The Love Triangle (BWWM Romance) (53 page)

Ciara
cried to herself for a moment longer and then wiped at the tears that had stopped.  She had heard his voice. Somehow that made her stronger and she knew what she had to do. Derek had been angry with her, she knew that but she also knew he was worried about
Antoine. She suddenly remembered Adele in the corner. She walked over to her.

“I’m not usually so unhospitable, Mrs. Baker. I’m sorry.”

She gave her a look. “Honey, I’m not here for tea and cookies, I’m here to be some kind of support for you as you try to get your son back. Come sit with me. Derek is off getting the money and working off that temper of his.”

Ciara slid into the chair near hers. At the least it was nice to know someone else who knew how frustrating Derek can be.

“He means well, and I know why he is angry. I just don’t have a choice.”

“That’s because he is a man and they think they have all the answers. He is also scared of losing you.”

Ciara blushed. “I doubt that’s it, we have… dated but it never seems to work out. We are much better as friends.”

Adele chuckled. “You kids are just adorable. You’re both too stubborn to see what’s right in front of you. I’ll tell you a story, when I was your age I met a guy who came into my mother’s shop and declared that he was going to marry me.

I was so angry at him for that, telling people I was his property or something. I made it hard on him too, I refused to date him anymore and I even dated someone else for a while. We both were in school, both had an idea of what we wanted to do. Then when the time came for me to move away, he showed up at the shop again. No matter what, we were always meant to be together.”

“What happened when he came to the shop?”

“He grabbed my hand and walked me to the car. I left with him. A year later, Derek was born.”

“So you just gave in to him?”

“I gave in to him a year earlier, I just wanted him to fight for me. I was in love with him from the beginning, but I couldn’t get out of my own way to see it. It took me a long time to not throw away what was in my face before I lost it for good. You see, the second time he said it I knew I had better just go this time… he may not ask me a third time.”

“I see.”

“Life isn’t a guarantee, and it certainly doesn’t fit perfectly with anyone. Everything takes work, but as long as you love each other, it usually works out. I’d give anything in the world to see him one more time. I imagine one day he will be waiting on me again and I’ll gladly hop in with him then too.” She patted Ciara’s leg. “Derek is a good man, he has his demons but he is working through them.”

“What demons does Derek have? He always seems so confident, so sure of himself.”

Adele looked at her. “He hasn’t told you then, about sleeping? Well it’s not my place to tell you.”

“I know he doesn’t sleep, if he does it’s very little. We went away one weekend, months ago and he was always awake.”

Adele sighed, “He has dreams, bad dreams about his time in the military. They haunt him and keep him awake. Somehow they are connected to you, he said he only relaxes with you around. He will probably kill me for telling you that.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Baker, that helps me to understand him so much more.”

“Please, call me Adele.”

Ciara gave her a small smile. She glanced at the clock on the wall.

“You understand don’t you… why I have to go to the pier alone?”

“Yes, I do. I hate it, but as a mother I know I would do the same thing. The problem is as women and mothers, we tend to rush out and don’t even consider the other possibilities. It’s a hard line to walk.”

The women heard Derek’s booming voice in the hall.

“Do they not talk to each other when there is a shift change?” He dropped a bag on the table. “There is the money, but don’t think for a second you’re going alone, Ciara, I forbid it.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake, Derek,” Adele piped up.

He sighed when he noticed Ciara
’s stance was stronger and her hands on her hips.  “Fine, please don’t do that,
Ciara.”

She relaxed and spun around to walk towards the window. “I don’t have a choice, Derek, I just don’t.”

“When do you have to meet him?”

“In the morning, after 9.” She bit her lip with the lie that slipped so easily off her tongue.

“Well, we all need to get some rest. There is a plan in motion now.” Adele shared her thoughts on the situation.

“You’re right, Adele, you can sleep in the spare room. Let me show you.” She walked down the long hall and opened up the door. “This used to be my father’s room so it’s not very feminine, I’m afraid.” She welcomed her into the room.

“It’s just fine, dear, I’m going to get some sleep. Keep me posted…and talk to him.”

She closed the door and Ciara made her way into the living room where Derek sat, his head hung low. She watched him for a moment, his dark head down as if he was thinking long and hard about something. He had gotten the money, he had come to help her once more. Finally he looked up and she saw his face. He looked as if he was in pain.

“You keep saving me, Derek, we seem to be in some kind of pattern. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

“Really, Ciara, you’re going to thank me? It’s not like I’m some guy who is just here to save you, you know. I care, Ciara, I love you.”

She took a step back.

“Is it so bad, to hear me say that to you? You even took a step back, Ciara. It’s okay, I got your point.”

“We are both worried about Tony that’s all, Derek. I think there is a lot of emotion flowing around right now, that’s all.”

“Yeah you’re probably right, Ciara, you are awfully quick to get upset when I tell you what to do but yet, you have no problem telling me what I am feeling.” He took the two long strides to the couch.

“Derek, I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay, Ciara, you’re right, there is a lot of emotion right now. I’m going to sit here and wait until 9 am so I can follow you to find this bastard.”

She swallowed hard. “Ok Derek.” She took steps towards her room and crawled into her bed, letting the tears fall.

It hadn’t been a couple of hours when she snuck into the living room. True to his word, he was wide awake watching television. She waited until he went to the bathroom and took the chance to grab the bag and slip out the door and down the hall. She ran into one guard and she told him she needed to run to the store. She made her way to her car. It started and she pushed through the fear she had and left into the night to find the meeting spot.

Chapter Nineteen – Derek

He felt like a fool. He had done as his mother advised. He had told her he loved her and she had taken a step back. He worried he would have to move back home for good in order to let her go. He wanted to go in her room right then and force her to admit she loved him too, but he was still trying to hold on to what little pride he had left.

He flipped through the channels, searching out something, anything. He was consumed with worry about Antoine. He was a good kid and if one hair on his head was out of place, he would kill the son of a bitch himself.

He threw the remote down on the couch in front of him. She was being stubborn, that was all, and prideful. She felt something for him, she was just scared. Whatever that ass Frank had done to her made her afraid to love. Soon he would be behind bars and it would help her. He leaned back on the couch once more, glancing over across the room. He sat up quickly. The bag was gone. He jumped up and turned on the lights. He looked around the room and felt cold dread fill his veins. “Ciara.” He stormed down the hallway and threw open her door. Just as he suspected, she was gone. She had lied, outright lied, to his face.

He moved out of the house and into the hall where there was supposed to be an officer on duty. He found him napping in the corner.

“Where did she go?” He shook the guy away.

“Who and what?” He seemed disoriented and it took everything Derek had not to punch him in the face.

“Ciara, where did she go?”

“Oh, she said she needed to go to the store for something, said she would be back in a few.” He gave Derek a smile and without hesitation, he grabbed the front of his uniform.

“She is missing now, you imbecile.” He let go and stormed back into the house where his mother was now at the kitchen table.

“Derek, what’s wrong I heard shouting?”

“Ciara snuck out when I was in the bathroom, I guess. I don’t even know where she was going. She told me tomorrow was the meet, she lied in my face.” He grabbed his shoes, slipping them on as he struggled to regain composure.

“Oh no. Wait, Derek, I can help! She said something about going to the pier.”

“The pier? Great that’s a starting point and when the police get here, send them my way. But…tell them to at least try to handle this the right way.”

“I will, son, go get them and bring them home safe.” She watched him go, praying for a safe and swift return for them all.

He was speeding and he didn’t care. He had to get to the pier soon before something awful happened to her. He finally arrived and felt his heartbeat quicken as he spotted her car. She was there, that was something. He parked and made his way around until he spotted them.

A man was holding Antoine to him and talking to her. She was walking towards him slowly. He wanted to run to her, but the man had a gun. He quickly called the officer in charge of the investigation and gave them the details. Soon they would be there and could help her.

His heart was breaking as he watched them and the interaction between them. He heard the gunshot and his world caved in. He stood and moved quickly towards them.

Chapter Twenty- Ciara

He was there and he was okay. She looked over Antoine and then back up at Frank. He sneered at her.

“You look good, Ciara, makes me want you even more. We will have plenty of time for that though. Did you bring the money?”

“Yes, I brought it, now let him go, Frank.”

“Not so fast, kick that bag over here to me.” She did as he asked and waited. He leaned over to look in the bag and the gun went off, scaring them all.

“Oops, not used to such a loose trigger.” He put it in his pants and rummaged through the bills once more. He stood up and looked her over.

“We are going to have fun, you and I.” He let Antoine go and he ran into her arms.

She held him close to her, breathing in his scent. She felt his tears on her shoulder and she pulled back to look him over. “Are you okay, Antoine, did he hurt you?”

He shook his head. “I’m just hungry, Mom.” He gave her a smile and she burst into a new round of tears.

“Let’s go, Ciara, now.” She heard his tone and knew he meant business.

She knelt down to Antoine. “Listen to me, okay, baby, Mommy has to go away for a little while, but I’ll be back, okay? Until I do, I want you to stay with Derek, can you do that? He is going to be here any minute now, just wait for him, okay?”

He nodded at her and she told him to sit on the pier. She had let it slip to Adele where she was going. She knew it was only a matter of time before Derek found him there and took him home. She took a deep breath and walked stiffly over to him. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the car.