All In: Raising the Stakes Page 16

  God, it sounds like him, but all kids probably sound the same.

  "Drew, what's your favorite color?" I ask, then quietly whisper to Simmons, telling him to ask the officer to send a photo.

  "Bwue."

  "Drew, this is Joe. Do you remember me? What did we play with the other day?"

  "My choo-choo. Where's my Kay Kay?"

  "That's him, without a doubt!" I tell them without needing the photo confirmation. "Where…how…where's Katie?" I ask the officers monitoring her tracking device.

  "She's just pulling up at the courthouse," Tyler says.

  "What's going on Simmons? Where was Drew found?" I ask frantically.

  "That was Maxwell calling from the station. Rakes just brought the boy in and turned himself in. He said he's had him the whole time to keep him safe from Brown and Brannock after he found out what they were going to do."

  "Those lying bastards! I knew it! We've got to stop her!"

  "She doesn't have a phone on her, so let's go," Tyler says.

  "I'll go to the station and check on Drew," Chad offers and I agree, then we’re all out the door. Tyler and I speed through the roads to get downtown in my SUV. Several cop cars follow, since Tyler is the one monitoring the tracker on his phone.

  "Tell me she's still there, Tyler."

  "Shit, she's moving. Heading down Main toward the highway."

  "Fuck!"

  "It's okay, we'll follow and she'll lead us to them. We can get them before she even knows we're there."

  For an hour, we follow the damn taxi as it goes in circles before finally coming to a stop at a hotel just outside of town. By then we’re only two minutes away.

  "I don't like this," I tell Tyler. "If we go in guns blazing, they'll take her hostage or kill her straight out."

  "Then drive faster or slow up to wait them out. I don't know, Joe. I'm calling Simmons for orders. The damned Feds are involved, and honestly I think they wanted to use Katie as bait either way. They don’t tell us what their planning, but I’m sure they are on top of this. I'll provide you with backup, either way."

  Shit! I don't know what to do. My gut tells me to get there as fast as possible, so that's what I do. We pull into the shitty hotel's parking lot and the taxi is still there, making me think we've made it in time. Pulling up beside it though…fuck! Katie isn't in it. Tyler is already calling the assembled officers to move in immediately.

  "Where'd she go?" I get out and yell at the driver. He points farther down the row of rooms, so I take off running in that direction with Tyler right behind me. All I keep thinking is that we’re fucked if she's already gone into a room. It would take us forever to check every single one of them and by then…oh God I don't want to think about it! But then I see her, her hand on a door knob.

  "Katie, no!" I yell.

  Startled, she jumps, and looks over her shoulder at us. Surprise and confusion spread across her face, before the anger.

  "What are you doing? You can't …" she starts yelling.

  "Drew's safe. I talked to him," I'm trying to assure her right when the hotel door opens.

  "Down!" Tyler yells, and I tackle Katie to the ground, covering her when gunshots sound so close behind me that I brace for their impact.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Katie

  One minute I’m certain my life is over, but at the same time, I feel a sense of peace. Then the next minute I hear Joe’s voice and time freezes. My heart and lungs stop working and my body is paralyzed, unable to move a muscle underneath the protection of Joe’s body.

  "Come out with your hands up!" Tyler orders. It sounds like his voice is muffled and far away.

  "We're clear," he finally says into the silence after what feels like an eternity. He talks into his radio calling in some code. I faintly hear other voices but it sounds like they’re underwater.

  "Are you okay?" Joe asks, his face buried in my hair. “Please tell me you’re okay.”

  “I-I’m okay. Are you? Did you…did you get hit?” I ask.

  “I’m good. I’m better than good. Thank God we got here in time.” Pushing himself up off of me, his eyes roam from one end of me to the other, searching for injuries. His hands goes to the side of my head and comes away with blood on it. “You hit your head?” he asks.

  “I guess so. I don’t remember,” I say. “I’m fine. Drew's really safe?" I ask, trying and failing to blink the tears away.

  "Yes, I swear. Rakes had him the whole time. He took him into the police station and turned himself in."

  All the air rushes out of me in relief. "You're kidding."

  "That's what they said. We left before I had time to ask any more questions, but Chad went to the station to check on him," he says, then hugs me to him again, kissing my forehead. “God, I was terrified we wouldn't make it in time. I love you too much to lose you, Katie Kat.”

  “I love you, too,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around him. When he finally pulls away, he stands up and helps me get to my feet.

  Brannock and Brown are face down on the ground, hands cuffed behind their backs. Brannock is bleeding out onto the cement from somewhere on the front of his body. I can't find it in me to feel any sympathy for the son of a bitch.

  "Tyler, are you all right?" Joe asks.

  "Yeah, I hit him before he fired, making his shot go wide," he answers with a smile.

  "Thank God," I exhale in relief. "Now can we go get our boy?" I ask.

  Joe smiles and nods. "Tyler, we're heading to the station to get Drew. We'll give our statements there, okay?" he asks.

  "Sure," he says, waving us on. "Go."

  We climb into Joe’s SUV, and begin weaving through all of the emergency responders. We pull up at the police station fifteen minutes later. I jump out before he comes to a complete stop at the curb. Pushing through the front doors, I run down the hall, finally spotting them. I fall to my knees and pull Drew into my arms, not sure if I’ll ever let him go again. He hugs me back tightly, and then I start looking and feeling him over from head to toe. He looks just like he did the last time I saw him, other than his eyelids being heavy like he’s tired.

  “Are you okay, sweet boy?” I ask, and he nods.

  “I miss you, Kay-Kay,” he says with his little lip out, breaking my heart.

  “I missed you, too,” I tell him, crushing him to me again. “Did anyone hurt you? Did they touch you? Are you hungry?”

  “The pediatrician just left,” Chad says crouching down next to us with his arm around me. “He did a full evaluation and said he’s perfectly healthy, just a little confused and sleepy.”

  I nod and let out another sigh of relief. “Thank you,” I tell him.

  "Joe! Can we play choo-choo?" Drew asks when he sees him come through the door.

  …

  Joe

  I give Drew a big hug, so relieved he’s back safe with us and unharmed. "Yes, I promise as soon as we get home we'll spend the rest of the day playing with your train."

  We'd set up the track in my den the first night he and Katie came to stay with me. I knew that for the past twelve hours it had been harder for Katie than it was on me to walk past it, and the empty bedroom he'd been sleeping in.

  "How are you feeling, Drew? Are you hungry? Thirsty?" I ask.

  "Peaceman gave me ceweal and milk," he says.

  Katie’s hands are still patting him all over, checking him for injuries, but he seems perfectly fine, all things considered.

  "I'm going to talk to the officers, and then I'll be right back, okay?" I tell Chad and Katie.

  An older officer is waiting down the hall and smiles when I approach.

  "Do you think I could go see Rakes?"

  "Sure, give me a minute to bring him up.”

  I wait in the hallway until they put Rakes in one of the attorney conference rooms.

  Taking a seat in the folding chair across from him, he looks just like his prison photo, still sporting a brown, shaggy beard. His dark eyes look tired and weary. />
  "Mr. Rakes, I'm Assistant District Attorney Joseph Montgomery, but I'm not here on a professional basis. Katie Albright is my girlfriend, and I just wanted to thank you for bringing Drew back to her."

  "I'm sorry I scared him and her both. When I found out he was alive...I had to see him. Brown and Brannock had more…malicious plans that I went along with for a time, but I only just wanted to meet him just once."

  "How'd you find out about him?" I ask.

  "After we got out, Brannock started searching for Katie. He tracked down her Facebook page. A few of the pictures were public. Seeing the one of him…with the number three candle and the red hair…I knew he was Kelly’s."

  I nod, at a loss for words as he tears up.

  "I'm so damn sorry she lost her sister, but I’m glad she decided to raise him. He's a really sweet kid," he says with a smile.

  "Yeah, he is."

  "Did you catch them? Brannock and Brown?" he asks.

  "Yeah, they're in custody."

  "I'll testify against them, it's not like I have anything to gain or lose."

  "Okay, I'll let the District Attorney know," I assure him as I stand up from the small table to leave.

  "Drew talked about you. Told me he was staying with Joe and Chad and had a big boy room. He deserves a good father like you instead of the one he was born to."

  "Yeah, he does," I agree, hoping one day I'll get the chance to permanently fill the role.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Eight Weeks Later…

  Joe

  "Deep breaths, sweetheart. Come on, it's almost over," Will assures Lacy. God, I really want him to be right. Seeing Lacy in pain is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

  "Ugghhh! I'm gonna kill…whichever one of you…knocked me up!" she screams at us.

  The delivery room is hotter than hell even though it’s January, but there are a lot of us packed into it. Lacy had told us we didn't have to stay, but for whatever reason, all of us had. Probably because on the chance it’s our son or daughter, we want to be present for their birth.

  Zack Bradford's big ass looks like he’s going to pass out, even though he’s sitting down. Chad's white dress shirt is drenched with sweat, and he can't stop moving or fidgeting. Will’s holding Lacy’s hand, trying to help her get through the contractions that are clearly getting worse. The stubborn woman won't let them give her any pain medicine.

  "Joe?" she calls out for me.

  "Yeah, Lace?" I ask, moving to the side of her bed. The blonde hair around her face is soaked with sweat, her face is blood-red, and her eyes are so tired. I know she’s exhausted.

  Her fist unexpectedly grabs a handful of the front of my blue dress shirt to pull me down closer to her face. "Go find the doctor…Tell him to get this baby out of me now or you’re gonna charge him…with assault on a female!"

  "Yes, ma'am," I reply, so she'll let me go before she chokes me out.

  I leave the room and inhale a clean breath of fresh air in relief when I get to the hallway. I calmly ask the nurse to check on Lacy to see if she’s further along, then I go out to the waiting room to give everyone an update.

  Lacy's dad, her friends Kylie and Erica, Jules and Dylan, Will's parents, Katie, and Zack's new wife, Natalie, all look up expectantly. "Not yet, and dear God I hope for all our sake's that it's soon," I tell them.

  "Son of a bitch!" The curse comes through the waiting room door from down the hall.

  "Was that Lacy?" her dad asks.

  I nod. "Good thing Drew's with the babysitter or his vocabulary would be rapidly expanding." After our reunion with him at the police station, he and Katie moved in with me. Maybe some people might think it was too soon, but we wanted to spend every available second of the day and night together. Not being with Katie and Drew is unimaginable now. Chad stays with us most nights, but he hasn’t officially moved in. I’m sure he would, but I haven’t asked him to. Even though I’m starting to wonder if I picked Katie over him because it’s easier and more…acceptable to be with her, I’m still holding back. I absolutely, without a doubt, love Katie and Drew. They offer me something I’ve never had before, their love fills the cold emptiness. I may love Chad the same way I love Katie, but I just don’t know where he fits into our life, our future…which has a whole new type of guilt weighing on me lately.

  "How are all the guys holding up?" Will's mom asks, snapping me out of my musing.

  "Ah, well, Will's being a trooper even though Lacy's giving him hell. Chad's sweating buckets, and Zack looks like he's going to pass out. It's…crazy in there, but they won't leave."

  "What are you doing, taking a break?" Katie asks me with a smile.

  "Yes, oh, and Lacy told me to go yell at the doctor to get the baby out or I’d have him arrested. I'll tell her I gave him a really hard time when I go back."

  "And you want me to go through all this with your gigantic spawn?" Jules asks Dylan. "No way!"

  "Come on, baby, we need an heir," he teases with a smile while Jules shakes her head adamantly.

  "Joe, let's go! The doctor said she's ready to push," Chad shouts when he throws open the waiting room door.

  "Oh shit," I mutter, running both hands nervously through my hair. "I'll see you guys soon," I tell them, then we’re rushing back to her room. Lacy's screams are louder now, and when we walk in, I immediately know why. The baby's freaking head is coming out of her. Zack's head is now hanging between his legs, and I'm sure when this is all over, I'll find that hilarious and never let him live it down.

  "Okay, Lacy. The head and shoulders are out! Just one more push, and you've done it!" the doctor tells her. I avoid the business end and just focus on watching Lacy and Will's reaction when the baby's cries suddenly erupt into the room.

  "Oh God!" Lacy mutters trying to raise up and see. "Healthy? Boy or girl?"

  "It's a girl, and she appears to be very healthy," the doctor replies, letting Will cut the umbilical cord before a nurse takes the baby from him. Lacy slumps back in relief against the hospital bed. "Thank God."

  I’m standing next to the bassinet when the nurse brings the baby over and starts cleaning her, so I pull out my phone and take a few pictures. After the exam, she’s deemed healthy even though she’s three weeks early. She’s so tiny; weighing six pounds and three ounces. Wrapping a blanket around her and pulling a pink cap over her light hair, the nurse finally hands her to Lacy.

  I snap a few pictures of her smiling down at her daughter, holding her for the first time and then slip out to tell everyone in the waiting room.

  "It's a girl!" I say, and they all come out of their seats with excitement.

  "They're both doing great," I add, showing them the pictures I'd snapped. After everyone gets a look at the photos, I promise them we'll get them back to see Lacy and the baby as soon as possible.

  When I step back into the delivery room, Will’s holding the baby and the doctor and nurse are finishing up and heading out. I ease beside him for a closer look.

  "Well, she's beautiful, so she's definitely not Zack's," I joke, teasing the arrogant, handsome man.

  "Her hair's light, though," Will says softly, meaning he thinks she might be Zack's or Chad's, but Lacy has light hair, too.

  "I guess, we'll know soon, right?" I ask. All of us have swabbed our mouths, and blood was supposed to have been collected from the umbilical cord.

  "Do you want me to go ahead and take the sample on over to the lab?" Chad asks.

  "If you don't mind," Lacy says sweetly now that she’s no longer in pain. "We'll know in two to three days. Finally!"

  "Wait," Will says suddenly. "Who else has a chin cleft besides me?"

  "Not me," Chad says in relief, falling backwards into a chair.

  "Me, either." Zack blows out a breath.

  I rub my fingers over the dip I've had my whole life, never knowing if it came from my mother or father, maybe both. "I do."

  "Then it's down to you and me since Lacy doesn't. This little girl definite
ly has one, and it's a hereditary trait," Will says, rubbing his fingertip gently over her tiny chin.

  "Oh, thank goodness!" Lacy exclaims. "No offense Chad and Zack."

  "You know I'd do what I needed, but it's a damn relief," Chad tells her.

  "Ditto," Zack agrees.

  "You want to hold her?" Will asks me.

  "Oh shit," I mutter when it actually hits me. "There's a fifty-fifty chance that she’s my daughter."

  "Welcome to the program, Joe," Lacy teases.

  "No, I mean when it was a quarter of a chance it seemed so much smaller…but fifty percent is…really freaking high."

  "Wow, he's great at math, too," Zack comments. I flip him off before taking a seat in a chair since I’m feeling a little off balance. Okay, a lot off balance. I’m about to hold a baby girl that might be mine. She may be the first blood relative I’ve ever actually known, and if so, I’ll have a responsibility to for her the rest of her life. Along with Lacy and Will, it’ll be my job to make sure she’s happy, loved, and has everything she could ever want.

  Will gently places the small, warm bundle down in my arms. Looking at her tiny, scrunched up face, she’s…incredible, and I’m completely torn. I know she’s Will and Lacy's no matter what, but I want her to be mine. I want to be a part of creating something so amazing, but at the same time I know I should be sharing this life-changing feeling with Katie. I've bought her a ring and I am just waiting for the right time to ask her to be my wife.

  …

  Katie

  The group in the waiting room helps make the time pass by quicker than I imagined. They’re all a hoot, especially Dylan and Jules who I’ll always feel indebted too even though the bastards never got a penny of their money. Lacy’s dad seems the most uncomfortable with this…complicated situation, but Will and Jules’s parents are laid back and as happy as they can be about becoming grandparents, regardless of who the real father turns out to be.

  Finally Chad and Zack come out of the room so that Will's family could go visit.

  "Not mine!" Chad says to us.

  "The baby's not mine, either," Zack tells his brand new wife Natalie. She stands up to hug him. "Oh, I'm sorry, honey. Hopefully we'll have our own soon."