s with her family. Let her alone now,” Mr. Hale said nudging Seth to leave.

  “I’m gonna kill you, you punk mother fucker. I promise you I am going to kill you!” Jeffrey yelled.

  “Son, don’t go saying things you’ll regret! I’m sorry for your loss but you got no cause to be threatening my boy!” Seth’s father said.

  “What! What did you say?” Tabitha said finally able to find her voice “Your BOY killed my son! Shot him down in the street! He was a husband, he was a father, and he was a son! Your boy killed my baby!” she screamed falling into her husband’s arms

  Melissa stepped forward saying quietly, “I’m so sorry what my family has done to hurt yours if I could give up my life at this moment to ease your pain and bring your child back I would. I lost my youngest son a few months ago. I know the pain you are in and I’m so sorry! I know Seth was only trying to help. He just wanted to make his mistake right. In the process, he fell in love. There’s no excuse for his deceit. I’m sorry for that too.” She wiped tears from her face and went to stand next to her husband again.

  “He wanted to make it right? Is that what you said? He wanted to make it right?” Luther Banner said. “If he wanted to
make it right he would have told the prosecutor he was a killer and taken his punishment. Instead, he walked away and snitched on his partner, getting him sent to prison but not for the crime against my son. He the lied his way into my daughter in law’s life and made her fall for him! You want to make it right boy? You want to know what you can do to make it right. Kill yourself!”

  Seth stood there for a moment, taking in all the lives he just destroyed tonight and that night all those years ago. His eyes roamed over to Ajani’s room where he could see him through the sliding glass doors. Ajani waived to him still oblivious to who he was.

  Seth knew if he was ever going to redeem himself in Ajani’s eyes, he needed to walk away now, no matter how much it killed him to leave them both.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  “Ajani! Honey, will you please come on. I have to get you to grannies, so I can get to the boutique!” Alena yelled.

  “I coming Momma!” he shouted from his room upstairs.

  The doorbell rang, Alena wasn’t expecting anyone. The delivery man was at her door. “Hi, Willie, long time no see!” she said smiling at him.

  “Yeah, you haven’t ordered much lately,” Willie said laughing giving her the little contraption he carried for people to sign when they received a package.

  “Oh, I went through a brief shopping depression,” Alena said laughing. She hadn’t ordered anything this time. So, she’s very confused as to what Willie brought for her.

  “Well, I know my back is glad you’re feeling better,” he replied while putting the box just inside her door.

  “Thanks Willie.” she said waving to him as he walked away.

  She could see the realtor taking another couple into Seth’s house across the street. It’d been eight months since she found out who he was.

  Thinking about that day, about Seth and Marcus was something still too painful for Alena. She’d not seen Seth since that day at the hospital. He’d tried to explain himself, sent notes and flowers. She’d always thrown them away. If he hadn’t thought enough of her to tell her who he was before— everything. She damn sure did not care about his excuses now. Besides, how could she love the man who’d killed Ajani’s father? How could she live with him every day, knowing who and what he was?