Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
RORY
“They’re gonna crash,” I murmured, watching with trembling hands as Hayes sped up, the SUV he and Trick were in moving a good five car lengths in front of Miriam Weathers.
“They know what they’re doin’, baby,” Cord replied as we trailed behind the sea of cars.
Five minutes ago, his phone rang and I answered the call, putting it on speaker. The car had been spotted near Tolliver Mill Road. That wasn’t far at all. By the time we caught up, there were cars everywhere, and Cord had to slow down to hang back so we didn’t get in the way.
“I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“He won’t, sweetheart. He’s gonna be just fine.”
My heart was pounding against my ribs as I watched the two other detectives on the force I knew, Leo Drake and Micah Langford, come up on the passenger side where Hayes and Trick had just been.
Lincoln’s guys Bryce and Xander were in the car that was at the driver side, and two police cruisers were riding on Miriam’s tail.
“Stay with me, baby,” Cord murmured, his hand coming off the steering wheel and reaching across the console of his truck to clutch mine. “Just stay with me. Only a few more seconds.”
I held my breath as Cord slowed the truck even more. Then I heard multiple tires screeching. The sound was so loud, so sharp, I slammed my eyes shut and winced. It seemed to go on forever, and then there was a crunch of metal.
My eyelids flew open to see that Miriam’s car had hit the SUV, though not hard enough to really injure anyone. Cord gunned it, getting close to the pileup, whipping his wheel at the last second so he came to a stop with his truck stretched across both lanes with my door closest to the action.
I threw it open and started running as fast as I could, faster than I’d ever run before, as I screamed Zach’s name.
The passenger door of Miriam’s car flew open and my boy shot out. The second I saw him healthy and standing, a sob tore from my chest. “Zach!”
He whipped around, his big eyes coming to me, and then he took off in a sprint. I barely had time to hit my knees before he collided with me, his whole body shaking as he squeezed me tighter than he ever had before, buried his face in my neck, and started crying.
“Oh god. You’re okay. You’re okay, honey. I have you. It’s all right.”
The sound of running boots came up on us, and a second later we were both wrapped in Cord’s strong, secure embrace.
“I-I’m sorry,” Zach sobbed, his tears drenching my shirt. “I’m s-so s-sorry. I shouldn’t have run away. I’m sorry, Rory. Please don’t be mad.”
“Oh, sweetie.” I pulled my arms from around him and cupped his cheeks, forcing his face from my neck. “I’m not mad, Zach. I’m just so relieved you’re okay.”
“I shouldn’t have run away,” he repeated, shaking his head as tears poured from his eyes. “I shouldn’t have. I was just scared.”
“Scared of what, bud?” Cord asked.
“I-I heard you guys talking this morning. Y-you’re gonna get married a-and start having b-babies. I thought… I thought you wouldn’t w-want me anymore.”
“No.” I pulled him back in to me. “God, no. Zach, that’s never going to happen. Honey, you’re ours. We love you. You’re our son.”
He pulled back to look up at me, a mixture of relief and trepidation on his young face. “S-so you wouldn’t kick me out?”
“Never,” Cord said roughly. “Not ever, bud. You’re our boy. We’re a family. When Rory and I get married and have kids, all that means is our family’s gonna get even bigger.”
“We want to give you brothers and sisters,” I told him. “We want you to teach them how to be strong and brave, just like you. They’ll need a big brother to show them the way, sweetie. And I can’t think of anyone better for that job than you.”
His eyes went big and his lips parted. “You… you love me?”
“With all my heart,” I whispered.
“You have our hearts, Zach,” Cord replied in a gruff, quiet voice. “That’s never gonna change.”
“The second happiest day of my life was when Cord told me he loved me. But the first… the first was the day I got you.”
“I love you guys too.” Zach sniffled. “I wanted to say that before. I’m sorry I didn’t until now, but I do. I love you.”
We fell back into a hug, Zach and me crying while Cord held us safe against him.
“That boy’s the devil!” I heard screeched a second later. When I looked up, I saw Miriam Weathers fighting against the officers trying to handcuff her and put her in the back of one of the cruisers. “He’s the spawn of Satan! He’s evil! Pure evil!”
“Christ,” Cord grunted, his arms clenching around us. “Bitch is as crazy as her cousin.”
“Honey,” I said, drawing his attention to me. “Stay with Zach, will you? I have something I need to handle real quick.”
His face split into a knowing grin, and he gave me a short nod before leaning in to press a kiss to my lips.
I stood to my feet and started in the direction of the screaming, batshit-crazy woman.
Usually I wasn’t one to condone violence.
But this woman had kidnapped my boy, scared him senseless, and drove like a maniac, putting his life in jeopardy, so this time I was willing to make an exception.
I got close, cocked my arm back, and let it fly, punching Miriam Weathers in the face so hard that her broken nose instantly started gushing blood and the back of her head cracked against the doorframe of the police car.
She let out a sharp cry of pain before her eyes bugged out. “That’s assault!” she screamed. “You saw that! You all saw! She assaulted me. I’m pressing charges!”
“I didn’t see anything,” the officer on Miriam’s left muttered, looking to the one on her right.
That was when I noticed the officers were Fred Duncan and the other one who’d been there the night Cord and I found Zach.
They knew the state he’d been in, and they knew exactly why.
“You see anything?” Fred asked the other guy, his lips quirking up in a smirk.
“Saw her trip and fall,” that officer announced. “But that’s about it. Broken noses happen when your hands are cuffed behind your back and you take a header on the pavement.”
“That’s… that’s… you can’t do that!” Miriam cried.
Then, because one didn’t feel like enough after what she’d done not only to Zach, and not only today, but to all the kids she’d forced to suffer through hell for years because of her own greed, I reared back and punched her again. And that one shut her the hell up.
I turned on my boots and started back toward my guys, who’d both risen to their feet. When I was within earshot, I heard Zach mutter, “That was awesome.”
“My woman,” Cord mumbled when I got close, his smile full of pride. “Fierce and wild. Wouldn’t want her any other way.”
I really liked hearing that.
“Let’s go home,” I said, pulling Zach against my side as I started us toward Cord’s truck. “I’m starving and exhausted, and I think I might need to put ice on my hand.”
As we walked, I saw Zach’s head move from the corner of my eye. When I turned, I saw he was looking up at Cord just before he announced, “My mom’s a badass.”
“Yeah, son,” Cord agreed on a chuckle. “She certainly is.”
“Watch your language,” I scolded playfully, giving my boy a squeeze. “And don’t think just because you suffered through a kidnapping today that I’m gonna take it easy on you. You’re grounded from here to eternity for nearly giving me a heart attack.”
At that, my guys both laughed.
Because they knew I was totally full of it.