Always

31 - Brax

Brax's POV:

I was an absolute asshole to Sarah when she told me she was pregnant, firstly I accused her of sleeping with other men, than I told her I didn't want to talk to her about it again until I had confirmation from a Doctor - I think I even went as far as telling her I would be accompanying her to the appointment to make sure she didn't have him alter the results, but I didn't believe her - shit we had always, always been careful - it was one thing I was so fucking certain about, I had never, would never put my dick in her uncovered and she was on the pill so this shit shouldn't have fucking happened.

She didn't deserve the way I treated her - she wasn't the evil in this, she was the good that was dragged into it because of who her brother was. Sarah was nothing like Zander - she was sweet and kind hearted and the entire time I had been here I had not seen one ounce of bad in her, though she loved her brother - more than he probably loved her and definitely way more than he deserved.

She claimed she loved me - though I never had it in me to return those exact words to her - I couldn't - those words belonged to one person and one person only.
I needed to find a way to fix this mess I had gotten myself into - I should have just kept my dick in my pants after finding Aria 2 months ago, the night I had gotten Aria pregnant, I should have ended it with Sarah the second I got back that first time - instead I told myself it was all apart of the game - to keep Zander on side and keep my plan in motion.
I tried to be excited for this kid - I mean fuck it was a little baby - my baby and it didn't ask for this to happen - shit it was an innocent, but every time I put my head on Sarah's stomach I couldn't stop the ball of guilt building inside me at the wish I was with my wife.

Shit had gone down that I hadn't been prepared for, none of it. The fucking meeting this week with Dad and Carlton was the hardest to take - it was a big role for us to play to pull this off and we all needed to do our part.
Of course Zander had wanted me to be there, I was his prize possession - arrogant fuck that he is, walking in to my families warehouse with me by his side like some god damn trophy - parading me in front of my family, my family who up until recently thought I was dead. The family who now think have to act as if I have betrayed them and everything I had ever known.
When Aiden walked in to that meeting I felt my heart dropped - I knew she was here - I knew there was no way he would leave her, not for anything which means she was with him, she was here and I was well and truly FUCKED.

FLASHBACK TO THE MEETING:

Zander and I had taken our seats and the opposite end of the table to my Father and Carlton - not a word had been spoken and I didn't get what the hold up was, Until Aidan walked through the fucking door. But I couldn't let my emotions betray me - not now, I needed this meeting to go perfectly.

"Finally, lets get this show on the road shall we" Carlton spoke "Well Zander you were the one that wanted this meeting - so start talking"

"You make it sound oh so simple Carlton - truthfully it is anything but. You all know as well as I do we have been losing in a big way - it needs to stop"

"What is it you are proposing here Zander"

"Well Vic, I guess what I am proposing is a truce of sorts - an alliance between the two families to fight what has so far remained unknown to us"

"A truce, A fucking truce - you have got to be kidding me - Vic, tell me you aren't seriously entertaining this fucking idiot" Aiden's voice was deathly quiet as he spoke,

"Calm down Aiden" Carlton spoke "Clearly there is a problem that needs to be eliminated - lets just hear Zander out"

I caught Aiden's eye while Zander went on explaining his idea for an allegiance, it hadn't been like him to lose his cool so quickly it made me concerned there was more going on here than what I was aware of. He furrowed his eyebrows at me and made a small shake of his head - silently telling me to leave it alone.

"Braxton, you are being very quiet over there" Carlton pointed out "Surely as the only one who has had their feet in both camps - well the only one who is alive to tell the tale anyway - you should have much more to say"

"Is that a threat brother?" I stood from my chair, pushing it back hard

"Do you want it to be?" Carlton replied, smirking "And I'm not your fucking brother"

"THAT'S ENOUGH" My Father yelled "This will never work if you boys cannot contain keep your shit together, so sit the fuck down - are we good" we both nodded "Aiden, talk to us"

Aiden laid out several maps on the conference table - pulling a black marker out he started making references to the maps as he spoke,

"The only way I see this working is if we completely isolate all our reserve stock in to two warehouses, one for guns and one for drugs, The Wolves hold warehouses here and here, both are surrounded by 12 foot electric fences, guards patrol the perimeters 24 hours a day 7 days a week, there is surveillance covering ever square inch of ground as well as heat detectors. I believe the reason these warehouses have not been attacked is due to the fact they simply cannot get past the defences in place, It is my recommendation that we move the stock into these locations as soon as possible"

"Well of course you would suggest that" I stood up again? locking eyes with Aiden as I spoke "Its win win for you isn't it, you get all the stock"

"Yes, but we also assume all the risk" Aidan spoke over me,

"It is no big secret that the Red Fox member numbers are falling fast, clearly we are able to provide a bit more man power than you are at the moment Zander, but if this isn't acceptable to you than there is no more for us to discuss"

Zander's eyes moved carefully from the maps to Aiden, Carlton and my Father before he turned to me - I nodded my head at him.

"Ok Vic, you men have a deal, We will start moving our stock to the warehouses tomorrow"

The next few hours were spent ironing out the finer details, dates, times and names of the men who would be on duty and specific moments guarding the warehouses.

"Are we done" Aiden spoke, my father nodded to him giving the approval he was seeking to leave and he wasted no time in exiting the room.

I followed Aiden as he made his way into the large open room and spotted her the moment I entered - she was easily the most gorgeous woman here, god she was the most gorgeous fucking woman anywhere. Her long dark hair hanging down her back, her neck and shoulders on full display from the white tank top she was wearing, from where I was I could see she was smiling, her lips curved up in a grin which lit up her whole face as she turned towards Aiden - and it killed me her smile was just for him. Her pregnancy wasn't showing much yet but I could notice the small belly that had started growing - yet another thing I fucking hated - that it was Aiden who once again got to stand by her side.

I couldn't even begin to describe the million emotions that flashed over her gorgeous face when Sarah introduced us - announcing me as her baby daddy of all the god damn things to say. Yep - I get it - I am the asshole here, but I should have been the one to explain this shit to her.
I knew her better than anyone - I knew every look, every sigh, I knew what the twists of her mouth meant and that her eyes always gave her away no matter how straight she kept her face, but I had never seen her look at me the way she had done in that moment, her face was blank, a slight moment of anger followed by hurt and then disappointment - though all of that ended up leading to the final look she gave me - it was nothing, absolutely nothing. She never spoke to me, never acknowledged Sarah's introduction, just a whispered congratulations before she turned to Aiden - pulled him even closer and walked away.
He was her hero in that moment and I realised he had been for awhile now through no ones fault but my own - I was the one that had pushed her right into his arms, I was the one who had set us on this path and now I was left wondering, had I actually lost her for good?