Page 74 of Rhett Redeemed

“The doctor told me it was a boy. I hope it’s okay.”

I squeeze his hand. A son. “It’s more than okay.”

Cara takes my other hand. “I’m so sorry this happened, Con. You said this woman was your friend? Why did she shoot you? They’ve arrested her, but she won’t talk to the cops.”

“I don’t know,” I whisper. “The whole thing is insane. I met her at the doctor’s office—she was pregnant too and we’ve been in contact ever since. We joined a mom group and everything. She said she lost the baby, but why did she shoot me over that?”

“We are trying to work that out. She is obviously grieving and not mentally in a good place right now,” Cara comments, then gives my hand a squeeze and says, “We’ll give you two some privacy and come back to visit you later. Let me know if you want me to bring you anything.”

“I will, thank you.”

Before she leaves, Clover takes my hand and looks into my eyes. “Thank you so much for protecting Fire. She would have been shot if it wasn’t for you. I owe you everything, Con.”

“No, you don’t, Clo.”

“I do. And I’ve been so horrible to you... I’m sorry, Con. I can’t thank you enough for protecting my daughter.”

“I hope you can try to trust me a little now.”

“You’re going to be a wonderful mother and I’m going to be here for you every step of the way.” She wipes the tears away from her eyes.

They both leave Rhett and I alone.

I notice all the flowers in my room. I rarely get flowers, and now there are four bouquets around me.

“I brought you the roses, Cara and Decker the sunflowers. Atlas brought you in the wildflower bunch from the Knights of Fury MC, and the orchids are from everyone at your work,” Rhett explains, eyes twinkling. “And Clover and Felix brought you doughnuts, just to be different.”

“Clover does like giving out doughnuts,” I reply.

Rhett smiles, but then sighs. “I’m so sorry for what happened today, Con. We are still trying to fill in the missing pieces. You said Olivia was your friend, and I knew I had seen her from somewhere. She has been following me.”

“Olivia?” I clarify, confused. “Why would she do that?” Then again, why would she shoot me? There’s obviously something going on here that I’m missing.

“It’s all my fault. I should have stayed away from you completely, then you’d be safe. You could have moved on with your life—”

“My life was nothing before all of you walked into it,” I cut him off. “I had a shit job, no family, not many friends. These flowers around me? They are the most I’ve received in my entire life.”

I wouldn’t want him to walk away.

And not just him. Cara, everyone. I love having them all in my life no matter how complicated it gets.

I’ve been targeted twice now, and I wouldn’t change a thing. If that’s the price I pay for family and for loyalty, I’ll take it. And if any one of them is in danger, I’ll be with everyone else, helping them, too.

“You were shot,” he says in a dry tone, shaking his head. “Can you imagine how I feel? I don’t want anything like that to happen to you again. I was terrified.”

“So was I,” I admit. “But I’d take that bullet any day to protect the rest of you. And when Olivia shot me, I don’t know if you heard, but she said that she lost both her children so now it was only fair that I lost mine. Does that mean anything to you?”

“So she wasn’t targeting you, exactly—she wanted our child to die,” he says, face going pale. “I could have lost both of you. Before I even got the chance to...”

He trails off and goes silent.

“You didn’t lose us. We are both right here.”

A doctor steps into the room, clipboard in her hand. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay.”

“I’m going to do a check on your vitals.”

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