by D L Lane
“Sleep well.”
Without looking back, he said, “You too, Danny,” then made himself step out.
Once away, he took a breath, scrubbed his fingers through his hair, pulled the cell phone out of his pocket, and tapped her icon.
Three rings later, came a sleepy, “Hello?”
“Dixie, this is Gage.”
“Is everything all right?” The tone of her voice indicated she was wide awake now.
“Everything is fine. I’m just calling to let you know I won’t be coming in tomorrow. So, while I’m not going to be working in the office officially, I will be available via phone.”
“Okay.”
“Tell Davis to cover anything for me that requires a face to face.”
“Will do.” She paused then said, “Is Danica all right?”
“Not yet, but she will be.”
“You take good care of her and those two babies.”
Gage smiled. He hadn’t said anything to indicate why he wasn’t going to be in, but Dixie knew. “I will.”
“Make sure she gets some rest, too. It’s important.”
His eyes widened. “How do you propose I make sure she does that?”
“You’re with her, aren’t you?”
One corner of his mouth hooked up. “Yeah.”
“Well then, I propose you do what you do best, Chief Harrison.”
Shaking his head, Gage said, “Good night, Dixie.”
“Good night, Chief.” Her grin had its own sound.
~
Something, a noise, roused him from the start of a bad dream. Scrubbing his palm down his face, it took him a second to remember where he was and why. Then, with complete clarity, it all came rushing in.
Sitting up, Gage grabbed his Sig Sauer from the nightstand and got out of bed. A cold hard lethality settled into his bones.
Quietly, he left the guest room, slipped into the darkened hall, and stealthily made his way toward the bedroom where Danica was. Gage was almost to her half-open door when he heard it again—the sounds of agonized moans, and… Is she crying in her sleep?
Pushing the door fully open, he crossed the threshold, gun still ready as his gaze swept the dimly lit space. Once satisfied no one was in the room with her, Gage crossed over, put his P226 on the table by her bed, and watched Danny’s body twist in the sheets as if in the throes of a nightmare.
Wondering if he should wake her, he reached out, then stopped, carefully untangling, then removing the covers from her instead. Her t-shirt had rucked up, exposing a sliver of her perfect, pale skin, making a familiar ache start in his chest.
Gage closed his eyes for a moment, took a breath, then solidified his decision.
“Shh…Danny,” he whispered, sliding in next to her. “I’m here.”
Pulling her back into him, he spooned her, holding tight. While Gage didn’t believe she had awoken, her movement stilled, and her irregular breathing ceased.
“Everything’s okay,” he purred next to her ear. “I’ve got you now. I won’t let you go.”
Taking in the candied scent of her hair, he burrowed his nose into the side of her neck, allowing his eyelids to drift shut, feeling Danica’s muscles relax.
Over the years, he’d fantasized about doing this. Well, not under these types of circumstances. But…having her in his bed, holding her, was something he’d longed to do. And no matter how he’d told himself to keep his baser side leashed, it broke that flimsy thing.
Danny needs the comforting strength of a man, not the animalistic side of a beast.
Basking in the warmth of her, listening to her breathe, now slow, peaceful respiration, knowing she couldn’t hear him, Gage curled his bigger body protectively around Danica even more. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Before
Marcus was standing, staring into the open refrigerator as if lost when Danica came in with take out from The Snack Shack. Her morning had been going along just fine until literally running into Gage at Iron Rose. It shook her, but she’d been attempting to push seeing him to the back of her mind as she spoke to Karly about joining the Chamber of Commerce, then did a few more errands before stopping by to talk to Berta and ordering lunch to bring home.
“I’m here,” she said, placing the bags on the kitchen bar.
Looking over at her, Marcus grinned. “I’m glad your home, sweetheart. I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do about lunch, but it looks like you brought something.”
“I did. Though, it’s probably not the healthiest choice.”
Stepping over to peek in one of the bags, her husband’s brows pulled together. “What is it?”
“Deluxe nachos, chili dogs, curly fries, pepperoni pizza slices, and bacon cheeseburgers.”
He glanced up at her, eyes wide. “That is an interesting combination, for sure. Not to mention a lot of food. Are we expecting someone?”
“No.” Danica sighed. “I couldn’t decide what to get, so I just picked a few things.”
That wasn’t technically correct. Yes, she had a hard time making up her mind since it was preoccupied with thoughts of Gage. But the truth was, she also felt like drowning her melancholy with junk food.
Marcus pulled one of the Styrofoam containers free. “I guess I’ll be running a few more miles than usual on the treadmill later.”
Her husband was irritating her. It had started the moment she saw him peering into the refrigerator. He was gone most of the time, and when he was there, she waited on him hand and foot. Case in point, making him breakfast, which she brought to him in bed before she left, so heaven forbid that he needed to look for something to eat for lunch.
“You know,” she said, pulling the sunglasses off her face and tossing them on the bar. “If you want to complain, then fix yourself a salad. Grab some fruit and yogurt, or warm up some of the leftovers from last night’s dinner I made that you didn’t eat.”
Marcus stopped his removal of containers from the bags, glanced up at her, and frowned. “Where did that come from? Is it your time of the month?”
“Aah!” She tossed a hand up in the air. “Why do men do that? Believe if a woman isn’t happy about something, it must mean she’s hormonal?”
Turning on her heel, she took off for the bedroom, ignoring her husband’s, “Danica!” as she hurried down the hall.
“Danica Dawn!”
Shutting the door behind her, she stormed into her closet and started flinging her shoes off while taking out an earring. She wanted to undress, slob it in her yoga pants, hideout in the family room and watch an old movie. Flashdance on Blu-Ray was appealing.
Long fingers wrapped around her elbow, her husband spinning her around. “Tell me what’s going on?”
“Nothing, Marcus.”
“No,” he said sternly, his whiskey-colored eyes sparking. “That’s not happening. Something is going on, and I want to know what.”
“Do you ever take a moment to stop and think, maybe I get tired of you being gone all the time?”
“I’m here today.”
She looked heavenward at that. “This is the first Saturday in months that you are.”
“You’re the one who left this morning.”
“Because I promised John I would help him.”
“You didn’t need to. You could have stayed home with me.”
“I didn’t think you’d be here when I made my commitment.”
Marcus locked his gaze on hers, intently studying her. “So, this little outburst is about the hours I keep at the hospital?”
“Yes! No. I don’t know.”
“Danica, take a breath and talk to me.”
Shoulder’s lowering, she glanced down, only to look back up when Marcus lifted her chin. “Please.” His voice was soft. “Tell me. Is this really about my job?”
“No,” she mumbled.
“Then what’s it about?”
“It’s about me.”
Chapter Fif
ty-Nine
The babies woke him. Well, their yammering voices coming over the monitor did. So, reluctantly letting go of Danica, Gage rolled over to see the time. 5:34 A.M.
Wow. Those two are crack-of-dawn risers.
Staring at the ceiling for a moment, he took a cleansing breath, then carefully got out of bed, going to turn the monitor off so it wouldn’t wake Danny. He took his Sig to leave in the room he didn’t spend the night in, making a quick pit-stop in the bathroom to take care of business.
When Gage made it to their door, one of the twins was starting to cry. Wasting no more time, he went inside, turned the lamplight on, and strode over to Arianna. She was shedding tears, legs kicking.
“Hush now, little one. I’m here. What’s going on to make you so upset this early?”
When he peeked over her crib, she locked her gaze on him and stopped crying, but she didn’t exactly stop the uncomfortable squirming. “Hi, there, cutie.” He touched the tip of her little button nose.
“Ya-ya-na!” Aaron said.
“Yeah,” Gage said, turning to look at him. “It’s too early, I agree.”
The boy grinned, tugging on the strings of his heart.
Ari fussed some more, but wasn’t full-on bawling, though he returned his attention to her. “I’m afraid I’m not very good at this stuff, so be patient with me. Okay?”
She waved an arm.
“Thanks. I appreciate that,” Gage said as he picked her up, the smell of something nasty wafting to him, making his eyes widen. “I think I’ve figured out why you’re upset.”
Glancing around, he saw the changing table, and a bookcase full of diapers, wipes, baby powder, and other such supplies right beside it. So over he went, putting the baby down, and eying her outfit. It seemed to snap at the legs.
“Genius,” he said, getting the bottom of her tiny PJs free, smiling when her chubby legs started working as if she were doing aerobics. “Just hang tight, and I’ll grab some stuff.”
Plucking a diaper, a package of baby wipes, a container of powder, and a soft-looking, was it a thin hand towel?—he didn’t know, but he swiped it up, putting all his loot on the edge by Ari’s feet, then wondered if he would totally flub this up.
Looking down into the face of Danica’s tiny twin, he said, “I have no idea what I’m doing, but we’re going to give this a shot. So, are you with me?”
Ari gave him a gummy smile.
“That’s the spirit.” Gage clapped his hands together. “Let’s do this thing!”
“Ba-ba-ba-ba!” Aaron agreed.
~
Three mangled Pampers later, and he had both babies cleaned up, the diapers on in the correct position, and their PJ’s reattached, never mind it took more than one attempt to get all those snappy things lined up correctly. But hey, Ari and Aaron were clean and dressed, so it was a win, win really.
Carrying a baby on each hip, Gage took his small hitchhikers into the kitchen, wondering what in the world they usually ate, coming to a stop when he heard the front door open, then Ella’s worried voice, “Danica?”
“We better go intercept your grandmother before she wakes your mommy,” Gage told the twins, leaving the kitchen behind, coming face to face with two concerned-looking parents—their pinched brows giving away their distress.
“Gage!” Mr. Lorry said, his face losing the worry, morphing into surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you here?”
“Oh, give me one of my grandbabies.” Ella held her hands out as Ari stretched toward her.
After making sure Danica’s mother had her grandbaby secure, he shifted Aaron and started patting his back—tap, tap, pause. Tap, tap, pause. “I’m guessing you have a key and let yourselves in since you’re here, and you heard?”
“We do. We did, and what is going on in the front lawn? Did the vandals do all of that?” Sam inquired.
“No, sir.”
The man raised a brow.
“It’s a bit of a long story.”
“Never mind the mess outside, I want to know why no one called us yesterday about the happenings here?” Ella looked ticked.
“I don’t know, ma’am, I figured Mase or Breck would let you know.”
“Stop with the ma’am stuff, Gage Harrison!”
His mouth twitched. “Yes, ma— I mean, okay.”
“Breck did call us.” Sam palmed the back of his head. “This morning.”
“How is my daughter?” Ella stared at him. “What did you find out? Are you going to get whoever broke into her home?”
“Danica is tired but physically fine. She’s sleeping. At this point, I have more questions than answers. And yes, I promise you—I’ll nail whoever is bothering your daughter.”
Mr. Lorry came over, patted his grandson’s head, then clamped his hand on Gage’s bicep. “I know you will, son. But, I’m still a bit confused as to why you are here, dressed in your sleep pants, taking care of my grandbabies.”
“I don’t want Danica to be alone.”
“So, you’re telling me you stayed the night here?”
“I did, sir. Yes.”
“What Ella said earlier. No ‘sir’ stuff.”
He nodded.
The man eyed him for a long moment, a silent approval in his gaze, squeezed his arm, then turned. “Well, let’s help Gage get our grandchildren fed, Ella.”
Chapter Sixty
Danica’s eyelids fluttered open as she came awake, the sun sending a slant of warmth over her cheeks and chin. She had the vague recollection of being held while she slept. Surrounded. Secure. Safe. But while holding her in their sleep was something Marcus did in the early years of their marriage, he hadn’t done it in a long, long time.
Blinking, she decided she must have, for some reason, slept in, her thoughts bouncing to, Did Marcus get up and go to work without waking me? Rolling over, she slid her palm across his side of the bed. It was cold, but his pillow and the sheets were disturbed. Maybe he’s in the shower? What time is it? The babies!
At that, some of the sleep fog lifted, and she shot up in bed, glanced at the time on the clock, seeing it was after nine in the morning, and panicked. Why didn’t Marcus’ alarm go off at five-thirty? And her twins. They should have awakened me long before now.
Getting out of bed, she went to the baby monitor. Seeing it turned off, Danica dropped it and flew out of her bedroom, down the hall, and heard the chatter of people. The sounds were coming from her kitchen.
“Na-na-na!”
Aaron.
Some of the fear subsided at hearing her son, but she didn’t slow her pace, she slid into the kitchen on her socked feet, more than likely looking like a crazed woman with bad bedhead, eyes wide as she took in the scene.
“Morning,” Gage said in his sandpaper-smooth voice, those silver eyes locking on her.
Why is he here, dressed in a black t-shirt and sleep pants?
Her gaze bounced from him to her twins in their playpen, to her parents, to Mason, and then over to Breckin. Her sister was at her stove cooking something that smelled fantastic. Then as if a switch flipped in her brain, everything—every single thing came crashing down around her.
Marcus is dead. No money. Someone broke in yesterday. The painting. My earrings...
All the strength left her in a whoosh as her stomach bottomed out, the blood drained from her face, and she swayed. Danica grabbed onto the back of a highchair to keep herself from falling, Gage swooping in to catch her. “Danny! What’s wrong?”
What’s wrong? What wasn’t wrong.
Unable to stop the coming storm, her chin quivered.
“Oh, baby-girl,” her mother said, coming to her as well.
That’s all it took. Danica burst into unmeasurable sobs.
~
Both her breakdown and Breckin’s breakfast was over, though she very much doubted the storm of her insanity had dissipated for good, just had subsided for a little while.
Danica sniffled.
“I’ve got you, Princes
s.” The low hum of her father’s voice vibrated against her as he swiped his palm up and down her bare arm—the two of them on the couch, Danny curled into his side, cheek resting on his chest.
“I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too.”
“I really should get up and do something.”
Everyone else bustled around her house—her mother and Breck cleaning up things, taking care of her twins. Mason and Gage having morphed into moving men, clearing off the disaster she’d made of her front lawn and the exercise room, having told her they would stack ‘things’ in the garage.
“No, you don’t. Let your family take care of you for a change.”
“But—”
The sound of her doorbell had her sitting up, and Gage popping his head into the room, saying, “I’ll get it.”
A few seconds later she did get up and went to the arch that led into the foyer.
“Hi, Chief Harrison,” Howie greeted. “I finished up with the back yard, so I’m done.”
“Okay, son.”
“I need to pick up a check from Mrs. Harding unless you and Mr. Miller need me to help you guys?”
Her heart sank, and that feeling of despair rolled over her as she shuffled forward. She had no way of paying Howie. If she wrote him a check, it would bounce like a rubber ball.
“Mrs. Harding is otherwise occupied this afternoon, but let me know how much she owes you, and I’ll take care of it.” Gage pulled out a wallet from the back pocket of his jeans.
“Gage?”
He half-turned to look over his broad shoulder at her, Howie peeking around him.
“Oh, hi, Mrs. Harding.” The boy smiled.
“Hello, Howie.”
Her chin started to quiver as the storm clouds rolled back in with a vengeance.
Her father had come up beside her, put his arm around her shoulders, and she slumped into him.
“I’ve got this,” Gage said to her, his gaze going to her Dad. “Sam, will you—”
“I’ve got my daughter, son.”
Her father maneuvered her back into the living room, over to the couch, her body numb as she took a seat. All of the things she had to deal with started stomping around in her brain. All of the people she would have to tell she could no longer afford to keep. The people and places she owed money to and…
