Games We Play (28 page)

Chapter 36

Sasha insisted that Justin tend to Pete first and then come back for
her. Her leg was covered in bloo
d and still actively bleeding in some spots. She was bone deep tired and didn’t have the strength to try and put pressure on the wound by walking onto the car with no help. She sat on the staircase while Justin grabbed Pete and got him to the back seat of her car. 

Justin returned and lifted her into his arms without much warning. “You’re fast.” She said. It was still dark and she hadn’t seen him coming, it wasn’t until they were outside that she could see him clearly for the first time.

Justin Renard didn’t just have a sexy voice, he was sexy period. He was looking at her with eyes the color of the ocean, greens and blues swirling together making such a beautiful color. His hair was surfer boy blonde and down past his elbows but something about the way he carried himself and handled a gun you couldn’t mistake him for anything but a soldier. He also smelled really good.

“It’s like you fell from the sky.”

He smiled and the guy even had dimples. Geez he was perfect. “I’ve heard that before. Seeing as you’re here with Pete and an escaped convict does that mean you’re a part of the bureau?”

“Yup. I’ve been on Pete’s team a year now and the escaped convict is a serial killer who’s managed to escape punishment for more than twenty years.”

“That’s not the case anymore.”

“I know, thanks for that.”

His eyes dipped from her face as he walked to the car. “That’s a real nice dress you’re wearing.”

“So I’ve been told but honestly I just don’t get it.” In the passenger seat Sasha reached for her bag and pulled out her cell. Nick knew by now something had happened and she didn’t want to worry him a second longer.

They were almost to the hospital when Pete woke up. On the rest of the drive Sasha explained to him what happened
seeing how
he didn’t remember anything since leaving his office. “You’re going to have a killer headache for the next few days.”

Justin again carried her when they reached the hospital.

With the bight florescent lightening she saw just how bad her leg looked, it was swollen and anywhere not covered in blood was black an
d blue. Geez, her arm wasn’t do
n
e
healing and now her leg looked like mangled mash.

Just was setting her down on the gunnery the nurse pointed to when Nick came running over to them. His navy eyes were bright with anger and some fear.

“No.” Sasha stopped him from talking. “No freaking out, no getting angry because I didn’t tell you and I got hurt again. Just no talking.”

He shook his head as he looked at her, his anger fading but the fear growing. He cupped his hands around her face and kissed her. “Never scare me like this again.”

“I’m sorry but he had Pete and we both know by now it doesn’t take Jim much to kill. This is the new guy Justin, he saw me running to the car and followed and shot Jim dead for me.”

Nick turned and shook the other man’s hand. “Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure, you got a feisty one here. I’ll go check on Pete and give you some time alone.” Justin smiled before waling away.

Sasha watched him go and said to Nick, “If I wasn’t already head over heels in love with you I’d be in some serious lust for him.”

Nick laughed and some of that fear faded from his own unique eyes. “I bet.”

The hospital was busy, while they waited for the doctor to become available the nurse took some blood samples to test if the wood sharps carried anything they might consider poisonous or could react negatively to the pain meds they wanted to give her.

Billie and Gage were soon at the hospital too and refused to leave her side. With them fussing over her well being and reprimanding her for not telling someone about the call
,
Sasha came to realize they loved her as much as she loved them. Her biological family was gone but she still had family and they were surrounding her now. 

Her body was bloody and tired but her soul felt lighter and almost happy. It was finally over and Carolyn and their parents could rest in peace.

Nicholas was tasked with filling out paperwork while the nurse and doctor tended to Sasha in the newly available room. He knew all her basic information and with the ring on her finger the hospital staff didn’t question if they were legally married or not.

Billie and Gage were visiting with Pete until the doctor was done with Sasha. Noah and Wayne were working along side the local police department cleaning up the scene.

When he finished and returned the paperwork to the front clerk he joined Sasha in her room. The nurse was finishing with the bandage that wrapped around her whole left thigh and some of her knee.

The nurse asked with the last turn of bandage, “How is your pain level?”

“Nothing compared to when it first happened. I wouldn’t mind some of those very good drugs you carry.”

The nurse, her nametag read Anna Santos, chuckled and started to collect the supplies. “I have to ask the doctor what he’d recommend not to endanger the pregnancy but I’m sure we can give you something to ease the discomfort.”

Sasha and Nick both shared a look; it was Sasha who broke the stare first. “The pregnancy?”

Anna’s smile quickly turned nervous. “You’re not aware? I thought the doctor mentioned it. You’re pregnant.” It was painfully obvious the parents to be had no idea and needed some time to talk. “The doctor will be in shortly.”

Sasha’s eyes were glued to the door long after it closed behind the nurse. “Um…”

Nick came closer and sat next to her on the bed. “I know what you’re going to say.”

“Really? Because I don’t. I’m at a loss for words except the running sentence in my head; holy crap I’m pregnant.”

“You’re going to say it’s too soon.”

“And you don’t think so? You’re not upset?”

“Upset about what? I did play my part in creating this baby and we’re in this together.”

“But this wasn’t planned. We both have so much going with work and—everything.” Even after everything they had gone through together and everything he told her she still found ways to be completely shocked. This wasn’t the reaction she expected at all. He was so eerily calm and always accepting.

“Nothing about us was planned, why start now? We already agreed to spend our lives together when you said yes to me on the plane. Now or later we’ve both agreed we wanted kids. I guess I don’t see the problem. We love each other, we’re going to get married, and we can afford raising a child. I’m excited.”

Sasha laughed, this was crazy all so crazy and yet she was excited too. “I guess we have to move the wedding up.”

Chapter 37

Epilogue

Justin didn’t know how stubborn Sasha could be. She was six months pregnant and showing but that certainly wasn’t going to take away her edge, if anything it made her worse in wanting to have her way. Hormones were no joke and she couldn’t appreciate that before now. One second she could be laughing and the next crying.

She got out of her car and went up to Justin’s apartment door. He was surprised to see her on the other side, he was antisocial and kept to himself most of the time, not giving out his address. “Sasha, what the—”

“I had Gage hack your file and pull your address for me. The wedding is tomorrow and you still haven’t told me if you’re coming.”

He ran a hand through his long hair to kill some time in order to prepare something to say. “Weddings and me…eh I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why? You saved my life and I didn’t know it at the time but you saved my baby’s life too. I want you there.”

“I don’t have anything to wear, you wouldn’t want me to be a sour thumb in the group.”

“First of all it’s not possible for you to look sour and second I don’t care if you come in a paper bag. You know by now I’m not very uppity. You can come in jeans or hell come in nothing because I know a lot of my guests will appreciate that.”

Over the last five months Justin was getting used to her mentioning his looks one way or another. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want me to cry? I will cry right now in the middle of this hall and you will look like the biggest jerk in the world for making the pregnant woman cry.”

Justin wasn’t comfortable around crying people, especially crying females. He looked like she just threatened to pull his tooth in cold blood. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would. You can see there’s only one answer I’m willing to accept here.”

They stared each other down and in the end it was Justin sighing. “Fine, I’ll be there.”

“Thank you.” Sasha gave him a hug before leaving. She already had a male best friend in Gage but Justin was steadily becoming her second one. She loved his sense of humor, the way he kicked ass, and forever she’d be indebted to him for his help taking out Jim. It helped he got along great with Nick too.

From Justin’s apartment she drove to the church where Billie was meeting her. Billie’s brother Joey just happened to be a priest and he flew in from Boston to perform tomorrow’s ceremony.

“Did you convince him?” Billie asked about Justin.

“Yes, I threatened to cry on his doorstep if he didn’t agree. We have to get him out of his shell.”

“It’s not like he’s shy. He probably just doesn’t like people or there’s someone at home keeping his attention.”

“I don’t think so. I’ve caught him staring at my ass a few times and your chest when you’re talking. If was seeing someone Nick would’ve mentioned it by now. They spent a week working that double homicide in California. Has Joey arrived yet?”

“Yeah, he’s around here somewhere talking to Father Thomas. There they are.”

Sasha quickly saw she could’ve picked Joey Savich out of a crowded room because he looked like he could be Billie’s twin. Both siblings had dark blonde hair and misty grey blue eyes. Joey also happened to be one of the most pleasant people she had ever met, his smiles were warm and his outlook wasn’t jaded. He wished Sasha a long fulfilling marriage and said he’d be honored to marry her and Nick— who was still at the office working until later tonight.

After meeting Joey and laying out the last details, Sasha left the siblings to catch up while she went home to finish unpacking. It was the same unpacking it’s taken her five months to complete. After learning about the baby Nick formally asked her to move in before the wedding and she agreed. It wasn’t much of a hardship to walk away from her tiny apartment. The biggest plus about Nicholas’ house was the tress in the backyard prevented the morning sunlight to shine into the bedroom.

She was home maybe three minutes before she was no longer alone. Belinda McBain was standing on the other side of the door wearing one of her biggest smiles.

“Momma McBain, you really don’t have to knock. I don’t mind if you use your key.”

“I don’t like any surprises, dear.”

Sasha fought to ignore the heat burning her face. “Nick’s at work until around seven. Pete
needed his help assisting an in-
house case. What brings you by?”

“It must be fate because I wanted to talk to you alone.” They moved over to the couch and sat. “I want you to know how happy it makes me that Nick has found someone to love all of him and give me another one of these.” She laid her hand over Sasha’s growing stomach. “I know your family isn’t able to see this wonderful day but I hope you let me help you like a momma would.”

“You already have.”

“I brought you something.” Belinda opened her bag and pulled out a blue handkerchief. “I have the something blue and something borrowed. My great grandmother a million years ago made this lace for her own wedding day to give her a s
p
lash of color because even her earrings were white—these pearls here.”

“They’re beautiful.”

“None of my girls have gotten married yet and I hope you let me give these to you to be the first of my girls to carry them down the aisle.” Belinda gave birth to five boys before the girls started to come twelve years later.

Sasha’s fragile grasp on her emotions ripped open and the flood gates poured down her cheeks. “Of course. I’d be an idiot to say no.”

That night when Nick returned she was no
closer
to emptying out the three large boxes in the corner of the living room. He smiled at the sight of her asleep on the couch with the TV on low. Most guys would be spending the night before their wedding out partying but for Nick this right here felt right. Tomorrow was only to make it legal, in his mind he and Sasha have been married the whole time. It was like they never stopped even when the pretending was over in Maple Oaks.