Until Love by May Gordon

Rose

Iwake Posie when it’s time for dinner and let her help me make it while Robert takes Princess out. When he returns, I watch him with Posie, loving how easily they interact. She needs him as much as I do. Whether he realizes it or not, he’s a great role model for her. Father figure, too. I want to be with him forever and have no problem picturing us living in his house, perhaps having a few more kids. Just the thought of carrying his child makes me blush, and burn with joy. I’ve never once gotten baby fever, and now suddenly i’m here burning up with it. If I truly want a chance at any of it, I need to open up to Robert as he did with me. After all my running, I finally have someone I can trust and rely on. And now that I’ve accepted that, I'm ready to fight.

The rest of the day goes by quickly and all too soon, Robert is tucking Posie in at her insistence for bed, as I listen from the door while she asks him every question she can think of. "Time for bed," I inform her, knowing she can go forever if I don’t end her interrogation.

"Fine," she mumbles before shimmying under her blankets to get comfy with her stuffed Princess under her arm.

"Goodnight, kid," Robert says as he kisses the top of her head.

"Love you, Robbie." My heart clenches at that, proof she’s just as gone for him as I am.

"Love you, too, Posie." Then he stands, commanding Princess to hop up beside her. As he joins me, he whispers in my ear, "I'll meet you in the bedroom." The time for reckoning has come. I nod as he walks away, giving me a minute alone with Posie.

"Can Robert stay with us forever?" Such an innocent yet complicated question.

"I'm working on it," I respond honestly, then repeat Robert’s gesture and tell her goodnight. As I turn off her light, she says the same and I close her door to head to my own. Robert’s already undressed and waiting for me. How am I supposed to think straight when he’s naked? Apparently, he has the same issue because he stops me when I begin to rip my sleep shirt over my head. “Then you have me at a disadvantage,” I admit, indicating his bare chest. He may have scars, but he’s lean and muscular. All man. All mine.

His grin shows me that he’s enjoying this, and the fact I can’t take my eyes off him. Patting the spot beside him, I crawl in and snuggle against him. “Talk.” He commands.

"My real name is Mary Rose Bennet and I’m from San Francisco. My brother is Donovan Bennet.” When that news doesn’t ring any bells, I continue with, "He runs one of the biggest drug enterprises in California."

I feel him still. “What kind of drugs?” he asks.

"Any that he can. They cook it, custom order what they can’t, and sell it to whoever can afford it. Which includes some of the worst people imaginable."

"I can understand why you’d want to get Posie away from that environment, but not why he’d care so much that you did."

This is the hard part, and just saying the words will break my heart. "Posie isn't mine. She's my brother's from some stripper. Neither had any interest in being a parent. She took off and he gave her to me when she was still a baby, only a few days old to be exact.” In a way, I’m grateful Posie doesn’t have any memories of her biological mother and next to none of her father. "Posie and I were under lock and key, Don controlled everything about me and our lives. It was not an ideal situation for a child. Not to mention he’s been abusive to me physically and mentally over the years. I couldn’t take it any longer, and I was scared to death he would turn that abuse onto Posie.”

His grip become a vice after it all comes out. "Posie is yours, Rose. Don't ever forget that."

"I know," I instantly agree, and add, "but she isn't the only thing I took from him."

"What else?"

"Money and his red book." When he asks what that is, I explain. "It’s basically a hard copy of every transaction and the person’s name he’s worked with over the years. If the authorities were to get it, he’d go away for a very long time."

"So, his stupid bastards have been after you this whole time?"

"Almost two years now. When we moved here, I thought we were safe."

He’s quiet as he digests all this, yet his grip never lessens. "What if you give him back the book?” It’s a legitimate question due to how much trouble it could cause. Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy.

"I embarrassed him, which means he’ll want to make an example out of me."

He squeezes me tighter as he vows, "That won’t happen. I won't let it."

"Max has already threatened me."

"That's who attacked you in the alley?" I nod, adding that I don’t know what Don has planned, but neither her nor Max are stupid.

“They’ll try and find the book on their own before coming for me and Posie. That would do the most damage to them. Worse case they make me tell them, and I can only imagine what that would be like.”

Robert let’s out a low growl. “Anything else I should know?"

"He's ruthless and smart. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't,” he replies, trying to soothe my fears. “You two are my priority. I'll figure out the rest."

He kisses me, and while I hate dragging him in to this, I know it might be my only chance to escape Don once and for all. All I can hope is that when it’s all over, there won’t be more damage he’ll need to heal from.

We spend the evening making love, talking and getting to know each other ever more. Falling asleep in Robert’s arms is everything I always wanted. Love and security. How could I even think about pushing this man away. The next morning, I wake naked and alone, which isn’t the best way to start a new day. Especially after our talk last night. The voices coming down the hall could explain why. Getting dressed, I leave my room, stopping to see Posie first. I’m not surprised to find her still asleep since we have another hour before we need to get ready for school.

When I enter the room Sage greets me from where he sits at the kitchen counter drinking a cup of coffee. "Morning." I return his smile as I wrap my arms around Robert and accept his kiss.

"What brings you here so early?"

Sage’s smile is massive now as he watches us. "I brought the dirt on you that Robert asked for. He was just filling me in on everything."

I turn to Robert, not angry he took this step, I’m still a bit shocked. He merely shrugs, telling me, “I needed all the help I could get.” Can’t really fault him for that, so I move on and inquire about Max’s location.

"I've got guys looking for him and anyone else that recently rolled into town."

"So, what next?"

"You go about your routine as if nothing has changed,” Robert explains. “I'll still be near you and Posie. As will Cobi and Nico who have been apprised of the situation."

I groan at that news. "I didn't want everyone to find out this way."

"It's just them,” he assures me. “Other than that, it's not my story to tell." I appreciate that and say so, then let him know I’ll make sure to be aware of my surroundings.

Now that we have a plan, or at least the start of one, this just might be over soon.

But I should’ve known better. There’s always a calm before the storm.