Edge of Danger

by Barb Shuler

  I hated that we, Lana and I, would be staying here until things were settled with... my family. Jackson was being overprotective. In his defense, we all know that family is very unpredictable, and psychotic. Plus, I was a walking time bomb, I get it. This baby, our sweet little angel, was due any day now. I still had a week but my OBGYN, Dr Harmon, who was a high risk specialist, said that with my history, and the damage my body had sustained earlier in life, it was possible the baby could come early.

  Jacks was dead set on twins, but there was only one baby on the ultrasounds. We thought there was a second heart beat one time, we’d all heard it, but then it was gone. A fluke maybe? It was for the best, I guess. I wasn’t sure I could handle two this age.

  I had a five year old, a three year old, and a baby that was a year and a half already. This mama was tired, but I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything in this world. Even though my life has been a struggle from the time I came into this world, I know that I was placed here for a reason, and I truly believe that. I can use what I have been through, what I have overcome, and how I am loved now by my family, to help others in similar situations.

  My hand falls to Thor’s head as he noses it where it was laying against my belly bump. I can feel the stress getting to me, so I stand and look out the front room of the center. The kids are all playing in the back garden with their puppies. There’s a family, the Ronalds, that have two little boys, one seven, one eight and a little girl who is almost five, and they all love to play together. Mrs. Ronald left her husband and came to the center from Arkansas or Oklahoma, I can’t remember which. Her kids are such sweet kids.

  I watch as Tyler, Taylor, Ryan and Elijah run around. The two puppies, even though they were as big as the kids, were still just big clumsy babies themselves. I smile and let out a frustrated sigh.

  “You need to go lay down,” Lana said as she came up to me. I shook my head and looked down at her.

  “I’m okay. I just need to walk some. The baby is doing cartwheels,” I said this as I ran a hand over my belly.

  “We can go walk Molly. Thor can come too.”

  “Maybe in a bit. What I need is to get my water pillow. I left it at the house. If I could get that, I could relax back in the bed and stretch out my legs. I’ll be so glad when this little monster is here. I love her, but I’m over being the size of Shamu.” I wrinkled my nose as she rolled her eyes at me.

  “You are far from Shamu size. Jesus, Kris,” she said laughing. I grinned too. I let out a long breath and moved towards the front of the building.

  “Come on, you drive. We’ll get my pillow and be back before anyone knows we’re gone.”

  “No, Bubba said we are not to leave this property, Kris. Please, come on. Let’s not get into trouble today?” I turned to see the concerned look on her face. I moved back to her and wrapped my arms around her. I knew she was worried about her daddy, we all were. Add to that Dani Lynn and Derek were God knows where doing God knows what... well, this was an epic boil on the butt of humanity. I placed a kiss on the top of her head.

  “How about this? Let’s go sit out by the fountain and see if we can’t find a place to put the last few baskets of those little red flowers Jayna found at the flower place. They make that area look so dang pretty. We need some pretty today.”

  I played with her ponytail while I spoke, trying to ease her mind a little.

  “Deal. You know the rules though. We have to wear a panic button,” she said, her nose wrinkling. I bopped her on the tip of her nose with my finger.

  “I know, and we will. I am in no mood to get a safety lecture from the entire town.” I laughed as I moved around and slipped on an apron from Jayna’s gardening basket. I handed the one she had made for Lana to her and grabbed two of the small necklaces that went to the alarm system.

  “I’ll go grab the watering pitcher. It’s in the janitor’s room.”

  “Good idea,” I said to her back as she went down the hall. I moved to the desk and pressed the four digit code to open the gun box. I pulled out the small .38 Dani Lynn kept in there and slid it into the pocket of my apron. We were going outside and my crazy ass family was on the loose.

  I wasn’t taking any chances.

  I shifted on my feet as a pain shot through my back. That was the third, maybe forth time it had done that. It was annoying.

  “Ready!” Lana said as she came back into the foyer.

  “Okay, let’s go make some magic. Hopefully Jayna will like what we do.”

  “Or she will tell us to stop messin’ in her pots…” Lana laughed as we went out the door. I shook my head, but she had a point. Jayna was not one to let just anyone go touching her flowers.

  We made our way over to the side yard. The fountain Dani Lynn had added a few weeks ago was sending a trickle of water through the yard. It was calming. I plopped my ass down in the grass and let out a shaky breath.

  “You okay?” Lana asked, her eyes a little wide as Thor moved over to nudge and rub against my arm.

  “Hey, I’m okay, buddy. That was just a lot further down than I thought,” I laughed a little.

  I could only hope that I could get my ass back up off the ground when the time came to go back inside. If nothing else, I would sit here until Trevor and Peter came to get Anna and the kids. God, I’d never live that down. I snorted.

  “You know, y’all get weird when you’re pregnant.” Lana eyed me as she slid on gloves and moved to grab the baskets of flowers Jayna had picked out the other day for the little water garden.

  “You just wait, kiddo. One day you will be the size of a Buick and weird, too. Just not today, okay? One of me is enough.” Lana’s face turned beet red and she shook her head. I grinned.

  “I-” she started and then stopped, I raised a brow.

  “What, Lana? Come on, you can always tell me anything, remember what I told you last time?”

  “Yeah, I just… I can’t wait to have a baby, and a family of my own.” I swear the kid was beaming. “Derek and I have talked around it but we never- ya know, talked about us with a family. Not really...”

  “Look, it’s not something you- well, I was gonna say you don’t really plan for, but I guess you do. You know you can tell that boy anything. He loves you. I’m sure he gave you that promise ring for a reason.” She looked at the hand where she wore that ring. Her smile grew as she nodded.

  Her gaze moved to meet mine.

  “I love him, too. It’s like- um... Ugh! I don’t know how to say it, and not sound as if I’m some love-sick teenager,” she whined.

  I’m sorry, I laughed. She was a love sick teenager for crying out loud. She was only nineteen! I had to hold my stomach as I laughed. Thor barked and Lana, oh my sweet Lana, turned every shade of red she could.

  “You suck,” she huffed as she fought her own laughter. I saw her grinning.

  “Well, as a matter fact, I do at times, but-”

  “Oh My God! Kristol! Ewww…” she had the nerve to cover her ears and do that “la la la” thing. I laughed hard. I mean, I fell over laughing. I was spending too much time with Stella. She was rubbing off on me... in all the bad ways. I held up a hand and tried to catch my breath, but the mortified look on her face had me laughing again. I laid back in the grass, Thor barking and licking at my face.

  “I’m okay, buddy,” I breathed out heavily. It took me a minute to be able to sit up. That was when I felt it. The pain hit and my water broke. I wasn’t sure what to do. Did I freak out? I mean, this was not my first baby. No, I was going to handle this like the flipping adult I was. I was going to ignore it.

  “You okay?” Lana asked and I nodded. I was still a little tickled at her look of disgust. She’d learn one day. If your man worshipped your body, you returned that favor. And loved every minute of it.

  “Yes, God, I needed that laugh,” I said, chuckling.

  “Yeah well, TMI dude, T freaking MI!”

  “Sorry, I make no promises about not oversharing at times.” I shrugged
my shoulders. I sat there, my hand on my side as I massaged at the pain in my lower back. That was a sharp mofo. I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. I would call Shelby in a few minutes, see if I could drive to Lufkin or if I needed to go by ambulance. I had a feeling this little monster might take a while. Joey hadn’t, but... I could hope, right?

  “Kris…”

  “Hmmm…”

  “What’s it like?” she asked, never looking at me. She kept her gaze on the flowers she was separating from the baskets.

  “You mean sex?”

  “Ye-yes.” I sobered. I cleared my throat and thought about her question. I didn’t want to scare her, but I wasn’t not going to tell her the truth.

  “Well, Peanut, that all depends on your partner.” I paused as a pain raced across my abdomen. The tightening of my muscles said I was gonna have to call Shelby... soon. “You have to have someone that isn’t going to rush you. I may not be the right one to tell you what your first time is going to be like-”

  “Oh... I’m sorry, Kristol,” she looked at me with tears in her eyes.

  “Sweetheart, it’s fine. I can tell you, it’s not going to be all sunshine and daisies. It’s going to hurt. It’s going to be uncomfortable, and in the end, your first time will be kind of blah. But-” I stopped when a pain hit, literally stealing my breath from me.

  Fucking contractions.

  I scowled.

  “Kris!” Lana moved to me and grabbed my hand. I breathed through the contraction and let out a long suffering breath when it was over. “You need me to call Shelby, or Doc?” she asked in a rush.

  Before I could answer I heard the unmistakable sound of a gun’s hammer cocking rang out in the quiet space.

  I looked around Lana and my heart stopped.

  9

  It Ends Today

  Kristol

  My gaze locked on none other than Connor Jacobs as I looked around Lana. Her body tensed when she looked back and got a good look at him. He’d changed over the last two years. He was a little bigger, with more muscles and a few tats on his forearms. I’d seen that design before. Some of the other guys in the compound had them. They were prison tats. Great.

  My heart hammered and my stomach took a dive when I saw the gun pointed our way. This was not happening, not now. Not here. Thor growled, ruffs of fur standing on end, which I won’t lie, surprised me a little.

  “Thor, down.” I gave the command, my voice strong, as I clutched Lana’s arm and eased the hand he couldn’t see up to the button hanging around her neck. I pressed my thumb against it three separate times. I could only hope there was someone at the station to hear the fucker go off.

  “Well, well, looks like I get two bitches for the price of one,” Connor snarled. Lana was shaking under my hands.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked. My voice only shook a little. Go me. The barrel of that gun was making me nervous.

  “I’ve come to see you, sister dear. I have a message from Abraham, one that’s just for you.” Abraham… oh God. My body started to quake in fear. That man hated me. He’d always done anything and everything he could to make my life a living hell.

  Not today. No! I couldn’t show fear. I had to think of a way to get Lana away from this asshole.

  “Alana, come here. If you don’t, I’ll shoot her.”

  Lana whimpered, but stood up.

  “Connor! You leave her the fuck alone.”

  “Either she comes over here, or I shoot you now. Though either way, you’re gonna die today. Then, your pig of a husband dies. So will the other one. Just as soon as I find them.”

  “No,” Lana whispered. Connor’s eyes narrowed and a sick grin pulled at his face. He looked like the fucking Joker. I shuddered. I knew that look all too well, Abraham had that same look. It still plagued my nightmares, though I’d never seen it on Connor’s face before.

  “Maybe you haven’t heard then? Shall I tell you what the others had planned for your no good father? And that fucking Sheriff? There won’t be anything left of them after the critters and bugs eat their insides out.”

  “You shut up! My Daddy-” Lana choked out, Connor moved closer, his gun hand steady. I swallowed hard. I gave Thor a command to stay. He was silently snarling. Last thing I needed was for Thor to attack and for the bastard to shoot him.

  “I won’t say it again. Get your ass over here!”

  Spittle flew from his lips as he snarled out his command. Lana stood up the rest of the way. Her body shook with fear, but she moved a step closer to him. “Get up off your ass, bitch. You were always so useless.”

  Lana moved to help me up and Connor snarled. “Don’t fucking touch her.” Lana surprised me and turned, her angry voice filled the yard.

  “She’s pregnant. You want her up then I have to help her, you fucking asshole!”

  Connor snorted.

  “You shouldn’t use big words, little girl. I’ll have to teach you what that mouth is for. Get the cow up. We have to go, now. Leave that mangy mutt here. I’ll take care of the pig’s spawn later. Give it to one of the girls to raise right. I’d hate for it to grow up to be a cunt like it’s mother.”

  “Lana,” I winced as I shifted to get onto my knees. I was going to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat. No, that was too easy. I was going to shove them down his throat, let him choke for a bit, remove them and then do it all over again. Slimy fucking weasel. He wasn't that tough. I’d beat his ass before...but not when I was literally getting ready to push a tiny human from my body. It took a moment before I could move again, though.

  Pain was making it hard to think, let alone move.

  Holy crap, kid!

  “Kris!?” Lana’s voice was almost a shriek as I wobbled. I gripped her arm tighter and grit my teeth. This was not good. Nope, not good at all.

  “I’m okay. I’m okay,” I said. I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. I shifted and Lana gasped as she grabbed my apron. The gun. Shit. I had forgot about it with the shock of seeing the scummy bastard before us and my child trying to rip it’s way through my body.

  “Hurry the fuck up! Jesus Christ!” Connor snarled out.

  I bit my tongue to keep from being a smart ass. See, I could learn. I squeezed Lana’s hand and moved it from the pocket of the apron I was wearing. Not now. Shit was already ten kinds of fucked up the ass. I didn’t need her to play Rambo and get shot. I’d never forgive myself. I hated guns, but I’d put a bullet into Connor without feeling an ounce of remorse. None!

  I tried to move quickly, but that wasn’t happening. The pain in my abdomen, the pressure, and the fact that I knew this baby was coming, halted my steps. Connor stormed over and grabbed my arm, jerking it painfully. I cried out in pain. His grip tightened cruelly, jerking me towards him. My feet get tangled and I went down. It takes all I have in me to fall to the side.

  Lana is at my side in an instant. She’s in tears, as am I, ‘cause this fucking hurts. Connor snatched her up by the arm, and damn if she doesn’t fight back, but it’s no use. He’s stronger and much bigger than she is. I watched in horror as Connor brought the butt of the gun down. It hit Lana across the cheek and she fell to ground. She was crying and panting from the exertion but she didn’t stay down. She got up and once Connor had a grip on her arm, she swung the other. He once again cracked her a good one. This time, her temple started to bleed where he struck.

  He was so mad he was yelling, to no one in particular and shaking. He looked so unsteady. He was about to lose the small acorn sized grip he had on his anger. Lana crawled over to me and I gripped her hand. It was now or never. I’d have to take this bastard out now, or we were going to be the ones with new holes in us. Or worse.

  I had to protect my baby and Lana. I gripped the gun in my pocket and shifted so I could see him. He was pacing around, yelling at us still.

  I took aim, put my finger on the trigger and just as I was about to fire, a contraction hit that had me doubling over. The gun fired b
ut I missed him. Connor spun around, snarling as he started our way, his gun hand coming up.

  I’d fucked up… we were going to die. I heard a gun fire, multiple shots, but I was so overwhelmed by the pain from the contraction that I didn’t know who had fired them. This baby wasn’t playing.

  “Kris! Kris!” Lana screamed as I tried to catch my breath. The pain was too much.

  “Sh-Shelby…. g-get… Sh-Shelby….”

  “Kris, hold on,” Lana cried as she dialed her cell phone. Her hands were shaking. I tried to give her a little smile, but it soon turned to a grimace as another contraction hit. Her face was turning a weird shade of purple and her temple, fuck it was spilling blood on us both.

  “SHELBY! Oh God Shelby, Kris needs you now… no. Yes. The center. She’s in the yard. I shot him… he… just hurry.”

  “Lana,” I grabbed her hand, “breathe, sweetheart. Just breathe. It’s okay.”

  “No…” she said and hit a button on her phone.

  “Lana.” She ignored me.

  “BUBBA! I nee-” he must have cut her off cause her face morphed into an angry scowl. “Shut up and let me talk! It’s important.” She growled into the phone. “I just shot Connor Jacobs... and, Kris is in labor... and… oh, God... I just shot Connor Jacobs!”

  I could hear Charlie’s roar of outrage through the phone. Lana dropped her phone when Connor’s wail of pain filled the yard again. He was curled up in a ball, clutching between his legs. Good! I hope the fucker rotted and fell off. I gripped Lana’s hand and cried out as a contraction shot through me. Come on, kid, just stay in there a little longer!

  “I need Jacks!” I said, my head falling back. We had plans for fuck’s sake. He was going to be here this time. What was happening?

  “Deep breaths, Kris, come on. Help’s on the way. Shelby’s coming.”

  “Kristol! Jesus. We need to get her inside,” Shelby said as she moved to kneel on the grass. “How far apart are your contractions?”

  “Who shot this boy?” Doc’s voice rang out clearly. We ignored him for right now. Another time, another place, maybe...