Trey was everything Brittany ever dreamed of: loving, passionate, protective and attentive. Their first holiday season together was magical. She spent Halloween with Spenser and the children and they went trick-or-treating in the Thomas neighborhood. Spenser had progressed a great deal and now enjoyed her new son, aided by antidepressants.
She was also a great teacher. Brittany assisted in simpler design jobs while Spenser encouraged her to observe as Spenser used advanced techniques for the more detailed projects.
She resumed her counseling sessions and continued her journal writing. Trey accompanied her to her first OB appointment and decided Spenser’s doctor was a fine, upstanding man. In his mid-forties, he laughed a lot and had an easygoing manner. Brittany liked him too and knew she could face him even if Trey wasn’t with her. As her physician, he probably needed to know about what had happened to her but she decided to tell him later rather than sooner.
On their one-month anniversary, Trey guided her out of the apartment building, one hand over her eyes. He carried her in his other arm and curiosity ate at Brittany.
Trey set her on her feet. “Surprise, baby girl,” he whispered against her ear, dropping his hand.
A small silver car glinted in the afternoon sun. He held up a key and Brittany gasped.
“Happy anniversary.”
Squealing, Brittany launched herself into his arms, raining kisses on his face. “I can’t believe you did this. I only have a romantic dinner planned before you go to the station.”
“I take it you like it then?”
Unlocking the door, she hurried to the car and slid inside, noticing the insignia for the first time. A BMW. Trey had purchased her a BMW. He got in on the passenger side.
“What on earth made you buy me a car?” she asked, bewildered. “Your truck drives perfectly.”
“You can drive my truck whenever you’d like. We may live on a police officer’s salary but I intend to spoil you.” He smiled but it was sad, rueful and not in the least sincere. “A girl like you should have diamonds and big houses and expensive cars.”
The car purred to life and Brittany put it in gear. “Shoot, I don’t have my driver’s license.”
“You’ll be fine. Take it for a spin around the block and tell me what you think.”
As she accelerated forward, Brittany squealed again, glad to hear Trey’s genuine laughter. “As long as I have you, I don’t need anything else. For real.”
“Brittany—”
“No, listen to me. I don’t know where you got the idea you’re not an able provider but it isn’t true. I have you,” she repeated, turning onto the side street. “And our baby.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to live in a mansion somewhere?”
“Not if you aren’t living with me, no.”
Trey sucked in a breath and turned another smile on her. Although he encouraged her to continue driving, she didn’t want to push her luck. Within five minutes, she was pulling back into the parking lot of their apartment building.
“Pull in next to my truck,” he directed.
Ignoring him, Brittany drove to the back of the complex, stopping behind the dumpsters. With the windows up and the a/c blasting, the new car scent surrounded them. She climbed over the console between the seats and straddled Trey’s hips.
“What are you doing?”
She rocked against him, kissing the hollow in his neck. “Christening my new car,” she murmured, unfastening his belt buckle. “Don’t tell my husband though. He’s a cop, you know?”
He smirked at her. “He wouldn’t approve of our illegal activity?”
Brittany pretended to consider Trey’s question. “No. He wouldn’t be too happy if he discovered I’m making love out in the open.”
After leaning back in the seat and freeing himself, Trey wrapped her in his arms. “I promise this will be our secret.”
He nipped her lower lip, pushing her dress above her waist and sliding the seat of her panties aside. He thrust into her and she groaned, raising up on his cock then seating herself again. The friction of her panties and his hard flesh against her clit curled her toes.
“I love making love to you,” he rumbled.
She bit Trey’s earlobe, reveling in the feel of him, the musky smell of sex increasing her enjoyment. “I don’t want to make love,” she returned. “I want to fuck.”
✽ ✽ ✽
The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Brittany sat in the bleachers of the gym, going over her shopping list one last time while she kept an eye on the progression of the game of three-on-three, cheering Trey on even though he was playing against Bryson. She couldn’t wait until Wednesday when Mrs. Wilson arrived and Brittany cooked Trey’s mother a meal. She giggled, happy at the promise her mother-in-law made—they would prepare the Thanksgiving meal together. The guest list had grown to include Spenser’s family, Cedric and his girlfriend, and Karl and Destiny, so dinner would take place at Mitchell’s house. The violence Karl had committed against her seemed to have happened in another lifetime. More often than not, when she was around him—as she was today—he ignored her. And as usual he’d brought Destiny along. She sat on the opposite side of the gym. Every now and then, Brittany peeped across the court and found the other woman’s gaze on her. As with all the other times, Destiny kept her distance.
The first time Destiny accompanied Karl, Brittany had tried to strike up a conversation with the woman, but Destiny made it clear she had no wish to communicate, so Brittany didn’t make any additional overtures.
For the time being, she also let Bryson off the hook. He’d welcomed Trey into the family and she knew his happiness for them was genuine. His hypocritical behavior went deeper than her and Trey. If she brought up Jamie, Brittany’d have to tell him about the daughter Jamie had. Neither Stephanie nor Jamie would return her phone calls. As usual Brittany wanted to protect Bryson. If it turned out he’d loved Jamie as much as Trey claimed, then the child she had would hurt him either way. It would crush him if it wasn’t his and it would infuriate him if it was. One meant Jamie had gone straight to another man and the other meant she didn’t think enough of Bryson to tell him the truth.
Baking powder. She needed to add baking powder to her list. She grabbed her pen and paper and started to write. A flutter quickened her womb and Brittany stilled. A moment later, it came again.
The baby! She jumped to her feet.
“Omigod!” She’d heard the baby’s heartbeat during her checkups and tried to see what the doctor saw on the ultrasound monitor. Another flutter. To feel it moving in her belly sent waves of emotion through her. “The baby! Trey!” she yelled. “Come quick!”
A shout and a curse punctuated the air, followed by a, “Personal foul!” before Trey ran to her, his body slick with sweat.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
Bryson stopped on the other side of her. “Should I call 9-1-1?”
“The baby’s moving.” Giddy, she grabbed Trey’s hand and placed it on her belly. “It moved for the first time!”
“You interrupted our game for that?”
She ignored Karl’s annoyance, not moving until Trey felt their baby’s flutters too. It came again, the barest movement.
Awe shone in Trey’s eyes and he grabbed her, kissing her hard.
Cedric’s sneakers squeaked on the court floor as he stomped away. “Yo, man, you’s a damn shame with this woman.”
Tears and laughter escaping her, she transferred her gaze to Bryson. “Do you want to feel?”
Reluctantly Trey removed his hand, so much emotion in his eyes she couldn’t focus on Bryson’s hand against her belly.
“Damn, it is moving!”
“Let me experience this wondrous moment.”
Trey scowled, shaking his head at Karl. “Bryson’s lucky I let him touch her.”
“But—”
“Keep your damn hands off my wife.”
“I’m sure Brittany won’t mind.”
Folding her arms, Brittany sniffed. “I’m sure I do mind.” She removed the bite of her words with a smile. Not even to keep her secret would she allow Karl anywhere near her baby.
“I guess that means I can’t get a feel then?” Cedric called, whooping with laughter.
“Fuck no.” Trey spoke in a calm tone.
Leaning down, he kissed her then ordered her to sit again. Karl excused himself, heading in the direction of the locker rooms. The indoor court smelled fresh and new, the result of Karl using his money to do some good.
Or maybe as penance for all his sins.
Her belly tightened and her heart pounded. She wondered if the baby could detect her sudden change of moods. The guys returned to their game and Brittany answered a text about a work order from Spenser then remembered to finish adding baking powder to her shopping list. She decided she’d treat Trey to buttermilk biscuits, so she added buttermilk too.
After the game ended, they were going to the Galleria to purchase maternity clothes for her. At seventeen weeks she had the slightest bump. Her loose maxi dresses, long skirts, and peasant blouses worked well but she wanted some stylish clothes to exhibit her pregnancy instead of hiding it. She wouldn’t buy a lot today. Just an outfit for Thanksgiving Day and another for Black Friday, which she, Mrs. Wilson, Spenser and Spenser’s mother intended to brave.
“Did you enjoy it when Trey came in you and dropped the baby in your belly?” Karl sat next to her, a towel around his neck, a bottle of water in his hand. “I hear the pleasure is almost unbearable when a child is made and a man leaves a part of himself inside your body. I’ve never fucked a pregnant whore before. You’ll be my first.”
Her cell phone thumped to the wooden floor. Her stomach heaved and she wrapped her hands around her waist. “If you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to tell Trey everything.”
His forearm rubbed the underside of her breast, a burst of fury lighting his eyes, and Brittany swallowed back bile.
“Brittany—” Trey called and his gaze fell on Karl. Swearing a blue streak, Trey barreled toward them.
Karl set his water down and jumped to his feet.
Trey grabbed a handful of the other man’s sweaty shirt and dragged him to the court. “You fucking play this game or you get the fuck out of here.”
“My bodyguards are just outside this door. All I have to do is give a shout.”
“And remind me why I give a fuck about them?”
“You’re threatening me and they are paid to protect me.”
A warning. Not for Trey. For her. All at once her joy evaporated and fear crashed back. She’d angered Karl and he was prepared to retaliate. He’d promised he’d kill Trey and Bryson if she spoke a word and she’d threatened to do just that.
The therapist had assured her Karl was attempting to control her by making the threat and if he’d wanted them dead, he would’ve killed them already. Brittany had believed her. So much of what she said made sense.
But for all the good Karl did in the community, for all that he’d ignored her these past weeks, he was still Karl. He still held the lives of Bryson and Trey in his hands.
And that of her and her baby. She shivered, the shouts and curses breaking through to her. Trey wasn’t going to give in. He’d honed in on a suspect—Karl—and he didn’t want the man anywhere near her. He wanted a reason to act and retaliate as much as Karl did.
Brittany was scared. Scared of Karl’s intentions. And scared of Trey’s. He had the law on his side but in this case, she wasn’t sure he’d act within the bounds of the law.
Trey, unarmed, was standing in front of Karl, who was now flanked by his bodyguards. Trey was calling his cousin every name in the book.
“He enjoys pain.”
Brittany jumped at the sound of the woman’s voice. Bryson and Cedric were inserting themselves between Trey and the other men. She pulled her attention away from the drama on the court and focused on Destiny. A faded bruise stained her cheek and more nausea churned through Brittany. She was a breath away from vomiting. She drew in air, trying to control her breathing to calm herself, as Stephanie had taught Brittany to do.
“Giving it and receiving it,” Destiny continued in a low, monotonous tone. Her pupils were huge and dilated. “He hurts me then he whips himself with a metal-tipped riding crop.”
Brittany trembled. Maybe she should’ve gone to the police. Maybe Stephanie had been right. If Brittany had been brave enough to press charges, the woman next to her would’ve been spared pain.
“Leave him,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
The other woman’s lips trembled. “Confess,” she countered.
Brittany sidled away, tears rushing to her eyes. The men were calming down. Trey, Bryson and Cedric stood to one side, talking amongst themselves while Karl stood on the other side with his bodyguards, who were displaying the weapons they usually kept concealed.
“You can’t tell,” Destiny whispered, hoarse. “Any more than I can leave. I tried to run away to my sister. He caught me before I reached Karen’s dorm.”
“K-Karen?”
A distant look entered Destiny’s hazy brown eyes. “Yes. Karen Anders. My sister.”
Now that Destiny spoke about Karen, Brittany saw the resemblance between the two girls.
“He met me one day when I went with Karen to visit Stephanie. That’s how Karen ended up as your roommate. Stephanie pulled some strings.”
My sister was raped. You know how we found out? In the note she left the day she ran away…
Karen’s long-ago words floated through Brittany’s memory. Her lungs expanded, searching for oxygen. Stars swirled through her head and she reached out, unseeing, her hand landing on Destiny’s shoulder.
“He raped you too.” Her words sounded thick, deprived of air and reason.
“Y-yes. He still does.” Destiny started to cry. “He beats me and hurts me and makes me watch while he hurts himself. He’s obsessed with you. Obsessed.” She thrust her chin to where Karl and his bodyguards stood. “Those two? Woodrow and Archie. They’re little more than killers. They make his problems disappear and they don’t care who else might be hurt. Collateral damage, Karl calls it. I’ve learned not to antagonize him. If you love your husband, don’t provoke his cousin.”
Rising to her feet, Brittany shrank back when she saw Karl’s long strides eating up the distance between them, his bodyguards trailing alongside.
“What the fuck are you two sorry bitches talking about?” he snarled.
Destiny lowered her gaze, refusing to meet Karl’s. “Nothing,” she mumbled.
He stared at Brittany as if he saw right to her heart and wanted his hatred to consume it until there was nothing to her left. Yanking Destiny to her feet, he shoved her to Woodrow. “Take this drugged-up bitch to the car.”
“Yo yo, what’s up with you?” Cedric asked. “The way you went off on our boy ain’t right. He was just protecting his woman.”
Karl glanced over his shoulder and Cedric stepped back.
“Bye, Brittany,” Destiny called as Karl’s lackeys led her out.
Without answering, she stared at Karl, flinching as his hands balled at his sides.
“Oh fuck, Trey’s coming.” Cedric’s voice trembled with fear. “I think you need to get the fuck outta here before Trey fucks you up for real.”
Karl stared at her belly, his eyes glazing over, his nostrils flaring.
Brittany raised her chin. Her legs threatened to give out on her but she kept remembering Destiny. Her defeat. Her fear. Her warning.
Scooting around Cedric and away from Karl, she smiled as Trey and Bryson reached her. Her grin felt fake so she imagined how it looked. Not allowing Trey a chance to study her features, she went into his arms but she couldn’t prevent her trembles. She clutched his shoulders, inhaling the scent of his sweat, of him.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He kissed the top of her head. “I love you more, baby girl.”