Agnes shook her head. “No. Maeve kept in contact with the Emery brothers because of Abbey. In a call she made to Adam over a month ago, she wanted to know where he and Roman were in their plans to kidnap Abbey. That was when Adam told her that Sam was now a father to quadruplets and that Abbey wasn’t as high on his priority list. The babies were. From there and through questioning him further, Maeve found out Sam had gotten a red-haired, blue-eyed lady pregnant. My sister didn’t believe in coincidences. After Adam told her all about Layla, he put Maeve in touch with Harriet Aberdeen. She shared everything about Layla’s life, as well as Meredith’s, and told her how Meredith died of breast cancer. After that call, we knew everything about Layla, Sam, the Vampire Navy SEALs, Jordyn, Rianne—you name it.”
Sam and Tripp snarled when they heard Harriet’s name.
I did as well while playing with Orion’s feet. “Harriet is dead now.” Yet she was still a fucking thorn in my side.
The pilot came on the overhead speaker. “Folks, we are making our descent into Boston. Please make sure you’re in your seats with your seat belts fastened.”
Once everyone, including our children, was safely strapped in, I sighed as a queasiness began to swirl inside me. Before we’d boarded the plane in Bismarck, Steven had sent a text to Tripp telling him that Jordyn was going into surgery. That was well over four hours ago. My pulse began to race as I wondered if Jordyn was still alive.
13
LAYLA
Two guards were posted at the gate leading into the underground garage of the vampires’ Boston medical facility. Once they confirmed who we were and waved both vehicles through, a metal-grated barrier rolled down from above and sealed us in.
The bulletproof Escalade that Sam, Orion, Luna, and I were in wound around the corner, the tires screeching and echoing. Agnes, Tripp, and Dane were in the car behind us.
Once again, time seemed to stand still as we slowly passed a row of cars. Even the journey from the airport to the medical facility crawled at a snail’s pace because of an accident and bad weather. An August summer storm was wreaking havoc over the city.
I bounced my foot as I sat in the back seat behind the driver with Orion and Luna next to me. “Where are we going?” I was itching to wrap my arms around my daughters, Ellie and Rorie, and to see Jordyn.
As the plane had touched down, Tripp’s phone had pinged with a message from Steven. Jordyn had made it through surgery, though her condition was still critical. I’d been so relieved that I’d cried, squealed, and threw myself at Sam. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, but my sister was a fighter, and that was the hope I would cling to for now.
Sam regarded me from the passenger seat. His mesmerizing green eyes sent a wave of calm through me. “There’s an elevator on the other side. You’ll see it soon enough.”
Steven, Jo, and Webb came into view as they stood by the elevators. Jo was dressed in scrubs and a lab coat. Steven and Webb were decked out in their signature Vampire Navy SEALs uniforms—black T-shirts, cargo pants, and military boots that were spit shined.
Finally, the driver of the Escalade stopped.
I unclipped my seat belt when Steven opened the door, reached in, and extended his hand.
“Is Jordyn okay?” I asked as I climbed out on trembling legs.
Steven wrapped strong arms around me. “Nothing has changed since I sent Tripp that text.”
I held on to my father-in-law, burrowed my face into his chest, and cried.
He petted my hair. “Shh. She’s in good hands with the medical team here.”
Voices echoed in the cement-enclosed space as “Welcome home” and “Good to see you” zipped around.
After Steven and I broke apart, Jo gave me a teary-eyed grin before she was squeezing me to her. “I’m so glad nothing terrible happened to you.” She leaned away. “Ellie and Rorie are doing great. They’re with Dr. Vieira. He’s examining them. It’s more of an overdue monthly checkup than anything.”
The black-haired beauty was reading my mind, a supernatural talent that not many of us liked but a weapon that came in handy during interrogations with our enemies when they wouldn’t talk.
“Orion and Luna definitely need to have a full exam,” I said, sniffling and dashing away tears as I finally got my bearings.
“They will,” she said. “This must be Agnes.” Jo walked over to my grandmother, obviously eager to meet the woman who held answers to Abbey’s past. “I’m Jo, Abbey’s adoptive mother,” she said to Agnes.
I tuned them out as Webb joined his wife, and the three began chatting.
Dane was leaning against a car at the far end of the garage with his phone to his ear.
Tripp was holding Luna in her carrier, and Sam had Orion.
I closed the distance from the Escalade to the elevator where Sam, Steven, and Tripp were standing.
“This is your grandson, Orion,” Sam said to his dad.
