Chapter 3: Chapter Three



Andy stepped back, and he wavered for a moment, wanting to make sure he had heard right. A flash of nausea crashed over him. He felt so sick—not because she had a baby—but because she had a child with someone else… someone other than him. His knees threatened to fold at the discovery.

He inhaled an unsteady breath, cleared his aching throat, and asked the dreaded words, “You’re a mom?”

Annie searched his face, ignoring the bitterness in his voice. She didn’t owe him anything. “Yes, I am.” She told him and tugged hard on her wrist. But his grip didn’t ease. She didn’t want to shout and alarm her son, so through gritted teeth, she hissed, “Let go of me.”

Andy was silent for a moment. His expression was blank like the look in his eyes. Annie needed a little sensitivity, and he wasn’t helping at all. She sucked in a breath when he moved closer, their chest almost bumping. He was so damn big, all broad shoulders and muscles. His presence was intimidating—so intimidating that she wrenched her hand away from his hold with a grunt.

Nibbling on her lip, she waited as realization bled in his near vacant eyes. His eyebrows drew in close together as if he were trying to put sensible thoughts together. Then the strangest thing happened: he seemed to snap out of whatever trance he’d gone into.

Annie lifted her head higher and stared at him square in his eyes. She showed him she didn't have an ounce of fear in her heart. Andy didn’t look away as emotions flooded his face. Honey brown eyes locked onto hers, reflecting shock and confusion. And playing just behind them was—pain. Sadness. He tried to hide it, but she saw right through it. Her stomach churned just at the sight of it. But she would rather walk away than show him any sympathy.

He stepped back. “I didn’t know you had a baby.” His voice sounded hoarse.

Of course, he did not know. It’s not like he’d been keeping tabs on her. Had he? Annie didn’t have room in her mind to sort that out, so she brushed it aside.

She sighed. “I did—he’s a year—and a few months old.”

“He?”

Annie arched an eyebrow. “Yes, his name is Reon.”

It looked as though her words pained him. Andy looked away not before she saw his eyes squeezed shut, and his hands trembled just as he shoved them into his pocket.

“I’ll be right back. Let me check on him. He’s probably hungry.”

He didn’t look at her, but he nodded.

Annie spun on her heels and marched into the bedroom to collect her baby from his crib. The nerve of him to feel anything akin to sadness. His sorry ass should feel more than that. He didn’t know half of what she’d endure. Lord knows her pregnancy wasn’t the easiest. It was one of the hardest, stressful and most painful things her body ever felt. But as she struggled to bring her sweet son into the world, she knew God had given her the greatest gift a woman could ever have in this lifetime.

Annie loved Reon with everything in her. Her precious baby boy. He was her heart and soul.

Andy. His name was bittersweet in her mind. He was the man who broke—stomped on her heart. She resisted the urge to press her hand to her chest. She remembered the stabbing pain she’d felt the last time she saw him. Blazing hot tears stung her eyes. What did she do to deserve all this? Why were all these things happening to her? Not just her life was in danger. Her son’s life was at stake. Would he take her son away when he learned the truth?

God knows she could not suffer the devastating loss of her baby. She couldn’t handle such pain. The feeling was like—carving her heart out with a rusted spoon. And that was just thinking about it.

“Hey, little man,” she cooed when her eyes landed on her baby. She walked over to him and picked him up. She blew raspberries on his chubby cheeks just to hear him release that baby giggle.

When she came out of the bedroom, she saw Andy pacing. He stopped in mid-stride when he saw her with baby Reon in her arms. He had an expression on his face she couldn’t figure out. Then he blinked, and it vanished.

Andy cleared his throat, fighting back all the emotions just at the sight of her. And it has been almost two years... Wasn’t it supposed to get easier? He could even hear her laughter tinkling his ears from when they used to go swimming in the lake behind the old factory. Weren’t his memories of her supposed to fade? Hell, she even had a baby. She'd forgotten about him a long time ago. Where was her man?

His stomach twisted at the thought. He felt like a love-sick puppy crying over a lost bone. Gregg's investigation included nothing about a child or a man in her life. At least his friend should have warned him.

He turned his attention to the child, and his mind reeled. The boy resembled someone he knew. But for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out who. With his curly black hair and light brown eyes, the resemblance was more striking. He ran his gaze over the boy a final time before looking at Annie.

“We have to leave here, Annie. It’s not safe for you or him,” and he pointed at the smiling child.

Annie prayed in her mind that Andy wouldn’t figure out the truth. Her heart clutched in her chest. Reon looked exactly like Andy. They even had the same smile. Her secret was out in the open. What was her to do? It’s not like if she didn’t want to tell him. She tried. The memory flashed in her mind when she’d turned up at his house. To say it had shocked her to see the size of it was an understatement. She’d never known that Andy was rich. He would always come to her place, or sometimes he would take her to a hotel.

She remembered the humiliation. The embarrassment and heartache she felt that night when she went there to tell him she was pregnant. His parents all but throw her out with hurtful words. She forced the hurtful past from her mind.

Annie lifted her gaze and looked at him. “Someone ransacked my home. My bedroom—” she paused as her breath caught. “Someone tried to kill me on my way home from work. Can you believe that? Who would want to shoot a woman and baby?”

Annie smoothed her hands down her son’s back. “I have to call the police,” she said, looking around. She placed Reon on the floor and frantically searched for her phone.

“Annie?” he called out to her. “There is no time for that. Pack a bag for you and the baby, and let’s go.”

“But... but, Andy... I have to call the police.”

“Annie the police can’t help us.” He ran a hand through his hair and mumbled, “I don’t know how those people found you so soon.”

“What people?” She asked, her eyes wide. Oh god, what the hell was going on? Her mind reeled with confusion.

Andy blew out a breath and said, “People who...” His words died when a bloodcurdling scream sounded from next door.

Annie’s eyes bulged, and her heart pumped faster than ever, thundering against her ribs. She scrambled to get to her baby, who was playing on the floor. She pulled Reon into her arms and looked at Andy. “What’s happening?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“Shh.” He placed a finger to his lips and edged toward the door and cracked open. He peered outside only to jerk back.

Annie’s heart gave a wild dip, and Reon tugged at her shirt. She turned to look at him. Suddenly, gunshots rang out, striking the walls. A strong hand clasped her shoulder, pushing her down so forcefully that she dropped to the ground. Her knees struck the floor hard, and she cried out in pain. Reon's cry echoed hers. Thank god, he hadn’t fallen. She held him a little tighter. Fear coursed through her, pumping her blood fast and hard through her veins.

More gunshots followed. Then she heard a loud thud. It sounded like a body hitting the floor. She couldn’t cry. She couldn’t move. She could only stay on the ground, frozen with terror. She felt Reon’s little heart pounding against her breast. Oh god, one of those bullets could have struck him. She’d failed to protect her son once again.

The place was dead silent now.

The cries of Annie and the baby echoed inside of Andy’s head. Curses filled his mind. He made certain they wouldn’t get hit by any stray bullets. He kept them as low as possible. He had also taken to the ground beside them. A muscle twitched along his clenched jaw. He didn’t want to risk their safety, but they had to leave here. Those people were right next door. Andy stood up and motioned for her to get up.

Annie shook with dread. She kissed Reon’s forehead and moved closer to Andy.

He leaned and whispered in her ears, “We have to go now. Men in ski masks are out there. They have guns. We will only have about two minutes before they reach your apartment. Try to keep him quiet,” he said, pointing to Reon, who was staring wide-eyed at the gun Andy was holding.

What the—A gun? Annie did a double-take. She didn’t realize Andy had a gun. This situation was getting out of control.

Andy peered outside once again before signaling for them to go.

She grabbed the diaper bag from the couch as Andy hustled her and Reon out of the apartment and down the hallway. Annie was thankful Reon was being so quiet. She almost smiled at the wide-eyed stare he had on Andy. He couldn’t keep his little eyes off his father.

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