Angie swatted her back with a laugh. “But look at it this way—this is stuff she made Alex do, so when you think about it, knowing he’s had to scrapbook and spend seven hours picking out paint colors makes it worthwhile.”
As she and Angie left the house and strolled the main walkway, Kelly enjoyed the Villa’s old-world charm. The place radiated a unique energy, and she sensed echoes of the past all around them.
An unusually warm few days made for glorious nights. Inhaling the rich, sweet scents of blooming flowers on the pleasant evening breeze, Kelly marveled at how different the Southwest was from what she knew. Oklahoma was nothing like this and New York City—not even close.
Matty certainly liked the place. Maybe she’d talk to Roman about getting a small place here. Like that very cool casita where they could have vacations and getaways. She was too much of a mountains and woods girl to give it up full time. In fact, she was excited about the house they were searching for back east.
But this whole experience showed her that the world was enormous, and you never knew what would happen next. She liked these people. Matty had his first BFF with Bella Jensen. And dammit, she really dug the energy here. It was magical.
Mind made up, she slid into Angie’s car and belted in for the ride back to town. Arizona and Family Justice were imprinted inside her. This place made her feel free—she could breathe again.
Plus, she didn’t think getting Roman to agree would be all that hard. He obviously enjoyed being with his friends
Yeah, she thought. Arizona. Part-time.
A smile spread inside her. Things were working out great.
Stephanie cradled Lily Rose against her chest and gently swayed. She loved the way babies smelled.
Shouts and laughter from the backyard drew her to the sliding glass walls that extended the main living room onto the patio when opened. It was another beautiful spring day and Lacey preferred being outdoors, so that was where she took Dylan and Daniel while Stephanie watched Lily.
Right now, the presence of Finn and Lady FiFi helped the backyard antics. As the little pup ran in circles, Raven playfully chased her while Dylan and Danny toddled behind. Lacey and Finn sat on chairs to the side, laughing at the foolishness.
Finn and Ria, with Carmen coordinating, were competing for who could deliver the best meals. Stephanie thought it was hilarious. The two kitchen masters were locked in a never-ending duel that benefitted everyone.
Hell. She’d had Finn scoring loads of avocados at ridiculously low prices to satisfy her number one pregnancy craving. If she’d wanted Chicago hot dogs, one or both of them would have figured out how to procure them.
Maybe with Captain Sawyer’s help, she thought with a chuckle. When she questioned her husband about the good Captain’s mystery background, he’d been reluctant at first until she informed him that she knew the man’s first name.
Disbelieving, he’d spurned her attempt until she’d whispered, “Bentley,” into his ear. Shocked beyond words, he gave up everything he knew after an ironclad vow from her that she’d never tell a soul what she knew.
Yes, he was military but no, not a pilot. According to Calder, Sawyer was what was called a fixer. He was the guy you went to for everything and anything that wasn’t military issue or by the book.
Need a box of contraband cigars? Sawyer.
Forgot to send the wife back home anniversary flowers? Again, Sawyer.
Fuck up big time on R&R and need bailing out? Also Sawyer.
One hell of a story had to exist there like how he ended up being Alex’s personal pilot and why he stayed completely apart from Family Justice.
Lily squeaked and squirmed, and Stephanie gently rubbed her back. Helping out was no chore for her. Babies were some of life’s sweetest magic. It wasn’t all that long ago that Danny was a newborn, and in a few weeks, she’d have a newborn of her own.
“There’s my wayward wife,” she heard Calder gently call out as he came through the front door.
She smiled. God, he was so handsome and sexy.
He quickly crossed the room and kissed her cheek. “My turn.” He chuckled, scooped the baby right out of her arms, and started snoodling the pink bundle.
“How’s Princess Lily Rose today?” He kissed her head and touched her face gently.
Stephanie loved seeing him with the kids. He took to being Danny’s Pop Pop with his usual charm and wit. Sometimes, she wondered if Danny and Dyl were her husband’s BFFs. And now with Lily, he was a big old squishy huggy bear. She couldn’t wait to give him a healthy baby—and she hoped it was in time for his birthday.
The commotion outside got his attention, and he instantly scowled. “Ah, shit. Is that fucker here?”
She sighed. He’d seen Finn. Didn’t matter how much water flowed beneath the bridge, it wasn’t enough to get those two in the same chapter much less on the same page. The only reason they were even sharing a book was because the women, and Bella, forced the issue.
“Be nice, please. He’s been a real help with meals for everyone—not just Lacey.”
Stephanie caught the wavering in his expression but didn’t press. He had to get there on his own. She was surprised, though, when he rolled a shoulder and confessed that he liked the guy’s dog. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
“I don’t want some big lumbering beast with a zip code or an attitude. FiFi is cute—don’t you think?”
She sighed. Why in the world did he think now was a good time to continue the dog discussion? He knew they were having a baby soon, right?
“I thought we were waiting on that,” she asked totally bemused.
“Yolo,” he said with a laugh.
She grinned and put her hands at a waist she no longer had. “Did you really just yolo me?”
“It’s true, Duchess. You only live once. So why not make it memorable? Think about it. The chaos of a newborn and a puppy? Get it all under control in one fell swoop?”
He chuckled and nodded. “Now, come on. I see it in your eyes. You feel me. Don’t pretend.”
The man was too damn cute for his own good. Didn’t he know she’d agree to pet dinosaurs if that was what he wanted? Men were so clueless. She wondered if it was a genetic marker of some kind.
Would Danny be oblivious too? Probably—the truth was most men lost whatever sense the good Lord gave them right about the time puberty set in.
Since she would give in anyway, Stephanie watched his love fest with Lily and weighed her choices. Without pause, she seized option number one and ran with it.
“Tell you what, Moondoggie. I will take your wishes under advisement if you do something for me.”
The jerk actually snickered! “Under advisement translates to we’re getting a dog.”
“Then you won’t have any problems taking that victory lap out on the patio. Being nice to Finn.”
“Stephanie Dane! You harridan. Only you could turn bossy and belligerent into an irresistible challenge.”
“Eh, pfft,” she barked with a dismissive wave. “I just know that you see a kid, a dog, and a white picket fence inside your head. You’re going to get what you want so why not aim for an extra helping of positive and do something that’ll make your wife happy?”
He kissed the baby and handed her back.
“I’m going out there to see my grandson. If Finn happens to be in the vicinity, I will attempt not to smash his smug face.”
“Calder,” she warned with a somber growl.
“Okay, fine. I’ll say hello. Is that enough or do you want me to ask him on a date?”
“You aren’t his type. He likes them petite and dark-haired not scruffy and sporting an enviable penis.”
He gasped with feigned outrage. “Did you just say the P word? You filthy mouthed she-devil! I love it when you talk dirty.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Go! And be nice. I’m watching.”
After a dozen steps onto the patio, he announced his arrival by loudly booming, “Hey! D Squa
red. What’re you guys up to?”
Danny hollered with joy when his Pop Pop made an entrance. She thought the D Square nickname for the two boys was clever and aptly described them.
Stephanie kept a close eye on Calder as he crossed the extra-wide patio and started down the stairs. Finn and Lacey were in chairs near the bottom of the steps. As he approached, Finn stood. Manners or smart defense?
Calder Dane, the sexiest man alive, earned a glorious shitload of extra points by walking straight for him with his hand out in greeting.
She was definitely giving him a world-class blowjob later.
FiFi ran over, and Calder scooped her up. It appeared that he and Finn had an actual conversation—probably about the dog. It wasn’t much, hardly even a start, but it was something. And he’d shown, yet again, that her feelings mattered.
“I think that’s enough fresh air for now. Let’s get you freshened up, little miss. Mommy will be wanting to hold her baby Lily.”
Glancing outside one more time, she walked away confident that they were making headway. Sooner or later, something would bring the two men together. It was inevitable. Finn wasn’t anything like the rabble-rousing, obstinate prick he once was. And Calder prided himself on being open-minded and fair. Eventually, those two truths would intersect.
She hoped.
27
Why is nothing ever as it seems?
Alex gritted his teeth. His jaw clenched, and a guttural sigh escaped his throat. He was so goddamn sick and tired of shitty intel and stupid motherfuckers who were hop outs twice removed. Cracking the extended circle didn’t put them any closer to the ringleaders, and frankly, he’d had enough.
They’d been chasing Polaris for three weeks. Three fucking weeks of hiding while they pursued an elusive target. The team of specialists familiar with the region and how things were done were good men, but the intel they were getting was stale.
It was time to take things into their own hands. He was sick of this shit and wanted to go home.
Keeping his voice low, he reflected the urgency in his words with a commanding bite of authority.
“So what you’re telling me is he’s drawing lines? On a map?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” Cam answered in a rough croak. “I didn’t see it at first, but something started clicking after that last roundabout.”
A menacing wall of silence descended on the room.
“If he’s using us like an Etch-a-Sketch to draw a giant dick, I will gladly cut his off.”
Alex blinked. After a beat, all eyes turned on Domineau. Even after all these years, she was one of the scariest motherfuckers he’d ever come across. Things were black and white for her. There was no gray. That was why they called her Smoke. That and the small fact that she could get in and out of the most treacherous situations like smoke through a keyhole.
Smoke didn’t give a fuck about rules and such when a line was crossed. She allowed a generous white zone, but the second it crossed to black, she became ruthless. Domineau Rivera gave zero fucks for anybody’s sob story. Cross the line and it was open season twenty-four seven for her.
Rafe grunted. Domineau looked at him, and for a second, he was sure the two connected. And then it was gone, and they went back to ignoring each other.
Drae stood over them with his arms crossed. Parker was at the window watching the guys watching them.
“No, not a dick,” Cam muttered. His voice was harsh and urgent. “I ran the coordinates of each travel segment alongside the end point and used the Major’s 3-D virtual mapping to search for possible formulas. It’s like building a funnel, but eventually things started to connect a certain way. I think he’s telling us to fuck off because the dots spell out F U.”
Rafe must have been holding a pencil because the sound of it snapping ricocheted off the plaster walls, and he threw the pieces on the floor. Rising, he pulled himself up to his full height and growled. Cam scowled—a white line around his mouth was the only clue that he was dying to jump up and clock the other guy.
“That boy needs a serious DFP.” Rafe’s delivery of the snarky judgment expressed his approval of the suggestion.
Domineau snorted. “Sir? May I do it, please?”
Drae laughed when Alex fell for it and asked the obvious. “Explain how you would administer a disciplinary fudge packing.”
She sneered. “Strap on, Major. Wear it right over my jeans just for an added fuck you.” Her expressive eyes narrowed when she looked at him. “Perhaps Major Marquez would like to demonstrate a proper leapfrog tie. That’d be fun. For added shits ‘n’ giggles, of course.”
“Dude,” Parker grunted. “Five yards for illegal snark.”
Alex tapped his fingers on the table. “Everyone shut up for a minute.”
He ran the things they were sure of in his head—over and over. Polaris thought he was playing them. In a way, that would make taking him down even more satisfying.
And he was needling Alex personally by going after his tactician bona fides. Dumb shit made a mistake, though, because he knew something the fucker still hadn’t figured out.
“He’s leading us around by the nose to buy more time.”
“Why?” Parker asked.
“Because he’s looking in the wrong place.”
It took Drae a moment, and then he sniggered. His eyes burned with menace. “The fail-safe?”
He nodded. “When they got past the first trip wire, they thought they were on the right path. What they’re looking for isn’t where they think. And now that they’ve opened a different door, only me, Calder, and maybe Victoria will be able to find the back door. He’s trying to slow us down so they can keep digging.”
“Are you sure no one else could figure that out?” Parker asked.
“Positive.”
His old friend scratched his beard as his eyes remained glued to the scene on the street below. “So where do you think it is? Let’s cut to the final chapter. I’m sick of you turd blossoms. A big, juicy steak on the grill and a bottle of Wild Turkey has my name on it back in Arizona. Let’s shut this motherfucker down and head for home.”
Drae spoke out loud. “Is he leading us to it or away from it?”
“Of course, he’s leading us to it. Tiny men always make the same mistake,” Rafe said with a dismissive shrug. “He won’t be able to resist. His ego is making blunders his asshole will be challenged to answer for.”
“As much as I hate to agree with Steroid Stewie, I think he’s right.” Cam made no effort to be friendly with his delivery.
He started tapping away on the screen of a tactical computer and swung it around to show everyone where the wild goose chase would eventually end.
“He’s a dick,” Domineau muttered darkly. “And a coward. He thinks he can slip into the tribal zone if we get too close.”
“Pussy,” Rafe growled.
“How do you want to play this, Alex? We’ve got company ‘round-the-clock.” Parker pointed down at the street. “Although our minders are low-level bomb fodder.”
“Rafe, Sinjin,” Alex barked. “Distract and tag.” He poked a finger in the air at Rafe and then jerked his thumb at the doorway. “Hit the street and head north. Start shit with the first person you see. Draw them out of their car.”
To Drae, he muttered, “Take one of the tracking sensors and get it on their car. I want to know where they go.”
To Domineau, Parker, and Cam, he said, “No changes tonight. No out of the ordinary moves. Nothing to see here—move along.”
“Then what?” Domineau demanded.
“Easy. We need to creep closer. Striking range. But do it the way he wants. When we’re in position, the special squad can play our stand-ins. When they’re lulled into stupidity, we’ll end this thing. They won’t see it coming, and we’ll catch them sleeping.”
“Let’s do it,” Cam agreed with a nod. “Fuck Polaris. When Roman gets back from Rawupindi, he can start a bread crumb trail. He blends in and speaks the language. Mig
ht as well play with their heads. I mean, why not?”
Now that a plan was in place, Alex could ease his foot off the pedal. He’d handle the watchers—explain that if they wanted this stupid thing resolved, they should take a lunch break and let the big boys handle it. Having Roman throw his weight around—as a former interrogator, he knew where most of the really ugly secrets were buried—was helping big time. In this instance, at least, he didn’t mind sharing the leader-load.
“Sinjin, grab a tracker. Rafe, get ready. The clock is ticking, men. Final countdown and a quick showdown. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
It was April thirtieth, and Angie was at the end of her rope. It had been almost four weeks since the guys had left. Little by little, bit by bit, the passage of time wore all of them down. Sophie was due in another week, and she wasn’t sure how much more her mother, Aunt Wendy, or Meghan could take.
Yesterday had finally brought some good news. Without any supporting information, they knew that the team was being debriefed somewhere overseas. But that was it. Nothing else. Debriefed could mean anything. Good, bad, or indifferent.
She went back to planning Parker’s birthday dinner. It was his fortieth, and she wanted it to be special. Everyone, even the normally upbeat Lacey, tried to talk her out of what she was doing. There was absolutely no indication they’d be home by May fourth, but she didn’t care. She simply had an unshakeable belief that Parker would show up if she planned something. In her heart of hearts, she was certain he’d move heaven and earth to get home by his birthday.
Folding the Millennium Falcon wrapping paper that she found on Etsy around the odd-shaped gift she was trying to wrap, Angie cursed when she didn’t have an extra hand to apply the tape. Wrapping wasn’t her thing. When she was a kid, Sophie was the master of presentation in the family. She wrapped beautifully and made gift baskets that blew minds with their awesomeness.
Six pieces of tape later, she smoothed some wrinkles in the shitty wrapping and decided to cover up her less-than-stellar effort with some ribbon and a bow. That decision led to a bigger mess. She cut her finger with the sharp scissors while trying to curl the ends of the sloppy bow with a move she copied from Sophie. The ribbon wouldn’t stay put, so she added more pieces of tape to hold it in place. The result was a hot mess. Third graders jacked up on Halloween candy would have done a better job.
Everlasting (Family Justice Book 6) Page 41
