Lost & Found Pt. 03

"Carly, please believe me when I say this." Eli emphasized each word, "If you are willing, I will raise the child with you."

Carly was completely frozen.

"What? Are you crazy? Are you out of your mind?" She blurted in disbelief.

"No, I'm not crazy. I will help you raise the kid - in any way and arrangement you like."

He sounded convincing. She was beginning to get confused as her voice softened, "And you're doing this out of a sense of responsibility."

"Yes, that is one aspect of it." Eli said, "The other part is I also like you a lot and I want to help you."

Her mind blew up.

"You are messing with me now." Carly started trembling, "You like me? Then why did you put me through what you put me through?"

Eli looked down, "I didn't always have the right chance. But I did eventually get you out, didn't I."

So you did do it. You brought the house down. For me.

As Carly looked at him, she realized he was sincere. She realized he had always been sincere with her, even when he showed no emotions or warned her not to attempt escape. Their conversations in the sad garden, however brief, had always been free of lies and deception. There were many things he did not say or feelings he could not express, but maybe there had always been...nothing but the best of intentions behind it?

"Are you telling me..." Carly could barely speak, "That you were just pretending the whole time?"

Eli looked truly remorseful, "I cannot tell you everything, but I can tell you I never had any intention of harming you. As I said before, I am very sorry for what I put you through. I am also very sorry...if I had pushed you to sleep with me that night. I should not have done that...but, if you are willing to let me help you, I will do anything I can. I really mean it."

Carly then realized that while she still hated him, she was also grateful for him. For the honest conversations he provided her in the sad garden that gave her just enough sanity to last through the confinement. For protecting her from physical harm. For giving her just enough hope...to last until the end.

She started crying, "You are such a jerk!"

"Yes, I know." He wrapped her arms around her and let her cry loudly. His embrace felt familiar. It felt like the physical manifestation of all the little deeds he had done in the complex to keep her survival spirits alive.

Carly sobbed, "I still don't forgive you!"

"Yeah, that's OK. You can keep calling me names for the rest of my life."

"I also can't promise I won't try to kill you."

Eli almost sounded happy at the prospect, "I'll take my chances."

They hugged for a long time in the parking lot, until reality set in and she realized there was a lot of uncertainty ahead. For instance: "Uh...where are you staying?"

"At some hotel."

She rolled her eyes, "OK, the first thing I have to tell you is, we gotta figure out something really hard..." God, that 'we' sounded really strange! How am I immediately using `we` already?!

"Yeah?"

"What should I tell my parents?"

"Hmm, yeah, I figured that would be hard. But don't they already know you're pregnant?"

"Yes, but they didn't ask how."

"Well, they probably imagined the worst."

"No, I made sure they knew it was consensual." Carly blushed as she felt their bodies touching, her tears stained all over his shirt, memories of the night returning.

"That's a good start." She swore he gripped her waist a little harder and she felt a little dizzy, "How do you want to tell them, then?"

"I don't know." Carly sighed, "I've thought about this. I think they'll accept the explanation that you did protect me while I was in there...but skipping the part where you killed Antoine."

"Yes, I did kill for you." Eli smiled, "And I would do it all over again."

"Don't say that here." Carly kissed him, "This is California."

"Yes ma'am." He returned her kiss softly and gently.

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Chapter 9

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The first meeting between Eli and her family would undoubtedly win the historical "Most Awkward Meet the Parents" award.

She prepped them as much as she could. When Eli returned to his hotel that night, she broke news to them that the father of her child was in town.

They were beyond confused. There was a limit to "loving understanding" and this was past that line. They understood that she was imprisoned by an international gang of criminals, so by that reasoning, anyone she was in contact with while there, including the one she had a one-night consensual stand with, was a bad guy. And if he was an international criminal, how in the world was he not locked up and how did he get past US customs!? They were losing faith in the Department of Homeland Security!

"OK, this is complicated," Carly sighed, "But basically he protected me when I was in there, and eventually he actually got me out by reporting to the authorities."

"So he was a snitch." Carly's dad said.

Oh wow, dad knows that word! "Yes, you can say that."

"But he's still a criminal. He may not legally be one, but he committed crimes."

This is not going to be easy. "Yes, you are right."

"And he suddenly comes here and tells you that he's all washed up and clean." Carly's dad raised his voice. Carly could tell where this was going. Dad protectionism activated.

"He gave me a choice. He said he would leave if I wanted him to."

"Choices can be an illusion."

Uh, dad, stop being a philosopher. Carly rolled her eyes, "All I'm asking is give him a chance!"

Her mother interjected. "We can't trust this guy, Carly, we want to protect you."

"I fully understand that, but I also want you to trust me on my judgement." Carly articulated her thoughts carefully, "I survived, for a long time, in that...place. I can tell the way people are, a lot better than I used to be able to."

Her family was silent for a while, until her dad said, "He can come, but there are some rules."

"OK, and they are?"

"He can only visit you while you're here. No private meetings. And no weapons of any kind, or I will immediately call the police on him."

Carly nodded enthusiastically.

Eli's response was positive, "They're doing all the right things. No private meetings, no weapons, yeah, I would have done the same."

"Ahh, stop analyzing this." Carly wish she could roll her eyes over the phone, "You are invited to lunch tomorrow at noon with my mom, my dad, and Lydia."

"I'll be there. Do I have to wear anything in particular?"

"No, we're not that proper, OK?"

"You do live on a 5-acre estate."

"And most of them are inhabited by grapes." Carly sighed, "Just dress casually."

Carly was extremely nervous the entire next morning. She could barely sit down. Her hands were sweaty and her feet were swollen, courtesy of the growing fetus. Her younger sister Lydia, who obviously had watched too much TV and had not had enough excitement in real life, rolled around her room and kept asking silly questions like, "So what he is like?"

"You're going to see him for yourself in an hour!" Carly puffed.

"Hmmm, I need some more background, c'mon." Lydia twiddled with her new pink hair, "Is he good looking?"

"Kind of. Also, again, that's something you can judge for yourself. You don't need to ask me that."

"Did he kill people?"

Carly stiffened, "Don't ask that question, OK? Just don't."

"Ooops, sorry, my bad." Lydia stuck out her tongue, "What is his full name?"

"I...don't know." Carly was surprised.

"You'd think to ask." Lydia giggled, "OK, one more thing to ask him! Hmm, let me think, what else, oh - right - I'm curious, sis, like, how is he different from, say, your ex or previous BFs?"

Carly paused, "Pretty much different in every single way."

"Except that he's also good looking, like all your previous BFs."

Carly sighed, "I'm going to die from your interrogation."

The worlds were set to collide at noon and the hour finally arrived. Eli was dressed the same way he did the day before: sunglasses, t-shirt and jeans. Carly marveled at how, placed in a different scenery, he looked just like everyone else: relaxed and chill. There was no menace in him.

Her parents were perplexed at how clean and presentable he looked. When he took off his sunglasses, she could tell they further evaluated his looks and were nodding in their heads. They now understood why their daughter picked this one, given said daughter's history of being easily love-stricken by good looking fellows. They kept their guard up and tried to talk tough to him, but it easily melted away when he gave plain, simple answers in an honest manner. They asked about his upbringing and nodded sympathetically when he said he moved around in foster care. A few bonus points were added when they learned of his military service. Carly learned for the first time that he had actually lived in California through one of his foster parents, though that was in Salinas.

Her parents inquired his past and present, but left a giant gap of not asking him how he ended up in Prague amongst killers and knocked up their daughter.

Throughout lunch, Carly was actually most concerned about Lydia because she was bringing up sensitive questions like "How many different kinds of guns have you tried shooting with?" or "Is it scary when people shoot at you?"

Lydia could have easily won the award for "100 ways to ask a guy if he's killed people without directly asking the question". But Eli was used to being probed and deflected all of them with ease.

Lunch was over. The parents invited Eli to walk around the vineyard as they talked some more. Now the topic had moved to practical matters, like their plans to deliver at the local hospital, decorating the nursery, and the closeness of the equine hospital she was set to start her residency at. It occurred to her that her parents were accepting the situation, that he would now be part of their life. In some ways, they were also testing him. If he showed little interest in mundane details, that would have raised a red flag. But Eli remained engaged and attentive. He confessed his ignorance in the baby matter and said he was willing to learn a lot from them, since they clearly were experts in raise a caring child. Carly realized that in some twisted way, Eli's experience in the dark side made it rather easy for him to read peoples' minds. He read their body language and meanings behind their questions easily. Nothing seemed to faze him. At the same time, he also came across as honest, albeit prone to giving rather short answers, something Carly realized may had been because his long version of answers tended to be filled with too much sarcasm.

Damn, this guy's good, even in real life. Carly shook her head. The killer blow he delivered (no pun intended) had to be when he said to her parents, "I know what it feels like to grow up without a complete family, so I want to make it different this time."

You guys are just getting annihilated! Carly sighed as she saw her parents nodded approvingly.

The walk was coming to an end. Carly felt a little dizzy. She had not gotten to talk to Eli in private this whole time and she really wanted to.

She pulled her mother aside, "Mom, can I please get to talk to him a little more? Don't send him away now."

Her mother easily gave in. She offered to have Carly give him a tour of the house while excusing herself and the rest of the thirdwheelers, saying they had winery business to do.

They left them at the entrance of the business side of the villa where tourists were doing wine tasting. Carly turned on her guide mode and gave him some wine to taste.

Carly marveled at how much he fit in. She looked at the tourists, most of whom were too busy with themselves to notice the young pair. She noticed an old lady who appeared to be visiting with her husband smiling at her. The lady had the kind of doting smile that said, Ah, what a beautiful pair of young lovers.

If only they knew.

Then she realized the lady was looking approvingly at her waistline. Carly realized what the tourist lady must have been thinking and felt her cheeks turn red.

She needed to cool down a bit, so she took Eli down to the cellar and described the aging process, the different grape cultivars, ending with a spiel on how climate change and warming weather impacts grape harvest dramatically. She paused as she saw him smile at her, "What?"

"Hmm, you are so adorable when you talk about grapes." he added, "and also really hot."

Carly once again felt her face was on fire, "Yeah, pregnant and steaming."

"I find it extra hot that you're pregnant." He pulled her in and started kissing her. His body was warm and she nearly melted.

Ohhhh shit is going down, but I won't make it so easy for you.

"Really?" She responded to the kiss and asked sweetly, "Would you fuck a pregnant lady?"

"I would do anything to fuck this particular pregnant lady."

Crap! Why is this guy so good? Carly knew she was getting turned on and they were in a bad location, "Uh, we are in the cellar..."

"Yeah, no one's here." He nibbled on her ears, which almost triggered an instant orgasm. He still remembered her weak spots.

"At least get to my room first." Carly tried to regain some brain cells.

"Lead the way."

She led him through the villa to the residential section, up the marbled stairs till they reached her room. For a while, he admired the room and looked at the pictures, until his gaze eventually went to her comfortable bed and asked, "How do you want to do this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're pregnant. I can't be on top of you."

"Oh," Carly blushed, "Yeah, according to the doctors, you can have sex either with me on top or coming from the back."

"I like these alternatives." He took off her clothes and gently kissed her for a while, until she took off his clothes and gazed lustfully at the same muscular build that had gotten her in this mess in the first place.

Carly sighed, "Fuck, you are hot." This time saying her mind out loud.

Eli smiled, "That is literally the first compliment you have ever given me."

"You are too cocky. I can't let you win too much."

Carly shoved him onto the bed. He was already fully erect, which turned her on immensely. She had been feeling insecure about her changing body shape, but it seemed to make Eli want her just as much.

She climbed into bed and sat in his lap, their tongues once again entangled while their bodies grinded against each other. The dry humping solicited moans from both of them.

"You are so sexy." Eli sighed as he pulled her hair gently, "Ride me."

Carly gasped at the order and felt a gush of heat surge through her body. She straddled him and slowly lowered herself. She let out a huge moan as her wet pussy took in all of him. He was stretching her just by being inside her.

No, I was not mistaken. It wasn't just me having been sexually denied for months. It was not a mistake to fuck this guy back then, and still not a mistake now.

"Oh god...this feels so good." She closed her eyes to focus on the sensation, "Hmm, I missed this..."

"Sex in general or with me in particular?" Eli asked as he held her hips to move rhythmically up and down.

"With you, damn it...stop needing to win so badly..."

Eli grinned and reached up to toy with her sensitive nipples. Carly let out a scream. His hands pinched and squeezed her breasts as she moved faster up and down on him. The sensation was beginning to build and her pregnancy hormones were amplifying the experience, shortcutting her way to an assured climax, "Oh god...don't stop...oh yes...oh yess!!"

He waited for her to come down from the climax and regroup her senses. They moved slowly for a while as Carly marveled once again at how normal it all felt - to feel him inside her and move so naturally together.

She contemplated how difficult it would be to unstraddle him and move into a different position. Eli read her mind, "You want to stay here a little longer or you want to go to your favorite position?"

Carly did not know it was possible for her face to get any redder, "What do you mean my favorite position...you only had sex with me once!"

There was no mistake in Eli's tone that he was enjoying teasing her, "It was pretty obvious."

Carly tapped his chest, "Stop making fun of me!"

Eli helped her get off of him and began to kiss her, "I'm only recalling the facts. Like when you told me not to stop and to come inside you..."

Carly was so embarrassed all she could do was give him a stern look, which caused him to laugh.

Eli waited for her to be on all fours. He slowly entered her from behind, buried deep into her. Carly moaned loudly. As much as she hated to admit, being pounded from behind tended to make her lose her mind and say dirty things that made her squirm in embarrassment later.

Eli was also grunting, "Fuck, I think this probably is my favorite too. Can I come inside you now?" He began to pull in and out harder and faster, hitting all her weak spots that was causing her brain to malfunction.

"Almost..." Carly was gasping for air between waves of ecstasy, "I want us to come together...oh fuck...!"

Just then, Eli reached his left hand around her thigh and began to rub her clit. Carly's mind exploded. "Ahhhhhhh, don't stop! Oh god, Eli, that feels so good...I...I can't take this anymore...I'm going to come!"

"Come for me." Eli breathed heavily into her ear and fingered her clit harder, causing Carly's body to tremble and shiver in orgasmic pleasure. She buried her moans into the pillow, remembering now that Lydia's room was just across the hallway. As she was still riding the wave, Eli groaned and came hard and deep inside her, his dick expanding so much inside her that she screamed in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

They collapsed onto the soft bed panting, her rolling on her side while he spooned her from the back. Her tiny frame fit neatly within his broad chest. He caressed her body gently, giving the back of her neck broken kisses, while she recovered and sighed.

Carly looked at the ceiling with the pretty chandelier and soft yellow wallpaper. What a different world we live in now. Damn, am I using 'we' again?!

"You doing OK?" Eli asked, "That wasn't too rough on you?"

"No, it was great." Carly smiled.

"Good, 'cause I missed this too." Eli said.

"Sex in general or with me in particular?" Carly teased.

Eli was clearly relaxed after the sex, and he responded in a nonchalant manner, "Well, I've always sort of had a crush on you."

"You're kidding me!"

"Nope, always been kind of intimidated by you."

Intimidated?! "Wow, that is a surprising confession. I'm in tears."

"I could not imagine getting dragged into a car after witnessing a murder and not just be scared shitless, instead you told me to move out of the way and saved a dying murderer. I don't know how to not be intimidated by that."

Suddenly, Carly was actually in tears.

He understood it. The entire definition of bravery.

"There were many things you did in there that were extraordinary." Eli's voice was soft, "It was not possible to not react to that. It took a long while, but I found a way to end it for you."

He understood. He understood every bit of her fears

"I have never heard a better compliment to my character my entire life." Carly sobbed, "Also, why do you all the sudden sound so freaking romantic now?! You need to stop making me cry because I will look super ugly for the rest of the day!"

Eli hugged her, "Nah, you'd still look pretty to me."