Page 55 of Sniper

What did he do?

“What’s happened, baby?” Momma asks, standing near me as Snake walks over from where his woman and daughter, Daisy, sit near the sandbox.

“Theodore,” he rumbles, and I shake my head, reality hitting me.

Fuck, she really is looking into abortions….

Full of pain and sorrow, my eyes on my daughter. I whisper, “For the past year, my woman has refused to bring up her past, her family. All I know is that her momma died, and her father works in the Navy but left on a mission when she was seventeen….” I run a frustrated hand through my hair and admit, “I only know she’s from New York because of Breaker seeing that missing person photo. She wouldn’t explain it; she wouldn’t explain how she knows the Huntsmen, fucking nothing, and yet….” I shake my head, looking at my family. “I just caught my fucking wife, who is thirteen weeks pregnant, looking at abortion options.”

Momma gasps as my dad takes a step back, my brother rasping, “What the fuck?”

“She-she can’t right?” Momma stutters.

I shrug. “It's her body, Momma; I’ve already made sure she’s not left alone, fuck, there’s a prospect on the house now. I don’t know how I can stop her if she plans to go through with it.”

Dad cuts in, “Can’t you convince her to speak to Emily to help her get everything off her chest?”

I scoff, “She’s been seeing Emily since moving to town.” Their eyes widen, and I nod. “Yeah, I was shocked when Emily smacked my head, then had a go at me for lying to Rory, and then admitted she’s her counsellor after I demanded to know how she knew my wife. I begged her to tell me what she’s spoken about, but patient confidentiality. And she’s not dumb; she got Tech to put some special shit on her files so even he can’t access them, which is ridiculous. Why in the fuck did he agree to do that shit?”

Momma adds, “Maybe Emily will speak to me?”

I give her a small smile and ask, “Do you really want to put a woman you entrusted as mine and Snake’s godmother in that position.”

Momma winces and admits, “No, but I also don’t want your wife to do something she may well regret, and we all know she will.” She looks toward my daughter before looking back at me and whispers, “She is an amazing mother, that little girl is proof of that. It will kill her if she gets rid of this child.”

My dad nods as Snake rasps, “You may not be able to lock her up completely, but I will if I have to. I’ll be the bad guy, brother, I don’t mind.”

I bite my bottom lip, and then admit, “A part of me, a small part, wants to do that, but I also don’t want her to hate the club any more than she already does. I think, fuck, I think I may need Tech to have a look into her past, and maybe we need to contact the Huntsmen if we don’t find out the truth within the next two weeks. I don’t want to break her trust any more than I already have, but I also don’t want to lose my family because that’s what she is to me, family, along with my little girl and the baby—they fucking complete me!”

Dad nods in agreement as Snake grips my shoulder in support as my eyes go to my little girl, whose giggling with Daisy, melting my heart.

I can’t fucking lose my family.

Two Days Later

I look to my right, keeping one hand on the wheel and the other on my wife’s knee. My eyes quickly take her in as she watches the world go by, her curly red hair down framing her face, the yellow skater dress suiting her, and her bump looking cute.

Fuck, she’s perfect.

I look back at the road as Autumn’s quiet giggles echo around us, along with Alexander's coos. I know my girl is itching to swat my hand away, I can feel the tension in her, but she won’t, not with the kids in the back.

Today is Tech and Brook’s wedding. Tech decided to take a leaf outta Smokey’s book and surprise his girl.

He wants his ring on her finger, and he is not willing to wait for her acceptance of a proposal, and then plan a wedding, and I don’t fucking blame him.

They’ve been through a lot, and the baby in the back is lucky to be alive, as is Brook.

They deserve all the happiness in the fucking world, and I’m willing to help as much as possible while also ensuring my girl doesn’t do a runner.

She’s on Alexander duty while also acting as maid of honor, and obviously, she’s not going to reject the idea because, well, she loves Alexander and Brook.

Brook gave her the chance to flourish and reach her dream of working with animals. Alexander, well, much to the dismay of the old ladies, Brook made my girl his godmother. They’ve become real close since she started working at Summer’s Vets, and my girl also watches Brook’s brother and sister when needed.

It’s just a shame she won’t talk to me. She talks to everyone else but me. I haven’t allowed her on her own since I walked into our living room and caught her looking up abortions, and she’s angry at me.

Before, I had relaxed on the prospects, only having one to escort her to work, or I’d take her and pick her up, but when I saw that screen, fuck, I felt like someone had shot me in the gut.

She’s thirteen weeks pregnant, and she’s thinking of terminating the pregnancy for reasons I can’t even understand.

---