Here is another chapter

Vic just lays in the mid-day sun looking at me, "It is time for surfing, for feeling that inner spirit rises with the waves, riding so freely upon their crest. We can feel our bodies in synchrony with our minds, in that way we think with no words. It's when we just do it, just get up there and be. There's a joy in it, feeling waves of serenity as steady as the ocean. It's being there in the sunlight, existing in each sweet moment as if it were just one, the past falling away with a gentle acceptance of the future we create," we all stare at him, some in awe like Bella and the rest questioning his sanity.

Magenta just shakes her head, "Okay bro, lay off the weed. Bex, so you're due December 29th, months away. Are you nervous?"

I just recline against Becca Faith, "Fuck yeah, look at me. In a bikini with this sticking out, I am about to turn seventeen, and I heard this lady screaming bloody fucking murder when I was last at the hospital. You think she was being split open and when I ask Auntie or mom they just pale and walk away," I was going to be in a shit ton of pain was what their silence told me.

Lucie and Nikki both looked pale, "See this is why we're not having children, going to adopt," at least there was that.

Layla was just basking in all the sun's glory, "Warren texted me, asked me to talk to you about talking to him. He wanted to go to your appointment tomorrow,"

I glanced at my cousin, yeah, I mess timelines up for her too. "Layla, why are you texting my ex-husband?"

"Technically still married," she chided until I turned once again to look at her and Will whisked her away from me before I hauled her into the saltwater and drown her. The cool water laps at my feet, fizzing and bubbling like brine. Even though the sun is beating on my back, beaming in my eyes, I can't help but smile as the wind caresses my face. Waves ahead roar and roll down, crashing onto the shore with a soft hiss; peeling away at the deep bronze sand beneath my feet. Without hesitation, I plunge into the blue-green water, my board pressed up against my chest. A chill surge through me, but a small wave washes it away. I watch my friends having fun, but never felt the need to join in, I learned to swim in the late 1400s but still had this fear of the Ocean and the raw power it holds.

I stand turning, "Why are you here?" Kai just beamed at me. 'Might be having my child, you lied to me Bexley babe. You fucked Peace," without thought I laughed.

Hands braced on my hips, "Once yes. Poor thing was so out of wack after finding himself related to the likes of you. Look, Kai, I don't know who the father is and neither does BiBi. Look, you need to just vanish," something flashed beneath the surface of his hardened expression.

Then his smile came back, all a show. "Not right now, for now, I am here to stay. I find it fair since this baby might be mine, you know times back then have sure changed. As soon as the baby is born the Judge might grant me a motion, you and I are still bonded,"

Vic arrived from surfing, "You will be dead before Vic Jr is born," but the way he said it was true, we had to now in the off chance it was his. Vic and Kai just stared the other down, "Your little lifesaver is just that, and if it wasn't for that. I would have had him killed so long ago," deep down it clicked he would have, he would have hated us being close and would have eliminated that threat. Kai, currently all the emotion of wet concrete, his facial muscles just as loose. There was no anger, no sadness, no joy or resentment. He never even appeared bored, when dealing with other men.

I just touch Vic's shoulder, "Kai, enough. I don't need the stress you and so many bring, I have my stress to deal with. Vic, please go get me food,"

Knowing a simple thing would result in the desire I wanted, Vic away from harm, away from Kai. Vic just kissed my head, "Got you, be right back," he knew as well as myself, Kai wouldn't hurt me while I was pregnant.

I leaned in, "Leave town, look you might be the father but I am still going to kill you. Warren might be the father, I might off him too. You come near anyone I love or care for I will just slit your throat and don't think I can't," every word was said with such venom.

Kai just kissed me, I mean kissed me.

Like when we first started dating kissed me, his lips brush mine. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. I want to pull away before I lose myself but I can't seem to…In this minty moment, my senses have been seduced and I can no longer think straight. "Bexley," he whispers slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them.

I can't seem to fathom this, the small hint of desire to stay with him was growing. Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to my belly than hip. It settled there and pulling me closer. I inhaled sharply. Now I was against his warm chest, chiseled to perfection. Must he be so perfect? I was saved by Will and Bandit who also saw my dilemma, once he was pulled away and laughing this odd laugh did I turn to Bella.

Her face was pale, "Bella, is this you?"

Her face paled more and her eyes filled with tears, "I feared the effects are permeant," great, she tied me emotionally to him, but she was scared than.

"Thank you, Bella, you have helped so much. And for your information, I killed your family right after I took you,"

He was so sick, "She has a new family, Kai. Leave now, please," resting my hand on the now kicking child, oh god this hurt. "As you wish my love," but knowing everything, was knowing he be back and every chance he got.

Bandit gave Bella such a look it could have killed her, "I am calling Warren, he is your husband. She tied you to Kai and you protect her," looking into his warm Amber eyes sent me over the edge of my emotional roller coaster, I started bawling tears falling snot running as he panicked. I had always been so self-conscious when I cried but now I just gave way to the enormity of my grief. Sobbing into my hands and the tears dripped between my fingers, raining down onto the white sand. My breathing was ragged, gasping and the strength left in my weak legs. Finally, I sank to my knees not caring about the grit that dug into my knees. Shit, I was noisy, my skin was blotched.

Magenta sucker-punched Bandit, Vic was yelling, Bella was sobbing, Layla was holding me while Becca Faith had Bella. Will was on his cell, Lucie and Nikki, are doing a mix of calling, yelling, and last comforting us. Bandit stuck to his guns, "Never meant to make her fucking cry, but Bella is wrong, and we all know it. I care for Bexley and you Magenta, you're my world. I like Bella fine, but not like she alerted anyone she was using her powers on Bex, what if she tied the baby to Kai?" I heard him loud and clear, and now that was going to give me so many sleepless nights.

But like that silence other than myself, Will just cut into the tense environment, "Vic, get Bella out of here. We just have to deal with what comes, she tied Kai and Bex together in the past not today. We need to talk to BiBi and see,"

Vic wouldn't budge from me, "Take her and go, I can feel Warren coming and can't stop him from murdering her right now. I'll meet you at home," but he was upset and not with Bandit or myself, but with his girl but together they leave Orange beach heading for my house.

I make it to my car when his truck pulled into the lot cutting me off, or at the least cutting off my exit. He has been very emotional as of late, it hated that I could feel him when I had enough of my own emotions raging every second of every day. "She tied you to him, Bex?" my heart wanted to break further.

"She was being held prisoner her entire family murdered by Kai, not everyone is as strong physically and emotionally like you, Warren. Now I have to deal with being tied to him and wanting you both, I am heading to BiBi she might have an answer for me," he cut me off, his hand on my face.

"You still want me?"

I had to answer, "Unfortunately,"

Nikki called out, "Let's go," she was right time was not on our side. As the car engine sang to the lone country roads, I relished the roaring winds that twirled in her long blond hair and whistled in my ears with the windows down. My foot was down knowing Bandit was with Warren speeding behind me, both trying to reach BiBi but in a way, this was not cool she wasn't our problem solver every time we hit a bump in the road.

Becca Faith hung with me for a long time the same with Mage, so wasn't surprised one of them cut into my internal monologue. "You aren't bothering BiBi, you only go to her in certain times and it is always big. Stop overthinking, after this coffee than home and a movie just sitting on the sofa and relaxing," that sounded good, a nice movie to just forget life for a while.

Layla was on her cell, "Mom said family dinner tomorrow and you not living with Auntie is no excuse for you to miss it,"

"I will be there, had no plans to miss it," If stress is coffee in a cup, and if the cup spills you are overwhelmed and sick, then it makes sense to put a lid on that cup. This is managing your life, choosing wisely what you can and can't cope with. This way we keep an open heart and see that we are doing the most we can do whilst remaining in good health. One way I put a lid on my cup is not to watch the news, to talk with those who bring a sense of love into my life. We can make choices to care for the self and still be kind. You can care better for others from strength than weakness and you can always keep your sense of duty to others as your moral compass, as the reason you come back to help even at the expense of your comfort.

Taking a left onto Hammer, I was not dressed for a visit, but doubt either would care so when I glanced at her car in the drive but no answer it sent me into a rage. Her door was now open, and we look, but everything looks good nothing broken. I turned, seeing BiBi in Warren's arms at his door. "I hate him, he seriously texted them to meet at his place. It is like I can't be left alone." His cousin just grumbled as we left her house closing the door behind us and heading towards his house even though I had wanted a few moments alone with her.

Warren he's a private guy, so you can't tell you much. He's got that olive skin adonis look going on, dark eyes that make me weak at the knees. He has the heart of a lion and the soul of a dark angel. He had tousled dark brown hair, which was thick and lustrous. His face was strong and defined, his features molded from granite. He had dark eyebrows, which sloped downwards in a serious expression. His usually playful smile had drawn into a hard line across his face. But the beaming girl in his arms was in direct contrast to him, fair skin, silver hair, and serine looking with pale eyes, but he loved her you could feel and see it.

I couldn't carry her for now, she was nine not two anyways. "Couldn't give me a few moments of peace," I snapped walking passed him, his chuckle had my heart fluttering. "I can give you a couple of hours of peace,"

Well all halted, we all understood what he meant by that. I spun, " You did and look what that got me," gesturing to my round belly. "Lucie you have sweats or anything that will fit me, don't want to roam around with this," she smiled but her cousin cut in.

"BiBi go have a seat, come on Bexley. I have something that will fit and not feel too baggy,"

I offered, "Bring them down,"

He just snagged me like I was BiBi, "Not one of you is going to help,"

"No," was echoed around the room as he carried me up the stairs leading to his room. It was dark until he flicked the light on, but it gave a minimal glow to his room done in red and black with touches of gray. "Hold on," leaving me next to a bookcase only to come back with a pair of his sleeping pants and a very old top.

Handing them over, not like I was getting undressed as I pulled them on fast so we could talk to BiBi. I tied the top so it fits better, but in all, I felt better being clothed, "Nice, well come on, and let's see what BiBi says."

I let him lead the way, but once at the stairs his arm wrapped around me, his arm so long his hand rested on my belly, and the baby went wild at the heat coming off Warren. "That is so odd, does it hurt?"

"At times, the baby is bigger and my body not as big as he would like," but the way his fingers moved in soothing circles seemed to calm the baby enough to stop kicking the shit out of me.

He just glanced down at me, "I have noticed my appearance has changed, might I go to your appointment tomorrow?"

I mean it was a fair question, and I didn't want to raise him alone but didn't want him thinking this was us working things out. I say, "Yeah you can, but this is not us working us out," he stopped me mid-step, everyone was in the den since I saw no one.

"No, but this is," his lips pressed to mine, in such a passionate way.

I was completely unprepared. You would think that after all the hours I'd spent with Warren - watching him talk, laugh and frown - that I would know all there was to know about his lips. But I hadn't imagined how warm they would feel pressed up against my own. I urged myself to push away, but couldn't. My swollen with the round bump body began to tremble uncontrollably. His head was angled slightly to the side as his lips came closer and closer to mine again. I was surprised to find my lips parted. Our breaths mingled. My heart fluttered inside my chest. At first, it was a delicate butterfly of a kiss. Then his arms encircled me. He drew me to him but I was so thankful when Layla cut in, "This is super sweet but BiBi is waiting," her hair was streaked now with blonde as she pulled me away.

Whispering, "You looked like you needed help,"

I leaned my head on her shoulder, "I did," she giggled as we entered the den seeing everyone waiting. I just sit with BiBi, her head nestled into me. Her voice low as Aurora winked, "Mom is sick,"

I felt like it was in slow-mo, we all turned to Aurora who looked the picture of health, she glowed with it. "What?" Warren asked taking a seat next to me when I snapped at him. "Did it even look like there was room for your massive ass,"

"I made room, shut up," was grumbled as BiBi was on smiling, "I have cancer, it is far too progressed to be cured. So, whatever issues you two have must be worked out for the sake of BiBi and.." she stopped but continuing. "Your son, Bexley. I nearly let them know the name, but even I can catch myself," everyone looked to be tears as I glanced up at Warren with heartbroken eyes, he looked cold but the fire in them was warm. His eyes rest, not unblinking but slowed; yet the effect is soft and inviting instead of harsh. His fingers touch my face, in such a whisper be bent down his lips touched my ear. "We need to talk, this changes everything,"

I wanted to say no, but BiBi was more important so nothing comes out to go against him. yes, rest, not unblinking but slowed; yet the effect is soft and inviting instead of harsh. Willow just held her friend's hand in hers, "Tonight Bexley, I need you to talk to Warren and spend time alone. If it can't be fixed, you will share BiBi, Aurora doesn't have long left. BiBi you said you were tied to Kai, the only way to reverse that is to be tied to another in every way. Marriage, love, sex, and blood but that will always be up to my darling girl,"

I spun, "Magenta call Vic, tell him and see if he is interested in a deal being married to me," she stood but with a single firm look from Warren was she running. His loud tones echoing as she sacrificed Bandit to his friend. Shaking my head I stand, "BiBi, I will see you tomorrow. I have some thinking to do and need to talk to Vic," everyone was looking at me like I was insane. I was already married and in love, but blood was so much more that was not something people have done in maybe ninety years.

I can't find Magenta, but when I check the backseat of my car she is tied up. "Becca Faith untie her," taking off heading to get a coffee. We all noticed Warren was gone when we finally found Magenta hogtied in my car.

But lucky me the three boys stand outside my house when we finally arrived with drinks in hand. Vic gave me a look, he needed no words. "Your choice, but I will marry you after you finally divorce my cousin,"

Warren punched his skinny shoulder making Vic scream, "FUCK MAN, I CAN BREAK UNLIKE YOU,"

When the frustration builds and I think I might explode - I take a deep breath. I want to shout, have a tantrum, and beat my hands on the ground like a toddler. I want to vent, let it out, but I don't want to say words I don't mean, be hurtful. It's just so easy to be cruel at that moment and then the damage is done. So many times I've wanted to unsay things, take it back. I'm learning how to deal with it, but slowly.