Chapter Ninety-nine They both were quiet as they drove home from the hospital, each lost in their own thoughts. Anton had spent a few minutes with Chris before heading to where he was to meet with Bryn, allowing the boy to continue sleeping. And when he saw Bryn's puffy eyes, he was wondering if he should have stayed with her instead. He looked over at his wife, who seemed a bit withdrawn. "Is something wrong, my dear?" Bryn shook her head, still staring out the window. "I'm just sad and tired. And I want to go home, but if John's coming home tomorrow or the next day, that's not going to be possible. He'll need as much help as he can get." She glanced over at him. "But I'm very grateful for what you did tonight. I think it will make things a lot easier for him. Thank you, Anton." "You're welcome, Bryn." He reached over to place a hand comfortingly on her thigh. "I think tonight has been rough on all of us," he said, turning into the driveway into John's home. "I don't know about you, but I'm all for getting Max and then curling up in front of the TV." She nodded, finally smiling. "With some buttery, salty popcorn and a couple of chocolate milkshakes." He grinned at her as he parked the car and shut off the engine. "I think we can manage that." Quickly getting out of the car, she waited almost impatiently for him to walk around and join her. Hurrying up to the house, they walked in and immediately looked for Max. Bernadette looked out from the kitchen and smiled. "He's sleeping on the couch, but he's been eagerly waiting for you two to return." Bryn stepped aside and let Anton get Max, while she got started on the milkshakes and popcorn. Anton walked over to the couch and picked up his sleeping son. Max opened his eyes, looking like he was wondering who dared disturb his rest. Anton rested him on his shoulder, gently patting his back. Max let out a tiny sigh and settled back down. "Has he been too much trouble tonight, Bernadette? I'm sorry we kept you awake so late." "Oh, it was my pleasure. He was a perfect little angel." Wearing her housecoat and slippers, Bernadette padded over to see what Bryn was making. "Do you need any help dear?" "Um, no. Just making some chocolate shakes." "Why don't you go see your son. I'll do that for you." Pushing her way in, she almost gave Bryn no choice. "O-kay..." Her nose wrinkled, Bryn walked over to kiss Max on the cheek. "Hi sweet pea." Secure in his Daddy's arms, Max didn't move or make a sound. Bryn couldn't help but smile. In the kitchen, scooping ice cream into the blender, her mother said, "I'd kind of like to have a word with both of you before I go to sleep. It's important. I just wish your father had stayed awake to tell you with me." Those words made Bryn's blood run cold. She glanced up at Anton, stepping closer to his side. Anton slipped his free arm around Bryn and guided her to the kitchen table. From Bryn's mother's tone of voice, he knew that this was serious. He shifted Max to his lap as he sat. For some reason, he was reminded of the conversation that took place between him and Steven earlier. "What is it Bernadette?" She continued with what she was doing, appearing as if it was an every day conversation. Only her rigid posture belied that effort. "Well, we've decided on a way to help John get back on his feet. We already discussed this with him, and he's agreed. As well as hiring a nurse to help take care of Chris, when he comes home, I'll also be staying to help John with daycare and whatever else he needs as he sorts things out." Confused, Bryn shook her head. "I thought that was a given. I mean, you've already been taking care of things for him." Bernadette ran the blender for about thirty seconds before answering. "In a way, it was. But your father wanted to ask you to drive back up to the house with him tomorrow...to help pack up my things." She finally looked over at them, taking a deep breath. "I'll be moving in here permanently." Unable to say a word, Bryn could only stare at her mother in shock. He hadn't expected that to be what she wanted to discuss, but at the same time Anton wasn't all that surprised. He squeezed his arm around Bryn a bit tighter. "You're positive this is the right thing to do now?" he asked. He didn't think that grief was clouding her judgment, but it might be a convenient excuse for something that had been a long time coming. "Yes, we are." Looking directly at Bryn, she said, "Your father will be fine. Despite what he'd have everyone believe, he does know how to cook and do the dishes. Besides, I'm sure we'll go up there to visit him on the weekends, or he'll come here. And this may seem sudden to you, but I think your father has been subconsciously planning for this all along. He did give you the horses, after all, and he's been talking about leasing some of the land to the neighbors. He's also talked about getting in the motor home and traveling around the country for a while." "Was--" Bryn paused, swallowing. "Was this his idea, or yours?" "It was mine, but he didn't object for a second." Turning her attention back to the blender, she added the chocolate sauce to the thick froth she'd created. With a couple more scoops of ice cream, and two minutes of blending, the shakes were finished. "It looks like these are done. I'll put the popcorn in the microwave for you." "Why are you doing this, Mother?" Bernadette didn't pretend to not know what she was talking about. "Because your brother needs help, and your father doesn't. I'd rather be somewhere I'm appreciated." Playing with the end of her long salt and pepper braid, she added, "And I'm in no mood to argue about it, Sabryn. The decision is final." Anton gently stroked Bryn's spine, tying to reassure her while noting that her mother had used Bryn's chosen name. Not a good sign. Given some of the emotions that Steven had expressed earlier, it was probably for the best. But he knew it would be a shock to everyone. "Is John aware of this arrangement?" "Yes, he is," she said, setting the timer on the microwave. "He is grateful for the help, but has expressed some of the same concerns you have. I'm sure it will take a while to adjust. Most importantly, he realizes we're doing this for the children. I've spent too much time away from my grandchildren, and I realized just how easily I could've lost them." Bryn noticed, annoyingly, that her mother kept using the word 'we'. She didn't really think her father had anything to do with it. If anything, his role had been to stand aside and let her mother go. Glancing at the clock, Bernadette sighed. "I should be getting to bed now. I'm sure your father will give you a few hours notice before he wants to leave tomorrow. He may even want to leave in daylight--if he does, I'll make sure he notifies you so you can stay in the bedroom. If that's all right, I'll say good night." Anton nodded. "Goodnight, Bernadette." He couldn't blame Bryn for being silent as the older woman left the kitchen. He wanted to pull Bryn into his lap, but with Max in his other arm, he couldn't. Instead he twisted in the chair so he could look at her. "Are you okay, my dear?" Nostrils flaring, she shook her head. She got up out of her chair and quickly poured the contents of the blender into two glasses, adding a couple of straws from the utensil drawer. She stood impatiently, staring at the microwave, tapping her nails on the counter to count down the seconds. "Bryn?" She put a finger up, silently asking him to wait. "I just want to get out of here, first. There's only thirty seconds left." Anton nodded. The microwave continued to hum and then beeped to indicate it was done. Anton winced in sympathy when Bryn grabbed the bag of popcorn and burned herself. He stood up. "Here, take Max and let me get that." Trading the baby for the bowl and bag, he gingerly opened it and poured it out. "Let's go." She grabbed one of the glasses and handed him the other before they set off out the door. Shivering lightly, Bryn held Max closer to her and pressed a kiss to his forehead. She hoped she never disappointed or angered him the way her parents had her. She wanted to scream in their faces. Carefully opening the door to the RV, she allowed Anton to enter before her but he insisted that she go first. Once inside, she headed straight for the bedroom, where she set Max down on the bed, her milkshake on the night stand, and fisted her hands in her hair. She couldn't hold it in any longer--she screeched so loud her throat hurt. Anton put down the popcorn and his glass, walking over to Bryn. He winced when Max added his voice to Bryn's shriek. Putting his arms around Bryn, he pulled her over to the bed and sat down next to Max. Bryn he placed on his lap, and with one hand rubbed Max's tummy. "It's okay," he soothed them both. "Just let it out." Bryn sat silently, rigidly in his lap, hands over her eyes, shaking with anger. She wanted to yell and scream, but she'd already scared Max out of his skin...she didn't want to add to his fear. Barely feeling the amusement she voiced, she let out a little laugh. "This is just so fucking classic. They don't ever think about anyone but themselves. This isn't about John or the kids. It's about my mom wanting out and Dad doing nothing to stop it. As usual, he's sitting on his lazy ass and letting her do everything." She dropped her hands, her eyes wild as she blindly glanced around the room. "I can't wait to get out of here. I can't wait to just go home and forget all of them." Anton rubbed her back much as he rubbed Max's belly. He winced again as Max bit down on his finger and started to feed. "Maybe it's for the best...no, no, hear me out," he said as she was about to yell at him. "You've always said that you wonder why they are staying together. Well, now they're going their separate ways. And maybe they'll each find some happiness apart after so many bitter years together." He kissed her forehead. "But that doesn't mean you don't have every right to be angry. I think that you're right, that your mother is using what happened as an excuse." She lost some of her rage as a deep sadness swept over her. Turning slightly, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "I just want to go home. I hate it here. I've been in nothing but a bad mood ever since we got here. And she said they're going to hire a nurse, so they don't need us anymore." She was silent for a while, feeling very empty. "I want to get out of here." "I know, Bryn. I do too." He gently stroked her hair. "John's coming home tomorrow, so let's stay a day or two more to get him settled. Then we'll go home." He turned his head and kissed her temple. "I wish there were a way I could make all the pain go away, Bryn." Glancing down at Max, she let out a shuddering breath. "Can we just snuggle up under the covers like we were going to?" He softly kissed her again. "Of course." Slowly getting off his lap, she started stripping out of her clothes. The bed did sound inviting, but she wasn't all that sure she was hungry anymore. More than anything, she just wanted to curl up next to his naked body and absorb some of his warmth. She dropped her bra to the floor, feeling oddly shy and vulnerable as she glanced at him. "We won't ever be like them, will we?" "Never, Sabryn. Never." He was undressing as well as he could with Max still sucking on his finger. Finally managing to detach his hand from Max's teeth, Anton pulled off his shirt and peeled back the blankets from the bed, holding the sheets up for Bryn to climb in first. "I won't let that happen, Bryn." She slipped out of her panties and sat down on the bed, belatedly noticing the Band-Aid holding a cotton ball to the inside of her arm. Carefully and discreetly ripping it off, she tossed it in the trash before crawling under the covers. As Anton finished undressing and got in next to her, she reached for Max and pulled him up closer, getting ready to feed him. Her mother must've fed him formula, however, because he let out an annoyed grunt and pushed away from her. Feeling dejected, she let out a heavy sigh and handed him over to Anton. Anton placed Max on his other side and gently put his arm around Bryn. Encouraging her to rest her head against his shoulder, he gently stroked her head. He pressed his lips to her forehead. He pushed her hair away from her eyes so he could easily look into their blue depths. She snuggled closer to him, pressing her breasts against his chest and tangling her legs with his. She let out a soft moan, drugged by his heat and the comfort he gave her. Although she'd thought the same thing hundreds of times, she was once again amazed by how things always felt okay the minute she was in his arms. The sadness still lingered, and she was sure it would for days or weeks, but she didn't feel hopeless anymore. Didn't feel alone. And she squeezed him tighter, kissing his jaw in gratitude. Her voice was a bit thick as she said, "Thank you for loving me so much." "No, Bryn. Thank you for loving me." He rubbed her shoulder in small circles, trying to relax some of the tension he felt in them. He kept his touch gentle, but intense, but not particularly sexual. More comforting. He would let her lead where she wanted to go tonight, even though he wanted to try to ease her pain by making love to her. Whimpering softly, she crawled on top of him, settling down with her legs bent beneath her, clinging to him like a small child. She sank heavily against him, burrowing her face against his neck. She could feel him hardening under her and it was a comforting feeling. She loved being reminded that he wanted her, needed her, loved her. He knew her so well, gave her everything he could, and they both knew making love made them feel closer together, safer in each other's embrace. So she couldn't help but rock her hips a bit, rubbing herself against his growing cock. Message received. Anton let his hips lift slightly, rubbing back. He softly kissed her lips, her face, whatever he could reach. His arms tightened around her as he glanced over at Max, who appeared to be sound asleep. He then returned his attention to Bryn. Holding her tight, he rolled so that she was beneath him. He gently stroked her face before kissing her soundly, deeply, lovingly. Trying to erase all her pain. Her response was tentative at first, allowing him to guide her as if for the first time. She sucked lightly on his tongue, spreading her legs to draw him tighter between them. Sliding her hands over his back, she took measure of his size and strength. Feeling so sheltered beneath him, safe and secure. He was a solid wall above her, protecting her from the outside, keeping her warm and happy inside. And she was happy with him, so very happy. Despite her parents and Caroline's death, all she had to do was go to him and nothing else matter. Tightening her arms around him, she kissed him deeper, exploring his mouth, letting him know she wanted, needed, and loved him just as much. He opened his mouth wider, letting him go as deep as she would. He pushed up slightly so he could start his hand wandering over her chest, coming to rest on her firm breast. she was firmer than usual, full of milk since Max hadn't nursed. He heard sometimes that it was painful for women if they hadn't nursed their child. Well, he couldn't let her suffer, could he? Ignoring her moan of protest as he pulled his mouth away, he trailed his tongue down her neck and to her breast, circling the areola. He flicked his tongue against her suddenly hard nipple before latching on and sucking deeply. Bryn moaned loudly, sliding her fingers into his hair. She squirmed beneath him, wincing slightly at the ache in her breasts but also shuddering as she felt herself get wetter. She couldn't seem to keep still. His efforts were both piercing and pleasurable, and she rocked her hips shallowly, tossing her head from side to side. Grabbing his hand, she guided it between her legs. Hoping it would tell him what her stunned mouth could not. Anton grinned. She was eager tonight, not wanting to wait for him to tease her. Deciding to give her what she wanted, he started to rub in light circles around her clit. He jumped when she arched beneath him, almost kneeing his groin from the suddenness of her reaction. But he didn't say a word. Instead he continued to circle her clit and suck on her nipple. And he slid his free hand up to her head, slipping two fingers into her mouth. She latched on to his fingers eagerly, sucking on his delicious skin, adding a slight chewing motion with her teeth. Her breath was coming fast as she lifted her hips in the air, bringing his touch closer to where she wanted it. Her sex was nearly gushing now, and she bucked her hips a bit to let him feel it. Anton moaned, slipping down to gather up some of her moisture and then rubbed her clit directly. He switched to nurse off of her other breast in the same rhythm as she was sucking on his fingers. He was hard as stone and he rubbed his hips against her thigh. But he wasn't ready to pierce her...yet. She cried out around his fingers, rocking her hips faster, opening and closing her sex with each rub of her clit. Resuming sucking on his fingers, she nipped him hard enough to draw blood and apologized with her gaze as she began to drink. She whimpered, her body quivering, and with a few more strokes of his fingers, she came hard beneath him. He smiled as she came. Not relenting with his hips, he pulled his fingers out of her mouth and his mouth off of her nipple. Before she could protest, Anton thrust into her in one smooth motion. And he kept moving, not giving her time to recover. Trying to prolong her orgasm as long as he could, hoping he could trigger a second one that would blend into the first. Panting, she moved with him, legs pulled up close to her torso, squeezing him inside her. With his fingers still sliding over her clit, it wasn't hard to keep the waves of pleasure rolling. Neck arched back, she let her cries escape her at will. After a while the intense stimulation was almost too much to bear. Pushing her hands against his chest, she tried to stop him. "Anton, please! Wait..." Waiting until he stopped, she slid her hands down to pull his cock out of her...and direct it against her anus instead. "Please?" "Yesss..." he hissed. Carefully he pushed forward against her anus, watching her carefully for signs of pain. When her expression twitched, he tried to back off, but didn't expect her fingers to dig into his ass, driving him forward again. "Ahh..." She squealed, backing away from the pain and yet trying to impale herself at the same time. Trying hard to relax and push out against his cock. She trembled continuously beneath him, whimpering and tossing her head, until he was fully embedded inside her. Panting, she pressed her fingers over his, encouraging him to keep stroking her, even as squirmed under him. "Uhh...I need you, Anton. So much." She reached down to feel her sex spread open, still slight distended from his cock, and lightly teased the sensitive opening with her fingers. "I wish there was a way for you to be inside me everywhere." "I can try," he whispered back. Rotating his hand around, he started rubbing her clit with his thumb, slipping his fingers inside of her. Carefully arching over her, he kissed her, trying to slip his tongue into her mouth. She pushed up on her elbows to meet his mouth, sucking firmly on his tongue as he tried his hardest to give her wish. Within two minutes of feeling him thrusting inside her, three places at once, she cried out, tightening around his cock and fingers. Her entire body jolted, as if hit by electricity, legs quivering as she came hard. "Oh ohh! Anton!" Anton let out a sharp cry, cumming hard. "Bryn!" He continued to move against her for a moment, trying to wring every bit of pleasure he could for them. And when he couldn't hold out any longer, he collapsed against her, fingers and cock still in her. Gently he nuzzled the side of her face, a bit smug that he had made her forget her troubles, if only for a little while. Breathing heavily, she pressed her forehead against his...unable to hold in a giddy smile. She kissed his mouth gently, repeatedly, until she was almost giggling with relief. "Oh, God, I love you so much!" Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him tightly. "I love you so much. Thank you, sugar. Umm. Mmmm. Love you so, so much. So very much. Lots of love going on here. Whole big bunches of it..." Anton laughed, reluctantly pulling his hand out of her sex so he could hug her tight. "I get the idea, my dear." He kissed her forehead. This had been the kind of reaction he had been hoping for. "So am I to assume that you're feeling better?" She nodded, nuzzling his neck and rubbing her legs against his. "Thank you, sugar. I didn't think I was going to smile again until we went home." Deeply breathing in his scent, she pressed her lips to his throat. "I'm even feeling up to that movie with popcorn and milkshakes, if you still feel like it." She punctuated her statement by nibbling on the underside of his jaw. "Then, maybe later after I get a chance to catch my breath, I can make you feel just as good as you made me." Anton smiled, stretching his arms above his head. "Sounds good, my dear. Especially the last part." He lightly kissed her. "Let me go use the bathroom first. Hopefully the milkshakes haven't completely melted from all the heat we generated," he added with a devilish grin. She smiled in return, taking Max as he got out of bed. Cuddling the baby close, she watched Anton walk across the room, admiring his beautiful body, especially his ass. She couldn't help but giggle as he glanced at her over his shoulder with a knowing look. "You're so beautiful, sugar. I can't wait to start painting you. I may create the greatest masterpiece since Michelangelo's David...on canvas, anyway. That's how handsome you are to me." Anton grinned, even blushing a little. "If you like, we can get started on that when we get home, my dear. If we can keep our hands off of each other, that is." Still blushing he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door." He felt like a little bit of an idiot. Surrounded by shopping bags, Lindy's purse between his feet and Liam on his lap, Nate sat on the uncomfortable chair outside the women's department dressing room, waiting for his wife to reappear. Several minutes earlier she'd walked into the forbidden zone, arms laden with slacks, blouses, dresses, jeans, and t-shirts. The saleslady was practically salivating. She'd finally left him alone after five long minutes of cooing over Liam, petting his hair, tickling his cheeks, and letting him pick out a sucker from her candy dish. Nate idly wondered if she would snatch the sucker back if they didn't buy anything. Sighing, an older gentleman in a similar situation leaned against the opposite wall. Repeatedly checking his watch. After a while, he muttered in Nate's direction, "Get used to it, Sonny. They only get slower with age." He felt like saying, [Tell me about it...try sitting here when you're nine-hundred and twenty-three years old.] After another few minutes, Lindy reappeared wearing one of the floral print dresses. "Nate, what do you think of this?" she asked, twirling on her bare feet. The skirt floated out in a perfect circle from mid calf. "I'm not certain about the color. Think it's too pale?" Liam tried to launch himself out of Nate's grasp the minute she appeared. Setting him down on the floor, Nate watched as he toddled over to Mommy and immediately began tugging on her skirt, looking this way and that, as if wondering how she'd gotten it twirl like that. "No, it's not too pale...but I liked the blue one better. Matched your eyes." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the other man checking his watch again. "Babe, I think we better hurry up here if you still want to get Liam some new shoes." "Yeah, you're right," she said, trying to disengage Liam's sticky fingers before he stained the skirt. "Let me go change and I'll be ready to go." Handing Liam back to Nate, she returned to the fitting room. A few minutes later, she came out, dressed in a plain blue t-shirt and faded jeans, a few pairs of slacks and jeans, a shirt or two, and the blue dress slung over her arm. "This is what I was going to get. Let me pay for it and then let's hit the shoe store." "All right." Adjusting his grip on Liam, he handed Lindy her purse before collecting the various shopping bags around him. Standing up, he followed her towards the cashier. "This should be fun, huh, Liam? Getting to listen to you scream because some stranger is taking off your shoes, the new ones are the wrong color, you want a balloon, you want to look in mirror for ten more minutes, or any other number of things. I just hope you don't decide to extend those claws and go wolfy on the poor shoe salesman." Lindy laughed, shaking her head. "Hopefully none of that will happen. Or at least not the last part." Lindy placed her purchases on the counter, waiting for the cashier to start ringing them up. "I wonder why kids get so freaked out about having to buy shoes." "Well, you were the one walking around barefoot earlier. I think kids probably like the freedom of uncramped toes. The minute they get those shoes off, they won't let anyone put another set on. Sometimes I wonder why we bother making Liam wear shoes. He always manages to con his way out of them." Leaning closer, Nate kissed her cheek. "I think I'll head over there and grab a salesman. They're harder to catch than gazelles in the wild." "You sure you don't want Liam to go wolfy and bring one down?" Lindy said with a slight grin. Her eyes followed Nate as he took Liam and headed off to the shoe department. Then she returned her attention to the cashier. Who was giving her an odd look. Lindy arched her eyebrows in question. "Wish my husband were that attentive," the cashier said with a trace of jealousy. "You're one lucky woman." Lindy couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I am." After a few minutes, she started towards the shoe department. And winced when she heard the full throated child screams coming from the direction she was headed. Nate was slumped sideways in a chair when Lindy finally found them. The salesman--actually, it was a young woman--was trying desperately get Liam's attention by waving around a colorful toy. It wasn't helping. Liam took off the shoe she'd been putting on him and tossed it on the floor. He looked around for a savior, since his father was obviously on that demon woman's side, and stood up on the chair the minute he saw Lindy. Arms stretched up, hands grasping the air and tears streaming down his face, Liam whimpered, "Ma ma ma ma ma!" "Ohhh...poor baby." She picked up Liam and bounced him for a moment, hoping to calm him down. Liam clung to her tightly, babbling on, telling her the mean things that the stranger tried to do to him while Daddy watched. She gave Nate a sympathetic look. "He's going to hate me in a moment when I put him back in that chair and try to put those shoes on him, isn't he?" "Probably." Seeing her way out, the salesgirl stood up. "I'll let you have a few minutes to calm him down. Just...call me when you're ready." With that she hurriedly walked towards the back room, practically burning rubber on the floor. "Chicken," Nate muttered, before sitting up in his chair. "We didn't even sit down before he started screaming. He knew what was coming. It was as if someone had turned on the theme music to Jaws." Shaking his head, he grabbed the bag out of her hand and added it to the others. "Why don't you take a look around and see if there's anything you like--or that he likes." "Okay. Why I take Liam, get him a bit relaxed before we try it again." With a slightly swaying step trying to soothe Liam's sniffles, she started walking over to the sandals, seeing if there was anything that didn't look like they would kill her back. "See, Liam, we're looking for shoes for mommy now. Not for you." She jumped slightly when she heard her cellphone ring. "Look Liam, someone's calling Mommy," she said, digging one handedly in her purse. She managed to grab the cell and flip it open. "Hello?" She ducked her head a bit, trying to avoid Liam's lunge for the phone. "No, no...I'm on the phone with her--H-Hello? Lindy?" "Chandra?" Lindy frowned, forgetting about the shoes. She could hear the chaos in the background, several voices talking at once. "What's wrong?" "Oh, for God's sake, hold on..." There was silence for a moment as Chandra put her on hold. Luckily she picked up the phone again before the piped classical music began playing over the line. "Lindy? We've got a problem here. A big one. And I thought I should call you first. I tried calling Anton, but he's not answering his phone for some reason. Can you get down here right away? I don't even begin to presume how I should handle this. Frankly, it's starting to scare me." "Chandra, what's wrong?" "The big shipment that came in today? The Victorian settee? George and Rick were opening it to inventory it. And they found tucked inside it what I think is a couple of kilos of cocaine." Chandra's words tumbled together in excitement. "George thinks we should call Anton now, Rick's saying we need to call the cops. I don't know what to do." Mentally, Lindy swore. "Okay, call the cops. I'm on my way in. I'll contact Anton when I get there. George and Rick need to stay to talk to them, but keep the other employees away from the area. I'll see you shortly." Taking a deep breath, she hung up the cell phone. "Looks like you're getting out of having to try on shoes, Liam." She started to walk back to where her husband was waiting. Sagging in his chair, his head fallen back on his shoulders, Nate appeared to be asleep...but he cracked an eye open as she got closer. Noticing that Liam was no longer crying, he said, "How did you do that?" "I didn't, actually. The phone rang." She swallowed. "We're going to need to leave. There's a problem at the warehouse I need to take care of." Rubbing his eyes, he leaned forward. "It can't wait? We were almost done...sort of." "No it can't," Lindy said. "It looks like someone was trying to run drugs using one of our shipments. I've got to go to be on hand when the cops show up. Anton's not answering his cell for some reason, so I've got to try to reach him through Bryn's parents. I'm starting to wonder why he carries the blasted thing since he never remembers to keep it charged." "Drug running? Jeez, Lind, this sounds bad. I know it probably would be distracting having Liam there, but do you want me to come with you? Or I could drop you off, take him home, and then come back." He shook his head, standing up and gathering the bags around him. "This is just too bizarre. I mean, I know things like this happen, but in antiques shipments? Too damned weird." Quiet for a moment, he finally said, "You don't think it was someone at the warehouse, do you?" "I don't know," Lindy said as they headed out the door. "You're talking about people who force dogs to swallow condoms full of drugs to smuggle them across the border. Furniture would probably be something easy for them, whoever they are." The stepped outside into the parking lot and headed to Nate's car. "Why don't you drop me off, go home to drop off Liam, and come back. And get Walter too. Having an ex-AD around might help smooth things over with the cops." "Good idea." He let out a sigh as he opened the trunk, tossed the bags inside, and then walked around to unlock Lindy's door. "I don't know about this, Lind. It sounds like it might turn into a big problem. They may decide to shut down the whole warehouse while they sort everything out, and who knows how long that will take." "Well, we'll have to let them do it." She handed Liam over to Nate. "We have to let them have full access to the warehouse and not look like we have anything to hide. Plus we'll all have to be careful about feeding. We don't want to turn a drug investigation into a murder investigation with us as primary suspects." She sat down in the car and fastened her seat belt as Nate closed the door. As he settled Liam into the car seat, he said, "Guess it's back to the cows, then." He quickly buckled Liam in, then walked around and got behind the wheel. Starting the car, he let it idle for a moment. "I certainly hope this doesn't turn into a personal investigation. If they start looking in Anton's past and yours, we could be in for some real problems. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring Alex along as well. He is the mastermind behind exposing and protecting identities." "Good idea, Nate. Hopefully it won't come to that." she said. She leaned over to kiss his cheek. "We'd better get going. The sooner we get this started, the sooner it will be over with." After spending all night packing up her mother's room, Bryn felt like a sweaty, dusty mess. Still, they were hungry, and there wasn't a thing to eat around her parents' house. Deciding to grab Max and go out to a fast food dinner, they ended up at Burger King. Hair in a sloppy ponytail on top of her head and wearing stained sweatpants, she looked over to watch Anton feed Max a soft french fry. Smiling, she reached across the table and took hold of his free hand. "I love you, booger." "I love you too, my dear," he said, squeezing his hand. He too was a bit disheveled in the faded jeans and gray t-shirt. But he looked happy as he watched Max make a face at the taste and texture of the french fry. Then Max made a face that Anton easily recognized. It was Anton's turn to make a face, sniffing . "'And I think Max may need to be changed. Do you want me to do that, my dear?"' She also made a face. "No. I'll do it." Grabbing her cup, she drank down the rest of her Coca-cola before standing up and pulling the diaper bag over her shoulder. Reaching her arms out, she smiled as Max lifted his arms as well. She plucked him out of his chair, before saying, "I'll be back in a few minutes, sugar." "Okay." She padded back to the restrooms, her sneakers squeaking on tile floor. Pushing inside the restroom, she waited patiently for the baby station to be unoccupied. Finally she was able to take care of Max's dirty diaper. Nose wrinkled the entire time. "Yikes, Max. No more french fries for you. That was stinky." He grinned and waved his feet, proud of himself and the mess he made. Fitting him back into his jumper, she zipped him up, then the diaper bag, and lifted him back into her arms to go back to the table. She got about two steps outside the restroom before stopping in her tracks. Every single time she returned to Columbia, Pennsylvania, she prayed she didn't run into someone she knew. Neighbors and familiar shop owners were one thing, the girl standing in front of her now was far another. Kara had always taken special pride in making her feel like dirt, and before she could even say a word, Bryn felt like a thirteen-year-old. Hanging her head slightly, she muttered, "Excuse me." "Amanda Pruitt. I thought that was you. I was wondering when you'd show your face around here again." "Please, excuse me." A former cheerleader and softball star, Kara stared smugly at her. "What did you do, get knocked up and have to quit school? What is this, your third or fourth baby?" Gritting her teeth, Bryn felt like kicking her. "My name is Sabryn, and he's my first." "Oh, that's right...Carly's little sister told me you changed your name. Did you really think you'd be able to change who you are?" Looking Bryn up and down, she shook her head. "You sure didn't change much. Although the gaudy fake ring is a nice touch. Did your *boyfriend* give you that?" Laughing obnoxiously, Kara gave her one last stab. "Oh, wait I forgot--he married me. See?" she asked, holding up her own sparkling (and significantly smaller) diamond ring. "I'm Mrs. Mark Trinity now." Anton came walking into earshot to hear that last statement. Shortly after Bryn had left the table, he realized that he also needed to use the bathroom. Well, he could hold it for a few minutes. Slipping up beside her, he mentally grinned at the way both Bryn and Kara jumped when he put his arm around his wife, being certain that the stranger could see his wedding band. "All done with Max, my dear?" Still intimidated, Bryn nodded absently. "Yes, we're ready to go now." Staring at Anton, a little too avidly for Bryn's taste, Kara held out her hand for him to shake. "Hello, I don't believe we've met. I'm Kara Trinity. Amanda--uh, Sabryn and I are old friends from high school. We were just catching up. I was just telling her how good it was to see her...and that I'm sure my husband would love to know she's back in town. He does think about her so often." Anton perfunctorily shook her hand. "We're in town for a family emergency. So I doubt that we'd have time for any social calls. And besides, I wouldn't want to cause any tension between you and your husband, since he is thinking of my wife." Anton tightened his arm around her. "After all, she is an incredible woman." She let out a small laugh. "You know, those were just the words my husband used. He used to have such a crush on her...damned near made a fool out of himself so many times. I guess it's a good thing she's so shy or he might've ended up her husband--and then where would we be?" She gave him a charming smile. "He is the local chief of police now. Maybe you ought to look him up some time." Tilting her head slightly, she stared at him. "What did you say your name was? I don't believe I've seen you around before." "I'm not from around here. My name is Anton Rudenko. I own Rudenko's Antiques Importing Service. We're based out of San Francisco, but we do business worldwide." Sensing Bryn's discomfort with the situation he turned to her. "I hate to cut this reunion short, but we are needed back at your parent's home, Bryn." Bryn nodded, taking a few steps towards the door. "Ohh, that's too bad," Kara pouted, attractively. "Well, it certainly was nice to meet you, Anton. Don't be a stranger. And Sabryn, please give your family my sincerest condolences about Caroline. I wish I could've attended the funeral." Again, Bryn nodded stiffly and kept walking. She didn't see the small wink Kara gave Anton after she'd passed. Heading directly out of the door, she stopped by her dad's car and silently hoped that bitch didn't follow them. And Anton was tempted to wink back, but with flaming eyes and bared fangs. But he kept a strong rein on his temper until he was sure that they were out of Kara's hearing. He took a deep breath as he unlocked the door for Bryn. His next words were a succinct summation of his thoughts. "What a bitch." Bryn glanced at him and swallowed heavily, before opening the door to put Max in his carseat. She didn't say a word until they were all in the car together. "I used to know her from school, but we weren't friends. I hated her. She's always been so pretty and lucky and popular. And she was making fun of me this entire time." Looking over at him, expression drooping with sadness, she said, "Do you think she's pretty?" Anton made a 'hmm' noise. "Yeah, but not in a particularly attractive way. More a generic Barbie doll type of beauty. Seen one, seen them all." He gave her a warm smile as he reached out to tilt her chin up, thumb stroking along her jaw. "Not in the heart stopping, breath taking, where-can-I-find-an-empty-room-so-I-can-have-my-way-with-you beauty you have." He leaned over to brush his lips against hers. Letting out a small whimper, she reached up to cup his jaw as she gently deepened the kiss. Nipping lightly at his lower lip. "Thank you. I'm sorry I never told you about Mark Trinity. I'll do that as soon as we get back to the house...but can we go now? You never know when she might attached herself to the car like a sucker fish." "Can't have that, my dear." He kissed her one more time before settling in the driver seat and fastening his seat belt. He had a guess about this Mark Trinity. [Most likely he was a crush that Bryn had and he either ignored her or made fun of her,] he thought as he drove the car out of the parking lot. The drive back to her dad's house was quiet. She kept her hand on his thigh, as if afraid he might slip away. By the time they'd gotten out of the car and headed into the house, she was practically digging her fingers into the back of his hand. Now that Bernadette's home was all packed up, her father was asleep upstairs. Holding Max on her hip, Bryn said, "If you come upstairs, I'll tell you who he was and point him out in my yearbook." "All right." Allowing her to proceed him, he settled his hand on her lower back as she walked up the stairs. She turned on the light to her bedroom, letting out a small gasp. "My mom had been using this as a storage room...she never told me she put all of my stuff back." Unlike the last time she'd seen the room, when Bernadette had her sewing machine in the room, her bedroom was back to the way she'd left it...even down to the Depeche Mode poster on the wall. "This is weird." Walking over to the closet, she started digging around in the boxes for her high school yearbook. Anton placed Max on the bed as he took a seat. "Do you need a hand, my dear?" "No, I've got it." He watched as Bryn pulled out a dusty book and walked over to him. Not letting her have a choice, he pulled her onto his lap, pressing his lips against her temple. He wanted her to feel warm and loved as she told him whatever it was she had to say. She let out a soft sigh, leaning against him. It took a few minutes of absorbing of his warmth and affection before she was ready to open the book. She flipped through the pages, going back and forth until she found the right section, and searched through the alphabetical names until she found his. She pointed to a dark-haired boy with a smug smile on his face, wearing a football jersey with sweatband hung lazily around his neck. "That's him. I knew him for a very long time, but not personally. I can't really remember a time when I didn't have a crush on him. Now this picture just sickens me." Bryn took another deep breath before saying, "He started 'dating' me as a favor to John. They were both on the same team and it was obvious that I liked him. We went out to the movies, but he was more interested in feeling me up than anything. That seemed to be all he was ever interested in. I thought I was so lucky to be going out with him, even though he never said a word to me at school. He and his friends laughed when they saw me. And when I started realizing that--when I protested that I barely even knew him and I didn't want to have sex with him, he got angry." "He tried to rape you?" Anton was sure that if Bryn had been raped, she would have told him. At Bryn's confirming nod, his gaze snapped back to the picture, eyes memorizing the smug face, projecting what it would look like now that he was older. [This worthless piece of scum hurt my dear Bryn,] Anton thought. [And he's going to pay.] When he was sure he could look at her without any vampiric light in his eyes, he turned to her and kissed her, pulling her closer. He tried to keep his seething hostility from reaching his voice. He didn't want her to think he was angry with her. "And what happened?" "I fought him off and broke his nose," she said, calmly, as if she'd told she bought a loaf of bread from the store. "He ran off with blood streaming down his face and I never had to deal with him again. But John did. I had told him what happened and when he got to school...he beat the crap out of Mark. He got suspended from school for fighting, and was kicked off the football team. But he told me he was glad, because he didn't want to be around Mark and his stupid friends anymore. Even though they knew Mark hadn't gotten anywhere with me, they would call me a slut whenever I walked past. I couldn't wait to get of there." Anton gently stroked her hair, trying to reassure her. "Good for John, and good for you." He continued stroking her hair, and then rested his hand on the small of her back. "Would you think me a complete barbarian if I said that I wanted to hunt this man down and slowly drain the blood from his tortured body?" He turned her to face him. "Thank you for telling me, Bryn. What he did to you was wrong, and for his bitch of a wife taunt you with it is an abomination. And his friends were so, so wrong." She gave him a small smile. "I know. I used to have all of these fantasies about coming back her when I was rich and famous, and I'd tell them off and rub their noses in it. But I didn't say a word to her." Sighing heavily, she held his gaze. "And no, I wouldn't think you were a barbarian at all. I would think that you love me very much...and I do know that, whether you hunt him down or not. Thank you, sugar. I love you very much, too." Anton gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "It makes the first night we spent together all the more precious to me, Bryn, because you were so trusting." Softly kissed her lips. "What that bitch said to you, I want you to put it out of your mind. Because it's not true. It's not worth your time to think about it." He gently rubbed his hand in small circles on her back. She nodded, shifting the weight of her yearbook on her lap. Glancing down at it, she murmured, "Are you at all curious?" "About what?" "About what I looked like?" As he nodded, she flipped through the pages again until she found the P's. Scanning down the page, she pointed to a picture that had little green alien antennae drawn on top of the head. "I drew those once when I was feeling particularly self-effacing." The girl in the picture gave only the slightest closed-mouth smile, shy eyes staring out from a pale face, and dark hair falling forward to conceal her as much as possible. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else in the world. But despite her attempts to hide, her rosy lips and bright blue eyes were unmistakable. He gently touched the picture, and then her face. "As beautiful now as then. Perhaps even more." Cupping her head in his hands, he started to kiss her gently. He slipped his hand to the book and closed it, placing it on the table next to the bed. He wanted her to feel warm and protected and loved. Just like she made him feel. She shuddered lightly, carefully straddling his lap and scooting close to him. Being in this room--on this bed--with Anton, made her feel giddy. Like one of her wildest dreams was coming true. She began whispering to him, between soft kisses. "I used to lay here at night...and wish for you. Wanted you so much...and I didn't even know who you were. I...mmm...just knew someone was out there...waiting for me...wishing for me, too." Anton gently continued kissing her. He cast a quick eye at Max, who seemed to be sleeping soundly. "I've waited... and wished... for you... for so long." He leaned her backwards onto the bed, supporting his weight on one arm. "So what did you wish for, Bryn? Someone who would do this?" Anton lightly kissed her forehead. "Or this?" He kissed her cheek, running his tongue along her jaw. "Or this?" He took her mouth in a fierce kiss, pressing some of his weight against her body. Bryn whimpered, reaching for him, pulling his body more completely on top of hers. She kissed him eagerly, feeling him harden through the thin layers of denim and cotton separating them. Sliding her hands down his back, she slipped them under his t-shirt to caress his warm, smooth skin. She was breathing faster than usual, even during arousal, and her excitement felt electric. After wanting this for so long, waiting for her soulmate, to have him in this bed was about the best feeling she'd ever had in this house. As his lips traveled over to capture her earlobe, she let out a small gasp. "I wanted all of this, Anton. All of you. Everything you could give me." He bit down slightly with his teeth, wanting to mark her. But instead he settled for sucking on her earlobe for a few minutes. He slipped his hand under her sweatshirt, groaning at the feel of the lace of her bra and her firm breast. "Do you want everything I can give you?" he said, rubbing his groin against her thigh. He couldn't hide his excitement. something she always made him feel. She nodded repeatedly, biting her lip. Impatient, she grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and started tugging it upwards, and with his help, pulled until she had it over his head. She gently pinched his nipples, lightly tugging, and grinning at his reaction. "What are you going to give me, sugar?" Anton started to pull her her sweatshirt over her head. "I'm going to give you everything your heart desires." Her chest now shirtless, he started to work on the clasp of her bra. "I am going to give you my body for your pleasure. But most importantly, I am going to give you my heart." Pulling her bra away, he lowered his lips to her breast. Panting, she slid her fingers into his hair and cupped the back of his head. Watching as he lapped and nipped at her. Bryn clasped his leg between hers, squeezing, wanting to do the same to his waist. "Mmm...I love the way you touch me, suck me...kiss me. You make me feel like I'm made of candy." Shivering lightly as she felt her milk flowing, she scratched her fingernails against his scalp. "Sugar, I want you so much." Anton let out a soft purr, still tugging at her nipple. He gently started to slip his fingers underneath the waistband of her sweatpants. Slowly he peeled them off of her, giving an audible gasp when he saw her lace panties. With a slight groan, he undid the top button of his jeans and then started to take off her panties. With his teeth. She couldn't seem to keep still. With his mouth so close to her sex, she wriggled beneath him, fresh wetness making her slick and giving off a lightly musky scent. She tried to spread her legs but couldn't manage with the fabric binding her. Fisting her hands in the bedspread, she lifted her hips, shifting to help him along, whimpering at the moan he released. "I never dreamed I'd get this wet for the man I wished for." Anton had intended to remove her panties entirely with his teeth. But hearing her words and smelling her, he got impatient. Stripping off her panties with his fingers instead, he spread her legs wide, eyeing her clit hungrily. "Did you dream that I would do this?" he asked in a husky voice before licking a stripe up her sex. "Oh! Uhh...no..." Tears came to her eyes from the intensity of pleasure she felt from that simple move. Gasping, she lifted her hips, rocking them as he licked her again, and again. Her eyelids slipped closed, a dreamy expression forming on her face. "Oooh...sugar! Oh God that feels so good." She opened and closed the mouth of her sex as if searching for him, her thighs quivering. "Yes yes!" Quickly scrambling up the length of her body, he pierced her. "God, Bryn!" She was surrounding his cock in wet, silken steel. Immediately he began to move, moaning at the feel of her breasts skimming against his chest. Finding her hands, he interlaced their fingers, concentrating on the feel of her body beneath his. Bryn squeezed his hands tightly, much like her sex was clenching around his cock. The deep thrusting of his thick shaft felt wonderful, even better than she'd ever imagined, and she smiled up at him in appreciation. Legs tightly wrapped around him, she moved her body with his, pushing him in deeper, pulling at him every time he withdrew. "You feel so good, sugar. I always knew it would feel good to have you on top of me, but I never dreamed it would be this good. I never knew being loved by you would feel this good." Anton rubbed his body against hers with the next few thrusts. "You are magnificent, Bryn. Sometimes I wonder what I've done to deserve you." His mouth found hers and began devouring it in a series of hot wet kisses timed with his movements. The pressure was building in his groin, but he ruthlessly suppressed it, intent on her pleasure only. Moaning, Bryn kissed him back eagerly, sucking on his tongue. Her legs lifted up higher, until her ankles were over his ass, pulling him in deeper, allowing him to thrust harder. She squeaked in excitement, feeling her body start to tingle. It wouldn't be long before she came, and she knew they'd have to do it again, and again and again, until she was exhausted, and couldn't possibly think of Kara and what's-his-name. Letting go of her, he slid his hands along her back until they were wrapped over her shoulders, fingers curling from behind. His thrusts were deep and fast, his pubic hair brushing over her clit with every movement. And still he kissed her, avidly exploring her mouth. Her bed was starting to croak, and it would be a miracle if her dad didn't wake up...but Bryn didn't really care. She didn't care about anything at that moment but the way his hips were slamming against her thighs, the wet slap of flesh on flesh. Spreading her legs as wide as she could, she let him pummel her, her breath puffing out of her with each thrust, while her arms clung to him for dear life. "Uhh uh uh uh...s-sugar...'m so close!" Anton freed one hand, hearing the desperation in her voice. Forcing himself to move slow, he stroked down her side and lifted slightly. He slipped his hand between their bodies so he could lightly finger her clit before pressing hard on it. Anton let out a yelp as he came, surprised by the strength of her contractions. She bit her lip, repressing the scream in her throat as she imploded on his cock. Bryn had a death grip on the comforter below her, shuddering so heavily she shook the bed, her sex constricting him like a python. Letting out the breath she'd been holding, she softly moaned and continued to move with the lazy thrusts he was giving. Reaching down with her hand, she pushed him in deeper. Wanting him as close as he could possibly get. As her heartbeat slowly returned to normal, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and embraced him with everything she was worth. "I love the way you make love to me...the way you taught me..." A shudder ran through him at her words. If it had been possible for him to cum again, he would have then. Instead he tightened his arms around her. He nuzzled her cheek before kissing her deeply. "I love you so much, Bryn." She smiled widely at him. "I know." She let out a soft giggle, then kissed him again, trailing her foot up and down his calf. Despite having just had an amazing orgasm, she felt herself getting excited all over again. Just because of his kiss. She licked her lips when the kiss ended, staring up into his gaze. "We're going to have to move out to the motor home sooner or later. Might be a little more comfortable out there, with the bigger bed." "Oh, I don't know about that, my dear. I'm awfully comfortable right here," he said with a lazy push of his hips. "Although you're right," he sighed. "We do need to get our stuff out of the motor home before your father drives off into the sunrise." "I don't think he'll be driving anywhere," Bryn said, the smile leaving her face. "He's staying here from now on. We'll be going back to Baltimore with a small trailer hitched to the back of his car, where Mom's stuff will be. They decided she has too much to deal with now, with John coming home and taking care of Chris, that they wouldn't say good-bye until later. Which basically means they're both either too stubborn or too chicken to do it at all. Anton gave a slight shake of his head and a small snort. "We'll deal with that when it happens, Bryn. Just tough it out for a day or two more, and then we're be headed home." He kissed her once more, gently stroking her hair. "You've done so good, Bryn, being strong for your brother. I can't tell you how proud of you I am." She shook her head, staring at his chest. "No I haven't. I turned into a sniveling wreck the other night, right in front of him...worse, he had to comfort me. It was awful. I should've insisted that we go home, but I didn't. I hate that I did that to him. It wasn't bad enough that he had to go to that stupid funeral-slash-circus her parents arranged. That whole day was awful for him." He rolled onto his side and pulled her closer. "Bryn, it's okay. You had every right to break down. He lost his wife, and you lost your sister-in-law, and a good friend." His voice choked a bit. "And I know that your brother didn't see you as weak. I'm sure he knows that you were hurting as much for him as you were for you." He pressed his lips to her forehead. She held him tightly, the emotion in his voice making her forget her own worries. She remembered what she'd heard, even though it had been only the end of the conversation. He was still grieving, even now, for the wives he'd lost. And it broke her heart that he was hurting. Gently stroking his sternum, she whispered. "I'm sorry, Anton. I'm sorry you had to lose them. It's awful enough to lose a wife once...but seven times. I know Stephana wasn't your wife, but you loved her just as much." Bryn blinked a few times to clear her eyes. "I'm sorry they couldn't stay." "Shhh..." he soothed, stroking a finger over her lips. "It was the right choice to let you go at the time. Neither one of us was ready for 'forever together' then. But now we are." He grabbed Bryn's hand, gently squeezing it. "I have never felt more certain or right about anything as when we decided to Transform you, Bryn. But we both had some lessons we needed to learn first." She nodded, taking a deep breath. "But you shouldn't have had to go through all of that pain." Snuggling closer, she tried to absorb as much of his heat as she could. "It would at least would've been nice if you'd known they would come back." Suddenly curious, she looked up to meet his gaze. "Do you ever see them, when you look at me?" "I see little flashes now and then. It's hard to describe. The feeling is so familiar and comfortable, I almost miss it unless I look for it." He gently kissed her lips, equally curious. "Do you ever remember me? Not when I prompt you, but on your own?" "Yes...but it's different. You'll make a familiar movement or say something you've said a long time ago, and for a moment...it's like a blink. Just for a second I'll flash on what you looked like before. The things you used to do. Sometimes I almost expect to see you pick up a sword or get into your carriage. But if it happens when we're making love, I usually miss your longer hair, or the beard you once wore...or your accent. You don't sound the same in my memories. And sometimes that voice is so beautiful I want to cry, because I remember it saying so many sweet things to me. Whispering in my ear. Calling me 'my love, my darling, my lady, dorogaya moya...solnyshko moyo.'" He moved his lips to her ear. "And I'll call you them all again. We are going to have forever to rediscover each other, my dear." His arms tightened around her. "I will try not to mourn for your former selves any longer, but try to remember that I have them all with me still. In you." He kissed her deeply then, cradling her head in his hand. She kissed him passionately, hugging him tightly. "I don't want you to stop mourning Anton...I mean, I do, but not until you're ready. Don't do it because of me. I don't want you to stop loving them the way you do, just because they're in me. They are all individual and special and I'd never ask you not to grieve for them--even if they weren't me. You love each of them so differently, and I want to experience that. I want to know what it feels like...to be loved as all of them." Anton rubbed his hand over her shoulder and arm. "And so you shall, my dear. And so you shall." He kissed her lightly on the lips. "We'll have all the time in the world for me to show you how I have, and will, love you." She kissed him, smiling at him. "Do you think we should get up and head towards the RV? I want to get naked with you and stay naked--we can't do that in here. Besides, I smuggled a video out of John's collection. Wanna watch?" "Mmmm...hopefully Max will stay asleep. Or we can get your father to watch him. But you're right. Let's get to the motor home." Reluctantly he lifted his arm so she could get out of bed, and then followed. As he scooped his underwear and jeans off the floor, Anton's face creased with a frown. "My pants are vibrating." "What?" Bryn said with a surprised laugh as she pulled on her sweatshirt. "My cellphone," Anton explained. "I set it to vibrate when we were at the hospital to keep it from disturbing anyone. Must have forgotten to set it back to audio." He flipped it open, looking at the digital readout. "One call from Lindy's cell, and one voicemail message." He dialed the voicemail line, punched in his code and listened. His frown deepened as he listened to the messages, a look of worry coming into his eyes. He hung up the phone, and sat down on the bed. "Bryn, we may have to go home earlier than we thought. There's been an incident at the warehouse." She swallowed heavily, quickly dragging her pants up her legs. "Was someone hurt? Lindy or Chandra?" "No, no it wasn't an attack. One of our shipments was tampered with, and they found cocaine in the cargo." He glanced around the room, eyes spacy, as if looking for something in a different dimension. "They've contacted the police and I have to be there for the investigation." Seeing that he wasn't quite clear-minded, she took the phone from his hand and handed over his pants. Glancing at the clock, she shook her head. "You'd be lucky to get a flight tonight, but I'll try." Bryn sat down on the bed and turned on the phone's wireless internet connection, looking for the local number to call the airline. As Anton slowly pulled his pants on, she rubbed his back with one hand. "It'll be okay, sugar." Anton nodded numbly, watching her dial. They didn't need a police investigation now, not with everything else going on. His secret would bear some scrutiny, but it would be damn difficult to hide that he was a vampire if it became a drawn out investigation into his past. And then there was what was going on in Bryn's family... "Wait, Bryn," he said before she hit the call button. "Are you coming home with me?" Bryn looked slightly confused by the question. "Of course." "But isn't John supposed to come home tomorrow?" He grabbed her hand, squeezing. "Flying tonight won't work. I'd arrive after sunrise. So it has to be tomorrow. But how do we work it with John?" She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when she couldn't find the words. "I don't know how quickly Mom will be able to hire a nurse. If John comes home tomorrow, she won't be able to handle that herself. Not only does he still need caring for, but he's going to be extremely emotional coming back to the house for the first time. Not to mention that the house will need to be cleaned up, there will be daily trips to visit Chris, and Jolie will need to get back to school." She sighed, squeezing his hand in return. "Maybe we can talk Dad into going back down there. I don't want you to have to deal with a crisis alone. And I don't want to be apart from you, either." "I don't want to be apart from you either." Still bare chested, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her over to his lap. "The problem is that we're both needed both places. If it were almost any other type of crisis, I'd let Lindy handle it without even thinking. But if those investigators start asking the wrong questions, or she gives the wrong answer, we could be in serious trouble. But at the same time, we're needed here to help your family. John is going to need our support, not to mention Chris and Jolie. And the situation with your mother and father won't help either." She stared up at him, frowning. She wanted to argue that she could go with him, that she could convince her father to return to Baltimore. But she knew that wasn't true. Stubborn as ever, her dad would say no and there would be no one left to help with John. "I have to stay here, don't I?" Anton lifted his hand to cup her cheek, lightly stroking with his thumb. He didn't look much better than she did. "I think so." "And so will Max. He's not weaned...and rarely ever accepts formula. Besides, you'll be busy." Sighing heavily, Bryn sank against his chest. "I feel like I'm abandoning you." Anton gently stroked her hair. "You're not abandoning me, Bryn. If anything I'm abandoning you." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I feel like I should say to hell with the warehouse and stay here and support you through this. But this is something I have to go home to handle." He rested his chin on her head. "I'm sorry." "Sugar, I wouldn't ever ask you to neglect your business for me. You've worked very hard to make it what it is, and I know you love it. It will probably very uncomfortable for me to be away from you for a few days...or God forbid, longer. But it isn't going to kill me. I'll call you as much as I can, and if you're busy you can call me back later. I won't go to sleep without saying goodnight to you, and hopefully I'll be the first voice you hear when you wake up." Turning her head, she kissed his clavicle. "I love you, Anton. I wish I could be there for you." "You are here for me, my dear." Anton tilted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "Just knowing that you'll be coming back to me will make it bearable . And hearing your voice will ease my pain. I'll call you just as often, and I guess we can look at it as a blessing in disguise..." He winked at her. "We can practice our phonesex techniques." Bryn grinned, charmed by his flirtatious wink. "Mmm, that will be nice...although, I may end up expecting to see you standing in the doorway when I open my eyes." She kissed him firmly on the lips, lightly tugging them with hers. As she pulled back to meet his gaze, she nodded in Max's direction. "Let's go to the RV. You can make whatever phone calls you need to from there...and we'll both be nice and comfortable, ready for when you decide to ravish me next." "Okay." Reluctantly he let Bryn slide off his lap and stood up. After stretching his arms over his head, he bent down and picked up his shirt and pulled it on. He looked over at Bryn, who was picking up Max, pulling him out of the carrier. He grabbed his cellphone, sighing a bit at what he knew would be coming in the following days. Though he couldn't help but smile when he saw his wife and son. He crossed the room and took her free hand. "Let's go, my dear." End Chapter Ninety-nine <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->