“I want to leave the force.”
And then all eyes widened with shock.
“Are you serious?” Gyth asked first.
It was a big decision but the right one for the direction my life was moving.
“I am. Two jobs take way too much time away from family. And I don’t want to take more chances of having something happen to me when I need to be around to take care of them.”
I was nervous when I walked in there to talk to them. But it felt good saying it out loud.
“Are you proposing?” Kace asked, because you know I can officiate the wedding.” He gave me a cheesy smile.
“So can I, dumbnut,” Gyth chimed in, smacking Kace upside the head since he happened to be sitting next to him.
Everyone erupted into laughter.
“Not yet, but if I have it my way, it won’t be long.”
“Well, that is great, dude,” Braxton said. “And we have plenty of work and would be glad to have you, right guys?”
They all agreed and I sighed in relief. It felt damn good to have a plan that would work for me, Ruby, and the family.
I couldn’t wait to tell her.
Everything was going so well.
Just then my phone rang and I saw Jett’s number flash across the screen. I held up my finger to pause the guys for a second while I answered.
“Hey Jett, what’s up?”
I listened for a second to his frantic voice.
My heart froze and my blood ran cold.
* * *
All I could thinkabout was getting to the woman I love.
When I’d run from the restaurant I didn’t realize everyone would follow.
But I should have known.
I’d been trying to calm Jett down as I took off out of the restaurant, barely saying a word to any of the guys. They were hot on my heels listening to one side of a conversation that had my body vibrating with terror, anger, and worry.
“Jett, I am on my way now. I will see you when I get there.”
I wasn’t sure about Jett bringing everyone from home to the hospital, especially Autumn, but I hadn’t been able to convince him otherwise. As I reached my vehicle I turned to the guys and told them Ruby had been attacked leaving work.
Without another word, I jumped in my truck and peeled out of the parking lot. As I sped through the streets, I thought it was a good thing I was still a cop at that moment. If someone attempted to pull me over—because I wasn’t stopping for anything—I could try to talk my way out of any trouble.
When I arrived at the hospital I blew through the emergency room doors like the hounds of hell were nipping at my heels and came to a screeching stop when I saw Ruby’s family.
Myfamily.
That was how I thought of them, every single one of the people standing there. Before I could say a word, Autumn rushed me, and I had managed to squat down just in time to catch her as she launched herself into my arms. I was about to ask Jett if he’d told her anything but a ruckus sounded behind me and I turned my head to see the guys piling in.
I picked the little one up in my arms and walked a few feet toward Jett, the guys once again following.
