CHAPTER 9
CRAIG’S MOST RECENT TOUR IN THE MIDDLE EAST was the most hellish he’d had, not because the enemies there were worse motherfuckers, but because he was feeling an entirely new void inside of him that no blood lust can fill, not even momentarily.
On numerous occasions, he found himself counting the days and nights. He inwardly berated himself.
It was a lost battle though.
Now, he was back in the USA for his vacation.
Nine months. That felt like the longest tour he’d ever had.
He should do the routine. Call Tommy, have three consecutive nights of orgy with three babes. Then he’d go visit Bella and the kids.
Yeah, the usual.
But he didn’t call Tommy, didn’t even inform his friend he was back in Miami. Instead, he spent the night tossing and turning on his bed…the bed he’d shared with—”
He growled in the darkness.
He got up and walked naked towards the panoramic windows. The view would be magnificent to others. He’d bought this view with his millions but how ironic that it never brought him joy. The universe of twinkling lights that was the city on one side and the crystal reflection of the moon on the sea on the other side made him feel emptier than he’d ever been. They were mocking him, rubbing in the glaring truth.
He was alone. There was nobody to talk to. Nobody to listen to his silence and fully understand the words he was not uttering. Nobody to welcome his tired body in her warm, safe embrace.
Nobody.
In that moment of solitude, he finally conceded.
He wanted her.
He longed for her.
He needed her.
He didn’t know what he needed but he had to have her again, feel her next to him, enter her sweet, tight depths, feel her wetness coating his cock, infusing him with the energy vibrating within her little body.
He would go mad if it didn’t happen soon.
He went to get his phone, called someone he knew at Homeland Security and pulled some strings.
——*****——
“Andi!”
Her name. THAT voice.
There was only one person who made her name sound like magic.
No. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be him. Her ears were just playing tricks on him. She had been jumpy lately. Extra emotional, too.
“Andi?”
She closed her eyes. Oh God. No. Why? Why now of all days? Why not months from now? Just not right now, please!
She could feel him, his powerful presence. He was coming towards her. She didn’t need to turn around to know he was just a few meters away now.
Her heart seemed to have lodged itself in her throat, blocking her air. Breathe. You can handle this. Stay calm.
She slowly turned around.
There he was.
Craig Walker in the flesh. Looking like a walking ad for the hot and loaded. His hair was a bit damp, like he just showered. Yes. Smelled like someone three nymphomaniacs would eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and midnight snack. Had he had it with “his type” already? The Double Ds. Hah, she could compete now. Her boobs had ballooned like she’d never imagined these past months she had to upgrade her cup size to E!
He smiled, revealing his pearly whites. “You got fat, sugar pie.”
Okay. He was still an asshole. Didn’t rich people go to those fancy schools teaching them impeccable manners? He clearly did not know the unwritten rule. Tell a woman anything except she gained weight. Not that she can deny the extra pounds she’d packed from munching on burritos and cakes her Auntie Frida were fond of making for her.
He was still beholding her fatness like it was the ninth wonder of the world. At least it wasn’t a repulsed look. More of a… nah. Impossible. It had been eight months or so. Her novelty had surely worn off and she wasn’t looking her best nowadays.
She hoped he wouldn’t look down and get a fat shocker, too. Thanks to the unusually cold drafts of air in Miami this February, she was wearing a black oversize poncho which made her body look like a thick log.
“Not really fat. Just….healthier looking.”
Good Lord, this man was one of the reasons the world was full of anorexic women.
“Hi, Officer Walker. It’s nice to see you again but will you pretty please leave my fatness alone because I’ve no problem with it. I love my burritos too much lately to give a shit what you think.” She gave him her most dazzling, phony smile.
The bastard literally paled, realizing his lack of manners. “I wasn’t complaining, sugar pie. I like your…glowing skin. You look beautiful.”
Oh God. That look. It was THE look, indeed. She knew that particular look really well. He wanted another week of sex.
SEX?! Her kitty finally made its excited presence felt. It started acting up when she heard his voice. If her lips down there were hands, they’d be clapping in anticipation.
Sorry, slutty kittycat, you’re not gonna get any. How you can think of sex at this month is beyond me! Don’t make me feel horny right now when something’s gonna pop out of me any day now!
She tried to act casually, even if her heart was banging against her ribcage like a battering ram.
Why was he here? And how in hell did he find me? What did he want? Where was Renly?
When he continued to just stare at her with this look in his eyes she was afraid to interpret, her tummy started to contract.
Oh god…settle down, honey.
“It’s nice to see you back in Miami. You’re a long way from Miami Beach though. What are you doing in Wynwood?” she said, needing to fill the tension-filled silence between them. Renly, where are you?!
“I came to see you.”
Okay. Keep calm. It didn’t mean anything. He just wanted more sex. Too bad she couldn’t oblige him even if she wanted to. Oh shut up!
“For what? Oh, I’m not selling encores, sorry. Try the next door.” She gestured to a beautiful woman walking by a few meters away. As expected, Craig’s hotness did not escape the lady’s notice as she kept glancing back at them.
He grinned. “Don’t sass me. It’s been nine months. I need a break from hostility.”
“Who, me? I wouldn’t even dream of it, officer. But I’m really not the right person to—“
Her sarcasm was cut off by his sudden action.
He framed her face with his palms.
“Andi…” he breathed her name like he was thanking all the gods that he found her.
Her tummy churned.
Oh no.
“Craig…”
Before she could utter another word, his lips descended on hers.
OH. MY. SWEET. GOD.
Her lips opened for him. His tongue slipped inside. She moaned in delighted relief. She thought she’d never taste him ever again.
Delicious. Simply delicious.
The kiss was as magical, as toe-curling, as intoxicating as the first time he initiated her lips into the delights of kissing. The tongue-action turned her limbs to molasses. She grabbed both his forearms for support.
His kiss became deeper, practically devouring her.
“Oh baby, I missed you…”
I missed you, too.
His arms went around her, pulling her towards his body.
She gasped as she felt a kick right there on the front wall of her belly.
He froze.
He pulled back, grasping her shoulders as he stared down between them, at her middle.
His hand went down, palming her tummy. Someone kicked at his hand.
He pulled away as if scalded.
“What the…?” His shocked eyes went back to meet hers.
“You are…” He couldn’t say the word. His Adam’s apple was bobbing up and down, looking confused.
She wished the situation were different, then she would be happily telling him the great news.
“Are you…?” he tried again.
“Andi!”
She was only vaguely aware of Renly’s voice calling her from behind. Her gaze was locked with Craig’s incredulous eyes. Fury quickly replaced the disbelieving look. His eyes turned a shade darker, flashing at her like blue flames.
A comforting arm wrapped around her shoulders and she was grateful for it. She sagged against Renly’s side.
“You okay?”
She nodded. Her euphoria upon seeing Craig again had worn off, replaced by apprehension. The look in Craig’s eyes spelled trouble. He was looking at Renly like he wanted to kill him with his bare hands. Obviously, he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. How typical of men. They never question their morals in crucial situations. It was always the woman who was at fault.
Well, she won’t stand there and accept his condemnation without incriminating herself. She was not ready to see him again. She knew she had a lot of questions to answer for and she was not ready for that, too. She was handling her life and its temporary setbacks just fine the past months. The last thing she needed was Craig Walker messing it up again.
“Let’s go, Renly.” She steered Renly away from Craig, who hadn’t uttered a single word since Renly appeared. He was acting like she’d betrayed him to the Nazis.
“Who’s he? Was he bothering you?”
“No, no. Keep walking, Renly. Where the hell did you park?”
They weren’t even five meters away when Craig found his tongue. “Andi!”
She kept walking.
“Andi, wait!”
Renly looked back.
“Keep walking! Don’t mind him.”
But Craig easily caught up with them as she was waddling like a duck.
“Andi, stop for a minute, will you?”
Renly stopped and turned around. “This asshole needs to be taught some manners.”
Oh great. Macho bullshit. Just what she needed.
Renly faced Craig. “You have a problem, man?”
She was forced to do the same and she almost staggered back at the naked fury in Craig’s eyes. But she braved it. “What do you want, Craig?” she snapped at him.
“Craig? So this is the asshole?” Renly interjected.
“I need to talk to you for a minute,” Craig said at the same time.
Oh shit.
Craig was looking at Renly with murder in his eyes. “The hell are you talking about?”
Without another word, Renly swung at Craig.
Though surprised, Craig easily evaded the attack.
With a roar, Renly slammed at Craig like a linebacker. They both went down on the pavement.
She screamed.
They slugged it out like it was UFC fight night. She began shaking in fear when Craig overpowered Renly and began beating him up with this savage look in his eyes.
“Craig, stop! You’ll kill him! Craig! Stop it! Help!”
Several men ran up to the Neanderthals on the ground.
Blood was oozing from Renly’s nose.
A bullet of pain shot straight to her womb.
“Oh God!” she cried out.
A bag of hot liquid seemed to explode between her legs, pooling at her feet.
Her water just broke.
——*****——
“Renly, help me!” Andi screamed.
All eyes went back to her.
She slowly went down on her knees, supporting the underside of her belly with her palms as she felt her insides churn in the most excruciating pain she’d ever experienced. Oh God, there was an earthquake, tsunami and tornado happening inside her right now!
The elders had been telling the truth. This kind of pain was unlike any other out there.
Renly and Craig were beside her now.
“Is the baby coming?!” Renly sounded frantic.
“Yes, yes! Take me to the hospital…!”
“Shit shit shit! The bag! It’s in the car!”
“Forget the fucking bag! Take me to a hospital NOW!”
“C’mon, let’s use my truck.” Craig fished out his keys from his pocket and threw it at Renly. “You drive. Over there!”
Craig scooped her up in his arms like she weighed nothing. He practically ran toward a deep-blue late-model Chevrolet pick-up truck parked at the curb.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Renly was muttering as he wrenched the back passenger door open. Craig carefully deposited her inside and climbed in with her. Renly was at the driver’s seat now, starting the engine. The car moved in reverse instead of forward. Renly cussed colorfully again.
“Calm down, man,” Craig told him.
“Shut up! This is all your fault!” Renly snarled, finally directing the truck on the road.
“How is this my fault?” Craig asked.
“Renly, concentrate on the road! I wanna get to the hospital in one fucking piece!” she shouted, the upheaval happening in her belly getting unbearable. Oh God, she will never get knocked up again no matter how hot the sperm donor!
“Okay, okay, okay…hang in there, Andi. We’re almost there…Oh God…” Renly was muttering like a nervous wreck.
“I can feel the baby coming!!!”
“No, please, not yet, Andi!” Renly floored the accelerator.
She took deep breaths, hoping to calm her baby who cannot seem to wait another minute to pop out of her womb and meet his biological father.
“Do something, asshole!” Renly shouted.
“You talking to me?” Craig asked.
“Who else? Don’t just sit there like a fucking zombie high on Xanax! Do something!”
“What shall I do?”
“I don’t fucking know! Rub her tummy, coo, sing, dance, anything to calm the baby and convince him not to make a fucking grand entrance in your fucking truck!”
“Renly, watch your language! I don’t want my baby to learn the F-bomb first, from you of all people! You promised to teach him nothing but good manners and right conduct!”
——*****——
Craig couldn’t believe what was happening. It was surreal, this whole scenario. He should be shagging her by now, not staring at her huge belly full of a baby about to pop out any second now.
Jeeezus!
Andi was puffing her breath, gritting her teeth, her eyes in a panic. Sweat broke out on her forehead now despite the cold weather. His insides were churning painfully from watching her in serious pain.
“Renly, hurry! Oh god, I can’t hold it much longer!”
Desperate to make her feel better, he put his palms on both sides of her belly. She grasped his forearms, squeezing them in a death grip, as if drawing strength from him. His eyes widened in wonder as he felt the baby move inside her, as if it was tossing and turning.
Something inside him seemed to blossom, an alien feeling he had never felt before. It was so powerful but it did not make him feel threatened. It made him feel totally intimate with her in this very moment and it was nothing sexual.
“Oh God, honey, please, not in the truck. What will I write down as your place of birth? Silverado, Chevy?”
Craig couldn’t bite back a grin. He rubbed her belly gently, uttering in this soothing voice. “Shhh, calm down, little buddy. Mommy’s right. Wait for the doctor to catch you. I’m freaking out like you have no idea and I won’t know what to do if you pop out now. Please, wait a little longer. We’re almost there.”
They looked at each other.
She chuckled despite her pain.
He grinned back. “You got this, sugar pie.”