22
Adrenaline leaked from Celine’s body and left her shaky and fatigued. She melted against the seat in Lane’s truck. The gentle rocking of the vehicle as they headed toward home threatened to lull her into sleep.
Home.
Realization dawned on her and sent joy trickling through her body like a warm, spring rain. Home wasn’t a house or a place. It was Lane. Plain and simple. And as long as he was by her side, she’d always be where she belonged.
He squeezed her hand as he pulled into the driveway. “You sure you don’t want to go to the hospital? You’re pretty banged up.”
“A medic cleared me at the house. Rest and over-the-counter pain medications are all they recommended. I just need to see Parker.” Her arms physically ached thinking of her baby.
For a few minutes, she’d thought she’d never lay eyes on him again. Thought he’d grow up not even remembering his mother. The idea of being nothing but a story to be told shattered her, but the steadfast certainty that Lane would be there to raise him into an incredible human had kept her from losing her mind.
Duke sat beside her in the truck and hooked an arm over her shoulder. “She’s made of tough stuff. I’m glad you’re okay.”
She smiled up at this man she’d just met a few days before but already adored. “Me too.”
Leaning her head against Lane’s shoulder, she soaked in the feeling of contentment the rest of the way to Lane’s. When he parked, her muscles tingled with the need to launch herself from the vehicle and run inside.
Once Lane climbed out, he held out a hand to help her down. He cupped a palm under her elbow, supporting her as she climbed the porch and walked through the front door.
Suzy ran down the stairs, her eyes widening when she saw Celine. She slowed her steps as she approached and covered her mouth with her hands. “Oh my God. Thank God you’re all right. Can I hug you?”
“Of course.”
“Just be gentle,” Lane warned and released her hand. He took a step to the side to allow Suzy space to wrap Celine in a tender hug.
“Parker never woke up. Didn’t even make a peep. You can now put all of this behind you.”
Celine’s shoulders slumped forward as she absorbed the words. The nightmare was over. She was safe and Parker would have no idea any of this had happened. Danger had passed and she’d escaped with her life and a new outlook on everything in it.
Including Lane.
He’d told her that he loved her. She hadn’t been given a chance to reciprocate. Not with the flurry of activity that had descended on the house. Medics to attend to three victims—two of them in critical condition but expected to make full recoveries. Authorities to take statements and process the crime scene.
Then there was Lane, hovering over her like an overprotective mother hen. Demanding she receive medical attention and worrying she wasn’t being truthful about the extent of her injuries.
She hadn’t lied, though she glazed over some of the more terrifying details. Details that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Pulling away from Suzy, she wiped the tears from her face that refused to stop falling. “Thank you for watching Parker. Knowing he was safe meant everything to me.”
Suzy offered a small smile. “I’d do anything for that little boy. And for you too. Now go get some rest.”
Lane pressed a palm to the small of her back. “Can you handle the stairs? There are a lot of them.”
She started to tell him he was being silly, but he swept her into his arms like a groom carrying his bride. She didn’t protest, just circled her arms around his neck and laid her head on his broad shoulder.
Reaching the guest room, he set her on her feet and held open the door.
She tiptoed inside and stared down at her sleeping son. The tightness in her chest stole her breath. Love so strong and swift flowed through her it weakened her knees. She leaned against Lane, needing his strength to hold her up. Keep her feet firmly on the ground. “He’s so beautiful,” she whispered.
Lane landed a kiss on her temple. “He’s perfect. Just like his mother.”
She stared up at him and got lost for a second in his deep blue eyes. “I may not be perfect, but I’m perfect for you. For him. I want to build a life together. To live every day with the knowledge that I chose you and you chose me.”
“I like the way that sounds.”
She slipped an arm around his waist. “Thank you for saving me.”
