Invisible Warrior (The Protectors Series) Book #11

by Teresa Gabelman

  Chapter 4

  Mira felt like such a failure. Everything she touched turned to shit, and the strange men yelling at her were not helping. Actually, it made her want to hit something. “Stop yelling at me!” She didn’t know if she said it out loud or just thought it.

  “No!” Steve growled close to her ear. “I said push and you better fucking push!”

  “Okay!” Mira growled back, but knew it was a weak effort. “Dammit!”

  With his help, she sat up and felt the beginnings of another contraction. She swore right then and there Drew would be an only child. She would never go through this again, ever. With all the strength she had, she pushed, she grunted, she cursed, she spat, and then screamed, “Men are assholes!”

  “Yeah, we are,” Steve replied from behind her as he caged her body to support her.

  Suddenly, it was as if the pressure and pain vanished, as well as any strength she had left. It wasn’t until she heard the wail of a baby, her baby, that she felt relief that things may just turn out okay. As long as her little Drew was safe, she was fine.

  “Is he okay?” she managed to say as she lay back against Steve. “Please tell me he’s okay.”

  “Well, she is fine,” Slade replied over the baby’s whimpering.

  “She?” Mira tried to sit up, but Slade was leaning in the car placing the baby on her chest.

  “Yes.” Slade had wrapped the baby in what seemed to be a pillow case. “We are going to transport you both to the nearest hospital. A Warrior will be placed at your door to keep you safe until we know what’s going on.”

  “She?” Mira stared down at the baby who lay quietly on her chest. She was supposed to be a boy. She’d known it was a boy. “But I named her Drew.”

  “So? A girl can be Drew,” Steve piped in, staring over her head at the baby. “I mean… you’ve got Drew Barrymore who is a badass Charlie’s Angel. And then there’s… ah, well, I can’t think of any right now, but she does look like a Drew to me.”

  A smile broke over her face. He was right; she did look a little like a Drew, and she loved Charlie’s Angels. “Drew it is.” Mira touched her baby’s small hand, and her heart melted as Drew’s tiny fingers wrapped around her finger. “I will always keep you safe, little one.”

  “What and who are you keeping her safe from?” Steve asked, his voice lower, calmer. His tone had changed. She’d noticed right away how protected she’d felt as she held her baby while resting against him. That feeling terrified her. She’d had that feeling… of feeling safe and protected before, but it had gone so very wrong.

  Before she could answer, Slade, along with paramedics, came with a stretcher. With assertive calm, Slade had her out of the car while Steve stood beside him holding her daughter. Mira waited on the stretcher as Slade gave detailed instructions to the paramedics with the promise that he would be at the hospital soon after. Her eyes found Drew, who was held tightly in Steve’s arms as he stared down at her. The stranger, who had not only shielded her body from bullets but had also helped her birth the only thing that mattered to her, looked up. Something in his gaze told her he was someone she would come to depend on, was someone who would take care of Drew if she weren’t able to. He was someone she needed to walk away from, but… not yet.

  “Here.” Steve stepped closer with Drew.

  Mira took the baby in her arms, but her eyes never left Steve’s. “Thank you.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Steve looked like he wanted to say something more, but he didn’t. He just smiled as he watched her and Drew being loaded into the ambulance.

  Even as Drew rested against her chest, Mira’s eyes never left those of the young Warrior. She wanted nothing more than to ask him to go with her. The doors closed, and she remained silent. It was better this way. Wasn’t it?

  ******

  Steve watched the ambulance pull away and felt a loss he’d never experienced before. Did she have family? Did she have anyone or was she alone? Who the fuck wanted to hurt her and why? Who in the hell was Sloan going to put on watch for her because as far as he could tell, no one went with the ambulance? His brain buzzed with unanswered questions.

  “Come on, Steve.” Adam walked past him. “Sloan wants us in his office.”

  Steve nodded, but his eyes stayed on the ambulance until it disappeared. Within the past hour, something significant had happened, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what the hell it was. He felt off and didn’t like it. Following Adam, his eyes roamed the front of the compound to see the holes from the bullets. Instantly, he was pissed off. Who the fuck did they think they were… shooting up the VC Compound and trying to harm a pregnant woman? “Motherfuckers!”

  “What?” Adam glanced over his shoulder at Steve as they entered Sloan’s office.

  Steve just shook his head, walked to the back of the room where his normal spot was, and leaned against the wall, trying to shake the weird feelings rushing him. His eyes counted everyone in the room, and he noticed that all but Jax were there. He hoped to hell Jax was headed to the hospital with Mira.

  His hopes were dashed when Jax walked in with the woman who had brought Mira to the compound, along with Ronan and Nicole. His anger soared as his eyes went to Sloan. Why in the fuck hadn’t he sent anyone yet? He didn’t know exactly what had happened out there since he was in the car with Mira, but he knew they didn’t get them all. Hell, they didn’t even know who the hell they were, so there was no way to even know.

  “Who is she?” Sloan asked the woman, and Steve’s whole attention went straight to her.

  “All I know is she came into the office and talked to Mitch, who is on his way here now,” the woman replied, her voice low and a little shaky. “Mitch called me in and told me to bring her here to talk to you.”

  “She didn’t say anything to you on the way here?” Sloan asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

  “No, she was very quiet and acting nervous. Looking around a lot.” She cleared her throat. “It wasn’t until we pulled in that she said we were followed. And you know the rest.”

  Sloan was quiet for a second before he nodded. Nicole escorted the woman out and closed the door behind her. Steve was ready to ask who the fuck was going to guard Mira when Sloan turned and punched the wall not once, but twice. Ah, yeah, he’d hold that thought for a minute.

  No one said a word as the tension in the room built to a dangerous level. It seemed like Steve wasn’t the only one with funky feelings.

  “I don’t know what the fuck happened, and I don’t really give a shit because what’s done is done, but I want whoever is behind this shit found and brought to me.” Sloan’s voice sounded like it was forced from his throat. “No one comes to my fucking house and shoots it up without dying. One of our human mates could have been hit, not to mention Daniel.”

  “We know of two who got away. The one we caught and the one Steve had both took a bullet to the head by their own hands,” Duncan said, his frown slashed across his face.

  “And because of that fact, we know from previous history that whoever is behind this shit is powerful.” Sloan cursed, slamming his hand on the desk. “But he’s signed his own death warrant today because the motherfucker will be found.”

  “So since we are all here, who’s guarding Mira and the baby?” Steve finally spoke up. He actually didn’t give a shit about any of this at the moment. All he could think about was Mira and Drew being alone.

  “I’m heading there now,” Slade said as he checked his phone. “They just pulled into the hospital. As soon as she is able, I have a feeling she has the answers to what we need to know.”

  “Keep me informed,” Sloan ordered as Slade headed toward the door.

  “Will do.” Slade paused, looking back at Steve. “Hell of a job you did today, Steve.”

  If Slade hadn’t said his name, Steve would have looked around to see who the hell Slade had been talking about. Slade never said shit to him most of the time and to praise him was unheard of. “Yeah, tha
nks” was all his brain and mouth could form.

  Mitch and Nicole walked in as Slade hurried out. “Jesus, looks like a damn war zone out there,” Mitch said, as soon as he entered the room. “Is everyone okay?”

  “All but two assholes who took their own lives rather than being taken into custody,” Sloan answered with a growl.

  Steve was anxious to hear what Mitch had to say as he figured the other Warriors were because they were extremely quiet. Guess it was a scare to them knowing their mates had been in danger and it had happened in a matter of minutes.

  “What do you know about the girl?” Sloan asked. He still stood in front of his desk. It seemed they were all on edge waiting for something else to happen.

  “Not much.” Mitch shook his head. “Obviously since I let one of my employees bring her here, I didn’t think there was any immediate danger.”

  “Piper was pretty shaken up. She put her own life on the line to make sure she was taken care of,” Nicole said, then glared up at Mitch. “I think she deserves one hell of a raise.”

  “And you still think too much and are still trying to do my damn job, Callahan,” Mitch grouched back. “Until you come back to work, I don’t have to listen to you.”

  “You miss me and you know it,” Nicole said with a smug grin.

  Mitch rolled his eyes at her before looking toward Sloan. “Mira came in saying she needed help. At first I thought she was just some pregnant young woman with no place to go, but then she said someone was after her and was going to take her baby.”

  Steve came off the wall, his attention sharp.

  “Who and why?” Sloan asked, his voice impatient.

  “She wouldn’t say.” Mitch looked around at all the Warriors. “She wanted a place to stay, a place to hide out. I couldn’t chance putting her in one of the women’s centers because of the possible danger to others, so I asked Piper to bring her here hoping you all could not only help her but find out what the hell was really going on. I tried to call but got your answering service, so I left a message. Guess you didn’t get it.”

  “No, I didn’t.” Sloan frowned, then cursed. “Has there been anything happening your end that may clue us in on what the fuck is going on?”

  “No real red signs other than the normal shit we’ve been dealing with,” Mitch answered. “But that doesn’t mean something isn’t coming. New shit that makes my blood run cold happens weekly.”

  Sloan nodded. “Well, if you hear of anything, let me know, and we’ll keep you informed on what’s going on this end.”

  “I appreciate it.” Mitch nodded. “How’s the girl doing? Nicole said she gave birth during all the shit going down.”

  “Slade just went to the hospital to check on her and the baby,” Sloan replied. “We’ll make sure she’s taken care of until it’s safe.”

  Steve listened to everything being said, his anxiety building. He wished like fuck Sloan would get on with it.

  As soon as Mitch left, Sloan looked at each Warrior. “This was a deliberate attack against us. Whether they were after the girl or not, this is war declared upon our compound. And I will repeat I want all involved brought before me. No matter what it takes.”

  “So does that mean…?” Sid’s voice was calm with an underlying anger edging his words.

  “Yes, it means exactly that.” Sloan glanced back at Adam, Steve, and Jill. “The old ways have been enacted by me, and the Warriors will make sure you three are informed on exactly what that means.”

  “It means we don’t give a fuck about the rules,” Sid added with a sadistic edge to his grin.

  “Exactly.” Jared stood from where he’d silently sat. “There are no longer any rules.”

  “Now, who wants to head to the hospital to help Slade? He’s going to be busy with doctor stuff, and we all know he takes that shit seriously so I doubt he will press her on what she knows.” Sloan glanced around, and Steve felt like his eyes glanced past him real quick.

  “I’ll do it.” Steve stepped up and knew he was going to have to plead his case as always. “I think she will confide in me.”

  “I agree.” Jax nodded toward Steve. “She seemed real comfortable with the kid.”

  Steve frowned at the kid remark but kept quiet and refrained from telling Jax to kiss his “kid” ass. He wasn’t in the mood for their shit, but he also wasn’t in the mood to have his ass kicked.

  “Don’t fuck up,” Sloan warned before he dismissed everyone.

  Steve nodded then headed out of the office, passing everyone without saying a word. Once again, he felt the need to prove himself to everyone. Actually, Sloan giving in that easily took him by surprise, but perhaps maybe he was finally getting some credit.

  Chapter 5

  Mira waited until Slade walked out of the room before frantically looking around. Dammit, she’d left her bag in the car. She had to get her bag. Her clothes were a mess and she guessed thrown away because they were nowhere to be seen. She was stuck and wasn’t that just her luck.

  Drew was asleep in a little crib next to her bed now. When they’d first arrived, Slade had wanted to take her for tests, but Mira only agreed after Slade had promised to stay with Drew the whole time and bring her back. She hadn’t breathed until her baby had been returned safely to her side. Slade reassured her that Drew was healthy and that she, herself, would be fine, even though the birth had been a little traumatic.

  Laying her head back on the pillow, she looked over to watch Drew sleep. Her heart was full of love for her precious baby already, and she would die protecting her. No one would ever hurt her daughter. Ever. She didn’t even realize she was crying until there was a knock on her door and it opened. Mira looked that way. The figure standing there was blurred by tears.

  “Hey, why the tears?”

  She blinked a few times to clear her vision, but she already knew Steve’s voice. The relief at seeing him worried her, yet at that moment she didn’t care.

  “I think it’s all hitting me now that I know she’s safe.” Mira sniffed through fresh tears. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve got first watch.” He grinned, walking closer. “And I figured you needed this.”

  “First watch?” Mira frowned, then sighed in relief when she saw her bag in his hand. “I can’t believe I forgot that. It’s all I have.”

  “Well, you did have other more important things going on.” Steve handed her the bag before looking down at Drew, who was swaddled comfortably and sound asleep.

  “Yes, I did.” Mira smiled also staring at her child. “I still can’t believe he is a she.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing.” Steve looked from Drew to her with a serious expression. “Guys are assholes.”

  “I said that, didn’t I?” Mira chuckled with a shake of her head. “In my defense, I was in a fair amount of pain and had two men yelling at me.”

  “Yeah, but men are assholes, and this beauty is going to be fighting them off.” Steve’s voice turned from joking to serious. “She needs to learn defense.”

  Surprise flittered through Mira by the quick change of Steve’s mood. “I’ll make sure I sign her up as soon as she learns how to open her eyes.” She made light of what Steve said to ease the tension that became thick in the room.

  Steve laughed and shook his head. “Sorry, got a little ahead of myself there.”

  Before either could say anything else, Slade walked in. “Hey, Steve.” Slade nodded at him. “Sloan send you?”

  “Yeah, I’ll post outside the door until relief gets here.” Steve stepped aside to allow Slade beside her baby. “I was just bringing in Mira’s bag that she left in the car.”

  “Do me a favor and call Jill. Ask her to pick up some clothes for Mira and the baby,” Slade ordered as he did a quick check of Drew. He then turned his attention toward Mira. “Just let Steve know your size and he can tell Jill.”

  “Thank you.” Mira felt tremendous relief and gratitude toward the doctor. “Is there any way I can take a showe
r?”

  Slade’s handsome face was hard to read as he stared down at her. She remembered Steve calling him Dr. Hottie. Actually, she thought she called him the same because Steve had, but he definitely wasn’t her type. Her eyes looked away and landed on Steve. Her birthmark above her right breast warmed to the point of throbbing. Oh God, this could not be happening. Not now and definitely not with a VC Warrior.

  “If you go slowly and use the showering bench inside the shower,” Slade finally spoke, taking her mind off Steve and her birthmark that was not just a blemish of skin but a curse she despised. “You didn’t lose a lot of blood, but you may be shaky. You don’t have stitches so soap is fine right away.”

  “Sweet!” Mira smiled, excited at the prospect of feeling clean and human again. She was itchy from the dried blood. While the nurses had done their best at cleaning her up when she came in, nothing compared to a nice warm shower.

  “If you think you need help, I can have a nurse come in—”

  “No!” Mira said almost too quickly. “No, thanks. I’ve got it.”

  Slade nodded, then headed toward the door. “If you need anything, let me know. And if you’re both still doing this well tonight, I will probably discharge you tomorrow.”

  Mira watched the door close behind Slade with a frown as her eyes went to Drew. Damn, she hadn’t planned this far ahead yet. Tomorrow was too soon.

  “You don’t have anywhere to go,” Steve said. It wasn’t a question.