by K. C. Crowne
Wade stopped, a startled look on his face. It was nice seeing him scared for once.
I got to my feet gradually, the gun trained on his chest. I’d never shot a gun before, and I couldn’t even be sure it was still loaded, but from the way Wade was acting, I bet it still had at least one bullet left in the chamber.
“Josie, come on,” he scoffed weakly. “You don’t have the balls to shoot me.”
“I don’t? After the hell you’ve put me through, and the fact that I know you’ll never stop coming for me or my loved ones? Yeah, I think I just might.”
He didn’t realize that by having a son, I now had something bigger than myself to live for. I also had to protect Milo, at all costs. I would never let this man come after my son again, and I wouldn’t let either of us live in fear.
Even knowing all that, my hands wavered. I wasn’t sure I could do it. Could I pull the trigger, killing the man who’d haunted me for so long? All those sleepless nights, I thought I could easily do it without a second thought. But now, staring down the barrel of a gun, I wasn’t so sure I could take a life.
He was unarmed, but there were still two men out front. I couldn’t fight them all. I had both hands on the gun, afraid to take them off to even reach for my phone. I felt trapped. I either needed to do it or not, and it felt like I had to make a decision more quickly than I was prepared for.
A gunshot from outside the room shocked me. Then more followed. Each one caused my ears to ring and made it impossible to hear anything else. I jumped with each shot, clearly not the type of person used to guns. Yet I was holding my abusive ex at gunpoint and contemplating pulling the trigger.
What kind of person would I be if I killed a man? Would that make me as bad as him? What if it meant the difference between Milo having to be sheltered and having the freedom to live his life?
Something pressed against the door, and I figured it was Wade’s men. I would have to choose, and quickly. Shoot Wade so I could turn the gun on the other men or risk Wade coming after me when his guys came into the room.
I struggled to cock the gun, unfamiliar with how to do it and my hands were shaking too much. Dammit, I cursed myself. Hurry up.
The door swung open, and I turned the gun toward it but froze just as Cyrus burst into the room. Wade, however, took the opportunity to lunge at me, knocking me to the floor and sending the gun flying.
I fell against the hardwood, my head cracking on the desk as I went down. Wade wasn’t interested in me, however; he went for the gun. I tried to go for it too, but my head was spinning and I couldn’t stand up. I fell back to the ground but pushed myself up off the desk just as Wade shot at Cyrus and missed.
I heard sounds in the front of the house. More men coming. Wade had more men out there. I felt sick to my stomach and looked to Cyrus, fearing that maybe this was it for both of us. If it was, who would watch over Milo?
Wade turned and pointed the gun at me, but he was looking at Cyrus.
“Go ahead and kill me, but I’m going to take her with me. If I can’t have her, no on—”
His words were cut short by a gunshot from the hallway followed by a familiar face in the doorway. Teddy. Sheriff's deputies filled the hallway behind him.
I looked at Wade crumpled on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest. I wasn’t sure if he was still alive, but relief washed over me.
It was over.
The sheriff was here. Wade was down. Cyrus and my mother were both still alive. I rushed to Cyrus, and he dropped the rifle to the ground so he could hold me, lifting me off the ground. We kissed, and for a moment, everyone else seemed to disappear. It was just him and me, and everything was okay. I felt safe for the first time in months.
Ooo000ooo
I was quickly taken to the hospital and checked for a concussion. They asked about the bruises on my face, which were clearly too old to have happened in the skirmish. I explained quickly, and the doctor seemed satisfied. My mother was also taken to the hospital, though she kept assuring everyone she was just a little bruised. Cyrus was taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning. He didn’t want to leave my side, but I promised him I’d be okay. The threat was over now.
I stretched out in the ER bed, waiting for all my results to come back. A nurse stepped into the room with a smile.
“Good news. It appears everything is fine. No concussion, luckily. You were just knocked a little silly. And the baby appears to be fine too.”
“The baby?” I was confused at first, thinking she meant Milo. Then it hit me. I’d forgotten all about my period that had never come. I’d never taken the tests either. There was just too much going on and it was the last thing on my mind.
“Yes. You didn’t know?” the nurse asked, her smile faltering a bit.
“I didn’t, no,” I said softly.
“It appears that you’re only a few weeks along, very early still,” she said. “I’d suggest getting into an OB as soon as you can to determine how far along you are.”
I stared at her, feeling like a crushing weight was sitting on my chest. I was happy, sure, I’d always wanted more children, but I wasn’t sure what would happen between Cyrus and me now that Wade was out of the picture. Would he want to stay married, to continue playing Milo’s father? Did he want to be a father to another child too?
Even though I’d felt fine since getting to the hospital, my head began spinning again. It was a lot of news at once, especially after everything that had happened.
The nurse continued talking, but I heard none of it. All I could think was: I’m going to have another baby.
There was a knock on the door, and Cyrus came into the room. He looked at me with a concerned expression. “Everything okay?”
He took a seat next to me, and I pulled myself together. “Yes, everything’s ok. Actually, good news. I have no concussion, and I think I’ll be cleared to go soon. What did you find out at the station?”
Cyrus grinned and leaned back in the chair, running a hand over his beard. “Chuck survived and told Teddy everything. Apparently, Wade had threatened his own family and he was living in fear. Felt he had no choice but to work for the guy. All three of them were tied up in some shady drug ring or something. I guess Wade had stuff on Mel too.”
I nodded. My mouth was parched. “And what about Wade?”
“He’s not going to make it. He’s currently on life support, but he’s lost too much blood. Teddy got him right in the chest.”
“Does it make me a horrible person that I’m relieved to hear that?”
“Not at all. He terrorized you for so long, I think it makes sense. But I know from experience that even losing someone who terrified you for so long can be hard.”
I nodded. There were so many emotions coursing through me, and I wasn’t ready to process them all. One thing I knew for certain was that Milo would never have to live in fear of his father. I’d never have to live in fear of Wade either.
The door to my room burst open, and tears welled in my eyes as my mother rushed in. She was bandaged up and looking a little bruised, but she was okay. She survived.
We’d all survived.
She hugged me until I felt like my chest might burst. Then she hugged me some more. Cyrus excused himself, giving the two of us some space.
“Mom, I have something to tell you.”
She pulled away from the embrace and stared into my eyes, her smile gone. It was replaced by a concerned look. “What is it honey? Is something else wrong?”
“I—I just found out I’m pregnant.”
“Oh honey, that’s great news,” she said excitedly, taking her hands in mine. “Such amazing news! Milo will have a little brother or sister.”
“But I don’t know if Cyrus even wants to be a father.”
“That man loves you, sweetheart. He loves you and Milo so much that he was willing to risk his life to save you. I can’t imagine there’s anything more sincere than what he feels for you.”
“I hope so,”
I said, wiping at my eyes. “I really hope so.”
Chapter 26
Cyrus
“We need to talk,” I told Josie a few days after everything had settled down.
She looked worried but nodded her head and agreed. “Yes, I suppose we do.”
She started to bring up everything, but I stopped her with a finger to her lips. “Not here. I have somewhere else in mind.”
With Wade no longer a threat, Piper was able to watch Milo along with the rest of her students. It was a nice break for both of us, and it allowed Milo a chance to interact with other children. While he was at daycare, I took Josie up to the top of the mountain - the hike that had started it all.
The place we hooked up for the first time, our favorite place.
Standing atop the mountain with her, I knew what I had to do. I turned to her, taking her hands in mine. I’d only been with her romantically for a short period of time, but it felt like an eternity. We’d already built a life together and it seemed to work well.
I’d hate to see it all come to an end, but I had to know how Josie felt. I didn’t want her to feel obligated to be tied to me for the rest of her life unless she felt the same way I did.
Staring into her beautiful blue eyes, I cupped her chin in my hand and lowered my face to kiss her sweet lips. Before getting to know her, I couldn’t imagine a life with a wife and a child, and now, I couldn’t imagine my life without her.
“Cyrus, I—”
“Shh, let me talk,” I said, running my fingertips over her lips. “I just wanted to say, no matter what you decide, I’ll always be there for you and Milo. You’re a part of my life now, and as far as I’m concerned, Milo’s my son. I hope you’ll let me be in his life.”
“Of course,” she said, her voice soft. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re an amazing father, Cyrus. And I—”
“I’m not finished. Let me finish, please?”
She nodded.
“I just wanted to say, I know it’s crazy how fast we moved - we were married within, what, a week of getting together? But it felt right to me. So I’d like to see where this goes, but with one request.”
“Anything.” Her voice was almost breathy.
“I want to give you the wedding day and honeymoon you’ve always dreamed of,” I said. “In time, I’d like to get married for real and do it right. And if you agree to that, I’d like to adopt Milo officially.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and before she even said the words, I knew her answer. I read it on her face. “Yes, of course. I want to be with you too, Cyrus. I just have one thing I need to tell you first.”
I wiped the tears that fell down her cheeks, and something in her face changed. She was happy seconds before. No, not just happy, but ecstatic. But her entire demeanor darkened. She took my hand from my cheek and held in hers instead, and I could tell she was shaking.
“What is it, Josie? What’s wrong?”
She closed her eyes and blurted out the words, “I’m pregnant.”
“You’re what?” I wasn’t sure if I’d heard her right. Her words struck a chord inside me.
“I’m pregnant, only a few weeks along. And I’ve not been with anyone else, I swear to you—”
I silenced her again, this time with a kiss. I wasn’t sure I could have prepared for that news, no matter how hard I tried, but it took me back to my dream. The one I had when it all started. Josie and I had a family. Not just Milo, but other children as well. And it felt right.
It still felt right.
I was scared absolutely shitless, but once I pushed past that feeling, I was also happy. I was going to be a father for the second time. Once to Milo, and now for our own biological child.
I pulled away from the kiss, feeling tears in my eyes. I never cried. Never. But I’d also never been told I was going to be a father before either.
“God, Josie, you should have told me before hiking all the way up here. Are you okay?”
She wiped at her nose and sniffled. “Oh yeah, doctor says it’s fine to continue normal activity. I hiked this trail while pregnant with Milo. It was one of the few places I could find peace to think clearly. So I’m fine. Does this mean you’re…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but I saw the question in her eyes.
I pulled her into me. “Yes, I’m happy. I want this with you.”
“You sure, Cyrus? I know it’s a lot at once.”
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my entire life.” I pulled back from the embrace and stared into her eyes again. We shared a smile. “We’re going to need a bigger house.”
“What? No, your house is plenty big enough for two children and us.”
“Who said we’re going to stop at two kids?” I teased, stroking her cheek.
She giggled and blushed. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but yes, I’d love a couple more kids in the future. Maybe.”
“I think I would to.” I couldn’t believe I was saying those words. And I meant them.
For now, we had to focus on Milo and the new baby. My life was about to change even more in less than a year.
We stayed there on the mountain, holding each other and watching as the sun set over the peaks.
“When do we find out if it’s a boy or a girl?” I asked.
“We still have a little bit. I’d say we wait until at least twenty weeks, just to be sure we get it right. I mean, if we even want to find out.”
I thought about that for a second. “Would we want to wait?”
“Maybe?” she said, shrugging. “I mean, we’d pick out names for both a boy and a girl, pick out mostly gender-neutral items, that sort of thing. I didn’t find out with Milo until he was born.”
I pondered the thought. I’d always been the type of guy who wanted to know things, but ultimately, did it matter? As long as our child was healthy, everything else seemed minor in comparison.
“What are your thoughts on names?” she asked me, looking up at me with those beautiful blue eyes again.
“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. What about you?”
She grinned, and I knew right away she had a list already. “Well, I have a few ideas, but it all depends on when we meet him or her for the first time. With Milo, I just knew his name the moment I looked into his face. I knew it as surely as I knew that I loved him.”
“We have plenty of time to think it over,” I said. “But I like your philosophy.”
“You do?” She raised an eyebrow. “You seem like the type of person who needs to be in control over everything. I just assumed…”
“You’ve taught me to let go a bit, to take things as they happen. We work well as a team, I trust that we can figure out anything together.”
She smiled. “Me too. But does this mean what I think it means? Us making a good team?”
I grinned. “Well, if you want to go into business with an asshole like me, I don’t see why not.”
She punched me playfully on the arm, but we were both laughing. Truthfully, I thought us working together would be a good thing. She offered services I didn’t, and we could cater to a variety of clientele. There’d be no more competition, just teamwork.
Because deep down, I knew I’d found my perfect partner.
Epilogue
Josie - A Year And A Half Later
“It’s a beautiful day for a wedding,” Elle said as we walked the rest of the way up the mountain, “but couldn’t you have picked somewhere easier to get to? My shoes are getting all muddy.”
“I told you we’d get dressed at the top of the hill, silly,” I said with a laugh. “There will be tents there.”
“It’s okay, at least I’m not wearing heels.”
The rest of the girls with me were chuckling. I looked behind me to see Leah, Piper, and Felicity. The old gang was together again. The first time, everything had been a little rushed and we’d hardly had time to prepare. This time, however, we’d had plenty of girl time. I’d pulled away
from everyone after I had Milo, living a secret life and not trusting anyone. It felt good to open up again.
“You’re complaining, but I’m doing the same walk with a baby strapped to my chest.”
Evie, named after my mother Evelyn, stared at the world around us with bright eyes. She was only a few months old now, and the world was just so big. Her brother, Milo, had already grown so much. Not only was he running around like a little maniac, as we all feared, he was now old enough to be the ring bearer in the wedding. Which meant the world to me. Evie would also be part of the wedding, even though she couldn’t walk. My mother was going to carry her down, and she would be dressed as a flower girl anyway.
My two children would be part of my special day, the day I was marrying Cyrus again. This time, it was for real, and we were getting the wedding we both wanted in our favorite place - the mountains.
Unlike the last wedding, we had everything we needed. I still wanted to use the ring Cyrus’s mother had given to us; it held a special place in our hearts. He’d be giving it to me again, no awkward pauses as we tried to figure out what to do. And we had a ring for Cyrus as well.
I’d picked out my dream dress this time. I wasn’t really a ballgown type of girl, so this one was simpler - more fitting for an outdoor ceremony.
More fitting for me.
We reached the top of the hill, which had a pavilion set up. There were seats for the guests with an archway decorated in wildflowers overlooking the gorgeous mountain views. I stood there for a moment and took a deep breath, feeling the air in my lungs and realizing that all my dreams had come true.
I was re-marrying the man of my dreams, an amazing husband and father. We had two darling children, with potential for more on the way. Our combined business had been booming. We’d bought a larger house, just to make room for more future children. And we bought my mother a house too, with round-the-clock care to help with her health problems. She no longer had to be the sole babysitter for Milo, but she was still a big part of both of my children’s lives, and for that, I was grateful. It had been scary to risk my life to save her, but since it had all worked out, I was grateful I’d taken the chance. Had I not, well, she might not be able to share in my special day.