“Ari.”
Ariana turned to her door and saw Kale standing there with his hands in his pockets and a frown on his face. “My sister and Dylan are all packed. Abby was telling me about what you are doing.”
Ari let out a sigh as she looked at her best friend. He’d just turned twenty-five and made her feel old. He was always flitting about, and when she’d tried to explain why she wasn’t going to participate in immature pranks anymore, he’d gotten mad. They’d both said things. They’d been true but that didn’t mean they didn’t hurt. They hadn’t been close since.
“Yes. I managed to convince my dad to let me travel with just Abby, Dylan, and Greer.”
Kale ran a hand through his hair as he pushed away from the door jamb and stood up straight. “I’m sorry, Ari. This past bit, I’ve really taken time to think about what you said to me. I was being a jerk. You’re my best friend and I should have seen that you were drifting. I should have helped you instead of criticizing you when you finally found your path in life. I was an immature jerk and I’m so sorry.”
Relief caused her eyes to fill with impending tears as she raced across the room. Kale had his arms open and finally, after a year and a half, she was hugging her best friend again. “Thank you, Kale. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too. And now you’re leaving for a month.”
“Why don’t you drive me to the Blossom Café for the going-away dinner and tell me everything you’ve been up to,” Ariana suggested.
Kale perked up. He loved nothing better than to drive his sports car. “Okay, come on!”
Ari laughed as Kale practically raced down the stairs and out the back door. She heard the rumble of the powerful engine before she’d even made it outside. The car was low, black, and fast. Kale was already standing with the passenger door open and Ari said a quick prayer before sliding into the seat.
“What are you doing to be able to afford this?” Ari asked when Kale took a seat and shifted gears.
“I got a new job. It’s real hush-hush, but I’m developing all this new technology and loving it.”
“That’s great. So, no more hacking?”
Kale gave a little chuckle as he sped through the horse farm property toward the main road. “You know better than that.”
“You’re going to end up in jail for hacking the wrong person,” Ari said for what had to be the hundredth time. Ari tried not to show the death grip she had on the door, but when Kale winked at her she knew this ride had been a very bad idea.
“I won’t end up in jail if I’m hacking for the right people.”
“You’re working for the government?” Ari asked as Kale did a controlled slide out onto the main road.
“Didn’t say that.” He grinned again at her and Ari started praying.
Kale had to pry her hand from the door handle after he parked at the Blossom Café in downtown Keeneston. The little town might be small in population but they did everything in a big way and that included saying good-bye.
“I’ve missed driving with you.” Kale slung his arm over her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.
Ari’s knees hadn’t stopped shaking yet. “I’ll get you back.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Kale said with the same challenge in his tone as they had growing up. Only this time she was good with meeting the challenge.
“I do enjoy plotting against you. And Kale,” Ari said, walking into the café. “I’m glad we’re friends again.”
Ari was the last one to arrive and took a second to enjoy Keeneston just being Keeneston. It was the best town to grow up in. No one cared that she was a princess. They only cared if she was a good person. She might have let them down a little during her selfish phase, but they’d been there for her every time she needed them . . . and a few times she hadn’t even known she needed them.
Now they all were chatting with each other, laughing, telling stories, and talking about the future. She was going to miss this. But it was only for a month, Ari reminded herself.
“Ari!” her friend Greer Parker called out. Greer was a sharpshooter with the New York City FBI Hostage Rescue Team but had been granted time off to travel as Ari’s personal protection.
Greer’s gray-green eyes shone with excitement as she made her way over to Ari. Her honey-brown hair was pushed back with a sports band but tickled Ari’s nose as she gave her a hug. “Dylan got everything packed. We’re all set to go.”
Ari would have said more but a strangled cry sounded. The café went deathly silent as everyone stared at Greer’s uncle, Cy Davies. His face was white and his finger was pointing at the floor.
“What’s the matter?” Ahmed asked as he pushed his way forward.
“Water,” Cy stammered as he pointed to the ground.
“I’ll get a mop. It’s nothing to worry about,” Poppy said with a smile. Poppy and her sister, Zinnia Meadows, were distant cousins to the elderly Rose sisters. They’d come to town almost ten years ago to help the Rose sisters. They now ran the café and the bed and breakfast.
“No!” Cy yelled again as his eyes finally rose to the two women standing in front of him. “Who did this?”
“Did what?” Miles Davies, Cy’s older brother, asked as he joined them. “Why are you flipping out over some spilled water?”
Cy’s finger rose and pointed first at his daughter, Reagan, then to his niece, Layne, who was Miles’s daughter. “Who did this?”
Ari gasped along with everyone else at the two very pregnant, due-any-day women looked down at the water, then at their bellies, and then finally at each other.
“Was that you?” Reagan asked Layne.
“I thought it was you,” Layne replied a second before the sound of water hitting the floor echoed in the room. “Oh, now that was me.”
“Code Green!” Miles yelled and chaos erupted.
Layne’s husband, who was a former Seal Team Six member, now called DEVGRU, jumped onto a chair, vaulted onto a table, and hurtled himself over some Davies cousins to get to his wife. Miles was screaming for a helicopter. Cy was choking Reagan’s husband, Carter, and yelling at him to do something.
Layne’s mother, Morgan, and Reagan’s mother, Gemma, were encouraging their daughters to sit down and calmly helping them with their breathing. Reagan was groaning, Layne was deathly silent, and the whole thing was surreal.
“Code Green! Isn’t anyone listening to me?” Miles was yelling. “Get the helicopter! Get the Hummer! And you wouldn’t let me get a tank at the military supply surplus! That would come in handy right now.” Miles glared at his wife who just rolled her eyes and went back to breathing with her daughter.
There was screaming, yelling, and all-out panic. A piercing whistle did nothing to stop the chaos. The gunshot did the trick.
Ariana and the rest of the café froze as Aniyah stood with her gun aimed up at the ceiling and a chunk of plaster now sitting on the table in front of her. Her natural black hair was shoved back from her face and she had one hand on a curvy hip in frustration as she shook her head at the café patrons. “You would think no one had ever had a baby before.”
“My daughter hasn’t!” Miles yelled back, but before anyone else could start talking, Dr. Jace Davies and Dr. Ava Miller took control.
“Before Uncle Cy kills Carter and Uncle Miles has a coronary, let Ava and me check out my cousins,” Jace said as he and Ava stood at the door with medical bags in hand. They were breathing slightly harder than usual after their run here from Jace’s medical practice a couple of blocks down the street.
The town made a path for the two doctors but then instantly pushed forward, not wanting to miss a thing. Walker and Carter stood by their wives’ sides. Walker looked as stoic as Layne, but the tight jaw gave away his worry. Carter looked ready to faint, but maybe that was because Cy had choked him and he was still slightly blue.
Ava sat down in front of Layne and Jace in front of Reagan. They put on their gloves, felt the women’s bellies, and then lifted their lon
g maxi skirts. A moment later they looked at each other and gave a little nod.
“What the hell does that mean?” Miles roared from where he stood by Layne’s head.
“It means you’re too late for whatever Code Green is,” Jace said. “Two more want to join the party and they aren’t going to wait.”
Reagan groaned and suddenly two pots of hot water, towels, and two extra tablecloths appeared. Ari blinked as the elderly Rose sisters moved into action. They were issuing orders worthy of any military general.
“Here,” Morgan tossed one tablecloth to Miles and another to Cy. “Put these over their legs after we get them ready.”
Walker and Morgan helped Layne stand while Gemma and Carter did the same with Reagan.
“Should we leave?” Ari asked Greer.
“Hell no. I have a hundred bucks riding on the outcome of these babies. I’ve had my eye on this beautiful sniper rifle that Sophie promised to give me, but I was stupid and said I’d pay for it.”
Both women were now sitting upright on the tablecloths spread out on the floor. Their husbands were behind them providing support. Miles and Morgan were on each side of Layne with Ava assisting the birth.
Carter held Reagan with Gemma on one side and Carter’s mother, Kenna Ashton, on the other. Cy and Carter’s father, Will, stood behind Carter, offering what they thought were supposed to be supportive comments.
Reagan was moving quickly. Ari winced at the long, low groan Reagan let out. Jace lifted the tablecloth slightly as Miss Lily Rose held out a towel. “Get ready, Reagan. It’s time to push,” Jace said, ignoring the towel for now. Miss Lily didn’t mind. She was ready to anticipate anything Jace might need.
“I can help,” Ahmed said, walking forward. He pulled a large knife from somewhere on his body and held it up. “To cut the cord.”
“No!” his wife, Bridget, yelled in alarm. “Close your eyes, Ahmed!”
“Bridget, I have preformed major surgery on myself with nothing more than this knife. I think I can hand this off to Carter and be okay. Is that the head?” Ahmed asked as all color drained from his face.
Ahmed wavered. His body swayed and then his knees buckled. Reagan screamed but it had nothing to do with Ahmed fainting. Nash leapt and grabbed the knife as Ahmed collapsed to the ground and Ari gave a sigh of relief.
“Don’t worry. I have it,” Nash said as he held up the large knife victoriously. That is, until Reagan screamed again and Nash turned to face her. His eyes rolled so far back that Ari could only see the whites of his eyes.
Aniyah grabbed the knife as Nash went down hard. She shook her head and placed it on the table behind him. “Men. The bigger they are, the more room they take up on the floor.”
Ari snickered as she looked at the two men lying in a heap at Reagan’s feet. Ari grimaced as Reagan let out another low guttural groan. It came from someplace deep inside and caused everyone in the café to go silent.
“That’s my girl,” Carter whispered quietly in his wife’s ear as Ari saw Cy’s hands tighten into fists at his side. He wanted to protect his daughter, but there was nothing he could do at that moment.
“Grandmas, help steady Mom’s legs so she can push hard this next time,” Jace ordered and Ari saw Gemma and Kenna nod with understanding even as happy tears streamed silently down their cheeks.
“It’s coming!” Reagan managed to say through a clenched jaw.
“One big, long push and that will be it,” Jace told her.
“You are amazing. Let’s meet our baby. Ready?” Carter asked her. Reagan didn’t answer, but her hands clenched down so hard that Carter flinched. “Push one, push two, push three,” Carter counted calmly.
“That’s it,” Jace said. “Keep doing just what you’re doing.”
Ari and everyone else held their breath as Miss Lily stood at the ready behind Jace with a great big smile on her face. Carter counted calmly, Reagan seemed somewhere else as she pushed, and then Jace went into action.
There was a collective gasp as everyone heard the baby come out. Tears sprang forward as Reagan sucked in deep breaths of air. She was already holding out her hands for her baby when Jace rubbed it off and everyone cheered as the baby cried.
Jace lifted the baby up with a smile. “Congratulations. You have a son.”
Reagan glowed as she looked over her shoulder at her husband. Ari felt goosebumps as Carter kissed his wife through happy tears.
“Ryder. Ryder Davies Ashton,” Carter said, his voice thick with emotion.
“Great name, but we’re up. I see the head,” Ava said, suddenly quieting the café once again except for the small baby sounds coming from Reagan’s son.
Layne was taking shallow, quick breaths, but otherwise wasn’t saying a thing. The sound of the door being thrown open seemed louder than Aniyah’s gunshot.
“Did I miss it?” Father Ben asked as he stopped next to Ariana.
“Reagan and Carter have a boy,” Ari whispered to him. “Layne’s about to give birth now.”
Father Ben made a sign of the cross and she saw his lips move in silent prayer as Ava ordered Layne to push.
“Grandma and Grandpa, I need you to hold Layne’s legs now. She needs to push. Ready, Layne?”
Layne nodded as she looked up at Walker. That one moment seemed to change Ari’s world. The look of love and utter support was so touching Ari almost staggered backward.
“You got this, sweetheart. You’re the strongest person I know,” Walker whispered before he kissed her quickly on the forehead.
Walker’s arms were around his wife, his hands resting on Layne’s pregnant belly. Layne reached down and clasped her hands to his and then she pushed. Nothing could be heard but the sound of air hissing through her clenched teeth.
“That’s good, Layne,” Ava said, moving forward with Miss Violet and Miss Daisy assisting her.
“I love you. You can do this, Layne,” Miles whispered to his daughter.
Layne’s jaw was so tight Ari thought it might break, but then she sucked in a deep breath and collapsed against Walker. Ava was wiping the baby off and then she placed the red-faced, crying infant in Layne’s arms.
“What is it?” Miles asked. No one dared make a sound as they waited for the answer.
“Oh, you want to know?” Walker asked with faux innocence before kissing his wife’s cheek and running a finger gently down the baby’s chubby cheek.
Miles growled in response.
“Grandpa Miles,” Layne said as she finally looked up from her baby. “Meet your granddaughter, Carolina Miles Walker.”
“A granddaughter,” Miles whispered before turning to his wife and pointing a finger at her. “And you said my vision board was stupid!”
“You had a vision board for a granddaughter?” Layne asked with surprise. “I thought you’d want a grandson since you only had a daughter.”
Miles froze and stared at Layne. “Only a daughter? What are you talking about, Layne? I never wanted anyone more than I wanted you. And now to have a granddaughter? Nothing in this world means more to me than my girls.”
Ari’s breath caught with emotion as Miles kissed first his wife, then his daughter, and lastly his granddaughter.
“I thought you’d want a boy,” Layne said through tears.
Miles shook his head. “Nah, girls smell better.”
Ari let out a shaky breath as she found her hand over her heart. Father Ben made his way forward and blessed the babies, mothers, fathers, and grandparents. Jace and Ava took the babies back, and with the help of the Rose sisters, washed them up and swaddled them in the baby blankets the Rose sisters had been crocheting. Winning bets were announced and Greer came bounding back with a big smile.
“I won enough to pay Sophie for the rifle.”
Ari laughed at her friend, kissed the new mothers, cooed at the beautiful babies, and then snuck out the back of the café. It had been her going-away party, and it had been fantastic, but it was their turn to celebrate now. She was goin
g to fight for a better life for those two babies and all the babies out there just like them.
2
Crusina Palace, Crusina . . .
Ariana hated this part of her job, especially after everything she’d experienced recently. She’d traveled across the world for the last month visiting the places with the highest human trafficking and human rights violations. She’d talked to victims, social workers, law enforcement, and volunteers in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, and many of the island nations. It didn’t matter if you were from an middle-class family in North America, a poor rural community in Eastern Europe, or any location around the globe. The stories, the terror, and the abuse were all the same.
These victims were sold into forced labor or trafficked for sex. They were treated as if they were less than human. For a month, Ariana had no longer been a princess but a woman who held the hands of victims and promised she’d fight for them. She would give them a voice. She would find a way to help them.
However, now was the time to play politics. After each visit to a new country, she had to be paraded in front of the leaders and listen as they pretended to care about their citizens. Some did. Some didn’t.
The ones who did care were the ones visiting victims with her and asking for help. Those who didn’t care, like the ruler in Crusina, made these nights unbearable with the pomp and circumstance of a state dinner. The “president,” President Viktor Nikan, was really a dictator and ruled his country with absolute and unchecked authority. She wouldn’t be surprised if his entire staff was made up of people forced into labor. Yet, tonight was all about image. He was showing off his wealth and power as he pushed for a global foothold to make a name for himself and his country on the international stage.
He pushed for that foothold through the bullying of neighbors, illegal actions, and moneylending that made the Mafia look like kind-hearted charities. Now that President Nikan had some countries in an economic stranglehold, he was trying to appear powerful yet benevolent. Hence, parading all the ambassadors in front of her and touting that he was hosting a princess for charity, even though it was a charity that he refused to listen to and a topic he completely ignored.
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