by Melody Anne
Timothy looked up, a slight sheen in his eyes. “I’ve never had a dad. A lot of kids at school have dads and they love them. Some of the kids are like me and don’t have one. A couple even don’t have a mom. But I love playing with you and living here. I’d like you to be my dad,” Timothy told him.
She was so proud of her son when he stared Declan in the eyes, being brave as he poured out his heart. She couldn’t stop tears from filling her eyes and spilling over. She hadn’t realized how much he wanted a father in his life. She’d tried to be enough, but there was a bond between fathers and sons she just couldn’t fill.
“This is the happiest day of my life, Timothy, because nothing could be better than having you as my son. I already think of you that way. But knowing you want me to be your dad is the best gift anyone has ever given me. I love you, son.”
He held out his arms and Timothy rushed into them, squeezing Declan tight. They stood that way for a long moment before Declan held out his arm and pulled her into their circle.
“We’re a family,” Timothy said with a big smile.
“Yes, we’re definitely a family,” Declan told him.
“I now have a great mom and a great dad,” Timothy said. “That means on dad day at school I get to show you off, and you’ll get donuts.” Declan chuckled, but before he turned she could’ve sworn she saw a sheen in his eyes.
Angela lost a few more tears with those words. She hadn’t realized the impact not having a father around had on her son. She knew it had been out of her hands and she’d done the best she could, but Declan had given them so much by coming into their lives, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to thank him enough.
When she could speak again she looked at Timothy. “How would you like to have a little sister or brother added to the family?”
Timothy’s head tilted as he looked at her and then at Declan.
“It might be kind of fun to have someone to build forts with,” he said. “But if I had a little sister she couldn’t be one of those boring ones that always looks in the mirror like Mandy. She’d have to be cool.”
Angela laughed at his reference to Last Man Standing. She hadn’t realized her son paid any attention to the sitcoms she watched.
“I can’t promise anything. It will just be a roll of the dice,” she said as she held her breath. She wasn’t sure what she’d say if he told her an emphatic no.
“Well, I guess we could just train her,” he said with a shrug.
That made Declan laugh. “She wouldn’t be a dog,” he said, laughing harder than she’d ever heard him laugh before.
“I could teach her to sit up and shake,” Timothy said, giggling pretty hard himself.
“You are terrible,” Angela said. “And I think that’s how you’re going to get out of babysitting.”
He stopped laughing as he looked at her, the light dawning. “Are we gonna have a baby?” he asked.
She loved the word we. That meant this was all their baby. “Yes, Mama is pregnant,” she told him.
His smile came back full force. “I guess I want a little brother or sister, because that makes me really happy,” he said.
“Me too,” Declan said. Then he grabbed Timothy’s hand. “And the new baby won’t mean I love you less. You will both be my kids.”
Timothy’s eyes filled again before he buried his head against Declan’s neck.
“I love you, Dad,” he said with a little sniffle. Angela held her breath.
“I love you so much, Timothy. Forever,” he promised.
Angela’s heart was so full she didn’t know why it didn’t burst. She had the perfectly imperfect family, and it was so much more than she could ever dream of.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
There were many people who said you needed to worry most when life was going too well. And for the past month, since her wedding, everything had gone amazingly well. There had been a time in Angela’s life she believed those words. And then she’d met Declan and began to think there truly was a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and luck in a four-leaf clover.
She began to believe the words, happily-ever-after, and she smiled at romantic comedies. She started thanking God again. Her fear began to diminish. But in the blink of an eye that could disappear so quickly.
This was her moment of waiting for the other shoe to drop.
She was walking through the forest she’d walked for years. Mario was behind bars so she was free again. She thought she was safe. Declan didn’t know she was out walking. He thought she was simply running to the grocery store. But she was so happy she wanted a few minutes of quiet to reflect on how good her life was.
And then he was there.
It was impossible.
“You’re . . . you’re dead,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled, making her recognize the evil in his expression. It must’ve been there all along, but somehow she’d missed it all those years ago.
“I’ve died several times,” he told her. He was leaning against a tree, looking as if he had all the time in the world. She knew it wouldn’t do her any good to run. She wasn’t sure her legs would allow her to because they were shaking so badly.
“I don’t understand,” she said. Her face was tingling from confusion and fear. She’d felt fear before. She’d been shot at and chased down. Of course she’d felt fear. But this was different. This was a ghost from her past she’d never thought she’d see again.
He continued to smile. It was a look of victory. She’d discovered long ago he liked to get his way. He could put on a good mask, but once the veil came down, there was no hiding who he really was.
“I’ve had many names in life. When one name was no longer convenient, I came up with a new one and a new identity. A few plastic changes here and there and I’m a whole new man,” he said.
She studied him. The fear lingered, but she felt herself calming. There was nothing she could do. She couldn’t beat this man. He was too smart for her, had lived this life of deception for too long. He’d always win. With that knowledge, she felt a sort of peace fill her.
At the same time, her fingers circled her stomach, which was barely showing. This baby she was supposed to protect would never see the light of day. She was leaving one child behind and not giving the other a chance to take its first breath. That broke her heart. But nothing could be done about it. If she’d only listened to Declan, if she’d been more careful. But if-onlys didn’t help her or her children right now.
He had changed. Part of that was aging, and part was cosmetic surgery. But there was no doubt it was him—the biological father of her child. She couldn’t think of him and father in the same sentence without flinching. He’d never been Timothy’s dad. He never would be. That role belonged to Declan, and she prayed he’d raise her son as his own when she was gone.
She now knew why Mario seemed so familiar to her. They shared features. She might’ve even seen him in passing when she’d been with Emilio. She wasn’t sure. But all the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to slide into place. That didn’t do her a heck of a lot of good at this moment.
“Who are you now?” she asked. “And why would you come back for me?”
His smile grew. There was no merriment in his expression, just pure evil. As she stood before him pregnant, she couldn’t comprehend it. At some point in this man’s life, he’d been an innocent newborn with no evil inside him. What had happened to make him who he was today? She’d never know.
“Haven’t you figured it out?” he asked.
She shook her head. She didn’t understand why knowing mattered. It wouldn’t help her if she were dead. Maybe part of her hoped Declan would burst through the end of the trail and rescue her.
As she had that thought her phone vibrated in her pocket. She was glad she’d turned off the sound. But she was too afraid to reach in and hit the answer button. If it was Declan and she wasn’t answering, maybe he’d grow worried and look for her. If she gave away th
at she had it on her, Emilio would snag it.
“Emilio Coronado,” he said.
He let his words sink in. The light dawned as she gazed at him in horror. She had been a part of this gang all along.
“Why am I still alive? Why did you let me go for so long?” she asked.
“You weren’t a threat then. And, believe it or not, I had a soft spot for you . . . so you lived. But I wanted to keep an eye on you,” he told her.
“You did try to have me killed. I was stabbed. But someone interrupted. I don’t understand why you didn’t come back and finish the job back then.”
His smile fell away. “That wasn’t me. I wasn’t happy about it. So I made a deal with your father and you were sent here. As long as you kept out of my business there was no need to take you out. But then you got in my brother’s business, and you know how that goes,” he said with a shrug as if they were discussing nothing more serious than the weather.
“I didn’t know it was you. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she told him. She didn’t want to plead for her life, but if she didn’t give it at least a little try then she wasn’t worthy of being called a mother.
“It’s just business, Angela. I’m wrapping up loose ends before I start over again. Your boyfriend has my brother. Now you have to go, but I find it’s not so easy for me.” He seemed surprised by his own words. She wasn’t correcting him that Declan was now her husband.
“I have a son to take care of,” she said. She wasn’t pointing out her pregnancy.
“Yeah, I might need to take him, raise him the right way,” he said with a shrug. The thought of this man getting his hands on Timothy filled her with the worst fear she’d ever experienced.
“Please leave Timothy alone. He’s a good boy and he knows nothing of this life. Let him grow up. Please,” she said, unable to hold back tears as she begged this monster for her son’s life.
“We need to go now, Angela. I don’t want any last minute rescues to happen. We’ll talk more later,” he assured her.
He took a step forward and Angela knew there wasn’t much of a chance, but she wouldn’t make it easy for him. She turned and ran, grateful her legs carried her. She thought for the briefest of moments she might actually get away. That was until a crack to her skull caused blinding pain . . . and the world went black.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Declan felt all the color drain from his face. He’d been in the worst of worst situations, but never before had he felt the fear he was now experiencing.
He knelt down and picked up Angela’s broken phone; a trickle of blood had splattered on its face. He stood and listened. She’d been gone at least thirty minutes. She could be anywhere.
As much as he wanted to let rage and panic take over, he couldn’t allow that to happen. If she had even the remotest of chances, he had to act fast. He dialed a number and called in her abduction.
His gut had once again saved him time. She hadn’t been gone long, but he’d had a feeling and tried calling her. She hadn’t answered. He’d tried again. Still no answer. On the third try, her phone had been off. He’d pinged its last location and jumped in his truck.
“Angela’s been taken,” he said into his phone. He gave his location and hung up. He needed to get to the tree house. But he had to wait for the authorities. He knew the first hours after an abduction were critical in finding the person.
The next hour dragged on longer than any other in his lifetime. The cops, FBI, and Search and Rescue arrived. Declan filled them in on every detail he could, then he left before his brothers could arrive. He didn’t have time for explanations. He needed the best of the best.
He went to his childhood hideout and was soon in the fort. It certainly wasn’t a kid’s playhouse now. He hadn’t been inside in over fifteen years. A lot had changed. He didn’t take time to look around at the monitors and technology. Lights were blinking, and before he had a chance to pick up the secret phone, Harrison’s voice came over a speaker.
“What’s wrong, Declan?” he asked.
Declan didn’t need to ask how his friend knew he was there, and he didn’t need to tell him something was wrong.
“Angela’s been taken,” Declan said, surprised with how raw his voice was.
“We’re on our way,” Kaleb said.
The line they were on disconnected. Declan dropped to his knees as he fought the urge to cry. He hadn’t shed a tear since before he’d hit puberty. But the woman he loved had been captured after he’d promised her that wouldn’t happen. He’d failed her. And he had no doubt it was Emilio and the gang.
He just prayed his friends got there in time.
It was less than thirty minutes later when he heard the click on the tree house door. Harrison and Kaleb stood before him, their expressions grim. Declan hadn’t realized he’d never moved. He slowly stood, feeling hopeless for the first time in his life.
“She’s pregnant . . . and the only woman I’ll ever love,” he said.
Harrison and Kaleb nodded. “We have no doubt about it,” Harrison said.
“Let’s get her back,” Kaleb told him.
“I can’t think. I can’t stand back and be analytical about this,” Declan said. “I’ve always been able to put my emotions on the backburner, but I can’t with her.”
Kaleb patted his shoulder. “Believe me, I know.” Declan felt like a fool. This had to bring so much back for his friend. “But after losing my wife, I knew it would never happen again to someone I love. You’re my brother and I won’t let it happen to you. We put a tracker on Angela. We should’ve told you, but we didn’t think it necessary unless a worst-case scenario played out. We’re very familiar with the Coronado gang. And we have Intel you aren’t aware of.”
Declan shook his head. Harrison was already at a computer. “I don’t understand.”
“Emilio Coronado used to be Robert Crinoli. Before that he was Dean Withers. There have been other names,” Kaleb said.
Light was dawning. Declan began having hope again. He hated that he’d lost it for a moment. “He’s Timothy’s biological father.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes. He does mean to kill her, but it won’t be easy for him or quick. He’ll want to talk, want to get his closure. We’ll get her, Declan. I promise you,” Kaleb said.
“She’s here,” Harrison said. Declan and Kaleb turned to the monitor Harrison showed them. There was a binging light on it.
“Where is that?” Declan asked.
Kaleb moved over to a wall and pulled aside a picture where a keypad was hidden. He punched in numbers and a shelf filled with weapons popped out. He grabbed some.
“She’s only thirty miles away in a remote cabin. I’ll call a chopper to drop us a couple miles out. We don’t want to get too close and alert him,” Harrison said.
Declan nodded.
“Let’s go get your wife,” Kaleb said as he handed over a Kevlar vest. Declan took it.
“Yes.”
They moved from the tree house; the chopper was there fast, and they boarded. Declan wasn’t sure about all the connections his friends had, but he wasn’t going to complain.
“Thank you,” he told them.
“There’s no need for that. We’re brothers,” Harrison said.
Declan nodded. He couldn’t speak anymore.
Chapter Forty
How sad it was to wake for the second time in her life in pain, not understanding what had happened. Angela’s head was pounding and fogginess blanketed her, but she’d learned over the years to not panic in this situation.
She’d had too many nightmares, had woken confused too many times. She calmed her breathing and tried to focus on what she remembered last. That’s when her meeting with Emilio came back, front and center.
She tried to keep the panic at bay as she attempted to lift a hand. She couldn’t. She opened her eyes and found she was tied down on a bed in a dark room. Both hands were cuffed to a metal post. There was no chance of getting away
.
Still, she tugged on it.
“It won’t do you any good.”
That voice had brought her a thrill when she was a teenager. Now, it only filled her with terror and revulsion. She turned her head and saw him sitting in a chair in a darkened corner. There was enough light to see his beady gaze. She was completely at his mercy.
“Why are we here?” she asked.
“Because I haven’t decided what to do next. I thought I’d kill you quick and leave. You’re my final loose end. I’m finding I’m not ready,” he said with a shrug. “It’s very unusual for me. Normally, I make a decision and follow through without hesitation or remorse. That’s how I’ve survived in this world.”
He stood and came closer; everything in her wanted to move away, but she couldn’t. She was his very unwilling captive.
“Time has been good to you, Angela, very good,” he said.
Her stomach turned, and she had to fight to keep from puking when he sat on the edge of the bed and reached up, running his finger down her cheek and across her lip, resting his thumb on her bottom lip. She had to fight to keep from biting him. That would only lead to punishment, and she knew how cruel he could be when he was angry.
“We were so good together. I’ve never found another I’ve enjoyed as much as you. I thought many times of coming back for you, but that’s against the rules. A new life calls for new whores. But you were different. I was younger then, but you were definitely special,” he told her.
He reached behind her and cradled her neck. She had to bite her lip and hold her breath. She was so close to puking, and she wasn’t sure what that would do to his temper. This situation seemed hopeless, but part of her was still optimistic she’d be found. She couldn’t imagine what her death would do to her son . . . or to Declan. They hadn’t had enough time together. She needed more.
“I loved you,” she told him honestly. “But we ended. We moved on. Please let me go be a mother to my son,” she said. She couldn’t stop tears from falling.