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I’d do anything for them. My heart thumps harder and my chest clenches. If something were to happen to them, I wouldn’t be able to recover from it. After my dad died, my mom was devastated. I’ve watched her run through man after man. I’d decided I didn’t want that to happen to me. I didn’t want a relationship where I could be left broken. But right here in this room is everything I want. I want to take that chance with Lydia. I want to help her raise her kids. I won’t replace their dad, but I can show them how a man should treat a woman.
“Come on, Sully,” I whisper to him to come with me, but he whines and looks up at the bed. Guess he chose them too.
“Is everything okay?” Lydia asks quietly. I look up at her and watch as she tries to shift the kids.
“Don’t move. Go back to sleep. We can talk more in the morning.”
I can’t stop myself. I move closer to the bed and drag a finger down the side of her cheek before I push Michelle’s hair back and rub Micah’s head. When I look back up, Lydia is asleep. I retreat to my room, where I lie there for hours thinking about the people in the next room.
CHAPTER9
LYDIA
Ipace the inside of the clinic. I’ve spent the last hour trying to help, but I’m worried about Sydney. Maverick went over the plan with me this morning as best as he could. He couldn’t share all of the details. I’m supposed to act like everything is normal, but he wants me to stay inside the clinic until he comes for me. My nerves are shot. I feel sick to my stomach, and the breakfast Maverick insisted I eat wants to come out.
Hal is talking nonstop about a piece of equipment he wants to get for the clinic. I turn around to look at him when he grows quiet and see that he’s focused on something over my shoulder. I swing around, but it’s too late. The sharp smack across my cheek echoes in the quiet. My hand moves to my cheek, but I don’t utter a sound. I refuse to give him the satisfaction that he hurt me.
“Where is it?” Colton growls. He’s in khaki cargo pants and a dark shirt. He doesn’t look anything like the put-together, stick-up-his-ass man I married.
“Where is what?” I clench my teeth.
“Don’t hurt her,” Hal interjects, but Colton raises a handgun and aims it at him.
“Shut the hell up. Where is the cub? I know it’s here. You called.” I look to Hal, and he shakes his head.
“We didn’t call anyone,” I say.
“A couple of months ago, someone from here called about a bear cub.”
My stomach revolts and I move my hand to cover my mouth, but it’s no use. I vomit and it splashes onto Colton’s shoes.
“You bitch.” He moves the gun to my face.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I hear Maverick’s voice and the deadly calm in it.
Colton grabs me and whips me around. He presses the gun to my temple. Acid churns in my stomach as bile rises up my throat. My soon-to-be ex-husband is the sick person who was going to raise that bear cub for sport hunting.
“You don’t want to do that. Stay where you are, or I’ll kill her.” Colton’s voice is detached, cold. It’s like nothing I’ve heard before. “I’ve killed others. I won’t think twice about getting rid of this bitch.” He pulls the gun away and slams it against my temple. “I killed to get that money. But no matter what I’ve done, Darrell makes sure I can’t touch it. I knocked her up. I fucking married her fat ass.” He hits me again. But as he’s talking, he’s backing out of the room, and I’m scared. I look at Maverick. I want to ask him to protect my kids. I want to tell him I’m sorry I didn’t meet him first. I want to say so many things, but nothing comes out of my mouth but cries and whimpers.
“Who did you kill?” Maverick’s voice is calm and lances through my body, soothing me. I stop shivering and focus on him.
“Her parents.”
I’m shoved aside as guns fire around me. I fall to the floor and curl into a protective ball. The back door that exits into the parking lot slams closed.
“I’ll be right back. Stay there, little one.” Maverick’s hand brushes my shoulder as he steps over me and chases after Colton.
* * *
Maverick
I watch as the little sports car takes off out of the parking lot. I call in the tags and turn back to see Hal holding the door open.
“Why aren’t you in there taking cover?” I growl as I move past him.
“I knew you wouldn’t be able to get back in.” He shrugs off my concern.
I crouch down next to Lydia, who is trying to get up. “Come on, baby.” I help her stand and pull her into my body. Seeing that gun so close to her has everything in my body going haywire.
