Page 25 of Theirs to Have

“You stay the fuck in the car, Cash. She is armed and considered dangerous. I’m betting that she is wearing one of those baby carriers with Katie under her coat and isn’t pregnant. The last thing that we want is a shootout with Lisa wearing your daughter as a human shield.” Cash froze at the thought of Katie being caught in the crossfire. He knew that Jackson was right but every fiber of him wanted to go to Lisa and take his daughter back. He needed to remember that Lisa blamed him for Jasmine’s death and had been harboring hateful feelings for him all these years. Seeing him there might spook her and that was the last thing he wanted.

“Fine, but don’t let her leave here with Katie, man. That would kill Mercy.” Cash helplessly watched as Jackson left the SUV and slid behind the building they were parked next to. Hopefully, he’d be able to take Lisa by surprise and keep Katie safe. Cash held his breath as he watched Jackson creep up behind Lisa. She was standing over Jasmine’s grave and from the look on her face, she was crying. Jackson used her grief as a distraction to take Lisa by surprise. She didn’t seem to know that she was even being watched, she was so overcome with sadness. Cash almost felt bad for the woman. He watched as she slowlyraised her hands into the air, at Jackson’s command, allowing her coat to gape open to reveal his daughter in a baby sling that was wrapped around Lisa’s body. He gasped in surprise as two plain-closed detectives ran past Jack’s vehicle and helped secure the baby from Lisa. She was crying and pleading with them to give the baby back to her and Cash couldn’t stay in Jack’s SUV any longer. He got out of the car and could tell as soon as Lisa recognized him. Her eyes flared with anger, and she started cursing and saying hateful things to him, even calling him a murderer.

Jack handcuffed her and led her past Cash, “Not one word, Cash,” Jackson barked, shoving Lisa into the back of one of the waiting police cruisers. Everything happened so quickly that Cash almost couldn’t believe it was over. One of the officers handed him Katie and he wrapped her in his arms, grateful that the whole awful ordeal was behind them.

Jackson barked some orders to the officer about taking Lisa in and booking her and he talked to an FBI agent who showed up moments later at the scene. They insisted that Cash let an EMS take a look at Katie and he reluctantly handed her over, standing watch like a century never letting his daughter out of his sight.

“The ambulance is going to want to take her back to the hospital. We don’t have a car seat for her and it’s the safest way to get her back to Mercy. I’m assuming you’ll want to ride with them?” Cash nodded. He was never one to be afraid to show his emotions but right now, he had so many of them roiling through his body that he wasn’t sure how he felt about anything.

“I’m afraid to call Callan and Mercy to tell them that she’s safe. It all seemed too easy, is it over?” Jack barked out his laugh and clapped Cash’s shoulder.

“It was easy because I did all of the work, man, but yeah, it’s over. Sometimes we get lucky and today was one of those days. Just thank your lucky stars and call your girl and Callan.”Jackson was about to walk back to his car, but Cash couldn’t leave things the way they were. He knew what he needed to do but he worried that Jack wouldn’t allow it.

“I need to talk to Lisa,” Cash almost whispered. He worried that Jackson didn’t hear him, but Jack’s frustrated growl told him otherwise.

“Man, you can’t just leave well enough alone? She’s not going to tell you anything that you don’t already know. She’s not going to forgive you, Cash.” He saw the pity in Jackson’s eyes as he waited Cash out.

He felt torn knowing Jackson was right, but he needed to set things straight with Jasmin’s sister. He needed to tell her that he was sorry for everything that happened. It was as much for him as it would be for Lisa, he needed closure.

Cash shook his head, “I need to do this man. Please just give me five minutes with her.” Jackson sighed, resting his hands on his hips.

“Fine, but that’s all you get, Cash.” Jackson led him over to the squad car that Lisa sat in and opened the back door allowing Cash to climb in.

“Five minutes, Cash,” Jackson reminded.

“What the fuck are you doing? I don’t want him here with me. He’s a monster. You killed my sister,” Jack slammed the door to the car and Cash was alone with Lisa’s foul accusations and hatefulness. He let her have her say, knowing that she wasted a good three minutes of his time. When she finally seemed to get it all out of her system, Cash saw his opening.

“I’m so sorry about your sister, Lisa. I didn’t know that Jasmine had a sister.” Cash looked out the window to where Jackson was peering at him. “If I had known that she had any family left, I would have made sure that you were taken care of.”

Lisa made an incredulous sound, telling Cash that she wasn’t buying his story. He knew that he couldn’t make her believe him, but he needed to tell her everything.

“Your sister was a wonderful person, Lisa. I just wasn’t in love with her. My best friend, Slade, was and he never forgave me for walking away from Jasmine and not seeing the signs that she was hurting. Looking back now, I can see her little cries for help, but I didn’t recognize them at the time.”

“You killed her. She loved you and you just let her die,” Lisa spat, her anger was like a mask that she wore firmly in place. Cash knew that he wasn’t going to get her to remove it, but he hoped in time she’d remember his words and someday forgive him for the part that he played in her sister’s death.

“I get that you feel that way, Lisa. I’m sorry that I can’t convince you otherwise, but I didn’t kill her. She took her own life. What I failed to do was to help her and that is something I will always regret.” Cash nodded at Jack to let him out of the car.

“She was all I had left. After our parents died we took care of each other. Well, that was until she hooked up with you and your friend. I told her that what she was doing was wrong. It went against everything that we were taught but she didn’t care. Jasmine said she was in love with you and that you both promised to take care of her. She seemed so happy, but I knew that it was just a fantasy. I walked away from Jasmin and told her that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her until she came to her senses and dumped you both. That was the last time that we spoke. You took my sister from me and no amount of time will ever help me find a way to forgive you.” Cash stood from the back seat and looked back one last time only to see just as much hatefulness in her as he had when he got into the car. Jackson was right, Lisa would never forgive him. The only way forward with Mercy and Callan was to find a way to forgive himself.

“You don’t deserve that baby or Mercy. You’ll ruin both of their lives too, Cash,” Lisa shouted. He spun around to face her ducking his head back into the car.

“See Lisa, you only got that half right. I don’t deserve them, but I love them both and I will spend every damn day of my life making sure that they both have everything that they desire. I think that your sister would have wanted me to find happiness and I think that she would want the same for you.”

Cash stepped out of the way so that Jackson could shut the door to the car. He made his way over to the ambulance that was waiting to take him and Katie back to Mercy and Callan. He couldn’t wait to hold his family in his arms and tell them just how much he loved and needed them. Cash knew that they could manage just about any obstacle that life would throw their way as long as they did it together.

Mercy

Two Months Later

Mercy held Katie in her arms as her daughter slept. She loved to rock her to sleep and then just watch her peaceful face as she dreamed. Once in a while, Katie would smile in her sleep and Mercy would softly giggle to herself, wondering just what her little girl was thinking about. She was perfect and Mercy couldn’t believe just how wonderful her life with Cash and Callan had turned out. She remembered how the three of them started as just a one-night stand and a promise of a crazy hot threesome and how it turned into so much more. They were her life now and she couldn’t imagine things turning out any differently.

“You about ready to hand our princess over to your gram, little one?” Cash walked over to where she rocked their daughter and kissed Katie’s little head. “Mary and Joe are here to pick up Katie and we went over all of your written instructions.”

“I don’t know Cash, she’s still so little. What if she needs me and I’m not there for her?” Mercy hadn’t left Katie since Cash put her back into her arms two months earlier. Seeing himwalk into her hospital room holding their daughter was the most amazing sight she had ever seen. Mercy knew that her daughter would be safe with her gram, but she worried about not having her close.

Cash sighed, “You say the word, little one, and Callan and I will have you over to your grandmother’s house in a matter of minutes. We all need some time alone though. Emily gave us the green light and Callan and I want to remind you just how much you mean to us. But, if you’re not ready, we’ll throw the plans out the window and have a family night. It’s your call, little one. You call the shots here.” Mercy smiled up at him knowing that Cash and Callan letting her “call the shots” was going to be short-lived. He was right, Emily did tell her that she was cleared for sex, and she missed her guys. They were so loving and attentive over the past eight weeks, especially when they first got home from the hospital. Both of her men waited on her hand and foot not letting her lift a finger until her leg was completely healed. She had to admit that it was nice to let someone take care of her for a change. It gave the three of them a chance to bond and decide what their roles were going to be in their little family.

They knew that they were never going to be like other typical families and that was just fine with her. The guys seemed all right with the fact that she wanted to stay home and take care of Katie, opting not to find a job until she was a little older. Emily had started her women’s clinic in town and Mercy agreed to volunteer as a nurse a few hours a week just as soon as she was physically able. It was the least she could do for her friend, and it would help other women in town out as well as keep her nursing skills sharp. Callan and Cash were so supportive of her.

---