Chapter 37 Colt
Colt
It was going to be a beautiful day, sunshine and bright blue skies.
Violet and I had been home for nearly two weeks with Connor, and things had been calm.
Aside from the extra security I had Hawk install before we even made it home from the hospital and the way my family continued to monitor things on the ranch, Vi and I had been left to our happy bubble.
And God, how happy it was. Every day felt like a goddamn dream. We were tired zombies, at the mercy of our littlest family member, and yet even the late night feedings and endless diaper changes were bliss to me.
Now at the kitchen table, I rocked a very sleepy Connor in my arm, my free hand scrolling through the report Hank had just sent me.
I’d already had the conversation with him about not leaving Vi until this stalker situation was sorted.
Thankfully, he agreed, but I was ready to type up my resignation letter and hand deliver it myself if he had other thoughts about where my priorities should be.
And while life with a newborn and a postpartum wife were bliss, an eerie calm had settled over everything, too. Because there hadn’t been any more deliveries since the flowers in the hospital. No more ominous notes. No more threats, veiled or not.
Violet had been struggling. She was trying to be so strong for me, but I heard the gasps that came in the middle of the night when her mind convinced her the person behind all this was there to take her away.
And I fucking hated it. Because I found nothing in her book. No clue. No idea what the hell this sick person was planning next.
My eyes went back to the report. It only took a few days for the warrant to come through for the flowers at the gift shop.
And just like I’d thought, we pulled a name from the receipt.
Alexander Bishop. The billionaire finance mogul who swept Arianna Valentine off her feet in Violet’s first book.
Amore Mio. The asshole had made his purchase with one of those prepaid gift cards that acted like a credit card, which unfortunately meant our trail ended there.
I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t popped back up since then. Surely, while we were distracted with Connor, it would be the perfect time to try something?
My brother’s picture popped up on the screen over the file, and I swiped to accept the call.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“I need you to talk to Lach.” Hayes’ voice was firm. He probably wanted to kick my ass a little for dropping family things as Vi and I settled into being new parents.
“You want me to leave my newborn baby and freshly postpartum wife to talk to our brother? The brother who couldn’t bother coming to the hospital when Vi almost died?
Couldn’t bother driving to my house to meet Conner when we came home?
He didn’t even fucking respond to my text when I invited him over.
What’s Jessie doing? She could always get through to him before. ”
“She’s tried. Look, we fucking all have.
I wouldn’t be interrupting this time for you and Violet if I thought there was any other option.
He’s not doing well, Colt. It’s gotten bad over the last few weeks.
” Hayes cleared his throat. “He stopped talking to Mom and Dad. Won’t let them bring him over food.
Won’t let them in to spend time with him.
You know they don’t want to push, but I just barged in there… It’s not good.”
I ran my hand over my fucking unshaven face. I knew my time in our happy little family bubble was about to burst.
“Fine. Vi is sleeping, and I’m not missing out on bath time. I’ll go this afternoon when Connor is down for another nap and I’ll try to knock some sense into him. You have to come over here, though. Someone needs to be here for Vi and Connor, to keep them safe.”
“Fuck. I wish I could. You know I love them both, but I got called in for a shift tonight. I’m leaving in ten minutes.”
“Got it. I’ll ask Beau.”
“Good luck. Let me know how it goes with Lach.”
“Yeah. Stay safe tonight.”
“Always do.”
I chuckled, then groaned as I hung up the call with Hayes and watched Violet walk into the room.
“What’s wrong?” My gorgeous redhead, still so curvy and absolutely glowing although the dark circles under her eyes showed just how exhausting these last few weeks had been for her, walked over to me.
Vi’s arms wrapped over my shoulders and crossed over my chest as her lips found mine the second I turned towards her.
I knew a lot of guys who said bringing home their first child put a wedge in their marriage.
But the second we brought Connor into the house, it was like every last fear we’d been holding onto, every last little wire that had been holding us apart, dissolved.
I hadn’t asked Vi, but for me, the energy between the two of us felt the same—bubbly, electric, alive—as it had the day after we were married.
That’s why one morning, I’d pulled her wedding rings back out and placed them on the dresser. She’d given them back to me the day of our divorce, even though I tried to tell her she could keep them. I didn’t want to pressure her, so I just slipped my own ring back on, came downstairs and waited.
And when she walked into the kitchen in her sleep shorts and nursing bra, hair pulled up into a messy bun with her wedding band and engagement ring back in place, I nearly fell to my knees and sobbed. It might not be official on paper, but Vi and I knew nothing would ever tear us apart again.
“I have to go see Lachlan. Hayes called…said he’s not in a good head space.
I won’t be long, though. It’s going to be a beautiful day if you want to bundle Connor up later and take him for a short walk.
Might be our only chance over the next few days.
There’s a cold front moving in; storms are coming. ”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “How bad is it supposed to get?”
My hand slid around her wrist, letting my thumb put some gentle pressure on the pulse point there. “Can’t be as bad as that crazy storm we made it through when we were in tenth grade.”
That storm front had spawned ten tornadoes across six states.
“Remember how the winds uprooted that tree right in front of the school?” she asked as her thumb dusted across my beard.
“Yeah, I remember,” I chuckled. “I remember Hayes climbing all over it, too, and the principal calling Mom and Dad down to the office over it.”
“You Ford boys sure were a handful.”
“I think were is being a little too generous.”
“Yeah, but you’re the law now. You have to behave.”
My fingers gently massaged her side and she laughed. Brilliant. Loud. Free. Her hair spilled out of the soft, silk tie she’d pulled it back with, the red tendrils dancing across my face as retribution for tickling her.
“Careful,” Vi giggled, “I’m not sure I won’t pee on you.”
“Shit. Sorry.” I placed my hand over her soft belly, wincing. “Did I hurt you?”
“Not at all.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not that easy to break. Tell me about Lach. Want me to cancel my visit with Ryan and bundle up Connor so we can go with you?”
“God. Yes. I would love that.” I set my forehead on the space between her shoulder and her neck. “But I think Lach needs some tough brotherly love right now. I feel like there are going to be a lot of swear words said.”
Violet held up her hand. “I get it. Besides, I think it’d be a little unfair to Ryan, flying all this way to see me. Can’t really tell him no now, he’s up in the air.”
“I told Hayes it would have to wait until after Connor’s bath. I’m not missing that. And I won’t be gone long.”
“Take as much time as you need. And don’t feel bad for wanting to check in on your brother. I want to know that he’s okay, too. You have to go.”
“I don’t want you here on your own while I’m gone.” I ran my hands through my hair.
Violet sighed as Connor cooed from his bassinet.
Both our eyes went to him, but he quieted right down and stayed asleep.
“Ryan is only here for like an hour before he has to fly back out. I’ve got to make sure I understand the breach of contract and he can walk me through whatever backlash there is going to be from missing my deadline.
And he wants to meet Connor, which he should, seeing as how he is going to be his godparent. ”
“Shouldn’t I have some say in who our child’s godparent is?”
“You do. You can pick whoever you want as your person. I’m picking Ryan.
” Violet kissed me, then pressed against my chest as she stood.
She scooped up Connor, bringing him to me.
“He’s been the only friend I’ve had since I left here.
And he’s always had my back on all my publishing stuff. I trust him.”
“Hey, buddy,” I cooed. “I can’t believe they won’t give you some leeway for his birth.”
“That’s just how it works in these situations, Colt. I don’t blame the publisher for holding to the contract. I mean, they’ve already given me an extension. I can’t just keep taking advantage of that. And with everything from the books…this person…I’m not sure I want to keep writing anyway.”
“Vi, you can’t let him take that from you.”
“I’m not. Those stories…those worlds…they were all built on a well of pain I no longer have access to. Or, maybe I do still have access to it, but I don’t want to live in that pain all day every day just to have the creativity there. I’m happy just being Connor’s mom right now.”
“And what about being my wife?”
She smiled. “I’m wearing my rings, aren’t I?”
Her hand lifted and she wiggled her fingers towards me. I snatched them quickly, pressing my lips over the jewelry. “Still, I don’t like the idea of you being upset over anything right now.”
“I’m not. I promise. How could I be when I have him…and I have you.”
“Love you.” I squeezed her thigh.
“Love you, too.”
I cleared my throat. “Oh, before I forget, I’m going to ask Beau to come over.”
She groaned. “I can take care of our baby by myself.”
“You’re three weeks out from having a c-section. It’s not about if you can take care of yourself or not. I know you can. But I don’t want you to have to. I would ask Jessie—”
“No, don’t bother her. She has Beckett to worry about.”
“Okay. So that leaves you either heading over to be with my parents, or having my parents or Beau come be here.”
“Colt.”
“I know you trust Ryan, but I’ve never met him, Vi. I want my brother here. My parents would protect you with their lives, I know, but I trust Beau to pick up on anything weird going on.”
“Fine. Beau can come over, only if it’s not a problem for him.”
“It won’t be.” I know full well he’ll be hell bent on getting the ranch ready for the storm with the ranch hands, but he can delegate and get his ass over to be with my family.
Balancing Connor in one arm, I pulled my phone from my pocket, ready to shoot off a text to Beau.
Hey. I need you to come over to the house. Got to go kick the shit out of Lach. Need you to be with Vi and Connor.
Beau:
Give me twenty. I’ll be there.