Chapter 28

28

" M arry me," Carter grunted.

He was close, I was closer, and I didn't have it in me to answer.

"God, Christ," he moaned and I exploded.

I was pouring Carter a cup of coffee in a to-go cup when he hit the kitchen freshly showered.

"You want me to pick up a test on my way home?" he asked.

"What's that?"

"You're late, Laney. Want me to get a test?"

"I am?"

I handed Carter his cup and went to my purse and pulled out my day planner.

Sure as shit, I was three days past the day with a red circle around the date.

How did I not know? It was summer, that's how. I didn't have a job during the summer and everyday was a Saturday. After my lunch with Honor I hadn't had plans with anyone else that would necessitate me needing to look at a calendar.

"Shit."

"Laney, baby, stay with me."

"I am."

"Then why do you look like you're either gonna pass out or run outta the room?"

"Because I might."

"Then you're not with me."

"I am, honey, that doesn't mean I'm not freaking out."

"Nothing to freak out about. Either you are or you aren't. If you are, you've made me the happiest man in the world. If you aren't, I'm still the happiest because I have you. It's a win-win, either way."

"You know, after all these years you can still surprise me."

"Glad to hear it." He smirked, his thoughts on the wrong thing.

Damn, he was smug.

"Not talking about your abilities in the bedroom."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be surprising since you've always gone off like that for me."

"Never mind. I take it back, you're not surprising. You're arrogant."

"Can't take back something you never told me."

"Well, I was gonna say, I never knew you had a sweet side. But now I've realized it was a momentary glitch in the Matrix and you're back to being you."

"Right." He chuckled. "Then it's a good thing you love me, arrogance and all."

"If you say so," I grumbled.

"You gonna marry me, Laney?"

"Aren't you gonna be late to work?"

"Marry me."

"Maybe."

His smile was so broad it nearly split his face.

"Progress," he mumbled, and leaned in for a hard closed-mouth kiss. "Can't give you more than that or I'll be more late than I am. Test?"

"I'll pick one up. I'm going to my parents' house this afternoon to talk to Quinn."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. All part of Operation Check Up on Delaney."

"It's because they love you," he reminded me.

"I know and I'm grateful."

But the constant calls were starting to drive me crazy. I hoped in a few more weeks they'd all cut it out and we could get back to business as usual.

"Love you, baby."

"Love you, honey. Have a good day at work."

Carter stopped dead in his tracks and stared at me.

"That was oddly normal," he noted.

"I know. It's kinda nice."

"Better than nice, baby. It's perfect."

I drove to my parents' in a daze. I had a pregnancy test sitting on the seat next to me, the box was like a flashing beacon begging me to take it. I'd actually contemplated postponing visiting my sister and driving to Carter's work and sneaking into the bathroom with him. He'd totally do it, too. I knew he wanted to know just as badly as I did.

And since he'd brought it up this morning it was all I could think of. My once apprehensive attitude had transformed into excitement. The more days that passed, the more I knew I was finally living the life I was meant to have. And Carter was, too.

Our journey had included a detour, sometimes through Crazy Town, other times through Heartbreak City. We'd also hit a major roadblock that required a total reboot. But we'd finally made it to Bliss and it was a perfect place to be.

A place I wanted to live in forever.

I was thinking about this as I pulled onto my parents' street. I was also thinking that I was going to have Carter ask me to marry him one more time before we took the test. This time I'd say yes. That way we both knew my answer had nothing to do with us having a baby—or not. Whichever answer the test showed didn't change my answer.

I thought we'd played the game long enough, and while Carter looked like he was enjoying it as much as I was, all good things have to come to an end.

I parked at the curb, got out, and was immediately startled, causing me to bang my elbow on the car door as I let out a small cry of pain.

"Shit. You scared me half to death."

"Hey, Delaney." Natalie smiled.

"What are you doing here?"

"Jeez, is that any way to talk to a friend?" She scowled.

"It is when that friend scares the shit out of you and is standing in front of her parents' house—uninvited."

"Maybe I'm just visiting a friend who lives across the street, saw you pull up, and wanted to say hello."

"Well, are you?"

"No."

Belatedly, warning bells started ringing—as a matter of fact they were blaring. Natalie looked different. Crazy different. Like maybe she hadn't showered, brushed her hair, and was off her meds, crazy.

"Sorry to be so rude." I tried to smile. "You startled me and I banged my elbow. You know how much that hurts."

"Wanna go to lunch?" Natalie asked.

What the hell? Was she serious?

"Can we do it tomorrow? I have plans with my sister and I've already rescheduled twice," I lied.

"It's rude to reschedule," she snapped.

"Hey, Laney," Quinn said from my parents' porch.

Shit, fuck, goddamn. She needed to get back into the house.

"Hey, do me a favor, yeah?"

"Sure."

"Call Carter and tell him I'm gonna be home late tonight."

Confusion was clear on my sister's face.

"Oh-kay."

That's when it happened. And it happened so fast, in the blink of an eye, I couldn't stop it.

Natalie pointed a gun at Quinn and without hesitation she fired three shots. My hands went to my ringing ears and I watched in horror as wood splintered from bullets hitting the porch balustrade and the front window shattered. Quinn turned and thankfully disappeared into the house.

"Get in," Natalie demanded and shoved me across the driver's seat into the passenger side. "Try and get out and run, I'll shoot you, then your sister."

I had no doubt she would. Carter was right. Natalie was fucking nuts.

"It's showtime, Delaney." She laughed and started the car. "Finally showtime."

How had today started with me being the happiest I'd ever been in my life, to this?

"Please don't do this, Natalie," I begged.

"Do what? You have no idea what I'm going to do." She pulled away from the curb.

The happiness in her voice scared the shit out of me. She was giddy with it.

"Please, whatever it is, don't do it. I have no idea why you'd want to hurt me but—"

"Of course you wouldn't because you're a self-absorbed bitch who ruins people's lives and doesn't care. You just do whatever you want and when people die you go on with your life like nothing happened. Like it isn't your fault."

What the hell was she talking about? I'd never killed anyone.

"I think you have me mixed up with someone else," I whispered.

"Delaney Lillian Walker. Twenty-five. Graduated from Berry College. Teacher at Parkside. One older brother Jason married to Mercy. Three younger sisters. Youngest two are twins. Your parents are Jasper and Emily Walker. Your boyfriend is Carter McGrath Lenox. His parents are Lillian and Carter Lenox. Brother Ethan, sister-in-law Honor, niece Carson."

What the hell? "How do you know all of that about me?"

"I know everything about you. Everything, bitch. I've watched and waited and you didn't even know I was there. I sat right next to you in a bar once, I even talked to you."

Realization slammed into my chest, why she looked familiar. She'd changed her hair color but it was her. She'd bumped me with her purse when I was on my first date with Steve. I swallowed down the fear and she continued.

"I watched you moping in Myrtle Beach but, just like always you were too self-absorbed to notice me, despite the fact I was sitting right in front of your house. I even saw your boyfriend show up." I wasn't self-absorbed, I was mourning my child, you crazy bitch. "I needed to make sure you and your boyfriend would be out while I slashed your tires, so I followed you to that restaurant and you never noticed until I came right up and introduced myself. You saw my handwriting on the job applications but never matched it to the envelope I sent you. But the best was in Virginia. I know you saw me. I wanted to do it then, but I had to wait. Finally you'll get your punishment. You'll know my pain."

You'll know my pain.

Ohmygod.

I glanced down at my feet, at the pregnancy test there, and I knew what I had to do. When Derek took me, I shut down. Completely and totally in shock and fear. I couldn't shake it and Mercy had almost died because of it.

Not this time.

No fucking way.

Fear slipped into anger and I was not going to wait to see if she was going to kill me or possibly my baby.

I was mad as fuck she'd shot at my sister and was holding me at gun point. As soon as this car stopped, I was going for it.

No way was I letting anyone hurt my baby. Not again. Not ever.