Uncharted (Unexpected Book 3) (36 page)

Being back in Seattle feels refreshing; so different from the exotic food, the lush tropical flora, and a language I’m starting to understand. I touch my belly; the memory of my two-week ordeal is fresh. Food poisoning in a foreign country and my big imagination unleashed a series of anxiety attacks that made me think about my future. A future I won’t discuss with anyone yet. Not even with Jacob.

He didn’t call again. He did send a few text messages, but thankfully, I didn’t have to hear his voice. His voice mesmerizes me, and distracts me from remembering the harsh reality of our final time together. No, I need a fresh canvas, so silence for now is okay.

I loosen my neck and ring the doorbell. The door opens almost instantly and my lips stretch as my best friend opens it. She wears a striped jersey black and gray tunic, leggings, and a prominent belly. “Since when do you ring the bell?”

“You look adorable.” I step inside and hug her belly. “How are you feeling? Have you had any more of those weird contractions you mentioned last week?”

She shrugs and closes the door. “There are only three weeks left for that thirty-seven week mark.” She caresses her bump with such tenderness that I want a bump of my own. “We can do it, right, baby?”

I follow behind her as she walks through the foyer. The sound of my luggage rolling echoes through the house. There’s no Max around, nor Toby. It’s as if I’m in the middle of a hurricane, the eye of the storm. Her family is about to arrive, and from what I recall from previous conversations, there are a lot of them—and they’re loud.

“Welcome to the craziest weekend of your life.” Her voice sounds chirpy, unlike her face. “As our first guest, you get first pick; you have your choice between six comfortable rooms, each ready for you to crash with us for a week—or a year.”

“A week sounds great. I might head to San Diego for a couple of days, then come back to receive our little girl.” AJ rolls her eyes and I smirk at her. “Do you at least have names picked out?”

“I have some ideas.” She smiles. “Nothing concrete. We keep vetoing more of each other’s names than approving. I have to sit, so let’s go upstairs.”

Her waddle resembles that of a penguin as she heads to the stairs. She stops right before she begins to climb. “Five minutes is bad, isn’t it?”

Five minutes? Oh, shit. By the scrunched-up face and quick inhales of breath, I’m guessing contractions.

“Where is your handsome man?” Please let him be around, I pray—fearing she might start going into labor in front of me—or I’m going to need a Valium to calm my anxiety. “He might want to know about the contractions.”

“The office. Someone called earlier.
An emergency.
” She freezes, staring with wide eyes. “Mind getting him for me?”

I rush toward the home office and enter without knocking on the door. “Yes, his name is Jacob Christian Colthurst-Decker. Thank you. I’ll have the money for the bail transferred over as soon as you post it, sir.”

I freeze in my footsteps. “Jacob is in jail?” A muscle in his jaw twitches as he bows his head while pointing at the Bluetooth he wears.

“I appreciate it. Of course, sir.” He takes off the earpiece and gives me a deep frown of welcome. “Yes?”

“Your wife might be in labor,” I say, sighing in resignation, because I’m going to regret what I’m about to say. “Do you want me to take over whatever mess he’s gotten himself into?”

He scratches the side of his neck. His hard, gray eyes make my entire body shiver in fear. Where is his wife to control him?

“Yes. Call Jody and tell her to bring you up to speed.” He rises from the chair, slamming it against the wall. Jacob must have fucked up pretty bad. I’ll find out soon, I guess. “She’s ready to send the wire to post bail. Tell the ass that I’m going to kill him. Hopefully someone popped his cherry while he was there.”

I throw my head back, releasing a huge laugh, even with the guy glaring and fuming in front of me.

“Glad you find it funny, Cypriana, because you’re cleaning the shitload he’s smeared.” He storms out of the room. “My wife can’t know anything, at least not until we know what’s going on with her.”

“Call. Text. I want to know what’s the deal is with my niece,” I yell behind him, hoping it upsets him more. He wants a boy. But the reason I’m taunting him is because it’s dreamy to watch how he goes from tyrant to a tame puppy. “Oh, hey, can I borrow a car?”

“How are you feeling, Nine?” The soft, husky voice makes me sigh and want what those two have. He bends and kisses her belly. “Let’s go. I have one of your bags ready inside my truck. You guys are going to be okay, I promise you.” Then he pauses and looks over his shoulder. “Yes, grab any car.”

He scoops her up from the floor and heads to the door without looking back. I hear her complaining about being able to walk and not being a fragile doll, but he only presses her tighter to him. So romantic. I want to throw rose petals behind them while cherubim sing some celestial tune. Envy strikes the base of my skull, but I push it away.

With each step I take toward the exit of the holding cells, I fear that my life might be over. Shit, I really I fucked up this time. Norah Stinson made me promise so much. Trying to keep those promises is always bringing me down. Now her ex, Tyler Stinson, has my future in his hands.
Shit.

“I warned you, not once, but several times.” He cleaned the blood dripping from his nose. “You ran out of luck, prick. No one will be able to get you out of this one.”

He smirked while pointing at his swollen eye. The pain didn’t matter. He’d finally won, and I’d let him. Those fucking words he lashed at me blinded my common sense, and I punched him hard while Hunter screamed for me to leave his father alone. I scared the boy and I can’t forgive myself for doing so. The boy, who doesn’t even know who the hell I am anymore and cried because I’d hit his father.

I tried, Norah.
Fuck, why do I keep screwing this up?

The officer I follow opens the door and points to a tinted glass wall with a counter and a hole. “Pick up your belongings and you can head out.”

“Watch, cell phone, wallet, bracelet, earring, and car keys.” The officer hands me a clipboard with a form where I agree that my belongings were returned without damage.

“Decker, let’s go, now.” Her words are like a cold, sharp, knife that travels down through my spine.
Not her. God let it be anyone but her. Not like this.
“AJ’s at the hospital, and it’s not looking good, according to Matthew.”

I slam a hand on my forehead because this fucking day can’t get any worse…unless I lose my sister. Bradley asked me not to do anything stupid for the next few weeks because my sister needed me. Instead, I made the biggest mistake of my entire life. All in the name of trying to repair it. It takes me a few seconds to control my shallow breathing, and to control my overwhelming fear of losing my sister.

I shove my phone and leather bracelet inside my pocket. I stare at my earring, debating on what to do with it. I decide to put it back in. The stupid officer made me take off everything just for the sake of it, and I did before pushing myself deeper into the hole I’m in.

“Now.” The bitterness in that one word crushes against my chest. “I’ll be outside waiting for you.”

I lift my gaze and watch her sway her hips toward the door. Her waist is slimmer, her butt firmer, and her hair shorter. My pants shrink and I want to take her right now. Not a good time for that teenage lust I have for that woman to appear. For all I know, she’s aware of the entire situation and thinks it’s true. I look around the parking lot and find Mason’s Bugatti. His thirtieth birthday present from his father.

“I should be driving this.” I slide into the car.

“Aggravated assault, harassment, you violated a restraining order, and they’re accusing you of spying on Hunter Stinson, among other boys; calling you a pedophile.” She starts the car and presses the gas pedal several times. “Do you understand the implications of all that shit?”

I rub my face while nodding.

“These charges are a big deal.” I’m aware of all that, which is why I tried not to ever do any stupid shit. “You’ll have a record. A child molester, nonetheless? Do you know you’re going to have to register in any county you live in? That you’re going to have to stay away from children?” She gives me a quick glance and shakes her head before she continues driving. “Jacob, it means you can’t be around the music school, maybe even be close to AJ’s baby.”

I punch the dashboard because I’m not in the fucking mood to discuss what’s going on with my life or what’ll happen if I can’t fix this shit. My sister is in the hospital and I have that fucking feeling something isn’t right.

“I can find the best lawyers, but I won’t.” She parks right in front of the valet parking at the medical center. “Unless you tell me what the hell happened and convince me that what Tyler Stinson is saying is a bunch of lies.”

Pria climbs out of the car, hands over the keys to the valet guy, and rushes through the hospital doors without waiting for me. We make our way to the elevator just as the doors are opening. Pria pokes the number three, her eyes avoiding mine. The resentment in her heart is squeezing mine. Days like today, I condemn the day I met Norah Stinson. Ever since Pria re-entered my life, I doubt the validity of what I had with Norah. All these consuming promises have been killing me slowly.

As the elevator doors open, I spot my family. Matthew and my parents are speaking with the doctor. Once my brother spots me, he points at me and marches right by.

“They need blood for AJ.” My blood drains to my feet. “Are you sober?”

Of course, the first thought that comes to his head is that I’m wasted. He hasn’t been around on a daily basis to realize that I’ve been sober. Ever since I swore to stay clean for my family.

“Is my sister okay?” I direct my question toward the doctor.

“We’ve been able to stop the contractions,” the doctor responds. “Her husband will be able to give you more details.”

“The blood?”

“In case your sister needs a blood transfusion.” He checks her chart. “AB negative is a rare blood type and I want to have enough in storage. Your brother already donated a pint.”

I nod and the doctor asks me to follow him, but as I do, Chris stops me. “We’ll talk, Jacob. You have our support—unless you did any of those things.”

Oh great. Now Pops doubts me too.
Fuck.

AJ lies on her side, the IV tube taped to the back of her hand, cables, which I believe are attached to her belly, going under the blankets. There are two different monitors with lines going up and down.

“Baby’s and mine.” AJ points at them. “Everyone has the same worried expression across their face as they enter the room and ask the same question of what the hell are all those cables and monitors? Now, I say it as an ice-breaker, because facing those dreadful faces and the ‘I have no idea what to say’ doesn’t work for me.” Her hand wanders over her body. “Yes, this is messed up, not ideal, but the doctors know what they’re doing. Like my parents said. My brothers and I lived even when we were born at twenty-eight weeks almost thirty years ago. At thirty-four weeks, and with today’s medical advances, the baby will be out of the incubator in a week or two. Now, tell me something fun.”

I chuckle, because she’s the one in the hospital bed, yet she’s the one making everyone feel better about her condition.

“You want something fun?” The gruff voice comes from the doorway. I look toward it and find Mason’s mouth curving into a tender smile as he speaks to his wife. “Let the woman go. I’ll entertain you for the night, Nine.”

“Oh, Ten. Since you knocked me up, you haven’t entertained me the way you used to, so don’t go making promises you can’t keep,” AJ retorts with a teasing laughter, her eyes shining. “At least change your contacts for those hot frames. A girl can swoon while watching her favorite superhero transform into a regular citizen.”

Dorks.

“Before things heat up between the two of you, I’m leaving.” I kiss her cheek and squeeze her hand. “I’ll be here tomorrow, babe.”

We say our goodbyes, and they both promise they’ll call if anything changes. Stepping out of the room I weigh my options for the night. There’s a huge difference between staying with my best friend and staying at my friend’s house while she’s in the hospital. Looking at black speckles of the linoleum, I ponder if heading to a hotel would be the smartest solution to my housing issue. However, my thought disappears when I spot Jacob at the end of the hallway. He leans against the wall, arms crossed, and chin pressed against his body. He looks so sad and worried.

His hair is the same length as when I cut it a few months ago. It touches his chin, but it’s still long enough to cover that Greek profile that makes every woman on the planet wet. To anyone hanging around, he appears distracted and looks to be studying the perfectly clean floor, counting the dots as I did. However, my body senses his powerful gaze.

“Ready to go?” At a lack of ability to answer with coherent words, I shake my head. At night, my mouth usually has no will power when it comes to Jacob Decker. Ever since I met him, I’ve agreed to whatever he’s suggested, which in the long run translates to pure pain for me. No more. “My parents offered their home. You can stay at the Bradley’s, but I’d rather take you home with me. I hate that you believe the charges against me are real. Please give me a chance to explain.”

He lifts his face and I stare into those agonizing eyes.

“What’s the deal with the restraining order?” The business-like posture only lasts a couple of seconds before his expression turns into a voiceless misery.

“Remember I mentioned that Norah had a child?” I stare, waiting for more. Of course, Norah’s kid that
became
his son. Although I never saw any paperwork that made that legal, so perhaps it never was. The only child he’ll ever have. “After she died, I fought Tyler Stinson—Hunter’s dad—for custody of his son. It’s one of the things she asked me to do. After a year of fighting them, they served me with a restraining order. That didn’t stop me from delivering the letters she left for him… One for each milestone. I promised her.”

I bite my lips because I’m starting to hate that woman, and it’s wrong to have such strong, negative feelings about the dead.

“I thought that going to apologize for being an idiot erased that order.” He scratches his brow. “The truth is that I wasn’t thinking at all, and acted out before consulting anyone. When Tyler Stinson spotted me, he confronted me. I tried to walk away, but he called my parents fags. He insinuated that my interest in his son was to molest him because I was just like my fathers—a gay-pedophile. I lost it. No one fucks with my family.”

I read the police report Jody sent me. He hit the police officer. Tyler Stinson had to be transported to the hospital because Jacob slammed his head against the garage door a few times. All provoked. He’s right; Jacob doesn’t tolerate anyone talking about his family.

“I’m trying to tie up some loose ends, make things right.” He reaches for my hand but I yank it away from him. “Twinkle?”

I clear my throat and try to reign in my composure. “That’s an easy fix, then. Tomorrow I’ll make the calls and prepare a news release in case we need it.” I smooth my skirt, working hard not to break down. “Since the shower’s not going to happen, I’ll head to Cali with Mae. I’m heading to a hotel. That’s best.”

“Twinkle, I’m doing all this for you.” My mouth takes an unpleasant twist, my head shakes, and I move toward the elevator. “Pria, you have to believe me.”

“We’re over, Jacob.” I convey this in the simplest way possible while continuing my way toward the exit.

“Twinkle, don’t leave me,” he says in such a pained expression that I barely recognize his tone.

“Jacob.” I gather my strength. “I love you, but I have to love myself more. I want to be a selfish person and find someone that loves
me
. Not a ghost. I’m done pleasing everyone to get a smidge of love. That’s what happened with my parents and that’s what happened during that ridiculous relationship we had.” I storm off without giving him a second glance.