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I got to relieve all the good memories I’d created with Lis. See her beautiful smile, the way her blue eyes lit up whenever she looked at me and I snapped a picture. The silly faces she would make at me. The love that she couldn’t hide.
And then I remembered how I’d treated her when we were teenagers, the way I’d just left her the night she’d confessed who she really was, and the way I’d walked away without a word. I’d made the biggest mistake of my life that night.
Maybe if I hadn’t left, she wouldn’t have gone out with Ciana and Nova. Maybe we would have been home, making love instead.
Perhaps the incident that had happened that night would have still taken place, but I wouldn’t have lost them all. Ciana would still be with her psycho baby daddy, and Nova would still be taken from us, but maybe—just maybe—I would have still had Lis.
Tears spilled from my eyes, and I forced myself to close the photo app. But as I reached for my lamp to turn it off, my phone rang. Frowning, I glanced down to see my dad’s name on the screen.
Trepidation churned in my stomach, and my fingers shook as I swiped my thumb to answer. “Dad?”
“Garret,” he choked out, but he sounded out of breath, as if he’d been running. My dad wasn’t in the worst shape, but he didn’t run either. Not without a good reason.
I sat up in bed, knowing I needed to be upright for whatever he was about to tell me.
“I can’t find your mom.”
Cali
It was boring as hell doing nothing but lying in bed. I knew it was necessary, and nothing short of a gun pointed at my stomach would have willingly gotten me on my feet, but damn, I would have loved a little bit of change.
Nothing too huge that would overly excite the baby and make her dance around, causing me to cramp even worse than usual. But enough that the idea of watching paint dry on a wall that wasn’t inside my childhood bedroom would have been appreciated.
Nova had left the day before, not long after the doctor had excused himself following the ultrasound that had told us the baby was a girl. She was working herself to death, taking care of me and the businesses, along with keeping the men busy and in line. Most nights, she fell asleep beside me in bed while rubbing my baby bump.
I’d missed that the night before. Having her close was comforting. Her presence eased my fear that anything might happen. With her beside me, I knew I was safe until the baby was born. And afterward, my little girl would have Nova as a guardian and protector.
The lawyer had come that morning so I could finalize all the paperwork. Following my death, Nova would be my daughter’s sole caregiver. I’d even told him not to allow anyone to list the name of the father, so that even if Garret ever did pull his head out of his ass, he couldn’t lay claim to our child.
If he had so effortlessly broken my heart, how cruel would he be to a defenseless little baby? One that he obviously hadn’t even wanted to begin with.
Another cramp hit, and I felt the slight dampness between my thighs that told me I was still bleeding. I alternated between simply spotting and a heavier flow, almost like a period, but no matter what, the blood never fully stopped. As Dr. Ortega had said, there was too much damage, nothing was healing, and the baby was only causing tissue that was already torn and bruised to become more distressed.
“Don’t give up in there, young lady,” I softly chided my little one. “You have a lot more growing to do before you meet the world. The longer you cook in Mommy’s tummy, the easier it will be for everyone.”
A tiny foot kicked against my palm, making me smile. “Once you’re born, I hope I get to see you. Maybe hold you for a few minutes. Then I’ll watch over you from the other side. Mommy will be your angel, while your auntie raises you into a warrior just like she is.”
A few more kicks followed, making me smile, but my heart felt heavy. I was prepared for my death, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t sad that I would have to say goodbye to my baby. Just thinking about it was more painful than any beating Manuel had ever inflicted on me.
A light knock had me lifting my head. I was exhausted after a restless night without Nova being home, and my voice projected my tiredness as I called, “Come in.”
The door opened, and Nova stepped inside. Seeing her, I instantly began to relax. “You’re back!” I exclaimed, and in my happiness at seeing her, the baby kicked excitedly. “I thought you wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night.”
“I brought you a surprise,” she said, staying by the door.
“You know I hate surprises,” I complained. But I’d been so bored that the thought of having something else to do while lying in bed wouldn’t go unappreciated.
“You don’t want it?” Nova said with a pout, teasing me. “Okay, well, I guess I’ll—”
“Who said I didn’t want it?” I grumbled, earning me a grin from my best friend. “I don’t like surprises, but I will never turn down a present.”
“I didn’t have time to wrap it,” she said with regret. “And even if I did, I probably wouldn’t have been able to find a box big enough.”
As she spoke, she stepped away from the door, coming farther into the bedroom.
“Surprise!” Felicity Hannigan shouted softly, startling me.
“M-Mrs. Hannigan?” I whispered in disbelief. When I realized she was actually there, I shot a glare at Nova. “You kidnapped your mom?”
