UGLY (10 page)

When they were outside at the patio table, Cassie leaned forward, “Rich is nothing like Ben who I love but don’t trust. He’s out for himself and no one else. Greg said he was bringing Nadia?”

Candice nodded, watching Cassie cringe with wide eyes as she leaned forward and asked, “She’s got the hots for Rich, doesn’t she?”

Cassie’s nose wrinkled, “She’s always struck me as wanting a permanent place in the family. She and I don’t get along because she was after Greg but he didn’t like her. You wait…she’ll be snide towards us.”

Candice told her what Nadia had said about Rich, causing Cassie to nod knowingly and add, “She’ll go after Ben next. Just wait and see.”

Ben’s car pulled into the driveway as Candice put her cigarette out. She told Cassie as they walked into the house, “This pregnancy scares me to death. What if something happens?”

“Just take it easy. You have no idea how many times that I was placed on bed rest.”

Candice sighed, “At least I can work from bed.”

Cassie asked what she did while they walked into the living room but both froze at the sight of what Nadia wore. Sporting a slinky black dress that barely covered her ass, she eyed Cassie with hostility before raking a scathing gaze over Candice. Rich’s eyes narrowed, darting to Candice before he stood and asked Ben, “Are you staying for dinner or planning an evening on the town?”

As if her attire was completely normal, Ben said, “Dinner but we might do something afterward…why?”

Their mother shrieked from the doorway, “Nadia! Do you really think that’s appropriate?”

Cocking an eyebrow, she shrugged defiantly, “Ben seemed to think so.”

His mother pinned him with her stare, “My son would think a bikini was appropriate. That doesn’t mean that it is.” With a roll of her eyes, she asked Candice, “How is your uncle, Dear?”

Candice immediately moved in that direction, stumbling to a stop when she spotted him in the doorway, “Uncle Mike, you’re not supposed to be out of bed.”

“Neither are you.”

They helped him to the sofa, grinning as Rich’s mother fussed over him. Tired of all the attention, he asked, “What is that burning smell?”

After flapping her hands for a second, one flew to her hip, “I am not burning dinner. Nadia…never mind. You’ll give him another heart attack with that dress.”

Sighing, she went back into the kitchen. They could hear her barking orders at their father, causing Rich to rise and go into the kitchen. He reappeared a short while later, catching everyone but the sullen couple—Ben and Nadia—gathered and cooing around the baby. Announcing that dinner was served, he helped Uncle Mike to the table and waited until everyone joined them.

Chapter Ten

Before they began, he held a hand up and said to her uncle, “I have two reasons for asking everyone here tonight. One, thanks to Nadia, everyone already knows. As for the other, I would like to ask for your niece’s hand in marriage.”

Already anticipating this, her uncle nodded with a wide grin as Rich dragged a ring out of his pocket. Candice snapped her mouth shut, staring at the ring as if it would bite her before breathing in a shaky voice, “Rich, you don’t have to…”

“Candice, I’m not doing this out of obligation but because I’m crazy about you. I wanted you to be my wife last week and I’m sure that won’t change no matter what happens. Will you marry me, Candice Adams?”

Wiping her moist palms on her slacks, she nodded, “Yes, Rich, I will marry you.”

She was in his arms before she knew what hit her. Everyone was talking at once with Cassie soothing the baby which had become overwhelmed in all the shrieking. Rich’s hands surrounded her face, “Are you ready for the rest of the news?” Her eyes widened as she tried to fathom what else could happen. He whispered in her ear, “I have the local preacher scheduled for this weekend.”

She gasped as he nodded, “I’m sure Cassie and Mom would be thrilled to help you find a dress. In fact…”

Cassie handed the baby to her husband before jumping up and down, “I know just the place. You are going to love this dress. It’s in the window and is…
splendid!
”

In all the excitement, Uncle Mike noticed Nadia glaring at Candice who eagerly nodded. Everyone settled down as their mother served the food. Glowing from excitement, Candice couldn’t quit admiring the ring as she ate. Watching the tasteful diamond wink under the dining room lights, she leaned against Rich and quickly ate everything on her plate.

Once his meal was finished, her uncle thanked everyone and said, “I don’t want to wreck the party but I’m beat. Rich, can you help me to my room?”

He quickly did as asked but, when they cleared the door, her uncle said, “You need to watch that nurse. She’s shooting daggers at Candice.”

Rich thanked him while tucking him in. Hurrying back to Candice, he saw that Nadia and Ben had left, “Where’d they head off to?”

His mother shrugged, “Something about catching a show. You know restless your brother is around babies. I don’t expect him to ever settle down.”

Breathing a sigh of relief at their departure, Candice covered a yawn. Seeing this, Rich’s mother nodded, “We’ve worn you out, haven’t we?”

She shook her head but their father nodded, “You and my future grandchild need the rest.” Beaming at her, he said, “I hope that baby has your eyes. They are beautiful.”

Blushing as everyone nodded, she grinned when Cassie said, “That gown is going to make them pop. We’ll get out of your hair but call me.”

After assuring them that she’d call everyone tomorrow, Rich swept her in his arms. She clung to him and asked, “You’re not going to let my feet touch the ground, are you?”

“That’s my goal.”

“I’m not complaining but…why the fast wedding?”

“Because I don’t want you out of my sight again.” As he carried her into the bedroom and tucked her in, he explained his thoughts, “There’s that pool house out back. It’s two stories and would be perfect for your uncle. Do you think he’d resist the idea?”

She shrugged, “He’s used to a bigger place.”

“Then I’ll get him one in the neighborhood. And a nurse to go with it if I have to.”

Slowly undressing her, he laid his head on her stomach, “Do you think he can hear me?”

“I don’t think she can yet.”

He laughed at her gender correction and trailed his tongue down her lower stomach, watching her muscles tremble under his touch. Her hands flew into his hair when his hands pushed her legs apart for his tongue to probe her clit. His fingers glided up her leg before massaging her slit. Already aching, her back arched when he thrust them inside.

Forgetting to be quiet, his name rent the air in a ragged moan. Dragging his slickened fingers to dampen her twin openings, he sucked at her clit and held her twitching hips in place. She barked a shocked squeak when his thumb plunged into her anally to squeeze the sensitive skin between her openings. Having never felt anything so blissful, she melted into the bed as tingles gathered in her lower belly.

Never wanting the feeling to end, she dragged in a lungful of air as the sensation burst through her. Pulling at his hair and begging him, her feet skated over the bed when he didn’t stop but threw her into a continuous orgasmic state. She thrashed on the bed as he pumped his fingers into her, thumping every G-spot on her cervix and slickened folds.

When he finally dragged his mouth off her, she pulled his face up to hers and slammed her mouth onto his. He groaned at her boldness, grabbing her hips and gently sliding his full length into her. Thrusting her nipples against his chest, she moaned as she tore her mouth off his. Nibbling his neck, she thrust fingers into his hair and surprised them both when the words she’d denied him flew out of her, “Oh Rich, I love you so much.”

A long groaning response of love rumbled out of him as he rocked her hips against his, causing her to writhe under him as he tapped her sweet spots once again. Physical sensations blended with her heightened emotional state, wrecking her mind and body alike. Clenching around him, she raked her nails down his back as she bit his chest.

He worked the muscle joining her neck to shoulder with his teeth, flooding her body with goose bumps while he pistoned into her. In their frantic movements, neither heard his cell phone’s text message alert from the living room. Rolling to place her on top, he openly admired the view of her arching gracefully above him.

Curling her hips, she tucked him deeper inside before grinding over him. Finding the sight too much for his control, he rolled again to trap her beneath him. Her back bowed off the bed when he flooded her neck with words of love. Thrusting her fingers into his hair, she mindlessly repeated her own back to him.

He tensed, cursing as his own release rushed over him. Her already full lungs gulped even more air as his cock repeatedly bumped sweet spots deep within. Cradling her to him, he could barely contain the silly grin on his face as he kissed every inch of her face before his mouth closed over hers. In the calm aftermath, the tone of his cell phone alert made both jump.

“Now what?”

He pulled out, grabbed his robe, and headed toward the living room. Her hand flew to her face, realizing tears were present on her cheeks, before she jerked alert at the smell of smoke. Her gaze flew to the window before Rich’s gruff voice yelled, “
FIRE! Candice, get out of there!
”

She scrambled off the bed, grabbing a robe on the way out, and ran for the bedroom door. Thick smoke filled the hallway. Rich yelled, “Hit the floor, Candice, and crawl toward me.”

The realization that his house was on fire flooded her with panic. She screamed, unable to see that her uncle was already out of the spare room. Fear muddled her mind, sending her crawling toward the room. Hands suddenly grabbed her and dragged her away from the door.

Fighting them, she coughed and gagged as Rich ran with her out the patio door. She saw her uncle safely sitting on the other side of the pool before passing out. When she came to, firefighters tackled the blaze while a barrage of EMTs were checking vital signs and fussing over them. She vaguely heard someone say something about arson before Rich’s voice sent her gaze flying his way. Seeing his pale face, smudged with blackness from the smoke, she gasped and started coughing.

Rich’s gaze jerked to her. He was at her side before she even knew he’d moved. An oxygen mask was placed over her face as pain flared in her abdomen. Gasping and curling into a ball, anxiety tore through her as she shrieked into the mask, “No, NO!”

Rich uttered the word
pregnant
before she was whisked into an ambulance. He stayed with her though the blur of pain and panic. When she could speak, she breathed, “Uncle Mike…”

Rich assured her that he was fine, “My mom’s caring for him. Just relax, Candice.”

He never left her side, explaining the pregnancy test and her Lupus to the attending physicians. After a myriad of tests, the physician returned, “You are definitely pregnant and the baby is fine. We’re going to keep you overnight just to make sure. You’re lungs have suffered from the smoke damage and, with Lupus, that’s not good. The pain you’re experiencing is from a pulled muscle…coughing can do that.”

Both of them visibly relaxed. He stayed while they transported her into a room, greeting Cassie when she appeared suddenly. At the sight of her future sister-in-law, Candice’s brave exterior crumbled. Although embarrassed at breaking down and unaccustomed to having caring female friends, she gratefully accepted Cassie’s embrace.

After crying herself out on the woman’s shoulder, Cassie patted her back, “I have to talk to Rich for a second but we’ll be right back.”

She watched them step outside the room, trying to hear what was said but their voices were too low. By their stance, it wasn’t good news. Knowing what she’d heard about arson, she nervously waited for them to return. When they did, she asked Rich, “Who started the fire? I heard someone say arson?”

Appearing reluctant to tell her, he finally said, “Candice, I don’t want to stress you out any more. I know that not telling you will stress you out worse, though. They’re trying to find Nadia. My mom said Nadia left a weird voicemail on her phone before the fire. She left one on mine…an apology.”

Her grip on Cassie’s hand tightened, spurring her newfound friend to quickly say, “We won’t leave your side. She cannot harm us here.”

Confused, Candice asked, “Where’s Ben?”

Rich’s face paled, “They don’t know but that’s nothing new. He has a habit of ditching a date when he sees something he deems prettier. Who knows…that might have set her off.”

He smoothed a strand of hair out of her face, “Don’t worry about them. There are people searching. Stay calm and focus on you and the baby.”

Nodding, she tried to take a deep breath but winced and started coughing. Rich immediately tensed, gently rubbing her stomach. A nurse arrived to administer something through her IV. Before she had a chance, all three asked what it was. Grinning, she assured them that it was safe for both mother and child but would help with the cough.

After enduring misdiagnosed issues and seeing the bad within the medical field, Candice wearily eyed the nurse throughout the whole procedure. To distract her, Cassie launched into a lengthy description of the gown she’d previously mentioned. Partway through, Rich was called outside the room by a uniformed police officer.

When Candice’s gaze focused on the door, Cassie gave up on discussing the gown but told her, “He’ll tell you what’s going on when he gets back.”

Growing sleepy from the medication, Candice anxiously watched Rich return to the bed and say, “They found Ben. Apparently, he and Nadia had a spat before he left her at her home. They’re still searching for her. He has an alibi but they found evidence at Nadia’s home. They also found a bunch of photos of her and…”

Cassie suddenly barked, “What are you doing here, Isabella?”

Wearing an arrogant expression as if it were armor, she slipped into the room, “Ben sent me to check on the new mother.”

Rich’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t voice his thoughts. Instead, he calmly asked, “Where is Ben and why didn’t he come to see her?”

“He’s…um…helping them search for Nadia.”

Having just spoken to the police, Rich saw through her lie so he asked, “What’s up with you and Nadia?” Motioning toward the door, he spotted the same officer as he said, “They found your photos and…”

The officer suddenly barked at a nurse, “Hey! Stop that woman.”

All eyes flew to the door before a click from the end of the bed dragged their alarmed gazes back to Isabella. The pistol in her hand was aimed at Candice as she hissed, “I was supposed to get Ben while Nadia worked on Rich. Then you dropped into the picture. Yeah, Rich…Nadia and I are lovers. Ask your twin about that sometime. I’m surprised he hasn’t crowed about it before now.” Her face twisted in anger as she sneered at Candice, “Like an idiot, Ben screwed up the juice we laced for you.”

Candice’s mind flew back to the juice she drank at her uncle’s bedside. She’d poured it down the drain, thinking it was off. Her mouth worked but nothing came out. Rich raised a hand but froze when Isabella snapped, “I will take her out if you move another inch.”