Giving Her My Baby(17)

“I want this so bad. This all feels so right. I want my mom to like you. I want your family to like me.”

Her sweet words warm me. I run my hands down to her hips and grip her there. I drop my forehead down to hers and take a deep breath. Fuck, I need to tell her about my family. I should have done it from the beginning, but I didn’t. Now I just need to do it and get it out there already.

Leaning back, I look into her eyes and open my mouth.

“Eleanor—” I begin, but my words are cut off when I hear my own mother’s voice coming from the front of the house.

“Brooky! I was in the neighborhood.”

Her always-chipper voice carries from the entryway. Fuck, I should have told the front gate to let me know if my mom showed up. They never alert me when she arrives. She’s cleared to come and go as she pleases, and now I should probably change that. I don’t want her or anyone else walking in here while I might have Ella laid out on the kitchen counter. I’ve just never had that worry before now.

Although as panic settles into my chest, I realize that this might be the moment when it all blows up in my face.

The sound of her heels clicking her way to us is foreboding. I pray that my mom is alone, but when I see her walking into the kitchen, I realize my luck has run out.





12





Ella





Brooks’s whole body tenses. I try to turn around to see the woman who called him Brooky. It better not be that neighbor again. I might lose it this time. Now that I know Brooks is all mine I can stake my claim all I want. I also know he thinks that woman is bat-shit crazy and his lawyer was supposed to have handled all of it. I was all too happy about that. I don't want Brooks anywhere near her.

I’m not worried about her, though. I know Brooks only sees me. When we were out today most people knew who he was. Women openly stared at him, but he didn't even notice. All his attention was on me. In fact, he was the jealous one. Any guy who tried to even talk to me he either growled at or he barked at them to get away from me. I’d had to fight laughter most of the day because of it. Maybe I was wrong in finding it funny and adorable. The truth is that it made me feel wanted. As if he was scared someone might try to steal me away from him. My finger goes to the diamond ring on my finger. Both Brooks and I keep playing with it absently.

Brooks’s big body blocks my view of whoever it is that just walked in. “I brought Vick with me,” I hear her say.

“Fuck,” Brooks grits out, his voice irritated and angry.

When he looks at me I can’t read him, but I know something is wrong. He’s serious and looks somewhat panicked as he takes my face in his hands.

“I love you,” he tells me, catching me off guard. “Tell me you know that.”

“What’s wrong?” I ask, unsure what the hell is going on.

“I love you,” he says again, right before his mouth lands on mine in a hard kiss.

It takes my breath away, but also takes away the chance for me to say it back to him. His hands dig into my hair and hold me captive as he devours me.

“Eleanor.” I freeze when I hear someone I don’t know say my proper name. No one calls me that except Brooks, and sometimes my mother.

Brooks pulls back from the kiss and looks into my eyes. “I love you,” he says again before stepping aside and letting me see who is in the room.

I start to smile when I see a tall older woman with the same eyes as Brooks standing there in white slacks and a deep blue shirt. Her blonde-gray hair is short and styled away from her face. She steps towards him and opens her arms.

My stomach drops when I see who is with her. The man who said my name.

“Vick?” The sound of his name is almost accusatory, but I don’t care. He looks as shocked to see me as I am to see him.

“You know my husband?” Brooks’s mom asks me with a smile on her face.

My eyes shoot to Brooks. “What?” I ask, needing him to fill in some blanks. I’m confused, and suddenly panic is beginning to rise in my chest.

“He’s not my father,” Brooks adds quickly. “My mother married him a short time ago.”

I feel a trace of relief that he isn't my freaking brother, but still that makes us…what? Brother and sister by marriage. Oh god, he’s my stepbrother? My mind is racing to keep up with what’s happening.

“You’re mine. My wife, the mother of my children,” Brooks rasps, and he closes the short distance between us.

As usual he clears out all thoughts in my mind just by his presence. I don’t know how he always knows what I’m thinking. It reassures me that we were made for each other. Two halves of a whole. It’s how we came together so fast.

“You’re married!” I hear my mom yell, and I close my eyes. Shit. “Vick?” I hear my mom say next. The question is clear in her voice. She’s probably wondering what the heck he’s doing here.

This is a mess. It’s way too messy for it to have happened all on its own. I look around to see everyone's staring at me. I turn my eyes to Brooks. It’s then I know the truth in my heart.

“You knew he was my father, didn't you?” He nods. “You don’t even have a pregnant sister, do you?” He shakes his head.

Even with discovering those two pieces of the puzzle, this still doesn't make any sense.