But she was past help. Gretchen was broken, and no one could put her together again.
Chase hugged her to his chest and covered her, muffling the sound of the gun.
Nat wrapped her arms around him, clinging as tightly as she could. She was lifted into his arms, and she cried while he carried her down the stairs. In the distance there was the sound of sirens.
“Baby!” Ben was with them, his lips finding hers as Chase set her on her feet. He held a rifle with a scope in his hand.
“Sniper?” Nat asked.
A ghost of a smile lit Chase’s lips. “I told you they’re everywhere.”
“Georgia?” Nat asked.
“Is already on her way to the hospital. Logan carried her to the car and was out of here before I even made it to the stairs,” Ben explained. “God, I was scared, Nat. Please say you’re all right. Anything he did to you, we’ll get through it, baby. I promise. We’ll be so gentle.”
“We’ll make things right again,” Chase vowed. “We’ll give you all the time you need.”
She hugged Chase and put an arm out to bring Ben in. “I don’t need time. I just need my sweet Masters.”
“Oh, sweetness, let’s take you home,” Chase said.
They tightened their arms around her.
She didn’t need to go home. She was already there.
Chapter Twenty-One
Two weeks later
Dallas, TX
Nat stared down at her hands and hoped no one noticed the paint stains. This little reception for the newest Lodge-Taylor was a rather elegant party to welcome a baby into the world, but the baby happened to be Julian Lodge’s, so it was an elegant world.
All around the beautifully decorated penthouse, her new family mixed and mingled. There was a lovely cake done in pink and lavender with the words “Welcome Chloe” written on it.
Danielle was beaming. She waved to Nat as she walked in. Finn was at her side, holding her hand as they talked to a pregnant Lexi O’Malley and her men, Aidan and Lucas. Lucas had a toddler on his hip. Little Jack was their son and another baby was on the way.
She could be pregnant. Two weeks and they hadn’t been using anything because Ben and Chase had explained they weren’t getting any younger. She put a hand on her stomach. She kind of hoped she was.
“That is a very nice ring, Nat.” Logan Green gave her a smile, but it didn’t seem to touch his eyes. There had been a grim set to the young man’s face for the last few weeks as though he’d done his duty, but he hadn’t liked it.
“It is lovely.” Kitten looked down at the two-carat diamond Ben and Chase had given her the night she’d moved into The Club. Nat was getting married. She hoped she could find a gown that went with her pink hair.
Kitten looked pretty in a black and white polka-dotted dress that made her look very elegant. She twirled a little. “Do you like the dress? My new Master seems to prefer retro styles. I didn’t like it at first, but I believe it suits me.”
Logan snorted. “She sent back the first two. I’m surprised the man is still trying.”
Kitten grinned a little. “It’s best to let him know I’m different now. Could you please give me a moment with Nat, Sir?”
Wow. She’d stopped calling Logan Master already? Kitten might not have liked the first two packages Cole Roberts had sent her, but she was obviously taking to the man himself.
Logan nodded and walked off to talk to Leo Meyer.
“Are you all right, Nat?” Kitten held out a hand.
Nat took it, Kitten’s easy affection a blessing to her these days. God, she was going to miss her friend when she went off to the wilds of Colorado, but Kitten had told her that Roberts was going to begin their contract with a few months in Dallas, so she could adjust. “I’m fine.”
“Good, because I don’t want you worrying that you could have helped her. You tried, Nat. We all tried. She was broken before either of us met her. She didn’t want to be put back together. For some people, that type of slavery is a crutch.”
When had Kitten gotten so smart? “But not for us.”
“No, and that’s something Master Cole has to understand. I want him to help me. I love to serve a Master, but I want to be me, too. If Master Cole is simply looking for a doormat, he should look elsewhere.” Kitten took a long breath. “I’m ready, Nat. I’m ready to move on. I can’t be the girl I was before, but I also can’t be the one Hawk created. I have to find a new me.”
Nat hugged her. “I’ll help you, sweetie. I’ll always be here.”
“I know, and that gives me such hope.” Kitten looked over at Logan. “I just wish Master Logan was ready.”
“I wish Georgia had stayed and fought it out with him.” Georgia had come by to say good-bye not a week before. She was off to New York, her light dimmed a bit, but a smile on her face. Nat had attempted to talk her out of it, but Georgia was determined to make it on her own.
Kitten brightened. “Oh, she didn’t go far. Yes, she went to New York, but I managed to find a job for her with a man named Seth Stark.”
Nat knew the name. “The programmer? The one who runs Stark Software?”
He was a billionaire genius and practically ruled the technological world at the hearty age of twenty-six.
Kitten nodded. “Oh, yes. He is also Logan’s best friend. They grew up together. Well, from what I understand, Seth’s family had a cabin in Logan’s hometown, and he spent every summer there. They still keep in touch. When I stole Master Logan’s phone and called Seth, he was very helpful. It seems he’s been worried about Master Logan. He decided to keep an eye on Georgia when I explained the situation. They just need a little time.”
Wow. Kitten was playing matchmaker. “How did Logan handle all this?”
She grinned, shaking her head. “He does not know. He believes Georgia simply found a job elsewhere and left. I believe he will be rather surprised when he visits his friend in the near future and finds her there.”
Nat’s jaw dropped. “Holy shit, Kitten. That is so manipulative. You rock.”
She shrugged. “He also believes he simply lost his phone and I found it for him. My reputation for obedience is quite helpful at times.”
Cole Roberts would have a lot on his hands.
“Oh, there’s my Cotton Candy.” Chase walked from behind the buffet.
Nat’s heart rate tripled. Chase looked decadently delicious in his suit and tie. He rarely wore them, but Nat had commented on how sexy Ben looked and suddenly Chase was all about the tailored suit.
“Hey, baby.” Ben whispered into her ear from behind. He was awfully good at sneaking up on her.
And she loved it. She loved how one minute she could be alone and painting, and the next they would surround her.
“I’m all packed and ready to go,” Ben said.
“I packed a Kevlar vest in case your dad decides to shoot me,” Chase said with a grin. He smiled so much more these days, but she also loved him broody and grumpy. She loved him every way he came.
“It’s a good bet that if your dad takes out one of us, it’ll be Chase.” Ben kissed her ear.
“He won’t. Mom is already in love with you both.” Her mother had cried when she called and wanted to bring her men home. She’d sobbed when she’d called them her Masters. Yeah, the Dawson brothers were heroes in her mom’s eyes.
But they would have to prove themselves to her dad. She wasn’t worried about that.
Julian walked into the room, a bundle of pink in his arms. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce our daughter, Chloe Elizabeth Lodge-Taylor.”