Remington (Shadow Warriors #8)

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER FIVE

Saylor wrote often to her Aunt Nell and Uncle Sor.

She liked old-fashioned letters, handwritten with emotion and love.

They didn’t tell her that her parents continued to contact them on a regular basis.

They claimed they were worried for her but Sor and Nell knew it was a lie and if they found the girl, they’d drag her back to their prison.

Instead, they told them that she’d taken a job overseas and was happy in her life. But in his heart, Sor knew they didn’t believe them.

It was just a few short weeks later that Remington came home. He’d barely set his bags down when he was knocking on Nell and Sor’s door.

“Afternoon, sir.”

“Remington, it’s nice to have you home,” said Sor with a sad expression. He knew this would hit the young man hard.

“Yes, sir. Is Saylor here? She wasn’t in her assigned cottage,” he frowned. “Is she working?”

“Remington, she left, son. She said she needed to think about some things and she moved.”

“Moved? Where? Sorry, sir but this is important. Where did she move to?” Nell stepped forward smiling at the young man.

“I’m glad you’re asking that question. It tells me that Saylor was wrong and you do care for her.” Remington tilted his head with a questioning expression. “Remington, she had no idea how you felt and when she didn’t hear from you, she thought you’d changed your mind about her.”

“Of course I care for her,” he said staring at them like they’d lost their minds. “I love her.”

“Did you tell her that?” asked Nell.

“Well, no. Not yet. I mean, I didn’t want to say anything until I knew I was home for good. God, please tell me where she is,” he begged.

“I’m going to tell you, Remington because I believe the two of you should be together and quite frankly, I’m worried her family will find her and it will not end well.

” Remington tried to be patient but he was bouncing from one foot to the other.

“She didn’t tell me this but a woman knows.

She’s pregnant, honey. It coincides with the time y’all were together. ”

“I-I was her first. I know it would be mine,” he said stammering.

“She’d be almost eight months by now. She’s living in a small townhouse in Indianapolis near the hospital. She was going to have the baby on her own. Raise it on her own.” Nell handed him a slip of paper with an address on it. He turned to see his father, JB, and grandfather, Joseph.

“Like hell she will. She’ll be coming back here with me. One way or another. Dad? Grandpa? I need a ride. A fast ride.”

“The jet is waiting on the runway for you. Bring her home. Gently,” said Joseph. “Don’t terrify her. And for God’s sake, tell her how you feel.”

The entire way to Indianapolis Remington paced the length of the jet. Evie turned at one point and told him if he didn’t sit, she’d do a barrel roll and make him sit.

“I don’t know why she left,” he said shaking his head.

“Bullshit! Did you tell her that you love her? Did you ask her to wait for you? Did you tell her she was you one and only, honey?” asked Evie.

“No. Like I said I didn’t want to make promises before I was out of the service and free to come home.”

“Remington, telling a woman that you love her gives her the hope that you’ll return. If you don’t tell her anything, she has nothing to hold onto. Plus, Saylor is very inexperienced with men. She doesn’t understand how they think, especially the men at Belle Fleur.”

“I can’t lose her, Evie.” His face was so sad Evie just wanted to wrap him in a big hug. It reminded her of his grandfather, Joseph, before Julia saved him.

“You won’t honey. Just don’t go all neanderthal on her. Be sweet, tell her how you feel. Don’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do.”

“Right. Don’t force her.”

He kept repeating that phrase to himself over and over again knowing he was going to force her to return with him. But repeating it wasn’t doing any good. How could she not have known that he loved her? The way he made love to her, the way he held her should have told her everything.

And now she was pregnant with his child. His!

When he had a moment to breathe and finally sat down, he realized what an idiot he’d been.

Saylor had only dated two other men and hadn’t been intimate with either.

She was just turning twenty-three. She’d been home-schooled, kept from others her age until college and was the most innocent woman he’d ever met.

“I fucked up,” he muttered.

“Yep,” smirked Evie from the cockpit, “but you’ll fix it.”

It was a short drive from the airport to the address he’d nearly shredded in his hand. He had never been so nervous in his entire life than he was at this moment. He’d rather face an entire militia of armed gunmen than have to face this woman and admit he’d fucked up.

When he knocked on the door, he wasn’t sure she would even answer. It bothered him that there was no peep hole to see who was knocking and the window wasn’t positioned to give her a clear view of the porch. This was a dangerous home for her.

When she answered the door, he nearly fell over.

Her belly was swollen with his child. His. She looked beautiful, glowing and fresh-faced. No makeup, her hair in a ponytail. She was the woman he would love forever and he’d fucked up by not telling her so.

Then it him. She was pregnant and hadn’t told him. She’d run away. And that made him angry.

Remington stared at the woman in the doorway. Bile rose in his throat, threatening to force him to vomit his breakfast. Weeks of thinking about her and now she was here. Right here in his sights.

Saylor had tears in her eyes as she rubbed her belly, knowing that he was probably angry with her. There was no way to hide and he was definitely looking at her belly, then her face.

“Why? Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know.”

“You’re lying. Why?”

“You said this isn’t what you wanted. You said you were a loner,” she whispered with tears in her eyes.

“You misunderstood what I said. You misunderstood everything,” he said pushing past her. She watched as he walked from room to room, finally taking the steps two at a time.

He stopped in the doorway of the spare room, staring at the furnishings and then looked back at her. She almost cowered, which only made him feel worse. Across the hall was her bedroom.

He opened the closet and grabbed a suitcase. Opening each dresser drawer, he dumped it without care or thought, one after another.

“Remington, stop. Please don’t do this,” she cried.

“I’m doing what I should have done weeks ago.” He took the clothes from her closet and placed those in another suitcase, then with one swipe, emptied the contents of her bathroom counter in an empty trash bucket. He carried the items downstairs, placing them in the SUV.

Walking back inside she was sitting on the steps to the upstairs, silently shedding tears.

“Come on,” he said holding out his hand.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” she asked. He lifted her from the stairs, feeling the weight of her in his arms. As he walked outside, he pulled the door closed, not caring if it was locked.

“Home. We’re going home.”

“I am home, Remington. You said you didn’t want kids.”

“That’s not what I said,” he snapped staring at her.

It only made her cry harder. Finally, he sat on the outside step, setting her beside him and pulled her close.

“In fact, I didn’t say all the things I should have because I was scared.

Scared of us, scared of you, scared of not coming home. ”

“I-I don’t understand,” she sniffed.

“Saylor, I fell in love with you on the dance floor that very first night. But I didn’t want to leave and have something happen to me on my last mission.

I didn’t want that burden on you. Sometimes, sometimes my head is only on a mission, nothing else.

I think too much about what I’ve done or what I need to do and it blocks out all the good in my life. Like you.”

“I thought you didn’t care for me. I thought what was happening with us was nothing and then you left without coming to say goodbye.”

“I had to leave fast.”

“Remington, you passed right by the hospital when you left. Two minutes and I would have known how you felt, why you were leaving so quickly.”

“I know,” he said lifting her, holding her on his lap now. “I know and I’m so damn sorry. I’m here now. I’m here and I’m telling you that I love you. It has nothing to do with you carrying my child. That only makes me love you more. Please, please come home with me.”

“Oh, Remington,” she cried into the crook of his neck. “I’ve cried every night for the last eight months thinking about you. I prayed you would be safe and I prayed you wouldn’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, Saylor. This is all my fault. I’m not very good at talking about my feelings. But here they are. In the open. I love you and I will love this child forever.”

“Children,” she sniffed.

“That’s what I said, honey. Child.”

“Children,” she repeated looking up at him. “Oh, Remington, I’m so sorry. It’s twins.”

He stared at her belly, his big hand gently rubbing the big bump. Then he burst out laughing.

“Sorry? Are you kidding me? Sorry. Honey, this is normal in our family. Twins! We’re having twins!”

“You’re not upset?” she asked.

“Hell, no! Are you feeling okay? Is there anything we need to get you? Anything you need?”

“No,” she laughed. “Everything inside came with the condo except my clothes and the baby bed. It was used. I bought it at a yard sale.”

“I love you, Saylor, but our children will be sleeping in a crib made by me and my father and grandfather. Will you come home with me, honey? Will you come home, marry me, and let me love you for the rest of our lives?”

“Y-yes,” she nodded. “But I need to tell you something.”

“Tell me on the way to the airport. We’ll get someone to come back and get anything we’re missing.”

He easily lifted her, gently setting her in the passenger seat as if she were made of glass. Securing the seatbelt, he kissed her once, twice, then the third time with such passion, Saylor knew there was no mistaking his love for her.

He sent a text to Evie that they were on their way back, then a text to the family letting them know that he was bringing home three new members of the family.

“Remington, I have to tell you something,” she said quietly. He stared at her, his heart instantly filled with dread.

“Please tell me you weren’t seeing someone else,” he frowned.

“No! God, no! How could you think that?” she asked in shock. He just shook his head, grabbing her hand and kissing her fingers.

“I’m sorry. I’m just not myself right now. What do you need to tell me?”

“My parents found me, Remington. At least, they found where I worked. They’ve been calling up there every day harassing the staff to get them to give my address out. They didn’t do it, but they were looking for me in the city. I was terrified they would find me.”

“Saylor, honey, why didn’t you call Sor or anyone at Belle Fleur? Any one of them would have come for you. Hell, even if I were in another country, I would have come for you.”

“I didn’t even have your number, Remington. You left but didn’t give me your number. What was I supposed to think?”

“Shit. I really fucked this up, didn’t I?

” he frowned. “Saylor, to be honest with you, this was my first serious relationship. I wasn’t like the other guys, taking women to bed just for fun.

That wasn’t my style. I met a few, liked a few, but never loved any of them.

I guess I’m new to all of this as well.”

“I’m worried they’ll find me at Belle Fleur, Remington. Their last message said they would bring me home one way or another. I don’t want to cause any trouble for you or your family.”

“You, are my family now. You and those two beautiful babies,” he said squeezing her hand. “Do we know if they’re boys or girls?”

“I didn’t want to find out. I think I was always hoping we could find out together. I know that’s silly.”

“It’s not silly. I’m so damn sorry, Saylor. I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you. Just let me be the husband and father for our children, that you deserve, that they deserve.”

“Remington, there would never have been anyone else but you. Aunt Nell and Uncle Sor were threatening to come and get me.” She frowned, then looked at him. “By the way. How did you know I was pregnant?”

“Your aunt said she knew. She said the day you left she saw your small belly and just knew. I don’t know how it was small with twins but I’m glad she figured it out.”

“According to the doctors here, we got pregnant the last night we were together. I just knew they were going to be my whole world.”

Remington left the car exactly where he’d found it, a loaner from a friend of a friend. Then he carefully helped Saylor onto the plane, leaving her in Evie’s capable hands. He loaded her bags and did one final check around the area.

If her family thought for one minute they were going to take her from him, they’d be dead by morning. In fact, if he had his way he would be taking a team to them by next week.

First rule of hunting, track your prey, trap your prey, and make them pray.