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Eliza

Three Months Later

It’s been three months since Jasper fucked Cassidy into unconsciousness and two and a half months since he, Kimmy, and Gina moved in.

I was afraid we wouldn’t have enough room, but we have plenty.

We put their king bed next to our giant bed, and now we have one massive bed that spans one entire wall of our room.

The first night they were settled in was chaos.

Julian, Calder, Ryan, Oscar, Gunner, and Collin took turns fucking Kimmy and Gina while Jasper took turns fucking Cassidy and me.

By the end of it all, we were all exhausted.

Last week Jasper told us that he was quitting both the police department and the FBI.

He wanted to stay close to us, and going to the FBI would mean having to be away.

Instead, he is opening a private investigation office.

He could retire, which I took great pleasure in teasing him about, but he’d go insane if he wasn’t working.

He is still working with the FBI, but everything is run through Carrie now, but he has no jurisdiction to make arrests or interrogate.

He is dependent on what Carrie tells him.

She said that as long as he can remain objective, she will keep him informed.

Tonight, we are going to try to have a date night. How eleven people are going to manage this smoothly when breakfast is chaotic enough at home, who knows? I get downstairs, and Julian is sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone. “Hey,” he says.

“Where is everyone?” I ask.

“Outside waiting on you,” he laughs. “Ready?”

“I am. Sorry I took so long,” I say. “I wasn’t feeling anything in the closet.”

“Well, what you chose is beautiful,” he says as he pockets his phone and stands.

I am wearing a simple black dress with black flats.

I feel horribly bloated today, so I chose something that wasn’t tight.

What no one knows is that I am avoiding opening an email from the doctor’s office, and whatever is in that email is going to answer why I am bloated.

I am terrified that it will blow up everything we have worked for. God forbid Jason find out…

“You there?” Julian asks, cupping my face.

“Yeah,” I whisper. “I’m just not in a good headspace today.”

“Anything I can do?”

“Not really. I will sort it out in my head eventually,” I tell him with a forced smile.

“I don’t believe you, but I won’t push,” he says. “Let’s go to dinner. I think everyone wants to go for a walk downtown. Maybe you and I can break off and talk.”

“By talk, I hope you mean fuck me in an alleyway somewhere,” I say bluntly, and he laughs.

“Yeah, I suppose that is what I mean,” he laughs.

When we walk outside, everyone gets into the SUVs.

Julian has me sit with him in the back as Calder drives with Ryan in the passenger seat and Gunner beside me.

I am leaning over Julian, and he wraps his arm around my waist to pull me closer.

As we are driving, I pull my phone out and go to my email.

I just stare at it, wanting to open it but too afraid.

“Ignoring it won’t change the results,” Julian whispers in my ear. I look up at him and he smiles.

“You…” I start to say but he stops me and whispers in my ear.

“You have my phone number listed still as a primary contact. They called and left a voicemail today thinking it was your phone,” he says quietly. “I know you aren’t ready to face it, so don’t feel pressured to tell anyone yet.”

“Thank you,” I say softly.

“You two shit talking?” Gunner asks, looking up from his phone.

“Yep,” Julian laughs.

I stare at the email for a minute longer before I tap on it to bring the full email up on my screen.

Subject: Pregnancy Test Results – Action Required

From: Dr. Caroline Mercer, MD

Carolina Women’s Health Associates

3254 Haven Ridge Blvd

Suite 204

Charlotte, NC 28210

(704) 555-8342

[email protected]

To: Eliza Downing

Date: June 18 th , 2025

Dear Ms. Downing,

I hope this message finds you well.

We have received the results of your recent blood test, and I am pleased to inform you that your beta-HCG level is 137,500 mIU/mL, which is consistent with a viable early pregnancy.

Based on the information you provided; this level aligns closely with an estimated gestational age of approximately 10 weeks and 2 days.

While HCG levels can vary significantly from person to person, yours is slightly higher than average for this gestational window. This is not a cause for concern, but we would like to see you for an early prenatal visit and follow-up testing to ensure everything is progressing appropriately.

Please call our office at your earliest convenience to schedule your first appointment.

Congratulations, Eliza. We look forward to supporting you through this exciting time!

Warm regards,

Dr. Caroline Mercer, MD

Obstetrics it’s a raw and lustful connection.

It’s spontaneity that we don’t get very often anymore.

In the haze of my building orgasm, movement in the alleyway catches my attention.

When our eyes meet, dread instantly makes my blood run cold.

The moment is gone, as if the pleasure was never there.

“Juli…” I scream and hit his arm when I see the little pistol. I open my mouth to tell him he is here… He found us…But the crack of a gunshot echoes through the alleyway, and my entire body suddenly goes numb.

“What the… Eliza!” Julian screams as my body goes limp. He brings me down to the ground, and the world starts coming in flashes.

“Juli,” I mutter.

“Fuck. No, no, no. You can’t die. Please God, don’t do this me. Please,” Julian wails as he presses his hand on my side. White, hot lightning shoots through my side and a shrill scream rips out of me.

“What the fuck happened?!” Jasper shouts as people surround me.

“J… Ja-Jason,” I choke out. “It. Was… Jason.”

“Hang in there, baby. We’ve got you. We are getting help, okay?

You’ve got to hang in there, Liza,” Calder says as he pulls his shirt off and moves Julian’s hands to place it.

I whimper in pain when he presses down again, but I’m so damn weak that when I open my mouth, I can’t form the words to tell them how much I love them.

Do they know? I haven’t said it enough times for them to know.

Chaos has broken out around me, but I am floating. Everything feels light, and I am no longer carrying the weight of my anxiety. I feel peace for the first time since before I met that monster. As my vision tunnels, bright white light flutters in my vision. Everything starts to dim, and I let go.