“Is she good?” Jack asks from over his cup of coffee.
“Yeah. Doc looked her over and we’re waiting on some labs but she’s finally sleeping.” I rub at my eyes, wishing like hell that I was in bed right along with her. Unfortunately, there’s still some loose ends that need to be tied up.
“Good. She needs it. Hell, can you imagine? It can’t be easy finding out that your mother was being held against her will all this time, and by her own husband at that.” Jack lets out a low whistle, his head shaking. “About that, how is she doing?”
“She’s as good as can be. Eric is with her and we have the doc running all sorts of test, making sure she doesn’t need something we don’t have here on hand. So far, she’s just got a couple of broken bones and is severely malnourished, but the team is thinking she’ll make a nice recovery with time.”
“That bastard deserved worse than what he got,” Matt mutters under his breath and pride runs through me.
My girl faced her biggest demon and came out on top. Sure, I would’ve liked to have tortured that sick fuck myself, but I’m glad what transpired was at least able to give Mel some closure, letting her know she held the power all along.
“Don’t you worry, brother. There’s a special place in hell for scumbags like him. I’m sure of it.” Jace sneers, his eyes focused on the hearth’s fire.
“Any word on Austin?” Jack asks, placing us back on track with tonight’s business.
“No. Last we heard he was in the Appalachian mountains hunting Raul and Catherine down.” Matt taps on his phone, his deft fingers typing away at something. “The girls Bruce was running were meant for the cartel which apparently Raul had been running in his departed brother’s absence. We think he was going to forward Mel right along with the other girls in his next shipment, not sure if he was aware of the will or not.”
Anger clouds my vision as I think of what would’ve happened had he been successful, but thankfully Jace’s words prevent me from going into a full-blown rage. “So the town drunk was just his facade to throw off the authorities. Bravo. He did one hell of a job.”
“You can say that again,” Matt sneers as he pockets his phone. “But that still leaves us with how Catherine fits into all of this. I mean, she’s Raul’s family. So maybe she’s just part of the family business since now she can’t show her face in Florida. She knows we’d get after her.”
I scoff. “If she thinks she’s safer with that homicidal maniac she truly deserves whatever she gets.”
Jack tsks. “Now, brother. Nobody deserves a Colombian necktie.”
I raise a brow in his direction, thinking of the asshole we’ve just put in the ground.
“My bad. I take that back.” He rubs at his lips, his eyes going glossy as he drifts into deep thought. “I say we let the men of WRATH handle this from here on out. This shit has cost our family way too much and I’m not willing to risk losing more than we already have.”
My mind flits back to our parents and I know that I will never rest until I’ve ended all those who cut their life short. “I’m sorry, Jack, but I can’t do that. I get that you have a baby on the way, and that your place is here in Colorado, but this is something I have to see through.”
He chuckles. “You sound just like Austin. I believe those were pretty much the words he uttered before he disappeared on us.”
“And where my womb buddy goes, I go.” Matt turns toward me, his brows dropping as the corner of his eyes crinkle. “But if you keep one more secret from me, I’m beating your ass. I don’t give a shit if you’re two seconds older than me.”
“Not two seconds, but okay. No more secrets. Not from me anyway.” My words leave the room speechless, the only sound that of the crackling wood. “What?”
Jack answers, “Nothing. We just never thought we’d see the day when you’d finally give up on holding everything down.”
Matt comes and claps me on the shoulder. “He’s right, brother. It’s been a part of you for as long as we can all remember.”
“Yeah, well I guess Austin was right. The love of a good woman does have the power to heal.”
Jack chuckles. “That it does.”
“Ugh. All of you lovesick fools. That shit is for the birds,” Matt mumbles as he heads toward the bar before pouring himself some more whiskey.
“Just you wait until that bug bites you, too. You’ll be singing a different tune, that’s for sure.” Jace ribs Matt but I’m pretty sure he’s already been bit if his exchange with that boutique girl were any indication.
And as with all things, it’ll come crashing into the light with time. Just like my love for Mel. It was built day by day, minute by minute, and there was no amount of suppression or denial I could put down that would keep it from coming to the surface.
In the famous words of Randy Travis, my love is deeper than the holler, and now that I’m letting myself fully embrace it, there is nothing that could keep me away from my girl.
Melissa
Soft whispers have me coming out of deep sleep, my body aching as I turn to face the sound. Hunter is by the fireplace, speaking in hushed tones to the family doc.
“Everything okay over there?” I ask, cutting into their moment and catching my man by surprise.
Hunter’s eyes are wide, and he looks like the cat that ate the canary. “Okay, somebody better start talking or I’m going to lose my shit.”
“Baby doll…” Oh god, here we go. He’s got that look.
“No more secrets. You promised.” I’m pouting, I know I am, but dammit, I thought we were past this.
“No, no secrets. It’s just the doctor has some delicate news he has to deliver.”
A ball of lead forms in my stomach as I brace for the words. “Jesus. It’s cancer, isn’t it? I have fucking cancer.”
“Mel!” Hunter reprimands while the doctor furiously shakes his head.
“No, miss. It’s your labs. Everything came back normal with only one particular marker being elevated.” He’s looking back toward Hunter who gives him a nod, letting him know to continue. “It’s your HCG level.”
My brows scrunch together and forehead crinkles. “My HCG level?”
“Yes, based on these results, it seems that you may still be pregnant.”
My heart jumps into my throat, the thudding so loud I’m surprised nobody else could hear it. “Um, are you sure? Because I was… but then I wasn’t.”
Hunter squeezes my hand and I see that his eyes are glossy with unshed tears. Damn. He’s just as emotional about this as I am.
“I saw that in your chart. It’s quite possible that it was too early, and they could’ve missed something, but we can do a Doppler test right now and check for a heartbeat if you’re okay with that?”
My eyes go wide as I turn toward Hunter, his eyes have crinkled at the edges and the most gorgeous smile has graced his lips.
“Okay, yes,” I answer the doc but keep my eyes focused on Hunter, all while praying for a miracle.
“Good. Now, Hunter, if you’d please raise her shirt.” The doctor shuffles some things in his bag before he’s taking out a small tube of jelly and a white piece of plastic with a wand attached. “This is going to be a little cold, but we need to put this on so I’ll get a good signal.”
I nod, letting him squirt the clear gel onto my stomach before he’s turning the device on and pressing the wand to my stomach.
Seconds that feel like hours pass as he moves the long cylinder along my clammy skin, but then, as if by magic, time stands still and the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard graces our ears.
Thud. Thud. Thud
“Oh my god! Is that?” I’m already in tears as the doctor nods in confirmation, his smile all of the assurance I need. “Our baby! Our little tiny baby!”
Hunter’s lips press to the top of my head as his arms wrap around my shoulder. “Jesus. That’s the prettiest sound I’ve ever heard.”
With waterlogged eyes, I look up toward my man and smile. “It sure is, isn’t it?”
“Congratulations, you two. That’s a nice healthy heartbeat.” He wipes off my abdomen before placing everything back in his. “I do, however, want to see you in my office sometime this week. We need an official ultrasound just to make sure everything is progressing as it should. But based on the heartbeat and your bloodwork, there’s no immediate reason for concern. I say you two rest and enjoy this joyous news.”
“Oh, we will, doc. Of that you can have no doubt.” Hunter waggles his brows, making the doctor blush.
“Okay, then. I’ll leave you two to it.” With a speed I’d never seen from him before, he picks up his bag and scurries to the door, not saying another word as he shuts it closed behind him.
“Look what you’ve gone and done, Daddy. You’ve scared the poor little doctor.”
Hunter chuckles. “Oh, there’s only one poor little thing here.”
I bite my lip in anticipation, knowing that whatever this man has in mind, it’s sure going to be fun. “Oh yeah? And what’s that?”
“Your tight little pussy after I’ve had my way with her.” Hunter’s mouth descends on my neck and I’m here for all of it. Every last bit of this feral man.
