Hot Zone (Elite Force #2)(61)
Author: Catherine Mann

Her knees gave out, but luckily Aiden’s arm was still banded around her waist, even if he had gone pale.

Whole body trembling, she reached out to the precious, beautiful pair in front of her. “Joshua? Amelia? Oh my God, you’re both here, alive, okay.”

Her sister-in-law smiled, jostling the baby on her hip. Amelia was scraped and scruffy, wearing stained khakis and a loose shirt belted with a gun holster. She looked nothing like the poised attorney who wore power suits and pearls. A million questions raced through Lisabeth’s mind as she wondered what had happened to Amelia since the earthquake.

But all that could wait.

She let her eyes settle on her child. Her baby boy, born in her heart if not from her body. He smiled with all six teeth showing, jingling a pair of handcuffs in his fist.

And somehow, even though she couldn’t remember moving, they were all hugging, she and Amelia, with the baby between them and Aiden’s big strong arms around all of them. Their words jumbled together.

“Where were you—?”

“—and how did you escape?”

“The hospital said—”

“—thought you were dead.”

They stayed in the massive, amazing huddle for… she had no idea how long. The relief was so huge, so incredible, she felt like the collective hug held them all upright. Then the precious little guy between them started squirming in protest.

Laughing and crying at the same time, she pulled back enough to see him again. She kissed his forehead, stroked his hair, and studied every finger and toe as if he’d been newly born.

Dimly, she heard her husband talking beside her.

“Amelia, I don’t know how to thank you. We’ve only heard a little of what you’ve been through, but my God, what you’ve done to keep him safe through the earthquake and kidnapping… I’m just so glad you’re both alive and in one piece.”

“I can’t take all the credit,” Amelia said. “He’s a strong little boy with a fighting spirit beyond anything anyone could imagine. And even so, without Hugh—you’ll meet him soon—without the help of Hugh Franco, we never would have made it.”

Lisabeth saw a flash of something in Amelia’s eyes, as blue as Aiden’s. A flash of emotion deeper than her words suggested.

Aiden skimmed a hand over Joshua’s head. “I’m glad he could be there for you both. I look forward to thanking him in person. Is he around here?”

“I’m afraid not,” Amelia said, worry dripping from her words. “He’s out on a mission right now. I don’t know all the details. Just that he’s leading authorities to the place where we were held.”

The reality of all they had been through, of what her sister-in-law must have endured to keep Joshua safe, was almost too much to take in. Lisabeth let the tears keep streaking down her face. She didn’t even bother drying them, because there were plenty more that had been bottled up.

“Joshua.” She sighed her child’s name, which she’d chosen especially for him during the weeks she’d looked at his photo and dreamed of when she could bring him home. She slid her hands under his arms and—

He arched away. His tiny fists clamped onto Amelia’s shirt and clung to her.

Her throat clogged with more tears. Had he already forgotten her? They’d had so little time together, only a couple of days as the paperwork was being finalized. She and Aiden had been planning to spend this week in the familiar locale to acclimate him to the new relationship before heading home. Had he acclimated himself to his aunt instead?

Amelia patted his back. “We’ll take it slow. We don’t have to go all or nothing today. I’m here as long as you all need me.” A hint of panic slipped into Amelia’s tone.

Pure panic slid through Lisabeth. Had her sister-in-law bonded with him?

Lisabeth looked up quickly at Aiden. Their peace, his acceptance of his role as a father, was still so fresh. Would he use this as an excuse to back out? His eyes were inscrutable behind the glasses as he studied his sister and the baby.

Who knew what he was thinking right now? Who knew what he would do?

Amelia pulled a wobbly smile. “When we were on the run, Joshua liked bananas and he especially enjoyed it when Hugh sang to him.”

Nodding once, Aiden scooped Joshua out of Amelia’s arms so confidently and quickly, the baby blinked in surprise.

Then his bottom lip started trembling and Aiden said quickly, “Would you like a banana? I’m sure there’s got to be a banana around this place somewhere.”

“’Nana? ’Nana, ’nana, ’nana…” Joshua chanted. His lip steadied for a minute, even if his little brow was still creased into deep furrows.

His wide dark eyes went to Amelia, who stood off to the side, her bandaged hand covering her mouth, unshed tears welling.

“Hey,” Aiden continued, “if you want a song, you’ll have to get that from this beautiful lady here, your mom.” He hitched Joshua on his hip like a seasoned parent. “Because I’m pretty much tone-deaf like my sister.” All that time spent with other children—his patients—over the years had obviously taught him more than a few tricks in handling a frightened, wary child.

Amelia smiled, her eyes watering as she turned to Lisabeth. “He’s really good with Joshua, don’t you think?”

Too choked up to speak, Lisabeth nodded tearily.

Aiden kept up a steady stream of conversation with their son, who was so mesmerized he dropped the handcuffs and reached for Aiden’s glasses. Seeing their two heads together, Aiden’s so fair and Joshua’s so dark, touched Lisabeth’s heart.

There was something more here than a doctor comforting a patient. She’d seen that often enough to know this went deeper. The image of them together clicked into place in her mind.

Father and son.

Parent and child.

And in that moment, Lisabeth fell in love with her husband all over again.

Chapter 18

Hugh rode in the passenger seat of the military Humvee, the last in the line of four vehicles that had raided Jocelyn Pearson-Stewart’s property. The caravan churned up a cloud of dust as they made their way back to the military compound near the airfield.

The victory had been swift, but incomplete.

Jocelyn had escaped before they arrived. In fact, the whole compound had been deserted. However they’d managed to apprehend some refugees from the property. They’d hauled in Jocelyn’s “nieces”—Courtney and Erin—although it was clear now that they weren’t actually relatives. The two women and a number of other guards had been driving away in a caravan of vehicles with ten children.