Legally Bound 2: Against The Law (18 page)

Chapter 27

R
ita slid out of the SUV with a wince and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had to take a moment to breathe. This could not be happening. She needed to get her son back.

“Come on Hannah, give mommy a break. You stay in there and cook like a good girl and Mommy will show you just how to get daddy to give you whatever you want,” Rita murmured to her belly. “We have to get your big brother back.”

This pregnancy was proving to be as difficult as her first over the last few weeks. She couldn’t let Marcus or Nate know how much pain she was in. She couldn’t go to the hospital. She could only pray that Hannah was not in a rush to get here like her brother had been.

“Are you okay honey,” Mrs. Kemble asked softly as she came to Rita’s side.

“Yes, I’m just worried about the boys,” Rita replied trying to avoid the assessing eyes of the older woman. Those Kemble women were way too perceptive.

Mrs. Kemble just nodded her head and placed a hand on Rita’s back. “Come let’s get you inside,” she said gently.

Rita could feel the sweat beading on her forehead and clenched her teeth. Marcus was going to know something was wrong if she didn’t pull it together. There was no way she was leaving this house until they figured out where the boys were. Her team needed her, and so did the babies. She sent up a silent prayer that this baby she was carrying would hold on just a little longer. It was not her time yet.

Luckily she could always count on a distraction from the woman she thought of as her own sister, much like her twin. Pamela was a force to be reckoned with, and she held no punches when she was pissed off. Mrs. Kemble sighed beside Rita as they entered the house behind Pamela.

“Okay, so you have us all here now. Can someone please tell me what is going on? This family and its damn secrets once again are about to have me fuck someone up. Where are my nephews and why do I know that you are in the middle of all this,” Pamela barked pointing a finger at Nate with her last words.

Nate’s head dropped back, and he blew out a long sigh. Rita would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious. “We need to talk,” Nate said as he composed himself.

Pamela narrowed her eyes and put a hand on her hip. “Damn right we do and it better be truth coming from those lips for once,” Pam spat.

“Pam,” Paige started.

“I got this short stuff. Thanks,” Nate said to Paige stopping her from getting in the middle.

Rita settled into the seat Mrs. Kemble led her to as Davina watched her oldest daughter walk off with Nate. A wide range of emotions crossed the woman’s face before she rested her hand over her heart and shook her head. In that moment, Rita wished she could speak candidly with the older woman and tell her not to worry. Nate was doing what he felt was best and one day her daughter would have to understand the sacrifices all the Briggs made for the sake of the family business and their extended family.

“How are you feeling,” Marcus’s concerned voice pulled Rita’s attention.

Marcus settled in beside Rita on the sofa. Rita scanned the room before answering him. She could see her in-laws sitting together with long faces. Minnie was cradling Megan to her chest. Rita could tell it was more for her mother in laws comfort than for the baby girl’s. Marie is beside her parents looking lost in thought as she chews on her lip.

Bobby was sitting in an accent chair in front of the fireplace with a shaken-looking Paige in his lap. He was rubbing soothing circles on her back as he murmured in her ear. Rita knew Bobby well enough to know he was barely holding on and only because he was being strong for Paige. If not, he would have been a raging, roaring mess by now.

Rita looked at Sam and saw the same contained fury in his eyes as he rocked Jess in one arm. The other arm he had wrapped around Ellen. Ellen and Jess were his anchors as Paige was Bobby’s in this hour of turmoil. This was not easy for any of the men in this room.

That thought brought Rita’s eyes back to Marcus. He had more than fury in his eyes. He looked… guilty. No, that couldn’t be right. Rita cupped his face to look deeper. She tilted her head to the side.

“I’m fine but something tells me you are not and not just because our son and nephews are missing,” Rita said as she searched the eyes of the man she loved. “What are you thinking, Baby?”

“This is all my fault,” Marcus’s voice cracked. “I thought we were passed all of this; I should never have let you leave me. I should have come for you, and none of this would be happening now.”

“Baby, what in the world are you talking about?” Rita asked as she furrowed her brow. She didn’t miss the fact that others in the room were now tuned into their conversation.

“I just know Julia and her father are behind all this,” Marcus grunted out.

Rita placed a hand on her belly and laughed. She really laughed, head thrown back and all. She looked at Marcus lovingly with tears in her eyes. He was all torn up because he thought this was his fault.

Rita shook her head and returned her hand to the stubble on his jaw. She loved this man. No matter how much she told him that their time apart allowed her to grow up and she never blamed him for the stupid decisions she made he still carried the blame for his own.

“I know for a fact this has nothing to do with anything you have done, my love. This is why you handle the courtroom, and it is my job to keep an eye on the family,” she tells her husband.

Marcus furrows his brow. “How are you so sure?”

“For starters, Julia may have had questionable motives but she came to care for you and the friends she made before your breakup. She keeps in touch with some of the girls. So of course, I make it my business to know about her. While her father is a lunatic, she is a sweet girl.

“Jeremy lost it after the broken engagement and being blacklisted. Julia and Mrs. Pennywell feared him more than anything, and they moved to stay with some family on a small island in Greece. Julia has since met someone and gotten engaged,” Rita smiled and winked at Marcus. “Jeremy, well let’s say he is where he belongs. It took some time, but there is enough evidence to keep him and some close friends of his busy for some time to come. He has pissed enough people off that he wouldn’t have arms long enough to harm our family. Especially not like this.”

“Julia is actually really happy now,” Ellen added.

“Yeah, I spoke with her a few days ago. Her fiancé doesn’t want a prenup but she is insisting on one, and she asked me to help draw one up for them,” Paige offered.

Marcus sat studying his wife. “But if not Julia and her dad then who? What are you and Nate not telling me?” Marcus pressed his lips and glared.

“It’s not what we are not telling you,” Rita winces and clenches her fingers to the couch.

“Baby, what is it? Are you okay?” Marcus pushed Rita’s hair from her face noticing the sweat beading on her forehead. “Rita what’s going on, is it the baby?”

“I’m fine. Hannah is just being feisty today,” Rita replies with a tight smile. After taking a deep breath, she focuses on Paige and Bobby. “The threats were what clued us into who may be behind this, but both Nate and I didn’t think the person we suspect has the means to escalate like this,” Rita sighed and shook her head. “Well not that they don’t have the means it’s just it would be difficult for them. But there is something off. She’s been off the grid for months and now within the last six months, she has reappeared in a new circle and then the threats started toward Paige.”

“She who?” Marcus snapped louder than he meant to.

“Whitney,” Marie gasped, and all heads in the room turned to see her tear soaked face.

Chapter 28

H
e’s going to get me caught. I have gone through all this, and I will not let him ruin this for me. How hard could it be to get twin stupid little babies? Now I see why Paige chose Bobby over him. Grrrr….I have spent over a year planning this revenge. This idiot was supposed to be my ace in the hole.

To think I married him. God, what was I thinking? Oh right, I needed the money and his connections to pull this off. Daddy was so disappointed I blew my connections with the Mairetties. He’s always wanted to get his hooks into their circle. He refused to be a part of my getting back at them for humiliating me.

I wasn’t stupid enough to tell him my plans, though. Nope, I have masterminded this whole thing on my own. I covered my tracks a lot better this time. Chad was stupid. I know it was his fault things went so wrong before. If he would have just gotten Bobby those pictures of his cheating whore things would have gone my way.

I mean he married that slut so he couldn’t have seen the photos. Her and that loser’s brother thought they were fooling someone. Bobby should be mine. He put on a good act for that whore and his family, but I know we have a connection.

But it is all going to be okay. I don’t want him anymore after how I was treated in that house, but no one else will have him. Bobby is always trying to protect that stupid Paige. She’ll leave him after this. But Paige isn’t the stupidest of them all. Nope, that would be the forgiving Marie. She sobbed like a baby when I called to apologize.

I told her that I’d gotten my act together, gotten married and moved to Paris. I didn’t tell her about the time away my father forced on me. He paid a ton of money to hide me away but wouldn’t give a dime to my plan. I’m not sick. No one understands, is all. She was so happy to hear that I moved on with my life. Little did she know that I only needed her for information to move forward with my plan. That whore Bobby is married to has left a trail of people she has pissed off.

It wasn’t hard to find someone to help me. A little digging and there he was. He’s a bastard, but I could tell when I found him in that bar that he was actually in love with that slut. He drunkenly explained to me that getting engaged to that British twit was a business move Paige was never supposed to find out about.

See that is why I should have known he is just too stupid not to get me caught. Three babies, he let his people bring me, three babies. Okay, okay I will admit all three look exactly the same. Grey eyes, heads full of curly brown hair, caramel colored skin and they all have dimples. I guess Bobby is not the only one that likes to dip into chocolate.

Whitney smirks into the mirror she is staring into as she stood in the hotel bathroom. If anyone else were around, they would see that she was truly coming unhinged.

Well, maybe my idiot husband did me a favor after all. I hate Rita as much as I hate Paige. Yes, this can work. Now, how do I pin this all on my husband and get out of the country with three babies?

Chapter 29

“
M
arie,” Rita growled more because of the pain shooting through her body. “What have you done?”

“I…I didn’t know she would do something like this,” Marie sobbed. “I thought she moved on with her life. She apologized for everything and she sounded so much like the Whitney I used to know.”

“Tell me everything,” Nate demanded as he and a stony-faced Pamela reentered the room.

Marie immediately went into the story of Whitney reaching out to her. Apparently Whitney had done a bit of planning. “I didn’t see how it could be harmful to talk to her she married some French guy or something,” Marie shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

“Bingo,” Nate and Rita said at the same time.

“And the pieces finally fit,” Nate said with a smile as he pulled his phone out.

“Nate,” Rita started. “Have Teddy give you all the information on Peter
Lacrosa that I’ve been working on. I knew he fit into this somehow.”

“Oh my God, you can’t be serious,” Paige gasped.

“What the fuck,” Bobby bellowed.

“That is why I haven’t mentioned it,” Nate pointed to a raging Bobby.

“I think we all need to relax,” Earl said as he and Thomas entered the room.

“Yes, Rita why don’t you fill Bobby and Paige in on what we know,” Thomas added.

“He’s been here for a month now, Colin reported him arriving and checking in with a woman, a red head,” Rita informed. “He has been telling some of the wrong people that he has a score to settle. It got back to us, but we didn’t see the connection with the threats until now.”

“If they have been planning this all along it could have been Whitney in disguise. Other than Lacrosa’s big mouth the relationship has been covered extremely well. I’ll have the pictures pulled from the surveillance as well to see if we can get an ID. What are you thinking, sis?”

“I don’t think they would have taken the kids to the hotel so I want any property and business linked to Lacrosa searched,” Rita replied. “We should be looking at airports as well they have a good head start on us.”

“I’m going. Where ever you find them I’m going with you to get my son,” Marcus demanded.

“There is no question on that,” Bobby added.

“Nate,” Rita gasped then groaned. “Bring my baby home. Marcus, she’s not going to wait.”

“What,” Marcus said then looked at his wife. “Oh God Rita, you’ve been in labor this whole time.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I thought so,” Mrs. Kemble said as she moved to help grab Rita’s things as Marcus lifted her into his arms.

Nate pulls his phone from his pocket with a smile. Jas had come through just like he knew he would. “I’ll have your son home before she gets here sis,” Nate promised.

A pale-faced Rita just nodded. Her son would be in the best hands. Marcus kissed her temple. “I love you so much. We’ll get our son, and our little girl is going to complete our family. I hope she has your eyes,” Marcus said against her forehead.

As Marcus made his way out and Davina followed them to the car, Nate started barking orders. James and Minnie were making a decision to follow their middle son to the hospital for the arrival of their newest granddaughter. Pamela started to
arrange Tracey and Tiffany in their car seats.

Nate spun around to face Pam. “Where do you think you are going?”

“To the hospital,” Pam says tightly. “I don’t see a point in staying here. You just do your job.”

“Pam,” Nate started.

“Don’t … I’m sure you are sending someone to be with Minnie and James. I’ll ride with them. I can’t sit here and be helpless,” Pam cut Nate off.

“Your Uncle and I will follow Marcus and Rita. We know you can handle this,” Thomas said. “Pam and the girls can ride with us.”

Nate clenched his jaw and nodded his assent. He pulled Teddy to the side and murmured instructions in his ear. He didn’t have time to argue. They knew where his nephews were, and that was where his mind needed to be right now.

“Oh my God,” Paige gasped.

All heads whipped in her direction. She was staring down at her phone with her fingers trembling over her lips. Bobby pulled the phone from her grasp. “Son of a Bitch,” Bobby growled.

Nate rushed to Bobby’s side to look at the phone as well. Both men were nearly growling at the phone. Nate clapped a hand on Bobby’s shoulder. “Suit up, it’s time to go get our family,” Nate said through clenched teeth.

Bobby glared a second longer at the text message on his wife’s phone
. I have something that belongs to you. Come now before it’s too late.

There was an address attached as well, but Jasper was already there with eyes on his little cousins. Now it was time for the cavalry to arrive.