Page 50 of The Union
I snorted. “Is that your way of saying I look like crap? Because your hair doesn’t need any help.”
She tucked strands of my somewhat-oily hair behind my ear. “It’s time you do something for yourself before the baby arrives. Besides, Sam is in excellent hands.” She stuck me with a stern scowl.
I hated to leave Sam’s bedside, but I could use a few hours of pampering.
She grasped both of my arms. “If I have to kick your ass to whip you into Layla Aberdeen, I will.”
I rolled my eyes. “You know I’m the better fighter.”
She gave me a challenging but teasing glare. “I would bet my paycheck you wouldn’t win, not considering the way you look. Sis, I know your hormones are probably off the charts and affecting your emotional well-being, but I’m here to change that. You need new clothes. Your belly is growing, and quite fast, I might add.”
Feeling my stomach, I said, “I know. I’ve been eating like crazy. But the morning sickness isn’t as bad.”
She swept her hand up and down my body. “Those jeans are tight. The sweater doesn’t fit you anymore.” She checked the ends of my hair. “And you have split ends.”
If any of what she’d said came from someone else, I would’ve told them to fuck off. But Jordyn always tried to keep Rianne and me in check, and I loved Jordyn for that. Just the same, I snarled more at myself. I was one hot mess, and when Sam finally came back to the living, he would probably freak if he saw me looking this way.
She plucked her phone from the pocket of the handbag draped over her shoulder, then typed out a text. “Harley is waiting for us downstairs. We’ve set up a spa day for us—masseuse, hairdresser, and manicurist.” She raised a finger. “Before you give me lip, you’re leaving this room. Afterward, I hired a chef to cook us dinner at Harley’s place. If anything changes with Sam, Dr. Vieira will let you know.”
I laughed through happy tears, hugging her tightly. “I love you.” I didn’t know what I would do without her. She and Harley were my rocks. “Any new info on Carly or our family?”
One of Jordyn’s assignments was helping Sawyer. She’d been surfing the black web for any scuttle on Intech or humans disappearing. Everyone on the SEAL team was working around the clock to find Carly, Adam Emery, Rianne, my grandmother, Noah, and even Jack. He’d dropped off the face of the earth.
Conrad, the vampire scout who worked for Steven, had flown to Montana to check on Jack and Ray’s families. Both Jack’s ranch and Ray’s house were empty. No sign of Aunt Tab, Ray’s wife, or my cousins. I suspected my grandmother had all of them at a secure location. She’d probably blown a gasket when she’d found out Ray was dead.
Webb and Steven were surprised, though, that Jack hadn’t shown up at the main gate to claim his brother’s body, which was on ice somewhere on the naval base. I didn’t care to know where. What I wanted to know was how he died. Did my scream kill him? Or did he have a heart attack? Dr. Vieira was planning an autopsy, but it wasn’t high on his priority list.
As far as the SEAL team went, they’d joined forces with Dane’s brother, Ross Gray, since the Gray Pack hadn’t heard from Dane since he’d been taken by Roman. But no luck finding the shifter—at least not that I knew of.
Jordyn snapped her fingers. “Did you hear me?”
I blinked rapidly. “Sorry, I spaced. You’re right. I need a distraction.” I went over to Sam and kissed him on the cheek, then whispered in his ear. “If you can hear me, handsome, I love you. Come back to me.” I said those two lines to him each time I left. Then I held out my arms to Jordyn. “I’m all yours.”
She clapped, giddy with too much excitement that I wished I shared. I was stoked to see her happy. It was also good that Jordyn had a purpose other than hunting vampires or doing my grandmother’s bidding. I envied Jordyn. Maybe that was what I was missing—a job. But my skills were lacking for anything other than hunting. Then an idea sprouted—one that didn’t pay, but one that I’d planned to do but never had time. I wanted to research my mom’s family. That vampire, Kendra, came to mind. She could be a wealth of information. Plus, I was ready to question her, prepared to ask if she’d killed my father. Though my gut said she didn’t. For the brief time I’d met her during our showdown with Jack and Ray, I got the vibe that she’d adored my father, and I believed she would seek me out when she wasn’t in any danger from my family.
As we left Sam’s room, Jordyn hooked her arm in mine. “I can see your wheels turning.”
I kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you.”
Jordyn had a way of cracking through my doom and gloom. I could always count on her to help take my mind off things, even if it was only for a few hours.
“You know I’m always here for you,” she said. “And you need to stay positive.”
Although she was right, it was a monumental task to be happy and free and feel like I had a wonderful life ahead when Sam was in a coma. I couldn’t be a single mom. I couldn’t raise a supernatural kid on my own. I did have an extended family with the Masons. I had a wonderful friend in Harley, and we’d grown close over the last two weeks. She’d been right there for me, if only to listen, which I appreciated greatly. I had the best doctor to handle any issues that would arise from having this baby. However, Dr. Vieira had asked if he could invite one of his longtime friends and colleague, an ob-gyn, to assist with my pregnancy. I didn’t mind, and if Dr. Vieira trusted him, I did as well. Still, none of them could mend my broken heart.
It was hard not to feel like the world was crashing down around me. It was hard to fathom a future of sunshine and bliss. I was in love with a freaking vampire who was on the most wanted list of every sick and twisted asshole out for money and power. I had no regrets about falling head over heels for Sam. But, for fuck’s sake, I needed him alive, awake, and for him to see his kid born. I needed him to be my other half, my rock, my partner in crime, and the father he was excited to be.
I had to believe he would come out of his coma, and if he did, I would shout to the world that I would marry him.
19
LAYLA
Flames danced along the darkened road as my bare feet slapped the warm, cracked pavement. “Stop!” I shouted at the figure ahead of me.
“No, Mom. Don’t. She’s not the person you think she is,” the soft voice of a young boy warned.
I looked in all directions, but I didn’t see anything except an old beat-up truck.
