Six months later
“Are you happy?”
Levi spoke the words into my ear as he rubbed my growing belly, his scruffy beard scratching the sensitive skin of my neck. I turned, looping my arms around his neck, smiling up at my husband of six months.
“Terribly.”
“Terribly happy. Isn’t that an oxymoron?”
I laughed, resting my cheek against his chest. “Not really. I’m so happy, it’s distracting. I find myself just sitting and staring into space thinking about you and Hunter and this baby girl instead of studying.” I’d started the physician’s assistant program a few weeks ago and was trying to get in as much studying as I could before the baby came.
“I’m proud of you.”
“I’m proud of me, too. But if you hadn’t come into my life, it would have never happened.”
“So, you’re saying I basically made all your dreams come true.”
I laughed again, throwing my head back, my long hair skimming my waist.
“Basically.”
“Does that mean you want to thank me?” His hands slid around to my backside, and he pulled me closer.
“I can think of a few ways.”
“Mommy! Daddy! Watch!” Hunter’s voice cut through the moment, and we both turned to watch him as he pumped his little legs, pushing the swing to new heights.
“That’s awesome, buddy.” Levi squeezed my waist. “Now, about that thank you?”
I playfully swatted his arm. “It’s going to have to wait. We have company.”
Levi sighed heavily and hugged me tighter. “Fine—if you say so.”
He walked over to throw the football with the guys, and I made my way over to the group of women I’d come to call family—sisters, really.
Ivy, Piper, Lydia, and Jolie all sat on a blanket with the babies. Collins, Piper’s daughter, lay on her back, her bare feet kicking the air, while Ivy cradled baby Liam in her arms.
“There she is. We were wondering if you and Levi were going to sneak off into the house and leave us out here to fend for ourselves,” Ivy said, rocking Liam back and forth.
“The thought had crossed our minds.” I giggled as I sat down next to Lydia, who was bursting at the seams.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I’m about to pop. Just wait. You’ll see.”
“It’s hard to believe you still have a few weeks left,” Jolie teased, her eyes lighting with humor.
Lydia groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“Are the renovations done at the gym?”
Jolie nodded. “Yep, they finished up last week. We’ve received several federal and local grants for the nonprofit side.”
Shadow Force had received a facelift over the last few months after the Cabs blew a hole in the wall, as well as a new arm to the organization. The goal was to focus more on the side that involved taking in young people off the streets of Atlanta and training them in MMA, hopefully giving them a purpose beyond gangs and drugs.
They would still be operating as a security team, taking jobs that interested them as well as the occasional job for the president. They were especially interested in jobs that pertained to the drugs and gangs that were so pervasive in Atlanta.
Ryder jogged over, pulling Jolie up from the ground and wrapping her in his embrace. He kissed her so passionately, the rest of us cleared our throats, hoping to remind them they had an audience. A football flew through the air, knocking him in the head. He pulled away, grinning at the guys.
“What?”
“Stop sucking face and get back over here!” Oscar yelled, as Cruz and Cade stood by laughing.
Ryder grinned, shaking his head, and smacked Jolie on the butt. She grabbed his arm before he could run off.
“Wait. I have something I want to share with everyone.”
Ryder stopped, and the rest of the guys came over, standing in a circle waiting on Jolie’s announcement. The women all shared knowing glances while we waited for Jolie to spill the beans. I’d noticed she hadn’t touched the wine or beer we had for the party, and I’d already suspected what she was going to say.
“Ryder, we have a new team member coming in a few months.”
“A new team member? Who?”
“Baby Blake.”
“Baby Blake? What kind of name is that?”
Jolie rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “Ryder, are you being purposely obtuse or are you that dumb?”
Ryder looked confused for a moment before lightning struck and his mouth popped open.
“You mean—we’re gonna—are you—?”
Jolie laughed, tears filling her eyes. “Yes! I’m pregnant! And I wanted everyone here to know at the same time. You’re all my family, after all.”
I jumped to my feet to hug and congratulate Jolie. “I’m so excited for you.”
“Me too. I was starting to wonder if it was going to happen. I worried that I’d be unable to continue working for Shadow Force, but I’ve watched how Piper has managed to do both, and I thought if she can do it, so can I.”
“I think you can do anything you want to do.”
I moved to Ryder to hug him, but he still stood staring at the ground, his mouth open in shock. He’d yet to say anything as the guys slapped him on the back and congratulated him. Finally, he snapped out of it and let out a loud whoop.
“Jolie! We’re going to have a baby?”
“Yeah, Ryder. We are.”
He picked her up and swung her around as we all stood back and watched. He dipped his head, capturing her mouth in another kiss that probably should have been behind the bedroom door. He stared at her with complete love and adoration.
“Yes!” He yelled the word so loud, Collins and baby Liam both wailed.
“Good grief, Ryder. You scared the babies. Get ahold of yourself.” Piper had a huge smile on her face, which softened the terse words.
Hunter ran over, taking my hand. “What’s wrong?”
He was a lot better these days. The counseling had helped, and Levi and I had even been able to get away for a week on a delayed honeymoon a couple of months after we were married. That was when our little bundle had been conceived. “A souvenir,” Levi had called her.
“Nothing, buddy. Jolie and Ryder are going to have a baby.”
He scrunched up his nose. “Not you, too. Everyone is having babies. Can’t someone have a big kid so I can play with them?”
The team laughed, and Levi scooped Hunter into his arms. “You’re going to be their big brother. They’ll all look up to you, and you can show them how to do things.”
“Like play with dinosaurs?”
“Exactly.”
Hunter shrugged and wiggled out of Levi’s arms, perfectly content now that he was going to be the big guy on-campus.
Levi slipped his arms around my waist, nestling his nose just below my ear.
“Think we can slip away now?”
I giggled, shaking my head. “No. Stop that.” His hands roamed up the skirt of the short dress I was wearing, and I slapped at them playfully.
He sighed contentedly as we watched our growing family enjoy the afternoon.
Life was good at Shadow Force.
Life was good indeed.