Page 26 of Ryder

“I would like to come back to visit. Is there anything you need? I’d offer to bring in my babies. Like I said earlier, I have twins. My daughter is the only girl born into the family in over a couple of centuries, at least that is what we found out from the research we did. So she is spoiled and held and cuddled almost twenty-four-seven. My son, well my mother never had a son or brothers so she just thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread. Thank God I breast feed otherwise I’d never see my babies.”

I couldn’t help my laugh at what I’d been hearing. It eased my worry over how being pregnant, which I still hadn’t fully accepted. It was all so surreal. If this woman could cope with twins, I could come to terms with one.

“Anyway.” Annabelle brought me back to her. “I’m a librarian, or was before I had the kids. Um, what I’m saying is that when I come back, if you’re okay with that, I’ll bring you some reading material. What do you read?”

“I love fiction, fantasy, sci-fi and romance. I have an iPad with a Kindle app on it. I’d really appreciate if you could get it from my dad or get my brother to get it. I left it at my dad’s. He lives on the base.”

“Sure. I’ll get that and make sure the bag that gets packed will be actual stuff you need.”

I sighed as a weight I didn’t even realize I had lifted off. “Thank you so much.”

“No problem.” She came and squeezed my hand. “You get some rest and us girls will organize and make sure you have everything.”

My lids drooped and I was losing my battle to keep my eyes open. “I know we are going to be great friends. I didn’t even know I needed to meet you guys right now, but I’m so glad I did. You’ve given me hope and have helped me. Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you all again.” My eyes closed and I knew I was about to crash. “And Annabelle…if you can steal your babies back I’d love to meet them.”

I barely heard her reply of, “Sure,” before I lost my fight to stay awake any longer. I hoped the next time I awoke it was to my father or Ryder.

THIS TIME I WOKE Iknew where I was and was damn happy to see a face I knew and had wanted to talk to. I may not have had much time to think while being in the hospital, since I’d been sleeping most of the time, but what little I did, I knew I needed to set things straight with my father and I wanted to be with Ryder. I wasn’t letting him get away. He was mine and I intended to live with him and spend all my time getting to know him and figuring out how we worked. Knowing we were having a baby together, only made me want our time alone more.

My dad didn’t notice I was awake and it gave me a moment to study him. He looked different, older, tired and haggard. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever seen him like this. He was always in charge and put together, but his clothes didn’t even look like they’d been ironed.

“Dad.”

His head shot away from staring out the window to me. “Hey kiddo. You get in to some trouble?” He leaned in closer and grabbed my hand. “I’ve never been so happy to see your pretty brown eyes.” He squeezed my hand. “I was worried about you.” He closed his eyes and I watched him compose himself. When he opened them again he looked a little more like the father I knew. “I’m proud of you. What you did, and how you fought. I’m…I’m just so proud.”

“Thanks.” I wasn’t sure what else I was supposed to say. My dad wasn’t one to give compliments. I was taken aback. This wasn’t what I had expected. “Um, Dad, are you okay?”

His chuckle was hollow. “Fuck. He’s Goddamn right.” He let my hand go and the grimace of annoyance that spread over his face reached his eyes. “I met Ryder.” He raised a brow. “I also know he has probably knocked you up. How do you feel about it?”

I was sure he meant about the pregnancy but I thought now was a good time to set him straight about everything. “Even though we’ve been together for a short time, I feel more for him than I have any other man.” I lowered my voice to whisper. “I think I might even love him.” I raised my voice again. “I mean, he’s all macho and totally not what I was looking for or would ever usually go for, but I can’t deny how drawn I am to him.” I sigh and look into my dad’s eyes that are so like my own. “He’s beyond good to me. He gives me foot, shoulder and back massages. He goes shopping with me.” I don’t miss the slip of his lips into a smile. Dad knows I’m a diehard shopper. I love a good bargain. “He listens to me and I know he hears what I say, because I find things that I’ve mentioned as gifts or he’ll take me to the restaurant or movie I mention. It’s little things too, like he happily let me relax against him and read while he watches TV, or snuggle while we watch Netflix. He may be all he-man and a bit, er, caveman, but…” I shrugged, happy when I didn’t wince. “Nobody is perfect, but to me so far he has been.”

He sighed loudly. “So does that mean you’re happy to pregnant?”

I hadn’t had much time to really think about being pregnant, but funnily enough I wasn’t worried. I wasn’t even scared. Now I was thinking about it, I was actually getting excited. “What’s the difference between taking care of you and Arron and taking care of a little baby? Now I think about it, I bet the baby will be easier than you two.” I can feel a wicked grin spread over my face as I stare at my dad.

“You’ve become a comedian since you awoke. Ha, hardy, ha.” He reached out and held my hand. “I have no doubt you will be a brilliant mother.”

I tried but didn’t have the strength to clutch his hand. “How will you be with me not there to look out for you?”

He groaned and his forehead rested on the edge of my bed. “Kiddo, I’m charge of hundreds of men. What makes you think I need you to look after me?”

I nudged him with my hand and when he looked at me I raised my brow. “When was the last time you cooked yourself a meal? Do I need to even mention the yelling matches I refereed between you and Arron?”

“Your brother is not like you.”

“Exactly. Dad, he’s not like you. He’s not like your men. You need to treat him like your son. The more you fight and tell him no, the more he rebels. He’s a good kid, Dad.”

Dad reached up and stroked my cheek. “If it wasn’t for my brown eyes and hair and that your mother was crazy and loved me and would have never cheated, I’d swear you weren’t mine. Actually, you remind me of her, you know. She had a heart just like yours always caring for the ones she loved before herself. I promise I’ll try harder with your brother. He’s staying with the Silvermans. They’re…they’re in your face, and hard to ignore. You’ve gained yourself a unique family.”

“Yes, they’re very hard to ignore.” I knew then that Dad and I were good. “So tell me what happened and the ‘official’ story.” I relaxed and listened to my father’s deep timbre as he filled in the gaps I couldn’t remember and what I needed to say to the cops when they came to talk to me. If they got the chance with Ryder and his family guarding me.

Divinity slept most of the time and when she was awake she didn’t have much energy, so we watched movies or I read to her.

Two detectives, who were friends from the department, had talked to her. She stuck to the story her father gave her, and I was glad they went easy on her by not making her go into too much detail. They tried to talk to me about the case, but I was being good. I was already in trouble and as much as I wanted to be involved in the case and make X pay, my focus was on Divinity and getting her better. She was my world. Everyone and everything else could wait until I knew Divinity was okay. When she was out of the hospital I intended to talk to her about my work. Divinity deserved to have a say on whether or not I stayed in the police force or found a safer job. Being a Silverman already gave me enemies, but with me being a detective it added more. I hated knowing that because of me, my soulmate, my lover, my vixen Divinity had been kidnapped.

I knew she was getting better when she faked being asleep when my Aunt Gillian and mother came for a visit. They came with wedding magazines and wedding cake photo books. With Destiny’s feigned sleep, I’d had to listen to Aunt Gillian speak about our options of where we could have the ceremony and reception, and which bridal, florist and cake shops she thought were the best. I didn’t agree to anything, because I knew that Divinity would want to have a say in every little detail of our wedding, and when she wasn’t sick I didn’t doubt she would hold her own against Aunt Gillian.

As soon as Divinity was sure Aunt Gillian was gone, I watched her trying, and failing not to laugh as her eyes flashed open and she glared at me. “What the hell is your aunt talking about? Why the fuck is she bringing me wedding shit?”

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