This Isn't You, Baby (War & Peace Book 4) Page 2

  My freedom.

  I yank the dress quickly up my body to hide from him. “I don’t want anything.” From you.

  Our eyes lock and he pins me with his heated glare. “Three more days, Gabriella. And then I’m going to give you something we both will enjoy.”

  At that, he slips out of my room and disappears.

  I have to get out of here.

  Heath’s parties are something out of a fairy tale. He spares no expense when it comes to hosting such events. Everyone who is anyone is invited, the food is incredible, and the décor is impressive. I’ve met more celebrities than I can shake a stick at. Under normal circumstances, this might be cool.

  But nothing about this situation is cool.

  What people from the outside don’t see is the cesspool of the vilest criminals all dressed up and fancy as hell in one room making subtle and refined negotiations. Heath Berkley is not an honest self-made man. He’s heavily involved in the drug circuit. I know for a fact that his biggest alliance is with the Rojas family. Camilo Rojas is one of the richest men in Colombia. His cocaine empire is virtually untouchable by the American feds. He doesn’t come to the US much—he instead has his two eldest sons, Esteban and Duvan, do most of the overseeing for his drug trafficking. His alliance with Heath is what keeps the feds off his ass. Heath lines the pockets of politicians, influential police personnel, and our local government so they’ll overlook what comes through his shipyard via shipping containers.

  So far the business marriage between these two families has worked out well. But about five years ago, the Colombian government began harassing Camilo. They’re as corrupt as he is and have been extorting a crap load of money in exchange for not blasting Heath’s name to the feds—the ones who actually do their jobs and aren’t dirty—the ones he can’t pay off no matter how much money he waves in their faces. Their mere “business” relationship makes their criminal activity that much more obvious. Why else would a wealthy Colombian family be so well connected with a rich American one? Especially since the American family owns a gigantic shipyard that primarily sends barges to Buenaventura from the Port of San Diego.

  For the past several years, Heath and Camilo have slowed on both production of the coke and the distribution here in America to keep the Colombian government off their backs. However, when they finally have me married into the Rojas family, they can make a great show of the actual marriage of the two powerful families. Their relationship will no longer be a red flag.

  Of course, I’m not supposed to know any of this.

  But, like I said, Oscar, the youngest Rojas son, is actually my friend and has a really big mouth.

  “Oh my God, Brie,” Vee whines and sips on the champagne we’re only allowed to have about eight times a year at these lavish parties Heath hosts. “Oscar looks so hot tonight. His hair is getting longer. He looks more like Esteban every day but a whole lot less scary.”

  I laugh and scan the growing crowd for our friend. He lives and goes to school in Bogotá, just a day’s drive from where his father’s shipyard is located and apparently around the corner from where one of the warehouses is located. We don’t see Ozzy every time Heath has his parties so I’m glad to know we’ll see him tonight.

  “Are Duvan and Esteban here too?” I don’t want either of them to be here. Where Oscar treats me as a friend and makes me laugh, his two older brothers treat me as a prize one of them will eventually sink their teeth into.

  “Yep and old man Camilo. Must be a big deal for the whole family to be here,” Vee says and chugs her champagne. “I’m going to make out with Oscar. I’ll shove him into a dark room and do dirty things to that firm body.” When she starts fanning herself, I laugh.

  “Do you even know how to do dirty things? Last I checked, you were a virgin too, nerd,” I tell her with a smile.

  A big body comes between us and slinks an arm around each of us. As soon as I inhale the familiar cologne, I know it’s Oscar. “What’s that? You both want to lose your virginity to me at the same time?” he says playfully. “I can arrange that. It’ll be our little secret.”

  I chuckle but Vee bristles. Her idea of flirting with Oscar lately is to give him the cold shoulder. On many occasions, I suggested she switch up her approach. Maybe just dress slutty and attack. She always turns her nose up at that idea and prefers to play hard to get. Possibly a little too hard to get.

  “I’m going to go talk to Dad for a bit,” she says coolly. “See you around?”

  He shrugs as she pulls from his grip. As she walks away from us, her hips sway and I know deep down she’s hoping he’ll follow her. Sometimes I want to push him in her direction. But we all know it’s our parents who have the final say on who dates who.

  And right now, it’s still up for debate.

  At least until three days from now…

  “Come on,” Oscar says and grabs my hand. So much for sending him her way.

  He drags me through the throng of people and down the hallway. When we reach one of the many guest bedrooms, he pushes through it. After he shuts the door, he gives me a crooked grin that I know must melt some hearts back in his hometown.

  “Miss me?” he asks, waggling his dark eyebrows.

  Laughing, I give him a playful shove. “I missed hearing about all of your female conquests. Have you had sex with the entire female population there, Ozzy?”

  He unbuttons his jacket and tosses it over a chair before sprawling out on the bed. “Maybe even a small percentage of the male population too. You know I can’t turn down a killer body.”

  Rolling my eyes, I kick off my heels and crawl onto the bed beside him. This is our thing. Usually Vee is right in the middle. Find Oscar, hide from the parents and his brothers, and laugh all night. It feels weird without my best friend. But she knows where to find us.

  “You’re a douchebag,” I tell him with an exasperated huff but hug his middle.

  “A douchebag you’re going to marry.” He turns and regards me with a grin.

  I scrunch up my nose in irritation. “I wish it were you and not one of your asshole brothers.”

  “Duvan’s not that much of an asshole. Just acts like a dick most of the time because of Esteban. Always has to prove something. He’s better than he used to be though. Rehab really cleaned him up.” I never even knew Duvan had done drugs. I mean, they’re all sons of a drug trafficker, but I never thought they actually did them. He turns on his side and stares at me, a frown tugging at his full lips. His fingers push some hair from my face. “But it’s me. I’m going to marry you.”

  I love Oscar. I truly do.

  But I don’t want to marry him.

  We’re friends.

  Besides, things are beginning to get serious with Ren.

  “Ozzy…” I trail off.

  His eyes are molten with love and it breaks my heart I don’t feel the same about him. I wish he’d look at Vee this way instead.

  “Brie,” he murmurs and slides a palm to my hip. “It’s what Papá has decided.”

  Hope blossoms in my chest. At least with Oscar, the idea of an arranged marriage doesn’t seem so frightening. He’s the type of boy who’d never settle down, so I’m sure he wouldn’t care if I dated Ren on the side.

  “Really?”

  He slides his fingers into my hair and grips me gently. His eyes darken as he drops his mouth near mine. “Really.”

  And before I can register what’s happening, his mouth is on mine. Demanding and eager. He deepens his kiss the moment I open my mouth to ask him to stop. His heavy body slides over mine and his erection pokes at me through our clothes.

  “So hot and mine now,” he murmurs against my mouth.

  His kiss has left me breathless, but I start to protest. “Ozzy—”

  He lets out a groan as his hands roam my body. “We can finally have what we’ve always wanted.”

  When his fingers pinch my nipple through my dress, I cry, “What has gotten into you?” He never acts like this. “Oscar, w
e can’t do this. I’m seeing someo—”

  He silences me with another kiss. My heart races in my chest as I try to wriggle free of his expert touch that starts to roam south. Turning my head to the side, I let out a groan. “Please stop.” I push at his massive shoulders, but he’s immovable. He suckles at my neck as he manages to shove my dress high up my thighs. This is going too far. “Oscar, no. I don’t…” I trail off. “…want this.”

  His hot breath causes me to shiver. Balling my fist, I prepare to punch him in his ribs until he gets off of me. But it’s too late. I lock onto a pair of familiar green eyes that glimmer with betrayal in the doorway.

  Vee.

  No!

  “Vienna!” I call out over Oscar’s shoulder. “You idiot! Look what you did!” I slap at his head but he just gives me a wicked grin.

  “What?” he says in a smug tone. “You liked it.”

  I shudder in disgust. “Get out! You’re an asshole!”

  I go to kick him but he jumps off the bed out of the way.

  His brows furrow in frustration. “You love me and when we get married I’ll—”

  “You’ll do what, little brother?” a deep voice says from behind him. “Last I checked, you weren’t in the running for this little contest.”

  Normally, I hate Duvan but today I’m thankful for his presence. Oscar just crossed a major line.

  “Fuck off, D. You know she and I are better suited for each other,” Oscar grumbles and adjusts his erection in his slacks. “She doesn’t even like you or Esteban.”

  Duvan steps from behind Oscar. My eyes meet his almost black, rage-filled glare and I suppress a shudder. His gaze falls to between my legs where my dress is still lifted. I squeeze my thighs shut to hide from him. When his darkened gaze meets mine, he stalks over to me. The hunger in his eyes scares me.

  “Out, brother,” Duvan bites out, his tone a no-nonsense growl.

  Remorse washes over my friend’s face. His eyebrows are pinched together and his eyes flicker with regret. For him to maul me like he did is way out of character. We’ve always been friends and nothing more. “I’m sorry, Brie. I just wanted us to—”

  “NOW!” Duvan roars.

  I flinch at his barked order. “Please check on Vee,” I beg. Oscar gives me a single nod before turning and slamming the door behind him.

  Now that we’re alone, Duvan’s hardened stare softens. He quirks up one side of his mouth in a knowing smirk. “You look hot as fuck when you’re aroused, tigress.”

  “I wasn’t aroused,” I argue with a glare of my own.

  He chuckles, and I have the urge to slap him upside the head too. “Little Ozzy turns you on. And just think, I’m bigger and better than him in every way. When we’re married, I’ll show you just how much bigger of a man I truly am.”

  I narrow my eyes at him as I climb off the bed. He doesn’t stop staring at me as I quickly smooth my dress down over my thighs and cross my arms over my still hard nipples. Thanks a lot for that, Ozzy. As if he can read my mind, he smirks.

  “You can’t hide from me. I’ll be seeing what’s under that dress and be inside of you by the end of the week, tigress. And that’s a motherfucking promise.”

  “Have you heard from him?” I ask as I pace my room at home. I can hear Mom banging pans around. She’s been in a pissy mood ever since Dad left for a meeting in Chicago. But apparently, women shouldn’t fly this late in their pregnancy, according to Dad. Mom’s about to pop with a baby boy any day now. My parents call the kid an “oops” baby. Calder and I call him a “pull out method gone bad” baby...but never to their faces.

  Dad grunts on the other line. “Not in weeks. Last I knew, they were in Destin, Florida. They’ve travelled all along the Gulf Coast ever since he took her from the mental health facility. She called to tell me she loved me. I don’t know if she’s just happy or what but she sounded really good, Ren.”

  Rolling my eyes, I sit down on my bed and run my fingers through my hair. I just came back home yesterday for summer break from college and I’m already dying to see Brie. If Mom wasn’t being so emotional, I’d have left her already to go see my girlfriend.

  Is she really your girlfriend?

  Annoyance flits through me. We haven’t made it official, but I’m not fucking anyone else or even talking to anyone for that matter. The only girl I ever talk to is Brie. She’s hot and has a body that drives men wild but it’s her sweet soul that has me wrapped around her little finger.

  Our relationship is based on lies…

  “He asked about Gabriella,” Dad says, jerking me from my inner thoughts. Guilt infects me. Standing up, I start to pace again.

  “And?”

  “Just mentioned he’s been by to see her from afar a few times over the past three years. He says she looks happy and that she deserves a safe, loving home. He says that every time.” He sighs in frustration. “I didn’t dare tell him what you told me.”

  “That her adopted dad looks at her like he wants to eat her?”

  “Fuck no,” Dad hisses. “That psychopath would slaughter everyone in this damn city if he thought for one second that Heath Berkley was shady around his daughter.”

  “But he is shady, Dad.” She never mentions it, but I’ve witnessed firsthand how Heath devours her with his gaze. On more than one occasion, I’ve seen him hug her in a lingering way that goes beyond how a guardian should hug a girl.

  “Until we have more information, I’m not going to bring it up to him. He’s unstable and he still has your sister. And…” he trails off. “My grandchild.”

  Gabe has kept his lips sealed about their child but we know the baby has to be just over two years old now. When he broke her out of the facility, Hannah was six months pregnant.

  “I’m dropping by tomorrow to ask if they need summer lawn help. I’ll find out what I can,” I assure him. My gaze stops at the mirror and I almost laugh. I’m as big as Dad now but more filled out, thanks to my obsessive workout schedule. We still have the same deep blue eyes, chiseled jaw, and messy brown hair. Dad says I have Mom’s smile, though.

  “You haven’t told them your real name, have you?” he asks.

  Guilt once again surges through me. Mom doesn’t know I mowed lawns for three years where Gabe’s daughter lives. Dad doesn’t know that Brie and I have been friends for the past year and a half. And he certainly doesn’t know that we’re quickly progressing to more than friends, especially after I nearly blew my wad in my swim trunks making out with her on the beach during spring break.

  What sucks the most, though, is that Brie thinks my last name is Loveland.

  But if she ever knew my sister was the one who killed her mother…

  “How’s your mom?” he asks, dragging me from my dark thoughts.

  “Banging shit around in the other room,” I say with a chuckle. “Calder’s spending the week with some friends on their yacht. So it’s just me left to deal with her wrath. Thanks a lot, Dad.”

  He huffs. “Go cheer her up. God knows you’re the only one who can. She hung up on me earlier because the client I’m working with asked me to stay three more days to go over some different concepts for their firm. Your mother didn’t take that news lightly.”

  “I swear to God if I have to be in that delivery room, you’re dead to me, Dad,” I groan.

  He lets out a loud chuckle. “That’s pretty much the same thing she said to me earlier, but with a lot more curse words.”

  We chat a little about how final exams went before I let him go. I change out of my jeans and pull on some gym shorts before leaving to go find my mother. When I make my way into the kitchen, she’s cleaning out the fridge and chucking old bottles of salad dressing into the trash.

  “Hey, Mom,” I chirp and lean in to kiss her on the cheek.

  The tension leaves her body and she flashes me a wide smile. “Hey, baby. What do you want for supper? It’s just the two of us. We can order pizza if you want, or I could make you one of your favorites.”
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br />   Shrugging, I lean against the counter and regard her. My mom is young looking for her age. And now that she’s pregnant, she looks about twenty years younger. “Pizza is fine.”

  She continues throwing stuff into the trash but she’s lost her furious edge. “You look bigger. You’ve been working out too much.”

  I smirk and snag an apple from the bowl on the counter. “I don’t think there is ever such a thing in a guy’s mind.”

  “Do you have a girlfriend?” she queries, her head still hidden in the fridge.

  “Meh, nobody serious.” Lies.

  “That’s good,” she says with a grumble. “You’re too young to settle down with just one girl. Wait until you get your degree and then you can date more seriously.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I agree just to get her off my back. While she cleans, I pull up the pizza delivery app on my phone and order two large pizzas. Since she’s been pregnant with Mason, she’s been craving bacon much to my vegan father’s horror. Her pizza is bacon with extra bacon plus bacon.

  Her shoulders loosen as we chat about school and Calder and the baby. Whenever the topic strays toward Hannah and she gets teary-eyed, I change the subject. The doorbell saves us from our latest near conversation about my sister.

  “I’ll pay the pizza man if you’ll bag up that trash and take it out,” she says before waddling out of the kitchen. I’m knotting the plastic ties when I hear her screech.

  Fuck, if her water broke, Dad is dead.

  “Please don’t tell me you’re having the baby—” My words die in my throat upon seeing Gabe in our doorway holding a bundle of blankets. It’s been years since I’ve seen him in the flesh. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I fist my hands, preparing to beat the old man’s ass. I’m about to drive my fist into his nose when something squirms in his arms.

  “Baylee, hear me out…” His plea falls on deaf ears.

  “Ren! Call 911!” she hisses. Her hands automatically fall to her belly as if she’s protecting Mason from the psycho prick.

  Gabe takes two long strides toward her and snatches her by the shoulder. “I said fucking listen to me,” he seethes.