Falling Stars (55 page)

The
next morning I went to the restaurant and then started doing some research
around the town. It was difficult, since I didn't want to draw attention to
myself, but once I got my hands on a laptop I did a lot from my hotel room.

Spending
about a week in the hotel, I found my lead when one of the leased properties in
Una’s file was only an hour away. The home was a very private gated house
leased out to celebrities and those that were looking for privacy.

"Ah
hah," I shouted into my room. "I got you now, baby!"

I
packed up my things and quickly raced out of the hotel to my car. She didn't
know it yet, but I was coming. I was going to get her back and apologize for
everything and then I was going to make sure she was mine. With her, everything
was better and I would make it better for us.

After
driving for hours, I still didn't know how I was going to get to her, but damn
it I would figure that out when I got there. Pulling up to the driveway there
were a couple of cars parked along the street. It was the damn leeches. Their
cameras were ready and aimed.

"Hey,"
one of them yelled and a car door slammed. "That's Mason!"

I
pulled up to the gate and all I could do was press the button. Think fast
Chris.

"Yes?"
a crackled voice answered.

"I'm
here to see Mia Ryder," I informed.

"There
is no one here by that name," crackled back.

I
rolled my eyes. Way to fuck it up already.

"Okay
then let me talk to Amy White." I smirked.

"One
moment," was the response. A minute passed. "Your name sir?"

I
opened my mouth and froze after almost saying my own name. I quickly recovered.

"Nicholas
Shaw" I blurted out. "Could you hurry there are a cameramen on my
ass?" I sat there silently praying it worked. Then the gate started to
retract.

"Yes!"
I gave the ceiling of the car a victory punch.

Driving
down the long driveway the sun disappeared behind the thick trees lining it.
After a minute or two there was a break in the darkness and the trees ended.
Sunlight infiltrated the shadows and in the middle was a large house. I hadn't
expected to see such a house. It was large, newer, and it was great.

Once
parked, I jumped out of the car and ran toward the door. I knocked eagerly, met
by the large and burly, also familiar, security guard.
Shit!

He
raised an eyebrow at me.

"Christopher?"
he said in a warning tone.

"Phillip,"
I smirked.

"You
aren't Nicholas," he scowled at me.

"Really?"
I said sarcastically.

"Gerald
warned me about you." He smirked. "You need to go," he started
to push the door shut.

"I'll
leave only if Mia tells me to," I spit out and put my hand on the door
holding it open.

"I
speak for Mia, so go!"

"No!"
I shouted back.

"What
the hell is goin –?"

My
eyes snapped to Kat who didn't finish once her eyes met mine.

"Kat,
please," I begged.

She
shook her head and stomped to the door.

"What
the hell are you doing here?" She growled low.

"You
know why I'm here!" I growled back. "Now let me in!" I pushed
forward, but Phillip put a hand on my chest keeping out of the door.

"Fine,"
I put my hands up in surrender. Then I smirked and yelled, "Mia. Please
let me talk to you!"

"Shhh!
You asshole, she's asleep," Kat hissed at me.

"Then
let me in and I won't shout again," I hissed back.

"Kat?"
Her sweet voice carried into my ears. My stomach did a flip and my heart raced.
"What's going –?" And there she was, looking confused and afraid. "What
are you doing here?"

"Please
Mia. I just want to talk…please baby." I shifted forward. She furrowed her
brow.

"Christopher,"
the guard warned.

Kat
rushed to Mia putting an arm on her shoulder. Mia turned into her embrace and I
could see the perfect round bump.
My baby. My Mia.

I
hadn't realized I was crying until Mia appeared in front of me and placed a
hand on my cheek. Once I finally realized she was so close, I pulled her to my
chest and kissed her head.

"Oh
God, Mia, I've missed you so much." I pulled back and kissed her. Then
between kisses, I spoke.

"I..."
kiss "love...” kiss "you...” kiss "so...” kiss "much"
kiss.

When
she pulled away silently, I became worried.

"You
shouldn't be here," she breathed out and walked away. I followed into the
house and grabbed her arm lightly, turning her to me.

"Mia
–" she placed her finger on my lips. I kissed her finger before she could
pull the finger away.

"Please,
you should go. I'll let you know about the baby and keep you in the loop. I'll
call you okay?" Her eyes were so sad.

"No.
It's not okay." I furrowed my brow. Anger filled her eyes.

"You'll
go now," she pulled herself away from my touch.

"I'm
not going anywhere." I smirked. If she thought I was leaving her after
just finding her, she was crazy.

"I
just need –"

"I
need you." Dropping to my knees, I placed my head against her stomach and
wrapped my arms around her. "I want and should be with you," I
whispered, nuzzling into her.

I
grabbed her limps hands and placed them on my head. When she let her hands fall
away, I knew things were bad, really wrong. I'd really fucked up.

"I
love you Mia and I'm more than sorry for what I did. I'll spend the rest of my
life making it up to you and showing you that I'll never do it again." I
looked up to her face. Her eyes closed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Standing,
I cupped her face in my hands, pressing my lips to hers gently. She pulled
away.

"Chris,
I can't deal with this right now."

"Mia,
I'll never hurt you again, I swear."

"Please,
just go. I just found out about her and need to process everything."

"Her?"
I questioned.
Shit, the pictures
. She had seen them. "Mia, no. No,
no, I'm not with her."

"But
you were." Her head shook lightly and looked away from me.

"No,
I wasn't. She was my mentor in rehab." Her eyes found my face again. I
smiled. "There's and never will be anyone else."

"I
don't –"

"They
completely blew it out of proportion. Her name is Shay and she was my therapy
mentor. In fact, I still have her number in my cell if I need someone to talk to
during rough moments. I'll call her now if you want, hell I'll invite her here
to meet you. Lord knows she would love to finally meet the infamous Mia."

She
turned her head away from me, eyes closed. "I can’t do this, Chris.  Just
go."

"No,
I won’t." Grabbing my phone, I immediately dialed Shay.

"Chris,
don’t. Please just —"

"Hey,
Chris, everything alright?" Shay had answered quickly.

"No,
Shay, it’s not."

Tears
streamed down Mia’s face.

"Do
you need a session set up with Dr. J? Or do you just need to talk?"

"I
need you to explain to Mia what you are to me."

"You
need me to wha…Oh.  Oh my, put her on the phone and I’ll —"

"You’re
on speaker."

"Oh…okay.
Mia, I’m a mentor from the rehab.  I know it’s probably hard to believe but —"

"I’m
sorry he’s put you through this embarrassment." Mia reached out and ended the
call. "I can’t believe you did that to her and to me.  Do you know how
embarrassing that was?"

"I
need you to believe me."

Mia
took my phone and pushed a couple of buttons.

"No,
it’s Mia."  "Yes, he found me." "It’s okay, listen.  I need
to know who the redhead in the photos is, please." 

After
a few long minutes on the phone, it wasn’t until she thanked Nicholas that I
knew who she’d called.  She studied my face for a long time, but said nothing.

"Mia—"

"I
love you," she whispered and pressed her lips to my mouth. The smiled that
spread across my face couldn't have gotten any bigger.

"Thank
you," I grabbed her face with both of my hands and kissed her – less
gently than she’d kissed me.

She
pulled away with a confused look on her face.

"For
still loving me." I answered her silent question. "For not hating me."

Placing
my hands on her stomach, I looked down at her expanded belly. With a smile, I
looked back up to her face. Then I felt the nudge.

Filled
with shock and amazement, I pulled my hand away. Mia giggled. I placed it back
on her stomach and felt it again.

"Was
that the –?" Before I finished she was nodding her head with a nervous
look on her face. I kissed her fervently.

"You
should sit down." I walked her over to the couch.

"I'm
fine," she sighed, but let me move her and sit her down anyway.

As
soon as she sat, I dropped onto my knees between her legs. Placing my hands on
her stomach, I just waited quietly. Then there was movement. It wasn't a quick
bump. It was a slow rolling under her skin. Lost in amazement, I placed my head
in her lap. Her fingers ran through my hair.

"Christopher?"
she spoke softly.

"Hmm...?"
I responded from my peaceful trance.

"Do
you want to know the sex of our baby?"

Chapter
Twenty-Seven

"Do
you want to know the sex of our baby?"

"Y-you
know?" he looked up to me in amazement and sadness.

I
nodded.

"My
last doctor's appointments when I found out." I bit my lip.

"Oh,"
he sat back on his heels, his hands resting on my knees.

"If
you don't want –"

"I
just wish I would've been there," his brow furrowed. "I'm an idiot."

He
put his head down on one of my knees and instinctually my hand went to his
head.

"I'm
so sorry about I acted and that I haven't been here for you."

"Shh…it's
okay. Kat's been a great help and –" his head snapped up.

"It
should've been me, not Kat. I keep fucking up. I hurt you and then disappeared
on you." His eyes were a mixture of anger and sadness. I cupped his face
with my hands.

"You'll
be there for your daughter though and you know it."

"I'll
try…Did you say my daughter?" A smile started to spread across his face. I
nodded. Before the squeal left my lips, he'd lifted me up bridal style and
started toward the stairs.

"Which
door?" he asked with determination.

"Christopher,
put me down," I growled.

"Which
door? I'll kick them all open," he warned.

"End
of hall, on the right," I growled out.

Once
inside, he laid me on the bed and climbed next to me. Leaning on his hand, his
face lined up with my stomach.

"My
daughter," he whispered and sucked in his bottom lip. It was strange, but
the click of his teeth against his lip piercings warmed me. It was a sound I
knew too well and had missed so much.

He
reached for the hem of my shirt and pushed it up. I grabbed it and pushed it
down. He smacked my hand and pushed it back up.

"Stop,"
I groaned, pushing it down again.

"No,
you stop," he chuckled pushing the shirt back up. "I can do this all
night," he warned. I gave up, crossing my arms over my chest.

His
nose slid across my skin while his hand glided around my stomach. The fingertip
calluses of a guitarist gave me goose bumps.

"When
will she move again?" His face buried in the flesh of my abdomen.

"When
she feels like it," I lightly laughed.

"Well
when does it usually happen?" He looked up from my stomach.

"When
I want to sleep," I said flatly.

"Go
to sleep," he laughed. I smacked his head. "Hey!" he feigned
hurt.

"Kat
has tried everything to get her to move on command, but that just isn't her
style," I shrugged. "It's on her terms."

"Just
like her mother," he winked.

I
stuck my tongue out.

"Now
see you shouldn't have done that." He climbed up my body and attacked my
mouth.

Pulling
away to catch my breath he placed kisses over my collarbone and into the crook
of my neck. My fingers laced in his hair. He cupped my left breast with his
hand and began to massage.