This is the End, Baby (War & Peace Book 7) Read online

  This is the End, Baby

  Copyright © 2017 K. Webster

  Cover Design: All By Design

  Photo: Adobe Stock

  Editor: Prema Editing

  Formatting: Champagne Formats

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the Author/Publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  War and Peace Series Reading Order

  Epigraph

  Warning

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Epilogue

  Spinoff Series Sneak Peek

  Playlist

  Books by K Webster

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  War and Peace Series Reading Order

  This is War, Baby – Book One

  This is Love, Baby – Book Two

  This Isn’t Over, Baby – Book Three

  This Isn’t You, Baby – Book Four

  This is Me, Baby – Book Five

  This Isn’t Fair, Baby – Book Six

  This is the End, Baby – Book Seven

  “When love is not madness, it is not love.”

  —Pedro Calderón de la Barca

  Warning:

  This is the End, Baby is a dark romance. Extreme sexual themes and violence, which could trigger emotional distress, are found in this story. If you are sensitive to dark themes, then this story is not for you. This is the End, Baby is the seventh and final book in the series. Please read the first six books before reading this one to fully understand the story.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for going on this epic and twisted journey with me! Your support has been amazing! I ask that you PLEASE don't spoil the plot or ending of this book in your reviews. I want everyone to be just as surprised as you. The twists and turns are designed for your enjoyment. They aren't as fun when you know what they are going in. Thank you so much for helping me with this!

  Sincerely,

  K Webster

  HIS DARK HAIR is soft. So soft. I could stare at him for hours while he sleeps. Sometimes I do. He’s beautiful and mine. Every night, when I look at him, I am reminded that I am happy. He makes me happy.

  Other times, he maddens me.

  I can’t pinpoint it exactly. It isn’t any one thing. Just that his presence rubs me the wrong way. Every day, it worsens. I don’t like that feeling at all.

  I stroke his hair again and murmur, “I love you.”

  It’s times like these I have to remind myself that I do love him. That he is mine. I have to remind myself that I am in charge of my thoughts…the darkness is not in charge of me.

  I close my eyes and start to hum a song I remember Mom humming when I was a child. It would always calm me when I was in the middle of a tantrum. For as long as I can remember, my mother and I have always butted heads. It’s only recently that we’ve talked a little more. We mostly tolerate each other. You’d think Gabe would be a deal breaker for her, but she puts up with him. Despite everything that went on between them in the past, she welcomes him into her home.

  It makes me wonder if she still has feelings for him.

  I often wonder if Dad were to suddenly die, would she go after my husband?

  Would she remember what a good lover he was and want that back?

  Anger bubbles up inside my chest. Mom is beautiful and looks younger than her actual age. She runs most days and eats well. If she wanted to seduce him, she probably could.

  I try to imagine her as a teen having sex with my husband. Thoughts of my mother beneath him moaning his name have me fisting my hand and gritting my teeth. I can almost hear her moans.

  Gabe…

  Gabe…

  More…

  “Sweet girl?”

  I snap my eyes open and cast an irritated glare at him. That perfect mouth has been on my mother’s pussy. He’s been inside her.

  “Hannah,” he utters as he strides into Land’s nursery. “Let me put him back in his crib and then we can go back to bed.”

  I stop gliding in the rocker but don’t release my baby to him. His eyes narrow but he doesn’t challenge me. Instead, my sleepy husband drops to his knees and hugs us both. Some of the tension releases from my chest. While Land sleeps in one of my arms, I can’t help but reach over with my free hand and stroke Gabe’s hair.

  “How are you feeling?” he asks, his voice muffled against my breast.

  “Just thinking about things.”

  He tilts his head up. “What things?”

  I frown and dart my eyes over to the window. “Things that make me angry.”

  His fingers grip my jaw and he turns my head to look down at him. “What things, baby?”

  “You and Mom,” I seethe, the accusation heavy in my voice.

  “She and I were over before you were even conceived.” His brows furl together and an annoyed sigh escapes him. “We’ve been through this a thousand times.”

  My tone is bitter. “I’m your second choice.”

  “Hannah,” he warns. “How many times—”

  “Daddy?”

  He and I both jerk our heads around to see our sleepy toddler standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. My heart warms to see her in her cute pink polka-dot zip-up pajamas. Her blond curls are fuzzy from sleep. She’s been wandering a lot more in the middle of the night and early mornings since we recently switched her from her crib to a toddler bed.

  “Come here, Toto,” I coo and motion for her.

  Gabe twists to sit on his butt with his back against my shins. Toto walks over and climbs into his lap. He holds her against his chest and strokes her soft hair. A smile plays at my lips. She reaches a small hand up, and I grab it. Land stirs but doesn’t wake.

  “We are a family, Hannah,” Gabe murmurs, but his tone is fierce. “You and I and these babies.”

  My eyes sting but tears don’t form. Sometimes I hate that I’m broken. The emotions that normal people have aren’t in my hollow chest anymore. They’ve dried up and crumbled away. Anger is my most prevalent emotion. It feels like it takes over more often than not.

  “I hate being sick,” I hiss as though the words themselves are tainted.

  A growl rumbles from my husband. “You’re not sick…you’re just in desperate need of a vacation.”

  Toto peers over her father’s shoulder at me with her big brown eyes and smiles. It reminds me of Gabe. The love in that smile nearly knocks the breath out of me.

  “Are you going to take me on vacation so you can off me and dump me somewhere in the Pacific Ocean?” I question, my voice only half teasing in nature. “Then find a new wife? Someone normal?”

  Toto smiles shyly at me again. Those smiles are distracting. A trick she most definitely learned from her daddy.

  “I’m not even entertaining those questions with an answer. I love you more than anything
in this world,” he grumbles. “You know this.”

  “I love you, Mommy,” Toto agrees.

  My heart expands, and I grin at her. “I love you too, baby.”

  She starts whining to climb into my lap, so Gabe sets her on her feet so he can relieve me of the baby. As soon as Land is in his daddy’s arms, Toto crawls into my lap. Her small hands touch my face as she beams at me. I run my fingers through her messy hair and study her features.

  Her light blonde hair is soft. So soft. I could stare at her for hours while she watches me with her cute grins and adoring eyes. Sometimes I do. She’s beautiful and mine. Every day, when I look at her, I am reminded that I am happy. She makes me happy.

  Other times, she maddens me.

  I can’t pinpoint it exactly. It isn’t any one thing. Just that her presence rubs me the wrong way. Every day, it worsens. I don’t like that feeling at all.

  I stroke her hair again and murmur, “I love you.”

  After Land is back in his crib, Gabe stares out the window for a long time with his strong arms crossed over his chest and his back to me. After some time, Toto falls asleep. I stand and carry her back to her bedroom. Once I’ve kissed her and shut the door behind me, I start down the hallway.

  I sense his heat before he even touches me. A moment later, a hand covers my mouth from behind, and I’m captured in his powerful arms.

  His mouth finds my ear, and I shiver when he nips at my lobe with his teeth. “You have to stay out of that head of yours and with me, sweet girl. It’s the only way for us to be happy.”

  I whimper when his free hand slides to my breast through my silky gown. He trails kisses down the side of my neck before releasing me to twist me around. His dark eyes are narrowed as his palm grips my throat. My head thumps the wall when he pushes me against it. I love when he possesses me. He keeps me focused on what matters. Us.

  “God, sweet girl,” he mutters as he nips at my bottom lip and chin and jaw. “You have to get your shit together. You have to.”

  “I’m trying,” I promise as I grip his hair to guide him down to my aching breasts. He bites my nipple through the fabric and regards me with a wicked glare that makes my panties wet. I tug his hair to the left so he’ll bite my other nipple too.

  His chocolate brown hair is soft. So soft. I could stare at him for hours while he devours me, his touches demanding and consuming. Sometimes I do. He’s beautiful and mine. Every day, when I look at him, I am reminded that I am happy. He makes me happy.

  Other times, he maddens me.

  I can’t pinpoint it exactly. It isn’t any one thing. Just that his presence rubs me the wrong way. Every day, it worsens. I don’t like that feeling at all.

  I stroke his hair again and murmur, “I love you.”

  AS MUCH AS I love the beach, I know we can’t live here forever. This home doesn’t meet our needs anymore. We’re too close to people. Hannah doesn’t do well around people.

  “We’ve tried everything on the market,” War complains on the other end of the line.

  I run my fingers through my hair and huff in frustration. “So we try everything not on the market. Come on, man, you have access to this shit. Find something. Anything. It’s absolutely necessary we find a solution.”

  He’s quiet for a moment, and I listen for Land. Thankfully he’s still napping, so I can keep my focus on Hannah and Toto playing in the sand not two hundred feet from where I stand inside the house.

  “Is it getting worse?”

  Worse? Hannah is always worse than the day before. But this is different. This is darker and more unpredictable.

  “I can’t read her anymore,” I hiss. “She’s a fucking live wire, and I am scared as hell it’ll be one of the kids that gets hurt.”

  I hear him tapping away on his keyboard but he remains silent. Then he sighs. “Have you thought about putting her back in an institution?” Even though he says the words, which sound like scripted shit straight from Baylee’s mouth, I know that isn’t what he wants.

  “Fuck the institutions,” I snap. “I told you how she was when I took her from the one Baylee sent her to. My sweet girl was so fucked in the head. They were supposed to make her better, not pump her full of bullshit that makes her talk to goddamned walls. She will not ever go to an institution in my lifetime.”

  His tapping stops. “I don’t know that I like where this conversation is going.”

  “Fuck you, War. You know that if you don’t get your shit together and find something that works, my hands will be tied. I’ll be forced to do something neither of us wants. She’s the fucking mother of my children. You think I want to hurt her?”

  “Touch her and I’ll—”

  “You’ll what, man? Turn me in?” I rub the tension from the back of my neck. “This isn’t just about her. It’s about my fucking kids.”

  “Bay and I can keep them. Send them to us, and we’ll raise them. Take her somewhere safe. Just don’t hurt her,” he pleads.

  I swallow and dart my gaze out to see Toto running circles around her mother, squealing with laughter as Hannah tries to tickle her. “I can’t do that. I can’t not see my kids. I already made that fucking mistake once with Brie. I won’t do it again.”

  Land fusses in the other room but doesn’t cry yet.

  “I’ll intensify my searches. I can go on the deep web and hunt for something on the black market. I’ll keep digging.” His chair creaks and he grumbles. “But this shit isn’t tested, Gabe. I have no idea what the side effects will be. We’re playing with fire, and it involves my daughter—”

  “She’s my fucking wife! You think I don’t know this already?” I snarl. My outburst makes Land start to cry. I stalk into his bedroom. “Time is running out. You should have seen her last night. It’s getting fucking creepy. One of these days, I feel like she’s going to snap.”

  Land squirms in his crib but his cries lessen when he sees me.

  “Hey there, baby boy,” I coo as I scoop him into my arms and pull him against my chest. I redirect my attention to War on the phone as I walk back over to the window to watch my girls who are outside. “Just keep looking.”

  He sighs. “I will. Also, I was going to tell you when I had more information but I think I found what you were looking for. It’s a hunch, based on some cryptic texts, but I believe it’s what you’re searching for.”

  My chest tightens. “You have a location?”

  “I do. Like I said, it hasn’t been one hundred percent verified, but all signs point to it. Are you really going to do it?” he questions.

  I kiss Land’s soft forehead while he gnaws on his fist. He’s hungry, and I’ll need to have Hannah come back in to feed him soon. “Of course I am.”

  “What about Hannah?”

  “I’m going to take her with me this time. She needs to get away,” I tell him. “I think it will be good for her for it to be just her and I for a few days. Plus, it’s a helluva lot easier keeping her in line when it’s just the two of us.”

  “Bring my grandbabies over, and we’ll keep them. It needs to be done, and she certainly needs a break,” he agrees. “Do I need to procure new fake IDs or are the last ones still okay?”

  Translation: Did my innocent little girl murder anyone while using her last ID?

  “They’re fine. Book us a flight and find us a hotel. We’ll leave as soon as we can. I’m not sitting on this,” I order. Land grins up at me, slobber running down his chin. I grin back at him. Cute as fuck little boy.

  “On it,” War assures me.

  I smirk and give him some shit because, why the hell not? “Most fathers would not approve of this.”

  He grunts. “Spare me the lesson on morality, Gabe. You and I both know the rules are different with Hannah. Not to mention, if it weren’t you going to deal with this, my son would be on the first plane out of here.”

  A smile tugs at my lips. That Ren kid is all right in my book. “Maybe we could invite him along—”

  “Don’t start
,” he snaps. “I’ll text you with the details.”

  He hangs up and I chuckle. That is, until I don’t see my girls. A quick scan of the beach tells me they aren’t there anymore. Panic rises in my chest, and I dart for the sliding glass door. Just as I pull it open, Toto and Hannah bounce over from the side of the house, screaming “Gotcha!”

  Land lets out a peal of laughter, and Toto runs to hug me around my knees. Hannah’s blue eyes are glittering with light and love. God, I wish I could keep her like this. These moments are rare. Fucking beautiful, but rare.

  “You scared me,” I tell them both as I tug at one of Toto’s pigtails.

  Hannah laughs. “That was the point.” She holds her hands out for Land. As soon as he sees her, his legs start kicking. Kid loves his momma.

  I usher them inside, and while Hannah feeds Land, I let Toto help me pull out everything we’ll need to make lunch.

  I love my family.

  I love moments like these.

  I love my broken wife.

  Which is exactly why I need take care of this shit.

  “Where are we going?” Hannah questions for the millionth time since I told her about our romantic getaway. “I mean, I know where we’re going but what are we going to do there?”

  I palm her thigh just below the hem of her dress and grin at her. “It’s a surprise, sweet girl. We haven’t done anything like this in awhile, just the two of us. I want you all to myself.”

  My answer pleases her because she clasps her hand over mine and teases me by pulling my hand further up her thigh. The young guy who’s been eyeballing her thighs the entire flight discreetly watches our little display. I’d offered her the seat by the window, but she wanted the middle. My wife likes the attention.

  The cabin lights have been dimmed, and many people are sleeping. But not this guy in our row. It’s as if he’s been waiting for me to fall asleep so he can chat my wife up. I’ll give him something to talk about.