Someone asked if Hunter would have a storyline... yes, he was thrown into the mix for a reason...
Two weeks later, as promised, Mia and Gideon had come to Seattle. Gideon was still surprised and pleased to have found out that behind all of her outrageous behavior Mia really was the great girl he had thought she would be. They had talked a lot with him making it clear that he hated nothing more than women treating him as though his dick was the only thing they really wanted from him and her, in turn, explaining that over the years and with her bad luck with men she had started to believe that this was the only way for her to catch the interest of anyone.
She was staying with him, which was supposed to be a short-term arrangement until she had found her own place but since then neither of them had brought it up even though sharing his home with a woman was an experience he still was getting used to. Especially when he now had to dig his way through all of her make-up and whatnot in the bathroom to find any of his stuff. Twice he had almost brushed his teeth with whatever it was that had found its way to the spot that usually held his toothpaste but he actually liked it.
And he was impressed with Mia. When he had taken her to New York, she had taken not more than one suitcase with her and now the half of his closet which belonged to her was filled to the brim. When he realized that the credit card she had used for her shopping trips belonged to an account her brother had made for her, he had asked for said credit card and snapped it before handing her a new one so he was now being charged for her purchases. If his girlfriend wanted to go on a shopping spree he wanted to be the one pay for it, not her brother.
„Kate and Elliot will be there too, have you met them?" Mia asked when they got into the waiting car that would bring them from their hotel suite to Escala.
„Yes, remember, they were at Escala when that little fucker sent threats to Ana."
„Right... I hope they lock him away for good." Mia said and shuddered just thinking about what Ana must have felt during that time.
„They better or else between your brother and myself there will be nothing left for anyone to find." Gideon muttered darkly.
„Are you sure you have picked the right girlfriend?" Mia teased, she knew Gideon saw a sister in Ana, still, it sometimes came across as odd to her just how deeply he cared for her.
„Yes, I sure did. Why, having regrets already?" He asked with a smirk.
„No, I'm very happy." She grinned and took her seatbelt off and crawled into his lap.
„You do realize that this is not safe."
„Oh, but it is, Mr. Cross... safest place in the entire world." She smiled up at him.
„Careful Mia, if you keep looking at me like that, I will have Angus turn this car around and get us back to the hotel to finish what you have started... could mean we won't get to see any of your family."
„Don't tempt me..."
When they arrived at Escala they had just barely gotten out of the elevator before Kate and Ana grabbed Mia and dragged her into Christian's bedroom, leaving Gideon with both of Mia's brothers in the great room.
„You can both glare at me however much you like... I have a younger sister, so I get it. Still, you won't get Mia back... she is staying with me." He said after all attack was the best form of defense.
„And just how long is that going to last? You are not known for being in long-term relationships, Cross." Elliot said.
„True, but then again, I hadn't met Mia before. And just to put both of you at ease, I fully intend to marry her when I believe the time is right. I made my choice, I want to spend my life with your sister and the only person who can object to that is Mia herself."
„Well, fuck." Christian muttered went to the fridge and handed a bottle of beer to Gideon.
About a minute later all three of them started to laugh when they first heard Ana shriek:
„Eww, I don't want to hear that, Mia!"
followed by Mia:
„Oh my God, Kate... that's my brother you are talking about!" and a minute after that all three women re-appeared with Ana and Mia looking mortified while Kate was barely able to hide her amusement.
„Something amusing you, Katie?" Elliot asked his wife.
„Yes... but damn it, I just realized that I now have two best friends I can't have girl talk with at the same time." She chuckled.
„Why, did you tell them about that one time where you almost broke my dick?" He said loud enough for both Mia and Ana to blush and muttered things like eww and gross, which made him laugh.
A little later they were having dinner at the Mile High Club and it didn't go unnoticed that both Kate and Ana passed on having wine and only had driver's cocktails when they went to the cocktail lounge of the restaurant.
„Let's have shots." Mia said and Gideon leaned in to whisper in her ear.
„I don't think either of the girls can have shots, sweetheart."
„What why would you... wait... oh my god... are you two pregnant?" She asked.
Ana looked at Kate curious. „Are you?" She asked.
„I... um... wait are you?" Kate asked and Ana couldn't help the huge grin on her face.
„Oh my god! We are both having babies at the same time..." She exclaimed at with that the cat was out of the bag.
„Well, now all that's left is for you to be pregnant too, Mia." Elliot chuckled after he had hugged his brother and Ana.
„I'm not pregnant." Mia said shocked.
„That can easily be rectified... where's the bathroom?" Gideon joked and Mia punched his shoulder.
„Hey, if we are having a child you better not knock me up in a bathroom... that's not very romantic." She pouted, while Kate and Ana animately talked about their pregnancies.
„Duly noted... though with the number of times we fuck I have no idea how you think you will be able to keep track where it happened when it happens." Gideon said still smirking at her.
„Dude, that's my sister... fuck... I don't want to hear that." Elliot whined but soon they were all talking about the babies that would soon join the family.
In the evening Ana was resting in Christian's arms and smiled.
„We should have your parents and Ray over for dinner tomorrow. Kate wants to wait another week since her parents are on vacation but with Elliot and Mia knowing I want them to know too." She said.
„That is a very good idea... my parents wanted to see the house and I'm sure Ray would like to see where you are going to live too... how about we show them the house first?" Christian asked and with that, they came up with a plan to tell their parents about the baby they were soon going to have.
The next day after work they met Christian's parents and Ray at Cross Publishing and took them to the house. Christian showed them around and they ended with the room that would become the nursery.
„What is that room going to be, Annie... too close to the bedroom for a guest bedroom if you ask me." He said and Ana smiled.
„I know... but it will be a bedroom... Christian and I thought you might want to make some furniture for this room... and you could pick some items for it." Ana said looking at his parents.
„What kind of furniture do you want, Annie... happy to help but you have to give me some sort of idea."
„Oh you know... a cradle, changing table... maybe a shelf and dresser... or a rocking chair."
„Sure I can... wait." Ray stopped and looked at her, while Grace was almost bouncing in the spot she was standing and Carrick was looking between Ana and Christian trying to figure out if he had heard her right.
„Annie are you... I mean... does that mean..."
„A baby!" Grace finally exclaimed making Ana and Christian laugh.
„It's still very early, I'm only six weeks along but since I can't have drink Gideon figured it out yesterday and we wanted to tell the most important people in our life before Mia couldn't hold on to the secret any longer." Ana explained before everyone hugged her and when she looked at her Dad she almost burst into tears when she saw that he had tears in his eyes.
„Don't do this to me, Dad... if you cry I'll turn into a blubbering mess in a second." She giggled and he pulled her into his arms again.
„I'm so happy for you, Annie... both of you..." He said and cleared his throat. „Damn, I'm going to be a grandpa..." He said making everyone laugh.
A while later Ray found the time to talk to Ana alone and looked rather worried.
„Does your mother know, Annie?"
„No, we had a fallout and I just don't want to deal with her."
„Good, you don't need her to spur her poison now." He said but a little later asked Christian for a private conversation.
„Ray, I know what this is about."
„I doubt it." Ray said.
„You want me to marry your daughter and I fully intend to but I want to find the right moment to propose." Christian said.
„Christian, times are different. Many people have children without being married. You love my daughter and that is all I need to know. I would be lying if I didn't want you to marry her, but this is not what this is about." He said and Christian frowned.
„Then what is this about?"
„Carla, she can't know that Ana is having a baby." Ray said and the way he said it had Christian alarmed.
„Why?"
„Ana biological father, Frank Lambert, he came from a rich family. Was the only son, his mom died young but his father who had him rather late in life was still around when Ana was born and his son died the day after Ana was born. Old Lambert never approved of Carla and after his son was dead he hated her even more... was obsessed with Annie though. Wanted to make sure that she would get his fortune and not Carla. So, when he died when Ana was two years old he went out with a last fuck you to Carla."
„What does that mean?"
„He had a will, leaving all of his millions to Ana... for her to receive after she had her first child. He even wrote in his will that hopefully by the time Ana would have said child she would know what kind of a horrible human being Carla is. To piss Carla off, even more, he made more stipulations to the will. One being that Ana is not to know until she is pregnant with her first child... now the other one is the one that has me worried. The old guy knew Carla wanted to have the money as the widow of his son. So, he put in his will that the only way for her to get the money was if Ana would have no children before she turns thirty-five. He always said Ana looked just like his late wife, so he knew she would get married young and have children... anyway, I'm worried that Carla will do... something. You have the men and money to keep Annie safe, so I thought it is best to let you know before I tell, Annie."
Christian stared at Ray while inwardly already planning everything to set a plan in motion to protect Ana and her child.
„You don't think she is going to harm, Ana?"
„I don't know... she can't harm her in the way you are thinking of if Ana dies before she has a child everything goes to charity."
„God damn it, I knew Carla would cause trouble but if she dares to do try anything I'll kill her myself." Christian growled.
„I have no doubt of that, just make sure she doesn't find out and if it can't be helped keep her the hell away from Annie. I would have told Annie all of this too, but I'm not sure now is the right time for news like that."
„No, at least not until she has gotten through the first three months of the pregnancy... how much are we talking about anyway?"
„Everything combined about 120 million."
„I'll have someone on Carla day and night to make sure she stays the hell away and doesn't try anything."
„Good... and congratulations, Christian, I'm glad Ana came back to you, knew you are it for her the first time I saw you together at her graduation."
„She is it for me too." He said and while Ray joined Ana and his parents Christian called Welsh to get someone to Georgia to make sure Carla Adams would stay the hell away from Ana and their unborn child.