Page 34 of Banner

He moves closer and with shaking hands, I lift the gun and aim it at his chest just like my husband taught me.

‘If you’re ever forced to pull this trigger to protect yourself, you aim at the biggest part of the target, baby.’

His words play in my head, and I pull the trigger.

Ivan’s eyes widen as he looks down at the blood flowing from the hole in his chest.His accusing eyes swing back up and he crumbles to the ground.

“Don’t you die on me, Banner St.James!”I cry, dropping to my knees beside my husband.

His glassy eyes soften.“I’m sorry, Mouse.”

“You can make it up to me later.You hear me.”Hearing the heavy tread of boots thundering up the stairs, I reach for the gun again.Pop appears in the doorway and quickly assesses the situation.

“Help him!”I yell.

He looks from me to Banner and moves.

“Move, Sophia!”I slide on my bottom and lean my back against the wall.The world around me starts to blur when my eyes settle on Ivan’s lifeless body.I killed him.I took his life.A sob wrenches from my chest and I quickly cover my mouth, trying to hold in all the anguish.I can feel the walls are closing in as my breathing becomes labored.I want to go home.I turn to Banner to ask if we can leave, but his eyes are closed.

“Banner!”I pant, struggling to get enough oxygen.“Banner!”I call out again, but he doesn’t move.

“She’s in shock,” someone says but it sounds hollow as I watch Pop feel for a pulse, yank a pen out of his pocket, take it apart, then shove the casing into the hole in Banner’s chest.A scream is ripped from the depths of my soul as blood pours out of the hole.

“Get her out of here!”Unfamiliar hands grip under my arms, and I struggle against their hold.

“No!Please, I can’t leave him!”I cry as I fight against the tight hold around my shoulders.

“Stop fighting me, Sophia.I don’t want to hurt you.”I look up into Haze’s worried eyes and completely crumble.I don’t notice when he lifts me into a truck or when the door closes like a tomb.Nothing else matters as I pray over and over for God to spare the man I love.

Please don’t take him from me.

* * *

One Month Later

The sob I’ve been holding escapes when I lift the pregnancy test off the vanity counter and see the two faint pink lines.Pregnant.I didn’t need the test to confirm what I already knew.No, there’s been subtle signs over the last couple of weeks.Tenderness in my breasts, getting sick in the mornings, and worst of all, no longer being able to stand the smell of coffee.I wasn’t sure what kind of sick game God was playing on me, but I was sure someone up above was getting a laugh at the irony.

“I wish he was here to see how happy I am,” I whisper to my still-flat belly.

Strong arms wrap around my waist as soft lips skim across my neck.I give him my weight, leaning heavily against his muscular chest, and my eyes close.This is my happy place.

“We’re having a baby,” he rasps.

My head bobs up and down as I sniffle.

“Don’t like it when you cry, Mouse.”I know he doesn’t, but it can’t be helped.

“They’re happy tears, honey.”

“Still don’t like it.”I turn around in my husband’s arms and press my hands against his warm bare chest.As is tradition, my fingers follow my eyes to the scar that serves as a constant reminder of the day I almost lost him.The day will haunt me for the rest of my life.

His face softens.“Are you happy, baby?”

Gliding my hands up and around his neck, I pull, and he lowers his head until his lips are a hairsbreadth from mine.“More than I’ve ever been.Are you?”

He closes the distance and presses his lips to mine.When he pulls away, his words completely rock my world.“There’s no word that comes close to describing what you’ve given me.I thought I had it all and then I stole you.”He smirks and I roll my eyes.His expression turns serious, and with what he says next he almost brings me to my knees.“You’ve brought light into the darkness and now… now you’re having my baby.You’re everything right and good in my world.”

His arms tighten, and I sink into his hold.

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