Hers (23 page)

The phone rings and rings until a breathless Star finally picks up. “Star? Is everything all right?”

She pauses on the other end of the line, before speaking. “Yes! Seven! I found her! I think, I think I found her!” She doesn't give very many details, but she goes on about a farmer on the edge of town in Woodstock, something about a brother's cousin or nephew who had a little girl around Willow's age. A long story about her parents being killed in a car accident when she was young. Living with family. She gushes about it before stopping to ask me how things in the city are going.

“Well, Star. Are you sitting down?” I have to laugh, because I never thought I would be the one dishing this kind of news to her. In fact, I couldn't say I was completely surprised when she told me she had a child, because I always pegged her as getting knocked up first. Technically, I guess she did accomplish that before I did.

“Are you okay, Seven?”

“Depends on what you consider okay? I will live, but this baby growing inside me isn't letting me keep a single fucking thing down. I have been puking my guts out for days.”

I hear an audible gasp on the other end of the line. She is silent for a minute before she starts giggling like a little girl. “Please say it is Levi's!”

“Of course it is Levi's! But I am not telling anyone, especially my fucking family. So keep your loud mouth shut!” The town car pulls up to my building. “I gotta run, Star, but when you come home, we will catch up. I hope you find her. Soon.”

Like that, Star is gone and I am on my way up to the penthouse, in serious need of some ginger ale and a fucking nap. But only after I text Levi and let him know everything is okay, and I need for him to pick up my prescription on his way to the penthouse later.

Everything went well. Can you pick up my prescription on your way here?

I throw down all the stuff in my arms on the little coffee table next to the couch. Ultrasound picture, cell phone, keys, and purse. My phone vibrates, and Levi has replied.

No problem. Text me the pharmacy. I will be on my way as soon as I can.

I can't help but smile at how fortunate I am. He really is amazing.

Sipping on my bubbly soda, which for once seems to be helping my stomach, I lie down on the couch and close my eyes. What seems like a few minutes must have been hours, and I’m woken by the elevator opening into the foyer of my penthouse.

“Levi, baby. Finally,” I groan, not making a move to get off the couch.

I hear footsteps, but he doesn't speak. I slowly roll over, blinking my eyes open, but Levi isn't the one standing in my living room. Daniel is, and now I am not only wide awake, but I am pretty fucking pissed that he is standing in my house.

“Hoping to see someone else?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

“Well, I can't stay I invited you here. I am out of the office for a reason today,” I sass him back with attitude. He is the last person I feel like dealing with.

“Oh, I know. Samantha called me as soon as she saw you. Seven James, finally knocked up after all these years. I must admit, I thought it would have happened long ago.”

I flip him the bird, and sit up on the couch. I am exhausted. My whole body feels like it is still sleeping, and I can barely move.

“It’s none of your fucking business, Daniel. I suggest you leave, before I fucking call the cops.”

His expression darkens, and this is the first time in my entire life that I have actually been scared of a man. Never would I have imagined Daniel causing this kind of a feeling.

“First you storm into my fucking office, and steal my company from under my nose.” He steps closer to the couch and pauses again. “Then that fucking little bitch Parker was married to fucked up the money coming into my pocket when some PI found the traces of our affair.” His hands run through his barely there hair, and he fucking growls. Like a fucking dog. Growls.

I try and stand up, but he pushes me back down with so much force that my head hits the back of the couch. My stomach churns and I can feel the bile rising up my throat. It isn't going to be long before I start throwing up the soda I thought was safe in my stomach.

I reach for my phone and he forcefully grabs my wrist. Tight. And it fucking hurts. Like really fucking hurts. I can see a bruise appearing under his grip as he continues to tighten his grip, and I can't make it to my fucking cell phone.

“Is this your little bastard? Is it Parker’s? You know that baby his wife shit out? That was mine, too. Too bad this one isn't mine. If I had gotten to you sooner, it could have been. You would have liked to have my baby, right, Seven?”

He releases my wrist and throws it into my lap. I try to stand again, and he shoves me with the palm of his hand. The wind is knocked out of me and I gasp for air. My head hits the pillow on the couch as I clench my chest. From the corner of my eye, I see him pulling at his belt. Next comes his button and finally, his zipper.

I’m frozen against the couch, trying to catch my breath. I try and move again, and I feel his hand grip my throat. Fuck. I am going to die like this. At the hands of Daniel, in my own living room. I can't hold back the vomit any longer. I turn my head to the side and throw up all over the floor. He lets go of my throat, and I can feel his hands tugging on my pants.

“Seven, you will never belong to anyone else. This pussy, no matter how slutty you are now, will always belong to me. Do you understand me? ME! It was mine first. Say it, Seven, say I had you first. Tell me how it felt when I took your virginity.”

My pants come loose just as the elevator doors open. I can tell the sound anywhere, but Daniel is too preoccupied with taking what he thinks is his. Tears roll down my cheeks until I can see Levi in my line of vision.

“What the FUCK is going on here?”

Daniel turns toward Levi, cool as a fucking cucumber and tries to play it off. “Sorry you have to find out like this, Parker, but she has been mine for years.” He lets out a laugh. What he doesn't count on is the fact that I have enough adrenaline coursing through my veins to finally get up off the couch. I pick up my purse and swing it through the air like it’s filled with bricks. One solid hit and Daniel loses his footing, stumbling forward toward Levi. That is when Levi's fist connects with Daniel’s face, and he falls, out-cold onto the floor.

I am in full blown hysterics by now, crying my eyes out. I can’t even think about what almost just happened. Daniel almost raped me. Daniel almost hurt me. But Levi saved me.

If there was any ounce of doubt left, it’s gone. This man loves me. He would do anything for me. He saved me.

Levi wraps his arms around me, trying to calm me down as he calls the police. Twenty or so minutes later, my foyer is full of NYPD officers whom I have no desire to speak with.

The Aftermath of Daniel Alexander (Two Weeks Later)

I’d be a liar if I said I didn't feel some sort of pity for Daniel Alexander. The boy was born and bred into the world of business, only to flop like a fish out of water. With his mother's history of slipping mental health, I’m not surprised the apple fell so close to the tree.

It turns out Daniel had a half dozen kids, with a half dozen women. Three with his actual wife, one with Levi's ex-wife and another on the way with her, and one with a teenage prostitute, whom he was supporting with company money. How he thought the company would never find out about his shady dealings is beyond me. The attempted assault was just the icing on his felony cake. Between money laundering, theft, insider trading, and the nice attempted rape charge, Alexander Mobile's golden boy will be sharing a scummy prison cell with some guy named Bubba for the next thirty or so years. Karma genuinely is a bitch.

I do feel bad for the women he’s duped. Well, except for Levi's ex-wife; she knew exactly what she was getting into when she got involved with him so many years ago.

I lucked out. Had Levi not gotten home from the office when he did, I cannot imagine what would have happened. I hate to admit it, but even during the years that I dated Daniel, I never saw him mad. The crazy look in his eyes told me something was, in fact, very wrong.

I shake my head, trying to forget it all. I just want to forget altogether. Looking down, I smile at the newly framed photo on my desk. She is a beautiful little girl, with bright blue eyes that could light up the entire city of Manhattan on a gloomy night. Her long blond hair hangs in braided pigtails down to her waist, and her beautiful mother, my best friend, Star holds her, with a matching smile.

It may not be the ideal situation, but Star was able to meet and spend time with her daughter, who is turning eleven in a few short weeks. She begged Chrome, Willow's adoptive father, to bring her to the city for Christmas, and for her birthday, but the jury was still out.
Who comes up with these fucking names anyway? Chrome? Is his brother named Spoke? What about a sister named Sissy Bar? Fucking bikers.

And today… Well, today is my second doctor’s appointment. Today, Levi and I will be able to listen to our baby's heartbeat.

Levi is already the epitome of a good dad. He cleaned Barnes & Noble out of their entire pregnancy section. I could probably buy Dr. Sears himself and Levi wouldn't be content. I won’t tell him, but it is fucking adorable, even if it annoys the living shit out of me.I totally feel human again, too. The medication my doctor prescribed has worked wonders. Absolute fucking wonders. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still barf daily, but it is way less than before, and I can actually keep a meal down.

“You ready?” I hear Levi open my office door; he peeks in. I wave him off and continue typing. I’m wrapping up the last email on my agenda before we take off to Vegas for a long weekend.

“One more minute, then I am yours until Tuesday. Well, after the appointment.” I send off the email, and close my laptop, sliding it into my bag.

“Let me take that.” He’'s concerned, not wanting me to carry more than my tits.

“A laptop isn't going to kill me, Levi.” I roll my eyes, and he shrugs. The battle has been lost. “I was thinking we can add a couple things to the
before baby
list once we get in the air.”

I laugh. Yes, there you have it, folks; we have become that cheesy couple. We have a list of shit to do before the baby comes. But unlike your typical suckers,
paint the nursery
and
buy a sedan
aren't anywhere to be found.

“I can't start thinking about the
before baby
list right now, Seven. We will never make it to the appointment, and I don't want to miss this one.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in for a lingering kiss. I can feel his erection pressing against my stomach, and I know he is as worked up about the list as I am.

“But what if I want to be late?” My hand inches down his body, stroking his bulge.

His lips nip at my earlobe, driving me absolutely wild. “Mile high club?”

The three word promise is enough to hold me over, until we are in the air in a few hours. But God, I still want him right this damn second… Fuck!

“Miss James, come on back.” The same nurse as my last visit escorts me to the bathroom, asking for more pee, then insists I step on a scale.