Breathless (Goose Creek Book 4)

by Lee Wardlow

  She sighed into the phone.

  “Nova, I can’t help if I don’t know what it is.”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “What?” He nearly shouted at her.

  “I’m eleven weeks pregnant Jamie. The baby is yours.” She didn’t know if she needed to clarify it or not but she had anyway. The way things were going in her life she wasn’t confidant about the men she had been choosing. He didn’t say anything.

  “Jamie?”

  “I’m here,” he replied. She couldn’t tell how he was feeling from just those two words.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

  “Why did you wait so long to tell me?” His words were troubled and husky.

  “I was burying my head in the sand. Jamie, I just went to the doctor last week and confirmed it.”

  He was quiet again.

  “Where the hell are you? I’m coming to get you.”

  She could hear the emotion in his voice.

  “Jamie, I’ll be there tomorrow after I see Zach. Stay there where you belong.”

  “We need to talk in person, dammit.”

  “I know Jamie. I already told you when this was over we would sit down and talk.”

  “I love you Nova. I’ve never said that to another woman.” She could hear his voice breaking as he said those words to her and it made her tear up herself. “Please don’t keep my child from me. I know you’re angry at me and you have every right to be. I put us in this position where our relationship was compromised by allowing the FBI to put those cameras in my penthouse but I never meant to hurt you. I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Jamie, I just need more time. I think. I felt sick when I saw those pictures. Heard us making love on those tapes that the Senator played for me. His threats with exposure if I didn’t get Zach to cooperate with them was just devastating to me.”

  “I do understand Nova.”

  “Beau has been refusing to take Dallas Danner’s calls. It’s hurt their relationship too. When Harper and Jorga found out what he had done from their husbands they were angry at him too.”

  “You can’t play with people’s lives and not get burned Nova. You aren’t feeling sorry for him are you?”

  “No,” she replied. “I feel badly for Beau and Dallas’s daughters.”

  “Nova, how are you?” He asked suddenly realizing he hadn’t even asked how she was doing.

  She laughed softly into the phone. “I’m fine Jamie. I have morning sickness which is how I figured out I was pregnant. I’m sleepy all the time. Another symptom of pregnancy. I have a little baby bump.”

  Damn, he wanted to see her. He pressed his fingers into his eyes to stop the flood of tears that wanted to escape. He was a Navy Seal. Seals don’t cry.

  “You get your ass here tomorrow as soon as possible or I will track you down,” he finally said.

  “Now wait a minute,” she said to him.

  “Nova, don’t argue. Just get here. I need to know you are safe.”

  “All right Jamie.”

  They said goodnight after that. He didn’t want to let her off the phone but she was tired. He didn’t sleep much that night. In his mind, he was trying to picture her belly getting big with their baby. It wasn’t something that he could see in his mind. He just wanted to see her for real, in person. He wanted to hold her.

  In the morning, she woke early. She wanted to be at the prison when the visiting hours started. Nova checked out of the hotel dressed in jeans and a cotton tee shirt with flip flops on her feet. She wanted to be comfortable.

  At the prison, the guard at the door recognized her. He was a nice guy. A big guy. He smiled and teased her. “You think he’ll see you this time?”

  “Can you lie to him and tell him his lawyer is here?”

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “Is it his baby?” He asked softly.

  “If it will get me into see him it is.”

  He laughed at her.

  “You sure are spunky for such a tiny thing.”

  He was six feet seven. Anyone would be tiny next to him.

  “Zach is my cousin. We lived together before he was arrested and incarcerated. He was my best friend and I miss him.”

  The man leaned on the counter. He was looking into her eyes. He could tell she was young. Those eyes of hers, wide and innocent. So much sadness behind them. Prison did that to families of the incarcerated. “All right.”

  “All right?”

  “I’ll tell them to let him know his lawyer is here.”

  She cupped his cheeks in her hands before either of them knew what she was doing, she planted a huge kiss on his cheek. He flushed pink to the roots of his auburn hair.

  “Sorry,” she told him. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

  “That’s all right. It isn’t every day that I get a peck on the cheek by a pretty lady like yourself.”

  “Thank you.”

  He let her in to the visiting area. There were other inmates sitting at tables talking to relatives, friends or attorneys. Everyone having a story of their own. She wondered if they were all as sad as hers.

  She watched them while she waited nervously for Zach. She heard the door open. She saw him looking around. His eyes connected with hers and she could see the irritation on his face.

  His hair had grown in the two months he had been here. His face was scruffy with whiskers. His eyes were harder. The guard behind him gave him a little shove and he shut the door behind him. Zach looked over his shoulder at the closed door then he looked at Nova across the room.

  She rose to her feet hoping he would come to her. He finally did. She laid her head on his chest. She wanted to get lost in his comfort. He kissed her head.

  “Sit down,” he grumbled. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Nova sat across from Zach who had already sat down. He was looking at her stomach. “Are you pregnant?” He asked.

  “I am. I needed you. My best friend. I’m scared Zach.”

  “Why are you scared?” He asked tenderly. Since her arrival he had kept a hardness about him to protect himself. Slowly he was letting it down; the minute that he saw her.

  “I lost you. Jamie. My job. Then I found out I was pregnant.”

  “How did you lose Jamie?”

  “Those pictures, the video. The tape of us making love. I just couldn’t believe he put us in that position.”

  He reached across the table and took her hand. “Nova, he didn’t mean to. He loves you.”

  “I felt violated by the Senator. By Jamie.”

  “I understand the Senator. He set up Jamie too but not him Nova. He wouldn’t hurt you. You have to trust him.”

  She nodded her head. “I just told him about the baby last night.”

  “Last night? Did you wait long enough Nova?” Zach scoffed.

  “I just found out last week Zach.”

  He shook his head. “Nova, stop. Just stop. He’s not Tyler.”

  “This is why I needed you.” She wiped the tears from her face.

  “I didn’t want you to see me here,” he told her.

  She looked across the table. Their eyes met. “I love you no matter what Zachariah and I’m going to keep coming back. Please say you’ll see me?” Nova waited for him to respond.

  He shook his head. “I’ve missed you too,” he said gruffly.

  “How are you?”

  “It’s not exactly Sugar Run,” he laughed harshly.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I am. Is Jamie taking down my firewall soon?” Zach looked around like he was trying to determine if anyone was listening.

  “As soon as I get to the reservation.”

  “Have they taken precaution to protect everyone? Just in case?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He was nodding his head comforted that everyone would be safe.

  She squeezed his hand. “Do you think it will work Zach?”

  “Yes, I do. They aren’t so savvy technically which is why th
ey needed me. Their half-ass hackers. Good at getting in but not so good at covering their tracks.”

  “Why did you do this?”

  “Because I could.” She gazed at him with skepticism.

  “How did you find them?”

  “They found me.”

  “You’re going to be all right Zach,” she told him hopefully.

  “We both are,” he replied.

  Nova had to leave. She had over a three-hour drive to get back to the reservation. She stood with Zach for a moment. Not wanting to leave him but now he finally agreed to see her again.

  “I’ll be back,” she whispered softly.

  “I assumed you would be,” he told her gruffly.

  “I love you Zachariah. Don’t shut me out anymore. I need you.”

  “All right already. Get going so you are safe on the reservation.”

  She was let out of the visitor’s room. She told the guard at the door goodbye. She would see him again soon. “My name is Jim,” he told her sticking his hand out to her.

  “Nova,” she replied.

  “I’ll see you soon Nova.”

  “You will. Zach is going to be here a really long time. Next time we don’t have to lie. He agreed to see me.”

  He chuckled. “I can imagine that most would have a difficult time telling you no.”

  “Oh trust me, Zachariah has told me no plenty of times.”

  Jim just laughed at her. Nova walked out into the light. She didn’t know how Zach survived being locked away. She knew now that she needed to convince Beau to come here soon to see his son.

  She knew why he was staying away. He was disappointed in Zach. Disappointed in himself. He felt that he had failed Zachariah. She took out her phone and called Beau.

  “I thought you were supposed to be on the reservation,” he told her.

  “I came to see Zach first. I had to. You need to as well.” She leaned against the car. “I’ve missed him so much Beau.”

  “I know. I have to. How is he? I’ve been worried about him.”

  “I think he’s okay. Will you go with me next time?”

  He hesitated. “I will. Now get your ass to the reservation.”

  “Yes sir. Heading there now. Just need to stop for a bite to eat.”

  “Morning sickness bothering you still?” He asked. Nova gasped into the phone.

  “How did you know?”

  He chuckled. “Nova, I’ve had three kids of my own. Four grandchildren. Watched Lola be sick quite a bit as well with the twins. I was waiting for you to tell me.”

  “I just confirmed it last week.”

  “Have you told Jamie?”

  “I did last night on the phone. It wasn’t really how I wanted to tell him but he knew something was wrong.”

  She heard the little grunt of acknowledgement. “I love you Beau. Thank you for always being there for us.”

  “I love you too Nova. Get on the road.”

  She hung up with Beau and climbed behind the wheel of her little car. She fired up the motor when her phone dinged. Nova picked it up and looked at it.

  You are the key to Zachariah. We are watching you.

  She frowned. There was no number to identify where the message came from.

  It would a shame if something happened to you or your baby.

  Nova glanced around. She saw no one in the parking lot but herself. She took out her phone and called Jamie.

  “Hey,” he said when he heard her voice. “Are you heading back now?”

  “You need to call me back?”

  He disconnected immediately and called her on his secure phone. She answered as soon as she saw his call coming through.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I received a threatening text message. No number.”

  “What did it say?” He asked. His tone had become quieter.

  “I don’t want to tell you,” she rasped.

  “Dammit Nova. Tell me what it said.”

  “I’m the key to Zachariah. They are watching me.” She heard him breathing a little harder. Then it became muffled. She knew he had his hand over his mouth. “Jamie, the last one said…it would be a shame if something happened to me or my baby.”

  Nova heard shuffling. Then someone else took the phone. “Nova, it’s Mark.”

  “Where’s Jamie?”

  “He’s cooling off,” he replied. “Where are you sweetheart?”

  “I’m still in the parking lot at the prison. I just left Zach.”

  “You’re three and half hours away from us.”

  “I am.”

  “Stay put.”

  “Mark, could I go to a drive through? My nausea is getting worse. I need some food.”

  “Nausea?”

  “Morning sickness.”

  “Christ in heaven.” She heard him sigh heavily into the phone. “I’ll tell him you went to get food. Text my phone where you are going. We want to know where you are at all times.”

  She went to a local restaurant that looked friendly enough and went inside. The server brought her water, cottage cheese and crackers right away. It helped to settle her stomach. Something light.

  She texted Mark’s phone and Jamie’s and told them where she was. She waited to see what they wanted her to do.

  “Mark,” she said when her phone rang. It was his number calling her.

  “Hey, I’m going to call you right back.”

  “Okay.”

  She answered when the secure call came through. “Where’s Jamie?”

  He chuckled. “We’re contemplating tying him down at the moment. George and Kale are talking to him. We need him here. We need you safe.”

  “So what’s the plan? Am I driving to the reservation?”

  “No you aren’t. Seamus is on his way to get you. You’re going to leave your car there.”

  “Seamus O’Leary?”

  “One and the same,” Mark agreed.

  Seamus had protected Lola when Bastian, Solon and their mother were after her for the death of Landry Shepherd. Their brother and son. She knew him well.

  “He’ll be there in about an hour and half. Can you just stay put in the restaurant?”

  “Sure. I’ll keep buying food. The baby will love it.” Mark chuckled. “Mark, let me talk to Jamie.”

  She heard him walking across the hardwood floors. They must be at Mark’s home. She thought his was the only one completely outfitted with hardwood floors. “She wants to talk to you,” Mark told his nephew.

  “Nova,” he said her name. She could tell he was irritated. With her?

  “Are you okay?”

  “No, dammit. I’m not.”

  “Jamie, you need to focus on what you need to do.”

  “How?” He snapped. “How do I do that? Someone is threatening you and our baby.”

  “I understand that Seamus is coming to get me. He’ll protect me, Jamie so that you can focus.”

  “I should be protecting you.”

  “Jamie, we’ll be fine. I promise. Focus on what you need to do so I can come home.”

  “All right,” he agreed. “Keep in touch with us. I need to know you’re all right.”

  “I will,” she promised.

  She stared out the window and waited. She kept ordering things off the menu. Good thing she had picked up cash on the way out of town. She didn’t want to use credit cards if someone was tracking her. She didn’t need to make it too easy on them.

  An hour and half passed and right on time, Seamus O’Leary walked into the restaurant. She hadn’t seen him in a while. He wasn’t a lot taller than her. She was used to the tall men that surrounded her daily. Kale, Beau, Zach, Colton. Jamie.

  She had missed him. She had wanted to talk to him especially after she discovered she was pregnant.

  “Seamus, how are you?”

  The man was about George and Beau’s age. Mid-fifties. He tipped his ball cap back on his head. His eyes reminded her of Kale’s eyes. She smiled at him.

  “Da
mn, they didn’t tell me that you were pregnant. What is it with you Daughtry girls getting pregnant and attracting danger?” He teased her. She could see the wicked gleam in his eye.

  “I don’t know. I don’t think it was Lola’s fault any more than this is my fault.”

  “If somebody had gone to the reservation last night instead of going to the prison she might be where she was supposed to be.”

  “I see they left nothing out.” She huffed at him. “You know you can turn around and head right back to your mountain old man. I don’t need you.”

  Seamus burst out laughing. When he stopped, he leaned closer to Nova. “Actually you do.”

  She rolled her eyes at him.

  “Just like your sister. This is going to be fun.” He took his phone out of his shirt pocket and dialed a number. She didn’t know who he was calling. “I’m here. As soon as I eat something we’ll hit the road and head towards my cabin.” He disconnected his phone. Looked at Nova and said, “Turn that off.”

  “What?”

  “Your phone,” he replied. “They can track you by the pings. Jamie’s going to monitor your phone from his end for any other messages.”

  She reluctantly turned off her phone. He held out his hand.

  “What now?”

  “Give me the phone.”

  She slapped the phone in his hand and scowled at him. “Isn’t it enough that I turned it off? What if I want to talk to Jamie?”

  “You can call him from my phone. It isn’t traceable.”

  “Fine.”

  “Did you get enough to eat baby girl? We’re gonna be on the road for a while.”

  She couldn’t help herself. Nova smiled at his tenderness. His concern. Outwardly, he appeared rough but inside he was a big teddy bear when it came to the women in his life which weren’t many. His family was important to him. She realized that she was family to him like everyone else.

  “I’ll be fine for a while. I’ve been eating for the last two hours while I waited on you.”

  “You can’t eat like that your whole pregnancy Nova. You’ll gain a ton. We have to have healthy weight gain to have a healthy baby.”

  “Where did you learn so much about babies Seamus?”

  “When Lola got pregnant,” he declared. “I started reading.”

  “Good thing you did too.”

  The waitress took his order. He wanted a double cheeseburger with everything. An order of French fries. Could she make them crispier than usual? Nova cringed. A vanilla milkshake.