Hunter's Mark (Copper Creek Book 4)

by Wendy Smith

  My heart starts again as our gazes are locked. All I see is love in her eyes. “But—”

  “I thought I was safe. The needle was a placebo. It was just another way for Ash to control us.”

  I pull her face to mine, my lips massaging hers as I stroke her back.

  She pulls away. “We’re having a baby, Corey. Or maybe I am if you don’t want me with that.”

  “I want you. Just give me a moment.”

  She bursts into tears, and I pull her into my arms. It’s easy to forget she’s not streetwise, that despite everything she’s been exposed to, she’s still led a sheltered life.

  “I know, sweetness. It’s over now. It’ll be you and me and our baby.”

  “Corey. I thought I’d never be with you again.” She sobs, and I hold her tighter.

  “I love you. And I’m not letting you go that easily.” Pulling back, I look into her teary eyes. “I’m sorry for not keeping you safe. I swear I’ll never make that mistake again.”

  She nods, and I close my eyes. This is it. I’ve got her back.

  And we’re having a baby.

  It doesn’t take long for us to end up back in bed. And it’s where I’ll keep her for days if I have any say in it.

  I’m going to be a father.

  Having a child is something I’ve always thought about, but in an abstract way. It’s something other people do, and I watch from afar. Now it’s really happening to me, and it’s with the only person I could imagine doing it with.

  All I see is Constance and our baby.

  “What are you thinking about?” she asks, snuggling into my chest.

  “How I came so close to losing everything.” I palm her cheek, hooking my fingers into her hair. “You, the baby. The things that matter most to me. I’d never felt so lost.”

  “You were all I thought about when Ash had me. I thought I’d die without being able to tell you how I felt one more time.”

  I sigh, running a finger down her neck. “I’m so angry he did this to you. I wanted to nail the bastard, and then he pulled that gun, and—”

  She runs her nails down my chest, and my body responds. I can’t take back what Ash did, but I can do my best to make her forget he ever existed. “I knew you were there. In what I thought might be my final moments, I drew comfort in that. Maybe you hadn’t said it, but I knew you loved me.”

  I plant a kiss on the top of her head. “Always.”

  “And now, we can look forward to our baby coming. You don’t think what Ash did could have hurt it, do you?” She looks up at me, her eyes so full of fear.

  “We’ll go and see Doc Paton. And then I guess the next step is to talk to Margaret. She’s the midwife around here.”

  “The only other person who knows is Julia, back home. She’s the one who told me to take a test. Our parents are going to be so excited.”

  I suck in a breath. Of course, she doesn’t know what happened while she was away. I doubt Ash told her.

  “Umm, Mum died.”

  For a moment she says nothing, but the sorrow written all over her face makes me wish I didn’t have to tell her. Tears well in her eyes. “When?”

  “We buried her a week ago.”

  She clings to me, her hot tears spilling onto my neck. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “I hate him.”

  My heart aches at her pain. “If he wasn’t dead, I’d kick his arse for everything he’s done. And then I’d kick his arse for laying a hand on you. And then, I’d kick his arse again for daring to breathe the same air as you.” I run my finger down her cheek. “I love you so much. There is nothing that will ever keep us apart again.”

  “I love you, too.” She gives me a small smile.

  “We have to put the past behind us, sweetness. You and me.” I run my hand across her stomach. “And this little one. We have to focus on the baby and make a new life.”

  She nods. “I know. I wish I’d been here, though.”

  “I was a mess without you. Ask my brothers. They’ll probably tell you what a dick I made of myself.”

  Laughing, she plants a kiss on my chest. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. I even went through the fence one night.”

  “You did?”

  “Kane stopped me. I wanted to tear the place down looking for you, but they said you’d gone back voluntarily. I didn’t know any different, and I didn’t want to put you at further risk by making a scene.”

  “Oh, Corey.” All the emotion is clear in her voice. “When you didn’t come, I thought maybe you thought I was a mistake.”

  I shake my head. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, sweetness. You could never be one of them.” Pausing, I let out a contented sigh. “Come here and let me love you one more time before we go to sleep.”

  “Only one?”

  Shrugging, I lower my mouth to hers. “We’ll see.”

  It’s dark when I wake in the morning. It’s always dark.

  The only bit of light in the room is the woman in my arms.

  I’ve got her back for good.

  My heart is full right now. It’s so far from where I was a week ago, and it’s all because of her.

  Slipping my arm out from underneath her, I climb out of bed and pull the curtains. Morning sun floods the room.

  “What are you doing?” She laughs, rubbing her eyes. “You love this room being dark.”

  “Not anymore. We’ll go for a drive to Carlstown and buy some new curtains. Something that is closer to my mood.” I turn. “I’ve been in the dark for long enough.”

  She smiles at me as I climb back into bed and pull her back into my arms. I take a deep breath, inhaling the familiar soapy scent of her. “I spent far too long moping around over something that wasn’t mine to want. Now, I have a family of my own to care for, and I feel whole.”

  Fixing her gaze on me, Constance plants her hand on my chest. “We are whole.”

  “Our kid is going to have the best upbringing. We can give him or her everything, Con.” I suck in a breath. “If you wanted, we could move closer to town, too.”

  “Why would I want that?”

  I shrug. “More convenient.”

  “And have our child miss out on this place? There’s no way we’re moving.” She says it so matter-of-factly, it makes me smile.

  “Good. I didn’t really want to move.” I laugh. “And now the investigation’s over, no more having the police on my land.”

  “It’s just us now.” Her eyes shine with happiness.

  I nod. “It’s just us.”

  35

  Constance

  I never thought I’d be back here again.

  My parents still being here is a draw, and I have two very important things left to do. I need to introduce them to Corey, and give them the news that they’re going to be grandparents.

  Corey squeezes my hand as I turn the handle and open their front door.

  “Hello,” I call.

  “Hello, love.” Mum beams from her spot in the living room, and I walk over to her, bending and wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

  “Mum, I’d like you to meet Corey. Corey, this is my mum.”

  Corey nods. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs Shaw.”

  “Please. Call me Jackie.”

  He smiles, shaking the hand she holds out. “Then, it’s nice to meet you, Jackie.”

  “Constance.” Dad appears in the doorway, and I run to him. He pulls me into a tight hug. “Oh, my sweetheart. It’s so good to see you.”

  “Dad, this is Corey.”

  Dad lets me go, and walks toward Corey, his hand extended. “Peter Shaw.”

  “Corey Campbell.”

  The two men I love most in the word shake hands.

  “Take a seat, you two. I’ll make some coffee,” Dad says. I take Corey’s hand and lead him to the couch.

  “I’m glad you came to see us, Constance. We were worri
ed when you ran off like that, but Senior Sergeant Taylor told us that you’d be safe.” Mum shifts her gaze to Corey. “And thank you so much. You put yourself at risk for our daughter.”

  Corey squeezes my hand. “I just wanted her to be safe.”

  I swallow. “I had to make sure things were good with Corey. He didn’t know Ash had brought me back.”

  My mother’s eyes grow sad. “That man had a lot to answer for. It’s a shame he’ll never have to face the consequences of his actions.”

  “No, but he’ll never be a threat to any of you again,” Corey says. “That’s all that matters.”

  “Drugs.” Dad stands in the doorway, two mugs in his hands. “The whole time, and right under our noses.”

  I stare at him. “What do you mean?”

  He places the coffee cups on the table and goes back to the kitchen for the sugar bowl and milk.

  “The bunkers. Ash had quite the methamphetamine factory going on.”

  My heart sinks. The men closest to him must have known about it.

  Dad hands Mum her coffee and sits in a chair opposite us. “Scott and a couple of Ash’s other guys knew. Michael and the rest had no idea. They thought he was stockpiling food because he was so paranoid.”

  “That piece-of-shit was …” Corey stops himself. “Sorry.”

  Dad nods. “It’s okay. He was a piece-of-shit.”

  “The police are questioning everyone, but Ash wasn’t stupid. He used his father’s paranoia to his own means. Robert meant the bunker and tunnels to be used for our survival, not for Ash’s money-making.”

  I widen my eyes. “Did they get Ash’s associate? The one he wanted me to—”

  “He’s been arrested, too. You and Julia deserve so much of the credit, sweetheart. If you hadn’t freed Michael and Jared, the truth would still be buried under those glasshouses.”

  Corey slips his arm around my shoulders, and I lean on him, relief flooding through me.

  A smile plays on Dad’s lips. “It’s funny how things work out. Julia wouldn’t know that bunker like you. Without your help, she might not have found either of them.”

  Tears well in my eyes. “So, all those years of being disobedient paid off?”

  He chuckles. “You were always such a wild one.”

  “What happens now? Do you all have to leave here?” Corey asks.

  Dad shrugs. “I’m not sure. A lot of us contributed to the land, and it was in a trust controlled by Robert, and then Ash. What happens to it now, I’m not sure.”

  “Well, I don’t have a big house, but if you and Jackie need somewhere to live, it’s open to you.”

  I wrap my arm around Corey’s waist and bury my face in his chest. “Thank you.”

  “Family’s family, sweetness. I can’t help everyone, but we’ll make it work if your parents need it.”

  “Thank you, Corey. Hopefully it won’t take long to unravel this mess, and we can work out where to go from there.” Dad shifts his gaze to me. “I’m assuming you’re not coming back now.”

  I sit up. “About that.” I flick a glance at Corey. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  Mum leans forward. Uncertainty crosses her face.

  “I’m pregnant. You two are going to be grandparents. I’m not exactly sure how far along I am, but—”

  “Does this mean there’s a marriage on the horizon?” Dad asks.

  Mum smiles.

  I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

  “Dad, I—”

  “Soon,” Corey says. “My brother’s about to marry his partner, and they’ve been through so much to get to this point. I wouldn’t want to take anything away from them.”

  I stare at Corey. We haven’t even discussed this, so I know he’s winging it. But he’s given my dad exactly the answer he wanted to hear.

  “I’m not trying to apply any pressure. All we want is for Constance to be happy. She’s been through enough lately.”

  “Agreed,” Corey says. I loop my arm in Corey’s and finally get his attention. He plants a kiss on the top of my head. “Constance will be well taken care of. You can count on it. I’m just so relieved she’s safe and back with me.”

  A smile spreads across Dad’s face. “I’m relieved she’s found someone who truly loves her. Ash abused our trust, and by the time we all realised just how bad things were, it was too late.”

  Tears prick my eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, Constance,” Dad says. “If I was a younger man …”

  I nod. “I know, Dad. It’s not your fault. Ash took advantage of the power his father gave him, and we were all caught up in that.”

  “You know in the old days, you would never have been matched with someone like John Parsons. And you would have had a choice if you disliked the other person that much.”

  I sigh. “I know that, too.”

  “I’m sorry we didn’t see the warning signs.”

  Shaking my head, I reach for Dad’s hand. “You weren’t to know. And this is your home.”

  “I’ll always regret what you nearly went through.”

  I smile. “We’re all safe now.” I pause. “What will happen with Mum’s care?”

  Dad smiles. “If we can stay here, there are going to be some big changes. The whole community were up talking for half the night.”

  My heart thuds. “So you’ll all be okay?”

  “The one thing that is true is that we’re self-sufficient.”

  “What does that have to do with Mum’s care?”

  “I’m retiring, Constance. I talked with the police last night, and I’m old enough to claim a pension. It’s not a huge amount of money, but I’ll be able to be with your mother and take care of her.”

  Tears roll down my cheeks. “I’m not far away if you need help.”

  “Sweetheart, you’ll have more than enough on your plate.”

  Corey’s grip tightens around my waist, and I snuggle in against him.

  The end of Ash has meant the start of something good—something that should always have been.

  I hear Julia before I see her.

  “Andrew.” Her voice carries in the air, followed by her laughter.

  As Corey and I draw closer, I see Andrew. He’s running around in the sunshine, and it makes me smile. Julia sits with Jared. His arm’s around her waist, and that just makes my smile grow.

  “Hello,” I say.

  She looks up, gasps, and leaps to her feet. “Constance.”

  In an instant, I’m in her arms, and she’s holding onto me for dear life. “I see you’re doing okay.” I nod. “Jared.”

  “Oh, no. His real name is Taylor.”

  “Of course.” I grin. “You were undercover.”

  “Not anymore. I’m sticking around.” He laughs.

  “You’re leaving the force?” Corey asks.

  Jared, or rather, Taylor, nods. “Julia and I are going to give it a go now everything is settling down.”

  “The whole thing is crazy, huh?” Julia lets me go. “I knew Ash was up to something, but even I had no idea how big it was.”

  She squats, beckoning Andrew to her. The little boy runs straight into her arms, and she scoops him up.

  “I’d like you to meet Andrew.” She faces Corey. “I named him after your brother. He probably saved both our lives.”

  “I hope Drew doesn’t know. He’s got a big enough ego already.” Corey laughs. He reaches out, tickling Andrew under the chin. “Maybe you should rename him Corey now.”

  Julia laughs. “I’m so thankful for your family. He and Hayley were so good to me. I can’t thank either of them enough.”

  “I’ll be sure to mention you to them next time I see them.”

  “Maybe they can come and visit?”

  He nods. “Maybe. They’ve got children of their own. Twins. They’re about 9 months old now.”

  Her eyes widen. “That must keep them busy. I have enough trouble with one two-year-old.”

  Corey laughs.
>
  She shifts her gaze to me. “So, I guess you’re not coming back?”

  “I’ll be right next door.”

  Taylor stands, moving behind Julia and wrapping his arms around her waist. I guess I’m not the only one to get a happy ending.

  The car journey home might be short, but it’s silent. Until we pull into our driveway.

  “Why did you lie to my dad?” I ask.

  “What?”

  “About us getting married.”

  Corey flicks a glance at me. “I told him the truth.”

  “Since when?”

  “I’m not in the habit of lying to people, Con. You know how I feel about you.” He pulls to a stop in the driveway.

  My heart swells. He meant it.

  Corey captures my wrist and brings it to his lips. “Every word I said was true. It’s you and me, sweetness. Even before the baby. It always was.”

  Tears prick my eyes. “We haven’t discussed it.”

  “I know, but this is it. We are getting married. First, it’s Adam and Lily’s time to shine. They earned it.”

  “And that’s it.” I don’t mean to sound whiney, but I’m disappointed he’s made a decision without even asking me.

  His expression softens. “If you’re angry because I didn’t propose first, I will—when the time is right and we’re both ready for it.”

  I pout.

  “Come here, my walking bunch of hormones.” He pulls me into his arms as much as he can, thanks to the gearstick between us. “Let’s go inside and I can show you just how happy you make me.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise to give you the whole world. We can build our life together, Constance, and you’d better believe that includes me putting a ring on your finger. We’ll give our children everything.”

  Children.

  Plural.

  I raise my face to meet his. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “Doubting you.”

  He shakes his head. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. We’re together, and that’s all that matters from now on.”

  His kiss tells me everything I need to know—he loves me.