42. Travis
42
TRAVIS
T ravis played the first chords of the worship song he’d been practicing for Sunday morning’s service. He could ask Hunter Harding to take his place in the praise band this week, but if he did, Bella might think it was because of her.
The last thing Travis wanted was Bella blaming herself for anything else.
Plus, he’d had plenty of hours to practice last night while Anna and Olivia hung out with Bella. He’d stayed in the cabin next to hers, and while it was move-in ready, the only thing in it was a table and chairs.
No wonder his back was screaming today.
He picked the next few chords as Bella stepped out of the bedroom. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a clip, and she wore a thick gray sweater and what she called her baby belly pants. They looked like regular jeans, unless she pulled her shirt up to reveal the thick elastic band around the waist.
She was gorgeous. If only she saw herself the way he did. Her kindness was one of the things he loved most about her, and she had it in spades.
Every bit of wrestling she’d done since finding out she killed Gunner was expected. Travis had been with Gage after he’d been forced to take a life to protect Hadley. Even knowing the survival of the woman he loved was on the line, it still twisted his insides to know he’d taken a person’s life.
Anna and Olivia weren’t trained therapists, but Bella claimed to feel much better after their visit last night.
Bella pulled at the hem of her sweater and smiled at him. “What are you playing?”
“Haley Harding’s solo for Sunday morning.”
“It sounds beautiful.”
“Haley’s voice is amazing. Wait till you hear her sing it,” Travis said.
Bella walked over and pressed a kiss to his lips. The small touch was enough to light a fire, and he wanted more.
Shaking his head, he remembered what he’d been waiting for all morning. “I’ve been working on something for you.”
Her eyes widened, and the reserved grin from seconds ago widened to a megawatt smile. “Really?”
“I didn’t write it, but I thought of you when I heard it.”
Bella sat on the couch beside him and tucked her hands between her knees. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Bella had heard him play many times, but he’d never added vocals. This was a first, but if she liked it, maybe he could sing more.
Better yet, they could sing together. That was the goal. She liked to sing, but she hadn’t shared that talent with him in a while.
Travis kept his focus on the guitar as he played and sang “Glow” by Livingston. The song started low and built to a heart-thumping chorus. Every word reminded him of Bella and the way she radiated happiness whenever she wasn’t running from danger.
His mission in life was to provide a safe home for her and Ariana. He’d do anything to make sure they were not only protected but happy.
When he looked up, Bella’s eyes glistened in the light from the lamp beside him.
“Travis, that was beautiful.” She covered her mouth with both hands and started to cry.
Pushing the guitar aside, he gathered her in his arms. “You okay?”
“It’s the stupid hormones. I swear I’m happy. It’s a good thing.”
Travis hadn’t cried since he was a kid, and crying from happiness wasn’t something he’d even known existed until Bella did it. Was it a pregnancy thing or was it something she did other times too?
Either way, it was his mission to fill her with enough happiness that it overflowed.
Travis wiped the tears from her face, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I’ll never get enough of hearing you play and sing.”
“Maybe one day you can do the singing. It’s not my favorite part.”
She looked up at him and sniffed. “I think I can do that. I’m a little rusty though.”
Travis pressed a kiss to her warm lips. “You’re perfect.”
She rolled her eyes before kissing him again. Every place they touched zinged with electricity. He couldn’t get enough of her.
He never would. He knew exactly what he wanted, and that was to spend the rest of his life with Bella.
She broke the kiss and stood, backing away from him with a wide smile. “We have to get going or the Bensons are going to worry about us.”
Travis stood, following her toward the kitchen. “We’re not in a hurry. They’ll understand if we’re a little late.”
She put her hands up between them as she backed up, laughing as she retreated. “I don’t want to lose my job.”
Travis stopped his pursuit and sat at the kitchen table. She was laughing, but he’d just remembered what Gunner had done to her. He never wanted her to feel pressured or helpless.
She turned and poured coffee from the carafe into two thermoses. “You need to add a few layers of clothing before we head out.”
Yep. She was going to be a great mom. “Are you sure you’re okay to work today? I know yesterday was really hard. You could take a day to rest.”
Bella shook her head. “No, I definitely need to work. It keeps my mind from dwelling on things.”
Travis stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. “If you’re sure.”
“Positive. Now go layer up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He grabbed a gray thermal shirt from his bag and quickly put it on in the bathroom. When he stepped out, she was waiting at the door with her coat and boots on, carrying their thermoses.
“You’re ready to get going this morning,” Travis said as he grabbed his coat.
“I went to sleep just after six pm. I got plenty of sleep.”
He followed her to the passenger side of the truck, opened her door, and offered her a hand as she climbed in. Her belly was getting bigger now, and she was slower and more careful as she moved around these days.
He closed the door and rounded to his side of the truck. Waking up with Bella, sharing morning coffee, and heading to work together was the perfect life. This was exactly what he wanted.
In a few months, she’d have a baby, and their lives could be perfect in a different way. They could be married. She wouldn’t have to work unless she wanted to. She was free of the club’s clutches, and she could do whatever she wanted.
Bella poked his arm as he started the truck. “What are you smiling about?”
“Just thinking about how awesome life is and how I can’t wait to see what comes next for us.”
Her shoulders sank a bit, and she stared out the window. “My life could screech to a halt soon.”
“I don’t think so. Life keeps dealing you bad hands, and you keep holding your head up. God keeps providing.”
“You’re right about that. It could have been so much worse. He really has led me to the right people every time things seemed hopeless.”
Travis grabbed her hand and lifted it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. The way her faith had grown was amazing in itself. She realized how much better her life was when she trusted God, but sometimes she needed a little reminder.
A quick pop sounded from the forest around them, and the truck jolted slightly.
Bella gripped his hand tighter. “What was that?”
Another pop, and the truck jostled again. The tire pressure light lit up on the dash.
“Flat tire. Or more than one,” Travis said, releasing Bella’s hand.
“Did we run over something?”
Travis scanned the trees as the truck began to jostle on the lumping tires. The pops weren’t from the tires. They were the unmistakable sound of gunfire, and they’d come from opposite directions.
“Lean down and get Nathan on the phone,” Travis demanded as he picked up speed. He’d never drive on flat tires, but they were being targeted. He just couldn’t say as much to Bella without freaking her out.
She bent forward as much as she could over her rounded belly and lifted her phone to her ear. A second later, she handed the phone to Travis.
“Nathan, someone is in the woods on the ranch between Bella’s cabin and the Bensons’ house.”
“I know. I was calling you at the same time Bella called. There are two of them. They just showed up on the surveillance. I’m getting facial recognition on them now, and my partner is calling for local PD help.”
“Get Matt Benson out here. Tell him to come armed.”
“Got it. Tell Bella to leave this call running and put the phone in her pocket. We can track her and record anything that happens.”
Once again, God had led the right people to Bella at the right time. If Anna hadn’t hired Nathan, Travis would be on his own right now. “Thanks.”
Travis handed Bella the phone. “Don’t end the call. Put this in your back pocket.”
She took it and did as he said. “What’s going on?” There wasn’t even a hint of panic in her voice. She’d been expecting everything to blow up for months now. They’d all been preparing for this moment, and they were as ready as they’d ever be.
The truck bumped wildly over the uneven ground and two flattened tires. Another shot came from behind them, and Bella let out a squeal as she bent forward.
Another tire out. They could be shooting through windows and doors, but whoever was in the woods was toying with them.
Their attackers didn’t want them dead. At least, not yet. They wanted Travis and Bella stranded.
Travis tightened his grip on the wheel as the truck jostled along the path. “Bella, hang on.”
“Got it!”
The back window shattered, sending glass flying around the cab of the truck. Pieces stabbed into the back of his neck and rained down on Bella’s back.
The truck slowed, and Travis prayed for just another mile. No way would they make it that far.
Finally, Travis parked the truck and reached into the back seat. “Bella, stay–”
The passenger window shattered, and Bella screamed. A man’s arm reached through and opened the door in one swift movement. A split second later, the guy was dragging Bella out of the truck.
She gasped as Travis grabbed her other arm and reached into his back pocket to grab his knife.
Before he could pull out his weapon, the driver’s window shattered, and white-hot fire burned the top of his shoulder. The man pulled his switchblade out of Travis’s arm just as Bella was jerked out of his grasp.
Switchblade. Switch. Gunner’s friend was named for his weapon of choice.
That left Bella with one of the other club members, and from what she’d told him about them, he didn’t want a single one touching her.
Travis had to get to her, but first, he had to get rid of the guy at his window who was raising his blade to stab him again. Grabbing the wrist that held the blade, he twisted until the grown man released the knife and let out a high-pitched scream followed by a growl.
“You’ll pay for that,” the man snarled as he grabbed for the knife on the ground.
Travis reached into the back seat and pulled out his own weapon of choice–the aluminum bat he’d used for batting practice with Asa’s son last week.
He stepped out of the truck and didn’t bother closing the door behind him. The man clamored for his knife in the dirt as Travis raised the bat over his shoulder. “No, you’ll be the one to pay.”