The feeling of having Patty in my arms and her accepting my proposal was the best day of my life.If I had a say, we would head to Vegas tomorrow for our wedding.
Now I have her, I will never let her go.
EPILOGUE
Jessica
Six Months Later
Patty’s penthouse was full of guests mingling and enjoying the baby games. Bridget and I were throwing a baby shower for Patty and Sam before they left. They were waiting to find out if they were having a boy or girl, so the theme of the party was rubber duckies.
CJ sat down next to me on the plush black couch. “How are you going to do with Patty leaving for six months?”
My father had demanded his first grandchild be born in Shialia, so Sam and Patty were leaving that afternoon for a six-month trip to Shialia. Sam would work on learning more about Shialia. It would be many years before Patty and Sam take over. They would assist in the everyday operations.
“Hey, sis, how are you doing?” Patty asked, sitting down next to me. She was resting her hands on the slight bulge on her stomach. I looked over to see Sam out on the patio. Even though he was outside, he still had an eye on Patty. He was having a conversation with Brock.
“Good. Are you enjoying the party?” I really hadn’t been doing well lately. I felt like I was losing my mind. Things kept changing places in my house. When I was driving, I always felt like someone was following me. I didn’t want to worry Patty or Sam with everything they had going on, though.
Maybe when they were gone, I’d ask Brock to analyze the security footage of my house. I looked at the video after some of my clothes went missing. I couldn’t find where it happened. It was like the footage was tampered with.Today is not about me worrying how my refrigerator reorganized itself. Or how some of my clothes went missing.
“You should come with us when we go. I will miss you,” Patty said.
Patty had been pleading with me to come with her, but I was not ready to face that demon yet.
Patty hadn’t dyed her hair since finding out she was pregnant, and it was strange to see her with the same color as mine. Her shoulder-length blond hair brushed against her shoulders. She was wearing a cute sunflower sundress.
I shrugged, not wanting to admit I was too scared to go back to Shialia—even though my original attacker was still in prison. “I will consider coming when you are closer to your due date.” It was the same statement I’d made a hundred times. She knew I was blowing smoke up her ass.
The chance of being kidnapped once was one in six hundred and ten thousand. I couldn’t find the stats of being captured twice. I knew the chances were low. I just wasn’t ready to face the fear. I also still had nightmares and suspected they would get worse if I went back.
Wanting to change the subject, I said, “Did you know babies born in May are, on average, heavier than babies born in any other month?”
“Thanks for letting me know I will get fat. Don’t think I didn’t notice you changing the subject. I will let it go for now. So, you know Brock said he would go with you when you come.” The thought of Brock sent shivers down my spine, straight to my clit.
At the mention of his name, I looked out the window to see him looking right back at me. I was lost in his hazel eyes for a moment.
Then Patty pushed my shoulder to get my attention.
“You should ask him out,” Bridget said while sitting in the white recliner next to the couch.
I would not admit anything, so I played dumb. “Who?”
Bridget burst out laughing and flung her head back. I didn’t think it was that funny or obvious that I had a thing for Brock. Who wouldn’t have a thing for him? The man was drop-dead gorgeous. The past few months, he’d consumed all my fantasies.
“We all know you have a thing for Brock. Why don’t you ask him out?” CJ said while sitting in the other recliner.
“We’re at Patty’s baby shower. Not an intervention on my sex life.”
Bridget moved Alonzo to her other arm. “I need some grown-up talk. It seems all I do anymore is talk about babies. Don’t get me wrong. I love this little guy. Back to your sex life. We can’t have an intervention on your sex life because you don’t have one.”
“I haven’t even been divorced a year. Better yet, my ex hasn’t even been in the ground for a year, and you want me to go out and find a new sex slave?”
“Yes!” CJ and Bridget yelled at the same time.
“You guys are ridiculous. I need to go get the cake ready.” I got up to walk away, but Patty’s words stopped me in my tracks.
“He watches you when you aren’t looking. He asks me every day how you are doing. Even though he spends half his time as your bodyguard.”