“Brick.”Her voice rose to almost a shriek.“Are you prepared to go in there today?Right now?Because you have no idea how many men he has there.You don’t know a thing about Keetan, and even if I told you everything I know, it still wouldn’t cover that man’s current mental state.”
He could buy guns.That wasn’t a problem.But he didn’t have backup.While he was confident taking on multiple men, he wasn’t willing to risk a little boy’s life, either.He needed his team.
Natalie placed a hand on his wrist, her gaze imploring.“I need to get to Bray now.We can’t waste another minute.I’m fairly confident Keetan just wants me back.”
“Then why didn’t he just take you last night?”
She let out a breath of exasperation.“It’s all head games with him.Control.He knows I’ll come for Bray and he knows I won’t risk him getting taken again.”
Brick didn’t shake off her hold.But he also didn’t take her hand even though part of him wanted to.He had to fucking think.His team could get a private flight to Detroit today, but it would take about six hours for them to get organized and make the trip.
Which was a long time for a two-year-old to be without his mother.Especially under the circumstances.The kid would be terrified.And Bray’s mood could affect Keetan’s.
“Please understand,” she said.“I will get out, and I promise you’ll get to have a relationship with him.That’s—” Her voice broke.“That’s what I’ve prayed for since I found out I was pregnant.”
This time, he pulled away.He didn’t want to hear that shit.That she’d wanted him there but had been too...what?Scared?Too cowardly to even tell him?
He paced the room, opening and closing his fists as he walked.
“Look.”Natalie got to her feet and intercepted his path.“I know you think I’m a trainwreck.Your opinions are valid.But I love my son more than anything.”She sniffled and brought her fingers to the center of her chest as if she needed to hold her heart in place.“Life hasn’t been rainbows for us, but he’s a smart, happy little boy.”Her voice broke again.Tears ran down her cheeks.
She swiped at her eyes.“He loves swimming and cars.His favorite thing to do is fix things around the house with a pretend tool kit.He sleeps like a champ and eats nonstop.”
Brick’s heart strings fucking snapped.
Her lips wobbled on a smile, and love sparkled in her eyes.“He has a vast vocabulary and loves to sing.He can—”
He caught her in his arms and pulled her to his chest.Her body went rigid and then melted against his.“I’m sorry you’ve been alone,” he whispered against her hair.He cupped the back of her head and wrapped his other arm tightly around her.
She curled her hands beneath her cheek and her shoulders shook.
“You’re not a trainwreck.You love our son, and I’m glad he’s had you, even if I couldn’t be part of his life.”
She seemed to curve into herself.“I wish I’d called you.I was so scared of him—”
“Shh,” he said, gently stroking the nape of her neck.“We don’t need to talk about that right now.Let’s get our boy back and figure out the rest later.”
He couldn’t imagine returning to life as he’d known it.There was no going back.
***
While Brick steppedoutside to make some calls, Natalie took her phone out of her purse and sank into one of the chairs.She winced at the handful of concerned texts and a missed call from Ellie.She dialed her sister’s number—she didn’t keep contacts in the burner phone.
“What the hell happened?”Ellie demanded.
“I’m sorry.Something came up.”
Ellie sighed.“I was worried when you didn’t return my messages.I’m at the restaurant.Are you on your way?”
She grimaced.“Um, I have a visitor and I’m not so sure I can leave right now.Bray’s father is here.”
Ellie gave a low gasp.“W-What?You called him?Wait, does heknow?”
“He does now,” she said.“And no, I didn’t call him.He found me.”
“Holy crap,” Ellie said, exhaling.Her sister was the first person she’d told when she discovered she was pregnant.
Ellie had been insistent that Natalie find Brick, but she’d refused.Back then, she’d been so scared of Keetan.Hell, she still was.And she hadn’t known Brick.By the time she’d taken a pregnancy test, their magical one-night stand was a distant memory—nothing but a stardust-filled fantasy.
