Page 67 of Break My Fall

If one more damned person got in my way, I was going to seriously lose my shit! I was trying to get through the airport and to the rental car office so I could collect the car Mia had organized for me and get to Maddie as soon as possible, but it was like the whole fucking world was against me.

It had taken me almost half an hour to get through the damned airport and out into arrivals because of the queue at passport security, and now I was fighting my way through the throngs of people waiting for their loved ones at the gate.

A growl slipped from me as a middle aged guy clutching a bunch of white flowers in his hand, stepped out, not even seeing me as he looked past where I stood and waved to someone.

I knew I was being an asshole, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was getting to Maddie and it was taking way too fucking long!

I knew she and the baby were safe. Hunter had been texting me with updates since I spoke with him hours before. Maddie’s doctor had arrived and agreed with the first doctor that everything seemed fine and that the bleeding wasn’t anything to worry about. She had done another sonogram to put their minds at ease and they had all seen the baby for themselves, moving around and healthy.

When I had stepped off of the plane I had another text message telling me Maddie had been discharged from the hospital and was on her way home with the others. So I knew she was okay, but I was so fucking angry with myself for leaving her. I had known it was a bad idea when I left.

I hadn’t wanted to leave, but the meetings we had with a potential new client this week were too big for me to not be a part of. I had done most of the legwork in reeling in this big fish and I knew they would expect to see me at the meetings to cement their contract.

Maddie had assured me that she and Willow would be fine if I left for a few days and so, as reluctant as I had felt, I went. Now I regretted that decision so fucking much. Nothing was more important to me than Maddie, Willow, and that baby. Certainly not a client. Not even Milite.

For so long the company my brothers and I created after we got out of the Military – Milite – had been my whole life. Before my sister came along I had devoted everything to making our security software company a success. Apart from Linc, Parker, Jax, and Nate – my team – it was all I had. Even after I found my sister, Mia, and discovered there was more to life than work, I had still kept Milite as a huge focus. But now that Maddie was in my life, and I saw the possibility of a future with a family and a life I never really envisioned for myself, my work was paling in significance.

“Nico Gallo. I have a reservation,” I said as calmly as I could, slamming my driver’s license down on the desk of the car rental office.

I growled my way through the ridiculous questions the irritating guy asked me then impatiently followed him around the car to inspect it, not that I looked at a damned thing. As I climbed into the car, throwing my case into the passenger seat and started the engine, I couldn’t even tell you what fucking color the car, which I sat in, was. I hadn’t been paying a dot of attention to anything but my cell for updates and getting the god damned keys in my hand.

Thankfully, due to how late it was, the roads were pretty quiet and I got a clear run to the guys house. Within thirty minutes I was pulling in through the gates.

As I parked on the driveway in front of the garages, the front door opened and Kai came jogging towards me.

“How is she?” I asked as I climbed from the car and turned to him. He was striding towards me, dressed in sweats and a hooded sweater. He looked exhausted and as stressed as I felt.

“She and the baby are fine. She’s just exhausted,” he replied.

“Is she asleep?” I asked with disappointment.

“Yeah. We put her straight to bed. Hunt and Cam are staying with her. She’s okay Nic, but I need your help with Willow,” Kai sighed.

“Willow?” I looked down to my cell in my hand to check the time. It was almost midnight. I had assumed Willow would be fast asleep.

“She woke up when we brought Maddie home and she’s upset. I think she had a nightmare, then she saw Hunt carrying Maddie in, and freaked even more. Sam and I have been trying to soothe her, but she’s scared. I don’t want to wake Maddie.”

“Let’s go,” I said as I leaned into the car to grab my case, then headed for the house, Kai right behind me.

As soon as I walked into the house I could hear Willow crying and my heart started to pound hard at the pain that made me feel.

“We brought her down here so she wouldn’t wake Maddie, but nothing we’ve tried has calmed her down.” Kai explained as I hurried through the house towards the sound of her distress.

When I walked into the living room Sam had Willow clutched to his chest as he walked back and forth in front of the fire. He was cradling her head to his shoulder and trying his best to soothe her.

Willow was dressed in bright yellow plaid pajamas and was clutching Mr. Roar between her and Sam. I couldn’t see her face, but I could see her body shaking with her deep, heartfelt sobs.

“Look who’s here, Maddie,” Sam said as he looked to me with a strained smile. Maddie turned her face against his shoulder, just enough to peek with one eye at me.

“What’s wrong, princess?” I asked as I moved to Sam’s side and rubbed a hand up and down her back.

“Nic Nic,” she whispered. She turned her entire face to look at me, then held her free hand out, reaching for me.

I didn’t have much experience with kids. Linc’s brother, Kyle, and his family, had a few that I had interacted with at gatherings, and they had all seemed to like me just fine when they saw me but I really had no clue when it came to taking care of kids. But when Sam handed Willow over and she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck, clinging to me as tight as she could, her tiny body shaking with sobs, something hit me right in the chest. I already adored her. She was an amazing kid and spending time with her had never been a chore, but as she clung to me that night, I suddenly felt possessive of her. Protective instincts like I had never known consumed me and I knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do to protect and care for her.

“I wants my mommy!” Willow sobbed. She was running out of energy, her cries getting quieter and quieter.

“Mommy’s really tired, cutie. She used up all of her energy growing your brother or sister today,” I told her. “Can you tell me what’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”

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