Chapter 22

BRYCE

It’d barely been a week since I was gone but working at Brickstone was more tiring than I remembered it. I could still move around despite my swelling stomach though I never imagined it would have that kind of impact on me. By the time I finished closing up for the night, all I wanted was to sit down and breathe a sigh of relief.

Uriah sent me a message that he was staying late at the office but he’d come to see me right after. I didn’t mind staying up a little later than usual if it meant I got to see him. We both knew what was at stake. He couldn’t afford to take much time off.

I was so tired though that I didn’t bother cooking. A trip to a fast-food restaurant on the way home was all that Uriah would have for dinner tonight.

I was sitting on my couch, my eyes closed as I recovered from the long day at work. All of the bags of food on the table filled my nostrils and made my belly rumble. I patted my stomach to ease my hunger.

“Just a little bit longer,” I said with a smile. “Daddy’s almost home.”

My thoughts started to leave me and I began to drift off to sleep when there was a sudden knock at the door. I jerked my head up and looked down at the phone I was holding.

There were no new messages or phone calls from anybody. At this point, I expected anybody to be behind that door.

I swallowed nervously then approached it. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw Cade standing there by himself.

“You scared the crap out of me,” I said. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Since when did you ever care about what time it was when I stopped by to pay a visit?”

“Since you made a deal with a man like Rivera.”

“Right…”

Cade smiled at me. No matter how angry or frustrated I was, he always smiled. It was his way of reminding me that I could never be too upset with him. He was my brother more than anything else.

“I didn’t want to risk anybody hearing anything,” he said. “I need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

He looked around like he was making sure nobody was following him then stepped inside of my apartment. He immediately noticed all of the bags of food on my kitchen table.

“All that food and you haven’t eaten yet,” he said.

“Uriah’s working late at the office. But he’ll be here any moment now. I suggest you get out of here. Please, Cade. I don’t want to have to deal with you two getting into it again.”

“Don’t worry. This won’t take long… Why don’t you have a seat?”

I walked the short distance to my living room and collapsed on the couch. My eyes were closed but I could still feel him walking back and forth just across from me. A kind of nervous pacing that I didn’t usually see from him.

“How was work?” he asked.

“It was fine. I mean, I’m a little more tired than usual but nothing I can’t handle. The baby is still just a few weeks away. Male Omegas are only pregnant for a month before birth. I think I can work the whole time.”

“You might be able to work while you’re pregnant but after… Being a father is a full-time job.”

“I won’t be alone. I think Uriah and I will manage.”

“Uriah…”

I could hear the skepticism in his voice.

“You really believe in him, huh? You really believe that he’s the one.”

“Cade, he got me pregnant. He wouldn’t have been able to do that if that weren’t the case.”

“There are plenty of single Omegas who raise children by themselves. You and I didn’t have any parents. I think just you alone will be able to do a hell of a job. I know you can.”

I slowly opened my eyes. My brother was still smiling at me.

“I love you,” I said. “I’ll always love you. But I just don’t understand, after all this time, why I haven’t been able to get through to you.”

“I’m not—”

“If you say that you’re doing this for me one more time…”

He put his hands up as if to tell me that he understood.

“I have to tell you something,” he said. “About the deal.”

“What is it?” I sighed.

“Tomorrow night. It’s happening.”

I raised an eyebrow at my brother.

“What’s happening?”

He pulled his phone out and started typing on it.

“The police are behind,” he said. “Rivera blew up his old facility but he already has one up and running. Things are moving a lot faster than even he anticipated. I’ll send you the address right now.”

My phone vibrated in my hand and I saw that Cade was telling the truth.

“Tomorrow night,” he repeated. “First shipment is going out. It’s moving onto the streets. Dealers will get their hands on it and start spreading it through the West Bay. Rivera has most of the territory in this part of town for himself now, so the money is gonna come in real fast. He’s got my first payment for me.”

“Does he?”

“Yes. That’s what we were talking about at Brickstone earlier. Confirming everything as planned. It was quick.”

“Cade… Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I want you to know everything that’s happening. I know you don’t wanna hear me tell you that I’m doing this for you, so I won’t so anything. But you know that I would never betray you. I’m always on your side.”

“I know you are but…”

I looked down at the message. All I could do was shake my head because I couldn’t figure out what he was really doing. If I asked him, I knew I wouldn’t get an answer. Cade was always up to something. This time was no different.

“I can’t keep this from Uriah,” I said. “I have to tell him.”

His throat shifted with a swallow and he nodded.

“Anybody who’s there with Rivera will go down, too. I can’t ask Uriah to go easy on you.”

“I don’t know Uriah very well. But he seems to make you happy.”

“He does. He’s a good man.”

The look in Cade’s eyes almost seemed like he was regretful. All of the worst kinds of thoughts started to swirl around in my head.

I jumped up from the couch and put my hands on his arms.

“Please,” I said. “Whatever you’re doing, don’t go through with it. This is a mistake. Don’t make me choose.”

“Then don’t choose, Bryce.”

He smiled at me but that look on his face was still there. He narrowed his eyes like he was trying to hold something back. My mouth hung half-open as I tried to search for something else to say.

“Uriah’s probably coming soon,” he said. “I should probably get out of here.”

He turned around and left my apartment. I watched him head into the parking lot and get on his bike. He didn’t even wait a second before revving his engine and speeding into the darkness.

I stood at the doorway, not sure what to think. My phone vibrated in my palm again and knocked me out of my trance.

It was Uriah. He was on his way.

I clicked on his number then put the phone to my ear.

“Bryce. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I…”

“What is it?”

“There’s something I have to tell you.”