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Eric pretended I was helping with the Vincent Acerbi investigation, but really, I don’t have a clue what he, Drago, and Justin were working on. Now that Drago’s father is back, it makes me stop and wonder if the guys did something that forced his hand and that’s the reason he’s here.
“You really have to ask that, little sister?” Jackson motions for Alana to sit down in the booth across from me. Once she slides in, he follows, his big brotherly stare never leaving mine.
Why do I get the feeling they’re here because of the choice I made when I decided I wanted to be Gabriel’s mom? It’s not like I planned this. A couple of months ago I would have bet a man and kids weren’t anywhere in my near future. That’s the funny thing about life. Our plans or the things we think we want aren’t always where we end up.
“I guess so,” I deadpan, then turn my gaze toward my sister-in-law. “Don’t you both have your own jobs and a family to tend to? Why are you so worried about mine?”
“You are our family. And we’re yours.” Alana takes offense, and it’s now I realize how my question came out. Doesn’t make the words or the meaning less true though. Yes, they are my family and I theirs, but Gabriel and Drago and the life growing inside me are a bigger part of my life now. They are my home, my new family.
That I can’t tell them about. Damn Drago for asking me to keep our news from my family. Alana was there for me after the miscarriage. It’s unfair to her, to both of them that I’m keeping it from them. The way my brother acted when he found out our dad knew before he did means I really cannot tell my father before I tell them this time.
Drago has to find a way to bring his father to justice—and soon. There is no way I’ll be able to keep my pregnancy from my family for long, and I don’t want to.
“Did you go through with it?” My brother asks.
“If by ‘it’ you mean did I request to adopt Gabriel? Yes. I have custody of him now until it’s finalized in a few weeks.” And it better not take longer than Judy said, but the bottomless pit in my stomach won’t fill until I know he’s officially mine and safe, so that no one can take him from me.
Even with his mother out of the picture, I have no way of knowing if she would come back, wanting him. For all I know, D’s father could use her again as a tool to get to him. The worry inside me is too great, and I don’t know how to make it go away.
“Why would you put that burden on yourself, Bri?” Alana blows out a breath, shaking her head. It’s me that should be shaking mine, because I don’t understand what they don’t get. They have three kids that they love and adore. How can they not fathom I want to give Gabriel that same type of love? They’d go to the ends of the earth for their kids—and so would I.
“Calling him a burden really isn’t the way to start off this conversation, Alana. He’s a baby. An innocent life that needs a person to love him like he deserves to be loved.”
“Then let his parents,” Jackson emphasizes. “They produced him, they’re responsible for him, not my sister.”
My mouth drops and I just stare at him. I’m too shocked over his words to even get mad.
“What Jack means,” Alana starts, “is they should want to be responsible for their son. It shouldn’t fall on your shoulders, Bri.”
“Drago is doing what he thinks is best and so am I. I need both of you to trust that I know what I’m doing and know I wouldn’t have put myself in a situation I wasn’t fully committed to or ready for.”
“Since you brought up Acerbi, let’s talk about him. He’s the heir to a man who may not be sitting behind bars, but everyone from here to the other side of the country knows that’s exactly where he belongs.” Jackson sighs, cocking his head, his eyes softening as they often do when it comes to me. “We don’t want you hurt, Bri. We don’t want you to get killed like you almost were, what?” He looks at Alana and then back to me. “Less than two months ago?”
“Jackson,” I say as soothing as possible because I do know my brother loves me and only wants me safe. “I get your worry. Hell, I haven’t even removed the GPS device from my car that you planted. But I am an adult the same as the both of you. I decide what’s best for me and what I want. No one else gets a say in that. I love Drago. I love Gabriel. Those are facts that aren’t going to change. You either accept that they are both in my life and will remain, or you don’t. That’s your choice.”
“You associating with Drago and even that boy could potentially put my family’s safety at risk, Bri. Do you even realize that?”
I have. It’s warred with me since the beginning. I don’t want to risk anyone’s safety, but I can’t walk away from D or his son. I just can’t. It’s that simple and that hard.
“Yes, Jackson, I do. And if you need to step away from me, so be it.” But I really hope he doesn’t. These two, and their children, have been a constant in my life for so long it’s hard remembering many memories when they weren’t in them. My family breaking up would be a hard pill to swallow but one I’m prepared to do should they decide that.
“You didn’t really just suggest that did you, Brianna?” Alana only calls me by my first name when she’s frustrated with me, or I’ve shocked her. “We’d never do that. We love you.”
“And I love you guys and the kids too.” More than I’d ever be able to express to them.
“We don’t want anything to happen to you.” Jackson’s brows furrow. “I hate that you’re here and we’re in San Francisco. It’s not just a phone call away. I can’t be here in a split second if anything happened.”
“You are just a phone call away, big brother. And nothing is going to happen. Stop worrying. I promise, between Drago and the force, I’m well protected.”
“They didn’t save you before,” he reminds all of us.
“I wasn’t prepared then. Now I am. Trust me on that.” I can’t tell them what’s really going on and that Drago is secretly investigating his own father. I hate lies. I hate keeping them from the people I love the most, but in this case, I know it’s to ensure their own safety. Giving them details would only put targets on their heads, so even telling them Vincent Acerbi is not only back in the States but also back in Los Angeles is a no-go. At least for now, or until it comes out in the media.
I reach across the table, wrapping my fingers around my brother’s hand. “Trust me. I’m okay, and I’m doing exactly what I want and need to be doing.”
“How am I supposed to not worry?” he asks.
“Maybe concentrate on you guys. I mean, when was the last time you all took a family vacation or even a couple’s getaway?” I give them a warm smile, but it quickly falls when they both go still.
