The Risks We Take Duet Box Set

62. Cooper

COOPER

“ D o you think your brothers will be able to crack the flash drive?” Ford asks Rook as the three of us walk back into the hospital for the second time in twelve hours.

Rook glares back at Ford, annoyed. “Do you think I’d waste my time driving two hours if I didn’t think they could do something?”

“We should have known it would be encrypted. Axe isn’t stupid,” I groan, frustrated that we’re stuck until someone can get access to the drive. “He was always good with the tech stuff.”

“He knows how we operate, Sinclair. Nothing about this will be easy.” Ford’s entire demeanor changes as Jessie strolls into the lobby of the hospital, looking like unicorn glitter is about to explode from her body.

She jumps into Ford’s arms with a smile plastered to her face.

I look away while they kiss like they haven’t seen each other in months instead of hours.

“You guys should head up now. Jack and Theo just left, so it’s not too crowded.” She smacks Ford’s ass, and her smile grows. “And you should be quick about it, because I have another twelve-hour shift tonight. And once I crash, there’ll be no waking me up until I need to shower and get back here.”

Ford wraps his arms around her waist. “Oh, I can be quick.”

Rook coughs into his fist. “Not something to be proud of, brother.”

“Jealous, Rook?” Jessie counters before bouncing on her toes and kissing Rook and me both on our cheeks. “See you boys later.”

I watch her leave, then look at Ford. “Well, Jessie’s certainly in a great mood.”

“We haven’t wanted to say anything because it’s so early, but she’s pregnant. Today’s the first day of her second trimester. According to the doctor, the chances of complications go way down once you’re past the first twelve weeks. Add that to the fact she probably just held a brand-new baby, and yeah, Jessie’s on cloud nine.” Ford shoves his hands in his pockets like he’s embarrassed to be happy with everything else going on.

I clap him on the back. “Congrats, man. That’s amazing.”

“That’s one lucky kid,” Rook tells him. Then he adds, “Better you than me.”

We sign in with the front desk and get our badges. “Room 309, gentlemen. There’s already a visitor there. And one visitor at a time.” The woman behind the desk glares at us over her glasses.

“Ladies first, Sinclair.” Rook motions for me to go ahead, and I punch him in the shoulder.

“Even with a bullet wound, I’ll still kick your ass in a race.”

“True story.” Ford drops into one of the old vinyl chairs in the waiting room, and I ignore them as they fight over whether I could win.

Rook’s slow as shit, so I’d definitely win.

When I find room 309, the door is cracked open, so I knock quietly before walking in. What I see is a sucker punch to the gut. Carys is curled up in a recliner, wearing a tank top and sweatpants, with a tiny little baby lying against her chest in nothing but a diaper and a big pink bow. My heart screams mine , while my brain screams run .

Her eyes are closed, and she’s humming a soft song while both the baby and Emerson sleep.

When I close the door behind me, Carys’s eyes slowly open, and a tender smile spreads across her gorgeous face. Every ounce of hurt I hold over this woman washes away in an instant, and I want nothing more than to wrap her in my arms. But that can’t happen now.

“Hey,” she whispers.

I take a step closer and stare in wonder at the tiny baby. “Hey. How are you doing?” I ask just as quietly.

“Well,” she whispers, smiling, and my entire body relaxes. “I’m not the one who gave birth, so I’m doing pretty well. A little tired.” She shrugs. “And my hand may never quite heal from the insane hold Em had on it last night, but...” She angles herself to give me a better view of the sleeping baby. “Little Miss Elodie was worth it.”

“She’s beautiful.” I trace a finger gently along her tiny arm, and her fingers spread wide open, startled. “She looks like Linc,” I whisper in awe.

“Wait until she opens her eyes. They’re all Emerson. But everything else is all her daddy.” Sadness creeps into her voice as she adjusts Elodie and stands from the chair. “Do you want to hold her?”

I shake my head. “I don’t want to break her.”

Carys laughs at me. “You won’t break her, Coop. Sit down, and I’ll lay her in your arms.”

I hesitate for a moment before sitting down and then hold still as Carys carefully transfers a sleeping Elodie into my arms. The baby roots around for a minute until she gets comfortable, then yawns so big, I half expect her jaw to come unhinged. Her warm skin is soft under my hand, and for a moment, I forget about the shitstorm currently surrounding us.

Forget that I’m furious with the woman in front of me.

Forget that Linc isn’t about to walk through that door and hold his daughter.

But that peace is short-lived.

Carys takes a step back and covers her mouth with her hands. “You look really good holding a baby, Cooper.” Pain laces her voice, and the vise around my heart tightens.

“I never cared about that, Carys. We could have adopted. We could have fostered. We could have used a surrogate.” She closes her eyes, but I don’t stop, making sure to keep my voice calm and quiet so I don’t wake Elodie or Emerson. “We could have had as many years together as we wanted before we had to figure it out. But we would have figured it out together because I loved you.”

She gasps just as I realize what I said.

“Loved.” She holds my eyes as tears well in hers. “Past tense.”

“We can’t do this here, Carys. It’s not the?—”

“No,” she cuts me off. “You wouldn’t talk to me at the hospital. You wouldn’t even look at me yesterday. Don’t tell me now’s not the time, unless you’re ready to tell me when that time will be. I need to talk to you, Cooper. I still love you. I always have, and I always will. I shouldn’t have taken away your choice when I did. I was so wrong to end things. You have to believe me.”

Her words loosen the tightness I’ve been holding onto for a month, but there’s nothing I can do about them now. “Believing you isn’t the issue, Carys. Trusting you... That’s a different story.” Saying the words feels wrong, but if I want to keep her safe, I need to keep her at a distance while we figure this shit out.

Carys flinches and steps back as if I physically hurt her. She runs her hands through her hair and turns away for a moment. When she turns back, a determined glint dances in her green eyes. “You can be as angry as you want, Cooper Sinclair, but I love you, and I know you love me too. So be pissed. Be hurt. Be as mean to me as you want. I’m not going anywhere this time. I’m not making that mistake again.”

The spark I love in this woman is firing in a million vibrant colors as she fights for us.

I just wish she’d have done it sooner.

Carefully, I stand with Elodie in my arms, then look down at the little plastic baby bed on wheels. How the fuck are you supposed to put a baby down to sleep in something that moves?

Carys takes pity on me and gently lays Elodie down in the bed, then stands in front of the door. “I’m going to be here for another month, and we’re going to talk before I leave, Coop. I refuse to accept that we’re over. I’m not letting you throw us away, like I did.”

I reach around her to grab the doorknob, and she moves to the side.

I take one step through the door before she stops me again. “Oh... Axe wanted me to tell you that you’ve got something of his, and he wants it back. He was being weird about it. I kinda thought he was talking about me.”

An eerie chill settles against my skin as I turn around slowly. “When did you see Axel?”

“He sat with me this morning while I was having tea in the cafeteria. He was acting strange, but it’s Axe. He owes me a blueberry muffin.” She crosses her arms over her chest and leans against the doorframe.

I run a hand gently over the back of her hair, without any thought to the possessive move as I work through a million different scenarios at once, drawing on every ounce of training I’ve ever had. “Carys... baby, I need you to tell me exactly what he said.”

Her eyes grow wide with confusion. “Coop, what’s going on?”

“I can’t explain everything right now, but I need you to tell me exactly what he said.” I wrap my hand around the back of her neck, desperate to get her the hell out of here.

“Umm... He called me baby momma, asked if you and I were back together yet, and said something about how him and I could have been good together. Then he told me to tell you that you had something of his and he wanted it back. Like I said, I thought it was a joke and that he meant me.”

“Shit.” I drop my hand and take a step back. “I have to find the guys. Do not leave this room unless one of us is with you. Understand?”

Carys wraps trembling arms around herself. “You’re scaring me.”

“Good. Then you know I’m serious. If you see Axel, I need you to call me, then call security. Understand?” I can’t believe this motherfucker followed us back here and was able to get so close to her.

Carys nods in agreement, and I rush down to the waiting room to find the guys standing across the room. “We’ve got a problem.”

“What?” Ford steps forward.

“Axel was here.” My blood rages when I think about him near her. “He approached Carys in the cafeteria and told her I had something of his.”

“Fuck,” Rook grunts.

Ford pulls out his phone and steps away while he warns Jessie. Once he shoves it back in his pocket, he looks between Rook and me. “So which one of you wants to move in with the girls?”

“Like I’m gonna leave her fucking side,” I growl, ready to flay Axel alive for going near Carys.

“I’ll help too, man. You can’t cover everything twenty-four seven,” Rook offers. “And the old man has to keep Jessie safe.”

“Rook, get that flash drive to your brother. Go now. We need to know what’s on it.” Ford clasps my shoulder. “You glue your ass to Emerson and Carys until we know what the fuck’s going on.”

Like I’d trust anyone else with her life.