Page 89 of Brick

Zain entered with Bray in his arms.In her son’s little hands was a small plastic cup with a straw.Green juice sloshed safely inside the container.

“Momma!”

Zain set Bray on his feet and took the cup just before Bray flung it to the floor.Ellie entered the room behind them, her arms around her waist and emotion in her eyes.

Bray raced across the floor.

Despite the burning ache in her shoulder, Natalie leaned forward and welcomed Bray as he pounced into her arms.“Hi, baby,” she crooned.“I missed you, buddy.”

“I miss you, Momma.”He pulled back, and his large eyes, so much like those of the man she loved, studied her face.His gaze drifted to her arm, which hung in a sling.He touched the bandage peeking out from beneath the green clothing.“You have an owie?”

“Yeah, honey.It’ll be better soon.”

He swung his gaze to Brick.“He have owies, too.”

“Hey, buddy,” Brick said, reaching out to pat Bray’s back.“Did you have fun with Zain and Ellie yesterday?I saw you went on a big slide.”He accentuated the wordbig, widening his eyes.

Bray nodded eagerly.

Natalie frowned.“What slide?”

“A big one!Red and Dain went ‘Ouch’!”he said excitedly, demonstrating with his hands.

Brick laughed then reached for his phone, which sat on the table next to his bed.He turned the screen toward them to reveal a picture of Bray grinning in front of a huge red slide.

Natalie chuckled and looked at Zain.“Did you actually go down that?”

Zain’s lip curled.“Apparently I have a soft spot for cute toddlers, and now I have back issues I never had before.”

Ellie snickered.“Oh my god, you should have seen it.He tumbled out of that thing and scared all the kids.”

Bray laughed.“He a monster.”

Ellie’s grin spread.“That’s what one boy screamed.‘Run, there’s a monster!’”

Zain rolled his eyes.“Yeah, I’m permanently banned from Joey’s Jump House.Hope you all find that hilarious.Remember that the next time you ask me to babysit.”

“I see again,” Bray said, reaching for Brick.

Gingerly, Natalie let her son crawl onto Brick’s bed.He snuggled into his lap and lay with his back to Brick’s abdomen, motioning to see the photo again.

“You okay?”she mouthed, afraid Bray’s weight might be too much.

Brick’s eyes met hers over their son’s head.He spread his large, brawny palm on Bray’s chest and tilted his head down to the miniature version of him.“Never been better.”

His smile melted her heart, and the gentleness of such a big, strong man in the presence of his son was her breaking point.

Tears rushed to her eyes, but she swallowed the emotion gripping her throat.They’d been through hell the last few days.The last several years, really.

But they were finally on the other side.Exactly where they were supposed to be.

Together.

CHAPTER 25

Brick fought tomanage his anxiety as he watched Natalie give Rosealee her statement.While the officer seemed gentle and considerate of Natalie, he didn’t like that he couldn’t hear what was being said.

Bray had shifted from Brick’s lap onto the bed and was now sleeping at his side.Ellie had offered to take him back to her place, but both Brick and Natalie wanted him at the hospital.With any luck, they’d be released soon.Zain had dropped Ellie off at home and said he’d wait at the hotel for the all-clear from Brick to fly back to Seattle.