Mended (11 page)

“Hey, big guy.” I reach up and pull Scoot onto my lap. He snuggles down into the fleece blanket with me and purrs a soothing rhythm. My eyes soon grow heavy, and I drift off.

Chapter Eight

Cole

Cole slips his phone into his pocket and heads into the living room where Savannah is lying on the couch. He lifts her legs and rests them on his lap, then places his hand on her belly. “You awake?” he whispers.

“Mmmhmm.” She open her heavy eyes. Scoot is not liking his nap being interrupted, and he shoots Cole a rather rude look.

“I spoke to your doctor,” he says, gently rubbing circles. “You’ve known for about four days?” She bites her lip and her chest falls heavy. “Okay,” he sighs. “She tells me you need to be careful with stress. So what happened earlier is that going to be an issue every time I need to go away?”

She sits up, lowering Scoot to the ground, and pulls her knees up to her chest. He recognizes it as her defensive move, so clearly they have a bump in the road here. “Baby, I have to able to do my job, but I have to know when I leave you’re going to be okay with it too. Maybe you need to talk to the doc about this, maybe—”

“Oh my god, Cole, no more doctors!” She stands and moves over to the fireplace, picking up a model car from the mantel. “I’m so tired of talking to people. Bottom line is you have no idea what it was like for me when you were taken.”

“Don’t I?” He leans forward and rests his arms on his legs. “If I recall, you pranced off to New York to find answers, only to get yourself taken. Seems to me I’d have an idea of what you went through.”

She puts down the car and whirls around to face him. “Really? Did you see me held hostage, kneeling on the floor while a machete sliced through my neck? No. You were at most a day away from me, working on the actual hunt to get me back. I had to stay put and wait while everyone tiptoed around me, not wanting to stress me out.” Her voice drops a bit, and he sees a painful flinch flash across her face. “Not that it helped any.”

He sighs, knowing she’s still hurting from that day; they both are. “So where does that leave us? I can’t not travel, Savannah. Blackstone is my life.” As soon as the words leave his mouth, he regrets them, and he sees her withdrawing. “I mean, it’s all I’ve had for so long, I’ve built my life around it. I can’t give up a family business just so you won’t worry. I could drive to town and be hit by a semi.”

She runs her hands through her hair and lets out a long breath. “I have to get to work.”

He stands and raises his hands. “Seriously?”

“Cole, it’s a little different, me working at a bar and you doing some crazy G.I. Joe manhunt for a guy who beats women within an inch of their lives and has killed men for looking at him the wrong way.”

“I don’t like you working when you’re pregnant, Savi.”

“Well, then, I guess we both don’t like each other working, but neither of us is going to stop, right?”

“Savannah…” His voice has an edge to it.

She grabs her bag, then turns to look at him. Her face is so different. “I don’t want to fight with you, Cole. This is not how I saw this moment going. I think we both need space to think.”

He hurries to block her path. “Think about what, exactly?”

She drops her head and lets her hair make a curtain around her face. She takes a moment to gather herself, then looks up at him with red eyes. “Everything.”

“Ready?” Mike asks from the entryway.

“Yeah.” She waves. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Savi,” he barks, grabbing her hand and hauling her back to him, “don’t you dare find some reason to pull away from me. You can’t tell me you're pregnant and then withdraw. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you better start talking soon. I’ll see you later on tonight, so be prepared to talk then.” He grabs her face and kisses her. She fights it for a moment, then gives in. He gives her belly a little pat before he lets her go.

“Mike, call me the moment you drop her off at home, and wait and drive her to work. I don’t want her walking in the snow,” he warns as she shakes her head toward the door.

“No problem, Logan, I will.” Mike smiles at her and offers to take her bag.

He watches them leave, then pulls out his phone to call Frank when June appears from the kitchen. Her smile tells him she knows about the baby. Good thing about June, she can keep a secret, even from Abigail, if need be. She comes to his side at the window and gives him a pat on the back.

“She’s scared, honey,” she says quietly, not looking at him. “It was truly horrific what she went through here. That poor woman shut down and wouldn’t let anyone in, but it’s how she survives. When she saw that video and then lost the baby all in a matter of minutes, oh Lord, it was…” She puts her hand over her mouth and shakes her head. “It was a nightmare. It scarred her. She still isn’t right. I can see it in her eyes.”

Cole nods, knowing she’s right. “I can too. But I can’t not work, June. I just can’t, it’s what I do.”

“I know, Cole, and she does too, but I think this job is especially painful because it has to do with her. It’ll take some time, but she’ll come around. I bet you anything when you see her tonight she’ll be better.”

He rubs his aching head, wishing he could just pack up her shit and move her back home. “Let’s hope.”

“Congratulations, by the way.” She smiles. “I promise I won’t breathe a word.”

“Thanks.” He lets himself think about the little one growing in her belly. “You think you could help me with something?”

“Anything.”

***

Savannah

I am tired and just want hibernate in my little apartment. All afternoon I’ve felt like crap over my conversation with Cole. Never once did I plan to tell him I was pregnant and then get into an argument. Of course I’d never ask him to leave the Blackstone team. It’s just with Jose, if anything happened to him, it would be my fault again. I feel like crying, but Jake bumps me in the hip, making me move so he can ring in his order.

“Thirty minutes left and the place is still packed,” he groans. “I’m so flippin’ beat, and all I can think about is passing out in Graham’s goose down duvet. I swear I’m only with that man for his blanket. Well…” he gives me a smirk, “that and one other thing.”

“I miss my neighbor,” I pout, fighting down a surge of emotion. Seriously, this whole jacked up hormones thing is getting a little old.

His hands fly to his hips. “You think I don’t lust over your coffee? Or your chocolate chip cookies? Oh!” He smacks my arm. “That reminds me. Keith was in here snackin’ on one earlier. What the hell, woman?”

I chuckle, rolling my eyes. “He had some frozen from a while ago. Trust me, I’ve heard all about it from Mark.”

“Mark doesn’t count. He could eat an entire cow and have room for seconds. He doesn’t love treats like I do, and I have no one making me any…” He gives me sad eyes and sticks out his cute little lip.

“Fine, the can on top of my fridge.”

“Hang on,” his eyes narrow on me, “you have some cookies in your apartment, like, right now?”

I open a beer and hand it to a woman. “I need them to bribe Keith with.” I shrug, feeling no shame. I turn to my next customer and want to sigh, but I hold it together. “Hello, Don. Scotch, neat?”

“You know I come to this place just to see you make my drink.” He smiles and places his credit card and his hotel key side by side in front of me. “I love how you wait on me.”

I hold back my rolling stomach as I take the credit card, leaving the key behind. When I turn back around to hand him his drink, I jump when I see Cole sitting right next to him.

Don slides the key at me. “You know you want to take it, sweetie.” I rub my face as my tolerance for this man drains out of me.

“Are you going to want another? We close in fifteen,” I say rather rudely. Of course he doesn’t notice. He’s too busy staring at my chest.

I turn to Cole, whose jaw is ticking. I know he could punch Don once and kill the man. “Brandy?” I pull out a glass.

“Please.” He nods, rubbing his face. He seems as irritated as I am. “How are you?”

I pour him a double, slip a napkin under it, and slide it over. “Tired.” I shrug.

“I can fix that, doll,” Don cuts in, waving his room key at me.

Cole goes to speak, but I place my hand on his. “Trust me, Don, you’re not going to want anything to do with me in nine months.”

He makes a disgusted face. “Fuck off, seriously?”

“Seriously,” Cole warns. “Show some respect.”

Don takes a moment, not listening to him, then shrugs. “I’m into kinky shit.”

Cole turns to look at him, and my blood runs cold. I actually fear for Don’s life right now.

“Cole,” I reach for his arm, “please.” He squeezes his eyes shut, calming himself.

“We’re done! Thank fuck!” Jake cheers behind me. “Here.” He slips my tips into my pocket, then reads the situation. “Umm, I’ll punch you out and get your things.”

I take my apron off and wipe down the bar. All the while Cole and Don sit side by side, both watching me. Don has some balls or he has a death wish, or maybe he’s just clueless, but he doesn't move away from Cole.

“Great job tonight, Savi,” Zack says, coming in through the dining room area. “Hey, Logan, so the rumor is true.” I know they’re referring to the fact that Cole didn’t go with the Blackstone team.

“It’s the first time in twelve years.” He glances at me. “Had a good reason to stay behind, though.”

I give a small smile, letting the good feeling spread through me.

Don flicks his head at me. “Last chance, doll.” He flicks his room key at me, hitting me in the chest.

Zack manages to get between Cole and Don in a flash. “Easy, Logan,” he says calmly, then turns to Don.

“I’m going to give you exactly one minute to leave this bar, before the Green Beret behind me bends you small enough to fit inside your scotch glass.” Don looks up at Cole. “I’ve heard you’ve been making trouble for my staff, and I’ve let it go because they’ve been handling it, but what you just did there was crossing the line. Get out, and don't show your face in here again.”

“Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much money I spend here?” Don grumbles, grabbing his jacket. I hand him his card and his bill to sign.

“I don’t care, don’t need your money,” Zack says, pointing to the door. “Leave.”

Don looks over at me and grabs his crotch, making a total ass out of himself. “Your loss, doll. Could’ve been epic.”

Cole starts to move, but Zack grabs Don by the jacket, yanking him toward the door.

“Always exciting since you started working here, Savi.” Jake laughs, trying to bring the tension level down a little. “Here.” He sets my things down on the bar top. “Graham is waiting for me. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He gives me a quick hug, says bye to Cole, and heads out front.

“You done?” Cole asks, shrugging on his jacket. I can feel the anger pouring off him. I want to kick Don’s ass for putting him in this mood. I switch my shoes, tug on my jacket, and grab my bag, coming around to meet him on the other side of the bar. “Come here.” He pulls me over, wrapping his arms around me. “I love you.” He kisses my head and lets out a long sigh. “More than anything.”

“I love you too,” I whisper.

Back at my apartment, I snuggle further under my blanket on the couch. Cole is next to me while we watch
Zero Dark Thirty.
I ask a few questions about how real certain parts are. Kind of neat asking someone who really knows the truth. “Are you upset you’re not there?” I ask guiltily.

He shifts from behind me. “A little, yes. I get a high from the hunt.” His hand slides over my stomach. “But I’d be craving to be right here the whole time, and that would endanger the team.” My hand covers his. “I know you're scared, baby, and we have some things that need to be dealt with before we can move forward, but we’ll do it together, all right?”

I turn, loving his words. I reach up and run my fingers over his stubble. “All right.”

“All right?” he asks, as if he’d been waiting for a fight. I nod with a smile.

“I won’t lie, I am scared, but if I know I have you with me, then I’ll be all right.”

He leans down, capturing my lips and giving me one hell of a kiss. I have to push him away when my phone goes off and won’t stop ringing.

“Hello?”

“Hey, honey.” I mouth ‘it’s your mother’ to Cole. He nods and looks back at the movie. “Sorry for calling so late. I was wondering if you are you free tomorrow. I was hoping we could all have dinner at the house. What with you working then having the flu, I thought that now since you’re feeling better we could all get together.”

“Sure, I’d love that. I could trade shifts with someone. I could do the morning instead—”

“Actually…” She pauses, then there’s a strange noise.

“You have the night off, Savi,” Zack says into the phone. “Go spend time with your family.” I laugh and glance up at Cole, who looks at me funny.

“Thanks, Zack, I appreciate it.”