Page 91 of His Team

“I’m going to keep you safe. If it’s the last thing I do … I would give my life to keep you safe. We’ll be fine,” I sob to the tiny being growing inside me.

I manage to get to my place in a daze. A plan slowly begins to form. I’m going to need Ximena’s help. Hopefully she can get me on a flight without me using my real name or being tracked.

Somehow, I get out of my rental and make it to the apartment. I’m startled from my thoughts as Taylor calls my name. I look up to find her waiting in front of the door for me.

I almost forgot. She’s here to borrow some outfit or something. I really couldn’t tell you what it is at this point.

“Maribel, what’s the matter? Why are you crying?”

I shake my head. I hadn’t told the girls why I had to rush off to New Jersey or anything about what happened between me and Cam. I don’t have the time to get into all of that now.

“I’m not going to finish my last semester. I’m dropping out,” I say, not wanting to give too much information.

My friends shouldn’t know much about where I’m going or why. I don’t want it to come back to bite them. Taylor has been nothing but a friend and I love her for it.

“Let’s get inside and we can talk about it,” she says.

I shake my head. “There’s nothing to talk about, I need to pack.”

“Then I’ll help you pack, and you can help me understand what’s going on.”

I run my arm under my nose. My head is starting to hurt, so I’m not going to argue with her. I’m relieved when we step into the apartment and Ximena is home.

Because Taylor is watching me like a hawk, I pull out my phone and text my cousin to set my plan in motion. I’ll be gone before the end of the night.

My child comes first. As long as my baby is safe, I’ll figure out the rest. This is my sign—I can do this by myself.

Cameron

I had entered the draft to see where I would land. Now that I know I have not one but two babies on the way, I need to be in the draft.

I didn’t mean to upset Amina. I was just shocked. For the second time in the past month, I’ve been told I’ve gotten someone pregnant. First, I was hit with shock, then I was filled with overwhelming excitement.

By the time the excitement kicked in, Amina was running away from me. I tried to chase her down, but there was a crowd in the way when I got outside the building, and I didn’t see which way she went.

I tried to call her phone, but she didn’t answer. I’ve been trying all day. It keeps going to voicemail.

“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” my father says as we’re cleaning up in the back of the coffee shop after Caleb proposed to Nicole.

“I do.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“What if marrying Kay isn’t the right thing to do? I know about the baby and all, but something isn’t sitting right with me.”

“You mean your little friend is still in the picture,” he replies.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“I’d say take care of your responsibilities. Don’t forget you and Kay took some time apart. If I were you, I’d make sure to sweep under the rug before lying down your hat.”

“You don’t think the baby is mine?”

“I think you need to make sure you have an ironclad prenup and a clause to walk out of the marriage on your terms. That little girl wants to live a comfortable life. If that’s my grandson or granddaughter, fine.

“I’ll be happy to spoil the whole lot of you. But if not, your happiness is all I’m worried about. I want you to have what your brother has. Someone you’re crazy about.

“Life is hard enough as it is. I’ve learned money doesn’t fix everything, but love will make it tolerable. You want to have peace in your home,” he says.

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