^^Above, chapter title credit: Song by Depeche Mode.^^

{Geoffrey}

I screwed up. I know we've had a lot of rocky patches in the past, but this one seems worse. I shouldn't have paid that hush money to Ridley. Raina's right, he's just going to keep coming back. My first thought is that I shouldn't have left that statement lying around, but I push that away. Raina was going to find out sooner or later. She'd acted really weird whenever we talked about my work recently.

Not to mention I get a phone call that day at work. Without thinking I pick it up.

"Geoff Cromwell."

"I know who you are," says Howard Eckles's voice. "Listen, Geoff, we kind of got off on the wrong foot."

"Yeah. You trying to flirt with my wife." I know she had no control, and now I feel bad for not telling her what he was right away.

"I wouldn't call it flirting," he says casually. "Besides, I'm not about to try anything drastic. She's got another one of your buns in the oven, and she's obviously completely loyal to you."

Doubtful now, but at least he'd acknowledged that fact. "What do you want, Eckles? Or is this a call to see if I'm willing to pimp out my wife? Who is, like you already said, pregnant?"

"What? No, no, I'm not asking that of her. Although by the look of it, she doesn't see much of you anyway. I've got something that I think you might be interested in, though, if you're willing."

"Is it a business matter? Because I'd ask you to come up here and present it in front of the executive board." It was a weak attempt at resistance, but at least I'd tried.

"Not really. But I've decided to buy into your friend's venture. That green serum? Masterful."

Dammit. That's exactly what I didn't want. "Oh, really? May I ask why?"

"Our super blood is unique. Wouldn't you like to spread it?"

"It takes away powers," I say, confused.

"Yes. But when injected together, mixed with genetic material from a super's blood, it can redistribute powers. Say, a serum that can give a super multiple sets." I could almost hear the gears turning in his head. "What do you think? We could go in together."

"I don't want to go into anything with you, Eckles. I don't trust you either."

"I thought we'd hit this snag." His voice took on an I have you now sort of tone. "You go in with me, and I'll make sure to keep Rid Green happy. Money, campaign support, whatever he wants. He'll be off your back because he'll be so busy trying to run for office. But if you don't, I can't stop him from doing whatever he wants to do to you. Even if it destroys you both."

It sounds too good to be true. It's been years since I didn't have to think about Ridley every second of the day, and what possible evil schemes he was dreaming up. "There's a catch, isn't there?"

"No. I've been a businessman for a long time, Geoff. I know what it's like to have strings attached. One goes, you all go. So the offer stands, with no strings. What do you think?"

"How much?" I ask, not because I'm curious, but because I want to see how invested I'm going to have to be.

"Let's say...fifty-fifty?"

"Eighty-twenty. I'm not that invested."

"Sixty-forty."

"Seventy-thirty. My thirty," I say, with finality. "Final offer."

"Done," Eckles says. "And I'll even stop doin' that thing with your wife for this."

"You never had a thing to begin with," I say, and then I hang up without letting him answer. Then I sit back in my chair and run my hand over my face. I stand up, pacing my office. I kick the leg of the couch near the window, barely feeling pain shoot up my leg. Then I curse, all the words I'm not allowed to say around Ettie. I've just sold part of my father's legacy and our livelihood to some business magnate who'll do whatever the hell he wants with it. I know I'll be sleeping in the office tonight. I can't face Raina now.

≈

My resolution's broken down when she calls right as the work day's ending. I pick it up, switching the phone to a private line so my secretary can't listen in.

"Hello?"

"Geoff..." It's Raina. Her voice is rough and husky, like she's been crying – a lot. "I'm sorry about this morning, I just...I panicked..."

"Hey, it's okay. I should have told you first."

"I'm just scared, Geoff...with our new baby coming and everything, I just...bringing another one into the world when it's like this..." She takes a ragged breath. "I keep thinking...something bad's going to happen, and it'll be my fault..."

"No, Raina, no. You're a great mom. To one kid and now two." I think of the love I saw as she held Ettie in her arms for the first time. "And we'll make it. Nothing bad's going to happen to you. I won't let it."

"But what if...what if it has already?" She lets out a sob and then it's instantly muffled, like she's clapped her hand over it. "With...with Ridley and everything..."

"Don't you worry about Ridley," I say, wishing I was there to pull her into my arms. "I'll deal with him, now and when the time for a showdown comes. He won't even be able to touch you."

"Will you come home?" she asks, in a small timid voice. "I don't want to be alone."

"Yeah, yeah, of course," I say, the prospect of brushing my teeth in the company bathroom disappearing. "I'm on my way out right now."

"I love you, Geoff..." she says after a few ragged breaths. "I love you so much, I'm sorry..."

"I love you too, Raina. I'll be home soon, okay? Just hang tight."

When we've disconnected I pull on my coat and pick up my briefcase. This happened before, and when we'd gone to the doctor she'd been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. First they thought it was panic, but then it turned into post-traumatic stress and then stayed there. And I'd learned to take her outbursts in stride. The doctor said it was natural.

I get home to find Mila holding Ettie in the front hall. She doesn't say a word, only nods in the direction of the living room. I give her a nod of thanks and then head there. When I get there, I find Raina in the middle of the floor, knees hugged tightly to her chest. Even now, she has tears running down her face.

"Raina?"

She looks up at me, eyes brimming with tears. "Geoff..."

I sit down next to her and she curls into me. She cries with hardly any noise, burying her face in my shoulder. I feel her body trembling, and I adjust my hold on her so it's more secure. Eventually she stops, probably too weak to keep going.

"What happened?" I ask her after a while, when she's controlled her breathing.

"Nothing, I..." She pulls in a ragged breath. "Just...the way I spoke to you this morning, I...I didn't mean to, I didn't..."

"Hey." I cup her cheeks, wiping more tears away. "It's okay. It was appropriate, given the situation, and I deserved it."

"No..." Another shaky breath, in and out. "You didn't..."

I pull her against me again, holding her tightly. It's been this bad before, so I'm used to it. If anything, it's been worse. It still kills me, every time, to see her like this. I really want to help her.

We sit together in the darkening room, her head resting on my shoulder. Her breaths steady eventually, and her hand wraps around mine as they do. I lace my fingers with hers and squeeze gently.

"Raina," I say after a while. "Did you have another flashback?"

It's worth a try. That was what triggered this last time.

She shakes her head. "I felt so guilty, Geoff, I..."

"Don't worry about it, okay?" I run my fingers through her hair. "Next time, no secrets. I'll tell you right away."

"I was wondering too..." She takes my hand, setting it on her abdomen. I can't feel the baby yet, but I know I will soon. "What do you want to name it?"

"Girl's name or boy's name?" I kiss her forehead, winding my fingers into her curls.

"Both...I just thought...one of each. Just in case." She lays her hand over mine.

"You know what, I think we should wait on it, just for a little bit." I rest my cheek on her hair. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not well...why?"

"Because I think you need some. Then we can start thinking about baby names, okay? How's that?"

She nods, swallowing hard as she sits up. "Okay."

≈

I go down to get some dinner when she falls asleep. Just to keep her from going back to that dark place, I kissed her until she was too tired to continue. But it worked like a charm. She seemed to shed all of that when it was just us two, together like that. And she fell asleep much easier.

In fact, she doesn't even wake up the next morning when the phone starts ringing. I hurry out into the hall to pick it up, so it doesn't disturb her.

"Hello?"

"Geoff Cromwell?" says an unfamiliar voice on the other end.

"Speaking." I don't know who this is, but I have a pretty good guess.

"This is Brian Banks, Howard Eckles's lawyer."

"Lawyer? He never mentioned anything about a lawyer."

"Well, he's asked me to negotiate your contract with him. Verbal contracts are great, but unless you have no record of them, it's not binding. So I've been working on drafting one, and I'll be by soon to get your signature."

"Soon?" This is going so fast I can hardly keep up. "How soon?"

"Say...within the next week or so? I'll call to make sure you're home first."

"Oh..." I think of the storm that would break if Raina picked up the phone. I know I'm only in the eye of the hurricane, but I want it to last as long as possible. "Actually, how about you stop by my office? I work downtown."

"Okay," he says, sounding a little confused. "Any particular reason?"

"It's my wife," I say. "She's..."

"I see." That seems to be all the explanation he needs. "I'll let you know when I'm coming."

"Okay."

After he hangs up, I set the phone down as quietly as I can and then slip into our bedroom. Raina's rolled on her side, eyes just barely open.

"Who was that?" she asks sleepily. She must have just woken up.

"Work," I say, the lie burning on my tongue.

"You work too much," she says, moving to accommodate me when I sit down on the edge near her. "We should take a vacation sometime soon. Really get away."

"Where do you suggest?" I rub her arm.

"I don't know. California, Florida, something. I'd like some hot weather." She catches my hand, tugs me forward. "And I'd like some quality time with my husband."

I adjust myself, so she's trapped halfway underneath me. "Quality time?"

"Yes." She smiles, running her fingers along my jaw. "It seems like we barely have any of it anymore."

"We have it now." I rub the tip of her nose with mine.

"They why are you wasting it by still talking?"

I grin, leaning in and kissing her. She runs her fingers through my hair and fists them at the base of my skull. I slide one hand down her side, until I find bare skin where her tank top stops. She doesn't stop me as I inch back up, her scars irregular ridges under my fingers. I hear her make a soft grunting noise in the back of her throat when my thumb brushes the underside of her breast, and her hand tightens in my hair.

I pull away just enough to speak. "Are you sure about this?"

A slow smile spreads across her face. "Just do it."

I feel like a traitor as I do, pulling off her tank top so I can kiss the scars on her torso. Her hands stay in my hair, and she lets me. I wonder if she can taste the lie in my mouth when I finally make it back up to her lips.

≈

"Do you have to go?" she asks me over an hour later. We'd spent the time mostly kissing, and in my opinion that's not time wasted. She's covered herself with the sheets again, holding them up against her. "I feel like I never see you anymore."

"Don't worry. I'll be home before you know it." I round the bed and bend down to kiss her. She cups my face in one hand and kisses me back, making my spine tingle whenever her lips move against mine.

"You're so good to me, Geoff," she says, between kisses. "Without you, I'd have never had this."

"But without you, I wouldn't be here." I push her backwards and climb on top. God, kissing her was like a drug. Every time I did it, I needed more, and while I was doing it, my need only increased. I bury my fingers in her hair and kiss her hard, not allowing us to come up for air.

"Wait," she gasps, pushing me away. "I need to breathe..."

"Well then, catch your breath while I'm gone," I say, getting up. "Maybe I can make it up to you later. Like dinner or something."

"For a second I thought you were going to say something else." She rolls on her side, resting her head on her arm.

"Oh, trust me. Once that baby's out, I'll be making it up to you that way all the time."

She blushes, but to hide it she grabs a pillow and tosses it at me. I catch it and wink at her.

≈

Apparently Eckles's lawyer was lying to me, because when I get to work that day, they're both waiting for me in my office: an ambush. I don't like the look of Banks, his hair gray and thinning and his suit looking much too big for him. Not to mention his shirt collar, which is yellow with sweat stains. But Eckles was a multimillionaire. A billionaire, probably. Surely he could afford one of the best. He could probably hire the highest-powered law firm in all of New York State if he wanted to.

"Don't be fooled by appearances, Geoff," Eckles says as I pass him, catching my sleeve. "Brian used to be a federal prosecutor. One of the best."

"I'll take your word for it." I tug my arm away and then circle the desk to sit down.

"Mr. Cromwell," says Banks, putting out one hand. "How nice to finally put a face to the name."

I give it a good firm shake. I don't want him to see how off-putting this is for me. "The same, Mr. Banks. You have a contract for me, I think?"

"Yes. But first there is something we must discuss." He sets his briefcase on the arm of one of the chairs in front of the desk and opens it, taking out a piece of paper folded in thirds. He hands it over to me, and I unfold it, reading it in disbelief.

"A restraining order?" I shake my head. "I haven't even tried anything with Ms. Burgess. She initiated all of it."

"Well, according to her, the opposite is the case," he says. "But if you would like to present your side of the story, perhaps in a written or recorded testimony, we can try for an appeal."

"Gladly." I toss the paper aside and then lean on my fists, glaring at the both of them. "So I'll have that contract now. I have work to do."

Banks reaches into his briefcase again, taking out a sheaf of papers this time. I'm hardly surprised. As crooked as Eckles's sense of human nature is, I have to hand it to him. He's a good businessman. The contract is pretty thorough.

"So Mr. Green's campaign," I say as I flip through it, reading it carefully. I'm not about to sign anything without knowing what's in it. "Anything planned yet?"

"He's having a meet-and-greet," Eckles says unexpectedly, arms folded across his chest. "Week from today, at some restaurant in the city."

"Meet-and-greet the candidate. Perfect." I sign my name with a flourish on one of the marked lines, and move on to the rest. "There's some things I want to ask him."

"I'm sure he would be glad to see you there." Eckles raises a brow. "And your wife."

I grip my pen harder, scowling down at the contract. "You leave my wife out of it."

"You're sure about that, Geoff?" Eckles leans across the desk, our faces so close I see my reflection in his eyes. They're a bright electric blue, with white sparks of electricity arcing through them. "That baby she's carrying...it's going to be super. I can feel it."

"Shut up," I say, even though he's probably right. "You just wanted an excuse to touch her."

"Did I?" His eyes narrow, and I actually feel a spark of fear. He's a powerful super, and dangerous. It practically radiates off him. "She let it happen for a long time before she decided to stop it."

"Because you made her. I know what you are, Eckles. I know what you can do." I pull back, not wanting to have to touch him. "You touch my wife again, and I'll make sure you regret it."

He smiles, rocking back on his heels and digging his hands into his trouser pockets. The suit he's wearing looks expensive — three-piece, dark blue, faint windowpane check — and nobody would have guessed what he was capable of.

"You think you can fight me, Geoff, but you can't." He snatches the contract away right as I sign the third and final line. "Because no matter what you say to the contrary, I have it right here. In writing."

Then he turns and walks out. Banks gives me a nod and follows. I wait until they're long gone before I drop into my chair and cover my face with both hands. As much as I hated the thought, they've managed to manipulate me, both Eckles and Ridley. I'll need more than just Matt for this one.