Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Whoa.” Max stepped back. “I did not expect to see so much of you, Nell. You okay?”
“My baby,” Nell insisted.
“Is perfect,” Lucy replied with a massive smile. “She’s so beautiful, Nell. Noah, I have the umbilical cut, and Nell’s and the baby’s vitals are great. I can’t believe we did it.” She looked over at Brooke. “Are we safe now?”
The barn door opened and a man walked in, carrying a shotgun. “Jones? Hey, I think the boss is…”
He realized his friend’s body was on the ground and suddenly his shotgun was up.
But Brooke was faster, and she didn’t hesitate. She fired and caught the asshole in the chest, the sound booming through the space.
The man slumped over.
And the baby let out what almost sounded like a giggle. She didn’t cry in her mom’s arms. She yawned again and cuddled down and started rooting for a breast.
“Well, looks like you get the full-on membership now, sister.” Max inspected the dead body. “This is definitely a son of a bitch, and you shot him. You take out the other one, too?”
She’d killed a man.
And she didn’t feel particularly bad about it. Maybe later she would discover the trauma associated with violence, but in the moment she couldn’t care about anything but the fact that he hadn’t hurt her or her family.
“Nah, Henry did,” she said and brought the shotgun right back up because that door was opening again.
“Don’t…” Max began, but she already saw.
Bay and Shane were running in.
Nope. She wasn’t waiting. The minute she saw them, felt them surround her, the trauma hit and all the emotions of the day pounded down on her like the hardest of thunderstorms.
“It’s okay, baby,” Bay whispered.
“You’re alive.” Shane shook as he held her.
They were alive. They were here with her, and she didn’t care that it was too soon. She didn’t care that they should take their time and figure out the situation and how they would work as a threesome. She didn’t care about anything but them. “I love you. I love you both so much.”
Bay kissed her. “I love you, baby.”
“Love you,” Shane said.
They held each other for a moment, and she knew she was safe because they wouldn’t be here with her until they were sure.
“I took out the cell jammer and talked to Caleb. He’s on his way. So is Trev,” Henry said, his voice bland as though he hadn’t killed like ten people and his wife had a baby. He stood at the door, his clothes covered in blood, but it looked like he’d washed his hands.
He seemed remote and so cold. Like there was nothing behind his eyes.
“Henry,” Nell called out. “Come and see our baby.”
Max gave his friend a grin. “You got a sweet girl there, Henry.”
Henry’s gaze was flat and he didn’t look back, didn’t try to catch a glimpse of his wife and child. “I should clean up. Is Nell all right?”
Lucy stood. She’d gotten Nell and the baby comfortable. Well, as comfortable as they could be in a barn. “Mother and baby are doing great, and Noah’s good, considering. Brooke did an excellent job with the duct tape, though he’s going to need surgery.”
Why wasn’t Henry busting through to get to his wife? She had a baby in the worst of circumstances. Henry worshipped the ground his wife walked on. He would do anything for Nell. It was wrong for him to be standing there like he couldn’t care less.
“Good.” Henry started to turn. “I’ll go and clean up and I’ll be more myself when I come back. Should I bring you anything?”
Oh, she wasn’t the only one feeling the press of the day. It wasn’t that Henry didn’t care. He didn’t trust himself, didn’t want his wife to see him covered in blood. Nell was a pacifist.
But she was also his wife, and he’d saved them all.
“John Bishop,” Nell called out. “I said it wrong. I’m sorry. John Bishop, you get over here right now and you meet your daughter.”
He stopped and if she hadn’t been looking so closely, she wouldn’t have seen the slight tremble in his shoulders. “I need a minute, love. I can be Henry again.”
“I never said it.” Nell held her baby to her chest and forced herself to sit up. Her hair clung to her shoulders and cheeks, drenched in sweat, but she was clear in what she wanted. “I never said the words to you. I love you, John. I love you when you’re Henry and when you’re John and any other name you want to call yourself. You are my soul’s mate. All of you, not just the parts I find comfortable. I love you and this is your child. You come and meet your child, John.”
Henry turned, and those cold eyes were suddenly glassy with unshed tears. “I’m covered in…”