Declan kept talking to Kenzie, reassuring her she was going to be fine as two paramedics joined them on the narrow embankment. They went to work on her, starting an IV and sliding the backboard beneath her without jostling her. They didn’t try to remove her bullet proof vest. The female medic secured the cervical collar and once she was strapped with head blocks, Declan and Kayla helped maneuver her and position her inside a Stokes basket so she could be lifted to safety. A firetruck had arrived, so they had plenty of personnel to easily haul her up the ridge.
“Which hospital are you taking her to?” Declan asked the female medic. After she named one close to Eric’s, he asked if Kenzie could be rerouted there instead. Timewise, it was about the same distance. She agreed as two thick ropes were tossed down. The paramedics made their way up first. He wanted to tell them not to leave without him, but he needed Kenzie to get help as soon as possible.
He and Kayla made their way to the top. He spared a glance at the Dagger. Firemen had worked their way to him, but it was now a recovery mission instead of a rescue.
The ambulance hadn’t left so he rushed over and hopped on board.
“We’ll meet you there,” Kayla called after him.
The female medic—Jackie—glanced pointedly at his feet when he climbed in the back.
“Sorry.”
She lifted her foot. “Eh, I can’t complain.” Hers were encased in mud, too.
He wanted to hold Kenzie’s hand to let her know he was with her, but she was securely strapped in. He settled for gripping her arm. He needed to touch her to assure himself she was breathing. She might be broken and battered, but she was blessedly alive.
The next few hours were a blur. They arrived at the emergency room where she was whisked away, leaving him watching helplessly as she disappeared behind a set of double doors. Alex, Dorian and Kayla arrived. They all tried to wipe the mud from their boots before they entered. Noah and Ethan were already there, having brought Gage and the Harmon sisters.
“Declan!”
Jamal launched from the chairs and leaped into his arms. He hugged the boy tight, his body shuddering with relief that he was no longer in danger. Now they needed Kenzie to recover so they could start their lives together as a family. They hadn’t talked about marriage or living together—heck, they hadn’t even mentioned dating. But as far as he was concerned, it was nonnegotiable. He wasn’t ever letting her go.
He left the others in the waiting room with specific instructions to call him if the doctor appeared while he and Jamal went to check on Eric. His brother looked much better and was happy to see Jamal. They chatted like old friends and Jamal’s animated conversation made him smile. Declan was relieved to discover they were releasing him tomorrow.
Eric would probably object, but with BeBe’s help, Declan hired a nurse to stay with him until he was able to move around on his own. He’d been severely injured and would require the extra assistance. Declan would help as much as possible before he needed to leave for his new job. He’d also contacted a cleaning crew to scrub his condo and remove the damaged items and Eric’s blood. He didn’t want any reminders of what happened to his brother in his own home.
If it were up to Declan, he’d go ahead and list the condo for sale and begin the process of moving Eric with him, but that was Eric’s decision, not his. They hadn’t had a chance to talk yet, but he planned on doing so before he left town.
Scarlett and Ruby were coming out from being examined when they returned. They both hugged each of them and thanked them for saving their lives.
“I’m so sorry for the trouble I caused you,” Scarlett said with genuine remorse.
“No apologies necessary,” Noah insisted.
Ethan handed her a card. “I’m under specific orders to offer you a job once you graduate. If nothing else, our tech genius Tyler wants to meet you.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously? After what I did to you guys?”
Kayla squeezed her arm. “You were taking care of family. We understand that.” They all nodded in agreement.
“Wow, I can’t believe how forgiving and kind you guys are. I’d be fortunate to work with you again in the future.”
“Will Gage be okay?” Ruby’s eyes watered. “He saved me twice.” She blinked. “He was shot so many times.”
“He was wearing a Kevlar vest like this.” Jamal jerked up his shirt to reveal the vest Declan insisted he wear. He loved it, saying it made him feel like one of them. Declan thought he’d probably try to sleep with it on.
“It caught all the bullets, so he’ll be fine,” Noah assured her.
She blew out a breath. “Good.”
Once the sisters left, they settled in to wait for news on Kenzie and Gage.
#
Kenzie dreamed she’d been unceremoniously dumped into a concrete mixer and a tattooed man with gold teeth cackled wildly before flipping the power switch, sending her body slamming into the sides over and over and over. Declan came running to save her, but the man pushed a button and the ground around him erupted into flames, swallowing him.
“Declan?” Gasping awake, she tried to focus but her vision was blurry. For a moment, she thought it hadn’t been a dream after all. Her entire body was one giant ache and her head throbbed mercilessly.
“I’m right here, babe.”
Declan was at her side and she relaxed against the pillow. “Thought you exploded,” she murmured.
“Kenzie, you’re awake.”
Jamal threw his arms around her and hugged. Though her body protested the action, she bit her tongue to keep from crying out.
“Hey, remember what I said,” Declan chastised.
“Ooh, sorry.” Jamal pulled back.
“What did you say?” The words came out in a croak. Declan held a straw to her lips. She took a drink of the cool liquid, savoring the feel as it slid down her parched throat. She nodded her thanks.
“He told me that you would be sore and not to try to hug you.” Jamal looked chagrined.
“I might be aching, but your hugs would never hurt me.”
Jamal gave Declan a triumphant look.
“What happened to me?” She recognized the sterile surroundings as a hospital. Machines beeped and an IV rhythmically dripped clear liquid into her arm. She was resting on a slight incline with blankets tucked securely around her body.
Declan looked pointedly at Jamal. “You fell down getting away from the man who took you.”
There was obviously much more to the story, but he was shielding the boy from the details. That was fine with her. Her head was muddled, and she wasn’t sure she could comprehend much right now. Knowing they were both alive and well was all that mattered. As long as he was at her side, all was right with the world.
The next time she woke, the lights had been dimmed and she thought she might be alone. Her head felt marginally better. That was a good sign.
“Hey, babe, how are you feeling?”
Her head rotated on the pillow to see Declan smiling at her from a chair positioned beside her bed. She smiled back. “Better. Where’s Jamal?”
He nodded to a small cot against the wall.
“What really happened?”
“You sure you’re up for the details?”
“Yes, but first, I remember seeing Gage get shot.” She closed her eyes. “So many times.”
“His vest caught the slugs. He had a minor concussion from hitting his head when he went down protecting Ruby from the bullets, severe contusions and bruising, plus two cracked ribs but he’s going to be fine.”
“Thank goodness. Did you find Scarlett?”
“We did. Both sisters are mentally traumatized but physically fine. They went home a few hours ago.”
“What about the Daggers inside the warehouse?”
“We neutralized them. Tied them up for the police. One casualty. We’d barely made it outside when the building exploded.”
She clutched his arm. That was the nightmare. “He did it.”
>
“Who?”
“The man who took me. It was the same man who kidnapped me from the hospital. After he grabbed me the second time, he parked the car away from the building, but we could still see it in the distance. He told me to watch before he dialed a number. Then it detonated.” She closed her eyes and forced back the lump in her throat remembering the overwhelming pain when she thought he’d been inside.
“Hey, we made it out.” He wiped a tear she hadn’t realized slipped down her cheek. “We’re all fine.”
“Were the Daggers still inside?”
“Yeah. There was no way they’d have been able to survive the blast. Do you remember what happened next?”
Her brows narrowed in thought. “No. I think he hit me. That’s the last thing I remember. Tell me how I ended up here.”
“With Ethan’s tracker, we were able to follow you as he drove around before running into a bridge under construction. He took you out of the car and then you both fell over an embankment. You landed about fifteen feet down on a grassy area. No broken bones or internal damage. You have a concussion from where he hit you, and some nasty bruises, but other than that, you’re fine.”
“I fell? I don’t remember that at all. What happened to my kidnapper?”
“He didn’t make it.”
“Are there any Daggers left?”
“No, that wiped them out. They eliminated all the Eighty-Sixers, so both gangs are now obsolete.”
“Good.” The men were wicked and evil, and the world was better off without them in it. She didn’t feel the least bit guilty for being glad both gangs were gone. “Does that mean Jamal’s safe?”
“He is.”
She nodded in relief as tears poured out this time. “Hallelujah.” He dabbed at her cheeks with a tissue.
“You’re safe now, too. You can go back to New York or your old job without having to look over your shoulder.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think you’re safe?”
“No, I won’t be going back to my job…or New York.”
“Where will you go?”
She’d never been a coward. When Jared sexually harassed her, she’d stood up for herself and demanded action be taken against him. Sure, she’d been fired, but she didn’t regret what she’d done. She was about to take the biggest chance of her life.
Channeling Shiloh Storm, she said, “I’ve been thinking…”
“Move in with me—us,” he cut in. “I know it’s fast and we haven’t known each other long, but I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Not to sound too cheesy, but you complete me.”
He totally stole her thunder but her heart burst with love for this man. “You complete me, too,” she whispered. “And it has been fast, but I know what I feel.”
“What’s that?”
“Love. For you.”
He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. “I love you, too.”
“You really want me to live with you and Jamal?”
He ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Of course. We’re a family.”
# # #
Epilogue
Declan turned into the COBRA Securities driveway and rolled down his window to scan his retina into the machine before placing his thumb on the pad when prompted.
“That’s so cool!” Jamal exclaimed.
It was pretty awesome, but it was also a necessity. The compound had been infiltrated a couple of months ago. Since then, they’d ramped up security. No one was getting in now who didn’t belong.
“Can I do it, too?”
“Probably.” Declan’s biometrics had been processed as soon as he accepted the job and signed all the papers and insurance forms. He’d talked to Noah and knew that both Jamal and Kenzie would be entered into the system, since they’d be staying with him in a two-bedroom apartment on site until he could build a house.
He’d been pleasantly surprised to discover that a bus shuttled kids to and from school each day and then he’d been overwhelmed to realize he was suddenly the parent of a seven-year old. There was so much he didn’t know. He needed to enroll Jamal in school. Since there were only a few months left in the school year, he’d have to get on it as soon as possible. He didn’t want him to have to repeat the second grade. He’d been upended so much this year, frankly Declan wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. He’d need to talk to a counselor or something. Jamal was smart and it wasn’t like they learned quantum physics or trigonometry in second grade. Mostly it was how not to eat paste, right? Heck, it’d been so long, and he didn’t remember much about the various grade schools he attended. Now days, kids were probably programming computers at that age.
Then there was the issue of LaTonya’s estate. He’d talked to her lawyer while Kenzie was resting in the hospital and as he suspected, Jamal was her only heir. Declan would have to deal with the insurance company for the loss of the condo, the contents and her car. Thankfully, Noah told him there were people at the office who would help him with all of it and he was relieved. He planned on putting everything into a trust fund for Jamal, and according to the lawyer, it was a sizable amount. He’d be set for college and beyond. He’d get to live the comfortable life he’d been denied the first seven years of his existence.
The lawyer also informed him that LaTonya’s will stipulated that she didn’t want a funeral, and she’d already paid for a casket, cemetery plot and headstone. She’d taken care of the details so Jamal wouldn’t have to when the time came, not knowing it would be so soon. Declan, Kenzie and Jamal loaded into his truck and drove to Detroit to be present for her burial. Several of her friends and coworkers were in attendance and informed them that they planned on holding a celebration of her life later in the month. They’d returned home after and it’d been a long day, but it was the least they could do for the woman who made a huge impact in Jamal’s life.
Declan had taken care of Jamal’s mother’s burial expenses before they left town. For Jamal’s sake, he didn’t want her to end up in a potter’s field, if they still existed. They’d been used in larger cities to bury people without families or the indigent. He’d purchased a plot next to Jamarcus and arranged for headstones for both, since Jamarcus’ grave was currently labeled with a temporary metal marker.
His next step would be to start the process of formally adopting Jamal. Right now, he might be considered a kidnapper in the eyes of the law since he wasn’t related to him. It would take a veritable army to pry Jamal away from him and he’d fight till his very last breath.
“Declan?”
He turned to Kenzie. “Hum?”
“I said the gate is open. We’re excited to see the place.”
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Sorry.” He’d worry about those things later. Right now, he needed to show them to their new home.
The road weaved through trees and again he was struck by the beauty of the location. Maybe they didn’t have mountain views, or crashing ocean waves, but it was just as striking. He stopped at the guard booth and waved to Tucker Nash.
“What happened to his legs?” Jamal whispered as Tucker stood up and grabbed some items before approaching them.
“His name is Tucker and he’s a combat veteran. He lost them defending our country.”
“Wow, he’s awesome,” Jamal decided, and Declan agreed. Having served overseas, he’d lost teammates and friends, had watched limbs blown off by roadside bombs and witnessed firsthand the toll war took on a person’s mind and soul. Tucker Nash was a hero.
“Welcome Jamal and Kenzie.”
Jamal rolled down his back window. “Hi, Tucker! Oh, can I call you that?”
“Of course. It’s my name.” He shook Jamal’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“You, too and I think you’re awesome.”
Tucker chuckled. “Right back at you, little man.” He moved to Declan’s window and peered around him to where Kenzie was waving.
“Nice to meet you, Tucker.”
“You, too, Kenzie.” He mock-whispered, “Good job, Declan. She’s fetching.”
Declan glanced over to see Kenzie’s cheeks flush red. “That she is.”
Jamal leaned forward and tapped Declan’s shoulder. “Kenzie’s not a dog,” he insisted, jumping to her defense.
Declan smiled. “We don’t mean she’s fetching, like a dog chasing a ball. In this instance, it means beautiful.”
“Oh.” He plopped back against the seat. “That’s okay then.”
Tucker covered a laugh with a cough. “I’ll need you two to come to my humble office in the next day or so and I’ll get you set up with the biometric devices.”
“I get to have my eye scanned?” At Tucker’s confirmation, Jamal grinned excitedly. “Can we do it now?”
“I have explicit instructions to send you to Duquesne Park and I don’t want to feel the wrath if I delay you for even five minutes.”
“We’re on our way. Thanks, Tucker.”
He entered the main area of the compound. “I’ll give you a quick overview and then we’ll explore more later.”
“Where’s Duquesne Park?” Kenzie asked.
“Between the offices and the section where the houses are located.”
“Did they name it after the president?” Jamal wondered.
“They did. Actually, she paid for the park. Her granddaughter is married to one of my coworkers. Their wedding was held there.”
“Wow,” Jamal said in awe. “This place rocks.”
Declan indicated the structures out Kenzie’s window. “The building on the far right under construction is the day care and after school center. It’ll be set up so you can do your homework there and get help if you need it.”
“Homework. Yuck.” Jamal made a face and Declan shared a smile with Kenzie.
“That building is where they train dogs.”
Jamal perked up. “Dogs? No way! I want to see!”
“We’ll visit later.”
“Do they train them to sit and fetch?”
Declan’s smiled. “More like find missing persons, sniff out drugs, protection, that kind of thing.”
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