Chapter 47
Chapter Forty-Seven
Three Days Later
Evanston, Wyoming
Kenna bent to give Cabot a rubdown, then told the old mutt to go lie on her bed. It was far too cold for the dog to lie outside. She pushed open the front door of the cabin and found Ramon standing with Jax on the porch.
Her husband turned to her. “How are they?”
“Helping each other as best they can. But both of them are a mess.” She stepped into Jax’s arms. “Having Craig here so they can bury him will be good. They can say goodbye.”
She wiped her damp cheek on his sweater while he rubbed her back and held her and the baby inside her close. “This baby needs to be born already.”
Jax chuckled. “Have you heard from Ellayna?”
Kenna nodded against his chest. “She said they’re all settled back at home and to tell Preston thanks for letting them ride there in the helicopter.”
Ramon just stared out at the land, saying nothing.
“You okay, bro?”
He shook his head.
“Maybe having a funeral will be good for all of us.” Kenna knew she needed to be present for the grieving process.
Jax said, “Elizabeth will probably want him buried in Colorado, so he can be close to her.”
“I want to ask Maizie to bring the Airstream here, but she might want to be near to Elizabeth for a while.”
Jax nodded.
Ramon cut in abruptly. “Is it really in the Bible that friends give their lives for each other?”
Kenna knew he’d been wrestling with something since he’d brought Maizie here and they’d told Elizabeth what happened to her husband. She hadn’t expected it to be this.
Jax said, “It was talking about Jesus, because that’s what He did. He gave his life for all of us. His friends.”
“I don’t think I’m his friend.” Ramon shook his head. “I’d know if I was, right?”
Kenna remembered feeling like that, as if she could never be good enough to be accepted by God. But that was the significance of grace. That God had freely given Himself to be their sacrifice so that each person who believed in what Jesus had done could be accepted into His family.
Just like they’d accepted each other into this family.
She hated that they’d lost Craig. That Elizabeth would have to live without her husband, and their children without a father. That Maizie would never have him there to support and protect her.
But any of them would’ve done exactly what he had. In the moment, they’d have stepped in front of a bullet for any of them, and things would have turned out the same.
Because that’s what family did.
“You can be,” Jax said. “All you have to do is say a prayer. Believe that what Jesus did was powerful enough to wipe away every bad thing you’ve done and replace it with His goodness. It’s an exchange. Death for life.”
Ramon nodded. “Okay, how do I do that?”
Kenna swiped tears from the corners of her eyes. She eased into her rocking chair and listened, praying her thanks while Jax led Ramon in the sinner’s prayer. Asking for Ramon to find the peace he’d been searching for.
She ran a hand over the baby…who needed to figure out how to move this thing along. Now that their lives had calmed down, at least for now, she was ready to have this child. Anytime now.
The last she’d heard, the president had been arrested for multiple counts of murder. Bear had been in the throes of a firefight with rogue operatives when the police arrived. Hollace had been killed, and Bear had caught a bullet in the arm. The rest of them had been arrested.
Bruce and Amara had given the police a statement and gone to find a place in Salt Lake City, so they wouldn’t be too far away when the baby came.
Preston had bought several of the surrounding properties, so Kenna and Jax didn’t need to worry about neighbors, and she occasionally spotted his dogs roaming in the snow.
Ramon lifted his head. “Thanks, Jax.”
“Of course.” Jax held out his hand, and they shook, a lingering clasp of brotherhood and mutual respect. When they let go, Jax asked, “Does that sound like a helicopter to you guys?”
“Maybe Preston is coming back from somewhere.”
Ramon moved to the edge of the porch. “Whoever it is, they’re headed this way.”
Jax went with him, and they both stepped down onto the front walk, guns drawn and in their hands. Watching the helicopter land on the space Preston had his men clear off.
The side door opened, and a woman climbed out, wearing skinny jeans and a heavy jacket. Red hair.
“Sylvia Caughton.” Kenna stayed where she was because she didn’t feel like standing. Whatever this woman had to say, the guys could relay it.
The Dominatus asset came along the cleared path, holding a small box in her hands. As she neared Jax and Ramon, she said, “I’m not here to harm anyone.”
“Why are you here at all?” Ramon asked her.
“I need to speak with Kenna.”
Jax glanced over his shoulder at her, and Kenna shrugged one shoulder.
After Jax frisked her, Sylvia came up the porch steps. “I’d have thought you would’ve had that baby by now.”
“Is that why you came?” Maybe the small box she held was a baby shower gift.
Sylvia shook her head. “I’m sure you’re aware by now of what happened in Chicago.”
“Dominatus is done. That’s all I need to know.”
“The candidates who perished…” Sylvia seemed sad about that, so maybe she did have a heart.
She cleared her throat. “Of those who remain, each has been given a vote of whether they wish to lead us or suggest another on the list be given the position. You can probably guess what Bruce and Amara have chosen. They believe you should be the leader of Dominatus.”
And it had nothing to do with Dominatus believing they would never really be able to control Amara.
What did that say about how they felt about her?
Kenna lifted the water glass she’d set on the floor beside the chair earlier and forgotten to take back inside and pitched it at the woman. Water hit her front, and the glass fell to the porch and shattered. “Get off my property.”
Inside the cabin, her dog barked.
“We need a leader.”
“You’re done,” Kenna said. “There’s nothing left. Give it up.”
“If you would—”
Ramon pulled her back by her arm. “You heard the lady. Get off her property.”
Sylvia stumbled back. “You are the leader. It’s already been decided.” She set the box on the rail of the porch. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”
“I want Zeyla’s name cleared,” Kenna said. “Prove that she was set up, and get the charges dropped, and I’ll consider it.”
Jax lifted one brow, but Kenna would have to explain later that she had zero intention of going through with it.
“It’s already done. There’s nothing to consider.”
“If any of you comes onto my land, I’ll have security take care of you.” Kenna lifted her chin. “Consider that your only warning. No one comes near me or my family. Not ever.”
“There’s no need to make things difficult. Just accept the fact that—”
“No. Go away.”
Ramon shoved her off the steps. She stumbled but didn’t go down. “Get lost.”
“I don’t need to repeat it, but I’ll escort you to your chopper, and you can go.” Jax followed her, keeping a distance. Making sure she went without a fuss.
Ramon lifted the box from the rail. “What do you want me to do with this?”
Kenna shook her head. “What is it?”
“Probably some kind of orb of power, or whatever they give their leader.” He tore the lid off the box. “Huh.” He pulled out a pair of pink baby-sized socks. “She knows you’re having a girl, I guess.” He frowned. “There’s a flash drive in here, too.”
She watched Jax stand with his arms crossed, his pistol still in his hand, while the helicopter took off. His hair ruffled with the whipped-up air, snow swirling around him.
Ramon went inside.
She said, “Don’t let the dog out with this glass.”
Jax came back over, ambling up the steps with his gaze on her. A look of contentment on his face that she loved. An expression she’d helped put there. “I can’t believe you actually threw a glass at her.”
“I guess I should sweep the glass off the porch.”
“I got it.” He grabbed the arms of the chair and leaned down, kissing her gently. “I love you.”
“I know.”
“Is she going to hurry up and get here?”
Kenna laughed. “I was thinking the same thing when you were praying with Ramon. You did good, by the way.”
“Thanks.” He kissed her again.
She sat back in the chair, and the baby decided to dance around, kicking the top of her belly since she’d turned.
Jax came back out with a dustpan and brush. He swept the porch, then let Cabot come and sit by her, wearing a doggy overcoat.
“Hi, puppy.” Kenna reached down and scratched her nose, and the dog wagged her tail on the wood planks. “You’re a good doggy, yes, you are.”
She’d been through a lot in her life, just like the rest of them. But she accepted every change with a kind of peace that said a lot about her contentment. With the people she knew around her, it didn’t matter where she was. There was safety and happiness there.
Ramon came out with Jax, carrying a laptop. “She gave us all of it.”
Kenna said, “All of what?”
“Dominatus,” Ramon said. “We have the member list, all their information, and every major operation they had going for the past few decades. There’s more still that I haven’t looked at. That woman, their operative, she handed the entire group over to us.”
“That isn’t a fight I’m going to take on,” Kenna said.
Jax leaned against the porch rail, the tips of his ears red with cold. “Maybe we don’t need to take them on. Maybe we do what Kenna Banbury does. Hand the evidence and the suspect to the police and let justice happen. Let the feds and the police take the whole group apart.”
“I like that idea.” Kenna nodded.
She held out her hand, and Jax helped her out of the chair. Kenna felt an odd sensation and looked down to find wet between her feet. “Uh…”
“Your water just broke?”
“Don’t ask me. I’ve never done this before!”
Ramon chuckled. “Now she freaks out. Guess you’re not as cool as you think you are.”
She looked at Jax. “Get me a glass. I’m going to throw it at him.”
“Maybe later.” Jax kissed her. “Right now, I think we’re going to the medical center in town so you can have this baby.”
Kenna looked around flustered. “We need to…”
Jax touched her cheeks. “I’ve got this. Okay? Don’t worry.”
She nodded, and he kissed her again. Then he handed her the car keys. “You go get in the car. I’ll tell Maizie and Elizabeth what’s happening.”
“Okay.”
Ramon set the laptop on her chair and held out his hand. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the car.”
“Thanks.” She stepped carefully down the porch steps, hearing Jax in the cabin calling out to the women. They were going to want to come to the medical center. “Are you coming?” She looked over at Ramon as they walked the path to the garage.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” He patted her arm, linked through his. “I’ll sit with Maizie and Elizabeth. Make sure they’re okay.”