45. Tilly

Chapter forty-five

Tilly

S am holds my hand in the hospital bed. Both boys are fine, to everyone's relief, but I have a small crack in one of my ribs. That explains why it feels impossible to breathe. I'm getting a bag of fluids, and then Sam will be able to take me home. But I know that if Tommy isn't okay, the hospital is probably the best place for me.

Losing Tommy would wreck me. I'm barely holding it together. If Sam wasn't with me, I probably would have gone crazy already.

My phone rings, and I pick up. "Tilly?" Miranda's voice is soft, full of anxiety.

"I'm okay, but they got Tommy."

Miranda makes a choking sound before bursting into tears. "I'm so sorry, Til. I was with Grayson."

I hear Grayson's voice in the background, and Miranda quickly explains to him what's going on. I hear Grayson swear a few times before Miranda comes back on the line. "Where are you?"

"The hospital. Don broke one of my ribs," I say, my tone flat.

"Which one?"

"Uh, do they have names? I don't know but its in my back."

She chuckles softly without any real humor and I want to punch her through the phone. "Not the rib. Which hospital?" I tell her, and Miranda says she and Grayson are on their way.

Before Miranda can hang up, my phone beeps. I look at the screen. It's Greg. Without saying goodbye to my sister, I switch the line. My heart races, my breathing stops. I can't even muster the courage to speak a single word.

"Til? You there?" It's Tommy's voice.

"Tommy!" I screech the name out and cover my own mouth with my hands.

"I'm okay, babe. Greg swooped in like a fucking super cop. There were helicopters and everything."

I'm sobbing, my eyes blurry from the tears. But I'm nodding, though he can't see that.

"Are you okay?" he asks. I hand the phone to Sam, still unable to form words.

"She broke a rib, but the boys are both fine."

I hear the yelling on the other end of the line, but Sam smiles. "I agree. So get here," she says.

After a few more curse words, Sam gives him the name of the hospital and hangs up. "They're coming. The cops are giving them a ride, so it'll be quick."

She takes my hand again, but I sit up and hold out my arms. Sam closes the space, letting me cry on her chest. "I know, sweetie. It's all over. Everyone's okay."

I cry for a few more minutes until I can finally breathe easier. The pain in my back is not as bad, though the doctors can only give me Tylenol since I'm pregnant. But I don't care, Tommy is alive.

When we pull apart, Sam is wiping her eyes. "So, twins? Does Tommy have super sperm or what?"

I burst out laughing, and Sam rubs my leg. "You're so fucked, Tilly." She laughs. "But me and Greg can help. TJ taught us a lot."

"We haven't even told Ma," I admit. "Everything happened so fast."

"Oh, Henrietta is gonna burst. She's like a super mom. She'll be the perfect Gam Gam."

"Gam gam?" I ask with a raised brow.

Sam shrugs. "That's what she told TJ to call her, though he can't even say mom yet. Weird, right?" We both laugh.

"Are you nervous?" Sam asks.

"Terrified. I don't think I'm very maternal," I say. Admitting it aloud is hard, but I trust Sam with everything. There's no judgment between us.

Sam blows a loud raspberry. "And I was? No. It just kinda hits you. I mean, look at how you fell. He yanked you to the side. You should have landed at least half on your stomach. But somehow, you protected those boys and landed on your back." I look at my own hands, still not certain any of what Sam said is true. "Mothering is about being selfless and patient. Putting your kids first. You're the most selfless person I know. And all those surf lessons? You're always patient and kind. Yeah, you're going to be a kick-ass mom. No doubt."

I nod and feel some of the stress lift away. Sam pats my arm. "And you won't be alone. Tommy's gonna be a great dad. Besides, me and Greg, and even Miranda. We'll all be around to help out. Not to mention Henrietta and even my sister, Penny."

That makes my heart swell with warmth, and happy tears sting my eyes. "Thanks, Sam," I say softly.

Sam straightens up and has a smug expression on her face. "You liked that little pep talk? See? Mothering."

"So you're my mom in this little fucked-up family?"

Sam laughs loudly. "Fucked-up family? Til, this is the happiest family I know. Blood doesn't make you related. No way. We found our family, and I'm never letting go of it."

There's nothing funny about her words. It's absolutely true. Sam is my sister as much as Miranda is, maybe even more. "I love you."

"Love you too, bitch. Now lay back until your stud gets here," Sam says. But there's a hint of moisture in the corner of Sam's eyes, and I know the moment is just as poignant for her.

Though I still don't like being told what to do, I lay back against the pillows. If it's Sam telling me, from now on, I'll do exactly what she says.

Ten minutes later, Tommy comes roaring through the emergency room. When he sees me in the bed, he climbs into it and sobs against me. My arms go around him, and we cry together for several minutes as Sam and Greg watch from the corner.

Eventually, his crying turns to kissing. His lips peck all over my face, then move down to my belly. He kisses my stomach over and over.

"I'm never leaving. I'm gonna marry your momma, and we're gonna have twenty kids, and I'm gonna spend every day rubbing her feet and worshipping the ground she walks on, and—"

I laugh and cover my stomach. "Okay, okay. That tickles."

Sam is laughing too. "Twenty kids, Tommy?"

"Um, yeah babe, your mouth is writing checks my uterus can't cash," I say. The entire group laughs, but the nurse comes in.

"Matilda, there's a couple here. Should we let them back?"

I nod, knowing it's probably Miranda and Henrietta. But to my surprise, Grayson is with her instead.

Eyes red, Miranda comes over and kisses my cheek. "I'm so sorry, Tilly. Grayson and I were talking, and I didn't—"

"It's okay, Andy. We're okay."

Grayson is brooding in the corner. "They took him?" He nods toward Tommy, his eyes fierce.

"Out to the canyon," Tommy says. The room grows deathly quiet. I can see the vein in Grayson's forehead throbbing. I know he's thinking about his own wife.

Before he can say anything, two uniformed officers and a woman in a suit walk in. It takes me a moment to understand that the woman is Detective Parker. There's still gaudy makeup on her face but her undercover outfit is gone. In her suit, she looks…kind of cute. You would never guess that she's a total badass. "Sorry to barge in, folks. But we need to get final statements," Detective Parker says.

"Who's this ?" Greg asks. After what we've been through, I understand Greg's question. I usually wouldn't trust anyone further than I can throw them. Being pregnant, that's not far. But Detective Parker has already proven herself.

"This is the chick that close-lined Don." I say with a small laugh. It's not what really happened but I can totally seeing Detective Parker laying out a guy twice her size like that. She smirks, a small dimple popping up in her left cheek.

Greg clears his throat as I don't shake the woman's palm. "Sorry, Detective. I'm Greg Sanderson. I think we're all a bit wary of people right now."

"Understandable, Sanderson. You were FBI, right?"

"I was."

"If you'd like, I can record everyone's statements so there are no misunderstandings?"

"I'd appreciate that," he says. With Greg's seal of approval, the entire room begins to relax.

Detective Parker takes out her phone and presses the record button, but before she can ask the first question, Grayson clears his throat. "I have access to all financial records for the Cardenas family businesses. We've been laundering money for the Ukrainian mob. They call themselves the Chernobog Brotherhood."

All heads turn his way. "Arrest me, and I'll give you everything. It's all on my laptop at home. Bank accounts, spreadsheets, transaction reports, graphs, receipts—they go back at least twenty years."

Miranda's soft voice speaks next. "I can confirm that. Our shipping company used to help import drugs. I believe it was heroin. I can point out which shipments on our historical records."

"Under duress!" Greg suddenly shouts. Detective Parker looks at him. "They were under duress. Threatened by their aunt and then their grandfather. This man's wife was killed as a warning. His young son was threatened."

But Grayson puts his hands in his pockets and shakes his head. "They never threatened my son, and my wife is technically missing for the last two years. I'm done lying. I'll take whatever they can throw at me. The Cardenas will never hurt anyone again."

Detective Parker looks like she's been hit by a bus. She pauses the recording and looks wide-eyed at each of us. "You have records?" she asks practically salivating.

For a moment, the room is quiet. I look to Grayson, expecting to see him rethinking his confession. What I see is even more confusing. Grayson is staring at Detective Parker, his gaze almost…shy? But if his look is strange, Detective Parker's is even weirder. Her cheeks grow rosy and she bites her lip.

No one speaks as the two continue their staring contest. Okaaaay. Miranda clears her throat and our eyes meet. From experience, I know my expression is identical to hers. Amusement is painted in her dancing eyes. Her gaze shifts to Grayson and she wiggles her brows. I cover my mouth so the giggle doesn't pop out.

Detective Parker suddenly breaks off the stare and points over her shoulder. "I'm gonna call this in. You guys… you're good?"

I have to laugh. The woman is flustered, and it's adorable. I watched her take down a man who matches her weight in his left thigh with a smile and yet one look from my cousin and she's a puddle of goo. The detective walks out, and the group is quiet.

"I think Gray just gave her a small heart attack," Tommy finally says. The tension breaks, and the entire group laughs. Except for Grayson, who is back to acting surly.

As we do, Tommy nuzzles into my neck. I smile at him, and he returns the look. Pure affection and love are written all over his face. I peck his mouth, but Tommy cups my cheek and captures me in a long kiss. My arms fly around his neck, and he opens his mouth wider.

My tongue slips inside, and he responds with enthusiasm. Our lips press together harder, and I moan into his mouth. I don't notice that the group eventually walks out, leaving us alone. I only know Tommy. His smell and the feel of him wrapped around me is everything .

Minutes pass, but our kiss doesn't slow until one of the babies kicks. As we're currently pressed together, tummy to tummy, Tommy jumps back, his eyes wide. "Was that the babies or are you hungry?"

I smile and put his hand over where one of the kids had kicked. "That's one of your boys, Tommy."

Another kick, and I actually see Tommy's hand wiggle. "Oh my god! I felt it!" He's already in tears. He rips the covers off me and pulls aside my gown, exposing my round belly. He presses his cheek to where the baby is kicking.

Another kick, and he's grinning from ear to ear. "Tree or Bush?" he asks, not moving his head.

"I have no idea. But can we stop calling them that?"

He doesn't answer, still laying on me. After a fifth kick, I grab his face and pull him back towards me. I know we need to talk to the police and probably get home, but for now, I'm content to kiss my beautiful boyfriend until they force us apart.