The Next Generation: The Legacy (Book 3)

Chapter 22 - Taking a chance.

Freddie

Forgetting what happened was more difficult than I thought it would be. Her perfect lips kept popping into my thoughts. The way she melted against me. Her vulnerable look in her eyes … Yup, that was the one. That was the final straw that broke the camel’s back! When I met her, she was so closed off. She was fighting not only her internal battles with her father, but also facing the repercussions of his actions in her new job.

When I looked into her eyes today, I saw all the pain she had been hiding, and I just wanted to take it away and protect her!

“Dammit! Freddie!” I hissed at myself as I grabbed my bag and wondered if it was such a good idea to stay with her and her mom. I pulled open my drawers one at a time, wondering how much I should pack when, finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer. There was no way I could sleep on that couch again. It would be much safer and easier if they just moved into my place.

I grabbed my keys and drove back to their apartment, going through every possible answer that she could give me. I had an answer for everything. I also wanted to take the two women to see George. He had to see what he had done to them. They had to see him behind bars. Chante’s mother had to accept that he wasn’t coming back. I couldn’t imagine him ever getting out of jail. I had just parked outside the apartment building when my phone rang.

“Freddie, I’m so glad I caught you. How are they doing?” Christa sounded tired.

“They are dealing with it as best they can. I’ve actually just decided to ask them to move to my place. I’m outside their apartment.” I knew she wasn’t going to be happy about it. Christa saw things that didn’t even exist sometimes.

“Yes, that sounds like a great idea. Listen, the reason I called.” She sighed deeply and I frowned. Did she even hear what I said? “Freddie, we lost Cat.” My heart sank. It was very possible that Cat had decided to come back. My first thought was to get upstairs and make sure that Chante and her mother were safe. I cut the call to Christa short and rushed up the stairs two at a time.

Pulling Chante into my arms the moment she opened, I realized something. It was already too late to stop whatever was happening between us.

Chante

When I heard the knock on the door, my heart stopped for a moment until I saw Freddie through the little peephole. I opened the door, and he pulled me into his arms very fast. It took my breath away. He smelled so good. Even though he hadn’t showered yet. He always smelled good, but it hit me more than usual now. I also instantly realized how safe I felt in his arms.

Dammit! Chante, get your mind straight! I reprimanded myself as I pulled out of his arms. He pushed past me and explained what happened. My heart felt as if it skipped a beat a second time in less than ten minutes!

“I came back to ask you and your mom if you wanted to move into my place.” I opened my mouth but closed it when he held his hand in the air. “It will only be temporary. Just until Cat has been caught. I have more than enough room for all of us and if I had to, I could sleep on the couch, which is a lot more comfortable than yours.” He grinned and I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t know. Things are …” I couldn’t tell him how I was feeling. I couldn’t tell him that I thought I was falling in love with him! How on earth was I supposed to live in the same house with him?!

“I would like that more. I don’t feel safe here. I never did.” My mom appeared in the doorway of her room and I sighed deeply.

“Okay, but only temporarily. We are keeping our apartment.” I pointed my index finger at Freddie and then at my mom. She loved him. While he was out, my darling mother was already planning our wedding! She saw us kiss and that was that in her mind. According to my mother, there was a kind of chemistry between us that was very rare.

We packed what we thought we might need and locked the apartment before going downstairs. Thankfully, Freddie’s new place wasn’t that far from the apartment and not far from the station. He found one of the few houses in the city. I knew he was looking for a place, but I didn’t realize that he had found one after Cat broke into his previous house. Things were changing fast around me and I felt a little overwhelmed as we walked into his new home. It looked similar to the one we visited after Cat invaded his privacy. I recognized some of the furniture and took in my surroundings while Freddie showed my mother to her room.

“I’ve put your things in the room next to your mother’s.” His voice interrupted my thoughts and I nodded. “Please, make yourselves at home. There is food in the fridge. Don’t be shy. I have to go to the station. Will you be okay here on your own for a little while?” He looked at me with clear concern written all over his face.

“Yes, she doesn’t know about this place.” I nodded and he disappeared. I hoped she didn’t know about his new house. With Cat, you never knew!

Freddie

I could have taken care of what I needed to do over the phone, but I just had to get out for a short while. All I could think about was pulling Chante into my arms and kissing her until she didn’t have any breath left. I needed the harsh reality of our situation to remind me why I moved them to my home. I needed to see Christa and speak to the task team!