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Sterling
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“NO POISON.”
The message came while I was being driven back to the tower. My gaze went to the rearview mirror as my heart pounded within my chest at the momentary relief.
“WHAT ABOUT THE GIRL?” I texted back.
“EVAPORATED LIKE A GHOST. I’M STILL WORKING,” Reid replied.
When I looked up, Marsha, my driver and bodyguard, was staring beyond the windshield. “Good news,” I said.
“We could all use some more of that,” she replied.
Marsha had been with the Sparrows for over six years. It was her exemplary performance four years ago with dismantling a bomb that moved her up in our ranks. Moving Garrett to Araneae’s detail, I welcomed Marsha into mine. The fact that she was a petite woman might fool some people, but I’d seen her work. I’d watched her at the shooting range and had experience with her skill level in everything from disabling explosives to tracking a person of interest.
She was an asset to our team.
She earned the duty to work directly with the boss.
My gaze went beyond the reinforced windows of the SUV. Between the buildings, the sun glistened off the waves of the Great Lake. Araneae was right that the answer to swimming in public was no. I knew without a doubt that my answer was the one that would keep people safe. I also recognized that three- and four-year-old children couldn’t grasp the concept of safe when faced with the disappointment of not having an afternoon swim.
With the fate of the entire fucking city resting on my shoulders, I found myself contemplating a way to make it up to the children.
Achilles’ heel.
As Marsha turned the SUV into the entrance to the tunnel to our private garage, I saw the taillights of another vehicle ahead of us. I did a mental rundown. “Laurel?”
“Yes, sir.”
Inhaling, I wondered how the current situation affected the doctor’s research. She was making progress with her formula to help people suffering with PTSD. While I received most of the updates from her husband, Mason, Laurel was more than willing to share. Since the first shipping container of victims was found, it seemed there hadn’t been time for sharing or simply talking.
I ran my hand over my face. As I did, I recalled my conversation with Araneae.
Fuck.
The idea of reddening her ass caused my dick to twitch. I couldn’t think about it anymore or I’d be stepping out of the SUV with a noticeable erection. Refocusing my thoughts, I watched as our SUV came to a stop behind Laurel’s.
Reaching for the door handle, I met Marsha’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “I’m in for the night unless you hear from me.”
“I’m ready when you need me.”
Nodding, I opened the door.
Standing near the elevator with a leather satchel in her grasp and a leather backpack over her shoulder was Laurel. The woman had an alphabet of letters after her name. In a nutshell, she was a genius.
“Going up?” she asked with a grin.
“I am.”
Laurel placed her hand over the sensor, calling the elevator.
“I’m sorry.” That phrase was relatively new to me. I was rarely sorry and when I was, I didn’t vocalize it. The woman staring at me with blue eyes was part of my Achilles’ heel. She mattered to Mason.
I’d met Mason Pierce, Reid Murray, and Patrick Kelly on a bus to basic training. We’d traveled the world together. Fought for our country together. Built a new army together. Successfully organized a coup together. I’d be a fool to not recognize the talented assets I found, who found me, and who have committed their lives to the Sparrow Organization.
My father thought sending me to the army would be my end.
Instead, it was the beginning of his.
As the doors to the elevator opened and our two SUVs drove away, I reached for Laurel’s satchel. “May I?”
Nodding, she relinquished the handle. “Thanks.”
Once inside, I hit the ‘A’ button. It was the apartment level of our tower, where Mason, Reid, and Patrick lived with their families; ‘2’ was the next button I hit. Thinking better of my decision, I hit ‘P’ for the penthouse.
When I turned as the elevator ascended, Laurel was smiling.
“I’m glad Araneae is all right.”
Inhaling, I stood taller. “She is for now.”
I caught the shake of Laurel’s head. “In her defense, jumping to the idea of poison isn’t the normal response to a letter.”
“Has anything been normal since you found Mason?”
“Technically, he found me.”
I lifted my eyebrows.
“Normal is an overused word. I should rephrase. Assuming a letter is laced with poison isn’t the first thought of many people.”
“We need to talk, all eight of us.”
Laurel nodded. “I believe we’ll all be home.”
My lips quirked. “That will be convenient.” The elevator came to a stop, the doors opening to the foyer preceding all three apartment doors. I handed Laurel her satchel. “The apology was for cutting your time at the institute short.”
She stood blocking the closing of the doors. “I have a decent setup downstairs. I’ll be fine.” Laurel was the exception to our rule regarding floor ‘2.’ Years ago, we’d offered her space for her research. The agreement had stood the test of time. She had room for her work, and we still had plenty of space for ours.
Laurel turned away and then looked back. “Extraordinary.”
I lifted my brow.
“Since Mason found me, normal is subjective. Everything has been extraordinary, and I wouldn’t change a thing, Sterling. If working from home will keep Mason and all of you safe, you won’t hear a complaint from me.”
I nodded as I hit the ‘P’ again. “Someone will let you know when we can have a family meeting.”
As the doors closed, I thought about the woman I was about to see. I also considered Laurel’s words. She said I wouldn’t hear a complaint from her. That didn’t absolve Mason from hearing it. Going up to the penthouse, I was opening myself up for the same from my wife.
The elevator opened on ‘2.’
I looked up at the corner of the elevator. “I’m headed upstairs. I’ll be back.”
No, I wasn’t talking to myself. I was talking to Reid or Patrick or whoever was manning the security, knowing they could see and hear me. They also knew the buttons I’d pushed.
The doors closed and then opened again. Stepping into the hallway of the penthouse, I listened for voices as I moved toward the kitchen. My shoes tapped on the flooring as I went beyond the staircase, turning into the kitchen.
The large room was empty.
Of all the places in the tower, this kitchen was the least likely to be abandoned.
I’d admit that my pulse sped up, wondering where Araneae and Goldie had gone.
It was back at the bottom of the stairs that I heard laughter from above.
Gripping the banister, I went higher. The sounds were coming from our suite.
The doors were ajar as I crept closer.
The laughter and talking grew louder as a plastic beachball rolled across the carpet.
“Oh, hi,” Araneae said, coming to a halt, wearing her bathing suit, and picking up the beachball.
“We’re not alone?”
She shook her head as she came close and lifted herself to her tiptoes, giving me a quick kiss. “No, we’re swimming.”
“Swimming?”
“Come see,” she prompted. “Goldie will try to get you to swim, so be prepared.”
With my hand in Araneae’s, we walked toward the master bathroom. I stopped at the threshold, taking in the chaos and unbridled joy that only children can truly experience. Water puddled on the tile floor between beach towels and inflatable toys.
“Daddy,” Goldie called out as she popped out of the surface of the water in the large tub. She wasn’t alone. Jack and Eddie were in the tub too, all wearing bathing suits.
“Uncle Sterling,” came from the boys.
I felt suddenly overdressed in my suit. Lorna, Madeline, and Ruby were enjoying the pretend beach day as well. Everyone was wearing bathing suits.
Ruby was sitting on a large beach towel with a picnic basket and sunglasses on her head. “Welcome to beach day,” she said.
“The beach came to us,” Araneae said with a grin.
More water splashed on the tile as the children played with toys, filling them with water and dumping them.
“Daddy, come swimming,” Goldie said.
“Princess, I don’t think there’s enough room.”
She stood, reaching for the side of the tub. “Will you come back? When we’re done?”
Avoiding the puddles on the floor, I walked to the tub, palmed her beautiful little face. “I will. I promise.”
“Okay.” Her big brown eyes stared up at me. “Tuck me in?”
“Another promise.” I turned to Araneae and back. Leaving a kiss on our daughter’s head, I ruffled the boys’ hair. “Have fun.”
“We are. We get to splash.”
I tugged on Araneae’s hand, getting myself out of the splash zone, and brought her back to the bedroom.
“We have the biggest tub,” she said.
“I wish you could go to the lake.”
“This was Ruby’s idea. She said Madeline used to make a day of it when she was little, and she liked it.”
Making the best of the situation wasn’t new.
Araneae grinned. “The kids are having fun. They think it’s special.”
“You’re special. It’s time we talk to you ladies and let you know what’s happening.”
Her expression turned sober. “I know about McFadden.”
“How do you know?”
“It came up on my news app. But I feel as if that’s only the tip of the iceberg.”
I nodded and lifted her hand to my lips. After brushing her knuckles with a kiss, I grinned. “I had to see you.”
“I told you, I’m fine.”
My smile broadened. “Yes, you’re fine, for now.”
Araneae’s lips came together as she tilted her head. “I think we need to talk about the letter thing.” Her words faded to a whisper. “Before you jump to conclusions.”
I took a step closer and another, seizing my prey as my words slowed and my tenor deepened. “My conclusion is that you endangered the most important person in my life.” Grabbing her fine ass, I tugged her bathing-suit-clad body against mine. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
Her arms came up to my shoulders. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Things have been pretty shitty lately.” I kissed her lips. “Spanking your ass will be the highlight of the week, and I may be looking forward to it a little too much.”
Araneae shook her head. “That’s not fair.”
“What?”
“I don’t want you to have a completely shitty week.”
“Fear not. My solution is coming.” When I took a step back, I could see the way Araneae’s nipples beaded under her bathing suit top. “Oh, sunshine, you’re getting wet just thinking about it. If only our bathroom suite wasn’t filled with people.”
“Anticipation.” She reached for my hand. “Are you leaving?”
“Going to ‘2.’ I’m not planning on leaving the tower for the rest of the day.”
“And you’re going to tell us more?”
I took a deep breath. “Yes. It will have to be later. And I don’t care what’s happening, don’t let me miss Goldie’s tuck-in.”
“She’ll like that.”