As my brain goes through every single scenario and the possible outcomes, each one worse than the last, Emma speaks up again. “Austin will save us.”
Right then, this brave little girl looks directly at me and smiles before opening her mouth and screaming for all she’s worth. It’s enough of a distraction that Ellie moves back away from Emma a few feet and I have a clear shot at her. I pull the trigger, hitting Ellie in the shoulder. Her body flies backwards and the gun falls from her hand as she drops to the floor.
Gwen’s terrified screams fill the room and I quickly rush to her, tossing my gun to the ground as I bend down in front of her and grab her face with my hands. Brady rushes past me to Emma’s side and the police officers that were waiting just outside of the walk-up door come charging down the stairs. Within seconds they have Ellie surrounded with their guns pointed at her while Brady quickly unties Emma, muttering words of love and praise to her the entire time.
“Baby, it’s okay, it’s all over, look at me,” I plead to Gwen.
With a sob, Gwen opens her eyes, her head moving to the side to look around me at Emma. She’s having a hard time taking in air as she continues to cry while I let go of her face and get the ropes off of her. She needs medical attention immediately. She’s got a gash in her hairline that is steadily dripping blood down the side of her face and I know immediately the cause for the blood on the crystal dish I found in the apartment.
As soon as Gwen is free from the ropes, she stands quickly, but her legs give out from under her and she starts to fall. I wrap my arms around her and hold her steady as Emma is finally freed and races over to us.
“Oh God, oh baby, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” Gwen sobs as I help her down to the ground so she can wrap her arms around Emma.
I have to choke back tears as Gwen holds tightly to Emma and rocks her back and forth. With my arm around Gwen’s waist, I reach my hand up and smooth it down the back of Emma’s head as she squeezes tight to her mother.
“Did I do a good diversion, Austin?” Emma suddenly asks, lifting her head from Gwen’s shoulder and smiling at me.
I don’t even bother fighting the tears at this point, I let them fall from my eyes as I lean over and kiss the top of Emma’s head. “You did so good baby, I’m so proud of you.”
There’s a flurry of activity around us as paramedics storm down into the basement and begin loading Ellie up on a stretcher while Brady shouts orders to everyone. One of the paramedics squats down next to us and starts looking over Gwen and Emma and I’m not about to let go of either one of them so he better not expect me to or I’ll kick his ass.
“I knew you’d come and save us, Austin. You’re a soldier and you told me soldier’s never leave a man behind,” Emma tells me proudly. “I know me and mommy aren’t men, but I knew you wouldn’t leave us behind.”
Resting my forehead against Emma’s, I close my eyes and thank God for this little girl. “You are so smart and so brave, Emma. You are the best soldier I’ve ever worked with.”
I hear Gwen moan softly and I turn to look at her and see that her eyes are starting to flutter closed.
“Ma’am, we need to get you to the hospital right away,” the paramedic tells Gwen, wrapping his arms around her and helping her to her feet.
Taking Emma out of Gwen’s arms, I lift her up as I stand and Brady rushes over, helping the paramedic get Gwen to another stretcher.
“I don’t want to leave my daughter, please,” Gwen begs as she’s pushed back onto the stretcher and strapped in.
“It’s okay, Gwen, I’ve got her. We’re going to be right here with you the entire time,” I tell her, shooting the paramedic a threatening look in case he decides to argue and tell me that we can’t ride in the ambulance. The man smartly smiles at me and nods.
Emma wraps her arms around my neck and I hold her close to me, wondering how in the hell I ever thought I could walk away from her and never feel her hugs again.
The paramedics lift the stretcher and lock the legs into place as Brady leans down and places a kiss on Gwen’s forehead.
“You took ten years off my life today, little sis,” he whispers.
“Good, you were starting to look old as shit,” Gwen mumbles.
“Yeah, she’s going to be just fine,” Brady says with a laugh.
When they get Gwen up the stairs and into the back of the ambulance, I climb inside with Emma in my arms and set her down in my lap on the bench along the side as Brady slides in next to us. The ambulance siren screams as the vehicle starts up and speeds out of the parking lot and the paramedic starts an I.V. in Gwen’s arm.
I try to keep my fears at bay as I look Gwen over and all of the bruises and blood that mark her beautiful face.
Leaning forward with Emma in my arms, I kiss the top of Gwen’s head as she fights to stay conscious.
“I love you, Gwen, do you hear me? I love you so fucking much,” I whisper in her ear.
“Austin!” Emma scolds, holding her small hand out in between us.
“You know what, how about I just write you a check for college?” I ask as Brady chuckles next to me.
Gwen doesn’t say a word, but I see a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth before she loses her battle and passes out.
Epilogue
Austin
Three months later…
My boots crunch through the snow on the sidewalk as I make my way to the front door and stick my key in the lock. As I quietly push the door open, I’m met with the sight of a huge Christmas tree lit up in the corner of the room and stockings hung by the fireplace. I smile to myself as I close the door behind me, dropping my go-bag on the floor and kicking my boots off.
“Don’t you even think of leaving your stuff there on the floor, I just cleaned the house.”
Looking up, I can’t stop the huge grin that spreads across my face when I see Gwen standing at the end of the hallway wearing nothing but one of my dress shirts with her arms folded, giving me a dirty look. I’ve only been gone two weeks, but it felt like a lifetime. I never really cared much about going home in between missions before, perfectly fine with moving right on to something else without any down time, but things are different now.
“But I’m home two days early, darlin’, doesn’t that earn me a few brownie points?” I ask.
I watch as Gwen tries to keep a stern face, but quickly loses the battle. She lets out a squeal and races across the room. I have just enough time to brace myself as she throws herself into my arms and wraps her legs around my waist. Holding her tightly to me, I bury my face in the side of her neck and breathe her in while she runs her fingers through my hair. I was an asshole for ever thinking I could live without this woman. It’s been a tough road getting to where we are now, but every single day has been worth it.
After a few days in the hospital to repair her arm from that day in the wine cellar three months ago, Gwen went through a really hard time, understandably. She couldn’t stand to have Emma out of her sight for more than a few seconds at a time and after so many years of trying to be strong all on her own, it finally took its toll on her and she broke down. All I wanted to do was hold onto her and never let her go, try to make everything better, but she didn’t want to have anything to do with me. She hated herself for allowing Ellie to fool her and she hated me even more for being the one to help rescue her and Emma when I had left them without looking back. She’d tried for so long to be strong and independent and it killed her that once again she had to lean on someone else for help to save her.
Brady and I had been taking turns between standing watch over Gwen and being with Emma back at the apartment. I was climbing the walls and nothing made it better. If I was at the hospital holding Gwen’s hand while she was under anesthesia in between surgeries, I was thinking about Emma and anxious to get home to her. If I was with Emma watching movies and tucking her in at night, I was thinking about Gwen and wishing I could be with her. Nothing would get better until both of my girls were back under the same roof and I could breathe again.