Twenty-One
Frost
“All right,” I said as I eased off my bike, “see, that wasn’t so bad, huh?”
Natty managed to give me a soft smile. “That was kind of fun. I see why you wanted me to hold on tight.”
I nodded. “Now, you ready to go see momma?”
Her eyes lit up and it melted my heart. “Yeah!”
“All right,” I said as I held out my hand and helped her off my bike, “let’s go!”
I sank my bike into the grass just as West pulled up beside me. I was thankful that we had found the man, however battered and bruised he may have been. But I still couldn’t look at him. I had charged him with taking care of two of the most important women on the planet right now, and it felt like he had failed me.
Even though, rationally, I understood that he had done his best.
With my daughter’s hand in mind, I jogged toward the front door while she kept pace beside me. I heard West calling out for me, but I couldn’t speak with him. Not yet, anyway. Notch and Ruby needed to look him over in order to make sure he was ready for the tongue-lashing I had for him. Because at the end of the day, I had filled Lexi’s head with trust for him.
A trust that he hadn’t seen through this time around.
Natty’s palm was so small in my hand, and the size of mine dwarfed hers by at least three times. We got to the front door, and she clung to me, refusing to let me go. I’d never felt so arrested before. I’d never felt as if I had ever been someone’s captive. But, as her fingers dug into my skin, still clinging to me, I knew I’d be her captive forever.
And whatever she wanted; she’d get.
“Natty!” Lexi cried out as we made our way through the front door.
“Mommy!”
They ran for one another, and I watched as Lexi scooped the little girl into her arms. She spun her around while Natty clung to her, and I watched while the two of them rejoiced. They cried with one another while Lexi crouched down, rocking our daughter side to side like she was nothing but a newborn. And as the guys filtered in behind me, they each patted my shoulder.
Including West, even though I still wasn’t sure how I felt about him just yet.
“Church in a bit. We gotta come up with a plan,” Stone murmured as he walked past me.
I nodded. “Lex?”
She peeked up at me through her teary eyes. “Yeah?”
I pointed to the living room. “Gotta come up with a plan with the guys. I’ll be back in a bit, all right?”
She nodded. “Me and the girls are gonna take smoothies and go watch a movie. Please, come get me if you need me.”
And that’s when Hayley appeared. “I heard someone likes mango pineapple smoothies.”
Natty gasped. “That’s mine!? All right!”
A smile so big that it closed my eyes crossed my face as my daughter released Lexi and reached for the drink. Hayley tossed me a nod of her head, letting me know that she could take it from there. Still, I watched them all walk down the hallway, talking and debating on what movie they’d all watch in the media room. And after they disappeared around the corner, I stepped into the living room.
Just as Stone’s cell phone started ringing out.
“Who the fuck is that?” Texas asked heatedly.
Stone ripped his phone out before his face fell. “It’s restricted.”
We all looked around at one another before I stepped up to Stone’s side. “Pick it up. Put it on speaker.”
And when he did, a deep, resounding voice sounded on the other end of the line.
