47. Declan
47
DECLAN
I laid in bed, trying to fucking wrap my head around this complete fucking shit show. Had I known what the plan had been, I never would’ve gone along with it. Fight until they’re captured, then sneak in and get them?
What the ever loving fuck?
“Daddy?”
I sighed with relief. She hadn’t said anything since she got here. The moment Priest and Cameron brought Hayden, Marcie, and Foster back to the house, Hayden tucked Marcie and me into bed, only to disappear. We’d not seen him since.
“Yes, sweet girl?”
“Where’s Papi?”
Beating the shit out of himself for getting in the car with us instead of the one that rolled down the street half a fucking mile.
“He’s working, sweetness.”
“I wish he were here, too.”
“Me too. He’ll be here soon.”
At least I hoped so. I wanted him here. I needed him here with us to reassure myself that he truly was alive and safe.
Marcie got quiet for a bit, then said, “I’m scared for Katie. For Jackson, too.”
I swallowed. I was fucking petrified. For both of them. I didn’t fucking want to imagine what they were going through. I didn’t say that, of course, because the last thing Marcie needed was my fear added to hers, which was why Hayden wasn’t here, if I had to guess. The fear and guilt. The latter of which he didn’t need to take on. This ambush wasn’t his fucking fault.
It had pissed me off when he didn’t get in the car with Foster, but that disappeared as soon as we came up on Foster’s SUV flipped on its roof, like it had been. All it took was me realizing how easily Marcie and I could’ve lost him to pull my head outta my ass.
We were all doing shit that wasn’t fucking advisable. There were reasons doctors didn’t care for their family members, and why protecting loved ones like this shouldn’t be done. It was why spouses and family members didn’t serve together or under each other’s command. It was impossible to make an impartial decision when someone you loved was in danger.
And that’s what he had to do. He tried, he honestly did. He pushed us toward the safer option, then ran into danger only to turn back when his commitment to us proved greater than his duty to Katie, Jackson, and Foster. He chose us over everything and everyone else. I couldn’t fault the man for that.
What more could Marcie and I ask for?