Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57240 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Now I want to focus on the future and leave the past behind. I was thinking we’d wait until this was all behind us to do this, but I don’t really want to do that. We’ve been back together for over a month now. I’ve had you every night since then. You know what that means? No period; you’re pregnant. I want my kid to have my name and protection before he or she gets here.”
I fished around beneath me for the ring I’d hidden in my pocket. Pulling it out I held it up so we could both see it. Next I got the magazine cutout and held them next to each other.
“Oh Nick, you found it. How…?” She looked at me with hope and tears in her eyes. I couldn’t resist kissing her.
“I never forgot anything about you, about us. This house, all the dreams, the love. It lived with me for the past thirteen and a half years, all of it. This was the last thing on the list, this and the I do’s.”
She threw her arms around me and kissed my face off. When she calmed down, I took her hand and slid the ring on; perfect fit. I’d had a hell of a time hunting it down but apparently these things never really go out of style. The look on her face was worth it anyway.
“I know you’re gonna want a big wedding, but we have an appointment down at the courthouse first thing tomorrow morning. After that you can do whatever you want but I’m not waiting.” She studied her ring and nodded before jumping up and heading inside. I don’t think she heard a word I said.
“I have to call my mom and yours and the wedding plans are already in the works.” I grinned at her back as she disappeared through the door. I should’ve known. My girl had got her spark back.
The first week or so she was still a bit shy, a bit unsure of herself. But once she got comfortable, the old Shelly was back in full force. More mature, a few years older, but still the same sweet, strong headed girl I’d fallen in love with.
I rested my head back against the swing and let my mind drift. I’d pulled it off. It had taken a while and I’d had to do things I never imagined myself capable of, but in the end I’d achieved what I’d set out to do.
It was all I could do to avenge the son I’d lost. But now it was time to move on, to look to the future. Shelly was so great that she brought Brandon up at least once a day so I knew his memory will never die and that I didn’t have to hide. Whenever the emotion got to be too much, she was there to hold me against her and say ‘tell me about him Nicky’. It was the best healing medicine.
The case was almost over and no matter his protest, the evidence against Rogers showed his guilt without a doubt. He was no longer seen as the super hero taking out drug dealers, but as a corrupt cop trying to cover his tracks. I guess I couldn’t give him even that though there was no way I could take the credit myself.
Savage had been a hero of sorts I guess. But my methods there would land my ass in jail. No, better he dies with Rogers. Everything all tied up in a neat little bow.
Everyone was against him, including the brothers in blue and no matter what hell-hole he ended up in, I was going to make it my duty to let the word slip that he was a dirty cop. Convicts love those.
As to the commissioner and the mayor, the evidence was still piling up against them. Their cases wouldn’t be tried for a while yet, but both men had been relieved of their services.
There were rumors of a promotion in my future and I had lawyers begging me to sue the city; but I wasn’t interested. I’d got all I wanted out of that whole mess. All I wanted now was for life to get back on an even keel.
No one except the asshole reporter today had even hinted that I may have had anything to do with anything. Rogers might be starting to suspect, but who was going to listen to him?
Even if he could convince a few that I’d set him up to take the fall for the murders, the evidence against him for the rest of it was strong enough that no one was gonna buy it.
She came flying out the door all but skipping and dropped into my lap. “I love my ring thank you.” I got plastered with even more kisses as I wrapped my arms around her and pushed the swing off with my feet.