30
Chapter 30
Ranger had never felt anything as right as Amy in his arms. She had a death grip on him, but dammit, he liked it. He liked it so much he completely ignored the throbbing pain in his thigh from taking on her extra weight. If he could hold her like this forever, they could cut his damn leg off for all he cared.
Ranger locked onto Amy’s deep brown eyes, and the worry reflected in her gaze sent a wave of euphoria rushing through him like he’d hit the lottery. When he lowered his head to hers, unable to resist brushing a kiss across her trembling lips, he knew he had won.
Those tears in her eyes were for him. Those blubbering sobs were for him. Her arms were around him. If he’d been a caveman, he would pound on his chest and yell out, Mine. But Ranger subdued that primal instinct and instead squeezed her against him tighter.
When Santos had held that gun to his head on the mission he’d thought he would be coming back to Amy in a casket. If it hadn’t been for his brother’s quick thinking and even better aim with his gun, Ranger would be dead. And Amy would be alone. Again.
Because of that, though, Hunter had to take out Santos, thereby killing their chance at finding solid intel. TF-S had taken as many of the Lobellos alive as possible, but Santos had been the key.
Ranger heard another vehicle coming down the drive at high speed. The pipes and skidding stop proclaimed the driver without him having to look. Only one female in Mercy drove like she belonged in NASCAR.
“Slow down before you bust your ass.” Cheri, owner of the vehicle in question, said.
“Amy!”
Ranger sighed and didn’t bother turning around. He knew Evie’s voice like he knew his sidearm.
“Hunter James, you tell me what is going on right now. Where is Amy?” Evie was right behind him now and Ranger knew he should step to the side, but Amy felt too damn good. And every time he looked down at her he got lost. Someone could walk up and fire off a missile right now and he’d die happy.
“Ranger if you don’t let my wife see that her friend is okay I’m going to kick your ass. And we both know that I can do it.” Hunter stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, glaring at Ranger.
“The last time you kicked my ass, I was ten years old and you’d just hit a growth spurt,” Ranger said.
Hunter relaxed and leaned against the wall, one ankle crossed over the other. “You know, I don’t think I’ll be the one kicking your ass. I believe I’ll let my wife do the job.”
“Let me see her before she has a panic attack,” Amy’s voice trembled but a smile played at her lips.
“They’re going to have to pry me off you with a crowbar, honey. I haven’t seen you in two days.”
“How about a tire iron?” Evie did not sound happy at all.
Ranger knew he should move, but for some reason his arm wouldn’t unbend from around her.
Then Amy cupped his cheek with her incredibly soft palm and he knew he’d found his heaven. “How about we resume this conversation later tonight?”
Her whispered words struck a match inside him, setting off a forest fire of desire. Unable to make his brain coordinate his lips to respond, he simply nodded, stepped to the side and adjusted his pants to hide the instant hard on her words had caused.
He barely cleared the way when Evie flew past, swooping in like a hawk on her prey, pulling Amy into a fierce hug. Cheri, the final tip of the triangle of friends, stood behind the two, studying her deep red nails as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“Don’t you ever, ever, ever, scare me like that again. I was worried sick about you.” Evie held Amy at arm’s length, giving her a once over.
“And when she says sick, she means literally. We would’ve been here five minutes ago if I didn’t have to stop and clean out the front seat of my Charger.” Cheri’s drawl drew everyone’s attention.
“You threw up again?” Amy said.
“What do you mean, again?” Hunter stepped in crowding his wife.
Evie reached over and patted Hunter’s arm as if trying to soothe a wild beast. “Nothing to worry about. Just a little stomach bug. I feel better already.” Evie turned and glared at Cheri. “And if you didn’t drive like a blind woman on crack, I wouldn’t have gotten carsick in the first place.”
Cheri lifted a dark brow. “Please. Why don’t you just admit you’re pregnant?”
Forget a missile, Cheri dropped a bomb. The room went post-apocalypse silent.
“Pregnant?” Hunter turned the most amazing color of red. More like crimson.
As deep red as Hunter had turned, Evie turned just as white. “I’m not pregnant. I have a stomach bug.”
Glad to have the attention off himself, Ranger yanked Amy back to his chest.
Cheri snorted and propped a hand on her hip. “Yeah. Tell that to the baby growing in your belly.”
“You’re pregnant?” Amy echoed.
“I am not pregnant! I would freaking know if I was pregnant for Christ sake. I can’t have a baby.” Her words trailed off, ending thin and broken like one-ply toilet paper.
“So you started abstaining, have you?” Cherri said.
Hunter’s gaze ping ponged from Cherri, to his wife and back again.
“No, but, but.”
Cheri cut in. “So you started using protection?”
“Oh. My. God.” Evie’s hand fell to her belly.
“You forget that I’m the youngest of four girls. I know the second a woman gets pregnant. And honey, you’re most definitely pregnant.”
“I’m going to be a father?” Hunter said.
“Yep. I mean, I’d stop at the drugstore and get a pregnancy test and everything, but my preggo radar is pretty damn good,” Cherri said.
Ranger leaned on a crutch and extended a hand to his brother, “Congratulations.”
Hunter took his hand, his eyes glassy, his face slack. Ranger almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
Evie looked like she was going to hyperventilate. Or puke. And Ranger sincerely hoped it was the previous. The only thing he could handle less than crying was puking.
“But I don’t know what to do with a kid,” Evie said.
“That’s not true. Look how much you’ve helped me with Chloe. You’re going to be a wonderful mother,” Amy said.
Bo Lawson butted in, “And hopefully it’ll be a girl just as pretty as you.”
The vein in Hunter’s temple popped and throbbed. “Shut your mouth before I shut it for you.”
“Think about it. Hunter James with a teenage girl. Oh the poetic justice is just too perfect.” Bo kept going, either completely unafraid or insane. Either way, the outcome would be the same.
“Don’t listen to him, he’s just trying to get a rise out of you.” Evie pulled her husband close. “Besides, we both know with your genes we’re going to have a boy.”
Ranger met Hunter’s gaze over the top of Evie’s blonde head. He knew what Hunter was thinking without him having to say a word. It would be the same thought that Ranger would have. He couldn’t have a boy. Too much risk of him turning out to be like their biological father. A man who would rather murder his own wife than let her leave. A man that tried to beat his children to death.
Not many children had the luxury of escaping such a monster. But Ranger and Hunter had. And they’d been lucky enough to find Hank James, a man unafraid to adopt two homeless boys off the street and raise them as his own. But no matter how well raised, they would never forget their past. The risk of repeating their father’s mistake was too real.
Ranger sent up a silent prayer right then and there that it would be a girl.
“Let’s go.” Hunter grabbed Evie’s hand and started dragging her from the room.
“Go where?”
“To the drugstore. We’re getting a pregnancy test. No. We’re getting ten pregnancy tests.”
“I’m pretty sure one does the trick.” Cheri deftly stepped to the side as Hunter plowed out the front door.
Hunter
growled and Cheri threw her hands up in the air. “Okay buddy, buy ‘em all. See if I’m wrong.”
Evie managed a quick glance back, even as Hunter pulled her faster. “Sorry about your car, but thanks for the ride over.”
“You got it, babe.”
“Call me and let me know what the test says,” Amy called out.
Hunter didn’t give his wife time to respond. He opened the door to his truck, and put her inside, buckling her like a child and then climbing into the driver side and spun out in a hurry.
“There ain’t no way I’m wrong. She’s been downright moody. Hell, when you dropped her call earlier she started crying. When’s the last time you knew that girl to cry? And the puking. You don’t have to call me Dr. Oz, but I know pregnant,” Cheri said.
“Seems like you were the only one.” Ranger took a deep breath and inhaled Amy’s shampoo. Her hair hung loose between them, the soft strands like silk as he rubbed his cheek against the top of her head.
“I almost feel sorry for your brother. But then again, I think this child will be a good thing for them,” Cheri said.
“Why?” Ranger knew he shouldn’t keep the conversation going, especially if he wanted to get some alone time with Amy, but he couldn’t help but ask.
“Cause, no matter how much they love each other and how lucky they are to have found that kind of love, there is still a darkness in Hunter. Something I sense lurking inside. Something that needs more than a good woman to drive it out.”
“Don’t you think that could be a side effect of his job?” Bo arched a blond brow.
“No. I think there’s more to it than that, not that I expect someone like you to understand,” Cheri said.
“Someone like me? What the hell does that mean?” Bo spread out his arms, his eyes wide and waiting.
“A stickin-the-mud. You know. Charlie Brown. You see only what you want to see. I can’t help it if you’re unenlightened.”
“Woman, I’ve seen more in my life than you could ever dream. Just because I don’t believe in psychobabble doesn’t mean I’m a freaking stick.”
“No, it just means you’re boring.” Cheri poked her nail in the sheriff’s chest, all but daring him to a challenge.
“Do something,” Amy whispered to Ranger.
“Sorry, honey, but this is just getting good.” Ranger had been waiting way too long for someone to put Sheriff Lawson in his place. Now it appeared a redhead was about to unleash on his ass.
“Who the hell do you think you are? You know nothing about me. Absolutely nothing.” Bo puffed out his chest, stretching the tan uniform taught.
“I know you’re too scared to take chances.” Cheri leaned in, unrelenting. Her head barely reached Bo’s chest, but she didn’t back down. Not one inch.
“Do you know what I do for a living? I take a chance with my life every day I go out on patrol.” The ever calm and cool Bo Lawson had disappeared, in his place was a man on a ledge, jaw clenched. Hands clenched. The tension between the two was practically sparking.
“Not your life. Your relationships. You keep those quiet little mouse girls around just long enough, then you cut ties. Why? Aren’t you bored with doormats for girlfriends?”
“If you’re so damn worried about my love life, why don’t you offer a suggestion?” Bo leaned down, getting nearly nose to nose with Cheri.
Ranger wanted to ask Amy to place a bet on the winner, but he didn’t want to break the two apart.
“I have. You’re just too blind to see.” Cheri turned on her heel and stormed from the room.
“What the hell does that mean?” Bo threw up his hands.
“Don’t you worry your sweet little head about it, sugar.” Cheri walked to her car, blew Bo a kiss and got inside. Her engine cranked with a loud growl.
“Your friend is freaking nuts,” Bo said.
Amy bit her lip, her obvious attempt to hold back a grin failing miserably. “Not nuts, just a little different. More like a raw uncut diamond.”
“Yeah, right, and I’m a precious ruby.”
31
Chapter 31
“So what’s for supper?” Bo’s lack of compunction had Ranger’s teeth on edge. No way was he staying for supper and interrupting their alone time.
Ranger opened his mouth to tell him to fuck off, but Amy beat him to the punch. “Meatloaf. I’ve got plenty. Why don’t ya’ll go sit in the kitchen and I’ll finish up after I check on the kids.”
Bo lead, Ranger following on his crutches. Ranger took a seat at the table, directly across from the sheriff. Bo took off his cowboy-style sheriff’s hat and hung it on the back of the chair. The setting sun turned the white tables and chairs a bright yellow. Cheery multi-colored place mats and napkins littered the small round table. If it weren’t for an uninvited guest and a broken back door, the room would be downright cheery.
Amy came into the kitchen a minute later and placed a hand on Ranger’s shoulder. “Arturo’s locked into the Kids Channel and Chloe’s still asleep.”
Ranger covered her hand with his own.
“Can I help with anything?” Bo asked.
“No, ya’ll just relax. I’m almost done. Can I get you something to drink?” Amy said.
“Tea, if you’ve got it,” Bo said.
Ranger gnashed his teeth, barely holding back the need to pick Bo up and toss him bodily out of the house. “Same here.”
Ranger had to turn partially in his chair to watch her. Her movements were unhurried, graceful. She was obviously comfortable. She poured the tea and brought it over, dropping a quick kiss on Ranger’s brow before walking back to the stove. He kept a relaxed smile in place until she turned away, and then let his expression go full disclosure.
Bo leaned back, hands raised. “Hey, I need to talk to her for a sec.”
“You need to make it short and sweet. Got it?” Ranger had every intention of spending some time at the table with his family and then a hot and heavy night, bum leg or not. On his mission he’d been unable to get her out of his head. She’d told him she loved him. And her reaction when she’d thought he was hurt…
Fuck manners. “Forget what I said. Make your excuses and leave. You can come back tomorrow after she’s had time to rest.”
“Rest? Ha, I’m sure that’s exactly what you plan on letting her do.” Bo took a sip of his tea, studying Ranger over the brim.
“It’s none of your business what we do. Whatever you have to say can wait.” Until he’d had a night with Amy to show her exactly how much he cherished her, and always would.
Amy pulled the meatloaf out of the stove and stood, wiping a hand across her brow. The cotton dress she wore pulled tight across her chest and Ranger went hot. “I’m going to check on the kids, be back in a sec.”
“Hold on. Come here and sit for a minute. I need to talk to you about Arturo.”
The heat turned into an all-together different kind. The kind that lead to him punching Bo for ignoring Ranger’s order. Dammit. Whatever he had to say couldn’t be good; otherwise Pedro would be standing here right now. The grim turn to Bo’s gaze didn’t bode well either.
Amy hesitated, then squared her shoulders and marched back into the dining area. Pride rose in him at her bravery. She stood beside him and he wanted to pull her down into his lap and wrap his arms around her, but he had to settle for holding her hand as she sat in the chair right beside him.
Bo cleared his throat. “I haven’t found the boy’s father yet. I’m still tracking, but it’s been over three days and no sign of him.”
Amy squeezed his hand, but her expression remained calm. Controlled. Except for her eyes, which mirrored her pain. Thoughts of himself and a long night with his woman faded. She would need more than that from him after this. She needed his support emotionally. The weird thing was, he looked forward to holding her as much as loving her.
Bo hesitated and glanced at Ranger. Oh now he wanted support? What did he expect? Ranger knew the odds-Pedro had been missing for over f
orty-eight hours. The likelihood of finding him alive shrunk with each minute past that time frame. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to be the one to tell her that. “We captured some of the Lobello gang members. I’ve told the interrogators to find out all that they can about Pedro.”
Bo finally continued, “Hopefully they will turn up some new info, but if Pedro is no longer with us, there will be the issue of the boy’s care taking. Finding next of kin.”
Amy paled. “But he doesn’t have anyone else.”
“That you know of. I started making some inquiries, and it seems the boy has a distant cousin in Mexico. I haven’t contacted her yet, but she is the next of kin.”
“But Pedro fought so hard to get here, he wanted Artie to be in the US. He’s already started kindergarten,” Amy said.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s still the possibility he’s alive. No reason to start worrying a lot about that part yet, I only thought you should be prepared for all possibilities.”
The pain in Rangers leg was nothing compared to what he felt when he saw Amy’s worry.
He told her he would fight for her.
“What if he had a family here, willing to adopt him? Foster him. Hell, whatever the freaking system will allow,” Ranger said.
“I’m afraid the system doesn’t look too favorably on single parents that already have children to raise.” What Bo didn’t say was single mothers struggling to eek out a living.
Ranger glanced at Amy and his chest tightened, not liking the bleak lines forming around her mouth. Dammit, he loved her so much it hurt. What if it wasn’t just her asking? Was he ready for a turn-key family?
Could he marry her and take on two children when his longest relationship was three months and he’d never spent more than five minutes with a kid?
The answer came to him faster than a bullet. Marrying Amy wasn’t a sacrifice, it was a blessing. And getting the opportunity to raise two great kids like Chloe and Arturo was icing on the cake. He leaned forward, placing his free arm on the table and stared at Bo, leaving him no doubt that his next statement was serious. More serious than anything he’d ever done in his entire life.
Resurrection River: Men of Mercy, Book 2 Page 18