Page 64 of Haven

“You ever shot a gun, Dix?” Amelia asks as she hands me the revolver.

I check to see if it’s loaded, then look down the site. “Yeah. A few times. Mostly shotguns as a teenager. Had a foster dad that liked to hunt. But he let me shoot a few of his other guns too.” I accept the ammo Sam hands me and load the gun. “But it’s been a while.”

Amelia points to the locked door behind me. “You’re welcome to practice down here. We have our own range. I’d offer to help you, but...”—she rubs her stomach—”but you’re going to have to wait a few weeks before I can shoot again.”

Sam kisses his wife’s temple. “Shame too. Amelia’s the better shot.”

She beams as she leans into him, then rests a hand on my bicep. “Get a safe. We may have an extra one around here. Lindy and the kids are in and out of Ashlyn’s house all the time. Keep it locked—somewhere you have easy access to. Hopefully you never have to use this, but if you do... aim small, miss small.” She turns to leave, then stops. “And never aim to warn. If you’re going to shoot, shoot center mass.”

Maybe it’s Amelia I should be scared of...

Sam watches her go back upstairs, then guides me into his personal shooting range where we go over the basics and shoot a few rounds until I’m more comfortable.

“I need you to do me a favor, Dix.”

“What’s up, man?” I ask, hoping this is my friend asking, not the head of the Philadelphia Mafia.

“You gotta get Ashlyn to talk through who she thinks this fucker could be. Whoever he is, he’s good. He knows his shit, and he’s got the cyber stuff down. We haven’t been able to catch even a small fucking trace, and I’ve got the best hackers in the fucking state. He’s rerouting his shit so many ways, it’s impossible to crack.”

“You think she knows him?” Concern coats my skin like sticky sweat.

“He’s sent more emails, Dix. One a day for the past few days. We’ve got him flagged so Ashlyn never sees them, but they’re getting worse. More aggressive. This is personal to him. Does she have an ex she didn’t want to mention before? Someone whose heart she broke?”

“Nah, man. Her last ex is buried six feet under. She hasn’t dated since Kingston died.”

“I’m telling you, this is personal to this guy.”

“Yeah,” I fucking growl as I cock my gun to aim and shoot. Dead center. Aim small. Hit small. “Well, he’s never fucking met me. He might think it’s personal, but he’s got no fucking clue how personal this is for me.”

“We’re gonna figure this shit out. We’re gonna take care of it. We’re gonna keep your woman safe.”

“Sam,” Amelia calls down the steps in a strained voice, and we step out into the hall to hear her better. “My water just broke.”

Sam looks at me, a shaken smile on his face as he holsters his gun. “Holy shit. We’re gonna have a baby.”

* * *

Amelia didn’t want everyone waiting around the hospital, so Ashlyn’s phone chimed like crazy all night long. Seriously, their family phone tree is something else. So different from the way Maddie and I grew up. This family has no clue what it means to not be in each other’s business on a good day. On a day like today,fuck me, the texts were constant. Lenny and Bash were the only two allowed to stay at the hospital, and they kept everyone else in the loop.

Lucian “Lucky” Beneventi was born at ten twenty-two on October 22nd, joining his big brothers Maddox and Rome, and big sister, Caitlyn. And when I held him for the first time a few days later and those dark eyes looked up at me while he yawned, I wondered if maybe,just maybe, I was being too hasty on the whole kid thing.

ASHLYN

Hudson

Captain’s log – Day 18. There’s still a large truck parked in Ashlyn’s driveway. It leaves every day and comes home every night. It’s safe to say it’s not an abandoned vehicle.

Sawyer

I can also report a certain sister-in-law’s brother has been seen taking out the trash at the same house.

Hudson

Good. Does this mean I don’t have to do it anymore?

Scarlet

What the fuck is wrong with you two?

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