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“Sweetheart, I love you. And all the guys do too. You are one of us.” Each of the men nodded their heads and let out a chorus of replies in agreement.
“Well thank you,” I said again, but this time I was looking directly in the mirror at Lyric who was driving and his eyes met mine. He shot Thad, taking the life out of him and keeping both me and Kace safe, Denver too. Lyric dipped his chin, understanding in his eyes at where my thoughts had been going.
Gyth broke the moment when he chimed in to tell me how sorry he was. I didn’t understand what he was talking about until we pulled up to the condo and I saw the group standing outside the building’s door. Rowan was there, then there was Landon, who held his and Alley’s little girl, Noelle. They must have already gone inside and grabbed her from Gemma.
“They didn’t want to stay in your place since they knew you would be tired but they had to see you,” he added.
We parked and Kace helped me out of the car, then walked toward our family. How could I be upset when they cared so much? “It’s okay,” I told Gyth and the guys as we headed the group's way.
Alley, Summer, and Jurnee were all crying when we approached and tears stung my eyes at the love and relief in all their eyes.
I looked at Alley who was the one to speak. “We are not staying and there will be time to talk about everything later, but we all had to see you and let you know how sorry we are that we were not by your side.” She was struggling to hold it together which was not something you saw often from Alley. We’d become so close and I knew later when things settled she would be angry and want to hurt Thad all over again herself, but right then she was going through her own emotions.
“Forgive us?” she asked.
“Nothing to forgive,” I told her. “Now how about a group hug?” All the women smiled, still sniffling, and came closer as Kace let go of me.
“Be soft,” he told them.
And with kid gloves, they all wrapped their arms around me and a group hug took place.
* * *
There wasno way I could put him down.
We said goodbye to everyone outside and then to Gemma who was shaken up when we got in the house. She took amazing care of the kids but told me how worried she was and how hard it was to wait for it to all be over. And as upset as she was, we insisted she leave her car there, and Lyric had driven her back to the apartment she shared with a couple of other college students.
Denver had been asleep but after both Kace and I showered, I couldn’t help but go into his room. I was standing at the crib staring at the best part of me when Kace walked in and wrapped his arms around my middle from behind.
I let out a sigh, emotions took over and words came tumbling out.
“I was so scared I would never see him or you again.” A sob broke from my lips and I trembled in his embrace. “The thought of never feeling your arms around me like this scared me.”
“Shhh,” he said, trying to soothe me. “I’m right here, Little Momma. I will always be right by your side.”
Kace couldn’t be with me every second, but I knew what he meant. And he’d told me at the hospital how much guilt he felt over not protecting me from the start. The fear in his words when he told me how his world turned upside down when he realized I was gone, killed me. I hated that he felt that way.
Denver stirred and let out a little whimper and it shot straight to my heart. I would always cherish every moment, every sound, and every move my angel made. I picked him up, unable not to hold him any longer. Kace’s hands dropped from around me and I turned with the baby in my arms to face him.
“I need him with us for a little while, okay?”
“Anything you want, sweetheart.”
We walked together toward our room and lay down on the bed, Denver snuggled in between us as we faced one another, staring into each other's eyes.
“We can’t fall asleep with him like this, it isn’t safe,” I told the amazing, handsome man across from me.
“Honey, just relax. I’ll be awake and put him back in the crib once you fall asleep. Just enjoy your son.”
So many times I’d thought recently how lucky I was to find this man and right then it was no different. My mind spun with things I wanted to say to him. Awareness of what I wanted, slammed into me like a freight train. Things I never imagined I’d care to have in my life after running from my past. But after meeting Kace that all changed. I hoped if I voiced it out loud he would be okay with what I had to say.
“Thank you for caring not only for me but forourson.”
I held my breath waiting to see if he’d caught on to the one word in that statement that was such a big step for not only me but for him too. When his eyes shimmered with tears I knew how he felt about it.
“He’s been yours since the day he was born,” I whispered.
It was the truth. He’d been there since the beginning and had always been so amazing with Denver. It was obvious how much he cared about him.
