by Margaret Kay
Kennedy downed a healthy gulp of the flavorful beverage. She would have preferred a shot or two of something stronger. Now that everyone was here, that nervous feeling returned. The women settled on the couches in the living room area. Kennedy remained quiet as the others talked about the two babies and about Sienna’s pregnancy. She watched with interest how Madison handled Olivia. Olivia was so comfortable in Madison’s arms, she fell asleep.
“I’m just glad this day and this week is over,” Angel said, which got Kennedy’s attention.
“We all are,” Madison said. Her gaze flashed to Kennedy. “And that has nothing to do with our helping you. It was a long week, a lot of travel, and a lot of moving parts with other agency objectives as well as your case.”
“Today is Sunday. You all worked today?”
Madison nodded.
“I only work on weekends if Shepherd needs me for something specific, and he did today. I’ll take a couple of afternoons off this next week as comp time,” Angel said. “As Madison said, there were a lot of things going on with all the teams this week.”
“Anthony said that Shepherd’s moving really fast on recruiting and training this new Echo Team,” Sienna said.
“Shepherd has a plan and a timetable,” Madison agreed. “That’s all I know. I’m not sure how many cases are in the hopper, but I get the feeling that we’re all going to be swamped until the holidays.”
“Shepherd is trying to slam the cases through so everyone can get a week or two off around the holidays,” Angel said. “That I do know.”
“I know many of us have asked about time off. I’d like to be here for our regular Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebration, but I’d really like it if Cooper and I could go to my parent’s house in Arizona on December twenty-sixth through the new year,” Madison said.
“Alexander and I would like to do the same, go out to see his family on the twenty-sixth,” Elizabeth said. “Alexander told me about how special the family time is on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for everyone at Shepherd Security.”
Kennedy found that odd, that they would choose time with their coworkers over their real families. She hadn’t really celebrated Christmas to speak of the last decade. She and Melody would exchange gifts and spend time together if they were both in town. Even though she had a family, she was dead to them, so these people, were really all she had.
Kennedy realized the other women were staring at her. She forced a smile and focused her gaze on Sienna. “What about you and Garcia? Do you have family you will spend the holidays with?”
“Just the Shepherd Security family. We’re not close with our extended families. If everyone is given time off, we’ll probably go to a Caribbean island for a week. School will be out, and that’s really the only time I can get away other than Spring Break and summer.”
Kennedy nodded. “That sounds good. Maybe I’ll see if Gary wants to go somewhere warm too.”
“If we go, you should go with us. It would be fun!”
Kennedy smiled wide and nodded. Yes, it would.
The men came back inside, beers in hand. A chocolate lab followed them in. It sat in front of Cooper, who stroked its fur.
“The grill is lit and warming up,” Garcia informed Sienna.
“Thank you,” Sienna replied. “Everything in the kitchen is ready. We were just talking about the holidays.”
“Are you going to host Thanksgiving Dinner again this year if we’re around?” Garcia asked Angel and Jackson.
They exchanged a look. “We could,” Angel offered. “I hadn’t thought about it yet, but it’s not too far off. I guess I should.”
“Regardless if Delta Team is around or not, you’re invited, Kaylee,” Jackson said.
It hadn’t occurred to Kennedy that Gary might very well be gone on holidays. “Thanks, that’s nice.” She flashed a smile at Angel. “I’ll even come over early and help you with anything you may need if I’m not working. I have no idea what I may be doing by then.” Her nervous gaze glanced around at the other women. Madison and Angel, and all the men, she was sure, knew that the Marshals had set up her false identity, but Gary insisted the other women knew no particulars. “It’s okay if I tell them, right?” She asked, her eyes on Gary.
He nodded. “Yes, anyone associated with the team is safe.”
“You all know I was associated with a case the agency worked, right?” Elizabeth and Sienna nodded. Angel and Madison knew. She didn’t even look at them. “Well, the Marshals gave me the name I’m using, and they are setting up a history for me. Until they do that, I can’t even get a job or anything, so I have no idea what I’ll be doing in November or December for that matter.”
“What do you want to do?” Sienna asked.
Kennedy laughed nervously. “I have no idea.”
“If you have at least a bachelor’s degree, you can be a substitute teacher. We always are looking for reliable subs at the school I teach at. As a matter of fact, our building’s music teacher just gave her notice. Her husband got transferred to New York. We’re going to need a substitute for a long-term assignment until they hire a new one.”
Kennedy’s ears perked up. “I’d be interested in that job.” Her gaze flashed to Gary. “I could do that job well. But I don’t have a degree.”
“Babe, that would be the perfect career for you. You were so good and caring with Kaliah. And you know everything about music.”
“Anthony, why can’t the Marshals just build a music teacher background for Kaylee?”
Garcia nodded. “They may be able to.”
“All the staff are wonderful. We have a great principal. You’d really like working there,” Sienna said.
“Do you think it’s even a possibility?” Kennedy asked.
Cooper pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’ll text Shepherd right now and see if it can be done.”
Kennedy watched him, shocked that he was texting Shepherd that very second. Could it really be that easy to get her that job?
“Yeah, they should be able to,” Garcia said, staring at Kennedy.
“Did I say that aloud?”
Sloan laughed. “Yeah, you asked if it could really be that easy?”
Kennedy glanced around. She shrugged. “I guess I was thinking out loud.”
Garcia locked eyes with Sloan. “And you really should consider buying in our subdivision. It’s easier on the women to all be together when we’re gone. With Alpha being more of a half-time field team now, Jackson, Doc, and I are around more to help when you're gone, not that we wouldn’t come over to your condo if Kaylee ever needed anything.”
“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Let me know if you hear of anything coming on the market, or even for rent,” Sloan said. “I don’t suppose that music teacher who is moving lives in one of the townhouses?”
“No, she’s not in this neighborhood. She and her husband have a house in Palatine,” Sienna answered. “That would be even farther away than you are now.”
“By the way, Shepherd authorized an agency phone for Kaylee,” Garcia said. “I’ll have it for you when you come in on Tuesday,” he told Sloan.
“Make sure you program all our numbers into it,” Sienna said, motioning between herself, Angel, and Elizabeth.
“I will, don’t worry,” Garcia said.
“I know you’ll program mine in too,” Madison said.
“And be sure to push her number out to all of us, as well,” Elizabeth added.
“Seriously, I’ve got this handled.” Garcia acted offended.
“It’ll feel good to have a cell phone again,” Kennedy said. “Even though there’s been no one for me to call or text for the past week, not having it to play games or listen to music has felt so weird. It’s been like a part of me has been missing.”
“We’re all too addicted to our damned devices,” Doc grumbled. “Even when I was away on my last fishing trip out in the middle of nowhere, I had to keep the damned phone on me and charged. That’s not heal
thy.”
The other men laughed.
“It’s not like you answered it or any text messages, at least from me,” Cooper said.
“That’s because I was fishing and didn’t want to talk to you,” Doc said, matter of fact.
Everyone laughed again, except Kennedy. She politely smiled.
The men went back to the patio after that to grill the meat. Everything was out in the kitchen and ready, so the women continued to talk and drink sangria. Kennedy had three glasses before dinner was ready. Madison did as well, Kennedy noted.
When Elizabeth took Olivia to sit her in her bouncer chair, she woke and started to cry. “I’m going to need to feed her. She didn’t take much before she fell asleep before we came.” Her gaze went to her husband. “Get your plate and eat while I feed her. I’ll eat after.” She came to her feet. “Can I use a room upstairs?”
Sienna glanced around. “Of course, but if you want to feed her here, none of us will be offended.”
“Yeah, I fed Sammy in front of everyone,” Angel said.
Jackson laughed. “Yeah, and you didn’t even always cover with a blanket.”
Garcia laughed next. “I was shocked the first time you didn’t cover, not that it bothered me.” He nuzzled Sienna. “I always love to see a nice breast.”
Sienna smacked him.
Kennedy watched as Elizabeth sat in the chair across from the two sofas, draped a blanket over her shoulder and then brought Olivia to her breast beneath the blanket. Instantly, the baby stopped crying. It had been a long time since Kennedy had been around a breast-feeding mother, Leslie, Gary’s sister-in-law. But Leslie always did it in private. She was surprised Elizabeth did it here in this crowded room. She surely would never do it in front of anyone other than Gary.
She watched Alexander prepare and hand a plate to Elizabeth. “Thanks, love,” Elizabeth said with a smile. Then Kennedy watched him press a kiss to the top of her head. He moved away and went back to the counter to make his own plate.
“Come on,” Gary prompted her, pulling on her arm.
Kennedy’s eyes went to him. “Yes,” she said, pulling herself to her feet. Wow, those three glasses of sangria hit her. Yes, she better get some food in her stomach.
As she ate and watched the others, listening to their many conversations that popped up around the room, all she could think was that if all these people weren’t so genuine, she’d wonder who the hell they were. These four women were the most sincere and supportive women she’d ever been around. You certainly didn’t meet women like them in L.A. associated with the music business. Melody had been the only one who was like them. Melody would have liked them too.
By the time they left, it was dark outside. Kennedy was still buzzing from the sangria, and she felt like she had three new best friends. There were promises of text messages, phone calls and outings while Gary was on his next mission, which Cooper spilled would be soon, but he didn’t give any details.
“Did you have a good time?” Sloan asked Kennedy as he drove her home.
She beamed a natural smile at him. “I did. You were right. Those women are the nicest women I’ve ever met.”
Sloan smiled to himself. He wouldn’t say ‘I told you so’. No one wanted to hear that. “I’m glad. They’ll be good friends for you when I’m away. I’m really proud of you, telling them that the Marshals are setting up a new identity for you. I know that took courage and trust.”
She sat back in her seat and smiled. Yes, it had, she realized. “As you said, they’re safe to tell because they are associated with the agency. You were right that they’ll be good friends. If you can’t be honest with someone, they’re really not a friend, are they?”
“Well, it makes it easier for sure.”
“Sienna told me part of her story, how she walked in and found her husband murdered and that she hooked up with Garcia who was undercover.”
“She did, huh?” Gary remarked.
“And it wasn’t like an expected exchange; I told you my secret, now you tell me yours. She actually said, tell us the details, don’t tell us, it doesn’t matter. Talk about no pressure. It was really something.”
Sloan smiled. Mission accomplished. Tonight, had been a success.
They came into the house through the garage and went straight to the bedroom. Kennedy was still buzzing. She’d had several more glasses of sangria after they ate. She and Madison drank most of it. She wrapped her arms around Gary’s neck and pressed her body to his. She pressed a single, passionate kiss to his lips and then deliberately pulled away. Her eyes focused on his. They were dilated. He was horny too. She pursed her lips. “So, you’re not ready to go to sleep yet, are you?”
Sloan smiled. This was the biggest benefit of Kennedy living here. He’d had more sex in the past thirty-six hours than he’d had in the last month. He had a woman he called, yeah, a booty-call girl, a man had needs, didn’t he? But he hadn’t had an actual relationship in a long time. “I could be talked into staying up for a while.” His words were suggestive.
Hers in reply, were as well. “Well, I can think of quite a few things I could do to help you stay up, things you’d like.”
Sloan watched how her eyes sparkled when she spoke. “Um, now that does sound interesting. Things like what?”
“Well, there’s,” she whispered, bringing her mouth to his ear. She nibbled on the lobe and blew a hot breath over it. Then her tongue slowly traced the auricle, before she pressed it into the ear canal. “And then there’s,” she said in a low sexy voice. She ran her hands down his chest, with medium pressure from her fingernails. She raked them over his nipples, flared her fingers out over his abs, and then grasped his cock through his pants.
Sloan sighed out in ecstasy. Damn, did she know how to touch a man! Then a dark thought invaded his mind. Did she act like this when expectations were made on her? Could she turn it on and off at will? Or was she really feeling that she wanted to have sex with him? Did she think she owed him for something? He didn’t want to continue if she was doing it for any reason other than she had feelings for him and really wanted him.
“Babe,” he said, watching her closely for a reaction. “You really want to do this with me, right? I don’t expect it.”
It was as though he slapped her face. Her eyes flashed up, and she removed her hands from him. “What do you mean? Of course, I want to do this.”
“Okay, because, Kennedy, I don’t want to do this if you’re doing it for any other reason.”
“Oh, come on, baby,” she purred. Her hand ran over the front of his jeans again, over his hard member. “I know you want this. I can feel you.”
He kissed her passionately. She returned his kisses just as enthusiastically. “I do, baby,” he assured her. “Just as long as you do too.”
She answered him by unbuckling his belt.
Romeo
Sloan approached Shepherd’s office door, ready to face the music, if there was to be any. He’d thought about it a lot over the three days he’d been off. He had acted in a manner unworthy of this agency, feeling a jealousy towards Mother. Like Mother, of all people, would have tried to stab him in the back and steal Kennedy from him. Jesus, Mother had seen how much they both cared for each other and was willing to go out on a limb, himself, to stop them from making the second worst mistakes of their lives. He should have called Mother over the weekend to thank him, but he hadn’t.
He knocked on the closed door.
“Come,” Shepherd’s voice barked from within.
Sloan opened the door and went in, closing it behind himself. Shepherd sat behind his large desk in the corner of the room. Sloan stepped up to the desk and stood at attention, which most usually didn’t do at this agency. He wanted to show Shepherd though, that he knew he’d screwed up when he was last in this office. He wanted to pay Shepherd the respect the man and his title deserved.
Shepherd eyed him. “Jesus, Sloan, at ease.”
Sloan relaxed his posture into more of a p
arade rest stance.
“Sit,” Shepherd said, pointing to the guest chairs in front of his desk. “Is she settled at your place?”
“Yes, sir,” Sloan replied. He sat, but he sat at attention.
“Good, because your team is heading back out tomorrow. There will be a mission briefing at thirteen hundred this afternoon.”
“Yes, sir,” Sloan replied.
“Jesus, Sloan, at ease,” Shepherd moaned. He ran his fingers through his hair. “If you have any issues, I expect you to check in with Lassiter, otherwise, we’re okay.”
