Page 112 of Brooke's Bliss
She nodded.“He killed the guy who was supposed to kill us,and now he’s going to the house.He told me to watch over Nell and Lucy andNoah.”
“Max, did you call it in?”Noah said from his place on thehay where he was slowly bleeding out.“Nell’s doing great, but I would feelbetter if Caleb checked her.”
“She’s not crying,” Nell said, worry in the words.
Brooke hurried over to her.
Lucy held a tiny baby girl in her hands.The baby opened hereyes and stretched her limbs, but she didn’t cry.She looked around at theworld with a quiet curiosity.
“Whoa.”Max stepped back.“I did not expect to see so muchof you, Nell.You okay?”
“My baby,” Nell insisted.
“Is perfect,” Lucy replied with a massive smile.“She’s sobeautiful, Nell.Noah, I have the umbilical cut, and Nell’s and the baby’svitals are great.I can’t believe we did it.”She looked over at Brooke.“Arewe safe now?”
The barn door opened and a man walked in, carrying ashotgun.“Jones?Hey, I think the boss is…”
He realized his friend’s body was on the ground and suddenlyhis shotgun was up.
But Brooke was faster, and she didn’t hesitate.She firedand caught the asshole in the chest, the sound booming through the space.
The man slumped over.
And the baby let out what almost sounded like a giggle.Shedidn’t cry in her mom’s arms.She yawned again and cuddled down and startedrooting for a breast.
“Well, looks like you get the full-on membership now,sister.”Max inspected the dead body.“This is definitely a son of a bitch, andyou shot him.You take out the other one, too?”
She’d killed a man.
And she didn’t feel particularly bad about it.Maybe latershe would discover the trauma associated with violence, but in the moment shecouldn’t care about anything but the fact that he hadn’t hurt her or herfamily.
“Nah, Henry did,” she said and brought the shotgun rightback up because that door was opening again.
“Don’t…” Max began, but she already saw.
Bay and Shane were running in.
Nope.She wasn’t waiting.The minute she saw them, felt themsurround her, the trauma hit and all the emotions of the day pounded down onher like the hardest of thunderstorms.
“It’s okay, baby,” Bay whispered.
“You’re alive.”Shane shook as he held her.
They were alive.They were here with her, and she didn’tcare that it was too soon.She didn’t care that they should take their time andfigure out the situation and how they would work as a threesome.She didn’tcare about anything but them.“I love you.I love you both so much.”
Bay kissed her.“I love you, baby.”
“Love you,” Shane said.
They held each other for a moment, and she knew she was safebecause they wouldn’t be here with her until they were sure.
“I took out the cell jammer and talked to Caleb.He’s on hisway.So is Trev,” Henry said, his voice bland as though he hadn’t killed liketen people and his wife had a baby.He stood at the door, his clothes coveredin blood, but it looked like he’d washed his hands.
He seemed remote and so cold.Like there was nothing behindhis eyes.
“Henry,” Nell called out.“Come and see our baby.”
Max gave his friend a grin.“You got a sweet girl there,Henry.”
