Page 13 of Reunited with the Soldier

"Fuck, Kash, how the fuck did she survive?" he sounds tortured.

I read over his shoulder, reading the report and my stomach flips. "I don't know, fuck, I have no idea."

She lost so much blood, there was so much damage done to her face and body that the reports stated that they weren't able to determine the full extent of her injuries for hours after she was admitted because there was so much blood.

"We'll find him, Kash and we'll make sure that fucker comes nowhere near Lauren and Elijah."

I nod. "He should rot in jail for what he's done," I growl. But I'll kill him if he comes near Lauren again. I don't give a fuck. I have the training to do whatever is necessary to ensure that he'll never touch her. Fuck, I'll do the time too, as long as she's safe.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" Maddox asks.

I shake my head. "No, I'm excited. I just can't wait."

"Take it all in, seriously, soak in every single second of it all."

I plan on doing just that. I want a life with my son and my woman. It's going to take time but I plan on getting Lauren back and I want to spend as much time with Elijah as possible. I want to know everything about him. Absolutely everything.

Fuck, I can't believe that in less than twenty-four hours I'm going to be meeting my son.

SEVEN

LAUREN

I didn't sleep last night. I can still feel Kash's lips on mine and I keep rubbing them, wanting the feeling to last. I tossed and turned, thinking about Elijah and having to sit him down and talk to him about Kash. Just thinking his name sends my stomach into turmoil. If it was just me I would let him stay with me and I'd love to be reconnecting with him, but I have to think about Elijah and want he needs.

At breakfast, Elijah asks, "So, what are we doing today, Mom?"

"I need to talk to you." I look up as Bailey walks in. When she got home last night, I told her everything, she held me while I wept and she sat me down and told me that I do need to tell Elijah and that he would be okay about everything. I hope that's true. Bailey smiles at me and nods her head.

"What about? What did I do wrong this time?" Elijah rolls his eyes and looks up at Bailey. "Do you know what I did?"

She laughs. "You didn't do anything wrong. Your mom just has something she needs to talk to you about."

Elijah looks over to me. "Are you sick, Mom? Do you want me to play doctors on you?"

I laugh. "No, baby. I'm not sick." I take a deep gulp of air and just go for it. "I want to talk to you about your dad."

His eyes light up. I never talk about his dad, so I can understand why he's excited. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine, Elijah. He's in town and he wants to meet you." I hold my breath and wait for his response.

"When? Now?" He runs to the door.

"Elijah, come back here. No, not now, he is coming over later to meet you. Are you okay with that?" I touch his arm.

"Yes, I am. All my friends have both a mom and a dad and I'm the only one who doesn't. I told them he was in the military and that we don't know when he's coming home. Tommy said that he should come home every year and that he probably didn't want to know me and that's why he's not come before now." Elijah talks fast, like he's trying to say everything at once.

"That's not true, Elijah. Your dad is going to love you so much. I didn't know where he was in the military so I didn't have a way to contact him, but I bumped into him the other night and he was here last night so we could talk about you. He's very excited to meet you and I think he's a bit nervous too."

"Nervous? Why? I'm his son." He looks confused.

"Because you've been without him for so long, you might not want a dad in your life."

"Mom, that's silly. Of course I want my dad to know me." He looks at me like that is the strangest thing I have ever said.

"Okay, I will text him and let him know. Then we need to finish breakfast and tidy up. Are you good with that?"

"Absolutely." He eats his breakfast and then scurries away to tidy his toys away. I hear him singing, "I'm meeting Dad today, Dad today," in the I'm going to the zoo, today, music.

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