A/N: I love your comments guys. Even though sometimes it only a few, but I'm still grateful for it, it let's me into your heads a little :)
Chapter 29
Jason's POV
To say the least, my nights were shit. No matter what I tried I could not fall to asleep, even knowing that Riley was still in my arms. The nightmares that I had frequently been getting had at first been mild where I would just wake up sweating and jostled but then it grew worse. Worse enough, that I had to remove myself from Riley and I's shared bedroom because I was squeezing the life out of him at night, trying to protect him from something.
Protect them from her.
The nightmares had been gruesome, the image always playing back at my head with the gun pointed to Riley's head and then his stomach but this time in my dreams she had pulled the trigger and I had stood there restraint watching as she took away the love of my life. These nights were so frequent that my eyes would refuse to shut, which in turn affected my work in daytime hours. It was frustrating too because in the during the day that was the time I really needed to be awake, trying to sort out with my lawyer concerning the case.
My mother had been ringing my phone off too, a sign that she was worried for my own sake, but I ignored it; the only peace I was getting was when Riley was in my arms and I could feel the baby kicking around.
It had been a real wonder that day, and I had stood there in so much adoration for the man that my heart threatened to squeeze me to death.
Walking into the bedroom almost butt naked with just a towel wrapped around my waist, I watched as Riley munched on a bag of tropical flavored Skittles. His feet was sprawled even though he was only wearing a baggy sweatshirt that formed tightly around his protruding belly and a tight pair of briefs that reached just below his ass. Although in this position, I could vaguely see the gorgeous creamy flesh peeking out of tight underwear. I immediately felt my cock stir and twitch against the thin towel.
When he finally looked away from the tv, he caught my, most likely, dilated eyes fixated on his ass. And probably the raised towel too. I reveled at the pink that soon stole the normal hue on his face.
"What?" He asked looking away bashfully, popping another skittle in his mouth.
I walked towards the bed. "Did I ever tell you how beautifully sexy you are."
"Once or twice." His face seemed to get hotter the more I moved towards him like a predator to it's prey.
Near his warmth, I pulled his face closer to mine pecking chastely as his plump pink lips. He easily wielded to me as if he couldn't resist and I too felt the gravitational pull that refused to let up stay apart.
Until suddenly he pulled back with a sharp gasp and his hand flew to his stomach.
My mind instantly went into alert. "What happened? Is it the baby?"
His eyes were wide in shock and his gaze flew to mine. "I-I-t think..ouch". He winced again and then he started to laugh as if in wonderment, meanwhile I stood there flustered by his outburst.
"Oh my God, Jason. He kicked! I felt him!"
My breath caught at his words and I stood there dumbfounded in awe as he grabbed my hand an pressed it against his stomach.
"I don't feel...Holy shit!" My eyes widened and I could suddenly feel the stern kick against my palm. Riley eyes were squinted as he giggled at my reaction.
"You feel him?"
I nodded frantically, and waited when I felt I felt another abrupt kick to my palm.
"Jesus, he's really moving. It doesn't hurt?" It had to hurt, at least the second did felt like a hard one.
He shrugged. "Not really, but it's gonna definitely keep my awake at night."
I chuckled and embraced him, a sense of joy washing over me as I smothered kisses all over his neck and face.
"Jason?"
I snapped out of my thoughts as I saw Riley coming towards me with a bowl of sliced apples. I beckoned him over to sit on my lap by tapping it and his face flushed a bright red.
"I'm too heavy." He said but still waddled carefully over to me, placing himself sideways on my lap.
"You okay?" He asked, his small fingers combing through my hair, it made my skin tingle.
I closed my eyes at the sensation"Yeah I'm okay. Why?"
"You seemed deep in thought."
I opened my eyes and raised my hands to place it on his large belly. "I'm just excited. Can't wait to get him out of here.."
He grinned. "Me too." He picked up an apple. "Want one?"
I opened my mouth as an answer and he smiled, popping it in. While I chewed, he continued to pet my hair, running through the rarely tangeled strands.
"How's the case doing. Any news about it?"
I shook my head. "Not really, but my lawyer says I have a definite chance of not getting indicted for murder. It was self-defense. We already picked our jury and my lawyer is betting that they are on our side. Especially because you're pregnant, they'll have no choice."
Riley hummed. "That's good. Really good actually. What about the other thing?"
I exhaled, playing with his delicate fingers. " haven't heard anything yet. I thinking to go to the police just to make sure they know I had no business in the affairs of what happened with my father but that would mean putting him on the spot which would affect my mother because I told her I wouldn't." Although, either way somebody would get hurt either the family I'd created or the family I was born with.
Riley frowned and hesitated on his next words. "Jason, I hate to say this but... I think you should go to the police. There's no way to get around it, either way they will find out your father did it. It's just the matter of timing, whether they'll figure it out sooner or later or you tell them first and get yourself out of trouble. Maybe they'll even let you keep your business."
I paused, because everything he said was right. It was all a matter of timing but I hated to o this to my mother. It would seem as if I betrayed her. "Yeah, maybe you're right."
"I am right."
I smiled. "Yeah you are, babe. But I'll have to speak to my mother first, tell her before I tell any police."
**
The next day, I gathered up the courage to finally call my mother and invite her to lunch. It was a small Thai restaurant that I've taken Riley to before. The minute I stepped into the place, the smell of food wafted through my nose as I looked around for my mother.
I soon spotted her blonde head, sitting at a small table to the left of the restaurant. I walked over to the table, maneuvering myself around the seats.
"Mom?"
She looked up surprise for a second before her face brightened and she stood up, walking around the table to bring me into a warm hug.
"Hi, baby. How are you?"
"I'm fine." I said into her neck and she pulled back.
"You look tired." She said wiping his thumbs across my cheeks and I shook my head, grasping her hands in front of my chest. I could tell she was trying to gently approach the conversation but to be honest that was the thing I was dreading. How was I suppose to talk about how I killed my ex-fiance?
"I'm fine, no need to worry. How are you?" I said, pulling her chair back. She looked at me gratefully and sat down.
"I'm good, but worried for you. You've been under so much stress." She looked at me with the truth of her words.
I nodded, pulling out the order menu. "Yeah, I just...I'm sorry mom but I don't want to talk about what happened with Caroline. I came here to tell you something else."
She seemed taken back for a second before her eyebrows furrowed. "If that's what you want, Jason. I just thought you needed some help with everything that's been-"
"Mom." I said, snapping her out of her speech. "I Love you but I don't want to talk about, don't even want to be reminded of it. What's done was done because she threatened my family. I don't regret what I did."
She was silent for a second as she gazed at me. I was surprised when I saw the corners of her lips lift up in a smile. "That's good," She stated, and then grab her many as she saw a waiter coming over to our side. "I always told you not to regret anything but learn from it and I'm happy you're taken my advice because your actions saved your family and I'm honestly proud of you." She said just in time for the waiter to come.
I stared at her for a moment, astonished at her words but had no choice but to look up and order.
After I placed our meals, my gaze turned back to hers. "Well I came here today because I wanted to..warn you about something that I'll have no choice but to do."
Her brows knotted. "Warn me? What is it?"
I cleared my throat. and exhaled."Mom, I have to tell the police about dad and Caroline's father."
She looked way, an unreadable emotion in her eyes. "Yeah, I knew that was eventually going to have to be done."
"It's not that I want to. But mom, I have no choice. It either dad or Riley and I'm sorry to say but I chose Riley and the baby. If they find out before I tell them they're going to think I had something to do with it."
Her gaze came back to mine and I looked on sullenly at her eyes filled and her throat bobbed. "Yeah. Yes, you're right and you should do what you can for them. I've realized that sooner or later, your father has to pay for what his mistakes. I just..if you can do me a favor..."
"Anything."
A tear strolled down her cheeks and my heart clenched at the sight. "Just make sure they don't put him away for too long. I don't think.." And that's when she broke down, sobbing into her palms silently. I felt my own eyes start to burn as I stood up and walked over to her side, ignoring the looks we were getting from people.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered into her neck, holding her firmly.
She raised her head shaking it slowly. "No, Jason, you have no right to apologize okay? I'm just a bit shaken by everything and..."She inhaled. "Do what's right."
I stayed in her embrace for a couple more minutes until we both sat up and laughed at the uncomfortable waiter standing with our foods in his hands.
"I'm sorry, we just had a moment." She said.
The waiter nodded in understanding but still seemed uncomfortable as he awkwardly placed the food on the table.
"Enjoy your meals." He said with a small smile and then walked away like the devil was on his heels.
"How is my grandson doing?"
I smiled, picking up the fork for the meal. "He's fine, kicking finally. We've decided to name him Theodore."
"That's adorable, you great grandfather was named Theodore."
I raised my brows at the new-found fact. "Really?"
She nodded, finishing the food in her mouth before speaking again. "Yes, he fought in the first World War. "
"I never knew that."
"You never asked. So are you guys planning for a wedding soon?"
I paused because the question was kind of out of the blue. "I asked before but I don't think he was okay with how I did it."
"How'd you say it?"
"I told him we should get married, runaway and buy a house on a private island."
She seemed flabbergasted after my statement and looked at me in horror. "Jason! You know better than to run away from your problems. It'll only follow after you. You should do something special for him, Lord knows the poor soul has been through a lot."
I sighed because it was the truth. Riley's probably been through worse because he's only able to stand looking and waiting while problems just load up on top of us.
"I know."
**
Riley's POV
Jason had been acting weird all morning and frankly, it was starting to scare me. It first started when I woke up and found him sitting in a chair just staring at me, it almost made me pee myself. The staring continued the whole day, as if he was analyzing me or something. Personally, I thought he was just hiding something and wanted to look like he wasn't and wasn't failing miserably at the act.
I was currently going brushing my teeth because apparently Jason felt the need to go out for dinner when there was a perfectly good stove that he could have used in the house. But hey, I wasn't complaining I could totally go for some more Thai.
I spat out the foam and raised my head up again only to see Jason staring at me through the mirror. I banged my elbow against the counter, startled, and almost choked on the toothbrush.
"Jesus Christ Jason, you're driving me crazy with the staring! Stop it"
He laughed and raised his hands up. "What? I can't stare at you?" He asked incredulously.
"No! It's creeping me out."
He finished buttoning up his shirt and walked over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and placing them firmly on my bump then tugging me against his chest. He looked in the mirror and placed a soft kiss on my neck.
"You're just so gorgeous, I can't help it." He admitted and I rolled my eyes. What a cornball.
"Leave me alone you weirdo." I bent down and spat in the sink again, but realized what I just did when my ass came firm with Jason's crotch.
I could almost feel the smirk on his face. "Babe, I don't think we have time for that we're gonna be late."
I gasped at his words then groaned trying to pushed him away from me. Well at least tried to. He only laughed and tried to put his arms around me again.
"I'm only playing, babe." He pouted, his face playing the kicked puppy part pretty well, and opened his arms. "Come on, I want a hug. Can I have a hug?"
I leaned in to give him a quick sideways hug, "There-" I started when suddenly I squealed in shock as he hefted me up bridal style into his arms as if I weighed feathers.
"Jason! Put me down." I cried out, holding on for dear life as he walked us to the bedroom.
He only laughed, dropping me carefully on the just made up bed.
I sputtered at his antics looking at him wildly in bewilderment. "What in the world is wrong with you, Why are so acting so weird?"
He grinned from ear to ear. "I'm just happy." He whispered, leaning down so we were inches apart. "Love me?"
I leaned back, my brows knotting as I gazed at him skeptically. "I don't know, you've been acting a bit strange today."
He pulled out the pout again. "Come on, pwetty pwetty please." He leaned into to me and wiggled his noes against mine
I giggled and playfully pushed him away. "Okay okay, I love you. Now can we just go?"
"Okay."
In the car, Jason gave me a horrified look when I turned the radio to a station playing a track from One Direction.
He scrunched his nose up. "Jesus, you like this kind of music?"
I nodded with a smile, tapping my fingers to the beat. "They're hot right now, everyone's going crazy for them. You haven't heard them before?"
"Oh I've heard them. I just don't think they're the shit."
I let out an audible gasp, smacking his hand that laid on the console part between us. "Don't say that ,they're amazing and beautiful and-"
"Yeah yeah yeah. I just don't think-"
"Sorry, Jason where are we going?" I had turned to look out the window while he was talking only to see us getting closer to what looked like the ocean. We had long since lost the city with it's tall building and apparently I hadn't noticed.
I turned to look at him. "Jason?" I asked giving him a suspicious look
I saw the smirk on his face as he parked the Range Rover at the side of a lone beach. The sun had official begun to set and the view was beautiful and the sky could only be described as a artful canvas of colors from what I could see. "Just wanted to take you away from the city for awhile." Is all he said, then stepped out the car and opened my door.
I placed a hand under my stomach and hoisted myself up carefully, leveraging myself on Jason's arm.
My breath immediately caught as the I looked upon the beach and saw a blanket laid out with two baskets, and two lit candles. But what really left me speechless was the four post king sized canopy bed that laid beside the picnic. My eyes welled up and throat started to burn.
I looked at Jason with blurry eyes. "That's why you were acting all weird today?" I choked out and he nodded a content smile on his face and he opened his arms beckoning me over.
I ran head first into his arms, an overwhelming sense of joy clogging my vision. I quickly found his lips and tried to mold myself against him, even with the baby bump between us.
"I love you so much." I whispered against his lips. We became enthralled with a few more heated minutes of kissing until I pulled back with a dreamy sigh, turning towards the scene before us. The air only smelt of sand and the rich scent of salt that I wouldn't mind waking up to everyday.
He bent down to take off my TOMS because I obviously couldn't do it. In fact, I couldn't even see my feet. When he was finished, he took hold of my hand, our palms intertwined as if molded and made exactly for each other.
The first step on the sand brought upon a great feeling of exhilaration and elation. It was warm and grainy and my foot melted against it.
When we reached the picnic, before I sat down, I took a minute to stare at the sun, reveling in the feeling of total bliss. The wind was blowing calmly, jostling my hair a little but I didn't care I believed that if I died right here I wouldn't be upset. I placed a hand on my stomach and turned to Jason when suddenly I gasped a hand flying to over my mouth as nearly stumbled backward with shock.
Jason was on his bended knee, a look of adoration in his eyes as he held out a beautiful gleaming ring with a large diamond radiating in the center. I stood there eyes widened, unspeaking. "Riley, the day I met you was the day I realized there is someone out there that wants me happy, that created me for a reason. I don't know if I would have ever had children without you, I didn't even know if I wanted someone in my life but you're it for me. The only one that could truly break my heart if he wanted to but I trust you and love you with every dying breath in me. And I know the first time I asked you this question it was..all wrong but this time I'm asking you in a better position, where I feel more than ready."
I held my breath as he brought one hand around to my back and carefully pulled me close.
"Marry me, Riley O'Conner."
Engagement Ring on The Side >>