Darkest Before Dawn

Then there were the times he became restless, and Honor always knew when it was time for him to go be a lone wolf for a few days. She never asked and he never volunteered where he went, but he’d lived most of his life alone and isolated, and every so often he needed that again. He still wasn’t completely comfortable living a “normal” life and she understood that, accepted it. And he loved her all the more for it.

She benefitted from the arrangement as well because under no circumstances would Guy ever leave his wife and son unprotected, so when Guy took off to oversee operations at the relief center or went off to parts unknown, he always took her to the one person he trusted most apart from Honor. Maren Steele and by extension: Jackson Steele, though no one except his wife ever called him “Jackson,” just as no one but Honor and Eden called Hancock “Guy.”

As a result, she’d been fully indoctrinated into the Kelly clan and was laughingly told that she was the latest Mama Kelly chick to be adopted. It was also during these times that she got to see her own family. Sam Kelly flew her parents and siblings into the KGI compound, away from the prying eyes of the media or other sources of gossip, and Honor enjoyed the benefits of being able to visit all her family.

Eddie, Raid, and Ryker Sinclair came when they could, though now that Reece had been born, Honor imagined Eddie would be in Tennessee anytime his first grandchild was there for a visit.

“That’s the plan,” Guy said, in answer to Honor’s question. “Unless something else pops up. I’ll be gone a week at the most. Sam is sending one of the Kelly jets and one of the KGI teams to escort you and Reece to Tennessee.”

Honor bit her lip in order not to smile. “Unless something else pops up” was code for the other side ventures Guy was involved in. Though he was careful not to personally involve himself in anything that could kill him, thus leaving his family unprotected, he was a lot of things to a lot of people. He supplied intel to Resnick, a rogue CIA agent who was likely as shadowy as Guy himself had been, any number of government agencies—not just the American government—and even KGI, though he’d probably bite his tongue before ever admitting he was actually helping them.

Guy did a lot of consulting work. He’d worked and lived in the shadows for years. He knew things most law-abiding operatives didn’t. He knew how organized crime lords thought and worked. He had vast knowledge of human trafficking and those who spearheaded such operations.

If Honor didn’t know the heart of Guy, she’d run screaming in the other direction, because he had “bad news” written all over him. And yet he was honorable. He had a code—a strict code. One he adhered to at all times. He was a law unto himself and yet he didn’t abuse that power, his knowledge, skills or contacts.

He was one of the good guys.

“How many children do you want?” she blurted out.

Then she cursed her lack of subtlety. Geesh. Talk about whiplash, going from one topic to another that was in no way relevant.

Guy looked baffled for a tenth of a second and then he scowled. Uh-oh. Maybe she should have waited until tonight when he was sated and mellow after making love to spring this on him.

He rotated around and planted both hands on either side of her hips so he could look at her face-to-face. Guy had been a little—okay, a lot—intense during her first pregnancy. He’d insisted that Maren be the one to deliver his and Honor’s child even though she wasn’t an obstetrician. She was a general practitioner. But he liked Maren, and Guy didn’t like many people, but more than that he trusted Maren, and he definitely didn’t trust but a handful of people.

So two weeks before her due date, they’d traveled to Tennessee and Guy had announced they were staying until Honor gave birth and Maren gave her the all clear to travel back home. He just never bothered to tell anyone where “back home” was. That was a highly guarded secret that only Guy and Honor knew, and he’d insisted that not even their families know because they couldn’t very well be forced to give information they didn’t have.

Honor swallowed because Guy was looming over her, fairly seething, agitation rolling off him in waves at the mere mention of more children.

“I will never put you through that again,” he said through tightly clenched teeth as his scowl deepened. Then his entire face softened and love warmed his eyes. “You gave me a son, something I never thought I’d have. You gave me a real family. Something of my own. My blood. You and Reece are enough for me. You’ll always be enough for me.”

She laughed. She couldn’t help herself, though he had no liking for her amusement. “Guy, my delivery was as uncomplicated as it gets! It was smooth and went off without a hitch. I was only in labor for six hours.”

His face went pale and his eyes were haunted. Her heart twisted as she saw the conflicting emotions so evident in his gaze.

“God, Honor, you were in so much pain,” he said in a tortured voice. “You’ve had enough pain and suffering. Pain I caused. Me! And I’ll be damned if I cause you any more.”

Her entire demeanor went soft and her heart filled with so much love for this man. What would her life ever be without him? She lifted her hand to his face and softly caressed his cheek.

“Honey, pain is normal in childbirth. Since the beginning of time. But the reward . . . Oh, Guy, the reward is worth every bit of pain and suffering because the result is a precious baby boy or girl.”

She eased up from the couch, extricating herself from Guy’s grasp. She went to where her beautiful son was enjoying the bouncer he’d nearly grown out of, and when he saw her, he rewarded her with a wide grin that sported two partially grown in front teeth on top and bottom. He immediately began kicking and wiggling his entire body, further reminding Honor that the bouncer would have to go soon before he either broke it or launched himself right out of it. She picked him up and cradled him in her arms, gently running her hand over his soft skin. Then she looked up at Guy, all the love she had for both her husband and her son shining like a beacon in her eyes.