Chapter 16

Sometimes I question my sanity, but the voices in my head tell me I’m fine.

-Coffee Cup

Hannah

Riding in the helicopter wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I thought it’d be. In all actuality, had the circumstances been different, I would’ve definitely gotten a lot more out of it—enjoyed it even.

However, I hadn’t enjoyed it even a little bit.

Not with Alex moaning every time the helicopter jolted.

She nearly slept through the whole flight, and probably would have the entire flight, but the man in the front seat who was controlling the big bird we were in had a very deep voice like her father’s.

Hearing that, Alex had opened her eyes and said, “Daddy?”

My stomach felt like it was tied in knots.

“Just me for now, honey bun.” I leaned forward and smiled when Alex’s eyes met mine. “You in any pain?”

She shook her head.

That was good. The moment we’d gotten in here, the paramedic and registered nurse, a man in his late twenties or early thirties, had assessed that she needed more meds to make this flight as comfortable as possible.

Wanting her not to be in any pain, I didn’t say a word as I watched the man administer the meds, and then monitor her vitals.

Nobody spoke, and I found that I was okay with that. I had a lot of shit swirling around in my brain, and I wanted time to unravel it before we got to the hospital and I had to put the mask back on—the one that reflected cool, calm, and collected.

But staring into Travis’ little girl’s eyes, the eyes that looked so much like her father, I found it hard to do anything.

“No. Where am I?”

I sat back and pointed to the window. “We’re in a helicopter. You were in an accident.”

Her brows raised. “Really?”

Her voice was faint, but I could hear what was being said. Barely.

“Yeah, sweetheart. Really.” I grinned, even though the smile didn’t meet my eyes. “Have you ever broken your arm before?”

She shook her head—or tried to—and shot me a startled look when she realized that she couldn’t.

“That’s a little thing that goes around your neck to keep you from moving it. They want to make sure your neck and head don’t have any damage that they can’t see. If you move, and you do have something wrong, it could take you longer to heal. And we want you up and running as fast as possible. You have field day coming up!”

The girl smiled, and my heart ripped wide open.

“Will you come to my field day?”

I’d quit my job to make sure that I could make it if I had to.

“Yeah, honey.” I smiled. “I think I can do that. Do you want me to bring you lunch?”

She nodded. “But don’t forget to bring Reggie something.”

I felt tears clog my throat, happy to hear that she didn’t want me to forget my daughter.

Progress, if even a little, was a huge stride for us.

“I can do that. We can have a lunch date. Do you like turkey or peanut butter and jelly?”

I knew what she liked, but I wanted to keep her talking. We were very close to the hospital, and I knew they’d want to make sure she was awake and responsive.

“Turkey with white cheese and mustard,” she declared.

I grinned. “Your daddy likes the same kinds of sandwiches.”

“I like mustard and turkey, too.”

I looked up at the pilot, smiling slightly when he entered the conversation.

I wasn’t sure how he heard us with all of the noise, but the flight nurse next to me pointed to his microphone that was on his helmet.

I nodded in understanding.

“Who is that?”

Alex tried to look up, but she couldn’t look much further than a few inches above her due to the way she was being held down.

“That’s Cleo, my brother.” The man at my side said to the little girl. “He’s got a few kiddos just like you. He’s flying really fast, though. He’ll beat your daddy to where we’re going, but I’m sure he won’t be that far behind.”

Gratitude coursed through me.

I beamed at him. He looked similar to the pilot, but that was a fleeting thought as Alex caught my attention once again.

“Are TJ and Reggie with you?”

I turned back to the little girl in front of me, and smoothed a few stray hairs out of her face very gently. “No, baby. They’re at home with my brother’s wife. You remember her, right?”

She nodded. “Your brother’s colorful.”

I grinned. “Michael is that. He likes his tattoos. Do you like tattoos?”

She smiled. “Daddy has some.”

I knew that, too. The one she was most likely thinking of, though, was a single letter on the inside curve of his pectoral, right next to his ribcage. It was the letter A, for Alex.

“Yes, your daddy has some,” I confirmed. “Alex,” I hesitated. “Do you remember what happened?”

Alex licked the side of her mouth and tasted the blood that was drying on one of the lacerations that marred those cute little puckered lips. “Mommy was mad.”

I heard the man at my side growl.

Then the entire helicopter shook.

I gasped and turned, seeing what looked like a bolt of lightning shoot straight down from the sky.

I was in awe.

I’d never, not once in my life, felt like I could reach out and touch a bolt of lightning, but apparently, there was a first for everything.

Alex gasped beside me, and the pilot cursed a blue streak.

Then the almighty thunder started to shake the world around us.

“Goddammit.”

I bit my lip and looked back down at Alex. “Did you know that Santa will be here in a little less than seven months?”

Her eyes lit.

Then dimmed.

“What, baby?”

“I’ll be with my mommy.”

That would be true, normally.

However, Allegra had made a very large mistake today by driving with her daughter while she was drunk.

It hadn’t escaped me, hearing those words and whispers of those around the accident scene. And the words that the county coroner had spoken to me…well, I’d never forget those. Not ever.

Alex would be with us this Christmas. I didn’t care if I had to hire a fucking hitman to take her out. Allegra was through. She. Was. Through.

Not only would Travis make sure that Allegra never saw Alex again, but she was going to learn what a protective mama bear should be like.