He cringes and I rip the folded up paper from his hands.
“I just want to keep you safe and the baby safe. I didn’t want you to get upset . . .” He continues to talk as I unfold the single page email that’s from the Las Vegas Police Department.
Blake,
As per your request, I’m notifying you that, on December 21st, the birth records of Axelle Rose Moorehead were requested by someone in Spokane, WA acting under “Anonymous.” That same day the individual also requested the divorce records of Layla Marie Devereux.
That is all the information I have for you at this time.
Det. Dave Hodgeson
Las Vegas Police Department
My pulse thunders in my ears, my hand shakes, and I can’t seem to focus enough to ask one of the many questions swirling through my head.
“I’ve had Dave keep an eye on things for me, just for a little while. After Stew went to prison, I worried he had someone out there, a silent partner who might go sniffing around. I honestly didn’t think Dave would find anything, but . . .”
A dull ache forms between my eyes. Unavailable. “Do you think it has something to do with . . . with . . .” I can’t say it, but a look of understanding washes over his face.
“I don’t know, Mouse, but I don’t want this shit hitting us out of the blue when we’re not expecting it. ‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’ Remember? I was keeping my finger on the pulse just in case, and thank God I was.” He cups my face, forcing my eyes to lock with his. “Whatever happens, we’ll be ready.”
“If it’s someone from my past, what could they possibly expect to gain from birth records and divorce records?” I guess it’s possible that Stew has his lawyers working on something, but I’m not as worried about that. The police have his confession, so he’ll be locked in jail until Axelle is grown and has a family of her own. But, if anonymous and unavailable are the same then . . . A flash of my nightmare has me curling into Blake.
“So what now?” I hand the email back to him, and he folds it up and shoves it into his pocket.
“Now, you go back to takin’ care of yourself and our baby while I take care of this.”
I grip his knee, imploring his eyes. “Blake, I want—”
“No.” He pins me with a powerful glare. “No one will get near you or Axelle, do you hear me? You focus on getting this baby here whole and healthy, Axelle focuses on getting into UNLV and what new music she wants to download, and I take care of this.”
I blink a few times, considering how best to respond. Fact is he’d be insane to think I’m going to stay out of this. I’ll always protect my family. “Alright.” I nod and knot my fingers together in my lap, hoping he doesn’t see my lie.
“Alright?” His unbelieving tone followed by silence calls my eyes to his.
“Yeah.” I shrug.
He narrows his glare. “Alright.”
He doesn’t believe me, but he can’t prove I’m lying, so I just nod and flash a shy smile.
“I’m tired.” I stand and hold out my hand. “You ready for bed?”
He takes it. “Yeah, babe.” A long yawn crawls from his throat.
I pull to get him to stand, but he doesn’t budge. “Are you comfortable here?”
He tugs me to his lap and wraps his body around mine. It’s weird because, being in his lap, I should feel like the one being held, but the way his arms are wrapped around my belly, his head to my chest, it’s as if I’m holding and comforting him. “No. I want to be in bed with you.”
I run my hand through his hair and kiss his head. “You okay?”
He grunts his “yes,” but doesn’t lift his head.
“You sure?” As disturbing as the email is, it only manages to light a fire in my gut to protect those I love. Blake can do what he thinks he needs to, but I’ll do what I can to end this before the demons from my past come back to haunt us.
“Take me to bed, baby.” God, why does he sound so desperate? I don’t know what to do or what to say, but every cell in my body wants to take away the pain I hear in his voice.
“Okay.” I push up and take his hand, leading him to our bed. He shucks his jeans and boxer briefs and my mouth instantly waters. He pulls my shirt, but leaves my panties in place and crawls into bed, taking me with him.
Pulling my back to his front, he palms my breast and buries his nose in the back of my neck. “I’ll never lose you.”
That’s what he’s afraid of? “Never.”
“I’d die without you.” His hand rubs my belly. “All three of you.”
I reach over my shoulder and cup the back of his neck. “We’re not going anywhere.”
He flexes his hips into my ass, and I can feel what the proximity of our bodies is doing to him. A low moan vibrates in his chest, but rather than instigate love making, he only pulls me closer until his breathing evens out.
He’s asleep.