“Right back at you, sis,” he said.
Sirens screamed outside as they drew closer.
Something dawned on me in the next second. “Oh my God, Ruby!” Still hurting and slow, I turned on my knees so I was facing Bodie.
“She’s okay, she hasn’t had the baby yet,” my husband said with a smirk, that turned serious in the next second.
“You my love are a beautiful soul and amazing friend. After what you went through, you're more worried about Ruby and your brother than yourself. It's just one thing I love about you out of a million.”
His words made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I took a second to brush my lips across his before saying, “Let’s really get out of here now.”
I was so glad I hadn’t missed Ruby having the baby. We needed to hurry and get to the hospital. Not only for Ruby but my brother too.
But we made it.
My family was all going to be okay.
“You’re going to have to carry me like you were going to before because the drugs she gave me are still making my limbs not work properly,” I said.
A growl erupted from deep within my husband's throat.
I placed my hand on his cheek. “I’m okay, I hung on. But I still want you to carry me.”
“Anything for you, sweetheart. I love you so damn much,” he said in a gravelly voice filled with so much emotion it radiated off him in waves.
“I love you more,” I told him.
He shook his head back and forth. “Not possible.” A small smile lifted his lips.
The sight of him and just that little bit of smile stole my breath. My belly fluttered.
My husband was the only man who could ever make me feel that way. Even in the worst of situations he calmed the storm inside me and made everything better.
He was my savior.
* * *
It had been a long night.
After being checked out, I was told to go home and get some rest. The drugs were making their way out of my system, the kick didn’t cause any issues with my ribs but it and being dragged around left me some bumps and bruises that would take time to heal.
And while I was bone tired, I didn’t listen to the doctor and head home like he said I should.
My brother was there and so was Ruby. I couldn’t leave until I knew they were both okay. It seemed crazy to say Paxton had gotten lucky with the gunshot wound to his leg, but he indeed had. The bullet he took to the thigh wasn’t deep and didn’t hit anything major. They had to remove it and he was staying overnight for observation. If he’d had his way, he would have already been out the door the second they were done.
He was another macho, stubborn man to add to those already in my life.
When I finally got to see him, I broke down in his arms and lost my shit right there by his bedside. I was supposed to be strong for him and yet he was the one that had been my rock.
After seeing Paxton, Ifinallygot to see Ruby. And not just my friend but her tiny baby boy, Tristan Michael Knight. I knew at one day old he was going to be a handsome devil and a total heartbreaker.
“See my baby brudder,” Autumn said excitedly.
The precious girl was going to have her Gramps holding his shotgun at all times when the boys came knocking and Lyric, her father, would be beating them off with a stick.
Speaking of Gramps, the man was beaming with love as he held his great-grandson. I’d had my baby fix and cuddled the sweet bundle so we said our goodbyes to the happy new parents.
After saying goodbye to everyone else who was still at the hospital, we drove home and went through our normal bedroom routine with the girls. However, this time, they didn’t want me to leave their side.
