Corps Security, The Series (1)(94)

“Yeah. Yeah, I do,” I respond and shift slightly so he can lean his body close to mine.

His feet are hanging off the end and a good portion of his body is hanging off the edge, but he wraps his arms tightly around me and I cuddle close, breathing him in and letting the peace only he can give me wash over my body.

“I never want to feel that fear again, Izzy,” he whispers into my hair and squeezes me tightly. “Never been so scared in my life.”

We lie like this, together and entwined, until the nurse comes in. She fusses until he moves back to his chair. I can’t help but laugh at the pout he is sporting while she finishes up her vitals checks. When he hears me, the look is instantly gone and he looks over with a huge smile.

“Love that sound, Princess. Most beautiful sound in the whole fucking world.”

I stayed in the hospital overnight. There wasn’t anything wrong with me, but they wanted to monitor my vitals and make sure that my head wound was okay. Luckily, I came out of the whole ordeal with only a small bump right next to my temple.

When I’m released, Axel and I make our way to the floor Greg is on. Maddox and Coop are in the room when we get there. Greg is awake but groggy. I walk into his room on the arm of Axel, who hasn’t let me go once since I woke up. Greg looks up and a small smile forms on his pale lips.

“Baby girl,” he said with a tear falling from his eye. “Baby girl, you are a sight.”

I walk over to the side of his bed and push Coop out of the chair he was sitting on, pulling it close to his bed. “Hey.” Yup, that is all I have before I break down and bury my head in the bed next to his hip. Axel comes up behind me and rubs my back.

“Baby girl, I’m okay. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“I thought you were dead, G!” I cry harder into the bed. “Don’t ever do that shit again!”

He laughs but agrees, and I sit there holding his hand while the conversation continues around us. Coop tells Maddox about all the good-looking nurses who keep popping in offering sponge baths and how he might have to get shot if that is what’s waiting for him. Maddox was shakes his head, but his eyes never leave mine.

“You okay, girl?” he asks when Coop finally shuts his mouth.

Axel gives my shoulder a squeeze in support, and I climb to my feet and walk over to Maddox. He opens his arms when I get closer and I wrap mine around his back. “I’m okay,” I say into his chest.

“Good. That’s good,” he says and gives me a small squeeze before releasing me.

“Get over here, Izzy,” I hear Axel say behind me. I roll my eyes at Maddox before turning around and walking back to Axel. “Mine,” he says to Maddox and pulls me into his body.

We get a rare laugh out of Maddox, and just like that, the tension in the room is lifted and we are able to breathe easy again.

Greg and Dee are fine. The baby and I are fine. And Axel’s arms are around me.

Life is good.





CHAPTER 21

4 months later

“You almost ready, baby?” Axel asks, sliding his arms around my waist and rubbing his hands over my swollen belly. I started to really show a few weeks ago. My small pouch went gone from making me look slightly overweight to a definite baby bump. I love it, but I love it more when Axel comes up behind me and places his hands over my small bump.

When I have moments like this, just Axel and me, I am reminded how lucky we are. It’s been a hard road for us both since that day with Brandon. I have been plagued with nightmares, and Axel has been dealing with his worry about my mental state. About two months after Brandon’s attack, I made an appointment with Dr. Maxwell. We both knew I wasn’t dealing with taking his life well. Finally, four months later, I have come to terms with everything that happened. My nightmares are few and far between, but I am alive and so are the people I love. I have become stronger and stronger every day, and it is all because of this man.

I continue to fix my make up while he rolls his fingers around my skin. “We need to get going soon if we’re going to make your appointment.”

“Okay, I’m hurrying. I would have been ready by now but there is nothing that fits anymore.” I put down my mascara and turn in his arms.

I step up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck, burying my hands into his thick hair. I look at myself in the mirror and can’t help the small smile that forms. My hair is hanging in long waves down my back. My makeup is done in neutral tones to match the soft yellow color of my sundress. The material stretches across my ample chest but flares out against my belly.

“Worth it, baby. I love seeing you carrying my baby.” He brings his hands down and pulls me up by my hips, placing me on the counter.