Broken Course (Wrecked and Ruined #3)(70)

"Well, the guys now have time cards. They’re still handwritten though. You need to figure out a way to allow them to clock in and out remotely. There has to be an app or something for that. Because I’m really sick of importing all that shit every week. You have too many guys now. It takes me forever."

"Okay, ángel. No need to get feisty. I’ll figure something out." He leans in and kisses me.

This might be the only perk of the job. Leo wasn’t lying. He really does pay for shit, but it’s still more than I was making at the newspaper.

"Mmm. You want to do lunch in bed today?" I stand up and wrap my arms around his neck. Yeah. Lunchtime quickies are definitely a perk.

"I am pretty hungry." He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth before raking his teeth across it.

"I have something you can eat." I’m guiding his hand under my dress just as the phone begins to ring. I let out a groan and he chuckles against my lips. "Guardian Protection Agency," I say when I pick up the phone, but I’m greeted by the sound of a dial tone.

"It’s the TV, Sarah." He clicks a button on the computer to answer the incoming call.

Erica flashes onto the screen, but her face is twisted in pain. "I can’t find Slate. My water just broke," she moans, and Leo jumps to his feet.

"Shit. Hang on, babe. Where’s Johnson?" he asks, but Erica doesn’t answer.

Supporting herself on the arm of the couch, she shakes her head.

He moves to the screen of monitors and brings up the inside of Erica’s house. One by one, he goes through each room, looking for any sign of Slate or Johnson. For the last few weeks, Johnson has been staying in Indianapolis so he can be there when Slate goes to train the kids at On The Ropes. They never leave Erica alone. Someone has to be there.

Not a second later, Leo locates both Slate and Johnson laughing in the basement gym.

"Andrews!" he calls over the intercom and Slate’s head snaps up. "Get your ass upstairs. Your wife’s having a baby."

"What?" Slate responds, but he takes off at a dead sprint with Johnson right behind him.

Leo tracks Slate through the house until he reaches Erica. Slate immediately scoops her off her feet and hauls ass toward the front door. Erica screams out just as he gets to the door, and I swear you can see the pain move through Slate’s face as well. It might be twisted, but it makes me smile.

"He really loves her," I say to Leo as he watches them peel out of the driveway.

"Yeah. He does. You want to go to Indy with me or stay here?" His voice is void of emotion as he begins shutting down all the monitors.

"I’ll go. Let me grab some stuff. You want me to pack you some clothes too?" I ask just as Leo turns to face me. His eyes are nervously flashing around the room and his chest is heaving. "Jesus, are you okay?"

"Um, yeah," he confirms, but he looks anything but okay.

"Leo, she’s not dying. You know that, right? She’s just having a baby."

"Yeah, I know. It’s just…hearing her scream. I…um… Fuck, it just brings back some shit. That’s all." He shoves a rough hand in his hair and strides out of the room. As he heads for the hall bathroom, I decide to give him a few minutes to collect himself.

I quickly pack an overnight bag for both of us before going to the kitchen to make a few sandwiches for the road.

"How long does that labor shit last?" he nervously questions, suddenly appearing behind me.

"It all depends. If we leave now, I bet we can make it before she has the baby."

"No. I don’t want to be there for that. I can’t listen to her scream. I’ll lose it. I, um…" His voice cracks and it cuts me deep. He reaches up and grabs the back of his neck. "I can’t be there, Sarah. I…I just can’t." His chin quivers, exposing exactly how much this is affecting him.

"Leo," I breathe, dropping the mayo-covered knife and rushing in his direction. I throw my arms around his waist and desperately try to offer him the same comfort he always provides me.

"I know this isn’t rational. But my whole body is thrumming because she might be scared right now and I’m not there to fix it. Shit…" His hands begin to tremble and he nervously cracks his neck. "I also know that, if I were there, I’d be tearing the hospital apart trying to get to her."

"She has Slate. She’s not alone," I try to reassure him.

"I get that. But that doesn’t make the instinct to protect her any less consuming."

"Okay, so what do you want to do? Go or wait? I’ve never actually had a baby, but I don’t think it’s as dramatic as they make it out to be in the movies. We could always just drive to Indy and check into a hotel until she has him. That way we are close by but you won’t end up brawling with a doctor."

"Yeah. That sounds like a plan."

A few minutes later, Leo walks silently to my car after I inform him that I’m driving. He doesn’t argue, nor does he eat any of the food I packed. About an hour into the trip, he reaches over and grabs my hand, giving it a tight squeeze.

"I’m sorry. I get a little wigged out about her sometimes," he apologizes, bringing my hand to his mouth.

"This probably isn’t the best time to ask this, but you know me…so I’m going to ask it anyway. Have any of your therapists ever mentioned that you might have some form of PTSD from the events of that day?"