Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Tempest**

I tilt my head back so it rests on his chest and accept the hug from behind. Then I wait impatiently for Sargent to arrive.

When he does I hold my breath as Cassius greets him. There are no hard feelings between them. Apparently, they hashed it out but Cassius accepted Sargent’s explanations and apologies. Cassius just isn’t the kind of guy who holds grudges. Though it would have been different had it all blown up in his face.

He’s so handsome, even now while my mind is foggy with depression and shock I can’t help but admire how truly gorgeous he is. It’s such a shame he feels he can’t love. His hair has been cut but his beard is just a couple of millimeters long and so neatly shaped around his cheeks and jaw. There’s not a hair out of place.

When he sees me, his eyes soften and he doesn’t stop as he strides my way, not for anybody. I’m yanked from my seat and his lips are on mine. For a moment I relax into it and accept it because it’s him. But then I remember everything and how I feel and how I know he’s going to make me feel so I push him away.

“Let’s go,” he whispers, his eyes determined as they scan my face.

“Hi, Dad,” Maddox says jokingly. “Standing right here.”

Sargent turns and hugs his son with one arm as his other hand lingers on mine, as though worried I’ll run.

I allow it and allow him to lace his fingers through mine as he leads me from the house. I don’t want to cause a scene but the second the door closes behind us I snatch my hand back.

“Don’t. I need a clear head,” I say as he guides me to his car which is parked in the massive driveway beside Cassius’ silver Bentley. “I can’t think when your hands are on me.”

His answering smile is cocky, arrogant, but so fucking sexy.

I glare because if I don’t, I’ll climb him like a tree and just say fuck it to everything else that needs resolving.

When I fold my body into the seat, I almost sit on a white paper bag. He closes my door and rushes to his side as I peek at the contents. Pregnancy tests, three of them.

My heart starts hammering. I figured he’d make me go into a pharmacy myself but he’s been a gentleman. I don’t know why I doubted him.

“Tests first, or talk?” he asks, reaching over me to grab my seatbelt. His lips brush against mine. That was crafty. It makes me smile.

When we’re both buckled in he starts the engine.

“Be pointless talking without any answers.”

“I need to know you forgive me for what happened,” he says, placing his hand on my thigh. “I don’t want you to base your decisions on the fact you think I’m an asshole.”

“My decisions?”

“In general. On whether or not you want to continue.”

“I get it. I understand why you did what you did. Stone said…”

“You’ve spoken to Stone?”

I shrug. “He emailed me.”

“He emailed you?”

“It’s not a big deal. I didn’t hear from him again.” I place my hand on his that is squeezing my thigh and lift it away before placing it on the console between us. “He just explained what happened with Nastya.”

“Don’t say her name, it makes my skin crawl.” He visibly shudders. “I didn’t want to. I needed to get her on my side and she was insistent. When she said Yaroslava was coming and started threatening you. I panicked. She had pictures of you on her phone.”

“Did you, finish?”

“No… hell I didn’t even begin, Tempest. I didn’t even remotely enjoy it.” He shakes his head as though shaking away the memory. “She’s a psychopath that likes to lead men around by their dicks.”

“Liked,” I murmur because she can’t any longer. “I’ve never been so scared.”

“Me neither. When I heard you scream and when you were attacked, I couldn’t do anything. They had me and I tried but I didn’t want to get you killed.”

“That part I understand. You did the best you could, Sargent. You’re not a superhero. As much as I’d liked to have seen you lay them all out without getting holes put in you, you’re only human and you were outnumbered.”

His hand goes back to my thigh but he mutters an apology and removes it. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too. Or the easy brief life we had together before all of this.”

“Amen. How are you doing?”

“Not great. I’m struggling to sleep.”

His profile softens with mutual understanding. “Me too.”

“Tucker’s family…”

“Have been paid. I matched his life insurance and doubled it. He has a daughter, she’s thirteen but I’ve made it so she never has to worry about paying for college.”

“Thank you,” I murmur, feeling like crying again. I didn’t know him but seeing him so coldly murdered for no reason other than amusement has been so hard to get past. I wonder if I’ll ever sleep without seeing his eyes in my mind the second I close my own.

“You look beautiful today.” He’s being genuine but I know he’s using it to change the subject. “I’d really like to keep this going.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

He nods once, his lips a thin line as he maneuvers the car through Malibu and to a small apartment complex near the beach.

“My new home,” he says, shrugging. “It’s just temporary until something better in the area opens up.”

“Good luck with that.” I grin and we climb from the car.

He uses a key fob to open the double doors and leads me to the elevator. It clinks and hums as it ascends to the third floor and I try not to look at our reflection in the mirror on the walls.

He keeps an arm around my shoulder and kisses my hair before guiding me out the second the door opens and using a different key to open the door to apartment number eight.

It’s small and cozy, with two bedrooms and a balcony that extends from the kitchen to the master bedroom. That makes it easier to get midnight snacks, I guess.

“I’m terrified,” I admit, holding one of the boxes in both hands.

“Me too.” He takes the box from my hands, opens it, tears open the foil wrapper that hides the stick and then guides me to the bathroom. “You do your business and call me when you’re ready.”

I close the door, stick in hand and pray I drank enough water on the way to get a steady pee flow.

I pull off the lid, sit on the toilet and bite my lip as I position the correct end of the stick between my thighs. This is going to change everything. I just know it.

I stop mid-pee and quickly put the other one under me too. Then I clip the lid back on and place them side by side on the sink as I wash my hands.

The door opens as I stare at my reflection in the mirror wondering what kind of mother I’ll be. Sargent wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my neck. I close my eyes and rock with him as he sways us. I always felt so safe in his arms, not just because of how large he is but he just emits that feeling.

“Why can’t you love me, Sarge?”

He sighs grimly and kisses my jaw before looking at my eyes in the mirror. “At my age, love doesn’t come too easily. We hold back because we’ve experienced love in most forms and none of it ended well.”

“You’re holding back because of the age gap?”

He nods. “I guess I’m worried that in a year you’ll wake up and decide you don’t want to be with an old man anymore.”

“You’re not old.”

“Not yet, but in a year…” His playful smile is contagious. “We’re good, Tempest, the tests are negative.”

“What?” I squeak and pick up the stick. My jaw drops, my head spins. “I’m not pregnant?” I don’t know how I feel about this. I don’t know how I should feel about this.

Tears spring to my eyes, it’s an irrational reaction but I’m emotional and confused.

“Did you want to be?” His tone is soft as I drop the stick into the sink and place my hands on his shoulders. “You look sad.”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. I don’t even particularly want kids. It’s just… overwhelming. I’m happy but also sad.”

“Me too.” His admission surprises me. “I was getting used to the idea.”

“You’d be starting all over again if you had kids now.” I lock my ankles around the back of his shins. “You’ve done it all before.”

His eyes cast downwards as he imagines the picture I’m painting.

“I still want to travel all over the world…”

“I wouldn’t stop you.”

I stroke his cheek and kiss his jaw. “I know you wouldn’t, but one day I also want to get married and you’re not interested in that. You’ve done that. I might not want kids now but I can’t say I won’t in ten years. You don’t want that either.”

“I almost wish you were pregnant now,” he says, sighing gravely as his hands tighten on my hips.

“Why?”

“Because you wouldn’t be breaking up with me, we’d be having a different conversation right now.”

He’s right but maybe this is a blessing. We’ve likely dodged a bullet.

“Can’t we just enjoy each other? For a little while longer?” His eyes are so earnest and surprisingly vulnerable in a way I’ve never seen.

“I’m going to Africa with Cassius.”

“Cassius.” His tone darkens much like it always does when I mention his closest friend.

“I was waiting to see the outcome of this but yes, I’m going to be on Cassius’ personal team.”

“I bet you are,” he mumbles and I feel immediately irate.