Page 31 of Hold Me Down
“Yeah?” I raise a brow, feeling like I’ve finally accomplished something since I’ve been home.
“Yeah. I had no idea it would actually help that much.”
I can’t help but chuckle and kiss her forehead for what she thinks is the first time tonight. Then I climb back into bed, not wanting to ruin the moment by her realizing there was something wrong. As I cuddle up beside her, I adjust myself around the pillow so I don’t disturb her position. She turns her head and looks back at me, a frown falling on her face, and I shake my head before I kiss the top of hers.
“Don’t worry, baby. I’m right here.” I lay my arm across her, holding onto her belly, just for her to entangle her fingers in mine.
Chapter 12
Ashia
Four Days Later
This could goverybadly. Damien has already woken up twice, and I can't tell if anyone else is awake. Not only do I have to worry about my husband catching me, but I have to worry about my brother, too. Carter is so scared of them that it took a lot of convincing, and some bribing, to get him to help me. It didn’t take much. I just have to get him a date with Ser. She’s totally going to kill me for it, but meddling in their relationship was necessary. They need the push, and I need eyes tonight.
After everything that’s happened, I’m not stupid enough to go completely alone. I’m also not naïve enough to ask someone to go with me—especially not Damien. He willneverhave to see that place again after tonight. Zeke would help me, of course, but by ‘help,’ I mean do it for me. There are a lot of reasonsI’m doing this—most of them are for Damien, but I have a few of my own, and I don’t want anyone to know those details. Hell, Carter doesn’t even know. He’s just aware that I’m going to burn it down.
Thank God Serena convinced me to buy some maternity leggings with pockets. I don’t know how I could adjust the utility belt around my belly, and none of my jeans fit. So, a knife, Damien’s lighter, and a flashlight in the pockets is about all I can manage. Everyone is supposed to be dead, so I shouldn’t need anything else. The new tracker in the Traverse is working, and I’ll be talking to Carter the entire time through the ear-com. It’s a bad idea to go out alone, but it’s imperative that I take care of this—for Damien’s sake.
I grab my shoes as quietly as I can, trying like hell not to wake him up. He’s finally in a deep sleep, with his mouth slightly parted and his arm laid out lazily across the bed. His chest rises and falls steadily, drawing my eyes to his new tattoo. I really shouldn’t keep thinking of it that way. It’s not new anymore, but it’s like it is. Every time I look at it, it hits me like he just got it done. It’severything. He’s always been so open about his feelings for me, and now he etched it into the sincerest part of his body. It’s hard for me not to awe over it.
“I’ll be right back, baby,” I whisper softly, barely even hearing myself. My steps are quiet as I walk out of the bedroom, and I’m thankful that the stairs don’t creak. The com is a little too big for my ear, so it’s a little uncomfortable when I press the button, but it’s probably best to test it out before I walk out to the car.
“Carter? Can you hear me?” I sit down in one of the armchairs and quickly attempt to put my shoes on.
“Yeah, loud and clear, Ash. Are you sure we should be doing this? D and Zeke are going to lose their shit when they find out.”
“If… You meanif.” I have to scoot to the edge of the chair and spread my legs apart just so I can bend down and slip the firstshoe onto my foot. The baby kicks and wiggles, and I chuckle to myself. “How am I going to survive the next seventeen weeks, huh?” I ask and poke my belly, shaking my head as she kicks back.
“What are you doing?” a not-so-familiar voice asks, and I whip my head around, my heart sinking to my feet. Victoria stands in the kitchen, with her wild hair looking even more out of place, and she’s wearing a pair of the pajamas Serena picked out for her. She’s woken up recently, and the grogginess in her eyes only makes that more apparent.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I retort, trying to flip the conversation.
“Shit, who is that?” Carter’s tone doesn’t hide any of his paranoia.
“I woke up and wanted water. Are you going somewhere?” Victoria pinches her brows, and I snarl just a little, unwilling to hide my annoyance.
“That’s not really any of your business,” I seethe.
“Oh, shit. That’s Victoria, isn’t it? Oh, God. We'resofucked.” Carter is clearly keeping his composureverywell.
“Chill out,” I whisper back to him, but don't allow my stare to wander. She narrows her eyes, like she thinks I'm losing my mind because I'm talking to myself, but I just match her expression—showing my stubbornness.
“Whatever.” She rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her water before she walks back towards the stairs. It would be a huge problem if she ran her mouth, and with how often her and Damien have been speaking, she would have plenty of chances. That thought alone pisses me off. They have gotten friendlier over the past couple of weeks, and I hate it. I get it, she was there. Shesawwhat happened. That probably gives him a sense of familiarity, as much as that sucks.Shewas the one that deliveredpart of his pain. Why thefuckdoes she just get to roam around our home?!
Wait a minute.
She’sseenit… She was the one that told me what they did to him in the first place. If I made her lead me around that old hospital, then this would go a lot smoother.
God, I hate myself for this.
“Victoria?” I call out for her as quietly as I can, only partially hoping she hears me. When she gets to the landing and turns around, the agitation on her face is still there.
“What, Ashia?”
“What are you doing, Ash?” Carter asks worriedly.
“I’m going down there.” She tenses a little at my declaration, obviously knowing what I mean, and her grip tightens around the water bottle. “You and I both know that I have unfinished business in that building, and I’m going to take care of it. It would be a lot easier if you showed me.”
