Saving Emmy by Rayne Lewis

Chapter 33

When they arrived at the hospital, Ember wasn’t sure how she was going to explain her bruised and battered state without raising alarms and having the staff call the authorities to report the unexplained injuries. She knew if they were called, she couldn’t tell them what happened, risking the guys getting arrested, but Eli said not to worry about it.

How am I not supposed to worry about it?

The explanation came in the form of King. King worked with a lot of liaisons and his connections were immeasurable. She was nervous when the doctor came to examine her, but was surprised when she didn’t ask questions or try to pry information from her.

The doc was cheery and pleasant and acted as if Ember was an everyday patient. As much as Ember wanted to know what kind of facility this was, how King had finagled a safe haven, she knew she’d be better off not knowing.

She learned later that after she and her father left, King called the cleanup crew and the Bazwar family was removed and disposed of. And, the remote, isolated shack was now a smoldering pile of ash.

In a few hours, Husani Bazwar would succumb to injuries from his suicide in his jail cell.

Yes, King’s reach was as extraordinary as it was chilling. Ember knew he wielded power in the circles of his trade, and being one of the top forces he could get things done that didn’t seem humanly possible. What she didn’t know was Hellforce was renowned for its contacts, markers and privy to the ears and favors of those most powerful in the US and foreign governments.

King was no small fish in a pond.

He was king fish in an ocean.

After a call to Tex, Rafi was taken to a special family center, a place that King and his contacts used in cases like this, a sort of WITSEC for kids of horrendous crimes. Tex made sure someone was on scene within the hour to take the little boy. Rafi would be placed in the care of a family, and recovery treatment and therapy would be available to him. It was a godsend Rafi ran and hid and didn’t witness the demise of his family. The team was sure he knew what his family had done and what was ultimately their fate.

Rafi had begged and pleaded not to be taken back to his family, and the sweet boy clung to Arctic until the agency came to take him away. He begged Arctic to come with him; he didn’t want to go alone, and it tugged at Arctic’s heartstrings to see the little boy, alone, scared and reaching out for him when he passed the clinging boy to the female agent.

Before Rafi was placed in the backseat of the black, tinted-out SUV, Arctic tore the Velcro patch from the front of his Kevlar vest, the one embroidered with the Hellforce logo, and gave it to the little boy. “You were brave. Whenever you feel scared, this patch will remind you of how brave you really are.” Arctic’s heart broke for the little boy, but swelled a bit when Rafi wiped his nose and tears with the sleeve of his tattered shirt and said, “I’m brave...just like you.”

King would closely monitor the boy’s progress in the program, to see if he’d be placed with one of the families within the program, or if a relative would come forward to claim him. If he was claimed, King needed to know the new faces appearing on his radar. King and Arctic both secretly prayed no one would come forward and Rafi wouldn't be claimed by his family. The little boy deserved a better start.

Ember sat up in the hospital bed, waiting for the nurse to return with an update on her father. The doctor had seen her earlier and decided she needed to stay the night for monitoring.

The effects from the gas inside the box truck had worn off, and even though she protested, Slate made it clear she would stay the night. Her arm was sutured and bandaged and she had cold compresses on her swollen face. The swelling around her eyes had gone down, and she could see a bit better, but she still resembled a marshmallow puff. After a blood work panel, and enough IV fluids to make her almost wet the bed, she was ready to go home.

“Please, I’m fine. I just want to go home. To our home, to our bed, to lay next to you. I need to be next to you.

Eli stared at her and cocked a lopsided grin.

“Stop staring...I know I look horrid.”

He leaned against the bed with his hip and twirled a tendril of her hair, then brushed another from her forehead. “You’re beautiful, Red.”

Ember scoffed.

He lowered the bedrail and Ember scooted over, careful of her IV. With his bulk, it was a tight fit, but Ember nestled into his side when he wrapped an arm behind her neck.

“Do you mean it?” He continued to absently curl a tendril.

“Mean what?”

“Our home. Our bed.”

The Freudian slip made her smile and she winced when her split lip began to bleed. Eli grabbed a tissue and held it to the open wound.

“Thanks.” She held the tissue to her lip a moment, then brought it to her lap, fidgeting with the edges. She waited a beat then asked, “Do you want me to mean it?” She fidgeted some more. “Because, I think I want to mean it...I know I want to mean it.”

Eli took her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Yeah, Red. I want you to mean it.” He picked up the tendril again and wove it between his fingers, “I really, really want you to mean it.”

“Then, I mean it.” She choked back the emotions welling within her. “I’m so grateful you all came for me. I thought,” she started to cry, “ I thought—”

“No, no, baby, none of that.” He grabbed another tissue, dabbed at the corners of her eyes, then caught a rogue teardrop sliding down her swollen cheek. “I’ll always come for you, Red. Always. Every. Single. Time.” He kissed the top of her head.

She wiped her eyes.

He pulled back, collecting his thoughts. “I know we just became an, ‘us,’ but we’ve been an ‘us’ for as long as I can remember,” He paused, “Since—”

“Since I punched Tommy Fleck in the nose in kindergarten.” She chuckled and they both laughed at the memory.

“My Emmy. Always a fighter. Always fierce and strong. I’ve loved you since that moment. The girl with the fiery red hair.”

He placed a kiss to her hair and wound another tendril around his fingers. “Em, I will never, ever, take you for granted. Not one day, one hour. Each minute, every second that I am given to be by your side, I will cherish you.” He ran his thumb over hers. “I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Honestly, I can’t.”

He softened his tone, “I’ve been scared, Em, I mean really scared. On the battlefield, on missions and ops, but tonight, I wasn’t scared.” He swallowed. “I was truly and utterly petrified...terrified that I would never be given another second to be with you.” Eli swallowed harder. “I want to wake up to you for as long as I draw a breath. I knew it before today, and I know it now. I want to marry you Emmy, have babies with you, have fights with you...make up with you.” He winked at her. “Fall in love with you all over again. I want to grow old and moldy with you. Even when these turn silver.” He held up a lock of her ember hair, “I will love you all the same...and even more. Every bit of you.”

His voice went husky. “Marry me, Emmy.”

She pulled away from his side. Her chin quivered and her swollen eyes welled. He kissed her cheek as an errant tear escaped.

“Are you just asking because you’re scared?”

Eli shook his head and propped himself up, adjusting to face her. “No, Red, I’m asking because I love you and don’t want to go one more second without knowing you’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours and that we’ll be and ‘us’ for the rest of eternity.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

She blurted, “Yes, Elijah! A million times, yes!” Ember threw herself into his arms, ignoring her pain. “Yes!” She cried with joy into the crook of his neck, and he kissed her head, whispering I love yous deep into her masses of hair.

“But, only if we can get married in the barn.”

Eli smiled.

“It’s where we will officially became an ‘us.’”

He pulled back and gently brushed his lips across hers with feather-light, angel whisp kisses. “Anything for you, Emmy. Whatever you want, where ever you want...all I want is you. Just give me a date and time, and we’ll officially be ‘officially us’.” Again, he lightly brushed his lips across hers.

She wasn’t having it. She pushed forward, crashing her lips to his, and ignored the stinging cuts masked by the zings of their ardent love.

“Em,” he tried to pull back, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Shut up and kiss your fiancée.” She leveled him with another hard kiss, then tilted her head, pouring the pent up passion, fear, heartache, joy and happiness into their kiss.

A throat clearing from the open doorway had them hesitantly pulling apart.

“Daddy!” Ember tried to leap from the bed, Eli stopped her gently when she saw her mother wheeling Mitch into the room followed by Rhys, Mary and Maven.

“Stay where you are.” Her mom pushed the wheelchair to the bedside.

Ember settled back but was practically hanging off the edge. “Daddy. Why are you here? You shouldn’t be out.” Her dad looked horrendous.

“I had to see with my own eyes that my baby girl was all right.”

Mitch was in bad shape. The strong, stoic Goliath they all knew was reduced to a bruised and battered man. Nothing ever held Mitch Hayes down and his perseverance would hold him through a long coming recovery.

Mitch’s doctor followed behind the group. “He wouldn’t take my word for it. Threatened to sign himself out AMA. Didn’t want that to happen, so we negotiated; he’d stay the night if he could come and make sure you were all right.”

“Daddy!” Ember scolded, admonishing him with what was supposed to be a stern look, but wasn’t quite working with her swollen face. “You are not leaving this hospital against medical advice! I’ll have the guys stand guard if need be.”

A knock at the door stifled his rebuttal. “Guess the party’s in here?” King stood in the open doorway backed by six hulking guys, “Is it okay if we come in?”

The doctor hesitated but seemed to sense they all needed this moment together and motioned them in. Soon the small room felt like an office cubicle filled with wall-to-wall muscle and family. King, Chase, Cy, T, Arctic, Trip, and Creed barreled their way into the already cramped room.

Mitch ignored Ember’s attempted harangue and picked up where he left off, “You must be doing well seeing you two can’t keep your hands off each other.”

Ember brought her fingertips to her lips “Did you ask him?” She whispered to Eli.

“Ask him what?” Her attempted whisper wasn’t as whispery as she thought, because her father pinned her with a stare.

Eli kissed Ember’s hand then took in each of his teammates, then his soon-to-be in-laws. “I’ve asked Em to marry me...and she said yes.”

The room erupted in cheers and whoops of excitement not fit for a hospital with ailing patients, as rounds of “Finally” and “Congratulations” sounded throughout the group. The doctor winced at the commotion, probably second-guessing his approval.

“Wait, wait...wait a minute.” Mitch’s voice, though weak, quieted the bunch.

The room stilled, everyone waiting to hear what her father would say.

“You asked for her hand?” His timbre was low and serious.

“Yes, sir.”

“And, you said yes?”

Ember nodded, “Yes, Daddy.”

Mitch flipped up the foot-paddles with each foot and struggled to stand, ignoring the protests from Susan and the doctor. Eli stood to steady him. He cradled his casted broken arm and his face contorted in pain even with his nose bandaged up.

“Daddy?”

“Pops.”

Mitch turned to Eli and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. “I’ve watched you grow as a young boy into a young man...seen you fawn over my baby girl.” He grinned at Ember. “She, never noticing, oblivious to your attempts to woo her.” He looked back to Eli. “And you ultimately accepted that she wouldn’t return the sentiment. But, you still watched over her, protected her and loved her from a distance...there for every milestone from a gangly, wild-haired girl, into a beautiful young lady and now a beautiful young woman.

You’re a man of honor and integrity, Eli. You fought for your country and now you fought for my baby girl.” He cleared his throat, washing away the emotion welling in his voice. “She’ll always be my baby girl. Remember that.” He placed a kiss on his daughter’s cheek and wiped her joyful tears. Turning to Eli, he stuck out his hand. “Finally, and officially, welcome to the family.”

Eli grasped his hand and Mitch pulled him into a hug. It wasn’t the normal side hug men gave one another, it was the embrace of family. In his low timbre he spoke, “Welcome to the family, son.”

Eli closed his eyes and Ember watched the emotion wash over him from the man who took him in and raised him up...and became his mentor and hero. “Love ya, Pops!”

The embrace was a little longer than normal and Mitch squeezed Eli’s shoulder. “You have my blessing.” Then to his daughter he added, “But he treats you wrong, guaranteed, you’re going to be a young widow.”

The room broke into laughter. Mitch leaned in and said, “I’ve always been proud of you, son, but you taking my daughter’s hand makes my heart beam that she’s in the place she was always meant to be. Take care of my baby girl.”

Eli swallowed and pledged, “I’ll always protect her, you have my word.” Mitch nodded and Ember knew that was good enough for him.

The heartfelt moment was broken by a voice coming through the crowd. “Wow! Didn’t know there was a convention going on.” Ember’s doctor was making her way through the throng to her bedside.

Eli helped Mitch back into the wheelchair, then settled back in Ember’s bed.

Looking around, the doc announced, “Visitors are supposed to be family only.” She winked.

“Oh, they’re definitely all family,” Ember acknowledged.

Lighthearted laughs and chuckles came from the group.

“I have your test results.” She glanced at everyone around her. “Would you like some privacy?”

Ember looked around the room and knew whatever was said could be said in front of everybody...her family. “No need.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded.

“I really think...I would advise that this would be best discussed without an audience.”

“I’m good. Whatever you tell me, I’ll just have to repeat to them. Two birds, one stone.”

The doctor took a deep breath, studied the tablet in her hand, then looked back up at Ember. “You’re pregnant.”

The room stilled into silence. Nobody moved. Mouths fell open and all eyes were on the soon-to-be-parents.

Eli leaned into Ember, a breath away from her lips, and smiled. “Congratulations, Mommy.” He kissed her gently and she could feel his smile against her lips.

“Congratulations, Daddy!” Both were locked in the other's love.

All eyes went to Mitch.

“I’m going to be a Papa!” Mitch’s booming announcement sent the room into another eruption of cheers.

Ember and Eli kissed, letting the others’ exuberance fill their souls. They knew there'd be time to celebrate later, but for now, only the two of them existed.

The doctor raised her hand to quiet the room. “Unfortunately, I’ve got some concerns.”

The room went silent again.