Chapter Seven
The funeral was held on the following Saturday but not many people were in attendance. Mia stood over the hole the coffin was hoisted into and tossed a single red rose on the casket.
John moved his arm around her and gave her shoulder a squeeze.
She was too numb to feel grief or even wonder if it was in her to do so. It was a horrible way to die, but Gage had saved her like he said he would. Her eyes guided to the ring and she fingered it with her other hand.
"come on Mia." John finally said, "This is over. Gage is probably driving the hospital staff nuts by now."
"It’s just so sad," she said taking a final look at the casket, "That I never knew him before."
"Well he has to make his peace with God now after what he’s done." John added guiding her back to the car where her grandparents were waiting.
She had insisted on coming because she knew there was no one else to grieve for the man who fathered her. Gage gave her his blessing so she went. For some reason John seemed to have elected himself her protector evern though it wasn’t necessary anymore, but she was sure Gage had something to do with that. He was still wary about not being with her for her protection, but at least he’d get out of the hospital tomorrow, then they could go home.
As it was, Gage was in the middle of tossing a tray across the room as a nurse walked in. She just spun around and walked out again followed by his cursing. He didn’t like feeling like an Mercenary’s Conquest 139
invalid and even though the doctor told him of the risks if he started moving around too soon, he didn’t care.
Finally he laid his head back against the pillow and shut his eyes. All he saw was his sweet Mia and smiled.
Unfortunately when he woke up from the surgery several days ago, it was John’s ugly mug standing over him, not Mia’s and he made the groggy comment to the fact.
John frowned at him, "That’s what I get for devoted years of service." The man muttered.
"Where’s my future wife?"
"Heavily sedated."
"Ah hell." He groaned.
"I’m fine thanks." John said.
"A*shole."
He chuckled, "She’s fine Gage. She was hysterical but after what she’d been through, it’s understandable. I’m sure it’s hard seeing someone you love knifed several times."
"Is she seriously going to be okay?"
"Funny you ask that when you’re the one with a busted clavicle and some of your internal organs punctured." He waved a dismissive hand as Gage’s expression darkened, "I’m pretty sure she will. When she wakes up and sees that you came through the surgery, she’ll be back to her cheerful self, you lucky bastard."
Gage actually chuckled then winced at the wave of pain that came with it. "Don’t I know it."
John squeezed his good shoulder, "Look, I’ll bring her in as soon as she wakes up."
"I’d appreciate that." He said searching his friend’s face, "Did her father make it."
John shook his head, "The funeral is this Saturday."
"Knowing Mia she’ll want to go." There was no doubt in his mind because that’s the way she was. Even though she never Lietha Wards 140
knew the man as her father, part of her would be grieving for the loss of that.
"I’ll take her." John said without hesitation.
"Thanks."
He leaned over his friend a little more, "You seriously love this girl, don’t you?"
"Can’t you tell." He said with raised brows.
"Well, I can understand why now. It was really hard to take when you told us. We didn’t think you actually had a heart in there." He said tapping Gage’s chest with his fingers, "And if you did it was made of iron."
"Maybe it was." He said solemnly.
"All I can say, if there’s hope for you, then maybe the rest of us have a chance."
Gage grinned, "Don’t doubt it. I was blindsided."
"Yeah she kind of finds that tender side in all of us, I think."
"Don’t get any ideas." Gage warned.
"Yeah, like I want to piss you off." He said smiling down at him. "I’ll go see if Mia’s awake. Dorothy and Thad are with her right now."
It was about a half an hour before John walked in with Mia. His arm was around her waist to steady her, but as soon as she saw him she rushed forward and planted sweet little kisses all over his face.
He kissed her cheek and used his good arm to hold her. He heard the sound of his room door closing knowing that John had left. "I don’t ever remember you smelling so good honey." He murmured in her ear and inhaled deeply.
She lifted her head and looked at him, "God I was so scared."
He saw her red swollen eyes. Even the tip of her nose was still swollen. He brushed his fingers down her cheek, "I’ve been shot, stabbed, even run over, but I’ve survived. Do you think a Mercenary’s Conquest 141
few stab wounds would kill me? Besides I just got engaged."
She lowered her head again so their cheeks were touching, "I never felt so scared Gage. If seems as if I’d just found you and you were taken away." She released a sniff, "Are you sure you’re all right?"
"I am. Pretty soon we’ll be back to making babies."
She flushed and slapped his chest playfully, "We weren’t!"
"We were definitely trying to perfect the act." He said deeply.
"You are really asking for it."
"I’m trying. Do you think the doctor would clear a lewd act here in the hospital."
"Oh God," she said rolling her eyes, "You’re barely a day out of surgery and you already thinking of that."
He became serious, "I’ve been thinking about quite a few things Mia." He said softly, "I’m serious about our marriage, staying in Scott Springs and having children with you."
"I know you are Gage." She returned with her expression full of emotion for him, "I trust you."
"I know you do, so there’s some things I need to tell you."
"Now?"
"No other time is better." He said searching out her hand and squeezing it. "There shouldn’t be any secrets between us, and I have plenty. My missions overseas won’t be mentioned but there’s other things you need to know about me."
She took a deep breath, hoping his secrets weren’t horrible, like he had other women on the side, or he worked for a drug cartel.
"First of all, I’m not twenty six."
"Oh?"
"The whole issue with our involvement wasn’t supposed to happen, but I needed to keep you close. I originally was just going to date you in the plutonic sense," he said letting a smile Lietha Wards 142
spread across his face while remembering their first night together, "However, things changed and we did become intimate."
She flushed slightly.
"I was worried when you found out how old I really was, if I was truthful with you before then, that you wouldn’t want me."
"That’s ridiculous." She said immediately.
"I’m thirty two."
She looked thoughtful for a moment before she smiled, "I don’t care."
"The documents about my age were forged. I knew your father wouldn’t let me near you if he knew my real age."
Now he was probably dead on about that because her father had a problem with twenty-six. "What’s the next thing?" It certainly wasn’t as bad as what she thought. Besides love shouldn’t have an age difference, but his hesitation around her made perfect sense now.
"Honey you are a treat." He said smiling.
"Is it your name?"
‘No that’s legitimate."
"Are you parents really dead."
"Very." He frowned. "I guess you should know about them too."
"If you feel like you want to talk about it." She said meeting his gaze with one of understanding.
"Well, my dad was a narcissistic bastard and my mother was a spoiled socialite."
"It couldn’t have been that bad." She said in a shocked whisper.
"You have no idea." He angled his head to study her expression better. "I was in military and boarding schools from the time I could walk and they had a rule that children should be seen and not heard. My father had no qualms about taking a Mercenary’s Conquest 143
strap to me when I disobeyed him. Then Jane came along. My mother ignored both of us and concentrated on her social circles while my father tried his best to mold the perfect children."
"That’s horrible."
"I honestly thought I was a callous bastard like him, except for the love I have for Jane—" he reached up and caressed her cheek, "—and you. That’s what made the things I did for our government so easy. I had no problem killing people in their name."
"John said you don’t do things like that anymore."
He released a short laugh, "Well, Thad was good to me and my men. He made me realize some things. Especially when he came in and got us out when no one else cared. I was shot up pretty bad during one mission. It took me two years to heal completely and I stayed with him and Dorothy. If I had a choice in decent parents, it would be them."
"I can’t see you like you said you were." She said with worried eyes, "I only know you as you are now."
"That’s fine. You won’t have to. I told you what entails our future and I meant it. There’s no going back for me Mia."
She nodded visibly relieved.
"Now for the last thing."
"You were born with a tail." She teased trying to bring some humor into the room.
"Not quite." His eyes searched hers as he smiled slightly at her jest, "Evan Parson’s sold me his place. He’s not a family friend. It went on the market in Europe and I bought it."
She shrugged, "So, its beautiful. What’s wrong with that?" gosh, she thought, that must have been some mortgage, the place was worth millions.
"I paid cash."
She blinked twice. John had mentioned that they made money doing what they did but she never considered that he Lietha Wards 144
was rich. "Cash?"
"The jet is mine too." He said watching the emotions play over her face. "I own a penthouse in New York, a villa in Spain, several flats in London—" he paused seeing her jaw drop, "Sorry baby, I know I’m asking a lot of understanding from you."
"But you work as a cop, it’s dangerous. Of all the jobs you could do," She said, "And being a policeman isn’t easy—"
"I told you once before that not one of my pennies was earned through blood and sweat. I meant it. My parents were rich and it’s in a trust for Jane when she turns twenty one. I don’t want a cent of their money. I make sure she understands every cent she gets too."
"You are not like anyone I’ve ever met." She said looking down at him with genuine affection, "you are true to the bone Gage Hart and that’s why I love you."
"You’re not upset?"
She shook her head bending down and kissing him. After what she’d just been through, there was nothing he could say that would change her mind about him. He nearly gave his life for her. He growled against her mouth.
Ten minutes later, that’s how the group found them much to Mia’s embarrassment and Gage’s ever expanding ego.
Epilogue
Six months later Mia’s wedding was beautiful. Her father and grandfather gave her away. Gage’s handwritten vows made her weep. His arm was still in a sling, but they told people that it broke in a sky diving accident.
Gage was devastating handsome in his black suit with high mandarin collar as were his best men, John and of all people, Liam. Somehow he’d managed to mend that fence and Mia was very proud of him. Gage had found out that his parents were Mercenary’s Conquest 145
both dead and Charlie and he had to raise themselves since they were fourteen and sixteen with the help of an ailing grandmother who died when Liam was eighteen. For two boys being raised without parents they didn’t turn out too bad, he confided in her.
Lisa and Jane were her bridesmaids wearing simple gowns of soft green and that was the first time Liam had laid eyes on Gage’s little sister. He’d spent the rest of the evening following her around and ended up getting a fat lip for his efforts.
"She can take care of herself Mia." Gage said as Liam was holding a handkerchief to his busted lip while glaring at a smug Jane.
"I take it you taught her that."
"you have no idea what she is capable of." He said holding her tightly on the dance floor.
"I wondered why you never did anything when he followed her outside."
He grinned down at her.
"Poor Liam." Mia said looking at him while he was still glaring at the younger girl. He was a nice man, and nice looking too, but he just had a very odd approach with women.
"It serves him right when he keeps trying to grope women."
"He was drunk and he didn’t grope me, he only flattened me out on the bed and kissed me." She murmured in his ear smiling at the harsh tone, "Besides I thought you forgave him."
Gage felt his ire rising over remembering that night, "Maybe, but he should ask permission before he tries to kiss one again."
"hmm, like you did me." She said reminding him.
He chuckled, "point taken." He actually just told her that he was going to kiss her before he did that first time at Craigen’s gully and it went a little further than just a simple kiss. "He’s too old for her anyway." Lietha Wards 146
"He’s twenty Gage. There’s only four years difference and like you told me before, it’s not like he’s had much guidance without parents."
"Then she’s too young." He scowled.
"Hmm, but very mature."
"Keep it up and I’ll turn you over my knee and give you more than just a spanking."
She felt her insides swirl at that, "Promises, promises."
"I’ll make an effort to get you pregnant tonight and withhold that agreement to wait until your twenty."
She smiled up at him, "That was your wish, not mind Gage. I’ll have your child anytime." She didn’t end up pregnant at her grandparents like he worried about, but both of them were consigned to wait until after they were married to make that step. However, the more she fell in love with her husband, the more she wanted to have his child. Husband, she breathed, how wonderful that sounded.
"You’re too young." He grimaced, "I told you it makes me feel as if I’m taking your youth."
A teasing glint came to her deep blue eyes, "Well you are getting a little long in the tooth—maybe we should—" her squeal cut off her words as he swept her up in his arms and marched out of the hall to the laughter and applause of the guests. There was no doubt from the look on his expression what he was going to do. Mia knew it would take months to overcome that embarrassment, but looking up at Gage she suddenly didn’t care.
"Your wish is my command," he said huskily mingling with her laughter. Mercenary’s Conquest 147