Bodyguard's Baby Surprise (12 page)

Maybe she wouldn't have panicked so badly if he'd been with her. But she couldn't count on Nick being there for her. He would never stop running away from her.

The doctor reached for the belt to remove the monitor for her belly. But she caught his hand. “Can you leave it on?” she asked hopefully. “For just a little while longer.”

She couldn't move her gaze from the monitor. She couldn't stop watching her baby—to make sure she or he was really all right. The baby wasn't doing anything now but sleeping. But the screen pulsed with every steady heartbeat. Annalise needed that reassurance—visually and audibly—that her baby was fine.

The doctor nodded. “Sure, I'll give you a few more minutes.” He pulled the ER curtain aside and closed it behind him. But just seconds later, the curtain swept open again.

“No...” she murmured, her eyes filling with tears. She needed more time—more reassurance.

“It's all right, honey,” a soft voice said.

She glanced up, expecting a nurse. But this woman wasn't dressed in scrubs. She wore jeans and a short-sleeve sweater. Her curls tumbled around her face, and her brown eyes radiated warmth.

“Nikki?”

The woman smiled, and lines crinkled her eyes and creased the skin around her mouth. She was older than Nikki.

“I'm Penny Payne,” the woman introduced herself.

“You're Nikki's mom?”

She smiled. “The boys', too.”

“Of course.” But that didn't explain why she was here—why she'd come to see Annalise.

The woman's gaze moved to the screen. She reached out and touched the baby on the monitor, her finger tracing over the image. As if the child could feel that touch, he moved inside Annalise—stretching and sprawling.

Annalise gasped as she realized what she'd just seen.

Penny chuckled. “Another boy—of course.”

“Another?”

“Boys are prevalent in the Payne family.”

Maybe Annalise really did have a concussion, because confusion muddled her mind. Nick didn't consider himself a Payne. But that wasn't even the issue. “How do you know my baby is Nick's?” she asked.

Penny's lips curved into a smile—an all-knowing smile. “I know.”

Nick hadn't even been certain the first time he'd seen her in the ER.

“I don't think there has ever been anyone else for you,” Penny added.

Annalise chuckled now. She hadn't been a virgin when she'd made love with Nick. “I think you have the wrong impression—”

“You don't love him?” Penny arched a reddish-brown brow.

“I love him,” Annalise admitted. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back to clear her vision. She couldn't stop staring at that screen—at her son. “Growing up next door to him, I can't remember a time that I didn't love Nick.”

“I'm glad he had you,” Penny said. Her hand touched Annalise's now with a comforting squeeze. “I have worried that Nick had no one who cared about him growing up.”

Why would she care? What kind of person was Penny Payne that she had so much concern for her husband's child with another woman?

Loving. Amazing.

“Nick had me, too,” a deep voice said. And the curtain was pushed aside again.

She hadn't seen him in so long that it took Annalise long seconds to recognize her brother. His hair was a darker blond than she remembered and cut so short she could see scars on his skull. Or were those just shadows? He was thinner, too, his jeans and shirt hanging on his long frame.

He was staring at her as if he didn't recognize her, either. And maybe he didn't. His gaze skimmed over her body—over her belly. Then he finally stepped forward and his arms closed around her, pulling her away from the pillow and against his chest.

She couldn't blink away the tears that stung her eyes now. They were too persistent—too numerous. They spilled over and trailed down her face. She had never lost hope—totally—that he was alive. But it had slipped sometimes.

She had wondered...

And she'd worried.

But he was alive. He was really alive.

The baby kicked, as if rejoicing in their reunion, too.

The only person who wasn't rejoicing was Penny. Annalise could see her face over Gage's shoulder. Her brow puckered with confusion and faint disapproval, she asked, “Who are you?”

She didn't just care about Nick's past. She cared about his present, too. She obviously worried that Annalise had another man.

Gage released Annalise and stepped back. His gaze went from one woman to the other. He had no idea who Penny was, either. He must not have met his boss's mother yet.

“This is Penny Payne,” Annalise introduced them.

He held out his hand to the other woman. His knuckles were cracked and swollen, blood oozing from fresh wounds on them.

“I'm Annalise's brother—Gage.”

“You're Gage Huxton?” Penny Payne asked. And she looked as if she'd seen a ghost. But then, Gage had been presumed dead for months—by everyone but Annalise. Despite the couple of doubts she'd let herself have in dark moments, she had known her brother was too tough to give up without one hell of a fight. He looked as if he'd just been in another one.

And she realized why. He hadn't been surprised to see her pregnant. He'd known. Nick must have told him. And knowing Nick, he had admitted to being the father.

How badly had Gage hurt him?

Chapter 12

P
ain radiated throughout Nick's jaw. He cupped his chin and turned it from side to side. It wasn't broken. He was surprised, though not that Gage had hit him. He'd had that coming. He was surprised that Gage hadn't broken his jaw.

Gage wasn't as strong as he'd been before he'd gone missing. He hadn't yet recovered completely from all those months he'd been gone. At least, not physically.

Personality-wise, he was Gage again. He was the act-first, think-second hothead he had always been. A smile tugged at Nick's mouth, but he flinched as pain radiated through his jaw at the movement.

Something cold pressed against the side of his face. What the hell had happened to his reflexes? Usually he would have seen that coming—like Gage's fist. He had seen that, and he'd purposely resisted the urge to duck. He'd deserved that punch and whatever other ones Gage might have landed.

Cooper shouldn't have stepped in. Nick glanced up, expecting that was who'd brought him the ice. But his gaze met Penny Payne's warm one.

“I didn't know you were here,” he remarked. He hadn't called her. He wasn't sure if anyone had. She had probably just known she was needed.

Not that Nick needed her.

Nick had never needed anyone. But an image flickered through his mind, of Annalise lying naked beneath him.

And need gripped him, overwhelming him with its intensity. He'd needed her last night. And six months ago.

He needed to see her now. The doctor had already spoken to him, had assured him that she and the baby were fine. But he needed to see her for himself, needed to know that she wasn't screaming in pain like she'd been earlier at the condo. Panic clutched his heart as he remembered how terrified she'd sounded.

He needed to make sure that she wasn't afraid any longer.

But Gage had gone back with her. Brother and sister deserved some time alone—after all the months they had been apart.

“I met Annalise,” Penny said.

Nick groaned, and it wasn't because of the pain in his jaw. It was because of the humiliation that washed over him. He didn't deserve to be included in the Payne family portrait. On the other hand, he probably fit in more now than he ever had. He was a chip off the old block.

“You must think I'm like my father now,” Nick said, “getting a woman pregnant and walking away.”

“You're not walking,” Penny said as she settled onto the waiting room chair next to him. She patted his hand. Like Annalise, Penny couldn't
not
touch people. She overflowed with warmth and affection. “You just didn't know.”

Would she have told him? She had gone six months without telling him. Of course, she might not have realized right away that she was pregnant. But it didn't matter when she'd found out. She should have told him the minute she had. He had a right to know.

Now he didn't know if he would ever be able to trust her. She was like Penny Payne in some ways. But not all ways.

“Your father didn't know about you, either,” Penny reminded Nick. “He wouldn't have let your mother leave if he'd known she was pregnant.”

The police officer who'd gone undercover to take down a drug kingpin wouldn't have had a choice in whether or not his mother had left. After she'd agreed to testify against that kingpin, she'd been put in witness protection. But even if Nicholas Payne had known...

Nick snorted. “He wouldn't have chosen her over you.” No man in his right mind would have. He'd often wondered if his mother had drugged the undercover cop. How else could she have gotten him to cheat on his amazing wife?

But before the drugs had ravaged her, his mother had been attractive. She'd kept an album of old photos—even though she should have left them behind after testifying. Maybe she'd kept the pictures to remind her that she'd once been young and beautiful.

And happy...

He had never seen her happy except in those old photos.

“Your father would have chosen you,” Penny said, and she squeezed the hand she held. “He would have chosen to be a part of your life—or he would have tried to talk her into giving up custody to us.”

“Us?” He turned fully toward her—shocked at what she was insinuating. “You would have wanted to raise another woman's baby?”

Could anyone be as selfless as she seemed?

Because he was watching closely, he noticed the flicker of pain and resentment. She was careful to hide her true emotions from her family. She was used to being strong for them—ever since she'd become a single parent after Nicholas Payne had been killed in the line of duty.

Nick was glad he'd caught that glimpse of the real Penny. She was human. She hadn't entirely forgiven the man who'd cheated on her.

Her family thought she'd never remarried or even seriously dated because she had loved her husband so much and mourned his loss yet. Nick realized now that it was because her husband had betrayed her. He'd destroyed her trust. And she struggled to trust again—even all these years later.

He squeezed her hand back and murmured, “I'm sorry.”

“It wasn't
your
fault,” she said.

“That wasn't,” he agreed—even though he still felt guilty over the pain Penny had suffered because of him. “But Annalise—that is my fault.”

She lifted her free hand to his swollen jaw. “Is that why you let Gage hit you?”

“I deserved more.” Cooper should have let Gage pound the hell out of him.

“You deserve happiness, Nick,” she said. “You deserve Annalise.”

Annalise was happiness—or she had been before he'd put her in danger. Now she was scared. And she must have been angry with him for making love with her six months ago and walking away. That had to be why she hadn't told him she was pregnant—because he'd hurt her. She hadn't even called him or texted him like she used to before he'd slept with her.

If only he hadn't been such a fool.

Penny lowered her hand from his face and glanced toward those no-admittance doors to the ER. “I thought Gage Huxton was dead.”

“I didn't realize you knew anything about him and Annalise.” It shouldn't have surprised him that she did, though. Penny always knew more than anyone else—even him. And he was the guy who knew more than anyone else, or so he'd thought. For the past six months, he'd been completely unaware that Annalise was pregnant and in danger because of him.

She turned back to Nick and released a weary-sounding sigh. “I'm planning the wedding for FBI Chief Lynch's daughter,” she explained.

Nick knew Woodrow Lynch well. After his wife had died, he'd spoiled his daughters to make up for the pain of their loss. “Is she a bridezilla?”

“Megan?” Penny adamantly shook her head. “No.”

“Then what's the issue?” He could tell there was one.

Penny replied, “She thinks Gage is dead.”

Nick had been so busy, he couldn't remember if he'd mentioned Gage's survival to his boss and Gage's former boss. Maybe he hadn't. Gage hadn't exactly left the Bureau on the best of terms—not after he'd acted like a hothead. “She hasn't heard he's alive?”

Penny shook her head. “I don't think she would be getting married if she knew.”

“She would,” a gruff voice said as Gage joined them.

Penny jumped and pressed her hand against her heart. “You keep sneaking up on me.” And she obviously wasn't used to that.

Gage had gotten good at that, at the silent approach. He hadn't gotten good at hiding his emotions, though. Bitterness emanated from him. “Megan Lynch and I were done a long time ago.”

Even if Penny wasn't almost clairvoyant, she couldn't have missed his pain. It was palpable. “I'm sorry,” she said. “I didn't mean to interfere.”

Of course she did. It was what she always did. But Gage didn't know that. He didn't know Penny.

She stood up as if getting ready to give up her chair to Gage. Nick wasn't certain his old friend would want to sit next to him, though. Or if he even considered him a friend any longer.

Gage caught Penny's arm. “Don't leave,” he told her. “I need your help.”

“My help?” Her face brightened with hope. “With Megan?”

He snorted. “Hell, no.”

Penny cocked her head. “Then what?”

“I need you to plan another wedding,” Gage said, “for him and my sister.” He nearly shoved his finger into Nick's chest. “Nick and Annalise are going to get married as soon as possible.”

Nick should have been horrified, or at least afraid. But he felt none of that. He felt like he did when he made love with Annalise.

Like it was right.

Like it was home...

* * *

“Nick and Annalise are going to get married as soon as possible.” The words hung in the suddenly silent waiting room. Annalise wished she could grab them from the air and shove them back in her big brother's big mouth.

She had pulled off the baby monitor and dressed as quickly as she could because she'd been afraid of what Gage would do. She'd worried he might have already hurt Nick and that he'd gone back to hurt him some more.

She hadn't realized he was going to embarrass the hell out of her. Her face heated with embarrassment as everyone stared at her. Were they waiting to see if she would agree?

Maybe they thought it was her idea, that she'd gotten pregnant to trap Nick. She'd worried that was what he would think. That was partially why she hadn't told him when she'd found out she was pregnant a few months ago. She'd worried that he would think she'd done it on purpose.

The other reason she hadn't told him was that when she'd found out three months had already passed—in which he hadn't contacted her. No phone call. No email. No text. It was as if he'd forgotten about her completely, while he had never left her mind. Or her heart.

But as much as she loved him—or maybe because she loved him so much—Annalise didn't want to marry Nick because he'd been pushed to the altar at the end of a shotgun.

She forced herself to laugh, but it rang hollowly in the crowded but weirdly silent room. “Don't be ridiculous, Gage.”

He turned back to her as if he was surprised she would protest. But then, after all the years he'd watched her chase Nick, he had to be surprised that she wouldn't take advantage of the situation to catch him.

Annalise knew that even though she'd caught Nick, she couldn't hold him. He would run away again. At the moment, she wanted to run first. Her overreaction to the Braxton Hicks contractions had been embarrassing enough, but Gage had mortified her.

“I'm being realistic,” Gage said. “You two need to get married.”

“Why?” she asked. “This is the twenty-first century. It's almost more common to be a single parent than to be a co-parent.”

Nick hadn't had a father. After his father had died, his brothers and sister hadn't had one, either. Penny Payne had managed on her own; Annalise could, too.

As if disgusted with her denseness, Gage shook his head and turned back to Nick. “Tell her you're going to marry her.”

Nick's face flushed now. He was apparently as embarrassed as she was. “Gage...”

“Do you want my nephew to be a bastard like you are?” Gage asked.

Annalise's gasp escaped into the silence left after Gage's obnoxious remark. Nick gasped, too. And now the color drained from his handsome face, leaving him pale and shaken. But he wasn't offended. He was in awe.

“Nephew?” he repeated. Then he turned toward her. His blue eyes intense and curiously bright, he asked, “Are we having a son?”

She couldn't speak. Too much emotion welled up, choking her. She could only nod.

Then one emotion overpowered her others: anger. She struck out at her brother, pushing him back. Gage, who was usually so solid and immovable, stumbled away from her. “The only bastard here,” she told him, “is you! How dare you call my son that.”

Or the man whom she loved.

As he finally came to his senses, Gage shook his head with regret and murmured, “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.”

“No, you shouldn't have.” Penny Payne was the one who admonished him in that maternally disapproving way that made every child, no matter how old, squirm.

“He's right,” Nick defended his oldest friend. He was still staring at Annalise with that strange look of hope and awe and shock.

From the fresh bruise on his jaw, she could tell he'd fought with Gage. Had he struck his head, as well? Did he have a concussion that had addled his brain? Because he couldn't seriously be proposing what she thought he was proposing.

To her.

Confirming it, he uttered the phrase she'd longed for most of her life to hear him say. “We should get married.”

Nick didn't love her. And because he didn't love her, there was no way Annalise could marry him. But she was too overwhelmed to speak again.

Everyone else was talking, offering congratulations and suggesting plans, as if her wedding was a foregone conclusion. She could only stand on the sidelines, watching the action of her own life, and shake her head.

No matter how much she wanted it—how much she'd always wanted it—there was no way she would ever be Nicholas Rus's bride.

* * *

Guns weren't allowed in the hospital—which was probably lucky for Nick. Cooper didn't believe Gage would have actually shot his friend and former idol. But he suspected he would have threatened him with it.

Threatened him in order to get Nick to marry his sister...

Not that Nick had put up much of a fight.

Annalise was the one who looked as if she wanted to fight. But no words of protest emanated from her mouth, either. She was probably exhausted. And so was Nick.

Payne Protection needed to get them safely back to the security of Milek's condo. Still talking about a wedding, the group moved through the hospital lobby.