Chapter 12
As Adam ran toward Ricard’s SUV he saw him and Millie run from the car accident into the forest. As he closed in, he heard shots ring out and looked for the shooter.
Viktor stood fifteen feet away.
Adam dove behind a mound of snow, unable to get close enough to go after them without being shot. Gunfire came from behind him. He looked and saw Benjamin and Everett running after him, firing at Viktor. They kept him pinned down so Adam could get past him.
He ran as fast as he could through the snow.
The crust of ice on top of the snow made running more difficult.
But he ran because he knew if he didn’t catch them now, he might lose Millie forever.
He couldn’t allow that to happen. She was the best thing that had ever come into his life and he wouldn’t lose her.
Not now that he’d just realized how much she meant to him.
As he pushed his body hard and faster through the snow he saw he was catching them. He saw Millie struggling to get away and slowing them down as she did. His fear for her grew not knowing what Ricard would do when Adam caught them. And he would catch them. No other scenario was acceptable.
As he sucked in great breaths of the icy air, his lungs burned. But he pressed on. He couldn’t stop now. He heard Millie’s voice and saw her struggling with Ricard.
“Stop. Ricard. Let me go.”
“Never. Now, move, or I’ll kill him if it’s the last thing I do.”
Millie didn’t struggle anymore with that threat hanging over her head.
“Millie,” Adam called. “Don’t listen to him. Millie.”
He didn’t hear anything back and they were keeping their lead, like they had the devil on their tails. Adam supposed he was the devil in a way, because he planned on sending Ricard straight to Hades.
Ricard looked over his shoulder at Adam advancing swiftly. He pulled Millie around until she was standing in front of him. “Don’t come any closer Sullivan or I’ll kill her.” He pushed the gun’s barrel into Millie’s side.
She cried out.
Unable to hear her pained cry, Adam stopped in his tracks and extended his arm.
“Don’t hurt her. Send her to me and you can go on your way.
We won’t come after you. No one will. Please, Ricard.
” Adam suddenly pointed at Ricard. “But if you hurt her, then I will never stop coming. You’ll never sleep again because you know I’ll be there waiting for you in the shadows.
If you hurt her, then I will kill you, Ricard. Make no mistake about that.”
Ricard didn’t stop. He didn’t release Millie. He was slowing though. The altitude and the knee high snow was doing Adam’s work for him.
Adam didn’t slow. The altitude was nothing to him, he was used to it and the deep snow didn’t slow him down either. His long legs ate up the distance between them.
Millie fell face first into the snow with a yelp.
Ricard stopped and tried to pull her up. He looked back and saw Adam.
He hadn’t slowed. If anything, he’d sped up. He was so close now. Suddenly, he leapt and, landing on Ricard’s back he took him down and pushed his face into the ice covered snow.
“Adam, be careful. He’s got a gun,” shouted Millie.
He looked over at her.
She’d finally managed to stand but she was starting to shake, whether from the being in the snow or from shock, he wasn’t sure. Whichever it was, he needed to get her back to the vehicles and get her warm.
Benjamin and Everett ran up beside him.
“Get Millie to the Expedition. We’ll bring this piece of scum.” Everett reached down and hauled Ricard to his feet, knocking the gun from his freezing hand.
Benjamin picked up the pistol.
They marched him back to their vehicles and secured him in the back seat of Benjamin’s truck with his hands tied behind him with zip ties.
Adam wrapped his arm around Millie’s shoulders. She was freezing. “Come on, let’s get you warm.”
She looked up at him and ran the fingers of her left hand down his strong, square jaw.
“You’re here. You saved me from a fate worse than death.
I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
I would have preferred death to being wed to Ricard.
Oh, he assured me he’d only bed me until I was pregnant and then he’d return to his mistresses. ”
Adam squeezed her shoulders. “That would never have happened. I would never have stopped coming to save you. He couldn’t keep me from you, or keep us apart.”
They reached his Ford Expedition. He helped her into the passenger side and ran around the truck to slide into the driver’s seat. He immediately turned over the engine and turned on the heater. Once it was warm, he pointed all the vents toward her.
Millie looked over at him. “Let’s go home. I just want to go to bed and let your body heat warm me.”
He grinned. “I think that can be arranged.”
Millie gazed down at her lap. “Adam, I’m so sorry for bringing danger into your life. I—”
He reached over and took her left hand with his.
“None of this is your fault, sweetheart. Millie, you’re my wife…
my family. You carry my child within your body.
You’re the very best thing that has ever happened to me.
The only person at fault here is Ricard and he will be paying for his mistakes for a long time in a federal prison. ”
She shivered.
He wondered if the action was from the cold or from his declaration.
Millie rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “Good. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving man. I wish they would put my father with him in the same cell. They would drive each other crazy.”
“How are you feeling? Warmer?”
“I’m fine. Now, can we go home?”
“I can’t think why not. If the brothers need me, they’ll know where to find me. But if they know what is good for them, they won’t need me.” He grinned.
Adam executed a three-point turn and then headed down the mountain toward home. He and Millie needed to talk but for now the conversation could wait until she was warm inside and out.
When Adam pulled up to the house, he saw the sheriff was waiting. He turned to Millie and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. Everything is fine. Trust me.”
She squeezed his hand back. “Always and forever.”
Adam got out of the truck to greet the sheriff.
Millie followed him out of the truck and walked over to him to greet the sheriff.
He walked over and extended his hand to Adam. “Good to see you, Sullivan.”
Adam shook his hand. “I wish I could say the same, but I’m afraid I have some business for you.”
“If it’s about the Ricard Sokolov fella, I’ve already heard. Benjamin called it in from the scene. I’ve got a jail cell with his name on it. That’s what I came relate. You and the missus don’t have to worry about him for a while. He’ll be warming the bench in my jail cell.”
Millie put her fist in her mouth but it didn’t stop the tears.
Adam walked over to her. “You hear that baby? You’re free.” He wrapped his arms around her. “We’re free.”
She nodded, snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him like she’d never let him go.
He hoped that was how she felt because it was how he felt. He loved her and had for a long time, maybe since he first saw her in her pink sweater and jeans in the grocery store.
Adam picked her up by her waist and swung her in a circle.
Millie threw her head back and laughed.
Then he carried her inside.
As she stood in the kitchen, Millie still couldn’t believe it.
She was finally free of Ricard Sokolov. No more running.
She’d married Adam and was expecting his baby, none of which she had ever planned.
He seemed happy, but what if he felt trapped.
No, he was the one who asked you to marry him not the other way around.
Remember that. Don’t let your imagination run away with you.
I am Millie Sullivan. I am Millie Sullivan. I am Millie Sullivan.
Adam stood arm’s length away. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes narrowed. “Is something wrong sweetheart? You don’t seem happy to be free of Ricard. Are you all right?”
She straightened her shoulders and looked up into his beloved face. “Are you happy with me here? I know we’re having a baby, but are you happy? Is this what you want for certain?” She wanted more than anything for him to say that he loved her, but would he?
He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I am happy. Happier than I’ve ever been. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just with all the unrest that Ricard caused we really haven’t had a chance to just be married, to get to know each other—”
“Millie, I don’t know what you want from me. I can’t read your mind, so you just have to spell it out for me.”
She looked down at her feet and kicked at a floorboard with her toe. “I just want to know that I still have a place here even though I’m no longer in danger.”
He looked at her and his eyes twinkled. “Yes, you always and forever have a place here. You’re my family, Millie.
You and that baby you carry are my family.
More than any one of my brothers, you are mine and mine alone.
I won’t give you or the baby up for anything or anyone. You’re both mine. Do you understand?”
She nodded and shivered. He still didn’t say it. He might care for her and want her because of the baby, but he didn’t love her. Millie quickly looked away lest he see the tears forming in her eyes.
“Let’s get you up to bed. You’ll feel better once you’re nice and warm.”
“Yes. I’m sure you’re right.”
Suddenly, he swooped low and picked her up in his arms and started for the stairs.
Millie looped her arms around his neck. “You didn’t have to carry me. I have two perfectly fine legs.”
Adam grinned. “Yes, you do. They’re superb but I wanted to feel you in my arms and you need to start relaxing and getting warm. I feel the chill right through your clothes. We need you out of them as quickly as possible and into a hot tub.”
“Make it warm not hot and you’ve got yourself a deal.”
“Warm it is.” He carried her up the stairs as thought she was no heavier than a child. “How can you be so strong?”
He laughed and continued his trek to their bedroom. “Tossing hay bales and carrying my beautiful wife.”
Adam entered the bedroom and set her on the floor beside the bed. “Let’s get you out of these clothes. You do that, and I’ll start you a bath…a warm bath.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t stop the shiver that traveled down her body.
“You better hurry before you catch your death.”
“I’m trying. My fingers don’t want to work.”
“Here, let me help you.” He knelt in front of her and unfastened her jeans and pulled them down to her knees.
“Sit on the bed so I can remove your boots and jeans.” He pulled her boots and socks off and set them aside before pulling her wet jeans from her legs.
“You’re legs are freezing. Do you think you can get the rest of your clothes off so I can start your bath? ”
“Yes, I can get the rest. Thank you.”
“Of course, sweetheart.” He walked into the bathroom and started the water in the tub.
A warm bath sounded wonderful. She was so cold. When she was with Ricard, she’d never really had a chance to stay anywhere long enough to get warm.
Adam’s so kind and gentle with me and acts like he loves me.
I know I love him. I need to tell him. We’re married, but I don’t want to be in a loveless marriage if I can help it.
But Adam wants children, as I do. What would be best for the child?
Why am I questioning this arrangement now?
I made my bed now I have to live with that choice.
It’s just these pregnancy hormones, that’s all.
I have to know. I can’t go on like this. I have to know if he wants me for me or just for the baby. She sobbed softly into her hands.
Adam returned to the room after drawing her a bath.
Millie was exhausted and crying quietly.
“Millie, sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the doctor?” He crouched down in front of her where she sat on the bed.
“Nothing is wrong.”
“Then why are you crying?”
Tired of keeping everything to herself, she exploded. Not from anger, from exhaustion. “I love you, Adam.”
Silence.
“There I said it.” She could no longer control her tears and they spilled over. “I know you care about me and I know you want the baby. I know that you’ll take care of me, protect me and make me feel safe.”
She shook her head. “But I need more than that. I need to know if there was no baby, would you still want me.”
Adam sat next to her on the bed. He was blindsided by her words. He thought he’d been showing her for weeks how much he loved her. Risking his life for her equaled love. Searching the mountains for her equaled love. Putting security around her equaled love and as did carrying her upstairs.
I never realized she needed the words and not just the deeds.
“Millie, I crossed a mountain tonight because I was afraid I’d lost you. When I saw that gun pointed at you, I couldn’t breathe and when I got shot tonight I wasn’t afraid of dying, I was afraid of not seeing you again.” He took her hands in his. “I love you, Millie.”
Forgetting that he said the words she longed to hear, all she cared about was that he was shot.
“You were shot? Why aren’t you at the hospital?
” She clamored off the bed and ran her hands over his arms and shoulders.
“Where were you shot? What is wrong with your brothers? They should have taken you to the hospital. Come on! Hurry.” She took his hand and tried to pull him up.
He was much stronger than her. “Look at me, Millie.”
His beautiful wife lifted her gaze to his and he was almost lost at the worry he sees there.
“I’m fine. I was wearing a vest you don’t have to worry about me.”
She heaved out a breath. “Oh. Okay.” She settled next to him on the bed but didn’t look at him.
He cupped her chin and turned her head to face him. “I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time and I thought I was showing you how I feel, but I guess you didn’t see it. You need the words, too.”
“Yes, I need the words. I’m sorry if I’m putting you on the spot.”
Adam took both of her hands in his, kissing the top of each.
“I didn’t know you needed to hear how much I love you.
I can’t imagine having a family with anyone but you.
You are my heart and my soul. You hold my heart in your hands to do with as you please.
I only hope that I can be the husband you need and deserve. ”
Millie fought back tears. “Th…thank you for telling me. I needed it. I don’t know why, I see all that you do and how much you care for the baby.” She sighed and her body relaxed.
“I love you, Mrs. Sullivan.”
“I love you, too.”
Adam pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.