“Far as I’m concerned, you already are, and after this shit? Took ten years off my fucking life. You’re getting my name and a band on your finger before the week is out.”
Despite myself, I grinned. “I’m okay with that. And,” I glanced over at Thorn, who was arguing with the paramedics as they attempted to get him on a stretcher, “I have an idea.”
Chapter 29
CASH
After being checked out at the hospital, where it was determined that Layla was free to go home, we pulled up in front of our house at close to midnight.
“Are you disappointed?” she murmured.
I turned to her in the dim light of the cab. “Disappointed? About what?”
She turned to face me, looking tired but beautiful. “That the pregnancy test was negative.”
I reached over, cupping her face, sliding my thumb across her cheek and relishing its softness. “No, baby. We have time. And after what you went through, who knows what might have happened had you been newly pregnant. Things happen for a reason,” I replied, and I meant it. I might not be disappointed that she wasn’t pregnant now, but it didn’t mean I wouldn’t be working to change that in the very near future.
“She’ll be asleep.” Layla sighed in disappointment, her gaze to the house as I cut the engine. “I can’t wait to wrap my arms around her.”
“She’ll be up before we know it, and you need your rest.” She’d been so incredible, so strong through this whole ordeal, but I knew she was exhausted.
She nodded. “I am pretty tired. But I want to get back to the hospital first thing.”
We’d visited with Thorn, who, despite his adamant arguments, was being kept overnight for observation. Roxy had arrived looking frantic, and we’d given the two their space, knowing they needed it.
I nodded in agreement, eager to check back in with him as well. Seeing Thorn shot was a shock the system and a wake-up call of how much he really meant to me and to our family. Which made Layla’s idea all the more perfect.
“Wait for me,” I commanded quietly, opening my door and moving to her side.
“I can walk,” she protested.
“I know you can,” I assured her, lifting her into my arms and holding her close to my body as I carried her inside.
Grace opened the door for us, Wren and Tatum behind her. I reluctantly set Layla on her feet so she could receive the hugs I knew her girls were wanting to give.
“Have you talked to Emmie?” Layla asked Grace, who nodded.
“She’s staying with her folks for the night. She’s acting a little weird, so I’m gonna go over there in the morning and see what’s going on.”
“Let’s get you to bed, chief,” I murmured in her ear, my hand pressed to her lower back. I looked up at our friends. “Thank you,” I added sincerely.
“Not a thing,” Tatum replied. “We’ll let ourselves out.”
I guided Layla up the stairs and into our room. I sat her on the edge of the bed, crouching to remove her shoes. She placed her hand on my head as the reality of what we’d just been through hit me like a brick wall.
I dropped to my knees, burying my face in her lap and wrapping my arms around her waist. Everything up until this point had felt like a nightmare that I’d worked methodically through, remaining as unfeeling as possible, knowing I had to go into battle mode to survive it.
Now, in the quiet of our bedroom, finally having her back in my arms, I wondered if I’d ever be able to let her go.
She curved her body toward mine, dropping a kiss to the top of my head. “I’m okay,” she murmured quietly.
I looked up at her tear-filled eyes. “I could have lost you.”
“But you didn’t,” she insisted. “I’m right here.”
“Yeah, you are,” I murmured hoarsely. “For so long I’ve had my brothers, I’ve had a life I thought I was happy with. But I didn’t realize I’d been alone until the first time I saw you. You and Riley, you gave me the life I didn’t know I needed and now can’t live without.” A tear slid down her cheek, and I reached up to wipe it away. “Marry me.”
She smiled. “I will.”
“Tomorrow.”
She laughed through tears. “I don’t think we can do it that fast, but as soon as possible, I’ll be there,” she agreed.
“Mama?” Riley’s incredulous voice sounded from the doorway a second before she was running toward Layla, who sat up straight, opening her arms for her.
“Hi, baby,” Layla crooned, holding her close, kissing her head.
“You were gone!” Riley wailed. “Daddy said he was going to get you, but it took a really long time!”
“I’m here now,” Layla soothed. “Everything is fine. I missed you, my sweet girl.”
“I missed you too.” Riley sniffled. “Grandma stayed with me. She did my nails.” Riley held out her hands so they could see the bright red nail polish.
Layla smiled affectionately. “That looks like Roxy’s work. Baby, it’s so late. We all need to get some rest. Do you want to sleep with us tonight?”
At Riley’s nod, I took over, lifting her up and tucking her in the middle of our bed, giving Layla a chance to get herself ready for bed.
Layla and I wrapped our arms around Riley, snuggling her in between us, and with my arms around my girls, for the first time since this nightmare began, I breathed a sigh of relief.
I had my woman. I had my daughter. We were a family. Which meant I had everything.
****
“Can you talk some sense into him?” Roxy growled impatiently the next morning as we visited Thorn in his hospital room. We’d brought coffee and donuts, which Riley was enthusiastically eating from her perch at the side of Thorn’s bed.
“I have plenty of sense,” Thorn grumbled irritably. “I’m fine and ready to get the hell out of here.”
“They’re getting your discharge papers now,” Layla announced as she walked into the room after checking with the nurses.
“Finally,” Thorn sighed.
Layla and I shared a look, and I spoke up. “We wanted to share some news. We’re going to get married in three days. We can do a bigger celebration later, but after what happened, we want things official. And we want you to be there.”
“I get to wear a pretty dress!” Riley put in excitedly.
Roxy stroked a hand over her hair. “You’ll look beautiful, darling girl.” She turned eyes to me. “And we would love to. Name the time and place and we’ll be there.”
Thorn smiled at Layla. “You’re gonna be a Walker then?”
“No, an Archer!” Riley exclaimed.
For a moment, a shocked silence fell over the room. I cleared my throat. “That’s actually more of what we wanted to tell you. You know I never had much in the way of family. The last name I had doesn’t mean much—if anything, it’s part of my life I’ve done everything to move past. Layla and I talked about it, and if it’s okay by you, we’d all like to take your name.”
Roxy clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes filling with tears as Thorn looked at me with eyes that matched my own. For a moment he appeared too shocked to speak.