“Mmm,” she mumbles, pulling out the wand. “Is this an IVF pregnancy?”
“IVF?” Tse pipes up.
“In vitro fertilization. It’s when—”
“I know what it means and hell no. I planted that baby there myself.”
I don’t know whether it is the shock on the doctor’s face, an abundance of nervous energy on my part, or the insulted tone of Tse’s response—likely a combination of all three—but I burst out laughing so hard the tears are running down my face.
“Jesus, Fee,” Tse mumbles worriedly, as he leans closer and with his free hand wipes at the wetness on my cheeks.
“I’ll be right back.”
She darts out the door, probably thinking she has a lunatic on her hands as I have a hard time controlling my hilarity.
“Are you okay?” he asks when I finally get myself in check.
“I’m—”
The door opens and the doctor walks back in, followed by a friendly-looking older man who introduces himself as the OBGYN.
“Well, let’s see what we have here.”
He takes his colleague’s place and picks up the wand with one hand, while turning the screen for us to see. He reapplies gel and slides the wand back inside. I’m not sure what I’m looking at until his hand stills and I see a small shadow pulsating on the screen.
“Is that a heart beating?”
“Sure is. Now look from this side.”
He moves his hand slightly, angling the wand a little more as he presses deeper. There it is again, a steady heartbeat…and second one beside it.
“Wait…that…is that?”
“Any twins in the family tree?” he asks, a kind smile on his face.
“Twins?”
My mouth drops open as Tse suddenly leans forward to get closer look at the screen.
“There’s two?” he asks.
“Congratulations.”
I start crying as Tse sits back in his chair and presses the heels of his hands against his forehead.
“Holy fucking hell.”
CHAPTER 28
Tse
“HEY.”
Sophia’s hand squeezes my knee and I turn to look at her.
We’re in the back of Gomez’s SUV driven by Luna, who is taking us back to Durango. Honon is sitting in the passenger seat. He got a round in his thigh. I hadn’t even noticed he got shot; I’d been so focused on Sophia.
Through and through, thank God. He was lucky and came limping out around the same time Sophia was released.
Quite a bit of law enforcement in and around the hospital, with one FBI agent shot and two of the Amontinados injured. Worst of was the girl, though—Mandy. From Luna we heard she was taken in for emergency surgery to relieve pressure on her brain.
“You’ve been so quiet. Are you okay?” she asks softly.
“Am I okay? Babe, you’re wearing scrubs because your clothes are covered in blood. Fuck, you still have blood in your hair, I should be asking you.”
Except I haven’t asked. Because I’m a coward.
I’m afraid to hear what Manny shared with her. Scratch that, I already know because I know Manny. He wouldn’t have passed up on the opportunity to paint me in a bad light; especially to the woman I love.
She drops her head to my shoulder.
“I’m good now. I knew you would come, but I was hoping you wouldn’t.”
“What?”
She snuggles in closer, ignoring my bark.
“He wanted to make you watch him kill me and then it would’ve been your turn.”
I take a deep breath and clamp down on the resurgence of the rage I felt seeing him use her as a shield. I wish I’d killed him myself. I have to find a way to get rid of some of this angry energy or I’m going to explode.
Luna takes us through Durango and up to the compound where my truck is still parked. The brothers made it back, all their bikes are lined up in front of the clubhouse. My bike is still in Farmington along with Honon’s. Gomez said he’d make sure they get back to Durango.
Brick is standing out front when we roll up and has the back door open the moment the vehicle stops.
“Son of a fucking bitch,” he hisses under his breath when he catches sight of Sophia’s face.
“I’m all right, Brick,” Sophia soothes, as she slides out of the car and gets swallowed up in Brick’s embrace.
He looks at me over her head and mouths, “Thank you.”
Fuck. He’s thanking me when it was because of me she was put through this in the first place.
As I get out my side of the vehicle, Lisa comes flying out the door of the clubhouse and makes a beeline for Sophia. Seconds later she’s wrapped in a big hug and then Lisa leads her into the clubhouse. Honon and Luna follow them inside but I hesitate.
“You okay, brother?” Brick asks.
“No. I’m not fucking okay. I need to hit something.”
He takes in my hunched shoulders and clenched fists and nods.
“The old punching bag is hanging in my shed. I also have a pile of new wood that needs splitting behind the cottage. Have at it.”
I start walking but stop after a few steps and turn to Brick.
“Sophia…”
“We’ve got her. Lisa has Ouray’s bedroom made up for y’all. For tonight anyway. Go, get it out of your system.”
_______________
Sweat is pouring down my body and my hands are slick with blood from my split knuckles.
I don’t know how long I’ve been in here, taking out my anger on the bag, when I feel a hand on my shoulder.
“Shee-it, Tse. Done a number on yourself,” Trunk rumbles behind me.
All of a sudden, the last of my energy drains and I lean into the bag. When a bottle of water appears in front of me, I grab it and drink the whole fucking thing down.
“She’s pregnant. He cut her, bit her so hard he drew blood, and she’s fucking pregnant. You know what she’s thinkin’? She’s fucking worried about me. Me.” I draw back my hand and punch the bag but there’s not much behind it. “Carrying my fucking babies, listening to the filth coming from that bastard’s
