Her Lucky Love

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  She didn’t deserve him or his love.

  “Ally.”

  “Greg was what you think and worse,” she let out. “He forced me to stay with him even when I tried to go. I know men do that without magic and I thought that was all it was. Even that makes me sick, but now I find out it’s magic? For so long I thought I’d just been weak. One of those woman who made excuses for him even though I hadn’t known it.”

  Brayden shook his head and pulled her close. She didn’t fight him, needing his warmth even if she hated herself for it.

  “He used magic, Ally. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “I know that now, but I didn’t for so long. He had to have everything his way, and it had to be perfect. And if it wasn’t…”

  Brayden touched her cheek, but she didn’t flinch. God, she trusted this man, despite the magic that ran through his veins.

  “And if it wasn’t?” Brayden prompted.

  “He made sure his displeasure was known.” She lifted her chin, daring Brayden to say anything about that.

  His jaw clenched, and he growled that growl she was just getting used to hearing. “I’d go back and kill him myself if I could.”

  “Well, the car accident that killed him made it too easy,” she said. “He died on impact. But I’d help you kill him if I could, not only for hurting me physically, emotionally, and everywhere in between, but for what he did to my kids.”

  Brayden’s grip tightened for a moment before he visibly forced himself to relax. “Did he touch them, Ally?”

  She shook her head. “No, he never hit them. Though I don’t know what would have happened if he’d lived.” She swallowed the bile that had risen at that thought. But Greg was gone now and couldn’t hurt her children. Though his brother endangered them, she wouldn’t let that stop her kids from living a normal life.

  Well, as normal as they could, being half gnome living in a paranormal town.

  “What did he do?”

  “He hit me, yelled at me, criticized me. The normal stuff.” She tried to sound flippant, but she knew Brayden could see right through her.

  “Nothing is normal about this, Ally. What he did to you isn’t normal. I want you to see that being with a man doesn’t mean pain, but respect and love. That’s my goal in all this.”

  “Bray…”

  “What else did he do? Because I know there’s something more. Something that haunts Aiden.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and she swallowed. She could never hide anything from Brayden, even when she so desperately wanted to forget.

  “Greg got mad one night, madder than usual. Aiden had left something on the table; I don’t even remember what. He went after him, but I stood in the way. There was no way he was going to hurt my son. That only enraged Greg more, and he knocked me to the ground, kicking me in the stomach as hard as he could.”

  Brayden stroked her back, calming her even though her emotions ran ragged.

  “I was pregnant at the time, though I hadn’t known it.”

  Brayden sucked in a sharp breath then crushed her to his body. Tears tore from her, long wrenching sobs that made her shake.

  God, it hurt so much. She’d lost so much.

  “I’m so sorry, Ally.”

  “I took myself to the doctor, but Greg caught up with me. I don’t remember what happened from there, only that everyone forgot what had happened. But not me, not Aiden.”

  “Damn his magic,” Brayden whispered, his breath warm on her ear as she hugged him tight. “But it’s not my magic. Do you understand that?”

  “I want to.”

  “Then we’ll make it happen.”

  “Bray, I don’t know if I can have kids now. I have the three most beautiful children already…but since…I just don’t know.”

  He kissed her then. A soft, slow, emotion-filled kiss that took her breath away. His lips lingered at the corner of her mouth, searching, needing. She leaned in, letting his tongue brush hers, the taste of coffee intertwined with that just-Bray taste.

  “Then we’ll figure it out.”

  “Bray…”

  “No, just let me love you. Not here, not now. But let me show you what I mean by my actions, not just my words. Let yourself lean on me, and I’ll do the same to you. That way it’s not one sided.”

  “How did you know that’s what I was scared of?” How did he know her so well?

  “Because I know you, Allison Malone. I’m not giving up. I was quiet for way too long, and I’m making up for lost time.”

  “I don’t know, Bray.”

  “Then we’ll go slow.”

  Allison leaned into his hold, and they stood in the living room, wrapped in each other, knowing the world beckoned and sweet words weren’t the way to get things done.

  She knew she could trust him; that wasn’t the problem. It was trusting herself when she was with him that caused doubt. She just didn’t know if she was worth enough to make it work.

  In his arms, though, it didn’t matter, at least for the moment. But moments end, and life would come calling…just not right now.

  Chapter 7

  Aiden couldn’t believe his mom and Brayden had actually let them go to school. He’d thought his mom would lock him in a padded room or wrapped him in bubble wrap before she’d let it happen.

  She was a little overprotective like that.

  Well, considering his uncle, or whatever that man was, wanted him and his brother and sister, he guessed he didn’t blame his mom all that much.

  But, really, a boy—almost a man at this point really—needed some space.

  But, she’d talked with the Coopers, and now he was at school with his brother and sister. His mom had told him to watch out for his brother and sister because, even though they hadn’t heard from his dad’s brother in a couple days, that didn’t mean the danger was gone.

  Great, just what he needed. To watch over Cameron and Lacy even though they weren’t even in the same grade. He wished he lived in a bigger town where there was a middle school, but no, he was forced to stay in the same school as his baby brother and sister until next year.

  Well, it wasn’t all that bad. Now he was in the oldest class on campus, so he ruled. At least in his mind anyway. Most kids didn’t like hanging out with the Malones since they considered them trash.

  Well, screw them.

  He looked over his shoulder on the playground, sure his mom was around the corner listening to his thoughts—she was creepy like that sometimes—but he didn’t think she would be around. Not with Brayden in her life now.

  He didn’t know what he thought about that. His mom was an adult, and he guessed that she needed a boyfriend or whatever, but it still felt weird.

  He’d never really liked his dad, even though he didn’t think kids were supposed to think that. But, his dad wasn’t a nice guy, and he’d made their mom cry.

  A lot.

  Brayden made her smile, and Aiden really liked the guy. Even though Brayden wasn’t his dad, he was way better. He actually listened when Aiden or his brother and sister talked. He took him to play baseball when his mom had to work.

  Aiden guessed if Brayden made his mom happy, then he was a pretty good guy.

  That didn’t mean Aiden was completely happy about it though. What if Brayden didn’t want kids that weren’t his own? Yeah, the guy liked hanging out with them now, but what if Brayden and his mom got married?

  He’d have to talk with him, even though he didn’t really want to. But ever since his dad had died, he was the man of the house now, so he had to take the responsibility.

  He had to take care of Cameron and Lacy. Even now he watched them play on the playground. Cameron was showing his friends his new cast and having them sign it with the felt tip maker he brought with him while Lacy was playing in the field watching fairies or some crap. His little sister was way too girly for him.

  Aiden knew he wasn’t the only one watching them either. Justin, Abby, and other Coopers were around making sure everyone was
safe. That was good at least. He didn’t want to lose his brother and sister, even if they annoyed him sometimes.

  A strange tingling ran over his skin, and he shuddered. Something like little pinpricks, like when Lacy rolled Cameron’s cars over his arms, but harder, slid over him. What was that? He looked around but didn’t see anything, just kids playing, not noticing whatever had made him feel weird.

  He looked over at Cameron and met his brother’s eyes. There was fear in them. He didn’t like seeing his little brother scared and it made him even more scared. What was going on?

  So, Cameron had felt it too?

  Aiden stiffened and looked over to where Lacy had been playing, and ice settled in his chest.

  Where was she?

  Gone. No, that didn’t make any sense. She’d just been there playing. He looked around and thought he saw a glimmer of her pigtails far away from where she had been. He turned toward the adults, but they didn’t look as if anything was wrong. In fact, they kind of had a glassy look in their eyes, as if they had gone blind or drunk or something.

  Magic?

  What if his uncle used gnome magic? Hadn’t his mom said that gnomes could make people do or see things? Then why did Cameron and he not see what the gnomes wanted?

  Maybe it was because they were gnomes too, or at least half gnomes.

  Fear shook at him, and he nodded to Cameron to tell the adults. Well, at least that’s what he hoped. He needed to get to his sister and he hoped his little brother would know what to do.

  He had to find Lacy. If he was the only one other than his little brother who could sense something was wrong, maybe he was the only one who could find her.

  His mom had told him to watch her, and he’d failed. He didn’t want his little sister to be hurt.

  Aiden zipped his coat tighter against the wind and followed the path where Lacy had been, climbing through a hole in the fence that he was pretty sure hadn’t been there before.

  The bad man wouldn’t hurt his little sister. Not on his watch.

  ****

  Brayden walked through the doors of the school after he’d had his coffee with Allison at the diner. He’d left her alone after she’d begged him, even though he’d rather have been by her side. She’d argued that they all needed to work and try to live their lives while focusing on keeping her children safe.

  He could understand that, but he still wanted to lock her and the kids up in his house and pamper them until everything was safe.

  Tyler had done a background check on David Malone’s family and had come up with nothing out of the ordinary. Apparently Greg and David’s parents lived five hours away in a small home while David lived down the street. The father, Gerald, had been questioned in several suspicious deaths though he had always had an alibi and witnesses aren’t reliable. No charges would stick. With the magic they possessed, though, people might not have even noticed something was off around them.

  A scary as fuck feeling.

  Yet the emotions running through him were even scarier, even though he was pretty sure he could face those in a heartbeat. He wanted Allison in his home, his bed, and everywhere in between. She’d already settled in his heart far easier than he’d have thought. Well, she’d always been there, but now it felt as if there was a future.

  When she’d finally broken and explained what her bastard of a husband had done to her, he’d fought the urge to find Greg’s grave, unbury him, and beat the shit out of his bones.

  Morbid, but worth it.

  Brayden had known Allison was strong as hell, but he hadn’t known how strong. The fact that she’d lost a child…

  He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He knew he’d never be able to give back what had been so ruthlessly taken from her, but he’d find a way to keep her smiling. Keep her babies smiling.

  It was the least he could do.

  He probably should have been at work, but he didn’t care. He had enough money, and the people who worked for him could handle things for a while. He’d trained his staff so they were the best out there and didn’t need him anymore beyond paperwork and his own desire to work with his hands. His family came first.

  His family.

  Brayden smiled at that. Oh yes, he’d make sure Allison, Aiden, Cameron, and Lacy were his family. There was no way he’d let them become less significant in his life.

  He just needed to convince Allison of that.

  He picked up his visitor badge from the front office and walked to the back because he knew it was recess time. Justin had told him he’d watch the Malone kids, but Brayden wanted to be there.

  The hair on the back of neck stood on end…

  Something was wrong.

  He pushed open the back door as Cameron changed directions and ran toward him, tears running down his cheeks, his cast flailing as he waved Brayden down.

  Brayden stood on alert, catching Cameron as he ran into his arms, but checking his surroundings. He didn’t see anyone else yelling or running from the playground…but he couldn’t see Aiden or Lacy.

  “What is it, Cam?” he asked as he knelt down to be at the boy’s eye level.

  “Nobody felt it, but we did,” he said through sobs.

  Brayden shook his head then wiped Cameron’s cheeks. “Take a deep breath and slow down, buddy. I don’t understand what you’re saying. Where are Lacy and Aiden?”

  His heart beat against his chest in a staccato that threatened to steal his breath.

  “What didn’t anyone else feel, Cam?” he asked when Cameron took deep, gasping breaths.

  “It was like something blocking out the noise, you know? No one else noticed it, but I think Aiden did. Then we looked to where Lacy was playing in the yard, and she wasn’t there anymore. Aiden went after her, and I came to you. Well, I was going to go to the other people, but then I saw you.”

  Fear clawed at his belly as he heard Cameron’s words and the meaning beneath them.

  “Bray!” Justin yelled as he ran to his side. “I can’t find Lacy and Aiden. It’s weird. One minute they’re there, the next, they’re gone. I don’t know what the hell happened. I was inside for just a minute and I felt like something washed over me, and it made everyone stop what they were doing. I ran outside as soon as I could, but it was too late.” His brother’s face was pale, his voice shaky.

  Fuck, they’d failed. They’d all failed. Brayden should have been there.

  “Cam said that, too. Lacy was there one minute, the next she wasn’t. Aiden went after her.”

  Justin cursed under his breath. “Why the hell did I have to go inside at the minute? I would have been outside and been able to help if I hadn’t had to deal with that sick kid.”

  Brayden looked around, noticing they were drawing a crowd, kids and adults alike. “Get the kids back in their classrooms. I’m taking Cam with me to get Ally and call Tyler. We’ll find them. It wasn’t your fault.” No, it was mine. “They have magic, remember?” He whispered that last part, knowing there were straining ears around them.

  Justin nodded, though Brayden could tell from the look on his brother’s face that Justin still blamed himself. Brayden took Cameron’s hand and walked him out to his truck. He called Tyler first, wanting to make sure Ty kept a lookout, then dialed the diner.

  “Bray? What’s wrong?” The fear in Allison’s voice made him want to punch something.

  “I think they took Lacy, Ally,” he said, wanting to get the words out quickly before he broke down right along with Cameron. “Aiden followed them, but I have Cam with me. I’m calling Rina so she can come get you. We’ll find them, Ally.”

  He heard her trying to control her breathing for a full minute before she said anything. “I’ll be ready,” she said, her voice firm, yet hollow.

  God, she was the strongest woman he’d ever known.

  His hands shaking, he called Rina, while Cameron stayed silent by his side, the tears no longer coming, but his body seemingly broken beyond just a fractured arm.

  R
ina picked up and he explained what happened and she cursed and said she was coming after she picked up Allison. “Bray, if David used magic on the adults, he could maybe use it on you. I’m not sure since you Coopers are in a league of your own. But, what I think is happening is David is using all he can to get those kids. When the magic and glamour wears off, there’s going to be hell to pay for David because we’re going to kick his ass, but the adults won’t remember a thing. That might be a good thing considering we don’t want them to know about all the magic.”

  Brayden held Cameron to his side for the few minutes they waited for Allison to come. Rina pulled up, screeching tires as she parked.

  “Cam?” Allison wrenched open the door and held her son to her chest. Cameron didn’t cry but held on for dear life.

  “What happened?” she asked as she leaned into Brayden’s hold.

  “We’re not sure,” Brayden said, pissed at himself for not knowing more. “I think David used magic and distracted the rest of the yard, taking Lacy from recess. Cam said that Aiden followed her, which scares the hell out of me.”

  Allison nodded, rubbing small circles on Cameron’s arm. Her gaze caught Brayden’s for a moment, her eyes filled with so much fear and sorrow that Brayden brought them both into his arms hard and never wanted to let go.

  But, there wasn’t time for that. No, he needed to find the other two kids that felt like his own.

  Rina ran toward them from where she’d been talking to Tyler. “Tyler’s out looking in the woods behind the school,” Rina explained. “Everyone else is out looking as well. I mean, the Coopers anyway. Tyler can’t call a town-wide search because of the magic involved. It’d be too dangerous.” Her mouth thinned, and she shook her head.

  “Rina? Can you watch Cam while Bray and I look for my children?” Allison asked, her voice filled with far more control than he thought she’d have at this point.

  Rina nodded and tried to smile at Cameron, though everyone saw through it. Cameron just stood there blankly. “Sure. I can do that. I’ll go to Bray’s; how’s that? Just in case the kids go back there.”

  Brayden gave her his house key, relieved that someone was thinking past going full out and looking for Lacy and Aiden.