Page 16 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

Long, hot showers are great, and the occasional long soak in a tub with smell-good bubblesis amazing. This isn’t one of those times. More like a rush to the finish line instead.

My mad dash into the bathroom lasts less than five minutes. I’m a wet mess, but I’m clean, and that’s the point. The room is still steamy from Alana’s shower, so I don’t bother with wiping the residual steam off the mirror once I’ve toweled off. It’s the weekend, and I’m too tired to mess with applying any makeup. I don’t see the point whenmy plans now consist of baby duty until Monday morning.

I toss my towel in the hamper then open the door that leads back into my bedroom.

Once dressed, I slip on a pair of flat sandals to complete my ensemble.

With nothing left to do, I head out of my room and down the hall. Alana’s voice is sweet. I hear her as I near the living room. She’s a sucker for babies. Loves them. She may be a force to be reckoned with in the business world from what I’ve heard, but when it comes to her children, she’s a great mom—a loving mother. The best mother.

I walk in to find Alana strapping Gabriel in his car seat. She glances over at me.

“Oh, good, you’re done.”

She takes a step back then loops her arm under the handle, pulling the seat and Gabriel off the table.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” Her free hand comes up, and my car keys jiggle. “We’re going shopping, let’s go.”

“Why?”

“Because I said so,” she deadpans; her expression turning agitated. After a beat, she sighs before sitting the baby back on the table. Turning, she steps into the kitchen, grabs something and then returns. “See this?”

She holds up the dishtowel I gave her earlier.

“Yes,” I nod.

“It’s covered in puke. I bet you have several more just like it, am I right?”

Yep. She is. But what is she getting at?

“I’ll take your non-answer as a yes.” She smiles, knowing she is right. “You or someone has him on the wrong formula. He needs another type. Let’s go.”

She picks the baby back up then turns, heading toward the door without waiting for me.

“Alana!” I call after her. Her response is to jiggle my keys again.

“You coming or not?”

The door opens, but she doesn’t bother shutting it. She knows I’m coming with her.

Stubborn ass is lucky I love her. No one else would get away with pulling that shit with me.

With a huff, I let out a breath as I march to the kitchen and snatch my purse off the counter, then follow like an obedient child.

Without my keys, I have to lock the door handle lock instead of the deadbolt. But since it’s a safe complex, it’s no big deal.

Of course, she would be in the driver’s seat of my black, Audi A7 by the time I make it down to the parking lot.

The car was apresent from Jackson and Alana when I received my promotion two years ago to detective. I consider it my birthday slash Christmas slash moving up in the ranks on the force present, but that’s what I tell myself even though I know it was just them buying me an expensive gift. One that was too expensive, even if this was the cheapest version of the model.

My brother knows me well. He knows if they would’ve gone all out I would have refused the car. But I love my car. There’s not one thing cheap about it to me, either.

Opening the passenger’s side door, I sink into the seat, then place my purse on the floorboard of the backseat before strapping on the seat belt.

“So, where are we heading? I can’t spend too much money,” I add.

Her head swivels around to me, eyeing me as though I’ve lost my mind as she pushes the start button next to the gearshift to bring the car alive.

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