Fight For Her (Soldiers in Arms Book 1) (9 page)

So was his heart.

Damn her. Nearly two weeks of staying away and he still hadn’t been able to forget her.

Would he ever?

He scowled as Rocco and Locke strode into the gym. It wasn’t unusual to see them in here but neither of them were dressed for working out. An odd sensation hit him in the gut. He stood swiftly. Something was wrong.

“What’s going on?” he asked when they approached.

Rocco rubbed a hand across his mouth. “It’s Waverly.”

That sensation near punched him in the gut this time. “What’s wrong?”

“Justice wouldn’t say. Only that she wasn’t well and that she’s worried about her.”

“The baby,” Walker hissed.

“You’d better go see her, man,” Locke said.

Walker nodded. “Stupid woman has probably made herself ill. Fuck, why does she have to be so damn stubborn?”

“What? Like someone else we know?” Rocco grinned.

Walker ignored his friend’s teasing. He didn’t give a shit if they though he was the stubbornest man on earth, all he needed right now was to be with Waverly. If she lost the baby or something happened to her, he’d never forgive himself for staying away.

He didn’t bother changing or showering. Hell, they’d been sweaty and sticky together many times, and it didn’t seem to matter right now. Walker wasted no time pulling on his helmet and gunning the bike. Hopefully he wouldn’t take a fall and seriously regret not putting on decent pants.

By the time he’d pulled up outside the Fox Hole, his heart was practically beating out of his chest. He removed the helmet and slung it from the handles. The front door was locked so he slipped around the back and found the rear door open.

“Waverly?” he called as he entered the kitchen.

He moved into the darkened bar area and tried again.

Justice put her head around the office door. “Walker, what are you doing here?”

“Is Waverly here? Christ, she’s not at the hospital, is she?”

Justice scowled. “No, why would she be?” She sighed. “Though I’m glad you’ve come. I don’t know if I’m being paranoid but I think she’s in trouble.”

The fist in his gut tightened. “I knew it.”

“First, why did you think she was at the hospital?”

“Rocco said she was sick. Something to do with the baby.”

Justice shook her head. “She’s fine.”

“Justice?”

“Seriously, she’s fine. It sounds like they were jerking you around.”

He shook his head. Even Rocco wouldn’t play that kind of trick on him without a good reason. He snorted. “I think they were trying to get me here. Assholes.”

“Well those assholes were right to.”

“What’s going on?”

She held up her palms. “Before I say, please don’t go running off, ready to kill everyone in sight. Waverly needs you in one piece and not locked up for assault.”

He nodded, his jaw tight.

“Her ex-fiancé turned up today.”

Walker clenched his fists. “And she’s with him?”

“Yes.”

“Is she going back to him?”

Justice shook her head and Walker felt the air leave his lungs.

“There’s no way she will, Walker. She’s had a taste of freedom and she loves it. She was even talking about staying but didn’t know if she could bear being so near you.”

“Damn it. So why is she with this guy?”

“He came in here, all suited up. He looked like an asshole, Walker, I tell you. He demanded to talk to her. Said it was about the baby’s future. I told her I’d kick him out if she needed me to, but she said she wanted to talk to him, to at least put the past to rest.”

“Where did they go?”

“Just to the Rise and Grind coffeehouse.”

He released a breath. At least it was a public place. The tightness in his stomach didn’t ease but Waverly wasn’t stupid enough to put herself in danger. Something about this fiancé turning up didn’t feel right to him, however. Why now? And how did he find her?

“I’m going to find her. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

Justice nodded, relief on her face. “Good. He was a slimy asshole, Walker. I don’t think he could persuade Waverly to come back with him but…I don’t know…if he threatened the baby or something, she’d do what she had to to protect it.”

He nodded. From what Waverly had told him, the fiancé and her father were as bad as each other, always trying to manipulate her. What if they wanted to manipulate her into returning? He had at least been there to watch over her, even if he couldn’t talk her into staying.

Pausing, he asked, “Was she really thinking of staying?”

She nodded. “I’d offered her a better position here. She said she’d think about it. Honestly, I think she would if you two made up, but it was too painful for her if you didn’t.”

“Can’t say I felt any better about the prospect,” he grumbled.

“Well, you’d better go tell her that then.”

Walker nodded and gave Justice a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Bring that girl back. Won’t be the same without her.”

“I will.”

He wasted no time in heading down the street to the coffeehouse. Pausing outside of the window, he peered in. No sign of her or the asshole. He strode in and checked all the booths. Donna, one of the waitresses, flashed him a smile.

“How’s it going, Walker?”

“Has Waverly been in today?”

“Oh yes. She was with some guy. Didn’t recognize him.” She cracked the piece of gum she was chewing. “He was pretty sexy.”

Walker clenched his jaw. “Do you know where they went?”

Her grin widened. “Guess it’s true then.”

“What’s true?”

“One of you has finally fallen. We all knew it was only a matter of time.”

He didn’t argue with her. He had fallen. Hard. Probably from the moment he’d first seen her.

“Donna, where did she go?”

“I don’t know, honey. He muttered something about needing to show her something in private, then they left.”

“Fuck.”

“She didn’t seem concerned. I’d have stepped in if I thought he was trouble.” Donna tucked her lip under her teeth.  “Do you think he is?”

Walker nodded. “He’s her ex-fiancé and he treated her very, very badly.”

“I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

“I’ve gotta find her.”

“Stay safe,” Donna called when he raced out of the door of the coffeehouse.

As he got on the bike, he stilled at the sound of raised voices. His heart slammed against his ribs.

Waverly.

He wasted no time in gunning the bike and screeching around the corner to where he could hear her. Waverly stood with the asshole he assumed was her ex-fiancé and he had her held by one arm. Another man—an older one who he guessed was her father—stood on the other side of her. Clearly, they’d come to persuade her to come home.

Waverly reached up to slap the younger one, but he caught her wrist. Her father yanked open the car door and both men pushed her into the car.

Fire burned through his veins. If they thought they were going to take her against her will, they had another thing coming.

He revved the engine. Tires squealed and rubber burned as he headed straight for the car. As the ex-fiancé was climbing into it, he rammed the bike into the car. The door jammed shut and crumpled. Walker lurched forward, his head connecting briefly with the metal. A shaft of pain speared through his skull.

He caught a glimpse of the man’s ashen face before leaping from the bike, shoving aside Waverly’s father and yanking open the passenger door.

Hauling her from the vehicle, he pushed her behind him while her father straightened himself. Walker eyed the older man coolly. The fiancé was still trapped in his side by the buckled door, but frankly he didn’t give a shit if he had to take on both of these suits. They spent their time intimidating and bullying a woman. How fucking tough could they be?

“Get your hands off my daughter,” her father spat.

“Touch her again,” he said in a low, menacing tone, “and you’ll have more than a dented car to worry about.”

The older man narrowed his gaze at him. “You can’t tell me what to do with my daughter.” He peered around him at Waverly, who clung to Walker. “You’re going to give up everything for this man?”

Waverly glanced at Walker and nodded. “Yes.”

Walker saw the muscles work in her father’s jaw.

“You realize I’ll never send you another penny. You won’t get anything from me or Adam. If you choose this life, you will no longer be my daughter.”

She lifted her chin. “That’s fine with me.”

Her father shook his head in disgust. “Don’t expect Adam to give you anything for the baby either.”

Walker curled a fist, fighting every instinct to lay out the man with a punch. How could any father be so heartless?

“She won’t need anything,” Walker vowed.

Her father glanced between them and shrugged. “You’ll regret it.” He climbed into the car and they stepped aside when he started the engine. They waited until he had driven off before Walker lifted his bike and inspected it.

“I’m sorry, Walker.”

He glanced at Waverly in surprise. “For what?”

“Your bike.” She grimaced and came forward to press her sleeve against his head. “And your head. You’re going to have a headache later.”

He lifted a shoulder and chuckled. “The bike can be fixed and my head is pretty damned hard.”

“I should never have agreed to talk to him. I didn’t even know my father was here.”

“How could you have known they’d try to force you to return home?”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe it either. I suspect my father thought he could use the journey to talk me around.”

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms before drawing her close. “Are you okay? The baby okay?”

“Yes, we’re fine. I’m a little shaken but nothing I can’t handle.”

“Did you mean it?” Walker asked.

“Mean what?”

“That you’d give up everything for me?”

A smile spread across her face. “Of course. That is, if you want me.”

He drew her close. “Baby, how could I not? I’ve never wanted anyone so bad. I knew you were trouble from the moment I set eyes on you. I knew you’d make me break all the rules.”

“Are you glad you did, though?”

“Damn right I am.” He cupped her face and gazed into those blue eyes that had captured him from the beginning. “I’d break every rule over and over again for you. For you and the baby. I want you both, Waverly.”

She leaned up to brush her lips across his. “I think we’d like that very much.”

Epilogue

“There’s something about a man with a baby.”

Waverly chuckled and glanced over to where Justice was looking. Jake looked perfectly at ease with the three-month-old in his arms. Her heart melted a little when he eased Lilly closer and patted her back. Who would have thought a rough, tough soldier could be such an amazing father?

Well, she supposed she could, but only after meeting Jake. He had been amazing throughout the rest of her pregnancy and once Lilly was born, he had immediately taken to the role as her father. No one would ever know he wasn’t her dad and as far as they were both concerned, he was.

“He’s definitely a natural,” Waverly agreed.

They watched Jake with the rest of his friends for a few moments. All the men seemed enamored with Lilly and it was quite amusing to see them all talk to her and handle the tiny child. The summer BBQ at the Fox was busy with patrons and there were soldiers everywhere. She suspected a few of the waitresses were very happy with that, though Justice seemed to be ignoring Rocco at the moment.

“Have you heard from your father?”

She shook her head. “I don’t expect to either.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not. I might not be living in a luxury apartment but I have so much more now. I hope I never hear from him again but if I do, I’ll have the strength to stand up to him.” She gave Justice a nudge. “I have you to thank for that.”

“Hey, don’t give me all the credit. I think Walker is the main reason you stuck it out.”

Now that Waverly was working as assistant manager at the bar, she had grown even closer to Justice, and made more friends locally. With the support of Walker and everyone else, North Carolina had truly begun to feel like home.