Page 86 of Sniper

I move my leg, gently pushing us on the swing as I run my fingers up and down her side. With my free hand, I grab the box from my pocket.

I hold it out to her, and she sits up a little and looks at me with a raised brow, but I just shrug, kissing her forehead. I whisper, “Open it up, Firecracker.”

Gingerly, she takes the box from my hand and slowly opens it, furrowing her brows, seeing the pure, delicate silver band engraved with a date. Gently, I take the band out of the box and pick up her left hand, slowly gliding the metal over her ring finger, pushing it up against her wedding and engagement rings.

“Now, our daughter will be with you always,” I admit as I gently hold her hand. She looks at me with confusion, and I smile. "This band is made of our daughter’s ashes. Doc had it done for me, and the rest of her ashes are downstairs on the shelf next to her ultrasound photo. I had the people engrave her date of birth on the ring and the urn.”

My girl’s tears fall hard and fast as she wraps her arms around my neck, her face going underneath my chin, and she sobs hard. I hold her tight through it, trying to give her my strength.

“I love you so much, my Theodore. Thank you for never giving up on me, for fighting for our family,” she cries, and I hold her even tighter.

“I’ll fight until death for you, my Firecracker. I love you,” I murmur against her head, meaning every word.

This woman consumes me; she and Autumn complete me, and no one will ever hurt them again. It’s a promise I’ll keep even beyond death….

30

Aurora – Three and a Half Months Later

I smile a little as I fold Harlen’s little onesie, placing it in on the changing table.

Harlen Billy Taylor.

Named after his uncle Snake, Hunter Harlen Taylor, and my father.

He’s due in three weeks, but I’ve been feeling little contractions all day, not that I’ve told Theo that. Last month, I was getting Braxton Hicks contractions, and the idiot admitted me into the hospital. He wouldn’t let me leave for nearly a flipping week, he even moved Autumn into my hospital room, the poor kid.

I take a deep breath as another contraction hits and curl over a little.

“Crap, that one was stronger,” I murmur to myself, checking my watch.

They’re still twenty minutes apart, so it's not time yet.

Sighing, I take the clothes to the drawers in the nursery, and then look around. The walls are a very light blue and pink mixed. A circle crib sits on a massive rug with motorcycles stitched on it, in the middle of the room.

The nursery was supposed to hold two babies, but now it’ll only be for one.

My heart hurts at the reminder.

I don’t know how I’m going to cope when I have this little one. Emily and Hannah have both been trying to help me, but, in the end, my little boy will have that feeling of loss from his sister, and there’s nothing I’ll be able to do about it other than love him with everything I have.

Wiping away a few stray tears, I turn and leave the nursery, heading downstairs to the living room. I look around the room, ensuring everything is ready for Harlen.

His swing is next to the couch, a playmat underneath the window, and the new coffee table, which has drawers already full of diapers and wipes.

I don’t think I’ll be any more ready than I am.

With Autumn, he refused to do anything, only bought me what I needed, worried about being caught out, but this time around, Harlen will have everything.

Nodding in approval, I go to the kitchen, feeling a little bit hungry. As I near the kitchen nook, another contraction hits, and I grab the counter, breathing through it, suddenly feeling happy that my dad and Steel came down and took Autumn out for a few hours.

The Huntsmen MC brothers and their women call several times daily, telling me everything I’ve missed and how much they’ve missed me.

Most of the women want me to come home, and then Theo spends over ten minutes giving them reasons why I can’t, and if I tried, he’d tie me to the bed.

The last time he threatened it, I asked if he was going to follow through with it, shocking him and myself, before he snapped out of it and did indeed tie me to the bed while he pleasured me for a good few hours.

Damn, that man knows how to play with my body….

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