Lyon's Heart (25 page)

“Here’s the big
girl.”

Mom came over to take the
baby and I almost didn’t give her up, but this was mom, she
wouldn’t let anything happen to our girl. I caught Jared’s eye and
called him over after mom walked off.

“Listen, I want you guys to
keep your eyes opened tonight. There’s going to be people in and
out of here all night and I don’t know all who’s coming. You know
Elena invites friends of friends and bullshit. Plus the caterers
are unknowns I don’t want my wife and kid unprotected at any point
tonight you get me?”

“Sure Colt, I’ll get the
guys on it, where’s Kat?”

“Doing some shit to her
face.”

Just then, she came down the
stairs and I was almost tempted to take her right back up again.
She looked fucking amazing, her dress was a red floor length number
that clung to her and showed just a hint of cleavage but not enough
to make me lose my shit. But it was her ass that was a showstopper,
fuck, where’d she get that ass?

I snagged her around the
waist as soon as she reached the last step.

“You look hot as fuck
Angel.” I whispered in her ear and nipped it, making her shiver in
my arms.

“Thanks honey you look great
too, I cant’ believe you actually got dressed up.”

“Yeah well I didn’t want to
deal with Elena and her shit but I’m losing the jacket in ten
minutes.”

“No don’t it looks hot,
makes me want to drag you off somewhere and violate you for a
change.”

“Let’s go.”

“Geez Colt, we just did it
like half an hour ago, get a grip. Besides, you can’t wrinkle my
dress.”

“Fuck a dress
shit.”

“You’re a mess. Now let me
go say hi to our guests; where’s Caitlin?”

“Where do you think? Listen,
I want you two to stay close tonight. No wandering off outside and
shit without me.”

“I know Colt, you’ve told me
at least a hundred times already. Now tell me again what we’re
doing when it’s the baby’s bedtime?”

“We kick the fucks
out.”

“Colton.”

“We put her in her crib, but
someone’s going to be here at the stairs at all times. If not one
of us, her grandfathers and Cy say they’ve got it or Jared and the
guys. I have to go check on dad, make sure he’s not toked already
or he won’t be no use for anything.”

“Leave your poor father
alone, to hear you tell it, the poor man doesn’t do anything but
get high.”

“It’s the truth. I don’t
know how he still has a job.”

“I’m going to go say hi,
have fun, or at least try will you?”

“You have fun, I’ll keep
watch.”

The party was going just
fine, there were no surprises thankfully and when we went up to put
the baby down, I did wrinkle Kat’s dress after all.

Daniel with his high ass was
showing off his gingerbread house and mom was plotting his
demise.

“Shit, I can’t beat that,
how am I supposed to beat that? I know, a poodle, Caitlin loves
poodles.”

“You’re not getting her a
dog. I told you and your crazy husband to leave my kid out of your
shit.”

“Why can’t she have a
dog?”

“Because those shits bite
that’s why.”

“Colton seriously, you’re
not ever going to get my granddaughter a dog?”

“She’ll get one when she’s
older and can take care of it.”

“You really are out of
control.”

“Whatever, where’s my
wife?”

“She just went into the
kitchen to check on the food why?”

“Nothing, I’ll be right
back.” I saw her shake her head but whatever. Kat was fine, she was
coming out of the kitchen when I got there.

“Everything okay
Angel?”

“Yep, just wanted to make
sure they had more of those cheese puff things because everyone
seems to love them. The party’s a hit can you tell?”

“Yeah people are having fun.
I’m gonna go check on bear.”

“We just put her
down.”

“Your point?”

All in all the night was a
great success, everyone had a good time as usual, and my worrying
was all in vain. I only checked on my little girl about ten times
to the enjoyment of my family and friends. I give a
fuck.

Tomorrow is Xmas eve and I
have to run into the city to pick up my last minute gifts. I don’t
know what the fuck; last year I spoiled the fuck out of Kat, this
year I’ve got two of them to take care of. I don’t know what’s the
deal with this no matter what I buy it’s not enough.

“You got all your shit for
tomorrow or you need to pick up shit?”

“No we’re good, stop
worrying, Caitlin’s going to have a great first Xmas. I think
you’ve covered everything that could possibly need
doing.”

“If you say so, I don’t want
her looking back at old videos and pictures and shit and finding
her old man lacking. I’m glad that’s over, is everyone out of my
house?”

“Yes honey, thank you for
not kicking them out.”

“Time for bed, let’s go
check on our girl.”

The baby was asleep in her
usual fucked up position so I took my wife to bed and nailed her to
the mattress.

“Babe, I have to make a run
and I’ll be a few hours tops, you good?”

“Yes we’re good. Aren’t we
Caitie bear?” She waved the baby’s arm at me.

“Tomorrow’s her first Xmas I
can’t believe it.” She’s so cute, both my girls are.

“Come here.” I kissed both
my babies before leaving the house. I had to go pick up their last
minute gifts and go by the shop and make sure everything was cool
there since the place was going to be closed for two weeks until
after the New Year. I didn’t let thoughts of our unwanted guest
take over today. Like my wife said, it’s Xmas, my little girl’s
first, and I want it to be damn near prefect. After tomorrow
though, I’m going after her ass hard. I still haven’t been able to
find anything on her which was starting to burn my ass.

“Put it away for now Colt,
just concentrate on your girls.”

My girls, it brings a smile
to my face just thinking about them; I hope the gifts I’d picked
out for them were enough. This is the sort of shit I worry about
now, fuck me.

I picked up my gifts and
headed for the shop where the guys were trying to tie shit up
before the break.

“You guys got everything you
need for the holidays?”

Everyone was on. I didn’t
want to leave too much undone so it was all hands on
deck.

“We’re good boss, we’re
almost done here.”

“Are we making a drop or not
Colt?”

“If we can get the shit done
before three, the buyer says he’d take delivery then but then after
that he’s gone.”

“I think we could have it
ready by then.”

“You actually left the girls
alone?”

“Shut up Jared.”

“How many times you call her
between here and home?”

“I didn’t and it’s killing
me.” I admit it, killed me not to call her every second since I’d
left.

KAT

Colt seems a little more
relaxed today. After the party last night, he’d taken me to bed and
ravished me into the wee hours of the morning. I still get so hot
just looking at him. His strong arms, those kick ass tattoos, yum.
He’s such a guy, It’s hard to believe that he could morph into this
new person. It’s like getting married and having a baby flipped a
switch in him. All that passion and fire he had for me in the
beginning seems to have multiplied, and people said it would wane
after a while. I haven’t seen any sign of that happening and I’m
eternally grateful. When it comes to Caitlin and me, I have no
doubt Colton would do anything for us. The poor man is driving
himself and everyone else around him crazy just so his little girl
will have the best Xmas ever. At least he’s not still stressing
over the girl from the accident. That’s the thing about Colt, once
he gets something in his teeth, he’s like a dog with a bone and no
amount of begging or pleading will get him to change his mind. I’m
not kidding myself that it’s a done deal but for now his focus is
elsewhere.

I played with Caitlin in her
new gingerbread house enjoying the fact that I’m a mom. Sometimes
it hits me out of the blue, that my life was now become this thing.
This fairytale come true that was never even a blip on my horizon
before. Caitlin kept me busy for the better part of an hour and
then it was cookie baking time. I love the smell of things baking
for the holidays, adds that extra oomph and Colt loves my white
chocolate macadamia nut cookies. He and his father will fight over
them when I take them to his parents tomorrow and my dad will stuff
his face while those two go at it, it never fails. I set Caitlin up
in her high chair and got my stuff ready for some serious baking. I
gave her a toy to soothe her gums as she watched me putter around
the kitchen. A nice cartoon or children’s show would probably be
more fun for her than watching me measure and pour but her dad
would have a fit if I ever did that. The man sure has some strange
ideas. I can’t wait for the teen years. Better not go there. I have
all I can deal with in the here and now no sense borrowing
trouble.

The phone rang fifteen
minutes after I got started.

“Hello…Carol…what’s going
on? I can barely hear you what?”

I hung up the phone after
piecing together what she was saying over the bad connection. I ran
around the room turning off stuff and ditching the apron. I hate
leaving a mess but I’d have to get to that once we got back
home.

“Come on Caitlin, we have to
go get your auntie.”

I didn’t even think of
calling Colt. I was just going to go get his sister. It would take
twenty minutes or so to get her and get back, he wouldn’t even have
to know. I strapped the baby into her seat and pulled out of the
driveway. I turned on the Xmas CD that we kept there for the baby
and she babbled away at me from the backseat. There was hardly any
traffic on the long stretch of road where Carol had said she was
stranded. I saw the car coming up from behind but didn’t think
anything of it other than to note the speed. Probably some teenager
in a rush to get nowhere.

“Slow down kid, nothing is
that important that you have to kill yourself.” Kids.

I wasn’t expecting the jolt
that rocked us when it came. My heart raced as I fought with the
wheel to bring it back under control but then there was a second
jolt. This one much harder and we went off the road. My only
thoughts were of my baby in the backseat as I fought to get the car
under control so I didn’t note anything about i or its driver.
Scared and shaken when we finally came to a stop, I rummaged
through my bag and hit fast dial.

“Kat, what’s up
baby?”

“Colt…come…”

LYON

“Kat, what…where are
you?”

My heart was fucking stuck
in my throat. I know her voice. I know when she’s
afraid.

“I’m on old country road
please hurry.”

I grabbed my keys and ran
from the shop with the guys calling after me. I heard the rev of
engines behind me which told me the guys were following. I guess
they know me too.

“Stay with me baby. I’m
coming, where’s the baby?”

“She’s here hurry please
hurry I’m scared.”

“I’m coming baby I’m
coming.”

“
What happened?”

“
I got run off the
road.”

I was almost afraid to ask
what sort of shape they were in.

“Is my kid okay?” That’s
when I heard the baby screaming in the background. I kept her
talking as I raced to find them every bad scenario I could imagine
running through my head.

“
She’s fine, just a little
scared, are you almost here?”

“Yeah baby. I see you.” I
also saw the police lights and other cars stopped on the side of
the road. Her jeep was down on the embankment but Kat was sitting
on the grass with the baby clutched tightly in her arms. I rushed
towards them and was stopped short by a cop.

“That’s my family.” I didn’t
wait around to hear what he had to say. I just pushed pass him and
went to them.

“Baby, come here.” I hugged
them both close.

“What happened
baby?”

“I don’t know, someone just
hit us and took off.”

I tried to keep my cool but
I was pissed the fuck off. Not only that she was hit but that she
was even on the fucking street.

“What were you doing out
here Kat?”

“Carol called and said she’d
broken down. I thought it would just take a few minutes to get to
her.” She started crying again because she knew it was her
ass.

“I’ll deal with your ass
later. Let me deal with this shit, where’s Carol?”

“I don’t know, she wasn’t
here.”