“Theo I need you to check the baby’s heartbeat for me, please.” I took a step back looking into his thunderous gray eyes.
He grabbed my hand, leading me to the back of the ambulance. He motioned for me to sit down on the gurney inside and I did. He quickly pulled out the small handheld doppler. He squirt a tiny dot of cold gel onto my bare belly and we both sat with baited breath until we could hear the fast paced rhythm. I let out a huge sigh at the exact moment that Theo did. We both smiled at each other as he handed me some tissue to wipe up my stomach. I slid my shirt back down into place before reaching around Theo’s hard mid section, hugging him tight. He kissed me on the top of my head, and then moved to help me out of the ambulance.
“Thank you, Theo.”
He was nodding his head as I caught Hannah’s car pulling in next to us. She quickly jumped out hugging me close to her and pulling me away from Theo.
“Hannah, what are you doing here?” Confusion was written all over his face but I knew he had to go.
“I’ll explain later. Go Theo, now.” I pointed in the direction of Raylon’s apartment before getting into the passenger seat of Hannah’s car. I cranked the heater all the way up as my teeth began to chatter. I could see Hannah staring at me out of the corner of her eye, but I was determined to get as far away from here as possible before I told her anything.
She clicked her seatbelt into place and put her car in reverse. Before I knew it we were already headed in the direction of her and Theo’s place. I let out a sigh of relief as I let myself relax into the seat.
“I’ll start at the beginning.” I saw her head nod in agreement and then I continued. “ On what should have been the most memorable night of my life, I woke up to find this.” I held the small folded up piece of paper between my fingers. “I don’t know when it showed up but Gray had found it taped to our front door, then he hid it. I sat at the kitchen table reading it over and over again. I couldn’t stop. Gray came downstairs, we argued for a minute then he scooped me up to take me back upstairs. The minute we hit the foyer, all I could smell was gasoline. Gray tripped, I caught myself, he told me to run and I did, just as our house went up in flames with him in it.” I wiped the stray tears falling down my face. “I watched as the flames engulfed him.” A sob raked through my body and Hannah’s hand came up to comfort me. “I felt someone grab me and when I turned to look at who it was, Raylon was there.”
I watched as Hannah’s eyes went wide in disbelief. Since the whole hospital fiasco, we hadn’t heard one word from or about Raylon. Or at least that’s what I thought. We all let our guards down, even me, and we shouldn’t have. I was slowly starting to blame myself. I should have known something like this would happen.
“Next thing I knew, I was waking up with my hands tied in my lap and duck tape over my mouth. I had no idea where I was, but Gray and Jason must have known. They came in through the glass window in the room of the apartment I was in with Raylon. Gray told me to stay where I was, but I knew he was going to do something he was going to regret. I couldn’t let him ruin his life over something that didn’t involve him.”
Hannah’s fingers were wiping away the falling tears, “Bennett, you know that’s not how he looks at it. He loves you and that baby. You know he would do anything to protect the both of you.”
“I know, Hannah. I know. Anyway, so I went to follow them. They took Raylon into a different room. I pounded as hard as I could, I swear I tried to stop him.” I held up my bruised hands as proof. “I gave up after a few minutes with no answer. I went to find a phone or something and then I heard it.” I stopped trying to breathe past my sobs. I clutched my chest just thinking about Gray pointing a gun at Raylon and pulling the trigger. I know Raylon deserved it, but I never thought Gray was that heartless to be able to kill a man in cold blood.
“Then, what? What happened, Bennett?” We had already arrived at Hannah’s house but she left the car running as she sat on the edge of her seat waiting for me to finish.
“Then, I heard the gun shot. It was so loud; I swear my ears were going to start bleeding. There was only the one and I knew Raylon hadn’t been trying to fight back. Jason had already subdued him before they went into the other room. He killed him Han. He killed Raylon.” My head fell against Hannah’s heaving chest and her arms securely wrapped around me. We both sat crying uncontrollably in the dead of night. Our cries echoed off of the doors of the car and I sunk further into her safe arms.
****
Hannah’s hands slid through the back of my hair effortlessly. The motion was soothing and it was the only time I had felt safe in the last six hours. Our tears had dried up at least an hour ago and I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the green glowing numbers on the dashboard, alerting me to the fact that it was now four in the morning.
I sat myself up staring blankly out the windshield. Hannah’s hand pushed my hair back over my shoulder, just before she bent forward to turn the ignition off. I reached for the cold metal handle, expecting tears to follow but they didn’t. Hannah’s actions mirrored mine and we both made our way into the confines of her home.
Theo and Hannah’s house was half the size of ours, but it felt more like home than mine did at this moment. I made my way to the bathroom to wash up my face. When I emerged from the doorway Hannah was lying on her back staring up at the ceiling on her bed. I made my way to the other side of her and lay down in the exact same position. My eyelids began to grow heavy just as her voice broke through the silence.
“You have to talk to him, Bennett. You can’t just leave.” Her voice was gruff.
“I know, Han. Just not tonight.” I rolled onto my side, cupping my belly in my free hand. Seconds later, I was fast asleep.
Twenty-Seven
Gray
I woke up in my car after what felt like minutes. I glanced at my watch realizing that I had actually gotten a couple hours of sleep. I put my seat back in an upright position before getting out to stretch. I grabbed my jacket out of the backseat and walked the ten feet to the front of our house.
The firemen had helped me put a tent of tarps up to shield the rest of the house from any incoming snow. I stood staring at our house in utter disbelief. How did our wedding day end with this? I shook my head, turning to get back in my car. My mouth dropped the instant I saw her walking up the driveway.
I wanted to run to her. I wanted to sweep her off of her pregnant feet and hold her as tightly as possible, but I didn’t. I stood back waiting for her to make her way to me. I didn’t want to push her away so I just stood and stared. Her beautiful face came into view as she closed the distance between us. I couldn’t help but notice her haggard appearance. She was still as beautiful as the day I met her, but she looked exhausted and I grimaced knowing I was the cause of it.
Her hand reached up around the back of my neck, pulling me as close as we could get without our lips touching one another. I let my eyes flutter shut and breathe her in. She smelled of coconuts and strawberries and I knew she must have showered. She was still wearing my dress shirt from our wedding, but she now had on a pair of black yoga pants instead of her small sleep shorts.
I let out a sigh, knowing that she was safe all night made me breathe a little bit easier. Her other hand came up to my cheek and ran down it, stopping at the base of my throat. I could feel her warm breath against my cool skin and it sent shivers down my spine. I carefully placed my hands at the small of her back and took a deep breath, her smell pulling me in further.
“Can we rebuild it?” Her voice sounded like an angels at that very moment and I gasped. She was here, with me, wanting to rebuild our home.
“Of course.” I couldn’t help myself any longer; I pulled her into one of the deepest kisses I had ever placed upon her lips. Every piece of me awoke to her touch. Just as I was going to press further, she slowly pulled back.
“Did you kill him, Gray?”
I couldn’t see the look in her eyes but I could hear the sadness in her words. “Not exa
ctly.” This obviously wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear, because she was instantly pulling further away from me. “Wait, let me explain.” I muttered as I pulled her back to my chest. I needed to feel her. I needed to know that she was there with me, at least trying to hear me out.
She nodded her head and I proceeded to tell her what happened. “Jason wanted to kill him, trust me he did, but he couldn’t do it. He even told me he was aiming for his heart. Bennett, I went to go get you. I couldn’t do it. The gun went off a second later. I turned and Jason stood there, gun aimed in shock. Raylon was still alive when I called for an ambulance. He died just before they got there.” I bowed my head in shame, not wanting to see the look of disappointment in her eyes.
When I heard her take in a deep breath, I chanced a look at her. She looked relieved, happy even. “Thank you, Gray.” Her lips softly pressed against my jaw.
“For what, Button?”
“For not being able to do it. Even though the opportunity was right in front of you, you resisted. Thank you for being the man I knew you to always be.”
I let out an enormous sigh of relief as I watched a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. Even at eight in the morning, with no makeup, lack of sleep and a tragedy lay out before her; she still found a way to look breathtakingly beautiful.
“Thank you, Bennett, for loving me despite all of my flaws.” I whispered into her neck.
We stood arm in arm looking at our home that we were going to rebuild together. My hand dropped down to her belly and I couldn’t help the smile that broke out across my face. Our wedding night may have turned to shit in an instant, but our life together was going to make up for it; I just knew it.
Twenty-Eight
Five Months Later- 39 Weeks Pregnant & counting…
Bennett
I pulled my ginormous nine-month belly and myself out of the comfort of our bed against my better judgment. The last thing I wanted to do today was entertain Vince and Cora. Is it bad that I still sneer every time I think or say her name? I laughed at myself as I made my way into the bathroom.
Apparently Vince and Cora had decided that they were meant for each other. I believe Vince put it so eloquently by saying, “one man’s loss is another man’s treasure,” just before high fiving Gray. I just rolled my eyes and Gray reached to rub my belly. I knew he wasn’t going anywhere and she knew he wasn’t either.
Hannah and I spent many long hours having to hang out with and get used to her, now that Vince and her were being transferred back out to Connecticut. Vince started bringing her around when we started rebuilding and I guess she kind of grew on me. Not like I had much of a choice in the matter, Vince was going to be proposing soon so I had better get used to her now.
She had taken it upon herself to apologize for her actions at our wedding. She explained how the shock of finally seeing him and I together, made her question everything she had ever thought was between them. She knew in that moment that Gray and I were meant for each other. At first, I didn’t quite buy into her bullshit excuses, but as time drew on, I realized it was the truth.
****
I turned on the shower as hot as I was aloud to and slid my hefty body inside. Once the glass clicked into place behind me, I stood with my hand and head pressed against the wall. Letting the rushing water run over every part of my sensitive skin. I was suddenly missing my days of long warm baths and taking my time. Soon enough I was going to be short of showers and I’m sure patience and energy. We were getting so close I could almost taste the finish line. I closed my eyes and melted into the warm steamy water.
****
We had rebuilt the whole front of the house in less than three months. Gray, Theo, Jason and Vince were amazing and quick. We added an extra room, off of the new sitting room and rebuilt the monogram-tiled foyer exactly the way it had been before the fire.
Once Gray and Jason gave their statements that night, Gray also turned in his resignation. I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. I knew Gray never wanted to leave me the way his father had left his mother. I never wanted Gray to give up his dream of being the man his father was, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little bit happy about it. I couldn’t imagine my life if something were to happen to him. Amazingly that night, Jason had shown up nearly minutes after the fire started. Gray watched through the biting flames when Raylon took me, and he all but pulled himself out of the overwhelming flames to get to me.
It took about a month for Theo to start coming around again. I know he didn’t blame Gray for what happened, or Jason for that matter but Raylon had been one of his oldest friends. I never took offense to him needing to grieve Raylon’s death. I knew how Theo felt about me, just like I knew that he would forever feel bad for what Raylon had done to me over the years. Hannah would come by every now and again, but I knew she wanted to be at home and there for Theo when he needed her. I would have done the same for Gray.
Eventually, when Theo came to terms with it all, they came over and picked up right where we all left off. Hannah, myself, Cora and our new favorite friend Heidi would sit back under one of the old pine trees out front –when weather permitted- and watch our men work their fingers to the bone. It was amazing how determined my wonderful husband was, to make sure we had a home ready for our little one to come home to.
Since the “infamous” wedding Jason and Heidi had been going on many dates. We ended up staying at Jason’s house while we were rebuilding. He was the closest and we didn’t feel like we were intruding. I remember getting out of the shower one night and hearing a small woman’s laugh, echoing down the hallway. Jason didn’t feel comfortable enough to tell me about him and Heidi right away, so naturally he had been hiding it from me.
When I knew I recognized the laugh, I went running, towel wrapped tightly around me, right into his room screaming, “AH HA!” Heidi’s eyes went big, as did Jason’s when I finally realized that the towel had moved just low enough to show one of my nipples. I gasped in embarrassment but then we all broke out into hysterics.
Gray walked in a few seconds later wanting to know what happened. When Jason told him that his wife was showing off her lady parts, Gray’s face went bright red and I had to use all my strength to hold him back from pummeling Jason’s face in.
We all got quite a kick out of it. Needless to say since then, I hadn’t gone running around the house unless I was fully dressed, per Gray’s requests. Over the last couple of months we have all built up quite a bond with one another. I don’t think anything or anyone could break through our impenetrable force field.
I haven’t been without my moments too. Since the ordeal with Raylon, and the fire, I quickly started going to see a therapist. I had promised Gray before we got married and I was all about keeping my promises these days. Dr. Thomas was a very nice lady and she listened more than she talked. I liked that. She helped me realize that I needed to stop blaming myself for all of the bad that has happened over the years.
I had some bad days after Raylon’s death, and honestly, she was the only one that could have gotten me through them. Don’t get me wrong, I rely on Gray more now than ever before, but some things were easier to deal with without his two cents. Though Raylon had done a world of hurt to me, I still found myself grieving for the man I thought he was. If it hadn’t been for him and his tortuous ways, I truly believe I would have never found my way back to Gray. Through my hurt and turmoil I found myself, a beautiful person, deserving of my husband’s love. Dr. Thomas was a godsend. I only wish I could’ve found her sooner.
When we had finished the house a couple weeks ago, I was elated to be able to move back into the comfort and safety of our new rebuilt home. We had officially moved back in two weeks ago, but hadn’t had anybody over yet to see the end result. We were just too overwhelmed with everything that had happened and our soon-to-be-here baby girl or boy.
We decided to be ‘those people’ and wait to be surprised by what we were having, when the time was here. Eithe
r way, we knew we were going to love this little boy or girl with all of our hearts.
****
I quickly washed my hair and body, hoping I would still have time to curl my hair before everyone started to show up. My head was leaned back as my hands washed out the suds of soap when I felt a pair of strong calloused hands run down across my breasts, past my belly and cup my heat. Our sex life definitely hadn’t been suffering through the living arrangements. If I wasn’t initiating it every hour or so, Gray was right there hinting towards it just as much. Pregnancy had done wonders for my sex drive and let me be more comfortable with myself.
I opened my eyes long enough to watch my husband’s face disappear between my legs. I sucked in a gasp as his tongue pushed between my folds licking and sucking his way down. I pressed my hands into the tile walls of the shower at my sides. I felt my walls clenching and I knew that the first one was going to come on fast, it almost always did.
Just as I was about to climax, Gray pushed two fingers up and inside of me, making me come apart at the seams. My legs trembled as I rode out the wave of pleasure, anticipating his next move. His fingers slid up against my nub and up to my nipples. He pinched and twisted as his mouth took over the other one. My breathing became rapid and I had to move my feet to better hold up my shaking body.
Breaking Beautiful (Broken Series #2) Page 12