Page 15 of Vengeful Pawn (Adair Legacy #6)

Hendrix

D riving across the Perdido Bay Bridge back into Florida, my phone chimes with text notifications before the ringer blows up.

“Grab that?” I ask Bishop, recognizing the importance if they can’t wait for me to respond.

“Your mom,” he says before hitting the answer button. “Hey, aunty, we’re almost at Paradise Beach.”

“No time,” she interrupts, and I immediately press harder on the pedal. “Mia went to Haven House because Coral called, and now, I can’t get her on the phone. There was an intruder. I called the police, but I don’t know what’s happening.” Her sobs at the end set me on edge.

Bayou Cove is twenty-five minutes out; we’ll be there in fifteen. “We’ll get there, Ma. Is anyone else on their way?”

“Hadley and Ashton were in the area already. I called Easton, too. Aria and the boys left this afternoon for the airport.” Hearing my mother cry hurts, but I need to block that out.

“I’ll call you once I’ve got eyes on her, Mom.”

Bishop hangs up as I blow through the red light of a busy intersection, horns blaring in our wake.

“Want me to call Castle?” Bishop asks, and I shake my head. Until I know what’s happening with Mia and that she and the baby are all right, I can’t care about anyone else.

Christ, how do I cope if something were to happen to either of them? The guilt and shame that’s been there for so many years come roaring back, and my body readies itself to be tossed back in time.

Fighting off the emotions nearly cause me to slam into a gravel truck as I burst through another intersection.

“Jesus,” Bish mutters, making the sign of the cross and glaring at me.

“Sorry,” I mutter, renewing my focus and getting a grip on myself while trying not to lose sight of the present and what’s most important.

The closer we get, the tenser I grow, and my breathing becomes labored, expecting the worst.

“Slow down, man,” Bishop warns as we enter the neighborhood. Cops are everywhere. Not just standing in front of the house, but searching the yards and streets, as well.

Rolling to a stop outside the blocked-off perimeter, I take a cleansing breath like I’ve been working on, not wanting to get stressed enough that I’m back on those streets in Iraq.

As soon as we exit the truck, four officers approach us, one holding his hand up.

I ignore it. “My wife runs Haven House. She was checking on one of the girls when my mother lost contact with her. You’re not keeping me out.

” Who cares how many lies fly from my mouth; they all back off, and I’m able to sprint up the block to find Mia.

“Mia!” No response. “MiaBella!” I try again, catching the attention of nearly everyone around me, but not the woman I need to lay eyes on.

Dashing up the front steps, a pool of blood spreads next to the front door, and my own runs cold with renewed fear.

“Hendrix?” I spin at Coral’s soft voice. She is sitting on a couch in the living room with Easton standing guard behind her.

“Where’s Mia?” It’s difficult to keep the growl from my voice. I’m unsure if I’m successful, and I can’t bring myself to care just yet.

“They took her away in an ambulance about five minutes ago,” Easton says, and I nearly choke.

“Which hospital?”

“Can I come?” Coral asks, fresh tears streaking down her face. “She saved my life.”

When I say yes, she’s up and at my side as I wait for Easton’s answer.

“Baptist,” he replies, following us out of the house.

I grab hold of Coral’s hand as we run to my truck, ignoring everyone attempting to keep the girl at the scene. I don’t fucking care about protocols right now. Coral doesn’t feel safe, and the woman who stole my heart could be injured. She’s coming with me.

Bishop jumps in the truck with us, not saying another word, but offering what support he can. We’ve always been as close as brothers, so he anticipates my thoughts better than anyone. When I tell him to call my mom, he’s already doing it.

Images of Mia flash through my mind, and the horrific thought of not hearing her snort while she laughs, or seeing the twinkle in her eyes when she teases me, or the wonder on her face when the baby moves, it’s almost too much.

“You need to calm down, man.”

Bishop’s words penetrate, but they don’t stop me from seeing Mia’s head tossed back in pleasure as I eat her pussy from one orgasm to another, over and over until neither of us can move.

We were getting to a good place. A place of accepting that we were more than a one-night stand. We were going to be a family, and if I lost either of them, would I want to carry on with life?

It’s a selfish thought. My family alone is plenty of reason to live, but handling a world where Mia isn’t part of it is unthinkable.

“Who was it?” I blurt out. I’d been so focused on Mia that the intruder never crossed my mind.

“I don’t know,” Coral whimpers as she grips her knees tightly, nails digging in. “I was so scared. Mia told me to hide, so I did.” She’s openly sobbing now, and I take her hand.

“It’s not your fault, Coral. Mia is a fierce protector; she never would have allowed you to be hurt.” The truth of that kills me. “Did you see her?” Do I even want to know?

“No. They took her to the ambulance before I was even out of the tub. I don’t know anything. I wish it was me.” The near-silent confession makes me hit the brakes and pull over to the side of the road.

Gripping Coral’s shoulders, I turn her to face me.

“Listen. There isn’t a world in which that should have been you.

It shouldn’t have been Mia, either, but if given the choice again, she would have done the same thing.

I hate that she’s likely hurting, but she wouldn’t want you to blame yourself or wish for it to have been you.

She got you and your sister out of your situation because you both deserve to have an amazing life.

” Giving the girl a quick hug, we drive the rest of the way in silence.

Bishop is working to find out who broke in and hurt Mia, and as soon as he has a name, the man is fucking dead.

“Go. I’ll park,” Bishop offers as I screech to a halt in the ambulance bay.

“Come on.” I hold Coral’s hand again as we rush inside. Thankfully, the triage nurse isn’t busy and waves us over. “I’m looking for my wife, MiaBella Dion; she was brought in by ambulance.”

The woman taps away on a keyboard before a noticeable change overtakes her expression, and the fear I’ve been fighting off sails in like a wrecking ball.

“She’s in surgery.” My heart plummets to my toes. “I’ll get a nurse to come down to get you. She’ll be able to give you a far better update than I can.”

Thanking her for her help, we move over to the waiting room chairs and drop into them. Coral slumps next to me, appearing every bit as torn up as I am.

“How long have you known Mia?” I ask.

“Six or seven months. She met Charlotte first.” I never got the details of their situation because, if I’m honest, it never mattered to me.

They needed help, and I was there and willing to do it.

“I met her about a month later, I guess. She’s the one who convinced us to come forward.

Then Castle and Cross got involved, and that’s when… ”

When Mia worked her magic to get them into Haven House.