Her Lucky Love (12 page)

“Lacy!” Allison yelled as she ran toward them.

“Be careful, don’t trip.” Brayden warned and shifted his eyes so he could show her where David had fallen.

“What was that terrible scream?”

Brayden shook his head and Allison’s eyes widened, and she pulled Aiden closer. Brayden undid Lacy’s ropes then Allison pulled her into her arms.

“Oh, my baby. Did he hurt you?”

“No,” Lacy choked out, tears running down her face. “He just tied me up and said he wanted me to go with Grandma and Grandpa. I don’t want to go with them.”

Brayden pulled Aiden into his side and ran a hand down Lacy’s back. “You won’t have to. Ever.”

Allison nodded. “You’re staying with us, baby. You’ll never have to go with them.”

Brayden looked into her eyes and wanted to know exactly who
us
was, but that would be for another time. Even though David wasn’t a problem anymore, he knew the grandparents wouldn’t stop. Their fight for the kids probably wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

“Brayden!” Tyler called as he appeared over the rise, the rest of his brothers behind him. “What happened?”

“David tripped,” Brayden said honestly as he dipped his hand toward and down the cliff.

Tyler’s eyes widened, walked over to the edge and looked down. “Well, shit.”

“Mommy, Tyler said shit,” Lacy whispered, and Brayden held back a laugh.

Things weren’t back to normal, not even close, but once they had Cameron in their hold, they could at least move one step closer to a relationship. Just because the immediate danger was gone, though, didn’t mean he’d let them out of his life. No, we wanted them forever.

He just needed to convince Allison of that.

And, by the look on her son’s face, Aiden needed a bit of convincing as well.

Chapter 8

Allison ran a hand down Lacy’s hair as her baby slept. She was surprised her daughter could sleep now considering Allison wasn’t sure she, herself would ever be able to sleep again. Whenever she closed her eyes, she thought of the look on her baby’s face with the rope tied around her little wrists.

That wasn’t something a mother could forget.

That wasn’t something a mother should have to live through.

Allison stood up and tiptoed out of the room, tears threatening to choke her. She didn’t want to cry in front of Lacy and wake her up. Her little girl needed as much sleep as possible.

Blindly, she walked down the hallway and ran into a solid chest, startling her.

Brayden.

Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around her, and she shuddered in his hold, finally letting go of the emotions she had ignored during the ordeal. She’d been so scared they wouldn’t make it in time.

A mother shouldn’t have to deal with the threat of losing her children like that.

Like anything.

When they’d run through the forest looking for Aiden and then Lacy, she’d tried to remain strong, but it had only been a facade. Inside, she’d wanted to cry, scream, and run. Every step that took her further from what she’d known and closer to the unknown perils of almost losing her children had broken her.

She’d never thought of herself as glass, but having to rely on Brayden had just told her what she was.

Weak.

Needy.

“Stop thinking so hard, Ally,” Brayden whispered in her ear, the warm tendrils of his breath sending shivers of need down her spine, a need she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“I’m not thinking hard,” she countered.

“Yes, you are.” He pulled back and rubbed a finger down the middle of her eyebrows to the tip of her nose. “You get this little line right here when you’re thinking about things that make you sad or angry. I know it’s there; I don’t need to see it.”

“Stop knowing me so well, Brayden Cooper.”

“I know you better than I know myself, Ally. Just because I haven’t acted on it doesn’t mean I don’t know you. I didn’t act on it because, at first, I couldn’t, and then later, it was too soon. Yeah, I know three years seems like forever, but I wanted to make sure you were ready. I know what makes you smile, what makes you ache. I know it all.”

Her heart swelled at his words even though she begged it not to. “I don’t know how that’s possible.”

He framed her face and kissed her lips. “I love you, Ally. I’ve always loved you. I just didn’t say it. It’s funny that my family thought I didn’t know my own feelings. But I’ve always known, Ally. Always.”

She let out a breath. “I’m bad for you, Bray. Greg’s parents aren’t going to forget their goal. They want my babies because of the blood that runs through their veins, but I’m not going to let that happen.”

“I’m not going to let that happen either. Those kids are part of you, part of me. Just because they don’t have my name doesn’t mean I don’t consider them mine.”

This was all happening too fast. His words meant promises that she wasn’t sure she could keep. Just because he thought he wanted it all now didn’t mean he’d want it later. Though she trusted him far more than she’d ever trusted Greg, that didn’t mean she could do it fully. She couldn’t let her children’s hearts be broken over him. She couldn’t let her own heart be broken either.

But, then she remembered the look on Brayden’s face while he held Lacy close. It was already too late to rein in their little minds and hearts. It was already too late to rein in her own.

She’d already told him she loved him. She’d already given herself to him in all but her body, and she knew that would come.

Soon.

Why was she holding herself back? Why was she letting these doubts attack her when they weren’t worth it? She wasn’t the type to live in the moment, but it would be nice to do so, even for a second.

“Ally?”

She shook her head then laid it on his chest, his heart beating beneath her ear like a lifeline.

“I’m okay. At least now.”

“I don’t want you to leave. I know David’s gone, but the danger isn’t over. I want you and the kids to stay.”

“Of course,” she said easily, though the disappointment settled in at the cold practically of the reasons forcing them to stay.

He pushed her back and framed her face again. “I want you to stay for so many more reasons than protection. I never want you to leave, but I think it’s too early for me to say that. So, for now, I’ll lie and say I want you to stay only because of the dangers out there and not because I love you and Aiden, Lacy, and Cameron like my own family, like my everything. I won’t tell you that I want you to stay because I want us to be together in every future I can see.”

Allison stared into his eyes, and her heart beat faster. She loved him far more than she should. But because she couldn’t think past keeping her kids safe, she’d put his promises aside and keep them for later.

She couldn’t think of herself; her family was more important.

But his words would keep her warm when she couldn’t think past the world coming down around her.

“Brayden…”

“No, don’t say anything. I don’t want to hear it. Let’s go downstairs and talk to Tyler before he leaves. The kids are in bed, and then it will just be you and me. And there
will
be a you and me, Ally.”

She didn’t say a word as they walked hand in hand to the living room where Tyler sat in front of a fire, his arm around Abby. The other Coopers had gone home after they’d let the Malones settle, not wanting to crowd them.

Tyler had called the ME to take care of David’s body, citing a hiking accident rather than telling the truth. He’d even interviewed some people who couldn’t remember anything unusual happening on the playground meaning David’s magic must have worked better than they’d hoped. She’d never thought of herself as bloodthirsty, but she’d almost been sorry that none of them had helped him over the ledge.

He’d hurt her babies. The image of ropes around Lacy’s wrists would never leave her mind.

When Allison and Brayden reached the living room, Tyler’s head rose. The steel glint in his eyes would normally have scared her, but this time, it gave her comfort. He was a Cooper, one of the few who cared for her and her family. They sat down across from Tyler and Abby, and tension radiated through Allison.

She didn’t want to talk to them about what had happened. Didn’t want to remember the lifeless look on David’s face at the bottom of the cliff. Didn’t want to think about how she’d try to explain it to her children again, knowing they were too old for lies and make believe. Though they lived in a town full of fairy tales and myths, the realistic truths of death and hatred were there and had to be dealt with.

“The kids asleep?” Tyler asked, his voice low.

“Thankfully,” Allison answered. “I’m surprised they could even sleep after what happened today.” Her voice caught at that, but she swallowed her fear—it wouldn’t do any good now to weep and scream at the unfairness of it all. She also knew that, though her babies were sleeping now, it didn’t mean they would in the future. She’d prepared herself for the nightmares as best as she could.

Just not her own.

“That’s good,” Tyler said. “I want you to be able to get to sleep soon, so I’ll be quick. We recovered David’s body.” She flinched, but Tyler was kind enough to ignore it and continue on. “Everyone thinks it was a hiking accident, and there’s no trace of what happened to Lacy or Aiden. It kills me to have to lie like this, and frankly, I’m not sure I did the right thing. I have to uphold the law. It’s my job, but I also know that things aren’t black and white anymore, and we have to protect our secrets.”

Allison nodded, bile rising in her throat.

“I’d rather protect your children, Ally,” Tyler reasoned. “That’s why I called the North Pole.” He let out a snort. “Never thought I’d say that, but things are changing. Up there they know how to clean things up and what to do in these situations. Though they don’t have to hide it up there, they have to hide it from the rest of the world. I also talked with a few of the elves about forming a special police force here in Holiday. One that will deal with magical matters since we seem to have more issues with that now.  I know you don’t want to hear about this now, but I wanted you to know that things will be different. At least as different as I can make them. We’re going to have a plan and a way of protecting ourselves and our secrets.”

Brayden muttered under his breath and tightened his hold on her. She leaned into him, not caring that she was doing exactly what she said she wouldn’t do—relying on someone other than herself.

This was Brayden.

He was different.

And he wanted her.

Maybe she could lean on him…just for a little bit.

She bit back a curse. That wasn’t fair to either of them, and frankly, this wasn’t the time to be thinking about it.

“Okay,” she finally said.

Tyler’s mouth hitched up in a half smile, and he kissed Abby’s temple. “I know it’s a lot to think about right now, but I wanted to let you know just the same. Now, about the things that concern you.”

She bit her lip, and Brayden tightened his hold again. God, she loved this man, even though she knew she shouldn’t.

“What is it, Tyler?” Brayden asked.

“We know David wasn’t working alone, and he said as much. I looked up what I could about the grandparents, and they seem to be staying where they are. The authorities there are letting them know of David’s demise, which might set them off. Rina told us all she could about gnomes, and I’m still a little wary of what they could do.”

Allison nodded, understanding.

They weren’t safe.

They couldn’t be safe with Greg’s parents out there.

“She’s going to stay here with me. The kids too,” Brayden said in that quiet way of his, and Allison immediately relaxed and wanted to tense at the same time.

Who was he to order them about?

Brayden looked down at her and raised a brow. “Is that okay with you?”

Oh, great, now he takes my opinion into account
?

She couldn’t put her own issues at the forefront, not when she had Aiden, Cameron, and Lacy to think about.

And, God, she wanted to stay for far more reasons than safety. She wanted to stay because she loved him. Loved the way he cared for her and her children, loved the way he made her feel and smile. Yes, she wanted to stay, but she wouldn’t tell him that—couldn’t tell him that. Not when the emotions running through her were so chaotic she didn’t know what she was thinking anymore.

“Yes, that works for me. The kids love staying here anyway.”

At the word love, something brightened in Brayden’s gaze, but neither of them mentioned her use of the word love. They had a lot to talk about that couldn’t be said in front of Tyler and Abby.

As if sensing the undercurrents in their conversation, Abby stood quickly and dragged Tyler up with her.

“It’s settled then. All of us will be around when we can,” Abby explained. “Just stay safe, and we’ll make a plan to protect everyone. I know this sucks right now, but we’re moving forward.”

Allison nodded, and they said their goodbyes. Soon she was left in a cooling foyer with Brayden, and she didn’t know if she wanted to jump into his arms and never let go or run to her guest room and hide until she could think straight.

Frankly, she didn’t know when that time could come as it was.

“Ally?”

She turned to find Brayden closer than she’d thought. She could smell the earthy scent that drew her toward him every time she saw him. Allison closed her eyes and inhaled, needing that steadiness that came when she knew he was there—even as her heart raced at the thought of being alone with him.

They’d danced around each other for so long and had started the process of becoming something more than just friends who felt tingles around each other. Now it was time to at least start to make sense of the mess they’d made.

There was no way she’d be able to go to sleep without knowing at least if there was a direction for them to go at all.

They loved each other, but she wasn’t sure she could trust it.

That just made her angrier. It wasn’t Brayden’s fault that she’d been hurt far more than physically in the past. It wasn’t his fault that she couldn’t trust.