Page 92 of Forever Fallen

“It’s a boy… and he’s beautiful,” Valkyrie uttered brokenly. “He’s so darn beautiful that I can hardly believe it.”

“Marisol’s okay?”

“She’s incredible,” he sniffed before standing up and smiling sheepishly at her, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. “Sorry. It’s… I’m just a little emotional right now. It’s not every day you see your child emerge into this world and I can tell you – I’m rocked to the core.”

She laughed tearfully, smiling at the man that felt like a brother or cousin to her. There was just something about Marisol and Valkyrie that felt like they were family… and she’d immediately been drawn to the woman she’d befriended at her grandmother’s funeral. Even one of the others had commented that she had a guardian in Valkyrie.

“I can understand. Breathe,” she urged, smirking at him – in almost a mirror image of the smile he’d given her a few times. “You’ve got a reputation to uphold, and you don’t want to let them see a moment of weakness.”

“You’re definitely one of us,” Valkyrie chuckled easily. “You already know how we all think… Is Ace here yet?”

“Yeah…”

The man rubbed his face and took several deep breaths, before nodding, looking composed, and giving her a slight smile.

“You look fine – except for the bandage. What happened?”

“I passed out,” he admitted, looking chagrinned. “There are some things a man shouldn’t see.”

Sophie burst out laughing openly, realizing that was something that Ryan would say too.

“Congratulations, my friend.”

“Thank you. I’m going to go share the news and they’ll be bringing Tobias to the nursery soon. Sophie, don’t be a martyr while Reaper is gone. You are always welcome to come for dinner or something. Don’t stay at home alone, because the silence will get to you. Trust me – Marisol and I had to deal with my own deployment for a little while and it hurts.”

“Thank you for that,” she whispered gruffly. “I really appreciate it.”

He nodded and walked past her towards the waiting area. She heard a commotion, laughter, and sheer happiness as the group of ‘brothers’ celebrated the birth of Valkyrie’s son.

Looking at the carts of babies, she saw the nurses bring out a new baby… a dark-haired little boy swaddled tightly with the chubbiest little cheeks.

The card on the bassinet said ‘Baby Saxon’… and this was Valkyrie’s son, Tobias. No wonder the man got emotional – the baby looked like a little angel, and she was instantly tearing up, wondering what her own child would look like if they had one.

Ryan probably would have put his arm around her shoulders, hugged her, or whispered some comment in her ear to make her blush wildly… or he might have given her this intense look that was classically him when he felt strongly about something.

She took a photo of the baby and emailed it to him, just so he could share in this moment with her in some fashion… wishing he was here beside her.

* * *

Ryan,

Someday we’ll have our moment – until then? Valkyrie and Marisol’s son was born today, and his name is Tobias. He’s beautiful and our friend is an emotional mess… like we would be.

I love you and hope all is well,

I miss you.

Sophie

CHAPTER28

KAREN

“Hey baby…I’ve got your hot cakes right here,” a man said to her suggestively, giving her a nasty look and getting so close that Karen immediately backed away, alarmed.

“What is it with these people… they are getting nastier by the second?!” she whispered aloud to herself, starting to feel like she was halfway naked or had some illicit message plastered on her back.

This was the eighth guy that had come on to her since she arrived at baggage claim to pick up Jace Sorenson at her boss’ instruction.

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