Moving my hand to the center console, Kash silently accepts my request, laying his hand on mine. Twining our fingers together, I press my lips to his skin and smile. “So, about that reward?”
Shaking his head with a smile, Kash puts on a signal and heads for the nearest exit. I guess we’re getting home later than he hoped for after all.
Pulling into our apartment complex, I’m tired and sore, but part of that is my own doing. We ended up taking a thirty-minute detour after getting off that exit. Kash drove around for a few minutes, found a large shopping center, slamming into a stall at the back of the parking lot. I barely had time to take my seatbelt off before I wasyanked across the console and onto his lap. Fortunately, it was dark, and Kash’s SUV has tinted windows, so I don’t think anyone saw us.
I wouldn’t care if they had. They’d be jealous because Kash is all mine.
He helps me out of his car, slowly sliding me down his frame. “Welcome home, Mr. Malone,” I quip, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him. I hope our child gets his height because it stinks being short.
Kissing me deeply for a moment, Kash pulls back and presses his lips against my forehead. “This isn’t our home, baby. This is just an in-between.”
Stepping back, I want to ask him what he means, but his phone rings, cutting me off. Pulling it out from his pocket, he looks at the screen, then answers, “Hey, Seth. What’s up?”
Opening the back of the SUV, I start to grab a bag, but Kash’s hand stops me. Giving me a ‘are you seriously grabbing our luggage’look, he shakes his head, then nods with whatever Seth is saying.
It’s almost nine o’clock. Our little detour made us late, and I have to use the bathroom in the worst way. Pointing to the apartment, I do a little dance, so he understands, then he hands me his keys.
Smiling, I grab my bag and pull out my phone. After thinking about it on the way home, I want to have everyone over for a big dinner to share our news. Cora picks up on the second ring.
“Hey, Mils. How was your trip?”
“It was amazing, Cora.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her now, but as I fight with the lock, I reign it in. “We went to the beach and did some other stuff.”
“I bet you did other stuff.” She snickers.
The lock gives way and I swing the door open. Turning around, Kash is still on the phone and grabbing our stuff, so I leave the door open for him.
“Hush. Has there been any word on Bri?”
Cora’s quiet for a moment, then sighs. “I don’t know if you really want to know, Mila.”
Freezing in the entryway, I lean against the wall. “Did they find her?”
“No. She’s still out there somewhere. You need to be careful, Mils. You and Kash both. It’s a good thing she doesn’t know where his new place is.” Cora goes quiet for a moment, then softly adds, “She’s not stable, Mila.”
Nodding even though she can’t see me, I take a deep breath and sigh. Kash explained how he tried to get her treatment, but she seems beyond help. It’s so sad. “Thanks, Cora. I can’t believe Bri is doing all of this. Like, what happened to her that made her so crazy?”
Heading for the bathroom, I’m about to hang up on Cora so I can yell at my new husband when pain explodes against my side. I fall to the ground with a cry and drop my phone. Footsteps approach, and I pull my legs up to cover my stomach.Please let Baby Sprout be okay.
“Well, that’s not very sweet of you, Mila.”
Looking up, a tall woman with dark hair is standing above me with a raised bat, a saccharine smile on her face.
“Bri” is the only word I get out before everything goes dark.
Chapter Sixty-Three
Kash
“You need to be careful, dumbass. Don’t let Mila out of your sight until she’s found,” Seth growls into the phone.
Looking around, I see Mila heading into our apartment, leaving the door open. Shaking my head, I grab a bag and sling it over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me what to do with my w—” I stop myself before I say wife. “My woman. I know what I need to do.”
Seth scoffs and I have no doubt he’s rolling his eyes at me. “She deserves better than all this.”
Stopping at the entryway, I take a deep breath. “You don’t think I know that? No shit, Seth. She doesn’t deserve anything that’s happened, but she’s tough. We’re back to work and stuff on Tuesday. Cassie said she thinks they’ve found Bri, and she doesn’t know where I live. We’re fine. Let us just stay in our bubble a little longer.”
Walking into the apartment, I hear a cry coming from the hallway.What the fuck?I drop the bag I was holding and interrupt Seth’s tirade, “Shut up. Something’s wrong.”
