Chapter 31

I was still angry but I had to control it.

This wasn't the time or place. I had a name and I would call the office and hopefully Will and Chris were still there. I pulled away from CJ as she went to the kitchen to make sure all of Carol and Maureen's choices were taken.

I went to her office and wrote down the names that I want Chris to start looking for information on BABY. There was no answer at the office so they must be on their way to my house. I called the beach house and no answer there either.

It would have to wait till we were done at the hospital. I would give the information to Uncle Roy and Too Mean and let him unleash his people to get as much information on this scumbag. We would need it to prove that he was a liar and not worthy of Star. We would use this to get custody and ensure her safety.

I stepped back into the living room and went to ask Uncle Roy for his car keys. CJ was right we needed to be low key and driving one of my favorite cars that just happen to be an Excalibur was not the way to go. The car stuck out like a sore thumb and I didn't want any more attention to be drawn. CJ was stressed enough and we still hadn't heard from Carol or Maureen and whether they had gotten in touch with their friends to get ahead of this mess.

Uncle Roy handed me the keys and said that was a good ideal since his car was an older model Cadillac and wouldn't stick out. I nodded and he asked me to keep it together so that we would talk later. He had some things he needed to discuss with me regarding Star.

I was curious but Uncle Roy said later. I didn't say anything, still trying to control my anger at what Star had revealed. I knew he was just as angry as I was and I handed him the paper with the name and that of her parents. I explained I wanted Too Mean to get the word on the street on this and to find every bit of information on Star's scum bucket stepfather. He chuckled at my description. But I reminded him that we had a minor and we shouldn't be cussing in front of her. He stopped and looked over to her with CJ.

"You're right boy, we need to watch our p's and q's."

I told him what CJ had almost said earlier and he was shocked saying he'd never heard those types of words come out of her mouth and I told him it was rare and I could count on my hand the times I had been a witness to it.

I still wanted to hit something.

I felt like a caged animal wanting to strike out but not being able to. I was lucky that Too Mean was there to pull me out of the room before I went ballistic. I would have ruined everything not caring how she gave me the name just as long as I got it. Uncle Roy came outside with me as I went to the side of the house and kicked over CJ's trash cans and a potted plant. I wanted to scream. I wanted to get in my car and find that piece of crap now that I had a name. It was only a matter of time. But I had to be rational. Before in my younger years, I'd just get in my car and do everything in my power to find the jackass, but now I had Star to consider and CJ. Going all hell bent and without getting the information we needed would do no one any good. I'd be more of a problem than a solution. Once I sat and started to count like I had seen CJ do Uncle Roy asked if I was done. I had to put that away and step up and be the man I said I would be for CJ.

"They need you right now, Prove to me and CJ that you have changed. Let her show you what she needs, don't force either one of them or you will lose. Be their rock."

He was right. I could not mess this up. I would let them set the pace. I would listen first then act.

Once we got back to my house I might have to go to the gym I had set up in the lower level of the beach house and let off some steam but right now I was needed by my girls.

"Keep an eye on CJ boy, she has been through the ringer today and I'll keep an eye on Star or Emiliana. We need to see what she wants us to call her. Don't worry about getting information on that dirtbag, I will be going back to the office and starting our search on father of the year. I want to know who this man is and the only reason I'm not on my way to the office right now is that we need to play this close to our chest. We can't let on or she might take off and that can not happen."

Star was with CJ and she was holding on to her looking like the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulder only to be transferred onto CJ. She smiled but I knew better.

"Yeah you're right Uncle Roy I need to keep an eye on her. Just look at her putting on a brave face but I know CJ is trying to figure out how she is going to keep Star and Jake safe as well as having to deal with me. I've always had the worst timing. I just want her to be able to trust me with her heart. But I understand her hesitation after all we've been through. Yeah, I need to back off. It's going to be hard but I will be there on her terms."

Uncle Roy patted my back, "You are handling this well. Remember, let her set the boundaries you saw how she leaned on you back at the office and how she sought you out when she needed backing. Be patient she will come around. She knows you will always be there for her and she depends on you more than you know."

CJ kissed Star on the forehead and came towards us.

"Ready to go, I really want to see Jake. Oh and Uncle Roy..."

I showed her the keys and she smiled, I'm way ahead of you counselor, come on let's get going. Uncle Roy will have Star and Too Mean load the car with our dinner and we'll stop for dessert."

CJ shook her head saying Carol and Maureen were handling dessert. We said our goodbyes and headed to the hospital.

I opened the door for CJ and she got in and I went around to the driver's side. I started the car and we were on our way to the hospital. I looked over and CJ was lost in thought. What I liked about Uncle Roy's car was that it had a bucket front seat. So I reached out for her hand and she turned towards me.

"A penny for them."

She looked at me and I could see the weariness and her biting her lip.

I pulled her closer to me. She shimmied over and was shoulder to shoulder with me. I put my arm around her and she leaned in. within seconds she started to cry.

I waited, this whole revelation by Star had angered and gutted me. I could only imagine what CJ was thinking and feeling. If I knew CJ like I did she would compare herself to Star when she was her age. The difference was she had me. She thought I had saved her that first day we met. When in reality it was her that had saved me. I would not be the man I was today if I didn't have her in my life. Now when my best friend and the woman I love needed me I was here. I wasn't going anywhere she would see I would be there to fight next to her and to shield her from anyone trying to harm her or our family.

She got as close to me as she could. She wrapped her arms around me which made it hard to drive but I didn't care she needed my comfort and I ended up pulling over and embracing her like she wanted. She climbed into my lap and held onto me whispering why over and over again. She then went into detail about what she wanted to do to Star's stepfather and asked me if I would help her. She continued and said she didn't care what she had to do to keep Star safe. She had appointed herself her guardian angel and come hell or high water she would never let her go.

"I'll fight the whole world to keep her safe as well as Jake. I've never been so angry in my whole life. I want to rage against those that would harm them or try to take them away from us. Can't they see they're just children? She was supposed to be protected and that pig tried to take her innocence away as payment to keep her out of juvenile hall? What sick animal does that and Jake look at the pain he's been through already and he's not even a week old, why Houston why."

She buried her head under my chin. I held her running my hands up and down her back. Her body was shaking and she continued to sob uncontrollably. I started to whisper to her and to kiss her temple. Telling her that I would be by her side through all of this and we would deal with Jonathan Miller and I would look forward to dealing with him that she would have to give me the satisfaction of having a conversation with him before she got to. I kept whispering that we would deal with it, that we had our family to lean on and we would not be alone on this. That Jake and Star would never be in danger ever again. We would take care of them.

She pulled away and looked at me. I wiped the tears away from her eyes and kissed her lips. She looked at me and placed her hand on my cheek.

"You promise Houston, you promise that you will help me keep them safe and if I have to take matters into my own hands you'll help no questions asked?"

I took her hand and placed it on my heart, "I promise we will keep them safe and if we have to do things outside of the law then so be it. I'm with you to the end of the line."

She smiled, "Okay, let's get to the hospital. I miss Jake and I want to see him and hold him and tell him about his new sister Star."

She got out of my lap and sat next to me. I felt empty. I loved being her support and Uncle Roy was right. I would have to let her set the pace. I was happy to just be able to be here for her. She needed me and I would be there to support and love her.

I put my arm around her head on my shoulder and her hand on my chest. I started the car and headed to the hospital. We were both quiet lost in our own thoughts when I heard a siren and lights behind us.

"Houston, how fast are you going?"

I looked at the speedometer and it was on 40. I focused and saw it was an ambulance. CJ turned around and told me to pull over.

We did and got out of the car as did the driver of the ambulance.

CJ stopped, "Adam".

"Hey CJ glad I caught you before getting to the hospital. I spoke to your friend Dr. LeMasters. She's there now and well there's media all over the hospital someone leaked that the baby you found is there. I told that reporter I thought he was going to help. I should have kept my mouth shut but someone from the inside is giving information out. I'm sorry."

CJ was speechless and I pulled her to my side. "Who told you we were coming. This isn't even my car so I think you need to spill what you know or we are going to have some words like I told the reporter you told about the leak. If you make her cry I am going to have to hurt you."

She grabbed me before I could move towards Adam. She whispered stop.

She looked at Adam, "When did you speak to Carol? How did you find us?"

He went on to explain that Carol and Maureen got to the hospital and saw the circus up front. She had called CJ's house and found out we had just left and Uncle Roy had given a description of his car and Adam and his partner Kim were keeping an eye out for us.

"We can sneak you in and out. Media is not allowed into the ambulance bays for inpatient stays. We can get you in that way. Your friends are giving all the information that they have gathered and are handing it over to the hospital they want to keep this hush hush this could be a PR nightmare for them. So what do you think? Can we give you a hand?"

I told him to follow me to the parking lot across the street and we'd hitch a ride with them and I thanked him for helping us out. He shrugged his shoulders saying he owed it to CJ and the baby he had heard what had happened since he was saved and just wanted him to get the best care possible and knew CJ was what was best for him.

CJ pulled away from me and hugged Adam and thanked him. "His name is Jake. They let me name him. Please keep that secret." She laughed, "By the end of the day everyone will know it so never mind."

She let go and walked over to the car. Adam said he'd meet us over at the parking lot and apologized again.

I got in the car. She was so far from me she was trying to pull away and this was what she did when she couldn't control what was going around her.

"Don't shut me out CJ. It will do Jake, Star and me no good. I need you here and now. Do you hear me? No walls between us. We face this together okay. Answer me CJ or we are not moving."

She looked over to me looking like she was giving up exhausted and upset not knowing how to deal with what was coming. I extended my hand. She grasps it like it was a life line and I pulled her towards me. Making sure she knew I was here.

"I'm sorry Houston. I won't shut you out, it's my way of dealing and you know me so well. I need to be strong for them. But I don't know if I can. "

I tilted her head to me.

"That's where you are wrong, you are the strongest person I've ever met in my life. I'm here for you CJ just tell me what you want. You set the pace, you set the rules. Just please don't ever shut me out. This thing we want to start won't work if we aren't completely honest with each other."

She looked at me and whispered, "Who are you and what have you done to Matt Houston."

I looked down at her and wanted to kiss her but we didn't have time so I kissed her forehead instead.

Thanks Houston."

I kissed her hand as I parked the car next to the ambulance.

"I got you. I will be there for you to lean on to rage on or just to hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be alright. Come on let's go face the music we might need to commandeer this ambulance to take our boy home. Together we can't be stopped, together we will find a way."

She kissed me and rested her forehead on mine, "Together I like the sound of that."