Only Annie | Eric Coulter

9 - Laying Me Low*

David Cook

* * *

"I fall apart when I'm with you

I  cry when I kiss you

I know, you're really no good."

* * *

|| E R I C

My heartbeat thuds faster each second, my eyes flashing dangerously. I'm scared, terrified, because just when life's getting better, shit fucks everything up.

I pull Four by his shirt, glaring at him with so much hatred, "Stop fucking with me, Four. I'll end you--"

"You think I'm joking?" He scoffs and he pushes me off him. He fixes himself, looking annoyed, "Lyanne's proclaiming you're her baby daddy."

"Shit." I cuss, running a hand through my hair and biting my lip, "Shit. Where's Anika?"

Four shrugs, and before he can open his mouth again, I leave the room in big strides.

...  

I hear her before I see her.

She's screaming, letting her frustration and anger out on the woman before her. Said woman is holding a bundle in her arms, and I'm sure it's something I never want to see.

"Annie," I say, connecting eyes with her, and pain shoots up in my heart when I see the hurt in them, "Annie, I--"

"Why?" She croaks, and I know that everything she's heard is making her crumble like old ancient bricks against strong winds. Whatever lie that has reached her ears is planting thorns on her chest and is now making her heart bleed.

"You know it's not true," I urge softly, gently wiping the ears that are decorating her cheeks, "Annie, you know I'd never do that to you."

She's silent, occasional hiccups the only sound you can hear from her. The bitch watching us is wearing a smirk proudly, and all I wanted to do is to take that baby out of her hands and hand her over to Max for a good beating.

Damn it. Just looking at her makes my blood boil.

I reign my anger in, and lean closer to Annie so all she can see is my sincerity, "Annie, I just got you--" I choke on my words, "Fuck, I just got you. And I won't lose you. Not that fast. Not ever."

...  

|| A N N I E

There she is, the innocent one in all these mishaps, lying on the bed whilst making gurgling noises.

She's adorable.

"She looks nothing like me," Eric grimaces, peering over at the baby, "Or her mother. What the fuck, how do you explain this shit?"

I roll my eyes, "Eric, almost all babies look the same at that age. They don't particularly develop certain features yet."

"Annie, I haven't seen her mother in like, three years--I haven't seen anyone in three years. How can I magically have a baby all of a sudden?"

A frown decorates my face as I turn to face the wall, "I don't know. Maybe you forgot about having a one night stand and now you have a baby?"

"Annie, I'm serious." Eric is now in front of me, the baby, his baby, safely tucked in his arms, "I haven't been to a bar or a party since forever. I'm clean, damn it. It's fucking impossible for me to have a baby this young, at this time."

"What, are you telling me she faked everything?" My eyebrows crease in irritation, "Why would she even do that, Eric?"

"I don't know, Annie." The baby keeps grabbing his vest, and he keeps swatting her hands off, "I want to have proof. She can't just say to our faces that this kid's mine. I want to go to Jordan and have a DNA test."

I sigh as my puffy eyes continue to watch the two engage in a battle of swatting. The more they play, the more my heart seems to swell with emotion. 

Despite her mother being a huge bitch, a part of me wants Sierra to be Eric's daughter, and damn it, I don't know why.

... 

#BabyMagic