Page 70 of Wicked and Bound

Nash’s vision blurred. Joy and grief tangled in his chest, threatening to choke him. Haisley’s quiet sob broke something inside him. He pressed his lips to her temple and breathed her in. “It’s okay, baby. You heard the doctor. Everything is fine.”

“I know this is emotional,” Dr. Williams said gently. “Given your history, it’s completely normal to be worried and feel overwhelmed. But everything looks perfect. Strong heartbeat, good size, all his development markers exactly where they should be. Your blood pressure and blood work have all been great. I see no problems with your placenta. You’ve nearly finished your first trimester, which greatly reduces the risk of future miscarriage. You and baby are both doing fantastic.”

Haisley nodded gratefully, but her tears fell faster. Nash stroked her hair, his own eyes burning.

“I’ll give you two a moment,” the doctor murmured as she stashed the wand away and rolled the cart to the side. “Take all the time you need.”

The moment the door closed, Haisley turned her face into Nash’s chest with a sob. “A boy. Another little boy.”

“I know, baby.” He gathered her close, his own tears falling into her hair. “He’s healthy. He’s strong. And this time, we’re both here for him.”

She lifted her head, her blue eyes swimming. “I’m scared.”

“Me, too, baby.” He brushed his thumb across her damp cheek. “But I won’t let anything happen to either of you.”

“Promise?”

“With everything I am.” He kissed her forehead, then her tearstained cheeks, before capturing her trembling lips. When he finally lifted his head, he managed a smile. “Trees is going to be insufferable about having a nephew to spoil. And Laila just wants a playmate for her kids.”

That drew a watery laugh from her. “Madison, too. She’s already planning sleepovers with her kids.” She touched her belly. “Speaking of Madison, I should call her.”

“Why don’t you do that from the car? I need to head to the office. Got a meeting.” And he wasn’t sure why the bosses had encouraged him to bring Haisley.

“Oh, that’s right.” She sniffled. “We’ll get going.”

With a soft, lingering kiss, Nash helped Haisley clean up and straighten her clothes. Then, hand in hand, he led her to his truck. Haisley dialed her bestie to give her the good news while he drove in silence, basking in his bride-to-be’s happy conversation, his free hand resting on her belly.

By the time they arrived at the office, the whole team had assembled. Hunter, Logan, and Joaquin stood at the head of the conference table while Trees lounged nearby with Laila perched on the arm of his chair, her own baby bump starting to show. One-Mile leaned against the wall, seeming to watch everyone with his sharp stare. Zy stood beside him and muttered something that made the badass sniper laugh. Matt and Madison sat close together, his hand protective over her growing belly. Kane and Gracelyn were there too, sharing secret smiles that made Nash smile.

But it was Ethan who caught Nash’s attention. His usually cocky roommate looked uncharacteristically serious as he helped Kaylee Wright into a chair. The girl still looked fragile, but something in her eyes had changed. Maybe it was the way she leaned into Ethan’s touch instead of flinching. Maybe it was the tiny smile she gave him when he settled beside her.

“How’d it go?” Trees asked the moment Nash and Haisley sat down.

“It’s a boy,” Nash answered, his voice rough. “Healthy and strong.”

A chorus of congratulations filled the room. Laila burst into happy tears, which set Haisley off again. The sisters-in-law-to-be hugged while Nash and Trees shared knowing looks. Madison joined the girl hug, and Matt just shook his head with an indulgent smile.

Karliah eased into the room and took a chair at the table like one of the guys. Nash waved. He hadn’t seen her since leaving the Velvet Cove. What was she doing here?

“All right, people.” Hunter’s voice cut through the celebration. “Let’s get down to business. Joaquin?”

Their stepbrother opened a thick folder. “The feds just finished processing all the data from the Velvet Cove’s servers. Between that and Kane’s footage from the masquerade, they’ve identified over two hundred wealthy clients. Thirty-seven arrests so far, including three senators, two Fortune 500 CEOs, and that Grammy-winning artist. More coming daily.”

“What about the women?” Haisley asked, her hand squeezing Nash’s. “Amy?”

“All accounted for,” Logan assured her. “Amy is in a treatment program in Arizona. She’s doing well, all things considered. The other women are receiving medical care, counseling, whatever support they need. The feds are working with international authorities to track down past victims, too. That’s going to take time, but they’re committed.”

“And the babies?” Haisley’s voice caught. “The ones they sold?”

“DNA testing has already reunited six infants with their mothers,” Joaquin said. “They seem to be spread all over the globe, but the task force is prioritizing finding the others.”

Kaylee cleared her throat. “I… I started a support group. For the survivors.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it held steel. “Some of the women from the island… We meet online twice a week. It helps…having others who understand. So if you find more, if you talk to them…”

“We’ll send them your way,” Hunter insisted gently. “You have my word.”

She couldn’t meet his stare; she still seemed afraid of most men. But she smiled. “Thank you.”

Ethan’s expression softened as he looked at her. Nash recognized that look—it was the same way he looked at Haisley. His playboy roommate had fallen hard. But she had both a lot of healing and a lot of growing up to do. Hell, she was just finishing her freshman year of college…and he was a notorious manwhore. How was that going to work?

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