Shattered: (McIntyre Security Bodyguard Series - Book 4)

by April Wilson

  Shane’s attorney, Troy Spencer, stops by and has a private conversation with Shane out in the hallway.

  A hospital staff member stops by with my dinner tray, and I’m surprised to find it’s gotten so late. Even though I don’t feel like it, I force myself to eat my grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, green beans, and orange Jell-O. Now that they know I’m pregnant, I’m sure both Shane and Cooper will be adamant that I eat more.

  After talking to Troy, Shane returns to my room in a dark mood.

  * * *

  The report comes back that my wrist is sprained, not fractured. Thank goodness! I’ll have to wear the brace until the pain and swelling are gone. That’s a relief. I wasn’t looking forward to getting married with a cast on my arm.

  Once I’m okayed to leave, Shane and I head to Sam’s room to check on him one more time. He’s been moved out of intensive care and placed in a private room.

  Shane knocks lightly on the door, and Cooper comes to open it.

  “He’s sleeping,” Cooper whispers, opening the door for us.

  We come into the room, which is dark. All the lights are off except for a night light beside the bed. Sam’s still connected to a couple of machines.

  “How’s he doing?” I ask Cooper.

  “Better. The disorientation has mostly worn off, and he’s thinking more clearly again. He’s in a lot of pain still, and his broken leg is giving him fits.”

  Cooper notices that I’m dressed in my own clothes. “Are you guys heading home?”

  Shane nods. “Beth’s exhausted. I want to get her home where she’ll be more comfortable.”

  Cooper eyes me speculatively. “Anything you want to share?”

  I smile, feeling downright bashful. “The test came back positive. I’m pregnant.”

  Cooper smiles and nods. “I suspected as much.”

  “How did you know? It took me completely by surprise.”

  “You haven’t been feeling well in the mornings, and it was difficult trying to get you to eat breakfast. I was starting to wonder if it was morning sickness.”

  I wrap my arms around my adopted dad’s waist. “You’re going to be a grandfather.”

  His eyes widen in surprise as he hugs me back. “A grandfather. I guess I am. Wow, a grandfather.” He glances back at the young man sleeping on the bed and sighs. “I’m too old for Sam.”

  “Don’t be silly,” I tell him, nudging him in the ribs with my elbow. “Shane’s older than I am.”

  Cooper scoffs. “Ten years, sure. He’s not twice your age. I’m robbing the cradle here.”

  I frown at the self-condemnation in Cooper’s voice. “Love doesn’t care about age differences. As long as you’re both consenting adults, how you feel about each other is no one’s business but your own.”

  Cooper chuckles and rubs my back. “Listen to you. Mama Bear’s coming out already.”

  “How is he?” Shane asks.

  “He’s stable. They’re keeping an eye on some bleeding in his brain. He’s being monitored closely.”

  There are some wires attached to Sam, a blood pressure cuff as well. His hair has been shaved partially, and his head is bandaged.

  “At least they didn’t have to shave his ponytail,” I say. “He’d have hated for them to cut all his hair off.”

  Cooper laughs. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  Sam cries out in his sleep, and Cooper goes to check on him. “I’m staying here with him,” he tells us. “Once he’s released, I’ll have him transported to the penthouse.”

  Shane squeezes Cooper’s shoulder. “Anything he needs, he’ll get. Tell him he’s got nothing to worry about. I owe him everything.”

  Cooper nods. “You’ll need to replace him temporarily, until he’s fit to come back to work.”

  Shane nods and looks at me for confirmation. “I was thinking of having Miguel stand in for Sam.”

  Miguel Rodriquez was my first McIntyre Security bodyguard – even before I knew I had a bodyguard. “That would be wonderful,” I say. “If he’s available.”

  “Don’t worry, I can pull some strings,” Shane says. “Besides, I know he’d love to see you again.”

  Chapter 30

  It’s nearly eight o’clock in the evening when I’m officially discharged from the hospital. Shane calls for a car to take us home. On our way out, we stop in the waiting room to see everyone who’s still here. His brothers and sister Sophie are still here, along with Molly Ferguson. Her eyes are glistening with tears when she sees me walk into the room.

  “Oh, thank God!” she says, hugging me carefully. “I was so worried when I saw you fall. Is your arm broken?”

  “No, it’s just a sprain. Thank you for coming,” I say, realizing she’s been here all afternoon and evening. “But you didn’t have to stay. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

  She shrugs it off. “Your family told me you were okay, but I couldn’t leave without seeing you with my own eyes. I’m so glad you’re all right, Beth. And we’ve been told that Sam will be all right, too.”

  I nod, feeling my throat tightening at the thought of Sam and what might have happened to him. He’s fortunate. It could have been so much worse for him.

  “Thank you for calling Jamie,” I tell her.

  “I knew he’d want to know,” she said.

  “It’s late,” I say to both Molly and Jamie. “You two should head home.”

  Jamie gives me a hug. Then he offers to share his taxi ride back to their apartment building with Molly.

  * * *

  The penthouse is dark and eerily quiet when we step through the foyer door into the great room.

  “Do you want anything to eat or drink?” Shane asks.

  “No,” I sigh, feeling dead on my feet. “I just want to go to bed.”

  “Your wish is my command.” He sweeps me up into his arms and carries me down the hall to our suite and directly into our private bathroom so I can get ready for bed.

  After I brush my hair and teeth, I reach for my packet of birth control pills out of habit, but I stop and stare at the little white pills. “I guess I won’t be needing these anytime soon.”

  Shane catches my gaze in the bathroom mirror. “Are you okay with this? The pregnancy. I know it’s a bit of a shock.”

  I smile. “Yeah, I’m okay with it. Like you said, it’s just happening a little sooner than we’d planned.” I absently press my hand to my belly, surprised that it feels the same as it always does. There’s no outward sign that I’m pregnant, and I think maybe it’s just one big cosmic prank. “It’s a bit unreal.”

  Shane’s big hand covers mine. “It’s going to take some time for this to really sink in,” he says. “It’s not going to be just the two of us for much longer. We’ll have another little mouth to feed.”

  I laugh. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

  I’m ready for bed, so he lifts me into his arms and carries me to our big bed.

  “I can walk just fine, you know,” I tell him.

  “Humor me. It’s not every day a man finds out his soon-to-be wife is pregnant for the first time.”

  Pregnant. “I wonder if it’s a boy or girl.”

  He sets me on my feet at the side of the bed and pulls back the bedding. I climb into bed and lie down.

  “Maybe it’ll be a blond-haired, blue-green-eyed little girl who looks just like you,” he says.

  I smile. “Or maybe he’ll be a little boy with blue eyes and brown hair who looks like you.”

  Shane dims the lights in the room and goes to the closet to undress. As he gets ready for bed, I stretch out in our bed, feeling comfortable for the first time since the accident.

  He’s naked when he climbs into our bed, and I can’t help admiring him.

  “What did Troy have to say earlier?” I say. “You didn’t look happy when you returned to the room.”

  Shane’s expression tightens. “He met with the prosecutor this afternoon to discuss Conroy’s offer for a plea
deal.”

  “And?”

  “He’s asking for complete immunity from prosecution in exchange for telling us who hired him. Of course I want to know who hired him, but I don’t want him getting off free of any charges. He’s got to serve time. Maybe a lesser sentence, but still, he needs to serve time. He might have killed you. He might have killed Sam.”

  “Do you think it could have been Luciana who hired him?” I know Luciana’s a bit unhinged, but I never would have thought her capable of something like this.

  Shane rolls to face me, reaching out to sift his fingers through my hair. Then he leans closer and presses his lips to mine. His kiss is gentle, almost reverent.

  It is a little early for us to be calling it a night, but we are both exhausted. I’m wiped out both physically and emotionally from the day’s events, and I’m sure Shane’s tired too. Not only was his fiancée nearly run over today, but he also found out he’s going to be a father.

  Careful of my injured arm, he rolls me to my side and spoons behind me, wrapping his arm around my waist. I moan when I feel his lips skimming the back of my neck.

  He breathes in deeply, then makes a satisfied sound. “I didn’t think I’d ever get you home,” he says, tucking my hair behind my ear. He drops a light kiss on the pulse point on my throat. “Now we just need to get Cooper and Sam home.”

  “I was surprised Cooper asked to bring Sam here.”

  “I wasn’t,” Shane says. “He may not be comfortable making their relationship public, but don’t doubt for a moment that Cooper’s feelings for Sam run deep. I’ve never seen him like this with anyone before. Trust me, asking to bring Sam here was a big step for him. It means something.”

  “I don’t understand Cooper’s hesitation. Surely he knows we’d never do or say anything to hurt him.”

  Shane kisses my shoulder. “I’m sure he has his reasons, sweetheart. When he’s ready to tell us, he will.”

  “I hope so. They make such a wonderful couple. I can’t think of two more caring and nurturing people.”

  “Hey, what about me?” Shane says, chuckling. “Aren’t I caring and nurturing?” His lips travel across my shoulder and up my neck to the ticklish spot beneath my ear. “Isn’t this the action of a caring, nurturing man?”

  “Yes, yes!” I say, laughing. “You are!”

  “That’s better.” Then he sighs heavily. “I’d better be. I’m going to be a father.”

  I roll over to face him, stroking his face with my good hand. “You’ll be a wonderful father, Shane. I have no doubt about that.”

  “I’ll certainly do my best. And, I’ll do my best to be a good husband. Speaking of which...you are officially on sick leave for the rest of this week. I don’t want you going back to work until you’ve had plenty of rest.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “Shane, I’m just a little tired tonight, that’s all. I’ll be fine to go back to work tomorrow.”

  He shakes his head. “Nope. Besides, we need to call your obstetrician in the morning and make an appointment for you to get checked out. We don’t even know how far along you are. First things first, sweetheart. Humor me.”

  Chapter 31

  The next morning, I wake to a room full of sunshine and a sexy man sitting half-naked in bed beside me, working on his laptop.

  “I’m sorry, did I wake you?” he says, glancing down at me. “I was trying to be quiet.”

  “No, you didn’t wake me.” I reach for my phone to check the time. “It’s nine already? Aren’t you going to work today?”

  He raises one eyebrow at me. “Are you serious? Do you think I’d leave you here alone after what you went through yesterday? Cooper’s not home yet, and I don’t think he’s going to leave the hospital until Sam’s released. I’m not leaving you here alone.”

  “Shane, I’m perfectly fine here at home.”

  “I called Miguel this morning. He jumped at the chance to take over as your bodyguard until Sam’s back on duty. And I called your OB’s office. We have an appointment this afternoon at four o’clock for a check-up.”

  “That was awfully fast. Wait... we have an appointment?”

  “I can be very persuasive when I want to be. They squeezed us in. And yes, we have an appointment. I’m going with you.”

  I stretch my limbs. “All right. Doctor’s appointment today, but I’m going back to work tomorrow. There’s too much going on at the store right now with the holidays approaching. I need to be there. Poor Erin will have a fit if I leave her alone for an entire week.”

  “Let’s see what the doctor says this afternoon, all right? Then we’ll make a decision about you working.”

  Good grief, women have been working through their pregnancies as long as humans have existed. I sit up and kiss the warm skin covering his beautifully sculpted bicep.

  Now that I’m sitting up, I feel a wave of nausea sweep through me. “Oh, my gosh! I’ve been having morning sickness all along and didn’t realize it.” I jump out of bed and run for the bathroom.

  * * *

  Obviously, we’re spoiled rotten. Without Cooper here to cook breakfast for us, we’re staring stupidly at an empty gourmet kitchen.

  “How about waffles?” I suggest. “All we need is a toaster, butter, and syrup.”

  “Are you sure that’s enough nutrition for you? I mean, you’re pregnant. How about a salad instead?”

  “For breakfast? Eww, no, thank you. I guess I should take cooking classes. If I’m going to be a mom, I need to learn how to cook. We can’t always rely on Cooper to feed us.”

  “Okay, waffles it is then,” he says, opening the freezer door and pulling out a box of frozen Belgium waffles. “Do you know where Cooper keeps the maple syrup?”

  I laugh. “In the fridge. I know that much, at least.”

  “You toast the waffles, and I’ll make coffee,” Shane says. “Remind me to tell Cooper he’s never allowed to leave home again. Wait – are you even allowed to drink coffee? Won’t caffeine hurt the baby? Is decaf safe, do you think?”

  I frown at the prospect of starting my day without coffee. “I honestly don’t know.”

  “We should Google that,” he says, heading back to our bedroom to retrieve his laptop.

  * * *

  After eating our waffles, which were delicious if not very nutritious, and surfing the Internet for what I can and cannot consume now that I’m pregnant, I find out I’m allowed one cup of coffee per day, and that’s it. That’s going to take some getting used to. I usually have two to three cups per day.

  “You can drink decaf,” Shane says, skimming a website on the do’s and don’ts of pregnancy.

  “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who has to give up caffeine.”

  After breakfast, we call Cooper to check on Sam. He’s holding his own, but there’s not much change. He’s still being closely monitored for bleeding and pressure in his brain. Shane packs a bag for Cooper – clothes and toiletries – and has it couriered to the hospital.

  For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, we laze around the apartment, both of us fielding calls and texts from work. We make sandwiches and salads for lunch, then watch a movie in the great room.

  “I could get used to this,” I say, cuddling with him.

  His arms come around me, and he’s careful not to jar my sprained wrist. “Do you think it’s okay for us to have sex while you’re pregnant? The website said it was all right, but I wouldn’t want to risk hurting the baby.”

  I roll my eyes at him. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure pregnant women are allowed to have sex.”

  * * *

  When our movie’s over, Shane disappears into his office for a while to follow up on some cases, and I go change my clothes and get ready for my OB appointment.

  I can tell by the look on his face when he emerges from his office that he’s not happy. “What is it?”

  He shakes his head. “I don’t want you worrying about anything.”

  “Well, n
ow I am worried, so tell me. Is it about me, about the accident? Because if it is, I have a right to know.”

  He frowns. “Well, it sure as hell wasn’t an accident. I just had a conversation with Troy about the plea bargain Conroy’s attorney has presented to the prosecutor.”

  I feel sick. I just can’t wrap my head around the idea that someone tried, on purpose, to run me over. “We don’t need a plea bargain,” I tell him. “We both know who was behind it.”

  “Luciana. I know. But we need proof. I’m willing to offer Conroy some sort of deal, but I’m not willing to let him just walk away from an attempted murder charge.”

  * * *

  At four o’clock, we arrive at the office of my OB and are ushered directly into an examining room, which is not standard protocol. And it’s not a typical exam room either – this one has an ultrasound machine in it.

  I have to admit it’s a little strange having Shane in the room with me. I’ve never had company at a gynecological exam before. Of course I’m glad he’s here. I’m glad he’s taking an active role in our pregnancy, but still, it’s a little weird having an audience.

  The nurse instructs me to strip below the waist, and she hands me a paper sheet to cover up with. “Dr. Shaw will be with you shortly,” she says, and then she closes the door behind her on her way out.

  Shane and I just stand there looking at each other for a moment, both of us a little nervous.

  “I guess I’ll just sit here,” Shane says, taking one of the two visitor chairs. “Unless you need some help getting undressed?”

  I can’t tell if he’s kidding or not, and I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “No, that’s all right. You sit. Read a magazine. I can manage.”

  Shane busies himself with checking messages on his phone while I quickly strip down and wrap the paper covering around me. Then I climb up onto the examining table to wait for Dr. Shaw.

  “I wonder how far along we are,” I say, staring at a collection of baby photographs on the wall.

  Shane glances up from his phone. “You can’t be too far along, because you’re not showing, right? When do women start to get a baby bump?”