EPILOGUE

Hammer Reese sped his Koenigsegg Regera sportscar up the mountain in Montreal like a madman with no limits. He had been at his club when he got the call from JoJo, and he didn't hesitate. He hopped into his K-Reg and took off.

When his powerful engine made it to the top of the hill, he hopped out and ran into his home. JoJo was in the foyer waiting for his father. But Hammer could not bear any niceties. His heart was pounding again. "Where?" he asked his son.

"Upstairs."

Hammer frowned as he began hurrying toward his staircase. "She's upstairs? Why is she still upstairs? They should have brought her down!"

"Why?" a confused JoJo asked. Then he brushed it off as his father's raw nerves. He never saw him get anxious about anything, unless Amelia was involved. And considering just a year ago they were deep into divorce court and just about to give it all away, that pleased JoJo. He could not have been happier.

Hammer could not, either, when he ran into their bedroom and saw Amelia lying on that bed. Mick and Roz, and Charles and Jenay were also in that room. How they got there before he did was a mystery to him. But it was no mystery to them. Amelia had already ordered JoJo not to tell his father anything until it was all over. She didn't want him worrying himself sick for no reason. But at the time of that order she had no idea it would take four long, grueling hours.

But none of that mattered because it was over now. She was lying on that bed holding their brand-new baby girl in her arms. A brown-skinned darling who looked just like her mother. And Hammer thought he was going to burst with joy when he saw that it was all okay. That Amelia first was fine. And also their child.

He walked over to the bed and sat on its edge. "I thought it was another miscarriage," Hammer said. "I thought it was another . . ."

"Why didn't you tell the man, Jo?" asked Jenay. "You know how crazy he gets about your mother."

"I tried to tell him," JoJo said. "But as soon as I said she had gone into labor, he hung up the phone and was at the house in lightening quick time. I thought he had taken a helicopter home he got here so fast."

Charles grinned. "That gotdamn K-Reg faster than a chopper, are you kidding me?"

Mick smiled at that too.

"Are you okay?" Hammer asked Amelia.

"I'm great."

"No complications?"

"None."

"Daddy thought she had to be downstairs to have a baby," said JoJo. "He was nuts."

They all laughed. But Hammer was looking at his daughter.

"Hold your baby girl," Ameila said, offering her to him.

He looked at Amelia. Then he got up, went and washed his hands, and then hurried back. And he sat down and took their girl from her mother. And he couldn't stop smiling. Everybody was laughing at how Hammer couldn't stop smiling. Even Mick got a kick out of that one.

They all knew what Hammer and Amelia did helped the government to shut down that sex trafficking ring and arrest all the big wigs involved, including the former NASA security specialist. But what really sent shockwaves through the Sinatra clan was when they found out that Hammer had quit the government to spend more time with his family. Something they never, in a million years, thought he would ever do. They respected and even loved him for that.

Then a still-smiling Hammer looked at Amelia. "She a good enough reason to stay?" he asked her, looking from her to their daughter.

Amelia smiled. "Yes, she is. But so are you."

Hammer loved that answer. And he leaned down and kissed the mother of his son and now his baby girl.

And then they all gathered around with nothing but joy and togetherness in their hearts, doting on the little angel: their newest addition.

But Hammer kept taking peeps at Amelia. He almost lost her. He almost lost it all. Now he felt as if he had it all. He didn't feel as if he gave her a reason to stay. He gave her a reason not to go. And that, to him, made all the difference in the world.