Sapphire Universe (30 page)
“Okay but take your gun. I’m going to get ready and head out so I’m not late.” I kiss him one last time and run to the bedroom to change.
Once I’m all dressed and ready to go I head to the kitchen while Connor showers and make some more toast as Nick is pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Good morning Nick. Where did you take off to last night?”
“I went to Toni’s” He says without turning around.
“Is everything okay between you two? Connor sort of filled me in the other day.” I try to say it as casually as I can so I don’t sound prying and continue spreading the boysenberry jam across my toast.
I see Nicks shoulders rise and fall with a deep breath before he turns around. “I don’t really know. I thought I had it all figured out but it turns out I was wrong about everything. I’m trying not to hurt her because I really do care about her, but I don’t think I can be what she needs.” He closes his eyes briefly. “I’m not even sure she wants me to be anything.”
“If she didn’t want you in her life she wouldn’t exactly let you go to her place almost every day.”
“Yea well I can be pretty damn convincing. I’m pretty much just a jackass and ignore her every time she tries to push me away. Ironic since I’m the one who pushed her away to begin with.” He says finishing his coffee.
“Don’t knock being a jackass too much. Apparently it works.” Nick doesn’t comment on that but he does look thoughtful before nodding and setting his cup in the sink.
“Let’s get going Nina. Connor says I’m following you solo today and if you want to grab some medicine before school we better get going.
We get in our separate vehicles and head to the store. I walk over to Nick’s car parked next to mine. “Hey I’ll just be a minute.” I say to him through the window.
“Alright Nina, call me if you see anyone suspicious in there.”
“Will do.”
When I get into the store, I go straight to the medicine aisle so that I can get what I need and get out. As I walk down the aisle scanning the contents looking for a familiar brand my eyes land on a home pregnancy test and my heart stops.
I stand in the middle of the aisle frozen on the spot trying to count backwards. I haven’t had a period the entire time Connor and I have been together. I must have been so caught up in the drama that I never even thought about it. We haven’t used protection once since I was on birth control but I had also been drinking and that can lessen the affects slightly, so I know it’s not impossible. The fact that I didn’t feel all that sick all day yesterday, but have been sick first thing the last two mornings makes me even more nervous. I grab some cold and flu syrup and a box of pregnancy tests.
After paying for them I decide that I can’t wait till I get home. I stop at the public restroom and step into the biggest stall and pull one of the sticks from the box. Two minutes later I’m sitting on the lid of the toilet hoping and praying it’s negative. Connor and I have so much on our plate as it is and haven’t really had the chance to be together without something hanging over our heads. I check my watch and see that I’ve waited long enough. As I reach for the stick
that’s sitting on the toilet paper dispenser, I close my eyes and send a hopeful message to the Universe to give me what I need.
I look down at the tiny strip of plastic that holds my future and see twin pink lines have formed, sealing my fate. “Holy shit!”
I breathe out into the empty bathroom and my words bounce back at me. I sit there for a moment just staring at this little stick that has just changed my life and think about the situation I’m in. I’m growing Connor’s baby inside me. I’m going to be a mom. Connor is going to be a dad. My hand instantly goes to my stomach.
Although my first thought was not really a pleasant one the more I picture it, the more the idea of having a baby grows on me. I pull out my phon
e and shoot Connor a quick text.
Me:
Call the school and tell them we can’t make it. I’ll be home shortly. Xoxo.
I wait in the stall for a couple minutes until my
phone vibrates with his reply.
Connor Wright
: Okay Princess. I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. I’ll call them now. See you in a minute.
I smile at his text. He is going to be such a good father. Everything I know about him says that this baby is the luckiest little girl or boy in the world to have him as a daddy. What kind of mother will I be? My parent’s death may have been tragic, but their life was wonderful. They were good parents who each had one devastating moment of selfishness. I can do this. I can be the mother that this baby deserves. I’ve learned from my parents mistakes. Being with Connor has opened my heart and I know how it can grow to make room for someone without losing a part of myself. I run out of the bathroom excited to get to Connor and tell him about the life we created.
When I get out to the parking lot I stop Nick’s car and he rolls down the window. “Did you get everything you need?” I smile at him and it hits me that I phrased my wish that way. What I needed. My smile grows and Nick gives me a questioning look.
“I think I did. I’m going to head back home. I already called Connor and we are taking the day off of work. What were your plans for the day?” I ask secretly hoping he wasn’t going to go back home so Connor and I can have some alone time.
Nick gives me a sheepish smile. “I had planned on keeping up with the routine of going to Toni’s and forcing my way into her plans for the day.” I giggle at him but I’m pretty sure it’s from the high my current secret has given me.
“Go get her! Sometimes us females don’t know what we need until it’s forced on us. Don’t be a complete asshole about it, but a little bit of jackassery never hurt anyone.” I say clapping him on the shoulder through the window.
“Jackassery?” Nick says smirking at me. “Is that even a word? Are you sure you don’t need me to follow you home?” He asks
“Nope! I promise to call if anything happens, but Connor knows I’m coming so he will be there to make sure I get from my car to the house alright.” I say and Nick laughs.
“Alright Nina, I’ll see you later.” I get into my car and he waits for me to pull out of the parking lot and we head in opposite directions.
A few minutes from our street I’m stopped at a red light watching the kids of the neighborhood play
and the scene makes me think of my newest little bundle of joy. A little boy is standing next to a tree in front of his house when a young girl in a purple dress walks over to him and takes his hand and leads him over to another group of girls. She looks so sweet and the boy is grinning up at her. I’m starting to think I’m witnessing a first crush in the making when the group of girls suddenly pull miniature squirt guns from behind their backs and start to soak the poor little guy.
An image pops into my head of the woman in the purple dress at the bar coming on to Connor and trying to get him to leave with her. I replay her cryptic message in my head and that’s when I realize what was so familiar about the SUV she climbed into that night. Oh my God! I make a mental note to call Detective Wheeler with the information afte
r I tell Connor about the baby. I don’t want anything to spoil the news.
I’m actually looking forward to telling him now and I’m positive that Connor will be happy when I tell him we’re having a baby. When I pull up to the house and jump out and start running to the door
, I hear Samson barking obnoxiously in the back yard. I get to the front door and see Connor’s phone lying on the porch, so I bend down to pick it up thinking it just fell out of his pocket. I push open the door and yell for Connor and start to make my way through the house. Samson is still outside barking and it starts to make me nervous. When Connor doesn’t answer and I don’t find him anywhere I rush back outside and see his truck is still in its spot. I walk up steps wondering if he could be out back with Samson until I get to the last step and see a small red spot on the edge. I squat down and touch it with trembling fingers, knowing what it is but shaking my head in denial. Blood!
NO!
CHAPTER 17
I’m thrust into action and the first thing I do is pull out my phone to call Nick back to the house. I dial his number and it goes straight to voicemail. “SHIT!” I shove my phone back into my pocket and throw my purse on the ground. My pregnancy test peaks up at me from the opening and I remember the scene with the little boy and how it made me think of the woman from the bar.
I run back into the house and start tearing through our bedroom hoping that he didn’t throw it away. “YES!” I pull the slip of paper out of
Connor’s jacket pocket with the address that the woman gave him and for once thank the Universe for my tendency to procrastinate on the laundry. I dial detective Wheeler’s number and I want to scream when it just keeps ringing. When I get his voice mail I leave a frantic message.
“It’s Nina Ryan. They took Connor! I came home and he’s gone and his phone was outside and his car is still here and there was blood! I have an address I think he could be at. 2111 Duster way. Please call me back!” I hang up and look at my phone for two seconds before dialing another number. There is no way in hell I’m going to sit around waiting for a phone call while Connor is missing. Lo picks up the phone and I almost cry at the relief.
“LO! Oh thank God. Listen I need you to call Drake and get him to meet me at this address 2111 Duster way. They have Connor, Lo! Tell him to come armed. I called the detectives and I’ll call 911 on my way there.”
“Whoa slow down. Connor is missing? What the hell happened?”
“Lo, just call Drake, I’m going to go get him and I need his help. I can’t just sit around when he could be hurting.” I shout desperately hoping she will understand.
“Nins, you need to calm down and think. You can’t just go off half calked.” She says sounding just as desperate, but I don’t care.
“Lo! I don’t have time to argue with you. You’re just going to have trust me!” I hang up the phone, knowing that my best friend will come through for me. I run back out to Connor’s truck and grab his pistol from the glove box. I’m a Wyoming native, so I’ve shot one before, but I’m not Annie Oakley or anything so I’m still slightly intimidated by the power of holding something that could take a life so easily. I check to make sure it’s loaded, but put the safety on. I’m no good to anyone if I shoot myself before I get to Connor.
I dash to my car and look down at the pistol in my lap. Will I be able to do it? Could I shoot someone? Could I take a life? Can I save Connor? I never thought in all my life I would be asking myself these questions, but I need to prepare myself for what I’m about to do. I pick
up my phone and dial 911. As it rings I make my decision. I will only do what I have to. To protect Connor, I will deal with whatever needs to be done. I don’t relish the thought of hurting someone, but I refuse to do nothing. I set the pistol on the seat next to me as the operator picks up and I start the car.
“Hello 911 what’s your emergency.”
“My name is Nina Ryan and my boyfriend Connor Wright was taken by a man named Maxwell Holden or one of his associates. We are part of an ongoing investigation and I’ve left a message with detective Edward Wheeler. I believe they have him at address 2111 Duster way. Send someone immediately!” I hang up the phone and type the address into my phone.
“Damn it!” The map shows that it’s almost 25 minutes out of town.
I turn the key and start to drive. “He’s going to be okay. You’ll get there in time. It’s going to be fine.” I say the words, but my heart is in my throat and my mind is whirling. The thought of Connor being hurt or worse by those people right at this very moment makes tears burn my eyes, but I force them back and focus on the road. I hit the accelerator and drive as fast as I can through town till I get to the highway and then gun it to 90 miles an hour. I’m not worried about speeding. The more cops I attract the better. They will just follow me to Connor.
What if he isn’t there? The negative part of my mind says and I try to shake the thought from my head. He has to be there. The alternative is unacceptable. I can’t stop my brain from going there though, as the worst possible scenarios play out in my mind. Finding him hurt or worse. I won’t survive losing him. Never again getting to look into his sapphire eyes and see my entire Universe in them. We are going to have a bab
y together, he has to be okay. I used to think that people who couldn’t move on after losing a significant other were pathetic. Now I get it. Right now in this moment I can’t imagine a life without him. I refuse to let him go.