Page 27 of A Moment Never Forgotten
How the hell had he gotten so lucky to have found her twice? And this wonderful woman had agreed to marry him for the second time even though the CIA-induced amnesia kept so many memories buried. Those memories nearly got her killed.
Instead, Matthew killed Gabriel Davis and didn’t regret it one bit. He’d been holding Lizzie at gunpoint at the time. What he hadn’t been able to figure out, though, was who had been hidden in his backyard and took the sniper shot that went straight through Gabe’s heart. Someone else was protecting his Elizabeth.
Not knowing if she was still in danger, and from whom, or why, kept him awake nights. Matt was worried about the baby, and his wife, but after he’d installed a leading-edge security system, he felt better about her working from home. It was the safest place for her to be.
“Hey, sweetheart, shouldn’t you be resting?” He stepped into her line of sight.
She clicked her mouse and lifted her headphones. “You’ll be happy to know that I have taken three naps today.” She shoved the bed tray with her computer aside and held out her arms. “I’m so sorry that you have to do so much extra. I hate that I have been sequestered into this bed.”
Matt crawled in beside her spreading his large hands over her rounded belly. Their son kicked him as he stretched within her.
“I can’t tell if Wyatt is saying hello or if he wants me to get my damn hands off you.” Matt swept her thick brown hair to the side, revealing the nearly dark chocolate strands at the nape of her neck. He placed a tender kiss on her sensitive spot just under her ear.
She shivered.
Inwardly grinning, he kissed his way down her jaw.
Elizabeth rolled to her side and cupped his face. “I hate that you missed this part with Austin.”
“Me, too,” Matt said through clenched teeth. Tamping down the anger that ran deep, he leaned down and gave his wife the gentlest of kisses. “I’m here for you this time.” He hated that she’d gone through pregnancy and delivered their son, Austin, without him. Thankfully, though, she’d had Teagan, Logan, and Micah, by her side at the birth. His wonderful wife had raised their son alone and did an excellent job. Thanks to his quasi uncles Logan and Micah, Austin at least had a few strong male influences. His stepfather certainly couldn’t be counted among them.
Although Elizabeth had re-wed, the only good thing to come out of her second marriage was Liza, her five-year-old daughter. To erase the lying, cheating Robert Vatucci from all their lives, Matthew had adopted both children. Even though Austin was biologically his son, he became a Saint Clare. Someday, when it was safe, they would tell him the truth.
But until Matthew regained all his memory, especially those last few minutes during the Syrian mission, he and Lizzie had to live a lie.
Eleven years ago, he was Mason Sinclair, secretly married to Elizabeth Kamp. Their joint task force coed team had been ordered to blow up a munitions dump in Syria. The incredible life they looked forward to living ended that night when the charges detonated early. For all intents and purposes, he had died in that explosion.
After Lizzie, and their friends Logan, Teagan, and Micah had buried an empty casket because supposedly nothing was left of Mason Sinclair, his beautiful wife discovered she was carrying their child.
Somehow, his body didn’t die. Like the mythical phoenix, he transformed into Matthew Saint Clare, thanks to the magic of the CIA. But the bastards had rewritten most of his memories including his childhood, his parents, and most unfortunately, Lizzie.
Bits and pieces of his real past had started to rise to the surface of his memory just before he met Elizabeth. She had caused a major breakthrough. Sometimes they came in the form of terrible dreams. Lately, they would spring forth while awake, like a disturbing flashback. Finding his Lizzie, and rediscovering their love, had forced them to keep the dangerous secret that Matthew Saint Clare and Mason Sinclair were the same person.
They didn’t know why his past had been rewritten, or who had ordered it. They were positive, though, that the man they had both considered their friend, Gabriel Davis, had tried to kill Elizabeth in order to keep Matthew’s secret identity. Fortunately, Matt’s had been the quicker bullet.
“You look so tired. Why don’t you lay down with me and take a nap?” The concern in Lizzie’s eyes slew him. “I know you didn’t go back to sleep last night after your nightmare.”
He pulled her in tighter and rested his cheek on top of her head. She was such a wonderful woman, mother, and wife. She had to be tired, too. She’d forced him to wake up, pulling him out of the terrible dream. He was wide-awake at three-thirty in the morning.
He’d held her until her breathing had evened out and he was assured she’d fallen back asleep before he quietly left her. The visions in his head terrified him to the point where he was afraid to close his eyes, fearing he would fall back into the pain he’d relived in his sleep. Matt had gotten the children ready and off to school, a new chore for him. He’d kissed her goodbye before he left for work, making sure she had everything she needed within reach.
Lizzie had been cutting back her work schedule for the past two months. She claimed to feel fine. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful pregnant woman he’d ever seen. Even though Wyatt would be her third child, at forty-two years old, Lizzie was considered high risk for pregnancy. On Monday, the doctor had seen something she didn’t like and had confined Lizzie to bed.
”Where are the kids?” she asked.
“Austin is at basketball practice and Micah is going to pick him up and Liza is at tumbling class. Molly is going to bring the girls home.” Lizzie nuzzled into his chest and sighed heavily. She was tired. She’d probably worked far too many hours that day.
“I thought Micah was headed back to Virginia Beach this morning.” She said without looking at him.
“He was, but he hadn’t found a place to live yet. He switched real estate agents.” Matt wasn’t going to tell Lizzie that story. She’d enjoy it so much more from their friend. “He looked at several more places this afternoon, so he’s going to stay one more night.”
“Are you sure he’s not just doing this because I’m bedridden?” She rolled her head to look at him.
“God’s honest truth. He spent the entire afternoon looking at more condos.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “He wanted to take another look at one of them tomorrow morning, then he’ll head down to Virginia Beach.”
She stirred as though trying to get up. “I should go make—”
He held her in place. “You should keep your pretty little ass right here in bed. They’re stopping at Austin’s favorite Italian restaurant and bringing home supper.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “If you’re a good girl and take a nap, I’ll let you come and sit with everybody at the dining room table when we eat.” He pulled the covers up to her chin, gave her a gentle kiss, then crawled off the bed.
