The SEAL's Surprise Son (The Admiral's Seals, #1) - Leslie North Page 0,5

in a calm tone.

“What is it?”

She gave him a series of numbers to key in, but the door remained open behind them.

“All right, get out and don’t touch anything,” he said, giving her a shove. As soon as he was alone in the small space, the glass door slid shut, and he hit buttons on the keypad to open the exterior door.

Ignoring his threats, she quickly keyed in an emergency override code designed to trap someone between the doors. The code she’d given him was invalid anyway, but better safe than sorry.

He screamed at her, beating his fists against the glass. She stepped back, knowing he could no longer hurt her but still frightened by his erratic behavior. When he aimed and shot at her through the glass, she flinched, but the material was bulletproof. Instead of punching through and hitting her, the bullets seemed to be ricocheting off the walls. She saw a spray of blood, and he collapsed.

“Oh, God,” she whispered before turning to run back to the showroom. “He’s…not going to hurt anyone,” she declared, mustering her strength. She didn’t want to announce he was dead, but she suspected he was. “Anyone have a cell phone?” Jenna pulled one from her pocket. “Call the police and let them know we’re coming out.”

The mantrap had muffled the sound of the gunshots, or the police would have already entered. She wanted it to be clear when they opened the front door that the threat was over. She heard Jenna talking to the dispatcher before she let herself reach for Austin. She took him from Nina, hugging him to her and dropping kisses on his dark hair. Her actions were a comfort to herself as much as they were to him. He wasn’t crying or upset, but Carolyn started to tremble when the rush of leftover adrenaline hit her.

The police entered, guns still raised, to clear the store, but she couldn’t give them her attention since she was too wrapped up in the relief of knowing her son and everyone else in the store was safe.

“Carolyn.” A voice reached her, shocking her out of the moment. Zach? She lifted her head as he strode toward her. Blinking, she took him in. Was she hallucinating? How many times had she imagined him coming back into her life? The fantasy was always the same. He’d hold her, promising she was the reason he rose in the morning and nothing mattered but their love.

The sniper rifle in his hand dispelled the dream instantly. Time seemed to still as he made his way to her. Noise and confusion were all around them, but all she knew was him coming closer. She met his stark blue gaze, and their eyes held until Austin lifted his head. Zach stopped cold, staring at the boy and then at her. A shell-shocked expression froze his face.

She’d known this moment would come, that Zach would return home and their paths would cross. Oh, God, why today when she was already reeling from the robbery and being held at gunpoint? She didn’t have the strength left to confront him about their son.

“Where’s the perp?” a cop on her left asked.

“Through there.” She shook herself out of her distraction to point the way. “He’s caught in the mantrap. I think he’s…” She didn’t need to finish her sentence, as the police officers barreled past her. They’d soon see for themselves. She slipped the ear protection from Austin’s head, ruffling his jet-black hair. Could Zach doubt for even a second this child was his?

“Are you okay?” Zach had finally reached her. She glanced down at the weapon he carried as if it were an extension of him. “It’s secured. Carolyn…”

“I’m fine. Just a little shaken.”

“Mama,” Austin whimpered, sensing the tension.

“It’s okay, baby. Mama’s here. It was a strange game we were playing, wasn’t it?” She went for a soothing but cheerful tone. “Look how many people came to play with us.”

The child took in the number of officers in the room before resting his head against her shoulder. Zach stood nearby, watching them but saying nothing. For once, she was grateful for his silence. So many times she’d been frustrated by his taciturn exterior that covered the emotions he refused to reveal. Even in their most heated arguments, he’d retreat into himself like blinds pulled tight on a window, shutting her out.

Just as well now. She couldn’t discuss their son, not in this environment. Zach had had his chance to be part