Her parents didn’t show for the burial. No one was there except Brandon and I, along with Josh and Kelly, the other agent on his team that I met months back. He didn’t come because Julia was his sister, he came as FBI in case Julia’s father—his father—tried anything.
A couple of days after Danny was released from the hospital, he shared all the information he’d gathered. Josh took that to his superiors, and another team was assigned the case, which has since been closed. Five weeks ago, the FBI had enough evidence against my former father-in-law proving his involvement in human trafficking. It’s all still appalling that those things were being orchestrated so close to home.
Mitch Montgomery is currently locked up, pending a trial. As luck would have it, the judge denied bail, considering him a flight risk. That’s the only reason he’s still behind bars. Hopefully, he’ll stay that way. Julia’s mother hasn’t been located, and from what Jenna has told me, there isn’t a trail or lead on her whereabouts, making me wonder if something happened or if she’s even alive.
In the nine months following the day everything happened, I’m no closer to liking Josh than I was when I found out what he’d done to Jenna. I’ve accepted him in hers and Danny’s life, but that’s as much as I can do. He and I will never be friends, but I won’t interfere with the relationship they have with him. Though there is a part of me that feels sorry for him, or maybe it’s Jess I feel bad for. Maggie learned the truth, despite her parents wanting to keep her in the dark. She isn’t letting the past go as easily as the rest of us did.
She may be seventeen now, but she’s still a kid too. In time, she’ll grow to understand, or at least accept the bad things that happened before she was ever born. After all, that’s what brought her parents together to begin with.
Danny wanted her to know the truth, so now she does. Everything that happened changed his mental aspect. He didn’t like hurting her or causing a ripple between his girlfriend and her parents, but he felt clearing the air completely was the only way all of us could move forward.
The boys, and even Maggie, started their senior year of high school a month ago. My band canceled both of our tours set for this year. Next year is still undecided. Jenna didn’t ask me to cancel it, but I wanted to be home. I wanted time with my family. Seth was on board from the minute I told the band I didn’t want to do a tour. Cole, nor Trey, put up much of a fight. I think we all needed a break.
I bought the beach rental months ago. Jenna and the boys moved in last month and I couldn’t be happier. She sold her house and is taking a leave of absence from the FBI. I doubt she’ll quit, and I wouldn’t ask her to, but I don’t think she wants to work in the field any longer. At least not any time soon.
“Are you sure you’re ready for everyone to come in? If you need more rest—”
“It’s fine,” she says, cutting me off. “I’d rather get it over with and then rest afterward.” A yawn creeps out of Jenna’s mouth. Her droopy brown eyes tell me she’s more exhausted than she’s letting on.
From where I’m lying on my side next to her—damn near falling off the hospital bed made for one person—I tighten my arm around her shoulder, then lean in, brushing a kiss to her temple.
“You did good today,” I tell her, and then glance at our daughter as she nurses on her mother. She came barreling into the world fifteen minutes ago. This is something I didn’t get to do the first time around, not even with Brandon. Julia didn’t nurse for whatever reason. I can’t even remember why anymore. “She’s beautiful, just like you.”
“You do make beautiful babies.” Jenna chuckles, looking down at our little girl.
“Can’t argue with you there, except, we made this beautiful princess together.”
There is a knock on the closed door that pulls my head away from my girls. Before I can open my mouth, it creaks open and Brandon walks in, Danny following behind him.
“I thought I sent you a text that said to give your mom ten more minutes.”
“Five, ten, not that much of a difference,” Brandon says, coming to stand at the foot of the bed as Cole and Malachi slip in the room behind the boys. Mal gently pushes the door closed, then plants his back against it.
“Dad,” Danny says, stopping on the side closest to Jenna. “The two of you have hogged our sister long enough. It’s our turn.”
It wasn’t too long after everything happened when Danny and I had a heart-to-heart. I admitted seeing his tattoo, in which he simply nodded that he heard me, not going into details. I’ve since added to the one covering my torso, placing another cub to match the one on his hip. After today, we’ll both have another to add, only this one with a pink bow on the girl lion.
“Which one of you wants first dibs?” Jenna asks, speaking to Danny and Brandon.
“I want her,” Brandon says enthusiastically with his hands outstretched. His head swings toward his brother’s.
“Go ahead,” Danny urges him, letting Brandon be first to hold their little sister.
Brandon walks around the corner of the bed, stopping next to his brother. Once she’s in his arms, the biggest smile I’ve ever seen displayed on his face spreads wide, warming my chest.
They’re going to be great big brothers.
“So,” Cole starts, taking a step closer to the bed. “Which one of us gets to be her godfather?”
Malachi holds up his hand. “Before you tell us, we’ve already hashed it out. Whichever one you don’t pick can’t get butt-hurt, so . . . who did you pick?”
His eyes are on Jenna. She glances my way before speaking, a smile starting to ghost her pink lips. “We want you both to be her godparents.”
“Really?!” they both say in unison.
Jenna and I talked about it a few nights ago. With Cole being Brandon’s and Malachi being Danny’s, why not? It only makes sense. They’ve been a couple since Malachi woke up after surgery. Cole didn’t wait ten minutes after his eyes being open to ask him. I couldn’t be happier for them.
“Both of you were the only choice,” Jenna informs them.
“What’s our goddaughter’s name then?” Malachi asks.
“Sophie Anne,” Danny says, speaking up.
We only just decided on a first name last night. It was a name that Brandon threw out and all four of us loved it.
“Speaking of Anne,” Cole says, his eyes flicking to mine. “Where is your mom?”
“Her flight got delayed in Dallas. The boys are going to meet her at the airport in”—I flick my wrist, looking at the time on my smart watch—“an hour.” I look over, making sure they both heard me even though they were on the group text when I told their grandmother to expect them to be waiting for her. “You two should head that way soon.”
“Hand my sister over,” Danny orders. “I at least get to hold her for a few minutes.” Taking her from Brandon, he steps back until his calves touch the couch where he gently lowers until he’s seated. “Hey, Soph. I’m going to warn you now so there’s no confusion later. Your life is probably going to suck when you hit your teens, just so you know.”
“Before then, if any little douchy punks start coming around,” Brandon follows, making me laugh. Jenna rolls her eyes as her lips purse.
“Why don’t we go get Anne,” Cole says, gesturing between Malachi and himself. “Give the boys a chance to love their sister before all the long nights start.”
“What long nights?” Brandon asks, his nose scrunching up.
Jenna and I laugh while a smirk forms on Malachi’s lips.
“Just that she’s probably going to make both of your lives hell far faster than the two of you will do to hers,” Cole tells them. “Let’s go,” he calls out to Mal. “We’ll be back and then that beautiful little angel is mine.”
After they leave, Brandon takes a seat next to Danny to play with his sister’s fingers.
“Thank you,” I whisper, leaning over and kissing my girlfriend on the lips. “Thank you for giving me the family I always wanted.”
“I love you too, baby.”
She twists her body, angling to the side, snuggling in closer to me as her eyes close.
Our love story may not be conventional but it’s ours, and it’s full of love and passion and forgiveness and mercy. We found our way back and I can’t imagine getting here any other way.
— The End —
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Thank you for reading Have Mercy. I hope you enjoyed Jenna and Jamie’s story. Please consider leaving an honest review from the retailer’s website you purchased this book from and/or even Goodreads or Bookbub.
Again, thank you! — Nancy
Also by N. E. Henderson
SILENT SERIES:
Nick and Shannon’s Duet
SILENT NO MORE
SILENT GUILT
MORE THAN SEIRES:
Can be read as standalones but not recommended
MORE THAN LIES
MORE THAN MEMORIES
DIRTY JUSTICE TRILOGY:
DIRTY BLUE
DIRTY WAR
DIRTY SIN
STANDALONE BOOKS:
HAVE MERCY
BOXSETS / COLLECTIONS:
Silent Series
More Than Series
Dirty Justice Trilogy
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Acknowledgments
My loyal readers and new ones, thank you for reading this story and my other books. Thank you for supporting me, loving my stories and characters, and for being a friend. Thank you for the honest reviews for leave.
Sandy, Heather, Clara, Maddy, and Selena thank you for beta reading Have Mercy while I was writing it. You all helped me in so many ways and because of it, I was able to write this book quicker than any of my others before it.
Charissa, thank you for being the second set of eyes on Have Mercy and spending hours editing this book and helping make it better. Thank you for continuing to boost my confidence while I was writing this story.
Tesha, thank you for being my third set of eyes. You have a way of breaking my stories apart and commenting on ways you think it could be tweaked.
Ellie, thank you for polishing this script and being my fourth and final set of eyes on this book. I am so thankful you accepted me as a client and willing to put up with every time I email you saying, it’s not finished yet. I still need more time.
Jay, thank you for this cover. Its badass! I love it, as I do all of my covers that you’ve done.
To my friends in my Reader Group—thank you for supporting me. Thank you for your friendship and thank you for your feedback on my books.
About the Author
N. E. Henderson is the author of sexy, contemporary romance. When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading some form of romance or in her Maverick, playing in the dirt.
This is Nancy’s eighth book.
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Have Mercy Page 32