Page 26 of Tattered Souls (Whispering Falls #2)

Then I pulled the chair closer to Tatum’s side, sat down in it, tangled my hand with hers, and then lay my head down on her leg. And I promptly fell asleep.

Frank

It’s a hard pill to swallow when your child doesn’t need you.

But what’s not a hard pill to swallow? That’s knowing you chose the right woman.

And I did that. I gave my kids the best mother in the world.

I walked over to Dom and held out my hands.

Grudgingly, he released her to me, and I tried not to laugh.

I sat down, and Dom watched my every move.

I sat there with baby Sage in my arms, while Garrick and Tatum slept, and I whispered, “You don’t know this, but other than your Grams, you were blessed with the second-best mother in the entire world.

I love my daughter. I love Harlee. I know I’m going to love your future aunts.

But Sage, dear, no one has gone through what your mother has.

And your dad, well, he’s going to be the driving force in what you look for in a man when you get older.

And sweetheart, you’re going to pick a good one. ”

Dom

I eyed the nurse as she checked over Tatum while she slept on.

I eyed the doctor who did the same.

And I eyed the nurse who tried to take Sage out of my arms.

“Sir, I just need to check on her,” she said.

I shook my head. “You can come back.”

“Sir,” she said.

Talia bumped my shoulder. “Let her check, Dominik.”

I shook my head. “No. Made a promise, I’m keeping it.”

Talia looked at me and asked, “What?”

“Promised that if something ever happened to either of them, I’d take care of Sage. And now, they’re sleeping. So, I’m taking care of Sage. And someone I don’t know isn’t getting their hands on her. Not unless Garrick or Tatum tells me it’s okay.”

I was still standing firm in my vigil of watching Sage when I saw Garrick stretch, and then his eyes opened.

I smiled inwardly as his eyes first went to his woman, and then they scanned for his daughter.

When he saw her in my arms, he grinned, “Thanks, brother.”

That was when the nurse came in. “Good. The dad’s awake. Now let me check on your daughter.”

Garrick looked confused, but he nodded.

Begrudgingly, I handed the baby to the nurse, and yes, I watched her like a hawk.

And when she made Sage cry, I stood up and took the baby from her. “You’ve done enough.”

Garrick chuckled, and that was when I noticed that Tatum had woken up, because she giggled.

I walked over with Sage and handed her to Tatum. Then I bent, pressed a kiss on Sage’s forehead, and one on Tatum’s. Then I fist bumped with Garrick.

“Okay, Now that the two of you are awake, I’m going home and getting some sleep,” I said.

They both thanked me, and then I left.

When the nurse who tried to take Sage from me to check on her handed me a piece of paper, I glanced at it and saw she had written down her number.

I didn’t even hesitate; I chucked it in the first trash can I found.

What I didn’t know was that someone had watched me do it, and it changed her entire outlook on how she saw me.

Tatum

We arrived home in a convoy of sorts.

To see all the vehicles going thirty miles an hour all the way home because we had precious cargo had caused me to laugh.

We had stayed in the hospital for a week.

And now, we were almost home.

And I couldn’t wait to be in my home.

In my bed.

I felt my man’s eyes on me from the front seat, and he winked.

The moment we arrived home, Dom was there, taking Sage’s baby carrier out, handing her to Garrick, and then he was helping me out of the car.

Garrick looked pissed.

But Dom said, “Know you, brother. You want to carry your baby in, and you don’t want your woman to struggle getting up the stairs. I got her for you.”

Garrick growled but nodded.

Dom’s arm was around my back as Garrick walked at my other side.

Neither one of them was in a hurry.

And I was thankful.

That night, while everyone stayed and helped get the things that had been dropped off by the town’s people, I leaned back in my seat and sighed as I watched my man without a shirt on, rocking Sage in his arms.

Thankfully, Harlee winked at me and took a picture.

Misty

My boy was a strong man.

He was just like Frank.

He stood strong.

He stood proud.

And as I watched him as he cuddled his newborn daughter to his chest, I knew right then that I couldn’t have called up the line and ordered a better father for that little baby.

Carter

When Garrick told me what he was going to do, never before have I been prouder of him.

He had informed all of us the second day they were in the hospital that since Tatum was his one and his only, and since she couldn’t ever get pregnant again, that he was going to do something about it for himself.

So, when they pushed him back into the room that Tatum and Sage occupied, he smiled and winked at Tatum.

Who had tears streaming down her cheeks.

My brother, one of the best men I knew, had gotten a vasectomy for his woman.

When he told us all that he was going to get it done, I was confused.

As had Ethan, Dom, Bronson, Lila, Everly, Talia, Harlee, and Mom.

He looked at us like we were all idiots.

Then he explained why.

“Yes. I know her having a hysterectomy means she can’t have any more children. But the keyword in that is she, not we.”

“What kind of man would I be if I didn’t want to get this done?

What kind of man would I be if I were still able to get another woman pregnant?

First, I wouldn’t ever cheat on her. Fuck no.

Second, the thought of ever having a child with another woman, yeah, not even going to let that thought penetrate. ”

“Or this thought, but I have to say it. Should something ever happen to her, I don’t want kids with anyone else. Meant what I said, she’s it for me.”

Dad was the only one who hadn’t looked at him like he was crazy.

Yeah, okay, we were all idiots.

He promised to always protect her, keep her safe, and love her.

And now, as I watched him singing softly to Sage while Tatum rested, I smiled.

Alec

I stood there as I watched Garrick sway with Sage against his chest.

Then I looked at Tatum, who was smiling.

Then at Carter and Harlee.

Then I looked at my mom and dad.

And shook my head.

I was a fuck up.

I had been a fuck up.

No fucking more.

I wanted what they had.

And I was going to find it.

But first I needed money to give her the dream. Whatever she wanted, I’d make it happen.

With that thought, I headed to Tatum, pressed a kiss on her forehead, and then one to my mom. Then, I walked over to Garrick, pressed a kiss on Sage’s forehead, and gave him a chin lift.

And then... I left.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, but I ignored it.

I headed to my house... my fuck pad, that I had called it, and got to work.

Then I called the number and said, “Do you have a job for me?”

“Been a while. Told me you would call when you're ready. Are you ready?”

I looked at the four walls that made up my part of the duplex, and the trash bag at my feet, which had all kinds of shit in it. I wouldn’t use it until I met my one. But she didn’t deserve to have shit I’d used on someone else.

I nodded, “Yeah. I’m ready.”

The voice on the line said, “Okay, I have a job for you. Had it for a while. It needs your touch. Be glad when this fucker is gone. Wheels up in two hours. You’ll be boots on the ground at seventeen hundred hours.”