by Jillian Neal
“Too bad you’ll never get to meet Marlisa.” Fitzroy sneered.
“Yeah, you could’ve spent Christmases together. Talked about the good old days with dear old Dad.”
Fitz tried not to smirk. “So, what shall we do with you Haydrien Jr.? We’re the only ones who know you’re here. We already took out your security detail.” He gestured his head to the man handcuffed and unconscious on the floor.
“Seeing as how you provided your little gang with the address to my house, I’m tempted to load enough lead in you to add several pounds to your pathetic ass. But, since it’s his little girl that’s bloodied and bruised and his wife that’s lying in a hospital bed right about now, I’m gonna let Dan decide how many pieces we’re going to tear you into and how many different countries we’re going to bury you in.
“Of course, if he should, in some preposterous twist of fate, decide to let you live, you’d stand charges of attempted kidnappings, a half-dozen privacy laws in regards to the Lawsons, along with treason, and planning the siege on my house. That worked well for you, didn’t it? I don’t really see this ending any better for you.” Fitz mocked.
Realizations continued their assault on his mind. Dan grabbed the back of Malden’s hair and jerked his head backwards. “It was you! It was you that night! You got Cascavel out. Saved Daddy’s prizefighter trying to prove your worth.” His voice was laced with menace and rage pierced his soul.
“Ah.” Fitz nodded. The final piece of the puzzle slipped into place. “And helping a wanted man escape.” He added to the arrest charges.
Dan released Malden’s hair and raised his pistol.
He shrank before him grimacing and hiding his face like the coward he’d been raised to be.
Chuckling furiously, Dan shook his head. “Oh, come on. Grow a pair. At least Daddy looked me in the eye when I killed him.”
“He hated you!” spat from Malden spitefully as he turned his terror-filled face back to Dan. He spit out teeth as he turned.
“Oh yeah? Well, trust me, the feeling was mutual.”
“He didn’t hate anyone as much as he hated you. You had him at every turn. That’s why he was always gone because you never let him be!” He regurgitated the shit his father must’ve convinced him of.
“That what he told you, little boy?” He huffed. “And yet knowing that, you still somehow thought I wouldn’t find you after you hurt my girls?” Dan laughed derisively.
“I would’ve done more than hurt her if you hadn’t taught that whore you married to throw a shield! I heard you knocked her up again. What happened? You take care of that little problem as well?”
Rage fueled the swing of his fist. He shattered Malden’s jaw and nose and watched as blood poured from his left eye. “You just keep talking like that and see what I break next.”
Fitz shook his head in utter disbelief. “What? You figure your minutes are numbered, so you’re just gonna implode in a sea of your own shit, you stupid fool?”
“Look at me Haydrien,” Dan centered his pistol over Malden’s heart. “Do not ever, ever go anywhere near my wife or my daughter ever again. And if you decide that you’d like to play this sick game again, please remember this warning. I don’t do chances. If you come near my girls, or my wife, or my godsons ever again, the next day or two of your sad pathetic life will be extremely painful for you, and then I’ll bury you right beside Daddy. Trust me!”
He slowly cocked the gun and watched Malden attempt to curl himself into the fetal position. With one quick move, Dan released the elastic cording and hoisted Malden upright. He wouldn’t do what Nic would have done. He would never give into the darkness. In that moment, he killed the energy he’d felt inside of himself since he’d taken on Wretchkinsides.
“Haydrien Dietrech Wretchkinsides, you are under arrest for the attempted kidnapping of my baby girl among many other things, and I feel very certain that Crown Governor Haydenshire will be amenable to having you extradited, so let me say how much I hope you enjoy Coriolis prison.”
Within moments, Fitz had French Iodex officers surrounding the house as the men inside were loaded into shield-casted police wagons.
A Better Man
Dan sprinted inside the American Hospital in Paris. “Fionna Vindico’s room, please.”
“Yes, sir.” The woman checked her computer. “She’s in a secured room, sir. I can’t give you that information. You’ll have to have an Iodex officer admit you.”
Fitzroy chuckled as he joined Dan at the window. “Will I do?”
“Oh, yes, sir, Officer Fitzroy.”
Racing to the elevators, Dan casted it and exited a minute later.
Maddie met them in the hallway. “Dan, she’s fine. They’ve sedated her to keep her from having another panic attack. She was so worried about you. I couldn’t get Aida to come out here with me, so she’s sitting beside her in the bed.” Maddie broke down on Fitz’s shoulder.
Dan swallowed down the gut wrenching pain and slipped into Fionna’s room.
“Daddy!” Aida pled in relief as she held her hands out to Dan. She’d been sitting right beside Fionna patting her hand as tears poured from her eyes. Her head was bandaged in a cool-casted wrap.
“Baby.” He lifted Aida into his arms and cradled her tightly. “Are you okay?”
“They gave me medicine, and put this thing on my head. They made Mommy go to sleep, but she said not to cause you weren’t here yet.”
“I’m here now, all right.” Dan tried to sound soothing as he gazed at Fionna lying in the bed. He seated himself in the chair and cradled Aida in his lap.
“Did you catch the bad guy?” She hid her face in his neck.
“Yeah, baby. I did.”
“Did you take him to jail?”
“Mr. Fitzroy did.”
“Will he get out of jail?” She shuddered in horror.
“No, baby. He won’t ever get out of jail.”
Medio Capusan came into the room to check Fionna. “Mr. Vindico, I didn’t realize you’d returned. We’ll turn off the drip and let Mrs. Vindico awaken on her own.”
“The baby?” Dan choked.
“She’s just fine, Mr. Vindico. It was your wife I was worried about. The baby is healthy although keeping things a little lower key would be best for the rest of her pregnancy.”
Nodding his adamant agreement, Dan assumed that lying on the beach in Kauai would be probably be the best remedy.
Medio Capusan removed the IV and then left the room.
“Does your head hurt, baby, or your shoulder?” Dan forced the question from his mouth though he felt the bitter acid burn his lips.
“The Medio lady person put an ice pack on my head and that hurt worse, but then it felt better. They gave me medicine and put this on.” She pointed to the bandage wrapped around her head. My shoulder hurts if I touch it.” She lightly pressed her own shoulder. “But it’s not bruised anymore.”
A timid knock sounded on the door and the Alex arrived in the room. Maddie was right behind him.
“Are you okay, Aida?”
She nodded but then tucked back into Dan.
“I’m sorry you got hurt.” Alex was on the verge of tears. Dan grinned at his godson and scrubbed his hair.
“I want Mommy to wake up.” Aida’s chin trembled. It had simply been too much. She could no longer feign bravery for Alex or anyone else.
“She will, in just a few minutes, sweetheart.”
“Let’s go Alex. We’ll check on everyone in a while.” Maddie guided Alex back out of the room.
“Aida!” Fionna gasped almost an hour later.
“Shh, baby.” Dan reached for Fionna’s hand while keeping Aida tucked on his shoulder with his other arm. She’d fallen asleep in his shield. “I’ve got her.”
“You’re here.” She began to cry.
“Hi, Mommy.” Aida awoke and reached for Fionna hesitantly.
“Here,” Dan turned Aida, cradled her like a baby, and laid her beside Fionna. “Now, I ca
n see all of my beautiful baby girls.”
“Are you okay?” Fionna studied Dan closely.
“I’m fine. Fitz took Malden to jail, and there’s a whole lot more to that story we’ll discuss later.”
“He’s in jail?” A smile fought its way through her tears.
“How’s the radar feeling?” He leaned and brushed his lips across hers. He couldn’t help himself. Her color had returned and her perfect rosebud lips beckoned him.
“I’m perfect. I feel total back to normal.”
Medio Capusan returned a few minutes later. She was rolling a screen into the room followed by a Gifted technician. “As soon as you’re up to it, you can leave, but Medio Haydenshire thought this might be a good idea.”
A few minutes later, the technician was summoning and sending sound waves through Fionna’s womb. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she squeezed Dan’s hand.
He pointed to the screen blinking back tears of his own. “Look, baby girl. That’s your little sister.” He showed Aida the fuzzy blob on the screen. She looked deeply concerned.
Chuckling, the Medio pointed to the screen. “See, there is her head, and that’s the umbilical cord that attaches her to your mommy, and her little arms and legs.”
“She looks funny.” Aida whispered.
“She’ll look much more like you did when you were a baby once she gets here.”
“I don’t remember what I looked like when I was a baby.”
Dan and Fionna laughed.
“Well, she will be beautiful just like you are now. And I believe you have some very special visitors.” She smiled as Fitz knocked on the door. “May I?”
Dan edged the blanket back over Fionna’s abdomen, and he nodded. Crown Governor Haydenshire, Garrett, Rainer, Logan, Adeline and Emily followed Fitz and Maddie inside the room.
Fionna was thrilled as Garrett rushed to her.
“Well, son, I’d say maybe, just maybe, it’s really over.” Governor Haydenshire offered Dan his hand.
“You’re here!” Fionna and Emily embraced for several long minutes.
Adeline hugged Fionna and then immediately began studying the ultrasound and Fionna’s file.
“Garrett!” Aida squealed. Garrett lifted her and threw her in the air.
“Son, she has a concussion. Please don’t throw her.” Governor Haydenshire commanded saving Dan the trouble.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Garrett held her gently on his shoulder instead. “You okay, Miss Aida Mae?”
“Yes, Daddy made the man stop hurting me.” She touched the bandage on her head.
Garrett’s eyes closed. Dan knew he was letting the fury work through him as he nodded his understanding.
“And Mr. Fitzroy took him to jail.”
“That’s right, sweetheart. I did.” Fitz assured her.
“I knew Daddy would make him stop hurting me and Mommy because we’re his girls.” Aida concluded as she reached for Fionna’s hand.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as Aida leaned and crawled back into Dan’s lap. He hugged her tightly.
“Daniel, if you’ve ever thought, even for a moment, that you hadn’t done a whole lot right in this life, I’m pretty sure you stand corrected.” The Governor vowed.
Dan nodded his acceptance as he forcefully fought the tidal wave of emotion threatening to engulf him.
“I’ve spoken with the French Crown, and in just a minute, son, you’ll be heading back to the Parliament to give one recorded testimony on your discoveries today, and then one on the attack the other night. After that you’ll be allowed to leave with your girls and head home with all of us.”
“Thank you, sir.” Dan was certain he hadn’t heard sweeter words all day.
Wildflower
“I just sort of packed everything Aida owns.” Dan called as he raced into the bedroom to begin getting ready for the reception. “May I join you in there, Mrs. Vindico?” He stripped and knocked on the shower door.
Fionna was beaming as she opened it. “I’m pretty sure your mom wouldn’t approve of us showering together before our wedding reception.”
Relief flooded through Dan every time he saw her beautiful smile restored to its previous peace now that the danger was really truly behind them.
“Well, baby doll.” Dan stepped into the shower behind her. “I’ve never been all that good at doing things my mother approved of, and I put a ring on it and then I put my baby in it, so I’d say you’re mine and to hell with what my mother thinks.” She spun in his arms, and he devoured her mouth. Her energy, strong and calm, was the antidote to his every terror.
“You know, Mr. Vindico, your baby girl is getting harder and harder to hide. I’m pretty sure everyone that might not have believed the papers will see the proof tonight.” Fionna placed her hands on her burgeoning bump.
“Good.” Dan gave her a cocky grin.
“What’s Aida doing?” Fionna sighed contentedly as she laid her head on Dan’s shoulder as he began running his lathered hands up and down her curves.
“Aida and Sophie are catching up on the past week’s Supernova’s. And she seems almost as happy to be home as I am.”
Fionna nodded against him, but her energy shifted and she tensed.
“What baby?” Dan kept her cradled to his chest.
“It just sometimes pops back in my head, and I have to work my way through it again.”
“I’m right here Fi, and if you need a break tonight or you just need to come home, you say the word, and I’ll make it happen, okay?” The terrifying reality of all that had happened still had to be dealt with even if it was behind them.
After their shower, Dan tied and retied his bow tie and then moved on to his cufflinks. Fionna had already gotten Aida in her dress and fixed her hair in a sweet braid that circled her head and hid the swollen knot.
Fionna emerged from the bathroom, and Dan’s mouth hung open. “Wow!” He shook his head unable to believe that anything that beautiful could possible belong to him. “You look gorgeous!”
She beamed as he took her in dressed in a creamy white sleeveless floor length gown that was covered in sparkling white sequins.
“Dan.” She blushed violently.
“What, baby doll?” He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She’d pulled her hair up into a sexy French twist with several tendrils cascading down the side of her face. Her lips were displayed in a perfect pout, and her cleavage was on jaw dropping display.
“I can hardly breathe.”
Dan’s eyes dropped to her bump, and there it was very apparent in the tight dress.
Gazing at her adoringly, he couldn’t help but chuckle. “Maybe you should wear something else?”
“No, I’ll just try not to eat much or to sit down.”
“Fi?”
“I’ll be fine, and this dress is fabulous. Tomorrow and for the rest of Spring and Summer, I’ll wear my big huge sundresses with plenty of room for Halia. I’m just asking her for this one night.”
Dan checked his watch. “All right, fine, Mrs. Vindico, but lets go get our little girl and head to the Fairmont. I don’t plan on pissing off Marion until the end of the night.”
“Dan!” Fionna warned, but she couldn’t quite hide her delighted grin.
The valet attendant opened Aida’s door. Dan and Fionna watched her sprint into her Aunt Kara’s arms.
“Are you okay?” Kara was coming unglued.
“I’m okay.” Aida assured her.
“Fionna!” Kara threw her arms around her. “You look amazing!”
“Thank you!” The dress seemed to give way slightly the longer she wore it, and she was moving with ease as Dan escorted her into the vast banquet room.
“Dan!” Governor Vindico was shaking his head as he moved towards them on the verge of tears. “Son, I just, I’m so glad you’re all all right.”
“Yeah, me too, Dad.” Dan allowed his father a hug.
“Everything looks beautiful, Governor Vindico.” Fionna smiled.
“Well, I think the decorations have been upstaged by the bride, but that’s the way it’s supposed to work isn’t it?” The Governor kissed Fionna’s cheek.
“Thank you.”
“And how’s my girl?” He lifted Aida into his arms.
“I’m okay.” Aida supplied as she took in the large room with dozens of tables covered in white linen cloths with navy blue brocade runners. There were tremendous floral centerpieces that covered the width of the tables.
White stargazer lilies covered nearly every available surface, and Dan sighed as his mother had managed to pick Fionna’s least favorite flower.
The room was decidedly cold. Russian Winter Dan recalled.
“Olivia!” Aida nearly shrieked as Tim and Meredith appeared.
Governor Vindico released her and watched as his granddaughters hugged each other fiercely.
“Mommy said you got booboos on your head and on your shoulder.” Olivia gasped.
Aida nodded as Dan and Fionna made their way over. “My head hurts a little still and it was scary. I don’t think I want to go back to Paris, France, only I’ll miss my friend Alex.”
“I think Alex and Alfred might come here and visit us.” Dan assured her.
Aida looked thrilled with this information.
“Daniel, Fionna, now I’d wanted you to make an entrance after everyone has arrived. I’ve located a little staging room you can wait in. It’s the first door on the left once you’re in the hallway,” was Mrs. Vindico’s greeting.
“Hi, Mom. How are you? Thanks. We’re fine after our harrowing trip to Paris where your pregnant daughter-in-law was hospitalized twice, and your granddaughter was given a concussion.” Dan huffed indignantly.
Ignoring him in true Marion Vindico fashion, she barked more orders at the caterers. Turning back to Dan and Fionna, she drew a deep breath and touched the sides of her mouth making certain her lipstick hadn’t smeared.
“Daniel, go now. First door on the left. I’ll send someone when it’s time for you to appear.”
