Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Stormi blew out a puff of air as she fiddled with the paper coffee mug. “I’m sorry about what happened.”
“It’s not your fault,” Norman said, reaching across the table and taking her hand.
The stale smell of antiseptic filled her nostrils. She hated hospitals and this was the last place she’d wanted to have this conversation. She wasn’t entirely sure how Norman and Brad had learned she was here, but she suspected Lincoln might have had something to do with it.
She couldn’t be mad at him for that. Norman and his son had the right to closure, and she had the power to give it to them.
“My wife and her father brought this on themselves.” Norman glanced toward his son. “Is there anything you want to say or ask?”
“This might seem like a weird question. But it’s similar to what I asked Mr. Ross,” Brad said.
“What did you ask him?” Stormi tilted her head.
“If I would still be allowed to date his daughter after everything that happened.” Brad slumped his shoulders.
“You’re not guilty of anything,” Lincoln said. “Children are not the sum of their parents’ sins and I know what Tal and Heather told you. You’re welcome in their home.”
“My son’s also worried about what this might do to his chances of getting into the Air Force Academy,” Norman said.
“It’s not going to affect you negatively at all.” Lincoln squeezed Brad’s biceps. “The man we came to see today, he’s with the FBI. I also know a few people with the CIA, DEA, and other government agencies. As well as people high up in the military. If your grades are good enough, and you have what they want, you’ll get in.” Lincoln leaned forward. “I also have a couple of friends who used to be fire protection specialists. And your dad says that’s what you’re considering. If you’d like, I can set up a meeting.”
“I’d like that very much.” Brad nodded. “Thank you. But I still haven’t had the chance to ask Stormi my question.”
“What is it?” Stormi asked.
“Am I welcome in the library? To volunteer for the rest of the summer? I need twenty more hours,” Brad said.
“Of course.” Stormi smiled.
“Thanks for taking the time to meet with us.” Norman stood. “Now all I have to do is find a job.”
“Perhaps we should talk.” Lincoln stretched out his hand. “I’m going to be starting my company. Stormi will be part of it, but she’ll be keeping her job at the library, and I’ll be needing some marketing help. I can’t pay what Zero Gravity was, but it would be a start.”
“I like the sound of that,” Norman said. “I’ll be in touch.”
Stormi leaned into Lincoln’s strong body and watched father and son step through the electric doors and out of the hospital. She sucked in a deep breath. “Guess I better go see Jimmy.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” Lincoln asked.
She shook her head. “No. I need to do this on my own.” It had been three days since she’d been held captive by Samantha. Three days since she’d shot and killed a human being. Three days since Jimmy had nearly died.
And she still hadn’t been able to see her father.
According to the new FBI agent in charge of her dad’s case, that might not happen for a few more days while they shuffle through all the shit that had come out of Zero Gravity.
The company had been shut down for good.
David ended up cooperating with the FBI, hoping to receive a lesser sentence. Turns out, his daughters were blackmailing him. But that didn’t make him less culpable. Not when it came to the explosion and deaths of Dante’s team.
Jeannie, on the other hand, was doing her best to place all the blame on Samantha, a dead woman.
But with David giving up all the information, Jeannie was going to be facing life in prison.
Tony, Samantha’s sidekick, was sent back to the UK and faced all sorts of charges there. He won’t be getting out of prison anytime soon.
And Kurt would continue to rot in his own little hell, knowing his wife, now soon-to-be ex-wife, had turned on him and was alive and well, living the dream.
Lincoln palmed her cheek. “I’ll be right out here if you need me.”
The last three days were filled with interview after interview. There were questions from the local police, the FBI, the CIA, and even NASA. While she never felt as though she was the criminal, they all wanted to know her role, how she got her information, why she did what she did, and how she knew what she knew. It was all a delicate dance.
If it had not been for Lincoln, she would have surely lost her mind. He’d become her rock. He held her at night and not once judged when the nightmares came.
And they came every night, making her kick, scream, and cry.
He told her they were normal. That he’d suffered them too. And that soon enough, they would go away.
God, she hoped.
But her nightmares weren’t solely connected to the fact she’d taken a woman’s life. No. Deep down she understood what she’d done and that if she hadn’t, she, Lincoln, and Jimmy probably wouldn’t be breathing.
She placed her hand on her stomach and inhaled. Nor would her little one and that was the crux of her bad dreams.
“Thank you.” She raised up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. She owed him so much. More importantly, she owed him one more heavy dose of the truth. “When I’m done here, can we go for a walk? I need to talk to you.”
“Of course.” He smiled.
She turned and headed down the hallway until she found Jimmy’s room. She sucked in a deep breath and pulled back the curtain.
“Stormi. I’m so glad you came.” Jimmy adjusted himself on the hospital bed. Sitting by his side was a beautiful young woman. “This is my wife, Hillary.”
“It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Hillary jumped off the bed and squeezed Stormi tight.
“I’m so sorry about what happened,” Stormi managed.
“You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” Hillary waved her hand. “I’m just glad all the good guys are okay.” Hillary smiled. “Where’s Lincoln? I wanted to meet him. My sister says he’s quite the sexy Brit.”
“You just want to hear his accent.” Jimmy laughed.
“Oh, his accent is yummy.” Stormi rested her hip against the chair. “He’s in the waiting room. We have something we need to take care of, and then I’ll send him in.”
“That sound ominous and interesting all at the same time,” Hillary said.
“Not really. It’s just been a long few days and it could be a few more days before I get to be reunited with my dad.” Stormi reached for her hair and twisted it between her fingers.
“They haven’t let me speak to your dad since this happened,” Jimmy said. “I’m sure he’s just as frustrated as you are. But you’ll never be separated again.”
“Listen. They’re going to let Jimmy out of this place tomorrow. Would you and Lincoln like to come over for dinner next week? I’ll have my sister Madison and her husband Brayden over.”
“I’m sure Lincoln would love that. I know he and Brayden have a history.” Stormi smiled, taking Jimmy’s hand. “I can’t thank you enough for everything you did for me.” Tears burned the corners of her eyes. “I’m just sorry it resulted in your getting shot.”
“Unfortunately, that goes with the territory.” He squeezed her hand. “A little piece of advice,” he said. “Don’t hold on to the demons like a badge of honor. I’ve done what you have, but I’m trained to do it. Even though the consequences still stick with a person, I have a different mindset because of my career. What you need to do is remember the difference between good people who make a choice to survive and bad people who choose to be evil.” He arched a brow. “The distinction is important.”
“I’m getting there.” She nodded. “Heather recommended a good therapist and Lincoln’s been incredibly supportive.” But Stormi had to wonder if it all boiled down to being honest. Her nightmare was always the same. She held the gun in her fingertips. She was about to pull the trigger when Samantha held up her baby, preventing her from doing what was necessary.
Samantha won.
And right in front of Stormi’s eyes, Samantha killed her precious child.
“He’s a good man and I suspect he loves you very much,” Jimmy said.
She swallowed her emotions. Love was a strong word. It didn’t matter that her heart felt it so strongly it pulsated through her system like rain falling from the sky. “It’s too soon for that kind of talk.”
“It’s never too soon when it’s right.” Hillary palmed her cheek. “Go. Spend time with your man. We’ll see you next week.”
Now all she had to do was tell Lincoln they were going to be bonded together in such a way that might make him run for the hills.
Lincoln pulled out his cell and tapped Dante’s contact information.
“Hey, son,” Dante said.
Lincoln’s heart swelled. It was a silly sensation. Especially when it was simply an expression of speech. Dante didn’t mean anything by it.
“Where are you?” Lincoln asked.
“About forty minutes away.”
“Okay. She’s in with Jimmy now. Then she wants to go for a walk and chat about something. I’ll take her to the courtyard in the center of the hospital. There’s a nice garden. You can meet us there.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” Dante said. “How’s she doing?”
“She has good and bad moments.” Lincoln ran a hand over his mouth. It killed him every time she had a nightmare, and she had them every night. Sometimes two and three times a night. Taking a life, even when it was in self-defense, wasn’t something a person could turn around and live with. Most people who owned guns thought if they had to pull the trigger in defense of themselves or their family, it would be a no-brainer.
But they never took into account the aftermath.
“I think seeing Jimmy and then being with you will help her,” Lincoln said. “Right now, she can’t put all the good that came out of her actions in her mind.”
“Are you kidding? She’s alive. You’re alive. How is that not good?”
Lincoln chuckled. “It’s awesome. But she’s holding on to it, and the only thing I can think of is because she hasn’t seen you. She’ll get there. She just needs time.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Dante said. “I’ll see you soon.” The line went dead.
Lincoln stuffed his cell in his back pocket. He knew two things.
First, he loved Stormi with every fiber of his being.
And he’d crumble without her in his life.
The sound of her heels clicking on the tile tickled his ears. He smiled. “Hey, you.” He stretched out his arms. “How did it go?”
“Really well.” She fell into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. “Jimmy looks well, and I got to meet his wife.”
“I know her sister, Madison. Sweet girl.” Lincoln took her hand and led her through the hospital corridor toward the courtyard. “Both she and Brayden have been through a lot.” He pushed open the door. The bright sun beat down on his face. “Why don’t we sit over there.”
She sat across from him on the picnic table, fiddling with her thumbnail, glancing between her hands, the sky, and the tree to her right.
“What’s going on?” Lincoln asked, reaching across the table, taking her hands. He lifted them and pressed his lips against her warm skin. “I know these last few days have been a struggle. I don’t want to make it harder, but I’m starting to worry that something else is troubling you.”
“Something is.” She nodded. “I haven’t been completely honest with you about something.”
“Okay. What?”
“It goes back to when we first met,” she said.
“I’m listening.” He ran his thumb over her palm.
“I should have told you the first time we slept together. It was wrong of me.” A tear rolled down her pretty face.
He reached out and wiped it away. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it isn’t a big deal. Or doesn’t even matter anymore.” He lifted her chin. “I care so much about you. More than I ever expected. Actually, not to scare you away, but I love you, Stormi. With all that I am.”
“You what?” She blinked wildly. “You did not just say you love me?”
He eased to the other side of the table and stared into her questioning eyes. “But I did.”
Her lips parted and she gasped.
He chuckled.
“It’s not funny,” she whispered.
“No. It’s not. But I often react that way when I’m feeling a little vulnerable and I have no idea how you feel.” He arched a brow. His heart dropped like a brick to his toes. “Do you love me back?”
“I do love you,” she said. “But that doesn’t change the fact I neglected to tell you something very important.”
“Hello, my child,” Stormi’s father appeared with outstretched arms.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Daddy, you’re going to have to wait a minute.”
Dante scowled.
“Did you seriously just put your father off? I worked very hard to make this surprise?—”
“I’m pregnant.” She took Lincoln’s hand and placed it over her stomach. “I should have told you I wasn’t taking birth control. Every time we had sex, I kept meaning to tell you. It got to the point that I was like, well, I’ve already done the dance, what difference does it make now, and it won’t happen anyway.”
His mouth dropped open. He glanced between his hand on her belly, her father, and back to her beautiful eyes.
“I didn’t get pregnant on purpose. It certainly wasn’t to trap you. I never expected to fall in love with you. And I’m literally shocked to hear you say those words?—”
“Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?” He leaned in and pressed his lips gently over her mouth. “I love you. I don’t care how we got to this point. I’m happy about the baby. I want it. And I want you. The only thing that needs to change in our lives is that damn bed of yours. It sucks.”
“And the fact that I’m going to leave your embrace so I can go hug my daddy. I haven’t done that in years.” She kissed him. Hard. And with intent. Only, it didn’t last nearly long enough. She leaped from the bench and raced the ten paces to her father’s outstretched arms. “Daddy!”
“I’m going to be a grandfather?” He hugged her tightly. “Is there going to be a wedding? Do I get to walk you down the aisle this time?”
“Guess I better go buy a ring.” Lincoln laughed.
“I need to get officially divorced.” She cupped her father’s face. “I can’t believe you’re really here. How long can you stay?”
Lincoln strolled closer to his family.
Family.
“I told your dad he could stay with us until he found a place to live.”
She jerked her head back. “You’re moving here?”
“I considered it. But now that you two are getting married and having a baby, it’s a done deal.” Dante smiled.
Stormi wrapped one arm around Lincoln and the other around Dante.
Lincoln kissed her temple. “I promise to love you forever.” When he’d moved to the States, he’d been a broken man. He’d been searching for the pieces that would make him whole. What he found was more than the perfect woman. He found his soulmate.
Stormi was the key that unlocked his heart and showed him what true happiness was all about.