“Luc?” she breathed out with a faint smile.

Hearing her voice completely undid me. She was my everything, the only good in my life. She was the one that pulled me out from the darkness. My father had been wrong. I was destined to live my life with an angel, while he was destined to hell.

“Vicky,” I exhaled. “Are you okay? Please, tell me you are okay…”

“Yes, Luc, we are okay. I was lucky the bullet hit my leg, it skimmed the bone, it didn’t penetrate.,” she explained. I held my hand up to my chest and took a breath. Wait a minute!

“We?” I asked with excitement in my tone.

“Yes, Luc, the baby and I are good. This is not the way I wanted you to find out, but…” she trailed off. I wanted to hop out of my bed and kiss her feverishly, but I was in too much pain to move and she looked the same. I reached out my hand and she took it. Holding her hand in mine, I never wanted to let her go. I already knew about the baby, but hearing it from her lips made me delirious. She laughed and it made my heart feel warm.

A man in a white coat entered the room. “She has still lost blood and she may feel weak for a while. We will be keeping her for observation for the next forty-eight hours. She needs fluids, she was dehydrated, and we also want to keep an eye on her leg make sure there is no infection,” he explained.

“Thank you, doctor.” I smiled. I’d been worried sick about Joe too. He really saved us out there. “Do you know how her brother is doing? Joe Molino.”

“Let me check with the nurses.” The doctor smiled and exited the room. Vicky lay in the bed with a frown on her face. I didn’t know how much she remembered or if she could recall which way the bullets were flying.

The doctor walked back in the room. “He’s in surgery, bullet wound to the abdomen. He’s lost a lot of blood, but it looks like the bullet didn’t hit any major organs, so he should be fine. I think they are sewing him up now, but he may have to be in the hospital for about a week.”

I also wanted to ask about Justin but I hated saying my family name. “And my brother, Justin Blanchard. Is he okay?”

The doctor turned back to the nurse’s station and a few moments later he returned. “Yes, he is out of surgery, bullet wound to the shoulder like you. He will be in a sling for a while.” I didn’t ask about my father. I already knew he was dead.

“Thank you, doctor.”

“Okay, Mr. Lebaum, I should be getting you back to your room,” the nurse added.

“Can’t I stay here with my wife?” I asked and Vicky’s eyes went round. Bryce stood off to the corner of the room, chuckling.

“No, sir, that won’t be allowed.” She frowned and then I had to release Vicky’s hand.

“I will stay with her, Luc, don’t worry,” Bryce cut in.

The nurse rolled me back to my room. At least with my father dead, I would have real freedom. I would be able to raise my child without looking over my shoulder. I kept on repeating that idea in my head. After living in a chamber of hell for most of my life, it would take time for me to truly believe I was free and that Vicky was safe.

Chapter 32

Two weeks later

Vicky

As we stood around my papa’s grave at the cemetery, the priest gave a long speech. I had Luc standing on one side of me and Bryce on the other, both of them were holding my hand. Joe was standing beside Luc, in a black suit and black sunglasses. As the priest delivered his sermon about heaven and returning to dust, my mind felt hazy. These past few years had been like a whirlwind and attending my father’s funeral made my heart feel heavy. The only difference today was that I knew if I fell apart, I would have my loved ones to stand by me and help me by holding all my broken pieces together. Joe and Luc seem to have bonded over my kidnapping disaster and you would think they were brothers from birth. Luc had molded effortlessly into our family and into my heart so quickly.

As the casket lowered into the ground, I took long deep breaths. Having Luc beside me meant everything. He pulled me out of the depths of hell. When I met him I was a lost broken girl on a self-destructive path. My tears had remained silent, ripping me apart slowly from the inside as I found random hook-ups to fill the void I’d been feeling, or numb the pain; I am not sure which. Loving Luc freed me from the chains that held me captive. The chains of abandonment: feeling that I needed to be alone my whole life because I didn’t trust loving, the fear of being abandoned again. I knew now that he would never leave me; never abandon our child or me.

When the funeral was over we all got into our cars and headed back to my parents' vacant house. The pregnancy had me feeling tired and nauseous all the time, and the new wound to my upper thigh meant that I was also limping. Despite my sadness over Papa’s passing, I felt more whole inside than I had in a long time.

***

“Bryce, can I make you some tea or coffee?” I asked, standing up from the kitchen table. All of us had walked back in here feeling solemn and we all took a seat at the kitchen table.

“I’m good, Vicky, you sit down and I will make you something. I called the local deli and spoke to a lady named Marie…” he began.

“Yes, she was just at the funeral,” I responded.

“I ordered a bunch of food, it should be here shortly. You need to eat and keep up your strength, that’s my grandchild you’re carrying.” He smiled.

“Thanks, Bryce, I do feel wiped out right now. I feel sick twenty-four hours a day,” I huffed, wondering when the feeling of nausea would subside.

“We need to take you to see a doctor for a check-up,” Luc cut in, as he lifted my hand in his and held on to it. I looked into his eyes and he stared back lovingly.

“Yeah, Vick, what are your plans now?” Joe cut in. “I was put on a temporary leave because of the bullet wound, but I still need to go back to Mexico to get Eva and Nelly.”

“Don’t worry, Joe,” Bryce and Luc cut in. Then we all glanced at each other and began to laugh. Although, Joe was cursing while laughing because it hurt his abdomen.

“We’ll take care of her,” Bryce smiled to Joe.

“That’s my baby she’s carrying in there,” Luc said, reaching over and rubbing my stomach. Something about his gesture felt intimate, and I blushed as Bryce and Joe watched Luc doting over me.

“I have to leave, Vicky, but I will send the jet back whenever you need it,” Bryce said.

I looked over to Luc. I didn’t know what his plans were, but I couldn’t get out of Thunder Bay fast enough. “What do you think?” I asked, looking over to him. Joe and I decided that we should sell the house. The place had become filled with too many painful memories.

“Whatever you want, pretty girl,” Luc grinned. I felt sore and tired but when Luc gave me that panty-dropping stare and called me ‘pretty girl,’ he got my panties in a twist and I wanted nothing more than to ravish him in that moment. It was only a slightly inappropriate time with my father and brother around.

“I’m ready to go back to New York, if that’s okay,” I replied biting my lower lip.

“Of course,” Luc replied.

“I can speak to a local real estate agent and have them take care of the sale of the house,” Bryce offered.

“That would be great Bryce, thank you.” I smiled, standing up from the table. As I stood, all three men stood along with me, and I broke out into a fit of giggles. Having these three large men doting on me was just plain funny. “I’m going up to pack my things.”

Joe stood up and followed me to the stairs. My big brother had been keeping some pretty big secrets in his time away from home. I may have been shot the night I was kidnapped, but I still remember him coming through the door and pointing the gun at Luc’s father and brother. He was bustling with self-esteem and assurance. He knew exactly what he was doing with his gun, and the way he shot Luc’s father saved me from getting shot again. When he came to my hospital room and admitted that he was working for the Drug Enforcement Agency in the United States, I was floored and worried, but it was a life that was making him happy. I didn’t want to be a sore tooth for him.