“It is.” Wade reached out to run his fingers through the tangled strands of her hair. “Sun doesn’t come up until almost lunchtime, remember?”
Her nose wrinkled. “Is that hard to get used to?”
He shrugged. “The snow helps. Makes it seem brighter than it is.”
Bess studied him for a minute. “Where did you grow up?”
He felt like he knew so much about her. Who she really was. What was important to her. How far she would go to protect what mattered to her.
Hopefully she knew the same sort of things about him.
But they hadn’t covered the basics most people start with.
“Missouri.”
“Branson?”
A bark of laughter caught him by surprise. How long had it been since he’d really laughed?
Fucking forever.
“No. Definitely not Branson.”
Bessie’s smile widened. “I feel like you probably never even gave it a chance.”
Wade laced the fingers of one hand with hers. “Maybe we can go there when this is all over. Make Missouri your second trip out of Oregon.”
Her smile faded. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
“That you’ve never been outside of Oregon?” Wade stroked her thumb with his. “Until now.” His movement stopped. “Was that your first plane trip?”
Bess nodded.
Her first plane trip was with a baby. Alone. On the run.
Wade rested his forehead against hers. “I’m going to make all this up to you, Bess. I promise.”
“Maybe I’ll let you try later.” Her voice carried a smile.
“I won’t waste the opportunity.” He wanted to start now. Crawl back into her bed and give her what he held back last night.
But it still wasn’t right. Not yet.
“I have someone coming today.” He leaned back so he could look into her eyes. “To see Parker.”
Bess barely nodded as her lips rolled together.
“It doesn’t change anything, Bess. No matter what.” He stroked across her cheek. “I will take care of both of you no matter what the test says.”
“I know.” Her whisper was almost lost on the shift of air as the front door opened. Bess glanced over his shoulder, her hands reaching for him as she started to sit up.
Because she knew he would protect her from whatever might be coming. But this time there was no threat.
Hopefully the opposite.
“That’s the hacker coming to help Dutch figure out who got into our system and how they did it.” He pushed up from the floor, dreading the next bit he had to tell her. “I have to leave for a little while today after the woman comes to collect my sample.”
Bess nodded. “Okay.”
“But Dutch will be here and so will Shawn and Nate. You and Parker will be safe.”
“What about you?” Bessie’s eyes were rimmed with unease as she stared up at him. “Will you be safe?”
“I’m not planning on getting shot twice in one week, Sweetheart.” Wade pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “I said I wasn’t leaving you again and I meant it. Come hell or high water I will always come back to you, understand?”
There was a knock on the bedroom door a second before it cracked open. Brock peeked through the small opening. “You decent?”
Wade leaned into Bessie’s ear. “When this is all over I’m taking you someplace where you can be as alone as you want to be, I promise.”
“You’re making an awful lot of promises.” She was soft in his arms. Relaxed in spite of all that was happening.
“I’m trying to give you plenty of reasons to keep me around.”
Her head tipped to one side. “Is that what you want? Me to keep you around?”
“Sweetheart, if you hadn’t already figured that out then I’m not sure there’s much I can tell you to make you believe it.” He caught her mouth in a quick kiss. “You’ll figure it out eventually though.”
“Dude, I know you’ve got shit to work out, but I need help out here.” Brock turned to glance over his shoulder. “I think someone’s going to die.”
Bess went still.
Brock’s eyes widened. “Parker’s fine. He’s happy as hell hanging out with Tyson.” The sound of shouting drifted in through the crack in the door. “Dutch might not make it through the day though.”
Wade started across the room, barely making it two steps before Bessie’s hand was sliding into his. She followed close beside him, wary gaze locked on the spot where Brock stood. The yelling grew louder with each step they took, but it wasn’t until they were almost to the door that Wade realized who was raising hell in the great room.
He pulled the door open just as a tiny woman in thick black glasses shoved her finger into the middle of Dutch’s chest with enough force it would definitely leave a bruise. “It doesn’t take a sack to do this shit, dick.”
Dutch was sputtering, eyes wide. Probably from fear, because the tiny woman’s size appeared to be the only thing small about her. Her voice picked up as she continued on. “I’m sorry I don’t have the knob you were hoping for.”
“No one said they were hoping you had a...” Shawn glanced around the roomful of men, probably looking for help.
“Knob.” Bess finished for him. She smiled at the small, dark-haired hellion who somehow managed to have more than a few men ready to tuck tail and run in the less than five minutes she’d been in their presence. “I’m Bess.” She dropped Wade’s hand and crossed the room to where the other woman stood, head high, spine straight. Still ready to do battle with anyone who crossed her.
She was exactly what they needed.
The woman shoved her hand into Bessie’s. “Harlow Mowry.” She glanced Dutch’s way. “The dickless hacker you all spent a shit load of money flying in from New York.”
“Rumor has it you’re the best.” Shawn edged in a little closer, his bravery resurfacing now that Bess was between him and Harlow.
“It’s not a rumor.” Harlow grabbed the handle to the black rolling suitcase at her side. “So am I staying or are you going to find the second-best hacker?” Her blue eyes moved to Dutch. “That one has a penis.”
“I didn’t say I wanted a hacker with a penis.” Dutch ran one hand through his already messy dark hair. The guy had been up all night trying to find the break in their system and it showed. He had bags under his eyes and the line of his jaw was heavily shadowed with stubble.
Harlow stepped around Bess, clearly not noticing the exhausted state of the man she was going to war with. Or maybe she just didn’t care. “You said ‘you’re a woman’. Same fucking thing.”
Dutch shoved one finger in Harlow’s direction. “You know damn well most hackers are men. Don’t even pretend like I should have expected you to be a woman.”
“It shouldn’t matter what I am.” Harlow glared at Dutch, propping her hand on her jean-clad hip. “It should only matter what I can do.”
Wade stepped between Harlow and Dutch, turning to face the woman who made Bess look tall. This situation had to be diffused and it had to be done now. They needed Harlow working, not fighting. He held his hand out to her. “I’m Wade.”
She eyed his hand for a heartbeat before taking it with a grip he saw coming. “Are you an ass too?”
“Sometimes.” He tipped his head toward the exhausted man at his back. “He’s been up all night trying to figure this out. We need you. Are you willing to stay?”
Harlow eyed Dutch over Wade’s shoulder. “Hell yeah, I’m staying. This job pays me as much as I made last year.” She tipped her bag down onto its rollers and pointed toward the office. “Am I setting up in there?”
“You can set up wherever you want.” Wade stepped aside as she started walking.
Marching maybe. Her walk was proud and purposeful as she breezed past Dutch, head turning to stare him down as she went.
Bess stepped in beside him as Harlow disappeared into the office. “She’s bad-ass.”
> Wade nodded.
“Yes she is.”
CHAPTER 12
BESS EYED THE woman from the lab as she swabbed Parker’s cheek.
Parker’s brows were together, low over the almost black eyes glaring at the woman as she wiggled the plastic-tipped wand around his mouth.
Wade stepped in, resting one hand on the little boy’s back. “She’s almost done, Buddy.”
Parker’s little mouth tipped into a frown and his eyes watered.
But he didn’t cry.
“That’s it. Be brave.” Wade rubbed in a circle over the fuzzy sleeper Parker was wearing.
The woman pulled the swab free and tucked it into a labeled tube. “All done.” She smiled at Parker. “You did a good job.” Her gaze lifted to Wade, narrowing for just a second before moving to Parker and then back again. “Is this just a formality?” Her eyes went to Parker again. “Because he looks just like you.”
Bess was still considering taking a trip to the bathroom to puke, but somehow managed a small smile. “I think so too.”
The woman gave her a nod as she packed up the tubes and collected the wrappers. “They should have results for you in the next 24 hours.”
“That fast?” Her stomach rolled.
The woman smiled brightly. “Right?” She tickled Parker’s belly. “Fastest in the nation.” Her smile lifted even more when Rico edged in at her side.
“All finished?” Rico barely glanced Bessie’s way as he directed the woman from the lab toward the door, ushering her out to the black SUV waiting in the driveway to take her back to work.
“That’s it then.” Bess stared at the door as it closed behind them. “By tomorrow we’ll know for sure.”
“We will.” Wade pulled her close. “It’s going to be okay, Bess. I promise.”
“You keep saying that, but I’m not sure that’s something you have control over.” Her eyes lifted to his. “He’s not going to be happy if he’s not Parker’s father.”
“When.” He tipped her chin higher with the press of a finger. “He won’t be happy when we have proof he’s not Parker’s father.”
She tried to breathe deep, force the air into her burning lungs, but it was almost impossible. “I hope so.”
Wade’s lips twisted before curving into a smile. “Stubborn.”
Bess blew out the air she’d worked so hard to get in. “I’m not stubborn. I’m trying to be realistic.”
“If you were being realistic, then you would have taken one look at him and realized who he belonged to.” Wade’s head tilted, eyes narrowing for a second. “Maybe that’s why he’s so pissed.”
Bess widened her eyes, waiting for an explanation. “Why?”
Wade brushed the shock of dark hair off Parker’s forehead. “Because he already knows Parker isn’t his.”
Parker fell forward into Wade’s waiting arms. He swept him high into the air. “Everyone knows but your momma, Buddy.” He shot her a wink. “She’s being stubborn.”
“I’m not stubborn.”
“Why not?”
Bess turned to find Harlow standing behind her, sucking down a cup of coffee. She emptied the cup before sliding it across the counter toward where Nate stood beside the maker. “Fill me up.” Her attention turned back to Bess. “Stubborn isn’t a bad thing.”
Bess tapped one finger on the counter, studying the woman in front of her. She was even shorter than Bess was. It was difficult to tell much else because Harlow was decked out in baggy clothes that hid any hint of her form. Her long dark hair fell in nearly perfect spiral curls that were barely starting to fly away, probably from a long night of travel and then a less than smooth arrival. “Sometimes it is.”
Harlow shrugged, a wicked smile showing off the perfect line of her teeth. “But it’s still fun.”
Bess couldn’t help but smile back at her. “I like you.”
Harlow gave her a once over. “I like you too.”
There were very few people Bess felt comfortable around. Even fewer that she liked.
And Harlow might be both. Probably because she was real. Didn’t pretend to be something she wasn’t.
At least that’s how it seemed so far, but if there was anything she’d learned over the past two years, it was that sometimes people were really good at hiding what they actually were.
Harlow’s blue eyes studied Bess for a minute longer, stopping when Nate nudged her elbow with the cup she pushed his way. She took it, that shrewd gaze focusing on him until he backed away, slowly retreating from the kitchen to disappear down the hall.
Harlow sipped at her coffee. “I make men uncomfortable.”
“Pretty sure you do it on purpose.” Wade moved into the kitchen, pouring some of the coffee into a mug.
“Not always.” Harlow huffed out a breath, turning to fully face Bess. “It’s going to happen anyway, so occasionally I help expedite the process.”
“It’s not always going to happen.” Bess scooted her butt onto one of the chairs around the island.
Harlow pointed one finger at her. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. It literally happens every time.”
Bess glanced at Wade. “It does until it doesn’t.” She gave Harlow a little smile. “I know what you’re saying though.”
Bessie’s reserved tendencies meant she was regularly passed over in favor of women who were friendlier. Sweeter. More open. Maybe it’s why she was with Chris for so long. The idea of finding someone else felt so daunting.
And for a long time she thought a life with Chris would be good enough.
Fine.
Harlow huffed, leaning against the counter. “Men don’t like women who are smarter than they are.”
“Not true.”
Harlow lifted a brow at Wade. “Bullshit.”
Bess smiled. Yeah. This chick definitely wasn’t the kind to fake anything.
Wade moved in behind Bess. “Men love women who are smarter than they are, but are scared shitless those women are too smart to catch.”
Harlow tipped her head Bessie’s way. “You caught her.”
Wade smiled. “Sure did.” He shifted Parker onto her lap and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ve got to run some errands. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Bess held her son close. “You’re not going anywhere alone, are you?”
Wade’s smile deepened. “Not today. Brock’s going with me.” He kissed her forehead. “Shawn, Dutch, and Nate are all here, so you girls will be safe.”
Harlow lifted a brow.
Wade held up one hand. “Don’t start with me, Mowry.” He stepped back. “You can lecture me about sexism later.”
Harlow’s lips pressed together in a hidden smile that she didn’t let loose until Wade was well out of sight. “I think I like him too.”
“Yup.” Bess caught Parker as he started to slide off her lap, trying to get to the floor. “He’s turning out to be really likable.”
Harlow’s dark brows came together. “Isn’t he your kid’s dad?”
Bess watched as Parker shuffled across the floor toward the center of the great room where a pile of unfamiliar toys were scattered across the carpet. “Hopefully.”
Harlow scooted her butt onto the stool beside Bess. “That sounds like an interesting story.”
“Interesting isn’t the word I would use for it.” She cringed as Parker narrowly missed knocking his head on the coffee table as he sat to play. “I would say crazy.”
Harlow sipped at her coffee. “You’ll have to tell me the whole story.”
“Hey.” Dutch stormed out of the office looking twice as tired as he did this morning when he and Harlow had it out. “We’re paying you a shit ton of money to work.”
Harlow didn’t turn around. She didn’t actually react at all. Just took another sip of her coffee. She leaned back in her chair. “I could tell him I’ve got a program running right now that will find how the system was breached.” She took another drink. “But I don’t feel like fucking talking to
him.”
“I can hear you, Harlow.” Dutch moved in at her side. “And I’d like you a lot better if you weren’t so fucking condescending.”
Harlow finally looked Dutch’s way. “I don’t give a shit if you like me.”
“That’s clear.” He stepped in close, leaning down until he and Harlow were eye to eye. “But until this is handled I’m your fucking boss, so you sure as shit should try to at least pretend to tolerate me.”
“You’re not my boss.” For the first time Bess saw a crack in Harlow’s cool temperament.
And from the look of it Dutch caught it too. He barely smiled. “I definitely am.” He rested one hand on the counter at each side of Harlow. “And if you want your full paycheck, then you’ll adjust your fucking attitude and try to be a little more pleasant.”
Harlow’s head tipped to one side. “I have been being pleasant.” She returned his smile. “You should see me when I’m being a bitch.”
Dutch’s eyes barely dropped to Harlow’s smile. “I’d like to see that someday.” He straightened. “But right now you’re the only one here smart enough to figure out who’s trying to kill Bess, and if we don’t keep her very much alive, Wade is going to murder all of us.”
Harlow’s blue gaze rested on Bess. “The hackers are after you?” She shook her head a little. “I thought you were just here because you’re with Wade.”
“I told you it was a crazy story.” Bess managed a small smile in spite of the recent reminder of the reality of her current situation.
Harlow studied her for a minute. “Can I read your file?”
“Of course. I’m not sure it will be much help though.” Bess stood up as Parker managed to climb onto the coffee table and stand up in the center. She reached him just as he started to tip back, catching him before he could fall. “I’m not sure I agree with everyone else.”
“You don’t think they’re after you?” Harlow was on her feet, lifting her brows and hands at Dutch. “The file?”
Dutch spun away toward the office, shaking his head.
“I don’t see how it could be possible.” Bess carried Parker back to the kitchen and snagged a container of his favorite snacks from the counter, glancing at the brand new package.
Loss Recovery (Alaskan Security: Team Rogue Book 1) Page 11
