“That’s fair,” he said. “I sent her some shitty voicemails before things all went down.”
“You did,” Danielle agreed. “But I get where it was coming from.”
“It was fear,” Sam admitted. “But I don’t really have much to be afraid of at this point.” Danielle quickly filled Victor in on the basics of what her brother had just told her.
“There’s something now that I have to tell you,” she said, turning her attention back onto her brother.
“What’s that? You and Mr. Moneybags here gonna get married?” Sam raised an eyebrow.
“Close,” Danielle replied. “I’m pregnant. It’s his.” Sam’s eyes widened and he stared at her.
“Promise me that when the baby is born, you’ll come out to see me,” he said. “I can’t come in here to visit, but I want to see you. I want to make sure you’re okay—and I definitely want to meet my nephew or niece.” Danielle smiled.
“I promise that as soon as I can bring the kid to you, I will,” she said. From there the meeting seemed to pass by all too quickly, with both of them trying to fit in as much love and information about themselves to the other as possible before Sam had to meet up with his protective officers.
He could be out of their custody for only so long without running into the risk of being taken out by one of the Bey family operatives; even more reason for him to leave the city, to possibly even leave the state eventually, where the family didn’t have tendrils and connections to take him out.
What Sam was doing would probably be the ultimate in betrayal, but he said to Danielle dryly that the family hadn’t been paying him well enough to not cooperate with the DA when the charges for money laundering might land him in prison for over a decade, considering his criminal history. Better by far to go along with the plea deal, take the probation and let himself be relocated out of harm’s way.
As Danielle walked away from her brother, going the other direction from one of the most recognizable places in Philadelphia, she gripped Victor’s hand tighter. She knew that it was right for her to have turned her brother in, and she didn’t feel guilty about it. precisely, but there was something sad to her about the fact that he had finally sought her forgiveness before taking the step that would cut her out of his life almost completely.
She would know where he was living once he moved there, but she wouldn’t be able to share that information with anyone else—not even anyone in their actual family. But, Danielle reminded herself, she had already made her choice more than a month before. She e had chosen Victor, who had proven he was interested in her safety and freedom, over the brother that had thrown her into harm’s way. It would take a long time for her to have any trust in Sam again, but she was glad that there was the possibility of it.
“Hungry?” Danielle nodded in response to Victor’s question.
“I am starving—but I don’t want to go to a restaurant,” she replied. “Let’s go back to your place and order in.”
“Excuse me, I think you mean our place,” Victor corrected her. It was true; she had formally moved in a week before, when they’d confirmed that her missed period was, in fact, due to her being pregnant. It was still far too early for her to be telling people—but Danielle figured that there was no one for Sam to tell, and anyway, she wanted him to know, and she didn’t know when she would hear from him again.
“I want to get in the bathtub and eat...I don’t even know what,” Danielle said, leaning against Victor. “And then once I have luxuriated for about an hour, I want you to fuck me.” Victor laughed.
“You know, I thought you had a fairly insatiable appetite before you got pregnant,” Victor observed. “Right now, I’m starting to think you might actually need more sex than I have the energy to give you.” Danielle rolled her eyes.
“If you get worn out, buy me one of those Hitachi wands,” she suggested. “Least you can do for the woman carrying your child.” Victor chuckled.
“And I will make sure you have as much steak and pizza and French fries as you want,” he added. They headed to the car where Alan waited for them, and Danielle spared herself a moment to realize that she was finally—for good—completely and totally legitimate. She would have no connection at all to the Bey family or really the criminal underworld in Philadelphia at all.
She had a legitimate job, a man who she loved and who loved her, and a life that had never had anything to do with crime. She never would have imagined it even six months before, but she had traded out her mingled criminal-blood family ties for something completely legal, still—technically—bound by blood, but much more satisfying. She couldn’t regret anything, in light of that fact.