by Cara Carnes
“Then we’ll do that tonight. We can have dinner in the lab.” The decision felt right. While he’d love a night on the town with Bree, neither of them would enjoy it knowing there was critical work to be done.
Their life didn’t lend itself to downtime easily. They’d grab whatever moments they could together.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” Ram said. “Let Rhea know. She’ll help. So will the new girl. What’s her name again?”
“Nikki.” Bree glanced up. “She’s with Sol. I’m surprised you don’t know.”
“She just got here last week, and we’ve been busy. Gage kept us on missions to keep me from going to get you.” The admission hung in the air a moment.
“Oh my. That sounds interesting,” Grams commented.
“It’ll wait. Seriously, guys,” Riley said.
“We’re doing this,” Bree said. She held up her phone. “The Pentagon crew has been activated. I’ll put everyone to work, including you. We’ve got this.”
Riley’s phone chimed. She pulled it out. “I love the vagueness there. ‘Change of plans. Girls’ night. My lab. BYOBAS.’”
“BYOBAS?” Ram asked.
“Bring your own beverages and snacks,” Bree supplied. “Otherwise they clear out my hoard and I get unhappy.”
“And what is your hoard?” Ram asked, already knowing what would be there. He’d seen her munching on powdered sugar donuts and twinkies enough to know she had a sweet tooth.
“I’ll show you tonight. I might even share.”
He grinned.
By the time they finished their plates, everyone she’d included in the text had responded they’d be there. None asked why. Ram admired the friendship the women had. He pulled out his cell and sent a message to Doug and Pierce, telling them the plan. He included Spade, because he suspected the man needed a few friends in his corner right now.
“Can we open the boxes now, Dad? Please?” Luke’s pleading gaze would force anyone to say yes.
Bree chuckled as she opened her backpack and set the boxes on the table. “Let’s solve a mystery.”
Bree forced her brain to not work on the mystery Riley had thrown into the fire, but it refused to ignore the facts: she was worried, kids were involved, and so was someone affiliated with a church.
Not good.
“It’s a puzzle!” Luke exploded.
Momma Mason grinned as the boy leaned forward and started putting pieces together. The puzzle was bigger than Bree had expected, but he’d always been good with them—a fact she’d shared with someone. But who?
Hmm…
Kamren.
She’d mentioned puzzles to her when they’d been talking about TJ and DJ one day, back when most of the crew was in Russia. Had she done this?
Not alone.
Riley’s triumphant grin matched her mom’s.
There was definitely more than one cook baking this mystery. Bree mouthed a thank you to them both. They nodded their heads.
“It’s a map, Dad. Look! There’s a…” The boy scrunched his face. “What’s it called again?”
“A compass.” Lars pointed at it. “Remember the directions?”
“North. South. East. West.” The boy pointed at each one. “And I always go north until I find a safe spot to sit if I get lost. Staying in place is the smart plan if I’m not in danger.”
“That’s good,” Bree said. Lars was a great dad. He and Kamren were a lot alike in many ways.
Unlike Bree, who’d spent most of her formative years in boarding schools or dorm rooms, Lars had lived with Grams as much as he could. He’d always loved the wilderness, the rugged terrain, and the freedom it offered.
He hunted off the land and knew the mountain better than anyone, including Grams.
“That’s a picture of Bubba’s!” Luke shouted. “We’re here.”
“We are,” Lars said. “See this picture down here? I bet that’s where the treasure is.”
“Wow. Can we go? Please?”
“Of course! This is a mission,” Ram said. “Your first one.”
“Wow.” Luke breathed the word. His little body vibrated with eagerness, but he glanced over at Grams and Momma Mason, who were both eating cobbler and whispering to one another. “Okay. When everyone’s ready.”
Damn. Lars was a great dad.
Better than theirs had been.
“You’re thinking really hard.”
“Just realizing how great Lars is at the dad thing,” she said. “Do you want kids some day?”
“I always thought not, but seeing Jud with his little girl, Dylan with his. Then Dallas with the boys. Yeah, I want kids. I didn’t have a good upbringing with mine.”
“Because of that organization.”
“Yeah, and their decision to make it more important than me,” Ram admitted. “Nothing comes before those I love.”
“That’s good. Parental damage is strong in our crew. I guess that’s why we gravitate to what we do,” Bree said. “I mean, we do what we do to stop bad people and help those who need us. Maybe we’re all trying to right wrongs we were powerless to stop when we were young.”
“Maybe,” he said, his voice low and husky against her cheek. “Will you tell me about them someday? Your parents?”
She nodded. “They’re good people. Honestly. They did a lot for me. Gave up a lot.”
“But?”
“But they never let me forget it, and that’s a big burden to carry,” she whispered. She hadn’t intended to share, but it felt good to let it out. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“I’m glad you did.” He touched her cheek as he peered into her eyes. “Thank you for trusting me. Parents don’t always make the right choices. All they can do is learn from the mistakes and move on. That’s what Momma Mason said one day when she was talking to Jud. His mom agreed. I think we struck gold with the crew we’re surrounded by. Any kids we have would be wrapped in love and supported by generations who know how to navigate parenthood.”
She swallowed. Kids we have. The words rattled around in her brain. Did he mean together? He smiled as if reading her thoughts.
“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Ram said. “I can’t help but think about kids with you, because I can’t seem to stop thinking about all the ways we could make them.”
Holy wow. He hadn’t just said that. Her body heated as possibilities appeared in her mind. Damn her visual brain. She licked her lips and let her eyes meander down his muscular body, which was adorned in a snug T-shirt that fed her imagination. Would he be a playful lover, okay with lots of foreplay? She hoped so, because a foray between the sheets with him would be spectacular. She had zero doubts.
She shifted on the bench seat as arousal pooled between her legs. She tugged at her bra strap to make sure it was still there. Thank goodness she’d gone for a thicker bra that would hide her hardened nipples.
“You okay?” Ram grazed his fingertips along her cheek.
“You are evil.”
He grinned. “Not yet, but I look forward to exploring whatever you’re thinking about. Then we can be evil together.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Riley asked.
Bree pulled away from Ram and cleared her throat. “Nothing.”
Ram chuckled. “Oh, it’s something. Something I’m looking very forward to, when the time is right.”
His voice was low, the words meant only for her. Heat crawled up her cheeks. Yep, she was definitely looking forward to that exploration herself.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll get there eventually, but I’m enjoying the slow chase too much to speed this up. You’re worth the wait.”
“You are, too,” she whispered. “Though, for the record, I’d be okay with cutting a few corners.”
Intensity resonated in his gaze. “You deserve the full experience. This isn’t just about physical attraction. I want you to trust me completely when we go there. You don’t yet, and that’s okay. We’
ll find our way together. Until then, know I’ll always put you first. Whatever you need or desire, I’ll make it happen.”
She forced her attention away from the intense words he shared. Her gaze latched on to Lars, who watched them both from the other end of the table.
“I think it’s time to follow Luke’s map,” Riley said with a wink. “Who’s up for some treasure hunting?”
10
The treasure hunt ended at Kamren’s farm, which shouldn’t have surprised Bree. TJ and DJ dragged Luke and Hillary around to every animal—who they’d named. Bree had slipped into the house to cuddle the latest addition to the Mason brood.
“He’s adorable.” She leaned down and inhaled Daniel’s baby scent. Exhaustion darkened the area beneath Kamren’s eyes. “How are you?”
“Good. Dallas has been great about dividing up the middle-of-the-night duties. He’s so much better at this than me,” Kamren admitted. “I panic every time he cries.”
Momma Mason chuckled. “You’ll get the hang of it. I was like that with Marshall and Nolan both. By the time Riley arrived, I was an old hand at trusting my instincts. Yours are stronger than anyone I know.” She patted Kamren’s hand where they sat together on the sofa. “Trust your gut, dear. It’ll never steer you wrong.”
“And of course Dallas is good at the middle-of-the-night thing. He’s a commando,” Bree added. “They sleep with one eye open all the time.”
Her gaze swept the farmhouse, which had undergone a huge makeover since the first time she and Riley had broken in through the window to educate Kamren on all-things-Dallas. Pictures of their kids adorned the walls. Artwork they’d done decorated the area near the dining room. She could almost feel the love resonating from the interior.
“I never thought I’d be this happy,” Kamren said. “Some days I feel guilty for that.”
“Why?” Grams asked.
“My sister’s still in that mental institution. I’ve refused to visit with her. Now she’s started asking for Riley to go.” Bree glanced out the window. Riley was chasing the boys around. Luke clutched a rabbit to his chest. “Dallas tells me not to think about Rachelle, but she’s my blood. My family.”
“This is your family,” Bree said. “We are your family. She lost the right to be a part of your life. Blood doesn’t define that, not in the ways that matter.”
“She’s right,” Grams said. “Sometimes the hardest thing we can do is nothing. I don’t know what happened, but I see the love you have here. It fills this house and shines on the faces of your little ones. Don’t lose sight of what matters. That’s those boys.”
Kamren offered a shaky smile. Bree admired the woman for overcoming everything with more grit and strength than she’d seen from most anyone—and that was saying a lot because all her friends had it in spades. “Thank you for doing this treasure hunt, by the way. Luke loves your farm.”
“He’s welcome anytime. In fact, TJ wanted a sleepover with him and Mike.”
Mike was Rhea’s eldest son. Bree really wanted to spend some alone time with Rhea so she could get her best friend’s pulse on how she was doing with the insta-family. Maybe tonight while they were working.
“How’s Mike adapting?” Momma Mason asked. “He’s such an intense little thing. I just want to hug him close and make whatever worries he has go away.”
“We all do,” Kamren said. “I thought TJ was intense when he showed up here, a little man trapped in a boy’s body. The weight of the world on his shoulders. Whatever Mike went through before he got here is still buried in him. Fallon and Rhea are good with him, though. They’ll get in. It’ll just take time.”
“I suspect he’ll open up to TJ before anyone,” Momma Mason said. “Your boy latched on to Mike quick.”
“He likely sees himself in him,” Bree said.
“Dallas has talked with him about it and made sure he knows he can trust us with whatever they talk about,” Kamren replied. “I just hope Mike starts relaxing.”
Bree couldn’t imagine how terrifying it must be for Mike and his two younger siblings. Their mom had been killed. Then they’d been carted off to Rhea and Fallon because she’d made virtual strangers their new parents in a will she’d written out on a piece of paper. The strangeness of the situation might seem improbable to most, but the woman had known about the work Rhea did with Zoey and Jade, her trusted friend, on the underground network.
“Dallas was going to stay and watch the boys tonight,” Kamren said.
“Nonsense. They’re all coming home with me,” Momma Mason replied. “I’m looking forward to being surrounded by my grandbabies.”
“I’d love to help out, if you don’t mind.” Grams smiled as she looked out. “I haven’t seen Luke and Hillary this happy in ages. Or Lars.”
Bree bit her lip and ignored the opportunity to mention they could have this long-term. Grams needed to find her own way to the potential here. “I’d better go find Ram. We have to go back to the compound and meet with the others.”
“How did I miss you and him being a thing?” Kamren asked.
“We aren’t,” Bree argued.
“You so are. Tell me.” Kamren leaned back on the sofa.
“It’s not a pretty story, not the start of it at least,” Bree whispered. “They were on a mission with Marshall the second day I was at The Arsenal. Things went sideways. I helped them out. I heard all the whispers about them, how they always had one another’s backs and saw how the other operatives admired them.”
“Doesn’t hurt they’re so handsome,” Grams commented.
So true. Bree carried on with the story. “They were the ones who helped get Zoey out. I was at the hospital and had just overheard Zoey sharing some stuff with Mary. I wanted a way to help her and was so lost in the anger and pain I was feeling. Then I sort of slammed into Ram in the corridor. He’d…” She swallowed and glanced up at Kamren. “He’d rounded up her hair from the bathroom floor and put it in a black bag.”
“Damn,” Kamren whispered. “That’s where you came up with the idea for the wigs.”
Bree nodded. “Things kind of evolved from there. I sassed him about abbreviating the short name Ramon to Ram. I mean, seriously. It’s one syllable.”
Momma Mason and Grams both chuckled. Grams probably didn’t understand how important nicknames were to the commandos. Bree hadn’t at first. Now she got it. They were an identity, one strengthened by what they’d endured. Survived. More importantly, they were a bond—one stronger than whatever they’d combatted.
“Anyway, it evolved from there. I respected him and the others for the way they got onto Gage’s team. They recognized themselves in him, that’s what Ram shared with me one day.”
“I didn’t realize you two were chatting,” Kamren said. “He’s a good man.”
He was a great man. Bree nodded. “We had small conversations here and there when we’d run into one another.” Heat crept up her face. “I may have made sure those happened fairly frequently.”
“I would have, too, dear,” Grams commented.
“Things have been pretty intense around the compound. Then I had my…” She bit back the rest. “Well, you know.”
“I don’t, actually,” Grams said, “but I’m reading between the lines.”
Damn. She never missed much. “There hasn’t been time to explore the attraction.”
“There won’t ever be time,” Momma Mason said. “You kids live life full throttle. I heard Dom and Nolan say that one day, and it’s true. Love won’t ever follow the usual path for any of you.”
Love. Bree suspected it’d be easy to fall in love with Ram, but Momma Mason was right. The lifestyle they led didn’t lend itself to traditional romance. Every second counted, which was why commandos didn’t screw around. When they saw something they wanted, they went for it.
And Ram wanted her.
Her pulse quickened at the thought.
The door opened. Dallas entered, followed by Ram. Kamren chuckled when Ram headed
right toward Bree and ran a hand down her hair. It’d finally started growing out enough for her to style.
“Hey,” she said into the silence.
“Hey. I know we’ve got to get back, but there’s something I want to do first.”
“I bet,” Dallas drawled. Kamren slapped his chest. “Go. The kids are cool with ours. We’ll get everyone back to the compound.”
Bree stood. “I’ll see you later, Grams.”
“Have a good time, dear.”
What did Ram want to do? Anticipation beaded along her skin as he escorted her out of the farmhouse and around to where a new detached garage was. “What are we doing?”
“Running away. At least for a little while.” He motioned toward an ATV. “Have you ever been on one?”
“No.” But she so wanted to. She’d seen the commandos race around the compound on them. Excitement rolled through her. “This is so cool.”
Ram settled a hand at her waist and drew her closer until their bodies almost touched. “I know we’ve got a lot of fires burning, but someone else can tend them for a little while. Come have some fun with me.”
“What kind of fun?” She licked her lips.
“Fuck, you’re killing me, sweetheart. That kind of fun would take a lot longer than we have,” Ram said. “This’ll be the dirty, thrilling kind.”
Bree suspected the kind of fun she was thinking about would be plenty dirty and thrilling. She didn’t voice those thoughts, but Ram mumbled another curse. He was totally thinking about hot, sweaty, mind-blowing sex, too.
“Okay, Trouble. Let’s get our fun on.” He handed her a helmet.
She donned it and watched as he straddled the ATV. Her gaze remained on his powerful thighs. He groaned. Opting to ignore the sexual tension building between them, she climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his middle. She splayed her hands out and admired the flex of muscle beneath her palms.
Damn.
Ram deserved a medal for maintaining his focus on the narrow path, which darted through overgrown shrubs and up and over artificially built inclines. Bree squealed her delight as the ATV took to the air, then slammed back onto the path. Each time she tightened her grip, blood surged to his dick.
