A/N: Hello everyone! I know it's been a few days and a lot of people have been going crazy wondering what happens next so here's the newest chapter. This is a bit of a long one and has a few twists in it—plus a revelation some of you may have been waiting for. 

As always, please vote and comment. TMMM is probably going to be done tomorrow so for those who are waiting on that one too, just hang tight. 

***

“Honey, I’m home!”

I looked up from the cheddar, potato and bacon soup I was slowly stirring and grinned as Sebastian strode into the kitchen.

It was over two weeks later, more than a week since I moved most of my stuff to the penthouse. I didn’t bring much—mostly just my clothes and other personal items. He had half of his massive walk-in closet cleared to make room for my clothes and shoes and even amusedly admitted to being relieved about having fewer options to choose from in the morning. Not that he suddenly had a tiny wardrobe—the walk-in closet was the size of a small cafe.I barely filled my side of it.

Sebastian insisted we keep my apartment simply because it meant a lot to him. I wouldn’t have protested if he wanted to give it up but I secretly hoped he wouldn’t because it was also special to me—not just for the memories we’ve made there but for the simple fact that Sebastian had picked it out and designed it for me, spending hours painting my walls and filling them with beautiful murals.

We easily fell into a daily routine, living like an old married couple.

“How did the meeting go?” I asked as I went to take out the crusty buns I’d kept in the dish warmer while waiting for Sebastian’s arrival.

It was Friday night and usually we’d be heading out to dine somewhere, maybe catch a movie or something, but he had a last minute meeting about a potential investment in a railroad project that looped through northern US and Canada that he dropped me off after work before meeting up with other investors.

I sent him an email to tell him that I’d sent Percy off early to start his weekend and that I was making dinner.

Living in the penthouse was very comfortable with a small staff of three to look after all our needs but I wasn’t used to having help that it was a bit of an adjustment at first. They were all eager to make sure I didn’t lift a finger which while I appreciated, made it difficult for me to simply do as I pleased without inconveniencing anybody. Sebastian told me to just tell them to leave me alone but I did not have his natural master-of-the-house confidence to pull it off. I quickly decided that telling them that their duties were done for the day or for the week was the best strategy. They seemed to take the hint and happily leave us to our own devices.

So for the last two hours, I’ve been cheerfully making one of my favorite home-made soup that I know Sebastian would love (cheese alone will do it for him), crusty bread and herbed butter, and an apple crumble that was still baking in the oven.

“Things look promising,” he answered as he shrugged off his jacket and walked up to me, wrapping his arms around my waist before pulling me in for a thorough kiss. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” I murmured against his lips before pulling away and leading him to the dining table I’d set out. “Now, come sit down and have dinner. It’s nippy out there and I made soup with bread and a nice, warm apple crumble for dessert.”

He eyed the simple spread I’d laid out with the large candles flickering inside loosely woven metal holders giving the room some warm, comforting glow. I went back to the kitchen to spoon the soup into two bowls on a tray before carrying it carefully to the table.

“This is delicious, sweet,” he said as he tried a spoonful of soup. “Ah, all that cheese and potato. And the crispy bacon. Mmm... So good.”

I grinned, enjoying his reaction. “I had a feeling you’d like it. Your weakness for cheese is no secret.”

He reached forward and grasped my hand. “I could get used to this, you know?”

“You better since I’ve been moved in two weeks now,” I told him with an amused roll of my eyes. “This isn’t going to be the last dinner I’d be making.”

“It better not be,” he returned with a sexy grin.

“Speaking of dinners,” Sebastian said as he took a bun from the small basket I’d offered him and started sawing it in half. “The twins are organizing a Thanksgiving dinner for the family at their place. I’ve always been invited every year but I always skipped it. Not sure why. But I was hoping this year we’d both go. They’d love for you to join us.”

I beamed. “I’d love to! I love Thanksgiving dinners.” Then my smile dimmed slightly. “During college, I spent most of it with Emma’s family because she was kind enough to drag me along knowing I had no one. This is the first year I’m not going with her.”

Since her engagement with Ty was announced, both their families have been hounding after them to spend Thanksgiving with them so the two decided to start a little early and spend the first half of the week over at Connecticut with Emma’s family and then the rest of it back in Cobalt Bay with Ty’s family.

It was one of the many signs that our lives were truly altering and forking into different directions—and that we were both growing up considerably. 

She and Ty set their wedding date in June and were now off hunting for their first house together. My career was taking off and I was now constantly living in the spotlight after garnering media and public interest as Sebastian’s mysterious lady love. The attention was mostly local but with the internet and social media, pictures and articles were getting out there so fast. The public’s curiosity had been steadily increasing that I started to get several random invites in my social network account which I haven’t touched in months since Sebastian came back to my life. I’ve always been a private person but it was becoming to mean something else with the spotlight over our heads all the time. You’d think I was dating a Hollywood celebrity.

My only consolation for my surreal reality and mine and Emma’s now-separate lives was the fact that we were both happy and in love with men who cherished us without question.

I was going to be her maid-of-honor and when Sebastian and I got around to it, she’d be mine.

“You’re never going to be without family again, Cassandra,” Sebastian said softly, covering my hand with his and squeezing lightly. “You’ll always have me, no matter what.”

Resisting the urge to remind him we weren’t technically family, I smiled at him, knowing that Sebastian’s love was all-consuming. Technicalities and minor details were pesky to him.

“Brenda will be there but the twins will make sure she’s on her best behavior,” he continued with a sigh. “She knows she has to be if she wants to avoid my displeasure.”

I giggled. “Inspiring terror in your family members may not be quite in the spirit of Thanksgiving.”

“Neither is accusing you of the same crime she’s guilty of as well,” he retorted grimly. “But nevertheless, the twins want to see you. Lexie’s threatened to introduce you to each woman I’ve dated if I don’t deliver so if I have to throw you over my shoulder to get you there, I’ll do it.”

I laughed at the disbelieving expression on his face. “It’s a date.”

The next evening, Sebastian and I got dropped off in front of a new condo building, carrying a bottle of champagne, a large wrapped box and a boxed selection of cheesecake squares from Pattsie’s.

“Are you sure they won’t mind that you dragged me with you?” he asked as we went up the front entrance and buzzed on the intercom. “I don’t want to crash anyone’s party.”

“Hey! Bradley, it’s Cassandra,” I chirped into the mic, waving at the small camera mounted on one corner above the door. “Buzz us in, will you?”

“You’ve brought the boss,” Bradley said brightly and I could tell he was already slightly tipsy. “Hello, Mr. Vice. Come on up, you two. Unit 1103, okay?”

The front entrance door swung open and Sebastian followed me to the lobby where we waited for the elevator.

I nudged his arm. “Hey, lighten up. We’re all outside of work so I’m sure people will chill out a bit. And Bradley said it was totally okay to bring you with me. He wants to show off his new condo to anyone interested.”

At first, I wasn’t certain whether Sebastian was going to be interested in something that may seem trivial to a man like him—a house-warming party, perhaps—but when I mentioned to him a few days ago that I’ve been invited and that it was going to be very low-key with a mix of friends and people from work, he just raised a brow thoughtfully and said we were going out shopping for a house-warming gift. 

It didn’t hit him that he may not be welcome until we got into the car tonight.

He employed most of the people who were attending the party but he’s never interacted with them socially outside of work. He said he wasn’t worried about himself but rather that he was going to spoil my fun with the others who may not relax around him.

I assured him that no one would mind having him there—Bradley did tell me he was welcome to join us—and that as long as he relaxed, others would too.

We were the only ones in the elevator and the moment the doors closed, Sebastian snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him. “By the way, you really shouldn’t have worn this dress. Now all I can think about is how to best ditch this party early so I could get you home and make you strip for me.”

I grinned and glanced down the simple rust-colored tube dress that showed under my unbuttoned khaki trench coat. It warmed my complexion and brightened my dark auburn hair. 

“You know, one of the best things about living together is that you don’t need to sneak around or make arrangements for sex,” I snickered as I turned to him and raised myself on the toes of my stilettos, pressing my belly against his stiffening crotch. “But I’m all for keeping it interesting and a bit risky. Do you think we should christen one of Bradley’s guest rooms?”

His eyes glinted in mischief. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Ms. Collins.”

My brows wiggled. “You don’t know me very well, then, Mr. Vice.”

I laughed at his look of amused disbelief. “Okay, maybe not. I don’t think Bradley would forgive us if we desecrated his new condo. He’s so proud of it, you know? It’s his first place. He’s been saving up for a down payment in the last five years.”

“Do you want it too? Your own place that you picked out yourself or built from scratch?” he asked, regarding me thoughtfully. “You never had a choice in any of the places you’ve lived in in the last twenty-two years. Not even the apartment I selected for you.”

We stepped out on the lobby of the eleventh floor and went down the hallway to find Bradley’s unit. 

“Even though I didn’t pick it out myself, the apartment couldn’t be any more perfect,” I told him. “But yes, if I have the option, I’d like to choose a place on my own or at least contribute to the decision.”

“I never asked you if you wanted to live in Rockford.”

I could sense that the realization bothered Sebastian all of sudden. He knew how restless I got when decisions were being made for me. He’s done his share of it and was now watching his every step.

I smiled and squeezed his arm. “Rockford is convenient for us right now. It’s not where I want us to live forever but it will do for the moment. I mean, it’s only a few million dollars of luxury living. I’m sure I can put up with it.”

Raising a brow, he smiled at me wryly. “I’m glad you don’t mind our little hovel. But tell me, what kind of dream house do you have in mind?”

I rubbed my chin in mock concentration just as we stopped outside of Bradley’s door that was vibrating with music. “Hmm... Something next to the beach, open, airy. This is really a no-brainer. I like Cove Manor, where everything started.”

His smile broadened into a grin. “You know, I was thinking of the same thing.”

Sebastian had just dipped his head down to brush his lips against mine when the door opened and Bradley clapped his hands in delight, giving me a sideways knowing glance before courteously nodding at our employer.

“Welcome to my humble home,” he said as he ushered us in, enthusiastically thanking us for the wine, food and present we brought and taking our coats away. “A few more people showed up than I expected but there’s plenty of food, booze and great company!”

“Thanks for inviting us,” Sebastian said, clasping Bradley’s hand in a firm handshake. “This place is impressive. Well done.”

Bradley beamed and rambled on a nervous thank-you before turning back to the crowd and loudly announcing me and Sebastian to those who didn’t work with us.

I glanced at Sebastian just as a handful of people from work came over to us for pleasantries. He didn’t seem perturbed by anything but then he was used to attention regardless of the source.

He was in a pair of dark jeans and a black cashmere sweater and although he still looked potent in that outfit, it was as dressed down as people from work saw him. 

He smiled and greeted the others warmly, joining their small talk as I helped Bradley carry the wine and dessert back to the kitchen. 

“I’m so glad you could come, Cass,” Bradley was saying as we unwrapped the cheesecake tray. “But I have to warn you, Dana’s here. I was sure I excluded her from the group email I sent out about tonight but she showed up here earlier with a date, who by the way is super hot, and I didn’t have the heart to kick her out. I hope you don’t mind too much. I’ll make sure she leaves you alone.”

The news dampened my mood but I quickly reminded myself that this was Bradley’s party and he could invite anyone he wanted. I also told myself that Dana wasn’t worth my time and energy.

“Don’t worry about it,” I assured him, taking the glass of wine he’d poured for me. “I’m here to toast you on your new place and party hard.”

He laughed and clinked his glass with mine. “Party hard? With Sebastian around, I’m not sure you can pull that off.”

I took another glass and poured some wine into it. “Oh, I can. I just have to get him into the mood. Come on, let’s head back out there. Your subjects await you, lord of the manor.”

The party was truly a crush, with more than two dozen people I didn’t all recognize, talking, dancing and drinking that it was hard to navigate around the crowd in the dimly lit room.

My lunch buddies found me and handed me another drink as we chatted away before I moved on to look for my boyfriend. 

I found Sebastian in a small circle with Tamara, Gabe and Savannah who looked like she was hanging on Sebastian’s every word.

I couldn’t suppress a small laugh.

The woman quickly got over her resentment about my ‘bagging’ Sebastian and quickly proceeded to pester me with all sorts of questions about him. She may have given up her all-out fantasies but she was still fascinated by him.

I felt the pang of jealousy but quelled it at the reminder that Sebastian didn’t care about any other woman. 

He was barely paying attention to Savannah.

I delivered his wine although he seemed to have already acquired a glass and a small plate of food, and chatted quickly with the group before I excused myself to fill a plate of my own to nibble on.

I’d just picked up a couple of slices of French bread with bruschetta when someone stood close to me, looking over the food selection.

“This is the fanciest house party I’ve ever been to,” a male voice with a distinct Australian accent boomed beside me.

I looked up and found a tall, ruggedly handsome guy with thick, blond hair and a dark tan, holding  a tall glass of some type of cocktail, grinning down at me as he reached for a canapé. 

I smiled back. “Well, Bradley is like the male Martha Stewart. This is child’s play to him.”

“I’m Kerran,” he said, extending a hand at me. “You work with Bradley?”

“Yes, I do. I’m Cassie.”

When he didn’t let go of my hand immediately, I slowly backed away but he just laughed and let go as if embarrassed. “Sorry, I spaced out. Your dimples screwed up with my brains for a moment there.”

“Ah, if that’s your compliment, then you’re forgiven,” I said with a good-natured laugh. He was a flirt but something about his rakish charm was disarming. “How do you know Bradley?”

“I personally don’t,” he answered. “One of my friends do and dragged me along tonight. I met him though. Great guy.”

I nodded and helped myself to a slice of cheese. “He is. He’s got a great place here and he’s very proud of it.”

I downed my wine and looked around for a refill and found none. 

Kerran extended a hand. “Do you want some more wine? I need to refill anyway. I can grab you another glass.”

“Yes, please.” I smiled happily as he gestured to the breakfast bar where Bradley was doling out drinks with Chad. “I’ll be right here, sampling everything.”

He was back almost right away, handing me my wine before picking up a chocolate-covered strawberry. 

“So, you here with anyone?” he asked, leaning against the table. “You’re too lovely to be on your own.”

I laughed at his candid comment. “Yes, I’m here with someone.”

I craned my head around until I spotted Sebastian still talking to the same group. “There’s my guy there. In the black sweater.”

Kerran studied him curiously. “He looks serious. And a looker.”

“No, not you too!” I exclaimed in mock horror before bursting out laughing. “I have enough female interest to ward off without you adding to it.”

He laughed. “No, babe, he’s pretty but not my type.”

We kept talking until I filled my stomach and finished my glass of wine. 

Kerran was a nice guy—cute and down-to-earth—but it was time to head back to my man.

I straightened up and suddenly felt my knees weaken enough that I stumbled forward a bit before Kerran caught me. I may have drunk more wine than I intended, or maybe just faster than I should’ve.

“I don’t feel so good,” I mumbled, shaking my head to fight off the sudden dizziness. My stomach shifted and I clutched it automatically as a wave of nausea hit me. 

I blinked and staggered against Kerran, squinting as my eyes lost focus in the dim, crowded room.

“Washroom,” I gasped out, feeling the cold clammy sweat on my skin. “Hurry please.”

I don’t remember the trip down the back hall and I could care less as my body started to feel very lethargic, my eyes heavy and drooping close.

All I remembered was hitting a soft surface, my eyes closing as I curled into a ball, willing the illness to pass. Then I felt the suffocation of a large, heavy body heaped above me, of hands rubbing me all over.

Despite my condition, I managed to pry my eyes open and found Kerran pulling back up and standing over me without a shirt on, hastily unbuttoning his fly.

Oh, God.

Everything hit me in an instant—the flirty conversation, the refilled glass of wine, the nearly immediate illness that plagued me.

I’ve been drugged.

Surging to my feet with difficulty, I pushed myself off the bed, screaming when Kerran grabbed me by the elbow to haul me back.

I kept screaming as I twisted away from him, crawling up on my knees as I reached for the door which wavered in my vision. 

I pounded against it when I couldn’t quite reach the handle just as Kerran’s hands grabbed me by the hips, hauling me away, his hands thrust under my dress.

“Sebastian! Help me!” I screamed, tears streaming down my face right before Kerran cut off my air by smashing his mouth against mine as he pinned me down on the floor.

“I like a fighter, sugar,” he muttered into my ear in a silky voice, his tongue boldly stroking into my ear. “It makes it so much more worth it when I take everything you refuse to give up.”

I writhed under him in resistance, trying to get my hands free so I could hit him. 

I was still feeling very weak but the adrenaline helped me fight for consciousness. 

“She was so right when she said you were ripe for the picking,” Kerran purred me in my ear, his hand squeezing my breast.

Suddenly, the door above my head swung open and Kerran was thrown off me.

I turned to my side, gasping for breath and fighting the nausea when someone knelt next to me and draped a sheet over my shaking body.

“Cassie, oh, my God! Oh, my God!” It was Bradley and he looked panicked as he pulled me close to him, away from the riot that was escalating in front of us.

Sebastian had knocked Kerran down on the bed, hurling one punch after another as the other man struggled to break free.

“The cops are on their way!” another familiar voice shouted into the room that was suddenly crowded with people.

Someone crouched in front of me—it was Tamara, who I only recognized by the red lipstick she wore—and held my face up.

“Bradley, call for an ambulance!” she barked as she thrust her phone at him so she could cup my face in both of her hands. “Jesus, Cassie.”

“I’m already on it,” Gabe’s voice floated from somewhere behind us.

Tamara nodded and turned to Sebastian who was still pounding away at an unconscious Kerran. “Sebastian! She’s been drugged. We’ve got to get her to a hospital!”

And just like that, Sebastian lunged off of the man and hunched in front of me.

His face was a mask of black fury, his green eyes glittering with danger. 

“Darling, what’s wrong?” he asked in a quiet voice, tenderly lifting my chin with a trembling hand. His murderous expression shifted into alarm. “Cassandra! What’s wrong? God! Tell me—”

I lifted my hand to touch his cheek and then passed out,

***

The lights were painfully bright when I opened my eyes that I groaned and squeezed them shut.

“Cassandra?” 

I forced one eye open again and found Sebastian’s face inches from mine. 

“Too bright,” I croaked, fighting the tearing dryness in my mouth and throat. “Water.”

He yelled at someone over his shoulder before bringing a glass of water towards me, guiding the straw to my lips. “Here you go, baby. Slowly now.”

I took a moment to enjoy the hydration before I moved my head away. Sebastian put down the glass and clutched my hand just as the light in the room dimmed.

“Where?” I croaked out a second time before clearing my throat to start again. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital,” he said in a thick voice and I widened my gaze to look at him fully.

He had shadows under his eyes and his beard was rough on his chin, his face exhausted and miserable. 

I wondered why he looked that way and it only took a moment before everything came flooding back to me.

It’s the first moment of clarity I’ve had since slipping in and out of consciousness and the details weren’t the least blurry to me.

Tears lined my eyes. “Is he... Am I? Please, tell me.”

“He’s been arrested and that son of a bitch isn’t going to be walking around the streets anytime soon,” Sebastian said through clenched teeth. “I’ll make sure of it. He has a couple of outstanding warrants for sexual harassment. There were enough witnesses there do him in but the police is swinging by later to get a statement from you. If he’s lucky, he’ll get deported.”

I choked out a sob. “Why... me?”

“It was targeted,” he answered, closing his eyes briefly as if in pain. “He was Dana’s guest. She’s fled. No one’s seen her since last night.”

Dana.

I knew she still hated me after she got slapped on the wrist for her mischiefs but she’d steered clear of me since then especially since Sebastian and I officially became a couple. I had no idea that her hate had still been festering so much she would set me up for rape.

“It won’t take a wild guess to know she did this to get back at you,” Sebastian said with a deep, frustrated sigh. “I let Tamara handle her after what she did last time. Tamara had only been waiting for her to screw up just a little further before she put her on a six-month disciplinary probation. She was in some other kind of trouble before then. Money disappeared in some of her projects. That’s why she didn’t make the cut for your position. Tamara was worried that given a little more power, Dana could make a lot of other things disappear.”

“I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t need to know.” Sebastian glanced at me, his brows pulled in. “It wasn’t your problem to deal with. But when she messed around with you, she drew in the attention she desperately wanted to avoid. We’d been just waiting for her to make one more mistake. I just didn’t know she intended to go out in a blaze of glory, burning you along the way.”

“I’m sorry,” I said morosely. “I had no clue. I let him refill my drink but he was only a short distance away and I could see him. I didn’t really think about it. He... He talked to me and he seemed very nice.”

“He was playing you right into his trap,” Sebastian bit out, angry. Whether at me or himself, I wasn’t sure.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find her and she’ll pay for this,” Sebastian said quietly that told me in no uncertain terms that he would carry out justice, if not punishment. “I should’ve never let you out of my sight.”

I squeezed his hand. “It’s not your fault. I should’ve been more cautious of strangers. I thought I was just meeting new people.”

“I didn’t even notice you were gone until some people started reacting to a woman screaming,” he said, dragging in a deep, shaky breath. “When I saw him on top of you, mauling you as you cried and twisted away, I just lost it. I knew I could beat him to death and I wanted to. If Tamara didn’t yell at me about you, he would’ve been dead by now.”

The anguish on Sebastian’s face was plain and my heart twisted. 

I was about to speak when a doctor strolled into the room carrying a clipboard, a nurse right behind him. 

“Hello, Ms. Collins. My name is Dr. Bretton and I’ve been looking after you,” he introduced, tipping me a brief smile and nodding in acknowledgement at Sebastian. “I need to do a quick check on your vitals first. Then there are a few things I would like to go over with you and it’s your choice whether you’d like to discuss this in private or not.”

I glanced at Sebastian and saw his angry expression again.

He was already beating himself up for what happened without too many words. I needed to hear the facts, black and white, without worrying about his explosive reaction, so I swallowed hard and said, “In private, please. You can come back in a bit, Sebastian. I promise.”

He gave me a mutinous look. “No. I’ll stay here and—”

“Sebastian, please,” I whispered my plea which stopped him short. 

He sighed and got up on his feet, glaring at the doctor. “You have five minutes and I’m coming right back.”

When the door closed behind him, the doctor offered me a kind smile. “He knows you’re out of danger. But he’s very concerned.”

I nodded. “I know. So, am I okay then?”

“Yes. GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyric acid, a common form of the date-rape drug, could lead to very serious cases but we were able to flush most of it out of your system,” he said as he proceeded to do his examination. “It wasn’t a very high dose but GHBs are frequently concocted in home labs so you don’t always know what you’re going to get. They hit fast which is why you felt the effect almost right away. It normally disappears from your system in about a day but since they brought you in immediately, we were able to avert any serious damage. Well, almost. There is one final thing.”

I raised my brow. “What are you talking about?”

Dr. Bretton cleared his throat, a compassionate expression on his face. “You’re about five and a half weeks pregnant, which I suspected you didn’t know. This was why I needed to tell you first in private in case you wanted to keep this to yourself for the time being.”

“I’m... pregnant?”

If I thought I was feeling woozy when I woke up, I definitely did now. 

Pregnant. 

With Sebastian’s child.

Good God.

Five and a half weeks.

That meant it happened right before the disaster on Sebastian’s birthday, when we’d been together for a little bit just right after our initial reunion, before he got called out to Scarsdale for his father.

In a way, I wasn’t surprised.

Sebastian and I hadn’t been careful. 

He’d started pulling out before I went on the pill but there had been times when we didn’t bother. Why we didn’t, I don’t know. We never tacitly agreed to try having children at this point but we did it anyway, knowing what it could result to. And with all the stress of our break up and the new complications of our relationship, I didn’t even notice I was late but now that I thought about it, I would’ve suspected the same.

A baby.

Our baby.

“Is the baby okay?” I asked hesitantly, afraid to hear the answer. 

“We’ve done some ultrasounds to assess the fetal risk and everything looks okay,” he said, scanning over some notes on his clipboard. “However, there’s always a risk of birth defects but I’m confident that it’s relatively low in your case. I strongly suggest avoiding alcohol and eating well while you’re carrying. It’s too early for us to see anything easily discernible but we can do another scan if you like. We can get one of our OBs here to look after you or you can consult your own.”

“My OB’s Dr. Brooke Lacey. I’ll be in touch with her for further check ups and such,” I said in a small, tired voice. “Thank you, doctor. For everything.”

I was still in a daze after the doctor left and a short, plump nurse, who paused by the door finishing a high-strung conversation with someone out on the hall, presumably Sebastian, came in to help me to the bathroom and back.

Sebastian walked back into my room while the nurse was getting me settled but before I could say anything, the person right behind him stopped me short.

“Honey, how are you feeling?” Jack Cartwright said as he came around Sebastian and stood next to my bed. “Sebastian called me and told me what happened. I’ve been so worried, waiting for you to wake up.”

I met Sebastian’s eyes and saw the lack of remorse there before he quietly exited the room.

Jack’s face suddenly seemed to so old and weary as he took a seat next to my bed, glancing over me in concern. 

Damn Sebastian for forcing this when I was powerless to do anything. Damn him and Jack for both making me feel good about a parent looking very worried for me right now.

“Doctor said I’ll be fine,” I said calmly, exhausted, resting my head back on the pillow. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
He shook his head. “For twenty-two years, I worried every day if you were okay or not. To know I finally found you and find out that you were harmed feels like I failed you all over again.”

I didn’t really want to talk about this.

The past was too much for what little energy I regained today but I couldn’t stop him. For some reason, I couldn’t send him away either.

Maybe because you’re now getting the idea of what it means to be a parent.

I bit my lip and stared at the ceiling, fighting the questions that wanted to tumble past my lips.

I had a small hint of what he felt but I knew with every certainty that no matter what happened to my relationship with Sebastian, I would never abandon our child.

Never.

“You can stay... with me... here,” I said in a thick voice, avoiding his eyes. “But I don’t want to talk about it. Not yet.”

“If that’s what you want,” he said quietly and I turned my head to the side to find him smiling at me softly. “If there’s anything you need though, let me know. I can get the doctor or Sebastian, whatever you need.”

“I want to go home,” I murmured, my eyes downcast. “I just want to forget about all of this.”

He sighed. “It might be another day before the doctor lets you go. They want to make sure there are no surprises.”

“Sebastian is torturing himself over this.” I absently picked at an imaginary lint on my crisp, snowy white blanket. “It’s not his fault. It’s not yours either. It’s no one’s fault but those responsible for this.”

“He’ll realize that when he’s done being frightened for you,” Jack said. “He really loves you, you know?”

I looked up and saw the laugh lines around his warm brown eyes crinkle. “Yes, he does.”

“I’ve known him most of his life,” Jack said as he leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs under my bed. “He and my son are friends, after all, even if he drifted away for a bit. He’s always been a sad boy. Seeing him with a happy expression on his face was rare. Most of what I’ve seen recently proves to me just how different he is with you.”

I couldn’t help the tug of a wistful smile on the corner of my mouth. “Do you think he’ll be a great dad?”

I don’t know where the question came from. 

Jack looked as surprised as I felt but he quickly recovered and smiled. “A man like that who desperately wants a father? I’d say, hell yeah. He’ll be everything he always wanted his father to have been with him.”

A rush of warmth washed over inside of and my reluctant smile stretched int a full-blown grin and Jack’s brown eyes softened.

“So, tell me,” I said more conversationally, aware that I was inexplicably relaxed in the company of the man I never thought I’d ever want to face. “You have two children, right? Stellan and Vivienne.”

“Three including you,” he said with a slight nod despite my scrunching of my nose. “Stellan is Sebastian’s age and Vivienne is six years younger. Stellan is actually going to swing by later with his friends. Vivienne is currently in Milan. She’ll be back first week of December.”

I pursed my lips thoughtfully. “Do they know about me?”

“Yes, in fact, they do,” Jack answered without hesitation. “Stellan has helped me in my search for you over the years. Vivienne’s always wanted to meet her little sister. They’re good kids. They don’t hold anything against you.”

I snorted mildly. “Really? I’m your love child.”

Jack raised a brow, and for once I got a glimpse of what would probably be his normal expression as an impervious businessman and father. “They know the truth. I could tell you but you don’t want to hear it right now.”

I sighed. “You’re right. I don’t. I’m not ready.”

“I don’t expect you to shed the twenty-two years of your life without me in it, Cassandra,” he said in a softer voice. “The truth isn’t really all that complicated, to be perfectly honest. When you think you can listen to it one day, let me know. But waiting until you’re ready doesn’t mean we’re going to stand back and do nothing. You’re part of our family, whether you like it or not. We’ll do what we can to look after you.”

I usually bristled around domineering men but somehow his declaration didn’t seem all that tyrannical to me—even if he’d only come into the picture in the last few weeks. It felt fierce. Like devotion.

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled from my throat. “I think I’m destined to live my life in the company of high-handed men.”

Jack grinned before chuckling himself.

The door to the large hospital suite opened and Sebastian poked his head in, glancing between me and Jack, a curious expression on his face.

Jack rose and dug a phone out of his pocket. “I’ll call Stellan to let him know you’re awake. He’d want to know you’re okay now. I’ll be outside, okay?”

He nodded to Sebastian on his way out. 

I watched my boyfriend—it’s still really odd to think of him as a boyfriend—as he slowly as he made his way to me, looking slightly nervous as if he expected me to talk his ear off after trapping me with my father.

“Hey,” he said as he sat on the chair Jack just vacated.

I gave him a small smile. “Hey.”

His green eyes lit up, knowing the storm had either passed or never happened. “So I called Detective Martinez. He’ll be here in half an hour to talk to you. Could you manage that?”

I nodded, exhaling a deep breath. “Yes. Might as well. I don’t like thinking about what happened last night but I want to put this behind me as quickly as possible.”

“I don’t blame you, you know?” he said, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I was mad about what happened. I was mad that I wasn’t there to keep you away from bad people. I was mad that you went through what you did. But I don’t blame you. I’m not angry at you. I was just... I was terrified.”

Sebastian closed his eyes and leaned his head down, touching his forehead against our joint hands.

I gazed at the top of his head, noting the disheveled, dark wavy locks, and wondered when was the right time to tell him my pregnancy.

Sebastian was very protective—overly, at times.

To know that I was in harm’s way while carrying our baby, he might just fly off the handle then.

Knowing him, he was either going to drag me to the nearest church in the next hour or lock me up in the penthouse to safeguard me from the world. He would likely do both.

I’ll give it a few weeks. When we can be sure that the baby is going to be just fine after this ordeal, I’ll tell him. 

I smiled as I reached out with my free hand to slip my fingers through his hair. 

I was going to surprise him with it in a few weeks, along with a declaration that I would marry him if he asked me again.

We would go away for a long weekend somewhere romantic and I would tell him then.

Then all this ugliness would be long gone, far away from our little family forever.

Secretly thrilled with my plan, I drifted back to sleep.

*** 

I’ve never stayed a night in a hospital in my entire life so I had no idea what to expect.

It certainly wasn’t an array of visitors coming through my door practically ever half an hour.

I woke after the police showed up to get a statement from me. They assured me that Kerran was going to be behind bars for a while, to suffer for bigger crimes than the one he committed against me. He’d raped and beaten up a young woman three years ago and had flown under the radar ever since. How Dana ever ran into this guy was sheer mystery to me.

Jack and Sebastian hung around, sitting in my room to keep me company, talking like old friends.

They mentioned that some people from the media have been trying to get in for the story but that they both dispatched their security teams to stay on guard. I advised them that I had no issue telling the truth—mostly to serve as a cautionary tale to unsuspecting people out there—and they both agreed that Sebastian’s PR team was going to release a short statement about the incident. 

Jack’s team couldn’t do it—nobody outside of our circle really knew yet that he was my father. How long that was going to stay under wraps I had no idea. He was as much of a public figure as Sebastian was and the fact that he had been in the hospital for nearly two days was going to raise some suspicions. He admitted—to both my shock and dismay—that the media knew he had a missing daughter. He explained that he had gone that route more than ten years ago, hoping it will draw my mother out. He had no idea she’d passed away and that I was living on the other side of the country then. It bothered me for two main reasons: that the truth was out there just waiting for the pieces to fall into place and that I would be in a different kind of spotlight this time around. Second was the fact that he must’ve been desperate enough to find me to have taken those drastic measures in his search, leading me to question my own long-determined conviction that he abandoned me purposefully. Sebastian recalled that bit of news himself but since it was over a decade ago, he never even thought about it, even with my name being similar to Jack’s long-lost daughter.

Enough people showed up to distract me from my thoughts.

Bradley came with Liam and he burst into tears, apologizing for what happened even though we both knew it wasn’t his fault. A grim-looking Sebastian surprised me by assuring him so and telling him that he will have someone look after the damages to his condo despite Bradley’s protest. I felt bad for this ugly memory forever marring his home but he promised me that he’ll have me come over again in the summer for a small party with a guest list at the door—to give me a chance to replace my bad memories in his place with good ones. Sebastian didn’t look to pleased with the idea but I smiled reassuringly at my assistant and promised him I’d even help him organize it.

Charlie, Lexie and Marcus came, fussing over me like parents. Lexie promised to kick Kerran’s ass and Charlie brought in some amazing chicken soup after the doctor gave me the green signal to eat something a little more substantial than what they’ve given me so far in the hospital. 

Emma and Ty called from Connecticut between visitors and I managed to talk Ty out of sending his family over to come check up on me themselves. 

Stellan showed up with Oliver and Max, who looked like the perfect heartbreaker, bringing a few huge flower arrangements with them. Whoever ended up becoming the object of affection of any one of these Cobalt Bay billionaires, was going to be one lucky girl. I knew this from experience.

As the other men talked and watched a muted Sunday football game in a corner, Stellan came over to sit on the chair next to my bed.

“Hello, Cassie,” he said with a warm smile, calling me the nickname I insisted they all use despite Sebastian’s protests. 

Jack glanced at us briefly from his spot by the TV and smiled softly before turning back to the conversation.

“Hi, Stellan,” I greeted back nervously, watching his expression for any hint of hostility but finding none. In the bright light of the hospital room, I could see his face better and easily noted his similarities and differences with Jack. His hair was lighter than I remembered from the ball—a rich shade of red and gold, really—and his eyes were the same warm brown as mine and Jack’s were, a thin pair of rimless glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.

“I wish we could’ve met in better circumstances but I’m still glad to have met you nonetheless,” he said gently, his eyes crinkling in the corner. “Well, technically, we first met at the Halloween ball but I had no idea then that you were my sister.”

I couldn’t help a smile. “It still hasn’t sunk in quite yet.”

He chuckled. “I guess you haven’t had a lot of time to really think about it whereas I’ve known it since I was twelve, just right before you were born.”

My eyes widened. “You’ve known all this time?”

“Yeah,” he answered with a shrug and a grin. “Dad sat both Vivienne and I down and told us that we were going to have a baby sister soon.”

I opened my mouth to ask exactly how Jack pulled that off when he’d been married at that time but I quickly reminded myself that I wasn’t ready to hear this yet, despite my growing curiosity.

Instead, I asked, “Is Vivienne like you?”

Stellan laughed. “No, not at all. God, she’d find it hilarious that you’d wonder about that. We’re usually the exact opposite of each other.”

My face fell. “Oh. Then she probably won’t be nice to me as you are now.”

“Of course, she will be,” Stellan protested with a firm shake of his head. “She’s feisty and a bit head-strong, opposite of the staid, dull personality I’ve been accused of having a few times, but she’s not a mean person. She’s always wanted a sister. She thinks she’s outnumbered in the family by stubborn, bull-headed men like me and Dad.”

I grinned. “She sounds perfect.”

We both laughed and any initial anxiety I had at dealing with my brother—God, an older brother!—disappeared. It was hard not to like Stellan. He had an innate sense of goodness that easily disarmed people and remembering what Sebastian told me about the start of his unique friendship with the trio, I had much to be grateful for to him. 

Through Sebastian’s strict security detail, other people from work trickled in—Tamara, who was still stunned at Dana’s stunt, Gabe, Lynn, other analysts and friends I’ve made at the company.

My lunch-time buddies brought in get-well-soon balloons and cupcakes which they all shared as they sat around my suite and talked—Chad even narrating a play-by-play recap of Sebastian’s astonishing pugilistic talents which they all praised. Sebastian wouldn’t have found the humor in his beating up a man who drugged and mauled me, which made it fortunate that he was out of the room, but I secretly and wickedly relished the fact that he would go as far as he did to protect and avenge me. 

I was also given the three days off work before Thanksgiving and wasn’t expected to return until next Monday.

I wondered if it was merely my condition that prompted the time off or the fact as well that I was dating the company CEO but I was too tired to plague myself with more musings.

I was allowed to go home on Monday afternoon, two days after the incident.

Jennison drove us back to Rockford and Percy fussed over me like a mother hen but I was too grateful for all the concern and care I was being given to complain. Since my uncle’s and aunt’s deaths, I’ve never really had anyone look after me like this—except that one time I had the flu in that summer Sebastian and I met and he nursed me back to health himself.

Sebastian stayed home as well, only working from his office when he absolutely needed to. Most of the time, he would sit with me in bed and read to me or take me out to the balcony for some fresh air.

I was feeling back to normal by Wednesday morning that I talked Sebastian into letting me out of the house. He had to stop by the office for some quick paperwork while I was at Dr. Lacey’s for what I told him was just a regular check up especially with what had happened. He didn’t seem to think anything of it, fortunately.

Dr. Lacey was a partner in the clinic Natalie owned in but it never bothered me. I met her four years ago, when I got my first prescription for birth control and I haven’t seen her until I returned to Cobalt Bay and went back to see her for a prescription renewal. 

She confirmed the pregnancy and did a quick ultrasound to point out what looked like a little black dot on the grainy image. I was told the embryo was still too small to be properly seen, much like the size of a tiny corn kernel, and that it was too early to hear the heartbeat. Still, the sight of it made my eyes well up.

We went over what the whole pregnancy process was going to involve and she wrote me up some prenatal pills, a recommended diet and some tips on handling my morning sickness which seemed to have evaded me so far except for a mild queasiness I’ve had some mornings in the last week or so. I thought it was all the gummy candy I’ve been guiltily snacking on all day at work but it never got so bad to a point that I’d puke or get sick so it never really roused my suspicion. I didn’t think I reacted to food smells but I do remember wanting to gag when the cafeteria once filled with the smell of deep-fry leftover grease.

Sebastian picked me up after my check up, asking if everything was okay, and I beamed up at him and told him that everything was great. He gave me a look that told me he was mystified by my positivity in the aftermath of Saturday’s incident but then he didn’t know that if it had not been for that, I wouldn’t have known about our little baby growing inside of me.

Afterwards, we went to the grocery so I could pick up some items for the pumpkin butter cake I was taking to Thanksgiving dinner. The twins said they’ll prepare all the food but if we had some favorite recipes we wanted to bring and share, we could. This was my aunt’s recipe and it was always a hit so I thought I’d make it. Besides, I was craving the smell of warm, baking pumpkin and I wanted the penthouse to fill with it.

“Are you sure you should be exerting all this effort right now, baby?” Sebastian asked over a cup of tea he was sniffing across the kitchen island from me.

I smiled and looked up from the batter I was beating with a hand mixer. “It’s hardly laborious. Besides, I like making something for Thanksgiving dinner. I haven’t had to cook anything for it in the last five years. I tried one year after my aunt and uncle died but Timothy didn’t show and I ended up giving most of it away so I never tried it again. After that, I always joined Emma’s family who wouldn’t let me lift a finger to help.”

Sebastian regarded me with an inscrutable look. “Next year, we’ll throw Thanksgiving dinner and we’ll invite our friends and family. We can do it at Cove Manor and you can make as elaborate a dinner as you want.”

I was tempted to say that we would be joined by then by a mini-Sebastian but I managed to hold it back. “I’d love that.”

I felt so giddy about my little secret that it was becoming harder to contain but I reminded myself that Sebastian would soon know. I strongly suspected he would be happy about it but knowing how possessive he was of me, I wasn’t sure whether he would be ready to share me with our child. If I could ease him into the idea, then he might be in a better perspective when I tell him the news.

“When do you think we’ll move to Cove?” I asked instead.

He paused in sipping his tea. “When would you like to?”

“It’s your call.” I shrugged. “It’s your house, you know?”

“It’s our house,” he corrected with a stubborn tilt of his jaw. “We might wait until all the holidays are over for the year. It’s just easier then. What do you think?”

I would be giving birth around the summer so moving before I got too big would be a good idea.

An image of me three times my current size flashed in my mind and my insecurities prickled.

What if Sebastian would hate me when I’m ballooned with child? 

I cleared my throat of the groan that choked there and gave him a tight smile. “It’s your house but yeah, that sounds good to me.”

He arched a brow. “What’s up with you? One minute you’ve got stars and rainbows in your eyes, the next you’re pensive and almost agitated. Is it that time of the month?”

I glared at him. “No, it’s not.” There won’t be that time in the month in the next eight months. 

Setting the beater down on the counter, I grabbed the baking pan I’ve already layered the crust on with a lot of fussy clanging. “One day, I’m not going to be as perfect as you think. One day, I might be a moody, three-hundred-pound middle-aged pain in the ass with stretch marks from birthing you a half dozen little minions. You might wake up one day and wonder what you were doing on the other side of the hill before you realize you got me so fat with child that the bed would tip over if I lean over on one side. Then you might wonder whatever crossed your mind to shackle yourself to such a whale-sized virago with stupid freckles and—”

The rest of my rant was cut off by Sebastian’s mouth locking into mine as he swept me up in his arms and kissed me heartily, every stroke, nip and suck promising wicked delights. 

My feet were lifted off the floor, my waist and bottom hoisted up against his hard body with his strong, muscular arms. 

He pulled away and smiled crookedly at me. “A virago? Really? You just called yourself that antiquated term?”

“It always sounded cool in historical romance.” I sniffed indignantly. “With everything I said, that is what bothers you?”

Sebastian threw his head back laughing, leaning against the kitchen counter and wrapping my legs around his hips. “Darling, I wouldn’t dignify any of those other derogatory remarks you made about yourself with a response. Why are you going hysterical over this? You’re crying!”

“I am not!” I exclaimed although my fingers flew up to touch my face. True enough, it was damp and sticky on the cheeks. I sighed in defeat. “I was just thinking that you won’t want me anymore when I’m no longer going to be as young and attractive as I am right now.”

“Hush,” he chided softly, dabbing my tears away with the back of his fingers. “I don’t know where all of this is coming from but if you need reminding, I am not immortal. When you are old and gray, so will I be. In fact, I’ll be so much older and grayer than you.”

“But you’ll still be handsome. You’ll just look more distinguished and young, stupid girls will still want to steal you from me,” I grumbled, biting my lip. 

He cupped my chin and raised my face to look at me. 

I could tell by the humorous gleam in his eyes and the quiver on his cheeks that he was holding back his laughter and I scowled.

“You don’t think I’m right?” I demanded. “Men still bed-hop in their sixties! Eighties, even! Some of them even manage to shoot a lusty sperm here and there to further spite the younger generation!”

This time, Sebastian didn’t hold back. He laughed so hard his shoulders shook and tears glinted on his thick, dark lashes. 

“Ah, Cassandra,” he murmured fondly after catching his breath. “You’re adorable when you’re a little crazy like this.”

“But—”

He cut off my protest with a finger to my lips. “Which is only one of the reasons why I love you so much. Your moodiness keeps me on the edge just enough that I never take anything for granted. As for your attractiveness, or assumed loss thereof, you’re going to the extreme here. You’re not going to be three hundred pounds. We’ll stop you before you get there. As for your being rounded with child, I actually like that idea—very much.”

I felt better at the genuine smile on his face but I kept my pout on. “Well, men do like to see proof of their own virility.”

He grinned and nuzzled my cheek with his nose. “True but I also just like the idea that there’s this little person we made together. He or she would look a little bit like you and me and be as strong-headed as I am but also as kind as you are.”

I resisted the pull of a smile but failed. “Do you want a boy or a girl?”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me as long as the baby’s healthy. I’m happy with a mini you or a mini me.”

“Me too.”

Pressing a soft kiss on my lips, he brushed his fingertips along the bridge of my nose. “As for your few freckles, they’re not stupid. I love them. The same way I love your dimples.”

Another kiss before his fingers caught a lock of my hair. “I love your long, unruly hair that reflects a dozen shades of red, brown and gold in the light. I love that you’re petite and curvy, that you don’t have washboard abs, which freak me out a bit on women. I love your unpracticed smile. I love the way your warm brown eyes pull me in all the time.”

“You’re extremely beautiful to me because I love you,” he said softly, his thumb brushing across my bottom lip. “That is why even when your looks fade with time, I won’t think of you less beautiful than you are now, because the woman I love isn’t just this lovely shell I’m looking at right now. She’s in the way she laughs out loud, the way she narrows her eyes at me or purse her lips in thought. She’s in the way she holds me, the way she snuggles into my arms, the way she holds my hand and kisses me like an angel or like a siren, depending on her mood. I could go on and on but I think you get the point.”

I sniffed, the tears in my eyes happy ones this time. “I do. I’ll take it even if it’s coming from a perfectly-formed, god-like hunk such as yourself who would never truly understand how it once felt to be an ugly duckling. I’ll take it because if you love me enough to put up with my crazy moods or pick out the colors in my hair, there must be something to it.”

“There is,” he said with a chuckle before straightening up with me still straddled around his hips. “I’ll prove to you just how honest I’m being.”

Suddenly, we were in the walk-in pantry, Sebastian pressing me against a small strip of wall before the rows of supplies began.

“Sebastian!” I chided in a hushed but excited voice as his hands slipped under the skirt of my shirt dress and pulled my panties down to my thighs. “Most of the staff is home!”

“Then you’ll have to be very quiet,” he murmured against my ear as his fingers slipped between my moist folds, finding the perfect spots to rub and thrust in.

I pressed my mouth against his shoulder as he continued to stroke me until I was sopping wet.

“Please,” I whispered, clutching his neck as I struggled to rub against him without slipping form his hold. “I want it. Hurry.”

A low laugh rumbled from his chest as his hand pulled away and worked on the fly of his jeans. “Patience, love. Patience.”

He teased by rubbing the smooth head of his cock against my wet folds, slipping in a bit before pulling back.

I looked up and glared at him. “If you were desperate enough to march us into a pantry, then you better get on—”

A startled gasp replaced the rest of my words as he plunged fully inside me, pinning me against the wall.

“Oh, God,” I moaned in a raspy breath just before Sebastian took my mouth as he started thrusting in and out of me.

Gripping his shoulders hard to keep me in place, I caught his tongue with mine and sucked him deep while he pounded me into the wall with fraying restraint. 

Sebastian loved rough sex as I did but I didn’t want cans and jars to crash on the floor or risk the baby.

“Sit down on the floor,” I whispered in his ear. “I’ll ride you.”

He pulled back with a surprised look before it quickly darkened again with desire.

Still holding me in his arms, he set himself down on a corner—it was a very roomy pantry—before easing me back down on his length.

Pushing with my legs, I thrust up and down on him, my rhythm increasing as the pressure built, Sebastian’s hands on my hips guiding me as well.

“Darling, hurry,” he murmured thickly, his eyes squeezing shut with agonizing pleasure. “I’m not going to last here.”

I whimpered as he yanked down the neckline of my dress to push my breasts out of my bra. I barely stifled my cry when his lips closed in on my nipples, the sensitivity on them amplified many times, every pull of his mouth and brush of his tongue shooting straight between my legs.

A series of tremors rocked through me as my pleasure exploded, Sebastian bucking into me one last time before warm liquid washed inside me. 

I tumbled against his chest which rose and fell with each labored breath as I struggled to catch my own.

“Wow,” Sebastian said in an amused tone. “I sucked your nipples for like ten seconds and you climaxed.”

Lifting my head up, I arched a brow at him. “You were also pounding into me like a jackhammer.”

A faint blush crept on his cheeks before he kissed me softly on the lips. “Sorry I took you like a savage. I should’ve been more gentle especially... well, since you were sexually harassed a few days ago.”

The floaty feeling of pleasurable exhaustion dissipated slightly at the reminder. “Baby, I’m not a fragile doll. So I was roughed up a bit and frightened out of my wits. I’m over it. Or at least, I’m not dwelling on something as ugly as that.”

He sighed and let his head roll back against the wall. “I know you’re strong but I hate every reminder that I didn’t protect you as I should’ve.”

“It’s going to happen, superhero,” I teased with a smile. “You can’t always be there and that’s fine. That’s part of life. I’ll be more careful from now on but I’m not going to let that incident shadow the rest of my days. We have a full life and plenty of reasons to be happy and grateful and that’s what we should both focus on.”

He pulled his knees up, his thighs rising behind my hips, and tightened his arms around me. “You’re right. I plan to make every moment count with you so I can’t waste any more of it on things we can’t undo. But I promise to protect you better, Cassandra, because you mean the world to me.”

I smiled against his lips before we kissed slowly and gently after that.

Even in a corner of a pantry where anyone could walk in any minute from now, disheveled and sweaty from our exertions, we were perfectly happy together, our little miracle secretly growing inside of me. 

This, with the exception of a comfortable bed, couldn’t get any better.

***

So, Cassandra is finally pregnant. LOL! If I had a dollar for every single time I heard one of you guys ask/wish/speculate that she is, I'd have enough for a nice weekend getaway. Haha!

What do you think of this chapter? 

Let me know. We're coming pretty close to wrapping this story up so hang on to your seats. =)

XOXO! -Ninya