The Devastatingly Beautiful Series (16 page)

This is why I didn’t want anyone else to know. My body can still fail me. I’ll be a failure now in his eyes if this pregnancy isn’t legit. If my hormones are so jacked up it just made the test read positive. Now, more than ever, I’m hoping for a miracle.

7

Tatum

I’ve been walking on cloud nine since Molly gave me that test, so pumped I haven’t been able to sleep much all night. I can’t fucking believe it, but it looks like I’m getting a second chance at being a dad. A second chance I will not screw up.

She’s been asleep most of the morning after our late night talk last night, and I’ve been right here next to her, watching her sleep. After our talk she fell asleep in my arms, the only way she’s been able to fall asleep since the incident a few weeks ago. I have my laptop to get some work for my dad done while she sleeps soundly, killing two birds with one stone per say.

Molly doesn’t know the types of jobs I used to do for my dad. She now thinks I’m doing book keeping for him on the side, which isn’t really a lie. This type of book keeping, however, is more like tracking the next set of targets for my father. It’s nothing compared to the lives I fucked up when I lived in Texas, but it definitely helps. My father isn’t a bad man, really. I like to think of him as a vigilante, though the police would beg to differ if they ever truly find out what he does. Yes, as his son I feared him at certain points in my life, especially during my teen rebellious years. His own flesh and blood learned very fast not to cross him. Once I learned the ropes of the family business, though, it was hard not to get involved. The money is a nice touch too, I guess.

My e-mail dings and up pops a new message from my father. Speak of the devil.

Tatum,

I hope this finds you well. I looked into the matter you asked me about. No one at the hospital remembers what happened with your son’s belongings when he passed, even though we gave specific instructions to discard of everything. I wasn’t getting complete answers from a female source I have in the hospital so I will send in Mat. He will find out the truth behind this. Something seems off, though, so I will keep on it. I am truly sorry about this, I can’t imagine how it felt to open that box.

I know you also asked me to keep a few men on the lookout for movement from Washington, and as of right now there is no news on that front.

I can’t end this message, either, without asking you if you will be in for Easter this week. Your mother may stab me if I don’t ask. She’s a scary woman when she’s mad.

I will inform you with any more advances in your problem, please let me know about Easter.

All the best,

Dad

I shake my head at his scattered email. My father. Never was able to keep personal life out of business life. I guess that’s how he eventually ended up with my mom.

I sigh and rub my face. I’m not tired physically, but mentally I’m exhausted. I can’t type him back right now. I need to collect my thoughts and come down from the high I’m currently riding. I‘m going to respect Molly’s wishes on not telling anyone, but it’s going to mean that I have to really think before I open my big mouth.

As far as the blanket goes, I have my guesses as to who it could be but I’m not taking the chance of closing in on one person quite yet. There are a lot of people out there who would want to see me suffer. Eddie’s e-mailed and told me he didn’t find anything unusual with the bank statements from Charlie’s mother before her death so it rules her out of anything. I asked him to look into her family ties so see if anyone she was related to knew about me. It’s amazing how priority can change, though. I was sick earlier from the thought of having that blanket in the house, the memories, the hurt it resembled. Add to it that someone seemed to be playing yet another awful game of revenge and I was worried sick.

Now that I know about the baby that Molly is carrying, though, my thoughts have shifted and now all I can think about is her. She is giving me everything. The only thing I can give her is safety. It’s at this point in the morning that I decide, no matter how much she fights me on it, I’m not leaving her side for the wedding. The Delany’s can go fuck themselves. I never thought I’d be so protective over a woman, but Molly brings out parts of me I never knew existed. There is no way in hell I am letting her spend three full days out of town for this wedding without me. I have a terrible feeling that the events of the last few days are all connected. How, I’m not sure, but Eddie will find out. He’s good like that.

Molly starts to stir as her phone rings from the kitchen for the seventeenth time today. I should’ve silenced it earlier after it rang the first time, but I couldn’t leave her. She’s absolutely stunning laying here next to me, skin glowing and breathing evenly. She rolls over and opens her eyes. They land first on my shirtless body and I swear the look she gives me could melt ice. All it takes is one look from her and I’m ready to take her, any way she’ll have me.

“Hey,” she says sleepily “I really slept in. Holy crap what time is it?”

Sitting up, more alert than before, she quickly realizes how long I let her sleep.

“I should be upset, but I feel so wonderful right now I think I’ll forgive you.” She smiles at me as she stretches out, her body curving in all the right areas. I don’t know what some guys see in stick thin women. I love curves on the female body, they’re so natural. Against my inner wishes, Molly gets out of bed and heads into the bathroom. I hear her brushing her teeth and give her a minute to wake up before joining her for a shower.

Molly

Last night was the first night in weeks I slept soundly. No nightmares, no tossing and turning, just a full night (well, morning too) of peaceful sleep. I can’t help but think some of it has to do with Tatum’s reaction to the baby news last night. To say I’m thrilled is an understatement. Now all I have to do is make sure my body keeps this baby nice and snug where it should be for the next 9 months. Okay, well first I need to make sure that there is really a baby cooking in there. I don’t even want to imagine the hurt on his face if it turns out I’m not pregnant.

After our shower and breakfast we head out together for the studio. I need to update some of my software today, gather and create some props for the wedding, as well as get Tatum started on building the photo booth backdrop we’ll be using. I guess having a man around can come in handy. We park the car behind the coffee shop to grab some breakfast and walk across the street to the studio. I love this small town feel. Everyone knows everyone else, it’s not the hustle and bustle of the big city like Washington was. Yes, sometimes the people in this town really try and barge into other people’s business, but they are doing it with the best intentions. At least that’s what I tell myself when they meddle in my life.

Things haven’t been too bad since we’ve been back. Alex and Betty have stopped by the studio a few times just to see how things are going. I’m sure they also wanted to get a good look at the man candy working with me, but everyone here knows how off-limits Tatum is. This morning Betty is standing in front of the shop looking incredibly worried, which says something because her face normally looks surprised. She must be working overtime to make it look so glum.

“What’s going on Betty?” I ask while I’m unlocking the front door.

“Well, I just want to let you know there was someone here last night. I knew you had a meeting with that Delany man since Sylva saw the two of you on the other side of town, so I knew it couldn’t have been you, Molly. I wasn’t sure if Tatum was here, or if someone was snooping around where they didn’t belong. Either way, thought you should know.” She nods at both of us and hurries back to the coffee shop. Strange. I feel Tatum stiffen beside me at her words. When Betty walks away, he holds on to my arm and slips in front of me, taking the keys from my hand.

“Don’t go inside, Molly. Wait here for me,” he tells me. He wants to check things out first, before I go in and potentially put myself at risk. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I’m glad he’s here with me. That makes me stop and really think about this wedding coming up. I shouldn’t have to deal with someone who doesn’t know how I work just because of an insecure bride. I think I’ll be having a chat with Mr. Delany today.

Once I get the all clear from Tatum my first thought is to check if everything is still where it should be. I have dealt with break-ins before, and I know what to look for. My cameras are all still lined up on the shelf like they should be, computer is still in the same place I left it. Everything seems to be where it was left last night. I do notice the flowers on the desk are moved, but I could have absent mindedly moved them on my way out. Whatever the case, the smell from them hits me and I run back to the bathroom, just making it to the toilet before my breakfast makes its way back up. Crap.

I hear Tatum behind me as I am cleaning up. He watches me, then it’s like something clicks.

“Morning sickness. Shit I should have known. I’m so sorry baby.”

“It’s okay. You know now. And now I can tell you, that as beautiful as those flowers are, every time I smell them they make me have the urge to vomit.”

He moves faster than I’ve ever seen him move to take the flowers outside to the small table in front of the studio. That man. I smile and shake my head because he’s mine and there’s nothing getting in our way.

***

It’s a little after five when I hear the door bell’s signal that someone’s walked in. We’ve been working frantically all day to make the props and get the setup for the photo backdrop planned before the newborn shoot we have to do tonight. I don’t even try to get out of this one. I can’t stand pushing off those photos and Tatum agreed. Tatum’s in the parking lot in the back starting to rough out the design and I came inside not too long ago to grab a drink and check e-mails. I walk into the front room to see Rob standing there like he owns the place. My God this man is beautiful. I really need to stop these thoughts from forming in my head. But come on. Over six feet, tattoo’s running up the majority of his left arm, lean but built, and those eyes. They draw you in and make you not want to look away.

“Hello Mr. Delany, how may I help you today?” I’m suddenly angry at everything that’s taken place since he came to town. Had he not been here, I wouldn’t have had to get Tatum’s hopes up about a baby, I wouldn’t have had to reschedule shoots, and I wouldn’t have had to work so frantically to get things ready for a wedding that was happening 9 months earlier than planned.

“Molly. I hope you will continue to call me Rob. Have you thought about last night?”

“I have. I will be bringing Tatum with me, as he is my assistant and knows exactly how I shoot. A photographer is nothing without their assistant.”

“I thought I told you that wasn’t going to happen?” he growls.

“You requested it, but after speaking with him last night when I got home…..about everything…he is one hundred percent on board. We both promise to be incredibly professional and respectful for the bride’s big day.”

I hear Tatum walk in while I’m talking. He comes to the counter to grab his water and stops to watch. I appreciated that he’s letting me fight this battle on my own, but there’s a part of me that’s secretly jumping up and down that he is there to help if things goes badly. Not that I think that Rob would hurt me, but I wouldn’t put it past him to make an even stronger threat. He did threaten my safety last night.

“Oh, so he knows about the baby?! Congratulations you are going to be a daddy… again.” he practically yells and glances towards Tatum, who’s standing straighter now that he’s been addressed. He looks stricken.
Shit.

“You need to leave, Mr. Delany. If I have any further questions about the wedding I will e-mail.” I try to diffuse the situation all the while trying to figure out how Rob knew about Tatum’s child. The Savages aren’t reclusive by any means, but Texas is a far way away from Illinois.

Rob walks out, letting the door slam behind him. I chance a look over at Tatum who’s still standing there, water in hand, glaring at the door. Afraid he’s going to explode I tried to lighten the situation.

“Asshole. What is it with rich men thinking they own everyone? Psh.” I say and start back to my office to get back to returning e-mails.

Tatum walks in and stops in the doorway.

“I thought you said no one knew.”  Shit, he’s right. I did.

I sigh. This is going to be an ugly conversation.

“He guessed. Last night when we met to discuss his recent demands. I couldn’t last an hour without throwing up. It’s worse at night, I’ve now realized.”

Tatum didn’t say anything, so I continued blabbing.

“He guessed, I couldn’t lie, then he told me I had to kick you out of the shoot or else people would know about the baby and….” That one word.
And
. I don’t know why it came out, but now that it did I’m not going to get around telling him the entire truth about the threat last night.

“And what Molly?”  The glare he’s sending me sends shivers down my spine.

“And that I’d be putting the safety of our baby on the line,” I add quietly. “He probably didn’t mean anything about it, it just shook me.”
              “He threatened our child and you thought it would be fine if you didn’t tell me!? Fuck Molly!!”

Tatum storms out and down the street. From the looks of it he’s headed towards the motel.
Shit
. Why can’t we have one peaceful week around here!?