Page 21 of Adoring Delaney

But something had.

My stupidity. He’d never forgive me for what I’d done. How could he?

“I love you, Laney. So fucking much, baby. I’m so sorry. So goddamn sorry.”

6

Delaney’s breathing evened out and her body relaxed.

She was finally asleep.

Fuck.

Our baby.

I had so many conflicting emotions swirling around fighting to get out, I didn’t know what to lock down first.

Acid was coursing through my veins as I tried, then failed to sort through the anger.

Delaney.

Derek Lowe.

God.

I was mad at them all.

I thought back, then, to the weekend before I’d left for deployment. I’d gone to Georgia to see her, we’d spent the better part of two days in her bed. We didn’t answer our phones, didn’t watch TV. We’d talked, we’d made love, and I’d held her. What we also didn’t do was talk about the future or what that looked like for us. I didn’t talk to her about where I was going or for how long I’d be gone. But I had demanded she tell me all about her life and what she was doing.

Such a dick.

Then I left, and when I did, I’d left something inside of her so precious, so small, yet so huge and life-changing it was hard to imagine.

Now that was gone.

It would be a long time before I found sleep. Hours lying behind her mourning the loss of a child I’d never hold. Something so sweet. Something Delaney and I had created together.

“What the hell is he doing?”

“Lenox! Take the fucking shot.”

“Tell him to get back.”

“She’s not a threat. She’s holding a—”

She damn well was. My gaze zeroed in on the baby in the woman’s arms. She was cradling the tiny bundle close to her chest but she was hiding something.

“He needs to get the fuck back.”

The baby squirmed, the woman brought the infant higher, no longer concealing the bomb strapped to her front.

I had no choice.

No fucking choice. I had to.

“Take the—”

I pulled the trigger but I was too late.

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