Page 75 of Ravaged Hearts

Hope and the guys gathered around Gabi, so she peeled back the pale-yellow blanket, revealing her newborn. “She arrived two days ago. My family made it in time to be with me during the birth. Meet Hope Isabela Carrillo Reyes.”

My Hope blinked her wide eyes. “You named her after me?”

Gabi smiled. “I want her to have your courage. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be living my nightmare, and my little angel would never truly be free.”

“I don’t know what to say. I’m honored. Can I hold her?”

“Of course.” Gabi handed the baby over carefully.

“She’s perfect.” Hope’s gaze met mine, and she mouthedoh my Godbefore beaming at the sleeping infant.

The guys offered Gabi their congratulations and greeted her warmly, so I assumed they’d come to know each other while I’d been in a coma. That didn’t surprise me. Given the traumatic circumstances of Gabi’s rescue and that she would’ve been alone, scared, and heavily pregnant, I knew the men in this room would’ve stepped up to support her in any way they could.

“Come on.” Hope waved Gabi toward my bed. “There’s someone I want you to meet properly. Gabi, this is Vaughn.”

She gave me a cautious smile. “Hope and your friends have told me so much about you. I feel like I know you already.”

I winced. “That can’t be good.”

“I think you’d be surprised how much respect and affection the people in this room hold for you.” She clasped her handstogether. “I’ve already thanked the others, but I wanted to extend my gratitude to you also.”

“As I see it, I’m the one who should be thanking you. You saved our asses underground.”

While I’d been strung up in that godforsaken torture chamber, I’d noticed Gabi approaching the open doorway on unsteady feet, her hands shaking as she grasped the drawn weapon. I’d done my best to distract Ortega by taunting him, but if Gabi hadn’t arrived when she had, who knew how things might’ve ended for us.

“Hope’s bravery inspired me to act.” Gabi glanced at my girl, who looked like a natural holding that tiny baby.

Did Hope want children one day? It was a sobering concept I’d have to give a lot more thought to. All I knew was if something was important to Hope, I’d do my damnedest to make it happen. But if having kids wasn’t in the cards for us, I’d happily spend the rest of my days worshiping the woman I loved.

A short while later, Gabriela excused herself to change and feed her little one, and Hope ducked out to grab a coffee from down the hall. Then the guys went to buy gifts for Gabi and the baby, but Brandon stayed behind.

“So what happened during the siege?” I asked.

He sat in the visitor’s chair and angled it to face me. “You mean why did we take so long to get to you?”

“Something like that.”

Brandon leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. “Remember that guard you took down by the dorm rooms? Turns out he was protecting the exit point of the tunnel system. Narco soldiers came rushing out of there like rats from a flooded storm sewer. Took us a while to deal with them in a way that kept the kids safe.”

“And did you? Keep them safe, I mean?”

“Not gonna lie, it wasn’t the most clinical of firefights, because the team’s emotions were running high. Unfortunately,there were a few injuries among the children. A boy took a bullet to the leg when he tried to make a run for it instead of getting low like we told him. A few others copped fragments, but they’re all going to be okay.”

That was a relief. The injuries were regrettable, but at least no innocents had been killed.

“The cartel tunnel system is”—Brandon’s cheeks ballooned as he exhaled—“elaborate. Ortega’s crew could’ve lived underground for a year with the supplies and infrastructure down there. During our search, we rescued twenty-two trafficking victims and found stockpiles of drugs, cash, and weapons. Never seen anything like it.”

I was glad to hear the siege had been a success, especially the part about so many women being freed, but there was something else I needed to know.

“When are you breaking me out of here, boss?” I asked.

Brandon’s expression tightened. “Doc says you’ll need at least another week.”

Not likely. “I’m staying two days max.”

Hope chose that moment to walk through the door with two steaming cups in her hand. “I’m not at all surprised to learn that you’re a terrible patient.”

All of us guys were. We didn’t tolerate idle time well.

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