Page 45 of Sapphire Queen
Chapter 30
“SARIFENA,” Heath ran to her side, gripping her hard as he tugged her away.
“Your Majesty,” Commander Brady rushed to Onika’s side.
“I’m fine, we are all fine, except for him.” She pointed to Nicholas, who was slumped over. Captain Stephens was standing, still in shock at what he’d done.
“I didn’t mean for it to go off,” he muttered.
“Calm down, Jake,” Commander Brady called him by his name, trying to snap him out of his panicked state. “You did the right thing, Doc – you think you could check him?”
Heath jerked, remembering he was a doctor. He rushed to the fallen man's side. With the help of Captain Stephens, they rolled him over. Although there was nothing Heath could do, he checked for a pulse. The bullet had struck him in the heart. Blood soaked the carpet, making their feet squish against the fibers.
“Shit. He’s gone.” Heath wiped his hands off on his pants, staining the khaki fabric red.
“Damn it!” Sarifena yelled, causing Alex to cry harder. The gunshot had scared him already, making her feel worse for her reaction. “Shhh, baby, I got you. It will be ok.” She bounced the toddler on her hip, keeping him close to her chest as she hugged him.
“I was hoping he’d have something to tell us. But as usual, we are still at square one.” Constable James mumbled, “Commander, have your men remove his body, stat. I’ll get someone in here to clean. For now, Sarifena, you and Heath should take Alex out of here.”
“OK. Onika, how can I ever repay you?” Sarifena peppered Alex’s head with kisses.
“Stop. You're my sister – as weird as that is to say out loud. I protect my family, Sari. When the commander called us and told my men what was going on, there was no way I would’ve said no.”
Giving Sarifena and Alex a hug, Onika bid her farewell. Heath escorted her and Alex upstairs, his hand never straying from her backside.
Once they were in their quarters, “I’m jumping in the shower real fast, will you be ok?” Heath waited for her to reply.
“Yes, I’ll grab some diapers and change him. Then we can sit and talk.”
Heath showered and changed in record time. Being away from Sarifena felt like a dagger to his chest. When he walked out of the bathroom, his heart stuttered. Sarifena was sitting on the floor with Alex in her lap. She was reading him a story, and by the radiant smile on both their faces, they were enjoying it.
“I can’t believe he’s back,” she whispered, her gaze finding his eyes on her.
“I promised you that things would work out, didn’t I.”
“Yes… but you know and I know, there was no way for you to be certain. I’ll never let anyone take him from me again.”
“Neither of us will.”
Heath’s phone rang on the bedside table, “Yeah,” he answered it, his face a mask of shock as he spoke. Disconnecting the phone, he swallowed.
“What is it?”
“That was Constable James. Social services will be by the end of the week. They are bringing paperwork by for you to adopt him.”
“Seriously?” Sarifena gasped.
“Is that what you want, Sarifena?”
“I mean… I want to keep him, but I guess I didn’t think it would happen so fast.”
“Apparently the Constable made a few calls, demanding this course of action.”
“Wow… I’m going to be his mom.” She glanced at the toddler in her arms.
“I know we just discussed marriage yesterday, but I want you both forever.”
“What are you saying, Heath?”
