Relinquish(79)

“What are you going to do about Miller?” I question loudly so he can hear me above the rain.

“Whatever I have to. I’ll kill him before I let him get between us.”





LANDON


“Holy shit. There’s no way I can take that. Look at that thing!” Charlie’s face twists like she’s physically in pain as she eyes the prenatal vitamins in my hand. I smirk at her dramatic response to a couple of pills.

“I can hold you down, make you take them,” I offer. Charlie rolls her eyes and holds her hand out, knowing I’ll do just that. In fact, holding her down and showing her who’s in control is not a bad way to start the morning, in my opinion. I still can’t believe this is the same little girl who was under the table nine long years ago. I never thought I could care for another. I just didn’t care to before. Nobody came along that I felt like I needed to pursue. No woman interested me past a one-night stand. Nobody but Charlie. It’s like she said, it’s as if fate was trying to tell us something the whole time we had been together. We just weren’t listening.

She pops them in her mouth and takes a sip of water. She looks amazing this morning. Her dark, curly hair is down, and her cheeks are flushed from the round of sex we just had, which ended with us tangled in the bed sheets and falling on the floor.

She runs her hands through her hair and sighs loudly. She’s nervous, not that I blame her. Taking her back to the estate where I know my father will be is risky, but I won’t hesitate to protect her from him, even if it kills me. Miller and his bimbo are out of the Blackwell estate as of today, peacefully or otherwise.

“Stop worrying. Everything will be fine.”

She snaps her head toward me and huffs. “Just leave me here. Come back and get me when everything is over,” she whines.

“I told you, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone. Not when my father has hired men to capture you. You’re coming with me,” I growl. I find her hand and pull her from the bed, give her a kiss on the forehead, and smack her ass. I’m not surprised Niko came to the house last night after Charlie. When my father puts out an order, it’s a challenge among our most ruthless men. When I saw the person holding the gun at Charlie, I didn’t hesitate. I killed the motherf*cker. I didn’t know it was Niko, but the ending would have been the same even if I had. I will do everything in my power to protect Charlie, to prove to her I am what she needs.

“Let’s get a move on.”

I slide my hands through my hair, slicking it back, and head toward my car to start the journey back to the estate. I set the alarm system and leave with Charlie.

During the drive to the estate, Charlie shifts and messes with her hair nervously. She keeps looking down at her stomach with an unreadable expression. I’m not sure if she’s accepting the pregnancy or still on the fence. I admit, it’s a f*cking shock. There are pieces of me that have me scared out of my mind to be a father, but if I was going to have a child with anyone, I’d want it to be with Charlie.

Parking at the estate, I can tell everyone is on high-alert. Osborn is standing at the front door, along with some other no-named guards here and there.

“Osborn,” I greet, shutting my door. I hurry my step and open Charlie’s door, helping her out. Her face is pale, and her eyes dart around the yard.

“Landon.” Osborn takes my hand and slaps my back.

“My father in?” I ask.

Osborn nods, his sunglasses blinding me from the glare of the sun reflecting off them. I open the large door and find my father yelling at a man in a police uniform at the top of the stairs. I lift my chin and exhale, my hand finding Charlie’s as we charge forward.

“Last time I checked, Miller, you weren’t running the show anymore. So why am I even talking to you? You can’t benefit me in any way. What I’m doing is a favor to your father,” the cop sneers, his hand on his gun.

“What’s going on?” I question, turning to shut the door but stopping when I find Osborn following me in.

“Landon.” When the cop turns, I recognize him as Arlen, his caramel-brown curly hair sticking out from under his black police cap around his bright freckled face. He’s built like an athlete and has been a client of ours before he was ever on the force. I head up the steps, and Charlie squeezes my hand. I turn my head and find her eyes wide as saucers and staring past me. Following her line of sight, I see my father looking right at her with hunger in his eyes. I’ll deal with him in a minute.

“What can I do for you, Arlen?” I ask, shaking his hand.

“As I told your father, we cannot locate Charlotte Evans. We–” He stops and lifts his index finger, pointing at Charlie. “Is that—” His brows furrow.

“Thank you for your time, Arlen, but it’s been handled,” I interrupt.

“I see. Well, good. My men and I can get back to our job then.” Arlen looks over his shoulder, glaring at my father before trotting down the stairs. I wait for him to leave before I turn to address Miller.

His face is still blistering red. He’s in his red robe, his dark silk sweats showing from under it. You can tell he’s not slept with the large bags forming under his eyes.

“You betrayed me,” he spits, his fists clenching. I don’t respond.

“An Evans. You let an Evans into my household after what her whore of a mother did to me.” His lip curls, and his eyes squint with insanity.