Protecting His Brother’s Babies

by Katie Knight

  “Hey,” a deep male voice said from somewhere close. “Lake, sweetheart?”

  Great. Now she was hallucinating. What came next? Coma? Death?

  She flinched, hugged her arms tighter around her legs, cradling her stomach. No. She wouldn’t die. The twins needed her. The twins deserved a happy life.

  Happy. She would have been happy with Drake. In a perfect world, they could have had the most amazing future together.

  “Lake?” the voice said again and this time a gentle hand clasped her arm, pulling her out of the corner and forcing her to look up. “Sweetheart? Please say something. Please tell me you’re okay.”

  At first she didn’t believe her eyes. Lake blinked, then blinked again. As the handsome face swam in her vision, tears welled and spilled down her cheeks. Before she could stop herself, she’d thrown her arms around Drake’s neck and held on like she’d never let go.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she sobbed against his neck, not caring how it looked. Not caring that this wasn’t her. She wasn’t usually a crier, but today—God. Today she was. “Please don’t leave me. Please.”

  “Shhh,” he soothed her, stroking her hair and holding her close. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I promise.”

  He rocked her slowly for a while as the chaos gradually ended downstairs. She had no idea how long they sat there on the floor, but finally Drake’s strong arms lifted her, carrying her down the stairs and outside into the backyard. The sound of chirping birds and leaves rustling finally had her lifting her face to look at him. Dark circles marred the skin beneath his eyes and there was a purple bruise and cut in his temple where the thugs had knocked him out the night before, but damn. She’d never seen anyone more beautiful in her life. Drake walked over to a stone bench near the perimeter of the yard and sat down, ignoring the agents running around the place, arresting people and collecting evidence. Lake barely registered when they marched Dowd out of the house, handcuffed and tight-lipped in his ugly silk robe. She only had eyes for the man on whose lap she sat.

  Drake cupped her cheek and stroked her skin with the pad of his thumb. “Please tell me you’re okay.”

  She nodded, not trusting her voice at first. Finally, she croaked out, “I’m fine.”

  “I was so worried about you,” he said, hugging her tightly again and burying his face in her hair. “You are so brave, so amazing.”

  His words only made her cry harder. She wasn’t any of those things. “I’m sorry you got hurt. I’m sorry I said those awful things last night. I didn’t mean any of them. I never meant any of it.”

  “I know, sweetheart. I know.”

  They held each other for a while, until finally Lake leaned back to ask, “You’re not angry? About my past?”

  He snorted. “Seriously? How could I be when I’ve spent the last decade distancing myself from my own family? You did what you had to do to survive. We both did. When you had the chance, you made the right decision—you testified against them, and put your life on a new trajectory. One that brought you to me. That’s what matters.” He kissed her lightly. “And you kept me from getting shot, so yeah. Grateful all around, really. Thanks, Lake Bailey.”

  She sniffled and swiped the back of her hand across her damp cheeks. “Turner, actually. Bailey is my grandmother’s maiden name. My real name is Lake Turner. I hate it, though, so I don’t use it.”

  “Well.” Drake clasped his hands behind her lower back. “If you dislike it that much, you could always change it permanently. Lake Shepperton has a nice ring to it, I think.”

  It took a minute for that to sink in. When it did, Lake frowned up at him. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that I love you, Lake Bailey. Or Turner. Or whatever you call yourself these days.” He sighed. “I know we agreed to keep things temporary between us, and at first I was okay with that. But the more time we spent together, the more I realized that my priorities were changing. I want a future with you, with the twins, right here in Dallas. I want to build a new life with you. A new phase in my life.”

  “What about your SEAL team?” she asked, still wary of this thing between them. She loved him too, but old habits died hard. Happiness was a hard thing to trust, after the life she’d had up to now. “You love traveling and being on missions.”

  “True.” He nodded. “I did love that stuff. But being back here, with you, brought back lots of memories from my past. Made me realize that at one time, I’d dreamed about making the future better, not just for myself, but for my community. The best way for me to do that is by keeping Shepperton, Inc. and starting it on a new path.”

  “Wait.” She scooted off his lap to sit beside him on the bench, keeping hold of his hand just because it felt so good to touch him again. “You’re keeping the company?”

  “Yes. There are too many people dependent on it, on me, for me to turn my back on it now. I joined the SEALs because I wanted to make a difference, but staying here will allow me to make lasting, real changes right here in my own hometown.” He kissed her hand, then met her gaze, his dark eyes glittering with intent. “But only if you’re by my side, Lake. I’m asking you to be my partner, my lover, my wife. What do you say?”

  Lake opened her mouth to answer and promptly burst into tears again. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones. Maybe it was the stress of the night before and the raid this morning. Maybe it was the fact that she’d been strong and independent and self-reliant for so long that she feared she’d never find her counterpart. Yet here he was. Drake Shepperton. Offering her everything she ever wanted and exactly what she needed. A true partner, someone she could trust. A shoulder to lean on and a hand to hold, through thick and thin, whatever might come their way.

  She wanted desperately to say yes, but something held her back from accepting. Lake wasn’t sure what was happening. All she knew for sure was that she couldn’t seem to think straight at the moment. She buried her face in his chest, the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear calming her.

  “Is that a no?” he said, chuckling. “’Cause it seems like a no.”

  “Yes,” she said, then sat back. “I mean no. I mean, I don’t know.” At his disappointed look, she said, “I can’t think straight right now. I’m so—”

  Drake put a finger over her lips. “Enough apologies. Let’s get you to the hospital first and we’ll talk later, okay?”

  She nodded, leaning against him again as he carried her toward the waiting EMTs at the ambulance nearby and the last words she heard before she fell asleep were him saying, “She’s pregnant, with twins…”

  Twenty-Five

  “Everything looks fine on the ultrasound,” the ER doctor said a few hours later, and Drake felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He gave Lake’s hand a reassuring squeeze, then kissed her knuckles for good measure. “Do you want to know the sex of your babies?”

  “Oh, I’m not—” the father, he started to say, but she gripped his fingers tighter, stopping him. Drake’s gaze flew to Lake’s and she shook her head.

  “No, we want to be surprised,” she said to the doctor. “Thanks for putting our minds at ease, though.”

  “My pleasure,” the woman said, wiping the gel off Lake’s skin and moving the ultrasound machine back against the wall. “Let me get your discharge paperwork ready, then I’ll be back in to go over final instructions with you, okay?”

  “Okay.” Lake sat up with Drake’s help, then pulled her shirt back down to cover her stomach. In just the few short weeks they’d been together, her baby bump had become more pronounced and Drake felt even more protective toward her, if that were possible.

  Honestly, when he’d burst into that house earlier for the raid, he’d been ready to shoot first and ask questions later—whatever it took to ensure Lake and the twins got out of there alive and well. Now that the adrenaline had burned off, though, he felt itchy and unsure. He’d probably pushed it way too far in the garden, blabbing about his feelings and his plans an
d then asking her to marry him while she sat there, staring at the house of the man who had kidnapped her because of the misdeeds of Drake’s own brother. Lord. If he’d ever had any game to begin with, it had disappeared the moment he’d found her cowering in that corner at the top of the stairs, shaking and scared. He’d wanted nothing more than to hold her forever and never let her go, but this wasn’t about him now. If she stayed, the decision had to be hers.

  He sat back in his seat, still holding her hand, and checked his phone with the other. They’d already been here three hours, between the exams and giving their statements to the cops and filling out all of the paperwork. Drake was running on empty and he couldn’t imagine how tired Lake must be. She looked far too pale for his liking, but at least one of the nurses had gotten her some juice and crackers to nibble on while they’d waited. And the twins were fine. Thank the Lord, the twins were fine.

  Drake punched in his passcode with his thumb, then squinted down at the missed call notification onscreen. Baron Bexler had apparently called while Drake had been at Dowd’s place during the raid.

  Ugh. His first inclination was to put off calling Bexler back until after he’d gotten some sleep, but he might as well handle it all now and get it over with. He hit the redial button and waited for the call to pick up, aware of Lake watching him the whole time.

  “Shepperton?” Bexler said after answering on the second ring. “I just saw news reports of a raid on Felix Dowd’s estate. They’re saying he’s been picked up on fraud charges related to the Shepperton Foundation?”

  Drake took a deep breath. “Yes. It’s true. My brother got involved in some illicit activities, but I’m cleaning up the mess now.”

  “Good, good,” Bexler said. “That isn’t why I called, though. I wanted to discuss our meeting next week. I’d rather skip the introductory stuff we’d originally discussed and get straight into the acquisition process. I’ve already contacted my attorneys and they are drawing up plans as we speak, so—”

  “Actually,” Drake said, glancing over at Lake, “Shepperton, Inc. is no longer for sale.”

  “What? Why?” Bexler asked, his tone obviously confused. “If you’re looking for more money—”

  “No. It’s not the money.” He let go of Lake and scrubbed his hand over his face, sitting forward to rest his forearms on his knees. If he didn’t hear another word about money again today or for the foreseeable future, he’d be just fine. “I’ve decided to stay in Dallas and run the company myself. Rebuild my family’s legacy the right way. I’m sorry if that disappoints you, sir, but I feel I owe this to myself and to our employees.”

  “No, not disappointed,” Bexler said. “Well, not for the reasons you think, son. But I’m glad the company will stay in good hands. If you ever change your mind, you know how to reach me.”

  “I do.” Drake smiled. “But I won’t. Thank you again for your offer.”

  He ended the call, then exhaled slowly before looking back at Lake over his shoulder. She was still watching him, her expression inscrutable. “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t lie.” He yawned then sat back once more. “You knew I was keeping the company. I told you back in the garden.”

  “Yes.” She shrugged, staring down at her hands clasped over her stomach now. “I guess I just wasn’t sure if I should believe it.”

  “Why? I’ve never lied to you before.”

  Lake winced and he cringed.

  “Look, I meant what I said at Dowd’s house.” He inhaled deeply. “All of it. I love you, Lake. And I’d love to spend the rest of my life with you. I’m staying here in Dallas and making a go of it. If you want to stay here with me, the invitation is open.” Scratching the back of his head, he tipped his head back toward the ceiling. “Honestly, I could use your help.”

  She snorted. “What could you possibly need my help with? I’m guessing the feds will shut down the foundation, so there goes my job. And you’ve already got a full staff in place otherwise.”

  “True. But maybe you could just, I don’t know. Take it easy for a while, gestate my nieces or nephews. Maybe one of each.”

  “Gestate your what?” This time she laughed outright, and his universe brightened. God, he loved the sound of her laugh. Loved everything about her really, even if she’d never love him back. “What a way with words you have.”

  “Only with you, sweetheart.” He took her hand and kissed it again, happiness fizzing inside him like champagne despite the fact that his whole world now seemed topsy-turvy. “Only with you.”

  Silence fell while they waited for the doctor to return. Drake didn’t know what else to say. He’d laid it all out there, put his heart and future on the line. It was her choice from here. He had to find a way to be okay with that.

  Finally, just when he despaired she’d tell him no, she sniffled and looked at him again. “Okay.”

  He pursed his lips, letting that hang there a second. “Okay what?”

  “Okay. I’ll help you.”

  “With the company?”

  “With everything.” That unreadable expression of hers dissolved into tears once more, and Drake was out of his chair and pulling her into his arms before he even realized what he was doing. “I’m sorry,” she said, against the front his now tear-damp shirt. “I swear I’m not usually like this. I just can’t seem to stop crying today.”

  Drake grinned into the top of her hair, then kissed her scalp, inhaling her sweet floral scent. “You could blame it on the pregnancy.”

  She smacked him on the arm, then laughed again. “I wish I could, but you broke me.”

  He frowned and pulled back. “I broke you?”

  “Yes. Before I met you, I had things under control. I had a plan. I didn’t start sobbing every two seconds. I was a rational, independent woman. Then you went and had to be all dependable and trustworthy and make me fall in love with you and…”

  Lake buried her face in his shirt again and he was too stunned to stop her.

  “Wait. You love me?” he asked after he’d taken that in.

  “Of course, I love you. How could I not? You’re damned near perfect, damn you.”

  Joy pulled him under like a riptide and he kissed her, hard and fast and deep before she could change her mind. “You love me and you’re going to help me.”

  “Didn’t I just say that?” She shook her head and gave him a wobbly smile. “I love you, Drake Shepperton, and I want to be with you. Forever and ever, amen. Is that clear enough?”

  “Crystal,” he said, kissing her once more.

  Twenty-Six

  Eighteen months later…

  Drake walked out of the new Shepperton, Inc. offices and headed for his new red minivan parked at the end of the row. Beside the lot was a large man-made pond filled with geese and ducks, swimming around with their growing babies from the spring. Nearby, picnic tables were set up for employees and several benches had been installed for people to take breaks while traversing the walking path he’d had paved around the pond.

  Since they’d moved locations to a new, smaller facility on the west side of Dallas, many things had changed—hopefully for the better. One of his first acts as official, permanent CEO of the company had been to put their old buildings on the market. He’d wanted to distance himself and his employees from the past and set them on a new course for the future. Besides, they didn’t need all that extra space now that the foundation was no longer operational, and some other legal-but-unsavory business dealings had been halted.

  He waved to a couple of workers as he climbed in behind the wheel of his vehicle and started the engine, inhaling the new car smell as he glanced into the back at the two car seats there. Soon enough there would be another one, since Lake was pregnant again and he couldn’t wait, even though the twins were a handful enough as it was. On the floor was a cooler and a picnic basket from one of their favorite restaurants in town. Everything he needed to make his early Christmas present special.

  As
he wound through the suburban streets of their west Dallas neighborhood, he half-listened to the radio while his mind wandered. The announcer was talking about the trial of Dowd and his goons. They’d been found guilty on all charges, as Drake had expected, and were awaiting sentencing for their crimes. He hoped they’d get life, but most likely they’d end up with twenty years or so behind bars. Whatever it was, he was glad the whole ordeal was over.

  Twenty minutes later, he pulled into the driveway of their red brick ranch style house. For a moment, he just sat there smiling, taking in the fact that even though his life was nothing like he’d imagined, he wouldn’t want it any other way.

  Dusk settled and golden light shone from their windows, welcoming him home. A shadow passed behind the gauzy curtains and Drake chuckled at the softly rounded form. Lake had complained to him early that morning as they’d lain in bed that she felt like a whale, but honestly, he’d never found her more beautiful or desirable. In fact, tonight was date night for them, and he had a special evening planned.

  He cut the engine and grabbed his suit jacket from the passenger seat before getting out. Crickets were singing in the gathering darkness and the small LED path lights he’d installed after they’d moved in flickered to life. With temperatures still in the fifties, it was hard to believe it was early December already.

  Inside, he found Lake keeping the girls entertained by doing a few magic tricks. With the new peace she’d gained about her past, she had reclaimed some of the magic tricks her parents had taught her, back when they’d been young, hopeful magicians trying to make ends meet. The memories were still a bit more bitter than sweet, but Lake no longer felt the need to hide them. Plus, performing some of the old magic tricks she’d learned as a kid delighted the twins. She’d just pulled a coin from Maya’s ear and Madison was clapping and giggling beside her. The minute Drake walked in, though, both twins turned to him and the tricks were forgotten. The toddlers climbed to unsteady feet and raced in his direction in unison, each girl clamping onto a leg and squeezing tight.