This Girl Stripped (25 page)

“I’m never making that drive with a baby again. Ever.” Half way to Tennessee, Cash decided he no longer enjoyed being the baby that did nothing but slept in the car. For another three hours he screamed. Have you ever tried to nurse a baby while they are strapped into their carseat? Yeah, it’s like an acrobatic lesson in a moving vehicle. Nothing will end well.

“It isn't that bad, Paisley. Just tune him out. Want me to turn the radio on?” Diesel can tune the crying out so easily. I wish I could.

“We can’t stop Paisley. Star is already in labor. We’re going to miss the baby being born unless she decides to take two days to have the baby.” I can’t believe we are going to miss it. We thought we had at least another week before she was gonna pop. I’m kind of pissed it took us this long to get back on the road; but packing everything for Cash, finding someone to watch the damn dog, and packing enough for Diesel and me both to stay until after Christmas took a lot of time.

“Next time we are flying. We can rent a damn car for a month.” And he laughs at me. My husband laughs at me. Unbelievable.

“See, he’s already settling down, pop the bink in his mouth and I give him ten minutes till he is out like a light.” I hate that he is right too. That baby is a saint for him and a hellion for me. I think he forgets I carried him in my belly for nine months, then pushed his bowling ball sized head out of my vagina, in my bath tub none the less! That child was nine damn pounds. He’s built like a brick house, just like his dad. The only thing he got from me are his bright blue eyes. Everything else is pure Diesel.

The dark hair, dark features, everything. He’s a Diesel carbon copy. We would have never needed a paternity test to figure out Diesel was his dad. That’s how much he looks like him. It’s seriously kind of scary.

“Holy Moly! Is she sitting up already?” I walk into Star’s living room and little Marley is sitting in the middle of the room with all kinds of toys surrounding her. Poor girl has no idea what to play with first. She’s gorgeous. Her golden brown hair is thick and she has the biggest flower known to man on her headband. I find it hard to believe Seven picked that one out. She laughs as Seven sits down on the floor with her, rubbing her expanding belly. Levi didn’t waste any time putting another bun in that oven.

Star should be home from the hospital at some point today, and we are all sitting around waiting for her to bring Rainbow home. Yes, you heard me right. Rainbow Dash Seven Grant, Star decided to torture her, just like the rest of us have been for years. She couldn’t go with something simple, more acceptable. She had to name the poor kid Rainbow Dash after a fucking My Little Pony. Figures right?

I pick up Marley and rest her on my hip. Diesel brings Cash over, and we introduce them as future husband and wife. Everyone gets a good laugh about that one. But, if any of us have our way, it will be the truth.

The front door opens, and I can hear a woman laughing. The voice in unfamiliar to me and Seven immediately gets up and makes her way to the door. That’s when I see River and this woman. She has radiant red hair, like mine and is smiling from ear-to-ear. Just like he is. For the first time in almost a year, it’s clear as day how happy River is. I don’t know who she is or how it happened, but I’m thankful that for at least this point in time, he’s finally found someone who is going to make him happy.

There’s a lot I have learned in the past year. The origin of true happiness is one of them. I never thought I could grow into the person I am now, especially after the things I’ve had to overcome. I didn’t believe I deserved happiness or a happily ever after, yet here I am with both. I love my life and I love my family more than I could have ever imagined.

I have an amazing husband, a beautiful son, and my dream business which I get to run while spending time with my favorite people in the world. Life is good. And clearly, God has forgiven me for all that I have done wrong to hand all these blessings to me.

Where will the crew end up?

Who knows.

All I know is that this is the end of my journey.

A
ND NOW... A PREVIEW OF

“I can’t do it anymore, Seven. You said you were done, you said you were going to quit. For me, for us. For the baby. But as soon as your blood pressure went back to normal, and the swelling went down, BOOM! You are back in the office.” Levi paced back and forth in front of my desk holding a stack of paperwork. His fingers run through his hair over, and over again and I just shrug him off like I always do.

I can’t even tell you how many times we had the same argument. It might as well have been on replay. Lather, rinse, repeat. He was overprotective and of course, I think I am fucking invincible. But, if there is one thing this pregnancy had taught me already was the fact that I was very much human, and being hospitalized once already made that clear.

“I’m fine, Levi. See…” I point to my feet propped up on a chair next to me. “Feet elevated. No heels. Healthy snack, and TA DA! NO COFFEE!” I shouldn’t hit him with the sarcasm. It seems like every day that passes by, he is getting more and more uptight about the baby. Maybe we need one of those fancy baby moons or something. A vacation would probably do us some good, or send him into a tailspin. “Close the door, lock it and come over here, love.” I lick my lips and think about distracting him the best way I know how. Sex. When it comes to his moods like this, the only way to talk him down is with a good blow job, or something. I’ve learned to use that to my advantage when his mood turns so fucking sour.

“Not this time, Seven.” Levi drops a stack of papers onto my desk.

“I can’t do this anymore Seven. You need to get your shit together. It is me and the baby, or work. You can’t have both, it is killing you and you are the only one who can’t see it. I won’t let you do this to us, or our daughter.” He turns for the door, but pauses. I can tell he is deep in thought, about what I have no idea, because he never fucking talks to me anymore. Our fragile relationship is crumbling, all because of this pregnancy. Little does he know I know exactly what it has done to me and my body. Why? Because my Obstetrician told me. “In that brown envelope are…” he pauses and turns toward the door. He can’t look me in the eye and say whatever it is he is about to dump on me. I sure don’t need this bullshit today with the merger going south the way it is. “Are divorce papers. You have till the end of the week to choose. Your family, or work. You can’t have both anymore, Seven.”

And like that, he storms out of the door, and I am shocked into silence. Divorce papers? Does he really want a divorce? Will Levi really leave me if I don’t quit my job? My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach, and I actually feel like crying. I can’t push my emotions away, because this hurts like a motherfucker. A divorce? The man who chased me around the world to make me his. The man I avoided at all fucking costs is leaving me? If he thinks I am going to walk away and give him a divorce, he clearly doesn’t know me very well. Seven James isn’t thrown away like last week’s whore. No fucking way.

Damned if I do, and damned if I don’t. It is the moments like this that make me regret letting my guard down enough to let him into my life in the first place. My heart is broken. My body is aching, and my soul is definitely beyond repair this time. The one person I never thought would turn their back on me just did, and I am all alone in the world.

“Looks like it is just the two of us, Marley.” I rub my belly and a tear slips from my eye. Shit. I can’t fucking cry. I have a meeting in a half hour. Fuck that meeting. Fuck this job. And fuck Manhattan.

“Livie, clear my schedule for the week,” I yell through the intercom, no doubt I scared the shit out of my assistant. It wouldn’t be the first time. She quickly replies canceling all my upcoming meetings, and re-scheduling everything for a later time.

With or without Levi, I am leaving town. I need some peace and quiet. I need to think about everything going on. I need to think about what I want in life, and put my own selfish wants to the side for once and focus on my pregnancy.

Woodstock, here I come.

Dawn Robertson is a twenty-something indie erotic romance, and mother. She lives in sunny senior citizen packed Florida, where she wrangles her kids, and Pitbull puppy.

Dawn can normally be found swearing like a sailor, making late night drive-thru appearances, arguing with her kids (or being run over by their power wheels), reading a steamy romance while hiding in her bathroom, writing her little heart out on her laptop (or dragging her Macbook to the Genius bar praying they can save her latest work in progress), or sipping on a smoothie. She loves to hear from her fans, readers, and authors alike. Feel free to drop her a message.
Dawn rarely takes life seriously, so be sure to expect heavy sarcasm from her. She is also the life of the party, so be sure to meet up with her at one of the many author events she will be attending in the next couple months. Buy her a shot of whiskey, and she will love you for life.

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B
OOKS BY
D
AWN:
Hers
Finding Willow
Kink the Halls
This Girl Stripped
Uncomplicated
Crashed
C
OMING IN 2014
His
The Good Girl
Pursuit
River
Take Me Out
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