30. Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
On the ride home, Kech leaned over and threaded his fingers through Isla’s. “I know you’ve been hiding something, Siobhan. What’s going on?”
Isla wiped under her eyes. “It’s a long story, but it has to stay between the two of us. No one else can know. I’m probably putting you in danger by just telling you.”
“Tell me your story, Siobhan. Let me worry about my safety. You need to talk to someone.”
So, Isla told Kech everything. She didn’t leave anything out.
It felt good to tell someone what she’d been through.
Her heart ached while she told him how she and Mitch had fallen in love those months that they were together and how they couldn’t be together because of the monster who was out to kill her.
That the only way to stay alive was to go into the Witness Protection Program and that’s how she had ended up in Montana.
She told him that Mitch didn’t know about the baby and it was better that way.
“Kech, if he knew about the baby, he would be here. I almost lost him tonight. I need to keep him safe and Jesse safe. It’s my fault that they’re in danger.”
“Siobhan, first off, it’s not your fault that any one’s in danger.
You did nothing wrong. That monster behind bars is at fault.
And from the looks of it, Mitch isn’t doing a very good job of staying out of danger.
So stop blaming yourself. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll check on him while he’s at St. Vincent’s. ”
Isla’s eyes brightened. Kech could tell that she would live off crumbs of information about Mitch Larkin for the rest of her life if need be. “Thanks, Kech,” Isla said. “I love you, ya know.”
“Yeah, I know,” said Kech warmly. “You’re the sister I’ve always wanted. As soon as I met you, I knew we were destined to be friends forever.” He chuckled. “Now let’s go give that baby some of his mama’s love and then I don’t want to hear a peep out of you till morning. Doctor’s orders.”
“Yes, doctor.” Isla smiled and then turned back to the window.
Dawn and Abigail were sitting on the porch. Jesse was in Abigail’s arms, fussing. She stood when Isla got out of the car and handed the baby to her. “A certain young man misses his mama,” Abigail crooned.
“Thanks, Abigail,” said Isla. “How’s he been?”
Dawn answered, “He’s fine, dear. Nothing that a mother’s touch can’t do to make him happy. I was just going to put him down when you pulled up. Spend some time with him and then go home and get some rest. He’ll be here when you get back. Kech and Abby are here if I need any help.”
Isla fought tears again. “I don’t know how I can ever thank all of you. I couldn’t do this without you.” They looked at her kindly, and gave her space as she greeted her son for the first time in what felt like days.
Isla sat on the porch swing and looked down at her baby. He looked so much like his father. Her heart filled with love—he was a part of their love. This little person would keep Mitch close to her heart until her dying day.
She rocked Jesse and hoped that, in some way, Mitch felt that he was being held too.
Mitch was moved out of ICU and into a regular room. The guys took turns staying with him at the hospital. Curt stopped by the following day with an update from Kip.
“Hey, how’s it going?” Curt asked, handing Mitch a coffee.
Mitch took the coffee gratefully and took a sip.
Way better than hospital coffee. “Getting there,” he said.
“I told them I didn’t want any more painkillers.
Those things make me feel weird and I don’t like it.
” They also made his dreams about Isla more intense.
Waking up from them was torture. “Did Kip find anything?”
Curt’s face dropped. He was quiet a moment. “He did…Mitch, it’s her. Her new name’s Siobhan O’Grady. She lives in Hardin, just north of Hidden Haven Ranch, near the Crow Reservation. This is her last week here—she’s given her notice.”
“You’re sure it’s her?”
“As sure as I can be. I saw her employee photo, ran it by Jax and Nick. It’s her all right.”
Mitch felt all the air exhale from his lungs for the first time in a long time. “She’s okay then? That’s all I need to know—that she’s safe and happy.”
Curt nodded. Mitch could tell he was weighing telling him something. “Mitch, there’s more.”
“She’s safe, right?”
“She’s safe…and so is her baby. She just got back from maternity leave. She has a four-month-old son. He’s yours, isn’t he?”
Mitch felt his body freeze. His mind analyzed numbers. Four months…plus nine months…
“A son,” Mitch exclaimed. “I have a son!”
Curt laughed. “It looks that way. Are you okay, man?”
Mitch had never been more okay in his life. “Yeah, a son—wow.” He took a moment to let it sink in. “Curt, I need you to do something for me.”
“Anything, just name it.”
“Can you find out where she lives? Maybe take some pictures? I know I can’t contact her. I just need to know she’s happy. And I need to see him. I need to see my son.”
Mitch was released from the hospital three days later.
The jet was fueled and ready to go back to Virginia.
But first he needed to see Isla with his own eyes before he left.
Curt had sent pictures of the outside of her cottage.
Through the thin curtain, he could see the shape of a woman holding a baby. But he needed to see her.
He and Curt sat a few houses down from her cottage and watched from a distance. And then, just as they were about to give up and go home, she came outside.
Isla, the love of his life, came outside.
Her hair was long and strawberry blond, like when he’d first met her.
She carried a car seat under one arm, as if it weighed nothing.
She was so strong—always had been. He only saw a tuft of baby hair in the car seat, though he strained to see more.
Isla buckled their son into his car seat, cooing at him.
This would be the last time he saw them. Mitch needed to keep her and his son safe and the only way he could do that was to go back to Virginia and never see them again. Tears filled his eyes as he watched her drive past them, oblivious to their presence.
She felt safe here, he could tell. Had she stopped looking over her shoulder?
Stopped jumping at every unexplained noise?
He hoped so. She didn’t deserve what had happened to her life over the past year.
Hopefully, in time, she would forget him and find someone to fill her heart again.
Someone who would be a good father to his son and a good husband to his one and only love.
Isla resolved to go on with her life. Kech had kept her updated on Mitch’s progress until he was discharged from the hospital.
From there, he was set to fly back to Virginia.
Isla knew when he got there, he would be in for a tough few months to get himself back in shape.
Hopefully, this was the last time he had to face danger. She prayed Curt gave him a desk job.
Life fell into a routine Isla could handle.
She had finished up her time at St. Vincent’s and was now working a reasonable schedule at the clinic full time with Kech.
Jesse was content to spend the day with Gramma Dawn and at the end of her shift, it only took her fifteen minutes to get home and hold him in her arms. He was getting so big.
Every day she saw more of his father in him.
He had Mitch’s eyes, and that same lazy grin.
His expressions were all Mitch. He had a way of cocking his eyebrow up when he was unsure of something.
He was a content and happy baby, surrounded by the love of her parents and her new extended family.
And when he was asleep, Isla got out her paints and brought the Montana landscapes to life.
Sometimes she painted Mitch into them, her greatest wish living only on a canvas.
Isla’s wish of having Mitch in their lives was always at the forefront of every waking day.
She woke up to memories of him. Her last thoughts before sleep were of him.
She hoped that he was recovering and staying safe.
God had given her the gift of his survival.
She could have lost him that day and never seen him again.
Instead, she had the opportunity to help save his life as he had hers all those months ago, and the opportunity to kiss him and hold his hand one more time.
That had to be enough.