Deadly Hunt (Deadly #1) (13 page)

“Okay now we have sorted that out, you want to tell me why you were such a bitch to me?” I ask Luke, Nathan squeezes my hand, I understand he doesn’t want me upset but the not knowing will drive me crazy in no time.

“Leave it Soph, I was a dick yeah.” Hell No.

“Umm, Nope, not going to wash, now spill” He takes a deep breath.

“Fine I was jealous okay, you’re in love and pregnant. You left and did something amazing, something your kids are going to be proud of. You’re an amazing woman Soph. You’re going to be an amazing mom too.” I’m freaking crying again.

“Ugh, damn hormones. Look, Luke, you help put the monsters away. When I have this baby, they are going to know how amazing both their uncles are; one uncle helps people, the other keeps monsters off the streets. So no matter what you think Luke, you do something amazing every time you get a conviction. Don’t doubt yourself Luke, each and every single one of us is amazing, we have all accomplished so very much.” Dad is nodding his head.

“I’m proud of each and every one of you. Sophia is right, you all have achieved something completely unique in your lives. You all have chosen a profession in which you have the opportunity to protect people, I like to think that me and your mother have had a hand in helping raise you right. But you all are very special.” Scott coughs, looking down at his shoes; Luke looks skywards both their eyes looking watery. Scott coughs again.

“Thanks dad, of course you and mom are the reason why we do what we do, isn’t that right guys?” I nod, wanting to junk punch him, like seriously; he is the only person who knows why I joined the army. Dumbass.

“Why did you want to be a PI and bodyguard?” I ask, two can play douchebag. I never did know why.

“Fine, I wanted to be a PI so I could find out about my biological family. Then I started training to be a bodyguard after talking to Connor one day. He talked about how amazing and worthwhile it is, that you get to help protect someone. I signed up to train the next day. What about you Luke, why did you want to be a D.A?” He looks at me.

“You had to live with a monster, you never got justice. I wanted to be able to help people get justice and see their monsters sent to prison. What about you Soph, why did you join the Army?” I look around the room; everyone bar Scott is looking at me with their full attention, waiting for this answer.

“I joined the Army for a few reasons, one, to help make the world safe, I needed to be able to help. Two, some monsters need putting down and three, I needed to go, so I ran.” Scott nods his head in understanding, I told Scott my reasons the day before I left for basic training, He wanted to know why I was leaving, I had to tell him.

“You all are so amazing. I’m truly proud of you all. It was such a privilege to watch you three grow up to be amazing people. Thank you.” I laugh.

“Why are you thanking us, if anyone should be thanking anyone, it’s us thanking you. You and mom saved us in more ways than we can ever repay.” Luke says with so much sincerity in his voice, I just nod, there isn’t anything to say to top that. I need to apologize though.

“I’m sorry dad, I’m sorry for the way I treated you the other day, you did nothing wrong, I overreacted. You deserve to be happy; mom would want you to move on.” Luke’s nodding in agreement, but dad doesn’t seem to agree.

“No baby girl, bringing a woman none of us know back here was wrong, you had every right to be mad. This is your home, and always will be. I was lonely, I needed someone, I went the wrong way about doing it. For that I apologize.” I walk over and hug him. He hugs me back wrapping his arms tightly around me.

We stay for a while longer, just catching up on everything we have missed in the past eight weeks. Nathan stayed with me, he seems to be getting along with everyone, and Scott shoots daggers every so often when he thinks no one is looking. It’s because he doesn’t like to see that his little sister is in a relationship. No one will ever be good enough for me, and he’s just trying to piss us off. Everyone seems to be comfortable again, there is no tension, even Scott and Luke aren’t looking like they want to kill each other, but it will take a while to get them back to how things were.

We are about to leave when dad remembers something. “Hold on a sec Soph, your mail is here.” He walks back toward the direction of the kitchen, a few moments later he comes back with a pile of mail. I take the mail and lean in to hug him goodbye, he hugs me in return, kissing me on my cheek.

“Be good baby girl, and stay safe, you got my grandchild growing inside you know.” I scoff.

“Are you insinuating I don’t look after myself?” he just laughs and shakes his head. As I walk through the door, dad calls Nathan back.

“Nathan, can I have a word?” He must see the look on my face because he continues.

“Don’t worry Soph, he will be fine.” I nod my head and head to my car.

I hug Luke and Scott goodbye and they both head off too. About ten minutes later Nathan leaves the house, he looks pissed.

“Everything okay?” He looks at me.

“Yeah why wouldn’t it be?” He snaps. I don’t know what his problem is, but there is no need take it out on me. I’m not mad I’m confused everything was fine until he spoke to dad.

“Whatever the hell your problem is, I’m not your punching bag; don’t take it out on me.” I get in my car and drive off to my house. On the way I call dad using the hands free, he’s laughing as he answers.

“I was wondering how long it would take to call me.” I’m so fucking mad right now.

“What the fuck did you say to him dad?” He stops laughing and is on high alert.

“Nothing bad, why?” I’m so confused right now.

“Well the thing is, he was fine when I left the house. I leave him with you and he’s like a bull in a china shop.” He sighs.

“I don’t know what to tell you baby girl, he was fine when he left me.”

I hang up, this conversation is getting me nowhere. I arrive at my house, I hear a car coming, I look up and see it’s Nathan. I don’t know if I want another argument. I’m drained from the emotional overload that happened at dads.

“Nathan can I have a word?” Steven calls me as Sophia and I are leaving, I should have guessed this would be coming. He tells Sophia that I’ll be fine, he takes me into his office and tells me something that puts me on high alert.

“I need you to do me a favour. What I need from you, Sophia can’t know, at least not yet.” I shake my head.

“I can’t. I promised Sophia, no lies, no secrets.” He nods,

“I understand, but this favour I need from you, well, if what I suspect is true, it could tear my baby girl’s world upside down. It could destroy her.”

“TELL. ME.” I grit out.

“You saw the photo that Luke showed Sophia of that woman, Alex, right?” I nod, where is he going with this?

“She caused a lot of hurt already. If I’m correct in thinking who she is, she could cause a lot more.” I’m getting angrier and angrier as he continues.

“Who do you think she is?” He looks to the office door, then back to me.

“I think she may be Sophia’s biological sister.” What the ever loving fuck.

“What? Why would you think that?” he shakes his head.

“She looks exactly like Sophia’s Mama did, or does. I don’t know, I haven’t seen that woman in twenty years.”

I shake my head in disbelief, “How can you be sure?” I need to know.

“Nathan, I’ll never forget the look of the woman that caused my little girl so much suffering. She will forever be etched into my brain, the same as the look on Sophia’s face when she first saw me.” He looks to be in so much pain as he says that sentence, it makes my chest hurt just thinking about the hurt she suffered.

“So Nathan, that’s why I need your help.” I look at him.

“Oh yeah, what do you need?” He walks to the desk, he writes down something on a piece of paper and he walks back to me.

“Sarah Anderson is her biological mother’s name. I have the address of where she lived when Sophia was small. I know it’s not a lot, but it’s a start. I want you to find out if I’m right, see if this Alex is Soph’s sister.” I nod, it is a place to start.

“I’ll start as soon as I get to the office.” He nods, I turn to leave, I make it towards the office door.

“Sophia cannot know just yet Nathan, if it does indeed turn out to be her sister, her being with both Luke and Scott at the same time looks like it’s a set-up.” He’s right, it looks suspicious.

“Fine.” I leave.

Sophia’s waiting for me, I feel like I’m betraying her, but it’s for her own good, she doesn’t need the stress. I get to her car. “Everything okay?” She asks, she is looking at me curiously.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” I’m pissed, I don’t want to keep things from her, I’m acting like a fucker, I shouldn’t be taking it out on her. I definitely shouldn’t have snapped at her.

“Whatever the hell your problem is, I’m not your punching bag, don’t take it out on me.” Fuck! She gets in her car and drives off, I rush to mine and follow and she leads me to her new house. I get out of the car, Sophia’s waiting for me, her face is stoic, blank, except a flicker of hurt that appears in her eyes. I hate this.

I walk to her, I go to wrap my arms around her, and she dodges my arms and heads for the front door. I’m fucked, but her dad is right, she can’t know, it might not even be her. Even if it is, the woman obviously has issues. The stress this will bring won’t be good for her or our baby. She may not like it, but I’m looking out for the two of them.

I follow her to the house. The contractors called her yesterday telling her they would be finished this morning. Apparently Scott had another idea he thought would work well, they rushed to get it finished. She opens the front door, I walk in behind her, she walks off looking around. I close the front door behind me.

I walk further into the hall and a sense of home washes over me. It’s a beautiful house. I walk into the kitchen, it looks amazing, it looks like a chef’s paradise. It looks classy yet modern. I carry on through the house into the living room, it’s massive, it has floor to ceiling windows and French doors that lead to the garden. The garden is huge, I can see all of us living here, us and all the kids we have. I walk to the room off the living room it’s a library type of office. The bookcase spans the room; every wall has these enormous bookcases that go from the floor to the ceiling.

They aren’t full; every bookcase has about ten books on them. It looks really cosy in here with the desk and sofa. I leave the office and head upstairs. I walk into one room and stop in my tracks. This must have been what Scott wanted to add. I see Sophia sitting in the rocking chair taking in the nursery Scott had installed.

“It’s too early to have this stuff here, we’re jinxing it.” She says softly.

“Sophia, there is only a rocking chair and the room has been painted a light blue, that is not jinxing it baby.” She nods, stands up, looks once more around the room then leaves it. I follow her, she leads me to the master room, which is bigger than I expected. She has a king size bed and there is so much space left in the room. The room has a brown and cream theme, all the doors are cream, as is her desk and the walls. Her headboard is brown and so is the boarder going across the wall. It looks really stylish.

“I’m not your punching bag. You don’t take your bad moods out on me. I won’t stand for it. You got a problem you can talk to me, I’ll try and help, don’t talk to me like I’m crap on the bottom of your shoe. I won’t stand for it.” She looks so mad.

I believe every word she says, she won’t stand for it, it’s not the way she is. She deserves so much more than how I treated her. I may be keeping a secret from her but it’s to protect her and our baby, I need to relax around her. I need to make sure she is safe.

“I know, I regretted it as soon as it came out of my mouth, I’m so sorry Soph, I really am.” I tell Soph, she isn’t looking directly at me, her eyes are looking at a spot on the wall, she looks thoughtful.

“Damn, I must be fucking crazy. Okay, but do it again and you’ll be singing soprano for a month.” Soph says and her eyes look at mine and I see the weariness in them. I walk up and wrap my arms around her.

“I love your house Soph.” I tell her and it’s the truth. It feels like a home even though she hasn’t even lived in it yet. She smiles and snuggles deeper into me.

“Thanks.” Soph says, the feel of her body against mine is driving me crazy. I turn her head up to me and kiss her. What starts as a slow quick kiss turns into a ravenous sex session.

We’re lying in the bed when I say “That was a great way to christen the house, we have loads more rooms to christen too. I’m thinking of bending you over the office desk.” She has a wicked smile on her face.

“Damn that sounds amazing, how about doing it in your office as well?” Soph says and damn that wicked grin because now all I’m picturing is her in my office on her knees with that grin on her face. Now I’m the one grinning.

“Anytime baby.” I tell her making her laugh, she turns into me.

“We need to talk about earlier. What happened Nathan?” She asks and I sigh, I should have realized she hadn’t dropped it.

“I got a phone call from work, I can’t talk about my cases, you know that Soph. Let’s just say one isn’t progressing as quickly as we would like. I’m sorry I took my frustration out on you.” I tell her and she buys it, making me feel like a douche bag for lying to her.

“Ok, I have to meet my team later on; we should have the office set up soon. What are you up to for the rest of the day?” Soph asks and I kiss her forehead.

“I’m heading back to the office; Want to have dinner at La Margo’s?” I ask her and she smiles brightly. I love when she smiles, her whole face lights up. I know how much she loves Italian; La Margo’s is her favourite restaurant.

“Yes, of course, like you even have to ask. I’ll meet you at your office for seven?” I nod.

“Sounds perfect.” I get out of the bed and start getting dressed, she’s doing the same, I can’t help but sneak peeks at her as we’re dressing, she’s a fucking goddess.

I head back to the office. Scott’s there, I nod my head at him indicating I want him to follow and he does. We head to my office; he comes in and closes the door.

“Thank you.” He looks lost so I explain.

“For calling me at your dad’s and for the nursery.” His face lights up when I mention the nursery.

“You’re welcome on both accounts, but the nursery, well that was my pleasure; I’m excited to be an uncle.” He’s smiling and laughing.

“Good. It means a lot that you’re behind our relationship Scott, you mean a lot to me not only as a valuable employee, but as a friend and I know how much you mean to your sister. So thanks.” He’s shaking his head.

“I don’t regret what I said to you. There is no place you can hide from me if you hurt her, but saying that, she’s happy. She is the happiest I have ever seen her, and for that I owe you.” We shake hands and head to the conference room.

Everyone is waiting for us in the conference room. Connor raises his eyebrow in question. I shake my head, she’s only eight weeks pregnant, it’s too soon to tell anyone. I know that Scott came to the same conclusion I did when I saw the machine in her hospital room. Also by her constant crying, that girl apparently never cries. She’s complaining that her being pregnant is turning her soft, like that could ever happen, that woman could kill all of us with no problem.

“Anyone have any fucking idea, any leads, where this mother fucker is hiding his sorry ass?” I’m pissed, this dick has been M.I.A since entering New York, I want this fucker caught. I hate the thought of a terrorist running around New York.

“No Boss, no one seems to know where he is.” I shake my head.

“That is the biggest load of bullshit that I ever heard, someone in New York knows where he is, they are either not talking or you haven’t asked the right people yet. I’m pissed, I don’t want a loose cannon running around, and neither does the FBI.”

After a full debrief of all the other cases we leave the conference room.

“Everything okay between you and Scott?” That fucker Conner I swear he is one of the nosiest motherfuckers I know.

“Yeah, there was a family problem, it’s sorted now though.” He looks sceptical but nods and heads off to his own office. I go to Dwayne’s office.

“Dwayne, I need your help. No one and I mean no one can know about this except me and you, do you understand?” He nods.

“Yeah, sure boss. What do you need?” I hand him the piece of paper Steven handed me.

“This woman, that is her address from about twenty years ago, I know nothing else. I need to know absolutely everything. I want her whole life torn apart. Do you understand?” He smiles.

“Sure boss. I’m on it.” I turn and leave.

Selena walks into my office a big smile on her face, she is wearing a top that looks like if she exhales too quickly, it may turn into a hulk moment and rip through her top. She’s not big, she’s curvy. It doesn’t bother me if a woman was fifty pounds or five hundred pounds, as long as she is happy and comfortable that is all that matters, but Selena, she doesn’t wear clothes that help enhance her qualities and instead she wears clothes too small for her. She also flirts with me every day.

I gently rebuff her advance because she works for me that and the fact she is a bitch. She places folders on my desk and puts her tits in my face yet again. It’s fucking annoying as hell. I clear my throat and look at her, whatever she sees in my eyes has her scurrying for the door. I look at the clock and see it’s only five o’clock, two more hours before I can unwind.

My phone rings. “Slade.” I answer.

“Boss, I found something on the thing you asked me about.” That was quick.

“On my way.” I hang up and walk to Dwayne’s office. I walk in and take a seat. I wait for him to finish up whatever it is he does, I don’t ask anymore. I asked once and spent five hours of my life I can never get back being lectured on why it’s better to use Acormer, instead of Fertwer Software, like I know what they even are, I think he made them up. I’m pretty sure he did.

“Ok boss, whoever this woman is, she is really easy to find, she is currently serving her seventh year out of twenty for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Apparently she took a hammer to the wife of one of her clients.” Well at least she is away from Sophia.

“Anything else?” He looks at me.

“Yeah mother of two, mother to twenty- five-year-old Sophia Alexia Anderson, and twenty-year-old Alexandra Sarah Anderson, although Sophia hasn’t been seen with her mother since she was five.” Shit.

“Show me the picture of Alexandra.” He does, and fuck me it’s her.

“Okay, I need everything you can find out about Alexandra. I need this like yesterday.” He nods, his eyes going to his laptop and he’s typing fast.

“On it boss. I’ll find out everything I can.”

In my office I call Steven; I got his number from Scott’s next of kin in his file.

“Detective Dallas.”

Fuck. “Steven, it’s Nathan.” He sighs.

“I was right wasn’t I?” It’s my turn to sigh.

“Yeah man, you were spot on; Alexandra Anderson is Sophia’s biological sister. Her Biological mother is currently serving a twenty year sentence for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.”