Changing Affection

Chapter Thirty-Six

Ezra was beyond excited about Aubrey being pregnant. He was also scared. He was scared about being a father. He didn't have a father figure growing up and was scared that he wasn't going to know what he needed to do with his own child.

Being a father wasn't the problem that he was scared of the most. Jearon was still out in the world and alive. He decided that he had to find him before Jearon found them. He didn't want Aubrey to have any more stress than she has already been through, but he needed to kill him. He needed to know that there wasn't someone out there that was threatening his happiness. Once Jearon was dead, Ezra's life with Aubrey could finally begin.

He decided that he was going to talk to Asher about covering for him while he was gone. He needed Asher to make sure that Aubrey wouldn't follow him and stay here where it was safe.

Ezra looked over at Aubrey sleeping beside him and smiled. He ran his fingers over her cheek and jaw before planting a kiss on her forehead. He stealthily got out of bed without waking her up and walked out of the room.

The house was pitch black and Ezra ran his hand over the wall to make sure that he wouldn't bump into anything. He saw light coming from the living room as well as mumbling from the television. He walked in to see Asher sitting on the couch and watching the news.

Asher looked behind him and smiled at Ezra, motioning for him to come and sit next to him Ezra obeyed him and sat down on the other side of the couch.

"How's Aubrey feeling?" Asher asked him.

Ezra looked over at him. "Did she tell you?"

Asher gave him a pointed look. "Sometimes you're not that bright, Ezra. I went to the grocery store and bought that test for her."

"Oh." Ezra turned his head back to the television. "She's good, but scared."

"Understandable," Asher grunted. "Are you happy?"

Ezra snapped his head over to Asher. "Are you fucking kidding me? I'm ecstatic. The woman I love is having my child. Of course, I'm happy!"

Asher smiled at him and nodded. "Good. I'd kick your ass if you gave Aubrey any shit."

"I would never."

They both turned their attention back to the television and stayed silent for a couple of moments before Asher spoke up. "When are you planning to get rid of Jearon?"

Ezra looked over at him. "As soon as I can leave."

"I want to help in any way that you need me to, Ezra." Asher turned his body towards Ezra. "Aubrey doesn't deserve any more stress. Especially now that she has a child on the way. I'll cover for you and make sure that she stays here until you return."

Ezra gave him a tight smile. "Thank you, Asher. I want to leave as soon as I can, but I need to figure out where he's at." He leaned back against the couch. "I'm sure he didn't go back to any of his houses. He's a fucking idiot, but he's not that stupid."

Asher nodded, agreeing with him. "He must have been taken to a bunker. Where? I don't know." He paused. "We could call Decan and ask him."

"I don't want to get him any more involved than he already is," Ezra snapped. He didn't mean to snap, but he was still furious at Mr. Hallquist for what he did to Aubrey. That he was helping Jearon to kill him.

Asher sighed. "I understand, Ezra, but that's his daughter and she's having his first grandchild. He deserves to know. Also, who knows, maybe knowing that she's pregnant will change his mind about everything."

Ezra shook his head. "He's too hung up on money to change his mind about anything. He'd sell that child to Jearon if it meant that he could still be in business with him."

Asher opened his mouth but decided against whatever he was going to say to him. Ezra wasn't going to budge on the issue. He didn't want Mr. Hallquist to know about any of this. Once Jearon is dead, maybe he'll let him know about Aubrey. He felt more protective and possessive of her now than he had been before. There were now two people in his life that he needed to protect. Two people that were counting on him to keep them safe.

Ezra closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Would Aden be able to figure out where he's hiding at?"

Asher took out his phone and turned it on. "He may. I'll text him and see if he could get any information for us."

Ezra wasn't paying attention to what Asher was saying. His attention was on the television in front of them. "Asher, look."

Asher picked his head up and looked at the television. "Holy shit," he breathed out.

On the television was a picture of Mr. Hallquist. The news kept going back and forth between a news reporter and a video of the large house that they were at four days ago. The newswoman on the television was talking about how they found Mr. Hallquist in his house with a bullet wound on his forehead.

He was dead.

The lady on the screen reported that the police believe that there wasn't any foul play involved and that he had committed suicide after the news of his failed business and his daughter being kidnapped again.

Ezra automatically felt a wave of guilt go through his body.

"It wasn't a suicide," Asher spoke quietly.

Ezra shook his head. "Couldn't have been." Ezra spun around as he heard a small gasp behind them. Aubrey stood there with shock on her face. Her hands were around her mouth as tears filled her big eyes. Ezra practically jumped over the couch and caught her before she fell.

They dropped to the ground as Aubrey sobbed into his shoulder. "Why?" she screamed. Ezra held her until her sobs calmed down and she was laying limp in his arms. "I should have –"

"Don't start that, Aubrey," Asher told her as he knelt next to them. "You could not have known that this was going to happen. This is not your fault."

Ezra opened up his mouth to tell him to back off, but Aubrey cut him off. "He didn't commit suicide, Asher. He wasn't the kind of man to do that."

Ezra kissed her temple and wiped away a stray tear. "We know, Princess."

She snapped her head up to him. "J-Jearon?"

Ezra hesitated slightly before nodding. "I'm going to go and kill him, Aubrey."

Aubrey sat up on her knees and shook her head rapidly. She grabbed onto his shirt. "Please, Ezra, don't. D-don't leave me, please. I don't want to lose you too."

Ezra's heart broke as he placed his hands on either side of her. "I'm the man who's going to protect you for the rest of my life, Aubrey. I'm going to be the man who's going to protect our child for the rest of my life. I need to make sure that he's gone." He paused. "He's gone way too far, Aubrey. I'm going to kill him."

Tears started to flow even faster down her cheeks. "Please," she begged him.

Ezra bent down and planted a long kiss on her lips. "I'm not leaving now Princess. I need you to understand that this is what I need to do. If he's gone, you're forever protected. All right?" Ezra watched as her eyes shot back and forth between his as if she was searching for any sign that he wasn't going to come back to her. "I promise you; I will return to you."

Aubrey threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his neck. "If you don't Ezra Pecora, I will make sure to haunt you for eternity."

Ezra smiled as he held her close to him. "I wouldn't expect anything else, Princess."