Page 12 of Reunited with the Soldier

It takes me around forty minutes to drive to Kayla and Maddox's house. I need to talk with them, Kayla because she'll skin me alive if she's the last to know about Elijah and Maddox because the man's my best friend and the only one I'll trust with the knowledge of what happened to Lauren when I joined the military.

My sister opens the door with a big smile, but there's still hurt in her eyes. I owe her an apology. "Hey Kash, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

I raise a brow and flash her a smile. "Can't a man come and see his sister and apologize for being an ass?"

She laughs as she pulls me into a hug. "Of course, I'm sorry for being overbearing. I'm just worried about you. I'm so happy to see you."

"You're worried about me, but I'm fine."

She purses her lips as she stares at me. "I know that look in your eyes, what's going on?"

"Where's Maddox?" I ask as we walk into the living room. "It's best I tell you both together."

She pauses mid-step. "Kash, what's going on?" she whispers.

"Trust me, I'm fine and you're going to be happy about the news."

She releases a harsh breath and nods. "I'll go get him," she tells me and goes off in search of her husband.

It doesn't take long before both of them return wearing matching concerned expressions. "Kash, what's going on?" Maddox asks, pulling Kayla into his arms.

"I found Lauren," I tell them and see Kayla's face light up. "She's in town, she has a son."

Maddox grimaces and Kayla's expression falls.

"My son."

"What?" Kayla screams. "Are you serious?"

I nod. "She found out a few months after I left that she was pregnant and had no way of contacting me," I tell them wanting to ensure that they don't feel the anger that I did when Lauren first told me—I shouldn't have been angry, but it was an instant feeling, then the pain and dread set in when she told me that she couldn't contact me. It was my fault my son grew up without me.

"Holy shit," Kayla breathes. "I have a nephew. When can I meet him?"

I laugh, I knew she'd react this way. My sister adored Lauren and I know that she'll continue to. She'll make it easy on her when we're settling into our lives together. "After I do. I only just found out. You were the first person I came to tell. I'm meeting Elijah tomorrow and Lauren's going to tell him I'm in town."

"Where does he think you were before?" Maddox asks.

"In the military, she didn't tell him anything other than that. She said she didn't want to hurt him."

Kayla nods. "It was probably the best thing. It's got to be hard wondering where your father is all the time. But you're here and you're going to be an amazing father, Kash. Just don't push too hard."

My brows knit together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shares a look with Maddox before explaining. "You like to do things at your pace. Don't stand there and tell me you haven't already thought about ways to get Lauren back and make your family complete?" she says with her hands on her hips. "I know you, Kash, I know that you've always loved Lauren. But this is a child, your child, who doesn't know you and has a life of his own. It's not going to be at your pace, but his and Lauren's. Push them and you could end up losing them."

I run my hand through my hair. Christ. She's right. "Their pace," I say and hope to fuck that I can survive that long. I've missed Lauren, she's all that I ever thought about. All I ever wanted.

Kayla smiles. "I can't wait to meet him and see Lauren again. When you're all ready, let me know and we'll throw a BBQ, just a small get-together for everyone to get to know one another. It'll be relaxing for everyone."

I nod, grateful to have my sister in my life, even if she does annoy the ever-loving shit out of me on a regular basis. "Thanks, sis." I turn to Maddox. "I have Intel on that case we were discussing this morning," I say and watch as he doesn't miss a beat.

"We'll go to my office," he says, pressing a kiss against Kayla's head. I follow behind him and the second he closes the door he turns to me. "What's going on Kash?"

I run my hands through my hair and tell him everything that Lauren told me today. "He almost killed her and my son, Mad, I want to know where the fucker is and what he's doing."

Maddox's nods. "I'm on it."

Within ten minutes, he's reading through the hospital report of the night that Lauren gave birth.

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