Page 104 of Risk

“Am I okay? I’m not the one who just saw…” I can’t even seem to get the words out.

He reaches forward and takes my face in his hands. “You were kidnapped and held at gunpoint, babe.”

“I know, but—”

“I am so sorry it happened.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“He did this to you because of me.”

“He did this because he’s evil, sick, and crazy.”Was evil, sick and crazy.I press my hand to one of his that’s holding my face. “This wasn’t your fault.”

I can see in his eyes that he doesn’t believe me.

“Kaden, what happened wasn’t your fault.”

“He didn’t…hurtyou, did he?”

I widen my eyes so he can see the truth in them, reinforcing it with my voice. “No. He didn’t hurt me. He scared me, having that gun pointed at me the whole time. But he never hurt me. The only thing he did was not let me open my window, and I got too warm.”

“And the babies are okay?”

I lean in and press my lips to his, giving him a soft, gentle kiss. “The babies are fine.” I give him another quick kiss, and then I tilt my head back so I can look into his eyes again. “Now, how are you feeling? After what you just witnessed.”

He blinks slowly. When his eyes reveal themselves, they look clearer. “I don’t feel sad he’s dead. I’m glad. I feel relieved, but disappointed.”

“Disappointed?”

“That he didn’t suffer more. A few seconds of the momentary panic he felt at knowing he was going to die and could do nothing about it isn’t enough for me. I wish he’d suffered more. I know that makes me a bad person.”

“No, it doesn’t. You’re entitled to feel however you want. And after what he did to your mom and you…I’d be surprised if you felt anything different.”

His eyes close again, and he presses his forehead against mine. One of his hands leaves my face, and his palm rests against my bump. “I love you,” he tells me. “I’m sorry I hadn’t told you sooner—I should have—and the last thing I wanted to do was tell you over the phone like I did—”

“I love you too. I don’t care how or when you told me. Just that you did.”

“I love all three of you. You and the babies. I love our family.”

“And we love you.”

He kisses me softly, reverently, his fingers sliding up into my hair.

Then, we hear the low sounds of a siren approaching.

“We should get out of here,” Kaden says.

He puts the car back into drive and is back on the road when a police car comes flying past us. On its way to the train tracks, where Gary committed his final evil deed and took his very last undeserving breath.

EPILOGUE

Four Months Later

Exhausted but elated, I look at Kaden, sitting in the chair by my hospital bed. Both of our children in his arms. One nestled in each, tucked safely against his chest. His eyes keep flitting between our sons—like he’s not sure how to give them equal eye time, but he wants to—and it just makes my heart swell.

I am totally and utterly in love with him and our boys.

God. I’m the mother of two twin boys, as of one hour ago. They’re fraternal, meaning they don’t look exactly the same.

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