He shook his head. "We're going to have a baby? How is that possible?"

She put a finger to his lips. "Listen to me. It happened. I've been trying to conceive long before I met you. We didn't use protection our night."

"Right. We didn't."

"This couldn't have happened at the most inconvenient of times," Simone said. "I feel guilty over my happiness knowing... well I know what you and Maryanne are going through."

He let her go. "Right. Right." He blew out a breath. His hand went through his hair as he turned from her. His life was s.h.i.t. He was gambling with every aspect of it, even his freedom by exposing Andrew Hollingsworth's crimes. Then there was his wife in a mental inst.i.tution. A baby spelled disaster. So why wasn't he feeling guilty?

She came behind him, pressing a hand to his back. "I hate that I've done to Maryanne what was done to me. I hate that's how I conceived."

"Wait." He turned and embraced her. "This isn't on you only. Neither of us wanted to hurt anyone. Things never come easy in life to me. Why would the woman and child I want be any different? It'll be okay, Simone. We'll get through it. You're getting the divorce, right?"

"Better than that, I'll be annulled. My marriage was never a marriage. That seems right."

Cain bit down on his lip. He couldn't say the same. In fact, Maryanne's rejection of him wasn't justifiable cause for him to abandon his wife now. Not now.

She stepped back as if she heard his thoughts. "She needs you."

"For now," Cain sighed.

"I have to ask."

"I know. Yes. The answer is yes. I plan to divorce her. But..."

"But?" Simone's voice quivered. She stepped around him. She sat on the bed. Cain dropped his hands in his pockets, waiting her out. The news wasn't easy to share. She didn't look at him, but he knew her anxiety, felt it. "Go ahead. What is it? She lost the baby because she was sick?"

"You could say that. She self aborted the baby."

Cain rose and walked toward the windows. He leaned against the frame, staring out at the sun easing into night. "The baby wasn't mine. Gerald Wellington and she... well it's complicated. She hurt herself and could have died"

"Oh sweet merciful G.o.d," Simone said.

"She's okay. Physically, I mean." He looked back to Simone, who had turned sideways on the bed. "I had her committed to an inst.i.tution. I had no choice. She needs help."

"Cain, I'm so sorry."

"Our marriage is over. It is, Simone. But right now-"

"Right now she needs you."

"Yeah, she does. And right now, I need you," he quickly added. "Except this time, it's not about me. I was selfish in my marriage. Willfully absent. In some ways I was exactly like your husband. I can't change that. I won't even deny it. And here's the bad part. I'm not sorry."

Simone frowned. He saw her disappointment and had to look away to continue. "Maryanne had problems before she met me, and I ignored them. Now she's lost and I can't help but feel responsible. If I don't protect her and make things right with her, then who am I to deserve a second chance with you and our child? If I do stay with her, I know me. I know I'll punish her in some way. And that makes me sick."

Simone rose from the bed. She nervously ran her hands down her sides. "You're a good man, Cain Gatlin. Don't you ever doubt that. No matter what happens, I want you to know you saved my life. You opened my eyes."

He shook his head. "Well, let's not crown me a saint just yet."

"We made choices, Cain. We have to live with them."

"Our choices have consequences. Sometimes consequences are the hardest to live with," Cain said.

"Like our baby?"

"No." he lifted from the windowsill. "Not our baby."

"Let's be honest. We started wrong. We had an affair," Simone reminded him.

"We fell in love-"

"We had an affair. It was wrong. I think the only way to free us both is to be honest, with them. At some point, you will have to tell Maryanne. The day I'm free of Keith, I intend to tell him."

Cain sighed.

Simone stepped closer. "We have to own the good and the bad so we don't ever become those people we were again. You need to let go of this guilt."

"I don't feel guilty," Cain said in a stiff tone.

Simone smiled. "Don't you?"

"You, are the only choice for me. I'll fix this thing with Maryanne."

"You mean you'll divorce her? Now? When she isn't well? Later when she's recovering? Or when she believes she can have her husband and life again?"

"I will divorce her-eventually."

"And I'll be here, when you can start again, when we can start again, the right way. Me and your child, and we'll get our chance at happiness. Because I want it," Simone said.

"We deserve it," he said softly.

"No. When we get our chance, it will be because we earned it," she said.

Cain eased his hands in the back pockets of her jeans and pulled her toward him. They shared so much in such a short time. She was right. He had to accept the good and the bad for them to make it. Marriage was hard. Raising a kid would be hard. If Rachel hadn't taught him anything, he knew life was d.a.m.n hard. "One day, I want to take you to meet my brother."

She smiled. "One day I want you to meet my sister and my mother."

"I'd like that." He stepped closer.

"Really? And what else would you like?" she teased.

"A start over, for us, for my son." He touched her belly.

"It's a boy?" her voice quizzed playfully.

"You doubting me now?" Cain chuckled. "A daddy knows."

"Daddy. I like the sound of that. Daddy. Pop. Papa."

He kissed her. Her eyes widened at its suddenness, but her mouth was as compliant as ever. She tasted lovely. When he lifted her by her a.s.s, her mouth rounded in surprise. She looped her arms around his neck, legs around his waist, and kissed him deeply. He brought her down to the bed with ease, and leveled himself on top. Their lips parted. Cain stared into her eyes with his gaze sharpening. "I've got a bad habit of f.u.c.king up everything that matters to me. But with you, it will be different." He hesitated, waited a beat, hovering over her with his hand pressed to the headboard, every muscle in his arm quivered from the restraint. He didn't want to just make love to her. He wanted to show her, truly show her, how deeply in love he was with her. Being physical could never be enough.

With nothing but the silence of the room between them, Cain pulled back, but Simone grabbed him before he could voice his needs and concerns.

"I want you, this way, now. I want us." She rea.s.sured him, but before releasing her hold, she began to unb.u.t.ton her shirt. He watched the unveiling as she sat up a bit to cast it aside, then her bra. She undid the b.u.t.ton to her jeans and he reached to stop her.

She smiled and continued. Simone eased the b.u.t.ton free of the slot and slid the zipper down. Cain touched her flat tummy, imagining the growth of his child inside. He then aided in the removal of her jeans. He rose and quickly did away with his clothes and returned to her arms open for him. Her legs parted. Heaven lie in the soft silky feel of the skin between her thighs. The delicious provocation of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest was almost his undoing. The only coherent part of his mind insisted that this couldn't be happening. He couldn't be lucky enough to have this beautiful woman's heart and a child between them. Could he?

Cain's heart pounded in his chest. As she touched him, her slender hands, rubbed down his sides to his hips. Cain caught his breath. He felt her tense, just barely as his p.e.n.i.s brushed her opening. With a push, he glided between the damp folds of her wet heat, rubbing his need there. She was wet. So warm and wet at her core. A small cry of submission escaped her pretty mouth as her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rose and fell with her soft sighs. Her dark nipples, tightly peaked, brushed his chest when he put his weight on her. He saw understanding, acknowledgement in her eyes. Then, with a groan that seemed to come from some uncharted place inside him, he entered her with a one long deep thrust. Pure ecstasy shot through his d.i.c.k, up his chest, and through his brain. She was different. It was all he could do to think once he put down moves that drove his d.i.c.k in and out of her.

"f.u.c.k," he grunted. This woman. This p.u.s.s.y. This life. His. All of it. All of her was his. There would be no turning back.

Hotter, faster, he thrust his c.o.c.k with increasing velocity in and out the soft flesh until she stretched and took him all in. The bedsprings squeaked. She hooked her legs tighter around his waist, dug her nails deeply into his back, moaning and whimpering. Everything faded except her body clinging to his. Simone's wet p.u.s.s.y tightly clamped on his d.i.c.k working him over, surrounding him, accepting him and claiming him.

And then he felt it. She teetered on the brink and shuddered, her inner muscles drawing him deeper, further, and harder until he dived over the point-of-no-return.

Chapter Thirty-Five.

The Gift Kim/Mathew "It doesn't matter what you or you think. Bottom line, Kitt's grown. You heard her. She's going to be a parent now. Too late for you to become one." Kim leveled her hard stare on her father. She couldn't decide if letting him through the front door was a good idea, considering the past and the gulf of lies between them she reserved the right to rescind.

Charles Wilson greeted them.. He sat at the other end of the table in his tailored suit. His diamond watch gleamed on his wrist almost as brightly as his diamond tiepin. Kim never focused on his wealth, though through the family grapevine, she heard tall tales of what her daddy had accomplished. She knew Diane's bills were paid, and when they were younger, money was suddenly there when things got tight. She never questioned the terms of her parents parting or how much he contributed over the years. But now, seeing him so composed and seated in the spot once reserved for her dead husband, she felt cheated. To add to matters, Daddy had the gall to force his opinions on them. Charles stroked his chin for a moment and then gave a deep chuckle. Pangs of Christmas morning with Daddy dressed as Santa and Kim ripping into presents under the tree pierced her heart. She shook the homey feeling loose; surprised she'd conjure it after all this time.

"I understand, baby-girl. I do. You don't trust me. I get it, I do. But this situation with Simone and her husband is out of hand. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d has to pay for putting his hands on her."

"Charles," Diane said.

"Now you two tell me you don't know where she is?" Charles continued.

"Like Kimmy said, she's grown, and she's fine," Diane sighed.

"She's not fine. He raped her in the b.u.t.t didn't he? Hurt her? Well?" When Diane looked away, he locked eyes with Kim. Her gaze dropped away in answer.

"Like it or not, Daddy has your back and that b.a.s.t.a.r.d is going to answer for this."

Kim rolled her eyes. She rose from the table.

"I'm not done," her father barked. She'd forgotten his temper. When pushed, Charles 'Big Chuck' Wilson pushed back, harder. Even Diane knew the limits. He gave Kim a look that lengthened the pause of silence between them until she sat back down.

Charles dropped back in his chair. He pressed his palms flat to the table. Taking his time, he spoke in a controlled voice. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't raise my voice. It's hard being here, after all this time. You have no idea how much I wanted to come and be here with you." He wiped his hand down his tie and smoothed it again. The muscles in his lower jaw twitched as he swallowed the words and tried again. "My life, it's hard for me to really explain," he struggled. "People do as I say. But my girls," he smiled, his eyes glazing over with memories long forgotten. "My girls always made it tough for me. I'm here, okay? Use me how you want, if you want, but don't turn me away when you know I can help. That's all I'm trying to say. You feel me, baby?" he asked Diane. She shifted in her chair away from him and his soft plea. Instead she looked at Kim.

"He right, ya know?" Diane cleared her throat, "Time for us to stop fighting and work together on this."

"You two make some pair. Do you know that? Look at you, sitting here united. Where was all this 'we stand together parenting when Kitt and I really needed it?"

"Let that s.h.i.t go!" Diane fired back. "Let it go! We here now. He and I both are. Can't change nuthin' about the past. And I ain't gonna' apologize again, cause it don't mean a thing. What you need is action, Kimmy. For us both to be about it, not just talk about it. We gone do just that, but you got to let us. That's what we sayin'. Nothin' more."

She started to answer when the knock came to the door. Everyone at once looked to it in surprise. Was it Keith and his trained attack dog Madison? She hadn't heard from Simone. Not a call or anything. Her sister wasn't answering her phone.

"Let me get it," her father said, rising.

"No. No don't." Kim threw up her hand. She pushed back in her chair and the legs sc.r.a.ped her hardwood floor. "Why don't you go check in on your grandsons? Anne should be done with giving them their baths. You haven't seen them yet."

Charles's left brow piqued. He hadn't asked about the boys. Kim noticed the way he eyed their toys and strained his neck to see their pictures on the bookshelves.

"Go on. Don't sit there like you don't want to," Diane chuckled.

Charles smiled. He nodded and rose, while Diane winked at Kim. She shook her head to them both. When she opened the door, she found a tall black man in a purple and blue FedEx uniform. He stood behind a box nearly his height.

"Oh, wow, come in. Put it there," Kim said.

He lifted the package with the aid of his dolly and pushed it into the middle of her living room before handing her a tablet to sign. He nodded his goodbye and left. Kim circled the delivery. She frowned. She hadn't ordered anything.

"What is it?" Diane asked.

"I don't know. I guess it's for me." Kim studied the label. Her eyes stretched. "It says it's addressed to Denny and Danny Jensen. It's for the boys."

"You kidding?" Diane got up and walked over. She nearly knocked Kim back. "Well open it! d.a.m.n!" Diane laughed, and then proceeded to do it for her. She started to pull at the folds and rip at the taping. Kim stood back as if Dennis himself would leap from the packaging. But soon, the unveiling revealed more. "Well d.a.m.n, this is nice. It's a train, a model set. Like them ones you see white folk with, you know, a collector's thing. d.a.m.n thing has a village, train-station, even little people and everything. d.a.m.n."

Kim picked up the tossed aside label. The train was sent from a toy factory in Chicago, care of a store in Charleston, South Carolina.

"Who would send this thing? It cost some money. d.a.m.n, these things are antiques or something, right? Wait. You think Charles did this? Yep, this his handiwork. He used to try that s.h.i.t when y'all were kids, send toys. I'd send it back. Told him if he can't come home, then don't be getting your hopes up. Yep, he did it. Where the h.e.l.l we gone put it? It'll take up the dining room table." Diane went on and on as she tried to open the box.

"Mom, stop! Don't touch it!" Kim said.

"What? Why?" Diane froze.

"It's not from Daddy," Kim said softly.

"Huh?"

"What's not from Daddy?" Charles asked. He reappeared with both boys in his arms. The toddlers were dressed for bed, and eyeing him suspiciously. Kim gave a small smile to her sons. She noticed how attention starved they were when a man was around. Normally, they'd be making a fuss at the holding. Then their eyes were drawn to the package. Her father set them down on their feet and they charged the big box. Anne emerged too, watching curiously. Denny and Danny put their tiny hands on the box, studying the bright colorful designs.

"I wanted one of these when I was a boy," Charles said, walking over. "Takes a lot to put it together though."

"It does?" Kim asked.

"Sure. Maybe we can set it up in the garage. The boys are a little young, but yeah, I can get it going. If it's not a problem."

"Sorry, no thanks. I mean, I know who it's from."

Her father gave her a curious look. Even her sons looked up at her curiously. Kim stooped and her babies came over to her. "Do you remember Matt-Matt?"

Denny nodded. Danny stared. "How about we take a trip and go thank him ourselves? What do you think?"