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The sniper team they’d put together had consisted of only a handful of men, but they’d been the best of the best. The boys had cashed in every favor, called in every last obligation. They’d saved most of these men’s lives on the battlefield at one time or another, and many of them were simply returning the favor.
And then there was Ripley, who was essentially one of them. He was thrilled of course, to be finally free. Ferrera’s reign was over, and the pieces of his fallen empire would be divided amongst the other cartels and warlords who’d waited like vultures for it to crumble. But none of them would have interests outside of their own expanding realm, or the need to seek revenge.
Which meant, of course, that we were finally free.
Yet I wasn’t sure what that freedom entailed, honestly. I could go back to my apartment now, if I wanted to. And the guys could go back to their own lives. There was no reason for them to protect me, and nothing really to protect me from. I was back to simply being their surrogate. The mother of their future child.
Just thinking about it that way left a hole in my heart.
By the third day I was in my room, lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. I couldn’t stop thinking about the unfinished conversation I’d had with Cole. I’d poured my heart out to him up on that hill. And everything had been left so… so…
So damned unfinished.
“Quinn?”
Evan’s deep voice startled me out of my trance. He was standing in the doorway, his big arms braced against the top of the door frame.
“Come down. We need you.”
He smiled and extended a hand, and I took it. I followed him down the stairs and into the living room, where both Evan and Cole were seated across from each other.
The guys were usually here in various states of relaxation, but not now. There was nothing casual about the way they were sitting straight up, staring directly at me. I sat down numbly, not knowing what to expect. And that’s when I noticed the blue folder on the coffee table.
“What’s that?”
The guys glanced at each other. For the first time in as long I’d known them, they actually looked nervous.
“There’s the bulk of the paperwork relinquishing your parental rights to us,” said Joshua.
“Oh.”
I swallowed, not comprehending. This had all been taken care of already, and a very long time ago. Lawyers much smarter than any of us had seen to that.
“Is there something I forgot to sign?” I asked nervously. “Do you need me to—”
“We want you to tear it up.”
My confusion was total now. I didn’t have the slightest idea of what they were talking about.
“Tear it up?”
“Yes,” Cole repeated. “It’s a symbolic gesture, of course. These are only copies of the originals. But it’ll show your intentions. Your commitment.”
“My commitment?” I tilted my head.
He nodded solemnly. “Your commitment to us.”
His words took a while to actually land. When they did I felt numb. Dizzy. Overwhelmed.
“You… you want me tocommitto you?”
“To all of us, yes,” said Evan.
My eyes flared open. All of a sudden I was excited beyond words.
“It’s what you told me you wanted,” said Cole. “Isn’t it?”
“Yes!” I breathed. “It’sallI ever wanted!”
