by Erin R Flynn
“There’s been a lot of crap that this is how Chicago does things as snowflakes and whatever other drivel, but it’s not for the rest of the country,” I explained, gesturing to my ridiculously “ghetto” clothes. We were all in bling, and the guys were wearing such baggy pants they were having trouble not laughing. My booty shorts were so short I could have been naked and more covered.
“But the laws are federal,” he replied.
“They are, and people ignore that regularly. This is just the Chicago way of mocking stupid people, as some believe this is all how we dress and I’m a city slut or whatever bull.”
“Like you’d normally be caught dead wearing shorts like that,” Simone said with a snicker as she walked by me, tight everything on her body with a hoodie that was at least four sizes too big and a hat on backwards. “And I’m mortified this will be recorded and shown when I’m wearing this.”
“Think of it like a Halloween costume,” I teased her.
She rolled her eyes. “Even my Halloween costumes are better than this. Though I like the hoodie. It screams rainy day snuggles with a good book.”
“Hey, that’s mine,” Axel griped.
“It was yours,” she sang as she walked off, flinching when I growled.
“I’ll get you your own,” I promised, studying her. “We can do better than bright orange for you. Maybe a nice green or gray.”
“Yes, orange doesn’t work with me,” she agreed.
We got into place, and it was fucking hysterical. People were tripping over their baggy clothes, or Beth and Gayle got tangled with each other and their bling. Simone couldn’t stop laughing as I twerked up on her. I kept going though, smiling as I danced around and shook my ass all over the place.
“I can’t, I just can’t anymore,” Eugene gasped in between gut busting laughter. I went over and plopped on his chest as I kept lip syncing, wiggling on him to the song.
We were all having such fun that we almost forgot the point.
“I think we just all lost a few pounds with the amount of calories we’re burning from laughing,” Beth admitted as we took a break before the next scene. “Your hair is growing out fast and looks awesome.”
“Thanks.” I reached to touch it but stopped myself, flinching when I saw Travis watching me with the camera.
“Are you that upset about your hair?” he asked gently.
“No,” I sighed, realizing this would be hard to talk about, but it would help the cause. “It’s just so visual. I mean, I see it all the time and first thing when I look in the mirror.” I did fidget with it then. “I don’t care about hair, but it’s the most apparent representation of what I lost. My therapist says that, and it makes sense.”
“You’re in therapy?”
I snorted. “If you think anyone abducted doesn’t need to talk to someone, you’re mistaken. I don’t remember what happened to me until I woke up there, and I’m glad for that, but there are huge ripples in my life that I’m struggling through every day.”
“What’s the hardest?”
I thought about that a moment, sipping my latte and staring out at the people I cared for. “How much it hurt all of them.” I gestured to them. “I don’t remember it, but they do.” I let out a shaky breath. “I’m very blessed. I know that. I’m a very, very blessed woman to have people in my life that care for me, love me, and missed me, wanting me home. But it hurts me that they were so hurt.
“It’s a knife to the gut when I see one of them give me a worried glance when I leave like they’re scared I might not come back again, it could be the last time they see me. What they went through was just as horrible. I lost that time, but they didn’t. They were desperately trying to find me, bring me home, and it traumatized them. My being taken traumatized the people I love, and that just makes it worse to me.”
I apologized and wiped under my eyes when tears started, clearing my throat.
“Better topics. I heard you have a baby?” he asked, his tone gentle. “Congrats.”
I chuckled as I wiped my eyes again. “That’s another complicated situation. Yes, he’s my son now, but I’m not his birth mother. Someone in my family I hadn’t been in touch with in forever couldn’t handle—it’s not my story, but given my mother abandoned one child, I wasn’t about to consider her a viable option.” I quickly moved on so he didn’t poke. “I learned how to change a diaper, so there’s that.”
“You didn’t know?”
I snorted. “I had a messed up childhood. I never planned to have kids, and they scare the crap out of me. I refuse to do it alone still like he’s going to do back flips away from me even if he can’t roll over yet. He is ridiculously sweet and adorable. You can see him, but he doesn’t get camera time or any anything because people will try for him since I adopted him.”
“I heard you’re looking for nannies to double as bodyguards.”
“Wouldn’t you if you could?” I threw right back. “Even if you ignored the FBI dangers or my being a Dorcus or just being a werewolf, I have money, and that comes with targets and dangers. I took him in because I could, because I couldn’t not help and protect him, but I won’t let my dangers risk him.” I blew out a harsh breath. “They talked me down to three so he always has at least two with him.”
“I saw the very pink blanket he’s wrapped in,” he teased me, lightening the mood again.
I shrugged. “Boys don’t get only sports and girls pink. It’s snuggly and full of hearts. All babies should have that.”
Next, we set up with gymnastics outfits and thick red ribbons. They tied me up in them as I lip synced and danced around me—the proverbial red tape—but I just smirked at the camera and shifted my hand to a claw, easily slicing through it all and getting back to my dancing.
I was out the next bit, and I went for Topher and the wrap carrier, wanting some good bonding and snuggles with the baby. I watched as I rocked with him, smiling when he gave a happy noise and letting him hold my finger so he could get good images from me.
“Guys, you have to slow down,” Travis told everyone, Agent Scott echoing them. “We can barely see the flips, and the video shouldn’t be people pausing and slowing it down constantly to catch any of it.”
“It’s harder to do it slower,” someone complained.
I swallowed a large dose of grief as I thought back to when Harris and Riley had first shown me the wicked shifter abilities I now had before my fight with Noah. I smiled at Topher, letting him know I was okay and it was a nice memory to think of, but I still hurt at what had happened to Riley.
Even as we planned for the supe mental health facility that was being opened in his memory. That made me all smiles again, as there had been a lot of work done and we were on track to accept people before the holidays.
I gave Topher back to Maya when he needed his diaper changed and went over to help the others. “Cut back on the flips and crazy. The point is still made.” I shook my head when people went to argue. “We still have the other scene too, and we can do another video with all the craziest awesome with his super camera. Everyone’s busy, and people are working the club tonight.”
Things went better after that, some flips and gymnastics that came close to each other in a tight coordination. They did several rounds and different options. I saw something adorable and headed over to Brian who was holding Topher.
“I didn’t know you were coming today,” I greeted.
His lips twitched. “Like I’d miss you dressing up and the fun.” He chuckled when Topher let out a happy noise. “You know this was the one thing you were so sure I needed in my life and would want to be with a human over.”
I shrugged. “You would be a great father. You’re a great teacher and big brother to the boys, to people that work for you. It’s obvious you’ve always wanted to have kids.”
“I wasn’t sure because the job is dangerous and takes all my focus, but now, yeah, you were right.” He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss. “And now I have it with you. Tophe
r is great, and I love him so much already.”
“But he’s not yours,” I whispered, not sure how to handle this.
“Blood isn’t what makes people family,” he said gently, nodding towards the people we loved, the family I’d built. “You know that. I want you to be my family, and we’re not related by blood.”
“That would be creepy if we were,” I chuckled, understanding his point. “Is that really how you feel?”
“Yeah, it is. I talked about it with my parents, and they do too. Grammy says a child is loved the same whether adopted or the other way.” He gave me a heated look. “I want to be his father, and I want you to be my wife.”
It hit me what was going on. “You talked to Jonik.”
“I heard from Dain what happened.”
“And?”
He shrugged. “I’m still fine with others being in your life. I still want to be your husband and maybe your mate.”
I swallowed loudly, knowing he was implying he was seriously considering being one of us.
“Would you be open to—”
“Yes,” I blurted, realizing how much I wanted that too.
He pulled me closer, careful of Topher, and kissed me deeply. “I didn’t finish.”
“My answer is still yes,” I whispered.
“Good, then I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
I slid off my ring and touched his arm, wanting to make sure. Oh, we were, and there was something he was desperate for. “I’ll make it happen, but for the record, if I can get images from you, so can Topher, and I’d prefer him not think you’re a pervert.”
“Crap, I forgot,” he grumbled, sighing when he saw their skin wasn’t in contact since Topher was snuggled in the carrier. Then his eyes went wide. “Make what happen?”
“You know what you were thinking about,” I purred, giving him a wink.
“I so fucking love you,” he groaned, glancing past me and seeing what the costumes were for the last shoot. “And wear that if you have one.”
“I do. You’re spoiled.”
“I so am,” he agreed.
I went and changed for the last part. We’d ordered cheerleading outfits that were similar to the video but a bit sexier. The sports bra tops were a bit showier and the skirts were lower on the hips, maybe shorter. But instead of the “TS” logo for Taylor Swift, Gayle had airbrushed stencils of our animals so mine was a wolf but Beth’s was a hawk.
And the guys didn’t have male cheerleading outfits.
“Seriously?” Eugene growled at me. “Seriously? There is a limit, Sera.”
“I think you look hot,” I lied, swallowing the need to burst out laughing. He looked fucking ridiculous. The top was completely stretched out over his wide barrel chest, and the short skirt was too much with his hairy legs.
“I look fine,” Hagan purred as he modeled it for me.
“You do,” I agreed, not thinking that at all. I thought it was sexy he was willing to play and do this, but they all looked like idiots. I was impressed Simone and Beth had been able to find options big enough for them.
Well, yeah, with some major stretching for sure.
“Oh darn, it’s shifters only,” Carter drawled, smirking at the guys.
“I could pull it off,” Sander argued, giving me a wink. “I have awesome legs that just go on for miles.”
That was it. I died. I seriously just died, and I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stop laughing.
Eugene was still pouting when I dragged him and Axel off to the side. “Are you guys busy tonight?”
“No,” they both instantly said together, knowing I was up to something.
“Remember that’s how you ended up in the outfits,” I teased.
Axel shrugged. “I might never leave my apartment again, but I like the message behind the video, so I’m still in.”
“What’s tonight?” Eugene asked, knowing I would bust his fib he could accept this. He would do it, but he was clearly against it.
“Brian has a fantasy he’s hoping for.” I cleared my throat. “He’s a bit—he doesn’t have an animal that comforts or helps me like you guys do. It’s made him feel a bit lacking.”
“And he wants what then?” Axel asked. “Will it be fun for us?”
“You like watching me have fun,” I reminded him. “He wants, um, something he gets and something I’ve really only allowed him and a few others to have.”
Eugene’s nostrils flared. “Yes. Yes and yes, I want to watch him have anal sex with you. I very, very much want to see you enjoy that.” He moved closer and cupped my cheek as his fingers danced along my stomach. “Do you like when he’s in your ass?”
“He makes sure I do,” I muttered, still on the fence if I liked it or I just liked how much they liked it. I didn’t dislike it, and it was different, fun, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever ask for it first or ache for it like other positions or ways to have sex. “You guys want to come play with us?”
“Yes, as long as we do something fun for us too like eat dinner off of you or be your pregame,” Axel murmured, moving behind me and letting me feel how much he wanted that. “This fucking skirt is standing up now. Awesome. My dick is sticking out. Mother fucker, Sera.”
“Sorry.” I burst out laughing, so not sorry when I saw how that made the whole thing that much more ridiculous. “Sorry, I won’t make it worse.”
Carter did better and brought over something for them to wrap around their waists, as Eugene was in the same spot.
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” I told the others since we had to wait a bit before we could shoot. “Brian started it.”
“Add that to the list of things I fantasize about you wearing, my love,” Dain muttered as he moved closer.
I glanced at him over my shoulder as he hugged me. “You too? Aren’t you too old to have a cheerleader fantasy?”
Carter snorted. “Fuck no. I’m way older and have a bunch now.” He glanced around and shook his head. “Yeah, a lot, and from the gawkers we’re holding back, we’re not the only ones.”
“Shit,” I hissed, seeing we were getting a group. I shot Travis an accusatory look, as we were clear he couldn’t put where he was, as we had endangered shifters and more we didn’t want people getting pictures of.
Like Topher.
I whipped around and saw Brian was already hiding him and Maya was packing up. I looked at Carter. “Please, go with them and make sure Topher’s safe and gets out of here.”
“Of course.”
Dain went too, making me feel loads better they could block him too. The boys had come but were in their normal hats and keeping a low key. Plus, they’d worked with Noah on how to stay clear of getting pictures taken or drawing attention, so I wasn’t worried about them. Not to mention Zeno was with them, and he could handle any problems several times over for sure.
“It wasn’t me,” Travis promised. “It’s been one or two but then growing. People think it’s a real music video. Let’s just get this last scene and then we’re done.”
So we did. We got the cheer routine the dancers and hosts were doing while the others carried Simone and I like we were the pretty, pretty mean girl bosses kind of shtick. No one wanted what we were doing to get scooped, so we did it in one take and then quickly covered up, more careful on how we changed or showed given there were a lot of people by the time we finished.
Those of us who could be recognized easiest darted faster than humans could keep up with back to our vehicles while others packed up faster than Travis kept up with. Nothing got hurt or damaged, so he was fine with it, even understood since we’d had over a hundred gawkers at the end.
I got a text from Brian saying he’d talked with Axel and Eugene and asked I bring Portillo’s to my apartment and the time. He wouldn’t have me object. Portillo’s was like my favorite, and I could pick it up.
Plus, my security detail liked it too and were miffed we weren’t eating unhealthy as much anymore since I’d been behaving as best as I could
after Dr. Sloan had saved me. Jerks.
I changed as we headed to the office, wanting to check on Louisa, and was pleasantly surprised to find things were going very well. She was making progress, and Shaw was all over it. She had other agents helping, and they had hours and hours of showing how the interrogation worked and assured me Louisa was the perfect person.
“We need to warn Galvin,” I grumbled. “Get what you have to Monroe and let him handle it. This is a smart play, but I get not wanting to be blindsided.”
“All over it, Chief,” she promised.
Shaw always was, which was why she was a smart choice to promote and trust to have a team at a satellite office for our division. She did her job well, was dedicated, and made sure to color in the lines. Which was perfect when we had enough attention on us setting up these teams and making this change.
So clearly I shouldn’t be the one there leading the teams. Yeah, well, I wasn’t a SAiC anymore but a boss.
And the boss got to start trouble.
Apparently Brian was learning that because he wanted to start a lot of trouble or at least with me. Give men a cookie and they wanted milk.
Fuck a duck.
18
I had time, so the plan changed again when Carter talked me into taking a nice bubble bath with my iPod and just relaxing. I should have realized something was up then, but it had been a while since I’d taken a nice, long soak in my jet tub. I was always rushing to get a chance to see Topher or just rushing, so I agreed it was smart.
I was mellow and sleepy when finished, throwing on a bit of makeup and then being a shit, throwing up my hair in pigtails before slipping on the cheerleader outfit. Food arrived, but I realized Brian, Axel, and Eugene were already there. Well, Brian did have a key, so Carter must have said I was taking a bath? I didn’t hear the doorbell.
Or Carter had let them in because the others of my security left to enjoy their night, and Carter sat down with his food. Brian rolled his eyes at Carter but then came over to me and gave me a heated kiss, his excitement apparent.
