“Oh,” I said, feeling my arms become stiff and awkward again. “Hi,” I said, looking down at her rosy cherubic cheeks. I wasn’t sure why I was suddenly so terrified of her wiggling out of my arms, she was asleep.
“Now that’s a sight I thought I’d never see,” Peter said, leaning against the doorway, his hands in his suit pockets.
“You wore a suit to a BBQ?” I asked.
He stood upright, walking toward me. “Came straight from work. Had several meetings today with some higher ups.”
“How did it go?” I asked.
He winked at me. “As planned. I always get my way.”
I glared at him. “That’s not attractive, you know. It stinks of spoiled rich kid.”
Peter touched his chest. “Me? Nah.”
He took a step toward me.
“Stop right there.”
“Naomi,” he said, disappointed. “I’ll never try to kiss you again … unless you want me to.”
“I won’t.”
I wasn’t sure if I should sit, stand, or go to the backyard with Maddie, so I just stood in place, trying to bounce her with my suddenly cumbersome body.
Peter smiled at her. “She’s so beautiful. May I hold her?”
“Sure,” I said, handing her over as I passed him to walk outside.
Peter walked out behind me, and I watched him as I sat at the picnic table with the others. He was so natural with a baby in his arms, unafraid of how small she was or how limp. Her arm was hanging down, her lips pursed with spittle bubbling in the center. She was like a little drunk baby doll, and to everyone else it seemed completely normal.
Kids had never been my thing.
Trex smiled. “You’ve got her again?”
“Sorry,” Peter said. “I like babies.”
“She won’t be small for long,” Trex said. “It seems like she grows every day.”
“Where’s Darby?” I asked.
“Still at the hotel,” he said. “She’ll be here later.”
Harbinger was at the grill flipping burgers and hotdogs, Henry and Miles were squealing and making shooting noises as they played war, Kitsch was having a beer with the rest of the boys, and Peter and Maddie were in a lawn chair, having a quiet, one-sided conversation.
“Don’t get too attached,” I said. “Trex is pretty dead set on keeping her.”
Peter laughed. “He said the same thing.”
“I didn’t realize you liked babies so much.”
He looked up at me with a smile. “Maybe you don’t know me as well as you thought.”
“I doubt that,” I said, returning to the kitchen to help Caroline.
Martinez and Sloan came too. Caroline loaded us up with serving dishes, and we carried them outside. When Caroline came out with her famous southwest potato casserole, everyone clapped.
“Thank you, thank you,” she said, setting the glass dish on the wooden picnic table. “Boys?” she called.
Henry and Miles came running, watching their mom load their plates with their favorites. Harbinger made them a cheeseburger and a hotdog each, then set down two huge plates of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hotdogs onto the table. The team patiently waited for Caroline to make her plate, and then they dove in like rabid dogs.
“Want me to take her?” Trex asked Peter, already chewing.
“Nope,” Peter said. “Enjoy your food. I’ll give her back when you’re finished.”
“You know, you could put her on a blanket,” Caroline teased.
“Yeah, but as fast as she’s growing, she’s going to be eighteen like tomorrow,” Trex said.
Caroline’s sweet laugh rang throughout the yard. “Oh, Trex. It’s good to see you so happy and settled.”
I looked back at Peter, hoping he would let them stay that way, even once he realized I wasn’t going to give in. Something was different about him, though. Peter was more confident but seemed less pressured, as if he had all the time in the world for me to change my mind.
Once Trex finished, Peter made a plate, and Sloan and I started collecting dirty dishes, taking them into the kitchen. We scrubbed, and Sloan slung suds in my direction, but that reminded me of Zeke, sucking the fun out of it like a spaceship hatch had been opened.
“Hey,” Sloan said, elbowing me. “You okay?”
I used my wrist to wipe my nose. “I just miss him.”
“Do you think he’ll come back?”
“I don’t know.”
Martinez strolled in with a smile on his face.
“Where’s your girlfriend?” I asked.
“Mia? She’s at work.”
“Why do you ask who we’re talking about? Do you have more than one girlfriend?” Sloan asked.
“Fuck off. Over there,” Martinez said, pointing.
“Can’t. Dishes,” Sloan said.
Peter came in just as we were finishing up, bringing his dirty plate. “No worries, I’ll take care of it,” he said.
“You sure are chipper today,” Martinez said. “Which is weird since you’ve been avoiding Naomi for weeks.”
Peter raised an eyebrow. “I was giving her space. I assumed I was the last person she’d want to see after…”
“You were right,” I said.
“What about now?” Peter asked.
Sloan popped the top off another beer and took a big gulp. “Damn, it’s getting hot.”
“NORAD said maybe the hottest in a decade,” Peter said. “We’re outfitting the Complex with better fire suppressants and deterrents around the perimeter.”
“I feel safer already,” Sloan said.
My stomach sank. The year before, I was falling for Zeke. Everything was so different. “You know,” I began, trying to keep my voice cheerful, “I’d better get home and get some laundry done. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I’m going to try to get the house in order then turn in early.”
I dried off my hands, grabbed my keys, and headed for the backyard. “Dishes are finished! Thank you!” I said, waving to Harbinger and Caroline.
Caroline stood and jogged over to hug me. “Thank you. Come see us more often, okay?”
“Will do,” I said with a smile.
I headed home, walking through the door to a quiet house. Everything reminded me of Zeke: the television, the couch, the kitchen, the bed. I enjoyed it when Zeke was there. Now, it felt like a cage.
The laundry was already finished and folded, so I put it away, showered, then slipped Zeke’s oversized T-shirt over my head. Just as I pulled back the covers, a soft knock made me freeze. I rushed down the hall and through the living room with the smallest bit of hope, only to be on the verge of tears when opening the door revealed Peter.
“That look in your eyes breaks my heart. I am sorry, you know. I’d never want you to hurt like this.”
“Get the hell out of here, and don’t come back.” I slammed the door in his face and sat on the couch.
With my elbows on my knees, I covered my head with my arms and rocked back and forth, sobbing.
The next morning, I woke up alone and half an hour later than usual. I rushed around and pulled in just as Trex closed his driver’s side door.
“You’re cutting it close, aren’t you?” he said.
“Aren’t you?”
“I just forgot something. I’ve already been inside and back.”
I snarled at him, and we walked together to the locker room where we gunned up and had a quick team meeting before making rounds. The day was mundane, almost boring. It sounded like a good idea at first, to have a job where we could hold a gun and still be home for dinner. But we were all itching for action. Walking the halls just wasn’t enough, at least not for me. Thoughts of re-enlisting crossed my mind, or maybe going back to Arizona.
After a quick lunch, I escaped to the gym, working my arms, back, and abs until my muscles shook from fatigue.
“How are you going to be worth anything working y
ourself that hard in the middle of your work day?” Peter asked from the doorway.
I took a towel and wiped my face. “It keeps me from killing you.”
“Maybe I should have tried that the first month or so after Paige left. I felt like dying several times.”
I shot him a look. “Over election day? Because you never loved Paige.”
He looked down at his shoes, his hands in pockets, raising his brows. “That’s true. I was wondering if you’d like to grab a bite to eat tonight. Nothing fancy. Just dinner.”
“I’m not going on a date with you,” I said.
“Not a date. Just two friends eating. You need to eat a decent meal, Naomi. You’ve lost some weight.”
I looked down, my ab muscles protruding more than usual. “Fuck off, Peter.”
“Fine,” he said, walking away.
I retired to the showers, peeled off my sopping wet sports bra and athletic leggings, before scrubbing off a half-hour’s worth of sweat. In ten minutes, I was clean and back in my uniform, on my way back to the locker room.
Trex frowned at me. “What’s your deal today? You’re never late.”
“Sorry, my workout ran long. I lost track of time. Won’t happen again.”
Trex nodded, then went down the checklist. “Okay, we’re changing things up. Naomi, you’re with me in Alpha through Delta. Kitsch has Echo, and Martinez has the warehouse and the perimeter.”
We were all confused. We’d had the same assignments since we’d started. Trex could see that and explained.
“We all need to be familiar with the entire complex and everyone we encounter. Names, faces, and every corner should be ingrained in your mind.”
“Why?” Sloan asked. “No one can get in this place. I feel like an old fucking lady fast-walking through the mall.”
“Because when shit does go down, we should be prepared, that’s why,” Trex said. “I shouldn’t have to tell you that.”
“Okay, team, move out,” Kitsch said.
We cleared the corridors in order, from Alpha to Delta. I passed Peter a few times, and instead of avoiding me, he’d stop and chat.
The last time we walked away from him, Trex made a half-growl, half-humming noise. “What’s up with him? He was all about Maddie at the BBQ. I didn’t know he liked babies that much, did you?”
I shook my head.
“He wouldn’t even look at you before. Now he’s stopping to chat every time you pass each other.”
“He came over last night. I slammed the door in his face. I’m afraid any second he’ll send us all packing. I feel like my balls are in a vice.”
“What?” Trex asked, stopping in the middle of the hall. “Naomi, he’s taking advantage. He knows you’re lonely and sad.”
“I am lonely and sad.”
“Then come hang out with us.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?” he asked, confused.
I fidgeted. “I don’t want to offend you.”
He shot me a look of impatience.
“It’s Maddie. She makes me uncomfortable. When she gets older like Henry and Miles maybe I can, but until then she gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
“Maddie makes you uncomfortable? She can’t even talk.”
“Exactly, and she doesn’t have teeth, and she drools and craps her pants. It’s weird.”
“I hate to break it to you, Naomi, but you started out the same way.”
“It’s not that I don’t like your kid. I just don’t like any kids.”
Trex couldn’t hide that he felt slighted.
“C’mon, don’t take it personal,” I said.
“You think my kid is creepy, and you don’t think I’d take that personal?”
I shrugged. “I guess not? I wouldn’t, because kids are creepy.”
“No one thinks kids are creepy. People think Peter is creepy.”
“At least he has teeth and doesn’t chew on his fists.”
Kitsch approached us at full speed, breathing hard before he could speak.
“What is it?” Trex asked, frowning.
“I … was down in Deep Echo.”
“Did they kick you out?” I asked with a smile.
“I’m not sure,” he said between breaths. “I could be wrong, just keep that in mind. But … while I was down there, I swear I saw Zeke.”
Trex and I traded glances.
“Kitsch, that’s impossible,” Trex said. “He doesn’t have credentials. He has no experience in security. Those guys are well-trained bad ombres.”
Kitsch shook his head, still struggling for breath. “Not security. He was wearing a”—
he touched his chest—“patch, and so were the guys with him. He’s some kind of fire team.”
I looked at Trex to give me a reason not to hope, to not be afraid. There could be dozens of frightening reasons why Zeke was down there, and worse, he’d been down there for weeks.
I took off in a sprint, not knowing or caring if Kitsch or Trex were behind me. My boots slamming on the metal grid path rang out, echoing against the curved walls. By the time I reached Deep Echo I was out of breath, but that didn’t stop me from looking in through the thick glass on each side of the blast door. I was pounding on it before security could sound their typical warning blast.
“Zeke?” I yelled. He wouldn’t have been able to hear me even if he was close by, but I was hoping he would once they told me to back off through the speaker.
“Back away, Abrams,” Gibbs barked.
I approached the display. “Is there a man in there named Zeke Lund?”
“That’s classified information, Abrams.”
I looked through the glass again. Behind the security team was a commons area, a few tables, some chairs, and non-security were ambling about.
“You have ten seconds, Abrams.”
Trex finally arrived with Kitsch. “Gibbs,” Trex said. We need confirmation about a man who might be in Deep Echo.”
“Fuck off, Trexler.”
Trex’s jaw ticked under the skin. “Just a yes or no will suffice.”
“We’re not at liberty to give any information on the employees in this restricted area,” Gibbs said.
I scanned the room, hoping Trex could buy me enough time to see the person Kitsch had.
“There!” Kitsch said, pointing to the hall.
Zeke was walking with two other men, looking down at papers in his hand.
“Zeke!” I screamed, pounding on the glass.
Zeke looked up, even though he couldn’t hear me. He knew I was there.
“Three seconds,” Gibbs said.
Zeke jogged over, placing his palm against the glass with a small smile.
I did the same, shaking my head. “What did you do?”
Zeke looked confused, but then pointed at the glass and looked up at Gibbs, speaking words I couldn’t hear. Whatever response Gibbs gave him made Zeke turn to me, an unsettled expression on his face. He pointed away from the door as Gibbs counted down.
Go, he mouthed.
Trex yanked me away, pulling me down Echo corridor, but I fought his grip, struggling to see Zeke watching me forced away with a desperate expression until we rounded the corner.
I yanked my arm away from Trex. “Why in the fuck is he in there?” I asked, pointing down the corridor. “Since when does Deep Echo have their own fire team?”
“Maybe they always did. Looked to me like Zeke just came out of training.”
I put my hands on my hip, so angry I wanted to fight someone. “Peter said they were doing something new with the fire system because of the higher risk this year…” I trailed off, my eyes wide. “Peter.”
“Naomi,” Trex warned.
I ran to Peter’s office, glaring at the guards in front of his door. “Don’t touch me.”
They stepped aside. “Senator Bennett said you’re welcome to come and go.”
I pushed through
the doors, pausing in front of Bianca. “Is he here?”
“Yes, but…”
I stomped past her into Peter’s office.
“Abrams, I have to announce you fir—”
I slammed the door in her face.
Peter smiled at first when he saw me, but it vanished once he recognized the expression on my face.
I pointed at him, walking toward him. “You knew. You probably orchestrated the whole goddamn thing. You put him back there and didn’t tell me. You watched me fall apart and pretended to console me. You sorry son-of-a-bitch!”
He held up his hands. “There is an explanation. He was lost, Naomi. He was unemployed. He wanted his old job back. This is what he wanted.”
“And you were all for it, I’m sure. Couldn’t separate us fast enough. Did you tell him, Peter? Did you even hint that he can’t leave?”
“Of course.”
“Bullshit! He smiled at me. He has no fucking clue! This is false imprisonment; do you understand that? What you’ve done isn’t legal. I don’t give a shit who your father is!”
“Naomi, please calm down.”
I lunged for him. I didn’t realize his guards, Trex, and Kitsch were behind me until they held my arms.
“Is it true?” Trex asked. “Did you manipulate Zeke into taking a contract in Deep Echo?”
Peter opened his mouth to speak then chuckled nervously. “Of course not. Zeke came to me.”
“Why don’t you let us ask him,” I said. “Let him come out.”
Peter frowned, losing his cool for just a moment, long enough for me to see his true motive. “Absolutely not!” He flattened his tie, attempting to mask his sudden outburst. “Part of Zeke’s contract is for him to undergo treatment he can’t find anywhere else. He has to stay under constant supervision of his doctors.”
My throat felt tight, my eyes burned. “You’re experimenting on him?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Peter said, waving me away. “It’s a new procedure and treatment Dr. Cohen has developed with his stem cell research. Remember, he’s the top biophysicist in the country. Every PhD here is the top of their field. It’s really exciting stuff what they plan to do.”
“You’re experimenting on him,” Trex said, angry. “Let him out of there, Peter. Naomi knows what you did and why. She’s not going to just forget.”
The Edge of Us (Crash and Burn Book 2) Page 28
