AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t they have a little bit of everything? Figured we couldn’t go wrong in here.”
“Yeah, no.” I grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward the escalators. “Do I look like I normally shop in places like that? No thanks. And besides, I’m not letting you buy something expensive. Not how I work, Moreitti.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you are a pain in the ass?” he grumbled.
I grinned. “You’re the first, actually.”
Chapter 8
Braxton
I followed Barrick off the plane and into the airport. Some guy on his cell got in my way as we were on our way out, and I bared my teeth at him, not in the mood to be the least bit understanding when he should have been watching what he was doing in the first place.
My face must have shown just what kind of mood I was in, because the guy hastily got out of my way, muttering a quick apology. I saw Barrick glance at me out of the corner of my eye, but he stayed quiet even as I felt his concern.
I didn’t sleep last night. Instead, I’d been trying to get the story of my engagement to Darcy taken down from all the sites that were gushing over the wedding and alleged baby we were having. Fucking hell, like I would subject a poor defenseless child to a mother like that bitch. Some people shouldn’t ever have kids, and Darcy was definitely one of them.
It wasn’t that I cared if the world thought I was going to marry her and we were starting a family. No, fuck them. I didn’t give two shits what they thought because there was no way in hell it was happening. Ever.
It was Nevaeh I didn’t want to have to see that trash all over social media and tabloids and fuck knows what else. Not until I could explain everything to her. In the past two years, we had become close. She was my best friend, and I’d confided a lot of my secrets in her.
But I’d never told her about Darcy and that I’d gotten engaged to her right out of high school. I didn’t know how Neveah would take my one and only past relationship, or what she would think if she saw all the articles and social media posts about the bogus wedding and my allegedly impending fatherhood.
Earlier that morning, I’d decided I couldn’t chance her finding out over the weekend and knew I needed to see her and explain. Barrick had jumped at the idea of going to California, and we were in the last two seats on a plane bound for LAX two hours later.
“Barrick!”
The sound of Mia’s voice had both our heads snapping up. There, standing beside a blacked-out SUV, was Mia. She sprinted toward us. More than three feet away, she jumped, knowing Barrick would catch her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he kissed her like they hadn’t seen each other in weeks instead of less than twenty-four hours.
“Is your leg okay?” he asked when he pulled back, one of his hands rubbing at her braced knee.
“It’s fine. And now that you two are here, everything is perfect.” She glanced over at me after kissing him again. “Hey, stranger.”
Seeing her, some of the dark clouds hanging over my head dissipated. Nevaeh was my best friend, but Mia was a close second. I loved her like a sister, but I needed her just as much as I needed my little kitten.
Barrick placed her carefully on her feet, and she put her arm through mine, walking us toward her mother’s vehicle where two large bodyguards were waiting. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away,” she said quietly, her big green eyes sparkling with amusement.
“That’s not why I’m here, Mia,” I told her as we reached the SUV. Her mother was already sitting inside, her phone—which seemed to be permanently attached to her hand—out while she typed away one-handed and drank her coffee with the other. “My parents fucked me over last night.”
Mia’s eyes widened, and she turned to face me fully, concern on her face. “What happened?”
“Apparently Brax is getting a wife and a kid all in one,” Barrick commented as he tossed his stuff in the back then walked around to where we were standing.
“What the hell are you talking about?” she demanded, putting her hands on her hips as she glared from him to me. “You aren’t even dating anyone, and if you tell me you’ve been meeting some chick in secret while Nev has been—” She broke off, sucking in a deep breath. Sweat beaded on her upper lip, and I swear she turned green right before my eyes. “Fuck. Why does this shit happen when I get pissed?” she moaned.
Barrick wrapped his arms around her, pulling her head to his shoulder. “It’s okay, firecracker. It will pass.” He kissed the top of her head. “Have you been sick all day?”
She nodded, leaning against him weakly.
“You should have stayed home,” he muttered. “I told you I don’t like you traveling without me when you’re—”
“Pregnant,” I blurted out, realization hitting me dead center. “You’re pregnant?”
“Apparently,” she groaned and bent in half to vomit at our feet.
“Damn, again?” Emmie Armstrong stuck her head out of the SUV. “Ah, baby girl. Let’s get you home. You need to rest. Momma will make you something to help with the nausea.”
Once Mia was done puking, Barrick picked her up and put her in the back seat beside her mom. She cuddled up to the woman who looked like an older version of her and closed her eyes. “This sucks so bad,” she mumbled.
