Page 46 of Abigail
“No, honey,” Abigail replies softly. “I’m fine. I’m not hurting like I expected after the trip home.” He kisses her hand holding it to his lips, savoring the feel of her skin on his.God! He’s missed this so much.He knows it’ll be weeks before she’s ready for anything more sexual that this simple contact. It’ll be painful for the both of them to wait. They had a very healthy sex life before the accident, but he’d wait an eternity as long as she is with him, alive and well. As if she can read his mind, she whispers where only he can hear her, “I’m right here, honey.” Her eyes shiny with unshed tears. His eyes are stinging too. Clearing his throat, he stands, places a kiss on her forehead before turning to his teammates.
“The admiral will be here in a little bit,” Straw informs them. “I know I’ve been out of the loop on…things.” He pauses not wanting to bring up Todd in front of Abigail. “After we eat, I’d appreciate you all being here while the admiral gets me up to speed and we decide our next course of action.” Abigail’s hand grabbing his and squeezing brings his focus back to her.
“Robert, I don’t want you doing something foolish on my behalf,” she begins. He starts to reply, but she cuts him off. “Let the admiral get him locked back up. I’m going to sound selfish when I say this, but I’ve had plenty of time to think things over the last week. Ineedyou, honey. Please don’t do something to land yourself in jail. He’s not worth it. He’s just not. You here with me and Ellie is the absolute most important thing in the world.” Straw’s heart swells with love and pride in his woman. He’s been blessed far more than he’s ever deserved having her in his life, his bed, his heart.
“Abigail.” he’s voice cracks in his frustration, but he’s not going to be embarrassed that his teammates are witnessing him bearing his soul. “I would burn down the world to ensure you and Ellie are safe and sound. I won’t make you a promise that I know without a doubt that I can’t keep.” Her face frowns. She tries to protest, but he places a finger over her lips to silence it. “Above all else, I need to keep you safe. I will promise I will try to not land in prison. However, if it comes down to a choice between you being harmed and me doing something that would land me in jail to stop it from happening, I’ll stop it at all costs, without fail, without hesitation. That’s a promise.”
CHAPTERFORTY-ONE
Robert’s declaration both frightens and elates Abigail. She’s known for a while how much Robert loves her, but his declaration has fortified that belief even more. Stubborn man. Doesn’t he realize that she’d be lost without him? Her life would cease to exist if he isn’t a part of it. She sighs and wants to argue with him but knows that would be a waste of time and energy. He’s not going to change his mind about this. She just has to hope that the admiral will have a solution that won’t put Robert’s life, career, or freedom at stake. She nods her agreement to end the discussion…for now at least.
“Straw.” Ace joins the conversation. “I think with all of us, we can handle him without any of us being at risk for repercussions. Abigail’s right. You don’t need to go off half-cocked at get yourself in trouble. We all have your six. We will deal with Todd and ensure that you, your woman, and your daughter can live free and safe from him.” Abigail knows her eyes are bugging out of her head at the man’s statement. She’s known from the beginning that these men are tight and would do anything for each other. But hearing Ace declare that they will all put themselves in danger for her and Ellie on Robert’s behalf has her tears falling in earnest. This is the family she’s always wanted for Ellie and herself. Now she has it.Please God, don’t let Todd take this from us.
Several hours later, after the admiral and Marla have arrived, and they’re all stuffed with the delicious food that Abigail’s friends prepared for her homecoming. They’ve all gathered in the living room again. It’s crowded with people sitting in the floor on every available space. Robert’s team, Hawk’s other Raider team, the admiral’s men, and Abigail’s friends take up a lot of space. There’re close to thirty big men and about ten women in the room. She’s truly surprised they’ve been able to get everyone in the room.
“Thank you all for coming to welcome me home,” Abigail announces to the room when they’ll all settled. “As many of you know, I’ve never had this kind of friendship and family until I met Robert. I want you all to know how much it means to me to have your friendship and support.” Robert places his arm around her shoulders giving her a little squeeze.
“We are more than honored to be here to welcome you home, Abigail,” Emma answers her. Wallace at her side nods in agreement as do many of the men and women in the room. “You are family to all of us. We are so happy that you and Robert found each other, joining you and Ellie to our family.” Abigail is crying again at the kind words from her friend. Robert kisses her temple before standing.
“As Abigail said, thank you all so much, but I think it’s time for Abi to rest a while.” Robert scoops her up out of the recliner and into his arms once again. The man is obsessed with carrying her around like an invalid.
“Robert!” she protests. “I can walk, you know. The doctor even said it’s good for me to be moving around.” He gives her a scolding look, much like a father would give his wayward child.
“He said walking, not stair climbing, baby,” Robert says as if she’s daft. “I’ll let you walk from the top of the stairs and see how it goes.” Abigail just shakes her head in disbelief that he’s being so over the top. She would laugh at his ridiculousness, but it would make her belly hurt more than it’s already throbbing. Perhaps she has over-exerted herself this afternoon. She lays her head on his shoulder in submission. “That’s better,” he gloats. She swats his chest playfully when she sees him smile in triumph. Bossy man. She can’t let him think he’s getting the upper hand, or she’ll be carried around the rest of her life.
“You guys hang tight a few minutes. I’ll be back once I’ve gotten Abi settled,” Robert informs the room. He carries her up the steps to the second floor. He starts down the hall, but she’s not going to let him get away with carrying her the whole way.
“Put me down, Robert,” Abigail demands just outside Ellie’s room. The children glance over at them in the hall. Ellie runs over to them, smiling happily. Reluctantly Robert sets Abi on her feet, holding on to her until he’s certain she’s steady.
“Hi, momma,” Ellie chirps. “We are playing war!” Abigail glances into the child’s bedroom to see an array of toys scattered all over the floor. Furniture has been pulled out at odd angles and she sees little faces peeking out around them. The children pretending to hide from and shoot at the enemy. It appears the children have tied green ribbons to their upper arms to designate them as a team. Many of Ellie’s stuffed toys have red ribbons tied to their limbs. Abi looks back at her daughter.
“We are the green team,” Ellie proudly declares. “We are battling the red team. Guess what?” Abi grins and replies.
“What?” she asks in an excited whisper. She wants to keep Ellie’s happy enthusiasm going.
“We are winning!” Ellie yells. The other children explode from their hiding spots eager to get in on the story telling, too. They’re all chattering at once relating their adventures of ‘eliminating’ the enemy. Abigail makes a note to have a talk with the men about what they’ve been teaching the children when they’re playing with them. Robert and Tank being on the top of her list of suspects closely followed by Hawk and Ace. Deadeye might be in on it, too, but he’s usual very stoic even around the children, so her money is on the others.
“All right children,” Robert interrupts them after a few minutes. “You all get back to it. Abigail needs to rest for a while.” He places his hand on the small of her back to encourage her to begin walking toward their room.
“Are you going to take a nap, Momma?” Ellie’s eyes are wide. Abigail never naps. Ellie’s never much more than seen Abigail with a cold before, so Abi knows that Ellie seeing her barely able to put one foot in front of the other has be upsetting to her.
“Yes, baby girl,” Abigail answers her honestly. “I just need to rest a while so my belly gets better, remember?” Robert and Tank had been faithful to bring Ellie to see her at the hospital. Both of them reminding Ellie each time to be careful around Abigail and not hurt her belly because she had a boo-boo on it. Ellie nods her understanding, and the children all herd back into the bedroom to continue the war game. Abigail is amazed but thankful that Ellie takes everything in stride not getting bent out of shape over it.
“Come on sweetheart,” Robert encourages her. “You need to lay down for a while.” Abigail turns from her daughter’s room and walks carefully down the hall to their room. She has to admit she is getting tired, and her abdomen is beginning to hurt worse the more she’s up. Once inside their room, she heads to their bathroom to take care of some business, Robert with her every step. When she finishes, washes her hands, and brushes her teeth, he leads her to their bed. He turns the covers down helping her onto the bed and lovingly covering her up. “Do you need something for pain?” Robert asks when she’s settled.
“Actually, yeah I do,” Abigail admits. “I don’t really want to take them, but I do think I’ve overdone it this afternoon.” He gives her a stern ‘I told you so’ look before kissing her forehead. “I’ll send Charlotte or Emma up with your medicine. Then get some sleep, baby. I’ll be up in a little bit to check on you.”
Abigail sighs happily as she snuggles into the covers. Oh, how she’s missed sleeping in their big cozy bed. When he first mentioned moving her into his home, his bed, she’d been reluctant. She knew Robert hadn’t been a monk before meeting her. The thought of sleeping in the same bed he’d had sex with other women in hurt too much. Once she confessed the reason for her reluctance, he assured her he’d never brought a woman home to his bed. She wanted to believe him, and she did. She had no reason to think he would lie to her, but it seemed a little too good to be true.
When she shared her concerns with Charlotte, the woman confirmed his story. Charlotte confessed she’d been nosing into Robert’s personal business not long before the team went to California, when Abi and Robert met. Charlotte and the other women had been concerned about him showing up to every team function with a different bimbo on his arm. Charlotte’s words, not Abigail’s, even though she’s sure that’s what they were too. Hawk had told Charlotte that while Robert liked it to appear like he was a lady’s man, Hawk knew that it was mostly an act.
Apparently, Robert had loved to flirt and throw out cheesy pickup lines to any females he encountered before he met Abigail. And while the team’s women had been certain he was out screwing every woman who came along, Hawk had told Charlotte that Robert was much more selective than the appearance he’d given. Robert and Tank had bought their house from a bank foreclosure and got a great deal on it as it was in disrepair and needed a lot of work. The men had remained on base and worked on it in their free time getting in it back in living conditions. Once it had been livable and they’d decided to move into it instead of renting it out as they first thought. The men had agreed to not bring women home unless it was a serious committed relationship. They hadn’t wanted their home to be tainted with a string of one-night stands. Nor had they wanted to run the risk that they’d be stalked by some fatal attraction crazy woman who wanted more than one night. Their home was to be their haven from the world. So, the men have either gone home with their bar bunnies or rented a room. It had relieved Abi’s concerns immensely, and she’d moved in with Robert sooner than she’d thought she would.
A knock on their bedroom door brings Abigail out of her memories. “Come in,” she calls out. The door opens, and she sees Emma, Charlotte, and Lisa entering her room. The women are carrying various items with them.
“We won’t stay long,” Emma says softly as they enter. “I’ve got your pain medication, and Lisa has you some ice water.” The women move to her side of the bed. Lisa hurries to help her sit up. Abigail is grateful as it’s painful to sit up after her surgery. Lisa adjusts the pillows behind her supporting her back as she scoots her hips backward getting herself comfortable. “Here you go,” Emma says as she hands Abigail a large white pill. Abi frowns at the vile thing, but she knows that sleep will be hard to come by with the way her abdomen is throbbing. Taking the pill in one hand, she accepts the glass of water with her other before popping the pill into her mouth and drinking several large swallows of the cold water.
Once she’s finished with the water, Lisa takes the glass from her to place it on a coaster on her nightstand. They appear to be ready to leave, but Abigail wants them to the stay for a few minutes and talk with her. She’s only gotten to see them for a few minutes each day while she was hospitalized. Now that she’s home, she wants to get caught up on her friends’ lives.
