Duncan (22 page)

“You don’t understand,” she replied, staring off at nothing. Wanting to forget it all, forget she ever met Jared Kincaid, but just the thought of forgetting him sent her heart to her stomach. It hurt. It was an actual pain in her chest that wouldn’t go away. She wondered absently if someone really could die from a broken heart.

“He let me read him.” Adam ignored her last statement.

Her eyes shot to his surprised.

“I saw the picture, and I even doubted. I told him so.” Adam never looked more serious in his life than he did at that moment. “Without thought, he held his arm out and told me to read him. Surprised the shit out of me let me tell you. As secretive as those guys were, he opened everything up to me just to prove himself. He has no feelings for Vicky. None. We even looked everywhere to find you. Called constantly so I could read him in front of you.”

Tessa looked away, wiping a single tear that leaked from her right eye. “Why are you doing this, Adam?” Tessa hissed. “Why can’t you just leave it alone?”

“Because I’ve never seen a love like he has for you, Tessa, and I probably never will. Honestly, it was a little embarrassing for me, but he just stood there as I read every thought.” Adam turned toward the door to leave. “When I touch people, they can’t hide their thoughts from me, they can’t change them. Do you love him, Tess?”

Still, Tessa didn’t say anything, but more tears fell. ‘Yes!’ She wanted to scream, but she was afraid to say it out loud, fear of more pain stopping her.

“I know you do, so I hope you make the right decision.” Adam stopped before walking back into the house. “I hope you’re the person I always thought you were.”

“Adam?” Tessa turned to look at her brother, her face full of pain.

Three steps, he was hugging her. “I love you, Tess. I love you enough to tell you when you’re wrong, and…” he looked deep into her eyes, “you are
so
wrong.” With a kiss to her forehead, he was gone.

Tessa stood, staring at the door long after Adam left. She wanted to believe Adam, but even knowing that Jared cared for her, she had doubts always in the back of her head. How could such a handsome man like him go for someone like her? She had seen the looks people had given them, heard whispers from strangers, mostly women.

Finally looking away from the door, she looked around at all the Christmas decorations scattered around her and felt such a loss and loneliness, it doubled her over. Dropping to her knees, the room blurred as deep racking sobs rocked her body.

Blinking and wiping tears away, she spotted her phone. Reaching out, she grabbed it and looked at the screen. Just one push of a button and she could see him. But was she too late? Was she willing to face her own fears of having what was left of her heart broken? Slowly, her fingers began to move, typing out a message, but before she could hit the send button, her hand dropped to her lap. Adam was right; she was afraid, and running seemed to be the only way she could protect herself.

Chapter 23

Pam was filled with excitement on the day of their release from the hospital. A warm buzz of contentment filled her chest every time she thought of the possibility of her life with her son and Duncan. Slade had insisted on one final test that needed to be carried out on Daniel, and then they would be home free. She smiled at the thought, waiting impatiently to finally be given the all clear.

She was completely healed, which was one plus of being a half-breed. Having a baby one day, up and running the next. She felt stronger than she had ever felt.

Slade finally walked in, smiling at Duncan who sat holding the baby. “Have you even gotten to hold him yet?” He grinned at Pam.

“Hardly,” Pam teased. “Can we get out of here yet?”

“You both are officially released.” Slade laid out some papers. “Daniel seems healthy as any newborn. We did do the jaundice test which came back normal, but what wasn’t normal was the little prick marks on his feet healed within seconds. Usually they bruise and you can see where the needles go in, but his are all gone.”

“What does that mean?” Pam glanced at Duncan, who was staring back to her.

“Well, that he’s a fast healer for one, but until he grows and gets older, we’re not going to know,” Slade replied. “I would like to see him every two weeks to weigh and measure, check his motor functions and to answer any question either of you might have.”

“I appreciate that, thank you.” Pam nodded.

“Also, I had a friend of mine look into what you could have possibly been given when you became pregnant. If it was some kind of fertility drug, it may have not only gotten you pregnant right away, but affected how fast the little guy grew during pregnancy.” Slade handed Pam her release papers. “That’s another reason I want to check him frequently. I want to see if his growth spurts are going to continue.”

“And if it does?” Pam asked, looking worried.

“Then we will deal with that then,” Slade replied with a reassuring smile. “I have good people working on this, but without knowing exactly what we are dealing with makes it hard.”

“I appreciate everything you’ve done, Slade.” Pam actually walked up and hugged him.

“It’s been my pleasure.” He shook Duncan’s hand. “Now, get out of here.”

Walking out, they were met by Nicole, Damon and Sid. “Give me that adorable little Warrior.” Nicole took Daniel from Duncan. “Come to Aunt Nicole.” She kissed his plump cheek.

“We parked by the emergency room.” Sid hit the elevator button. “The reporters are swarming, expecting her to leave out the front.”

“Did you get the car seat in?” Pam asked, stepping in the elevator.

“Could they make that thing any more complicated? Took most of the damn morning.” Sid frowned down at Daniel. “You sure that thing is going to fit?”

“That thing,” Nicole growled, “is a baby, and if I hear you call Daniel a thing again, I’m going to tell every woman I see what you watch on a daily basis.”

“You know that’s getting old,” Sid hissed at her. “Get something new, vampira.”

“Your Uncle Sid watches chick shows,” Nicole cooed at Daniel. “Yes, he does.”

Sid rolled his eyes, but a small grin tilted his lips. Sid held the door when it opened, letting them all out. “Okay, Dunk, my man, you and Pam ride with them.”

“Dunk?” Duncan’s eyes narrowed as he passed him.

“Yeah, I’m giving everyone nicknames.” Sid grinned. “I’ll wait for a minute and go get your car and meet you back at your place.”

“Thanks.” Duncan still eyed him.

“No problem, Dunk.” Sid went to follow them, but stopped when Duncan stepped in front of him.

“If you call me that one more time, I’m going to beat your ass.” Duncan tilted his head, his eyebrow raised in warning.

“What? You don’t like…” Sid tilted his head to match Duncan. “Dunk.”

Duncan just growled.

“Okay, I’ll come up with something new.” Sid sighed.

“Are you bored or something?” Duncan frowned at him.

“You don’t even know, bro.” Sid shook his head walking away. “You don’t even know.”

“You need a woman,” Duncan called after him.

Sid flipped him off without turning around, making Duncan grin. A blind date may be in order.

Once everyone was in the car, they took off without any reporters following them. Damon glanced at Pam in the rearview mirror. “Kenny has been charged with rape and domestic abuse. I have papers here that you have to sign to make it official. There is also a restraining order for you to sign. Sloan pulled some strings on that, so you didn’t have to go to the police station.”

Pam nodded, grasping Duncan’s hand. “Thank you.”

Nicole turned to look at her with an understanding smile. “He deserves this, Pam. He shouldn’t get away with what he did to you.”

Squeezing Duncan’s hand, Pam nodded. “I don’t want him to do it to anyone else. I wanted to do this for a while, but was too scared.” She glanced at Duncan. “But I’m not anymore, and I feel I have a responsibility to stop him.”

“Sloan has turned it over to another local Warrior charter who will be handling it since we are too close to you,” Damon added. “Also local law enforcement is involved, and there is an active search for him.”

Nicole handed her the papers with a pen. Pam looked them over, and then handed them to Duncan to read.

Duncan read the papers, his eyes darkening. He handed them back to her with a nod, putting his arm around her. “Everything looks fine, and I’m sure Sloan has already been through them.” He voice was deep with anger, but there was no trace of anger in his eyes.

With shaking fingers, she signed her name, a feeling of empowerment shooting through her veins. Handing them back to Nicole, she leaned back into Duncan, her hand reaching for Daniel’s little hand. It was time to start over, leaving the past in the past.

“I’m proud of you.” Duncan leaned close, talking low. “I will be with you every step of the way.”

Turning her head, she looked up at him. “I know you will.”

As soon as Damon pulled up to the front door, Duncan helped Pam out, and then walked around to get Daniel out of the car seat, handing him to Pam.

Once inside, Damon nodded toward the door giving Duncan ‘a look’.

“I’m going to help Damon with the car seat and get the rest of the stuff.” He smiled as their eyes met. He kissed her long and hard. He couldn’t help it. She looked so beautiful holding Daniel.

Once the men were outside, Duncan leaned against the SUV. “Who’s in charge of Pam’s case?”

“Roger Parks.” Damon opened the back pulling out a few bags. “He and his guys are good. They’ll find him. They’re staying in close contact with Sloan so we’ll know what’s going on.”

Duncan nodded deep in thought.

“We can’t get involved, Duncan,” Damon warned. “We need to do this right, or Pam may suffer for it.”

“Yeah, I know,” Duncan cursed, opening the door to get the car seat. “I just have a bad feeling about it.”

“Just keep her near until he’s caught and charged,” Damon grunted. “We both know the restraining order isn’t going to mean shit to the bastard.”

“Yeah, just like the restraining order he has on us means nothing.” Duncan carried the car seat up the steps to the front door. “If he even breathes in her direction, he’s a dead man. Next time, he doesn’t walk away, and I have a feeling he’s not going down in a courtroom.”

“I got that same feeling.” Damon smacked him on the back as they headed up to the house.

*****

Jill walked out on the back porch after Adam left. Tessa was kneeling on the floor looking at her phone. Rushing over, Jill helped her up.

“I want so badly to text him.” Tessa looked up from the phone. “I have it all typed out, but can’t hit the send button.”

“Hit the button, Tessa,” Jill urged. “You’re miserable and I know he is.”

“Was I stupid to feel this way?” Tessa looked at her searching for answers, but before Jill could answer, Tessa kept going. “It just hurt so badly, to see him with her like that, but…” Tears fell down her cheeks.

“But what?” Jill felt so badly for her, but didn’t know what to do. She had limited knowledge of relationships. Jill knew that Pam or Nicole should be the ones here talking to her, but unfortunately, they weren’t. It was just her, the chick who couldn’t get a date if she paid a guy.

“I can’t give him what he needs.” Tessa’s voice turned hopeless. “He will always have to feed from someone else, and I can’t keep putting us through this every time.”

“Did it bother you that he fed from Vicky before the picture?” Jill asked, trying to understand.

“Yeah, it did because it wasn’t me.” Tessa flipped her uninjured hand in the air. “Even though Jared made sure I was always present when he fed, I still hated it. How selfish is that?”

“I don’t think it’s selfish at all. I mean if you love someone, I would think you’d want to be the one giving your partner everything they needed.” Jill shrugged. “I think it’s totally normal to feel the way you feel.”

“You do?” Tessa looked at her with hope. “I don’t sound like a selfish bitch?”

Jill laughed. “No. You sound like you want to give your man everything he needs and there isn’t anything wrong with that, actually that’s the way it should be.”

“Are you happy being a half-breed?” Tessa asked, then cringed. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“No, it’s okay.” Jill was quiet for a few moments deep in thought. “It’s kind of cool, but lonely. My family pretty much wrote me off as you already know. All I have is you guys and the Warriors; to everyone else I’m a freak of nature.”

“No,  you’re not.” Tessa hugged her. “You’re a good friend, Jill. Thank you.”

“Why did you ask me that, Tessa?” Jill hugged her back before leaning away looking at her.

“I want to be the one he comes to so I can give him what he needs to survive. Isn’t that what how it’s supposed to be?” Tessa looked away, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

“Then today is your lucky day.” A male voice came out of the doorway.

Jill and Tessa turned toward the voice. “What are you doing here?” Jill asked surprised. Knowing something wasn’t right, she stood slowly.

“Answering her prayers.” He raised a gun, aiming it at Jill. “And teaching you a lesson.”

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the small house, along with a woman’s scream.

Chapter 24

Pam stood over the crib watching Daniel sleep. With a belly full of formula and a dry diaper, she knew he would be sleeping peacefully for a couple of hours. She frowned as she thought of the formula milk. She couldn’t breastfeed. She had wanted to, had been desperate to, but her milk never came in. Slade hadn’t known why; the likelihood was it was because of her half-breed make-up. She pushed her frown away. While she had been saddened by not being able to breastfeed, she knew that his tummy was still full. That was all that really mattered. Leaning down with a smile on her face, she kissed Daniel on the cheek.

Hearing Duncan’s deep voice down the hall in his office, Pam grinned. Walking to the small mirror in Daniel’s nursery, she fluffed her hair, unbuttoned two buttons and ran her teeth over her bottom lip making it puffy and red. Turning on the baby monitor, she grabbed the remote and walked down the hall, leaving Daniel’s door half closed.