Page 187 of Ransom
55
RANSOM
Istand in my office, staring out at the Chicago skyline. The place feels different now—emptier, quieter. When we first built this headquarters, I imagined all my brothers working here, side by side. Funny how life changes.
"Heading out, boss?" Cara saunters in, one hand on her growing belly. The diamond bands on her ring finger catch the late afternoon light.
"Yeah, helicopter's waiting. You should head home too."
"Please, I've got three more meetings." She drops into my visitor's chair with a sigh, rubbing her belly. "This one's doing cartwheels anyway. He's not ready to settle down yet." Cara stretches her feet out. How the fuck is she still wearing those shoes? I can’t stop myself from holding onto her every time we walk side by side. She gets pissy about it, but until those fucking shoes go, she’s going to have to deal with it.
"You guys coming down this weekend?"
Cara grins. "Of course. I plan to spend most of the weekend floating in the pool. Everything is so heavy right now. We'd come tonight, but I have a doctor's appointment in the morning. Then we'll head down."
"Everything okay?" Her cheeks are rosy, she seems to have plenty of energy, but I still worry. Maybe I’ve gotten a little worse in the worry department since we went through Maggie’s illness. We were in hospitals and clinics around the world, and we came too damn close to losing her a few times.
"Just a regular checkup. I'm doing great."
Declan appears in my doorway, his eyes locked on Cara. He doesn't even acknowledge me as he beelines straight for her, dropping to his knees in front of her chair. His hands cup her rounded belly with such tenderness it makes my chest tight. I’m getting so damn sentimental in my old age.
"Hey little man," he whispers, pressing soft kisses to her stomach. "Your daddy missed you today."
Cara's whole face transforms, that hard-edged businesswoman melting away. Her fingers thread through Declan's hair as he continues murmuring to their baby. The love between them radiates through the room.
I could turn away, give them privacy, but I don't. These moments—watching my brothers find their perfect matches, build their families—they're precious to me. After losing my first family, I never thought I'd have this again. So I’m damn well going to watch them enjoy it.
"He's been doing somersaults all afternoon," Cara tells him, her voice soft in a way she reserves only for Declan.
"Of course he is." Declan grins against her belly. "Maybe he'll tire himself out and let you get a full night's sleep."
"That would be amazing. Not likely, but amazing." But Cara's laughing as she says it, her fingers still gentle in his hair.
I give Declan's shoulder a quick squeeze, then bend to kiss Cara's cheek. "Get some rest, both of you."
The stairs to the roof stretch before me as I take them two at a time, briefcase swinging. The helipad sits empty, waiting. Windwhips across the surface, and the sun hangs low on the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks.
When we bought this building, the helipad was just an extra selling point. Now it's become essential. Our fleet has grown to three birds, constantly ferrying us between cities as our empire expands. But their most important job? Taking us home.
The familiar thrum of rotors grows louder as our pilot brings her in for landing. I climb aboard, settling into the leather seat as Chicago spreads out below us. Our tower rises in the distance, its glass face reflecting the sunset. That penthouse used to feel so empty, echoing with silence. Now I only stay there when Blair's with me, maybe once or twice a month. Otherwise, what's the point?
Opening my laptop, I dive into emails. Might as well clear my inbox now—once I land in Badger Falls, work is the last thing on my mind. The city falls away beneath us as we bank south. Skyscrapers give way to suburbs, then farmland. My fingers fly across the keys, responding to messages that can't wait until Monday. The rest can pile up over the weekend—I've got better things to focus on.
The landscape below shifts from concrete jungle to patchwork fields and dense forest. My heart rate picks up as we approach the compound—this feeling never gets old.
Leaning forward against my seatbelt, I spot at least ten kids tearing around on bikes and skateboards below. Mia's sparkly pink helmet catches the sun like a beacon. She's leading the pack, fearless as always. Max trails behind her, still getting the hang of his new BMX bike. Maggie just shook her head when she saw it, but she didn't say anything. She's learning. Just let me spend my money the way I want. She's like a lobster in a pot. Right now it's rocking chairs for her front porch and a bike for Max. By next summer, I'll have her agreeing to move into one ofthe empty houses. She's my woman's heart sister, she's family, and she needs to be closer so we can all keep an eye on her.
Beyond the chaos of the play area stand our homes—ten occupied, two finished but waiting. The architecture flows together perfectly, each house unique but cohesive. Jonas insisted on that. Said it had to feel like one big family compound.
As we approach the helipad, I see Blair waiting. My wife. Even now, years later, that word sends a thrill through me. I put a ring on her finger just four weeks after we reconnected—I couldn't wait any longer. Two months after that, right as summer bloomed, we got married in the town square.
God, she was beautiful that day. No fancy wedding dress, just a simple white sundress that made her look like summer incarnate. Mia and Max had woven her a flower crown—crooked and messy and absolutely perfect. She wore it like a queen.
The whole town turned out for the ceremony. Afterwards, we had the biggest BBQ Badger Falls had ever seen. Everyone pitched in—John manning the grill, Macy organizing the sides, Holly coordinating the dessert table. And my brothers, all wearing tuxedo t-shirts, manning the alcohol table. The perfect blend of my two families becoming one.
It was everything I dreamed of, and so much more.
Blair shields her eyes against the sun as we descend, her ponytail whipping in the rotor wash. That crooked smile of hers still hits me right in the chest every single time.