Page 38 of Rushing Her: Seattle, Westerners
Warners says, “I’ll have an ambulance and police on standby,” and I nod in the affirmative, praying that I didn’t just lose the greatest win of my life due to a crazed fan.
Chapter 17
Alexandra
Staring out the car window, I recognize our location as soon as we pull into a warehouse. The driver gets out, and Kimberly heaves me out the side door. The driver takes a good look at me.
“What the fuck? You didn’t say she was about to pop, Kimberly. That would be murder of her and the baby if you hurt either of them. I’m not going to jail for two life sentences.”
Part of me wants to tell him it would be four life sentences, but I’d rather neither of them know there’s more than one baby inside me.
“That’s how I know it’s not Brayden’s. It’s someone else’s.”
“Doesn’t matter, I’m out of here.” He turns to leave, and Kimberly fires her gun. I scream and move away from them, covering my ears. The man swings around; she must have missed him. “You tried to shoot me in the back.” He storms at her, and she unloads the magazine until the chamber clicks.
This time, she doesn’t miss, and I take that moment to sneak behind several large crates, getting away from them. I never turn my back on her, though, not trusting her. The driver’s body fallsto the ground with a heavy thud, and peeking between the cracks of the crates, I see that she’s looking around for me.
“Where did you go, bitch? I’m going to kill you and take your baby. Then Brayden will have to be with me.”
I bite my tongue to keep from telling her off. As I step back, my foot bumps into something, causing a noise. I look down and find a pry bar.
“I heard you.” Kimberly plods her way through the containers to get to me. I grab the pry bar from the concrete and lift it in my hands, holding it at the ready, waiting for her.
She continues talking, revealing her location. “I’ve watched you for as long as I’ve watched Brayden. I knew he was trying to get back together with you, and I couldn’t allow that.” She lifts the gun, and I haven’t seen or heard her reload it, but I’m not taking any chances.
I raise the pry bar over my head, and as the gun lurks around the box, I slam the steel tool down on her arms with as much force as possible. The sick crack of bone rends the air, and the gun clatters to the ground. My weapon rattles and jolts in my hands, and I curb the cry of pain as my palms hurt from the force, but I hit her with the weight of the bar. I don’t think twice, cocking it back away from me and swinging it at her face like a bat. She attempts to duck, but because of the length of the bar, I tip it slightly and smack her across the forehead. She falls to the ground, and I take off running with the tool in my hands, not wanting to surrender my weapon.
I dart for the doors nearest to where we pulled in, just as they burst open. Taking a stance, I grasp the bar, ready to fight off whoever comes in next. Warner steps in first, and Brayden follows behind her.
“Alex, drop,” Warner orders, and I do as she says and fall to the ground, the pry bar clattering at my feet.
Two gunshots blast and I brace for the pain, but nothing. As my head lifts, Warner is walking past me while Brayden sprints up with Thor right alongside him. I jump into my husband’s arms, and he squeezes me tight as I cry into his sweaty jersey. It doesn’t matter that he smells like astroturf, sweat, or anything else; the only thing that does is the man I love holding me again.
The police rush in next, along with paramedics. Brayden lifts me onto a gurney so they can monitor me and the babies. I look over to see Kimberly lying dead on the ground, and Warner answers questions while handing over her weapon.
Brayden
Clothed in a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, with my beautiful wife in my arms, my one hand caresses my sons in her belly, and the other is wrapped around her, holding her as close as I can get her without absorbing her into my skin. Luckily, the hospital room I requested comes with a Smart TV, and we’re streamingThe Last Unicornto help soothe her. It settles me into a calmer state now that my family is safe.
Kimberly killed the man who was later identified as her husband, Carl Midas. She was separated from him due to her obsession with me. Warner took her out when she raised the gun to murder my Lexi. In her paranoia, she hadn’t realized it was empty and tried to fire off a shot.
Alexandra came away with some minor cuts on her hands from the pry bar she used to beat up the woman, but other than that, she’s healthy. The boys are all safe and sound, heartbeatsgood, and no side effects, but Dr. Grands insisted we stay overnight as a precaution.
I look at my hand, and the only ring on my finger I ever want to see is my wedding ring. It was the most important piece of jewelry today, and I’m glad I didn’t lose it.
My decision has been made. I’m leaving professional football to take care of my family.
Epilogue One
Brayden
Iglance around me as the room that was quiet and calm a moment ago explodes into full-blown activity. Nurses bustle everywhere—two to each baby. Alexandra has three, and each doctor has been assigned one or two, depending on their jobs. The anesthesiologist and his nurse assistant monitor Alexandra and her epidural. She’s lying back on the table, arms strapped down, and I sit at her head, rubbing my wife’s shoulder as Dr. Grands starts pulling each baby from her body.
She calls, “Baby A team,” and two nurses step up as Tristan is taken from the doctor’s hands. “Baby B team.” The next nurses move into place and cuddle Bowie in their arms. “Finally, Baby C team.” Those nurses handle Jett and move off to his little incubator just like his brothers.
The respiratory therapist checks the infants over, followed by the neonatologists, before each is weighed. A nurse brings aswaddled bundle over for Alex to see before they quickly place them into their little beds, and a train of them leaves the room.
“Go with them,” Alexandra encourages. I lean down and kiss her on the forehead.
