We chat and Royce parks in front of the building where my doctor has his office. He leaves the black SUV he’s driving idling and walks us to the door. “I’ll park and be right up.”
“You don’t have to do the waiting room thing with me,” I say. “In fact, please don’t. I feel like Reese would feel weird knowing that and I’d tell him. I’d have to tell him.”
His jaw clenches but he nods. “I’ll wait in the lobby.”
“Better, I guess,” I say. “Thank you.”
“Good luck,” he replies.
Lauren and I step into the elevator and she links her arm with mine. “This is it. You’re about to get the pregnancy stamp.”
I laugh. “Yes. I suppose I am.”
I’m smiling as we walk into the office, and it’s not long before I’m peeing in a cup and giving blood. I sit on the table and I wait and wait, to the point that I stand up in my gown and pace, despite the gap in the back where my ass is hanging out. The door opens, and I fold my arms in front of me. “Well?”
“You are indeed pregnant,” Anna, the nurse practitioner says. “Congratulations.”
I tear up. “Oh my God. Thank you. How far along?”
“Let’s do an exam and we’ll estimate a due date.”
Thirty minutes later, I find out that I’m five weeks pregnant, have samples of prenatal vitamins and set an appointment to come back again. I exit to the lobby and the minute Lauren sees me she squees and hugs me. “YAY! You are going to be such a good mom.”
“Thank you, but now, I just want to get to court and watch my baby’s father kick butt.”
“Agreed,” she says, and we exit to the hallway to find Royce standing there.
And while Royce always looks gruff and rough and hard, there’s an edge about him. “What?” I breathe out. “What is wrong?”
“Everyone is safe,” he says. “But Debbie showed up at the building.”
“What building?” Lauren asks before I can.
“This one,” he says, and the message is clear. She came here for me. And coming for me means coming for me and my baby now, and that is not acceptable, nor is it something I will take without fighting.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Cat
I take just a moment to digest Royce standing in front of me telling me that Debbie followed me to my doctor’s office but only for a minute, if that. I’m done with emotions. I’m ready to fight. “Where is she now?” I ask.
“The man I had following her stopped her from entering the building. He’s presently working on setting up a meeting with her.”
“I want to talk to her,” I say.
“You are not talking to her,” Lauren states. “She’s crazy. She’s stalking you now.”
“Or she’s trying to freak me out and get a fast payout,” I say. “I’m not letting her think it’s working. It’s not.” I look at Royce. “Do not tell Reese until after court tonight.”
Royce’s jaw sets hard. “He needs to know.”
“A woman is on trial to go to jail for the rest of her life,” I remind him. “Reese needs to focus on her. He knows you’ll protect me. You did protect me.”
“Negotiation time,” he says. “You do exactly what I say, and I’ll wait to tell Reese.”
“What is that you want me to do?”
“Stay away from her. Savage is at the courthouse. Once I drop you there, you go nowhere without him, not even to pee.”
“I’m fine with that,” I say. “My brother Gabe is supposed to be in court today, too. What else?”
“Reid called me,” he announces.
“My brother called you?”
“He wants to deal with Debbie instead of Lauren.” He pulls his wife to him. “Don’t argue. Debbie’s crazy. She proved that this morning. I don’t want you in this.”
“He’s right,” I quickly agree. “He’s right, Lauren. She is crazy. And Reid’s good looking, intelligent, and brutal. He’ll grab her attention and lure her into a trap that’ll let the police take over.”
“Then I’m coming to court with you today as well,” Lauren says. “I have time today. I want you well-insulated.”
“Good,” I say. “I’d like to have you there.” I look at Royce. “I really want to get to court and watch my husband work his magic, please.”
He nods and we head to the elevator. By the time we enter the lobby, he’s gotten a call. “Debbie agreed to a meeting,” he says. “Reid’s meeting her at his office.”
“If I know my brother, this could end today,” I say, as we cross the lobby. “Any idea who the father of her baby is?”
“No obvious candidate at this point,” he says, ushering us out to his SUV.
I’m just settling into the backseat when my cellphone rings. I dig it from my purse to find Reid’s number. “Cat,” he says urgently. “Are you okay?”
He sounds genuinely concerned in a way I’d forgotten Reid capable of being concerned. “Royce is taking good care of me. I don’t want Reid to know about this until after court is adjourned today. Promise me you won’t tell him.”
“I’m not going to tell him,” he says. “I’m going to end this. I got this and you. Understand?”
“I believe you,” I say. “Thank you, Reid.”
He’s silent a beat before he says, “Whatever was between us, I was always protecting you. I’m going to protect you now.” He hangs up and before I can even begin to deal with the knot of emotion in my chest, my phone rings again, this time with Reese’s number.
“Reese?” I answer, surprised he called. “How are you calling me?”
“We got into court and the prosecution called for an immediate fifteen-minute recess.”
“Waiting on a witness?”
“That’s what they said. A medical examiner. What did the doctor say?”
“I have a prescription for anti-nausea medication I need to fill. I want to get to court before I miss something.”
“I can fill it for you,” Lauren says and leans forward to talk to Royce who’s behind the wheel of the car and pulling us into traffic. “Drop me at the pharmacy by the courthouse.”
“Lauren’s going to get my meds,” I say, mouthing, “thank you” to her.
“But what did the doctor say?” he presses. “Is this something serious?”
“Serious?” I ask, glancing at Lauren who gives me a big grin and mouths “yes,” before I continue with Reese by adding, “More like lingering,” I reply to Reese. “It could take a while for the nausea to pass.” I quickly change the subject because I’m not going to lie to Reese. That’s not who we are and talking in circles is becoming uncomfortable. “How’s Dana?”
“She spent the night simmering. She’s angry this morning about being in this position. She said she read your column this morning and it just drove home how much she needs to fight back.”
“Is that good or bad? I’d say good but you’re the one in the heat of battle.”
“It’s good, Cat. I’m glad you wrote it. I gotta go. I’ll see you at lunch.”
“Yes. See you at lunch.”
His voice softens, “About that birthday surprise.”
“I’m not telling you what it is,” I say, smiling.
“I’m telling you that it can’t be ruined. Nothing ruins us. I love you, sweetheart.” He disconnects and I sigh, that smile lingering on my lips.
I glance at Lauren and she smiles. “I don’t know what he said,” she says. “But I’m glad he said it.”
“Me, too,” I whisper. “Me, too.” I grab my MacBook from my briefcase I’d left in the SUV when we were in the doctor’s office. “I want to write in my baby journal for Reese. There’s so much about this morning I want Reese to know.”
Lauren squeezes my arm. “Do that. Focus on him, not Debbie.”
“I am,” I say, but mentally I’m prepared to do whatever I have to do to end this. I want to just go public, I do, but that could hurt th
e firm. “But really, what power does she have?” I ask.
“What does that mean?” Lauren asks.
I grab my phone and dial Reid. He answers on the first ring. “She’s here. What do I need to know?”
“I just want to make sure you know where I stand on Debbie,” I say. “If she goes public, if Reese and Cole agree, I’ll embrace it and turn it into columns and a book with a big payout, probably a million dollars, that I’ll invest right back into the firm to offset the damage. Use that to strip her power.”
“Did Reese and Cole agree to this?”
“No, and this doesn’t mean I’ll do it. It just means I could. Use it. Take her power.”
“We’ll see. Call me at recess. We both know if you get up and call me Reese will know and be distracted.”
“Yes. It would, but waiting is going to kill me. Can you just text me everything you can?”
“I will. I’m going to make her sit in the conference room to stew which means it will be a while.”
A voice sounds in the background. “Reid. She just threw something at the receptionist.”
“Fuck,” he murmurs. “I need to go.”
“She threw something at the receptionist?”
“I need to go, Cat.” He hangs up.
“Royce, Debbie is—”
“One of my men is there,” he says. “He’ll handle it and update me.”
Everyone is handling my problem but me. “I want to go to Reid’s office. I need to go to his office now.”
“You need to let Reid handle this,” Royce says, eyeing me in the rearview mirror. “You need to be in court where your husband knows you’re safe.”
“I know,” I say. “But there’s a crazy woman raising hell in my brother’s office because of me.”
“Trust your brother to handle this.”
Trust my brother. He doesn’t know what a loaded statement that is but he’s right again. I have to trust Reid, the way Reid has never trusted me. The way I trust Reese and Reese trusts me. I’m back to Royce being right. I need to be with my husband and since the SUV is currently pulling up to the side door of the courthouse that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Be with my husband.
I grab my bags and I’m about to exit when Lauren catches my arm. “Prescription?”
“Yes. Thanks.” I pull it from my purse and hand it to her. “I really appreciate this and everything.”
“Of course. I’ll bring it to you so you can at least take it at the lunch break.”
I nod and my phone rings with Gabe’s number. “Savage told me you’re about to be here. I’m waiting outside the courtroom for you. We have five minutes until they reconvene.”
“I’ll be right there.” I disconnect, truly living in an alternative universe when both of my brothers are a part of my day and both are trying to protect me. I really don’t know what to do with that information but I’m not rejecting the help. I have a husband and a child to protect.
Savage, looking as big and barbaric as ever, meets me at the door. “Before we go into the courtroom, I need you to come with me.”
“Where?” I ask, falling into step with him.
“Woman,” he says. “You always have to ask questions.”
“Where are we going, Savage?”
It’s in that moment that someone grabs me and pulls me into a hallway.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Cat
I yelp with the tug on my arm that pulls me into a deserted hallway, only to be whirled around, and pressed to a wall with Reese’s big body molded to mine. “Reese,” I breathe out. “Why aren’t you—”
He kisses me, a deep, drugging, make-me-moan-right-here-in-the-courthouse kiss that has me pushing on his shoulders and panting out, “What’s wrong?”
“Tell me again what the doctor said,” he orders softly.
He must suspect I’m pregnant. Does he? “You need to be focused on court. Why aren’t you with your client?”
“Cat.”
“I told you. She gave me medicine. I’m fine. Lauren went to get it so I can take a dose at lunch. This isn’t like you. When you’re in court, you’re in court. What is going on?”
He presses his hands on the wall on either side of me and he looks skyward, torment radiating off of him as he fixes me in a turbulent stare. “I asked the judge for an extra fifteen minutes.”
“Why? I know it wasn’t to ask about my doctor’s appointment.”
“There was an envelope delivered to me a few minutes ago. The envelope was marked ‘important, read before you go into court.’”
“It was from Debbie,” I assume.
“I will assume that to be accurate. It was pictures of you Cat, taken over the course of weeks.”
“She’s been watching me,” I say flatly.
“That’s another safe assumption. Cat, there’s more.”
“More? What more could there be?”
“The note in the envelope said, ‘I’m going to tell her everything.’”
I have just a moment that those words punch me in the chest, but it’s a moment and it’s gone. “We’re good,” I say. “That means nothing to me.”
“I could have hidden it from you, Cat.”
“But you didn’t. You wouldn’t. She’s at Reid’s office now. I was going to wait and tell you until tonight but she showed up at my doctor’s office. Royce’s team cornered her, and that’s how she ended up with Reid.”
“At your doctor’s office.”
“Yes,” I breathe out.
“At seven in the morning.”
“Yes,” I say, and only now do I realize how crazy that really is. “How could she know where I would be when Royce was watching her? She couldn’t have been at her apartment, but rather ours.”
“Exactly,” he says. “Fuck. I need to call Reid.” He pushes off the wall and grabs his phone, dialing my brother on auto-dial, since they talk often for work reasons. The two firms partner on crossover cases and have for years. It’s how I know Reid isn’t as much of a bastard that I used to think he was, but he can be when he so chooses, and I want him to so choose now.
I listen to Reese and Reid talk for a full minute, with a conversation about the police, among the many fast-moving topics, before Reese disconnects. “He’s handling things. Trust him. I do.” His hands come down on my shoulders. “I wish I could get out of court, but Dana and the jury and—”
“Go in there and do your job.”
“I need you to stay in the building. Come to the back room with the team for lunch. We’ll skip the truck.”
“She’s with Reid. We need that lucky hot dog and she doesn’t get to make us hide.”
“We’re being cautious. We’ll order in hot dogs. Don’t leave. I need to know—”
“I won’t. If it will make you focus, I won’t go anywhere without you.”
He presses his forehead to mine. “If she touches you, Cole will be defending me. Fuck. Now I know how he felt when that man attacked Lori.”
“She was literally attacked. I haven’t been and I won’t be.” I cup his face. “Go win and give me juicy stuff to write about.”
His fingers tangle in my hair and he stares down at me. “Do not leave the courthouse.”
“I promise.”
He kisses me, another deep, drugging, curl my toes kiss, before he releases me, and says, “Don’t move.” He steps to the edge of the hall, leans around it and then Savage is joining us. “Stay with Savage,” he orders, kissing me once more, hard and fast on the lips, and then he’s gone.
Savage steps in front of me. “Ready to go to court?”
I stare at this big, hard man, a scar running down his face, and right now, I need a distraction to calm my mind. “How did you get the scar down your face?”
“Enemy combatant overseas.”
“What happened to the other guy?” I ask.
“He died. Painfully. Ready to go to court?” he asks
again.
“Yes, but just so you know, that story is very comforting right about now.”
“Yeah. I should have been a doctor. Great bedside manner and all.”
“Then I should tell you something. I’m sick right now. I may have to get up suddenly and go to the bathroom. How do you want to handle that?”
“Gabe’s here, but text me and wait for me at the door. If you don’t see me, throw up on Gabe or the floor, I really don’t care which, but do not leave without me.”
“So much for your bedside manner.”
“The only good bedside manner is the kind that keeps you safe. Let’s go before the crowd makes me pull a running back move to get you into your seat.”
I don’t laugh but I do start walking. I just want in that courtroom with my husband in the same room. We head down the hallway, and the minute we hit the bustle of people, Savage’s hand is on my arm. A few more steps and I spot Gabe waiting by the courtroom door, looking as handsome as ever in a grayish blue suit, his blonde hair rumpled as if he’s been running his fingers through his hair anxiously. That’s not like my brother and that tells me he knows what happened this morning.
The minute we’re in front of him, he pulls me close and hugs me. “Way to make me regret every asshole moment I’ve ever had with you, little sis.” He pulls back to look at me. “I’m repenting. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve already said that to me. Stop saying it. We’re okay Gabe.”
“We’re not, but we’re gonna get there.” He eyes Savage. “I’m with her. I know the rules. I won’t let her leave without you, even to pee.”
“Or throw up,” Savage says. “You both wait for me.”
“Throw up?” Gabe asks, eyeing me. “What does he mean?”
“I’m fine. Lauren is bringing me medicine and it’s nothing you’ll catch.”
“That means pregnancy or food poisoning. Which is it?”
I don’t want to lie to my brother, but I have to protect this secret and—I have to protect this secret. “Food poisoning,” I say, nearly choking on the lie that I hate. “And I need to get into court.” I walk past the doors and Gabe is instantly by my side.
Two Years Later Page 11