“Shit, man. You’re gonna make me cry,” JD murmurs, and when I glance back at him, I actually see that his eyes are damp.
Shit. I thought he was just taking the piss.
“I’m not hugging you if you start crying,” I snap, and his grin turns playful as he leaps on me, throwing his arms around me.
“Giveme a hug, dammit,” he snickers, and I laugh, trying to push the persistent fucker off me.
“Piss off. If you want a hug, you’ll have to wait until Jols can give it to you.”
Abbey’s soft giggles float across the room, and when I finally manage to get my best mate off me, she has Bobbi on her lap, holding her head up by cupping her chin, while gently patting Bobbi’s back, trying to burp her.
“Sometimes, you two act like you’re my age.” She giggles. “Not like men in their thirties.”
“Why, thank you.” JD grins stupidly at my wife, and it occurs to me that perhaps finding Bobbi has put everyone in a good mood.
The rainy day turns to night without us coming across any of the neighbours. Thank fuck.
The last thing we need is them calling the local cops.
There’s enough food in the house that we can stay here for a few days and not have to go anywhere, so Mex and Murf cook up some dinner, and we settle in for a quiet night by the sea.
The guys do their shift change before Abbey and I turn in to sleep in the single bed in the same room as Bobbi.
It doesn’t matter that we have to squeeze onto the mattress together. She fits perfectly against me, tight in my arms, like we were made to fit together.
We talk for a while in the dark, the low light in the humidicrib drawing our attention, and the sleeping angel within. Abbey is exhausted, but she’s too wired to fall asleep straight away. Both of us are.
Yesterday, it was just the two of us, and now, we are three.
Okay, so maybe four, because as far as I’m concerned, Tahli is our responsibility too.
Sleep eventually wins out, and I dream of Abbey and Bobbi, just the way they were earlier in the chair as they both stared at each other. But this time, there’s a faint glow behind them, and when I blink, a delicate face is smiling down over Abbey’s shoulder, pretty blonde curls framing the face of a little girl.
I try to lean closer, needing to see, my heart already telling me exactly who’s watching over my wife and her baby.
“Hope,” I call, reaching out, but all of a sudden I’m being sucked out of the dream, a dark figure looming over me as someone nudges my shoulder.
“Wake the fuck up,” JD whisper-yells as I jerk, instantly going on alert.
“What is it?” I sit up, bringing a groggy Abbey with me.
“Trunk and Stocky didn’t check in, and we can’t get a hold of them by phone or radio.”
Ice freezes every drop of blood trying to rush through my veins as the reality of what he’s telling me sinks in.
“Guns!” I snarl, lifting Abbey in my arms and depositing her bare feet on the cold floor a moment later.
“What’s going on?” she squeaks, snatching up her jeans and stepping into them.
“We have company. Stay in here with Bobbi, but grab her go bag,” I snap, not even bothering to put my jeans on.
That can fucking wait. Right now, I need to protect my family.
22
Caroline rushes into the room, nodding frantically as Vender barks orders at her to protect me and Bobbi at all costs.
I don’t know what the hell this kidnapping nurse knows about fighting off bad guys, but I’m thankful to not be alone.
