Officially Over It - Lani Lynn Vale Page 0,69

he?”

“Yes,” Reggie said. “I had to barricade him in because he was moving so much. I swear, he’s just like his father. So freakin’ strong and independent.”

I felt a smile tug at the corner of my lips.

God, I loved the woman.

With my whole heart.

I tilted my head then, causing pain to explode behind my eyeballs. Despite the pain, however, I kept my eye open and looked for the source of her voice.

I found her in a chair, feet curled up underneath of her, with her upper torso covered by my SWAT sweatshirt.

I felt my lips kick up at the corner as I stared at the love of my life.

“That’s my sweatshirt,” I rasped.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she looked at me so hesitantly that I would’ve laughed had I known it wouldn’t hurt like a bitch.

“Nathan,” she breathed, standing up.

Dr. D laughed. “Everything’s doing good, Reg. Keep up the good work.”

Then he was gone, leaving the two of us to talk.

She walked up to me and placed both of her hands on my face.

“It’s my sweatshirt now, silly,” she teased.

I smiled weakly. “What’s wrong with me?”

Her smile fell. “You were shot in the head by that drug dealer that used to deal outside my apartment. You’ve been in a coma for days.”

“Shot in the head?” I asked. “Like, actually shot in the head? Again?”

Her lips twitched. “Yes, shot in the head.” She moved the hand on the left side of my face around to the back of my head. “You were shot through the back of your head. Actually, you were shot in the back, but the tank you were wearing deflected it into the back of your head. It pierced your skull back here.” She pressed lightly. “And then exited your head up here.” She pressed her fingers lightly to the side of my head right above my eye. “It traveled around your skull. You were so fucking lucky.”

I didn’t feel fucking lucky.

Not with the way my head was feeling, anyway.

“Did they catch him?” I asked.

Her phone chimed as she said, “Nope. He’s still at large.”

She reached for her phone to look at it, and I saw her brows furrow.

“Well,” she said. “It looks like I spoke too soon. They almost caught him.”

“They did?” I asked hopefully. “Where?”

“Here,” she said. “In the front of the hospital. Apparently, he was coming to finish the job. He got away, though.” She paused. “He did hurt someone that was coming out of the hospital, though. A nurse.”

Her words made me shiver, and she placed one hand to the baby that was sleeping on my chest.

“I have a baby on my chest,” I found myself saying.

She grinned. “You do.”

“Why?” I wondered.

Not that I was complaining or anything.

She smiled down at the baby, then looked back up at me.

“It seems that when you turned into a sad sack, your son didn’t like it. He declined right along with you,” she murmured, rubbing her finger down the length of Dare’s cheek. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. So I brought him in here, defied hospital protocols out the ass, and placed the baby on your chest. It took him all of two seconds to perk up. And we’ve left him here ever since.”

Chapter 27

I hate pants and socializing.

-Text from Reggie to Nathan

Reggie

Four weeks later

“Will I what?” I stared in awe at the room around me.

“Will you marry me? Again,” Nathan repeated the words.

I opened my mouth and closed it, staring in awe at the decorated room around me.

“I…” I paused. “Nathan.”

That was when my mom and dad came out of the side room, followed by the rest of our friends and family.

My uncle Michael.

My grandparents.

Nathan’s parents.

Our brothers and sisters.

The SWAT team and their wives.

“Oh, God,” I breathed. “Nathan…”

Then the priest started walking toward the front of the room.

Tears were now streaming down my face as I stared at the man that I loved.

“I love you, Reggie. I want you to marry me. Again.” Nathan sounded so fucking self-assured. So solid. So… mine.

“Okay,” I breathed. “I’ll do it.”

He grinned and swept me up into his arms, walking me toward the priest in the next second.

When he dropped me to my feet in front of the priest, I couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped me.

We were getting married in front of the NICU. So his son could be a part of it.

I was dressed in hospital scrubs.

He was in his SWAT gear.

But it was the most romantic thing that we’d ever done.

I didn’t think