“I know baby. We’ll find her.”
“That’s what Stellan said.”
“He’s right. We will.” He hugged her hard against him. Then he patted her back. She leaned out of his arms so he could see he
r face. “I love you Ava. You and Momma both. I need to go outside so I can find out what happened.”
“Okay.”
“You stay here with Stellan.”
“I will,” she promised.
“Thanks Stellan,” he told his brother who was sprawled across Skylar’s couch. His brother nodded. He watched his daughter go back to his brother’s side. She snuggled into his body and watched the television; sniffing every now and then because Tag had taken her mother and she was afraid. Stellan kissed Ava’s head and hugged her hard. They would get through this together as Shaw’s always did.
Turning, he went back to the door and outside into the yard where his family was waiting on him. The screen door slammed shut behind him then he ran down the steps to the yard. “What the hell happened?”
Ramona started explaining. She finished with Tag shoving her down onto the back porch and leaving with Skylar. “Where was Ava?” Luka asked.
“She was in the barn with me?” Roxy told him. “She was showing me Majestic.”
“Thank god,” Luna said.
Roxy nodded in agreement.
“I had just arrived,” Chloe explained so I reached Ramona first when I heard her screaming at Tag’s retreating truck. “We called 911 from my phone. They have an APB out on his truck. His mother has tried calling his cell but he’s not answering it.”
“Does she have hers?”
“No,” Ramona replied. “We were sitting at the table when it happened. Her phone was there. She stepped in front of me.”
All three brothers raised their eyebrow. “Why?” Luka asked.
“She thought she could protect me somehow,” she replied.
Luka gazed at Ramona. “Are you hurt?” He asked. “Anything wrong? I don’t know much about pregnancy but you said he knocked you down.”
“Pregnancy?” Brett choked on the word.
“Oh shit,” Luna groaned. “Another Bradford girl knocked up by one of my sons.” She rubbed her eyes tiredly.
Dalton started to laugh. “At least Brett knows about it.”
“I do now,” he snapped. “How long have you known Ramona? Or you Luka? I guess Skylar knows too?”
His arm had dropped to his side. Luna replaced it with her own. “Brett, Skylar is missing. Could you not choose right this moment to come down on Ramona?”
“I’m sorry Ramona,” Luka told her. “I wasn’t thinking.”
She glared at him. “I’m three months pregnant so I’ve known for a while now. I told Sky when she was sick. I don’t know when she decided to tell Luka.”
“Everyone but me Ramona,” he said. “The father should have been the first to know. Don’t you think?”
He turned and went to the house. Luna grabbed her arm to keep her from following him. “Sweetheart, you know him well. Give him time to calm down.”
“Okay,” Ramona replied. “I will.” She kept looking over her shoulder at the door where he had entered the house.
**