Chapter 15 CASSANDRA #2
A wash of guilt clouded his handsome features. “Just a guy trying to deserve you.”
“Stop.” A sob escaped. “I’m hormonal and exhausted and hungry. Unless you want me to cry through breakfast, I need you to stop being that guy for a minute. Be the other Leo.”
He leaned in, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Your tits are fucking huge.”
I laughed. “Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
He stayed close, leaving one arm around my shoulders as my tears dried up. Then he fumbled to get a burp rag over his shoulder, shifting and adjusting the cloth until it was just right, before taking the baby from my arms to pat her back while I inhaled my food.
“Want the rest of my list of names?” he asked.
“Why? Her name’s Seraphina.”
The smile that spread across his face, so full of pride, stole my breath.
“Seraphina Winter,” he whispered. “I like it. Does she need a middle name?”
“Betsy.” The name blurted past my lips before I could stop it.
Leo laughed. “That’s the sleep deprivation talking.”
“I have no idea where that came from. But . . . it fits. That’s where she started.”
“Seraphina Betsy Winter.” His hand engulfed her entire body as he leaned her away to look at her face. “What do you think, little?”
Little. “Leo, I’m about to cry again.”
“Seriously, babe. Your tits are magnificent right now.”
I snorted, smiling as I rested my head on his shoulder. “Much better.”
“Forgot to tell you last night. I saw Luke in the waiting room while your parents came in to visit.”
In the chaos of today, I’d forgotten Scarlett was here too.
I abandoned Leo, easing off the bed. My entire body was tender and sore, something the nurses had promised was normal.
I walked to my bag, which was sitting on a chair, and dug out my phone from the pocket where Leo had stowed it last night before I’d fallen asleep.
There were text messages to read and voicemails to listen to, but I went straight to my recent calls and hit Scarlett’s name.
She answered on the first ring. “We’re in room one thirty.”
“We’re on our way.”
“We are?” Leo asked as I hung up the phone and dug out the kimono robe Mom had bought me two weeks ago.
“Yes.” I tied the robe as he eased off the bed one leg at a time, testing the floor for its strength before he stood, the baby held in the cradle of his arms. “Can you carry her? Or do you want to roll the crib?”
There was a flash of fear on his face, that maybe he’d drop her, but whatever faith he lacked in himself, I had it in that same pocket where I kept all things Leo. He wouldn’t hurt her. He had one last chance to realize that himself.
We’d come home and he’d have one last chance.
“I’ll, uh . . . I can carry her.”
“Okay.” I gave him a small smile, then led the way, our progress slow. Not only because of me but Leo, who was still in bare feet, moved an inch at a time toward Scarlett’s room.
I knocked and pressed the door open, finding her and Luke on a bed identical to the one in our room. In Scarlett’s arms was another pink bundle.
“A girl?” I clapped my hands together. She’d told me last week that she’d been secretly hoping for a girl.
“Meet Mary.” She smiled, looking as beautiful and happy as ever. Then her eyes widened as Leo came in behind me, still taking turtle steps.
“Come sit.” Luke sprang off the bed, making a space for me.
I took his place, then held out my arms for Leo to make the transfer. “This is Seraphina.”
“Gah. Great name,” Scarlett said. “That wasn’t on your list.”
“Leo came up with it.”
She gave him a sideways glance. “You did?”
“I did.” He nodded, his face full of pride as he shook Luke’s hand. “Congrats, man.”
“Same to you.”
“When do you get to go home?” Scarlett asked.
“Probably not until tomorrow. She was born just shy of midnight and they want to keep us the full twenty-four hours.” It wasn’t the time to tell her that when we left, we’d be going to Leo’s. First, I needed to brave that conversation with my parents. “What about you?”
“Probably in the morning too. Which means I suspect we’ll get a ton of visitors today.”
Leo leaned against the wall and yawned. “There was quite the crew here last night.”
“Who?”
“Presley, Shaw. Emmett and Dash. I bet they’ll all be back before noon. If Bryce lets Dash sleep that late.”
“I see epic birthday parties in our future.” Scarlett laughed, leaning in to look at Seraphina. “She’s perfect.”
“So is Mary.”
“It’s fitting, don’t you think? You and me, coming out of that basement together at the Warrior clubhouse. Now we’ve got these girls. It’s like our reward.”
My chest tightened as I nodded, pretending like just the mention of that basement didn’t make me want to crawl out of my skin.
In the weeks since I’d moved home, Scarlett and I had spent a lot of time together. One morning, about two days after Leo’s visit with Dad, she’d come over with a decaf latte. We’d been having coffee every morning since.
Scarlett rarely brought up the kidnapping, and I was quick to change the subject whenever she did. She’d let me. But I could feel Leo’s scrutiny on my face and when I looked up, he was staring at me, his expression serious.
“Good?” he mouthed.
I forced a smile.
“We’ve got some other news.” Luke leaned forward from his seat in the corner chair. “I got a call from Agent Maria Brown yesterday.”
I sat up straighter. “Why?”
Leo pushed off the wall, his shoulders tensing. “Tucker.”
“Yeah,” Luke said. “Three consecutive life sentences.”
The air rushed from my lungs.
Leo’s frame deflated. “Thank fuck. Do the others know?”
“Not yet. Figured I’d tell them when they came to visit today.”
“News on the other Warriors?” Leo asked.
“Nothing you don’t already know. The federal prosecutor pushed hard for Tucker’s trial first. It sets a precedence for the other Warriors. But Maria warned me that there’s a long way to go. So far, the shortest sentence is five years.”
“So that’s it?” I asked. “The danger is over?”
Luke sighed. “Not quite. There are fifty-seven Warriors being sent through the system. They’ve got men on murder charges, drug trafficking, kidnapping, assault and a slew of lesser crimes.
Some copped pleas for a reduced sentence and are already in prison.
Some are awaiting trial. But not a single power player in their club is walking free.
And with Tucker in a cell for the rest of his miserable life, it’s a good sign this all dies with him. ”
I closed my eyes and breathed. Then I prayed. Please. Please, don’t let the Warriors taint Seraphina’s life.
“It’ll be okay.” Scarlett put her hand on mine. “They don’t get to beat us.”
“They don’t get to win.”
We spent the next hour in their room, talking about our individual deliveries and how we were sure Dr. Tan had a clone because she’d managed to be in both our rooms at practically the same time.
Then, as expected, the crew arrived, bombarding us with fresh flowers and more gifts and cigars for the new fathers.
By the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted, and when Leo informed the group we were kicking them out of our room, I gladly let him.
We nursed the baby in privacy and laid her down, but the moment I closed my eyes, my parents arrived.
Dad was not happy to see Leo. He’d have to get over that.
Mom barely paid any of us attention, too happy to pick up Seraphina, holding her while she slept and gushing over her name.
“I need sleep.” I sagged against Leo’s side as Dad paced the room. He’d smile at Mom and the baby, send a soft one my way, then glare at Leo.
“We’ll get going,” Mom said, reluctantly giving Seraphina to Leo an hour later. “Call tomorrow whenever you’re ready for us to come get you.”
“They’re—”
I elbowed Leo in the ribs, earning a scowl. “Okay.”
Leo walked them to the door, holding it open and closing it at their backs. Then planted his hands on his hips. “Are you going to tell them you’re moving?”
“Yes. I’ll call Mom later and tell her about the change of plan. Then she can tell Dad. Trust me, it’ll be better that way.”
Dad was going to freak out and I’d rather him not be here where there was a box marked SHARPS on the wall.
Leo came to the bed and lay down at my side, resting his head against the pillow. “About what Scarlett said earlier. About the basement. You got a look on your face. Want to talk about it?”
“Not today.” Not ever.
He let it go, for now. Neither of us had the energy for a long discussion. But I doubted it would last and eventually, he’d bring up the kidnapping again.
It was not a worry for today. Today, we were going to relax here and revel in the birth of our daughter. And tomorrow, we’d go home.
For a fresh start.
For one last chance.