“Um, no party tonight,” I argued, ignoring the slight falter in Lucky’s smile. “I want to tell Cade first. Alone.”
Lucky smirked. “Fair enough, Princess. I can imagine his reaction might not be suitable for a whole party full of people.”
I poked my tongue out at him, forgetting for a moment that I was a mother now and shouldn’t be doing such immature things. He slung an arm around my shoulder and patted my belly softly.
“Real mature, Princess, think you might have to find better comebacks, since you’re going to be a mom and all,” he laughed as our crew walked out the door.
“I’m going to be a mum,” I corrected him. “My child is growing up half kiwi, you know.”
“Yeah, he’s also growing up half Templar.” He winked. I just rolled my eyes and ignored the ‘he’ in that sentence. Why were men always convinced women were having boys?
The aroma of garlic and chicken wafting around my nostrils made my stomach roll slightly, but I ignored it. I was too excited about the fact that Cade would be home any minute and I would get to tell him about the baby. I was still nervous, like really nervous, about his reaction, but the boys had quelled my nerves slightly.
I had decided to make him a delicious dinner at his house, partly because we hadn’t been here in a while and partly because I wanted us completely alone to hopefully celebrate. I had stuck the ultrasound photo on the fridge, hoping he would notice it when he went to get his beer. Which was pretty much the first thing he did when he got home, after making out with me, that was.
I got the chicken out of the oven, turning my head away from the smell. Morning sickness my ass. I had thrown up twice this afternoon, which didn’t bode well for the rest of my pregnancy. Figures, Cade’s child would be a handful, even in the womb.
My stomach dropped for a different kind of reason, hearing the telltale sound of Harley pipes coming down the driveway. My nerves were interrupted by my cellphone ringing. I picked it up, intending to ignore the call until I saw who it was.
“Matt! How the heck are you stranger?” I greeted warmly.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Matt returned, tone unusual.
Matt was the officer who found me after my attack. He had taken me to the hospital and stayed with me until Amy had arrived. He also visited me the day I woke up. He was sweet and caring and helped me get through my therapy. We had become great friends, although I hadn’t heard from him since I’d moved.
“I am so sorry to do this, I’ve missed talking to you and all, but this isn’t the best time. Can I call you back?” I asked him, hearing Cade’s bike stop.
“Not really, Gwen, I’ve got some news.” This pulled my attention away from the door, which I knew Cade would be walking through any second.
“What is it, Matt? Finally popped the question to Misty?” I joked, still unable to read his strange tone. It wasn’t urgent, but he sounded like it was something important.
“No love, it’s about O’Fallen,” he told me quietly.
I braced myself against the counter, my knees threatening to buckle.
Oh no, please tell me this fucker wasn’t messing with my life again. Not again, not with me and my child.
“He hasn’t escaped has he?” I whispered into the phone, praying for the answer to be good.
“No, Gwen. He’s dead. He was found in his cell early this morning, stabbed.”
My breath left me in a whoosh at this news. I barely registered Cade walking through the door, concerned eyes already reading my distress.
“Dead?” I repeated.
Cade heard this, strode towards me and yanked me into his arms, eyes locked on mine.
“Yeah, honey. Usually I’m not the kind of man that relishes delivering this type of information. Shit, I never thought I’d be glad at the news of someone being murdered. But I am, after what he did to you and countless others. I can sleep easy knowing the world is rid of that maggot,” he declared fiercely.
I listened to his words, but barely heard them. Cade was staring down at me, worry clear in his expression. I could tell he wanted to yank the phone out of my grasp, but I had a death grip on it.
“Gwen? It’s over, honey, he can never hurt you again,” Matt told me softly.
“Um, thanks for telling me, Matty,” I said quietly. “I’m glad I heard it from you. Can I call you back? Kind of a lot to deal with.” And I had the small problem of Cade, who was squeezing me so hard my baby was in danger of popping out seriously early.
“Yeah, of course, Gwen. Call me if you need anything. I’m always here.”
“Thanks, Matty, give my love to Misty.”
“Will do, Gwen, bye.”
I took the phone from my ear and stared down at it blankly.
“Baby,” Cade called, lifting my chin to look at him gently.
“Jimmy is dead,” I told him, my voice flat.
Cade looked at me carefully and stroked my face, gathering me deeper into his arms. I relaxed into them, letting his strong body and manly scent comfort me.
“I don’t feel anything,” I said, turning my gaze up. “Nothing. Not sad, not happy, just detachment. It just feels like news.” Maybe it was the fact I was going to be a mother and had a child to think about, or the fact that my life was amazing. Nothing could taint it.
Cade was rubbing my shoulders, his eyes burning into mine, searching for the truth in my words, no doubt worrying for me. I seriously loved this man.
“That’s good, baby,” he said evenly, calmly.
I was surprised. I expected him to have more of a reaction. One thing about my man was that he didn’t hide his emotions, well, anger at least. All of a sudden, a thought turned my blood to ice.
“You don’t seem surprised,” I whispered, trying to step out of his arms. They tightened around me. He was silent for a beat, face blank.
“No, Gwen, I’m not.” His voice was flat.
“You knew about this?” I stepped back fully, Cade let me. “Please tell me it’s because you have some kind of Google alert on his name or friends at the prison.”
Cade pulled at his neck, muscles bulging as he did so. “Yeah, baby, I’ve got friends at the prison,” he replied softly, his meaning clear.
“You had something to do with this?” I asked, wishing him to tell me otherwise.
He continued watching me, stepping towards me, freezing as I flinched away.
“I couldn’t let him go on breathing after what he did to you, Gwen. He needed to be taken care of. I didn’t want any more chances of him hurting you again.” His voice was devoid of emotion. As a matter of fact, it was like we were discussing what to have for dinner, not him ordering a hit on someone.
“He couldn’t hurt me again!” I yelled at him. “He was locked up for life. He was paying for his crimes, for every single person he hurt.”
Cade stiffened, his fists clenched. “That wasn’t enough for me, Gwen. I couldn’t sleep at night knowing someone who hurt the most precious thing in my life was still in this world.”
“And how do you think I’m going to sleep at night knowing the man I love ordered a hit on someone?” I all but screeched. “It isn’t up to you to play judge, jury, and executioner! How am I going to keep on living like this? Am I going to have to worry whether you’re going to off someone for stealing my parking spot, or getting the last pair of shoes I wanted?” My voice was still loud, maybe bordering on hysterical.