"Do you have it?"

"Keith came here for it last night. He said that you wanted an annulment, and he wanted a divorce. He explained to me the difference. How he could walk away with everything? He just couldn't let you get the marriage annulled. He said that was the only proof. But my mama didn't raise no fool."

"Stacy! It is over. Just give me the proof. Tell me you still have it."

"Keith thought he had the original. He has a copy. Like I said, my mama didn't raise no fool. You have to understand where I'm coming from. Keith and I go way back. I understand him." She rose form the sofa. "I don't need the money. I never did. I just want him. With you gone, he'll be mine. And you know, what I don't give a s.h.i.t if it's from an annulment or a divorce."

Simone felt sorry for the kid in her arms. She felt sorry for the pathetic delusional woman Stacy was. The same woman she was until she opened her eyes to the truth. "Give me the doc.u.ment and you can have him. He'll never know you gave it to me."

Stacy left the room.

Simone reached down in her purse for her cellphone, and as soon as she turned it back on it rang. "Hey."

"Where the h.e.l.l are you? You scared me!" Cain said.

"It's okay. It's okay."

"I'm on my way," Cain said.

"To New York?" Simone asked.

"Yes. I'll be there in three hours."

"Go to Long Island. You can't go to my sister's house. My father is there and others. Long story. Meet me in Long Island. There's a place called Marva's Inn. Can you find it? I'll meet you there. Tonight. Just leave my name at the front counter."

"Did he touch you? Did he?" Cain asked.

"I love you. Can't talk now. Bye."

Stacy came back out with paper in hand. "Here, take it."

Simone rose. She accepted the doc.u.ment with relief. "Stacy, Keith is lying to you. An annulment ends us in weeks. A divorce in the state of New York takes years. All I can say to you is be good to your son, first. He's the most important."

Stacy rocked the baby. "Keith was lying to you every time he said I didn't matter. Look around, Simone. Does a man do all this for someone that doesn't matter?" she smirked. "As for my son, he'll grow to love him. I know he will."

Simone shook her head and left. She wasn't that woman. She was never 'Stacy'. Whoever she was when she was married to Keith Livingston is dead and gone. For good.

Detective Derrick Alverson peered up at them. The Mayor, the Chief, and two tall black men pa.s.sed his office, each looking in. The Chief gave a signal for him to follow. His day had been filled with rapists, abusers, and murder suspects. Good company compared to what awaited him. The lot of them looked like ball busting trouble.

He walked inside.

"Gentlemen, this is Detective Alverson." Chief Mathews announced. "Detective, you know the Mayor."

"Sir," Alverson acknowledged.

"Meet Keith Livingston and James Madison." The Chief furthered the introductions. James Madison shook his hand. Keith Livingston paced. It was a perp walk and a nervous one. Derrick's eyes followed. The withering glare of Keith's eyes was unwavering. If ever he doubted Simone's allegations before, he wouldn't now.

"Is there something you need?" he asked his Chief, but held Livingston's stare.

"I'm told you met with Simone Livingston?" James Madison asked.

Keith stopped pacing. He waited for an answer.

"I-"

"How long have you known my wife?" Keith asked.

"Excuse me?" Alverson asked.

"Gentlemen, please," the Chief said.

"This b.a.s.t.a.r.d is setting it all up. I told you, James! I told you!" Keith leveled an accusing finger.

"What is this, Chief?" Alverson asked.

"I'll tell you what it is!" Keith shouted.

"Keith, calm down," James whispered.

"No! He's the reason Simone filed the restraining order. It's all bogus!" Keith snarled.

Detective Alverson smirked. "Can someone please clue me in? What am I missing?"

The Mayor gave the Chief a silencing look. He stepped toward the detective. "What is the nature of your relationship with Simone Livingston?"

"Nature? She filed an Order of Protection."

"Stop lying!" Keith said. "You're sleeping with her!"

Alverson narrowed his eyes on Keith when he spoke. "Are you out of your f.u.c.king mind?"

"These are some serious accusations, Derrick. I checked. You made several trips to Maine in the last two months. On NYPD time."

"It was the Robinson case. The police in Fisherman's Cove are working it with me. You know this," Alverson stated.

"You haven't answered the question. Are you having an affair with Simone Livingston?" James Madison asked.

"This is crazy." Derrick Alverson threw his hands up.

"Did you not visit her at her sister's home?" James Madison pressed.

"I'm not answering another f.u.c.king question. I've done everything by the book in this department. I always have. Everything. Check my record. Even when you two asked me to pressure a scared woman into dropping her restraining order, I followed through," Alverson shouted.

"We did no such thing!" The Mayor bristled.

"How long have you been f.u.c.king my wife? Conspiring with her against me!" Keith yelled. "You think you're going to get away with it? Do you?" He charged at Alverson but was thrown back by his attorney.

Detective Alverson didn't move. He looked on, amused. "Chief," he began, taunting Keith with his smile, "are we done?"

"If there is anything to this, Derrick, you need to say so now," the Chief stated.

Derrick Alverson gave a nod to Keith Livingston. "You go near her and I will bust your a.s.s all the way back to that trust-fund you think makes you're G.o.d. And they..." He pointed at the Mayor and his Chief with two fingers. "They won't be able to do a d.a.m.n thing about it."

"Detective!" the Chief barked.

Derrick Alverson stormed out. He needed to make a call. Keith Livingston was unraveling and that meant Simone was in trouble.

"Well? Will it do?" Simone paced. She rung her hands nervously.

Sue removed her spectacles. She sat back in her chair. "Yes, Simone, it will do. You're quite resourceful when you want to be. I'm impressed."

Simone grinned. "We can use it to prove he's lying, to show the cover-up. Get him!"

"Oh this will quickly unchain you from the Livingstons. I think we need to call a meeting."

"What? Why?" Simone asked.

Sue reclined back. Her eyes seemed to shine with devilment. "You want more than the annulment. You want your sister's house and you want your money back. If I expose the cover-up, your husband and his family stand to lose a lot more. Respect, reputation, and status are things worth the weight of gold to the Livingstons. The scandal will torpedo that house of gla.s.s they live in. We can have the marriage annulled and a settlement that will give you everything you lost plus some. Everything. So what say you?"

Simone chewed it over. Her father's methods were unpredictable. Her sister's life was in shambles. She had no idea what Cain was working on. This could solve it all. Her hand went to her belly. The bullet she dodged with her baby being Keith's was too close of a call. She just wanted it over. She wanted him gone.

"The Order of Protection?" she asked.

"We'll resend it and go with mediation, but not the annulment. The marriage will be annulled. As far as the law sees it, you two were never married."

"Okay. Let's do it," Simone grinned.

Cain paced. Hands in his hair he paced. He was careful. He'd never been so careful. As soon as he crossed state lines, he was careful. He actually circled the place three times before parking down the block, going out the back door of a restaurant, and then running over to the inn. He couldn't risk it, but he would make sure she was safe. When he heard the knock at the door, he nearly lost it. Throwing it open, he drew her into his arms before either spoke. She fit perfectly in his embrace. He swept her in, turning her, kicking the door shut. It felt like an eternity had pa.s.sed since he last held her. Since she was his. He lowered her to her feet, cupping her face in his hands. "You okay? Tell me. I've been going crazy thinking the worst."

Instead of answers, those eyes of hers held his. The look of love flashed beneath the brown swirl of her irises like a spark from a blowtorch. When she looked at him that way, it was so pure and so raw that he believed in their love. In his thirty-two years, no woman had ever ignited such a reaction. And in that moment, he knew no other woman ever would. He stood completely still, breathing in the sweet female fragrance that her arrival brought, basking in the unyielding power she wielded so effortlessly over his heart.

"Hi," she spoke ever so softly it barely would have registered were it not for the slight parting of her lips.

"Hi."

"I missed you," Simone said.

"Why do you think I came? I heard that message and I thought the worst," Cain said.

She kissed him, forcing his words back with her tongue. It was a soft, gentle, sweet kiss of remembrance. Of what love would bring. Her face drew back. His eyes focused on her lips, full, plump and sensuous. Her mouth made it hard to breathe.

He kissed her again.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s heaved as she struggled for a air when his mouth consumed hers. Then her mouth softened, opened, hands rising to clutch his shirt. The moan deep in her throat faded as he angled his head to get a more sweeping taste.

The sweetest temptation was found between Simone's lips. It lured him further to sample the succulent lusciousness of her tongue and to drink in its minty flavor as it writhed against his. When it got to be too much, he drew her closer instead of away. Her grip on his shirt tightened. Her tongue delved deeper and deeper. Sweat broke over his brow. His groin grew tighter and the air in his lungs seized. He fought the urge to rip her clothes from her body or fall to her feet in worship. He was just that far gone. Cain wrenched his mouth away from hers and backed up a step to gather strength, to look upon her again.

"No. We talk. You. Talk. Explain," he said between deep pants of breath.

She offered her lover a shy smile. The silence between them grew. His eyes spoke for him. The soft blue swirls of his irises, shadowed by his dark lashes, were dreamy when focused on her that way. From the first day she met him, it was always about these looks. Looks she couldn't turn away from were powerful for her. She pressed her lips together firmly as she struggled to control her breathing. And then something happened. Fear.

What if this wasn't good news? He just lost a baby and his life was in shambles. They were both married to other people. How could she possibly believe this unplanned pregnancy was their start over? She'd trapped a man that didn't belong to her. The blood drained from Simone's face. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move. She didn't blink.

"Simone? What is it?"

"I have news," she said and her voice cracked with emotion. She cleared her throat. "Good news, I hope."

"Is it the annulment?"

"Done. It'll happen. It's over. I have him where I want him."

"That is good news," he smiled.

"But that's not my only news. In fact I don't want to discuss Keith or Maryanne or the world outside of here. This news. It's about you and me. It's only about us, Cain. I couldn't wait another day."

"I'm confused. What are we talking about?"

She stepped back. She placed a hand to her stomach. "I'm pregnant. Cain. You're going to be a father."

Cain's smile eased from his lips. He had expected to hear something, anything but this. A baby?

"Cain?" she said softly. "It wasn't planned. I swear it. None of it was planned."

Long suppressed need a.s.serted itself. He took a step closer. His fingertips found her cheek. "Pregnant? You sure?"

"I took a test. It's yours. I swear it. If you think that it's not..."

He palmed her cheek in his hand, held it gently but forced her head to tilt back so he could once again stare into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

"That it's yours?" she asked softly, a.s.suming there was an accusation in his question.

"That you're pregnant, a baby? Our baby? Tell me you're sure before I allow myself to believe it." He grinned then. White teeth shone between the sensuous contours of his lips.

Simone slowly nodded her answer and then spoke the words into his heart. "I am." She dropped her arms on his shoulders and clasped her hands around his neck. She closed the gap between them, b.u.mping her body against his. "Oh yes, daddy, I'm sure."

"Well I'll be d.a.m.ned!" he swept her around in a full circle while he held her in his arms. Simone squealed in his ear, kicking her feet. He stopped immediately thinking he could do her harm. "I'm sorry. You okay?" he pressed his hand to her tummy.

"Oh stop. Yes, I'm okay!" she laughed.

"But when? I mean I know when. How did this happen? Wait I know how."

"Slow down, Cain," Simone chuckled.