I left the examination room clutching the little roll of pictures tightly, Amy chattering excitedly beside me.
"See I told you! That baby is strong as an ox! Nothing's going to get that little Super baby down. And did you hear the doc, two months? You had that bun in your oven when you were kidnapped, and it still stayed strong. You are going to have your hands full with this kid." Her eyes were glued to her phone, online shopping no doubt.
She was not wrong. I felt like I was floating on cloud nine, my baby was healthy. Our baby would be perfect. We approached Bull and he stepped forward, looking slightly anxious. I beamed at him and thrust the pictures in his face.
"Look! This is our baby, you can actually see it. Like eyes nose everything. Isn't it cute?" I waved the pictures in his face, which obviously wasn't working for him because he grabbed my wrist to carefully take them out of my hand and study them closely. The depth of emotion on this tough, usually staunch man was staggering. I watched as his eyes turned tortured, I could see he was thinking of a moment, if the past had been different. A moment where it would be his baby he was looking at, had Laurie not been murdered. Tears welled up in my eyes and I reached for Bull's arm, but was interrupted by a loud and familiar voice.
"Bull! Gwen! Yo!" Lucky strode towards us with his usual grin. Oh shit, I don't need another one of Cade's brothers finding out about our little bundle of joy before he did. What is he doing at the doctor's anyway? Isn't he some badass that refuses to acknowledge he isn't indestructible? Maybe all those dalliances with various women were catching up with him. I tried to snatch the photo out of Bull's hand but was too late.
"What are you guys all doing here? I heard Gwen was sick, shit is it serious?" Lucky approached and his grin turned to concern, he then glanced at what Bull had in his hand. He snatched it.
"What do we have here that you are looking at so intently, I hope its not any naked photos … " he stopped short when he got a look at the little piece of paper. I watched as his mouth opened in shock. "Seriously you guys are into some sick shit..." he began, then a grin spread across his face. "Holy shit, Princess you're pregnant?" He all but yelled.
I winced as people started to look our way. "Try not to announce it to the whole town Lucky, Cade doesn't even know yet." I scolded quietly.
Lucky ignored me and pulled me into his arms. "This is fucking great! You guys having a kid, I mean fuck! This calls for celebration, we're having a party. Tonight!" He decided, putting me down.
"Um no party tonight." I argued, ignoring the slight falter in Lucky's smile.
"I want to tell Cade first. Alone."
Lucky smirked. "Fair enough Princess. I can imagine his reaction might not be suitable for a whole party full of people."
I poked my tongue out him, forgetting for a moment that I was a mother now and shouldn't be doing such immature things. He slung an arm around my shoulder and patted my belly softly.
"Real mature Princess, think you might have to find better comebacks, since you're going to be a Mom and all." He laughed as our crew walked out the door.
"I'm going to be a Mum." I corrected him, "My child is growing up half kiwi you know."
"Yeah he's also growing up half Templar." He winked. I just rolled my eyes and ignored the ‘he' in that sentence. Why are men also convinced women were having boys?
The aroma of garlic and chicken wafting around my nostrils made my stomach roll slightly, but I ignored it. I was too excited about the fact that Cade would be home any minute and I would get to tell him about the baby. I was still nervous, like really nervous about his reaction, but the boys had quelled my nerves slightly. I had decided to make him a delicious dinner at his house, partly because we hadn't been here in awhile and partly because I wanted us completely alone to (hopefully) celebrate. I had stuck the ultrasound photo on the fridge, hoping he would notice it when he went to get his beer. Which was pretty much the first thing he did when he got home, well after making out with me that was.
I got the chicken out of the oven, turning my head away from the smell. Morning sickness my ass. I had thrown up twice this afternoon, which didn't bode well for the rest of my pregnancy. Figures Cade's child would be a handful, even in the womb. My stomach dropped for a different kind of reason, hearing the telltale sound of Harley pipes coming down the driveway. My nerves were interrupted by my cellphone ringing. I picked it up, intending to ignore the call until I saw who it was.
"Matt! How the heck are you stranger?" I greeted warmly.
"Hey sweetheart." Matt returned, tone unusual.
Matt was the officer who found me after my attack. He had taken me to the hospital and stayed with me until Amy had arrived. He also visited me the day I woke up. He was sweet, and caring and helped me get through my therapy. We had become great friends, although I hadn't heard from him since I moved.
"I am so sorry to do this, I have missed talking to you and all but this isn't the best time. Can I call you back?" I asked him, hearing Cade's bike stop.
"Not really Gwen, I've got some news." This pulled my attention away from the door, which I knew Cade would be walking through any second.
"What is it Matt? Finally popped the question to Misty?" I joked, still unable to read his strange tone. It wasn't urgent, but he sounded like it was something important.
"No love, it's about O'Fallen." He told me quietly.
I braced myself against the counter, my knees threatening to buckle. Oh no, please tell me this fucker wasn't messing with my life again. Not again, not with me and my child.
"He hasn't escaped has he?" I whispered into the phone, praying for the answer to be good.
"No Gwen. He's dead. He was found in his cell early this morning, stabbed."
My breath left me in a whoosh at this news. I barely registered Cade walking through the door, concerned eyes already reading my distress.
"Dead?" I repeated. Cade heard this, strode towards me and yanked me into his arms, eyes locked on mine.
"Yeah honey. Usually I'm not the kind of man that relishes delivering this type of information. Shit, I never thought I'd be glad at the news of someone being murdered. But I am, after what he did to you, countless others. I can sleep easy knowing the world is rid of that maggot." He declared fiercely.
I listened to his words, but barely heard them. Cade was staring down at me, worry clear in his expression. I could tell he wanted to yank the phone out of my grasp but I had a death grip on it.
"Gwen? It's over honey, he can never hurt you again." Matt told me softly.
"Um, thanks for telling me Matty." I said quietly, "I'm glad I heard it from you. Can I call you back? Kind of a lot to deal with." And I had the small problem of Cade, who was squeezing me so hard my baby was in danger of popping out seriously early.
"Yeah of course Gwen. Call me if you need anything, I'm always here."
"Thanks Matty, give my love to Misty."
"Will do Gwen, bye." He said before hanging up.
I took the phone from my ear and stared down at it blankly.
"Baby." Cade called, lifting my chin to look at him gently.
"Jimmy is dead." I told him, my voice flat.
Cade looked at me carefully and stroked my face, gathering me deeper into his arms. I relaxed into them letting his strong body and manly scent comfort me.
"I don't feel anything." I said, turning my gaze up. "Nothing. Not sad, not happy, just detachment. It just feels like news." Maybe it was the fact I was going to be a mother and a child to think about, or the fact that my life was amazing. Nothing could taint it.
Cade was rubbing my shoulders, his eyes burning into mine, searching for the truth in my words, no doubt worrying for me. Seriously I loved this man.
"That's good baby." He said evenly, calmly.
I was surprised. I expected him to have more of a reaction. One thing about my man was that he didn't hide his emotions, well, anger at least. All of a sudden a thought turned my blood to ice.
"You don't seem surprised." I whispered, trying to step out of his arms. They tightened around me. He was silent for a beat, face blank.
"No Gwen I'm not." His voice was flat.
"You knew about this?" I stepped back fully, Cade let me. "Please tell me it's because you have some kind of Google alert on his name or friends at the prison."