Page 66 of Wrapped Around My Heart
I turn, only to frown when I find her backing up closer to me. Her hackles are raised, the hair between her shoulders standing tall all the way down to her tail, which is pinned down, not wagging like it normally does when Dean gets home. Her usual floppy ears are also in rare form, one of them standing right up while the other tries to do the same.
“Sweetie, what’s wrong? It’s just…” I trail off as the sight of a young man standing in the hallway makes me scream. He’s in a black hoodie that hangs off his slim frame, the hood pulled up and casting a shadow over his features. Even without being able to see his full face, there’s something familiar about him that I can’t put my finger on.
My heart leaps to my throat and I glance behind him, seeing the front door still open, then peek at my back door. It’s closer, but given the watermelon-sized stomach I’m carrying…I wouldn’t make it there fast enough.
“Get out of my house,” I say with more confidence than I have. Cora lets out a warning bark that turns into a growl when he tries to take a step closer. Another cramp hits, followed by my daughter punching my bladder, and I try not to let the ache show.
“I will call the police,” I say, reaching for my phone, but he moves at the same time, lifting his arm, and revealing a knife.
Holding my hands in the air to show that my hands are empty, I try to think of what to do next.
“My wallet is on the table. There’s not much but?—”
“I don’t want your money,” he says, words cracking at the end, and his voice confirms my suspicion. This guy cannot be older than eighteen.
“Then what do you want?” I ask, somehow much calmer than I probably should be. He moves farther into the kitchen, and I step with him, inching closer to the back door while trying to keep the island and Cora between us.
Cora growls at his every move, but aside from frequent glances down at her, he doesn’t seem too scared of her. Which, if I were him, I’d be shitting my pants. Mostly because this is so unlike her. Cora loveseveryone. So for her to look like she’s two seconds away from launching herself at this kid…
“Where’s Dean?” he asks and my pounding heart turns to ice.
“Not here,” I say through gritted teeth.
“He’s supposed to be here. He’salwayshere.” His anger takes me by surprise. That and the fact that he’s clearly been watching us enough to know that Dean lives here. The kid starts pacing, setting Cora off in another fit of barks. “Shut up!”
I snap my fingers and Cora stops, still keeping on with her low rumble of warning.
“Who are you?” I ask just as I’m hit with another cramp, this one noticeably worse than the others as it takes my breath away. Trying to keep my attention on the kid, I grab my stomach, hoping to ease the pain by holding it up.
The kid stops his pacing, yanking the hood from his head and turning to me to reveal his shining brown eyes. It’s a color I would know everywhere, which helps me know his next words are true.
“I’m the brother he forgot about!” He seethes and my heart breaks as he points the knife in my direction. “The one he so easily walked away from.”
“He never forgot about you,” I start, needing to pause to suck in a deep breath as another cramp pulses. When I finally manageto talk again, my words come out in a pant. “He couldn’t find you.”
“Bullshit. I know?—”
Both our eyes widen at the sound that interrupts him. A rush of water hitting the floor makes me finally look away from him. I stare at the puddle between my feet, mind momentarily going blank before I glance back up at him.
Well, shit.
Going into labor while being held at knife point wasn’t really something we planned for.
CHAPTER 24
Dean
“Here you go, sir,”the young woman says skeptically while handing me the three bags worth of food I ordered.
“Thank you,” I say with a nod before stepping off to the side to double-check everything is there. After the fiasco that happened two weeks ago when Ari was craving burgers and fries, only for the French fries not to be in the bag…I’ve made it a habit to ensure everything she wants, and more, is therebeforeI leave the restaurant.
“Everything okay?” the lady working behind the counter asks, a hint of annoyance in her tone.
I flash her a grin. “Oh, I’m sure it’s all good. I would just have one very upset pregnant girlfriend on my hands if there was anything missing.”
Her features soften and I almost roll my eyes as she stares at me like I’m her idol.
“Stop right now! You are just the sweetest! My husband wouldn’t even get me a glass of juice when I was pregnant, let alone go get me the food I was craving.” She gushes, and her praise leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
