“Go away,” Ryder cries from behind me. “Go away. I don’t want to see you. I hate you.”
I flinch, because I know that whatever is going through his poor little mind right now isn’t good. The sooner I can get this woman out of here, the better. Fear clutches my heart, but I don’t give in to it. I told Slade I’d take care of his boy and I will, no matter what. I will take a bullet before I let her get out of here with Ryder.
“Listen,” I try to say to her, keeping my voice calm but not too calm so as to make her think I’m talking to her like a child. “Maybe we can get a cup of tea and sit down, talk about it ...”
“Shut your mouth!” The woman snarls at me. “Who the hell are you anyway? Is this some sort of family relationship? Are you trying to take my place and be his mother? You little bitch.”
OK, so that tactic isn’t going to work.
“I’m not trying to take anyone’s place, I’m just babysitting Ryder for the evening.”
Best not to piss her off more.
“So, he can leave my child with random sluts but he can’t let me see him? Is that what you’re saying?”
Her hand is shaking, one wrong twitch and that gun will go off, right into my chest. I swallow, trying to keep calm, as I respond, “Of course not.”
“Give me the boy, and I won’t hurt you. He’s my child. It’s my right.”
“I can’t do that,” I say.
“Now!” she shrieks, waving the gun around and taking a step toward me.
I take a step backward, pushing Ryder back with me. I keep one hand tucked behind me, hanging onto him. I will not let him go.
“If you shoot me, he’ll never forgive you. Your son will never look at you the same again. If you want him back, then you need to calm down. Don’t you care what he thinks of you?”
Her hand shakes as she cries out, “Don’t tell me how to be a parent. Sit down on that sofa right now or I blow your kneecap out.”
“Come on, buddy,” I whisper, leading Ryder around to the sofa. He sits tucked into my side, head buried so he can’t look at the woman who has the nerve to consider herself his mother.
She stands in front of us, pointing the gun in my direction. It’s only then I realize I’m sitting on my phone. If I can get it out from beneath me and slip it to Ryder somehow, he can call 911. Until then, I have to distract the woman.
“Ryder, honey, look at Mommy. Let me see how you’ve grown.”
“No,” Ryder says, his voice muffled in my shirt.
“Now!”
“Look, if you calm down, he might talk to you,” I try again.
“Shut the fuck up, you little bitch. Shut your damned mouth. You know nothing about me. You know nothing about what I’ve done to try and get my son back. You know nothing about my brother who has kept my child from me.”
“He kept him from you because of this very reason. Look at you, you’re a mess! You’re not fit to be a mother.”
The words spew out before I can think. The woman steps forward and hits me so hard across the face with the gun a scream is ripped from my throat. Pain unlike anything I’ve ever felt tears through my body, and blood trickles down my face. My vision blurs for a few moments, but I don’t let go of Ryder, who is whimpering into my side.
I cannot pass out.
I have to fight.
I turn and put my hand on his head, leaning down so only he can hear me. “It’s OK, buddy. I’m OK.”
“Stop touching my son!” the woman shrieks. “Stop right now.”
“Ryder, honey, there is a phone under my bottom. If you can somehow get it out, I need you to call 911 without her seeing. Do you hear me?”
He nods into my side.
“Stop talking to him!” the woman screams again, and I lift my head.
“I’m seeing if he’s OK,” I say, my voice tight, blood trickling down my face, warming a path in its wake.
“Well, I’m telling you to shut your mouth, stop talking to him, or I’ll do more damage.”
I stare at her, but I say nothing.
I feel Ryder’s little hand very slowly move toward my bottom and I fake a cough to shift just slightly so he can reach for my phone.
“This isn’t what you want to do. You’re his mother. Don’t let him see you like this.”
“Shut up,” she screams. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”
She throws her hands up and the gun goes off into the ceiling. I flinch, Ryder whimpers, and her eyes go wide as she stares up, almost as if suddenly realizing she’s even got a gun. In the seconds she’s staring, I move. I lunge upward and slam my head into her belly, causing her to fall backward over the coffee table.
We both land on the floor with a thump, but the gun doesn’t leave her hand. She clutches it for dear life as we roll around. I tangle my fingers in her hair, trying to jerk her head back as she tries to bite me. I can hear Ryder’s voice in the background, he’s calling 911. Thank God.
A few more minutes.
I grab hold of her wrist, trying to shake the gun free as she brings something else up in her other hand. A lamp. She jerks so hard it disconnects with a snap and then she rolls, bringing it down over top of my head. I lose my grip on her, rolling to the side and crying out as more pain shoots through my head. My vision blurs and my eyes focus on Ryder. I can’t pass out.
I can’t ...
My vision starts going black, just as the front door swings open and Slade steps in.
Then everything is gone.
~*~*~*~
I wake up with lights blurring my vision.
I blink once. Then twice.
And realize I’m in a hospital.
Ryder.
No.
I launch upright crying out in agony as my head pounds. A pair of soft hands hit my chest, pushing me back down, and a calm female voice says, “It’s OK, you’re OK. You’re in hospital.”
“Ryder!” I cry. “Oh, God. Ryder!”
“Rachel, calm down, you’re OK. I’m nurse Jenny. You’re in the hospital.”
“Please,” I cry, my eyes darting around the room. “Ryder! Where is he!”
“Let her go, I’ve got this.”
That deep familiar voice penetrates and a sense of calm washes over me for a second, before panic sets back in. Slade is here. But what about Ryder? What about the little boy? Did she hurt him? Oh, God! Is he OK?
“She needs to calm down,” I vaguely hear the nurse say, “or she’ll do herself some damage.”
“I’ve got it,” Slade says.
Then two big hands curl around me and pull me close, pressing my cheek against a hard, warm chest.
“Slade,” I croak, clutching onto his shirt, trying to breathe through the pounding in my head and the frantic racing of my heart. “Ryder ... Ryder ... I tried ...”
“He’s OK,” Slade murmurs into my ear. “Thanks to you, he’s OK. You saved my boy, you protected him.”
He’s OK?
Oh God. He’s OK.
“He’s OK?” I croak.
“He’s OK. He’s with Steph at the moment, sleeping. He was shaken up. But he told me what you did. He told me how you protected him. Baby, I can’t ...”
Slade’s voice cracks and I clutch him tighter. Ryder is OK. He’s OK.
“I passed out, I didn’t ... I didn’t know if he was going to be OK.”
“It’s all OK now, hush,” Slade tells me, kissing my temple.
“Your ... your sister?”
“She’s gone.”
I pull back and look up into his eyes. They’re bloodshot, and tired, and worn down. “Slade,” I whisper. “What happened?”
“She got hold of the gun when I arrived and was waving it around like a crazy woman. The police arrived and when they came inside the house she started shooting at them, aiming for their faces. One of them shot her. She didn’t make it.”
“Oh, God, I’m so sorry. Slade, I’m so sorry.”
He strokes my cheek. “She has lived an entire life of dar
k, dark demons, baby. She’s at peace now. It’s the best place she can be.”
“She’s your sister ...”
“She stopped being my sister a long time ago.”
“Ryder ... did he ... did he see it?”
“No, he curled up by your side and buried his face into you and stayed there by my command.”
Oh, that poor, sweet, gorgeous, little boy. Even if he didn’t see it this will take some time for him to recover from. That was his mom, above everything else, and now she’s gone. That’s going to affect him, some day, some way, some how. I’m only glad he has Slade in his life to make sure he gets through.
“Is he OK?”
“He will be, I’ll make sure of it.”
I cup his jaw. “Are you OK?”
“I will be, you’ll make sure of it.”
A tear rolls down my cheek. “You’re right. I will. I swear it.”
And I will.
No matter what.
EPILOGUE
Six months later
“Don’t open your eyes, Rachel!” Ryder cries, tugging my hand. “If you do, it’ll ruin the surprise.”
“I’m not going to open my eyes, buddy, but you need to tell me what’s going on?”
“No. It’s a surprise for a reason, silly.”
I laugh, and reach out to my left, trying to find Slade’s hand. His big one curls around mine, and squeezes. “Are you going to tell me?” I whisper.
“Absolutely not, the boy would kill me and I can’t afford to miss your reaction.”
“No fair,” I mumble. “You’re not supposed to keep secrets from me.”
“This one will be worth it, babe. Promise.”
Carefully the two of them guide me down what I can only assume is a trail in the woods. We navigate over a few logs, and then finally we come to a stop. I keep my eyes shut, even though the urge to open them is massive. I promised Ryder I wouldn’t, so I won’t ruin whatever surprise he has for me by changing that.
“Are you ready?” Ryder asks me.
“Yes, absolutely yes.”
“Then open your eyes.”
I open my eyes and at first, I only see a few massive trees. Then I see a ladder in the middle of them, and my head tips back and I look up to see a massive fort in the tree. I clasp a hand over my mouth and cry out in joy at the beautiful wooden creation that’s been so perfectly crafted into the trees. They made this. For me. Oh God. My heart.
“It’s a fort!” I cry, spinning around and looking down at Ryder. “You built a fort? For me?”
He grins. “Slade helped me. We built it together. It’s for you, so you have somewhere to read, and be alone, and have fun.”
Tears burn my eyes, but I hold them in. “Of course I’d want you in there with me,” I tell Ryder, leaning down and giving him a big hug.
He hugs me hard, and then pulls back and gives me a cheeky grin. “You have to go up there, because there’s another surprise.”
I raise my brows, and look to Slade, who is studying me with those intense brown eyes. Looking like he wants to pick me up and take me into the fort where we can be alone for hours. My cheeks heat and I smile at him. “It’s perfect. Thank you both so much.”
“Get up there babe, see what’s inside.”
I nod, walking over to the ladder and climbing. I reach the open gap that is the entrance into the fort and pop my head in. Then, a loud scream escapes my throat as I see Lara, Noah and Bethy all sitting inside. “Oh my god!” I scream. “Oh! Oh! Oh!”
Lara is already crying, and quickly crawls over and throws her arms around me as soon as I’m inside. I hug her tight, pressing my face into her shoulder. I haven’t seen her for eight months, and I’ve missed her so much. “You’re here, I can’t believe you’re here!” I cry, letting her go and hugging Noah, and then pulling little Bethy close, even though she’s mostly forgotten me by now. “You’re all here.”
Lara swipes her eyes. “Thanks to that pretty incredible man of yours. You picked a good one, honey.”
“He did this?” I whisper.
She nods.
“And you’re all really here?”
“We’re here, and we have so much to tell you!” she beams.
“Then let’s climb out of here, and catch up.”
Happiness fills my chest as I climb down from the fort and turn immediately, throwing myself into Slade’s arms. He catches me and I bury my face in his neck. Slade doesn’t say a lot, he doesn’t express how he feels a lot, but he does things like this, things that show me how much he cares about me.
Our relationship had a rocky start, but after his sister was killed, we started spending more and more time together, supporting Ryder and hanging out, and in that time something pretty incredible grew. I guess after enduring what we did, it’s impossible not to have something build. Something strong. A foundation that’s unbreakable.
“You did this for me?” I whisper into his neck.
“All for you, babe,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple.
“Thank you. So much.”
“Always.”
God.
Yes.
This man.
~*~*~*~
“You’re pregnant!” I scream, launching off the sofa and rushing over to throw my arms around Lara, who just broke the news to all of us after dinner was done.
“I was going to tell you on the phone, but when Slade organized this surprise, I thought why not add to it?”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so excited and so, so happy for you both.”
I hug her tight, so happy that she’s finally getting what she deserves. Her and Noah, they deserve all the happiness in the world. I let her go and spin, hugging Noah who is talking to Slade. He laughs and hugs me back, squeezing tightly. “Aunty Rach again, hey?”
I squeal and clap my hands. “I’m so thrilled!”
Lara grins, and we both sit back down on the sofa. “So tell me all the details. How far along are you?”
She glances over at the guys, who are still talking about something. Hunting, I think.
“Come outside, so we can share all the juicy deets.”
I grin and we get up, disappearing outside and sitting on the porch swing. “So?” I say, clapping my hands together happily. “How far along are you?”
“Thirteen weeks, so we’re pretty safe now. We had our first scan, it was great. It never gets old seeing your baby on the screen.”
“I’m so happy for you, honey, so so happy.”
She smiles. “Me too. And I’m happy for you, also. You look so light, like there is no weight on your shoulders at all. I haven’t seen you like that in so long.”
“I am happy,” I admit, tucking my legs beneath me. “My job is going incredible, Slade and I are taking it slow but it’s working amazing, and Ryder is such a great kid to have around.”
“Isn’t he just the cutest?” Lara sighs, smiling. “Gosh, Slade has done a great job with him.”
“He’s had a hard time,” I say. “So it’s amazing he’s such a good boy.”
“You’re lucky. They’re great.”
I reach over and squeeze her hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.”
“Me too,” she smiles.
We talk for another few hours, before we all head to bed, planning on taking them sightseeing tomorrow. Slade and I still live in separate cabins, wanting to take things slowly for Ryder’s sake, but we have sleepovers. Tonight, they’re staying here. Ryder fell asleep playing with Bethy, so it seemed the best option.
After a shower, I crawl into bed next to Slade and roll into his hard, warm chest. He tucks an arm around me and pulls me close, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. I never thought he had it in him to be affectionate, or kind, or anything but hard. I was wrong. He’s a good man. And the more time I spend with him, the more his shields lower and he lets me in further.
“You happy?” he asks me.
“So happy,” I whisper, turning my face and pressing
a kiss to his chest. “Thank you, for everything you did. The fort, bringing Lara and Noah here. All of it. I’m so grateful.”
“You deserve it,” he murmurs into my hair. “I was a dick to you for too long, and you’ve done nothing but show me how fuckin’ incredible you are since. Best day of my life when you moved into this cabin, babe.”
My heart thrums and I whisper, “Me too, honey.”
“Ryder loves you. You’ve changed everything for him. Given him something he’s never had in a woman.”
“I love him, too.”
Slade turns his head, and those brown eyes hold mine. “Don’t let a lot of people into my life, babe, and certainly not into his...but you...you changed something in me. Every day I spend with you, I breathe a little easier. I hope you know, I’m not lettin’ you go anytime soon.”
“Is that right?” I smile, reaching up and kissing him.
“That’s right.”
“Even if I continue to drive you crazy?”
He grunts. “You’re goin’ to drive me crazy for the rest of my fuckin’ life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The rest of his life? My heart swells, with a love I’ve never felt for anyone before.
“The rest of your life?”
He looks at me again. “The rest of my life.”
I smile. My heart exploding with happiness. “Gee Slade, I didn’t know you liked me so much. I mean, I thought this was just some casual fling...”
He grins at me. I’ll never tire of seeing that gorgeous grin, and those two perfect dimples. “You’re not goin’ anywhere, my Wild Child. I plan on takin’ your torture for a very, very long time.”
“Torture hey?” I grin, poking his ribs.
He grunts. “Careful, you know I like to play rough.”
I roll him to his back and straddle him, looking down.
“Oh baby. So do I.”
Then I kiss him.
And let him play as rough as he wants.
THE END
I hope you enjoyed this short novel that blends my Romantic Suspense Series together. If you haven’t already, you can read Lara and Noah’s story – 72 Hours is available on all Platforms as well as in many stores in paperback. If you’re curious about Marlie, and her story, then you’ll be happy to know that her book is being released on the 30th May 2017 – On all platforms as well as paperback. The Watcher is available for pre-order now. It’s a book not to miss. She’s going to meet a man that’ll melt her socks off, and fix all her broken pieces as they go on the ride of their lives. You can read a snippet below!! I hope you enjoyed this book!