Gotta Have You, Cowboy (Ford Brothers Book 2)

Chapter Seventeen: Nathan

Once again I am pacing the same room waiting for answers about Lottie's condition. This time my fear is bigger than last time. I have two lives to worry about now. Is our baby okay? Is he going to make it out of this healthy? It is going to be a tough road ahead of us, but we can make it through this. We are made for each other and together we can make it through anything. We hold each other to this world. Two halves finally coming together as one. Our hearts beat as one. She will always be the only one for me. The one who sees the true me. I just want to hold her in my arms and never let her go.

"Will you stop pacing and sit down. Someone needs to tell us what happened. We need to know how to help Charley through this." Mom said from her seat beside Maddie. My whole family is here minus Gramps, the kids, and Aidan. I did not expect Aidan to be here for me and I will have to accept that. I stopped my pacing and sat down in the empty chair beside her. My brothers are shaken up and have not spoken a word since we got here.

"We were too late. He hurt her and I was not there to save her in time." I started to tell them everything that I know so far. Lottie was beat and raped in the short amount of time that she was taken from me. I will never forgive myself for not making it in time. My heart is shattered for my girl. I could not hold my tears back any longer and I did not care what anyone thinks. I let them fall down my face showing all the emotions that I feel for Lottie.

"You cannot blame yourself. All you can do is be there to help her through this difficult time. I know that y'all will make it through this. It will take time, but it will happen. Keep your faith my son." Mom said as she wrapped her arms around me and holding me while I cried. I could hear Lucas talking quietly with Jackson; he is pretty shaken up. He is taking it harder than the rest of my family. He will never be able to unsee what he saw tonight. It will be hard for me to recover from this.

"At least that creep is in custody and we don't have to worry about him." Jackson said from his seat between Lucas and Ryan. Grayson is sitting on my right with Bella beside him. I am thankful for the family I have; they are the best support team around. The best family to be a part of. We have been waiting for over an hour and I needed to see Lottie. I need to comfort her. She did not want to leave my side, they had to give her medicine to calm her down. It broke my heart even more hearing her crying out for me.

"It's not over yet. He still has to go to court. He better not get away with this." Lucas responded.

"We will get the best lawyer we can get for her. She deserves justice. That creep deserves to be locked up tight." Jackson told us and I know that he would make sure that she gets justice. My whole family would.

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Time is dragging on and I still have not heard a word about Lottie. It is close to midnight now and I know my family wants to get to bed. I know I am being selfish, but I need my family right now. I do not know how I would react if we lost the baby. My fear greater than ever. I never knew I could love someone so much and I have not met him yet. He already takes up so much of my heart.

The girls are asleep while my brothers and I are silent in thoughts. I know that this has changed us all. The way they look at life now. Knowing that anything could happen in a blink of an eye. The person you love with all of your heart could be gone in a blink of an eye. I have learned to never take anything for granted. I am going to live everyday to my fullest with Lottie beside me. I am going to show her how much she means to me. I could not take sitting here any longer. I have to get up and stretch my legs out.

"Does anyone want coffee?" I asked my brothers as I stood up from my chair and looked around at them.

"I do." Jackson replied.

"Me too." Grayson and Ryan said in union.

"I will go with you." Lucas offered.

"Thanks." I told him as we made our way to the empty cafeteria. We made five coffees up, straight black. We grabbed a couple of sugars and creamers as we made our way to the door. Walking down the hallways are quiet and empty. We slowly walked back to the rest of our family. When we got to the waiting room I caught a glimpse of Aidan sitting in the back of the room away from our family.