Page 52 of Sniper

I don’t know if she hates me or what, but right now, I don’t want to find out. What I do know is that she treats my daughter like she’s one of her own blood, which is all that matters to me right now.

Half an hour ago, she had Autumn in her arms for a while, holding tight. It made my eyes tear up….

“Brook, give me my grandson!” someone snaps, and I blink, coming out of my head.

I look to the other side of the room to see Carol standing by Brook and her baby, hands on her hips.

When did Brook come into the room?

“Momma Richardson, it’s his feeding time, and besides, I’ve only just got him back from my momma,” she says, trying to feed her son, placing the bottle to his rooting lips.

Theo hasn’t told me much, all I know is someone tried to take her baby, and she was left for dead. She had to have emergency surgery but is doing okay, and he only told me that to get me to talk.

Newsflash, it didn’t work, although the panic for my friend took over and I ended up calling Tech after going through Theo’s phone for his number. He told me she was alright, before he tried to convince me to talk to his brother.

Again, didn’t work.

I haven’t had the chance to talk to Brook yet, especially about my job; I’ve already missed two weeks, no thanks to my jackass husband.

God, I really need to hit him.

“I’m just worried, sweetheart,” Carol rasps, and Brook gives her a soft smile, replying, “I know, and I love you for that, but I’m just feeding him, and I’m-I’m feeling disconnected from him because I can’t bathe him or change him, and I hate that I haven’t been able to nurse him. I need this time….”

My heart hurts for her. I know the feeling of being disconnected from your child.

Swallowing hard, I get up and head toward them, being brave for my friend as the Carol’s body deflates. She nods in defeat. “Okay, I get it, sweetheart, but if you feel like you’re getting too tired, then, I mean it, shout for me.”

Brook nods, and I whisper, “I’ll sit with her.”

Brook grins wide, seeing me, and exclaims excitedly, “Aurora!” making me chuckle a little.

The woman beside me furrows her brows and asks, “You two know each other?”

I nod and smile, confirming, “We do. This lovely woman took a chance on a part-time college student who wanted to become a veterinary nurse. She hired me as her intern a couple of months ago.”

Carol’s eyes soften looking at me, and she nods. “Okay. If she looks tired, please take the baby off her, and then, you know, handing him to me would be good….”

I grin at her words, knowing full well I won’t call for her, because I will be getting my baby cuddles. Her eyes squint with silent laughter, before she kisses Brook’s head, and then her grandson’s, before going over to the bar, where Theo’s momma is with another woman.

Alexander pushes the bottle from his mouth, making me smile as Brook tries to rearrange him in her arms. She winces in pain, making me tut at the stubborn woman.

Without a thought, I gently take him from her arms and sit beside her, placing Alexander over my shoulder, patting his back, burping him.

Brook looks at me with awe, and I chuckle and say, "The perks of having a three-year-old….”

She grins, then looks around the room and asks, “Where is the cutie? She still owes me four cuddles and a kiss from the last game of Snap we played.”

I laugh and admit, “She’s in the kitchen with Noah, April, Ollie, and Josy. Your brother and sister have taken quite the shine to her. Quinn’s watching them all.”

And my little princess loves the attention, that’s for sure.

Brook furrows her brows. “I didn’t realize you knew Quinn.”

I snort. “I didn’t.” She looks at me confused, and it hits me. Tilting my head, I rub her son’s back and ask, “You don’t know, do you?”

She shakes her head. “I’ve kind of been in a ‘my son was nearly killed, and I nearly died’ bubble.”

I wince. “Crap, right, uh, well turns out my husband, who I gave my heart to, lied about who he was….” Her eyes widen in shock. “I’ve never trusted MC members because of my personal experiences, and well, it turns out my husband is a brother, and he failed to tell me, even after we got married, and then he let slip that he messed with my birth control pills and knocked me up.”

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