TWO

I clean the dishes then hear the phone rang down the hall made my body flinch and the plate in my hand almost slip.

"Hello?" Effie has answered the phone. I listen. "Hi, Tita Helen. I'm good, the baby is good too. Just had a check-up the other day. Yes, he's with me 24/7. Don't worry." She chuckles. I can sense she is annoyed by my mother not liking the idea of her niece pregnant and eighteen not ready for the real world. That is so like my mother.

So judgmental.

"Claire? Tita, I told you she isn't here. If she was, she would have called us. Yes, I will. Thea, Ares, and I are out looking for them. Yes, yes, I will. Okay, yes, bye Tita."

I peer at my head and see Effie sigh. She brushes her hair back then found me standing as she smiles. "Your mom called...again."

"Just keep telling her that Leo and I aren't here."

"She's going to keep calling."

I lean against the wall and cross my arms. "I know."

Since my escape. My mother quickly realized Leo and I are gone and probably had everyone looking for me. After a month of freedom, she finally made a call to the Reid's house.

Every day she talked to everybody here asking about my whereabouts, and I had them all lied. For my sake and my son. My mother is going bonkers and demands to know where we are. She will never give up.

I told my mother everything about Eddie, how he hits me and Leo. My mother has pride in herself and in money. She lectures me not to anger him again so he wouldn't hit me. In her eyes is money, and not purple and black bruises.

My mother adores Eddie. Even before he and I dated, she wanted him to be part of our family just because his family is rich. His grandfather owns the bank where my father works which is why my mother is fond of him. She will never take my side and just tell me to brush it off and be a good woman to my fiancé.

"C.J, what's going on?" Effie suddenly asks. She and her sister have been interrogating me upon our arrival and I always give them the same answer.

"Nothing is going on," I say then went back to the kitchen. Effie follows me.

"Something is definitely going on. You didn't contact your parents, and avoiding your mom. You won't even tell us why you canceled the wedding two weeks before."

I scrub the plate with a soapy sponge while the water runs.

"And I remember you saying that he will hurt me, he will be." She continues. "Who's he?"

I stop everything I was doing and feel my chest tighten. I didn't explain much that day. She doesn't need me to explain. Effie and her siblings need to know because they are the people who I trust with my life. I can tell them anything. They are family. But in this type of situation, I wish they aren't involved with my affairs.

Tears are already sliding down from my eyes. I wipe my hands dry. I keep my back facing Effie.

"I met Eddie six years ago," I begin with a brief history with my ex-fiancé. "His grandfather owns a bank in London where my father works. He was sweet, generous, and funny. Very sophisticated in his job as an investment banker. I would bring lunch for my father every day from the food I make, Eddie and I would get to know each other. Then, we fell in love and started to date. My parents loved him and already considered him their son-in-law. I never met a man like Eddie and I fell too deep for him. After a year of dating, I was then pregnant with Leo and Eddie wanted me to live with him which I reluctantly agreed."

I begin to bring up happy memories with Eddie. I somewhat curve a smile just thinking of them.

"Everything was a dream living with the man I loved, until after Leo was born everything changed. He made me quit my job at the restaurant where I was training to make me stay home because he can provide us a good life and have nothing to worry about. When I argued that I wanted to go back to work, his true colors were revealed."

I let out a shaky breath, grip the edge of the sink tight.

"I just wanted to work and he..." I bit my lower lip. Pinching it with my teeth as I recall Eddie's fist making contact with my face. I cover my face preventing the sobs to be heard from Effie.

"CJ?" My cousin came to my side. "Is he...hurting you?"

I whimper and look away.

"Oh fuck no! Logan!" She called her boyfriend and before I could stop her Logan appear in panic mode.

"What happens, babe?" He breathes and checks Effie out to make sure she and the baby are okay. "You okay? The baby okay?"

"I'm fine," gently push his arm away. "I'm going to London tonight. Drive me to the airport so I can take Grandpa's jet."

Logan looks confused. "Why?"

"To shoot someone."

Logan rubs his face and yawn. He was sleeping upstairs with Zara taking a nap from working late at their gym.

With the help of Lily's dad and his company and the finances from Odin, Effie's grandfather. The Wolfe boys had built a large gym not for them to work more on their abs and muscles but for others to work out. Still renovating and incomplete at the time. But Logan and his brothers; Donovan and Liam are making sure everything is as designed from the blueprint before they have their grand opening next year.

"Babe, why would you fly to London to shoot someone?"

I nudge Effie not to answer. But she did anyway. "I'm doing this for her." Pointing to me. "I can put my aiming practice to good use."

"Babe."

"No, Logan," she shushes Logan. "Take me or I will go there myself."

While she's pregnant?

She is dead serious. Even with a baby inside of her, she will do it. I think it's the hormones talking. I understand completely, I had Leo for nine months. I know the mood swings.

"Effie," I tug her arm and beg. "Please don't."

"No, CJ. He hurt you." She pauses and she gasps after realizing something. "Does he hurt Leo too?"

I didn't say anything and it gave away. Effie read my face like a book. Her nose flare and her eyes squint to a glare. "I'm going to shoot him twice. One in the face and one in the crotch."

Logan let out a low wince and put his hands between his crotch. I hold back a laugh, but I didn't proceed.

"Effie, please." I sigh and grip her arm not too hard and not too soft. "Don't say anything. Not to Ace, and definitely not Thea. She will destroy the whole country to get to him."

"If she doesn't then I will," Effie states. I can tell how serious she is. Before she was the sweet and quiet girl I know who loves to sing and dance but now, I feel she a whole another person.

"Please," I beg. I plead her and at Logan to give Effie some sense that I don't want any trouble for me and my son.

"Ro, just listen to her."

Effie stays quiet, closes her eyes, and exhale. She takes my hand and lets out a wry smile. "Okay, I won't say anything."

I sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"But I can't guarantee of keeping it a secret. You know Thea has a sharp sense. One hint from you and it's over. You will have to come clean."

I nod. "I understand."

"And your mom," Effie continues and looks distraught about bringing up my mother. "You need to call her so she won't be worried and call here every day. I'm sorry, CJ. She's my aunt and family, but your mom's voice sounds like Fran Drescher. I love her and her shows like The Nanny and Living With Fran, but I do not want to be related to one."

Now I laugh. I crack up and hold my hand over my heart. Wiping the tear from my eye. "That's a good one. To be honest, no one dares to make fun of my mother's voice. Even my father doesn't say anything. Most of the time when she nags at him he has earplugs on as his secret weapon."

Effie and Logan laugh.

"Thanks, Effie." She hugs me and rubs my back.

"Everything is going to be okay. We will protect you and Leo. Your family. We got your back."

I say nothing and just hug her back. I look at Logan and smile at him. He reaches and pats my head as if I'm a child. I'm older than him but his gesture just comforts me.

"But I'm still want to shoot him." She announces.

"Babe," Logan groan, and I scoff a laugh.