LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter Five

      “I didn’t hire those men,” Lauren repeated.

      It wasn’t necessary for her to keep saying that. Cameron hadn’t believed it from the moment the thug had tossed out that stupid accusation. Those men had been firing real bullets into the house as well as at Lauren and him, and there was no way she would have put her son in danger that way.

      Either son.

      Because Cameron was also certain she was already thinking of both boys as hers. They weren’t. But that was something they would have to sort out later.

      For now, they needed to get to the bottom of why the attack had happened. Gabriel and Jameson were already on that. Lauren’s brothers were outside with the medical examiner and the CSIs. The ambulance, too. There’d been no need for medical assistance for the gunmen—they were all dead. But the medics were apparently there for Lauren and him.

      Whether they wanted them there or not.

      Cameron certainly didn’t. He wanted to be outside with the other lawmen, trying to get answers, but instead he was on the sofa in his living room while a medic stitched up his arm. Another medic was checking out Lauren’s gunshot wound, as well.

      “This isn’t necessary,” Lauren insisted. It was yet something else she’d been repeating.

      Cameron didn’t bother to voice his complaint since Gabriel had told him he wouldn’t be returning to work until the medic gave him the okay. So far, the guy wasn’t okaying anything. He was causing Cameron plenty of pain with each stitch. Of course, that was a small price to pay considering they were all alive and, for the most part, well.

      “Is it okay if we come out now?” Merilee called out.

      It had been well over a half hour since the attack had ended. If the thugs had brought any other hired guns with them, those guys would probably be long gone. But it still seemed too big of a risk to take.

      “Let’s call this finished,” Cameron told the medic, and even though the guy gave him a hard look, he put in the last stitch and slapped on a bandage.

      “Stay put. I’ll come to the nursery,” Cameron added to Merilee.

      That got Lauren moving, too, and despite the fact that the medic was still dabbing something on her arm, she jerked away from him, following Cameron when he started out of the living room and up the hall. Both medics grumbled something that Cameron didn’t bother to hear. He needed to see Isaac to make sure for himself that both boys were all right.

      Lauren was right on his heels when Cameron knocked on the door. Merilee must have been right there waiting because she opened up right away. She didn’t have Isaac in her arms, but Cameron spotted him. He was on the floor, playing with Patrick. Dara was next to both of them.

      Cameron felt the punch of relief. Yes, he’d known the boys hadn’t been harmed. He’d gotten that reassurance minutes after the attack when he’d been able to talk to Merilee. So had Lauren. But she also must have needed more because she hurried to the boys, kissing them both.

      Kisses that got Merilee’s attention.

      The nanny looked at him, her eyebrow raised. “I’ll explain later,” Cameron whispered to her. “Thanks for keeping them safe.”

      “Is it actually safe?” Merilee questioned before Cameron could step away.

      “No,” he admitted after a pause. “We don’t know who hired those men.”

      And he needed to figure out what to do about that. His house was in too vulnerable of a spot on the ranch since it was backed up against the woods and those trails. Added to that, there were now broken windows, so he would need to move Lauren, the boys and the nannies. First, though, he needed to see Isaac.

      The boys were no longer fussing. In fact, they were looking a little confused—Isaac, especially—at the long hug that Lauren was giving them. When Cameron sank down on the edge of one of the chairs, Isaac scooted out of her grip and immediately went to him.

      “Nunk,” Isaac babbled. It was his attempt at uncle, and it always made Cameron smile. Even more. And while he hugged Isaac often, this hug was especially needed.

      Of course, Isaac didn’t let the hug go on for long. He was a kid always on the go, and the moment Cameron stood him on the floor, Isaac toddled his way back to Patrick. He dropped down next to him, where there was a huge pile of toy cars and horses.

      Seeing them side by side put a knot in Cameron’s stomach. If he’d had any doubts about the baby swap, he didn’t have them now. He could see his sister, and himself, in Patrick’s face, while Isaac was a Beckett. Cameron hadn’t seen it before because he hadn’t been looking for it.

      Hell.

      What was he going to do now?

      Lauren looked up at him at the exact moment that Cameron looked at her. She didn’t say anything, but she seemed to be waiting for something. Maybe for him to offer some perfect solution to fix all of this. But at the moment he was drawing a blank because the one thing he wasn’t going to do was give up the little boy he’d been raising for over a year. He couldn’t have loved his own son more than he loved Isaac.

      Cameron automatically reached for his gun again when he heard someone coming up the hall. He stood, stepping in front of the others, but it wasn’t a threat this time. It was Gabriel and Jameson.

      Lauren stood, slowly, and she rubbed her hands along the sides of her jeans. Her brothers didn’t exactly run to her, either, and Cameron figured they needed some time to hash this out. After all, Lauren had basically abandoned them, but again, that was something that would have to wait.

      “Cameron told us about the possible baby switch,” Gabriel said, his voice not exactly warm and fuzzy.

      She looked at Cameron, probably wondering when he’d had a chance to do that. It’d been in the yard when he’d managed to have a very short conversation with Gabriel while they were waiting for the medics to arrive. And Cameron had indeed added that word—possible. But Gabriel and Jameson were no doubt seeing what Cameron had—Patrick’s resemblance to them.

      Jameson huffed, went to Lauren and pulled her into his arms. “You shouldn’t have stayed away,” he whispered to her, but since the room was suddenly quiet, Cameron had no trouble hearing.

      “I couldn’t,” she answered. When Lauren pulled back, she was blinking back tears. “Not after what happened to Mom and Dad. I just couldn’t stay.”

      Gabriel didn’t argue with that. Not with his voice anyway. But that wasn’t exactly a forgiving look in his eyes.

      Of course, Cameron hadn’t expected there to be. Like Gabriel and Jameson, he’d stayed in Blue River. He’d dealt with the aftermath, had helped put a killer behind bars and then had tried to pick up the pieces and use them to build a new life. Lauren hadn’t done that, and it’d cut Gabriel to the core that he hadn’t been able to keep the family together.

      “Uh, should Dara and I take the boys to one of the other rooms?” Merilee asked after glancing at Gabriel’s expression.

      “No,” Lauren answered without hesitation. Cameron agreed. He didn’t want the babies out of his sight for now. If Lauren’s brothers were going to have words with her, they’d have to keep it G-rated.

      Lauren kissed Jameson on the cheek, and she went to Gabriel. Her steps were tentative and so was the kiss on the cheek she gave him.

      “I don’t expect you to understand what I did,” she said, her voice a little shaky now. “And I’m sorry for bringing this danger to the ranch.”

      Gabriel stared at

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