"That's it?" Kim exclaimed when she saw the statue. "What's so important about this old thing? He's missing his head!"
"Likely that makes it worth more," Mandy added, clearly not very impressed with the ancient artifact.
Nate and Elliot had successfully retrieved the horse and rider statue the following morning and returned to Nate and Kim's apartment. The time was approaching when the exchange was to take place.
"Whatever it's worth, I'd far rather have Alyssa and Scott," Kim replied.
"I don't like the FBI using you two as bait. Surely there is a safer way to do this exchange."
Elliot kissed Mandy's temple. "They’ll be with us the entire time."
"That housekeeper heard that someone in the FBI is crooked," Kim pointed out. "How do we know they aren't setting you two up for something terrible?"
Nate squeezed her cold hands. "I promise you. I won't do anything to jeopardiz
Chapter Thirty-OneKnock, knock, knock.Alyssa’s eyes flew to the front door. Fear laced with adrenaline raced through her veins. This meeting could go a myriad of ways for all of them. Alyssa counted seven men in the house with them. She had no idea how many were stationed around the property.Scott was sitting beside her. His face looked terrible; the cuts and bruises had developed into a bloody mess. Despite everything he’d been through, Scott’s concern and attention had been on her wellbeing. If she didn’t love the man already, that would have sealed the deal.But as it was, Alyssa knew she was head over heels in love with Scott Tabor.One of Frank’s men opened the door.Alyssa’s breathing hitched when she saw Nate Livingston and Elliot Brand entering Frank’s home with the horse and rider statue in Nate’s hands.She looked over to her uncle who was practically salivating.
Epilogue – One Year Later“Does this dress make me look slutty?” Alyssa asked, pulling out the ninth dress from her closet to model for her best friends, Mandy and Kim.“Absolutely!” Kim said happily over her third glass of wine.Mandy rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. She’s a lush these days now that she’s not nursing Auggie anymore. The dress is perfect, as were the last eight. Honestly, Alyssa, you could wear anything.”“I am not a drunk,” Kim replied as she leaned over to pinch her sister Mandy. “I’m merely a connoisseur of fine wine. And I’ll have you know, I’ve learned on TikTok that most moms imbibe during the day. I think a few drinks with my girls at night is nothing.”Alyssa shook her head, lips twitching. “I can’t believe you now have a million followers on the platform. Maybe Mandy’s jealous.”Kim hooted playfully
Chapter OneThird Trimester: You may feel as if there is no possible way that your belly could grow any bigger. But there is your baby still has plenty of growing to do. During these last months of pregnancy, your rapidly maturing baby will grow from two and half pounds to between six and nine pounds. Achiness, fatigue, heartburn, varicose veins, and Braxton Hicks contractions are just a few of the delights you will come to know in this last stage of pregnancy.***“Nobody in the history of pregnancy has ever been a woman this pregnant before,” Kim said with a groan as she sank back into the plush chair in her sister’s penthouse apartment.Her younger sister Mandy stood nearby while she bounced her four-month-old baby, Charlotte, on her hip. Kim smiled as the baby gave her toothless grin and waved her fists about.“She truly is the most beautiful baby in the world,” Kim commented as she absently rubbed her b
Chapter Two“And then Elliot came in all caveman-like and said, who’s fucking their ex?” Kim gossiped over a steaming cup of hot chocolate later that day in her coffee shop, The Grind.Her manager and long-time friend Freddy grabbed another massive cookie and passed it to her. With a smile of thanks, Kim took the offering.“No shit?” Freddy exclaimed as he went back to tidying up the counter. “What did you say?”Freddy was gorgeous, tall with a muscular build, and far too many tattoos for polite society. He had that bad boy vibe down to a science. Back in the day, he’d rebelled against his parent’s wishes, smoked far too much weed, and somehow ten years of his life slipped away.Now, at twenty-eight, Freddy was pulling his life together. Not only was he almost finished with his Bachelor of Science at the community college, but he’d also cut back on the weed and booze so he could
Chapter ThreeNate flinched as if he’d been punched. When Alyssa Vauban had come to him last week, he’d told his secretary to refer her to one of the other partners. They’d dated off and on after grad school, but there were too many obstacles in the relationship.Besides the lukewarm sex, which in Nate’s estimation was enough to pull the plug, Alyssa’s family had never liked him. The Vauban’s’ money came from trade agreements with the British merchants more than a century ago.Originally from a small island, Singapore, off the Malay peninsula, Alyssa’s grandfather Bao Chang had brought his fortune and young bride to America. Having only one daughter, they’d pushed and encouraged Alyssa’s mother, Li Jing, to marry in her station.An obedient daughter, Li Jing married Walter Vauban III, and combined the Chang and Vauban fortunes. It was said that they were richer than God. Nate had never stood a
Chapter FourIn moments, Kim found herself flat on her back in the old bedroom that she’d once shared with Nate. “Well, this brings back memories,” she said with a laugh.Nate stared at his wife with the same expression a starving man would have at an all-you-can-eat buffet.Apparently, Kim wasn’t waiting for him. With a saucy wink, she cupped her full breasts. As Nate’s pupils dilated, Kim pinched her nipples with enough force to make herself gasp.Nate looped his fingers through the leg holes of her delicate panties and wrenched them down her legs. Spreading her thighs wide, Nate kissed the inside of her knee before working his way down to her glistening pussy, where she was hot, wet, and waiting for his touch.Kim wriggled her hips, trying to get him to hurry, but Nate merely laughed and moved to the other leg.“Nate!” she warned, panting.“Impatient?” he teased with heat in h
Chapter FiveNever in Alyssa’s twenty-nine years on the planet had she ever considered she might be reduced to hiding behind a fern tree clutching her only remaining Louboutin pump as a weapon.Surely there had to be an explanation as to why her life had been completely upended. After all, a fish cannot live out of water, and Alyssa had once believed that she, an heiress, couldn’t live without money. Life had a cruel manner of teaching her otherwise.“Ma’am, we’ve searched the apartment,” an officer said, just to the left of where Alyssa was crouched. “Whoever did this is long gone.”Alyssa nodded mechanically. In her mind, she knew the officer was just trying to assure her she wasn’t in any immediate danger. It might have been in the way he was eyeing her, like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff. Knowing that she was safe and feeling safe were two very different things.Safety had been
Chapter SixNate and Kim anxiously exited the elevator on the floor just below theirs. The hallway was thick with officers and detectives. Not to be outdone, several apartment owners were keeping tabs on things by peeking through the security chains at the top of their doors.Nate wrapped a protective arm around Kim’s waist as they pushed their way toward the apartment that Alyssa had been staying in.“Nate!” Alyssa’s voice rang out above the throng. “Thank God you’re here.”Pushing past the officers she had been speaking with, Alyssa rushed forward and threw her arms around Nate’s neck. Kim, having been pushed aside by Alyssa’s display, found her elbow being caught as she found her balance.“Are you alright?” A decidedly male voice asked her.Kim glanced over to see a handsome man in what she’d guess to be his early thirties. He was dressed in faded jeans and a t-shir
Epilogue – One Year Later“Does this dress make me look slutty?” Alyssa asked, pulling out the ninth dress from her closet to model for her best friends, Mandy and Kim.“Absolutely!” Kim said happily over her third glass of wine.Mandy rolled her eyes. “Ignore her. She’s a lush these days now that she’s not nursing Auggie anymore. The dress is perfect, as were the last eight. Honestly, Alyssa, you could wear anything.”“I am not a drunk,” Kim replied as she leaned over to pinch her sister Mandy. “I’m merely a connoisseur of fine wine. And I’ll have you know, I’ve learned on TikTok that most moms imbibe during the day. I think a few drinks with my girls at night is nothing.”Alyssa shook her head, lips twitching. “I can’t believe you now have a million followers on the platform. Maybe Mandy’s jealous.”Kim hooted playfully
Chapter Thirty-OneKnock, knock, knock.Alyssa’s eyes flew to the front door. Fear laced with adrenaline raced through her veins. This meeting could go a myriad of ways for all of them. Alyssa counted seven men in the house with them. She had no idea how many were stationed around the property.Scott was sitting beside her. His face looked terrible; the cuts and bruises had developed into a bloody mess. Despite everything he’d been through, Scott’s concern and attention had been on her wellbeing. If she didn’t love the man already, that would have sealed the deal.But as it was, Alyssa knew she was head over heels in love with Scott Tabor.One of Frank’s men opened the door.Alyssa’s breathing hitched when she saw Nate Livingston and Elliot Brand entering Frank’s home with the horse and rider statue in Nate’s hands.She looked over to her uncle who was practically salivating.
Chapter Thirty"That's it?" Kim exclaimed when she saw the statue. "What's so important about this old thing? He's missing his head!""Likely that makes it worth more," Mandy added, clearly not very impressed with the ancient artifact.Nate and Elliot had successfully retrieved the horse and rider statue the following morning and returned to Nate and Kim's apartment. The time was approaching when the exchange was to take place."Whatever it's worth, I'd far rather have Alyssa and Scott," Kim replied."I don't like the FBI using you two as bait. Surely there is a safer way to do this exchange."Elliot kissed Mandy's temple. "They’ll be with us the entire time.""That housekeeper heard that someone in the FBI is crooked," Kim pointed out. "How do we know they aren't setting you two up for something terrible?"Nate squeezed her cold hands. "I promise you. I won't do anything to jeopardiz
Chapter Twenty-NineNate and Elliot walked into The Grind just as Freddy was closing up.“Hey, I’ve got a fresh pot back there. Would you like some?” he asked.“That’d be great,” Nate replied. “I am so damn tired, I don’t know what's up from down anymore.”Freddy finished locking up and then went to the counter to pour three cups of black coffee. He brought Elliot and Nate theirs before going back and picking up his own.His brow was knit with concern as he asked, “Still no sign of them?”Elliot shook his head. “Not a trace. Mandy and Kim have gone back to the penthouse. I really hoped to at least get a lead on where they could be, but it’s as if they’ve vanished into thin air.”Freddy took a sip of his coffee before adding, “Agent Jackson has been here every day this week. I don’t know what he thinks I’m hiding. He even asked
Chapter Twenty-EightAlyssa awakened to the sharp stinging pain coming from her shoulder. It took just a few moments to remember that the pain was caused by a bullet wound.“Scott?” she called out, trying to clear her fuzzy head.Her head and shoulder pounded in rhythm with her heartbeat. Her body felt weak and sluggish. As the room came into focus, Alyssa realized that she was in Uncle Frank’s home. This was where the nightmare had started for Alyssa.“You’re awake,” a man’s voice noted.Startled, Alyssa turned her head to see a man in his fifties, wearing a white lab coat, coming toward her. He appeared to be a doctor, but Alyssa knew things were never what they appeared to be.“Who are you?” she demanded, shrinking away from him.The doctor raised a brow. “I am Dr. Carmichael, your uncle’s private physician. You’ve had quite the time of it. How are you feelin
Chapter Twenty-Seven“Who is the smartest baby in the world? You are, that’s who!” Kim cooed as baby Auggie stared back at her. His big blue eyes, so very much like his mother’s, held wonder as he gazed about his new world.“The smartest and the bravest,” Nate agreed, leaning over to quickly kiss his wife before taking Auggie from her arms.He tried to avoid brushing against her cracked and swollen nipples. Breast feeding had ended up being the roller coaster of a lifetime. They now had a lactation specialist coming in every day to help out.Kim reluctantly gave him up as she put a top back on. She was thankful that she did, because just a split second later, Mandy and Elliot walked into their apartment. It wasn’t that Kim was embarrassed about her body or that she wasn’t for breast feeders everywhere. It was only that she didn’t want her brother-in-law to see her boobs. Her feminist sensibilities di
Chapter Twenty-SixAlyssa stared at the man who had single-handed attempted to destroy her life. “Why?” she asked at last. “What is so important to you that you killed our family and who knows how many others?”Frank frowned. “What does that matter?”“I think I deserve that much,” she said with far more confidence than she truly was feeling. “After all, I know you arranged the deaths of my grandparents and parents. I saw you slit that man’s throat. It’s clear you have no qualms with murder. I think I deserve to know why.”Frank eyed her for a moment. “You do know that with your face and my connections we could have had it all.”“That’s the saddest part,” Alyssa replied. “I did have it all, until you took it from me. So why? Was it the money? Drugs?”Frank rolled his eyes and made a flitting gesture with his fingers. “Do y
Chapter Twenty-Five“Help! Help!” Alyssa yelled as she pounded on the locked panel. But no matter what she or Scott did, the door remained immoveable.Their only illumination had come from a small candle they’d scavenged behind the bar. Thankfully they were no longer in total darkness. However, the small amount of light cast long shadows and added to the trapped feeling that was clawing at their throats.“Are you sure there isn’t another way out?” Scott asked while searching the walls for anything that might free them.Alyssa rested her head between her fists against the closed panel. Her breathing was labored, and defeat was written on every inch of her.“There is no other exit,” came her muffled reply. “I’m such an idiot. I never should have brought you down here.”Scott gave up his search and instead moved over to where Alyssa was standing dejectedly. With his front to he
Chapter Twenty-FourThird Trimester – As your baby continues to grow and develop, they will begin to open their eyes and gain more weight. Congratulations to you, Mom! You and your body are preparing for delivery. Soon you will see your baby face-to-face. A wave of nausea awakened Kim in the middle of the night on her 274th day of pregnancy. At first, she thought nothing of it. Being roughly the size of a whale, Kim was used to all of the crazy shenanigans that pregnancy had surprised her with. For example: swollen ankles, crazy dreams, acne, leaky breasts, and more.But a reprisal of her morning sickness? It just seemed unnecessarily mean.Getting up from bed, Kim waddled into the bathroom to pee. Before-pregnancy Kim maybe got up once in the night to use the bathroom. In recent days she’d been getting up four or five times a night—another blessing of pregnancy.All the baby had to do was pres