A deputy sheriff’s car was behind them by now, but she didn’t care. She jumped out and started racing towards the entrance of the Emergency Room. Kiesha must have run interference because no one interrupted her.
As soon as she explained the situation, several people rushed out to get Marisol and she was wheeled away on a gurney.
She didn’t waste a minute, racing back out to the truck and climbing in. “Kiesha, get in!”
Kiesha stared at her, wide-eyed but jumped into the passenger seat. Then ignoring the yells of the deputy, who she vaguely recognized, she took off towards the sheriff’s department.
“Who knew you were such a rule-breaker!” Kiesha said.
“Ed. Need Ed.”
She pulled into the back of the sheriff’s department, not even bothering to turn off the truck. She raced into the building.
And the first person she saw was her brother, Sebastian.
Then she heard the sweetest sound ever.
“Georgie-girl?”
Turning, she flew into Ed’s arms. Finally. Home. Safe.
Twenty minutes later, she was sitting in Ed’s lap in his office.
She had an ice pack pressed to her swollen cheek, which Ed had nearly lost his shit over.
There was a blanket around her. And Ed’s hand was on the front of her throat, his fingers pressed lightly on her pulse.
As soon as they’d arrived, she and Kiesha had told them what had happened. Ed hadn’t wasted time in sending people out to the abandoned house to arrest Saber. He’d also called Linc, who had thankfully been contacted by the hospital and was already there with Marisol.
She hoped she would be all right. Ed had wanted her and Kiesha to go to the hospital, but they’d both insisted they were fine and he’d settled for August checking them both over.
Jace suddenly appeared in the doorway. “They’ve got him, boss. He was conscious when they found him. They’re bringing him in.”
Oh, thank God. She shared a look of profound relief with Kiesha, who was bundled up in another blanket on one of Ed’s chairs. That tight ball of fear in her stomach started to unravel.
He’d been arrested.
She was safe. Kiesha and Marisol were safe. Hopefully, Marisol would be all right.
Everything was all right.
“Good,” Ed said with satisfaction.
“I want a moment with him,” Marcus said darkly, studying her. All of her brothers had hugged her gently until Ed had insisted on having her to himself.
“Not happening,” Ed said firmly. “This is going by the book.”
There were a number of grumbles from her brothers.
“Give her to me,” Spencer demanded.
“No. Georgie’s mine now.”
“I want someone to fight over me,” Kiesha pouted. She looked over Georgie’s brothers with obvious appreciation.
Georgie felt like she should warn her. “They’re all players with commitment issues.”
“Really?” Kiesha asked.
“Yep.”
“My favorite kind.”
“Kiesha? Have you called the others?” Ed asked.
A door slammed. “Where are they? Where are my girls?” Isa demanded.
Then she and Cleo were there, hugging Kiesha. Next appeared O’Ryan and Juliet, who had her hand twisted around his shirt and was giving Georgie’s brothers a nervous look.
Chaos ensued, especially when Loki arrived. She still couldn’t believe that her brothers had all come out here because they were worried about her.
She guessed they really did love her.
“Right, all of you need to clear out. Kiesha, take some time off, okay?” Ed looked over at her. “You want to stay with Georgie and me?”
Kiesha shook her head. “I’m going home with Isa and Loki.”
Ed turned her face towards his. “Saber will be brought in any minute. I’m going to walk Kiesha out then check in with Ranger. You’ll be okay?”
No. But she nodded, setting down the ice pack. He lifted her off his lap, holding her hips as he studied her, as though he could sense that she was feeling uncertain and vulnerable. He ran a thumb over her cheek. His face was intense.
“Stay right here, understand? I’ll take you home soon.”
Home. That’s what she really wanted. Everyone gave her a hug. Even Juliet squeezed her hand and whispered something in O’Ryan’s ear.
O’Ryan grimaced. “Juliet said Reuben is glad you’re safe and if any of you need a therapist, he can fly one out.”
“That’s very kind of Reuben.” Weird. But kind.
They all left. Ed walked out with his arm wrapped around Kiesha.
“You okay with your man snuggling up to your friend like that?” Sebastian asked. There was suspicion in his gaze. Even though his question sounded challenging, she knew it was just his way. He was suspicious of everyone who wasn’t family.
“They’re like brother and sister,” she said, sitting in Ed’s chair. Her legs were unable to hold her up. August walked over and crouched in front of her, taking her hand in his so he could take her pulse.
“I’m all right, Gus,” she said, using the nickname he hated.
“You fucking scared the shit out of us, squirt,” Evan said. He didn’t talk much. Especially around strangers.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean to get kidnapped. Not in my top twenty things to do.”
August set her hand down on her lap. “Your pulse is too fast.”
“Think that’s understandable.”
“You’ve lost weight, squirt.” Sebastian studied her. He never missed a thing.
She sat up straight. “You haven’t seen me in eight months, how would you know?”
Spencer crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think the sheriff is doing a good job of looking after her. She’s thin and pale.”
“And she was kidnapped,” Gareth added.
“You’re going to come stay with me,” Sebastian added.
“I am not!” Not happening. She wasn’t a kid to be bossed around.
“Why didn’t you tell us that you took time off from your job?” Marcus asked.
“It wasn’t your business!”
“Instead of coming to one of us, you came here?” Spencer asked as if she hadn’t spoken. “Why?”
“Also none of your business.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Look, I appreciate you guys coming here to check on me. But this is where I want to be and I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re not going back to work?” Sebastian asked.
“I’m on indefinite leave.”
“Why?” August asked. “What happened?”
She glanced away from his perceptive eyes. “I was working on a case that went wrong. I started getting panic attacks.”
Spencer sucked in a breath. “How the hell does a case go wrong when you sit behind a desk?”
“I can’t believe you all knew that Mother had me benched.”
They stared at her unapologetically.
“We will do whatever we have to in order to keep you safe, squirt,” August told her.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Stop calling me that. And I can take care of myself.”
“Clearly,” Spencer said sarcastically.
“It is not my fault I got kidnapped.”
“No, it’s not.” A deep voice said from the doorway. “And I don’t appreciate anyone trying to insinuate that it was.”
She gave Ed a grateful look. While she knew she was in for a whole lot of protective smothering once they got home, she was also thankful that he had her back with her family.
He moved forward and pulled her out of the seat then sat with her on his lap again. “Saber’s being booked. I’m recusing myself, so no one can say that there was a conflict of interest.”
Her brothers nodded although no one looked happy.
“Look, clearly losing your job has come as a shock to you,” August said, trying to smooth things over.
Gr
r. She didn’t lose her job.
“But don’t you think moving to the middle of nowhere and jumping into a relationship with a man you barely know is a bit insane? Can’t you see why we’re worried? This isn’t like you,” he added.
“I know. This isn’t like me.” She leaned back into Ed’s chest. “Which is why I did it. Because being me wasn’t working for me. I got shot on the job.”
“What?” Evan snapped.
“I’m fine. It was a flesh wound. But when I went back to work, I had a panic attack at the sound of a car backfiring. My nightmares were worse than ever. So I came here, because being here, with Ed, it was the last time I could remember being happy. I’d only been here a night when I went for a run and collapsed and ended up in the hospital.”
August started pacing “Why the fuck did no one tell me!” He glared at Ed.
“Because I didn’t need you all doing this. Acting like you know what’s best for me. Treating me like I’m a child. I know what I’m doing. This is what I want, to be here with Ed. I love him. I’m staying here so you all need to suck it up and be happy for me.”
“You love me?” Ed asked gruffly.
Oh shoot.
“Me and my stupid mouth,” she muttered. “That wasn’t how I was going to tell you.”
“Everyone out,” he barked without moving his gaze away from hers.
There was some grumbling.
“Fine, we’re going but this conversation isn’t over,” Sebastian said sternly. The others all made noises of agreement.
She heard everyone go then the click of the door.
He spun her around so she was straddling his lap. Then clasping her face between his hands, he kissed her.
It was hard and hot. Full of possession and said everything she needed to know.
This was right. This was everything.
“You love me.”
“I love you,” she repeated. He just kept staring at her, as though he thought she might disappear. “Have you got something to say to me?”
“Yeah.”
Still nothing.
Irritation started to build and she told herself that he didn’t have to say it back.
Screw that. Yes, he did.
“Well?”
“Don’t ever scare me like that again, understand me? I can’t take it. I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten. I thought I’d fucking lost you, and I couldn’t imagine what my life . . .” his voice cracked and her heart wept at the raw emotion on his face. He was trembling and she tried to wrap her arms around him. But he wouldn’t release her face.
Tears gathered in her eyes. “Ed, please. Let me hold you.”
“Not yet. I have to get this out and if you hug me right now, I might lose it. You don’t know how hard it’s been to hold it together, not knowing where you were, if you were safe. It fucking killed me. Something inside me tore and only having you in my arms, in my sight, under my protection is going to repair it.”
She got it. She could only imagine how terrified he’d been, not knowing that she was all right. She knew how she’d be if the situation was reversed. She didn’t know how he’d kept himself sane.
“I get it.”
“Georgina, I nearly tore this town apart searching for you. I was so damn close to losing it.”
“I’m all right, Ed. I promise. I had it under control.”
“I know you’re not fragile and that you can take care of yourself. But you’re still my baby and I’m going to look after you. I need to. My girl. My baby. I love you.”
Ed tucked her hair behind her ear. She hadn’t bothered to try to tame it.
“What about your career?” Ed asked.
“I think it’s time for my second act,” she told him. “That job wasn’t working for me anyway. I became an agent because I wanted to help people, not shuffle paper around all day.”
“You were helping people,” Ed told her.
“Not really. Not like I wanted. And I’m not sure my boss really wants me back anyway. I will figure out something else.”
“And I’ll support you in whatever you want to do.”
This time when she moved, he let her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his head close to her. And she kissed him like she never wanted to let him go. Like he was vital for her to live.
Because he was.
“Georgina Catherine James, get off that man’s lap immediately!”
She groaned. “Damn it.” What the hell was she doing here?
There was a shocked gasp. “Did you just swear? What has happened to you?”
Her mother strode into the room, her eyes flashing with anger, made up perfectly as always. “First you come here without telling anyone but Gareth. Then you associate yourself with some stranger. Then you get yourself kidnapped and now you’re sitting in a man’s lap and cursing. This is not the way I raised you.”
Georgina knew that she could do whatever she needed to placate the woman who gave birth to her. Whatever would cause the least confrontation.
Or she could do what she should have done years ago. She could fight back. She could put down boundaries, lines that she wouldn’t allow her to cross.
A finger slid around her palm, sending a shiver through her and she looked up at Ed. He stared down at her reassuringly. She knew whatever she did, that he would back her.
“Mother, you shouldn’t have come all this way. I’m fine.” Why the hell had no one warned her that her mother was here? She was going to kill her brothers.
“Well, it wasn’t like I wanted to. But how would it look if I didn’t come when my only daughter needed me? And it’s just as well I did. Now, let’s get your things, Georgina. You need to come home with me. I have the jet ready to go. I was just going to leave when I got word that you were safe.”
Wow. She felt so loved.
“I’m not going anywhere, Mother. I am home.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Georgina. This isn’t you.”
“Actually, it is. This is the real me. Not the person you want me to be. I’m sorry I didn’t turn into the cold, unfeeling robot you wanted. But I can’t be that person. Not anymore. I’m staying here with Ed. We’re getting married.”
“Thanks for the romantic proposal, Georgie-girl,” Ed said dryly.
She just snorted. “I’ll let you make a real one later.”
“So kind.”
“And I’m not going back to my old life. I’m definitely not going back to living with you. I’m happy here.”
“This is . . . this is preposterous. What has he done to you!” She pointed at Ed.
“He’s shown me what it’s like to be loved. And I’ve never been happier in my life.”
39
The seven of them slid into a round booth at the local diner. Somehow, she ended up in the middle with three brothers on either side of her.
They were all due to leave tomorrow. And weirdly, she was going to miss them.
“Here you all go.” A rounded woman with dark hair pulled back in a bun placed menus on the table for them. She smiled around at them all. “I’m Sammy. Can I start you all with drinks?” She stared around at her brothers curiously.
Marcus looked her up and down then winked at her before ordering for all of them.
“I’ll be back,” Sammy told them.
Marcus stared after her. Georgie whacked her hand against his arm. “Can you try not to ogle her while I’m sitting right here? I shouldn’t have to see that.”
“Ed touches you all the time in front of us,” Spencer pointed out as he looked over the menu. “You need to have a word with him about that.”
Yeah, that wouldn’t be happening. She liked Ed touching her. He’d barely let her out of his sight since her kidnapping a few days ago. She was only with her brothers because he’d needed to go in to work. Even though he wasn’t acting in an official capacity when it came to Saber’s arrest, he still had things in the background he was keeping an eye on.
Saber had been denied bail
, thank goodness. And he was now being held in a high security prison. That made her breathe a lot easier. And she knew that was the reason her brothers felt like they could safely leave.
Saber had been high on coke when he was arrested, spouting off about someone being after him, trying to take him out like they took out his son. Once he’d come down off his high, he’d refused to say anything at all.
She’d mentioned to Ed what Marisol had said. She didn’t feel like she could keep it to herself. And while she’d quit her job, and was no longer an FBI agent, Ed was still an officer of the law.
He’d gone out to speak to Linc and Marisol personally. They’d told him that they thought Tiger had been taken by another gang and killed.
She thought they knew more than that and so did Ed. However, he didn’t press any further. And if he was happy, so was Georgina.
“So you’re really moving here permanently?” Sebastian asked. “With him?”
“I thought you guys liked Ed?” She looked around at them all.
August shrugged. “He’s okay.”
“No man is ever going to be good enough for our baby sister,” Gareth told her.
She felt closer to them all than she ever had. Sammy came back over and took their orders.
“You know, I like it here,” Marcus said, watching Sammy move around. “Maybe I could open a branch up here.”
“You? Live here?” August gave him a look of disbelief.
“Have any of you heard from Mother?” she asked.
Their faces all closed down and August was the one who looked over at her, meeting her gaze. “No. And I’m glad.”
“We’ve been drawing away from her for years,” Spencer said. “Trying to minimize the damage she inflicts on our lives.”
“But we should have done more to protect you,” Gareth told her.
“That has to stop,” Evan said darkly.
“Not hearing from her is a good thing,” Marcus said. “Long may it last.”
“But if she gives you any problems then you tell us,” Sebastian said. “Got me?”
She nodded, but she hoped she didn’t hear from her either.
Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) Page 33
