“It wasn’t your fault,” she said softly.
Drake didn’t look convinced. In fact, he looked every bit as guilty and remorseful as Silas.
Hayley peeked around the men and her gaze skittered to the woman propped on the hospital bed as she took her first glimpse of Evangeline, her own guilt soaring.
Evangeline’s face lit up with warmth as she smiled at Hayley. “You must be Hayley,” she said sweetly. “I’ve been dying to meet you. I’m Evangeline, Drake’s wife.”
Silas wrapped his arm around Hayley’s waist and urged her toward Evangeline’s bedside.
“Evangeline, I want you to meet someone very special. This is Hayley Winthrop. I should have introduced the two of you much sooner,” he said in chagrin.
Evangeline stared balefully at Silas. “Yes, you certainly should have.” Then she shook her head. “You men. I swear you’re so stubborn and thickheaded.”
Hayley laughed, charmed by Evangeline’s sweet demeanor. “Boy, you said a mouthful, Evangeline.”
“It’s very nice to finally meet you, Hayley,” Evangeline said sincerely. To Hayley’s surprise, moisture rimmed the other woman’s eyes and they shone with happiness as she stared back at Hayley. “You can’t possibly understand how happy I am that Silas has someone like you. He’s been so alone for so very long. You’ve made him so happy and for that you have my everlasting gratitude.”
With those words, any doubt over Silas and Evangeline’s relationship immediately evaporated. It was obvious that Evangeline cared deeply for Silas and only wanted him to be happy, a trait both women shared.
Impulsively, Hayley took Evangeline’s hand in hers, concern flooding her. “Are you all right?” she asked anxiously. “Is the baby all right?”
Evangeline smiled and rubbed the mound of her belly, pure joy flooding her features. Drake was immediately at her other side, his eyes so full of love and tenderness that it made tears well in Hayley’s eyes at witnessing something so beautiful.
“Oh yes, our baby girl is just fine. A little impatient, but she’s been convinced to stay in her mama’s womb for a little longer. The doctor has been able to stop the contractions, and as long as I take it easy, he believes I’ll carry her until much closer to my due date.”
“And that’s precisely what you’re going to do,” Drake said gruffly.
Evangeline rolled her eyes and Hayley laughed as the two women shared a brief moment of camaraderie at having such overprotective, hovering men.
“Are they going to release you then?” Silas asked, concern edging his voice.
“Not until she’s no longer having a single damn contraction,” Drake growled.
Everyone’s attention went to the door when it opened and a tall, gruff-looking man strode in. Hayley gulped as she stared in awe. As with all of Silas’s brothers, this man exuded power in his every movement. His stare was piercing, his eyes dark and brooding. He was as big and as muscled as Silas, which was saying alot.
More surprising was Silas’s reaction. He jerked, emotion flaring in his usually unreadable expression.
“Brother,” Silas whispered.
And then Silas met the other man and yanked him into a fierce hug.
“It’s damn good to see you again. Welcome home,” Silas said in a suspiciously choked voice.
The room erupted as every single one of the men assembled greeted the newcomer. It was obvious the man meant much to Silas and his brothers. Hayley and Evangeline exchanged puzzled glances as they waited for an introduction.
“It’s over,” the man said quietly to Silas. “The Vanuccis are no more.”
Hayley and Evangeline both flinched as the men explosively reacted to the bombshell. Hayley slipped her hand into Evangeline’s and squeezed, unsure of what this—anything—meant. Tears glimmered in Evangeline’s eyes but relief was evident in her expression.
Drake held up his hand for quiet, and silence immediately descended. It astonished Hayley that in a room full of dominant, alpha men, Drake wielded so much power and respect.
“You are Ghost no more, brother,” Drake said, emotion filling his own voice. Then he turned to the two women still looking on with confusion and trepidation, his expression softening with apology when he saw their obvious worry. “Andre, I want you to meet two very special women.”
Warmth spread through Hayley’s entire body at the sudden sense of belonging. Acceptance. No longer did she feel like an outsider to this tightly knit group. It was in the expression of every man present how important she and Evangeline were to them. She swallowed back the knot of emotion and blinked to keep the sudden surge of tears at bay.
Drake slid his hand tenderly over Evangeline’s cheek. “This is my wife, Evangeline.” Then he directed his focus to Hayley. “And this is Hayley. She belongs to Silas.”
To Hayley’s surprise, Andre walked over to her and gently enfolded her hands in his, his eyes softening, losing the hard edge he’d worn when he’d entered the room.
