by Jaime Lewis
“Okay, daddy.” He’d never tire of hearing that word.
He stood up and turned toward Ace. “Let’s roll Lieutenant.” With those words, he and the team walked toward Derek and the investigators. God help those sonofabitches who took Tenley, because he didn’t plan on letting any of them walk away.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Tenley’s head felt heavy and fuzzy. Her one eye was swollen as well as her lip. She was cold and wondered where she was. She looked around the room. The lighting in the room was dim.
A chill swept through her body, and she tried to cover herself, but that was when she realized she couldn’t move her arms or legs. She pulled her arms again, but it only hurt her wrists. She was tied down to the bed.
She lifted her head as best she could and looked down at her body. Oh my god! She was only wearing her bra and panties. She shivered again and started pulling hard on the ropes. She felt her throat tighten up, giving her the feeling that she couldn’t breathe. She was having an anxiety attack. She tried inhaling but couldn’t get any air in.
She saw Esteban approach the side of the bed. “Ahhh, sweet Tenley.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek. I can’t have you panicking. You need to relax. Maybe this will help.” He grabbed a syringe from the table next to the bed and brought it up to her neck.
She tried shaking her head side-to-side. “No,” She gasped out. “Please, no.”
He gave her a look, and she thought he was going to stick her with it, but to her surprise, he set it back down on the table. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and leaned over and brushed her hair away from her face. She tried controlling her breathing. She closed her eyes and repeated; in one, two, three. Out, one, two, three. She did that until she felt she could breathe normally.
Esteban placed a hand on her belly, and her eyes popped open. He smiled down at her. He ran his hand down her lower abdomen to her hip and finally her thighs. Then he ran it back up, stopping just under her breast.
He stared at her body. “This body belongs to me now. The quicker you accept that, the easier it will be for you.”
She gave him a dirty look. “Nothing of mine will ever belong to you. Fuck off!” She shouted at him.
All he did was smirk at her. “I figured you’d fight me. Though I was hoping you wouldn’t because I’d hate to mess up this beautiful skin of yours.” He trailed his hand back down her body to her legs. When he got to her ankles, he pulled on the rope, holding them, and it pulled her legs further apart.
He looked over her body and licked his lips. His eyes were filled with hunger. Hunger for her, and she wanted to vomit at the thought of him touching her.
He bent down and picked up something from the floor. She couldn’t see what it was, and before she could ask, she felt the slap on her inner thigh, and she cried out. “Ow!"
She opened her eyes and saw he was holding a riding crop in his hand. He flicked it hard again, this time against the other thigh. She flinched, and her legs pulled against the ropes, which were starting to rub her skin raw. She shot daggers at him, and the bastard laughed and hit her again with the leather tool. He kept up the grueling punishment. Some hit her legs and arms while others landed on her breasts.
She hadn’t realized she was screaming until she felt how raw her throat felt, and sound was no longer coming from her. She had lost her voice. She was utterly incapacitated, and he had total control over her. She would never get free. She would never see Potter, Alejandra, or anyone else again. She felt the tears leak out of her eyes and fall on the pillow beneath her. Her body hurt all over.
Suddenly she heard glass breaking and felt Esteban being pulled off of her. There was chaos all around her. It was dark, and she couldn’t see anything. She heard shots being fired and men yelling and carrying on. She closed her eyes and prayed someone was there to save her.
Minutes ticked by, and finally, the room went silent, then she felt the bed dip and someone sitting next to her. She opened her eyes slowly, afraid of who it might be. But when she was able to focus on the intense face staring down at her, she burst into tears.
◆◆◆
Potter was on edge and getting antsy. They had been standing fifty yards from a cabin that Esteban was holed up in with Tenley. Thanks to the FBI and some informants, they were able to locate the place in no time.
FBI teams were currently securing the perimeter of the property.
“All clear outside.” A voice said through his com unit.
Ace’s voice came next. “Subject and hostage are in the room on the east side. There are two tangos stationary and armed at the front entrance. One outside the room that suspect and hostage are in. Movement reported. We go dark on my command then breach.”
Potter and Stitch crept silently in the shadows just outside the window they’d breach on Ace’s order. The windows were ground level, and when Potter had a clear view into the room, his head practically shot off his shoulders. Every single control tactic his SEAL training covered went out the door. He felt his feet moving when a hand grabbed his arm. When he looked over, Stitch was shaking his head at him.
That was when he realized that Stitch was holding him back. Jesus Christ, he’d never lost his cool that like. But then again, he never had to sit back and watch as his wife get beaten. He was seething inside, and from the look on Stitch’s face, he had seen it as well.
He wanted to rip that crop out of that asshole’s hand and shove it so far up his ass that he could bite down and taste the leather.
He glanced down at his watch, fifteen seconds. On zero, the lights in the house went dark, and Ace’s voice came through the com unit. “Move!”
On that order, he and Stitch breached the window. He could hear shots being fired in other parts of the house and men shouting, but his only concern was getting to Tenley. Through his NVGs, he spotted the bed, and a person hovering over the bed.
He made it to the bed in two large strides and grabbed the fucker by the back of his shirt. He pulled him backward and onto the floor. He tried to take a few shots to Potter’s face, but he was anticipating it. He placed Esteban in a chokehold and squeezed until he heard the snap, then let the lifeless body fall to the floor.
He heard Stitch utter ‘fuck’. He stood up and got to the bed as quickly as he could. Bruises were already forming all over Tenley’s body.
He lowered himself to the bed, and when she finally opened her eyes, he took a breath.
Things quieted down and someone handed him an FBI windbreaker to cover her until he could get her to the awaiting ambulance. He held her battered face gently between his hands while the other guys cut the ropes restraining her arms and legs. She cringed and moaned when her arms were lowered beside her.
He couldn’t form a word at the moment. It felt like a huge ball was caught in his throat. Instead of speaking, he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. He felt her small hands grab his wrists.
He pulled his head back and looked down into her eyes. Her one eye was almost swollen shut.
“Alejandra,” she whispered.
“She’s safe.”
She closed her eyes and nodded her head slightly. Then she opened them again. “Frost?” She asked this time.
Stitch snorted. “Just a flesh wound, Ten. He’ll be back to his ornery self in no time. Now, let’s concentrate on you right now.”
Potter sat there patiently listening to Stitch ask her questions about her injuries. Ace tapped him on the shoulder. “Paramedics are here.”
Potter nodded his head as the paramedics entered the room and started assessing her injuries. Stitch spoke with the EMTs on her condition.
Ace gripped Potter’s shoulder and squeezed. “It’s over, man.”
“I know, but I wish she didn’t have to go through what she did.”
He heard Tenley’s scratchy voice yelling his name. He got to her side quickly and placed the palm of his hand against her cheek. “What’s wrong, baby?”
She had tears in her e
yes. “I thought you left.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “I’ll never leave you, Tenley.”
She closed her eyes, and the paramedics began transporting her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Hey, friend…How ya feeling?” Alex asked, walking into Tenley’s hospital room. Because of her injuries, the doctors felt more comfortable if they kept her overnight for observation.
“Besides my face feeling like it was bashed into a wall a couple of times, I’m doing okay.” She said, smiling as a nurse came into the room, rolling some equipment behind her.
Tenley watched Alex observe what the nurse was doing. When she saw the nurse stick some pads with wires connected to them to Tenley’s stomach, she shot Tenley a look, and all Tenley could do was smile.
Knowing the question her friend was silently asking, Tenley nodded her head, acknowledging what her friend already knew.
Alex leaned down and hugged her. “You and Potter deserve this with everything you’ve been through. You finally got your happily ever after.” Alex stood back up and wiped her face with the back of her hand.
“What does Potter think about being a daddy?”
“He doesn’t know yet. I just found out about fifteen minutes ago when the doctor came back and told me. I had no idea. But it makes sense now. The last few days, I felt a little queasy, but I had just chalked it up to nerves.”
“Are you and the baby okay. I mean, with what Esteban did to you?”
“Yeah. Besides being dehydrated, the bruised face and legs, I’m doing okay. Have you seen Frost, yet?”
“Yeah. He came through surgery just fine. The bullet only went through muscle tissue in his thigh.”
“And? How is he doing?”
Alex grinned. “He’s being a cantankerous little shit, giving the nurses a hard time. He’s going to hurt like hell for a little while, but with some physical therapy, he’ll be good as new and back out on the battlefield fighting the bad guys.”
Tenley laughed then heard the door to the room creak. Potter stuck his head in and immediately frowned when he saw the machine. He walked in with Ace following on his heels. He looked from the equipment back to her. “What’s going on? Why are you hooked up to all of that stuff?”
Tenley glanced over at Alex and gave her a wink. Alex got up from the chair and hugged her before she walked over to Potter and hugged him and wished him a happy birthday. She then took Ace by the arm and told him they were leaving to give Tenley and Potter some time alone. Although by the look that Ace was giving Alex, it seemed he wanted to stay and hear what she had to say.
Once the door closed behind Ace and Alex, Tenley looked at Potter. “Potter…Come here. I need a hug.” She told him, holding her arms wide open.
He walked to the edge of the bed and leaned down, falling gently into her embrace. She scooted over and told him to lay with her. The look on his face made her giggle. “Honey, I’m a big man, and this bed is tiny. I feel like Papa Bear trying to sleep in Baby Bear’s bed. We both won’t fit. Hell, my whole bottom half probably wouldn’t fit.”
“Yes, we will. Stop arguing and come here. I want you to hold me.”
As gracefully as he could, he laid his large body down next to her, making sure he wouldn’t hurt her. She snuggled against his side and put her head on his shoulder. They laid like that in silence for a minute or two until Potter spoke up. “You never answered my question. What’s with the machine?”
He gripped her chin and turned her head, so she was looking him in the eye. “Tenley, if something’s wrong, we’ll get through it together.”
“Well, I hope so because I’m going to need you by my side for this.” She said with tears in her eyes.
“Honey, I don’t scare easily, but right now, you’re scaring the shit out of me.”
She giggled. “Believe me; you aren’t the only one who’s scared.” She waved her hand toward the monitor next to the bed. “You hear that faint sound?” Whoosh…whoosh…whoosh.
“Yeah?”
She took his hand and laid it on her belly, then focused her eyes back on his. “That is the sound of our baby’s heartbeat.”
Potter’s eyes widened. He looked down where their clasped hands lay over her belly then back up to her eyes.
“We’re having a baby?” His deep voice was whispering the words.
She nodded her head as a few tears fell from her eyes, and she sniffled. “It seems you really do have some super SEAL sperm.”
Potter barked out a loud laugh then gave her a searing kiss that made her toes curl. He whispered against her lips. “I love you.”
She swore his eyes teared up before he buried his face in the crook of her neck. She raked her fingers through his hair. Potter was a strong man and not one to show his emotions to others, but she knew this was a significant moment for him, and her heart grew even more. “I love you, too. Happy birthday.”
They held their embrace for minutes, enjoying the silence and the sound of their baby’s heartbeat reverberating throughout the room.
The peacefulness was soon interrupted when the rest of the team came barreling through the door, chatting up a storm. Everyone stopped and stared at Tenley and Potter. Some of the guys were looking over the equipment Tenley was hooked to.
Stitch looked at the machine making the noise then turned toward Potter and smiled from ear to ear. “Well I’ll be damned….” He walked over and slapped Potter on the back, then leaned down and gave Tenley a hug and kiss on the cheek.
Except for Alex and Stitch, none of the others seemed to catch on as to what was going on. Seconds later, Juliette and Derek walked into the room with Alejandra. As soon as Juliette saw the monitor, she gasped and squealed before running over to Tenley and Potter, tears streaming down her face. She hugged them both and told them how happy she was for them.
Potter stood up from the bed, still holding Tenley’s hand and smiled, looking at his team. “We’re having a baby!”
The hoots and hollers of congratulations echoed throughout the room and continued until a nurse came in warning them that they needed to quiet down, or they would be asked to leave.
◆◆◆
Potter pulled his truck into the driveway of he and Tenley’s home. He looked over at his beautiful wife as she lay sleeping with her head leaning against the window. He hadn’t stopped smiling since Tenley told him he was going to be a dad again. He ran his eyes over her face and frowned when they landed on the bruises along with the dark smudges under her eyes. He knew she was exhausted. After she was discharged from the hospital, she was starving, so they stopped at Bayside for a bite to eat. As soon as they got into the truck, she laid her head against the window and fell asleep.
He looked over next door and saw Ace, Alex, Derek, and Juliette walking towards them. None of them looked happy, and his gut clenched. What the fuck now?
Potter leaned over and gently ran his knuckles down Tenley’s face. “Hey, baby. We’re home.” She smiled, and his heart sped up. Damn, she was perfect.
They got out of the truck and met the crew from next door. Juliette stepped forward. “Honey, there’s a gentleman here by the name of Regi Watts. He says he needs to speak with you. He’s an attorney.”
Tenley seemed surprised. “Why would an attorney want to see me?”
“I don’t know, but Ace and Derek checked him out, and he’s legit. He has been waiting here, parked on the street for over four hours waiting for you to get home.” Alex added.
The man in question got out of a tan sedan and started walking toward them. On instinct, Potter put himself in front of Tenley and Alejandra. “Hello, Mrs. Richardson. My name is Regi Watts. I’m an attorney from Richmond. I have some papers for you.” He said, trying to get around Potter.
“This couldn’t have waited until tomorrow?” Potter asked, now annoyed that some stuck up attorney thought papers for his wife were more important than her health.
“No, I’m sorry. I had explicit instructions to hand-de
liver these documents to Mrs. Richardson at her home as soon as she was released from the hospital.”
Potter tensed up. He didn’t like knowing that this guy knew Tenley was in the hospital, let alone when she was discharged. He didn’t miss how Ace and Derek had taken up a protective position.
Potter stared down at Mr. Watts, giving him an intimidating look. “I’m not comfortable with you knowing that much personal information about my wife.”
Regi chuckled. “He said you were a hard-ass.”
“Who is ‘he’?” Tenley asked, sounding rather annoyed herself, and Potter had to smile.
Regi gave her a sympathetic look. “Your father, Dante, asked me to deliver these documents to you.” He handed over the thick envelope to Potter, and Potter had to laugh to himself. This guy was smart because he would’ve intercepted that package had he tried to hand it to Tenley.
Regi smiled at Tenley and then held his hand out to Potter. Potter looked down and extended his own for the handshake. “Well, I won’t keep you any longer.” He looked at Tenley. “If you have any questions, I left my card in the envelope. However, I think all of the information is clearly stated.”
Tenley nodded her head as Regi got into his car and drove away.
She looked up at Potter. “What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t we go inside and we’ll take a look?”
Tenley nodded her head then glanced over at her mom, Derek, Ace, and Alex. “Will you guys come and join us?”
They all agreed to come over, then she looked back at Potter and put a hand on her stomach. “I’m hungry again; maybe we can grill some burgers and chicken. Is that okay with you?”
“That’s a great idea, but let us handle dinner,” Alex said. “Why don’t you and Potter go and get cleaned up? Ace and Derek can handle the grill. Juliette and I will prepare some side dishes to go with the burgers and chicken.”
Tenley walked over and hugged Alex. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
