everything I dreamed of.
“Hey, baby.” I came to her and gave her a deep kiss, my hands moving to her stomach.
She responded to me immediately, her hands moving to my chest. “I’m glad you’re home. I missed you.”
I smirked. “You did?”
She smiled. “I always miss you.”
“Good. That’s what I want to hear.”
She kissed the corner of my mouth, giving me chills. “How was your day?”
I immediately thought of Zander. “Fine.”
She sensed my irritation. “What happened?”
I didn’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t worth discussing. “I’ve just been thinking about my brother.”
Her hands glided to my shoulders then rubbed the muscle gently. “And what were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. He seemed sincere when he apologized…”
Cassandra continued to rub me but didn’t say anything.
“I’m just…so pissed at him but I feel bad for him at the same time.”
“Then ask him to be your best man again.”
I sighed. “But I know you don’t like him.”
“So?” she asked. “He’s still your brother, Mike. You can’t cut someone out of your life just because your fiancé doesn’t like him. Women come and go but he’s your family.”
“You don’t just come and go,” I said darkly.
“You know what I mean,” she said gently. “Whatever you want, I’ll support. Maybe we’ll reconnect down the road at some point. But I don’t want you to push him away just because of me. Do what you want.”
“I don’t know what I want,” I whispered. “I’m so confused.”
“Then take your time,” she said. “We still have a few days.”
I pressed my lips to her forehead and let them rest there for a moment, cherishing the goddess in my arms. I never thought I’d come home to a drop-dead gorgeous woman carrying my baby. I never thought I’d be this happy. It was hard to stay mad in light of that.
She pulled away. “Now wash up and get ready for dinner.” She slapped my ass playfully.
“Yes, boss.” I gave her a grin, loving that fiery attitude. “Just let me set the alarm.” I was always in a hurry to see my woman when I got home so I forgot to arm it. I headed to the door but froze when I saw three men wearing black sprinting to the door.
The room fell completely silent as my body suddenly tensed in defense. I had merely a second to react, to do something before they crashed through the door. I didn’t know if they were robbers or serial killers. It didn’t matter.
“Cassandra!”
She dropped the pot because I yelled so loud. “What?”
I grabbed her arm and yanked her upstairs. “Run.”
“What—“
“Just run!” I pushed her up the stairs, guarding the rear. I heard the door crash from behind me, sending glass everywhere.
She picked up speed then dashed up the stairs. I came behind her, pushing her so she wouldn’t slow down. We got into the bedroom then I slammed the door and locked it.
Cassandra panicked. “Oh my god…”
“Baby, stay calm. I won’t let them hurt you.” I pushed the dresser in front of the door, barricading it with everything I could find.
She breathed deeply, her hands in her hair. “What do they want?”
“I don’t know. They knew we were home so I doubt it was to rob us.”
“Zander…”
The thought crossed my mind too. I pulled out my phone then grabbed her wrist. “Call Sean first. He’s closer. Then call the cops.”
The phone shook in her hand. “Where are you going?”
I opened the bedroom window then pulled her toward it. “I want you to sit on the roof and make the call.”
“What about you?”
I didn’t have time for this. “Just do as I ask!”
“I can’t leave you!” Tears poured down her face.
“I’ll be fine. Just go.” I hoisted her up and put her on the windowsill.
“Come with me!”
“I can’t. Now go!” I slammed the window shut. She looked at me with a tear-stained face before she hid out of sight.
I moved the other dresser against the bathroom door, making them
“Hey, baby.” I came to her and gave her a deep kiss, my hands moving to her stomach.
She responded to me immediately, her hands moving to my chest. “I’m glad you’re home. I missed you.”
I smirked. “You did?”
She smiled. “I always miss you.”
“Good. That’s what I want to hear.”
She kissed the corner of my mouth, giving me chills. “How was your day?”
I immediately thought of Zander. “Fine.”
She sensed my irritation. “What happened?”
I didn’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t worth discussing. “I’ve just been thinking about my brother.”
Her hands glided to my shoulders then rubbed the muscle gently. “And what were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. He seemed sincere when he apologized…”
Cassandra continued to rub me but didn’t say anything.
“I’m just…so pissed at him but I feel bad for him at the same time.”
“Then ask him to be your best man again.”
I sighed. “But I know you don’t like him.”
“So?” she asked. “He’s still your brother, Mike. You can’t cut someone out of your life just because your fiancé doesn’t like him. Women come and go but he’s your family.”
“You don’t just come and go,” I said darkly.
“You know what I mean,” she said gently. “Whatever you want, I’ll support. Maybe we’ll reconnect down the road at some point. But I don’t want you to push him away just because of me. Do what you want.”
“I don’t know what I want,” I whispered. “I’m so confused.”
“Then take your time,” she said. “We still have a few days.”
I pressed my lips to her forehead and let them rest there for a moment, cherishing the goddess in my arms. I never thought I’d come home to a drop-dead gorgeous woman carrying my baby. I never thought I’d be this happy. It was hard to stay mad in light of that.
She pulled away. “Now wash up and get ready for dinner.” She slapped my ass playfully.
“Yes, boss.” I gave her a grin, loving that fiery attitude. “Just let me set the alarm.” I was always in a hurry to see my woman when I got home so I forgot to arm it. I headed to the door but froze when I saw three men wearing black sprinting to the door.
The room fell completely silent as my body suddenly tensed in defense. I had merely a second to react, to do something before they crashed through the door. I didn’t know if they were robbers or serial killers. It didn’t matter.
“Cassandra!”
She dropped the pot because I yelled so loud. “What?”
I grabbed her arm and yanked her upstairs. “Run.”
“What—“
“Just run!” I pushed her up the stairs, guarding the rear. I heard the door crash from behind me, sending glass everywhere.
She picked up speed then dashed up the stairs. I came behind her, pushing her so she wouldn’t slow down. We got into the bedroom then I slammed the door and locked it.
Cassandra panicked. “Oh my god…”
“Baby, stay calm. I won’t let them hurt you.” I pushed the dresser in front of the door, barricading it with everything I could find.
She breathed deeply, her hands in her hair. “What do they want?”
“I don’t know. They knew we were home so I doubt it was to rob us.”
“Zander…”
The thought crossed my mind too. I pulled out my phone then grabbed her wrist. “Call Sean first. He’s closer. Then call the cops.”
The phone shook in her hand. “Where are you going?”
I opened the bedroom window then pulled her toward it. “I want you to sit on the roof and make the call.”
“What about you?”
I didn’t have time for this. “Just do as I ask!”
“I can’t leave you!” Tears poured down her face.
“I’ll be fine. Just go.” I hoisted her up and put her on the windowsill.
“Come with me!”
“I can’t. Now go!” I slammed the window shut. She looked at me with a tear-stained face before she hid out of sight.
I moved the other dresser against the bathroom door, making them
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