Chapter Twelve

Matthias Delgado

The front door crashes open and I feel an immense amount of relief. When I realized I couldn't gain control of this situation, I dialed Thalia's number before putting my cell phone in my back pocket. I knew the moment she heard what was going on she would get Ian to track me, and my dad would be on the way.

Yes, the little cartel prince needs his daddy to come save him. So fucking what? I would rather have my dad settle this than fuck it up and get someone killed.

My father walks into the kitchen and it's like all the air is sucked right out. He has always had a massive presence. Following shortly behind him is Amber's father. He looks nervous when he sees the gun in his daughter's hand. He knows if anything goes south here today my father will probably annihilate his entire operation.

"Amber, you need to lower the gun before you hurt someone," her father says.

She shakes her head, glaring at Kaelie. "One way or another, she is going to die today."

"If you continue to point that fucking gun at my grandson, I won't give your father the chance to plead for your life. I will kill you," my father cuts in.

"You care about the little bastard?" she asks incredulously. "I will give you ten legitimate grandchildren to replace him once Matty and I get married."

Slowly, I edge my way toward Kaelie and Ronin, fully intending to protect them. I need to make sure they are safe so I can fix this entire fuck-up once the dust settles. I love her and I'm sure she feels the same, I just need to get us all out of this fucking mess. I'm pissed she hid so much from me but I'm sure we can work our way through this, if we both survive.

"Stop moving!" Amber yells, firing a shot into the ceiling.

"Fuck!" I yell before glaring at her. "Are you insane?"

Ronin is screaming and Kaelie has wrapped herself around his little body trying to protect him from Amber. I want to wrap my arms around her and keep her safe, but she is simply too far away from me.

"You're mine!" Amber screams before turning the gun on Kaelie once more.

I only have a split-second to make my decision before she pulls the trigger. I throw myself at her, doing my best to knock the weapon from her hand. Several things happen at once. My father and Kaelie shout "No!" at the exact same moment the gun goes off, and a blinding pain rips through my midsection.

****

Kaelie Carter

A second shot goes off and I see the fear in Amber's eyes before she collapses to the cheap linoleum floor of my grandmama's kitchen. Both Matthias's father and I scramble to get to him but I have to turn around to hand Ronin to my grandmama. There is so much blood pooling around him and fear claws at my throat.

Mr. Delgado is on his cell phone barking orders to I don't know who, while applying pressure to the wound. A moment later Matthias's mother walks into the kitchen and takes me into her arms.

"The ambulance just stopped outside. We need to give them space." She pulls me back, both of us crying. "Nero, that means you as well."

He stares at his wife, and I see the stark pain and fear etched across his features. "I don't know what to do." His voice is hoarse and cracks on the last word.

She releases me into a nearby chair and goes to him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

"You need to let the medics work on him. They know what to do," Thalia says softly.

Five minutes later, Matthias is stable enough to be taken to the hospital. Amber is declared dead on the scene. Thalia loads all of us into her cherry-red BMW and we follow the ambulance to the hospital where we sit and wait for any news on Matthias.

"Can I hold him?" Nero Delgado asks after about an hour of tense, silent waiting.

Ronin is asleep in my arms, and I hand him over. This man is his grandfather and even if I hid him for the first year of his life, they deserve the opportunity to get to know him. If I have learned anything from Amber almost killing all of us today, it's that we shouldn't hide from our happiness.

"He's so big," Nero says softly, swinging from side to side. "He's only a year old?"

"Yes, sir, last week," I say and Thalia laughs drawing my attention.

"Don't call him that. His head is big enough as it is." She walks up to her husband and stares down at my son with a smile on her face.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Nero asks. "Did my son do something wrong? Did he hurt you?"

A hard look covers his face and I instantly know that this large, scary man, who runs one of the largest cartels in the continental US, would kick his son's ass if I said yes.

I shake my head. "It was nothing like that. We had a weekend together, we practiced safe sex. It was an accident."

"So you thought he wouldn't want this beautiful boy?" Thalia frowns.

"I didn't know. We were at odds the next time I saw him. He and Amber were set to be engaged. I didn't want to interfere. Now…" I take a deep breath to steady myself. "Everything has spiraled out of control, and I don't think he will ever forgive me."

"Do you love him?" both Thalia and Nero ask at the same time.

Before I can answer, the doctor steps into the room. Nero hands Ronin back to me before stepping closer to the man to hear what the news is.

"Your son is alive and in recovery. He's lucky. The bullet missed his major organs and his spine. We had to go in to retrieve the projectile, but he should be perfectly fine." The doctor even smiles when he finishes speaking.

"Is he awake?" Nero asks.

"It will be a while, but you can see him if you like."

"I will go first," Nero says to Thalia. "You can go next and then Kaelie. Then I want you ladies to go home, and I will call you the moment he wakes up."

Thalia looks like she wants to argue but nods instead, so I follow her lead. After Nero follows the doctor, she turns to me before taking my hand in hers.

"You never answered our question."

"I love him," I say softly. "But with everything that has happened in the past two years and the fact that I hid his son from him, it might not matter anymore. Sometimes, love isn't enough."

"I knew the moment I saw you that I was going to like you," Thalia says and smiles. "You are so much like me. Did Matty ever tell you how I ended up with Nero?"

I shake my head and she proceeds to tell me their story. How the biker princess ended up with the cartel boss. Forced into a marriage she didn't want but ended up with a family she could never live without. At the end of her story, we're both smiling, and I have a little bit of hope that I can fix things with Matthias.