“Of course I do,” Shadow chuckled. “What’s all the commotion in the background?”
“Bill’s house just exploded,” Rebel said as he approached the raging inferno that had been Bill’s home.
“Was he in it at the time?” Shadow asked.
“Yes, he went inside about thirty minutes ago,” Rebel replied.
“Rashad is covering his tracks, then. He’s getting ready to leave town,” Shadow said. “If he hasn’t already.”
“He said by the time I found him, it’d be too late,” Rebel said.
“He’s put his plans into motion, then,” Shadow replied. “I just received word that Joe has been reported missing to the agency. I don’t know if he is hiding, dead, or if he’s in on it and has already left town because of that. Let me make a few more calls. This just got a little harder to manage and a little more serious.”
Rebel and Bull stayed until the fire department and police arrived. They explained the circumstances and as much about the case as they could provide. When they finally left the scene, they both felt defeated and like they were still several steps behind Rashad.
“Shadow thinks he may have already left the area when I talked to him,” Rebel said.
“I have APBs out at all the major transit points,” Bull replied. “But if he used a private charter at a private airstrip, he could bypass all of that.”
“We need that info from Shadow,” Rebel said. “The names and numbers of the people he’s been talking to. And Joe is missing. He doesn’t know if Joe is dead, hiding, or in on it.”
When Bull and Rebel walked into the office, Shadow had the lists ready for them. “I’ve been looking into some of these names and have a few locations we need to scout out. There’s a high volume of call activity to people in New York City, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, and Los Angeles. This could take some time, boys.”
“I’ll take LA,” Silas replied. “I’ve done quite a bit of work out there and still have a number of undercover contacts.”
“I’ll take Atlanta,” Noah replied. “The baby is due in a few weeks, so I’d rather not be far from home if I can help it.”
“I’ve got NYC,” Shadow replied.
“Houston,” Rebel replied and ignored the glances from Bull and Noah.
“Guess I’ll take Denver.” Bull smiled. “Chaise can go with me if it turns out there’s something to investigate there.”
“Everyone set? Research these names and phone numbers. Get Brad to run background checks, searches on bank records, credit cards, and known accomplices if anyone looks suspicious,” Noah instructed. “We’ll have to partner with the local LEOs if we pinpoint a location.”
“What does ‘local LEO’ mean?” Liz asked, her pen and paper ready to take notes.
“Local law enforcement office,” Noah replied. “LEO so we don’t have to say the whole thing every time.”
“Well, aren’t you clever,” Liz remarked with a chuckle.
“Liz, I’m going to need your help while I’m working on this case,” Noah replied.
“I’m your woman,” Liz replied. “Do I get to carry a Glock?”
“No,” Noah replied. “I need you to help take care of Brianna, watch out for her, make sure she’s taking care of herself.”
“You need me to be her bodyguard.” Liz nodded. “Got it. Keep the bad guys away from her, escort her to the doctor, check the security system.”
“Something like that.” Noah smiled. “Can I count on you?”
“I’m on it. Don’t you worry,” Liz replied. She walked out of the office and began calling through the house. “Brianna? You and I are about to become even closer than we are now. Don’t be embarrassed, I have all the same body parts you have.”
Shadow barked out a laugh and looked at Noah. “You are a dead man. Brianna will have your head for this.”
“She’ll understand. I had to think of something to keep Liz busy and out of our hair,” Noah laughed.
“Liz, close the door,” Brianna’s voice carried through the house.
“What are those? I don’t have those,” Liz answered.
Several minutes later, Brianna stopped in the doorway of Noah’s office and glared at him. “I know what you did. You owe me, Noah Steele. When this case is over, you owe me. Don’t think I won’t collect either. I’m talking diamonds. Big diamonds.”
“Anything, babe.” Noah smiled. “It’s worth whatever I have to pay.”
The five men spent the following weeks combing through countless records in their attempt to pinpoint the people Rashad was in league with. When they’d narrowed their sights to a few people in each city, they started coordinating with their local contacts for stakeouts.
“Atlanta turned out to be a bust,” Noah said. “The people Rashad called were employees of a news organization who ran an unfavorable story about terrorists. He was harassing everyone involved with the broadcast—the anchor, the producer, even the cameraman. None of the people on that list warrants further investigation.”
“At least we can cross one city off the list. That’s a relief,” Silas replied. “LA isn’t as fortunate. There are several indications it’s a hot bed. One of my contacts out there has warned me against returning, though. Apparently I’m to be shot on sight by one of the organized crime families I infiltrated out there. They don’t want a massacre in the streets, so they’re doing the hard work for me. It’s kind of nice to be the boss instead of the grunt.”
“Houston is buzzing with activity. If you two have time on your hands, there’s plenty of work to be done there,” Rebel replied.
“Denver is worth looking into closer,” Bull replied. “Definitely a cause for concern.”
“NYC is out. The numbers he called there stemmed from a phone-sex hotline. He got the girls’ private numbers and began calling them directly. Our boy is mentally unstable,” Shadow replied. “I can take LA for Silas. It’s been a while since I’ve been there. Plus, no one in LA is looking to kill me that I know of.”
“Sounds good, Shadow. Sounds like Silas’s contacts will have your back and get a lot of the preliminary work finished for you. The rest of us can split up and help the others cover more ground working in teams. I’ll go to Houston with Rebel. Silas, you can go to Denver with Bull and Chaise,” Noah replied. “Any questions or comments?”
“Yes, I have a comment,” Brianna said from the doorway. Noah looked up and met her gaze. “Before you rush off to Houston, I need you to do something with me, Noah.”
“Sure, babe. Whatever you need,” he replied.
“I need you to take me to the hospital. My water just broke,” Brianna replied.
“The baby’s coming? Now?” came Noah’s shocked reply.
“Right now,” Brianna answered. “I’ve had a dull ache in my lower back all day, but I didn’t think anything about it. I thought contractions would be stronger and announce their presence.”
Noah’s brain and ears finally caught up with each other, and he rushed to Brianna’s side. “I’ll grab the suitcase upstairs, and we’ll go to the hospital right now.”
“I’ve got it, Noah.” Chaise smiled as she walked up with the suitcase. “I’ll call Mom and Dad and Brianna’s family to let them know it’s time. Go ahead and take your wife to the hospital. Colton and I will be right behind you.”
“Brianna, we’re having a baby.” Noah placed his hands on her face and lowered his mouth to hers. “You’re having my baby.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I’m scared and excited and can’t wait to meet her.”
“Oh, shit,” Noah hissed.
“What?” Brianna asked.
“We never picked out a name.”
23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The contraction slammed into her like a locomotive and made her gasp for air. “I’m ready for it to go back to being a dull ache now,” Brianna said through gritted teeth.
“I’m afraid there’s no going back now.” The nurse smiled. “The a
nesthesiologist will be in soon to start your epidural. You’ll be able to relax and enjoy it then.”
“Can you go drag him in here now?” Brianna requested.
“Let me see where he is,” the nurse answered. “Don’t forget to breathe through the contractions. It really does help.”
“Okay. Got it,” Brianna replied. “Breathe.”
The nurse walked out of the room and Brianna turned to Noah. “Breathing doesn’t help the pain. What a crock of shit.”
Noah laughed out loud. “No, I’ve never found it to help my pain either. What can I do?”
“You’re here with me. That’s all I need.” She smiled.
“It must be subsiding. You’re Brianna again. In a few minutes, you’ll have that evil, contorted face again,” Noah chuckled.
“I’ll remember that comment when the next one hits,” she threatened playfully.
“Don’t scare me like that,” Noah retorted.
An hour later, the anesthesiologist still hadn’t made an appearance, and Brianna’s contractions were much stronger and closer together. Her skin was flushed, her hair was damp, and her fingers appeared to be permanently attached to Noah’s hand. When the needle on the monitor redlined, her fingers clenched around his hand so she could share a small portion of her pain with him.
Bull and Chaise watched the scene play out in front of them and exchanged dubious glances. “Do you want us to leave?” Bull asked.
“Of course not. You’re her aunt and uncle. Why would we want you to leave?” Noah asked.
“It looks uncomfortable,” Silas answered. The muscles in his normally handsome face were drawn and contorted as if he’d felt sympathy pains.
“It is,” Brianna and Noah replied in unison.
Noah hit the button to call the nurse after one especially painful contraction nearly broke his hand. The nurse promptly appeared and checked Brianna’s progress. “You’re very close to being fully effaced and dilated now. It won’t be long before your baby arrives. Do you know what you’re having?”
“A girl,” she panted.
“Have you decided on her name?”
Brianna cut her eyes to Noah, and they both smiled. “No, not yet. Hopefully when we meet her,” she replied.
“You’d be surprised how many people change their minds after they meet the baby for the first time,” the nurse said.
A quick rap on the door caught their attention, and all heads turned to watch the anesthesiologist sheepishly enter the room with a red-faced Bull close on his heels. “I understand my presence has been requested in this room.”
“Yeah, like an hour ago. Have a nice nap?” Brianna snapped.
“So, you’re ready for your epidural, I presume.” The doctor smiled.
The nurse anesthetist followed the doctor into the room and began assembling the items to start the epidural. “Can everyone except Dad step outside the room for a few minutes, please? We’ll get her fixed up, and you can come right back in.”
When everyone had left, the medical team helped Brianna sit up on the side of the bed and waited for the contraction to ease. “I’ll be as easy as I can,” the doctor explained. “You just have to be as still as you can possibly be. We’ll have the good stuff going for you in just a minute.”
The pain-numbing medicine kicked in almost immediately, and Brianna released a deeply contented sigh. The anesthesiologist checked the placement again before he left the room and wished them both the best for their delivery day.
Brianna’s obstetrician then walked in and checked her progress. “Your baby is almost crowning now. I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.”
On his way out, he sent Bull, Chaise, and Silas back into the room.
“That’s much better. Now I love you again, Noah,” Brianna said sweetly.
“You quit loving me today?” Noah asked.
“For just a minute. When the pain was really severe. And I contemplated castrating you,” Brianna joked. “Of course, I didn’t really quit loving you. That could never happen.”
“Let me unplug this medicine and see if you still say that.” Noah pretended to search for the valve to stop the flow of medication into Brianna’s epidural line.
“Don’t make me have to kill you today, Noah,” she retorted.
He laughed in response and leaned over the bed to kiss her. “I love you, too, babe.”
“So, let’s talk about a name now that I can think straight again,” Brianna suggested. “Do you have anything in mind?”
“I really don’t,” Noah admitted. “Something unique to fit our life together.”
“There’s a name that’s been stuck in my head,” Brianna admitted.
“What is it?”
“Amelia Grace Steele,” she replied.
“Why Amelia?” he asked.
“Because we’ve been around the world just to be together,” Brianna explained.
Noah repeated it several times and played with how it rolled off his tongue. “I love it,” he finally said. “I’m sold on Amelia Grace.”
“I love that name,” Chaise replied. “It’s beautiful. I can’t wait to meet my niece. Can you hurry up already?”
The family laughed and talked for the next half hour. Another knock on the door alerted them to more visitors arriving. Brianna was thrilled to see her parents and her three sisters arrive in time to be there for the delivery. “Mom, Dad! I’m so glad you made it.
“Missy, Jessie, and Ashley, get over here,” she demanded as she extended her arms for a hug. They all readily complied and found a seat on her bed, surrounding her with love and support.
“We’re so sorry we weren’t here to give you a baby shower,” Missy said solemnly. “But we’re going to do one immediately after she’s born. We already have it all planned out and everything’s arranged.”
“That’s okay, Missy. We’ve all been very busy, and it’s not easy to plan a baby shower from Atlanta,” Brianna replied. “But I really do appreciate it.”
“We have more good news, too,” Diana quickly added.
“What? Tell me!” Brianna replied.
“We’re moving to Miami!” she squealed. “The new hotel construction is well underway. We’ve all talked about it, and we want to be together.”
“That’s great news,” Brianna exclaimed. “I’ll be so happy to have all of my family here.”
The doctor and nurse came back in the room and smiled at all of the visitors. When the doctor reached the foot of Brianna’s bed, he stopped and grinned at her. “Are you ready to have a baby, young lady?”
“I am.” She nodded enthusiastically. “I’m so ready to see our daughter for the first time.”
Everyone left the room to give her some privacy as the doctor checked her again and confirmed that it was time. “The baby’s head has completely crowned. She’s ready to get out of there,” he laughed.
The nurse quickly converted the bed to a delivery bed and set up everything needed for the delivery. With Noah by her side, Brianna began pushing on command. She held her breath, pushed to the doctor’s count, and then lay back to rest. They repeated this process several times until the baby’s head emerged.
Noah looked at Brianna with amazement when the baby’s head first appeared. “Oh my God. It’s our baby, Bri. That’s Amelia.”
“One more good push and she’ll be officially delivered. You ready?” The doctor smiled.
“Yes,” Brianna replied on bated breath. “I’m so ready.”
Noah helped her sit up, and she pushed one last time with all of her might. She felt the immediate relief of pressure and watched as the doctor cradled the baby with one arm while he clamped the umbilical cord with his free hand.
“Would you like to cut the cord?” he asked Noah.
“Yes,” Noah said and took the scissors in his hand. With one snip, he cut the cord that had connected his wife and daughter for the last nine months. “This is all so amazing.”
The nurse took the baby from
the doctor and cleaned her up. When she’d been weighed, measured, and monitored, the nurse placed the baby in Noah’s waiting arms. The strong, alpha male, who could face bullets flying at him without so much as a blink, was completely brought to his knees by a seven-pound, twenty-inch-long baby girl.
“Amelia Grace Steele, you are so very loved,” he whispered and kissed her rosy cheeks. “You look just like your mommy, my beautiful baby girl.”
Noah walked to Brianna, carefully carrying his precious girl in his arms, and peered at Brianna with love brimming in his eyes. “Momma, I have someone here who would like to meet you now.”
Brianna held her arms out as tears streamed down her face. “My sweet baby,” she cried.
The nurse watched as Noah lovingly placed Amelia in Brianna’s arms and then wrapped his muscular arms around them both. The nurse snapped pictures of them, but they were completely oblivious to anyone else in the room. She switched the camera to video mode and captured the entire moment for them.
“For as long as I have breath in my lungs, I will love and protect you both,” Noah whispered. “Nothing is more important to me than my wife and my baby. You’ve never failed to amaze me, Brianna, and today is no exception. My life, my heart, my whole world—is right here in my arms. I love you.” He kissed her softly on the temple when he finished.
The doctor and nurse finished with their tasks and left Brianna and Noah alone to spend time with their newborn. They were so completely wrapped up in everything about their daughter that they lost all track of time. They looked up when they heard a light knock on the door.
“Is everything okay in here? We’re dying to meet the baby out here,” Diana said.
Noah and Brianna both laughed. “Yes, Mom, everything’s fine. Everyone can come in now,” Brianna replied. Everyone started filing into the room, standing anywhere they could fit.
“Sorry, everyone. We got a little lost in our baby girl,” Noah chuckled. “Come here and meet Miss Amelia Grace Steele.”
After everyone had sufficient time with the baby, meaning Noah allowed them thirty seconds each to hold her and give her back, Missy brought in the baby shower party items. The cake was beautifully decorated with pink shoes and strollers. The gifts were wrapped in matching paper and bows. The iPads were prominently displayed so Noah’s parents could participate virtually. Nothing was left undone, and Brianna felt loved beyond measure.
Wicked Nights Page 23