63. Cordelia
Emerson and Liam walk back into the hospital, and Kai silently hands me his phone. I dial my dad and force air into my lungs while waiting for him to answer.
“Cordi, honey? Are you okay? I saw…” he trails off.
“Yeah, Dad, I’m fine. Kai is good. But um…Esmarie was shot. She will be okay. Is Theo alright?”
He curses.
“How the hell did that happen? What did the doctor say?” he asks.
“I’ll have to tell you later. But, is Theo okay?” I ask again.
“Yes, he is. He’s been a perfect trooper. But I shouldn’t be surprised. He is my grandson.”
I smile into the phone and glance at Kai. He’s watching me carefully, studying my face for any sign of something bad.
“Okay, thanks, Dad. We need to stay here with Esmarie for a little while, and then we can meet you somewhere to come get him.”
“Well, we’re at—“ My chest seizes.
“I don’t want to know right now, Dad,” I tell him, cutting him off. The other side is silent for a moment.
“I understand. Call me when you’re ready. We’ll be just fine.”
I almost burst into tears, but I swallow them down. Dad can’t know how bad this really is, though that ship may have already sailed.
“Thanks, Dad. I love you,” I tell him, my stomach and my heart doing synchronized acrobatics in my body.
“I love you, too, honey. Tell Kai thank you,” he says.
“I will,” I say quietly, and we hang up.
“Is our boy okay?” Kai asks, his voice full of worry. I nod and hand him his phone back. He grabs it and my wrist, pulling me into his large frame, wrapping his arms around me. “Thank God,” he groans. He holds me for a moment, and I let the silent tears fall down my face, unable to hold them in anymore. “I’m so sorry, Cordi. I’m so sorry,” he rasps.
“There is nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad everyone is okay,” I tell him. For now.
He hums and kisses the top of my head. “I have something for you.”
“Oh?”
He grins and slides his hand into his pocket, pulling out a stunning diamond inlay band that will fit perfectly with my engagement ring and simple wedding band.
“Kai,” I gasp, staring at the beautiful, glinting band, then look up at my husband. “Why did you get me another ring?”
He shrugs and rubs his thumb over the set of three sitting together. “I wanted you to have another one. We did get married twice, and I know you like your engagement ring, but it was from Mom. I wanted you to have something that was just yours. Maybe our boy will be giving it to his future wife one day.”
“It’s beautiful, thank you,” I rasp and grab the back of his neck, pulling his mouth to mine. He groans in relief and wraps his arms around my waist. It calms the chaos of emotions zipping through my body. He centers my soul.
“I was going to give it to you on our way home from the reception. But that obviously didn’t work out.”
“No, it didn’t, but I love it. It’s perfect.” I lean up and kiss him.
He hums and kisses me again. “I love you,” he murmurs against my lips.
I grin. “I love you, too, daredevil.”
“I’m sorry, gem,” he says, gripping my butt tightly.
“Kai, why are you—“
He shakes his head. “No, sorry, that’s not what I meant. Our honeymoon will have to be pushed back again. With Mom, then with the season starting again. We won’t…have time.”
“That’s okay. Our family is what we need to focus on right now. You need practice, and you’re itching to get back on that bike, especially with the okay to ride again. Our time will come soon enough. It doesn’t matter if what happened today isn’t over. We need something different. I want us to live in spite of him. I won’t let him tear this family apart because he’s addicted to power.”
Kai nods, rubbing my back.
“His pride will be his downfall,” I whisper.
His eyes go dark and severe.
“It will,” he pauses. “I will make sure of it.”
***
Dad took Theo to a friend’s house an hour outside of town. I noticed his friend was very beautiful. She couldn’t get enough of Theo, and it was nice to see that he was taken care of while we couldn’t. Kai got Theo and his bag and took him to the car.
“Thanks, Dad, for everything,” I say.
He looks at me carefully, like he’s searching for something I’m trying to hide. “You’re sure everything is okay? You’re safe? I mean with Esmarie and the Congressman. I’m really not sure what to think, honey.”
I sigh and glance out the front door at Kai sitting in the driver’s seat of the Bentley.
“I’m not sure what to think, either, but yes. We are safe for now. The guys are…trying to solve the mystery. Let’s just say that.”
He sighs and pulls me in for one more hug. “I’m sorry today wasn’t what you wanted it to be. I could strangle that bastard for ruining your day.”
I smile and kiss his cheek. “He will get what’s coming to him,” I say quietly so his lady friend doesn’t hear me. He dips down to look me in the eyes.
“You tell me if you need me. I know we will be back on the road soon, but still. Anything, Cordi. You call me.”
“I will. I need to go.”
He waves to us as Kai pulls out of the driveway.
“Everything okay with your dad?” Kai asks, putting his hand on my thigh.
I nod and glance back at Theo, who’s out cold. “Yeah, he’s just worried about us.”
His hand twitches on my thigh, and I put mine over his.
“We’ll be okay, I promise,” Kai says.
I glance at him and try to ignore the worry that fills my chest. “I’m glad your mom is okay. I’d say it was a good sign that she was already telling you guys what you needed to do while she was there.”
He chuckles. “Emerson and Liam will take turns staying with her at the hospital. She hates hospitals, so they won’t be able to keep her long even if they should.”
“Esmarie is a tough woman. There is no doubt in my mind she will come back from this even tougher,” I tell him.
“She always has been.” He sighs.
I only catch the edge of that look in his profile, but I wish I could take his fear away. I wish there was more for me to do, but this is something I can’t, and I have to accept that. But I will be the wife Kai needs and the mother Theo needs. That’s how I can help my family right now.