51. Cole
COLE
Ijolt awake, startled from one of those deep sleeps, bleary eyes narrowing enough to see a familiar figure lingering on the other side of the door. I narrow my eyes. Jagger.
Glancing around the small, dimly lit room to make sure everyone is safe, my shoulders sag with relief at the sight of Clara curled up in the armchair next to mine, sleeping soundly, Tommy on the hospital bed, fast asleep with his sister huddled in next to him, the monitors connected to him beeping steadily, without alarm.
Pushing up from my seat, I groan at the way my body objects, shoving my hair back from my face as I tiptoe out of the room, pulling the door closed behind me quietly and joining Jagger in the hallway.
“Hey,” I say under my breath, leading him away from the door.
“They doin’ okay?” he asks, nodding his head toward the window that looks into the hospital room.
“I mean, as okay as they can be.” I shrug a shoulder.
“Little guy’s got a concussion. They’re just keepin’ him in for observation.
Clara’s got a broken nose and fractured cheek bone, but…
she’s strong.” My throat tightens at the thought of my girl and the strength she possesses, the kind of strength a hero can only ever dream of.
Jagger nods, looking away. “It’s done.”
I knew without him telling me. The telltale scent of smoke that’s hanging off him, the black smudging his fingers is a dead giveaway.
“You make it look like an accident?” I gruff, keeping my voice low.
“Yeah.” He nods again, meeting my eyes as he says, “Shitty wirin’ through all them ol’ houses…”
I stare at him for a long beat, the severity of what he’s telling me, what he and Webber have just done, hitting me like a weight I wasn’t expecting, a lump of emotion stuck in the back of my throat making it hard to catch a breath.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Don’t mention it.”
I walk back to the room, stopping at the sound of my name. Turning, I meet Jagger again, this time finding nothing but a glaring uncertainty in his eyes. My brows knitting together.
He reaches up and tugs on the back of his neck, and I know that move. It’s one of my own.
“What is it?” I press.
“What are you gonna do about… Cruz?” he asks after a pause, eyes finding mine.
I contemplate my answer for a moment, looking down at the floor and scrubbing my stubbled chin. Meeting Jagger’s eyes, I shake my head. “You leave him to me.”
Jagger nods, understanding falling between us and I turn and head back into the room.
Padding quietly back to my chair, I glance over at Tommy and Billie to see them still fast asleep. I sink back down into my chair and heave a sigh, feeling every bone in my body sag.
“Everything okay?”
I startle from Clara’s voice, turning my head to find her eyes looking up at me, searching mine through the muted light in the room.
With a smile, I reach across and gently smooth a lock of her hair back from her face, the bruises forming beneath her eyes causing anger to flare in my gut. Apparently he headbutted her. Knocked her clean out. My hand flexes with fury, balling into a fist at the thought.
“Yeah, everythin’s just fine.” I lean in close, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to her forehead, careful not to hurt her.
“I’m sorry I tried to leave,” Clara says on a whisper so soft I almost miss it.
“If I hadn’t… none of this would’ve happened.
” The emotion in her voice causes her words to cut out, her shoulders shuddering with the sobs she’s trying to contain.
“You told me we were safe at the ranch. I should have listened…”
“C’mere, darlin’.” I grab her hand, urging her up, and she comes willingly, her soft body folding down onto my lap, nestling into me, and I hold her close while she cries against my chest, letting it all out.
“You were doin’ what you thought was right, what you thought was safest for you and your babies,” I whisper into her hair, kissing her head. “You’re the strongest, most fiercest, most protective mama I know, and I am so fuckin’ proud of you.”
Clara buries her face into the crook of my neck, sniffling as her tears continue, soaking through my shirt. I rub my hand up and down her back, soothing her as best as I can.
“It’s over now, baby,” I tell her. “You ain’t gotta run no more.
No more lookin’ over your shoulder, no more wonderin’ where he is or whether he’s gonna find you, no more nightmares.
He’s gone. Forever.” I kiss her temple, lips lingering as I murmur against her skin, “You got me now. All of me. I swear to you, I ain’t goin’ fuckin’ nowhere. ”
Clara pulls away then, her glassy eyes searching mine. “Do you… do you mean—”
I nod, answering her question before she even has to finish asking it.
“Cole.” She sighs, eyes flitting between mine like she’s looking for the lie.
“You and those kids mean more to me than any ride,” I tell her honestly. “I ain’t willin’ to risk anything comin’ between us ever again.”
Fresh tears brim in Clara’s eyes.
“I meant what I said, baby.” I cup her cheek, looking deep into her pretty blue gaze. “You got me now. All of me.”
Wrapping her arms around my neck, Clara crashes her lips to mine in a searing kiss that leaves me breathless and takes away every last shred of lingering doubt.
And I don’t know what I’m gonna do now. I never planned for this day.
But I know I’m making the right decision because Clara and those kids are all I need in this life and the next.