Page 33 of Unbroken (Amber Ridge #4)

“ W e don’t have to go.”

Indie capped the blush stick and turned to look at Colt in the doorway. He stood, hands in his pockets, eyes intense as he watched her. “Of course we have to go. You, Noah, Randy, and his team have worked so hard to get the park ready. We’re not missing the opening party.”

“We’ve also worked hard to keep you safe.” He took a step toward her that almost felt predatory, his gaze lowering to her neck. The bruises were barely visible under the thick concealer.

“I’m sorry Jesse hasn’t found the guy yet.” Technically guys , plural…if you counted both the man who’d attacked her in the car and the guy he worked for.

She swallowed hard, trying not to let Colt see the fear. He had enough to deal with.

He closed that last bit of space between them to stand behind her, then he curved his arms around her waist. “I want this to be over. I want you to be safe and for us to not have to look over our shoulders every second of every day.” His palm flattened on her belly.

“I want us to be able to focus on our family.”

She set a hand over his. “We will.”

“I hate him for this.”

Colt didn’t need to explain that “him” was his father. She knew. She turned and cupped his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to be sorry about anything. You are the best thing in my life, Indie. You’re the reward for all the shit I’ve had to live through.” A small smile stretched his mouth. “You and Peanut.”

“Peanut? I thought the baby was Dumpling?” At least, that’s what he’d called them at their scan earlier that week. The one where they’d gotten to hear their baby’s heartbeat, and she’d cried so many tears she thought she’d never stop.

He lifted a shoulder. “I’m liking Peanut more. She’s pretty small.”

Indie’s heart thumped. “She?”

“I’m feeling girl.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. With green eyes. Beautiful long waves in her hair.”

If hearts could explode, that was exactly what hers would be doing. “I was kind of hoping for a boy with dark eyes.”

He lowered his head, his mouth hovering over hers. “That can be our second.”

Second…she could barely believe they were pregnant with a first. Two felt out of reach right now.

But before she could overthink anything, he kissed her.

And she sank into him. This man made her want to believe in the unbelievable.

He made her want things that, a week ago, she’d been too scared to want.

His tongue ran across the seam of her lips. She opened and he slid inside, tangling his tongue with hers.

A deep, primal growl slipped from his chest before he turned them and pressed her to the wall. “We’re staying home.”

His hand had just inched beneath her shirt when she gave his chest a big shove. “We absolutely are not. This is important. Plus, I want to meet Addie.”

“Addie?”

She slipped past him, grabbed her phone, and popped it into her purse. “Yeah, your new receptionist slash IT woman slash whatever else she does.”

“Why do you want to meet her ?”

“Because I’m ninety percent sure my brother has a thing for her.” She moved to the door. “Actually, ninety-five percent sure. So, pretty certain.”

“You’re the second person to say that. What am I missing?”

“You’re not missing anything. You just don’t have my sisterly intuition.”

He shook his head, but there was a hint of a smile on his face.

The second they stepped outside though, that smile dropped. He tugged her closer and his gaze scanned the street, like he was searching for danger. She didn’t miss the way his hand hovered over his concealed holster.

The drive to the park was quick, with Indie filling the quiet by talking about the photos she was editing.

She’d become really good at trying to distract Colt lately.

And even though he engaged with the conversation, she knew his mind was always partly on their surroundings. On making sure they were safe.

The great thing for her was that business had picked up over the last few weeks. She’d booked more shoots in the last month than she had in the entire last year. Maybe the rumors were finally dying down.

When Colt reached across and held her hand, she ran her finger over his gold wedding ring. “So…I have to tell you something.”

Colt shot her a look, concern in his eyes. “What is it?”

“I’ve lost my wedding ring.”

“You lost it?”

She cringed. “I put it away somewhere safe and…I don’t know where it is! I’ve searched every box in the spare room so many times. I even checked the outside shed. I don’t know what happened, I—”

“Hey. It’s okay. It’s just a ring.”

“No. It was your grandmother’s ring. It’s been in your family for generations.”

He pulled into a parking spot at the park and turned to her. “It’s just a piece of jewelry. Besides, if you put it away, then it has to be somewhere. I’ll help you look again.”

“You’re not mad?”

“At you? Not possible.”

She scoffed. Because it definitely was possible. But at least he didn’t seem upset. “Thank you.”

He lifted her hand and kissed it, causing a shiver to roll down her spine.

Then she turned and looked at the entrance sign to the park. “Wow. It brings back so many memories.”

“I know. I feel fourteen years old every time I come here.”

“Back when you were hopelessly in love with me but didn’t know it yet?”

“Oh, I knew it.”

They’d gone to the same school since they were kids but didn’t start dating until high school.

“But, if I remember correctly,” Colt said slowly, “it was you who asked me to go to the tenth-grade dance with you.”

“The only first move I ever had to make.”

He leaned forward. “I’ve been chasing you ever since.” He kissed her.

It was only a knock on the glass that had them separating. Noah stood outside, a grin on his face.

Indie climbed from Colt’s Audi and hugged her brother. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Inds. And thanks for the photos you took for the advertising. They’re great.”

She lifted a shoulder. “I barely had to edit them, the place looks so good.”

Colt walked around the car and shook Noah’s hand. “Hey.”

“Ready?”

“To open the place we’ve slaved over for the last two months? Absolutely.”

Colt set a hand on the middle of her back, and they headed down the path.

As they moved, her brother and husband continued their conversation, but she didn’t miss their covert scans of the forest. And God, it just made her so damn mad.

That a day that should be a celebration for both of them was tainted by Colt’s father’s actions.

When they reached the cabins, Indie couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. Everything looked perfect. The freshly oiled wood. The lit firepit surrounded by the cabins.

There was also music and a good crowd. A big food table and balloons.

But then Indie’s gaze caught on something else. Or more accurately, someone else. The pretty blonde by the food table. The one Noah was walking straight toward.

That had to be Addie.

Indie watched the way Noah’s eyes softened when he spoke to her. The almost nervous fiddling of Addie’s hands.

“Don’t,” Colt whispered.

She looked up at him innocently. “Don’t what?”

He gave her a pointed look. She, of course, ignored it and walked over to her brother, dragging Colt behind her.

Noah stepped back. “Addison, this is my sister, Indie. She’s also Colt’s wife. Indie, this is Addison, our new right hand.”

The other woman extended said hand. “Hi, Indie. I go by Addie.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Addie. I hear you’re new in town.”

“I am. Although, I only come from Bozeman, so not far.”

“Bozeman is beautiful.”

Addie’s brows rose. “You’ve been?”

“Of course. Their pizza makes ours taste like cardboard. Although, that’s not hard. And I love the mac and cheese from Montana Ale Works.”

Addie sighed. “Oh, I miss their mac and cheese. It was a weekly order for me.”

A mac and cheese fan. She distinctly remembered that had been one of Noah’s favorite foods growing up. If that wasn’t a sign of a good match, she didn’t know what was.

It was crazy that in the middle of everything they were going through, Colt could be smiling. But it was hard not to. The park was filled with everyone he loved. Indie. All of his closest friends. Randy’s entire team. They could have easily fit more, but smaller was smarter right now.

If it were up to him, he would have canceled altogether. But Indie was right—with him, Noah, Jesse, Becket, and Holden all in the same spot, this should be the safest place in Amber Ridge.

“How are you doing?” Becket asked as he came to stand beside Colt.

He lifted a shoulder, the cold bottle of beer in his hand still full.

“I’ll be better when there isn’t anyone out there gunning for my family members.

” His gaze landed on Indie. She was standing with Sky, Aspen, Clara, and her aunt Pam.

There was also a dog that followed Sky everywhere.

It wasn’t exactly the cutest dog he’d ever seen, but it seemed to adore Sky and Becket.

“This town is a magnet for trouble,” Becket said under his breath, as he lifted his own beer to his lips.

Colt shot a look at his friend. He and Sky had also found themselves in danger not long ago. Apparently, it was bad, and they’d both barely gotten out of it with their lives. “Are you and Sky doing okay?”

“Better than okay. I love that woman.”

Colt nodded toward the dog by Sky’s feet. “I see you got a dog.”

Becket chuckled. “We did. And you know, I’m not hating it.”

“Really? I thought dogs weren’t your thing.”

“They’re not. But Bella is.” Becket turned to him. “Hey, I don’t think I’ve congratulated you in person, brother. Congratulations, you’re going to be a dad!”

“Thanks. It feels surreal. We spent so long trying and being told we couldn’t make a baby, and now, suddenly, Indie’s pregnant.”

“Maybe that wasn’t the right time, but this is.”

He could have laughed. This was the worst time. Indie had been threatened. Their lives were still in danger. Which made protecting her even more important.