Because This Is Forever (19 page)

“I
just left the hospital,” Nate said, a prickling sensation crawling down the
back of his neck. “I never went into the office.” They were both silent as the stench
of danger became strong. “Did he tell you his name?” Nate asked curtly.

“Umm,
Steven Rose, I think. Something like that. I couldn’t hear him through the
door.”

Stephen Rhodes?
What the hell… Nate’s hand clenched around
the steering wheel but he forced his voice to remain calm, not wanting to scare
her.

“Mia,
where are you now?”

“By
the door,” she said then gasped sharply. “Nate, now he’s banging on the door.
What’s going on?” Her voice was now high with panic.

Nate’s
heart began to thud in his chest. “Mia, take Mikey and go into the bedroom. Then
hang up and call the police. I’m on my way.”

Mia
wasted no time. She abruptly ended the call and Nate raced home. His heart
pounded in his ear as fury threatened to engulf him. Stephen Rhodes had better
pray the cops got to him first because Nate vowed to kill the man for daring to
come near his family.

* * * *

“Nate,
honestly, I’m fine.” Mia said, stroking his arm as he held on to her tight. “
We’re
fine.”

They
lay in the bed, darkness surrounding them, but still he couldn’t sleep. His
thoughts were filled with the threat that had come close to harming Mia and
Mikey today.

Though
Rhodes was now in custody, Nate still couldn’t shake his rage and fear thinking
of what could have happened had Mia not trusted her intuition and called him
first. He had made it to the condo before the police only to find scuffs on the
door from where Rhodes tried to kick it down. The man had fled the scene but
the police had managed to find him not far from their apartment. In his car
they had found rope, duct tape, large blankets, and a handgun. Based on the
photos they found, he had also been stalking them for days, and the police had
believed this was an attempt at kidnapping.

Nate
shuddered at the thought of what could have happened had he succeeded. He had
no doubt in his mind it had been Rhodes Mikey had come across at the park. At
the mention of that incident, the police had upgraded Rhodes charges to
attempted child kidnapping, which held a much harsher sentence.

Nate
didn’t understand what his motive had been. Upon his arrest, Rhodes had refused
to talk so they could only speculate but whether it had been for money or
revenge—or both—Nate wanted to do physical harm to the bastard for just letting
the thought of hurting his son cross his mind. Unfortunately, Nate would have
to let the justice system handle him. He, in turn, would make sure this never
happened again.

He
had no doubt now Rhodes had indeed been stealing from his company. Yet of all
the terminations he’d done these past few years, Nate had never had anyone come
after him like this. The thought that Rhodes had come pretty damn close to
taking his family today scared Nate like nothing else could. It was even more
infuriating to think he hadn’t been there to protect them, that because of his
father’s company, he had come close to losing the most precious people in his
life.

“God,”
Nate whispered harshly, his face buried in her hair. “I don’t know what I would
do if I lost you or Mikey.”

Mia
continued stroking his back and his arm. “Well, I’m not going anywhere,
remember?” she said reassuringly. “And neither is Mikey. We’re fine Nate,
really. I was a little scared at first but Mikey didn’t seem to notice what was
happening and that’s what matters. I don’t think I could have stood it if he’d
been scared too.”

Nate
agreed but that still didn’t ease his rage at the psychotic man. He still wanted
to kill Rhodes for coming to his home and putting a fear in him that would always
be there.

Mia and
Mikey were his world now. He would die before he let harm come to them. Mia wanted
to know if he loved her enough to want forever, but what she failed to realize was
his love for her was immeasurable. He couldn’t say how much because it was
boundless and absolute.

And she
needed to understand that.

Nate
turned her on her back and leaned over her. Through the darkness of the bedroom
he made out her dark eyes and slender face. “I love you,” he whispered.

She
went still, her body rigid beneath him. She still didn’t believe him. Nate
sighed. He wouldn’t give up.

“Do
you remember the couple we met the other night at Josie’s?” Nate began. “Jake and
Sabrina?” If he hadn’t been watching her so intensely, he would have missed her
slight nod. “Five years ago, I met Jake at a business meeting. He was looking
for investors for his growing technology company, which he had started in New
York. It was growing fast and he began opening small regional offices
throughout the country, including Chicago. I believed in his business and it
wasn’t long before I became an investor myself.”

Nate
could see her confusion as to why he was telling her this but he continued on.
“Everything was great with Mercury Horizon. Jake had even started expanding
internationally. Then he and Sabrina got married and were soon expecting their
first baby.”

Nate
smiled slightly at the memory of Jake’s excitement and pride over the news.
“I’ve never seen a man so happy or impatient to become a father,” Nate
continued, chuckling. “And I admit I was a little jealous of his happiness. But
Jake was obsessed with his wife and when I met Sabrina, I understood why,” he added
with a small grin. “She’s a lot like you.”

He
leaned down and brushed his lips lightly across hers. He pulled away, rubbing
his thumb across her lower lip. “I should have realized what a treasure I had
in you,” he whispered and her eyes glistened.

“Growing
up,” he continued in a low tone, needing her to understand why he had denied
wanting a child of his own so long ago, “I didn’t know what it was like to have
a real family. I didn’t grow up in a happy home. Everything I saw in my family,
in my father, I wanted the opposite of. The last thing I wanted was to have
kids and make them feel the way I did. Maybe it was fear or selfishness on my
part but the thought of trying to raise another life scared me.”

She
reached up and placed her palm on his cheek. “Thank you for telling me that,”
she whispered thickly.

He
kissed her palm. “Thank
you
for
giving me a family. I’m lucky to have you and Mikey. I realize that now.” He
paused then continued, his tone grim. “Unfortunately, Jake and Sabrina weren’t
so lucky. She went into labor too soon and their baby was delivered premature. It
was a boy. He survived just a few weeks before they lost him.”

Silent
tears coursed down the sides of her face. He brushed them away. “I was shocked
by their loss and could only imagine what they were going through. No one
should have to go through that kind of pain. Of holding their baby only to have
it taken away,” he whispered roughly. “I don’t know too much of what happened
after, but I know things got pretty bad for them. Jake was holding it together
for Sabrina’s sake but shortly after, he sold his company to focus on his wife.
He gave it all up, gave up the company
he had built from
nothing, so he could take care of his wife.”

Mia was sobbing uncontrollably now and
he tried to console her. It hadn’t been his intention to bring on this kind of
anguish.

“Nate,” Mia asked through her tears. “Why
are you telling me this?”

“Because I didn’t understand it before, but
I do now. I understand why Jake did what he did because I would do the same for
you
,” he whispered, wanting her to understand
the lengths he’d go to for her. “
Nothing is more important to me than you and Mikey and I would
give it all up for you, for him. I would do it because I love you, Mia. I can’t
tell you how much because it can’t compare. Just know that there is nothing I
wouldn’t do, nothing I wouldn’t give up, for you.”

He
brought his lips down and kissed away her tears. She looped her arms around him
and she fitted her lips with his. Their tender kiss soon turned frantic as raw
emotion and desire rose between them. He spread her thighs and gently entered
her in a thrust that cemented their love and soothed their souls.

Each stroke,
each rise brought them closer together, physically and sacredly. He had never
felt so connected with anyone, so frenzied yet at peace.

He
rested his forehead on hers, staring down into her dark eyes. “My love for you
is forever, Mia.
This
,” he rasped on
a deep thrust, “is forever.”

She
gasped sharply, her inner muscles clenching and tugging around his shaft. It
sent him over the edge and together they dissolved in a shattering crescendo.

Hours
later, Nate rose from the bed as the early light of dawn began to peek through
the window. He left Mia’s warm, sleeping form as he made his way to the drawer.
He pulled out the sparkling engagement ring from its velvet bed and rejoined
her in the bed. He gathered her close and slipped the ring on her finger.

She
awoke slowly, a lazy smile on her soft lips. She brought her palm to his cheek.
He waited for her to notice. When she did, her eyes widened as she stared at
the diamond ring glittering on her finger. Her hand fell away from him as she
stared at her hand. Then she clenched her hand into a tight fist, her eyes glistening
with unshed tears.

“Marry
me, Mia,” he whispered, grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips. “I want
you mind, body, and soul. Nothing less will do.”

Epilogue

It was
August when Mia finally decided what she wanted done with her hair. She just
hadn’t expected the stunned reaction from Nate and Mikey.

“Mommy,
you look like a boy.”

Mia
fingered the nape of her hair as she stared at Nate and Mikey, who stood gaping
at her. She rarely did anything spontaneous, especially with her hair but it
had been time. On her way to picking up the birthday gift for Caleb’s party,
she had stopped by the empty salon in the mall with the sudden urge to do something…different.
By the stunned expressions on Nate’s face, a pixie haircut may have been too
drastic. Now she wondered if it had been smart to let the only black stylist,
who had just received her beauty license, cut her hair.

“Say
something,” she whispered, her plea snapping Nate out of his daze.

He
smiled crookedly. “Well, babe, how does it feel to be one of the boys?”

Her
face fell. He laughed.

“Come
here,” he said, pulling her into his arms.

She
buried her face in his chest. “Is it that bad?”

“No,
baby, it’s sexy,” he said with a fast kiss on her lips. “If my ring wasn’t
there to warn off other scavengers, I wouldn’t be able to leave your side.”

They
made it to Drake and Cara’s home, where Caleb’s birthday party was overflowing
in their backyard. Their home was beautiful and spacious. Mia couldn’t wait
until she and Nate began house hunting. With their home destroyed in Detroit,
they planned to buy a new home in Chicago. The search was set for after the
wedding, which would be a small ceremony with just close family and friends. Mia
no longer needed the fairytale wedding she had always dreamt of as a little
girl. She was content to just start her happy beginning with the man she loved.

Charles
had even surprised them by referencing his attendance at their small ceremony.
He was doing better and it seemed as if his relationship with Nate was beginning
to grow more amicable, if only just a little. Her own relationship with Leah,
however, was growing much stronger. Maybe some distance had been what they
needed. She spoke with her sister almost every other day, excited to hear about
her quests as an aspiring model. Leah seemed to be happy with her new life but had
assured her that no matter what, she would come up for her wedding.

When
they entered the Ross home, they were immediately greeted by a hoard of
laughing children, balloons, and party favors. Mia added their gift to the
table filled with presents and maneuvered through the crowd. She was still
nervous about letting Mikey out of her sight but eventually she relaxed enough
to let him run off and play with the other kids.

The
incident with Stephen Rhodes still left her a bit wary but she was working on it.
With the mounting evidence against Rhodes and the serious charges, they wouldn’t
have to worry about him for a while. Nate’s guilt had weighed heavily on him. It
had taken some time, but she had managed to convince him none of what happened had
been his fault and encouraged him to stay on as CEO of MMC. The company was
better with him there. To ensure something like that didn’t happen again, however,
they were currently adjusting their termination, as well as the hiring, process.

Though
she and Nate still had lingering anxiety about letting Mikey out of their sight,
Nate would occasionally remind her that Mikey would soon be attending preschool.
For her and Mikey’s sake, she needed to get used to being without him. The
separation would be hard but she would cope.

Nate
had suggested she look into finishing her law degree, perhaps taking some
classes as a refresher from the local college, but Mia hesitated. Though she
loved Nate for his support, there was a lot going on for them right now and
going back to school became a low priority for her. There would have been a
time that she would have liked nothing more than to go back and finish, but for
now she was content taking care of her family full time. They had even
discussed having another baby soon, and she was looking forward to giving Mikey
a little brother or sister to play with.

With
Mikey off in the back of the house with all the other children, Mia went to see
if Cara needed help with anything. On her way through the house, she caught a
glimpse of Sabrina Landon, chatting with a group of women, a little boy who
looked to be about one or two, on her lap. Mia remembered the story Nate had
told her about the Landon’s loss and her heart went out to the woman. She
couldn’t imagine going through that kind of pain. Just the thought of not
knowing her Mikey overwhelmed her with grief.

Luckily,
the woman hadn’t suffered alone. And from the little boy resting on Sabrina’s
lap, she and her husband had obviously been gifted with another baby boy.

In
the kitchen, Mia found the beautifully glowing, and growing, Cara icing
cupcakes. For the party, Cara explained, they had opted for the mini cakes
instead of a traditional cake to accommodate the large crowd. Mia gladly took
over the icing for her when Cara commented on her tender soles.

As
Mia covered the two remaining pans of cupcakes with chocolate and vanilla cream,
her eyes caught the glint from her engagement ring. At times it seemed surreal
to know she would soon be marrying the love of her life. She wished more than
anything to have her mother with her on that day. Nate had allowed her to pick
the date, so long as they were married by the end of the year, and Mia had
decided to set it for September, on the day she had lost a special part of her.
It was a bittersweet decision for her but she had wanted to share that moment with
her mother, to have something worth smiling about on that day.

Though
it had taken some hard lessons, Mia finally understood that life—and love—weren’t
a fairytale. Love didn’t come in neat, complete happy endings. It certainly
wasn’t for the meek or the fickle hearted. Love was messy and painful and most times
impulsive. But when it was shared, when it was treasured by another, it was…magic.

Mia thought
about her Nate and couldn’t help but smile. She’d always known true love existed.
But only for those who went after it…for those who waited for it…and for those
who believed in the exquisiteness of forever after.

*THE END*