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“We have a lot of loyal men,” Bruno said. “They have pledged to help us when it comes to that. We were just hoping for a more peaceful resolution.”
“Good luck with that,” Rock grumbled.
“Don’t be an ass, Rock,” Carter chided.
“I’m not sure how we can help, but we will help you. We just need your promise that until we can remove your fathers from power, you will let us know if anything or anyone is coming for us. I’m assuming that you know about a hit before they happen?” Bowie asked.
“Usually, yes,” Bruno said. “But this last time, with your father, I had no clue that my father had ordered the hit until it was happening. I think he’s starting not to trust me.”
“Maybe one of your loyal followers isn’t so loyal to you,” Rock said.
“Maybe,” Bruno said, “or, maybe my father knows that I don’t like the way things are being run. I’ve been vocal about it with him and maybe he doesn’t think that he can trust me anymore.”
“If that’s the case, you have to get back in his good graces,” Bowie said. “He can’t see any of this coming, or whatever plan we come up with will never work. Your father is the biggest threat we face. You have to make sure that you’re kept up to speed on all of his decisions. Find someone on the inside to get updates from if you have to.”
“I’ll try,” Bruno agreed.
“I agree to let you know if I hear anything on my end. Usually, I know about every move the Gluttony family is going to make before Bruno does because my father shares everything with me. He has no clue that I want to ally our family with yours. He thinks I’m loyal to the promises that he made to the Gluttony Syndicate.”
“Good, keep it that way,” Bowie said. He pulled two business cards from his pocket and handed them to Bruno and Victor. “Call me if you hear anything. I’m counting on you guys to help keep my family safe. In return, we’ll find a way to get you set up as the heads of your households. Deal?” he asked, holding out his hand to Bruno.
“You have my word,” Bruno agreed, shanking his hand. Victor said the same and shook Bowie’s hand and he wasn’t sure how, but he had finally gotten what he wanted—the possibility of peace between the syndicates.
They said their goodbyes and promised to be in touch. Bowie thanked Carter and Rock for showing up to the meeting with him, and by the time he got into his car to head home, all he could think about was finding Eden and telling her about how well his meeting went with the other syndicate families. It was a new start for him—for them both, and he couldn’t wait to tell her all about it. If this worked out, he’d be able to take back all that garbage about not wanting a family or kids. He could have all those things and he knew just the person he wanted them with—Eden.
Eden
Eden stood over the sink in Bowie’s bathroom, staring down at the pregnancy test with the plus sign glaring back at her. How could she go and let herself get pregnant? Her period came every month like clockwork and this month, when she was two days late, she started to worry. A quick trip down to the pharmacy confirmed her fears and now, she was going to have to figure out her next move.
She was happy at Bowie’s. These past two weeks living at his place were a little piece of heaven. But on their first night together, Bowie and she discussed kids and having a family, and he was adamant about not wanting to have either. He said that his line of work wouldn’t allow for a kid, and maybe he was right. Would she want to raise her kid with a man who’d put her and her child in constant danger? No—she wouldn’t do that to a baby. But not telling Bowie about his own kid would be wrong. She wasn’t that type of person, who’d keep a man from his child? A monster—that’s what she’d be.
“I just need some time to think,” she whispered to herself. She looked down at her tummy and back at the test. “First, we have to get rid of this evidence. Then, you and I are going to spend some quality alone time together so that I can figure out what to do. How does that sound, kid?” she asked, putting her hand over her flat tummy. She wondered what it was going to feel like the first time she felt her baby kick or the first time she heard him or her cry. Would she be able to keep all those first from Bowie and still be able to live with herself? Eden was pretty sure that she already knew the answer to that question, but she still needed some time to get herself together.
She ran into the bedroom and grabbed her suitcase from Bowie’s closet. Luckily for her, she hadn’t really unpacked since getting back from France. She piled her clothing into the suitcase and got her toiletries from the bathroom, tossing them in on top. She wasn’t going for neat. Hell, she just hoped that her suitcase actually shut, and she’d be able to find her car keys, suddenly thankful that Bowie insisted on bringing her car over from her apartment in case she needed to go out while he was at work.
Eden pulled on her shoes and left a note for Bowie. Not really sure what to write, she decided to go for the partial truth and simply said, “I need some time to think.” She signed her name and tossed it onto his kitchen table. Eden wasn’t sure if she was hoping that he’d find it and give her the space that she was requesting or come after her like some fabled knight.
As soon as she tossed her suitcase in the trunk and got into her car, she found herself sitting there, wondering where the hell she was running to. If she went back to her apartment, he’d find her if he came looking for her. No, her only option was to call her father and beg him to let her help on the yacht. Hopefully, he would have a scheduled charter and she could work. It would take her mind off her troubles and help her make some extra money. She was going to have to take a few extra charters to save up some money before the baby got there.
She pulled out her cell phone and called her father. “Hey Dad,” she said as soon as he answered.
“You okay, honey?” he asked.
“I am, but I need some help. I’ve gotten myself into some trouble and I need someplace to stay,” she admitted.
“What kind of trouble?” her father asked.
“I’m pregnant, Dad, and I need to figure a few things out,” she said.
“I take it the baby is Bowie’s,” he said.
“Yeah, and he doesn’t want kids,” she said. Saying the words out loud made her heart hurt a little bit. “Can I stay on the boat for a bit?” she asked.
“I have a charter leaving tomorrow for a few days. Do you want to work?” her father asked.
“I’d love to,” she agreed. “I need the money now and I’d love to give my brain something else to do besides worry. Thanks, Dad.”
“Not a problem, but sooner or later, you’ll have to tell Bowie about the baby. He might not want to be a father, but he’ll have to take some responsibility for the baby, even if it’s only financially.” Her dad was right, but she wasn’t ready to think about all of that just yet.
