Red, White and Beautiful (15 page)

“Sierra, that wasn’t…”

“I have to go, I can’t do this.”

“Sierra...”

“We’re done Marcus, ok? We’re over. Don’t call me again. All you continue to show me…is that you cannot give up your control, not even for me. You’re never going to back down, you’re never going to be…

well…what we need you to be. I’m sorry.”

Then she hangs up. I throw the phone so hard against the wall it smashes into tiny pieces. As I’m storming out of the room, I stop in my tracks. Did she just say…we?

“Oh no, he didn’t.”

I stare down at the paper the next morning, and shake my head a few times. It can’t be for real. Marcus…he…did he…oh god he made Ben give me a public apology. Is that what this was about all along? Getting Ben to apologize? I can’t believe…I can’t believe he did this. How did he get him to do that? How did he get him to admit to it? Did he have some sort of evidence I didn’t know about? I let my eyes scan over the page and I read the article yet again.

‘Benjamin Ford stepped forward yesterday with a public announcement in regards to the pictures posted in regards to him and Miss Sierra Walters. His exact words were “I would like to come forward and publicly apologize to Sierra. It was me who inflicted such pain on her all those years ago. It was also me who set her up to be caught with Marcus Harrison. I would like to confirm that the previous article was correct and that Sierra nor Marcus played any part in what went down. I can’t express how terrible I feel about the events and how they played out. My sincere apologies go out to Sierra and Marcus.”’

I stare at the page for a long moment. I really can’t believe what I’m seeing. It doesn’t really make anything better, people will believe what they want, but somehow, deep inside…it makes me feel better. Hearing Ben admit to the world it was his fault, that he hurt me…it heals something inside me. It takes the shame away, it helps me grasp the situation with both hands, instead of letting it hang by one. I drop the newspaper and go over the conversation with Marcus yesterday. He was devastated. I really gave it to him and I should have let him speak first.

He’s been trying to call since…but I haven’t answered. What do I say to him?

“Honey, you might want to see this,” my mother calls from the kitchen.

“Yeah, I seen it.”

“No…on television.”

I look up and then stand, rushing into the kitchen. The small television she is staring at, is blaring with breaking news. When I hear Marcus’ name…my heart clenches.

“What’s happening?” I whisper.

My mother takes my hand. “He’s resigned.”

“What?” I cry, turning my eyes towards the television where Marcus is standing beside the president as they make the announcement. People are shouting questions to Marcus, which he is answering as best he can.

“Is this because of the articles in the paper?”

“It has a little something to do with it, yes. It’s not the overall reason though. I just feel my time in the White House is done. It’s time for me to branch out and create something for myself.”

“Are you going to find Sierra? Rumors have it that you two are together?”

“No comment.”

“What about Chayne?”

“Chayne has found her own career and we will part our separate ways. There will be no further comment on the matter.”

Chayne has gone? What?

“What will you do now?”

Marcus smiles softly. “I really don’t know, but I have a few business ideas in mind.”

“Whatever happens, we wish you the very best.” The President says.

Then the television changes to some other breaking news. My fingers tremble as I process what just happened. Marcus Harrison resigned? He gave up his career? Why? Did Chayne have something on him after all?

My mother grips my arm and gently rubs it.

“This is a good thing, honey.”

“It doesn’t mean anything changes for us, he probably got forced out of the job.”

“I would doubt that.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It’s fine, Sierra. You have to talk to him sometime anyway. You’re carrying his child.

“What do I tell him, momma?”

“You’re pregnant, love. You have to tell him.”

“I know but…”

“He deserves that much…”

I nod, swallowing. “I know he does.”

“Just see what happens, see where he ends up before you make any choices.”

I give her a weak smile and then I hug her tightly before heading out into the living area. My father is just coming in, he gives me a smile and a hug before telling me about his morning rounds. I listen intently, but my gaze soon slides to the sleek, black, SUV pulling into my driveway.

My heart hammers against my chest. My father notices my stare and turns. A broad smile creeps across his face. He likes Marcus, so when he steps out of the vehicle, he chuckles softly.

“Thought I liked the man when he resigned for you, but hell, I like him even more now.”

“He might not be here for me,” I whisper, watching Marcus get out of the driver’s seat.

He looks dazzling and completely…relaxed. I’m not really sure what I expected him to look like. I thought maybe he’d be angry, or sad, or wonder if it was the wrong move, but he looks completely calm as he strides towards the house. The tight black t-shirt he is wearing, does amazing things to his chest. He’s got on a pair of blue jeans and some heavy black books. I love seeing him so…casual. He just looks so perfectly…well…perfect. My father shoves me towards the door, to which I give him a scowl. I go though, unable to stop my legs from moving.

When I reach the door, Marcus stops and his eyes soften. His lips part as he breathes in deeply. His head tilts to the side, just a fraction before he steps closer. I step out the door until we’re only inches apart.

My heart is hammering as I stare up into those deep, brown depths. I’ve missed his eyes nearly more than anything else. They take me to another place. The promise of happiness, trust, love and most of all, raw, sexual desire. I swallow, forcing the burning tears back down. I don’t want to cry, not right now. He might be here to say goodbye. I have to save the tears for that.

“You resigned,” I finally croak.

His eyes soften and he murmurs. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“I should have known,” he says, not answering my question.

“Should have known what?”

“It’s so perfectly obvious to me now.”

“What is?”

“I can see it written all over you. Your rosy cheeks, your shining eyes. I should have known when your breasts begun to grow and swell, and your perfect little cherry nipples got darker.”

What the fuck is he on about?

“Marcus, no offence, but this isn’t the time to get horny.”

He chuckles softly and steps forward so I can feel his body gently against mine.

“You’re carrying my baby, aren’t you?”

I suck in a breath, so that’s what he was talking about. I feel my cheeks heat and I look away, but he grips my chin and forces me to look up at him.

“Answer me, Sierra.”

“Yes, Marcus, I’m pregnant.”

I expected a lot of things when I told him those few words. I honestly thought the first reaction would be shock, followed by anger and maybe he would walk away and take a few hours to wrap his head around it.

What I didn’t expect is the way his face lights up. His lips part in pure, emotional, happiness. His hand slides up to his chest, and splays out over his heart. He’s happy. He’s truly, unbelievably, happy. I feel one of those well held back tears slide down my cheek and he reaches out, letting his finger catch it.

“I’m going to be a dad?” he rasps.

“Yes.”

“Oh, Sierra…I knew I wanted kids one day, but I didn’t realize how much, until this moment.”

“Marcus…it’s not going to be easy if…”

He puts a finger to my lip. “I resigned, Sierra.”

“You didn’t tell me why?”

His eyes search my face. “Sweetheart, you haven’t figured that out yet?”

“No,” I squeak.

“I resigned for you.”

“You can’t give up your career for me and…”

He cuts me off again, this time with a kiss to my lips that has my knees buckling. His hand wraps around my waist and he pulls me to him as our lips combine in a sexual dance that has my body coming alive.

When he pulls away and begins talking, his voice sounds like candy dipped in chocolate. It’s so sensual, so real, so fucking perfect.

“I didn’t give it up for you, Sierra, I gave it up for us. You were right, all along you were right. I have lived years in a job that I thought completed me. I went to work, I had a woman, I thought it was how I wanted my life to go. Until I met you. Everything you believe, everything you’re passionate about…made me realize that life is so much more than a career. It made me realize that a career is nothing, if you don’t have love or family in your life. When you left me, Sierra, my world crumbled.

I’ve never felt such pain. I couldn’t imagine anything worse in the world, and so I made a choice. I made a choice for you, for that baby, but most of all, Sierra, I made a choice for me.”

“Oh, Marcus,” I breathe. “Won’t you regret it?”

“How could I ever regret you, sweetheart? I gave up one career, but I have the resources to do whatever I want. It’s not the end for me, my career will go on, but…if I didn’t make a choice…it would have been the end for me and you. You were always right, I lived my life around power.

I controlled everything so perfectly, that I thought I was secure. When you walked away, I lost my control. It didn’t matter what I did, I couldn’t get you back. Control suddenly became useless. I suddenly became helpless. Don’t you see, sweetheart? My world without you, isn’t a world at all…it’s merely an existence.”

I am crying now. Big, fat, ugly tears roll down my cheeks. Marcus grips my face and his lips slide across my cheek, then down to my lips. I press myself against him and I kiss him back, hard, deep. I hear my family cheering behind us, and a chuckle escapes Marcus at their happy whoops. When we pull apart, I reach up and slide my hand under the sleeve of his t-shirt. I pinch the skin on his arm hard and he yelps.

“Don’t do it again,” I warn.

He bursts out laughing and pulls me close to his chest. “Sweetheart, I believe you need some therapy for this constant abuse.”

I giggle and rub my cheek against his chest.

“You should stop being an ass, and I won’t have to abuse you.”

“Ah, so that’s the secret.”

“Where to now, sir?” I murmur.

“You’re really pregnant?”

“Yes…”

“We’re going to have a baby?”

“Yeah.”

“Then we need to do the only thing that seems logical right now.”

Oh what’s he going to say now? Buy a house? A car? Get a new job?

Move away?

“What’s that?”

“We need to go on a date.”

Huh?

~*~*~*~*

MARCUS

I feel my heart quicken as she comes around the corner. She’s dressed in a light blue summer dress. Her hair is tied up loosely and she has bare feet, just like I requested. I feel my vision cloud as I stare at the woman who changed my world. I don’t regret a single decision I made, when I see her standing in front of me, with those rosy red cheeks. A small smile creeps across her face and I grin, stepping closer. I see her mom and dad standing in the kitchen, smiling. Jayelle is clapping her hands happily behind me.

“Are you ready, sweetheart?” I murmur.

“Ready as I’ll ever be. Where are we going?”

“It’s a secret,” I grin.

“Still no shoes?”

I shake my head. “No, baby.”

“All right, I trust you.”

I stretch out my hand and she takes it, letting her soft fingers curl around mine. We say goodbye to her parents, and I take her outside to the car. I open the door for her, and kiss her sweet lips before helping her in.

When I slide into the front seat, she’s flushing and looking at me through those thick, pretty eyelashes. She’s giving me one of those sexy, fuck me looks.

“I thought you were pregnant, baby?” I husk, feeling my body jerk to life.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t want you…doesn’t mean I won’t take you…”

“Baby,” I murmur. “You’re killin’ me.”

She smiles, giving me a lustful look. “That’s the plan, revenge and all that.”

“Bad girl,” I growl.

“Only for you, sexy sweet.”

Grinning, I start the car and back out of the driveway. We begin driving towards the location I have all set out for us. It takes us a good three hours to get there, but we chat the entire time. We talk about the baby. She’s convinced it’s a boy, I’m pretty sure it’s a girl. There’s just something so beautiful that happens inside me, when I think of a tiny girl to cherish. Smiling, I lean back into the chair.

“Names?” Sierra asks, sticking her hand into a bag of potato chips and throwing one into her mouth.

I raise my brows at her.

“What?” she says between mouthfuls. “I’m pregnant now.”

“Ha, good excuse, sweetheart.”

She pouts. “Don’t worry, I won’t make extra booty for you to drag around.”

I snort a laugh and grin at her. “Your booty could be the size of this state and I’d still drag you around everywhere with me, and I’d do it with pride. That’s how much I love you.”

“Aw, you sweet thing, you.”

“Now, back to names…”

“I like…well…it’s a stupid name, but I always liked it when I was growing up.”

“Spill, sweetheart.”

“If the baby is a girl, Esmeralda. If the baby is a boy, Noah.”

I grin at her, I love her mind. I love everything about her right in this moment.

“Had a fascination for the hunchback as a child, did we?”

“I liked that movie! Hey, I didn’t suggest Quasimodo as a boy’s name. Give me a break,” she giggles.

“Quasi…I like it.”

She shoves my arm. “Not funny, Marcus.”

I wink at her. “Baby, I love the name Esmeralda. We could call her Esme.”

“Oh no…” she groans.

“What?”

“The Twi-hards of the world will think we’re copying them.”

I focus on the road with a blank expression. “The what?”

“The Twi-hards. The twilight fans. You know…the vampire movie?”