Chapter 12
Ryan
After cleaning up my shoulder,stitching it up myself, and helping a few of the guys tend to their wounds, I sat with Buck in the backroom.
“What the fuck was that?” I snarled, taking another sip from mymug.
He shook his head. “Fuck if I know. Sinners don’t wearbandanas.”
“We eliminated the threat, so who the fuck is left the try to retaliate—and after all this time?” I slammed my mug down on thetable.
“There’s nothing we can do tonight. Everyone needs to get some sleep, and we will make calls in the morning. Go home and check on Cass. Tell the guys to bring their families to safe houses. We’re going into lockdown until we can figure out what the hell is going on.” Buck got up from his seat and started to walk out thedoor.
“Just when I thought things were a little too boring around here.” I hammered down the last of my drink and dug the Bronco keys out of mypocket.
Buck blocked the doorway. “Leave that truck here. We don’t know who the target is and you brought that damn thing on the run with you. Takemine.”
I didn’t protest; he was right. “Thanks.”
“Take care of your girl—she’s a special one.” He gave me a quick wink before I walked out to histruck.
* * *
Iknockedon Emily and Fletch’s front door, and Cass opened it with tearstained cheeks. I hated making her cry, and I hated that she had just gone through such a terribleexperience.
“Baby,” I whispered as I pulled her into my arms. “I am sosorry.”
She cried in my arms in the doorway while Fletch and Emily watched from inside. I waved to them. “Thankyou.”
Fletch put his hand in the air, waving me off dismissively. “We’re just glad you’re allokay.”
I followed Cass into their livingroom.
“Why don’t you go lie down for a bit? Come on.” Emily pulled her best friend into the back bedroom as I sat with Fletch on thecouch.
He sneered at me and didn’t waste any time with chitchat. “What the fuckhappened?”
I ran my hand over my face. “Fuck if I know, man. It’s never happened before. No one has ever had the balls to hit us likethat.”
“You have to pick one or the other. You can’t have your cake and eat ittoo.”
Right as I was about to defend my lifestyle to Fletch, Annie ran out of her room and jumped into my lap. “Uncle Ryan, I thought I heard yourvoice.”
I kissed the top of her head, pulling her into a better position. “Shouldn’t you be in bed? It is a schoolnight.”
The little girl stroked my beard as her doe eyes looked up at me. “I had to come say goodnight to you when I heard yourvoice.”
Her tiny arms wrapped around my neck briefly before Fletch scooped her up. “Come on, Annie. Uncle Ryan and I have a lot to talk about, and it is way past yourbedtime.”
It only took Fletch a minute to put his little girl back down. “Do you want that?” He pointed back to his daughter’sroom.
I nodded. “Yeah, with Cass. I want to have a family prettybadly.”
“I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this, but Cass is pregnant. She found out today, so it’s now or never. You have to choose what life you actually want to have. Cass isn’t going to stick around through this shit—I won’t let her. Don’t get me wrong, Ryan, I really like you, and I know how much Cass loves you, but this shit just can’t fly. You’re a damn Marine. You know how to be a better man than to let your woman be caught incrossfire.”
“She’s pregnant?” I started muttering the question over and over as the words sank deeper and deeper into my mind. A switch flipped—I was out. I was going to be the man Cass deserved. She needed a man she didn’t have to worry about having home at the end of the day. She was not going to have to worry about there being a time she’d be a young widow. She was never going to have to live another day withoutme.
I stood, marched into the bedroom, and grabbed Cassidy. I held her in my arms as I sank to the floor with her sitting in my lap. I kissed her hands, her cheeks, and herforehead.