*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much!*
I wake up the next morning to find Dean not in bed with me. I look at the clock and see it's after 10:30 in the morning as I finally get out of bed. He let me sleep in after last night. I walk over to the dresser and pull out one of my t-shirts and put it on over my head before pulling on a pair of sweatpants from my drawer. I walk out to the living room to see Zoey watching some show on Disney Junior. "Good morning, Zoey," I say with a smile.
"Good morning, Mommy," she says not taking her eyes off the TV while she eats her breakfast.
I make my way into the kitchen following the smell of Dean making breakfast. I stand in the doorway as I watch him flip pancakes in the skillet wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants low on his hips. His muscles are exposed and his hair wild as he works on breakfast. I bite my lip looking at the sexiness of my fiancée standing before me. His muscles flexing as he works with the pancakes. "It smells good," I say breaking the silence.
"Good morning, Beautiful," he says looking over his shoulder with a smile. "Did you sleep well?" he asks as I make my way into the kitchen. I wrap my arms around his bare waist. He looks down at me with a smile before kissing my lips softly.
"I slept exceptionally well," I smile, "thanks for letting me sleep in this morning. I needed it. I have been so sick and tired lately."
"You needed that rest and need all the rest you can get," he smiles. "And I made you breakfast I'm going to take care of you this pregnancy and I am going to make sure you're safe and NOTHING happens to you or the baby."
"I know baby," I say with a soft smile. "Breakfast smells good I am glad you chose pancakes and not eggs. I can't eat eggs," I say honestly.
"I figured," he smiles as I let go of him so he can finish breakfast.
"How was your business trip?" I ask as I get the purified water out of the fridge to pour myself a glass.
"We'll talk about it," he says. "We are going to have a meeting with our security team shortly after breakfast there are things that need to be discussed."
"I'm sure," I say. "Does this mean that Roman is Cody's accomplice and that he's dangerous?"
"We'll talk about it," he says. "Right now let's just focus on getting some food into you for the baby. I can't believe we're having a baby. That was really fast."
"I believe it was your advances on our trip to paradise," I smile. "I mean we talked about trying but I didn't expect it to happen that fast. Zoey was so sad that she wasn't awake when I told you about the baby."
"I know she told me about it. She asked me if I was as happy as she was to have a baby. I don't think any words could express how happy I am to have a baby. I think we got robbed the last time but this time is going to be different."
"I know," I say with a smile. "I guess I will have to add a line of baby clothes to my business prospects. I have my girls fashion line nearly completed as far as design goes. Next step is to get them made and to have a fashion show along with having Zoey model the clothes."
"You want Zoey to model the clothes?" he asks. "Are you sure you want her out in the public eye like that?"
"No matter what we do Zoey is going to be in the public eye. The paparazzi trail us everywhere we go that's why I am surprised you didn't know I had an appointment with the OB before I could tell you. I hate that we have no privacy."
"You'll get used to it. Just behave appropriately, dress appropriately keep Zoey dressed appropriately. Don't give the hounds anything to judge you on. That's the worst part they can always find something to get on you about."
"I'm aware," I say as he puts our pancakes on a plate two for each of us. "I've been more cautious. I just think that I should do an interview about my past because soon they are going to start digging Dean and when they start digging they are going to find out some terrible stuff," I say. "Stuff I'd rather explain and talk about myself rather than them speculate on. It's what they do."
"That is a pretty good idea," he says. "It is all up to you, Journey if you don't want people to know about your past you don't have to tell them."
"And if I don't they are going to speculate. You think I want the world to know how I lost my child to CPS because I was living in a shelter and how I had to sell myself to make a little bit of cash? It's embarrassing but everything led me to you. I would love to help more women like me," I say.
"We can do that, that's why I opened my women's shelters to help women like you," he says. "Do you want any fruit with your pancakes?"
"Blueberries and strawberries with banana please with cream."
"All right," he smiles. "Is that a craving?"
"Sort of," I say. "I want nothing but fruit to be honest."
"Hmm," he smiles. "So are we finding out the sex before the baby is born or are we going to find out after the baby is born?" he asks as he gets my pancakes together with the fruit.
"I don't know. What do you want to do? Do you want to find out the sex or be surprised?"
"It doesn't really matter to me," he says with a shrug. "We will know what we are having regardless by the time it arrives whether it's before or after. It's up to you?"
"I was thinking maybe finding out before but I like the element of surprise."
"Me too," he says, "but knowing also helps us become prepared for the baby beforehand. You're going to have an amazing baby shower so don't you want the guests to know what to buy for the baby?"
"I know what you're saying," I say as we walk to the table, "but I don't know the doctor did say we could find out earlier through a blood test they do at 10 weeks. We can find out then or we can find out at 20 weeks."
"I like the blood test idea if you want to find out," he says.
"I'll think about it," I smile as we sit down. He pulls my chair out for me before he takes his seat. "So how was the business trip? What was it like with Roman?" I ask.
"Well, it was interesting," he says. "He was really concerned about Cody and what Cody was doing. He was asking about Cody's deal. He asked if anyone helped him or if we knew if anyone helped him. I told him I don't know the details just that Cody was taking the deal. He of course doesn't trust you."
"He never did," I say, "and that's fine because I don't trust him. I am pretty sure what happened that night was an inside job and not just with Roman someone else that you trust or someone that works with you helped with the attack that night. Somehow Cody got into that building and conveniently the cameras weren't working. Cody didn't act alone I know he didn't. Roman is trying to pin it off on me like it was my work but why not push the light off of you and put it on someone else. How defensive did he seem when you were talking to him?"
"He kept his cool for most of it but toward the end I could see he was getting restless. He was getting nervous. He was really concerned on what Cody was saying or going to say. I could tell he was feeling guilty about something. I want to keep my eye on him. I just don't trust him. I think he's trying to take me down from the inside. He was trying to get in on our business ventures. I told him I was working with you and he didn't like that either. He told me I couldn't trust you but it's him I don't trust. He has all the motive in the world to take me out."
"But why you're his best friend? I don't understand why he is so adamant to take you out. Aren't you two best friends?"
"Supposed to be but I am also his biggest competition," he explains. "I don't know he has the most to gain from me."
"Could it also be because I wouldn't sleep with him or wasn't interested in him? I chose you do you think that has something to do with it also?"
"I don't know," he says. "I don't have an idea but we really need to keep an eye on him. I am going to do a sweep of my NYC office to find out who is loyal and who isn't. You're right someone else was in on this shooting on Christmas Eve. I don't know how much I trust our security team which is why we are meeting with them."
"I see," I say as I eat my pancakes. "Is it always like this in big businesses?" I ask.
"Not usually," he says. "Roman is just crazy somehow, some way we will get the truth. Do you think if you talked to Cody again you could get him to admit that Roman helped him and if anyone else helped him?"
"I don't know. Cody warned me that we can't trust everyone and not everyone is on our side. That's all he was willing to say. He's kind of pissed over the divorce and signing his rights away. I really don't want to have to talk to him again."
"I know but maybe he could help us," he suggests.
I let out a laugh, "Cody is NOT going to help us. He hates us in case you didn't realize he is the man that shot you. He's not going to help us out."
"Maybe he will you never know, you know if the price is right," he hints.
"Are you trying to pay him off? Isn't that illegal?"
"It is only illegal if you get caught. He makes this deal he gets about 5-10 years in prison. In 5 years he is out with a lot of money to get back on his feet again, money to go anywhere he wishes to go," he says. "Think he will work for some money?"
"I don't know, Dean. I don't want to go see him alone again and I don't want to talk to him again. Why don't YOU go talk to him. You might be a little more convincing. He's going to negotiate the hell out of you," I say. "And this could cost you a lot of money."
"I make $20,000 every hour I'm not worried about giving him a significant amount of money."
"I get that but he could also play you. I don't trust Cody as much as I don't trust Roman. You could try it but don't be surprised if he plays you because that's what he does. He plays people. He would have made one hell of a business man instead he chose to be a drug lord. So if you're more than willing to talk with him and pay him to give up his help is up to you and more power to you but I don't want anything else to do with him. I am finally free of him and he is NOT going to hold this shit over my head. You can try but I don't know if it's going to work as for me I will never face that man again."
"All right," he says after contemplating. "I will talk to him see what information he is willing to give up."
"Good luck," I say shaking my head. He doesn't know what he's getting into with Cody. Cody knows the streets, he hangs with the scum of the Earth. If Dean thinks it will be easy to get any information out of Cody he is mistaking. I wish him the best of luck but Cody can play a dirty game which is part of the reason I fled from him for so long.
After we have breakfast and get ourselves ready for the day Dean and I are in his home office meeting with our security team. I stand next to Dean's chair as he has his arm wrapped around my waist. He means business. "We have a problem," he begins. "Roman Reigns cannot be trusted. I want surveillance on him at all times so that we know where he is and what he is up to. I don't trust him. We need to keep an eye on him he is not to be trusted."
"I thought you two were best friends?" asks one of our guards. "Why don't you trust him now?"
I look at Dean and he looks at me before saying, "I just have reason to not trust him. I have some ideas about him and what he is about. That's all the information I will give on that matter. Working for me you will make sure Reigns does not have access to Zoey, my home, my office, Journey or myself. He is not allowed anywhere near any of that and if I find out he is, if I find out one of you let him near my business or my family you will not like the consequences. I also want more security on Journey. She's in a situation and I want more security on her at all times she needs to be in your eyes and your ears. Do not walk away from her for even a second. She will be assigned 3 male guards and 2 female guards. The female guards will accompany her to the bathroom, making sure it is safe before she enters. You will not let her out of your sight at all are we clear?" he asks. I think 5 guards are a bit much but I understand why he's doing it. He's doing it to protect not only me but our child. I feel he is going to be overprotective of me now and not just me but our child neither of us want to lose this baby like we did last time. I would hate to be the person that crosses Dean's orders.
"Yes," they say in agreement.
"Good," he says. "If anything happens to her," he holds me tighter, spreading his hand on my stomach, "or our precious cargo there will be hell to pay!" he says giving me a chill because it's so callous and cold. "We're done here," he says dismissing them. "As for you," he says as they leave, "you are to listen to your security at all times. If they tell you not to do something don't do it and don't venture off by yourself."
"I know," I say climbing into his lap wrapping my arms around his neck as he places his hand on my stomach.
"I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby, I don't want anything to happen to either of you," he says softly as I see tears in his eyes. "I can't have the hurt again, Journey."
"I know," I say before I kiss his lips softly. "I'm not going anywhere, we aren't going anywhere," I say before I kiss his lips again, sealing the promise between us.
*A/N: What do you think about Dean going to visit Cody and paying him for information? Do you think Cody will comply? Is Dean putting himself in more danger by going to see Cody? What do you think of Dean putting so much security on Journey? Do you think it's a bit much or is it necessary? Please review and thank-you for reading!