Chase (21 page)
“Did you... move me into your apartment?” I ask, still in shock.
“I did, perfect idea don’t you think?” He looks pretty happy with himself.
I narrow my eyes at him. “And if I don’t want to live here? I quite like living with your brothers, you know.” I glance up at him innocently, baiting him.
But he just gives me a grin, dimple in full effect, and says “Challenge accepted.”
I roll my eyes. Then I grab my man and take him to bed.
******
I’m sitting in bed, cross legged, reading my kindle.
“Is this a new bed?” I ask Chase curiously.
“Yes, why?”
“Just asking,” I mused.
Chase glances up at me, from his prone position on the bed, and raises a brow in question.
“Just wondering if you’ve had any women in his bed,” I mumble.
The humor in Chase’s eyes dims. “Layla..” he starts.
“Never mind,” I try to back track, avoiding eye contact with him.
“Layla, look at me,” he demands. I slowly raise my eyes to his. He meets my gaze and takes my kindle and puts it down, and pulls me closer to him.
“There has been no other woman in this apartment, except you,” he says softly, brushing his nose with mine. He skims the line of my jaw with his mouth, placing soft butterfly kisses.
“So don’t worry about those things any more, okay, baby, cos I’m all yours, forever,” he whispers in my ear.
He puts his hand on my stomach. “This is the start of our family, and I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t be prouder, and I couldn’t possibly love anyone more than I love you, and our child.”
I begin to tear up, damn hormones. Chase chuckles. I elbow him.
We snuggle together for a little while, him stroking my hair.
“I’m getting better at these little speeches aren’t I?” he says, now amused. I narrow my eyes at him, and he gives me a roguish smile. “So when are you going to marry me,” he asks suddenly.
“Was that meant to be a proposal?” I ask, instantly offended, searching his eyes for any indication that he was serious.
He gives me a crooked grin.
“You don’t have to propose just because you knocked me up,” I say bluntly.
“Please don’t tell you’re serious?” he says in an odd tone.
I shrug.
His eyes narrow to slits. “Well, fuck,” he says under his breath.
He reaches into the top drawer of the side table and pulls out an elegant black box. He opens it and a gorgeous princess cut white gold ring stares up at me. It’s beautiful. I gasp.
“Layla, I love you, everything about you. I always have and I always will. From the moment I saw you, I knew that no one would ever compare to you. Would you please do me the honor of being my wife?” he asks tenderly, his eyes hungry on mine.
“Yes,” I whisper, getting teary eyed yet again. He puts the ring on my finger, and it fits perfectly. Just like us.
“By the way, I bought that ring for you a long time ago. Before I knew that we were having a baby. I’ll always take care of you baby, we were born to love each other,” he pulls me in for a long greedy kiss.
******
It’s my first doctor’s appointment. Chase is right next to me, looking in awe at the little dot on the monitor. “She’s beautiful,” he whispers reverently. He is sure it is a little girl.
I laugh, which earns me a scowl. “Seriously Chase, I can’t even see anything,” I complain again. The doctor shows me for the third time and I nod and smile. I still don’t see him or her. I feel like Rachel on friends right now. I go home with a little ultrasound picture, and a very proud daddy. Chase is literally beaming, and it makes me so happy to see. I don’t know how I could have ever thought he wouldn’t want this child. I feel stupid in retrospect. Chase sticks the photo on the fridge, causing me to giggle.
“What?” he asks a slight trace of a smile on his lips.
“Aren’t you all domestic?” I tease.
“Why, because I stuck the photo on the fridge?”
I nod. I stare at him thoughtful, my eyebrows drawn.
“What is it angel?” he asks as he takes in my expression.
“I was just thinking,” I stare at the fridge, “soon it’s going to be artwork on the fridge.” I turn to him and smile, coming closer so we are nose to nose.
“Have I told you that I love you today?” he whispers.
“Yes, but I never get sick of hearing it,” I reply.
He kisses me then, deeply, sensually. He pulls back, stares into my eyes and says, “I love you, my life.”
I kiss him this time, hungrily, greedily. “I love you too. Now take me to bed.”
He does.
Chapter Thirty Two
Chase and I walk through the house; the door was unlocked as usual.
“Kade? James?” Chase yells.
“Hey, man,” Kade says as he walks out of his room, blonde hair loose and messy.
“Family meeting in the living room!” Chase says with a huge grin on his face. I chuckle. He’s so cute when he’s excited.
Kade shrugs and heads to the living room. I hear a car pull up out the front, it must be Nikki. Chase goes to get James and I wait for Nikki at the front door.
“Hey Layla, is everything okay?” She looks worried. Her auburn hair is tied in two braids, and she is wearing black tights with an off the shoulder green top. She looks cute.
“Everything is fine, come in and I’ll explain.”
We walk into the living room, where all three men are waiting. Kade and Nikki eye each other, a weird tension between them. Chase walks over to me and puts his arms around me.
“We’re pregnant!” Chase blurts out. He glances down at me and gives me the most devastating smile, his dimple deeper than ever. “And we are getting married!”
Kade and James look surprised, both wide eyed. They immediately come over and congratulate us, both wrapping me in warm hugs.
“Congrats sis,” James whispers in my ear, giving me a kiss on the cheek. They both hug Chase, their eyes full of emotion. I start to tear up.
Kade sees me and smirks. “Hormones already getting you are they, princess?”
“Whatever, I’m too badass for something as silly as hormones to take me down,” I scoff.
Kade kisses my forehead. “Thank you for making me an uncle,” he says sincerely.
I smile. “Thank you for being happy about it.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? I love kids, I can’t wait to have my own one day.” He looks over at Nikki as he says it. “And I will especially love my niece or nephew,” he says softly.
I look around him at Nikki who is looking at Kade with a soft look in her eyes. When she sees me looking at her, she comes over and hugs me tightly. “I’m so happy for you, Layla. I get to be Auntie Nikki right?” she says with her hand on her hip.
I laugh. “Of course Nik.”
“Can I also be there when you tell your parents?” Nikki asks with an evil grin, grabbing my head and taking a look at my ring.
Yeah, that was not going to be a pretty conversation.
I shake my head at her, my eyes wide as saucers. She bursts out laughing. “It will be okay, don’t worry, Layla. Holy fuck this diamond is massive!” she blurts out, eyes wide.
We all head out to celebrate. Chase is telling anyone that will listen that he is going to be a father. The majority of them could care less, but it is super adorable.
Nikki tells us she’s moving out of her parents, and currently looking for places.
“Why don’t you take Layla’s old room at the house, Nikki?” Chase says beside me.
“Yeah, no, I don’t think that will work,” She says glancing over at Kade with a raised eyebrow.
“Why not? I think it’s a good idea,” Kade says, smirking. Something’s up.
“You should Nikki,” I tell her, “I will see you all the time, because I’m always over there, and Kade and James are fun to live with. Never a dull moment that’s for sure.”
She pauses and thinks it over, staring at Kade from under her lashes. “I guess I could give it a try. It’s sort of close to my new job,” she agrees eventually.
I look over at Kade, who looks relaxed, a faint smile tracing his lips.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” I announce to the entire table.
“Good for you,” Kade says cheekily.
“Nikki, would you join me please,” I say, more a demand than a request.
We walk into the bathroom and I glare at her. “You and Kade. Explain now. The truth.”
Nikki groans. “We slept together. Before you met them, it was a couple of weeks before actually.”
I blink. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, hurt.
“You just moved in with them, dating this brother. The whole thing was awkward,” she explains.
“So what’s going on with you now?” I ask nosily.
“Nothing. It’s complicated. But for now, nothing,” she says earnestly.
“Fine,” I mumble. “Everything is okay though right Nikki?” I ask her softly.
“Everything is fine, Layla. Come on, let’s go eat.”
I nod, and we walk out, arms linked.
******
James is throwing a party, which is very unusual, since it’s usually Kade who organizes them. Nikki walks into the house, hands full of bags. I told her to pick up some food on her way here from work. Nikki moved in last week and so far so good. Well that’s what she is telling me.
“You are the best, Nik,” I tell her, rummaging through one of the bags. Kade’s friend, Ashley, walks over and I frown.
“Hello, I’m Ashley. Who are you?” Ashley asks Nikki.
“This is my best friend, Nikki, she lives here now.” I tell Ashley. This girl doesn’t play nice, so I’m wondering what she is up to.
Nikki and Ashley eye each other.
“Oh yeah, you’re that bitch who told Layla to stay away from Kade!” Nikki says, chuckling evilly.
“Oh, I’ll get Kade,” Ashley purrs. “I did enjoy the other two, especially Chase,” She gives me a smug look as she says Chase’s name.
Well, shit.
I turn around looking for Chase. I’d love nothing more than to get involved in this, but there’s no way in hell I can. I put a hand on my stomach and sigh. I spot Chase seated, eating chocolate. Twix bars I suppose. You would think he was the pregnant one. I get his attention and signal him to come over. I turn back to the girls to see Nikki sitting on top of Ashley and repeatedly punching her, Ashley must have said something I didn’t hear, because I don’t think Nikki would just lay her out like that over that one comment. I almost laugh, because right at this moment “Girl Fight” by Brooke Valentine is playing. Instead of stopping the fight, Chase carries me in his arms and takes me far away from the fighting. From my new position, I can see Kade rushing over, pulling Nikki off Ashley.
“What the fuck is going on here!?” Kade growls.
“No one talks to my fucking best friend like that!” Nikki sneers.
All heads turn in my direction.
“Layla?” Chases asks. I tell him what she said and his body tenses.
“Kade, get her the fuck out of here,” Chase booms.
Kade says nothing as he escorts Ashley outside, and from the window, I see him load her up in his car and back out of the driveway.
“Why the hell is Kade friends with her? She will be back,” James mutters.
“Why the hell did everyone fuck her?” Nikki spits out.
“Nikki, I understand you gotta stick up for Layla, but she is fucking pregnant. She can’t be your partner in crime anymore, anytime you lose your shit!” Chase explodes.
I cringe. Nikki looks over at me and her eyes soften. “Sorry,” she mouths to me. I give her a smile. I wasn’t in any danger; I wasn’t standing right next to them. Chase needs to realize I will always look after my baby first. If I was in danger of getting hurt, I would have got the hell out of dodge.
“Come on, Nikki, let’s get you cleaned up, you got blood everywhere. Who would have thought you could lay a bitch out like that.” James chuckles as he takes her arm and heads towards the bathroom.
“Actually, she does this often.” I yell down the hallway.
“Just fucking great,” Chase mutters quietly. Chase turns to me, “I don’t want you around her when she gets like that.”
“When she gets like what? Loses her temper and resorts to violence? You don’t ever do that do you, honey?”
Chase narrows his eyes at me. “You’re pregnant, angel, I don’t want you hurt. I will fucking die before you get hurt!” he hisses.
“Chase, I will be fine. I promise,” I soothe. He kisses me deeply.
“I know you will baby, because I will make it so.”
Chapter Thirty Three
Hand in hand, Chase and I are walking in the shopping mall. I dragged him shopping, he claims to hate it, but I’m pretty sure he’s as excited about buying baby things as I am. I’m now four months along, and I have a little baby bump. Chase thinks it’s adorable. I’m eating a large ice cream cone, and Chase is teasing me about it, making pervy comments, when I see Aubrey. She looks the same, she’s wearing a barely there mini skirt and a tight top. Chase looks over to see what I’m staring at, and he instantly tenses. She sees us, and her face pinches even more than usual. Her face goes a little red; I can almost see the steam coming out of her ears. She walks over with a sneer on her face.
“Still together I see. How lovely,” she says sarcastically.
“Of course we are. Not even you could tear us apart,” I say dryly. I hold my hand up so she can see the ring.
She looks down at it and then her gaze goes to my stomach, and her face goes pale. She looks up, looks at Chase, and starts crying.
“This should be us. Not you and her! It always was supposed to be us.” She whispers the last part.
“No, Aubrey, it wasn’t. You know that too, you need to let it go,” he says this in a soft, soothing voice.
“Wait until your father hears about this! He’s gonna be livid! You know he was expecting us to end up together!” She is grasping at straws now.
“I couldn’t care less. It’s what I want, not what he wants,” Chase counters.
“You said you would never get married, that you weren’t the commitment kind!”
“Obviously I’ve changed, Aubrey,” he tells her gently. She puts her head down, sobbing dramatically.
After a few moments, she looks up, mascara running down her face, then she scowls. “You’re right, Chase, you’re absolutely fucking right. Wanna know a secret?” She leans in and fake whispers “Lilly wasn’t fucking yours.” She steps back and has the ugliest grin on her face. I look up to see Chase, and he looks like he’s going to be sick. The color has drained from his face, his eyes gone dead.