Chapter 15

Anika woke that morning to find Carter in Jace’s arms. She scrambled to reach for the baby, “May I..have him.” She asked, her eyes wide, pleading. He nodded and handed her the baby, she was fearful he would hurt the child. “Carter, good morning.” She said nuzzling the baby, she was terrified for the baby. She needed to get them both out, needed to leave.

Jace kissed her warmly pulling the two of them into his lap. “Good morning my love.” He said with a smile. She was scared.

“M..morning.” She whispered, he kissed up and down her neck.

“What all do babies need to survive?” He asked her, she looked at him wide eyed, and explained to him.

“Darling,” he whispered. “Can you tell me why you wont tell me you love me.”

She gasped, oh no. “I do Jace, I do love you.” She lied. “I just…instead of telling you I thought you would like me to show you instead.”

“Put the baby down and show me then.” He said softly, she hesitantly did as he asked. She carefully placed the baby down in the crib. He placed blankets around him and kissed his forehead. She slowly walked towards him, and straddled his lap.

“I love you.” She said, and kissed him. He smirked and grabbed her hair tightly in his fist.

“One more time alright, I want to make another attempt to have us a baby. I will love Carter as ours, but he isn’t ours.” She gulped. “Wouldn’t you like to have our own baby?”

She was terrified. “Yes…of course.” She said, after an hour her wrists were untied from the bed frame and she raced to the bathroom to clean herself up. When she came back Carter was again in Jace’s arm. She was never going to be able to get to him, she was angry, and afraid. “May I have him?” She asked reaching out for the child.

“No I want to hold him, he is our baby.” He replied. “Will you go help my mother with breakfast.”

“Yes…yes I will.” She said and headed off. She wanted to bring that baby with her.

“How is the baby?” She asked with a smile.

“Good, the baby is good.” She replied, realizing that baby had a father, and grandparents. After they cooked some eggs and bacon she hurried to see if the women had a phone on her. She found it, wedged between the couch. Fifty percent was left on the flip phone, she smiled and pocketed it quickly. This was her chance.

Then she remembered the chance of service was impossible, she grabbed the phone out of her pocket and opened it. No service, she heard foot steps coming from behind her. She turned and handed Brian the phone. “This was in between the couch cushions.”

“Good girl.” He said taking the phone carefully. “Thank you for not using this.”

“Of course.” She lied, “I love this family, and now Carter will have a family. I am glad she found me before she gave birth to my baby.” She replied back to him. She wanted to find whoever is the father, find the police, find anyone. She sat down at the table as Carter was carried over to her by Jace, she was going to run, once she got a chance.

“Are you alright?” Jace asked as she bounced the baby.

“Yes, yes I am fine.” She said. “I just can’t believe this women had left her house, when she was so pregnant.” She replied. “Uhm the car, did you get rid of it?” She asked, she knew that if the car was found in the area there would be a search, people would be looking for the dead mother, and the baby.

“Yes we drove it over an hour away in the opposite direction.” Brian replied. She sighed but didn’t make it visible, Carter fell asleep in her arms. She cuddled and kissed the baby and watched them as they spoke and ate, she ate small amounts of food.

“How is your food?” She asked looking them over, she was hoping she made them happy.

“Really good, thank you for helping.” Jace replied as the kids sat around her. They were looking over Carter, he was sleeping soundly. She was trying to keep the kids off him, but then felt a sudden sickness come over her. She handed Jace the baby and ran towards the bathroom, she expelled the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Jace made his way in, he was terrified, was she alright. “Baby whats wrong?”

“Just feel..sick?” She said, oh god, was she pregnant. “I may…be pregnant.” She replied with a frown. His smile grew wide, that was wonderful news. He left the room and came back with a box of pregnancy tests, she frowned but went to take them. “May I do this alone?”

“No, you will be doing it while I can see.” She nodded and did as he asked, she took it and after a few minutes the test came back positive. She took four of them to make sure.

“Oh baby,” he said kissing her warmly. The baby was in his mothers arms. She was terrified, tears were threatening to run down her face. “This is wonderful news, Carter is is going to be a great big brother. We wont ever tell him about his real family. Because we are his real family. I love you, and I love him, and I will love our little baby.”

Our.

That word killed her, everything that she was; had been, had been taken from her. She looked to him with panic as he kissed her up and down, everything about him was dangerous but he pretended to love her. He thought he loved her, he knew he loved her.

Love was up to interpretation.

For her she loved Carter, and the idea of saving him from this place, and this new baby was going to have all the love, just as much love that Carter now has.

For Jace, love meant full control. Love meant having a family that was his.