by Banks, R. R.
A few minutes later, I let out a sigh of relief when Aidan storms back out of the house, his face dark and tight with anger. The door is opened and the rush of cool, night air washes over my skin.
“He's gone,” Aidan says. “Piece of shit ran out the back door.”
His eyes are narrowed, and his jaw clenched tight. Aidan is beyond pissed off. Angrier than I've ever seen him – even after that time he dealt with Leon in the bar. With his steely eyes, hard features, and dark stubbled jaw, Aidan cuts a very imposing, almost malevolent figure when he's this mad.
“Okay, that's it,” he says. “You're coming to stay at my place.”
I open my mouth to refuse, but he gives me a withering glare that makes me close it without saying anything.
“No questions,” he says, his tone firm and commanding. “This is not a debate. You are not staying here. Not with that asshole running around out there. You are going to stay with me, where I can protect you. Period.”
I don’t like being told what to do. My gut-level reaction is always to argue and rebel against orders or authority. But, knowing what I do now about what Aidan went through with his fiancée, I understand why he's so fiercely protective of me. I also understand why he's so invested in making sure I'm safe.
It also gives me an indication of how he feels about me – something that fills me with a warmth and joy I've never known before. It's a stupid time to even be thinking about that. This is most definitely not the time to explore my emotions. Not with Victor out there trying to abduct me, and worse. I know the timing is bad, but I can't help it.
I also know that staying at his place makes sense from a practical perspective. Not only does Victor not know who Aidan is or how to find his place, the fact that his estate has high walls and all kinds of security measures – not the least of which is a six-foot-three mountain of a man who can beat the shit out of a piece of trash like Victor – will most definitely give me a measure of security.
Hopefully, it will also buy us time to figure out what we're going to do about Victor – because right now, I really don't know. He's a problem we desperately need a solution for, but I don't know what that solution would even look like. First things first, I guess we need to call the Sheriff.
As we sit there, I'm gripped by the most intense pain I've ever felt in my life. My belly cramps hard, and I cry out. Aidan is by my side in a heartbeat. My entire body hurts, but the most intense, shooting pain is in my lower abdomen.
“Katie, what's wrong?” Aidan asks, panic infusing his voice.
“I – I don't know,” I say and let out a strangled cry. “Something's wrong, Aidan. Something's wrong. Call an ambulance.”
He looks around, panicking, indecisive. A second later, his face is firm, and there is determination in his eyes. A steely resolve.
“We don't have time to wait,” he says.
He calls for the driver, and a moment later, we're racing off into the night, headed for the hospital.
* * *
Some hours later – I don't even know how many, to be honest, time ceased to exist for me after the epidural – I'm lying in a hospital bed. I'm wrung out and exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Aidan is right by my side, stroking my hair, and placing gentle kisses on my forehead.
I'm guessing the stress of everything with Victor made me go into premature labor. We got to the hospital safely, and I delivered the baby, after a long, grueling process. I should feel sad or angry or happy, but I’m in too much shock. My head and body are both numb.
“It's going to be okay,” Aidan says. “Everything is going to be okay.”
I give him a tight smile, wishing I could believe his words. Judging by the sound of his voice, I don't know that he quite believes his words, either. His face is pinched, and the strain is really showing around his eyes. He's doing his best to put on a brave face for me, though, and I love him for that.
After I delivered our baby, the nurses took it away. I didn't get to hold my baby. I don't even know the gender of our child – we had wanted to keep it a surprise. Or if the baby even survived the delivery. Being born premature can lead to a lot of complications. Deadly complications. As I think about it, my heart seizes up, and I can't stop the tears from falling.
Aidan holds me close and whispers calming words in my ear. I know he's as scared as I am, but he's doing a far better job of holding it in. I wish I had an iota of his strength right now.
“We don't even know if he or she is alive,” I mutter miserably. “We don't even know if it’s a boy or girl. I didn't even get to hold our baby, Aidan.”
I sob softly, and Aidan holds me tight. It's as if he knows that's exactly what I need right now. My head is so full of shit right now, I don't even know what I'm thinking or feeling.
There is a soft knock at the door, and a moment later, the doctor steps in. She's a middle-aged woman with a kind face, and sorrowful eyes. She pulls up a chair next to my bed and gives my arm a gentle squeeze.
“How are you feeling, Katie?” she asks.
It strikes me as a really stupid question. How in the hell does she think I'm feeling?
“How is my baby?” I ask. “They took it out of here so fast, I –”
“He,” she says softly.
“What?”
“He,” she repeats. “You had a baby boy.”
Aidan and I share a look. A son. We had a son. We exchange a soft smile, but the feeling of dread still overwhelms me. The doctor used the word “had.” Past tense.
“What does that mean, doctor?” Aidan asks. “You said had.”
“I'm sorry. Poor choice of words. You delivered a boy,” she corrected herself.
“And how is he?” I ask.
“He's a fighter, that one. Stubborn as all get out,” she smiles.
“But, how is he?” Aidan presses.
She sighs. “Well, he's not out of the woods yet. Being born this early presents some challenges, as I'm sure you can imagine,” she says. “So, we're going to have to keep him in the NICU for a while. We just need to make sure everything checks out before we release him.”
“How long?” I ask. “How long does he have to stay here?”
She shakes her head. “I really don't know at this point,” she says. “But, like I said, he's a fighter, and I'm very optimistic that he's going to be able to come home to you sooner, rather than later. One thing for you to keep in mind, is that at seven months, most babies are already viable. Ninety-four percent of babies born at seven months survive with no ill-effects at all. We just want to make sure that everything has developed properly, and there are no lasting complications, before sending him out into the world. It's mostly precautionary. Personally, I feel that everything is going to be okay, and that your son will be home with you soon.”
Relief explodes in my chest, and I let out a long sigh I hadn't realized I was holding. The doctor leaves us alone, and although I'm still scared, I'm cautiously optimistic.
Aidan gives me a warm smile. “See? Everything is going to be okay.”
“She also said he's not out of the woods yet.”
“Let's not give in to our dark thoughts and worst-case scenarios,” he says, and plants a kiss on my forehead. “Our boy will be coming home soon.”
“Our boy,” I say, almost dreamily. “We had a boy.”
“Yes, we did,” Aidan says.
I desperately want to feel the optimism and hope I hear in his voice. But, I'm scared to get my hopes up. Not with all the bad shit that has happened to me.
And of course, with Victor still out there, I really have no guarantees that everything will work out in the end anyway. As much as I long for the fairy tale, happily-ever-after ending, my life has read more like something from the Brothers Grimm – and that leaves me worried.
Aidan
I rub my eyes, and stifle a yawn. I don't know that I've ever felt this exhausted before. Katie was released from the hospital a couple of days after giving birth. She's a little
tired and sore still, but she's on the mend.
Since then, most of our days this past month have been spent in the NICU, watching our baby boy through the glass. It kills me to not be able to touch or hold him. My son is in there, and I'm separated by glass and the plastic box they're keeping him in.
He is getting stronger every day, and the doctor is confident he'll be able to come home soon, with no complications. That day can’t come fast enough.
In the meantime, I have some serious business that needs attending to – Victor. He's still out there, and I know he's going to take another shot at Katie. I need to keep that from happening.
“Yeah,” I say. “I needed help, yesterday, man.”
I sit at the desk in my office, staring at Davis on my computer screen. I'm not sure where he is in the world right now, but it's clear that I’d woken him up when he answered my Skype call. When he saw the look on my face, though, he became alert and awake in a heartbeat.
After getting back to my place after spending the day in the NICU, I'd sent Katie to take a bath while I made some calls. I fill Davis in on what happened, and when I finish the story, he whistles low and shakes his head.
“Holy shit. Are you guys okay?”
I grimace as I look down at the thin scar on my arm. My bigger concern is getting that asshole off the streets. Permanently.
“Yeah, I'm good,” I say. “I really need some help up here. This place is a fortress, but it's not impregnable.”
Davis nods. “I'm looking at my roster and putting together a detail right now, brother,” he says.
“I want around the clock coverage,” I say. “I don't care what it costs.”
“Cost is the least of my worries,” Davis says. “Keeping your ass out of the morgue is. I know how you are. The last thing I want is you goin' rogue cowboy if this asshole shows up.”
A wry grin touches my lips. “I'm a hands-on kind of guy, what can I say?”
“Yeah well, you're lucky the prick only had a knife on him this time. Probably figured he'd be able to easily scare her into submitting,” he says. “What if he has a gun next time?”
I let out a long breath and lean back in my chair. I haven't really stopped to think about that until now. Yeah, I guess I did get lucky Victor only had a knife on him. Next time, he very well could show up with a gun. What then? As tough as I like to think I am, I can't stop a bullet.
“Hopefully, it doesn't come to that,” I say.
“Yeah well, you better prepare yourself just in case it does.”
“I know,” I say softly. “One thing at a time though. First thing is getting some protection on Katie.”
“Agreed,” Davis says. “I'm going to send six men. Good men. They'll be able to provide round the clock coverage for Katie and your son until we find a way to take this asshole off the board.”
“Good. That's good,” I say. “I can put them up in the guesthouses out back.”
Davis nods. “Appreciate that,” he says. “Any idea where this asshole is?”
I shake my head. “Not yet. I've got a guy working on that though.”
“Good, okay,” he says. “Listen, I'm in France right now, but I'm hopping a plane, and I'm going to be there as soon as possible.”
“It's cool, Davis,” I say. “You don't have to come yourself. I trust your guys.”
“Please. You're family,” he replies. “Like I'm going to miss getting a shot at this prick. I want to be there to help take this fucker down. I have to be there.”
I give him a small, grateful smile. The truth is, I trust Davis' guys – to an extent. I don't know them and don't actually know how far they'll go to keep Katie safe. Davis vouches for them, which makes me feel a little better about it, but I'm still wary. Davis, I trust with my life – and I trust him with Katie's life. Guys I don't know, I can't give my full trust to. This is just a job for them – how invested can they really be in people like Katie and me? People they don't even know. Would they actually step in front of a blade or a bullet for us? Probably not.
“Thanks, brother,” I say. “That means more than I can say.”
“Doesn't even need to be said,” he replies. “I know you'd be there for me in a heartbeat if it were me.”
“You know it.”
“Okay, I need to go. Need to make some calls and get my guys in the air,” he says. “They'll be there tomorrow morning. I'll send you all their creds and IDs so you know exactly who you should be talking to.”
“Sounds good,” I say. “I appreciate it.”
Davis laughs. “Tell me that again when you get my bill.”
I smile and nod. “I'll talk to you soon, brother,” I say. “Keep yourself safe over there.”
“You know it.”
The screen goes dark, and from the corner of my eye, I see a figure standing in the doorway. I turn and find Katie, wearing a robe, yoga pants and a t-shirt, leaning against the doorjamb. Oliver is sitting right next to her, laying his big head against her hip, as if he knows he needs to keep an eye on her.
Her eyes are wide, and her face is drawn. She looks even paler than she normally does, and I can see the fear etched into her features. Standing there, her robe drawn tight around her body, her arms crossed protectively over her chest, she looks so small. So young, innocent, and scared that it kicks my protective instincts into a higher gear.
“Who was that?” she asks, her voice soft.
“A friend,” I say. “My best friend – who happens to own one of the premier security companies in the world. He's sending some of his best guys out here to keep us safe.”
“You mean, keep me safe,” she says.
I give her a small smile. “Semantics.”
“I'm sorry, Aidan,” she says, her voice thick with emotion.
I cock my head at her. “What in the world are you sorry for?”
“For bringing all of this down on your head,” she says.
Tears spill from her eyes and stream down her smooth cheeks. Oliver whines softly and presses himself against her a little harder. I get to my feet and cross the room, pulling her into a tight embrace. I stroke her hair and let her cry it out. Slowly, her body stops trembling and she sniffs loudly, wiping away the tears on her face. I lift her chin and make her look up at me.
“You didn't bring any of this down on me,” I say, my voice firm. “I'm right where I want to be – by your side. So, there is nothing for you to be sorry about. Nothing.”
Her smile is weak and faltering, but at least she's trying. She stands on her tiptoes and plants a soft kiss on my lips. She slowly pulls back, and I can see fear is still gripping her tightly.
“I honestly don't know what I would have done if –”
I place the tip of my finger to her lips and give her a small smile. “It doesn't matter,” I say. “It didn't come to that. You're safe. And I'm going to keep you safe.”
“I don't know what I've done to deserve you,” she says.
“If I had to guess, I'd say you were a pretty miserable SOB in another life to get saddled with me.”
She laughs and slaps my chest. “Shut up. You're perfect.”
“Hardly.”
“Well, you're perfectly imperfect, as they like to say.”
“Yeah, that sounds more accurate,” I reply.
“Let's have some cocoa,” she says.
“Sounds like a plan to me.”
I follow her down to the kitchen, kicking myself for watching the sway of her ass in her yoga pants. Now is not the time for that. Time and place, man. Time and place.
“How did you even know to come back for me that night?” she asks. “With all the craziness going on, I never stopped to ask.”
“I didn't, really,” I say. “The timing just happened to work out well enough that I looked like a hero.”
She slaps me in the chest and laughs before walking away. I take a seat on one of the stools at the center island, and watch her as she moves about the kitchen, preparing a couple of mugs of hot c
hocolate.
“Well, you are a hero,” she says softly. “You saved my life, Aidan. And probably our son’s.”
“I'm just glad I was there when I needed to be for a change,” I reply.
She presses her lips to mine, giving me a long, lingering kiss. I can feel the relief in that kiss. Her emotion. I can feel the bond between us growing even stronger. It's a good feeling. One that fills me with a joy I haven't experienced in ages.
“Seriously, though,” she asks. “How did you know?'
“Remember when I told you I had a guy keeping tabs on him in Atlanta?”
She nods. “Yeah, I remember.”
“He called me just after I dropped you off,” I say. “He told me Victor went off the grid. Disappeared. The only logical deduction for me at that point was that he was coming for you. I didn't know he was already here. But, when I saw the chair hanging out of your front window when we pulled up, I had a pretty good idea that he was. I'm just thankful that you're such a fighter.”
She smiles softly. “I only wish I were a better one.”
“We can work on that, if you’d like.”
When she looks at me, I see her eyes light up. “Really?”
I laugh. “Yeah, really.” She comes over and places two piping hot mugs of the warm chocolate brew on the table. After adding a very healthy dose of whipped cream, I hand her a mug. We sit on the stools at the center island, sipping our cocoa in silence for a few minutes. Oliver still hasn't left her side. It's like he knows he's on duty and will give his life to protect her too – just when I thought I couldn’t love the big guy more than I already do.
“Davis' guys will be here in the morning,” I say.
She nods and looks down into her mug. She's obviously still bothered at the idea that she's dragged me into the middle of her drama. What she doesn't realize, is that by letting me be here for her and keep her safe, she's doing me a world of good. In a way, it's helping me exorcize some old demons.
“So what, they're going to follow me to work and everything?” she asks.
“You're not going to work,” I say. “You're going to bunker down here until –”