Page 94 of The Consequences of Love and Vengeance

Anything is a possibility, so why won’t Drago let me in?

Gabe’s whimpers bring me out of my racing thoughts as I approach the door. His restless whines are increasing by the second, making me second-guess my decision to take a baby strolling around the zoo for over three hours. Ms. Lincoln wasn’t thrilled about the idea herself, but she didn’t say anything. I could see it in her eyes though. She wanted to tell me not to take him.

“Shh, baby, give me just a few more minutes. I promise a cozy blanket and your crib are coming up. How does that sound?”

Like he understands what you’re saying, Brianna.

Once I dig the keys out of my pocket, I unlock the door and let us inside.

“Almost there, Gabe.”

Turning around, I close the door and flip the lock on the deadbolt. I don’t live in a bad neighborhood, thanks to my father, but perhaps being a cop and seeing all the things I have over the years makes me take extra precautions. And the couple of months I’ve had Gabriel definitely has made me more aware of things and amped up my already alert self.

I place the bags on the small dining table. Ms. Lincoln’s groceries will have to wait. I have a tuckered-out baby boy to put down for a nap.

His hand tightens around the sleeve of my shirt making it taut as he cries out.

This boy pulls on my heartstrings at every turn. I realize now I kept him out far too long, but it’s not like he came with a manual. Not that it makes me feel any better. It doesn’t. I still feel like crap.

“I’m sorry, sweet man. We’re home now, and your bed is coming right up.”

Just as soon as I get you changed into a clean diaper and into your jammies, I think while unclipping my holster and weapon, placing them both in the drawer between my couch and recliner.

If he weren’t so tired and cranky, I’d go ahead and give him his nightly bath, but I’ll just do that later tonight.

I ease him down onto the makeshift changing table, which is actually a cheap, used dresser I bought at the flea market a few blocks from my building. It has a foam pad on the top and works just fine.

The cop in me hates buying things from places like flea markets nowadays because I’m always wondering if it’s stolen merchandise. As a kid, I loved going to them with my mom even though she rarely bought anything, and we always had to go when my father wasn’t around. It was our little secret—our mother-daughter bonding time. It was something that was just ours.

He didn’t approve of shopping at what he considered lower-class establishments. Kind of like the way he views my job, I guess. Everything is first class when it comes to Robert Andrews.

I miss my mom every day, so when I do go, it’s like a piece of her is with me for a short period of time. I also don’t make a lot of money, so when it comes to extra expenses—Gabriel—I have to bargain shop.

He gives me a smile after I’ve secured the last taped strap to his diaper. In turn, I give him one back and then bend down to kiss his bare tummy.

He’s the most precious thing in the world to me. I’m not exactly sure when that happened, but it did, and I can’t deny that.

I forgo putting any other clothes on him. He gets hot when he sleeps, so typically he’s good in just a diaper with his blue blanket and a stuffed animal.

The boy loves plush toys of any kind just like I did when I was little.

Picking him up, I squeeze him lightly to my chest as I turn and step to his crib, then gently place him in it.

Once I have him covered and his monkey tucked in his hand, I leave. He’s a great sleeper. I cannot complain after the things I’ve witnessed Alana and Jackson have to deal with when it comes to their youngest, Carly, when she was a baby. Gabe is nothing like that. He’s a perfect angel compared to my niece as a baby.

I leave a crack in his door after I exit so I’m able to hear him better. I don’t have one of those baby monitors. It wasn’t something I purchased because I didn’t see it as a necessity at the time and I wasn’t sure how long he would be staying with me. It’s not like my condo is big, so I can hear him no matter where I am.

I really hadn’t planned on him being here this long. Not that the past few months feel long—they don’t. It doesn’t feel long enough if I’m being honest with myself.

Walking across the hall and into my bedroom, I kick off my flats, followed by removing my slacks ready to get into a hot shower. But before I reach for the first button on my blouse, I hear a noise.

My head turns automatically to listen. It’s the door. The door I locked less than twenty minutes ago is being unlocked.

There are only two people aside from myself that have a key to my condo. Alana being one, but I know she’s in San Francisco. She and I talked just this morning. She would have told me if she were coming down here.

The other is Ms. Lincoln and only because she keeps Gabriel. I wanted her to have access to his things in case I forgot to pack something he needed, or she runs out because I didn’t pack enough.

She has never let herself in before when I’m home. But then, maybe she doesn’t know I’m back. Odd, though, since I have Gabriel.

---