CHAPTER FORTY
“If he comes to the phone again, I swear I’ll hang up and won’t call back
again. I’m out of change anyway, and phone numbers to call,” Morgan told
Byron. She should have just called him in the first place. But her first thought had
been Nickolas.
“She said that if Nicky comes to the phone again, she’ll stay where she is and
have the babies on the street corner,” she heard him tell the room.
“I did not! Are you trying to cause trouble? You are, aren’t you? Good then.
Is Mrs. Puck all right? I just heard about it on the news. Who did this, Mr.
Grant?”
Morgan had been coming out of the bathroom when there was a news flash
on the television. It had said they were looking for a man who had broken into
her home and that she was missing. All she’d been able to think about was poor
Nickolas. Well, she thought, that was stupid on her part. All he’d done was yell
at her.
“Yes, love, she’ll be fine. Her leg is broken and she’s been sedated. She hasn’t
regained conciseness, but Damon said that’s to be expected. You’d better tell me
where you are before Nicky breaks my neck.” Morgan burst into tears. She’d
been doing that a lot lately and it was getting worse all the time. The stupidest
things would set her off.
“I’m in Mansfield on a job site. I wanted to get the pictures before Dr. Grant
won’t let me travel anymore. I have a job doing a site for the Mansfield Prison.
Isn’t that wonderful? The only bus I could get back to Columbus is a milk run,
some man called it, and we’ve stopped in every little town between here and
there.” She waited while he relayed the information, this time telling them what
she said. Morgan felt silly crying and was glad Byron hadn’t commented on it.
“Nick would like to know if you need someone to come and get you? He
said that he could be there in an hour.”
Alone in a car with Nickolas for an hour. No, and hell no. “No, I’ll be nearly
there by the time he gets here anyway. I’m tired and my back hurts. I just want to
come home. I should be there by eight or eight-thirty. Tell everyone to go home
and I’ll call them tomorrow. I’d better hang up. I only have thirty-three cents left
in change and that’s not enough for another minute anyway. So, good-bye.” And
she hung up just as the recording was telling her to deposit another seventy-five
cents to continue her call.
Morgan went to the little shop just inside the bus terminal and bought
herself a juice and a candy bar. Just as she was leaving, she went back and
purchased two more candy bars. She was starving and knew she had at least
another hour and a half before she could fix herself anything to eat.
Getting on the bus wasn’t easy. The steps were very high off the ground and
she was so rotund. Once she settled back against the seat, she thought about her
day.
Earlier, she’d met with Libby and finalized the paperwork concerning the
money that was to be given to her when Nick’s sons were born. There was also
the house and the car. Everything would be in their names, once Nickolas named
them. She hadn’t wanted any of it in the first place, so giving it to her children—
no, Nick’s children, she amended—was easy. As soon as the million dollars was
deposited, it went directly into another account for them as well.
Libby didn’t argue with her about it. Morgan fully expected her to. She’d
even made a few suggestions on what to do about the car. But she felt that as
she’d never driven it, Nickolas should be the one who disposed of it.
There was also the file of pictures she’d made for Byron. They were pictures
of her in different stages of her pregnancy. Byron had taken most of them, but a
few she had taken with the tripod as well. She’d written him a long letter about
why she’d given him the file. If the boys ever asked about her, would he please
show them how happy she’d been to be pregnant with them? And that her
leaving them had nothing to do with them. It was all her fault that she couldn’t
make her marriage work with their dad. That their dad was a wonderful man
and loved them very much.
The bus pulled onto the highway about ten minutes later and the gentle
sway and the soft moonlight shining in the window soon lulled her to sleep.
~~~
The big Greyhound pulled into the bus station at eight forty-five. Nick
watched every person who got off the bus, waiting for Morgan. He’d done a lot
of thinking since she’d called and she’d been right to hang up on him.
Nick thought about every time they’d been together and how very little they
had talked. She would say something, and he’d bark at her. She’d ask a question,
and he’d snarl at her. No wonder she avoided him as much as possible. He
would too if he could.
When no one else seemed to be getting off the bus, he looked around the
terminal. He didn’t think he’d missed her, but she might have seen him first and
darted away. If she could even dart anymore. Christ, she had been so big when
he’d seen her last. He was just about to go look for her in the bathroom when the
driver motioned for him. He walked over to the man and shook his hand.
“You looking for a woman, boy?” He’d not been called boy since he’d been a
teenager.
“I don’t need a woman, mister. I’ve got a wife. You shouldn’t be selling
women either. It’s degrading and against the law.” He started to walk away, but
the man’s next statement stopped him.
“I gots me a pregnant woman on this here bus who ain’t woked up yet. I was
wondering if’n you was awaitin’ on her. Pretty little thing too. Looks ready to
about pop if’n you asked me.”
“Morgan’s asleep. Yes, she’s my...is she all right?” He moved past the man
and onto the bus. He couldn’t see her, so he turned back to the driver.
“’Bout half way back on the left. Be careful of her; she’s been alying like that
since we tooked off. She’ll be all kinked up.”
Nick went slowly to where he had indicated and found her just where he
said she’d be. He kneeled down and looked at her breathing softly all rolled up
in a ball. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her brow and she turned to
look at him.
“Oh, Nickolas, I was having the most wonderful dream about us,” she said
dreamily. She started to move tighter into a ball and sighed heavily. “It’s too bad
it wasn’t true. I love you so much.” And she was asleep again.
Nick stopped breathing as he fell back against the floor of the bus. He
felt...well, he knew what the term pole axed meant now. Morgan loved him.
Nick looked over as the driver came back to them. He couldn’t think past her
words. It was perhaps a few seconds before he realized the man was speaking
again.
“...that way you won’t have to carry her out to the parking lot. He said to just
pull up out front of the terminal and he’ll wave you through.”
Nick was supposed to pull up out front. Then what? he thought. “I’m sorry,
I...what did you say?” He wanted to shout, “she loves me!” but didn’t think the
man would understand.
“Hee hee, you love on that girl right and she won’t be moving off again.
Nah, she didn’t tell me nothing, but I got eyes. I seen the way you looked at her.
Go on now, get your car. I’ll wait right cheer with her.”
Nick didn’t know how he got to his car, or how he was able to get around to
the bus again, but was suddenly there again. True to his word, the driver stayed
with her until he returned.
Nick gently picked Morgan up and lifted her to his chest. She was heavier
than he’d remembered, then realized that the only time he’d had her in his arms
was when she was in pain or hurt. She didn’t stir much when he got her out of
the seat and only moaned slightly when he put her into the passenger seat of the
SUV. He was nearly halfway home when he realized he hadn’t thanked the man
for his help.
Nick took her to his apartment because the police wouldn’t let them fix the
door until they were finished with it. Parking in the garage was tricky because
his parking place had a wall next to it on the opposite side and he couldn’t get
her out without banging her around. He ended up having the front desk move
his car around to the garage while he brought her up through the front doors.
Once he got upstairs, thanking everyone he could that he lived in the penthouse
and keys weren’t necessary to open his door, he took Morgan directly to his bed
and laid her down on it. As gently as he could, he removed her shoes and socks.
He debated on the rest of her clothes, but she’d be waking up in a strange room
and he didn’t want to frighten her anymore than necessary.
After he got her settled, he went into his living room and collapsed in his
favorite chair. Morgan Grant, his wife, mother of his children, loved him. He
knew he was grinning like a loon, but couldn’t seem to help it.
The next thought sobered him up quickly. But how do I feel about her? Did he
love her? He honestly didn’t know.
Nick certainly lusted after her. Even as big and full as she was right now, he
wanted her. But did he want to spend the rest of his life with her? Did his
feelings for her make him want to wake up next to her every morning, go to bed
with her every night? Did he want to spend time with her above all else?
Sometimes, he thought. Other times, not so much. But she made him laugh. The
unexpected bursts of laughter that surprised him when he did it. Did he love
Morgan Grant? He didn’t know.
Nick called his mom to tell her that he’d picked up Morgan at the terminal,
and that she was with him.
“Nick, darling, try not to piss her off tonight. She’s had a terrible day and she
probably needs her rest. Why don’t you sleep on the ugly couch of yours until
tomorrow? That way you won’t wake her and start anything this late.”
“Good night, Mother. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He was still grinning when
he went into his room to check on her.
Morgan hadn’t moved. He started taking off his tie as he looked down at her
in wonder. She was very beautiful. He pulled his shirt from his pants and
unbuckled his belt. Toeing off his shoes, he thought about the children she
carried and wondered if they’d look like her. He hoped that one of them would
get her eye color. The sheer blue would be breathtaking on a young man as it
was on his mother.
Nick sat down on the bed as he pulled his trousers off. As he tossed them
across the room, he wondered if she would be hungry when she woke up.
Damon had told him that she was having late pregnancy morning sickness. As
he pulled the blanket out from under him and lay down, he thought he’d have to
get up early enough to go get some things for breakfast for them. Maybe a few
weeks worth of groceries because she wasn’t staying in that house alone. He
closed his eyes and pulled her lax body next to his. No, he thought. She wasn’t
staying anywhere alone again.
Tune in next week for CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Buy Link for the Box set grab for 9.99
Buy links
THE GRANT BROTHERS -
1 NICKOLAS – http://smarturl.it/nickolas
2 DEVIN – http://smarturl.it/devin
3 SPENCER – http://smarturl.it/spencer
4 BYRON – http://smarturl.it/byron
5 JAMIE – http://smarturl.it/jamie
6 DAMON – http://smarturl.it/damongrantbrothers
The grant brothers series in reading order
Buy links
THE GRANT BROTHERS -
1 NICKOLAS – http://smarturl.it/nickolas
2 DEVIN – http://smarturl.it/devin
3 SPENCER – http://smarturl.it/spencer
4 BYRON – http://smarturl.it/byron
5 JAMIE – http://smarturl.it/jamie
6 DAMON – http://smarturl.it/damongrantbrothers
The grant brothers series in reading order
New Release
Micah Bentley is a third generation cop and a panther.
He always wanted to be a homicide detective like his dad, but kept getting passed up for the job
because he was too good at what he currently did working the beat.
Micah has a gift, he can read people’s minds.
Such a gift could be a help and a hindrance on a job.
He could pluck the information he needs right out of someone’s mind, but knowing
they’re guilty and proving it are two different things.
But when his dad is killed off duty it has him rethinking his career choice.
Regina Webster, Reggie to her friends, is just trying to make ends meet
by working three jobs to keep her head above water, and also take care of her invalid brother.
She doesn’t have time for socializing with bossy men like Micah Bentley
who butt into her life making everything concerning her his business.
She doesn’t know anything about this mate thing he keeps spouting off about,
she just wants him to leave her alone.
Due to a random act of violence, she finds herself suddenly homeless:
no home, no money, no car and suffering from a gunshot wound to boot.
Reggie has no choice but to accept a helping hand from the Bentleys at―least until she can get back on her feet.
Trouble has Reggie marked, and this time they take Micah’s mom too.
Micah knows they’re in trouble, but when the bad guys don’t go where they’re expected it’s a race against the clock…
Amazon http://smarturl.it/micah
Watch The Book Trailer
Micah Bentley is a third generation cop and a panther.
He always wanted to be a homicide detective like his dad, but kept getting passed up for the job
because he was too good at what he currently did working the beat.
Micah has a gift, he can read people’s minds.
Such a gift could be a help and a hindrance on a job.
He could pluck the information he needs right out of someone’s mind, but knowing
they’re guilty and proving it are two different things.
But when his dad is killed off duty it has him rethinking his career choice.
Regina Webster, Reggie to her friends, is just trying to make ends meet
by working three jobs to keep her head above water, and also take care of her invalid brother.
She doesn’t have time for socializing with bossy men like Micah Bentley
who butt into her life making everything concerning her his business.
She doesn’t know anything about this mate thing he keeps spouting off about,
she just wants him to leave her alone.
Due to a random act of violence, she finds herself suddenly homeless:
no home, no money, no car and suffering from a gunshot wound to boot.
Reggie has no choice but to accept a helping hand from the Bentleys at―least until she can get back on her feet.
Trouble has Reggie marked, and this time they take Micah’s mom too.
Micah knows they’re in trouble, but when the bad guys don’t go where they’re expected it’s a race against the clock…
Amazon http://smarturl.it/micah
Watch The Book Trailer
Happy Reading
Kathi S Barton
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