Zander
Zander
I sn't it funny how whenever you're feeling lucky and happy, luck plays a disappearing act?
"Okay, let's eat." turning to Colton I asked. "Do you have enough eggs to make more for Abigail and Grandma?"
Ivy smiled at the ownership I made of her family. Colton met my stare with a grin of his own as he nodded. We wanted this new family to work. But first, we needed to learn a bit more. "I didn't see any pictures of Abigail in your wallet. What does she look like? How old is she?"
"Is she as beautiful as her mother?" Colton asked between bites.
Ivy placed her fork down, never lifting her head. "Her hair is growing back, and it is dark like mine. She will turn four on Christmas day."
We both reached out to take her hands in ours. "What kind of cancer does she have?" Colton prompted.
"She had a Chondroblastoma in her femur and they thought it was benign." Her fingers flexed in ours and we held her hands tighter. "When they did tests on the tumor, they found some cancerous cells, so the oncologist thought it would be best to do a round of chemotherapy." Tears started to fall and Colton pulled her back into his body and I held them both for a moment.
"Sweetie, we got you." Colton brushed a kiss on her temple.
She swiped a frustrated hand at her cheek, giving us a weak smile. "Honestly, Abigail responded well and is cancer-free. It was just so hard going through everything alone after my husband Greg died, right after Abigail was born."
"My daughter has lost so much already."
Now her statement makes sense. "We are sorry for your loss," then caught the faraway look in Colton's eyes. "We are here to support you and Abigail. You will never be alone again." I used my firm dominant voice to snap them both out of their funks.
Colton pulled me close and wrapped his arms around both of us, placing a kiss on both of our foreheads. "Ivy, Abigail, and your grandmother are safe." He lifted Ivy back to her seat and patted my forearm.
"Please, eat." He also gave a command, which made me shake my head.
Picking up her fork, Ivy placed her napkin on her lap. "Maybe after breakfast, we can talk and get to know each other."
The Branson men returned through the sliding glass door, each one's face grimmer, then the next.
Ivy reached for my hand as Colton stood behind us, holding our linked hands in his. I couldn't focus on anything but Ivy's uneven breaths.
T.R. glanced around. "Ivy, Warren, and Polly will be here in about ten minutes. The black Lexus is back."
"Derek." Ivy's concerned voice filled the room.
James came forward. "We hoped that, with all the twists and turns, once Warren got into Kentucky, he wouldn't be able to find his way back here. The good news…"
"Wow, there's good news?" Ivy gave a hysterical laugh.
"Yes, every one of us is ex-military. Unless this man has some self- preservation when he sees us, he'll leave." Andrew gave Ivy a weak smile.
Tears started down her cheeks. "Except the man is insane. He took great satisfaction in telling me how he has killed countless other people and won't rest until he kills me."
James stepped forward. "Ivy, did he tell you where he was taking you?"
Her head went from side to side. "All he mentioned was he had a cabin off the beaten path, and no one would hear my screams."
Colton's fingers tightened around ours almost painfully. I had to bring my other hand over, rubbing his arm up and down to calm him and myself.
T.R. glanced at his phone. "They are five minutes away." He turned to Colton. "Do you have a gun?"
The man holding onto us for strength disengaged even as we held him tighter. "Yes." He walked over to the refrigerator, opened the top cabinet, pulled out a black case, then took it over to the aisle, and opened it. All the other men went over, pulling their guns out from their waistbands.
"You gave him a gun!" T.R. accused James, waving a hand at Andrew.
Andrew rolled his eyes with a sigh. "It's my gun. I'm allowed to have one. I don't like to use it when I could use my fist."
"Please children, behave we are guests." James sighed.
Colton walked back to us and squatted down beside Ivy, clasping our hands again. "I know this is scary, but trust me when I say we will keep you all safe."
"But you have a gun." I choked out in a high-pitch reply.
"I know." He ran a bent finger down my cheek. "Babe, I need you to do something for me. In the closet in our room is another black case. Can you go get it?" His arm came around Ivy. "Go, Babe, I got her."
I raced upstairs, and grabbed the case off the shelf. When I returned, I heard Colton explaining to Ivy how she had to keep me with them.
"What do you mean? You are staying with us. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you leave us when we just found each other." I slammed the case on the counter. Storming over to Colton and Ivy. "Tell them we are better together." I waved my hands at the other three men.
They shared a sympathetic look. "Zander," she said and tugged me to her side. "Please, Abigail and my grandma, are going to get here soon. Lead me to the barn while we wait for Polly and Warren."
"No, we have to stick together." I protested harder.
Colton stood, kissed Ivy on the head, and whispered something in her ear. Then he approached me as I collapsed in the chair next to our Ivy, and he did the same to me. "I love you. I have always loved you. Keep our family safe."
Ivy clung to me, and I brought her onto my lap as guns being loaded filled the silence.
T.R. started giving orders. "Colton, we told Warren to bypass the house and go straight to the barn as you instructed." He looked around the room. "They are two minutes out. Is everyone ready?"
Murmurs of agreement came next.
Ivy wrapped her arm around my neck. "We have to go."
I couldn't move. I didn't want to move. My heart was being torn in two.
"Zander, he needs us to be strong. Save me and my family once again." She gave another plea. I looked into her watering gray eyes, knowing she felt the same way I did.
It made something break inside me, and I stood cradling Ivy against my body. I turned one last time to Colton standing with the other men. "You better come back to us."
He opened the sliding glass door. "Follow the trail to the back of the barn. Once you're inside, put Ivy in my office and wait for Warren and Polly." He clasped my shoulder. "Warren will help you lock the barn entrances. Keep everyone in my office and don't open the door for anyone but me." With one last brush of his lips on each of us, he pushed us out into the yard.
We hurried across the trail into the barn. The fresh scent of cedar and horses assaulted us when we walked around to the side. Opening the wooden door to a small office with only a desk and three chairs. I motioned Ivy sit behind the desk. "I'll be right back."
Her fingers clasped onto my arm. "Please be careful. I can't lose you too." Her mouth crushed onto mine in an all-consuming kiss. "You are my hero, and I love you."
"Right back at you." With one more quick kiss, I strode from the room on a mission.
In the distance, I heard a car on the gravel drive. A metallic blue Mercedes came to a screeching halt in front of me. In an instant, a tall, blonde-haired man in a suit exited the driver's door and opened the one behind him. He held out his hand and weathered fingers clasped it. A short, gray-haired, thin woman in a light green dress emerged. Simultaneously, a pregnant blonde woman in a crisp, white suit emerged from the passenger side. Opening the back door, she crouched down and arose with a little girl in a denim dress with spiky dark hair. They came at me as fast as they could. I led them to the office.
In the next moment, Warren and I were running back to secure the doors. Even though Warren wore a cream-colored suit, he bent down, pulling a small silver gun from one of his cowboy boots and a wicked-looking knife from the other. He held them out to me. "Which one do you prefer?" When I didn't respond, he handed me the gun. "The safety is on."
I had never held a gun before, but had to be convincing. We walked back into the office, and my heart melted at how Ivy had her daughter and kissed every inch of her little head. Her Grandmother held Polly's hand, thanking her as Warren went to his wife's side.
Ivy's eyes met mine over her daughter's head. "Zander, this is Abigail." She turned the child to face me, and the eyes I fell in love with sparkled up at me.
"Well, hello there, little lady, I'm Zander."
She shrugged, "I know mommy told me." Those eyes turned serious. "You're going to help Uncle Warren and Aunt Polly keep us safe from the bad man."
Direct like her mother. "Yes, I am." I kept my voice soft.
Her little arms folded over her chest, "Good, because Uncle Warren is going to be a Daddy."
"I know." I couldn't stop the smile from forming. It disappeared in the next second when. Gunshots went off and sounded close. The horses started whining loudly.
Warren went to the door, holding out his knife, pressing his ear to the wood. "Someone's in the barn. I'll be right back." Before we could even protest, he was gone.
Polly let out a startled scream, "Warren!"
"Polly, lock the door behind me." Quickly, I slid through the door, closed it, and waited till I heard the lock click. I wanted to help Warren, but I wasn't about to lose our man either. I kept to the back of the barn. Just as I turned the corner, a bloodied arm grabbed me around the neck.
"Where are you going, pretty boy?"
Derek
"Hand me the gun." He held out his bloodied hand.
Like, I'm going to hand him the gun. I lifted my arm as he commanded, then threw the gun.
His arm tightened around my neck. "You think that saved you?" He pulled me back, dragging me towards the door. "I can fuck you, or her, makes no difference to me. You all beg for your lives in the end. I just might get a better blow job from you before I strangle you."
If he thought I was about to allow him to take him away from the man and woman I loved, he had another think coming. My fingers clamped onto his arm, pulled it down, and stepped away. I spun, grabbing his neck and backing him up against the wall. He halfheartedly tried to knock my arm away. His leg kicked out, hitting my knee, and I crumpled down. Derek reached to grab me. In the next moment, he was gone. Colton had him on the ground, punching him uncontrollably. "You hurt my woman and tried to hurt my man. I am going to rip you to shreds." His eyes were wild and tone-lethal. Oh, my God, if he didn't stop, he might kill him. The Branson boys and Warren came running over.
I leapt up, calling after Colton, "Baby, stop! I’m here, I'm okay! Please!"
The office door opened, and Ivy joined in my cries. "Colton, Stop! He's not worth it. We love you!"
He must've heard us through his haze of anger. His fist hung in the air, Andrew and T.R. pulled him back. James turned the unconscious man over, cuffing him. Andrew went over, lifting the man and dragging him out of the barn.
Ivy and I rushed over to grab Colton before he collapsed next to T.R. Even with one arm, Ivy wouldn't let him go and neither would I. "We're safe," she repeated. "I love you both. Thank you for saving us."
"I'm not letting either of you go." My arms tightened around them both.
Colton found Ivy's mouth and kissed her hard, murmuring how much he loved her. Then he twisted, searching. Ivy brought me forward and he tugged me closer. His lips crashed down on mine, taking the air from my lungs. "Zander," his heavy breath mingled with mine. "Never in my life have I ever been so terrified. I love you, and can't even think of living without you." He brushed another kiss in our Ivy's hair. "Either of you."
Warren came over. "Boy's, I suggest you use the outdoor shower around the corner, before coming to get Abigail." His voice held a tone of a concerned uncle.
Ivy stood outside the shower, holding towels for us both without her sling. While Colton and I were inspecting each other, we discovered only bruises on Colton's hand after we washed off all the blood. I kissed his knuckles before Ivy ordered us out of the shower. She handed us the towels and took Colton's hand, kissing the top of it. "Now, get dressed." She ordered, nodding to a pile of clothes on a stool. "I will go get Abigail and my grandmother and take them to the house." She pointed her finger at both of us in a stern tone. "Start nothing without me."
We both held up two fingers. "Scout's honor."
She shook her head with a sigh, "Whatever." She walked back into the barn.
Two seconds later, Colton had me up against his heated body, taking command of my mouth. I melted against him, but he pulled away. "Zander, if you ever disobey one of my orders again, I will paddle your butt bright red."
He meant it as a threat, but both of our dick filled instantly.
"I mean it, boys! I am going to paddle you both." She licked her lips, flashing us a saucy smile. "Get a move on."
Her stomach growled and we pulled apart, grabbing our clothes. "Go get Abigail and your grandmother. Go to the kitchen now!" I gave a command.
"Ooh, so bossy," Ivy gave a chuckle, turning away. But before she did, her brow went up in a sultry arch. "Look what you did," she nodded towards Colton. "He's going to have trouble zipping his pants." Then she stared at me. "The best part about being a woman. You can't tell if my panties are wet." She grinned. "Oh, I guess you both will have trouble now."
We watched her walk away. We adjust our pants. "She is going to be the death of us," Colton said, shaking his head.
"You haven't met Abigail or her grandmother."
Walking back to the house, we held hands, not ready to let each other go. T.R. stopped us before the porch. "Just to let you know, we discovered where the deranged lunatic's cabin is. At least some families will get some closer."
A wave of relief rolls over me. "I think we all will when he is behind bars?"
T.R. grimaced, "More like buried. Derek wasn't a smart man, after all. Never provoke a world champion boxer." He walked back to the drive.
"Thank you for all your help!" I called after him.
He waved and kept walking.
We ran into the house to share the news with Ivy and her grandma they were safe.
Ivy rushed over, kissing us both with Abigail in her arms. "This is Colton." she swiveled her daughter around. "We are all friends and they will keep us safe."
Colton held out his arms. Abigail went right to him. She leaned over, hooking an arm around my neck. "Mommy is the best. You will love her as a friend." She turned her little head. " Great Grandma, did you hear we are safe now?"
Meeting Colton's eyes, we silently vowed we would keep them all safe under our roof.
Now if Ivy felt the same way?