Chapter 44

Dominick

From being terrified for Chloe's life to learning I'm going to be a dad, I have emotional whiplash. But in the best way.

Holding my hand over her stomach, I can't even think straight. I'm incredibly shocked, but even more, there's a part of me that feels immediately bound to the little human growing there.

My heart is beating so hard and fast, and I know I could just stay here and gaze at Chloe for eternity.

She's okay. And she's mine forever.

"Hey."

I glance over, and Cam is walking our way from chatting with the cops. Oh no, what now?

"What's up, Cam?" I quirk a brow at him, still holding Chloe to my chest. I'm never letting her go .

"Just finished talking with the detective on the scene. Oh, and the FBI."

My brows shoot up, and I feel Chloe go rigid against me. "The Feds are here? Why?"

Cam sags against the ambulance I'm still standing in front of. Wiping his hand down his face, he sighs.

"Well, it turns out our buddies, the Crimson Cobras, aren't just a Hildale Port problem. Apparently, they're not even just US-bound. Agent Jefferies says Interpol has been on their trail for years, working with the FBI when they're causing trouble here."

Chloe looks between me and Cam. "Interpol? That means they're doing stuff abroad. How did I not know how big this was?"

I can hear the guilt in Chloe's voice, and I shake my head as I meet her gaze.

"Hey, you had no way of knowing. You ran to get away from Ethan. I don't think you had the time to consider who the dealers were."

Cam reaches out, patting Chloe on the arm. "You didn't. Hell, Dom's mother was involved with them for a time, and we're just learning this."

I appreciate that it's Cam delivering the news, but my tension still peaks as I consider just how bad it could have gotten in there. And how their crew is going to retaliate after what we did here.

"They have anything else for us?" I raise my brows at Cam, nodding over at the group of suits chatting by the squad car.

"Not much." Cam crosses his arms over his chest. "They're one of the most dangerous groups of dealers and black-market traders in the world, apparently. This sect of the Cobras is small potatoes compared to the rest of them out there."

Chloe stiffens. "Oh, great. That's encouraging. An international drug ring has our number."

I squeeze her against my side. "Heaven and earth, babe. They'd have to do a fucking lot before I let them get to you."

She smiles gently. "Thank you."

A soft chuckle comes from the side, and I turn to Cam, glaring.

"What?"

He holds up his hands in surrender, still smirking. "Nothing. Not a thing."

There's a pause when I narrow my eyes at him, but then he looks at Chloe, who's all damn smiles, and I know I've lost this one.

"Ugh. Fine. Let's hear it."

Cam walks over, clapping me on the shoulder with an easy grin. "You don't have to worry about that from me. Congrats, man."

I take the hug, surprised by how good it feels.

"It's your brothers who'll be doling out the expert shit," Cam adds.

We both laugh.

"Think we can skip that part?" I furrow my brow.

"Absolutely not." Luke appears with Jay, and I sigh. "And I'm sorry, but did I hear someone say they're pregnant?"

My eyes flare wide. "Jesus. You have ears like a fucking bat. Were you eavesdropping?"

"I would never." Luke holds his hand to his heart with a smirk. "But I was on the other side of the bus, so I couldn't help what I heard."

Then suddenly, Anthony comes running up, having just arrived on the scene.

"Wait, what'd I miss? Are you okay? And you're pregnant?" Anthony's eyes are wide as he darts his eyes between all of us, and then the last bit hits him. "Wait. Pregnant?"

Chloe laughs, hurrying over to Anthony to wrap him in a hug. Luke is right there with the both of them, explaining everything that happened, much to Anthony's shock.

Jay comes toward me, putting a hand on my shoulder in that fatherly way of his.

"Congrats, Dom." He meets my eyes solemnly. "And we're right there with you. We won't let anyone get to Chloe or the kid."

It doesn't seem like a lot from the outside, but that's as good a promise and welcome wagon for Chloe as anyone could ever get from Jay.

I hug him tight and quick. "Thanks, man."

Cam stands up, joining us on my other side. "He's right. And the Cobras will be out of commission here for a long while. And they'll definitely think twice before messing with the Shaws again, or Chloe, for that matter."

The thought that the Cobras are still out there is chilling, let alone the fact that they're apparently a much bigger organization than we thought.

Still, Chloe is safe, and I know without a shred of doubt that my brothers and I will do anything to keep it that way.

Looking at Chloe, I meet her eyes across my circle of family, Luke's laughter and Cam's demand for a celebration ringing out around us.

I've had my tight little family for a while now, and it's been pretty damn good. But with a child in the making, along with the woman of my dreams, the future has never been brighter.