Page 80 of Sniper

I want to go home to my girls, but I’m fucking terrified of what I’m going home to. It’s been a week, a fucking week, and she hasn’t brought herself back. She’s ignored me, the family. She’s completely enveloped in her grief—our grief.

I don’t know how to help her.

“Brother?” Snake rasps, and I look at him and see him still in his seat. I let him see my vulnerability, and his eyes soften, “She’ll be okay, Theodore, she just needs time.”

I nod. “I know, but we don’t have time, Hunter. I have a three-year-old confused about why her momma won’t smile or cook her favorite nuggies.” I run a hand through my shaggy hair and grunt. “Our son will be here in a few months, and I don’t even fucking know how she’s going to deal with that. Fuck, she has to give birth, knowing our daughter won’t be coming.”

He tilts his head. “Have you mourned, brother, and I mean properly mourned?”

I shake my head. “I can’t; I need to be strong for my family.”

“You also need to mourn, Theo; otherwise, it’ll eat you alive,” he replies, and I nod, knowing he’s right.

I admit, “I will, brother, when I know I won’t lose my woman.”

He sighs, knowing it’s pointless to argue with me over this, and rasps, “I’m here when you do crumble, brother.”

I smile at him. “I appreciate it, big brother.”

He grins as Doc walks in, causing us to look his way as he states, “She’s here, brother.”

I physically relax in my seat.

“Fucking Tech is amazing,” I whisper, and both agree as I stand and head out of church with them behind me.

I look around the common room and find the person I’ve been looking for, a person I fucking hope will help my wife.

She’s my last resort.

Her brown hair is in a low bun, and a man a little taller than her stands beside her protectively, and I walk over to them.

Her brown eyes tear up when she sees me, and I smile at her, saying, “Thank you for coming, I appreciate it.”

She nods. “I’ll always come when she needs me.”

I give her another smile and look at her man, his blue eyes assessing me, and I state, “My bike is out front. You can follow behind.”

He nods, and I walk to the exit, brothers patting my back in support as I go.

Fuck, I hope this doesn’t backfire….

Five minutes later, I pull outside my home and climb off my bike, heading for the door. I nod for the couple to follow me inside while Timmy, the prospect stationed at the door, leaves. I tell them to make themselves comfortable, but the woman decides to look at all the photos of Aurora and Autumn, and I leave her to it, heading upstairs, knowing it’s bedtime for Autumn.

I hear murmured voices coming from Autumn's room.

I open the door a little, and my heart fucking soars seeing Aurora lying in Autumn's princess bed, the fairy lights shining above them as Autumn kisses her baby brother resting in his mother’s belly.

Such a soft look overcomes my woman’s bruised face, a softness I haven’t seen all week.

“Are you still sad, Momma?” Autumn whispers.

Aurora’s eyes water, and she rasps, “A little, baby, but I’ll be okay….”

Autumn looks at her momma with such innocence that only a small child can have, and asks, “Because of me and daddy?”

Aurora smiles and replies, running a hand through our daughter’s curly hair, “Yes, baby. You and your daddy are my greatest loves; you get me through anything.”

My eyes tear up at her confession as Autumn lays her head back on my woman’s belly, and I just stand here, leaning against the doorframe, watching them.

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