Levi
It was noon before all the patients were loaded in ambulances and taken to the hospitals. Drew’s quick thinking of marking the patients according to criticalness saved multiple lives, and Lydia was overseeing the administration of the cocktail that would keep them alive long enough to get the required number of doses of the antidote.
The ride home was quiet, as Drew slept against the passenger-side door. She needed sleep, but I knew she’d protest since people were depending on her. Still, I planned to at least make her take a nap for a couple of hours. Of course, when I brought it up, her reaction was just as I suspected.
“I don’t need any more sleep, Levi! People are depending on me. Lives are at stake!” She threw her hands in the air.
“You are no good to anyone if you’re dead on your feet. That’s how people make mistakes. In my line of work, you recognize that taking the necessary moments to get some shut-eye can save lives.”
“I’m fine, Levi. I slept in the car.”
“Only you’re not fine.” I made the comment just as she swayed on her feet trying to get out of the car. I caught her before she hit the ground.
She sighed, finally relenting—at least that’s what I hoped.
“Okay. Two hours. I’ll sleep for two hours, but Hunter is not going to like it.”
I slipped my arm under hers to give her support as we walked inside to the dorms.
“I’ll take Hunter with me. I need to meet with the team and go over a few things so we can be prepared to protect you and your team of scientists while you work. I’m sending Oscar and Cruz on over so they can scope the place out and welcome the newcomers who are coming to help.”
“I’ll have Olivia meet them over there. She has a key to my house and to the lab.”
Hunter was nowhere to be seen when we entered the dorm space, so I assumed Jolie had him with her in the office. At least that was one less obstacle for Drew. She needed the sleep or she’d pass out.
“Perfect. Now, get some rest.”
We were standing by her door, and Drew tilted her head up, her sleepy eyes finding mine. I wanted to kiss her, to relive the moment we’d had the night before, but once I started kissing her, I wasn’t sure I could stop. I pressed my lips to her forehead and reached around her to find the door handle, turning it and pushing it open.
“Good night, Drew.”
“Night, Levi.”
The door closed behind her, and I headed to the offices to find Jolie and Hunter. They were sitting at Jolie’s desk, playing something on the computer.
“Right there. You got it! Geez, Hunter, you are so stinking smart.”
“I know.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the kid’s confidence. That was the thing about kids—they knew when they were smart or cute or talented. There was no sense of pretend humility or self-degradation. Just honest acknowledgement of truth. If only more adults held that quality in high regard.
“Levi!” Hunter shouted as he hopped off Jolie’s lap and wrapped his chubby little arms around my legs. I bent over, embracing him back.
“Hey, buddy. Having fun?”
Hunter pulled away and nodded his head like a bobblehead doll. “Yep! Ms. Jolie said we could get some ice cream later today.”
“She did, did she?” I raised eyebrows over his head as I looked at Jolie. She just shrugged unapologetically.
“Every kid needs ice cream. On a daily basis. Actually, now that I think about it, everyone needs ice cream on the daily. It should be a law.”
I chuckled at her reasoning and stood. Hunter slipped his hand in mine and looked up at me with worried eyes. “Is my mom okay?”
“She sure is. She’s just taking a little nap since she had to get up so early.”
Hunter scrunched his nose. “Mommy is too big for naps.”
“Nonsense. Everyone needs a nap every now and then.”
“If you say so.”
He didn’t look convinced, but seemed content to move on to bigger and better things than adults napping.
“Where is everyone?” I directed the question to Jolie while Hunter lay on the floor playing with his action figures and dinosaurs.
“Cruz and Oscar are in their offices. Ryder is at the computer, of course.”
“Any word on Cade?”
Jolie walked around to the front of her desk and propped her hip on the side. “Yeah, he’s doing well. Dr. Ayala said he could come home today if he promised to rest.”
I snorted.
“Exactly. Dr. Ayala apparently doesn’t know Cade very well. Still, Piper was shaken up about it, and I can guarantee she won’t let him do more than he should.”
“How’s she holding up?”
“Okay. I think the reality of what could have happened along with the baby coming soon just threw her for a loop. She’ll settle, though. She’s Piper Montgomery. She can handle anything.”
Jolie’s hero worship of Piper had started when Jolie came on board as an office manager. It wasn’t long before Piper was showing her the ropes, and Jolie was on her way to being a kick-ass operator. Between Piper’s skills with a gun and Ryder’s skills as a fighter, Jolie had the best teachers anyone could ask for. And she’d made a damn fine operator. We were lucky to have her on the team.
“Let me know if anything changes.”
Hunter pulled on my hand.
“Can we get ice cream?”
I smiled, unable to tell this kid no.
“Sure thing, buddy.” I turned my attention back to Jolie. “I need to make a couple of calls first and touch base with Cruz and Oscar. Think you guys can play that game for a little while longer, and then I’ll take Hunter here to get some ice cream.”
“Of course. Come on, Hunter. Show me more of your wicked ABC skills.”
Jolie winked at me, and I sauntered out to find Cruz and Oscar. I knocked on their office doors and asked them to meet me in the conference room.
When we were seated, I launched into what I’d need from them in the coming days.
“Washington is sending a team of scientists to assist Drew in making enough antidote to get us off the ground and give to the fifty-seven people who were attacked. Once she’s able to get a small backlog of doses, they’ll shift the responsibilities to a bigger lab. We want to keep things quiet, though, until The Vicar is caught. If we send this over to a large pharmaceutical lab now, word will get out, and all hell will break loose.”
“That makes sense. So, what do you need from us?”
“Security. Drew is resting now, and then we’ll head to her house later this afternoon. I need you two to head up a security team. Maybe Johnny Carter’s guys can come up and help? But until they arrive, the perimeter needs to be cleared and each scientist verified before they’re let on the property.”
“Sounds like you could use my skills, too,” Ryder piped in from the doorway. “I can get access to the information quicker than these guys.”
“Hey, now!” Oscar protested, but the smile on his face indicated there was no real offense taken.
“I’m just sayin’. When you’re good, you’re good.”
“Thanks, Ryder. That would help a lot. Once you’ve ID’d each scientist, you can come back here and resume the search to find where The Vicar is hiding out. We need to end this before another attack is launched.”
“Did Rubio have anything to say before he died?”
I thought back to his remarks, the ones that indicated that possibly Washington was right, and the president was involved with this, or at least had been in his past. If Matias Vicario was out for revenge against the most powerful man in the world, we were in for an uphill battle.
“Not much. Most of it I couldn’t understand. Anyway, Oscar and Cruz, if you guys can go on out to the place and get a feel for it, that would be awesome. I need to make a call to Washington and take Hunter out for ice cream.”
The snorts and coughs to cover up their amusement were to be expected. I mean, when was the last time I’d taken a break from the job for anything remotely personal? The answer was never.
“I feel like I’m saying this a lot to you clowns, but shut the hell up.”
There were a chorus of yes, sirs, and a few more snorts and chuckles, but the guys left and went to do what I’d asked. I made my way to my office and shut the door, dialing the number that would get me to one of the most influential people in America.
“Washington.”
“It’s Slater. Rubio’s dead.”
“Yes, I heard. I was expecting you to call me last night.”
And I would have, had I not been preoccupied with a gorgeous brunette with mismatched eyes.
“I’m sorry about that. It was late, and by the time I had the team settled, I’d fallen asleep sitting up, and then the attack hit, and we were scrambling.”
“I hear all the victims are alive so far and that the bartender had a cyanide pill and killed himself.”
“Yes, sir. Drew is resting for a bit, and then we’re heading to her lab to start working on the antidotes.”
“Good. Sounds like you have it all under control.”
“Sir, there’s something I need to tell you. Before Rubio died, he said that The Vicar wouldn’t stop until he paid. I think he was talking about the president, sir.”
There was a long pause on the other end followed by a weighty sigh.
“Yes, I agree. Did he say anything else?”
“Just that there would be no stopping him, and thousands would die.”
“Damn.”
“My thoughts exactly, sir.”
“Any news on the location of The Vicar?”
“Not yet. Ryder’s working on any options, though.”
“All right. Keep me posted. I’ll pass this on to the president. See if he has any thoughts.”
“Thank you, sir.”
I hung up the phone and sat at my desk, contemplating the position we were in. The Vicar was planning more attacks. And larger-scale ones, I assumed. As soon as word got out that none of the patients had died, he would know we had the antidote.
Would he come after Drew?
Yes, he would.
And that thought scared me as much as learning he had massive terror attacks planned on the horizon. Clearly, I was losing my mind.
A knock sounded at my door, and I looked up to find Jolie peeking around the frame.
“He’s getting restless. Want me to take him?”
“No—I’m done here. Thanks, Jolie.”
“Anytime. He’s an awesome kid. Makes me want to have one of my own.”
“Have you informed Ryder of this?”
“Nah. He’d just freak out.”
We both laughed at the thought of Ryder finding out he was going to be a daddy. Warmth spilled over me as I thought about the possibilities of my own children, my flesh and blood. An image of my angel walking down the aisle in a white dress, Hunter by her side decked out in a little tuxedo flittered through my mind. Normally when I thought about settling down and commitment, it made my skin crawl. But for some reason, with Drew, it held a certain appeal. Drew laughing in my arms. In my bed. Round with my child.
“Dude, you’ve got it bad.”
I snapped out of my daydream to find Jolie laughing. Dammit, she was never going to let me live that one down.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re usually a pretty difficult guy to figure out, but just now? I was able to read every thought that flitted through your mind, and I’d bet my next paycheck, Drew Bellamy was at the center of it.”
I wasn’t going to lie, but there was no reason to affirm her suspicions either. I stood, turning off my computer, and brushed past her in the doorway.
“I’m going to take Hunter for ice cream.”
The sound of Jolie’s giggles followed me down the hall.
After Hunter and I had gorged ourselves on ice cream from a shop a couple of miles away, we went back to the dorms to find Drew packed up and ready. When we entered the room, she jumped up from the couch and wrapped Hunter in a huge hug. Kneeling next to him, she asked, “Did you have a good time?”
“I sure did! Jolie and I played on ABC Cat, and Hunter let me get a triple scoop waffle cone of cotton candy flavor.”
“Nice.” She shot me a bemused smile. “That should be a lot of fun come bedtime.”
Hunter didn’t seem fazed by her comment, and instead latched on to the two small duffel bags sitting on the floor.
“Are you leaving, Mama?”
“We’re both leaving, baby. Going home.”
Hunter’s face fell. “I don’t wanna go home. I wanna stay here with Levi and Jolie and Piper.” His lips formed a pout, and he crossed his arms over his little chest.
“Well, we have a home we need to get back to. And Mama has some work she has to do.”
Hunter fell on his butt, his arms still crossed and his chin high in the air. “I’m not leaving.”
“How about if I come with you? Would that be all right?”
I hated to see the kid upset, and truth be told, I hated to see them go. My only consolation was that I’d be there to watch over them at least until this thing was over. And after that? Well, the future would take care of itself. Right then, I had a four-year-old to console and a beautiful scientist to escort back to her home.
“I think so. Would you be my new daddy?”
Drew’s eyes went wide, and she knelt back down beside Hunter.
“Hunter! What would make you say something like that?”
Perhaps it should have concerned me that in two short days, the boy had gone from stranger to someone I cared very much for, but it didn’t. Neither did the idea of becoming his daddy, which was completely absurd. Drew and I had shared one kiss. One. That hardly put us in the category of seriously dating.
Still, his words did something funny to my heart, and I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped.
“It’s fine. Really. And no, Hunter, I’m not there to be your daddy. But I’d very much like to be your friend, and your mom’s too, if she’ll let me.”
Drew narrowed her eyes, but I could see that my response pleased her in the smile she was trying to hold back.
“Okay. That works, too.”
And with those words, Hunter hopped off the floor and bounded over to the door. Clearly the sugar was kicking in.
I lifted the duffel bags from the floor and started out the door.
“Wait.” I turned to find Drew chewing on her bottom lip.
“What he said… I mean, he’s never said that to anyone before. I’m not sure where it came from. I just don’t want you to feel any pressure or that I’m trying to catch myself a daddy for my kid.”
I dropped the bags and took two steps closer to her, invading her personal space and forcing her to look up at me. She blinked, and I dipped my head, placing a sweet kiss on her mouth. When I was done, her eyes were still closed, and a soft sigh escaped her lips.
“I don’t feel any pressure.”
Her eyes popped open, confusion marring their normal focus. “What?”
I couldn’t help the smile that split my lips. “To be Hunter’s father. No pressure.”
“Oh, right.”
I picked up the bags again and headed to the door. Turning around, I winked. “But Drew? I’m not ruling that out for the future.”
Drew stood there, her mouth agape, and I left her with that final thought.
Perhaps it was a bold move, possibly even a stupid one. But the longer the woman was in my life, the more I realized my dreams had been trying to tell me for weeks that she was what was missing. Not just any woman, but Drew Bellamy. The saucy scientist with the mismatched eyes and precocious son.
***
Drew’s property was stunning. A large pond was nestled by large hardwoods, a craftsman-style cottage sat at the edge of a circular drive, while a large barn-like structure lay behind it, painted a traditional red.
It looked like a small farm, and I half-expected to see chickens scurrying about or a couple of miniature goats tramping out to meet me. It did not look like the sort of place where scientific discoveries were made or life-saving antidotes were created. But that was the reality of the situation.
Oscar and Cruz met us at the front gate, which I’d been happy to hear Drew had. The entire property was fenced off with a large front gate that was protected by a keypad. Oscar and Cruz sat in a car at the gate ushering people in as they arrived. I lowered the window and leaned out.
“Everything okay here?”
Oscar shot me a bored look. “About as interesting as watching paint dry.”
“Just what I like to hear.”
“Think we’ll see any action, boss?”
Oscar lived for the adrenaline rush. I blamed it on the explosives he was so keen on tinkering with.
“Let’s hope not. Boring means safe. Any news from Lydia?”
Cruz nodded. “Cade’s fine. Already at home and resting easy. The patients at the hospitals are all holding their own, but a few of them are really struggling.”
“We’ll have the first doses ready by late evening. I promise,” Drew answered, leaning in so close I could smell that spicy, citrusy scent that was all hers.
“Good. About twelve scientists have arrived including your staff. They’re ready and waiting.”
“Thanks, guys.”
I directed the car through the gate and down the driveway until we reached the cottage. Hunter jumped out and raced towards the door like a burst of lightning, and fear shot up my spine.
“Hunter! Wait!”
I ran after the little boy, scooping him up in my arms and carrying him back to his mother. Drew looked at me with worried eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to check the house first.”
Relief and confusion crossed her face. “Why? Isn’t that why Cruz and Oscar are here?”
“Yes, but they’ve been at the front gate. We don’t have cameras up around the property yet. Better safe than sorry.”
I set Hunter down on his feet and leaned down to his level. “Stay here for a minute, okay? I just want to walk through the house first.”
He shrugged and stepped closer to his mom. “Okay.”
I hated that I’d scared him, but better to be scared than be harmed. Or worse.
Waiting until I reached the door before I pulled out my gun, I opened it and swept inside.
The interior of the house was as idyllic as the exterior. Canvas sofas sat in a warm family room, the focal point a whitewashed fireplace with a hand-painted sign on the mantel. It was an open floor plan, with a modern kitchen and an open-concept dining room, the large farmhouse table boasting a custom-made centerpiece and metal chairs.
The inside was quiet and appeared undisturbed. I cleared the first floor before making my way up the steps. There were three bedrooms up top: one that served as an office space; Hunter’s room that was decorated in blues and greens with what appeared to be a hand-painted dinosaur mural over his bed; and a very feminine master bedroom with fluffy white bedding, light-pink walls, and flimsy curtains. It suited Drew to a tee.
Once I was certain no one was in the house, I skipped down the steps and out onto the front porch lined with four rocking chairs.
“All clear.”
Drew exhaled and took Hunter’s hand as they walked to the front door. I picked up the duffel bags and brought up the rear.
“You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you. I built it when Hunter was a year old. I knew I wanted to be around as he grew up and not commute to the city every day. So, I wanted my dream home and privacy. This is what I came up with.”
“It’s perfect.”
Drew smiled shyly as Hunter raced up the steps. He turned when he got to the top.
“Levi, you gotta come see my room! It has dinosaurs!”
I laughed, relieved that all seemed to be forgotten from earlier.
“You got it, buddy.” My gaze traveled to Drew, and I shot her what I hoped was an endearing smile. “I’ll take your things up and put them in your room.”
“Thanks. There’s a pull-out couch in my office. You can sleep in there. I’ll get some sheets and towels for you as well.”
“No rush. I know you need to get over to the lab. Don’t leave without me, though, okay?”
She nodded, and I went up the steps to Hunter’s room, listening intently as he described each dinosaur to me in great detail. The kid was smart, just like his mom. And even though I knew he wasn’t hers biologically, it was clear she’d had a tremendous impact on his development.
A noise caught my attention, and I turned to find Drew standing in the door watching us. She had a smile on her face and a look of what I could only call contentment.
It was good to know that maybe I wasn’t the only one feeling the pull of home and family.
Perhaps the next few weeks wouldn’t be so bad after all.