Page 104 of Adoring Delaney

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t—”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. You two get to the hospital. We’ll all be there as soon as we can.”

Carter’s arm was around me, mine around his waist and I was standing there in a cemetery near the headstone of the man who’d torn my life to hell, a place where his crazy sister had tried to kill me, and I was all right. Actually, I was more than all right. I was good.

“Jasper!” Carter shouted.

My dad lifted his chin in answer and Carter chuckled.

“You mind hurrying it up so we can get our girl to the hospital?”

My dad pinched his lips and some of the anguish washed away. He made his way to us and Carter transferred me to my dad’s arms.

We walked to the ambulance, my dad and I, with our arms around each other. His around my shoulders, mine around his middle. Just like he’d done thousands of times before. Something he loved to do. If not with me then my sisters or Mom. Jasper Walker loved his girls, liked showing it, and didn’t give a flying rat’s ass what that said about him. I thought it said he was the most caring, generous father a girl could ask for. And he’d always said my opinion and that of my mom and sisters was all that mattered to him.

He helped me into the back of the rig and stepped aside, but before Carter could step up, my dad grabbed his hand and with a firm shake and a nod, he helped Carter climb in.

And away we went. A medic was at my side cleaning the gash on my face and asking rapid fire questions and as I was answering, exhaustion took over and I yawned. Carter barked at the poor man and told him that was enough, his outburst causing my dad to laugh.

Yeah, I was all right. Even after a lunatic shot at my sister and held me hostage, driving me to her brother’s grave, all the while talking crazy. I’d been scared out of my brain, so afraid I was going to die, but somehow, I’d found the strength to fight. I wasn’t going to give up, not on myself, not on Carter, not on my family, and not on the baby I might be carrying.

So while it sucked I was in the back of an ambulance, I was alive, unharmed, and having the two men who meant the most to me in there with me made it bearable—kinda.

31

We’d spent hours in the ER. Laney needed three stitches to close the gash. Unfortunately the cut was jagged so the ER doc wouldn’t glue it. Thankfully it was close to her hairline so if any scar was left it wouldn’t be noticeable. And I say thankfully, because I didn’t want each time Delaney saw the scar for it to bring up something painful.

Every member of our family was outside in the waiting room. My dad, Uncle Levi, Uncle Clark, Ethan, and Nick were the last to arrive. They’d stayed behind at the crime scene. Ethan’s one-time partner, Officer Oscar Lorenz, had followed us to the hospital and had graciously waited until Delaney was situated before he’d started his questioning. He’d also been slow and gentle with her as she took us through what happened.

Jasper’s face had turned to stone, and only softened when Laney got to the end of her ordeal and was talking about swinging with her eyes closed, hoping she’d make contact. I think he may’ve muttered, that’s my girl, but I couldn’t be sure. What I was sure about was we’d gotten damn lucky.

Dana had fired three shots at Jasper’s house, one shot into the air, which meant there was one bullet left when they’d been fighting. One last bullet. She’d pointed her gun at me and I’d shot her.

In a quiet moment of self-reflection, I searched my feelings about ending the woman’s life and found no remorse. Dana’s intent had been clear, she’d meant to cause grave harm to Delaney, and I’d always pick Laney’s life over anyone. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing myself, I knew what had to be done and took the shot. And in doing so I saved Laney’s life and possibly the life of our child.

After Lorenz left with the standard, don’t leave town, Jasper stepped out of the room and Delaney’d peppered me with questions about Dana Lowe, even though she’d heard what I’d told Lorenz, which was everything. She was in disbelief. But, of course, someone as good and kind as Delaney would be shocked. She couldn’t fathom the evil some people have in them. It wasn’t in her to think the worst of people. She wasn’t jagged like I was. Sweet and innocent, that was my Delaney, and I’d go to great measures to make sure she stayed that way.

“Sorry for the long wait,” the doctor said, walking into the room. “Your test results are back.”

Delaney shifted on the gurney and I picked up her hand and brought it to my mouth and brushed my lips against her battered knuckles.

“And?” Laney impatiently asked.

“Positive. You’re pregnant.”

Emotion hit my chest, so many emotions I didn’t even know existed. Excitement and fear for sure, but then there was a new kind of protectiveness. I had never loved someone so much—sight unseen. It was instant. It was monumental. It was overwhelming.

It’s funny how one word could change your life. In a single second everything changed for me.

I was a father and this time I’d be able to hold my child.

Delaney, the girl I fell in love with, the woman who owned my heart, was the mother of my child.

Finally.

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