Epilogue

A few months later…

Nicholas’s POV

Gregory’s mouth is moving, but nothing registers. My mind is on Eloise. I hate being called out, but I promised Gregory I would help him with this last case before I took some time off for Eloise and the baby.

Yes, Eloise is pregnant again. We will be having our rainbow baby.

I gave her time to find herself. Although I was tempted to talk and be with her, my mother asked me not to.

I endured everything for her and was beyond happy when I learned she was pregnant.

“So, according to Agent Craig, the last time our target was spotted was in the Federal District of Mexico City. Do you want to send in Blackstone? Or use another unit?”

Gregory cleared his throat when I didn’t respond right away. His words catch up to me as he glances over at me. “Another unit.” I can’t risk being so far away from Eloise this close to the due date.

Gregory leans back and opens a drawer. “I’ll get the details out, set up the op, and you, my friend, after we go have a drink, will leave tomorrow morning at zero-six hundred hours to get back to your family.”

This makes me more alert. “I wasn’t supposed to leave until the day after tomorrow. We have the press to deal with, the recruits coming in—”

Gregory waves his hand. “I’ve never seen you like this.”

I sit straighter. I don’t like to show any weakness regarding my family. I need to separate them from my work, or mistakes could happen.

“Nothing wrong with that, Pierce.” He must sense my mood change. “You’re going to make a great father. I would be concerned if your head wasn’t back home. Now…”

His chair scrapes back as he stands and removes his jacket from the coat rack. I joined him, wondering why we weren’t returning to the case. “Let me buy you dinner as a congratulation in advance.”

I grinned. This is a side of Gregory I haven’t seen before. With a quick nod, I followed him out of the office and into his Lincoln Town Car.

We’re seated in the back corner at Sullivan’s Steakhouse ten minutes later. I am a sucker for a restaurant that’s decorated in red. There’s something about it that makes me feel comfortable. Plus, Eloise looks fantastic in red. Jesus, dinner can’t go by fast enough.

My phone vibrates just as we are handed our menus. I quickly pull it out and laugh. It’s a picture of a ticket stub for TLR. A chick flicks!

Another text comes in, and I can’t help but grin like a damn fool. It’s a photo of Eloise, Edson, and Bryan in the theater. Eloise’s face is lit up, while Bryan and Edson look unimpressed.

Bryan: Keeping her busy until you return.

Another photo shoots through of Edson holding a straw to Eloise’s belly, pretending to give it soda.

Edson: Going for the “favorite uncle” title.

As I started to text back, my thumb retracted from the screen as a photo of Eloise’s left hand over her belly appeared.

Eloise: We miss you!

He frowned when he received a call from Edson.

“Brine, what’s wrong?”

“You need to come home. Eloise is going into labor.”

“What?” My voice was calm, but Edson knew me better than that.

“Her contractions are five minutes apart and last for thirty seconds. They look painful.”

“You think?” Eloise’s harsh voice sends a shiver through me.

“She’s getting a little scary, dude.”

“Go ahead, Nicholas.”

“Nicholas?” Eloise’s tone nearly makes me choke up. She seems so scared.

“Hey, baby, Gregory is getting the chopper ready. I need you to hold on until I get there.”

I heard her groan in pain.

“Bryan. Turned off the speaker and gave her the phone.”

“Copy that, Pierce.”

“Hold on, baby, I’m coming. I love you,” I said, trying to soothe her.

She groaned. “I-I love you too.”

-

-

“Eloise Lautner?” A nurse hurries to their side and takes in Eloise’s appearance. “Who’s the father?”

“He’s on the way,” Bryan informs her.

“Are you family?”

“Yes,” they answer in unison. Edson catches her eye, the purse over his shoulder. He rolls his eyes and mentally slaps himself for hanging it there.

He drops it on Eloise’s lap and bets the nurse thinks he and Bryan are a couple. At this point, she can think what she wants. He needs Eloise to be out of pain.

Within twenty minutes, she’s checked in and placed in a massive room with interesting-looking tools. They strap a band around her belly to record her contractions.

“Oh, cool!” Edson points to the monitor when a contraction comes. It’s neat to see the graph shoot up high when it is at its peak.

“Edson,” she pants and holds her hand for him to take. The moment he does, she yanks him down with enormous strength so they are face to face. Her black eyes show him her rage.

“So, help me God, if you ever say it’s cool when my contractions peak, I will chop you up and sell your organs on the black market. Do you understand me?”

“Yup.” He swallows back a shiver. She can be a bit frightening sometimes. “Got it.”

Her shoulders relax before she lets him go and leans back into the bed.

“Eloise,” Bryan’s voice is soothing, “get comfortable because this may take a while.”

Edson quickly steps away and pulls out his phone when he hears Bryan chuckling from the corner. How is he so calm, and why does he seem to know things?

Jace: We’re all here in the waiting room. Keep us updated if you need anything.

Edson: Perhaps some pain meds for my hand. Eloise almost broke when the devil spoke through her. She’s scary right now. Does anyone want to trade places with me?

Jace: We all voted, and you lost. You have to stay put.

He cringes and looks at her pale face as she sucks on an ice chip Bryan gave her.

An hour later, Dr. Ang comes in wearing bright blue tennis shoes and a long white coat. “Hello, Eloise. How are you feeling?”

“Like my baby isn’t human.”

“Ha!” Dr. Ang laughs, then pulls up a chair. “I need you to put your feet in the stirrups and drop your knees to the sides for me.”

Edson’s stomach sinks. He turns, holds on to the chair, and counts to ten—slow, even breaths. Out of his eye, he sees Bryan calmly holding a cool cloth to her forehead.

Who is this man?