Page 127 of Five Mountain Daddies

“Get out of town, or we’ll killyou.”

He doesn’t need to be told twice. He turns and he runs, and I don’t give him a secondglance.

Ingram struggles under my knee as the guys untie Amelia. When they’re done, I switch off and they take Ingram while I pull Ameliaaside.

“Are you okay?” I askher.

She nods. “Justscared.”

I pull her against me, hugging her tight. I breathe in her smell and something triggers inside of me, some ancient and intense feeling that I didn’t even know I had. I kiss her deep and I realize that I wasn’t only worried for her, but also for the baby she has growing inside ofher.

The kiss slowly ends and I look her in the eye. “I love you, Amelia,” I say softly. “I’ll never let anyone hurt youagain.”

“I love youtoo.”

I kiss her again, and I know this isright.

We have a lot to clean up still, but the rest is just the ending, the slow descent back into normalcy. I don’t know what’ll happen to Ingram or the contract or any of that, but I don’t really care. All I know is right in this moment, I have what I really want andneed.

I have Amelia. I only need Amelia, and my baby, and the family we’re going to buildtogether.

For the first time in a long time, I feel complete and good, like I worked a long shift in the mine. Except I don’t need the mine to lose myself. I don’t want to lose myself, I want to embrace my life, because my life is good. Amelia makes it better than it ever could have beenbefore.

I kiss her again and I know I’ll never stop wanting that taste, those lips, this woman, mybaby.

29

Amelia

Thirteen MonthsLater

I park my car in the driveway, a small smile on my face. I climb out and grab my bag from the passenger seat as I walk up toward my front door. My heels make a familiar clacking noise, and I can’t wait to goinside.

I push open the front door. I can hear the sounds of something coming from the kitchen, and something smells good. As I get closer, I realize that it’s Samuel, and he’s singing a song softly to littleStacey.

I come around the corner and lean up against the doorframe, watching them. Samuel’s a huge man, carrying this little six-month-old baby, and singing to her softly. She giggles as he stirs whatever he’s cooking, and it smells so freakinggood.

He looks up suddenly, realizing I’m there. A smile breaks across hisface.

“You’re home,” he says. “Look, mommy’shome.”

“Come here,” I say, holding my arms out. Samuel gives me Stacey and kisses me, lingering slightly. I hug Stacey against me, grinning like anidiot.

I didn’t think I’d go back to work, but Samuel encouraged me. He stays home and takes care of the baby while I’m at work, and I know it’s not his ideal situation, but he’s been such a good father. He focuses mainly on administrative stuff now for the union, and rarely takes a shift down in the mine. I make sure he’s still taken care of, although he doesn’t really need to be, since we still have my money to rely on. I still don’t have much of a salary, but that’s noissue.

“How was work today?” he asksme.

“Oh, you know, anotherbloodbath.”

He laughs. “You loveit.”

“I really do.” I swoop Stacey up into the air and she giggles. “We lost twotoday.”

He grins at me. “Soon you’ll be the only oneleft.”

“The board’s in the process of hiring more people, but I think we’ll be a skeleton crew when this is all said anddone.”

“Good. Works better that way. The guys all say they’ve been happier than ever since… youknow.”

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