My Miracle

“It’s five-thirty.” He kicks off his shoes and pulls me down onto the bed, holding me tightly. “I’m sorry, babe. For all that has happened, they were still your family.”

“And now all my family is gone.”

“Not all.” He rubs my belly, reminding me that we created a new life.

“You’re right. You and this little one are my family.”

Chapter 14

Ben

The tape begins… “David, you need to leave. I’m not having this conversation with you. I’m doing my best to find a way to get us out of this mess.”

“Well, maybe you should have let the shit go in the first place. Who gives a fuck that we were adopted? You were still loved like I was.”

“She lied our entire lives. I wanted that place burnt to the ground. I’m just glad I sold the fucker first. That bastard is going to pay for naming us.”

“Why couldn’t you have just left it all alone. You got me mixed up in your mess.”

“We’re brothers, David. Does that shit mean anything to you?”

“Of course it does. That’s why I helped you, but Mira’s our cousin and mom raised us when our mom dumped us.”

“And that stupid bitch Mira was her blood relative. We weren’t. That pisses me off more than I can even describe.”

“Calm down.”

“I’m not going to fucking calm down, David. She’s going to be six feet under just like mother. Except, I’m really going to take pleasure in torturing her.”

“You poisoned our mother, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but it didn’t give me the pleasure I was looking for. Now, watching Mira suffer would be great. And that nosy rich carpenter of hers, he’s got to go too. I’m ending this tonight, and you’re helping me.”

“No, I’m not. I didn’t like stealing the books in the first place, but that’s as far as I’m willing to go.”

“Don’t you dare walk out on me, David. If you leave, you’ll be my enemy, too.”

“Are you fucking crazy, Tommy? Put down the gun,” David stammers.

“What? Now you’re shaking, aren’t you? Such a coward.”

Mira clicks off the tape. “I can’t hear anymore.”

“As the next of kin, you inherit everything.”

“I don’t want more than what they owe for the damages to the estate. Everything else can be auctioned off and given to an orphanage. Tommy had issues. I always feared him. David, I was just uncomfortable around, but I never knew that they were adopted.” I hold her hand in mine as we sit in their lawyer’s office.

“I’m going to draw up the papers, and you can sign them when you’re ready.”

“Thank you. Ben, are you ready?”

“Absolutely.” I get up and then take her hand. Her belly is starting to round out. It’s been a rough four months since Tommy killed David then shot himself. There’s much more on the tape which Tommy cries and argues with himself before ending his life. Mira has been doing her best to make sense of it all. Now she has her answers to the questions that have been plaguing her.

I have nothing to say that can help her, and it’s gutting me inside. I’m supposed to be her rock, her big, strong husband.

We married a week after their funerals. It was small and mostly filled with my family and crew. My mother wasn’t pleased about it, but with everything going on she understood.

“Are you okay?” I ask, helping her put on her fall jacket. She looks so cute in it with her long brown curls cascading down her back. My woman is perfection.

“Yes, I feel bad for them. Isn’t that crazy? I mean Tommy killed my aunt, and yet, I feel sorry for him.”

“That’s because you have a good heart. Too good. You’ve tried longer than you should have to build that bond. They had pain they never dealt with.” I stop in front of the elevator and pull her in for a kiss.

“Pretty soon, you won’t be able to reach my lips with this one growing so fast.”

“I’ll find a way. Fuck if I’ll miss those lips for a day.”

“Take me home.”

“Yes, love.” I help her into my truck, then run around to my side. By the time I get the truck started, she’s sleeping. I lean over and kiss her cheek before driving away. Good, she can relax. I have a surprise for her that I need her input on.

We get to the site, but she’s still passed out. It’s fine because I want to talk to Dane for a minute. There are some things we need to go over.

I enter the house and Brenda comes from inside, fixing her hair. I cock my brow, but she looks down and walks in the opposite direction. Dane comes out, and his hair looks more fucked up than hers did.

“Please don’t tell me you two fucked in my house.”

“No we didn’t,” he grumbles. “Where’s Mira?”