The Officer's Promise (Brothers in Blue Book 1) (15 page)

Reaching for my cell phone, I swiped the screen to call her.

“H
ey, babe. Sorry, but I got stuck at work. I shouldn’t be more than half an hour.”

“Don’t worry about it. Sybil says she can take me home.”

“I’d really prefer if you waited for me.”

“Ryker, I’m tired. I just want to go home and soak in a long, hot bath.”

His sexy growl rumbled down the line. “How about you hold off on that bath until I get home?”

I smiled, my tummy dipping as I thought about all of the delicious things he could do to me. “Okay. I’ll hold off on the bath but not on going home. I’m tired and ready to put my feet up.”

He groaned with disapproval, muttering something about how stubborn I was, and I laughed.

He could be so cute when he’s grumpy.

After Sybil dropped me off, I walked into the building and down the vacant hallway. I was pulling out my key when he came out of nowhere.

A gasp fled my mouth as terror gripped me. His body pressed against mine, trapping me between him and the door as his hand swiftly covered my mouth.

“Not one fucking word.” The menacing voice I had tried desperately to forget sent a tremor of fear down my spine. “Open the door, MaryAnn.”

I shook my head, trying to push out a muffled scream behind the pressure of his hand. Something sharp dug into my back, halting my movement and sound.

“Open the fucking door,” he gritted close to my ear. “Or I’ll make you wish you had.”

Closing my eyes, I nodded, not wanting him to hurt the baby. I lifted my shaky hand and stuck the key in the lock. He shoved me through the open door, forcing me to trip over my own feet, landing on my knees. I quickly turned to face him, scooting back as far as I could while he locked the door, keeping a hand behind his back.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to steady my voice as I got to my feet.

“We have some things we need to discuss.”

I shook my head. “No, we don’t. Ryker will be home any minute. You need to leave. Now.”

The smirk residing on his face was just as evil as the look in his eyes. “You think I’m scared of your boyfriend?”

“You should be,” I fired back.

“When were you planning on telling me you are pregnant with my baby?”

Oh God. How did he find out?

I swallowed thickly. “I’m not.”

He saw right through the lie and moved toward me in a fit of rage, backhanding me. “Lying bitch.”

I fell to the floor, a strangled noise purged from my lips, out of both anger and pain. I spat the blood pooling in my mouth while my eyes darted around the room for an escape.

“Doctor’s office called and left a message for your next prenatal appointment.” He shook his head. “I was going to let you go, MaryAnn,” he said, sounding calmer, but the crazed look in his eyes said otherwise. “I didn’t want your whore ass anymore, knowing you spread your legs for that asshole. But now that you have my baby, all bets are off. Go pack. You’re coming home.”

“No!”

His face was an angry shade of red, fire burning in his dark eyes as he brought the hidden hand from behind his back, revealing a knife.

Oh my God!

“You have two choices, MaryAnn. You can either come home and have this baby with me or you don’t have it at all.”

“You can’t do this.”

“Watch me.”

I made a run for it, heading straight for the bedroom as I fumbled with my purse that was still draped across my body to retrieve my phone.

I slammed the door and flicked the lock in place before he could catch me. As his fists pummeled the wood, I swiped the screen of my cell phone with an unsteady hand and hit the last call button.

Ryker answered immediately. “Hey, babe. I’m on my way—”

“Ryker!” I sobbed, looking around for anything I could use as a weapon.

“MaryAnn? What—”

“He’s here! Please hurry.”

Before he had a chance to respond, Trent barreled through the door. A scream shredded from my throat while the phone fell from my trembling hand. I reached for the lamp but was unable to make contact before his hard body slammed into me, taking me to the ground. My head met the hardwood with a resounding thud. Stars danced before my eyes as darkness began to creep in.

He stood above me as I rolled around with a groan, trying to regain my bearings. His eyes were as black as night when his foot cranked back and sent a painful blow to my stomach. I screamed, both in agony and pain, as my heart shattered into a million pieces.

Standing over me, he twisted the knife in his hand, the reflection of the long, sharp blade taunting and cruel. Trent’s expression grew darker, devoid of any emotion, and the words that followed sliced right through me. “I’m going to cut this fucking baby out of you.”

Oh God, Ryker, where are you?

A
s long as I live and breathe, I’ll never forget the sound of her voice. The fear and desperation sent my heart sinking to my stomach.

I floored the gas, red and blue lights bouncing off the darkened road.

I swear to God, if that motherfucker laid one goddamn hand on her, I’m going to kill him.

By the time I made it up to my apartment, I could hear her screaming from down the hall. Anger and fear fueled my pounding feet.

“MaryAnn?” I roared, kicking in the door with my gun drawn.

Rushing down the hall, I found her in the bedroom on the floor. My knees damn near gave out when I caught sight of the knife in his hand.

“Freeze! Back the fuck away from her. Now!” I ordered, rounding him from the outside. His body stiffened but he didn’t obey the demand. “Goddamn it. I said back the fuck up!” My raw voice pierced the heavy silence as I caught a glimpse of blood trickling from the corner of MaryAnn’s mouth.

The bastard finally turned to me, eyes narrowed with the same hatred coursing through my own blood. “You will not have my baby or my wife.”

The moment he fell to his knees, knife raised, I didn’t hesitate, squeezing the trigger again and again until his lifeless body lay bleeding on the floor.

I rushed over to MaryAnn, radioing for an ambulance, panic slamming into me when I noticed the blood between her legs.

“Ryker,” she moaned on a sob. “I’m so scared. The baby.”

Anger swept through me followed by an indescribable fear. The thought of losing her was unbearable. “It’s okay, baby. Everything is going to be okay, I promise. Just stay with me.”

Jesus, I prayed I was telling her the truth, that I could keep my promise.

T
he melody floated through my ears like a gentle breeze, pulling me from my peaceful sleep. I blinked away the fogginess, smiling as the lyrics settled deep into my soul. I’m exhausted, but I wouldn’t miss this moment for anything in the world.

I eased from the bed, tiptoeing down the hall to the living room where a dim lamp offered a soft glow. Van Morrison spun on vinyl, his mystic voice washed over me. A fish cannot live without water. A bird can’t live without a sky. And I can’t live without these two human beings. Home is more than just a place or a thing. It’s whom you can’t live without.

Where the heart is.

In just his uniform pants and dark undershirt, he swayed to the music, our daughter’s cheek resting on his firm chest.

Abigail Ruth Cunningham was born six weeks early, proving once again to be our little fighter. She only stayed in NICU for just under three weeks before she was released. Ryker called her Rocky.

I called her my miracle.

That’s what the doctors had said, too. Due to hemorrhaging after my attack, they weren’t sure how she was able to survive, but by the grace of God, she did. They had put me on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. And while it was tough, I wouldn’t trade one single ounce of pain it took for this sweet girl to get here.

Ryker sensed my presence, just like he always does, and slowly spun to face me, lifting his chin.

I walked toward him. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

He leaned down to drop a kiss to my waiting lips.

“You need your sleep too, baby. Besides, she kept cooing ‘DaDa.’”

I giggled.

“Really? At eight weeks old?”

“You don’t believe me?” His low, teasing voice, like his strong fingers, caressed my skin. Pressing a kiss to the top her head, Ryker smiled before laying her down in the basinet. “Come here,” he said, taking me in his arms.

I don’t know where I would be without this man. The way he looked at her. The way he looked at me…

We were his world.

And they were mine, too.

The song switched to “Crazy Love” and his eyes lit up as he wrapped one arm around my waist, lifting me to stand on his bare feet.

I draped my arms around his neck as he moved us around the living room.

“Closing on the house tomorrow,” he said softly.

“I know.”

“You excited?”

“Very. I’m ready to have a yard.”

Ryker grinned.

“How about you?”

“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we live.”

“Well, you love me so you’re supposed to say that,” I teased.

He laughed but kept it low, rumbling in his chest. Gosh, how many people get to say that they not only fell in love with their soul mate once, but twice, and over and over again every single day since? There have been moments where I thought there was no way I could love him more, but then he always manages to prove me wrong.

“So, we got the baby.”

“Mmhmm.”

“The house.”

“Yes?”

“The family pet.” Ryker nodded at Bernard, sleeping soundly on top of the sofa. “Guess there’s just one thing missing.”

“What’s that?”

He stopped moving, bringing one hand between us, holding a ring between his fingers. “Making you my wife.”

I gasped.

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes!”

My heart was overwhelmed with emotions. Tears sprung to my eyes as Ryker continued. “I want to share my life with you. Do everything I can to make you and my family happy.” Slipping the ring on my finger, he vowed, “That’s a promise.”

The End

There are many organizations out there, but I’ve found S.A.F.E. to be the most universal and available in a lot of cities across the US.

www.safeservices.org

To my family and my dearest, closest friends, you know who you are, thank you for your endless love and support.

To my hooch, best friend, partner in crime, ride or die, K.C. Lynn, thank you for your insight, feedback, and for kicking my ass every step of the way.

You’re my hero.

If it weren’t for you, Kirby and Clare, my life would greatly suck. Thank you both for your support, honesty, and most of all, your friendship.

Megan @ Wild Rose Editing, thank you for your patience and for making this happen in such a short amount of time. You and your logic are AMAZING all the time. Love you!

Kari March @ Kari March Designs for such a sexy cover.

I would also like to thank Candace, Alycia, Sian, Alissa, Traci, and Lara for beta reading my baby for me.