Page 97 of Axton
I sat up and looked at him. “Are you considering it?”
He pulled me back down and rolled on top of me. “Not today or tomorrow. I’d also need your consent.” He chuckled. “But if I propose, and you make the decision to say yes, we will make plans.”
“Yes!” I giggled. “Yes, yes, yes, today, tomorrow, next month, or even twice this Sunday, whenever and wherever you’d take me.” I lifted my head and pecked his lips, then felt a sadness. “I’m scared for my mama.”
He pecked my lips. “Besides keeping you and Koty safe, she’s my priority.” He pecked my lips again. “Irons is acting President since Creed said he’s officially on paternity leave. I have the command center and our investigators on it. Darren is questioning the cult members, and we are looking for them, Belle. We will mobilize and go get them as soon as possible.”
I knew he would do exactly what he said. He was not a man to say anything he didn’t mean, just to make me feel better. We were both exhausted and he laid back down to hold me as we fell asleep.
The next day, we were finally permitted to leave the apartments. I was overly joyed to finally be reunited with Heidi, Steph, Kayla, and Melissa. For the first time in my life, I had friends, like real girlfriends. We were free to converse about anything we pleased, which sometimes I regretted when Melissa and Kayla told stories. We were missing Morgan, Valerie, and Wrenly, but they were all doing things that were very important.
It was afternoon by the time I was able to catch up with them in the cafeteria. Michael woke earlier than me and I woke up briefly when he kissed my cheek and said he would be back in the evening. I learned there were some of my clothes in the dresser, which Michael must have sneaked out of my room at some point. I was just a little amused because I figured out that I didn’t need to sleep in his shirt, he just wanted me to sleep in it. Creed attempted to keep us updated about Morgan. She was doing good, the contractions were still a bit too far apart, and she was only dilated to four centimeters, which I was sure was a disappointment after so many hours of labor. We volunteered to take Addie for them, but Morgan had three great ladies on her team, and Addie wanted to stay with Morgan. Her mom, grandmother, and sister were all with her and Zoey checked on her as much as possible, but she had other patients since some gang members were gravely injured and needed care.
“I think the daddy and daughter dates are a good idea. Ryan doesn’t mind the idea because he wants to set a good example of what a good man looks like to our daughter.” Steph said.
“It would also be a good idea for a family like the Creed’s. Addie just got her forever family and with the twins coming it’s a good idea for her to have some alone time with her daddy. Morgan expressed that Addie felt like she was being replaced with the twins, and I’m sure after what she’s been through it’s scary for her.” Steph said, and I wholeheartedly agreed. I rememberedwhen I had my papa’s full attention when we spent time together and I loved it. I was sure Addie struggled at times with some insecurities.
“Totally agree, and I think if the daughter’s dad is out on mission, we should encourage the dad’s friends to get involved.” Heidi agreed.
A vote went around, and that was when I learned I was officially the newest member of the lady’s guild because I was the wife of an Original. It was a unanimous vote, and Steph would have Felicity add it to the schedule starting in two weeks.
I tried to appear happy, but I was sick for my mama and her situation. I imagined she was scared or injured, and it made me sick. She was never in a good situation, and she was deeply rooted in the beliefs of the church. I didn’t know if I could ever convince her of a future that would include happiness. I wasn’t even sure she knew the definition or if it was something she sometimes hoped would be in her life.
After time with the girls, I spent time with Pammy and Kayla, then we had dinner with no sign of Michael. I had no doubt he was going to work night and day to find my mama for me.
I fell asleep in that apartment, but was woken by Michael in the middle of the night when he kissed my cheek. “Hey, I hate waking you, but they’ve given the all clear to go topside and Morgan is about to have the twins any minute. Would you like to go up and wait with me or stay here and sleep until morning?”
That woke me up quickly. “And miss Addie’s tantrum? Yes! I am definitely going with you!” I was about to see several brave men cower to a pint sized Queen.
Axton
We sat in the waiting room of our own hospital as we all prayed Morgan, and the babies were safe and healthy. Addie sat in the corner, and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. Addie was reading to Belle, and she was so patient with her. Belle had her reread the paragraphs if she stumbled on the words. I never saw such a beautiful site. Addie was my niece, and I loved her dearly, but she was a handful a lot of the time. She didn’t even seem like a challenge for Belle. She had such a kind nature, yet Addie may have respected her for stepping in to stand up to our little bully. Holy shit, that woman over there with those gorgeous eyes and unique copper hair just looked up at me and smiled. She was my wife, and I could barely wrap my mind around it.
I realized just how dark of a place I had been living for pretty much my entire life. It was like the light was always far off in the distance and I worked every single day to get closer to it. I came close to grasping on to it once, but it was ripped further away from me when Natalie died. Then one day, out of nowhere, a blinding but warm light blasted down on me, delivering to me once again, the hope, love, and dreams I once had. She was such a beacon of light that I could barely see anything but her, and I felt alive for the first time I could remember.
I looked around and saw Magnus as he slouched in his chair with his arms crossed while bouncing his knee. He was in deep thought as his best friend and tormentor was risking her life to safely deliver my best friend’s babies.
I thought back to the first time I met Creed, then my memory showed me a short film of how our friendship developed. We were so damn young, looked a hell of a lot alike, and faced hell for it. I swear we had to work ten times harder than other soldiers just to earn any respect from our superiors. We had fun going out on the weekends, finding women and drinking, making more friends, then finally learning Creed’s secret. I waspissed at him for a while, but then realized he wasn’t the only one with secrets.
Then I remembered the first time he saw Morgan in person. We were at a bar for a poker run and Patrick brought her in to use the bathroom. I never saw a man tense up so fast as Creed did when he saw her. I watched as his eyes trailed her to the bathroom, and I knew he was a goner, and he quickly put every barrier he could up to protect himself. Now there I was waiting for news of the lives he created with the girl that got under his skin so quickly in that bar.
I was never a believer of love at first sight, and I never will be one either. To me, anyone who says that shit might as well paint a red flag on their forehead. Love is an end result, a conclusion to several moments of time that started with just a spark of attraction. If the victim was like me, they felt an intense attraction in an instant, then that attraction grew to curiosity, then infatuation, and eventually love. From where I was sitting, and my past experiences, anyone that ever said it was love at first sight ended up being a psycho. Men said that about my mom, then they would end up being carted off to jail. Love was gentle, kind, and forgiving. It doesn’t hit anyone in a matter of seconds. It gently and slowly, and I knew I was still experiencing something that was growing each day.
Melissa was sleeping as she leaned against Drakos, and he was blankly staring up at the ceiling. Granger was by himself and slouching in the chair as he slept. Steph was home with their children. Irons was leaning against Wrenly, and they were both sleeping.
Bolton was curled up against Darren sleeping as he had a whispering conversation with Morgan’s dad. Patrick was looking at his laptop, probably doing someone’s family tree. He took up being an amateur genealogist over the last six months or so. Itwas a hobby, and he definitely needed one. The guy probably already slept with most of Sinclair County. His other sister was next to him looking at her phone.
I laid my head back against the wall and remembered how significant of a night it was for Creed. I remembered every damn time I almost lost him. We went on plenty of missions together, we were captured for over twenty four hours at one point, then I was chosen to lead command on a few of his missions he had to take without me. A few of which resulted in me having to drop in and save his ass. Jesus, just the lives I had to take to get him to this moment alone was unbelievable. Even after leaving Delta Force, I had to drop in and save his ass in war zones twice, and almost went to prison the first time. I’d never forget the look in his eyes when he would realize the torture was ending when he looked up and saw me. I had seen him beaten to an inch of his life, sometimes as he was tied down and others as he hung by his wrists with blood all over him. It didn’t matter the situation, when I showed up to kick some ass and get my best friend home, I would see the relief, admiration and dare I say love in his eyes. The thankfulness those eyes always communicated to me. I lifted my head to see Creed walk through those doors of that miniature hospital, his wet eyes met mine, and I saw it once again. My best friend just fell in love again twice and his children were born. He nodded, and I knew what he was saying to me. ‘Brother, if it weren’t for you, I never would have had this moment.’ I gave him a nod just as I felt tears building in my own eyes. Every knife wound, every graze of a bullet, every day of starvation while held captive, and every brother in arms I held as they took their last breaths came down to that one moment. Creed was now a father of three, and I was so damn proud of him.
He looked around the room and his eyes landed on Addie. He took a deep breath and composed himself like I saw him do many times and he spoke the words Addie most dreaded in the world. “Colton and Cole can’t wait to meet their big sister.”
Everyone gasped instead of cheered the way they should have been able to, because Addie was about to have the meltdown of a lifetime. The eardrum busting scream that left her body had all of us covering our ears.
I looked at Belle, her jaw was dropped in shock over the high pitched scream, and the look on her face probably matched my own. I saw Creed battle with his fight or flight instincts and almost run back through those doors and leave Addie to us to deal with, but he made three big strides and knelt down to Addie.
She stopped screaming and looked at her father with a level of anger that I had never seen on her before.
“Addie, they’re just tiny babies and they need you…” Her job dropped and she screamed again until Creed grasped her little face and gave her a look that probably scared the shit out of the girl. “Like it or not, little girl, these two innocent babies need a big sister like you to protect them. These two little guys are going to look at you like you hung the moon, because you are brave and smart, you will always protect them like me and everyone in this room has done for you. These babies need you, Addie, just like you need all of us.”
