by Lori Foster
“Maybe.”
At the end of a long hallway, the aide led them in to another, smaller waiting area. There were two other people there, an elderly woman glancing through a magazine and an even-older man dozing. A tall female tech gave Merissa a form to fill out. “We’ll be ready for you in just a few minutes.”
Armie again crouched beside her. “Lea’s father passed away a few years ago. She’s married now, has kids, and since she knew I wouldn’t talk to her on the phone, she came to me. She was still telling me everything when Cannon called and all I could think about was getting to you.”
Keeping her gaze averted, Rissy asked, “You think she can be helpful?”
“I do.” Armie faltered. Damn, that had sounded like a wedding vow.
“So...” She glanced at the form, then laid it flat against her midriff. “If we get things resolved, then you and I...that is...we...”
Armie took the paper from her and laid it on the end table. As gently as he could, he cupped a hand to her face. “I love you.”
Her smile wavered and her hand covered his. “Does that mean...?”
“It means I don’t ever want to be away from you.” He brushed her cheek with his thumb. “God, I was so stupid.” Instead of protecting her from his past, he’d made her vulnerable to new threats. “Odds are I’ll be stupid again at some point. When I am, please remember that I love you more than anything in life.”
Fresh tears swam in her eyes. “Armie...”
He leaned in, kissed her softly on her lips. “You said you were safer with me. Well, from now on, I want that. You with me. Always.” He kissed her again, so carefully because of her injuries. “Please tell me yes.”
“Yes.”
Armie searched her face, sensing some uncertainty. “I love you.” Now that he’d said it, he couldn’t seem to stop saying it.
She gave a laugh that sounded a little like a sob. “I love you, too. So much.”
“But you’re worried about something?” Was she still afraid? “I swear you’ll never be hurt again. I’ll keep you safe.”
“You always do.” After an expression of apology, Rissy looked at the form.
Armie didn’t understand, but he picked it back up and turned it over.
He sensed Merissa watching him as he read.
It was just a pregnancy consent form, basically asking if there was any chance... Blood rushed to his head, making his world spin.
Even before his gaze shot back to hers, Armie knew. His entire being went blank, then burst with bright colors. “Rissy?” he whispered around hope and amazement and the utter, blinding joy.
She bit her lip and breathed faster.
Holy shit! Dropping the form, Armie searched her face. As his own eyes grew wet, he used his thumbs to brush away her tears. “Rissy?” His hands trembled. “You’re pregnant?”
She bit her lip, closed her eyes and nodded. “I think so.”
Staggered, Armie sat back on his heels. His attention visually pored over her body. She was so damn slim! But now that he thought about it, her breasts seemed a little fuller...
He reached out to cup one, but she shrank back. “Armie,” she whispered frantically. “Get up!”
Instead he leaned in and put his cheek to her belly. “A baby.” His baby.
With Merissa Colter.
“It’s not confirmed. I mean, I’m pretty sure, but I haven’t taken a test yet.”
“We’ll do that together.” He had a hard time wrapping his mind around it. It was like a dream—except that someone had tried to snatch her right off the road. He wanted to crush her close, to shout with happiness, to hide her away so nothing bad could ever again touch her.
And he wanted to bind her to him, now and forever. The knowledge of a baby sent new fear cutting into him. Overwhelmed, he held her closer and asked quietly, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her fingers threaded through his hair. “I would have,” she replied, her tone as soft as his. “The night I realized I’d missed my period was the night before you...”
He groaned, kissed her belly and sat back to see her. “Jesus, honey, I’m sorry. I fucked up so badly.”
“No.” She kept touching him, soothing him when he should be doing that for her. “I wanted to let you get through the fight—”
“Screw the fight.”
“Armie Jacobson, don’t you dare act that way.” She grabbed his ear, and though she was injured, she still had plenty of strength in that one arm. “Do you want me to feel guilty?”
Insane, but even now Rissy could make him smile. “No, never.”
“Then you’re going to put your all into this fight. Do you understand me?”
She’d stopped whispering, which sort of amused him. Since it started to sting, he pried her grip off his ear, kissed her palm and said with complete honesty, “Whatever you want, Stretch.”
Her lips, too, twitched into a smile. “Thank you.”
The technician, who was probably taller than Rissy and built like a linebacker, returned and, without blinking an eye at seeing Armie on the floor, asked, “Are we ready?”
Armie said, “She’s pregnant.”
The tech smiled and picked up the paper. “How far along?”
“I don’t know,” Rissy said. “That is, I haven’t taken a test yet or anything but I’m pretty sure...”
“Just in case, we’ll protect you with a lead apron.” She handed Rissy the form with a pen.
“You’re sure it’s safe?” Armie asked, finally standing so he could meet the woman eye to eye.
“I promise it’ll be fine.” She patted his biceps, then nudged him toward a chair. “You can wait right there. I’ll have her back to you in five minutes, tops.”
Fretting, Armie watched her go. Then he sat. Then he dropped his head into his hands.
A baby!
In a rush, he stood and dug out his cell phone.
“Excuse me?” The older woman pointed to a sign on the wall. “No cell phones.”
Damn. He sat down again.
“Your first child?” she asked. Then with a smile, she explained, “I couldn’t help but overhear.”
Dazed and somewhat dumbfounded, Armie nodded. “Yeah.” Had the woman also heard him cursing? He winced. “Sorry.”
She looked tickled. “I take it you’re happy?”
That word didn’t even begin to cover it. He nodded again. “Very.”
She nodded in approval. “Our granddaughter is due in a few weeks. It’s a wonderful thing. Congratulations.”
His first congrats—not from his buddies or their very adorable wives, not from Rissy’s brother, but from a total stranger. Some of the shock faded and he stood to approach the woman, his hand out. “Thank you.”
Smiling, she stood, too, then opened her arms.
And damn, Armie hugged the old girl right off her feet.
* * *
LUCKILY HER ARM wasn’t broken. The doc declared it “badly bruised”—duh—and told her to ice it often and to take it easy until it felt better.
She had scrapes on her knees, her palm and one elbow. The worst was the discoloration around her cheek from where she’d needed the stitches. Everyone assumed she’d hit something sharp on the car, like the edge of the broken bumper or maybe the license plate.
Merissa remembered how the man had backhanded her, and she assumed that had caused the worst of the bruising. Thinking about it made her shiver with dread, so she pushed it from her mind.
Armie loved her.
She had plenty to think about without dwelling on the awful thugs. Besides, they wouldn’t be able to make another grab for her because she didn’t plan to give them the opportunity.
She didn’t want to be a wimp, but she’d had enough, so until they were caught she wouldn’t be alone again. She’d already arranged some upcoming time off so she could attend Armie’s fight. Well, now she’d just extend it, and her current injuries would be as good an excuse as any.
By the time t
he hospital finished stitching and x-raying and giving instructions, she’d been there for a little over three and a half hours. She knew all her friends were gathered in the larger waiting area at the front of the hospital, along with Lea Baley.
But she only wanted to go home, shower and crash.
With Armie.
So far, he’d barely let her out of his sight. After he’d helped her to dress, she started to zip up her jeans but he put his big hand over her bare belly and pressed his mouth to her temple.
“We’re okay,” she told him again, putting her hand over his. “I promise.”
Armie stayed silent a moment. She heard him swallow, then felt the near-reverent kiss he teased over her neck. “When will you tell him?”
She knew he meant Cannon. Armie hadn’t yet said anything to her brother, and she was glad. She didn’t want to make an announcement in a hospital. “Maybe after your fight, we can get together with him and Yvette for dinner and I’ll tell him then.”
“The guys at the gym will want to know, too.”
A thought occurred to her and, fighting a smile, she looked at Armie. “Did you want to tell them?”
He finished zipping her jeans for her, then lightly kissed her mouth. “I want to shout it to the whole world.”
So he wasn’t just accepting. He was happy? She licked dry lips. “Armie...” He watched her so intently that she stalled and had to try again. “I don’t want to pressure you.”
“Pressure me?” Far too serious, he gathered her close. “Do you know it kills me that, for even a second, you’d think that way?” He lifted her hand and pressed it to his heart. “You own me, Stretch. For better or worse. Today and forever.”
That sounded so close to a proposal, Rissy lost her breath. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t blink. Beneath her palm, Armie’s heartbeat grew heavy.
“Forget all my misguided intentions to let you find a better life with a better man.”
“Armie!” That’s what he’d thought? “I want you, and damn it, you are—”
“No one,” he said, interrupting her, “could ever love you as much as I do. I swear it.”
Her heart melted. That was the absolute sweetest, most wonderful thing anyone had ever said to her.
She was working up the nerve to ask him about the future when they were finally free to leave.
She and Armie reached the main waiting room to find it mostly filled with her visitors. It made her blush when everyone started greeting her at once. Sticking close beside her, Armie smiled as if proud.
Unlike the ambulance that had brought her in, her friends hadn’t parked in back at the emergency entrance. There were so many of them that she was glad they hadn’t remained in the small waiting area and instead had moved to the front of the hospital.
“Logan wants to talk to you more tonight,” Cannon told her. “But he got a call and had to take off for an hour or so.”
Biting back her groan, Merissa said, “That’s fine.”
“She’ll be at her house,” Armie told him. “With me.”
“Better late than never.” Cannon looked at each of them in turn, then smiled. “As long as it’s never again.”
“Now and always,” Armie assured him.
Merissa didn’t know how long it’d take her to get used to that, but she wanted to hear it for the rest of her life.
While the men clapped Armie on the back and heralded him for his good sense, Leese smiled at her, then lifted his palm for another high five. Laughing, Merissa kept her injured right arm close but slapped her left palm to his.
As a small crowd they exited the hospital. For once, Merissa didn’t mind that everyone pampered her. Her poor brother especially looked ravaged with worry, so she gave him extra hugs, and accepted his hugs in return even as her thoughts skipped ahead.
Now and always. So was Armie thinking about the future? And under what terms?
“Hey.” With his arm around her, Armie asked, “You okay?”
He was so attuned to her. Merissa nodded. For now, she decided to stop worrying about tomorrow so she could concentrate on the here and now.
Leese said, “I can get Lea back to her car if you want.”
Armie nodded, but asked Lea, “Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Merissa turned to the woman, who, so far, had been very quiet around her. Lea didn’t look like a monster, or an evil, conniving bitch. She looked like an average woman, who’d grown up.
Smiling at her, Merissa said, “Thank you.”
“For finally telling the truth?” Lea returned the smile. “It’s long overdue, and believe me, it’s my pleasure.”
Armie started to say something, but his gaze went to the far end of the parking lot.
Merissa looked but couldn’t see anything.
Armie took Cannon aside and said something that clearly enraged her brother. Cannon immediately went to the other men and they, too, disliked whatever they heard.
“What in the world?”
“Stay here,” Armie told her softly, then he ducked into a row of cars.
Leese showed up at her side. “Come on. Let’s get you to Armie’s truck.”
She dug in. “No way. Tell me what’s going on.”
Leese took her measure, came to some decision and bent close to say, “He’s here.”
He who? Rather than take a chance on distracting Armie, she followed Leese to the truck and got in on the passenger side. To her consternation, Lea got in the driver’s seat.
When Merissa looked through the windshield, she saw that the rest of the women had also disappeared to their respective cars. Only Leese and Cannon remained visible, but they immediately circled around the lot, going in different directions. Recognizing that they were up to something, she said to Lea, “Stack and Denver must be with the ladies.”
“Fascinating.” Lea held the steering wheel and looked around. “Any idea what’s going on?”
She shook her head, but spotted Armie when he stepped out from between a row of vehicles.
And that’s when she realized the man with his back to her, watching the emergency room exit, was Steve.
Was he waiting for her? But that didn’t make any sense. Steve had no way of knowing what had happened.
“That’s him,” Lea told her. “The man who came to see me. He really hates Armie.”
Lost in confusion, Merissa concentrated on Armie.
Unfortunately, when Steve spotted him, he turned and walked away—heading straight for the truck.
Armie shouted, “Don’t make me chase you, you bastard.”
Steve turned back to him and in a voice just as loud, said, “Where is she? Is she all right?”
Armie didn’t slow, and when he reached Steve, he grabbed him up by the throat and pinned him—hard—to a cement pier in the garage. Nose to nose, his every muscle bunching, Armie snarled, “You dare come here?”
Cannon and Leese showed up, flanking Armie.
Lea watched, her eyes wide.
Merissa covered her mouth. She didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t like it.
“You sure about this?” Cannon asked Armie.
Lea opened the driver’s door and got out. “Even after I told him it was all a lie, he tried to convince me to keep it going.” Her chin lifted. “He offered me money.”
“Dumbass didn’t know she’s rich.”
“I’m not,” Lea said. “Daddy left his money to my stepmother.”
Surprised, Armie said, “Oh. Hey...sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m happier now than I’ve ever been.” She glared at Steve. “And I definitely didn’t want his money.”
Merissa slowly stepped from the truck, too. She looked from her brother, to Lea, to Armie—and finally to Steve.
With both of his hands wrapped around Armie’s wrist, maybe as an attempt to keep from being strangled, Steve rasped, “Merissa!”
She wasn’t feeling very generous. In fact, if her arm wasn’t injured,
she’d have taken her own turn. “Armie?”
Negligent, he glanced her way. “Yeah, Stretch?”
“I’m glad you’re finally fighting back.”
He grinned while Steve redoubled his efforts to get free.
Impatient, Cannon crossed his arms. “What are you planning to do?”
“Kill him.”
Knowing he wouldn’t, Merissa nodded. “Sounds about right to me.”
Rubbing his mouth to stifle a laugh, Cannon took charge. “As usual, I have to suggest that perhaps we ought to get some information from him before you mangle him. What do you think? It could possibly lead us to answers about other things, as well.”
“You’re right.” Just like that, Armie opened his hand and Steve slumped while coughing.
“Asshole,” he managed to gasp.
“Idiot!” Merissa shot back.
Armie glanced her way. “Honey, why don’t you wait in the truck?”
Merissa arched a brow. “Why don’t I not?”
Regaining his aplomb, Steve turned to her. “Jesus, you are hurt.”
Merissa studied him.
He ran both hands through his hair, his gaze taking in her bandaged face, the bruising, the way she held her arm. “What happened? Do you know who tried to grab you?”
She was wondering how Steve knew anything about that when suddenly Armie turned an incendiary glare on him. In a voice so soft it was eerie, Armie murmured, “You son of a bitch.”
Cannon, equally enraged, reached for Steve, and this time it was Armie stopping her brother.
“He’s mine.”
Heaving, Cannon paused and gave one small nod.
Looking every bit as enraged, Leese said, “Well, I’d fucking like a turn, too.”
“Let’s get those other answers Cannon mentioned, first.”
The reason for their rage suddenly dawned on Merissa and she took a step forward. “You.”
Armie nodded. “Him.”
Blustering, Steve said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Apparently deciding discretion was the better part of valor, he tried to elbow his way past them. No one budged. “All of you,” Steve insisted. “Get out of my way.”
“Call Logan,” Armie ordered while stepping Steve back.
Without taking his gaze off them, Cannon did just that. When he disconnected, he said, “He was already headed back here. He said to give him five minutes.”
